Robel returned with a dwarf in tow about twenty minutes after leaving the room.
They had been made to wait for a fair while, but perhaps Robel had anticipated as much—a maid came in shortly after his departure and set down some light refreshments.
Orban looked disappointed that there was no alcohol, but as far as Rei was concerned, alcohol wasn't something he particularly cared to drink, so the snacks were no problem at all.
Moreover, since this was the mansion of Robel—one of those who pulled the strings of Egginis—the dishes that arrived were mostly exquisite.
What Rei particularly liked were the sandwiches.
Orban shot Rei an exasperated look, thinking that sandwiches were something he could eat anytime—but the moment he tried one from the plate, his expression changed completely.
They may have been called sandwiches, but there was no comparing them to the ones sold at random stalls or bakeries.
The bread was soft and fluffy, and inside was meat seasoned with a tangy sauce that seemed to be fruit-based. The meat had clearly been cooked with great care—it was moist and tender, not dry in the slightest.
The vegetables were fresh and crisp, and there was no doubt these sandwiches were several ranks above anything you'd find at an ordinary shop.
Once he understood that, Orban—just like Rei—kept reaching for the sandwiches... so that by the time Robel returned with the dwarf, most of the food, sandwiches included, had already found its way into the two of their stomachs.
"S-sorry to keep you waiting."
Normally, it wouldn't have been strange for a comment about being kept waiting so long to slip out in response. But Rei, satisfied with the refreshments, simply shook his head.
"No, we weren't waiting that long, so don't worry about it. Every dish that was prepared was delicious."
Orban nodded in agreement with Rei's words.
He even went so far as to say out loud that he wouldn't mind having more of those sandwiches, if possible.
"I-is that so. I'm relieved, then."
Seeing that Rei and Orban weren't angry about the wait, Robel looked visibly relieved.
Robel, glancing around restlessly, still came across as rather unimpressive.
That said, this was Robel's usual demeanor, and the fact that he possessed abilities far beyond what such an unassuming appearance would suggest was proven precisely by the fact that Rei and Orban were here right now.
"Mr. Robel, that golem core you want me to look at—is it the one on that table?"
"Y-yes. That's right. Please."
"Sure."
The dwarf's attitude was hardly what you'd expect toward an employer, but Rei, reflecting on his own behavior, decided he was in no position to comment and simply watched how things unfolded.
"Hmm... So this is a Dolan Workshop golem core."
As expected of someone Robel had gone out of his way to bring here, it took him less than thirty seconds to identify which workshop the golem core belonged to.
Craftsmen really are something else. From where I'm standing, I can't see any difference between this and any other golem core.
So Rei thought, though in truth he had never actually seen a golem core from any workshop other than the Dolan Workshop in person.
Well, perhaps there had been opportunities since coming to Egginis, but unfortunately nothing stuck in his memory.
"S-so, what do you think? Looking at this golem core, do you sense anything?"
"Hah? Sense something, you say. I can tell it's a golem core, but... that's it. Nothing special about it."
The dwarf, who had been examining the golem core closely, replied to Robel's question.
It wasn't that the dwarf was hiding anything—he genuinely seemed to be saying that there was nothing particularly unusual about the core.
So even the dwarf can't sense the human souls used in it? Or is it simply that this core was from before human souls were introduced? Either way, it can't be helped if an ordinary dwarf with no detailed knowledge of necromancy can't figure it out just by looking without any explanation.
While Rei regretted that the dwarf couldn't shed light on the matter, he had no intention of interjecting.
If he carelessly mentioned that human souls might be involved, there was no telling how the dwarf in front of them would react.
It would be fine if he reacted with open disgust and declared the Dolan Workshop unforgivable.
But there was also the concern that he might become intrigued that such a secret art existed, and take it upon himself to head to the Dolan Workshop to learn more about the technique.
When it comes down to it, it's a fact that a certain number of dwarves are the type to be utterly obsessed with technique.
Based on Rei's impression from having met several dwarves over time, that was how he saw it.
"Is there... anything unnatural about this golem core?"
"Unnatural? Yeah... I dunno. Looking at it like this, not really."
The dwarf replied as if he had no idea what Robel was talking about.
In truth, this was neither evasion nor deception—from the dwarf's perspective, there was nothing suspicious about the golem core he held.
If he possessed some special ability to sense souls, he might have been able to discern whether a soul had been used in the core, but unfortunately the dwarf had no such ability.
"I-is that so. Thank you. You can go back now."
"Why'd you call me all the way here for this? What's this even about?"
"This is something you're better off not knowing. Please leave without asking any questions."
When his employer Robel said that, the dwarf couldn't say anything more.
That said, regardless of his attitude, the dwarf genuinely liked Robel as an employer.
Because of that, he turned his gaze toward Rei and Orban, wondering whether Robel might be caught up in some troublesome situation.
Whether fortunately or unfortunately, the dwarf apparently didn't know who Rei or Orban were, so he didn't make any fuss about it.
"You folks ain't dragging our boss into anything weird, are you?"
"We are."
The one who declared that immediately upon hearing the dwarf's words was Orban.
"Orban?"
Normally, wouldn't you say they weren't involved? Rei wondered.
However, Orban didn't seem particularly bothered even under Rei's questioning gaze.
Understanding that the dwarf was glaring at him, he opened his mouth.
"It's a fact that we've dragged him into trouble. But if this trouble is left as is, it won't just be Robel's trading company... there's a possibility that the worst possible outcome could be waiting for all of Egginis. We need Robel's help to do something about it."
"..."
At Orban's words, the dwarf fell silent.
Then, still silent, he shifted his gaze from Orban to Robel.
Robel must have understood what the dwarf wanted to say. He gave a small nod without a word.
That gesture showed he fully understood what kind of situation he would end up in as a result of getting involved in this trouble, and that he was cooperating with Orban of his own informed volition.
Seeing Robel's demeanor, the dwarf had no intention of saying anything more.
He understood that if Robel was this resolved, there was no point in him saying anything here.
Robel might look like a nobody on the outside, but the reality was different—and working under him and interacting with him directly, that was something you'd understand whether you wanted to or not.
Given that, the dwarf understood that if Robel was in this state, telling him to stop would be meaningless.
"Is that right... Then I ain't got nothing to say. But if anything happens, tell me right away. We owe Robel. And if Robel made some big mistake and just... disappeared, I wouldn't be able to stand for that."
"Th-thank you."
Words of gratitude from Robel toward the dwarf.
Even Rei, watching, could tell he meant it from the bottom of his heart.
The dwarf, having received Robel's thanks, spoke with a slightly embarrassed air.
"Hmph, I work under Robel, so it's only natural. ...See ya."
Perhaps he judged that staying any longer would only result in being told something else.
Watching the dwarf leave the room, Orban addressed Robel with a smile.
"You've got a good subordinate."
"Y-you think so?"
If Robel himself had been the one praised, he probably would have been too embarrassed to accept it honestly.
But it wasn't Robel who was praised—it was his subordinate.
That was precisely why Robel was able to accept Orban's compliment so readily.
Is he underestimating himself, or does he lack confidence, something like that? No, I can't really imagine someone in that kind of state becoming one of the people who move Egginis.
He couldn't imagine it, but the fact that Robel was genuinely one of Egginis's most influential figures was undeniable.
"Anyway, in the end the golem core I brought was a miss."
Even though it was underground, given that the golem cores had been stored haphazardly, it wasn't hard to imagine that some were from before human souls were used and some were from after.
Still, he had considered the one-in-a-million possibility... but it turned out to be a miss.
That said, as long as that dwarf isn't well-versed in necromancy, the possibility that human souls were actually already used in it can't be entirely ruled out.
Ultimately, there was no way to know for certain without having someone knowledgeable about necromancy examine it directly.
Someone like Grimm, for instance.
...That said, the matter of Grimm was one of Rei's secrets that could not be revealed.
Given that, he couldn't bring himself to talk about Grimm.
"Whether it was a miss or not, let's set that aside for now. First, we need to investigate who's connected to the Dolan Workshop, so we'll be making moves on our end. That's not a problem, right?"
Perhaps having already lost interest in the golem core, Orban said that.
Neither Rei nor Robel showed any sign of objection to Orban's words.
Investigating the Dolan Workshop matter was something neither Rei nor Robel could afford to refuse.
"Understood. Then I'll leave that matter to you. ...However, if we go too long without taking action, the Dolan Workshop side might try something strange. Thinking about it that way, I'd say we should move to act as quickly as possible—what do you think?"
"I know. The Dolan Workshop matter isn't something we can just leave as is either."
"I-I'll try making some moves on my end as well."
If Rei had been told this right after first meeting Robel, he probably wouldn't have been able to bring himself to believe those words.
But having talked with Robel alongside Orban, Rei had come to understand that, despite his demeanor, Robel was someone who could be trusted.
That was why Rei didn't argue with Robel's words and simply nodded.
"Got it. But for us right now, Robel, you're an important person. When you do make your move, don't do anything that would make the other side suspicious."
"I-I understand. I intend to be careful about that."
Please rest assured.
Robel's attitude conveyed that, and Rei nodded in acknowledgment.
"Alright then, the discussion is settled. All that's left is to act. Rei... we need you to stay in the Slum District, just in case."
"I'd prefer to go back to the Star River Inn if I could, but considering it would drag the people there into this, that's not really an option either."
Today he had slept in the living room of a guest room at the Fusetsu hideout—more precisely, a room used by people Fusetsu was sheltering for various reasons—but if possible, Rei wanted to sleep somewhere he could properly rest.
On a proper bed, not on the floor or a sofa.
However, the Fusetsu hideout currently had quite a lot of people, with several people sharing each room.
Of course, there were probably proper beds in rooms that weren't guest rooms... but since Rei was being sheltered, he couldn't make unreasonable demands.