Rei directed a questioning gaze toward the man who had called out to him inside the building where the Holy Four Assembly was being held.
If this had been someone like the people outside the building who were clearly glaring at Rei—specifically, Dailas's subordinates who had suffered varying degrees of damage from Rei and Fusetsu's infiltration the previous night—then he would have understood if they picked a fight with him simply out of spite.
However, the person who actually called out to him harbored no hostility toward Rei... or at the very least, wasn't showing any on the surface.
In other words, Rei could guess that it wasn't simply a matter of finding him disagreeable; the man had a proper reason for speaking to him.
"Do you have some business with us?"
Perhaps judging that it would be problematic to let Rei respond, Orban answered the man instead.
But it was likely more convenient for the man who had called out to them as well.
He simply continued his conversation with Orban.
"Lord Dwanda has decreed that only Lord Robel and Lord Orban may participate in the Holy Four Assembly. Normally, the Holy Four Assembly is, as the name suggests, a meeting conducted by only four people. However, given the various circumstances this time, Lord Orban's participation is being permitted as a special exception."
"W-wait a moment, please. Th-there have been cases in the past where non-participants attended the Holy Four Assembly. D-despite that, why suddenly do such a thing today of all days?"
Robel stated this, making it clear that he could not accept what had just been said.
Considering how things had been done until now, Robel couldn't accept that such a change had suddenly been made today.
If it had actually been Dailas, rather than a person named Dwanda, who had given that instruction, Rei would not have been able to hide his dissatisfaction either.
However, since the other party was not Dailas, that was a different story.
(The problem is how closely this person named Dwanda is working together with Dailas. ...At a time like this, if Nina were here, I could have her handle various negotiations.)
From Rei's perspective, he couldn't help but wish that Nina, who had taken separate action from Robel's mansion to act on her own, were here.
Even so, judging that there was no point relying on someone who wasn't here, he opened his mouth.
"In other words, this is about keeping me out, isn't it?"
"That's right. I know you hold the alias of Crimson. Given that, they likely concluded that letting you participate in the Holy Four Assembly would lead to various problems."
The man who had been speaking with Orban said this in response to Rei's words.
It was a completely different tone from the one he had used toward Robel and Orban.
A decision made precisely because Rei's name was too prominent.
Being told that, Rei couldn't help but feel somewhat dissatisfied, yet he found himself partially accepting it.
"I understand that I can't participate. Then, this is an obvious question, but it's only the individuals themselves participating in the Holy Four Assembly, right?"
Setting aside his own non-participation, this confirmed whether Dailas, the person named Dwanda, and the other individual whose name he hadn't heard yet were also not bringing bodyguards to participate in the Holy Four Assembly.
In response to Rei's question, posed to confirm exactly that, the man immediately nodded.
"That's right. None of them are bringing bodyguards."
"...I see. Then I have no choice but to wait here, huh."
"Are you okay with that?"
Orban asked Rei.
For Orban, Rei meekly accepting the other party's demands here was likely unexpected.
"If the other side isn't bringing bodyguards either, then there's no problem. ...I'll ask just in case, but the four people participating in the Holy Four Assembly besides Orban are ordinary merchants, right? For example, there isn't anyone hiding their true strength who's actually incredibly powerful, or anything like that?"
"There is not."
It was Orban who stated that with certainty.
Having actually met the three people besides Robel was precisely why he could assert it so confidently.
And Orban, as the leader of Fusetsu, possessed a correspondingly high level of ability himself.
While he wasn't exceptionally strong, there was no doubt he could easily incapacitate opponents who hadn't trained at all.
It was precisely because someone as capable as Orban was participating in the Holy Four Assembly alongside Robel that Rei meekly complied even when told he couldn't participate.
"Then there's no problem. In a setting like this, if someone tried to catch their opponent off guard and kill them, that would be tantamount to their own defeat. ...That being said, there's a bit of danger to it too."
As far as Rei understood the current situation, Dailas currently had evidence of his various dealings related to the Dolan Workshop as well as his other misdeeds held by Rei—more accurately, by Orban.
In other words, Dailas was undoubtedly in a state that was all but defeated.
Even so, the fact that he had swayed the two people besides Robel and decided to convene the Holy Four Assembly ahead of Robel meant there was a high possibility he had some kind of trump card for a reversal... Nevertheless, if asked whether Dailas or Robel held the advantage at present, Rei's assessment was Robel.
"Hey now, don't say things that make people worry in a place like this."
Orban said it as if joking in response to Rei's words, but a serious look floated in his eyes.
If something did happen, he would absolutely protect Robel. He conveyed that resolve to Rei with his gaze.
And Robel too, though looking somewhat restless as always, was looking at Orban with a gaze of complete trust.
Seeing the two of them like that, Rei judged that he didn't need to say anything more and nodded quietly.
"For now, I understand the situation. In that case, what should I do? You're not going to tell me to leave the building too, are you?"
"Of course not. You just need to stay on the first floor of the building. I know this is a strange thing to say, but... I believe the bodyguards attending the Holy Four Assembly for the four participants will be monitoring each other here."
"Monitoring each other... huh."
What Rei's gaze turned toward as he said that was the same group as before, still directing hostility his way.
Even though it was established that they would be monitoring each other, whether that would be properly upheld was honestly a dubious matter.
If the other side made a move, Rei would naturally retaliate.
Thinking of it that way, even though he wouldn't be acting together with Orban and Robel's group, he wondered whether it was really fine to stay here with the other bodyguards.
(Still, I'm the only bodyguard for Robel and Orban. If I'd brought someone like Crow along, I could have left Crow here and stepped out of the building myself. Since I'm here alone, I can't do that.)
Of course, because he hated trouble, he wouldn't mind being the only one to leave the building.
But if he did that, when something happened, Rei alone would be a step late to act.
And if Dailas took some kind of action, Dailas's subordinates would naturally respond in kind as well.
Considering the situation, the option of leaving the building didn't exist for Rei.
"Understood. I'll also stay in this building and participate in the mutual monitoring. ...However, let me say this in advance. If I'm attacked, I will retaliate. I won't just stand there and take it. I've already gotten permission from Orban on that point. Is that still acceptable with you?"
In response to Rei's words, the man who had told him to stay here, as well as the other people in the surrounding area, nodded without particular issue.
They were likely the bodyguards for Dwanda and the other individual whose name Rei still didn't know.
Since they had no intention of picking a fight with or attacking Rei, what he had stated was accepted without any problem.
However, even among them, there were those wearing irritated expressions.
They were the ones who had come as Dailas's bodyguards, the people directing hostile gazes at Rei.
It was a fact that they harbored hostility toward Rei, but at the same time, if asked whether they could win against such a Rei in a fight, they understood that they would have no choice but to shake their heads in frustration.
Being inside the building, they were the ones among Dailas's bodyguards who could calmly grasp the difference in combat power.
From Rei's perspective, if they understood that much, he couldn't help but think they shouldn't pick a fight with him.
"Alright, then let's go with that. ...Orban, Robel. I'm leaving the Holy Four Assembly to you."
"Understood. I'm not telling you not to cause a disturbance. But don't cause one that's too big."
"P-please take care."
Orban and Robel each said a word to Rei, then moved off to participate in the Holy Four Assembly.
After seeing them off, Rei ignored the hostile gazes from Dailas's subordinates and opened his mouth toward the person who had first spoken to him.
"So, I understand that I should stay in this building, but specifically, where should I be? Don't tell me I just have to keep standing here the whole time?"
"No, a room has been properly prepared. It's a reasonably large room, so I don't think you'll feel confined. Although..."
The man paused his words there and directed his gaze toward Dailas's subordinates.
"Since it's only a reasonably large room, if you do something like go on a rampage in there, that would be a problem."
"I won't go on a rampage on my own, so don't worry."
That also meant he wouldn't start a rampage himself, but if someone picked a fight with him, he would take them on—and the information hidden behind those words was naturally something the people here could read into.
They could read into it, but... that was precisely why it seemed certain that a disturbance would ultimately occur.
When that happened, how would the people other than Dailas's subordinates act?
Normally, there was a high possibility that the two people besides Robel were also working with Dailas, so it wouldn't be strange for their subordinates to also end up as Rei's enemies.
However, considering Rei's ability, many could easily imagine that would be tantamount to suicide.
That was why, in this incident, how the other people would act was something that slightly bothered Rei.
Even facing a large number of opponents, Rei naturally had no intention of losing.
But even so, it was a fact that things would become troublesome.
"I understand. We won't move unless there's an order from above. ...This way. Follow me."
Stating this as if to say he understood what Rei was getting at, the man he had been speaking with guided him to a room in the back.
Rei also felt that staying here indefinitely would be problematic, so he readily followed after him.
(There are quite a lot of bodyguards. Well, I suppose it's obvious when you think about it.)
In Rei's case, he had come alone as the bodyguard for Orban and Robel.
However, the other three including Dailas had brought multiple bodyguards.
That was clear from the fact that there had been several bodyguards outside the building in addition to the guards, and the bodyguards inside this building were also present in considerable numbers.
There were several reasons for gathering that many, but naturally, the biggest reason was Rei's presence.
When facing someone like Rei, being inferior in quality was unavoidable.
Given that, it was only natural to think they wanted to at least make up for it in quantity.
Rei had fought against opponents who had gathered such numbers many times before, but... Dailas and the other two probably knew that, and yet still judged that in the current situation, it was the only thing they could do.
If they could have prepared someone with enough ability to compete with Rei, the story might have been different.
"Huh, this is a fairly comfortable place."
What Rei was guided to was a reasonably large room.
Sofas and tables and such were properly provided, and several individuals who appeared to be bodyguards were currently sitting there, relaxing.
Then again, there were also people standing by the wall talking about something, each killing time as they pleased.
(The term waiting room, or perhaps break room, would be more appropriate in this case.)
From Rei's perspective, he couldn't help but think of it that way.
What should he do in this room right now?
Should he sit on a sofa and relax, or should he stand by the wall and stay vigilant against his surroundings?
As he was hesitating slightly like that, one of the people who had been talking on the sofa noticed Rei's figure and approached.
"Hey, you just got here now, huh."
Rei was bewildered by the overly casual attitude of the person speaking to him.
He had felt like it was a somewhat familiar face?, wondering about it, but the man, seemingly understanding from Rei's attitude that he had either forgotten him or simply didn't remember him to begin with, opened his mouth.
"I guess it can't be helped since we only briefly crossed paths last time. ...I'm Mirusu. Would it be easier to understand if I said I'm Lindy's Party Member?"
At those words, Rei ended up with a surprised expression on his face.