"Rei? That was a very quick message... Did something happen?"
Elena, displayed in the Paired Orb, looked at Rei with a surprised expression.
"I ran into a bit of a problem. More importantly, sorry for calling at a time like this. Didn't you have any visitors?"
"Hehe, after seeing you leave Gilm with Seto, several people came hoping for an audience... but that's a matter for tomorrow onward. And since many of them had prior appointments from before, I can't really say when it will actually happen."
Elena told him this with a smile.
Rather than the matter of audiences, she was probably just happy to be able to talk with Rei, even if through the Paired Orb rather than in person.
She wore a smile so full of charm that anyone who saw her face would have their gaze stolen away.
Naturally, Rei too had his eyes caught by that smile.
...Or perhaps it was a good thing this was through the Paired Orb.
Had he seen that smile directly, its destructive power would have undoubtedly been even greater than it was now.
"That's a relief. But... things might get noisy over there again. Or rather, there's a very high chance of that."
"...What do you mean by that?"
Perhaps she sensed something from Rei's words—not as a woman, but as the Princess General.
The happy smile she had been wearing just a moment ago vanished instantly, replaced by a serious expression as she asked the question.
Rei felt a twinge of regret that her charming smile had disappeared, but since he had contacted her for a proper reason in the first place, he immediately began to explain.
"Actually, when we returned to the Treant Forest, Seto spotted what looked like poachers... but it turns out they weren't poachers. They were affiliated with defilement."
"Defilement? I heard the place where you and the others were attacked before was quite far away. With Seto's wings it would be one thing, but otherwise, wouldn't they be unable to arrive here this quickly?"
"Unfortunately, the ones we encountered were different defilement affiliates from the ones who attacked before."
In reality, the people who had attacked Bob had shelved this mission due to the danger Rei posed, but unfortunately, Rei didn't know that.
"In that case, while someone like me using a Paired Orb would be out of the question, perhaps a mage or tamer among them had a summoned beast or tamed bird carry a letter? There are those who do that kind of work professionally, but considering the circumstances, it seems unlikely they would resort to that."
"Is that so? The ones who do it professionally carry letters, but they wouldn't do something like reading the contents, right? Then I don't think there's any need to worry about that."
"Even so, there's always the possibility of 'what if.' For instance, if this were a matter involving bandits or communication about something shady, they might resort to relying on such people. But considering the nature of defilement that you described to me, Rei, they wouldn't be able to do such a thing."
Rei appeared convinced by Elena's words.
"In that case, they might have used such a method. Be that as it may, those people were caught by us, but ultimately they committed suicide."
"Suicide?"
"Yeah. They probably figured they wouldn't be able to endure interrogation. But it wasn't an ordinary suicide. The ones who became corpses were trying to turn into monsters through defilement... I'm not sure if that's an accurate description, but anyway, they were trying to become monsters, so I stopped them by storing them in the Misty Ring."
"Storing them in the Misty Ring...? I thought living things couldn't be stored?"
"Right. Living things can't be stored. But even though defilement was trying to change them, they were corpses. And corpses can be stored in the Misty Ring normally."
At that explanation, Elena wore a perplexed expression, as if she both understood and yet couldn't quite accept it.
For Elena, even hearing Rei's explanation, it probably wasn't something she could immediately accept.
That said, for Rei, the facts were simply what they were, so he could only say it was what it was.
"Storing them was fine, but I think we should let Lord Daskar know about this matter. The problem is, if I return right after just leaving Gilm, it might cause all sorts of commotion again. So I'd like you to do something about that."
"You say 'do something,' but since you're coming here, I think it's impossible to keep it hidden?"
"Yeah, I think so too. That's why I want Lord Daskar to send a carriage to Marina's house. That way, even if the people watching think I'm riding in it, they won't be able to interfere."
No matter who was monitoring Marina's house, they couldn't do something like interfering with a carriage that came from the lord's manor.
...Well, even if it weren't a carriage serving as Daskar's envoy, people who were merely watching shouldn't be able to do such a thing in the first place.
However, if the superior of those doing the monitoring—specifically, a noble—were present, the possibility of them attempting such a thing couldn't be denied.
And considering that not much time had passed since Rei flew off from Marina's house on Seto, it wouldn't be strange for a noble who had received a report from the watchers to have rushed to the scene.
"Very well. Then I will immediately dispatch Ara to the lord's manor where Lord Daskar is. When will you be returning here, Rei?"
"Right away. If I'm at Marina's house, even if the watchers find out I've returned, they won't be able to enter the grounds. ...By the way, I know this is a bit late to ask, but are you okay, Elena?"
"Okay? What are you talking about?"
"The audience matter. Since you're talking with me like this, I figure you're probably fine, but..."
At those words, Elena smiled and nodded.
"As you said, Rei, I have enough leeway to talk through the Paired Orb like this. There's no need to worry. Though, with your situation, there are probably many who wish to speak with me."
"In that sense, if I go over there again, things might get troublesome..."
"That can't be helped. Given the current situation, you don't have the luxury of worrying about such things, right?"
"Then, rather than talking through the Paired Orb forever, I'll head back there once."
"Yes. Take care."
With that, Elena's face disappeared from the Paired Orb.
After storing the Paired Orb in his Misty Ring, Rei turned his gaze to the Chief.
"So, as you can probably tell from that exchange..."
"Yes, you are going to Gilm."
The Chief said this without appearing particularly bothered.
For the Chief, as long as he wasn't bringing defilement into the Fairy Dwelling, there was no problem.
She didn't concern herself with what might happen to the people in Gilm regarding defilement.
What was important to the Chief was the Fairy Dwelling.
Of course, having established the Fairy Dwelling in the Treant Forest, she couldn't act as if Gilm had nothing to do with her.
Moreover, above all else, the food that could be purchased in Gilm—especially sweets—was something the fairies greatly desired.
Given that, the destruction of Gilm would not be a welcome outcome for the Chief either.
...Even setting that aside, if Gilm were to be destroyed, there was a possibility it would affect the Fairy Dwelling as well.
In order to prevent that, it was certain that they needed to keep an eye on Gilm too.
"So, what about Nielson?"
"Huh? Me? Naturally, I'll go too—"
It's obvious, isn't it?
That was what Nielson was about to say, but suddenly her movement stopped.
Rei wore a questioning expression, wondering what was going on, but upon seeing Nielson directing her gaze at the Chief, he quickly understood the reason.
"Are you sure? Since we're discussing matters related to defilement, wouldn't it be better to have someone from the Fairy Dwelling come along?"
"That may be so, but we need Nielson to help with the defilement disposal."
At the Chief's words, Nielson desperately tried to say something.
However, in reality, only her mouth opened and closed without any sound coming out.
"It seems Nielson has no objections to my proposal either."
No, was that really the case?
Rei was about to say that to the Chief, who had silenced Nielson through some method, but if he said something to the Chief here, he might get dragged into the trouble himself.
Thinking that, he decided to keep quiet.
Nielson watched such a Rei with a gaze that seemed to say "traitor."
That said, for Rei, helping Nielson in this situation would be tantamount to suicide.
"I see. Then... I'll relay whatever decisions are made over there to you, Chief. Is that fine?"
"Yes. I don't think that will be a problem. I can trust you with it, Lord Rei."
Being told that, Rei couldn't bring himself to do anything that would betray the Chief's trust.
Originally, the Chief treated Rei politely—almost as if he were a being above herself.
Whether that was because he was the benefactor who saved the Fairy Dwelling, or whether it had to do with his enormous magical power.
Unfortunately, Rei didn't know the circumstances behind it, but he understood that the Chief treated him courteously, and it wasn't a bad feeling.
If the Chief had been overbearing and ordered Rei around with a high-handed attitude, he probably wouldn't have been so invested in the Fairy Dwelling.
(She might be taking this attitude after having gauged that much.)
Rei knew he had a relatively straightforward personality.
Because of that, manipulating him probably wasn't all that difficult.
...Of course, thinking about what would happen when Rei found out, an ordinary person wouldn't be able to do such a thing.
"Alright then, shall we go? Seto, sorry to ask again, but can you take me?"
"Gruu!"
At Rei's words, Seto purred happily.
For Seto, the trip to Gilm was only a matter of minutes.
There was no need for procedures to enter the city, and he could land directly at Marina's house, so there was nothing troublesome about it.
If anything, going to Marina's house meant seeing his friend Ielo, so Rei's request was exactly what he wanted.
Rei still felt somewhat conflicted about Nielson, who continued to send him pleading looks for help, but he decided to buy her a souvenir from Gilm and quietly averted his eyes.
Nielson, thinking she had been abandoned by Rei, still looked like she wanted to say something, but... while she was still silenced by the Chief, Rei mounted Seto's back.
With a few running steps, Seto dashed up into the sky.
"As always, Seto's movement speed is just unfair, isn't it?"
Having arrived above Gilm from the Treant Forest in the blink of an eye, Rei muttered to himself.
There was no doubt that he had been saved by Seto's movement speed many times before, but experiencing it anew like this was unmistakable.
"Gruu!"
At Rei's words, Seto probably thought he was being praised.
He purred happily.
Looking at the purring Seto, Rei spoke again.
"Alright, let's head to Marina's house. I'm glad I don't have to use the Sleipnir boots or anything like that this time."
"Grururu"
Showing a happy demeanor, Seto flapped his wings and descended toward the ground.
The distance to the ground quickly shrank... and eventually, flapping his wings to kill his descent speed, Seto landed on the ground with a movement that could only be described as elegant.
(The people watching around Marina's house are probably in quite a commotion right about now.)
Rei, having dismounted from Seto's back, felt pity for the watchers who were surely outside, even though he couldn't see them.
He was the one who had done it, but for Rei to return to Gilm twice in a single day was, based on all past experience, something that should be impossible.
Since something that should be impossible was happening, it was only natural that it would cause a commotion.
Rei hadn't intended to do such a thing at first either, but encountering people affiliated with defilement in the Treant Forest—and then those people dying and beginning to transform into something resembling Undead through defilement—meant he couldn't just leave them be.
"Rei."
"Sorry for coming back so suddenly. Where's Ara?"
"She's already headed to the lord's manor. I sent her on an urgent errand from me, so her audience with Lord Daskar shouldn't take long."
"I'd also like to get word to Marina..."
"That's been taken care of as well. After she meets with Lord Daskar, I've told her to stop by the treatment center too."
Facing Elena, who had thought of everything, Rei expressed his gratitude.