"Lady Elena!?"
Daskar's subordinate had been objecting to Daskar's decision to ride the Seto Cage out of Gilm, arguing it would be dangerous if anything happened.
Having overheard this, Elena had abruptly declared that she would go as well. It was only natural that Ara, who was entrusted with Elena's protection, let out a startled cry.
However, unlike Daskar's subordinate, Ara did not believe Elena would actually come to harm.
It was true that Ara served as Elena's guard, but Elena possessed overwhelmingly greater combat ability than the woman charged with protecting her.
Ara knew Elena's strength well, and with Rei and Seto also present, she couldn't help but feel they could handle things even if a dragon appeared.
In that sense, there was no real problem. Yet she still wore a worried expression, and that was because Elena was insisting on going to see the defilement-corrupted corpses.
Moreover, having just witnessed the violent reaction of the spirits Marina controlled, Ara felt all the more anxious.
However, Elena spoke to Ara in a calming tone.
"Calm down, Ara. The matter of the defilement won't end with Gilm alone. Lord Daskar said he contacted the Royal Castle, didn't he? In that case, as a member of the Noble Faction, I should gather as much information as I can."
"That's..."
Elena's words were something even Ara could accept.
Fundamentally, Elena didn't have a particularly strong awareness of being a member of the Noble Faction.
Even so, she acted as one because it was the faction her father led.
Under such circumstances, she understood full well that the primary reason she remained in Gilm was to keep the Noble Faction from running out of control.
She was also aware that by gathering information and reporting it to her father, she could justify her continued presence in Gilm—or, more precisely, at Rei's side.
That was precisely why Elena felt she should be the one to relay information about the defilement.
...It was also undeniable that a maiden's desire to spend even a little more time with Rei played a part.
"Can you understand that?"
"...I understand. But if we're taking the Seto Cage, I'm coming along too. I'm sure Lady Elena will be fine no matter what, but there's always the chance of the unexpected."
"In that case, I will accompany Lord Daskar as well."
One of Daskar's subordinates, who had been listening to Ara, made the declaration.
Then the rest of Daskar's subordinates also spoke up, insisting they would go.
"I don't mind, but... Rei, is this alright?"
What should we do? Daskar looked at Rei with a slightly troubled expression.
From Daskar's perspective, since this trip involved using the Seto Cage, he needed to ask Rei how he felt about the arrangement.
"If Lord Daskar has no objections, then neither do I. The Seto Cage is reasonably spacious, so this many people shouldn't be an issue."
"I see. ...Sorry for the trouble."
At Daskar's words of gratitude, Rei told him it was no problem and produced the Seto Cage from his Misty Ring.
"So this is what we'll be riding."
This wasn't the first time Daskar had seen the Seto Cage.
But since he was about to ride in it himself, he likely had his own thoughts upon seeing it there before his eyes.
"Come on, standing there admiring it won't get us anywhere. Hurry up and get on."
Urged by Marina, Daskar and the others who intended to see the defilement-corrupted corpses with their own eyes climbed into the Seto Cage.
Unusually enough, Ielo boarded the Seto Cage as well.
(Actually, maybe that's not so unusual. Its master Elena and its friend Seto are both traveling together. When you think about it, this outcome is probably only natural.)
With that thought, Rei called out to Marina.
"Alright, we're heading off. I'll leave things here to you."
"Yes. I'll have the spirits make sure no one can chase after the Seto Cage."
Marina's offer was an enormous help to Rei.
Given Seto's travel speed, it wouldn't be easy for anyone to follow them.
Even so, among the nobles there might be those with the means—Magic Items or rigorously trained horses—to give pursuit.
Weighing all of that, there was no question that Marina's Spirit Magic would be an invaluable safeguard.
"Yeah, I'm counting on you. ...Alright, everyone who's coming, including Lord Daskar, please board the Seto Cage. Seto, I'll have you fly us somewhere appropriate, alright?"
"Gururu, gurururururu."
In response to Rei's words, it purred to indicate it understood.
Simply acting alongside Rei was enough to make Seto happy, but this time his friend Ielo was coming too.
There was no way Seto wouldn't be thrilled.
"Hoh, so this is... my first time actually riding in one."
Daskar boarded the Seto Cage with evident interest.
Daskar's subordinates had, naturally, climbed in before their lord.
This wasn't because they distrusted Rei, but rather a precaution in case something went wrong.
The Seto Cage was demonstrably safe, having been used many times before, but given the current situation, they were taking no chances.
Naturally, nothing dangerous occurred, and everyone boarded without issue.
(I thought Ielo might fly alongside Seto, but... well, riding along works too.)
With that settled, Rei turned back to Marina.
"Alright, we're off. I'll leave this side to you."
"Yes. Be careful... though maybe that's not quite the right thing to say here."
Rei nodded in agreement with Marina's words.
After all, what they were doing was simply observing the defilement-corrupted corpses.
In that sense, it didn't seem particularly dangerous—but at the same time, they would be witnessing the entity known as defilement firsthand, and that carried genuine risk.
"Elena will be there too, so we'll manage."
If Nielson had been able to come, things would have been much easier.
With that thought, Rei mounted Seto's back.
If Nielson were here, she could use her plant-manipulating magic to halt their movements if anything happened.
Alternatively, since she had acquired the new power to emit light, she could deal damage to the defilement-corrupted corpses directly.
In terms of support, there was no question that Nielson would prove invaluable.
The fact that Rei had been spending so much time with her lately probably also colored his thinking.
Even so, given the current situation in the Fairy Dwelling—where Nielson's power was said to be necessary for disposing of the defilement extracted from Bob—Rei accepted that her absence here was unavoidable.
Once Rei settled onto Seto's back, Seto took a few running steps and launched skyward.
He circled above Marina's house, descended toward the courtyard, and snatched the Seto Cage in his front legs before climbing again.
They cleared Gilm in moments and headed toward an unpopulated area—away from any roads—but...
"There are quite a few people out this way. Gamelions?"
Gamelions—giant rabbit-type monsters that appeared in autumn—were a seasonal attraction in Gilm.
Even so, Rei felt it was still too early for adventurers to be hunting them.
Gamelions typically appeared from mid-autumn onward, as the season drew closer to winter.
By comparison, autumn had only just begun.
Thinking about it logically, it was simply too early for Gamelions to surface.
That said, Rei couldn't think of any other reason adventurers would be heading out this direction.
If it were just a handful of people or a few parties, he might have concluded they were hunting some other kind of monster.
"But they're here, so there's no point dwelling on it. Seto, it's a bit different from what we originally planned, but let's head somewhere farther out."
"Guru!"
At Rei's words, Seto let out a sharp cry, beat his wings, and banked away from the area.
Normally, putting significant distance between yourself and a location took considerable time.
Fortunately, Seto's flight speed was among the fastest in the world.
In less than a few minutes, they reached a place where no one was present—well clear of anyone who might be hunting Gamelions or anything else.
"Alright, then... that area should do."
What spread out below was not a carpet of pure green, but green threaded with brown.
In spring or summer, a grassland worthy of being called a green carpet would have stretched across the ground.
But the current season was autumn.
Much of the grass that had been green in spring and summer had withered to brown.
The fact that some green still remained spoke to the hardiness of those particular grasses.
The spot Rei chose to land was just such a place.
Since all they needed to do was take out the defilement-corrupted corpses and display them, Rei selected a location with a wide field of view—so they could quickly spot anything coming, specifically if a monster decided to attack.
"Take us down."
"Guru!"
Hearing Rei's words, Seto purred to signal he had it handled and began descending toward the ground.
Once they had dropped to a sufficient altitude, Seto released the Seto Cage.
How gently he could set it down without jarring its passengers was where Seto's skill truly showed.
He performed the maneuver flawlessly. After placing the Seto Cage on the ground, Seto climbed back into the sky, circled, and descended to land.
(Sure enough, once autumn comes the smell of grass fades. Stating the obvious, I know.)
As Rei dismounted from Seto's back and his feet touched the ground, the thought crossed his mind while he surveyed the surroundings.
He felt a faint sense of melancholy, but told himself that right now he had a job to do, and turned his gaze toward the Seto Cage.
Elena and Ara had already stepped out, and Daskar and his subordinates were just climbing down.
It had been a journey of only a few minutes from Gilm, yet in those few minutes they had covered a distance that would have taken hours on horseback—potentially longer depending on terrain and monster encounters.
In that sense, while it might be nothing noteworthy for Rei, Elena, and Ara, it was undoubtedly Daskar's first time experiencing anything like it.
Looking around in amazement, Daskar approached Rei with his subordinates in tow.
"This is incredible. I knew about Seto's travel speed, but experiencing it firsthand is something else entirely."
"I'm always traveling with Seto, so I'm used to it."
Daskar shot Rei a look of pure disbelief.
He was clearly thinking it was absurd to consider such speed ordinary.
What was normal for Rei was anything but normal to anyone else.
It was hardly surprising they'd see it that way.
"Honestly, if one could freely command travel speed like Seto's, there'd be no end to the effective uses for it."
Daskar's subordinates nodded in agreement.
This wasn't simply because they served Daskar and were parroting their lord's opinion.
They genuinely understood, from the bottom of their hearts, that Seto's speed could have countless applications.
What's more, Rei didn't just have Seto as a Tamed Monster—he also possessed the Misty Ring.
Even now he was contributing significantly to Gilm, but if they had such capabilities at their own disposal... it was only natural to entertain such thoughts.
Sensing as much from his subordinates' gazes, Rei stowed the Seto Cage back into his Misty Ring to avoid any trouble.
"Now then, it seems we're all ready. I'll bring them out."
So saying, Rei once again retrieved the defilement-corrupted corpses.