「So, come with me. As I said, don’t think about running away. Though it’s not the best, there are some detention facilities here.」

As he said that, Ranga turned a sharp gaze towards the row of shadows.

The usual gentleness in his eyes could not be seen. The reason for his sharp gaze was because they had tried to throw the city he lived in into confusion……no, rather, he was observing them with his gaze.

However, the shadows didn’t think they could make any actions as long as Rei stood behind them with that large scythe. No, rather in Rei’s presence, because their mental fortitude had been completely broken down by the series of events that had happened in the slum, they were completely obedient.

(……After this, it will take some time for them to recover.)

The only exception was the captain of the shadows, who had retained his mental fortitude despite witnessing the overwhelming difference in strength.

Of course, while walking to their destination, their group stood out like a sore thumb. Of the group of 20 people, their eyes were all dyed with despair. If he hadn’t been the captain of the guards, he might have been mistaken as a slave trader leading slaves.

「Captain, this is!?」

Several guards who were in the headquarters unintentionally raised a cry when the shadows were brought inside the building.

「I’ll talk about the story later. First of all, prepare the prison. These people seem to be spies from the Bestir Empire even if they look like this, so don’t let them escape. ……Also, I want someone to go to the Lord’s residence. The Knight Leader……might be a bit difficult, so bring the higher ups. I think there won’t be a problem if you say that we’ve captured the people who raided the escorted carriage. Don’t forget to submit a document describing the process to the Knight Leader again.」

「I understand!」

The guards acknowledged the information before quickly leaving the building.

Snow was falling, but they had to report that they had captured the culprits of the major incident that had occurred in the city. The guards started running as the put on their coats.

「……Now then. Have the prisons been prepared?」

「For now, we’ve prepared enough spaces for the given number of people. However, it’s not absolutely perfect.」

At his subordinate’s explanation, Ranga gave a small nod.

Ranga knew they could manage to hold as many as 20 people in the guard headquarters……however, he didn’t expect that it would be able to hold top class spies forever. Anyhow, right now, they just needed to hold them until they could be handed over to the knights.

(Oh, that’s right……)

He glanced towards Rei, who was leaning against a wall nearby.

His expression was sullen, he had told Ranga that he wanted head straight out of the city to Set if he could. But even so, he didn’t leave as he knew that he was the only person who could handle the shadow leader if something happened.

In addition, the shadows followed Ranga obediently because of Rei’s presence. If Rei left in this situation……

(It would be a repeat of the escorted carriage situation……I expect.)

As the captain of the guards, Ranga was self-confident in regards to his own combat strength. But even so, it was impossible for him to deal with what could be described as a large number of top class spies.

If that happened, until all the shadows before him were isolated in prison, it would be very dangerous for Rei to leave. For now, they were obedient after having their mental fortitude smashed apart by Rei’s strength, but the reality was that they had attacked an escorted carriage, killed knights and maybe even their former comrades inside the carriage.

「Captain, preparations have been completed.」

That was what Ranga had been thinking about when he heard the report from his subordinates and gave a small nod.

「As for that man and woman, isolate them from the rest inside the prison.」

Directing his line of sight to the man and woman who appeared to the be the leader and vice leader, his subordinates immediately took the shadows to their respective prisons.

It took about 20 minute to move in all 20 people. Rei, who was getting irritated while waiting for that time to pass, looked towards Ranga.

「May I leave now?」

「Yes, I’m very grateful to you. Thank you for your cooperation. I will let the guild know that your request has been completed.」

「I will thankful if you you could do that.」

「So, where is Rei-kun going?」

Where will you go? Ranga already knew, but he asked just to make sure.

According the explanation given by the captain of the shadows, the spy unit of the Bestir Empire, the transition stone was limited to a certain distance and it was also necessary to prepare a magic formation at the transition destination. And, he had also said that the man-made magic formation had been prepared in a cave upstream of the river near Gilm.

Although this was all information that should normally have not been leaked, Rei had been leaking enough bloodthirst that he wouldn’t allow no response. That was why he could easily imagine what would happen if he hesitated to talk about the information.

And, as expected, Rei answered without hesitation.

「I’ve already decided. I’ll go pick up Set. The man said that there was only a magic formation in the cave, but there’s no confirmation that that is really the case.」

(No, he shouldn’t have had the fortitude to lie under that much bloodthirst.)

Though Ranga was about to interrupt as such, Rei didn’t seem to noticed and left the guard headquarters as soon as their conversation ended.

Ranga watched him leave while muttering to himself.

「It might have been destiny that he is Gilm at this time.」

 

「Hm?　Rei?　Is Set not with you today?」

When the guards asked him about it at the city’s main gate, Rei gave a silent nod and handed over his guild card.

「I’ve got a little trouble. Sorry, but please ask Ranga about it.」

「……I understand.」

Those words alone were linked to the attack on the escorted carriage. The guard had a more serious expression compared to when he first called out as he completed the procedures to leave the city.

「No problems. All good.」

With that voice saying that from behind him, Rei exited the city.

As it was already winter, there were no stores or street hawkers at the main gate. Even if you were an adventurer, the only people who would head out in this season were those with financial troubles or maybe fanatics. As far as Rei could see, he was the only person around.

「……Well, there’s no other way to do this. He said it was upstream of the river.」

He headed for the place where he had stripped the materials alongside the members of Eternal Power from the monsters he had accumulated in the Misty Ring.

He remembered about his magic stones along the way.

「Speaking of that, the Blue Caterpillar’s magic stone hasn’t be absorbed yet.」

Searching the Misty Ring, he took out a Blue Caterpillar’s magic stone as well as the Death Scythe and threw the magic stone into the air……

「Haah!」

He split the magic stone in two with a cry.

【Death Scythe has acquired the skill 『Wind Hand　Lv.2』】

An announcement rang through his mind. Hearing that, he entered a forest near the city with slight satisfaction.

He continued walking until he reached the river before focusing on the Death Scythe.

「Wind Hand!」

With those words, a colourless and transparent wind tentacle extended from the base of the Death Scythe.

It extends to 100m, the same as when it was Lv.1……it goes even further.

This was probably the difference between Lv.1 and Lv.2. The Wind Hand continued to stretch out, reaching its limit at about 150m

「I see. I see, it’s effective range is about 150m?」

Rei murmured in satisfaction.

「This increases the safety a bit when creating a fire whirlwind with Set.」

After stopping the skill, he turned towards the upstream direction of the rive as he watched the snow fall.

Luckily, there were no monsters in the area as he walked and he hadn’t been attacked by anything in particular during the past hour……

「……」

Suddenly, he felt signs of several people and stopped moving.

There were a number of trees that grew within his line of sight and his view was very narrow. Because of that, he didn’t know if the signs of people he felt were enemies or allies. However, since he had encountered them near the upstream of the river, Rei guessed that it might be people working with the spies. While smiling to himself and thinking that he had been deceived by the man’s lies, he readied his Death Scythe to attack at any time.

And the next moment, something huge came out from the shadows of the trees. Seeing the figure about 2m in size, Rei grasped the handle of the Death Scythe tightly……before dropping it and embracing the figure that had come out.

「Gurururururu~」

The thing that had come out……was the Griffon, Set, who gave a happy cry upon reuniting with Rei much sooner than he had expected. He knocked Rei over and rubbed his face against him.

It seemed that even Rei couldn’t kill the moment from the 2m large Set jumping towards him. Rei stroked Set repeatedly as Set rubbed his face against him.

「Set!　You’re safe……」

He gave a sigh from the bottom of his heart as he brushed the face rubbing against him.

「Guru~, Gurururu~, Gurururururuu~!」

As Set gave several cries and earnestly stuck to him, Rei raised his body to look at the surroundings.

「Set-chan!　What happened, why did you suddenly start running!?　……Ah, Rei.」

Milein, who was following after Set, jumped out suddenly, noticing Rei before being struck by the heavenly scene of Set squeezing Rei.

「Uwa, I’m envious……not at all!　Eh?　Hm?　Rei!?」

However, as an adventurer leading a rank C party, she returned to reality immediately.

「Milein, what on earth……oh?」

「Milein? 　……Well.」

Sulunin and Ecryll, who came after Milein, were also surprised by the appearance of Rei, who was currently being squeezed by Set.

 

「……So, while we were fighting lizardmen, Set came down from the sky to help us.」

It was about 20 minutes after meeting back up with Set. Rei, who had finally succeeded in settling Set, was hearing the circumstances from Milein.

「Guru~」

Set, who had suddenly transported somewhere else, refused to leave Rei and was constantly rubbing his face against Rei.

As Rei listened to their story while stroking Set, he asked a question he just thought of.

「I understand that. ……But, I heard that most adventurers basically don’t work during this time……why is Scorching Wind out here?」

「Ugh-……」

Perhaps it was something she didn’t want to bring up. Milein groaned as she looked away.

With that alone, Rei could probably guess the reason. Rei gave a wry smile as he brushed Set’s throat.

Even though Set would have charged forward regardless of the result, he was still happy to reunite with Rei after being transported to a place he didn’t know. She hoped that since they were so happy at the moment, Rei wouldn’t investigate further. However.

「Well, I won’t press for details if you don’t want to talk about it……but this is quite rough.」

He stopped briefly as he glanced towards Sulunin and Ecryll.

Catching his glance, the two of them replied with bitter smiles.

「Yes, well. Still, it’s because of Milein that Scorching Wind exists. That’s why I’ve already given up on that.」

「I’m speechless, aren’t you mistaken?」

Sulunin tried to smooth over the situation, but Ecryll interrupted him there.

「Hey, don’t say strange things in front of Set-chan. Besides, didn’t we complete the lizardman subjugation request?」

「……I would have been dangerous if Set hadn’t helped us.」

At Milein’s words, Sulunin and Ecyrll both muttered.

Facing Ecryll’s glare, Milein didn’t say anything else after.

「Well, it’s fine for now since my goal has been achieved. ……We’ll be heading off soon, what about you?」

「Mm? 　We’ve completed the request, thanks to Set-chan, so we’ll be returning to the city. Would you like to come with us Rei?」

Rei shook his head at Milein’s words.

「No, there’s something I need to confirm. Apologies, but I’ll head off first.」

「Ehh……I thought I could go with Set-chan.」

「Sorry about this. It’s quite busy for me at the moment. Set.」

「Guru~」

At Rei’s words, Set gave a short cry and bent his body slightly to make it easier for Rei to get on his back.

「Well, I’ll leave first then.There were no monsters the last time we came here, but be careful.」

「I know. We’re still a rank C party.」

「……Because of that, should you really still need to accept requests outside at this time?」

「That-!?」

Although Milein tried to respond back, Rei got onto Set’s back without replying.

「Set!」

「Gurururu~」

After a few steps, Set spread his wings and ran up into the sky.

「Guru~?」

Where are we going?　Set seemed to ask as he looked back with a cry. Rei turned to look upstream of the river.

「Set, I have to report back to Ranga, so head for the cave where you got sent to. I would like to verify the magic formation there.」

「Gururu~!」

At Rei’s words, Set gave a loud cry and headed for the cave with the magic formation.

 

 

It should be noted that Set had absorbed the Blue Caterpillar’s magic on their way back, but he hadn’t acquired or upgraded any skills.

『Corrosion　Lv.1』『Flying Slash　Lv.2』『Magic Shield　Lv.1』『Power Slash　Lv.1』『Wind Hand　Lv.2』new『Terrain Manipulation　Lv.1』

Wind Hand: A kind of colourless and transparent tentacle made of wind magic extends from the Death Scythe. Only the tip of the tentacle is able to interfere with objects. At Lv.1 the tentacles can extend up to 100m, 150m at Lv. 2.

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