Recognising the voice that came from the direction of the Dusk Wheat Pavilion, Rei left the snowman as it was and headed over.
Set followed behind him as a matter of course.
Rei was aware that Set was following him, but he didn’t pay too much attention to it……and before long, a carriage parked in front of the Dusk Wheat Pavilion caught his eye.
Though it was indeed a carriage, it was unmistakably distinct from an ordinary one.
Elaborate ornaments were carved into its body, and the components of the carriage themselves were crafted from carefully selected materials.
Rei did not know what kinds of materials they were, but he could still tell just by looking that it was different from an ordinary carriage.
(It resembles the magic carriage that Elena rides. And the horses as well……)
Rei shifted his gaze from the carriage to the horses drawing it.
What stood there were unquestionably horses, yet they were not mere horses. They were clearly horse like monsters.
High ranking ones at that.
In fact, looking at Set beside him, while he did not show any signs of fear, he did look wary.
Near the carriage stood several people who appeared to be servants, which seemed like definitive proof that the voice he had heard earlier belonged to the person he guessed it was. And then……
「Hm, so you were out here. I had assumed you were inside the inn.」
The figure who emerged from the Dusk Wheat Pavilion while saying that was, as expected, the very person Rei had thought it would be.
Despite being a young girl not yet 10 years of age, her eyes carried a distinct glint of intellect.
Baslero, heir to the Baron Cisne family, was also intelligent for his age, but the girl before him clearly possessed an intellect far higher despite being younger than him.
With her green hair swaying, the girl broke into a delighted smile upon spotting Rei and Set.
「Umu. The Royalist Faction is quite abuzz right now over the reports of your exploits, but……seeing that you are as energetic as ever is better than anything else.」
「Marka……?」
When Rei spoke the name of the familiar figure, Marka nodded back with satisfaction.
「Umu. I am pleased to see you have not forgotten me!」
This girl, who spoke with a manner of speech unbefitting her appearance, was Marka Quent.
The only daughter of Duke Quent, a prominent figure within the Royalist Faction, and the future head of the Duke Quent family.
A precocious prodigy who commanded three magic affinities, wind, earth, and light, she was rumoured to be the one who would shoulder the future of magic in the Mireana Kingdom.
She was someone who had visited Gilm in the past, having formed a friendship with Rei on that occasion.
「It has been a while, Rei.」
The one who stepped out from behind Marka was a smiling man.
A figure whose strength Rei could recognise at a mere glance.
Coan, a magic swordsman and former A rank adventurer.
Though he gave off an affable aura, his presence as Marka’s bodyguard proved his exceedingly formidable ability.
Aside from having originally been an A rank adventurer, he was devoted to Marka, who had not lived even half, no, a third of his own years, and he would stand against even a dragon to protect her.
……Though Marka herself possessed exceptionally high ability as a mage, meaning she rarely had need of a bodyguard in the first place.
「Even Coan…… What on earth are you here for……or would asking that be playing dumb?」
When it came to why the successor to Duke Quent, a key figure in the Royalist Faction, would travel all the way to Gilm while snow was falling, the only reason Rei could think of was the duel against Zeros from a few weeks ago, or more accurately, the duel between the Earl Eliel family and the Baron Cisne family.
Even at this time of the year, Ranga had already departed for Earl Eliel’s territory with escort knights and soldiers to claim the half of the family fortune that Keep had wagered on the duel.
Rei had wondered why Ranga, the captain of the city guards, was the one sent, but upon being told that Ranga was one of Daska’s confidants, he understood why.
「Umu. Indeed. The reason I have come is likely along the lines of what you expect. ……Now then, I would like to discuss that matter, if you do not mind?」
The innocent smile she had worn upon reuniting with Rei and Set vanished, replaced by an expression befitting the future duchess.
At her expression, Rei nodded back.
「Where should we talk? You probably don’t want anyone else overhearing, so is my room fine? ……It’s not very spacious, though.」
「Your room, Rei? Hmph, is there any concern of eavesdropping?」
「You can assume that basically doesn’t happen at this inn, and if someone were eavesdropping, it wouldn’t be difficult to detect them. Besides, Coan will be joining us, right?」
「Umu. That is fine then. ……Pull the carriage aside so it is not in the way. I have matters to discuss with Rei for a while. Everyone besides Coan will wait inside the inn. I hear the dining hall of this inn serves delicious food, and having pushed through a winter forced march to reach Gilm, headed straight to the lord’s residence, and then come directly here, you must be exhausted. Rest well.」
At Marka’s words, the individuals who appeared to be butlers and attendants near the carriage bowed deeply.
Their eyes showed their gratitude and concern as they directed looks filled with trust towards Coan.
Even Rei could understand what that meant.
It was likely a silent plea entrusting Marka’s safety to him should any danger threaten her.
「Accordingly, landlady. I ask that you let my people rest in the dining hall for a time. This is both an apology for the disturbance and the payment for their food and drink.」
With those words, Marka handed over five gold coins from a cloth pouch she received from Coan to Lana, who had kept any shock completely hidden from her expression despite the arrival of a duke’s daughter.
Five gold coins was likely completely beyond Lana’s expectations as well. Flustered, she addressed Marka.
「My lady, this is far too much.」
However, Marka smiled and shook her head at Lana.
「This is compensation for the trouble. We caused an inconvenience by coming here, after all. Moreover, as a member of the Duke Quent family, this much is only natural. Please accept it as a courtesy to save face.」
Lana hesitated for an instant at Marka’s words, but likely figured that refusing after a noble went that far would only cause more trouble.
She bowed deeply towards Marka.
「Understood. In that case, I shall serve meals that will leave everyone thoroughly satisfied.」
「Umu, I leave it to you. ……Now then, Rei. Lead the way.」
At Marka’s words, Rei patted Set’s head, telling him to return to the stables, before walking back inside the inn.
Watching Set return to the stables without even a verbal command, the attendants who had accompanied Marka showed looks of surprise.
(And why do you look so smug about it?)
Rei internally retorted at Milein, who was puffing out her chest with an attitude that boldly declared how amazing Set was.
The reason she had shown little surprise at the arrival of a duke’s daughter was not because Milein was used to nobility……but rather because her attention remained wholly focused on Set.
Giving a quick glance over at Lana, who had gone over to Milein, Rei showed Marka and Coan up to his room.
「Hoh, so this is your room, Rei. ……It feels rather barren, with so few belongings.」
Those were the first words out of Marka’s mouth as she entered Rei’s room and looked around.
Coan nodded in agreement with her assessment.
「Well, I basically keep necessary belongings in my item box. It’s more convenient that way so I can move out on short notice if something happens. It’s a plain room, but please take a seat for now. Though it’s probably a bit humble for the daughter of a duke.」
Rei indicated the chair beside the desk as he spoke.
In truth, his words were distinctly impolite, and had an arrogant noble heard them, they would likely have flushed crimson in outrage at the perceived insult.
However, Marka showed no sign of taking offence at Rei……no, on the contrary, she sat down on the chair with an amused smile.
As her bodyguard, Coan stood behind Mark as she took a seat.
「Have some of this for now.」
What Rei offered was fruit juice served in a glass.
Having stored what he purchased during summer inside the Misty Ring, it was something one normally could not drink at this time of the year.
「Hoh. This is……umu. An item box truly is a convenient thing.」
Marka broke into a pleased smile as she brought the glass to her lips.
Technically speaking, a poison taster was required given Marka’s standing, yet she paid it no heed.
That was partly because she trusted Rei, but even more so because she carried a magic item designed to detect poison.
「Hoh, hoh, hoh. Umu, cold and sweet. While having something like this to drink at this time of the year is somewhat unusual, the inn is warm inside, so it poses no issue.」
Savouring the sweet and sour flavour, Marka downed the contents of the glass in a single go.
Letting out a breath, her expression shifted from that of a young girl to that of a duke’s daughter.
Coan concealed his presence so as not to disturb Marka, standing quietly behind her.
「Now then, you said you understood the reason why I have come to the frontier of Gilm at this time of the year, correct?」
「Yeah. ……It’s about the duel, isn’t it?」
To Rei’s succinct answer, Marka nodded in confirmation.
「I have come here as my father’s representative. ……More precisely, as the representative of Duke Quent, a leading figure of the Royalist Faction.」
Pausing there, Marka turned her gaze towards Rei……yet seeing no particular change in his expression, she let out a small sigh.
「I have come as the representative of a duke, you know? Could you not show a little more surprise?」
「It’s not bad news, is it? Then there’s no need for me to be surprised.」
「Hoh? What makes you think that? The opponent you fought in the duel was the next head of the Earl Eliel family. To be frank, he was a man I did not care for, but that does not change the fact that he was a compatriot within the Royalist Faction. Such an individual has lost half his family fortune, you realise? Under such circumstances, would a person not normally assume my arrival boded ill for them?」
In response to Marka, Rei merely gave a small shrug and took a sip of his fruit water.
「Despite appearances, Daska-sama values me reasonably well. If this were something that bad for me, it wouldn’t be strange for me to receive advance notice. Besides……」
Pausing for a moment, Rei finished his thought internally.
(Daska saw just how strong I am at closer range than anyone else during the war last spring. If something happened that threatened to reduce Gilm to ashes, he would at least tell me to leave the city before that could occur.)
Having witnessed the vanguard of the Bestir Empire army collapse entirely from a massive flaming tornado, a fire whirl, during the war that occurred last spring, Daska was hardly the type to intentionally provoke Rei into running amok inside Gilm.
「Hm? Besides what?」
「Nothing. At any rate, all I did was act as a proxy in a duel and fight it out. Considering Daska-sama’s personality, I doubt he would force something disadvantageous onto me.」
「Hoh? Even so, as I have said repeatedly, my father is a duke. If I may be blunt, he possesses both the authority and military power to handle a Margrave or two however he pleases. Could you not consider that he might have yielded out of fear of that?」
「……Don’t test me. Despite how it looks, I believe I understand Daska-sama reasonably well. Well, that might only be on the surface, but I still don’t think Daska-sama would sell me out. Though……」
With a mischievous smirk lingering on his lips, Rei continued.
「That would be a different story if this so-called Earl Eliel family were actually worth saving at the cost of antagonising the Neutral Faction, though.」
Behind those words lay the question of whether a house whose next head was a man like Keep could possibly hold such value.
Had Marka stated here that they truly were worth that much, Rei would have had no counter.
Fortunately, Marka smiled and nodded in satisfaction.
「Umu, quite right. It is true that the Earl Eliel family possessed considerable influence within the Royalist Faction, but that is only within the faction. If one wished to seek a replacement, there are any number of candidates. ……However, it is also a fact that a nobleman of the Royalist Faction was subjected to unprecedented disgrace.」
Sighing over how deplorable it was, Marka looked at the glass in her hand, looked at Rei, and then looked back at the glass.
Seeing that, Rei understood what Marka was demanding, so he retrieved another serving of fruit juice from the Misty Ring and handed it to her.
Bringing the glass to her lips with delight, Marka continued.
「However, the fault in this incident clearly lies with Keep-dono. If we were to punish you for this, the Royalist Faction would truly become a laughingstock. Even so……within the Royalist Faction, there are many fools who cannot grasp logic of that level, or rather, who deliberately refuse to understand and are simply loudmouthed. That is where this comes in.」
Wearing a scheming smile, Marka spoke a decisive sentence with that very expression.
「Rei, would you be interested in serving as an instructor for a while?」
「……Huh?」
Rei could only voice his confusion, unable to comprehend the meaning behind Marka’s words.