"Oh, you -- you're all right.

　Elenas can say that when they leave the dungeon.
　At the end of his eyes, there was the same guild staff as when he entered the dungeon.
　But when he saw Elena's party dwindling, he shook his head with regretful faces.

"It's a pity that the party members have passed away. ... You want me to contact the guild when you come out. Is that OK?"
"Yes, of course it doesn't matter.But there's something that we have to do urgently.Please leave a message that it will be late to go to the guild."
"All right, what...Don't be too discouraged.You had better think that you were lucky enough to stay in the dungeon for many nights and not be wiped out."
"Thank you for your concern."If you have something urgent to do, please come to the inn and I will deal with it."""

　he called out to the guild, and the Elena and their party left.　
　"Originally, I wanted to go to the inn as soon as possible, but Elena, who has attractive beauty, and Gryphon Seto, a Rank A monster. "As long as there was such a person and one of them, the attention of the people around him was so great that he could not show any signs of panic.
　If this had left Ray with a death size in his hand, he would have stood out even more.
　After a quick walk along the road for about 15 minutes, they arrive at the inn that the Elenas are taking.

"Oh, everyone! You've been safe... No, that's right."

　Linde, who is employed as a choresman at the inn when she sees Ray and Sett, says so with a bright face, but she must have noticed that the number of people is decreasing soon.muddle one's words
　Elena smiles at Linde and opens her mouth, caressing her head.

"Why, it's none of your business.Rather, tell the inn staff and get ready to deliver the letter as soon as possible."
"Yes, yes!"

　When Elena, the most beautiful woman in her life, approaches her, Linde runs into the inn quickly, dyeing her face red.Watching her back off, Ray caresses Seto on the back and opens his mouth.

"I'll take Sett to the stable,"
"Yes, I have to write a letter about Ver and send it to my father as soon as possible, so I will be tied up for a while.while you're at your leisure."

　Rey nodded to his words and headed to the stable with Seto.After seeing her back, Elena turns to Arra.

"You too, Arra,"I'll be tied up for a while, so take a break now."
"...I wish Mr. Elena, who had performed the ceremony, would have taken a rest."
"Why, I'll take a break if I post a letter."

　He said that, and quickly looked around him to see if there were any people around him, and then he continued.

"It's not perfect, but I've taken the power of the Gent Dragon and escaped from the dungeon immediately.I'm really tired."
"But it was Mr. Elena who was safe, as I expected, that there should have been Custe here."

　The sound of biting one's back teeth echoes around.
　He put his hand on his shoulder and patted it soothingly.

"Well, I'll make the kingdom of Milliana... and I'll make sure we get the reward for betraying us.It seems that the Viscount Sails betrayed him in the first place because he judged that the kingdom had no chance of winning the next battle, and I will tell him that he had made a mistake.""Yes, I'll be with you then."
"...well, that doesn't mean he'll come to the front."

　muttered, recalling what he had heard from Ray.
　He lost his left arm and heard that his face burned with the liquid he had prepared, and that his foot was pierced with a dripping needle found in a dungeon.
　Still, if Veru's conversation with Ray himself is true, they will eventually appear before them.but I don't know how long it would take for the body to return to normal.

"Well, it's a pity to spend time like this.I must send a letter to my father at once.If we are lucky, we may do something about it in the kingdom before we let the Viscount Sails go."
"Well, then, I'll have a Summoner or a Tamer who manipulates the birds so that you can carry me as soon as you finish writing the letter."
"So you should rest a little. You've just returned from the dungeon, so if you're not confident in your physical strength, you should rest a little."

　She clenched the powerax in her hand at Elena's words.

"It's all right. With this Power Ax, I can't believe I'm physically fit!"
"Recovery by relying on magic items is forcing us to recover our strength.I don't say it's bad for you, but it's not good at all.Besides, the Power Ax is only borrowed from Ray.Don't forget that I have to give it back in due course."

　Arra, listening to Elena's words, suddenly turns her eyes to the power aces she had.
　because he was so strangely familiar with it that he seemed to have forgotten that it was entirely borrowed.

"... Come to think of it, it was a loan, wasn't it?"

　Elena smiles in spite of her child's expression, as if her beloved toy had been taken away.

"If you like it that much, you can negotiate with Ray and ask him to give it up.Of course they are worth the money, but from what I saw when I lent them to Arla, they seem to have forgotten the existence of Power Axes."
"Yes, I'll take the opportunity to ask for it."

　The master and servant nodded and headed into the inn.





　At that time Ray and Sett had come near the stables behind the inn.

"Glu".

　and, very near the stables, by the side of a thick-growing tree, he spent his time leisurely instead of doing anything.
　Seto lies on the grass growing around the tree, and Ray rubs Seto's head with his eyes closed, leaving his weight behind.

"I've just said that this request was somehow successful."

　murmur softly, closing one's eyes.
　Her request was to be the only daughter of Duke Kelebel and to be the bodyguard of Elena, who was also famous as a princess general.At the very least, we can say that we have completed the request to protect them.
　But he got a traitor out of the party, and by that traitor he was never on good terms with himself -- he didn't even acknowledge his existence -- he killed a member of the party.

(More... I have to be stronger.)

　He muttered inwardly, and his consciousness was swallowed up by drowsiness, as if by fatigue he had felt for the first time in a long time.





"Well, as for the letter, this letter,"

　muttered Elena, and, as a final confirmation, reread the letter and put it in the envelope.

"Ara... oh, indeed,"Arra woke up insisting that she was waiting for Elena to finish her letter, but it seems that the fatigue in the dungeon was irresistible.He let go of his precious Power Axe, and smiled at the sight of him falling asleep on the bed.
　He was also a subordinate and friend of mine who had a tendency to go wild, but there was no doubt that he was genuinely attached to him.It was the most precious thing for Elena, who was a Duchess.

(... Custe, I'll make sure to get rid of your sorrows, and that's what I should do, your boss.)

　To be honest with you, there were times when I was fed up with the worship which Custe had directed at me.But it was all a sign that he cared for himself.He was a typical aristocrat who was not regarded as a person other than the aristocracy, and this caused many problems.and yet he was not the man to be manipulated to death by those who believed him to be his companions, and who had been with him in the same time.

"No, I didn't have time to indulge in sentiment now.I must write to you as soon as possible."

　He muttered and asked the innkeeper to give him five gold coins.
　In this era, except for magic items that connect guilds, most communication is done mainly by letters.For this reason, high-class inns often sign contracts with people who use Summoning Magic to deliver letters as soon as possible.
　"Especially, this inn was built around the dungeon, and it can be said that it is already a town."In that case, merchants and aristocrats who come to the dungeon for some reason need to contact them immediately, and monsters, birds of prey, or people who simply summon or tame birds, will be responsible for delivering the letter.Of course, it's a pretty expensive service because the wizard releases monsters that he uses, so he can't work as an adventurer during that time.
　Still, one gold coin is usually the best part, but this time Elena paid five gold coins.It was because he asked the wizard of such a high level to be so urgent and sure.

"Now, I sent you the letter, which was the biggest problem.Then I'll take a rest for a while, too.

　As I stretched out, I looked out of the window and saw one sleeping near a tree.I knew right away who it was.We've been working together for a while.And even though it is not perfect after the succession ceremony, it has inherited the power of the Ensent Dragon.Of course, his eyesight is many times sharper than before.

「……」

　After a few seconds of contemplation, he nodded with a small smile, and went out wearing only his cloak without his armor.





　As I walked towards the tree, Seto opened his eyes a little, perhaps because he heard the sound.
　but when he recognized that Elena was coming, he went back to sleep.
　He sits a few steps away from Seto and Ray, slightly happy to know that he is trusted to some extent.

(The wind is cool.It's already autumn...)

　The heat of summer changes to the coolness of autumn, and he leans on his set, shaking his golden hair in the wind, looking at Ray, who is sleeping.
　He is a boy about five years younger than himself, but has strength beyond common sense.

(And...)

　He muttered in his heart, and quietly approached Ray to see how he was sleeping.
　The hood of the robe I always wear was taken down to prevent me from sleeping, and my red... crimson hair was exposed.
　His closed eyes were as pale as blue as blue, and the contrast with his hair was very impressive.
　It may be said that he is rather well-organized by looking at his face alone, but it is not something that attracts the attention of Elena, who is accustomed to seeing nobles.

"But..."

　muttered, gently reaching out and stroking Ray's crimson hair.





(...what is it?)

　Wrapped in Seto's silky fur, Ray wakes up from sleep feeling something gentle is stroking him.

(Set...?)

　I thought he was stroking with Seto's wings, but I felt something was wrong, and when I opened my eyes, I saw Elena's beautiful face before me.

"Elena?""I'm sorry.Have you got up?"
"I don't mind that, but..."

　muttered Ray, but was surprised that he had not taken action when he approached him so close.
　As it is, he stands up against Seto's back and looks around him.
　I understand that it was a blessing, but Elena, who was around him, and therefore Sett was not particularly vigilant.

"Letters..."
"Huh?"
"No, what's wrong with the letter? You said you'd send it to the Duke of Quevel."

　In response to Ray's question, Elena nods, caressing Seto's silky hair.

"Yes, I have already sent it to my father.I've been summoned to deliver a letter to this inn's proud four-winged, speed-boasting bird... ...even though it's not that cold yet, it's almost autumn.If you sleep outside like this, you'll catch a cold."
"I don't have a soft body to catch a cold at that level.And there's Seto."
"Set's temperature and hair are wonderful, to be sure, but... oh, yes.By the way, you have the magic item Powerax you lend to Aara, who seems to like it so much that she wants it to be handed over to you... what do you think?"
"If you ask me, "What do you think?"I'm not the type to use an axe in the first place, and I'm not having a party with anyone else, so I don't mind giving it up.You can't give it away for free, can you?"

　Elena nods with a wry smile at Ray's words.

"Of course. I wouldn't ask you to just give me the magic item.Of course I am prepared to pay accordingly.How about two white gold coins?"

　Ray thinks about what Elena says for a few seconds.
　Two white gold coins would be a considerable sum of money for the general public and for adventurers.
　If you can afford that amount of money, you can probably buy more powerful magic items.

"Isn't it a little too much?"
"There have been many things this time.I don't really want to see Arla depressed.Besides, I always get that much from Arla, so it's a present to show my gratitude."
"... well, I don't mind that,"

　It was good to have taken it out of the hawk's claws in the first place, but he had forgotten that he had even stored it in a mystery ring until the incident occurred.If he wanted it, he nodded, saying that there was no particular problem if he gave it up.

"I see. I'm saved."

　Elena, with a radiant smile, handed me two pieces of white gold from the porch. She put out her hand to receive them. The next moment, for some reason, she grabs his hand and gazes intently.

"Elena?"
"...this hand,"
"What's wrong with your hands?"
"It's no different from my hand.--I can hardly imagine that this hand is the hand of an artificial organism."The words muttered from Elena made Ray look surprised.