`... whoop,'

　Ray, who has been blown into the stable by Elk's attack, breathes away the dust and straw from the dragon lobe and approaches Sett, who is looking at him with his head tilted.

"Seto, I have a favor to ask of you."
"Glu?"

　He quickly explains the situation to Seto, who leaned his head slightly.
　Elk's wife and sons Min and Rodos are being held hostage. And the use of it threatens Elk to take his own life. The number of enemies themselves seems to be small, and there is only one person in the town of Gillum to keep Elk in check. And they are probably watching us in this neighborhood.

"Magic items like crystal in the distance are basically very expensive, and there are ways to block them if you notice they're being watched. When you think about it, you probably see it directly with your own eyes, not with that kind of magic item. So look for and catch the watchman. If possible, I want them to be caught alive, but I don't mind killing them if I let them go. Can I ask you?"
"Grull".

　I nod as if I were to leave it to you.
　He pats his head quickly, and then swings his death-size toward the back wall of the stable.
　The wall then cuts silently, creating a hole just the right size for the set to exit.

"Well, I'm going to get out of the stable and resume the fight against the Elk. so that the watchman's attention will be drawn to us, and Seto, at that moment, will get out of the hole."
"Grull".

　Seeing Seto nodding, take a deep breath. Then... they run toward the hole blown away by the elk.
　The other horses and demons in the stable were surprised and excited by the sequence of events, but they were unusually accustomed to the existence of Seto. There was nothing to run wild about.

"Oops!"

　Ray, who deliberately shouts out of the stable to attract the watchman's attention.
　Elk also shouts loudly, holding the axe of the god of thunder to counter it.

"Come on! Let's play here!"

　Responding to the words, Ray wields a death-size and delivers a swift blow.
　He is already an elk who is inferior in pure strength and the weight of his weapons. There is no way he can stand a stronger blow with a run-up attached, and even though he is blown away like a pinball or something, he doesn't just roll on the ground like that, he regains his posture and glances sharply at Ray as he slides on the ground.
　Fortunately, buildings, trees and rocks would not have existed before they were blown away. If it had been, Elk would have been badly damaged, not fatally.

"Oh, my God! 少しは加減ってものをしろよな」

　追撃とばかりに、再び地面を蹴って振るわれたデスサイズの刃を受け流しながらエルクが顔を顰めて呟く.

「ふんっ、何を言ってるんだよ. あからさまに手を抜いているのを監視役に見破られたら、困るのは俺じゃなくてお前だろうに」

　鍔迫り合いになっている状態でレイが言葉を返し、そのまま刃を合わせている部分を支点として柄を反転. 石突きをエルク目掛けて跳ね上げる.

「うおっ！」

　石突きが自分の顎を狙って跳ね上がってきたのを反射的に察知したエルクは、そのまま雷神の斧の柄でそれを受け止めるも……

「ばっ！」

　レイの力の強さに対抗出来ずに、そのまま石突きを防いだ柄諸共に3m程上空へと浮き上げられる.
　空中で必死に体勢を立て直そうとするエルクだったが、わざわざそんな暇をレイが与える筈も無い. 横薙ぎに振るわれたデスサイズの一撃により、再びピンボールの如く吹き飛ばされるエルク. それでも、その一撃を雷神の斧でどうにか防いでいたのはさすがというべきだろう.
　真横へと吹き飛びながらも、地面へと足を付け、雷神の斧を持っていない方の手で地面を削りつつ吹き飛ばされた威力を殺してバランスを取るエルク. そのまま何とか地面に転がるような真似をせずに、体勢を立て直すことに成功する.
　そしてゾクリとした殺気を感じ取り、再度雷神の斧を真横へと突き出し……ギィンッ、という甲高い金属音と共に振るわれたデスサイズの一撃を受け止める.

「おい、ちょっとやり過ぎじゃねえか？　さっきのも今のも、俺じゃなかったら真っ二つだぞ！？」
「お前だからこそだよ. それに、この街の有名人でもあるお前とまともに手合わせをしたことは無かったからな. この機会にギルムでもトップクラスだと言われているお前の戦闘力を体験させて貰おうか」
「おいおいおいおい、そんなことをしている場合じゃないだろう」

　先程同様鍔迫り合いをしつつ、膝を突き出し、それを回避しつつ相手の残った足首を刈るべく蹴りを放ち、さらには武器を持っていない方の手を突き出してと、ゼロ距離での近接戦闘を繰り広げる.
　そんな攻防をお互いにこなしながらも、その口調は切羽詰まったものではなくお互いに愚痴のように会話を続けていた.

"You have to fight a battle that seems to be more or less serious than you're looking at as a watchman anyway. Then it would be more profitable to act on the assumption that it was a rather substantial combat drill."

　Lay that rubs up the ground with a death-size butt, melts with night dew and daytime temperatures, cuts what could be called the remains of frozen snow again in nighttime temperatures, and releases it to Elk's face.

"Good, good, good!"

　I would prevent him from looking away from me at once, but of course he would have a chance to do so."

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
`Why, let me do it!'

　Elk, who hears the sound of death-sized shaking, thrusts the axe of the Thunder God to the side of his head, relying almost on his reflexive intuition. But... the next moment Elk felt the attack was so light that he could not believe it was Ray's attack, and the sound of thunder was so light that he could hear it.

"What is it? What is it?"

　The attack on the side of the head, which was a light blow, originally delivered as a feint. Elk frowned at the unexpected lightness of the handle of the god of thunder, but the next moment he tried to defend himself with the god of thunder's axe. It blows right beside me with a strong impact on my side.
　A man... and a man with his whole body wrapped in muscles, blew right beside him. To those watching the scene it seemed as if it were a dream or something. Of course it wasn't a happy dream, but a dream that should have been described as a nightmare.

`Geez, geez, geez, geez, geez, geez, geez, geez, geez,'

　The elk blew away while shaving the ground, but should I call it a Rank A adventurer? They hit the ground with the axe of the god of thunder, forcefully kill the speed, and stay there.

"Well, can't you afford it yet?" I suppose I ought to say that I am I right?"
"...it's nothing short of disappointment that you should say that to me." My ribs were nearly wiped out."
"Well, considering that I killed the shock by jumping on my own?"

　左脇腹を押さえていたエルクへと声を掛けていたレイだったが、不意に視線を夜の闇へと向ける.
　それに釣られたのだろう. エルクもまたレイの視線を追い、同時に宿屋から2人の戦いを見守っていた観客達もまた同様にレイの視線を追う.

「間に合ったらしいな」
「グルゥ」

　その声に答えたのは、人ではなくセトの声だった. 暗闇の空から殆ど音を発さないままに翼を羽ばたかせ、レイとエルクのいる宿の裏庭へと着地してくる. ただし、いつもと違うのは左右前足の鉤爪で1人の人間と思われる黒尽くめの相手を掴んでいることか.

「そいつは……」

　セトの掴んでいる黒尽くめの男を見ながらエルクが呟く.

"Is this the watchman you were talking about?"
「……」

　Seto silently checks the man's face on the ground, and then nods softly.

"Oh, I'm sure," I came in with him to avoid acting strangely when I entered this city. The guards should have the record of that.""I see,"

　Ray, nodding to Elk's words, examines the man's clothes.

"Hey, what are you doing? Do you have any hobbies?"
"I don't think so. Wouldn't it be dangerous to catch him if he had some communication magic item or something?"
"What!"

　Haven't you thought of the possibility, Elk? and glared him in the face... before long at the axe of the god of thunder.

"Don't do that,"

　The hand is caught by Ray and stopped.

"Why are you... these guys! You took Rodos hostage and captured Min, and you ordered me to kill you! Why are you protecting me?"
"I'm not going to protect you,"

　Contrary to the exasperation of Elk, Ray's gaze was cool. No, it would be better to describe the look as cruel than calm.

"What!"

　Then Elk, looking at Ray with his eyes, takes his breath away and takes a few steps back.
　In a literal sense, Ray has no feelings for a black man. That's because it was obvious that he felt like a stone by the roadside.

"Wait a minute here,"

　Leaving Elk breathless by Ray's gaze, he heads towards the inn. and speak to those who were in their rooms.

"Oh! I'm sorry, but call the guards!"
"I've already called you! But what's wrong with you, Mr. Elk?"

　Responding to Ray's voice was a man who had just been kicked off in an attempt to seize Ray himself. He seems to be physically strong, and although he was kicked off by Ray, he doesn't seem to have any particular injuries.
　The voice was purely concerned about Elk, but there was no apology for holding down Ray himself.
　From a man's point of view, the weight of Elk is higher than Ray's, but from Ray's point of view, I can't help but feel slightly uncomfortable.

"It seems that he was threatening me." Thank you for the guards."

　Say that, turn your back on the man who still seems to want to hear something and head back towards Elk.
　Then Elk glaring at the black man, and if Elk tries to do anything, he goes back to the side of him, stroking his head and calling out to him.

"The guards are already called,"
"...that's all right, but I don't think it's the end of handing him over."
"You will kill me in a fainting state, and you will be handed over to the Knights through the guards, and you will be able to draw information by all means." "Well, which is more painful?"

　Elk reacts sharply to Ray's words.
　I'm looking at Ray with my eyes wide open, wondering if I ever expected such words to come out.
　Ray opens his mouth with a smile, feeling the eye from Elk, but not caring about it.

"And it's not hard to imagine who he is,"
"...what?"

　Elk turns his eyes to Ray again as if he couldn't ignore it. Its features are not the above-mentioned amazement, but rather as sharp as a bird of prey.

"Who's that?"
"What do you do when you hear that?"
"It's fixed. I'll... make you regret having touched Min and Rodos."
"I'm afraid it will be difficult," No matter how much you may be, if you are a nation, you will be captured."
"State? No way..."

　Rey's words raise the eyebrows of Elk. Elk has lived in this town of Gilm for quite a while. And I knew about the uproar that had taken place in this city since last year. It has not been announced by the Knights or the Guards that some state is pulling strings behind the scenes, but it still does not keep people's mouth open. Raijin's axe in particular is a Rank A party. Naturally, there is no omission in collecting information.
　However, it was Min who was in charge of gathering information with the axe of the god of thunder, and Elk was only listening to it. Nevertheless, I had heard of the name of the person who had been plotting against Gillum several times.
　That is to say...

"The Empire of Bestia"

　the dusk backyard of the Wheat House Elk's obnoxious murmur echoed, but only Ray and Sett and one of them heard it.