"Well, that village must be Goto, right?"

　the eleventh day after one's departure from Gilm I mutter the image of the village in front of my eyes, relying on the memories I passed through when the Spring War broke out and the map in my hand.

"Glu?"

　open one's mouth, caressing Seto's neck, asking, "What are you going to do?"

"Well, if I'm wrong, shall I ask you then?" I don't care what the thieves are like the other day."

　Given the speed of Seto's flight, it should have been a few days earlier to reach their goal. But there were several unintended stops, such as going wrong as Ray had expected, to the thief's hideout, or to the place where adventurers were struggling to fight monsters.
　Ray, of course, has something to say. They had moved over the ground when they had previously headed for the Celemuth plain. Of course, it is very different from the flight of Seto, and he lost his way because of that difference.

(Well, some weapons and money were available in the robber's hideout, and the robbers were wiped out. I was in danger of the adventurer, and I was able to ask for directions to the Celebrity Plain, so there was no problem in the end."

　In the meantime, Seto glides down to the ground.
　Finally, it lightly flaps its wings and lands simultaneously to absorb the impact.
　Still a short distance from Goto, he would never have overlooked the sight of the Gryphon descending.
　The village near the Celemus plain may be very vigilant about it's a lot of vigilance around it.
　At any rate, as far as he can see, he sees the whole village becoming noisy, but when he decides that it would be the same if he took Seto, he slowly approaches Goto with him.
　Around the village there are fields that are almost ready to harvest wheat, creating a carpet of wheat.
　When Ray saw such a wheat field, he went on to the village, remembering the sight of golden rice ears spreading every year when he was in Japan...

"And stop!"

　As I approached the village gate, I heard a voice that turned upside down.
　As he said, he stopped and looked at him with a voice... near the gate, where five men, armed with simple weapons such as hoes and clubs, were looking wary of Ray.
　But it's probably the first time I've seen a Gryphon like Seto. He was completely stooped, and it seemed certain that Seto would run away with just a cry.
　Ray has no intention of taking control of Goto or threatening him, so he stops walking with Seto and faces the five of them at a distance of more than 10 meters.

"Oh, you... are you carrying a Gryphon, is crimson?"

　He must be a representative of the men. The leading man in his thirties screams with a hoe in his hand.
　They could not reach their voices without shouting because they were about 10 meters away, but on the other hand, they attracted the attention of the residents of the village and the people who were working in the fields without noticing Ray, and, albeit fearfully, villagers gathered at the entrance of the village.
　He must have been relieved by the increasing number of people he saw. The man who asks Ray questions finally looks at him calmly.
　I'm sure I have a glyphon with me. However, he finds that only a 15-year-old boy follows him, and wonders if he breathes any relief.
　Is that child really crimson?
　The village of Goto is located near the Seremuth plain, so much so that information about the spring war has been detailed. The most prominent of them was the one who burned down the entire army of the Vestian Empire and was nicknamed crimson when he wielded a scythe and painted it with blood.
　But the man in front of the village certainly carried the Gryphon, but he did not seem to have the distinctive scythe, and above all he looked too young.

(Are you quite mistaken?)

　That's how the villagers thought, but Ray nods while patting Sett's back.

"Well, I am certainly called crimson. You don't have to be so frightened because you took part in the war on the side of the army of the Kingdom of Milliana."
"Well, that's... but it's very different from the rumor." He doesn't seem to have a scythe either!"
"Huh? Oh, look, is this all right?"

　To take death size out of the mistling in the man's words.
　The handle alone is large enough to exceed Ray's height, and the blade is huge at 1m. His figure was worthy of being called the scythe of death.

"Is this all right?"
"... oh, oh,"

　The villagers probably couldn't help but believe it when they were shown the real thing. Watching the villagers nod to the pressure from death size, Ray puts the scythe in a mistling.

"Oh, I know you're crimson. But what do you want in such a small village?"
"Before that, I'd like to ask you a question, is this Goto?"
"Oh, this is Goto's village. ...and what is your business?"
"This time it seems to be right?" No, I'm just going to meet you."
"Meeting?"

　At Ray's words I hear the villagers muttering strangely here and there.

(...what?)

　But Ray finds that there is only one man among those villagers who is behaving strangely.
　Meet him. As soon as I told him so, he looked away unnaturally.
　Are you in your twenties or so? He has a well-organized face and is well-built, perhaps thanks to farm work.
　At least Ray and his two men side by side, most of them were big enough to judge him as an adventurer.
　A moment of agitation would have caught Ray's eye as a man of that build.

"Are you meeting me in this village?"

　Ray nods and opens his mouth to the villagers.

"Oh, but it will take a little more time..."

　Ray himself moved through the air on a set, but his meeting partners Vihela and Teorem were moving on the ground. With that in mind, it was certain that we would arrive in Goto a little longer.

"... Hey, what do you do? If it's really crimson, isn't it bad to say no here?"
"I was carrying a scythe with me, as I have heard, and I think I may take it for granted."
"But you're saying it's going to take a while, aren't you? What are you going to do? There is no inn in the village."
"So you're going to let someone stay with you? I'm not kidding. I don't like it. I can't afford to waste most of the time."
"Anyway, to the village mayor..."

　Villagers talk in whispers.
　Still, he's probably paying some attention to the fact that he's whispering so that Ray doesn't hear him.
　But Ray's hearing didn't miss it.
　In the midst of all this, a villager opens his mouth.
　He was suspicious of Ray's behavior a while ago.

"If you don't mind, shall I stay at my house? Fortunately, I live alone, so I have more rooms left."
"...are you ready, Luchard?" You mean you can't call anyone when something happens, can you?"
"Well, as far as I can see, I don't look like a bad person." And..."The man, called Luchard, pauses and approaches Ray.

"Nice to meet you, Luchard. I think it's OK to put you up for the night... but I have a favor to ask of you."
"What?"
"Well, as you can see, this village is not so rich. I can't afford the satisfaction of your Gryphon, let alone you."
"Glu?"

　Seto bends his head at the words that come out of Luchard's mouth.
　The villagers' faces relax at the sight of Seto's cute gesture.
　The attitude was as if you had forgotten for a second that your partner was a Rank A monster, but it soon got back on track.
　Still, Ray and Sett's gaze, though slightly, was definitely softer than before.
　Wailing a sigh of relief at the sight, Ray shakes his head saying it's all right.

"Seto is smart, as you can see, so he can get his own food and I've got plenty of food for him. Oh, by the way, you don't have to think about my meals. I've prepared it myself."

　To be exact, it's right that there's a lot more delicious food in the mystery ring than there is in the village.
　But not knowing it, Luchard nodded and muttered in wonder.

"It doesn't look like you have anything in particular?"

　The act of slanting one's head with a muscular body has brought a smile to the viewer.
　But he just looks at Ray mysteriously, wondering if he's not aware of it.

"I showed you my death size earlier, didn't I?" Think of it as something like that."
"…I see. Finally, I would like to confirm once again that there is not much room in this village, so there is basically no food to eat for you, and even so, it is as poor as we eat, and it is not something that an adventurer with a different name eats. You don't mind that?"

　When Ray nods to the question, which was asked with the last word of confirmation, Ritchard nods reassuringly and looks around at the people around him.

"He seems to prepare his own meals, too, as you have just now," As far as accommodation is concerned, I rent my house, and the Gryphon, called Seto, doesn't seem to attack anybody. and yet, as it would be unsavory to leave the Gryphon alone in the village, I wonder if it would be possible for him to act outside the village."

　The villagers whispered to Luchard's words, but they might have come to an understanding.
　The first man to speak to Ray speaks on behalf of him.

"Okay, I don't think we need to give him food, and I think we can trust him if he says so much. But are you sure you're okay? Well... let someone you don't know stay at your house."
"Oh, there's no problem with me. Besides, he is so talented that he is called crimson. If he had any intention of doing something by force, I don't think he would ever talk to me so friendly in the first place."

　Words from Luchard's mouth give relief to the villagers who were listening to the story.
　In fact, that's right.
　If Ray wants to do something by force, the power cannot be helped by people like him in this village.
　It will only be trampled down unilaterally, just as the army of the Vestian Empire was badly damaged in the Spring War.
　Perhaps it was because the villagers understood it that they were relieved of their guard.

"Well, I'll show him home, and I want everyone to go back to work." The days are still high, so let's do our best until the break time."

　Everyone is confused by Ritchard's words, which are recognized for their stout body and gentle temper.
　After seeing it off, Luchard turns to Ray and talks to him with a somewhat stiff look, unlike a few seconds ago.

"Come with me, then," I'll show you to my house."
「……」

　Ray had been watching Luchard suspiciously, but he must have misunderstood why he didn't follow him. Speak in a small but certain voice that only Ray can hear.

"I'll tell you the details at my house."
"…I see. set."
"Glu?"

　Ray opens his mouth, patting his head gently, as Seto bends his head asking, "What's the matter?"

"I'm sorry, but please play outside the village for a while." I'm still surprised at Seto's appearance, so I can't play with the villagers. "Well, go and get ready for it."
"Gurgle...gurgle!"

　A little disappointed, Seto nods slightly and runs up in the air, flapping his wings after a few steps of running.
　After seeing it off, Ray turns to Luchard and says, "That's all right?

"Well, I'll show you,"

　He nodded softly and walked on at the head of Ray's... until he reached a house near the outskirts of the village.
　It's not particularly large or small.
　a house of common size for villagers living in a village of this size
　It may be big if you think you live alone, but even Ritchard can't have lived alone from birth.

"Well, go ahead. I'm alone since my parents died a few years ago, so don't hesitate to go up."
"Let me do that,"

　Return words and go up into the house.
　I'm sure you live alone. I had the impression that it was a little messy, perhaps not well cleaned for its size.
　Putting a ray up in such a house, I look around the front door just in case and see if there is anyone there.
　He then confronts Ray and opens his mouth.

"Nice to meet you again," My name is Luchard. I have a question, would you tell me who Mr. Ray is waiting for?"