two days after arriving at the Celemus Plain As it was already evening and the sun was turning into a sunset, the Duskers, accompanied by a carriage of Sears, were at last passing through the Celemus plain.
　Originally thought it would take another day, but there are many reasons why we were able to get through the Celemuth plain so quickly, including the skill of the coachman and his very high ability, the speed of the carriage naturally increased by the wind, and the ground on the Celemuth plain was not rough.
　At any rate, the party, who left the Celemus Plain much earlier than expected, pauses there for further consultation.

"Well, we'll break up here as planned."
"I know. I will act as I told you before, so don't worry. As for the means of communication..."
"Yes, I'll send you a man to get in touch with." I'll have this dagger with me, so I'm afraid I'll make a mistake. If a man appears without this dagger, beware that he is probably from another power."

　Tell him so, Theorem took out a dagger with a butterfly crest on its handle.
　It's not like magic, it's more like art.
　Confirming it, Dusker nods back slightly.
　Listening to the stories, Ray lies on the ground and caresses Seto on the alert head.

"Dear crimson".

　a voice spoken to Ray like that
　When I looked over there, I saw the figure of Theorem's deputy with a rigid beauty.

(Are you here?)

　a muttering ray
　Since joining, I've felt I've been glanced at by Sears many times.
　Of course, it is not the kind of glamorous gaze that Vihela looks at herself, nor is it the kind of gaze that Vihela looks at from time to time to time.
　The gaze contained some sort of observation and caution.
　He looked at me like that, but he didn't have any contact with me at all, including when I was camping, but... he must have called out to me because he was breaking up here.

"What do you want?"
"Grull".

　Ray asks, caressing Seto's throat and making a pleasant cry.
　Even though the lower part of the body is a lion of the cat family and the upper part of the body is an eagle, it seems that it feels good when the throat is stroked.
　I am momentarily taken aback by the fact that he is not the one who drove the Westian Empire to rout in the Spring War.
　But he soon returns to his usual expression, having seen the movements of one of them on the previous day's camp or during a meal break.

"Dear crimson, thank you for your help in this struggle in the Westian Empire."

　As she makes a slight bow, Ray shakes his head, saying it's okay to let go of his caressing hand.

"Vihela asked me to do it, and above all, I was promised a reward. You don't have to be so grateful."
"No. To be honest, I can only say that I am lucky enough that a man of such strength as the crimson hall will cooperate with me. If you were on the other side of the fence, I would not go so far as to say that we were determined to lose, but it is true that we were at a great disadvantage."

　That's why I was lucky to be able to bring in Ray in here. She must have judged it meaningless to say anything more to Sears, who is telling her so. Ray shrugs his shoulders slightly before opening his mouth.

"Well, I'll do exactly what I expect. Fortunately, it seems that they can't do anything about it unless it's an attack that kills them instantly."

　Ray had already lost his psychological burden in killing people, but he still didn't want to kill people.
　If there's no other way, it's a different story, but if you don't have to kill me, I've got enough reason to choose that one.
　With such a Ray, it would have been a good idea to participate in a competition that is said to have resulted in very few deaths due to the legacy of ancient civilization.

"…I see. The crimson palace is not as good as Vichela-sama, but it seems that it has a preference for battle."
"It's Ray. I know I'm called crimson, but if possible, call me by my name, not by another name."

　Sears nods to the remark after a few seconds of silence.

"All right. Now, Mr. Ray."
"Do so," I don't really like being exaggerated."
"Grull?"

　Seto chants at Ray, who is talking to Sears, leaving him alone to stroke more.
　Ray laughs bitterly at Seto's appearance, and Sears is surprised.
　The Gryphon Seto, who, along with Ray, is a symbol of fear in Bestia, probably never thought he would be this friendly.

"Very... very different personality than I expected."
"It's usually like this. friendly and devoid of delicious food --"
"Gruly!"

　Of course! The sight of him chanting would certainly be unbelievable to anyone who knew Ray and Sett on the battlefield, including Sears.

"Anyway, I'm sure you'll cause Ray a great deal of trouble. Especially as long as the role is to attract the attention of the upper management, I think some people will have a grudge against the Spring War."
"I know. Well, I don't care about it, I don't care about it."
"...thank you,"

　bowing to Ray's words, Sears breathes a sigh of relief.
　The reason why I went into the territory of the Vestian Empire and called out to Ray at this time of separation was because I wanted to know what kind of person Ray was.
　It was a short conversation, but I still understood a certain amount of personality.
　He likes fighting, but he is serious about the job he is asked to do. And...

(He is also too self-confident.

　This attitude is probably due to the confidence in one's own ability, but it would be especially advantageous if one considers the purpose of intentional prominence like this.
　Deciding that Vichela would rather have a dangerous experience, Dasker and Theoreum, who had just been away from each other at the time, could be heard calling for Ray and Sears, respectively.
　The meeting itself is already over, and it's no surprise that Sears talked to Ray because he was already close to chatting.

"I see you're calling me," Well, I'm going to leave now. While things are going well this time, we probably won't see each other anymore, so I'll tell you, but I hope you'll do your best at the competition."
"Oh,"
"Grull!"

　As Seto purges, "It's all right if it's Ray!" Ciance gently loosens her cheeks and leaves.
　It was Vichela, who had been talking to Theoreum and Dusker until recently, who appeared differently from such a siance.
　open one's mouth with a playful smile

"Oh, you're not just going to touch me, you're going to touch the Sears?"
"... no, I don't mean it at all."

　Ray shakes his head as if to say something out of the blue, but Vihela smiles a little.

"She's probably not interested in anything other than Theoreum,"
"...is that so?"
"What, didn't you notice?"

　Vichela muttered dumbly, but Ray felt that the feeling that Sianns had for Theoreum was more of a love than a love affair.
　However, Vihela seemed to feel different.

"Well, I would welcome the fact that there are no more competitors."

　Saying so, Vihela gently approaches Ray's cheek and gently caresses him.

"It goes without saying to Ray, who beat me, but be very careful. If I enter the Empire, I'll be acting differently from Ray.""Oh, I know," I won't lose to them, because I beat you."
"Really? I hope so. I'm sure we'll see each other soon, so I'm looking forward to that day."

　For a few seconds, patting Ray on the cheek as if he were reluctant to part, gently touching her and then leaving.

"Glu?"

　It was Ray patting Seto with his other hand, patting her on the kissed cheek.





　Theoreum, Vihela, and Sianth drove in a different direction from Dusker's.
　Seeing it off, the Daskers drive to the imperial capital to fulfill their duties.
　The first few days were close to the Celemuth plain, and many villages, such as Goto, were abandoned at worst, but as they approached the imperial capital, the figures of travelers, adventurers, and merchants on the highway naturally grew.
　and of course Ray and Sett, who were very conspicuous among the Daskers, should not be out of sight."

"Oh, hey! He's on the Gryphon."
"... oh, oh,"
"Is he crimson?"
"I can't see her face with a hood on, but she's that physique, isn't she? Is she a child... if she's not good at it?"
"But have you ever heard of Gryphon's subservience other than crimson?"
"That's... no, but,"

　Those who see Dusker and his party in that way share their conjectures, while one person drops his luggage to the ground and hugs his trembling body.
　As he was in his mid-30s and did not seem to be someone to do such a thing, he attracted the attention of the people around him, but he didn't seem to care about the other people's gaze, and he hugged himself shaking as if he were naked in the extreme cold.

"My dear fellow," Are you all right?"

　A man who seemed to be a merchant nearby asked so, but that was probably the trigger.

"Oh, my gosh!"

　As soon as he screamed, he ran away with all his might to get away.
　People around them, who are dumbfounded at it, convince themselves that the heat must have caused them to go crazy.
　The man who ran away from the scene went straight into the forest growing by the road and hid himself from the road.

"d*mn, d*mn, d*mn... why is he here and that devil?" I'm living peacefully, running away from the army... Why, why?"

　With a spitting cry, they beat the tree where they are hiding.
　The fists, torn and slightly bleeding by the trunk of the tree, were clearly the fists of the trained.
　Yes, this man had served in the Spring War, and was even assigned to the starting line.
　Ray's fire whirlwind and many pieces of metal thrown into it. He was a very lucky man who managed to survive what could have been described as a unilateral massacre of Ray's death.
　He ran away, ran away, ran away, and managed to survive, but fled from the battlefield and became a fugitive.
　He was lucky not to have been chased as a fugitive unless he had confirmed the identity of the soldier in such detail.
　He was lucky enough to escape, but as long as he was a fugitive, he could not go back to his hometown, and he managed to earn enough money to live his days by imitating a merchant.
　After living like that for about half a year, it might be time to finally return to your hometown. That's what I thought...I've met that being.
　The embodiment of fear, death, and despair that drove me to the abyss of despair.

"Why... why, why?"

　a voice that one would hardly expect a man to make Crying, he repeatedly swings his fist at the trunk of a tree.
　The skin of his fist has already been torn and the trunk of the tree has blood on it, but the man continues to beat it without a sign of concern.
　for a few minutes The feel of his fist had returned, and he sat down with his back against the trunk of the tree.

"I hate you?"

　Suddenly I hear such a voice and the man stops moving.
　Where did you hear your voice? I couldn't make it out at all.
　He hurriedly turned his gaze to the surroundings, but only the trees that were beginning to replace the summer and autumn.

"Oh, who!?"
"I don't care who I am." but is there any hatred of him, of Gryphon, of crimson, of your existence?"
「……」

　Why did you listen to the word?
　The man thought about it for a moment, but he spoke as if he had been led by something.

"Hate...hate...hate...hate!"

　As the voice of such hatred echoes through the forest, the voice says as if to envelop the hatred.

"Well, be among us, then," I'll clear you of that hatred."

　What are you doing? While thinking like that, the man nods and returns to the depths of the forest, guided by his voice.
　Afterwards, the bark of a tree trunk that had been beaten and peeled by a man, and a few drops of blood that had fallen to the ground. and there was only a bewitching sweet smell.