a party of duskers on the road
　About half a month after joining the Vestian Empire, it was no longer unusual to see a party like the Duskers on the road leading to the imperial capital.
　the nobility of the Vestian Empire and invited by neighboring countries Some merchants are more luxurious than the nobility around them.

"No, it was quite early,"

　If you look around you, you can see a group of people who seem to be heading for the imperial capital other than yourself.
　The decoration of the carriage, in particular, differs from country to country, and above all, it was the bodyguards that were worth seeing. 　
　It must be a knighthood of aristocratic territory in a carriage. Many people wear armor of the same design, which entertains Ray's eyes.
　The horse-drawn carriage that the merchant thought to be riding was not a knight but a mercenary, so the equipment was different, but many wore what appeared to be a magic item, which also entertained Ray's eyes.
　I hear the murmur of the knight near Ray, and I look at him without thinking.

"Huh? Oh, I'm sorry." I'm talking to myself."
"No, I don't mind," What's faster than that?"
"Until we reach the imperial capital," Of course I have never been there, but I have heard from a merchant who came to Guilm that it would take a month to enter the Empire of Bestia, no matter how hastily he was."
"...is there a merchant who goes all the way to the Empire of Bestia?"

　Ray muttering as if he was dumbfounded.
　The Kingdom of Milliana and the Empire of Bestia have been longtime adversaries, and of course the people's feelings toward the other country are more negative.
　In the midst of all this, Ray had to go all the way to the hostile Empire of Bestia to do business, so he couldn't help but be dumbfounded.
　But the knight shrugs at Ray's appearance with a little wry smile.

"Well, merchants gather where they have money,"

　The word gold reminds me of the bell of repose.

(After all, he only attacked me once, and I haven't touched him at all since then. Well, what's going on? Or are you going to set it up in the imperial capital? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ."

　Once in the imperial capital, each of the Daskers will take a differently.
　Dusker, along with Elk and Minn, has been associated with the aristocracy of the kingdom of Milliana, Ray and Rodos to fight, Seto to stables, and so on.
　Then it would be true that even as a bell to repose souls, there would be fewer war potentials to be attacked.

"Ray? What's the matter?"
"No, it's nothing. So, was it January at the earliest? That's because merchants travel in well-stocked wagons, isn't it? By comparison, all three wagons, including the Duskers, are high quality wagons, and they're only first class wagons. And it goes without saying that there are only war horses."

　Returning his words to the knight, Ray's gaze is directed to three horse-drawn carts moving a little further away.
　It's inferior in terms of luxury to other horse-drawn cars moving along the highway. But it was obvious to the viewer that Dusker had a penchant for flamboyance and fortitude, and that the quality of the carriage and the quality of the horse were superior to that of the others.
　In particular, as to the quality of the horse that determines the speed of the horse-drawn carriage, the guard knight, the mercenary horse-drawn horse-drawn horse-drawn horse-drawn horse-drawn horse-drawn horse-drawn horse-drawn horse-drawn horse-drawn horse-drawn horse-drawn horse-drawn horse-drawn horse-drawn horse-drawn horse-drawn horse-drawn horse-drawn horse-drawn horse-drawn horse-drawn horse-drawn around him.
　Of course, I got used to this because I traveled with him from Gilmoo to here.
　However, considering that some people get used to it and others get used to it, the reason why all horses get used to it is probably because they are first-class horses.

"Grull?"

　I don't feel Ray's idea, but Seto turns his eyes to Ray, who is riding him, with a purring voice.
　As Ray asks, "What's the matter?" Ray shakes his head and gently reaches to the neckline.

"Well, it's only natural for us to survive on the frontier,"

　The knight's cheeks turn red with embarrassment at Ray's unexpected compliments to them.
　From the perspective of the knight, people around him focus their eyes on him, wondering if there are many people who think that young and handsome knights are ashamed of themselves.
　The Knight would soon have noticed the gaze being directed at him. After a small cough, Ray looks again.

"That's for that matter," When aristocrats from other countries, including us, gather together, trouble naturally tends to occur. Be careful, especially because Ray is prone to that kind of trouble."
"...no, I'm not getting into that kind of trouble, either,"

　But Ray himself understood that his words were not convincing, if not very convincing, given his own experience.
　It was probably the same with Seto. Even Seto, who always takes Ray's side, grunts as if he wasn't convinced.
　And...

"Set, even you... Huh?

　Ray tried to speak to Seto in an unconscious manner, but he stopped without saying the words to the end.
　The reason was that there was a traffic jam in the direction of the road because there were so many horse-drawn carts unable to move forward.
　In general, there are nearly twenty horse-drawn carts in front of the Dus.

"What?"
"Now? Is the carriage rolling over blocking the road?"

　To the muttered Ray, the knight who had been speaking earlier said so.
　But when Ray hears the words, he shakes his head and opens his mouth in disapproval.

"That's not to say you can't pass by the side of the road, is it?" Even if there is a carriage rolling over on the road, you can go off the road and avoid the carriage rolling over and back again."
"... well, indeed,"

　muttered the knight, turning his eyes to the side of the road.
　There's some weeds growing there, but it's not enough to drive by.

"Why, then?"
"Now?"

　It may be true that some kind of problem has occurred, but Ray should never know what it is.

"Is it useless to stay stuck here?" Wait a minute, I'll ask Mr. Dusker for instructions."
"Okay, we're only a few days away from the imperial capital, and from what's going on, it doesn't seem that we won't be able to make it in time for the competition. I don't mind taking some time."

　At Ray's voice, the knight lightly shrugs his shoulders toward the carriage in which the dusker is riding.
　After seeing it off, Ray, who has nothing to do for now, pats Seto on the head looking around him.

"Glu?"

　With a small smile, Ray caresses his head, Kuchibashi, and his throat as if he were going to play.
　A set of comfortable squints, surrendering to the feel of the hand.
　Had it not been for the highways... or for the horse-drawn carriage around him, Sett might have laid down on the ground.
　Ray moves his hands with a smile as if nothing could be done about Seto's voice.
　There are already carriages parked behind the Dusker party, and quite a few people complain about the current situation.
　Still, the complete absence of men and horses around Sett and Ray is probably due to fear and fear of the Gryphon.
　But such awe and fear gradually dissipates when Sett sees Ray stroking her.
　What is now in front of those around the Reys was never a scene that people would imagine being a Rank A monster.
　Those who watched the scene were overwhelmed with warmth.
　Or, if we had been watching him for another ten minutes, some might have walked up to him.
　As long as he is a Gryphon, you can faintly imagine that Ray is following it, an adventurer called crimson.
　However, the owner of the carriage here is not the only one from the Westian Empire. If you think of the large number of people from small countries around the empire, you might not have to worry too much.But luckily or unfortunately for both of us, the knight returns to Dusker's carriage. 　
　Then, when he sees the scene spreading before him, he opens his mouth with a small sigh.

"Well, I don't think we should do that here,"
"Really? We can't go on like this anyway. We have more time left."
"No, that's not the case. ... well, I don't mind. It's more of a message from Mr. Dusker. Go and find out why the road is congested."
"Me?"

　Why did you bother me? With that in mind, Ray asks me back, but the knight nods heartlessly.

"Yes. Mr. Dusker's prediction is that there will probably be some kind of trouble, so he's asking me to fix it."
"... I see,"

　From the words of the knight, Ray understands Dusker's intentions.
　In the first place, my job is to attract the attention of the upper echelon. In other words, you need to stand out as much as possible.
　And I think that the reason why we stand out at this point is because we believe it will be of great benefit.

"All right. Then let's go, Seto."
"Gruly!"

　Ray's words make a happy voice, and he stands up, walking straight through the gap between the carriage and the carriage.
　When you reach the grassy meadow, you'll find your way toward the congestion.
　I'm not in particular in a hurry, so I'm going slowly, not surprised by the sight of the Gryphon running... until I reach the top of the traffic jam.
　There was a group of about twenty.
　They wore armor dyed green and blue, as if to represent them all belonging to the same group.
　That alone would be nothing special to beholdenough.
　In fact, there are so many people around who wear the same armor.
　There are certainly more people than the rest of the group, but that's all.
　a different reason It was blocked as if to blockade the road.
　When Ray sees the supposed representatives of the group and the driver of the carriage at the head of the traffic jam have a conversation, and when he hands something over, the armored men leave enough room for the carriage to pass, he even thinks it's a momentary check.
　However, following the lead, the next carriage, in the same way, hands something over to the man who appears to be the representative of the man in the armour, and proceeds through the gap that was opened as before.

(Isn't it a checkpoint?)

　If Ray had not mistakenly recognized it, the coachman had given him a few pieces of silver.
　Not at all, but it doesn't look like a checkpoint.
　Then there wasn't much to think of.
　It's probably the easiest sight to see that someone is extorting money from those who pass by.
　But I wonder if Ray himself could be.
　This is the road leading to the imperial capital, and if you insist on it so openly, it would be strange not to be discovered.
　And, as with Ray, Dasker was directly invited by the upper echelons of the empire.
　If you try to extort money from someone like that, you'll surely lose your head. 　
　It's not that I'm fired from my job, it's that physical.
　That's why I couldn't believe I was doing this in such a prominent place.
　Deciding so, Ray calls out to a merchant in his 40s who looks as if he had bitten a bitter bug nearby.
　to a merchant who appears to be peddling privately rather than in a group of horse-drawn cabs.

"Well, what the heck is that?"
"Oh? I'm sure..."

　It must have been decided. The peddler, who tries to tell him so, gasps at what Ray is riding.
　for it was a Gryphon there.
　I look around me as if I'm misleading, but no one can help me.
　When he breathes out as if he had given up, he opens his mouth without concealing his abominable tone.

"You see," I'm going to steal money from those who pass by this road."
"...nobody will appeal to you? You know what happens if you behave so foolishly near the imperial capital at this time of year."
"I'll know," I'm sure it's something...

　Tell him that, he suddenly turns to Ray's back and leaves in a hurry.
　The reason was obvious.

"Hey, that man," Let me have a word with you."

　There was a man in green and blue armor there.