It's already a long way from what we call the frontier, and it's probably a few days' drive to Subursta.
　The summer sun, shining with all its might, is sinking westward as if it had lost its strength from daytime action.
　With a disgusting look on his face in the western sun, the sun's last gasp, Ray puts the oak material, magical stones, the site of proof of defeat... and the meat he wants most, in a mistling and heads to the place where Sett is waiting.
　Seto always wanted to be with Ray, but this time he didn't come with Ray because he asked for the escort of a woman who had been captured by Oak.
　She could have dismantled the oak on the woman's side, but when she woke up, she thought it would be a great shock to have someone near her dismantling the body of the oak.
　It's true, however, that it's the best option for Ray, who's used to Seto, but for those who don't know anything, there's a Gryphon right next to him.
　Ordinarily, you'd be much more surprised than with an oak.
　But... fortunately, when Ray came back, the woman had not yet woken up.
　if I had woken up, I might have kept on pretending to be unconscious if I had found a Gryphon nearby.

"Set, are you okay?"
"Gruly!"

　Seth, who was lying on the grass, of course sings to Ray's words.
　In fact, if Seto is exposing himself like this, a certain intelligent monster won't approach him.
　with exceptions like goblins

"Well, shall we prepare a meal so that when we wake up we can have something in our stomach?"
"Grull!"

　You must have been pleased with the food.
　Seto sounds happy...

"Well... well..."

　Seth's voice awakens the woman who had fainted.
　At the voice of the woman's mouth, Ray turned his eyes to the woman again.
　Ray knows it's bad manners to see a woman sleeping.
　But as long as she doesn't know who the woman is, Ray can't be so easily persuaded.

(Actually, he's an assassin, and as soon as he wakes up, he gets involved in a suicide bombing... or something like that, I don't think there's any possibility.) No, I don't think so.

　deny what one thinks of oneself at once and for all
　In the first place, it was decided by chance today that Ray would pass here today.
　He would not have passed here without Dusker's request for retribution against the aristocracy, and there was a good chance that Sett's flight might not have met the Oaks.
　If so, this would be completely coincidental, not orchestrated.

"About twenty, apparently?"

　To Ray's eyes, he looked that age.
　Of course, there are quite a few people in the world who are very different in age and appearance.
　That's a particularly prominent example of the long-lived species of elves and dark elves.
　Ray was also the same in terms of his apparent age.
　Elena's life span was extraordinarily extended by inheriting the magical stones of the Gent Dragon, and Vihela's absorption of Ambris made her more biologically human.

(Huh? Then he's a decent human being with the wings of the Red Lotus, but actually only Bune? ... Well, in spite of his small body, he eats as much as I do.)

　Ray eats regardless of his size, as did Bune.
　When I think about it that way, the woman who wakes up eventually gets up and looks around her.
　At that time, even in summer, the sheets on the woman's body fall off, saying that it would be terrible if it cooled down.
　It's summer now, perhaps, as it should have been a blanket.k.a. blanket.
　It's not midsummer yet, but it's still often hot during the day.
　Covering yourself with a blanket in such a situation would be half harassment.
　That's why Ray put on thin sheets.
　But if I really thought of her, I should have let her rest in the magic tent... Ray didn't trust her that much either.

"Well... why did I sleep in such a place... and..."

　The woman, apparently unaware of her situation, tries to ask Ray, who is nearby.
　But the word stopped halfway because I saw a Gryphon lying a little further away.

"Don't worry. Seto is quiet if he doesn't try to do any harm.
"... are you sure you're all right.
"Oh,"
"Really? But... Oh, Gryphon? Wait a minute. Are you Ray in crimson?"
"Did you know?"

　Ray is a little surprised at what she says.
　In Ray's eyes, the woman was not wearing any armor... for that was the right person to call her a commoner.
　Ray knows that his name has spread because he has become a notorious person.
　But it was a remarkable example among adventurers, military men, mercenaries, and others who liked rough things, and they did not think it was known to such a countryman.
　If this were Abuero and Subursta in the vicinity of Gilm, the general public might have known...

"Yes, the minstrel sings of the war against the Westian Empire."
"... I see,"

　Ray was not rumored to be a biographical poet, but he never expected a minstrel to appear, and yet the source of the information was revealed and he looked indescribably subtle.
　Minstrels are those who sing in bars, squares, restaurants, and so on.
　And minstrels also serve as a medium of communication in this era to turn various events into songs.
　As long as a pair of oves is not commonplace, minstrels play a major role in getting information from the world except for those in a certain position.
　However, minstrels must earn money as long as they live by singing.
　It was not unusual that the content of the song would be more flashy than it should be.
　Perhaps Ray, knowing it, looked at it with a subtle expression even though he was convinced that he had heard it from a minstrel.

"Well, you know, and it's true that you defeated all the members of the Imperial Army by yourself."
"That's a lie,"

　I'm sure enough.
　Wanting to say so, Ray gasps and denies the woman's words.
　The woman begins to open her mouth again to Ray, but Ray opens her mouth in a way that takes the initiative.

"Why were you in such a place? It's quite far from the neighboring villages and towns."
"What? Come to think of it...?! I remember! When I went to the nearby forest to pick nuts, someone beat me there... and now I know."
"…I see. I was lucky, or bad. It's a delicate point."

　Perhaps he fainted after being beaten by an oak while he was absorbed in harvesting nuts.
　Ray decides so, and yet turns a somewhat dumbfounded look at the woman.

"It's all right to be engrossed in nut-catching, but honestly, why don't you notice the oak?"
"Well... well, that's... it can't be helped! My friends tell me that if I concentrate on one thing, I can't see around me, but it's my personality!"
"No, if you know it, cure it. Or, not by yourself, but by a few people. The best thing to do is to employ an adventurer as your bodyguard."
"Don't be silly about that's all right. Do you think you can hire a bodyguard every time you pick nuts?"
"Well, I don't think so,"

　Ray knew it, too.
　However, going out into the woods and forests alone without any protection is nothing but suicide.
　This is not a remote area, but it doesn't mean that there are no monsters.Also, robbers who were not on the frontier could have been ordinary in this area, which was not on the frontier.
　It's nothing short of suicide to pick nuts by yourself when you're in such a risk.

"In your case, I'm glad the Oaks were caught." No, considering that there are people of various personalities in the Oaks, I suppose we ought to say that they are glad."
"...what do you mean?"

　The woman muttered, apparently unsure of what Ray meant.

"It's a simple matter. If you're a thief, that's why you're on the spot where you're caught. for it seems that the Oaks did not touch you on the spot, but rather took you to your abode or somewhere before they could touch you."

　She turns pale when she is told so.
　You could imagine exactly what it would be like to be touched.

"I think you've got it said.

　When asked to confirm, the woman nods in small.k.a. small way.
　You must have thought it would be a great surprise to see such a woman. Ray hands a glass of fruit water out of the mistling to the woman.

"Well, it was all right after all. You're lucky this time, and you're going to be careful next time. Here, drink this and calm down.
"Oh, thank you. ...what? This is cold!?"

　The moment she puts her mouth on a glass handed to her by Ray, she screams in surprise.
　It's only natural. If it's winter, it's summer now.
　They probably didn't expect to have such a cold drink in a place like this, let alone in a mountain river.
　Where did Ray get it out of... the woman looks at him again, completely unaware of Mistilling's presence.

"Where did you take it from?"
"Well, if you're an adventurer of a different name, you might as well be able to do this."

　If he were another notorious adventurer... who calmly said that Elk, nicknamed the Thunder God's Axe, would surely get angry, he himself drank cold fruit water and poured fruit water into a deep dish for Seto.
　Watching Seto happily drinking it, Ray opens his mouth to the woman again.

"And what are you going to do now?"
"No matter what you say to me..."

　Women look around in distress.
　Naturally, this is not where the women were caught by the Oaks.
　In an unfamiliar place, the woman looks at Ray in a troubled way.

"Well, if you don't mind... Can you take me to my village? I can't really thank you..."

　Do you know that a woman needs money to hire an adventurer? She begs Ray helplessly.
　Also, Ray is a notorious, high-ranking adventurer, and he deserves... no doubt he needs more money than a woman thinks.
　Ray understands her feelings.
　In fact, if you leave a woman alone in such a field, she'll be attacked again by monsters and thieves.
　Unfortunately, women have their own good looks.
　For the robbers, it could not have been better.

"Well... if there's any good food in your village..."
"Oh, yes! No, I don't know if it's good or not, but if it's a specialty of my village, it is."
"...huh,"

　Ray looks a little happy at the unexpected information that comes out of the woman's mouth.
　Originally, Ray would have to comply with Dusker's request.
　But it's also true that it's okay to take a short stop, given the speed at which Seto travels.
　It's already evening, and before long the sun will be completely hidden and the moon will emerge.
　Dusker would never have told Ray to stay up all night.
　Of course, Dusker wants them to hurry as much as possible, so if possible, he wants them to stay up all night and move around.
　I want you to hurry as long as you don't know by what means the Earl of Leldakt, who had been pulling a string from Bistol behind the scenes, is trying to get information.
　Ray really needs to hurry too... if that's the case, he'll be on the move all night.
　However, I have decided that there is no need to rush this case... the woman's invitation was just right for Ray.

"Well, I'll send you off for the specialty," and what is your village called?"
"The name of the village is Zacuニャa." And I'm Schiller. It's a short time, but I hope you'll take care of me."

　Woman... Schiller smiled and told Ray so.