"All of them?" Hermes froze, then quickly added, "N-no, no, no, how could someone possibly have that many identities at once?"
Rayleigh picked up the five cards and held them before his eyes, studying them carefully while asking back.
"Why not?" He used one card to cover his left eye and looked straight at Hermes with the other.
"Even the most ordinary person, if you pick out all the high points of his life, would still seem dramatic and full of twists. If that's the case, then a more layered background is more fitting for a wanderer, don't you think, Lord Hermes?"
Hermes was at a loss for words.
A wandering mercenary who had also learned smithing, while also making a living as a bard—and for a bard to understand music and painting also sounded reasonable enough.
"Why can't I be a merchant?" Rayleigh put down the cards and voiced a doubt he had been wondering about.
After all, in stories like these, the protagonist always disguised himself as a merchant; it had practically become an unspoken convention of another world.
He had originally thought he might get to experience pretending to be a merchant for once, so somehow, that made him a little disappointed.
Hearing the question, Hermes explained, "That won't work. The Rakia Kingdom manages merchants and caravans very strictly and even if they leave for just ten seconds, when they return they still have to go through inspection."
Besides, the movement of goods was too slow, and Rayleigh did not have time to wait.
"In addition, we'll also send one person to assist you," Hermes suddenly said.
Then he pushed the beastwoman girl behind him forward and introduced her.
"This is an outstanding intelligence operative from my Familia—Lulune Louie."
'Assist me?' Rayleigh looked at the beastwoman girl, who still did not dare meet his eyes, with a little surprised.
Hermes said, "I can guarantee Lulune's ability. She'll absolutely be able to help you! Once you enter the royal capital, if there's any information you want investigated, you can leave it to her."
Seeing the self-satisfied look on his face, Rayleigh understood.
This girl really did have something special, otherwise Hermes would not be acting this smug.
Just then, the woman seated to the side, Lidith, gave a light cough.
After it drew Rayleigh's attention, she pretended it had not been deliberate and maintained an elegant posture.
"Then that settles it."
After the matter had been settled, Hermes left with the members of his Familia.
As they brushed past each other, Rayleigh suddenly felt something being slipped into his palm.
...
Half an hour later.
Following the address written on the note in his hand, Rayleigh found a discreet inn, and according to the room number written on it, found the well-prepared Lidith.
Even after eight round with Lidith, Rayleigh still showed no sign of exhaution, so in the end, Lidith could only surrender.
"Oh. seems like Hermes have taken a liking to you."
"...Huh?" Rayleigh was shocked on the spot.
"No need to worry. That's not what I mean. And besides—even if it were, I'd protect you." Lidith pressed a finger lightly to Rayleigh's lips, said it with a teasing smile.
Then she reached into the deep valley of her chest and pulled out a small note between two fingers.
When Rayleigh took it, a faint trace of warmth still lingered on the paper.
Written on it was an address that Rayleigh instantly recognized, it was a certain shop in the red-light district of the Rakia Kingdom.
"This is...?"
"A helper. Absolutely reliable." Lidith clung to Rayleigh like a sloth, then murmured, "If there's something even Lulune can't handle, go find this person."
"I see." Rayleigh understood.
This was probably an internal hidden asset used by the Hermes Familia, an important backup that Hermes had not intended to activate for his sake.
But with Lidith' help, Hermes was destined to miscalculate.
"Thank you," Rayleigh said sincerely.
But Lidith said with dissatisfaction, "I want thanks that are more direct."
"You've already recovered?"
"Not yet... so you should show a little restraint."
"Impossible. Because you don't actually want any restraint at all!"
...
After night fell, Rayleigh returned home and told Alfia about the rescue commission that had come from the Rakia Kingdom.
In truth, if Alfia were willing to act, then within three days the Rakia Kingdom would be flattened, as the power of the Silent Alfia was enough to destroy a small kingdom with ease.
"Do you need my help?" Alfia asked.
Rayleigh smiled slightly. If he really said yes, then she probably really would help him, but he still refused.
"No. You should still avoid strenuous activity as much as possible. It's not good for your body."
Although the sparring between the two of them had been carried out seriously, for Alfia it was only at the level of a brisk walk, it did not even reach the standard of "battle."
A real battle would place a burden on the current Alfia.
"..."
After hearing Rayleigh's answer, Alfia fell silent.
After a while, she spoke again: "How long before you come back?"
Rayleigh was a little surprised when he heard her ask that.
Before, when he left, she had never asked something like this.
Did that mean some kind of change?
"I'll come back as soon as I can."
After saying that, Rayleigh suddenly felt a strange sense of familiarity.
It felt just like something a husband would say to his wife before going out!
"This time, I'll be gone a little longer, so just using tags won't be enough. That's why I'm going to forge a batch of special Zanpakutō."
"Like what you made during the war before?"
'Before?'
"You mean Tenseiga... no, it's not quite the same," Rayleigh explained.
Tenseiga had been a failed product.
That kind of blade had only been something for emergency use, and to him, it was a humiliation.
...
After working through the night, Rayleigh forged seven small swords about forty centimeters long.
These swords looked like syringes, as long as the hilt was twisted, the blade would split open, and a blade of spirit particles would condense in the opened section.
"Success." Seeing that the result matched his expectations, Rayleigh nodded in satisfaction, then gave them both a name and a power.
After another day had passed, he placed the seven syringe-like small swords into a box and handed them to Alfia.
"These are Zanpakutō too?" Alfia looked at the small swords inside the box with some confusion.
Because of exhaustion, Rayleigh's mental energy was somewhat weakened, and he could only barely force out a smile.
"They are Zanpakutō, that's right. I named them Shikon! They're healing-type Zanpakutō that absorb magic power and convert that magic power into Kaidō."
"Healing-type?"
"That's right." Rayleigh gently stroked the body of one Shikon, and the blade immediately split into two halves, extending a "needle" formed from spirit particles.
"Like this—insert the spirit-particle blade into the body, then pour in magic power. The power of Kaidō will enter the soul through the spirit-particle blade. If you start feeling unwell, use them and absolutely do not push yourself!"
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