Kays Translations

Chapter 41: A Reunion in the Castle Town

A week later, Ulysses visited the Imperial Capital.

Until then, he and Radius had been pursuing separate lines of investigation, but this visit had a different purpose.

The reason became clear on the balcony outside Radius’s private chambers. It was late afternoon, and an early-spring breeze passed over the Imperial Capital below.

“You handled the suppression of the bandits remarkably well.”

“I can hardly claim the credit for that.”

“Nevertheless, Your Highness’s courage has not dulled. You left the castle in person because you were determined to seize the culprits by the tail. I am proud of that.”

Ulysses was referring to the day Radius had met Ren.

Why had the Third Prince personally gone to the plains and established a base for the search? Radius had possessed both a reason and the resolve to accept the danger.

That reason lay in a certain power he himself possessed.

“The Demon King cult was deeply involved,” Radius said. “I was prepared to take some risk if it meant obtaining information about them.”

That was why he had gone in person. He had brought members of the Royal Guard and secretly positioned additional knights nearby. Meeting Ren had been pure chance.

“By the way,” Ulysses said after praising him, “there was one collaborator with whom Your Highness had no prior connection whatsoever.”

“…You know him?”

“I do. I also know all about Your Highness’s attempts to contact him.”

“So he really is closely connected to you.”

The boy served House Clausel and lived in Elendil. Radius had already investigated the relationship between Ren and Ulysses.

“Since you understand that much, I will be direct.” Ulysses’s usual composure remained, yet the pressure in his voice made Radius draw a quiet breath. “I will not tolerate interference with House Clausel, much less House Ashton.”

“What exactly do you mean?”

“Precisely what I said. If you drag them into factional conflict or into our struggle against the Demon King cult, I may no longer be able to remain on Your Highness’s side.”

“Is that a matter of principle?”

“Yes. Placing them in needless danger is unacceptable to me.”

Ren was brave and powerful, and the same could be said of the Clausel family he served. None of that gave anyone permission to make them pieces in a political plan. Ulysses’s expression made it clear that he would not yield.

“Very well. I understand.”

Radius had little choice but to answer plainly.

“I have no wish to make an enemy of you in the first place. Ren Ashton’s abilities are tremendously appealing, but I promise not to involve him.”

Satisfied, Ulysses laughed. The oppressive air vanished, replaced by his usual sardonic smile.

“I am delighted that Your Highness understands. As expected of you!”

“How can you say that after threatening me so openly?”

“Threatening you? I was merely having a conversation. If I was discourteous, I apologize.”

“Enough. I truly cannot stand you.”

Radius lifted the teacup from the table and drained the still-hot tea in one swallow. Then he rested his cheek against one hand and looked over the city.

“Would you object if I simply met him?”

“That depends on your purpose. May I ask why?”

“At the very least, I want to thank him for the other day. I also found that I liked Ren Ashton’s character. Speaking with him was unexpectedly pleasant.”

“In that case, it is not my place to interfere. Your Highness has no friends, after all.”

“Stop casting doubt on my intentions. I already told you I have no desire to become your enemy. And what was that about me having no friends?”

“Oh? Please disregard that last remark.”

Their quarrel was not entirely serious. Beneath the sharp words, both men were merely confirming where the other stood.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

One day, Ren was returning from training at the Lion’s Holy Office.

He stopped at an elegant restaurant on the main street and was quietly eating dinner alone when a nervous waiter approached him.

“Excuse me, sir… Would you mind sharing your table?”

The waiter carried two servings of the same dish Ren had ordered.

Every table was screened by hedges, so Ren could not tell whether the restaurant was actually full. He had no objection, however, and nodded.

“That’s fine.”

The waiter visibly relaxed. He arranged the two settings with extraordinary care, placing every knife and fork with exact precision.

Ren watched in silence.

What was all this about?

The waiter bowed deeply and hurried away. A moment later, the reason for his anxiety arrived.

“Forgive the sudden intrusion.”

Ren recognized the voice he had heard in Elendil.

The newcomer sat opposite him, and for the first time the two boys looked directly at one another.

“Now I understand why the waiter was so nervous,” Ren said.

“I feel somewhat guilty toward the staff. I ordered them not to speak of my visit, but I will compensate the restaurant for the inconvenience.”

Then Radius added, “Speak to me as you did before. I will not consider it disrespectful.”

After so many repeated requests, Ren could hardly continue refusing.

“Don’t you think this is rather reckless on your part?”

“I do. But it is already too late to change that.”

“I see. Then I will stop arguing about it.”

“Thank you for understanding so quickly. We can talk while we eat.”

Radius cut into his freshly prepared steak.

“Mm. This is quite good.”

“The staff will be pleased if you tell them the food satisfies a member of the imperial family.”

“I will not phrase it so arrogantly. I will praise the meal before I leave and tell them I would gladly return.”

That alone would be an enormous honor for the restaurant.

“So why did you come here today?” Ren asked.

“I forced time into my schedule to thank you. But you really are calm. How did you know who I was?”

“It is a long story. Something felt strange when we met on the plains.”

“You are remarkably perceptive, Ren Ashton. Or may I simply call you Ren?”

“I do not mind. You are older than I am, so there is no need to hesitate.”

“You knew my age?”

“No, of course not. I assumed you were about a year older because you are about to enter the Imperial Military Academy. That is precisely why I should be speaking more formally.”

“Being born one year earlier changes nothing.”

They continued eating. The restaurant was famous in the game because several dishes used monster ingredients and granted temporary restorative effects. After sword training, the meal suited Ren perfectly.

When they had finished dessert and tea, Radius finally addressed the main reason for the meeting.

“Thank you for your help the other day. Because of you, we captured a troublesome band of thieves and advanced another step in our pursuit of the Demon King cult behind them.”

“I only did what I could to protect the people around me.”

“Ulysses told me that you are exceptionally devoted to others.”

“I would not put it that way. I am simply doing everything I can to survive.”

“That is still admirable. Living with such determination is a strength in itself.”

Ren had already guessed Radius’s identity, so the confirmation itself did not shock him. Something else, however, had been bothering him.

“It was dangerous for the Third Prince to go out there personally.”

“I know. But I wanted the bandits captured and the cult’s involvement confirmed at any cost. I believed I had to act myself, even if doing so carried some danger.”

“That was courageous, but did the Royal Guard not try to stop you?”

“How did you know they were Royal Guard knights?”

“Their movements were far too refined for ordinary swordsmen, Your Highness.”

“Radius.”

“Your Highness… Radius?”

“Call me Radius. I shall graciously permit it in the most imperious tone I can manage.”

“I am not sure I should. And you do not merely sound imperious. You actually are imperious.”

Radius laughed at Ren’s exasperated expression.

“I have no friends close to my age either,” he said. “I do not know the proper way to behave with you.”

He was echoing Ren’s own confession from the plains.

“You will not accuse me of disrespect later?”

“I will not. If I made an enemy of Ulysses over something so foolish, my future would be ruined.”

“Perhaps you would avoid calling it disrespect and instead use it as leverage to demand a favor.”

“I have decided not to do that. Partly for House Clausel’s sake, but mostly because I have no intention of falling out with Ulysses.”

It was remarkable that Ren’s situation could make the Third Prince speak so plainly.

At last, Ren surrendered.

“Very well, Radius.”

“Good. Call me whatever you like.”

“If I may call you whatever I like, I would prefer ‘Your Highness.'”

“I meant that you may call me Radius whenever you like.”

Ren sighed and drank some fruit water.

“Returning to the subject, anyone who saw those men’s movements would realize they were Royal Guard knights.”

Another question came to him.

“Does the Arnevelde Trading Company belong to you?”

“Officially, I have no connection to it. In reality, it is effectively half mine. The head of the company was once my tutor. When I was ten, a casual discussion between us turned into a business venture. It grew rapidly and has continued expanding ever since.”

“That explanation was remarkably vague, but it answered what I wanted to know.”

Ren resisted the urge to ask how a ten-year-old had turned idle conversation into one of the country’s most vigorous trading companies. The company’s medicines had helped save his life, so he simply praised Radius’s ability.

“I already thought Ulysses-sama was extraordinary, but you are extraordinary too.”

“That is an awfully simple assessment.”

“I can only call it impressive. I could never do the same.”

“How can you say that after displaying swordsmanship like yours?”

Ren’s Mighty Sword Style would not have been possible without Ulysses introducing him to the Lion’s Holy Office. Without that help, he would not be standing where he was now.

That thought made him curious about the relationship between Ulysses and Radius.

“You and Ulysses-sama seem close. Is that because you belong to the same faction?”

“Our cooperation is not limited to factional politics. You know about the incident in the Baldor Mountains, do you not?”

“The disturbance last year?”

“Yes. After that, both Ulysses and I concluded that we needed a trustworthy ally. We arrived at the same conclusion at roughly the same time.”

Ren understood how significant that was.

In The Legend of the Seven Heroes, these two men had eventually killed one another. Now, they were allies. Ren’s actions had helped create a future in which two of the country’s most formidable figures worked together.

“That sounds fairly confidential.”

“Not especially. Ulysses and I agreed that telling you was harmless. Also, the reward from the other day will be delivered tomorrow.”

“You are actually paying it?”

“Why would you think I would not?”

It would be a substantial amount. Ren intended it for the territory, but he suspected Lessard would refuse to use it for ordinary expenses and instead reserve it for Ren’s tuition or the Ashton village.

After a while, Radius rose from his seat.

“I am glad we spoke today. Ulysses and I will continue investigating the Demon King cult. Should you wish to know our progress, ask him.”

“I will help with that as well.”

“No. You would be a powerful ally, Ren, but Ulysses has no intention of involving you.”

“…What?”

“He does not want to draw you any deeper into danger.”

Ulysses had introduced Ren to the Lion’s Holy Office because it would help him grow. He had recommended the Imperial Military Academy because he believed it would benefit Ren, even setting aside Fiona’s presence there. None of that meant he wanted to turn Ren into a weapon for his own plans.

“Until next time,” Radius said.

“It was good speaking with you. I hope we have another opportunity.”

“The pleasure was mine.”

Radius was the Third Prince of a great empire. Ren understood that this meeting had only been possible because Radius had forced an opening into an already crowded schedule.

His movements seemed impossibly light for someone of his rank, but he had undoubtedly pushed himself to come.

That was why Ren could not help wondering whether another opportunity would ever arise.

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