Chapter 16: A Night When, Unexpectedly, He Wasn’t Scolded

Upon returning to the Clausel estate, Ren was not taken to the main residence to report to Lessard.

Licia told him, “This way first,” and led him directly to the old manor. Weiss separated from them to inform Lessard of their arrival.

In the old manor’s entrance hall, Licia ordered Ren to sit on a sofa, then took the place beside him.

“Good. You don’t seem to have any serious injuries.”

As promised, she used Sacred Magic. Warm light spread from her hands and seeped into Ren’s body, gradually healing the scratches on his cheeks and easing the fatigue left by the battle.

Ren waited for the scolding he believed was inevitable.

It never came.

“I honestly expected you to be angry,” he admitted.

“Why?” Licia asked. “You did something remarkable. Shouldn’t you expect to be praised?”

“I fought without permission. Whether it was remarkable or not is a separate matter.”

“It isn’t separate. Several people are alive because you had the courage to act. You should be proud of that.”

Licia understood the circumstances. Ren had been conducting a survey for her father when he encountered an emergency. She knew him well enough to realize that he could never have abandoned people trapped in danger.

“I’m grateful for the praise,” Ren said, “but the opponent was extremely dangerous. I thought you might still be at least a little angry.”

From the day he learned about the Steel-Eating Gargoyle, he had considered hunting it eventually. If he had deliberately planned such a battle, he would have consulted Licia and Lessard first. The crisis in the fissure had left no opportunity for that.

“I was worried,” Licia said quietly.

“Yes. I’ll remember that.”

“Then I won’t be angry this time.” She puffed out her cheeks. “Though I am a little frustrated. You keep getting stronger without me.”

Her sulking expression was more endearing than threatening.

“And you really have almost no injuries,” she continued. “Only a few scratches.”

“The Shield Magic Sword protected me. Otherwise, it might have been much worse.”

“You truly are becoming far too strong.”

Despite the complaint, Licia continued healing him. The warmth soothed his exhausted body so thoroughly that his eyes almost closed. She smiled when she noticed his relaxed expression.

“You haven’t eaten yet, have you? Have dinner with us in the main residence.”

“I shouldn’t keep accepting special treatment.”

“My father was worried too. He wants to hear what happened.”

Ren had a duty to report, so he nodded.

“I’m sorry.”

Licia stood and held out the matter as settled.

“Then let’s go.”

They left the old manor together and entered the corridor connecting it to the main residence.

As they walked side by side, Ren remembered something.

“Is there anything I can do to apologize for worrying you?”

Licia considered it.

“Then accompany me on my next trip.”

“Your territorial tour?”

“Yes. I’m visiting several villages, just as I visited yours.”

“Understood. I’ll go.”

His answer came so quickly that Licia blinked.

“I was joking,” she said with a small laugh. “You don’t owe me anything. I was worried, but what you did deserves praise.”

“Praise and an apology are different matters.”

“I had forgotten how stubborn you can be.”

Licia had spoken without expecting him to agree. She would genuinely enjoy having him along, but she did not want to involve him in work unrelated to his duties merely because she had worried about him.

Ren, however, had reasons beyond apology.

“I’m personally interested in going.”

“Truly? You aren’t just saying that?”

“Do I look as though I’m lying?”

Licia stopped and searched his eyes before accepting the answer.

“No. You don’t.”

“I want to experience more of the territory, and I can provide additional protection.”

Less than half a year had passed since the spring incident. Ren did not intend to treat every journey as a crisis, but adding another capable fighter near Licia seemed sensible.

“I can’t decide this by myself,” she said. “We’ll ask Father.”

They reached the main residence, where servants greeted them as though Ren’s attendance at dinner had already been expected.

“Young Lady, dinner has been prepared for Ren-dono as well.”

“Thank you.”

Soon afterward, Ren sat across from Lessard and gave a complete report of the fissure, the trapped adventurers, and the two Steel-Eating Gargoyles.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Lessard responded with two things.

First, he praised Ren’s actions and the lives he had saved.

Second, like Licia, he warned Ren not to be reckless.

The baron’s concern was sincere. He had once threatened to move Ren back into the main residence if Ren endangered himself irresponsibly, but the emergency nature of the battle and Ren’s lack of serious injury prevented matters from going that far.

“This may be an overly grand way to apologize,” Ren said after dinner, “but I would like to accompany Licia on her next tour.”

“No apology is necessary,” Lessard replied. “You also need not indulge my daughter’s selfishness.”

“Father.”

“It isn’t selfishness,” Ren said. “I’m interested in the tour myself, and I would be grateful for permission to join.”

He had recently decided that he needed broader experience. Visiting the villages of Clausel territory would teach him things he could never learn by hunting alone. His presence would also strengthen Licia’s escort.

Lessard studied him, then smiled.

“At least it should be safer than facing two Steel-Eating Gargoyles.”

“Lord Lessard…” Ren protested.

“It is true.”

The baron granted permission.

At that moment, Weiss entered the room.

“Excuse me, my lord.” He noticed Ren and gave him another word of praise before approaching Lessard. “A letter has arrived from the knights responsible for the villages near the Baldor Mountains.”

Ren began to rise, assuming the discussion was official business, but Lessard stopped him.

“Remain. These are villages on the route Licia will be taking, so the contents concern you as well.”

Weiss looked at Ren.

“The boy is accompanying us?”

“Yes,” Ren answered.

Lessard opened the joint letter and read in silence. His expression grew serious.

“We will need more firewood and more magic tools than usual this winter.”

“Is the situation that severe?” Weiss asked.

“The villages around the Baldor Mountains are reporting colder conditions than normal. Similar patterns in the past have preceded especially harsh winters.”

“Then we must prepare for heavy snow.”

“Yes. Supplies must be arranged early. We cannot allow anyone to freeze because we waited too long.”

The discussion then returned to the gargoyles.

“The Adventurers’ Guild believes the pair may have flown here in search of food,” Weiss reported. “Both were thin. There were no signs of artificial relocation, no marks from control charms, and no evidence of a Beast Tamer’s skill.”

“A mineral gathered in that region has recently become cheaper,” Lessard said.

“The local adventurers may have extracted so much that the underground food supply was depleted.”

“Most likely. They committed no crime by gathering legal resources, so there is no one to punish. Even so, the consequences reached our territory.”

Lessard turned to Ren.

“I am sorry you became involved.”

“There’s no need to apologize. I was able to defeat them.”

“That answer is precisely what troubles me,” Lessard said with a weary smile. “You grow stronger at an astonishing rate.”

“He does,” Weiss agreed. “I have begun instructing him in Imperial Swordsmanship, and I can scarcely imagine what he will become.”

Lessard laughed.

“When I heard Ren had no aptitude for the Sacred Sword Style, I was shocked. But after seeing his growth and hearing of his battles, perhaps his true aptitude lies with the Mighty Sword Style.”

Ren could not deny that the suggestion appealed to him.

He had never learned the Mighty Sword Style directly, but he remembered its terrifying power from the game. It favored forceful, severe techniques much closer to Ren’s natural way of fighting than the refined Sacred Sword Style.

There was only one problem.

(Who could teach me?)

Very few people had mastered the Mighty Sword Style. Every practitioner Ren remembered from the game had been an enemy.

The prospect of finding a teacher seemed more difficult than learning the techniques themselves.

　

Previous chapter | TOC | Next chapter