Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 35: After Nightfall
The examinee who interrupted Ren and Fiona had been worried about the result of the final examination.
The students’ futures depended on the test. Many feared that retreating to the fort—and accepting help from adventurers and House Clausel’s knights—might invalidate their efforts.
(Is receiving help against the rules?)
Later that evening, Ren considered the question in one corner of the fort.
He ate an early dinner of meat roasted outside while a knight seated beside him explained the situation.
“The examinees are expected to prove their worth through their own ability. Even so, something about this situation feels wrong.”
Their lives were surely more important than an examination.
“What feels wrong?” Ren asked.
“The lord governing a region is normally informed whenever that area will be used for the Special Class examination. The academy then closes the relevant territory so no outsider can interfere.”
Nothing suggested that such a closure had happened. Adventurers had been traveling through the mountains even before the examination began.
“That alone proves something is abnormal,” the knight continued. “The possibility that this was an ordinary accident is almost nonexistent.”
“The situation is certainly suspicious, but how can you be so certain?”
“Because the examination is managed with extraordinary care. Deliberate interference by a third party is more likely than a simple administrative failure.”
“Wait. The controls are strict enough to make an accident nearly impossible, but someone could still interfere?”
“There are many nobles with enough authority to overcome ordinary controls, regardless of faction.”
The knight offered a bitter smile.
Another knight joined the discussion.
“Perhaps the Imperial Family?”
“Ha! With Marquis Ignat’s daughter among the candidates? Why would they do such a thing?”
“Involvement by the Imperial Family is absurd. The Hero Faction is also unlikely to be responsible. Provoking Marquis Ignat would be foolish. Even if someone wanted to trap House Clausel, the cost would be far too great.”
Ren forced a smile at the disturbing conversation.
He had only recently prevented Marquis Ignat’s fall into darkness. He had no desire to become entangled in another crisis involving the marquis.
“I heard that the dean has left Leomel,” one knight said. “Perhaps an accident became possible because someone exploited her absence.”
This was the first Ren had heard of Chronois leaving the country. He dismissed the information because he believed she would never have anything to do with him and focused on the immediate problem.
“Whatever caused this,” the first knight said, “our duty does not change. We cannot abandon the examinees. Doing so would bring disaster upon our lord. Even if some students refuse assistance, we should force them to descend.”
Everyone agreed.
With Fiona Ignat among the stranded students, they needed to proceed with particular care.
Their expressions tightened with tension and responsibility. Then one knight looked at Ren with an amused smile.
“This meeting must have surprised you, Sir Ren.”
“You mean meeting Lady Ignat?”
“Yes.”
“I was surprised too.”
“None of us expected you to meet the person whose life you saved in a place like this.”
Ren could only agree and gave a dry laugh while biting into his meat.
“She also saw those female adventurers hanging on me. What do all of you think about that?”
“…Sir Ren, this piece of meat is excellent.”
“I recommend this one as well.”
Their refusal to answer was clearly intended as comfort. A tear seemed to fall inside Ren’s heart.
Fiona had not mistaken him for someone surrounded by women, but the incident had made him miss an important opportunity.
“I intended to introduce myself, but after that, the timing was impossible.”
“You can introduce yourself after we descend,” a knight suggested. “Both of you will be calmer then.”
“You truly think that is better?”
“Yes. Fortunately, Lady Ignat seems to believe you are an adventurer. The other adventurers’ insolent attitude created distance between their group and the examinees, so she is unlikely to ask your name.”
“That barrier may actually be useful.”
It should allow Ren and Fiona to remain mostly uninvolved with each other during the descent.
Ren asked the knights to avoid saying his name or calling him Hero in her presence. He had no wish to shock Fiona under these circumstances.
If the truth might create unnecessary confusion, postponing his introduction was sensible. At the very least, it could wait until everyone was safely off the mountain.
Ren also needed time to prepare himself.
“If Lady Ignat directly asks us your name, however, we cannot lie or remain silent,” one knight warned.
The possibility seemed extremely small.
They finished eating and continued the discussion while cleaning up.
“Now, Sir Ren, we have agreed upon tomorrow’s plan with the adventurers. At dawn, we will begin helping everyone in the fort descend, including the examinees.”
There were too many stranded people to move in one group, especially because many could not walk.
The rescuers expected to make two round trips.
“For that reason, we would like you to descend with the first group tomorrow morning.”
“Are you certain?”
“Honestly, we would prefer to keep your strength with us.”
“Nevertheless, we cannot allow anything to happen to you.”
“If you were injured, the young lady waiting in Clausel would be terribly saddened.”
The last knight spoke half in jest.
Ren thought Licia would certainly be sad. He also suspected she would be furious.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
The plan did not proceed as the knights expected.
After nightfall, a knight informed Fiona of the morning schedule on behalf of the rescue party. Because of her status, he naturally added that she would descend with the first group.
They soon concluded that this would be impossible.
A knight came to the room where Ren was resting.
“Several adventurers are suffering particularly severe symptoms.”
Their conditions should stabilize within a few days, but forcing them to move before then would be dangerous. Taking them into the extreme cold could even cost them their lives.
“Lady Ignat is using her skill to care for them. Because of that, she says she cannot leave with the first group.”
“It would be difficult to move the most serious patients first and have Lady Ignat accompany them.”
“Yes. Their condition makes that unwise.”
Ren smiled bitterly and reached a conclusion of his own.
“Then I will remain here as well. I can provide useful fighting strength, and guarding Lady Ignat personally will be safer in several ways.”
By “several ways,” he primarily meant the complications created by noble politics.
She was Marquis Ignat’s only daughter. Leaving capable protection near her was unquestionably the safer choice.
“I apologize. We will leave a larger number of knights here with you.”
“Will the evacuation still have enough protection?”
“Do not worry. As soon as the first group reaches the base, we will bring the knights stationed below back up the mountain.”
That reassured Ren.
Fiona was not the only noble among the examinees. Many boys and girls were connected to influential families inside and outside Leomel, and all required careful protection.
Considering that, Ren was sincerely glad he had joined the rescue. The Clausel knights felt the same.
“The fort is also running short of food,” Ren said. “I’ll wait here and do some light hunting.”
They had killed monsters during the battle, but many were unsuitable for eating. Hunting the next day would strengthen their supplies instead of wasting time while the first evacuation group descended.
“I am truly sorry to impose on you again.”
“Please don’t be. This matter is important to me as well. Allow me to help.”
In truth, Ren strongly wanted to remain at the fort.
After becoming entangled in a factional struggle only that spring, he recognized the same kind of danger and political inconvenience in the current incident.
He was almost grateful that it had unfolded somewhere he could see.
If he wanted to protect the place where he now lived, he needed to use every power available to him.
I still can’t see a reason for why he can’t tell her his identity. From his part there’s a good reason, to not get involved with the Marquis but from her part there’s none… In fact, it would be easier to protect her in the premise he was helped by the Marquis in the past and wants to protect her for that
He still has the invitation he has been ignoring this entire time. While Marquis Ignat is not a villain for now, he is still a dangerous and resourceful person. She could have standing orders if she sees Ren, to try and convince him to accompany her back to her territory. Also, it is too vague to dangle from what she perceives as a random adventurer who got saved by the Marquis himself. How many kid adventures can claim the Marquis Ignat saved them?
Unlikely and definetly not the reason why he is doing it, otherwise the author would have told us. He is just embarassed to say “hey, i am Ren and your savior” , so unless she explocitly asks for his name, he wont take the iniciative to say it