Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Volume 3: The Beings You Want to Protect and the Battle of the Skyscrapers.
Chapter 1: After Welcoming a New Spring
Elendil was known as the Town of Prayer.
It lay about an hour and a half from the imperial capital by magic train. The town’s name came from an old tradition: before marching to war, the Lion King who founded the Leomel Empire was said to have prayed there without fail.
Though not large enough to be called a major city, Elendil was considerably bigger than Clausel. Low walls enclosed its gray-paved streets, broad fountains, clock tower, and green parks. Both the commercial guild and the adventurers’ guild stood along the main avenue.
Baron Clausel had received the territory from the emperor several years earlier. Since he had no intention of leaving Clausel until his daughter, the saint, grew older, everyone knew that Elendil was governed through a deputy.
One day, a band of former adventurers who had been preying on the surrounding highways was captured to the last man.
Every bandit was found unconscious and shackled outside the gate before being carried to the guard station.
At the corner of a back alley, two boys spoke without seeing one another’s faces.
“I never expected you to locate their hideout before the knights and defeat the entire band by yourself,” said the boy in luxurious clothes.
Ren answered from around the corner with an exasperated sigh.
“You were the one who provoked me into doing it. Did you honestly think I wouldn’t notice?”
“Forgive me if I offended you. I was merely impressed by your quick thinking. I have never spoken like this with someone whose face I do not know.”
“Neither have I. But forget it. The job wasn’t bad for me either.”
They had never met face-to-face. Each knew only the other’s voice and personality.
“How should I pay the reward I promised?” the well-dressed boy asked.
Ren began walking away.
“Donate it to the lord of this town. I don’t need it. Have it used for Elendil instead.”
His footsteps receded into the alley.
The boy left behind smiled to himself and headed in the opposite direction.
A woman with cat ears appeared soundlessly beside him. Her name was Mirei.
“Mirei, I have found an interesting man.”
“Nya? A poet who recites amusing songs?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You were watching too.”
Mirei studied the pleased expression on his face.
“Your Highness, do you truly like that boy so much, nya?”
The boy was Radius, Third Prince of Leomel.
“I might even say I have fallen for him. His intelligence is obvious from a short conversation, as is his resourcefulness. Yet both are surpassed by the ferocity of his swordsmanship. Above all, his courage stirred something in me that I have never felt before.”
“N-Nya!? Your Highness, what are you saying!?”
“Calm yourself. I do not mean romantic affection. I admire the man’s character. Besides, no one has ever spoken to me so casually.”
His voice carried undisguised delight.
Then Radius remembered one more detail.
“He was also a magnificent Mighty Sword Style practitioner.”
â—‡ â—‡ â—‡
The story turned back roughly one year.
April had passed, and Clausel was wrapped in the warmth of spring.
The winter just ended had been filled with extraordinary events.
Fiona Ignat, whose life had been saved by medicine made from the Thief Wolfen Ren defeated, had become trapped in the Baldor Mountains during the Imperial Military Academy’s Special Class final examination.
The Demon King cult had engineered the disaster, and Ren had fought to protect her.
After returning, he spent time recovering. He also exchanged occasional letters with Marquis Ulysses Ignat.
Ulysses rarely pressed him for details.
Ren had lied that he had heard rumors about the Demon King cult at an adventurers’ guild. Ulysses likely understood that questioning him too aggressively might damage their relationship and chose not to pursue the matter.
Even if the marquis had demanded more, Ren had little useful information to offer. He had only played Legends of the Seven Heroes through the second game. He remembered a few places where the cult appeared, but revealing such knowledge at this stage would be difficult.
That afternoon, Ren was cleaning the Clausel family’s old residence, whose care had been entrusted to him.
Sunlight streamed through the windows while he moved aged furniture and swept dust from every corner.
“Asval’s flames might have been brighter than this sunlight,” he murmured.
During the winter incident, the ancient Red Dragon Asval had been incompletely revived through Fiona’s power.
That power was Black Shrine Maiden.
Fiona had described it as a saint’s power for monsters. It did not normally resurrect the dead as undead, but Asval had possessed strength far beyond an ordinary monster. Fiona’s mana, which empowered monsters, might have produced an accidental miracle.
The result had been an incomplete resurrection. Even weakened, Asval remained terrifying. Had the dragon returned at full strength, Ren could never have won.
“Fiona-sama’s power strengthened me too.”
He remembered her black blood touching him, the strange world he entered after losing consciousness, and the jet-black magic sword he found there.
He also remembered the Flame Magic Sword changing its name to Flame Sword: Asval.
The connection to Black Shrine Maiden seemed undeniable, especially because the monster-empowering portion of Fiona’s power had become quiet after the incident.
Still, no amount of thought produced an answer.
By evening, Ren sat on a chair in the second-floor corridor and looked at the crystal set into his bracelet.
Its display read:
Ren Ashton
[Job] Eldest Son of House Ashton
[Skills]
Magic Sword Summoning – Level 1: 0/0
Magic Sword Summoning Technique – Level 4: 2549/3500
Level 1: Summon one magic sword.
Level 2: Gain Physical Ability Up (Small) while a magic sword is summoned.
Level 3: Summon two magic swords.
Level 4: Gain Physical Ability Up (Medium) while a magic sword is summoned.
Level 5: Unlock magic sword evolution.
Level 6: **********
[Acquired Magic Swords]
Wooden Magic Sword – Level 2: 1000/1000
Allows attacks equivalent to Nature Magic (Small). Effective range expands as the level rises.
Iron Magic Sword – Level 3: 2390/4500
Sharpness increases as the level rises.
Thief’s Magic Sword – Level 1: 0/3
Has a chance to steal a random item from the target.
Shield Magic Sword – Level 2: 0/5
Creates a mana barrier. Strength and effective range increase with the level.
Flame Magic Sword – Level 1: 1/1
Its inferno is the dragon’s wrath and the embodiment of power.
Ren’s abilities had changed dramatically since before winter.
He had gained proficiency not only from Asval but also from Steel-Eating Gargoyles and other monsters he hunted in the Baldor Mountains.
The most intriguing new information was the Level 5 benefit: unlocking magic sword evolution.
The Wooden Magic Sword had reached its proficiency cap but refused to level further. If evolution required Magic Sword Summoning Technique to reach Level 5 first, the situation made sense.
Physical Ability Up (Medium) was valuable, but Ren was even more excited by the prospect of evolution.
The Flame Magic Sword was probably different. Asval no longer existed, and Ren had shattered its magic stone, so the sword could no longer gain ordinary proficiency. Its temporary evolution had almost certainly depended on Fiona and the black sword.
“I’ll keep working little by little.”
A voice called from outside.
“Ren!”
He opened the window and found Licia waving up at him.
“Father wants to see you. Could you come to the main residence when you have time? He also asked whether you would join us for dinner.”
“Of course. I’ll wash up first.”
Licia smiled brightly.
â—‡ â—‡ â—‡
During dinner, conversation turned to Ren’s birthday party a few days earlier.
Licia had regretted missing his birthday the previous year, so she had taken charge of arranging this one.
After a while, Lessard set down his utensils.
“Ren, you may take some time away from work beginning next week.”
Ren froze.
For one absurd instant, he wondered whether he was being dismissed.
Lessard laughed at his expression.
“I’m sorry for startling you. I mean the matter we discussed during winter.”
“My return home?”
“Yes. Work is progressing around the Ashton village, including the new road and the wall surrounding it.”
“Then I may go help? I thought the matter with Viscount Given meant I should return secretly.”
“You need not worry. Our closer relationship with Marquis Ignat makes an attack on the Ashton village extremely unlikely. Go home openly and enjoy your visit.”
Lessard had intended to send Ren earlier, but the Baldor Mountains incident delayed the plan. Because the decision was made quickly, they had not notified his parents in advance.
“We will not be in Clausel during that period either,” Lessard added. “You may relax without concern.”
Licia looked puzzled.
“Father, when you say ‘we,’ do you mean me as well?”
“Of course.”
“Are we traveling somewhere?”
“We need to visit Elendil. The recent incident has unsettled every faction, and there is also the matter involving Viscount Given last year. It is time I showed my face there.”
They would ride south for ten days to a town with a magic-ship port, then travel by magic ship to Elendil.
Licia turned eagerly to Ren.
“Would you like to visit Elendil too?”
Ren folded his arms.
Elendil was practically part of the imperial capital’s sphere. For someone who had been avoiding the Imperial Military Academy, it felt nearly as dangerous as the Baldor Mountains.
Yet he knew he could not avoid it forever. His position in House Clausel, his connection to Ulysses, and his encounter with Fiona all drew him closer to the center of the empire.
If Licia traveled there, staying near her would also make it easier to protect her from the Demon King cult.
“It would be a lie to say I have no interest.”
“Then let’s go together next time! Elendil is a beautiful town.”
Lessard smiled.
“Knowing how diligent Ren is, he may already know everything about it.”
“Father! I wanted to tell him myself.”
Licia stared at Ren expectantly.
Ren chose his answer with care.
“I heard there is an efficient hunting ground nearby.”
Licia and Lessard stared at him in speechless surprise.
Uh is it supposed to cut off like that?
Did I miss something. Like when did that prince came to ren’s base town???
I thought Clausel was a small nobleman and in addition to his hometown he was given land with the village of Ren. Now it turns out he also has a sacred town…
I also hope the author does a timeskip.
He always had a territory close to the capital. He received it after Licia was confirmed to be a saint
The BL route. Maybe she is also a girl dressing as a man.
Where are you guys getting Clausel is a big town? This chapter talked about Elendil, a completely different town. It’s also not as big as a metropolis but is still bigger than Clausel.
Aren’t we missing Vol3 Prologue? Or was it supposed to be like this?
It kind of feels that way, but perhaps this was the author attempting to accomplish a time skip.