Kays Translations

Chapter 14: About the Future.

The Clausel family party had planned to spend the next day in Elendil, but for some reason they had to hurry and return to Clausel.

On the night of the party, not long after Ulysses had informed Lessard of the movements of the various factions.

Lessard decided to return home as soon as possible, just in case.

The night of the magic boat ride, in Lessard’s guest room.

Licia was alone in the room that Ren and Weiss had visited, staring out the window of the room in the direction of the Imperial City.

She was unusually quiet, even looking thoughtful.

Lessard saw this and got up from the sofa on which he was sitting.

He told Ren, who had started the tea for the others, "leave it to me," and went to stand next to Licia.

“Licia, what's on your mind?"

“Father ...... actually ......"

Licia began to talk quietly.

She recalled the conversation that took place at the party.

“I think I should go to the imperial capital as Marquis Ignat and Sarah said I should.”

After hearing at the party that some of the neutralist nobles were going to switch sides, she heard the same words from Sarah, who came back to talk to her afterwards.

It had come to have a strong meaning in Licia's mind.

Of course, Ren also heard about those talks.

It seems that Licia had some thoughts about the fact that she should go to the Imperial Military Academy. He had heard that from Lessard.

“I have to do what I have to do, apart from what you have been doing without my knowledge, father.”

Until the matter of Viscount Givens, he had been able to stay calm because of his relationship with Ulysses.

However, after the winter uproar, the situation is different now that the existence of demon king’s cult has become public knowledge.

The political power gained from the relationship with the nobility, as well as the information obtained in the imperial capital, is more valuable than anything else.

“You have thought about the words of Marquis Ignat, haven't you?”

“Yes. The more ties the nobles have with each other, the more choices the Clausel family can make----and I can't get these words out of my head.”

And the best option is none other than the Imperial Military Academy.

Licia mentioned that it would be better to go to the Imperial City, but it was practically as if she had said that she would go to the Imperial Military Academy.

(Which means..... I can't be a stranger after all.)

I know that the game and this world are two different things, and that the people living in this world aren’t characters from the game.

Ren doesn’t like the insult of equating them.

On the other hand, in his heart, he still wants to avoid the same fate as in the game.　

However, he is assured that his fate now is different from that of the game. The reason is that it has only been a short time since the outbreak of the demon king’s cult incident in the Baldor Mountains.

For Ren, it’s not enough to be concerned about what happened in the game era.

He should have considered the possibility that he would be involved in something unimaginable in the future.

It would be foolish to think and act only about the village any longer.

It would have been a lie not to learn that from his past experiences.

In Ren's mind, the two girls he risked his life to protect, Licia and Fiona, came to mind.

(----The demon king’s cult is already on the move.)

When Ren eventually learned that the demon king’s cult would become even more active, he muttered inwardly, "In order to protect them, it would be best for me to live in the Imperial City or in Elendil.”

These words weren’t born from a sense of duty.

Ren had risked his life to protect the two of them, and they were related to each other. He now genuinely cares for them and has changed the aversion to the Imperial City that had resided in his heart.

At the heart of it all is a devotion to the two of them.

--------He’s not doing it for himself, but for the existences he wants to protect.

The voice in his mind reverberates in his head as he thinks.

He thought of his parents, his hometown---- and those he had risked his life to protect.

“Hey, Ren."

Licia looked from the window back to the guest room.

She exchanged glances with Ren, who was watching her from a distance.

“Ren, uh… what do you think of me going to the imperial capital?”

With an anxious tone in her voice, her shoulders trembling slightly.

The two hands were folded in front of her chest as if in prayer, waiting for Ren's reply.

If she went to the capital, she would be separated from Ren, who loved his hometown dearly. However, Licia knew that her efforts would be for Ren's sake, so she suppressed this painful emotion.

She didn’t want to follow only her love, but also to accomplish what needed to be done.

Even a little. If Ren could spare her from being separated, she could do her best.

Licia wanted only those words.

"As you say, going to the imperial capital is for Licia-sama's sake. I'll be rooting for you, too, even if I'm in the shadows."

He said in his usual calm tone.

But that was all.

Licia was disappointed that there were no further words, and at the same time, she felt as if there was a hole in her heart.

“Yes...... I understand."

But Ren said without a pause, 

“So even if you leave Clausel, I will continue to protect you as I always have."

"...... Eh?"

The unexpected words made Licia stunned.

Lessard and Weiss who were listening to the conversation at the side, also looked on with smiles on their faces, as if they’d been expecting it.

Licia, who had been looking at them with a puzzled look on her face, said.

“Ren, What do you mean by 'protect'?"

"It’s just as I said. I'm going to leave Clausel and protect Licia-sama.”

In contrast to Ren, who said it in his usual tone, Licia suddenly fell silent.

She turns her head and begins to walk softly. When she came up to Ren, who had finished preparing tea and was beginning to set the table, she abruptly slammed her fist into Ren's chest.

“...... Idiot."

And then.

"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! "

When she looked up, her cheeks were wet with large tears.

Her expression was discontented, happy, and radiant as if a possession had been removed.

Ren asked in a panic.

"What's wrong?” 

Licia replied. 

"Nothing! I'll never tell you!” 

Licia smiled prettily.

Licia then told Ren in a joyful voice.

"Thank you. I'm so happy."

“Haha. Come here, Licia, and enjoy the tea Ren has brewed for you.”

Licia sat down on the opposite side of the sofa from where Lessard sat and watched with delight as a bewildered Ren laid out the tea.

Ren, who had finished brewing the tea, was still perplexed, but at Lessard's urging he sat down on the sofa.

He was about to sit on the lower seat in view of the two who had sat down earlier, but Licia told him strangely and forcefully, "This way," and he sat down right next to her.

“......Why did you put me here?"

"You don't have to think about it, I'm here. It's just the way it is.”

“I see.....”

I don't know, but that's the way it is.

Ren stopped thinking and took a breath.

After a moment of calm tension, Lessard said.

“Ren, are you sure? I thought you were more focused on Clausel and life in the village."

“Yes. Until recently, I was thinking that way too. But now I have something new to think about.”

(Even without that thought, I would have left Clausel).

He said that, regardless of the appearance or the name, if Licia had said she was going to the Imperial Military Academy, he would have left Clausel himself as her escort.

Although he didn’t know until he was actually in that situation. He was sure that he would have done so.

In light of the threat of the demon king’s cult, he couldn’t imagine himself making any other choice.

“The trigger was after I finished my trip back home, but it wasn't until last night that I began to think even more deeply about it."

Ren put his hand in his pocket as he said this.

He took out the envelope given to him by Ulysses right next to the Imperial Military Academy and put it on the table.

The other three people who saw the words Ulysses Ignat on the front of the envelope all looked at Ren with a flustered look on their faces.

“You’ve met Marquis Ignat!”

Ren nodded to the astonished Lessard and replied.

Ren mentioned that Ulysses had suddenly appeared, in addition to the fact that he had accidentally stumbled by the Imperial Military Academy. The three of them, except for Ren, quickly realized that this was after they had spoken at the party venue.

“This is going back and forth, but something like this happened in my village......”

Ren recounted to everyone the fact that his birthplace had developed and was expected to continue to develop.

And that the village lacked the necessary strength to keep up with the development of the village.

He spoke of his understanding of the lack of civilian power and the need to learn outside.

"Just like you’ve said, Ren. It would be a good power to have. But the management of the land entrusted to us isn’t something that the master can do alone. I have a number of civil servants helping me.”

“But, Lessard-sama, you have the power to manage the territory by yourself.”

"Yes. A lord should be able to manage a territory by himself, for he fears the unthinkable. But I doubt one person is enough to do civilian work.”

"Then, isn't it the same for the Ashtons, who are in charge of the village?"

Lessard never said "yes".

Honestly, it’s too much a burden for the head of the knight family who is in charge of the village.

However, when he realized that he couldn’t say "no," he crossed his arms.

“Then, Ren, do you want to go to the Imperial Military Academy?"

Ren chuckled at the question and gently averted his gaze.

He still seemed to be slightly in denial, but unlike before, he didn’t deny it out of hand. He’s thinking of all the beings he has been considering for some time that he should protect, and Ulysses' words have also shaken him to the core.

He can no longer rule out the institute as an option for the future.

“Ren?  Does this have to do with what Marquis Ignat gave you?”

Licia, whose eyes were still red and swollen, said.

Hearing this, Ren regained his composure and mouthed the words, "Please take a look," and showed the letter of introduction in the envelope.

Licia, Lessard, and Weiss were immediately surprised. They were all at a loss for words when they learned what the letter of introduction said about the Holy Lion's Office.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

It was early autumn and Ren was once again in the capital again.

The first time, as in the past, he visited after a long journey from Clausel to another territory, and then took a magic ship from there.

He didn’t have a knight to escort him.

Lessard said he would, but Ren was very reluctant to do so. He was asked to concentrate on protecting the Clausel family.

The time was ten o'clock in the morning.

Ren was supposed to meet up with Edgar, the steward of the Ignat family, after noon.

(I have to work hard.)

Ren was sitting on the terrace of a stylish restaurant with whitewashed walls in an alley off the main street of the Imperial City.

Last year, when a regular knight visited Clausel, it was discovered that the holy sword technique was not suited to Ren.

At that time he had talked with Licia about searching for another school together.

He felt sorry for the fact that he was the only one trying to learn hard swordsmanship.

The fact remains that he was the only one who came to the capital ahead of Licia, although Ulysses said he would eventually be able to prepare a letter of introduction for her.

Naturally, I expressed these feelings to Licia and also told her that I was unsure.

It was still hot in the middle of summer.

"It's not that I don't want to learn the hard sword techniques that you’re going to learn first.”

At the time of our conversation, Licia said this in the Clausel family mansion.

“Weiss taught you the basic sword skills, didn't he? I can learn as much practical swordsmanship as I want by standing with you, Ren.”

“But it’s also for Licia-sama's benefit to learn without me.”

“Don't say that. Thanks to me continuously being with you, I’ve been able to overwhelm Sarah so many times. So I can't say that I’ve been making a mistake up until now.”

In fact, it was.

Weiss, who had been teaching Ren and Licia imperial swordsmanship, thought that Licia would be better off standing with Ren. He was sure that she was stronger now than she would have been if she had gone the route of being taught swordsmanship by a regular knight.

However, Licia and Weiss knew that Ren isn’t wrong.

Licia also wanted to learn the hard sword technique with Ren, if possible.

But.

“The young lady is being stopped by the master of the house.”

As Weiss said, Licia couldn’t go to the imperial capital for one reason or another.

“I know..... he wants you to study harder than ever to take the entrance exam for the special class, doesn't he?”

Licia had decided to go to the Imperial Military Academy.

Because it is a special class, she needs to study hard for the entrance examination now.

The examinations will start in the spring of the following year. It’s not that Licia hasn’t studied hard until today, but there’s nothing better than to work even harder from now on.

“That's right. It is important to hone your sword skills, but it takes too much time to go to the imperial capital and back.”　

“Yes, that's why I'll be patient this time. Ren, you don't have to worry about it. I'm sure Marquis Ignat said that if I want, I can have it too, right? If so, it's not too late for me to do so when I can afford it.”

Because of these circumstances, Licia decided not to go to the imperial capital with Ren.

　

Previous chapter | TOC | Next chapter