Kays Translations

Chapter 34: The Third Prince’s Considerations

Ren looked across the street and saw Edgar walking alone.

“Edgar-san?”

Ren approached and called to him. Edgar noticed him, bowed with his customary refinement, and spoke.

“Ren-dono, are you out shopping?”

“Yes. What brings you here, Edgar-san?”

“Werlich-dono asked me to purchase something for him. I have temporarily left my lord at Werlich-dono’s workshop.”

“Ulysses-sama is in the capital too?”

“Yes. We finally delivered the materials to Werlich-dono’s workshop last night, and my lord came to inspect them personally.”

The material in question was Asval’s horn.

“Come to think of it, the transport took quite a while.”

“It did. The object is enormous, and the snow delayed us further.”

Ren considered what he had heard.

He had only been debating whether to browse another shop, so visiting Werlich’s workshop seemed like a better use of the afternoon. When he proposed the idea, Edgar readily agreed.

The two set off together.

They boarded a magic train at a nearby station and rode toward the blacksmith district.

Even that part of the Imperial Capital was crowded. Ren chatted with Edgar as they made their way to Werlich’s workshop.

Werlich and Ulysses were both surprised when Ren arrived.

“Oh! Ren!”

“Well, this is unexpected. I never thought you would appear with Edgar. Come over here.”

Ren stepped closer to the two men.

They were standing in a hall just beyond the entrance. The instant Ren approached, Werlich pulled a measuring cord from his pocket and wrapped it around Ren’s waist.

“Um… What are you doing?”

“Since you’re here, I may as well take your measurements.”

“He’s been impatient to begin the smithing work,” Ulysses explained. “Now that both you and the materials are here, he has no reason to delay.”

“I see… It was just rather sudden.”

Understanding at last, Ren placed his paper bag of reference books on a nearby table.

“Were you shopping?” Ulysses asked.

“Yes. I bought some study guides. I met Edgar-san on the way back, asked what he was doing, and ended up coming with him.”

“So that’s what happened. Your timing is excellent. You’ve saved us the trouble of arranging another day to measure you for the armor.”

“And I happened to find Ulysses-sama here as well.”

“Did you need something from me?”

Ren mentioned that he had met Fiona the other day.

Ulysses had naturally heard about the reunion, but Ren had a question of his own.

“Why didn’t you tell Fiona that you and I had been in contact?”

“My apologies. I forgot. There was no deeper reason.”

(That’s an obvious lie.)

Ren still couldn’t tell exactly what Ulysses had been thinking when he made that choice. Realizing he would never get a straight answer, he only shrugged.

“I see.”

Ulysses promptly changed the subject, preventing further questions.

The new topic, however, caught both Ren’s and Werlich’s attention.

“Thefts?” Ren repeated.

Werlich continued measuring him while Ulysses explained that several magic-tool workshops had recently been burglarized.

Some belonged to artisans affiliated with large merchant associations; others were privately owned.

Every burglary had taken place on the same night.

“That sounds serious. Were expensive magic tools stolen?”

“Apparently not. I heard the thieves ignored the money and merchandise.”

“It’s no concern of the kid’s,” Werlich said. “Investigating crimes is work for the military and the knights.”

“That’s true,” Ulysses replied, “but knowing what’s happening around you is never a bad thing.”

(I don’t remember any game event involving coordinated attacks on magic-tool workshops.)

Even so, after what had happened in the Baldor Mountains, Ren couldn’t afford to dismiss an unfamiliar incident simply because it was absent from his memories. He was quietly grateful for the warning.

“Good. That’s enough, Ren.”

Werlich finished taking the measurements.

“The first piece should be ready around April. You’re still growing, so I’ll have to adjust it later.”

“Thank you. I’ll leave it in your hands.”

“Leave Asval’s horn to me.”

Werlich folded his thick, muscular arms and grinned.

“How’s your sword training going?”

“I can feel myself improving little by little, but I still have a long way to go.”

“Good. Once I finish your armor, I can move on to restoring Lemuria.”

“How long will the restoration take?”

“A year or two, I expect. I’ll be doing the work alone, so it won’t be quick.”

“You’re doing all of it by yourself?”

“Of course. Do I look like a man with an assistant or apprentice?”

“I thought a magic-ship engineer might be assigned to help temporarily.”

Werlich scoffed.

His response was entirely in character.

“Do I look like I have the temperament to work with someone else?”

Faced with such a blunt question, Ren could only offer an awkward smile.

Ulysses laughed.

“Well…”

He checked his watch.

“I should be going. Werlich, will you handle the rest?”

“Fine. I’ll settle the details with Ren, list the materials I need, and send you the order later.”

“Understood. I’ll leave it to you.”

Ulysses and Edgar departed from the workshop.

The day was fine, and the combination of coat and scarf had become warm. As they walked, Ulysses unbuttoned his coat to let the breeze inside.

“Now, we have work to do.”

“Yes, my lord.”

The two disappeared into the Imperial Capital with a clear purpose in mind.

Meanwhile, Ren remained behind to discuss the armor with Werlich.

He wanted protection that didn’t feel like heavy armor and wouldn’t hinder his movement. His fingers also needed complete freedom, so the joints required particular care.

“Shall we begin with armor for the hands—a pair of gauntlets? They’ll be easier to adjust as you grow.”

“That sounds best.”

With the first piece decided, they moved deeper into the workshop.

Unlike the other rooms, Werlich’s smithing area was immaculate and carefully organized. The contrast revealed just how seriously he treated his craft.

Asval’s enormous horn rested on the floor.

It looked exactly as Ren remembered it from the Ashton village.

“It’s magnificent,” Werlich said. “I examined it yesterday. For something so light, it’s exceptionally hard.”

“I thought it might be.”

“I’ve decided to cut boldly near the base, which differs from my original plan. I’ll calculate every cut so none of the useful material is wasted.”

“I trust you. But why did you change your plan?”

“It’ll be easier to show you than explain.”

Werlich led Ren toward the base of the horn and handed him a single-lens magnifier.

“Look where I’m pointing.”

Ren raised the lens and focused on the indicated spot.

Countless fine lines ran through the material. They resembled capillaries, and all of them converged toward a single point.

“I’ve worked with more dragon horns than I can count,” Werlich said, “but I’ve never seen one that looked as though it contained a specialized organ.”

(Could that be…?)

Asval had weakened whenever one of his horns was destroyed.

If the horn contained something that formed the root of its power, it would surely lie where those lines converged.

Werlich saw that Ren had reached the same conclusion and nodded.

“Horns are important to every dragon, but Asval’s were clearly special even among them. I won’t ask you for details. Knowing that the material is worth processing is enough.”

He intended to begin working on it that very day.

Werlich bared his white teeth in a triumphant grin.

“Please take care of it,” Ren said with a deep bow before returning to the discussion of his armor.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Several servants and knights later traveled from Clausel to Elendil with Ren’s and Licia’s belongings.

Io, the female horse Ren had taken from Yelquq, naturally came with them.

She was deeply attached to the grooms and servants who cared for her and had apparently spent her days in peaceful comfort.

Little by little, the familiar pieces of their life in Clausel were reappearing in Elendil.

Three weeks passed after Ren’s discussion with Werlich.

Ren and Licia remained busy with both entrance-examination studies and sword training. Their days were demanding but fulfilling.

Fiona was equally occupied with the series of examinations that marked the end of the academic year.

By late February, only traces of snow remained in both the Imperial Capital and Elendil.

“Are you interested in promotion, Ren-dono?”

The question came from the large, powerfully built knight who favored a greatsword.

Ren had stopped at Werlich’s workshop to check the progress of his armor and then visited the Lion’s Holy Office for training on the way home.

“Promotion in what?”

“The Adventurers’ Guild. I hear you’re still E-rank.”

“Oh. That promotion.”

“I’m certain you could advance without difficulty. Is there a reason you haven’t?”

“Simply because I don’t want to accept a special request.”

A special request was the general term for a commission issued by a noble house or government institution.

Advancement to D-rank required the successful completion of at least one such request.

Ren avoided them because they often consumed a great deal of time.

Many involved tracking criminals or subduing them. Depending on the assignment, several days could pass before completion.

Abandoning one midway also carried a severe penalty, so Ren had little desire to accept one casually.

“My hands are full with sword training right now. It’ll probably be some time before I take a special request.”

“I see. That answer sounds like you.”

Ren stretched and picked up the practice sword beside him.

“Would you spar with me once more?”

“Again? How much stamina do you have?”

“I should be asking you that. Everyone here trains endlessly without looking tired. I’ve been watching.”

The large knight shrugged as Ren stepped forward with a refreshed smile.

“…Then I can’t afford to sit idle either.”

He chuckled at the alarming speed of Ren’s growth.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

From the upper floors of the Imperial Castle, one could see the Imperial Capital from end to end.

While Ren honed his talent at the Lion’s Holy Office, a boy sat on a stone balcony high above the city, reading a sheet of parchment.

On some days, clouds drifted at nearly the same height.

Spring hadn’t yet arrived, and the wind remained cold, but the boy paid it no attention.

He was Radius Vin Leomel, the Third Prince.

The balcony belonged to his private chambers.

Even at his young age, the sight of his hair streaming in the wind gave him a distinctive elegance.

At last, he exhaled as though he had reached a decision.

“Very well.”

Then he called in his usual composed voice.

“Mirei.”

He spoke a woman’s name.

A pretty girl of mixed human and Cait Sith blood appeared almost immediately and stepped onto the balcony.

“You called for me, nya?”

“It concerns the recent thefts. Something about them bothers me, so I intend to place a request with the guild as well.”

Mirei’s ears twitched at Radius’s words.

The decision was abrupt, as his decisions so often were.

But Mirei only smiled. That was simply the kind of person her master was.

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