Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 44: Toward a Turning Point
Vayne and Sera both looked a little embarrassed.
They were surely accustomed to praise, Ren thought. What they were not accustomed to was being praised so openly by someone their own age.
“You two were incredible. It is hard to believe we are the same age.”
He meant every word. He was not privately dismissing them merely because he had defeated Asval. Even at this stage, Vayne and Sera were undoubtedly among the strongest youths of their generation.
“Thank you, but I still have a long way to go,” Vayne said.
“Me too,” Sera added. “A friend of mine is stronger than I am, so I have to keep working.”
“Oh? Is that friend also a noble?”
“Yes. Have you ever heard of Saint Licia?”
I know her very well, Ren thought.
When he did not answer immediately, Sera began explaining, apparently assuming that he had never heard of Licia. Her willingness to explain without condescension reminded Ren that, despite her competitiveness, Sera was fundamentally kind.
Ren also realized he had carelessly spoken as though he already knew Sera was a noble. Fortunately, there was nothing strange about recognizing a daughter of one of the Seven Great Houses by sight.
“She is the daughter of Viscount Clausel, the lord of Elendil,” Sera said. “I have known her for years.”
“I see.”
The work at the hunting ground was nearly complete, so Vayne and Sera suggested that the three of them return toward town together. As they walked, Sera remembered something else.
“You said you could hardly believe we were the same age, but Licia is stronger than I am. And there is a boy who is stronger than even her.”
“From what Sera told me,” Vayne added, “he is the son of a knight serving House Clausel.”
“Yes. Defeating him is one of her goals. She says he is tremendously strong, and she is always talking about how much she admires his swordsmanship.”
“Oh… Is that so?”
Ren listened with forced composure. By the time they reached the guild and he received his share of the reward, his earlier drowsiness had vanished completely.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
It was past dusk when Ren returned to the Clausel residence. Licia, now fully awake, came to greet him.
She was delighted by the Flame King’s Gauntlet and said that it looked excellent on him.
“Oh, that reminds me,” Ren said happily. He had no ulterior motive; he was simply pleased. “I was glad to hear that Licia-sama admires my swordsmanship.”
Licia froze.
Her cheeks twitched as she struggled to maintain a calm smile.
“Where did you hear that?”
Ren failed to notice her agitation.
“I went outside Elendil to test the gauntlet. I happened to meet Sera Riohard while she was fighting a monster—”
“I-I have no idea what you are talking about!”
Licia immediately understood that Sera had been the source. The fact that Ren had met Sera mattered far less than the fact that her private praise had reached him through someone else.
“What?”
“I said I do not know what you mean! I do admire it, but I still do not know what you mean!”
Licia had praised Ren’s swordsmanship to his face before, especially during their training. Yet hearing that Sera had repeated those feelings to him produced an entirely different kind of embarrassment.
“Did Sera know who you were?” she asked.
“No. We never properly introduced ourselves, so we spoke without learning each other’s names.”
“Then you heard everything without her realizing it!”
Ren did not understand why Licia was so upset. Sera had only said that Licia worked hard to defeat him and admired his swordsmanship. There was nothing shameful in that.
Licia turned away, sat on a sofa in the entrance hall, and hugged a cushion against her knees. When Ren approached with an amused smile, she understood that her irritation was unreasonable.
“…I would like to go shopping in the Imperial Capital next week,” she muttered.
“I will go with you.”
Her mood improved immediately.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
Inside a carriage parked in a quiet corner of the Imperial Capital, Radius and Ulysses secretly exchanged their conclusions about the recent bandit incident.
“Chronois-sama will return in October,” Radius said. “We should settle matters before then. Their plan is logical.”
“I still find one part difficult to understand,” Ulysses replied. “Have they forgotten that our country has a Sword King?”
“They may believe she will never leave His Majesty’s side. If they require only a short interval, they may think they can force her to move elsewhere.”
“That is not entirely unreasonable. Her attention is fixed above all on protecting His Majesty.”
“Even so, asking for her help will not be enough. You and I have already joined forces.”
“Then the remaining question is when we make our move. We have not forgotten that it is our turn.”
First, however, they needed to learn what the Demon King cult intended.
The cult had not exposed itself as carelessly as the bandits. If Radius and Ulysses could not determine its purpose by summer—when they expected the cult to act—they would have to change their approach.
“We may have no choice but to lure them out and bite through their throats,” Ulysses said.
“Leave the details to me. I will reconsider the plan.”
Their meeting ended shortly thereafter. Both men began preparing for the approaching summer.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
On the final day of May, Ren and Licia completed the first Imperial Military Academy entrance examination.
They walked through the Imperial Capital after leaving the examination hall, accompanied by Weiss.
“How did it go?” he asked.
“I think I did well,” Ren replied. “Nothing particularly troubled me, and I had time left over.”
“Me too,” Licia said. “I finished sooner than expected, so I spent most of the remaining time checking my answers.”
“That is reassuring. As expected of you both.”
The second examination would be held in July, followed by further examinations in September and November. The final test would take place in January of the following year.
Ren and Licia resolved to prepare just as thoroughly for each one.
“Licia-sama,” Ren said, “now that this examination is over, shall we visit the Lion’s Holy Office tomorrow?”
“Yes! Oh—but I have plans the day after tomorrow.”
“Then let us spend tomorrow being physically active and rest our minds for a while.”
“I agree,” Weiss said. “I will inform the master. You are both well prepared for the next examination, so taking several days to refresh yourselves will do no harm.”
Licia was pleased not only by the change of pace, but also because Ren had invited her.
“You have been progressing well in the Mighty Sword Style,” Ren said.
“Yes! Thanks to the training you give me at the mansion. I think I will soon be able to use the Mantle over at least my hands.”
Licia was a genius, and her tireless effort allowed her to develop at a pace ordinary people could not match. Ren was no different. He refused to call himself gifted, but his talent was equally exceptional.
Watching them grow was a source of pride for Weiss.
The following day, Ren and Licia immersed themselves in training at the Lion’s Holy Office.
“What exactly is your body made of?”
A massive training sword fell to the floor with a dull crash.
The man who dropped it was the same Mighty Sword Style practitioner Ren had faced on the day he first learned the Mantle. They had crossed swords on nearly every one of Ren’s later visits.
Now the man sat on the ground, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily.
“If you ask what is happening to my body, I can only answer that it is exactly what you see,” Ren said, offering him a hand.
The man refused to rise. He wanted to remain seated and recover.
“Your training is absurd. Why do you push yourself this far? During winter, I never imagined I would be the one to tire first.”
“I have to work harder, or Licia-sama will catch me before long.”
Ren glanced toward Licia, who was practicing nearby.
“Saint-dono is extraordinary,” the man agreed, “but you remain several steps ahead.”
The Demon King cult was another reason Ren continued pushing himself.
He had overwhelmed its agents during the spring, but that did not guarantee he could do so again. He remained vigilant and refused to become arrogant.
Since spring, Ren’s strength had increased once more.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
The following week, a gray sky covered the Imperial Capital and a fine rain fell over the streets.
Ren had just submitted his application for the second entrance examination at the Imperial Military Academy.
As he left the academy, one thought continued troubling him.
It is strange that I have heard nothing from them.
He meant Ulysses and Radius.
They already knew that the Demon King cult had been involved in the bandit incident. It was impossible to imagine the two of them doing nothing, yet not the slightest report of progress had reached Ren.
Lost in thought, he opened his umbrella and took only a few steps before someone called to him.
It was Fiona, dressed in her summer uniform.