Volume 4 Epilogue [Part 3]

After taking a moment to recover from his surprise, Ren returned to the subject at hand.

“I’ll speak with you again later about introducing me to someone knowledgeable.”

“Very well. Let us stop here for today. It would be rude to keep those two waiting too long.”

He meant Licia and Fiona.

Ren rose, and Radius followed. They opened the door leading into the corridor and walked past the students heading home.

“Still, the condition of the Cage of Time worked in our favor. Even from an outsider’s perspective, several pieces of evidence prove that a powerful monster was sealed inside. That has made it much easier for us to act.”

“Otherwise, we would have had to reveal what happened to Licia and me.”

“I wanted to avoid that if at all possible. Once the truth became known, people would inevitably try to use the two of you as pieces in political disputes. It might also have created trouble with the Elfen Church. If the matter can be settled successfully, a quiet resolution is best.”

“Then I suppose this was the right outcome.”

“Without question. The two of you accomplished a great feat, but public knowledge of the Cage of Time could also draw unwanted attention. The academy dean is cooperating with us as well. She has promised to help if anything happens.”

For the moment, then, the matter of Roses Caitas was considered closed.

If the situation changed, Radius would contact Ren immediately.

“The other matter is my family line.”

“Has something happened concerning House Ashton?”

“Near the end of the battle, the Sword Demon said ‘Ashton.'”

Radius jabbed Ren in the side after hearing him mention it with a sigh.

The Third Prince looked distinctly displeased.

“You should have said that when you told me about the Divine Child.”

“Sorry. I’ve had so much to think about that it slipped my mind.”

“Honestly… Why would the Sword Demon know the name Ashton?”

“I have no idea.”

“Naturally. That explains the sigh. It would have been even more troubling if the creature had appeared friendly toward the Ashtons, but it did fight you seriously, correct?”

Ren nodded and recalled the battle.

He described the pressure and killing intent the Sword Demon had directed at him, leaving no possibility that he had misunderstood its hostility.

“It said Ashton while trying to kill me.”

“Then that is reassuring… No, being attacked is hardly reassuring. Still, I cannot understand it. Why would a general of the Demon King’s army speak the name Ashton?”

“I told you I don’t know. That’s why I asked you before to search for a family tree or anything similar.”

“Now that you mention it, you did.”

“Apparently my ancestor was extraordinarily strong as well. Before my family’s old home burned down, there were records saying he had fought Asval in his prime.”

Radius jabbed Ren in the side again.

This time he did it harder and with considerably more force.

“You should have told me that sooner too.”

“I’m sorry. I’d only ever mentioned it to Lessard-sama and the others.”

“Good grief. If that record is true, your ancestor was astonishing. He fought Asval and was apparently hated by a general of the Demon King’s army? What in the world did the Ashton ancestor do?”

Radius folded his arms as they walked and looked toward the sky.

A possibility came to mind. He thought of Sword King Lutreche and wondered whether it might explain why she had offered her aid during the incident at the Great Clock Tower.

“Could she know something…?”

“Hmm? Did you say something?”

“…No, nothing. I will inform you if I discover anything on my end.”

“Thanks. I’m counting on you.”

By the time they finished discussing the Ashton family, the school gate was near. Licia and Fiona were still nowhere in sight, but Radius intended to return to his carriage, so Ren accompanied him.

“By the way…”

Radius spoke as though he had just remembered something.

“Since when?”

“What do you mean?”

“You are no longer adding ‘-sama’ when you address Licia Clausel. You, of all people, would not simply forget.”

“…Several things happened inside Roses Caitas.”

Most importantly, there was the promise they had made before encountering the Sword Demon.

Their time inside had been brief, but it had also been extraordinarily intense.

“I’m glad the two of you are getting along so well.”

Radius suppressed a laugh as he studied Ren’s profile.

When they reached the carriage, Estelle was waiting outside.

Radius quickly climbed in, leaving only the words, “Estelle appears to have something she wishes to discuss with you.”

After more than ten seconds of silence, Estelle finally spoke.

“There is something for which I must apologize to you, Ren.”

“I don’t understand what this is about at all.”

“I was secretly observing you. It was an order from His Majesty the Emperor.”

Ren’s expression stiffened.

Hearing that the Emperor had ordered him watched brought to mind Ren Ashton from the legend of the Seven Heroes.

But there was no need to panic. The fact that Estelle had chosen to reveal the matter herself was proof of that.

“Both times we met in Elendil, I was carrying out that assignment. His Majesty had been unable to judge you. He wanted to understand everything about the kind of person Ren Ashton was.”

“Was it partly because I’m close to Radius?”

“That was one reason. The other was the Sword King.”

“The Sword King?”

“Yes. Last summer, while I was on the Martell Continent, Sword King Lutreche offered her assistance during the incident at the Great Clock Tower on the condition that you participate.”

Ren remembered it well.

It was something he still found mysterious.

“Whenever the Sword King acts, the consequences can be enormous. Her involvement can affect not only the balance between political factions, but whether Leomel itself must respond as a nation.”

“I understand that, but… Did no one ask why she helped? Haven’t you spoken to the Sword King since then?”

“His Majesty questioned her several times. She said only that she had become interested in the rumored practitioner of the Mighty Sword Style.”

Ren had distinguished himself in several places, and his repeated visits to the Lion’s Holy Office had steadily improved his ability. It was not entirely impossible that rumors of him had reached her.

There was also more to the Emperor’s concern than the Sword King’s interest. Ren stood beside Radius, whom many regarded as the most likely successor to the throne.

“For those reasons, His Majesty commanded me to ‘assess Ren Ashton.'”

Any such assessment inevitably contained personal judgment. Estelle had initially struggled with how to proceed, but observing Ren at close range allowed her to understand his character.

Considering him a threat was unthinkable. She had become convinced that he was a friend Radius needed.

“Though, in truth, I felt there was nothing to fear from the first time we spoke.”

“I’m honored. But did Radius discover you were watching me?”

“Oh! You realized it! Yes, His Highness saw through me very early! Investigating you in the Imperial Capital and Elendil—places where his influence reaches so easily—was difficult from the beginning!”

“…I thought so.”

“Naturally, His Majesty anticipated that. In fact, he was curious to see how Radius would respond, so the Emperor personally observed that part of the affair.”

Radius understood the Emperor’s reasoning, but part of him had been unable to accept it.

When given the opportunity to speak with his father, Radius had generally remained calm. Yet whenever he could not agree with the Emperor’s words, he sometimes displayed enough emotion to surprise even the Imperial Guard knights.

Estelle finished her explanation and bowed deeply.

The shadow of the carriage concealed the two of them from the surrounding crowd.

“Even though I acted under orders, it must have been unpleasant to learn that you were being watched. I apologize.”

“Estelle-sama, please don’t worry! An investigation like that was only natural!”

Had Ren not stood so close to Radius, matters would have been different. But Radius was a prince of Leomel, the world’s foremost military power. Ren reluctantly understood the necessity.

In fact, he would have found it more troubling if the Emperor had made no attempt to investigate him.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Lessard returned to the mansion that evening.

Ren stopped him in the corridor, where Lessard leaned against the wall as they spoke.

“Then you intend to go to Eupheim?”

“Yes. I haven’t decided exactly when, but I’d like to go as soon as possible.”

“Understood. We can discuss the details later. Once your schedule is settled, I will speak with Marquis Ignat as well.”

There was also the matter of the invitation, Lessard added with a chuckle.

“Oh?”

Something caught his attention as he looked at Ren.

“When did our eyes become this close to the same height?”

“You’re right… I used to have to look much farther up at you.”

The change was especially striking compared with the time before Ren entered the academy—before he had even come to live in Elendil.

The boy with the androgynous features of his mother, Mireille, had grown so much. Lessard was overcome with emotion at the realization.

Licia, who had been searching for Ren, appeared around the corner of the corridor.

Her lovely smile when she saw him was unlike the smile she offered anyone else.

“Ren! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

She hurried toward them with light steps.

“Oh, I’m sorry… You were speaking with Father.”

“Don’t worry. We had just finished.”

“Really? Then, Ren, would you come into town with me? I finished the book I was reading and want to buy the next volume. Will you come?”

The edge of the sky was still bright. There were days when they returned from the Lion’s Holy Office much later, so none of them considered the hour a problem.

“Of course,” Ren answered.

“Wonderful. Can we leave right away?”

“Yes, but—Licia!?”

“Hurry! We have to go before it gets dark!”

Licia caught Ren’s hand and pulled him toward the entrance at a quick trot.

Weiss approached Lessard at an unhurried pace as the viscount watched them with a gentle smile.

“My lord, you appear to be in excellent spirits.”

“I am. I feel remarkably good.”

Thinking it would be tactless to ask why, Weiss said nothing more.

Ren and Licia found the book they wanted, then walked together through Elendil as the evening air began to cool.

More knights than usual had recently appeared in the streets. They had increased their patrols as a precaution after the incident at Roses Caitas, while the disappearance of the seal had also brought more visitors from the Elfen Church.

“…It wasn’t a dream, was it?”

Licia thought back to Roses Caitas.

She spoke only after making certain no one could overhear.

“It almost feels impossible that we fought a monster who once commanded the Demon King’s army.”

“It was neither a lie nor a dream.”

Ren answered immediately. Licia looked up at his profile as they walked side by side.

“This is the proof.”

He indicated the Mithril Magic Sword at his waist. A scabbard made to match its new size concealed the blade, but even the hilt had already changed from that of the Iron Magic Sword.

The new scabbard Werlich had crafted swayed slightly with every step Ren took.

“What you and I experienced was real.”

“Hehe. Even the way you address me proves it wasn’t a dream.”

“Please don’t say it so formally. Calling you that way is still embarrassing enough without you drawing attention to it.”

“Is it? I don’t think I’ll ever forget how you suddenly called only my name when you woke me.”

Ren scratched his cheek and turned away, his usual gesture when hiding embarrassment.

Simply walking beside him made Licia happy. Her only problem was that she could not keep the smile from her face.

Even their silence felt comfortable, and her steps naturally grew lighter.

They enjoyed Elendil’s twilight for a little longer before Ren spoke again.

“We need to become stronger, so we’ll be ready if anything like that happens again.”

“Yes. I’m nearly a Swordmaster, so perhaps you’ll become a Sword Saint.”

Ren shook his head and gazed into the distance.

“I’ve stopped aiming to become a Sword Saint.”

“…You haven’t abandoned the path of the sword, have you?”

“Of course not.”

“Then what are you aiming for?”

Ren had not yet stated it plainly.

Until now, he had behaved as though he possessed a fixed limit. He had spoken cautiously, saying only that it might be nice to reach that height one day. But his wish was no longer the vague desire to become strong like someone he admired.

Admiration had become unshakable resolve.

“I’ve decided that I’ll become a Sword King.”

He stopped and looked directly into Licia’s eyes. For the first time, he declared the goal clearly and without hesitation.

Licia did not laugh. The strength of his resolve held her spellbound.

“So I hope you’ll continue practicing swordsmanship with me.”

“…I see. In that case, I suppose I’ll have to aim for Sword King too.”

“What!? You too, Licia!?”

“You don’t have to look so surprised! Because I…”

She knew how difficult the path would be. She was not speaking lightly.

She simply had no intention of surrendering the place beside Ren—the place where they trained together—to anyone else.

“Because you what?”

“…Nothing. It’s still a secret.”

As night drew closer, darkness covered even the edge of the sky that had remained bright.

The two continued through the lively streets of Elendil, enjoying the town at night as they made their way home.

They promised to work hard again tomorrow, and with those words, the day came to an end.

When Ren finally reaches the summit of the Sword Kings, perhaps not one, but two new Sword Kings will be born.

The answer lies someday, beyond the end of this story.

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