Kays Translations

Chapter 12: Shortly Before the Work Begins in Earnest

The students spent their lunch break however they pleased.

Besides eating lunch, many prepared for their afternoon classes, studied independently, or chatted with close friends.

Fiona also had a particular purpose in mind as she made her way to the corridor lined with first-year classrooms.

“Excuse me.”

She spotted several students from the first-year Special Class and called out to them.

The mixed group of boys and girls looked surprised that Fiona had suddenly approached them.

“Does anyone know where I might find Ren Ashton?”

“Ashton-kun should be—”

A male student cut in before the girl could finish answering.

“I think he’s in the rear courtyard! I saw him heading there with some of our friends!”

“I see! Thank you very much!”

Fiona bowed, turned away from the first-year students, and left.

Watching her retreating figure, one of the boys spoke.

“Why is Ashton so close to Lady Ignat?”

“I don’t know. I hear he sometimes talks with His Highness the Third Prince too. Maybe House Clausel is drawing closer to the Imperial Faction.”

“Wait a moment. If that were true, we couldn’t ignore how close Clausel-san is to Riohard-san. People have said House Clausel is closer to our Hero Faction!”

“My family belongs to the Hero Faction too, and even I think that is impossible.”

“Why?”

The boy whose parents were Hero Faction nobles frowned.

The girl, whose parents also belonged to the Hero Faction, shrugged and lowered her voice apologetically.

“There was the matter with Viscount Given. No matter how friendly Clausel-san is with Riohard-san, House Clausel would never join the Hero Faction after what happened.”

She continued with a sigh.

“My older brother was shocked when he saw Ashton-kun at the entrance ceremony. You know about the incident during the final examination a few years ago, don’t you?”

“I do, but what does that have to do with him?”

“My brother was in that year’s class. When he fled to the fortress in the Baldor Mountains, Ashton-kun was among the group that came to rescue them.”

“Seriously? Ashton couldn’t have been more than eleven at the time.”

“That’s right, but my brother insists there is no mistake. He believes Ashton-kun came to the Baldor Mountains with House Clausel’s knights. Perhaps his connection to House Ignat dates back to then as well.”

The girl’s brother was the boy who had tried to act brave in front of the adventurers on the suspension bridge during the Baldor Mountains incident. He had later approached the adventurer who had helped and looked after him and employed the man as his own knight.

“Viscount Clausel has maintained his neutrality, but if he ever changed factions, it would clearly be to the Imperial Faction.”

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Fiona had no idea that the students were discussing such matters. She tried to restrain her hurried steps, yet still walked briskly toward the rear of the school building.

When she stepped outside, she smiled at the large tree where she and Ren had reunited.

More than a year had passed since then. Happy that he was now close by, she quickened her pace once she had left the building.

Before long, she heard voices.

“Yes, that’s it. Now try moving it just a little more like this—”

“Oh, so that’s why it never felt quite right.”

“That helps a lot! I think I’ll be able to do better than the other first-years in our next class!”

“Good. I’m glad.”

One voice belonged to Ren, while the others belonged to several boys.

Not wanting to interrupt, Fiona leaned against a nearby tree and waited for their conversation to end.

One by one, four male students emerged from the rear courtyard and headed in her direction. They were surprised to see Fiona, bowed lightly, and continued on their way.

Deciding it was now safe to approach, Fiona went to find Ren.

He was in the rear courtyard with his uniform jacket removed and his shirt sleeves rolled up. Several more buttons than usual were undone, giving him an unusually relaxed appearance.

“Oh, Lady Fiona—ah, forgive me. This is hardly a proper state in which to receive you.”

“P-please don’t worry! I’m the one who arrived without warning!”

The unfamiliar sight made Fiona’s heart race, but she concealed it and approached him as calmly as she could.

“Were you exercising?”

“Something like that. Ever since Licia and I crossed swords in swordsmanship class, students have occasionally asked me to teach them Imperial Swordsmanship.”

With the selection trials for the approaching Lion King Grand Festival close at hand, boys who admired Ren’s strength had begun asking him for instruction.

Ren saw no reason to refuse and sometimes agreed to help for a short while when he had free time. He did not consciously think of it this way, but some of those seeking his instruction were nobles, so forming connections with them was not a bad thing either.

The academy did not forbid students from teaching one another during lunch breaks or other free periods.

Nor, at this particular academy, would anyone argue that students were too young to use practice swords without an instructor present.

“Hee hee. I see.”

Fiona was as pleased by Ren’s popularity as though it were her own accomplishment. Smiling, she sat beside him on the grass and hugged her knees.

“By the way, what brought you here, Lady Fiona?”

“Oh, right! Actually—”

Fiona told him about the vacant room Radius and Mirei had discussed the other day.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

On a certain holiday, three people came to the academy despite classes not being in session.

They had come to clean the vacant room in question.

The room had a second door that opened onto the area behind the library. Ren carried several dust-covered books and wooden crates outside through it, then exhaled.

After wiping the sweat from his brow, he called, “Lady Licia.”

“Yes? What is it?”

Licia, who was also hard at work cleaning, answered with a broom in hand.

At first, Ren had told Licia and Fiona that he would take care of everything himself. Both refused, insisting that they would be using the room too.

That was why the three of them were now cleaning together.

Radius and Mirei had also intended to help, but their schedules had not aligned.

Even if they had been available, Licia and Fiona probably would have stopped them out of consideration for their positions.

“Did Lady Riohard say anything when she learned that we would no longer be attending swordsmanship class?”

“She shouted, ‘Whyyyyy?!’”

Sera had understood the circumstances, however. After her outburst, she had nodded and admitted, ‘I suppose it can’t be helped.’

Licia planned to set aside a day during a future holiday to cross swords with Sera.

“I can picture her reaction perfectly—wait, Chronois?”

Chronois approached them in ordinary clothes.

She wore a simple knit top with a long skirt, yet her natural elegance made the outfit look anything but plain.

Wondering what had brought her there, Licia asked.

“Dean Chronois? Is something the matter?”

“Not at all! I thought I might help.”

“Y-you couldn’t possibly! We can handle a little cleaning ourselves!”

“Ahaha, it’s fine. I’m the one who asked you to join the organizing committee in the first place.”

Chronois drew the wand tucked into the belt of her long skirt.

With a light flick, she used it to sweep the dust from Ren’s and Licia’s clothes.

“That’s an interesting spell,” Ren said.

“Thanks. To reveal the trick, it’s only wind magic. I’m just controlling it very, very precisely.”

That precision was the difficult part, but Chronois performed it effortlessly, as expected of her.

“I thought I heard Dean Chronois’s voice—oh?”

Fiona emerged from the vacant room and noticed her.

When Fiona set down the dusty wooden crate she was carrying in both arms, Chronois flicked her wand again and brushed the dust from her clothes.

“I came to help too.”

“My… Is it really all right for the dean to help us clean?”

“Why wouldn’t it be? Besides, this is my first full day off in two months, and I want to enjoy myself.”

“If it is your first day off in so long, wouldn’t it be better to rest at home?” Ren asked.

“Ren-kun, you only say that because you don’t know how I spend my days off.”

Chronois gave a self-deprecating smile and stared into the distance.

Somehow, the light seemed to vanish from her eyes.

“You have probably never experienced deciding to relax on a rare holiday, only to realize that the entire day has ended while you lay in bed. Or going shopping, coming home, and immediately losing the motivation to do anything else.”

Ren quietly averted his gaze, but Chronois stepped into his new line of sight.

She smiled at him like a beautiful fairy.

Feeling a strange pressure behind that smile, Ren said, “The work will be over quickly if the four of us do it together.”

Chronois brightened at once. Licia and Fiona smiled helplessly while Ren cleared his throat.

“Actually, your arrival may be perfect timing.”

“Huh? Because I’m here?”

“Yes. There are many things here that we don’t know how to handle. We thought we would need someone to tell us what may be discarded.”

“Leave it to me! I may not look it, but I am the dean. I can certainly distinguish what the academy needs from what it doesn’t.”

That was something a dean ought to know, but no one pointed it out.

Chronois clearly enjoyed spending her long-awaited holiday with the three of them, and none wished to dampen her enthusiasm.

They especially did not want to extinguish the light in her eyes again.

“For example, what about this?” Ren asked.

“Oh! I can’t believe that is still here. We used that magic tool at the Academy Festival about five years ago. I think it creates a hazy mist.”

“Then what about this one?” Licia asked.

“That brings back memories too. A former student had it custom-made. When mana is supplied, it floats in the air, glows faintly, and sways for a short while.”

The other three exchanged wry smiles.

Speaking for them, Fiona asked, “What were those two magic tools used for?”

“There was an attraction called the Undead House that frightened visitors. It was enormously popular. I believe it made quite a few guests cry.”

“Ah…” the three replied together.

Considering the academy’s usual atmosphere, they could not help being surprised that it had once hosted such an attraction.

Afterward, Ren gathered the discarded items into wooden crates or bound them with hemp rope to make them easier to carry.

He lifted most of the load and decided to take it to the refuse area.

“I’ll be back shortly.”

After telling the three, he left and walked for several minutes.

As he delivered the rubbish to the refuse area behind the academy, the voices of several boys reached his ears.

They were voices he recognized, so he stopped and turned toward them.

In a nearby training square, two students were testing their strength against one another.

(Vayne and Kaito?)

Ren thought it would be improper to call the older student simply Kaito now, but excused himself because it was only in his thoughts.

Vayne noticed him, lowered his sword, and waved.

Kaito, who had been sparring with him, lowered the greatshield in his hand as well.

“Ren! What are you doing at the academy on a day off?”

Having been addressed, Ren could hardly ignore them, so he approached the square.

“I had something to take care of. What about you, Vayne?”

“I came here to—”

Remembering that Kaito was present, Vayne decided to introduce him first.

“Ren, this is Kaito Leonaal-senpai.”

“Hey! I’ve heard about you, Ashton. Good to meet you!”

Ren looked at the hand Kaito extended.

When he accepted it, Kaito returned the handshake with a powerful grip.

“As for why Vayne and I are here,” Kaito continued.

Kaito had invited Vayne because he wanted to cross swords with him.

They had arranged the session some time ago specifically because the academy was closed that day.

Ren had merely happened upon them.

“Listen, Ren… Kaito-senpai is so strong that I can’t do anything against him.”

“Your opponent is a member of a Hero House. It is only natural that someone at our level would struggle against him.”

“I know that, but I still don’t want to lose!”

“I understand how you feel.”

Kaito Leonaal was one year older and renowned for his physical strength.

In Legend of the Seven Heroes, his tremendous power and endurance—together with the greatshield he carried—made him the man who protected the rest of the party. At this point, it was only natural that Vayne could not defeat him.

“Say, Ashton.”

Kaito’s attention shifted to Ren.

“I heard what happened in class the other day. Even among us second-years, people are talking about how strong you must be. Riohard said you were extremely capable too.”

“I am not nearly so impressive.”

“Gahahaha! Don’t be modest. Riohard almost never praises anyone. And I hear you’re even stronger than the White Saint.”

Unsure how to respond, Ren glanced at Vayne.

Vayne shook his head, his expression conveying that there was nothing he could do to help.

“What do you say? Meeting here must be fate. Why not work up a sweat with us?”

Kaito rotated one arm in a broad circle. The greatshield strapped to his other arm remained ready for use.

House Leonaal’s fighting style treated that entire shield-bearing arm as a weapon and had been passed down through the family for generations.

Ren nevertheless declined the invitation.

“I’ll pass.”

At the abrupt refusal, Kaito staggered theatrically as though performing in a comedy.

“Why?!”

Ren had several reasons.

The most important was that he had deliberately come to the academy on his day off to complete another task.

“I came here because I have work to do.”

“Work? Are you here to fight someone other than me?”

“No, nothing like that.”

Come to think of it, Kaito really was something of a musclehead. Yet his combat instincts were exceptional, befitting a member of a Hero House.

Ren kept his expression polite as those thoughts crossed his mind.

“I’m serving on the organizing committee for the Lion King Grand Festival. I came to clean the room we will use for our work.”

The answer was evidently nothing like what Kaito had expected, and his mouth fell open.

A few seconds later, however, he bowed deeply and energetically.

“Thank you! If you’re serving on the organizing committee, then all I can do is be grateful. But… wait. Does that mean you aren’t entering the representative selection trials?”

“Correct. I have other duties besides my committee work as well.”

“Aw, come on… I thought I’d have the chance to fight someone strong.”

“Kaito-senpai, it is thanks to people like Ren serving on the committee that the rest of us can enter the martial tournament’s selection trials,” Vayne reminded him.

“I-I know! Like I said, I really am grateful to the organizing committee.”

The dejected Kaito hurried to clarify himself.

He was genuinely honest, straightforward, and refreshingly easy to understand.

Putting his hands on his hips, Kaito spoke again in his usual booming voice.

“I’m disappointed, but I’ll give up for today! Once the Lion King Grand Festival is over, spar with me sometime!”

“Certainly, if our schedules align.”

“Great! I’m counting on you!”

Ren told them that he needed to return to the vacant room beside the library.

Just before he left, Kaito called after him.

“Sorry for bothering you when you’re busy! See you later!”

With a broad smile, he waved both hands vigorously at Ren’s back.

Ren turned once more, gave them a small wave, and returned to the little room in the corner of the library.

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