Kays Translations

Chapter 2: Feeling My Growth, Yet Finding Some Things Unchanged

At the same time, deep in the mountains about an hour and a half from Elendil by horse, sheer cliffs and jagged, sharply pointed rocks covered the mountainside.

Two knights and one boy stood there.

Their battle against the monster before them was nearing its end.

(I need to finish this soon—!)

Ren thought fiercely.

He had turned fourteen shortly before Licia. His androgynous features combined the gentle lines of his mother Mireille with the gallant look of his father Roy, and they sometimes drew the attention of the academy’s female students.

At that moment, however, his face burned with fighting spirit and the determination to bring the battle to an end.

“Lord Ren!”

“It is flying higher!”

“Yes! I know!”

At the shouts of the knights in jet-black armor, Ren raced up the rock face.

The jagged slope was so treacherous that a single misstep and fall could easily drive its pointed rocks through a human body. Ren did not hesitate. He chased the monster as it skimmed upward along the steep mountainside.

“L-Lord Ren!? Surely you do not mean—”

“I am ending this fight now!”

The monster he pursued was a gigantic bird beating two pairs of enormous wings.

Every feather on its body was a deep green.

(You are not getting away… Shinrin Kurai!)

Looking up at the monstrous bird, Ren remembered that morning.

A messenger for Lessard Clausel had arrived early that day. Sent by Radius, he came to the Clausel residence with several messages asking for Ren’s assistance.

Ren could still recall the words clearly.

“A powerful monster has flown into an area far from any settlement. The information has not yet been made public, but an adventurer was injured last night. Before requesting a subjugation force from the military or the Adventurers’ Guild, I want to observe the situation under my own authority. The Grand Clock Tower incident was not long ago, so I would prefer to act quickly.”

Radius was asking for Ren’s help because the Demon King cult might be involved.

The danger was not yet unusually severe, but Radius wanted to take every available precaution as early as possible. Lessard therefore called Ren to his office after breakfast, before Ren left for the academy.

Ren accepted without hesitation.

“…That is the message we received from His Highness the Third Prince.”

“Understood. I will go and confirm the situation, just in case.”

Ren answered immediately. He told Licia he would be late to the academy and parted from her after leaving the mansion. He briefly considered keeping her at the residence as a precaution, but decided the academy would be safer.

Shortly after Ren departed, someone called to him from the shadows. A young knight Ren had encountered several times at Lion’s Holy Office was waiting in ordinary clothes.

The knight said that horses and the necessary equipment had already been prepared.

Ren mounted a horse soon after leaving Elendil and headed for the tent Radius had arranged.

“Radius.”

“Thank you for coming. Here are the documents. Read through them.”

The papers contained information about a monster called the Shinrin Kurai.

By the Adventurers’ Guild’s standards, it was equivalent to a lower C-rank monster.

It was a powerful species that did not ordinarily inhabit the region.

“Apparently, its name comes from its voracious appetite. It can devour an entire forest.”

Radius continued his brief explanation.

“A monster of this strength would not normally appear so close to the Imperial Capital. Once it is defeated, I want to use Analysis to determine whether there is anything suspicious about it. Naturally, I do not intend to rely on you alone. Two knights from Lion’s Holy Office will accompany you, and I am deploying separate teams elsewhere.”

Ordinarily, at least five adult knights were considered necessary to fight a D-rank monster. The strength of monsters varied even within the same rank, so the number was not absolute, but Ren had heard during the Thief Wolfen incident that five was the minimum rule of thumb.

For a C-rank monster, several times that number would normally be desired.

Of course, exceptional knights and adventurers were another matter.

“It is a fairly high-ranked monster. Can you fight it?”

Ren and the knights of Lion’s Holy Office were another exception.

There was little to fear with two elite knights and a Mighty Sword Style practitioner who surpassed even them.

“I have never fought a monster of this rank before, but it will not be a problem.”

Radius had expected that answer, yet Ren’s dependable reply still sent a thrill through him. Ren had reached Swordmaster rank in the Mighty Sword Style and grown even stronger after the previous summer. There was not a trace of hesitation in his voice.

That was how the present battle had begun.

“Sorry, but this is as far as you go.”

Ren spoke coldly and swung the Iron Magic Sword toward the sky, releasing a wave of sword pressure.

The Shinrin Kurai faltered in midair and saw Ren kick off the mountainside to close the distance.

“GRAAAAH! GRRRAAAAH!”

It gave an ear-splitting cry and forced its wings to beat.

Purple lightning crackled across the wings before shooting toward Ren.

Ren did not even regard it as a threat. One swing of the Iron Magic Sword and the Mighty Sword Art: Star Slaying erased every bolt.

“Sorry. I cannot overlook a monster that has attacked people.”

The Shinrin Kurai gathered its remaining strength. Its next spell also failed against the approaching Ren, so it finally fought with the attacks that best exploited its own body—its wings, beak, and claws.

“GRUUUUH!”

Those attacks possessed power worthy of its rank. A hand at the end of one wing swept past Ren, and the resulting wind pressure opened a cut on his arm. Ren read the next attack, however, and the Iron Magic Sword tore through most of that wing.

“—!?”

“I do not intend to lose either!”

“GII… GRAAAAAAAAAH!”

The Shinrin Kurai’s final, desperate assault was fierce even by the standards of the stronger Ren.

Its raw physical might exceeded anything possessed by the Thief Wolfen or the Steel-Eating Gargoyle and gave Ren an entirely new kind of combat experience.

Every beat of its enormous wings unleashed violent pressure, while the claws on the hands at their tips reached for him.

Eventually, the Shinrin Kurai realized it could not escape while Ren pursued it. It used every attack at its disposal to hurl him away, smashing him into the mountainside hard enough to gouge a hollow in the rock.

Even then, the monster did not try to flee. For some reason, it sensed that the Ren hidden in the dust cloud would never allow it to escape.

“GRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAH!”

Determined to finish him, it charged despite the ruined wing that threw off its balance.

Purple lightning covered its entire body as it aimed the point of its sharp beak at the rock face where Ren had struck.

But the attack never reached him.

A flash of steel gleamed far above the knights’ heads, and the Shinrin Kurai stopped in midair. Just before gravity pulled it down, a single vertical cut split it from the chest through the neck, head, and beak. Fresh green fluid scattered as it fell.

The knights near the landing point saw Ren through the dust.

He stood in the hollowed mountainside, leaning on the Iron Magic Sword for support and smiling.

“…Phew.”

Below him waited the two knights, with the Shinrin Kurai’s corpse lying nearby.

Ren let out a short breath and felt the certainty of how much he had grown.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Some time later, Ren and Radius were traveling toward the academy aboard a magic train.

“I have told you repeatedly: you were far too reckless.”

Radius admonished him as they traveled toward the Imperial Capital.

They were in a private compartment also used by nobles, so they could speak without worrying about being overheard.

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Why do you think I sent knights with you? I knew you could defeat a C-rank monster, Ren. I assigned two knights precisely so you would not be injured!”

“I said I am sorry. I was desperate not to let it escape, and I got carried away.”

“Haa… Enough. Nothing serious happened, so I will leave it at that.”

The two knights had contributed substantially before the Shinrin Kurai took flight.

The monster had realized defeat was inevitable and tried to gain distance in the air. Ren, unwilling to risk its escape, had pushed himself too far to pursue it.

(Besides, the Flame Magic Sword consumes too much energy.)

As Ren considered that, someone knocked on the compartment door.

A knight was visible through the glass window set into it.

“It seems he needs me. I will step outside for a moment.”

“Mm, all right.”

The knight called Radius away, leaving Ren alone in the compartment.

Ren used the opportunity to review the proficiency he had gained from the day’s battle.

————————

Ren Ashton

[Job] Eldest Son of House Ashton

[Skills]

• Magic Sword Summoning (Level 1: 0/0)

• Magic Sword Summoning Technique (Level 5: 3129/5000)

Level 1: Can summon [one] Magic Sword.

Level 2: Gains [Physical Ability Up (Small)] while the bracelet is summoned.

Level 3: Can summon [two] Magic Swords.

Level 4: Gains [Physical Ability Up (Medium)] while the bracelet is summoned.

Level 5: Unlocks Magic Sword evolution.

Level 6: Gains [Physical Ability Up (Large)] while the bracelet is summoned.

Level 7: *****************************

[Acquired Magic Swords]

• Great Tree Magic Sword (Level 3: 1328/2000)

Allows attacks equivalent to Nature Magic (Intermediate).

The area of effect expands as its level rises.

• Iron Magic Sword (Level 3: 4253/4500)

Its sharpness increases as its level rises.

• Thief’s Magic Sword (Level 1: 0/3)

Has a fixed chance of randomly stealing an item from the target.

• Shield Magic Sword (Level 2: 0/5)

Creates a magical barrier. Its strength increases as its level rises,

and its area of effect can be expanded.

• Flame Magic Sword (Level 1: 1/1)

Its inferno is the wrath of a dragon and the embodiment of power.

————————

The display confirmed that Ren’s rate of gaining proficiency had slowed while he was preparing for the entrance examinations. Since two years earlier, he had devoted more time to studying, and after leaving Clausel he had fewer opportunities to travel outside the city and hunt.

On the other hand, his skill with the sword had improved beyond comparison since he began training at Lion’s Holy Office. He had also learned combat Arts, so in truth he had grown considerably.

Another change had become especially noticeable since he defeated Asval. Unlike the days when he hunted weak monsters such as Little Boars, the proficiency gained by the Magic Sword Summoning Technique and by the individual Magic Swords no longer matched consistently. In the past they had seemed to gain points one-for-one, but now either side sometimes received more than the other.

That actually felt more natural to Ren, so he accepted the change without concern.

“Well, that seems about right.”

He was proud of the less visible achievement of reaching Swordmaster rank in the Mighty Sword Style and resolved to continue improving in every area.

Radius returned and tilted his head at Ren, who had just finished sighing.

“Hm? Did something happen?”

“No, nothing. What about you?”

“Before we departed, the knights exchanged information with the guild. They have finished compiling it and came to report.”

“What did they need to contact the guild about?”

Radius sat down opposite Ren again.

He held several sheets of paper. Crossing one leg over the other, he referred to the first page.

“Because yesterday’s injured party was an adventurer, we could hardly avoid reporting the matter to the guild. It was troublesome, but we explained how the situation had been handled.”

“Huh. I thought you would use your authority to keep it secret.”

“I could have, but I told you the injured person was an adventurer. The guild had not announced it publicly, but they were apparently moments away from posting a subjugation notice.”

The important point was that Ren had killed the monster before the notice was posted.

“Therefore, you will sign several documents. I will handle everything else.”

“Why do I need to sign them?”

“If the notice was ready to be posted, the guild had already approved the reward and related payments. In other words, because you defeated the monster almost single-handedly, you are entitled to receive them.”

“Ah, I see. But—”

“I will say this first: the other knights were performing official duties and are not entitled to the reward. I will compensate them properly myself, so do not concern yourself with it.”

“Impressive. You knew what I was about to say.”

“This is you we are discussing. I understand most of what you are likely to think.”

Radius spread the documents across the table and told Ren to review them. In addition to the guild paperwork, there was a document issued in Radius’s own name.

“What is this?”

“A personal expression of thanks. Moving money directly would complicate the accounting, so I would like the Arnevelde Trading Company to supply goods to Clausel and to your village. Would that be acceptable?”

“Of course. I would be delighted with that.”

Ren moved on to the other documents.

There were several, but in essence they covered the reward for completing the request, the estimated proceeds from selling the Shinrin Kurai’s materials, and Ren’s authorization for the payments.

The magic stone was naturally excluded because Ren had absorbed its power before it shattered.

The Imperial Castle had agreed to purchase all of the Shinrin Kurai’s materials.

Radius would examine the remains afterward for signs of involvement by the Demon King cult. The price was based on the guild’s appraisal, but the total was still astonishingly high.

“I am surprised it is worth more than I expected.”

“You have already set aside your tuition, have you not? Then why not use it for your village, as usual?”

“I considered that, but lately Father and Mother have been telling me to spend more on myself. They hardly accept the money I send them anymore.”

“Then save it. A use for it will arise someday.”

Ren decided to do so and signed.

Beyond the documents related to the sale, however, another page concerned his guild rank. Ren initially assumed it also required his signature.

“It looks like my guild rank is going up.”

“That would make sense. You accepted several guild jobs before enrolling, did you not? I believe Ulysses requested some of them.”

“Yes. I escorted a merchant who was acquainted with Lord Ulysses, among other things.”

“I also heard that you completed several monster-subjugation jobs. It appears this latest victory has raised your rank once more.”

The document did not actually require Ren’s signature. It was simply a report informing him of his new guild rank.

At the bottom, it read:

“The following individual is hereby recognized as B-rank.”

Ren had already reached C-rank during the previous winter. Tired from entrance-examination study, he had often accepted guild work as a change of pace. This latest subjugation had promoted him one rank further.

“B-rank while still a student. Hehe… I have never heard of such a thing.”

Ren gathered the documents and returned them to the amused Radius.

“I think that is high enough for me.”

Ren stretched his back. A bandage was visible beneath his shirt sleeve. A potion had lightly treated the cut from the battle, and the wound had been wrapped as a precaution.

(I should be able to join the afternoon class partway through.)

Watching the Imperial Capital through the window, Ren began trying to remember what subject he had that afternoon.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

After arriving at the academy, Ren headed for the classroom where the afternoon lesson was underway.

The subject that day was herbology, which had its own dedicated classroom.

“Distillation kilns and alchemical kilns are extremely important in herbology. You all know that both are indispensable to refining potions.”

Standing outside the herbology classroom in one wing of the Imperial Military Academy, Ren could hear the elderly instructor speaking within.

Ren steadied his breathing, quietly opened the door, and entered.

Shelves held countless test tubes, and medicinal herbs still growing in pots were arranged around the room. The gentlemanly old instructor noticed Ren first, followed by the roughly thirty students of the Special Class.

“I apologize for being late.”

“I was informed that business would delay you. Come, take your seat.”

Grateful for the instructor’s understanding, Ren crossed the classroom and went to the seat beside Licia.

Licia gave him a look full of unspoken questions. She discreetly reached for his arm and pushed up his sleeve. The moment she saw the bandage, she smiled with almost frightening sweetness.

“You are going to explain later, understood?”

“…Yes.”

Licia had confirmed her suspicions, and Ren had resigned himself to his fate.

Her firm intention to question him at length after class was unmistakable.

“Now, let us return to the subject. The reason distillation kilns and alchemical kilns are essential to potion refinement is—”

The instructor selected Ren, one of the incoming-class representatives at the entrance ceremony, from among the students.

“Ashton, forgive me for questioning you immediately after your arrival, but do you know why a distillation kiln is used when refining potions?”

Ren stood and answered without hesitation.

“To separate the water contained in the medicinal herb from its active components.”

“Correct. Everyone, his answer describes one of the fundamentals of potion refinement. You should have learned it while preparing for the entrance examinations. In this class, however, I intend to teach you more advanced knowledge.”

The instructor smiled like a kindly old grandfather.

“Now then, Ashton. How would you increase the effectiveness of the separated components?”

“The proper method depends on the component extracted from the herb.”

“Do you know what kinds of methods are available?”

“I know several. For example—”

As Ren described knowledge beyond what was normally taught to first-year students, the instructor stroked his white beard and smiled.

“Excellent. It seems Ashton has studied thoroughly.”

At that moment, the bell rang.

Hearing the signal that the lesson had ended, the instructor said, “Well then.”

“We will stop here today. Do not forget to review the material before our next class.”

With that, he left the room.

One student after another rose from their seats. Licia and Ren followed.

“Ren, let us go.”

“All right.”

Ren was fully aware that the period after class would become an interrogation.

Radius had also said that he could explain the situation to Licia and Fiona, so Ren intended to tell them.

“Still, Ren, I did not know you knew so much about that.”

“If you mean what I answered, our village had an apothecary named Grandma Rigg. I learned many things from her.”

“Hehe. So that was the reason. You surprised me.”

Ren concealed the full truth with a wry smile and left the classroom beside Licia.

Immediately outside, several female students approached Ren and praised the answers he had given during the lesson.

Some of them were nobles, so Ren made a point of responding as politely as possible.

“How do you usually study?”

“Yes! Please tell us, if you do not mind!”

Ren briefly explained his study methods, then looked toward Licia, unwilling to keep her waiting for too long.

“I am sorry, but we should be going.”

“Oh… Forgive us for keeping you so long.”

“I am sorry too, Miss Clausel.”

“No, it is nothing to worry about. We will see you later.”

Licia smiled and waved. Even though they were fellow girls, the students found themselves captivated by her.

After leaving them, Ren and Licia walked through the school building with their textbooks in hand.

They slipped into an empty classroom away from prying eyes, where Licia ordered Ren to roll up his sleeve.

“I will heal it, so hold still.”

Licia held her hand over Ren’s arm and used Sacred Magic. Light enveloped the cut hidden beneath the bandage, and the faint heat and pain Ren had felt vanished almost instantly.

Thinking about it, Ren realized it had been a long time since he had received Sacred Magic like this. He had not even been injured during the Special Class’s final examination.

“Your Sacred Magic has grown much stronger than before, Lady Licia.”

“Hehe. Perhaps it has.”

Licia said the change had been especially pronounced since the previous summer.

At a pace that could truly be called rapid, just how far would she continue to grow?

“How is the wound? Does it hurt anymore?”

“I am fine. If anything, I feel better than I did this morning.”

“Do not say strange things. Just because I can heal you does not mean you may act recklessly, understood?”

They laughed together.

Before Ren could explain what he had done that morning, voices from students outside drifted through the open window.

Listening to the lively students after class, Licia said,

“Hey, Ren. Do you not find it a little amusing that we attend this academy together?”

“Huh? Why?”

“Well, there was Viscount Given…”

“Ah… Now that you mention it, that is true. I rejected the invitation back then, yet now I travel to the academy together with you.”

“Exactly. It makes me think about how much has happened.”

Considering that everything in the present rested upon that past, Ren also felt deeply moved.

Licia smiled happily and looked up at his profile.

“But we have been together for almost as long as we can remember. Of course many things have happened.”

A considerable amount of time had indeed passed since the two first met.

Realizing how quickly the years had gone by, they exchanged their familiar smiles.

Later, Ren told both Licia and Fiona what had happened that morning. Many things surprised them, but neither girl had been angry; they had only wanted to know what he was doing.

After hearing the story, both felt proud of him.

They could praise him, but voicing dissatisfaction was unthinkable.

…Still, the fact that neither had been able to stop thinking about him until they heard the explanation was perhaps simply the fate of those who had fallen for him.

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