Chapter 23 – What We Talked About After School

While the three of them stared at Radius’s work, Mirei laughed.

“Nyahaha! All three of you are amazed by His Highness’s skill with paperwork, nya!”

“Indeed. I believe I have arranged a rather good schedule. Today, I intend to finish one of the tasks due shortly before the Lion King Grand Festival.”

Radius wrote “Trading-Company Rounds” on the schedule for that day.

It was certainly work that had been planned for some time, but…

“The academy will prepare food, drinks, and other supplies for the Imperial Military Academy representatives. The academy staff will naturally inspect everything, but the organizing committee will conduct its own inspection as well.”

“In other words, checking twice makes it safer, nya!”

“Precisely.”

“I am curious, though. Why did you choose to do that work today?”

The schedule had changed without warning, so Ren assumed Radius had a good reason.

Radius turned toward him and answered without hesitation.

“Today is about the only day when we can work without rushing. In other words, unless we do it today, we will not have a chance to enjoy the atmosphere in the castle town either.”

“Ah… That explains it.”

Ren understood first because he knew Radius well. He explained it to Licia and Fiona, who were still tilting their heads.

“He arranged this so that we organizing-committee members could enjoy a little of the festival atmosphere ahead of everyone else.”

“Indeed. We have been buried in work until now, so a little greed should be forgivable. We will have several duties during the Festival itself. If we finish our work today, no one can fault us for enjoying ourselves a little early.”

“So we can enjoy the lively castle town while making our rounds of the trading companies, right?”

Radius nodded again.

“The stalls for the Lion King Grand Festival may begin operating this afternoon. Students from the Imperial Military Academy will not be the only ones going into town; students from many other schools will be there as well.”

In practice, this would be the first Lion King Grand Festival in four years. Its growing excitement was obvious.

Radius had worked hard to clear every task he could, both to reward the committee for its efforts and to give them an afternoon that combined work with enjoyment.

He began walking away with Mirei.

“Ask those two for directions. I have other work to handle. Everything you need is summarized in the documents over there, so review them carefully.”

“Um… All right…”

Ren could only answer in a feeble voice as Radius departed after dropping the responsibility on him so casually.

Once Radius and Mirei had left the room and were alone outside, Radius released a short sigh.

He then mentioned what he had not told Ren.

“We have work of our own. Not only the organizing committee’s work, but that other matter as well. I have no intention of overlooking whatever is being done behind my back.”

“Understood, nya.”

They exchanged those words in secret and left the academy.

Ren had no way of knowing what they had discussed. After watching them go, he turned to Licia and Fiona.

“What should we do?”

From Radius’s instructions, it appeared that the route for the trading-company rounds had been left entirely to them.

The two young ladies began discussing it as soon as they heard Ren.

“How about starting here? Then we can go this way, and after that… here…”

“Fiona-sama, this route will also let us look at the shops along the main street.”

“Oh, you are right!”

When Licia proposed a route that made it easier to visit the stalls on the main street, Fiona readily agreed.

They were not neglecting their duties. Inspecting the trading companies remained their highest priority; Licia had merely suggested the best route after accounting for both objectives.

“Ren-kun, is this route all right with you?”

“Are you fine with it, Ren?”

The two had settled on a route before Ren could contribute anything.

The documents listed trading companies and facilities Ren had never heard of, so he had intended to leave the decision to them from the beginning. The two girls had sensed that and planned to seek his approval only after forming a reasonable proposal.

Ren answered without hesitation.

“Let us use the route the two of you chose.”

He did not know the shortest route between the required destinations anyway. No matter how he considered it, relying on their judgment was best.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

They went into the castle town and visited the trading companies, naturally stopping at festival stalls along the way.

The two girls were hesitant to indulge themselves because of their positions, so Ren checked his watch and suggested a break.

They were thirsty and a little hungry. After visiting several stalls, the three sat on an empty bench.

“This is delicious, Fiona-sama.”

“This one is good too. Please try some, Licia-sama.”

“May I? …It really is delicious. Please try this one as well.”

“Thank you. This one is sweet and delicious too.”

Ren watched them enjoy themselves beside him while surveying the castle town.

The town had always been lively, but today it was busier than ever. He even spotted students from some school who had already cut class to come into town.

The afternoon passed quickly, and the three returned to the academy shortly before evening.

They had just been expressing their gratitude for Radius’s arrangement when Ren sat down and noticed something.

(Ah.)

One of the documents required Chronois’s signature.

Ren had probably overlooked it and forgotten to visit her.

“Excuse me. I need to see Chronois-san for a moment.”

“All right.”

“Of course. We will continue working here.”

Ren left Licia and Fiona and headed for the academy head’s office.

The representative selections had ended, but many selected students were now practicing for their competitions. Plenty of other students had gathered to watch them, so the academy remained as lively after school as ever.

Ren walked through the crowds.

A few minutes later, he stood before the academy head’s office and knocked. A cheerful voice immediately called, “Come in!”

“Excuse me.”

He entered and found Chronois resting on a sofa.

“I found a document that needs your signature. Is now a good time?”

“Of course! I will always work hard when it is for you, Ren-kun!”

Ren handed her the document. Chronois murmured, “Hmm, hmm,” as she read and signed it.

While Ren waited with nothing to do, Chronois spoke.

“I will not be able to remain at the academy much during the Lion King Grand Festival. If you need help, ask one of the other teachers.”

The remark seemed sudden, but she had probably wanted to tell him early because his organizing-committee duties were continuing. Chronois paused, looked at him apologetically, and then returned to the document.

Her words reminded Ren of something.

(Come to think of it…)

Even in Legend of the Seven Heroes, Chronois had work to perform during the Lion King Grand Festival.

“If it is work we can help with, the organizing committee is available too.”

“My work involves meeting royalty and nobles from other countries. Will you help with that?”

Ren quietly looked away.

Chronois moved into his line of sight until their eyes met again.

“Ahaha! I am joking! It is fine, it is fine! We adults have to work hard too, or we would feel terrible toward Ren-kun and everyone else who has worked so diligently. Do not worry. You should all enjoy the Festival!”

“I understand. But if it truly looks difficult, we can still–“

Chronois rose from the sofa.

The red-gold evening light illuminated her profile as she approached him. Her mysterious beauty was striking enough that Ren held his breath when she looked directly into his eyes.

“Nyufufu.”

Chronois suddenly reached out and patted Ren on the head.

“Wh-What was that for?”

“No particular reason. Your serious expression was adorable, so I could not resist.”

“You could not resist…?”

“Tahaha! But Ren-kun, that is a no-no!”

Chronois extended one finger and tapped the tip of Ren’s nose.

His eyes crossed as he followed her fingertip, making her laugh.

“You worry far too much about adults! So do not concern yourself with my work. You must not underestimate the power of grown-ups!”

“I am not underestimating you. I only thought I should help if I could.”

“You really are adorable, Ren-kun. I am already shorter than you now, unlike when we first met, but perhaps I should take you back to the Imperial Capital after all.”

“I already live near the Imperial Capital.”

Chronois chuckled. Once she finished signing the document, she changed the subject.

“Ren-kun, Ren-kun.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“This is sudden, but how is your Mighty Sword Style training going?”

Ren did not have much good news to offer.

It would not have been an exaggeration to say he had run into a wall, so he struggled to answer.

The same was true of the original combat Art he was trying to develop; that effort had produced little progress either.

Chronois peered into the depths of his eyes while he hesitated.

“Hmm. That mysterious power of yours appears to be growing, at least.”

“–!”

That was right. Chronois had said something similar in Clausel.

Ren asked in a slightly flustered voice.

“Ch-Chronois-san? What do you mean by a mysterious power?”

“The power you are hiding, Ren-kun.”

Chronois answered as calmly as ever.

“Do not worry. I have not told anyone.”

“But–“

“You want to know how I noticed, right? The answer is simple: I am unusually sensitive to many things. I still do not know the details.”

“You cannot actually read minds, can you?”

“Tahaha! Of course not.”

Chronois Highland was regarded as one of the greatest magicians in the world. It would not have been strange for her to perceive things Ren could not understand. He calmed himself, realizing that his question had sounded rather absurd.

“Have you told Licia-chan and Fiona-chan what that power is?”

“No. It is a strange ability even by my standards, so it is difficult to explain. I used it during the battle at the Grand Clock Tower, but I have never told anyone its true nature.”

“Then why not tell them now?”

Chronois said it so casually that Ren could only stare.

“You had reasons of your own for keeping it secret, did you not?”

“Yes.”

Soon after he was born, Ren had hidden the ability because it was the power used by the Ren Ashton from the game. He told no one and never underwent a skill appraisal. After moving to Clausel, he explained that openly revealing a skill also meant exposing his weaknesses. That was not a lie, and that danger had helped others understand why he remained secretive.

Chronois looked at him with a gentle expression.

“You were not wrong to think carefully and keep it secret. But considering the matter again may help you in the future.”

“What do you mean?”

“If they are people before whom you would not mind exposing your weaknesses, does it not feel safe to tell them?”

She delivered the thought lightly, yet her words sank strangely deep into Ren’s heart.

Ren was no longer the same person he had once been. The changes in his feelings and thinking made him listen in silence.

“Living the rest of your life while hiding secrets from the people dear to you will probably be harder than you imagine.”

The evening light illuminated Chronois’s profile, lending her appearance and voice an almost mystical quality.

“Once your organizing-committee work and the Lion King Grand Festival are over and things have calmed down, why not think about it?”

“You are right. I will.”

Chronois smiled gently at his answer.

She drew her wand and twirled it over Ren’s head. A comfortable sensation enveloped him, soothing and calming his mind.

It also felt as though the fatigue from his training had been healed.

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