Kays Translations

Chapter 29- From the window of the magic ship at night

At a section where the study halls will soon stand.

"Beautiful sister over here"

The owner of the stall saw Fiona and called out to her.

No matter how much of a disguise she was wearing, her un-concealable flowers had caught the attention of many men, so it was not surprising that she was approached in this way.

Fiona was so absorbed in her conversation with Ren that she didn't even think of it as being about her,

“Look, there! The sister walking with her Imperial Academy boyfriend!"

Fiona was surrounded by no other students from the academy besides Ren.

But what boyfriend? Fiona, thinking so, and wondering if she was mistaking her for someone else, turned her head to the shopkeeper, who had been shouting at her earlier.

Then the owner looked at Fiona and laughed.

“How do you like it? How about one of our sweet ones?”

It was the good-natured female shopkeeper who opened the store.

At the storefront, she was selling pastries made of what looked like crepe dough baked on a griddle and topped with syrup and cream. The aroma in the air was appetizing, but Ren and Fiona were already full.

“Actually, I'm already full—and I’m not her boyfriend.”

"Huh? You seemed to get along very well, but is it different from what I imagined?"

The owner smiled apologetically and said, "Come again!”

After exchanging a few more vigorous words, the two headed back home, enjoying the festive atmosphere again.

On the way, Fiona thought back to the shopkeeper's words.

“Y-You could have been a little confused.....”

“Fiona-sama? What did you say?”

“Uh! It’s nothing!”

Boyfriend ...... the shopkeeper initially mistakenly thought that Ren was the opposite sex that Fiona was dating. Fiona couldn't imagine how happy she would be if it wasn't a mistake.

Aside from that, she wondered if she should feel unsatisfied on her own, but it bothered her that Ren was so quick to dismiss the word boyfriend. It's not that she’s unhappy to say she’s concerned, and she knew from Ren's personality that he’d do that. It was simply a matter of Fiona's little girlishness.

“Ren-kun…”

“Yes?"

In order to get as close to Ren as possible, Fiona asks an aggressive question that she has never asked before.

“What kind of woman do you like, Ren-kun?”

“—Yes?”

Even if it's the same answer as before, the feeling that dwells in that word is completely different.

Stunned, Ren stopped in his tracks and looked at Fiona, his eyes darting around. It was adorable, and Fiona let out a giggle.

“Well... that was a question I didn’t expect....”

He thought the question was probably because the shopkeeper had mistaken him for her boyfriend earlier, and he wracked his brain thinking that he had never thought of it that way.

The two of them regained their composure and began walking.

Fiona stared up with interest as Ren struggled next to her.

“Well, a kind person.... or something.....”

It was too matter-of-fact a reply.

After a moment's pause, Fiona smiled, "It's important, isn't it?”

“I can’t think of anything else ----."

"......Did you come up with it?”

“I don't know about myself, and I think it's a little different from what I prefer."

Ren, always mature, scratches his cheek with a wry smile that is appropriate for his age.

The words that popped into his head weren’t really to his liking, though,

"I swing swords a lot, so someone that’s willing to let me do that…”

Fiona stopped thinking for a moment, looking up at Ren's face, and after a few seconds passed, her cheeks relaxed again.

A laugh escapes her as she puts her hand over her mouth, an emotion she can't suppress.

She thought she would be okay with the answer, at least for now.......

The two arrived at the dormitory and exchanged a few words as they parted.

“Ren-kun, don’t you have a meeting on the magic ship after this?”

In fact, soon after this, Ren had to go back to Elendil and get himself cleaned up. As Fiona said, there was a meeting aboard the magic ship, a gathering that was not so much a party.

“There are a lot of people here who are related to Lessard-sama's work. I called on Ulysses-sama first, but it seems that he was also very busy.”

“Father, he was sorry about that.”

Ulysses and Lessard see each other often, so their priority should be those they don't see on a regular basis. They both knew this, so they didn't push themselves too hard and worked on the tasks they had to do for each other. After a short conversation, it was time for Ren to return to Elendil.

Then, at that moment, Fiona subconsciously gathered her courage.

At first, she was really just thinking for Ren's sake,

"---- Ren-kun, your tie is crooked."

Noticing that Ren's tie was slightly crooked while he was still in uniform, Fiona reached over to him and lightly adjusted it. She immediately realized that she had done something daring, but smiled, pretending not to notice her own widely beating heart.
Ren's cheeks are surprised when Fiona suddenly comes to his side.

“I don’t know if this will work. I've never tried to adjust someone's tie before....”

“It’s fine! Thank you very much!”

“No----Thank you for seeing me to the dormitory then, Ren-kun! Oh, and please be careful on your way home!"Fiona walked away from Ren as if to escape, opened the dormitory door, and jumped inside.

A few students were surprised to see her. She didn't have time to worry about them and put her hands on her chest against the now-closed door.

Immediately, she quickly walked to her room in the girls' dormitory and jumped in there as well.

She stood in front of the large mirror on the bathroom.

“.....Well, I’m bright red."

She was in the middle of realizing that she had done something daring and was trying hard to mend her skin so that it wouldn't get too uptight, not to mention the pounding of her chest. Once back in her room, there was no need to mend, and she didn't care what happened to her anymore.

Fiona saw her own bright red cheeks in the mirror and slightly moistened eyes.

She put her hands together to cover her mouth and nose,

“What have I done....!”

He didn't dislike her, so it should be okay, but she has a lot to think about.

She was only surprised at herself for suddenly and unconsciously mustering up the courage to do so.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

At night, Ren and Licia were in the magic ship.

The meeting with the nobles, which had been scheduled from the beginning, was being held in the magic ship as if it were a standing party.

After a long and lengthy round of greetings, Ren and Licia were taking a break with drinks in hand,

“Ren, look, look!”

Licia pointed to the night view outside the large window.

The night view from this height was still tinged with madder red at the edges of the sky, and there was also a temporary building on the ground. In addition to this, the lights of the temporary magic ship pier on the ground also contributed to the view, which could be seen if one tried hard enough.

Ren stood next to Licia and looked up at the mountain in the direction she pointed.

“Is that like Roses Caitas?”

“Yes, it is! That fog should be the Cage of Time that Klonoa-sama was talking about!”

Even though it was nighttime, the fog that seemed to be the cage of time was visible.

“It looks as if the fog is emitting light.”

“I wonder if it has properties similar to sacred magic. My sacred magic is also sparkling, so maybe it appears to glow a little as well.”

Ren nodded his head and said, "Indeed”

(It's a really big seal.)

Roses Caitas is a sanctuary that was crowded with many pilgrims in ancient times before it was sealed. Pilgrims would climb the stone steps on the steep mountain and worship the statue of the god in the open space at the top. This is how the Elfen religion of the time prayed to the god.

Roses Caitas is now a forbidden place,

“I bet a lot of people walked down those stone steps back then.”

“Yes. The book says that there were many torches lit and the sound of bells rung by the saints.”

It must have been very solemn because it was called a sanctuary.

Ren, who could easily imagine the scene, continued to stare at Roses Caitas.

While he was doing so, the magic ship was slowly swimming in the sky.

As they gazed out the window, a man called out to them.

"Hey, you two!"

The two who had been looking at the window turned toward the hall and there was Richter, dressed in the same clothes Ren had seen during the day.

He had been invited by Lessard to visit this magic ship, partly because of his daytime connection.

“Leonhardt-sama, are you enjoying our family's gathering?”

“Oh, yes. Tonight I was able to get to know Viscount Clausel and some of his acquaintances. We have had a very nice evening.”

“I am honored to hear you say so.”

"---- By the way, you two have been ...... hmmm, looking at that sanctuary, haven't you?”

Richter, who had come up beside them and next to Ren, looked out the window with a glass in his hand.

He too saw the seal of Roses Caitas.

"Even though we are on a magic ship, the seal is magnificent, located less than an hour away from the imperial capital. As it is called the Cage of Time, it is truly a crystal of power that transcends human knowledge. There is no possibility that the Demon King's army is still alive inside. That is why it is allowed to be in that place."

Richter slurped his glass and swallowed a sip and then another sip of the wine that Lessard had prepared.

“It's truly magnificent. The mystery of the Elfen religion is beyond my comprehension.”

“This is the first time that Ren and I have seen that seal up close, how about you Leonhardt-sama?”

“This is my second ---- or is it my third?”

The first time was when he came to Leomel, and the second time was when he was on his way to Leomel this time.

The third time was right now, right next to Ren and Licia.

“I wish I could come down closer to see it, but the only thing I regret is that I don't have time. When I come back to Leomel, I would love to go down there with you guys.”

He said this and left their side. Apparently, he only called out to them on his way to greet the other nobles.

The two remaining by the window were free in their own way since they had already greeted each other.

The two could stay by Lessard’s side now and help him with his work, but Lessard said that there was no need, so here they are now. Later, when the magic ship returned to Elendil, there would be enough work left to send the guests on their way.

“I wonder what's going on inside that “ seal?"

“Oh, Ren, would you like to see it?"

“Wouldn't you be curious after hearing that it is a space where time stands still and is filled with sacred power?”

“I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious. We might be purified together.”

"Ah indeed, life is more important than interest, so let's put a stop to it."

"Hmmm, that's good."

The two spend some time talking by the window again, looking at the seal of Roses Caitus, which is not usually seen, and talking about the first day of the Great Festival of the Lion King.

Soon, after some time had passed again.

After a while again, they were informed that the magic ship carrying everyone had begun its return trip to Elendil.

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