Kays Translations

Chapter 3: Chronois Seems to Want to Ask a Favor

Ren could still vividly recall the day he first set foot in the Lion’s Holy Office.

That day, he had met Edgar in the Imperial Capital and entered the Lion’s Holy Office under his guidance.

Ren also remembered how his surprise and excitement at entering a place inaccessible in Legend of the Seven Heroes had been swept away by the overwhelming might of the Mighty Sword Style.

His feelings had not changed since witnessing Edgar demonstrate the Mighty Sword Style. If anything, it was no exaggeration to say that his desire to hone his skills had grown even stronger.

The incident at the Grand Clock Tower the previous summer had only intensified Ren’s hunger for growth.

Early that morning, before heading to the academy, Ren and Licia had been swinging their swords at the Lion’s Holy Office.

“Haa… haa…!”

Completely exhausted, Ren lay sprawled on his back. Licia came over, crouched beside him, and handed him a towel chilled with water.

“Will you be able to stay awake in class?”

“Leave it to me… I’ll be perfectly fine…!”

“Good. Then that will be all for this morning’s—”

“I’ll rest for a moment, then finish with one more—” “No. If you keep going, you might fall asleep in class.” “—You’re right.”

Licia touched Ren’s forehead with her index finger.

Tiny particles of light burst from her fingertip and gradually eased the fatigue throughout his body.

“You know this isn’t so you can start swinging your sword again, right?”

“How did you know what I was about to say?”

“Because that is exactly the sort of thing you would think, Ren.”

Licia rose with a helpless smile and offered Ren her hand.

With her help, he stood, steadied his breathing, and looked up at the morning sunlight streaming through the glass ceiling.

It had still been before dawn when they arrived, but apparently quite some time had passed.

“You two were especially fired up today.”

“It reminded me of the Grand Clock Tower incident. Your spirit surpassed even the night you declared, ‘I will become a lion who crushes every enemy,’ Lord Ren.”

“Good grief. At this rate, we adults will collapse first. The two of you seem to have inexhaustible stamina.”

The knights called after them with such remarks as Ren and Licia left the underground training hall.

They would be late unless they bathed and prepared for the academy quickly.

While they were on their way to wash, Licia spoke with a delicate smile.

“Ren, you really said you would become a lion in front of someone who carries the Lion King’s blood.”

“…I think I was rather worked up at the time.”

Even then, however, no one had dismissed Ren’s words as insolent, and no one would do so now.

Within the Lion’s Holy Office, the word lion carried a meaning of exceptional weight, even by the standards of the Imperial Capital.

Nevertheless, Ren’s declaration had been respected.

That was entirely due to the speed of his growth and the seriousness of his approach to training.

The knights of the Lion’s Holy Office were commonly called monsters or a chosen elite, yet Ren and Licia were so gifted that even those knights sometimes doubted their own talent—especially where Ren was concerned.

Licia had been giggling at Ren’s embarrassed reply when she asked,

“Is the road to Sword Saint still a long one?”

She was referring to the rank Ren currently sought.

Having reached Swordmaster rank, Ren’s next goal was Sword Saint. Licia had known that for some time, and she spent her days following the path he had opened ahead of her.

“Yes. It has been almost a year since I became a Swordmaster, but this is the greatest wall I have faced so far.”

“…In every school, advancing from Swordmaster to Sword Saint is the hardest step.”

“That is true, but the fact that mine is the Mighty Sword Style makes it even more difficult.”

Moreover, since Sword King was the only rank above Sword Saint, the range of strength within the Sword Saint rank itself was vast.

Ren knew there could be a considerable difference between a lower-ranking and an upper-ranking Sword Saint.

“If you continue growing stronger like this, perhaps you will become a Sword King one day.”

“Sword Kings are absurd monsters. It does not feel particularly realistic to imagine myself attaining that kind of strength, but—”

He recalled the power he had witnessed at the end of the Grand Clock Tower incident.

The old Ren might have immediately insisted that such a thing was absolutely impossible.

Now, however, he felt a little differently.

“If the destination at the end of honing my sword is Sword King… I cannot help thinking about it.”

He had grown confident enough to say at least that much.

Licia stared at him in surprise for a moment, then immediately said, “Me too.”

“For that, we have to advance one step at a time.”

“So first… Sword Saint?”

“Exactly. I spend every day improving my Mantle and aiming for Sword Saint, but an unbelievably high and solid wall stands in my way. You can look forward to seeing whether I overcome it, Lady Licia.”

Ren made Licia laugh by delivering the joking words as though they were a threat.

(If I could use that combat technique, there would be many more situations in which I could seize the advantage.)

He exhaled as he recalled the technique that served as proof of Sword Saint rank in the Mighty Sword Style.

After bathing and rejoining Licia, Ren headed to the Imperial Military Academy with fatigue still lingering in his body.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

It was after the morning classes had ended.

An assembly attended by the entire student body was being held at the Imperial Military Academy. That meant not only the new students, but also the fourth-years in the academy’s highest grade were present.

The venue was the main auditorium used for the entrance ceremony. Students crowded around the entrances on each level, and the hall buzzed with conversation while everyone waited for the assembly to begin.

“You really saved me, Ren… I think I can manage the next assignment now.”

The speaker was Vayne, the boy who had accomplished countless feats as the protagonist of Legend of the Seven Heroes and was believed to be the sole inheritor of Hero Ruin’s blood.

Ren gave the boy walking beside him a resigned look.

“Make sure you review it. If you do not review properly, you will forget it soon.”

“I know… but that class is far too difficult. Why does it have to be so complicated?”

“All I can tell you is that it is simply the way the subject works.”

“Ugh… Then tell me how you studied it!”

Ren and Vayne had known each other before enrolling, so they often found opportunities to talk after entering the academy.

They were not close enough to call each other best friends, but they got along reasonably well.

Just before the assembly, Ren had used the lunch break to explain a lesson Vayne had not understood. That was why Vayne now carried a notebook.

“If you go through the reference book about ten times, I think you will remember most of it.”

“…You are joking, right?”

“No, I am serious. I am not especially clever at learning things quickly, so I mostly remembered them through repetition.”

That said, Ren’s excellent memory made certain subjects exceptions.

The lessons Fiona had given him and Licia were another exception.

Even so, Ren preferred learning through repetition. Considering the excellent result it had produced on his written examination, the method could hardly be dismissed.

“If the valedictorian says so, it must be true.”

“Even though I am the one suggesting it, a more efficient method would be better if you can find one.”

“Maybe, but I need to work harder anyway.”

The two entered the main auditorium while talking.

As they descended the stairs toward the first-year seats, they heard nearby students wondering about the gathering.

“What do you think today’s assembly is about?”

“The upperclassmen are here too. It has to be that.”

“That? What are you talking about?”

The voices belonged to other first-year students.

Several of them appeared to have guessed the assembly’s purpose. Ren quietly murmured, “That must be it.”

Vayne, on the other hand, seemed to have no idea and tilted his head in confusion.

Then—

“Vayne!”

Ren and Vayne turned toward the sudden call from a female student.

They saw Sera Riohard, the daughter of a Hero House who had deepened her friendship with Licia ever since the two crossed swords as children.

She appeared to have been waiting by the seats she and Vayne would occupy.

“My seat is over there. See you later.”

Ren parted from Vayne there.

“Right! Thanks again for helping me study!”

“It was nothing. See you.”

Ren headed for the seat beside Licia.

It was two rows farther forward.

A few minutes after Ren began chatting casually with Licia, the auditorium fell silent.

The students closed their mouths at once when Chronois Highland, dean of the academy, crossed the stage with the sharp tap of her footsteps.

Her lustrous hair, reminiscent of spun gold, swayed as she walked and drew every eye.

“I gathered you here today because I have several things to discuss.”

Chronois addressed the entire student body with a smile on her exquisitely beautiful face.

Many of the male students appeared captivated by her.

“First, regarding the new students—”

She began by discussing how the new students were settling into academy life.

She then addressed the second- and third-years, and finally the fourth-years. After discussing life at the academy, Chronois conveyed several minor notices and other matters.

A little over ten minutes had passed since Chronois took the stage.

Students in every year began to fidget.

“Hehe.”

Chronois noticed from the stage and watched them with a smile.

It was a gentle, kindly smile.

“Do not worry. I will properly explain what all of you are looking forward to as well.”

Still, she did not forget to offer a light warning, raising her index finger and gently pressing it to her lips.

After finishing several other announcements, Chronois prefaced her next words with, “In that case—” and began discussing the subject the restless students had been waiting to hear.

“This year is the biennial Lion King Grand Festival, so it is time for us to begin preparing!”

A tremendous cheer echoed from every level.

Chronois did not reprimand them for this. She simply continued with a cheerful smile.

As Ren listened, he silently nodded as though to say, I knew it.

(If I remember correctly, it begins during the first week of July.)

The Lion King Grand Festival was a massive event held in the Imperial Capital. Students from schools throughout the city gathered to compete in numerous fields.

Representatives of each school vied against one another in magic, swordsmanship, oratory, and many other disciplines.

Held only once every two years, the Lion King Grand Festival was a major event that drew visitors from both within Leomel and abroad.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

That night, a letter from Ulysses arrived at the Clausel residence.

Because it was addressed to Ren, he immediately opened it and checked its contents.

After reading the letter, Ren left his room and went to Lessard’s office. Licia happened to be there as well, which was convenient.

“Ren? What is it?”

“I thought I should tell both of you about the letter I just received from Lord Ulysses.”

Ren approached them and briefly explained the letter’s contents.

It said, “I would like some of your time during the Lion King Grand Festival. However, if you intend to enter a competition, you may give that priority.”

“Did he write why?”

“No. He said he would explain properly once everything had been decided, but that was all.”

“I see… Then what do you intend to do, Ren?”

“I would like to give priority to Lord Ulysses’s invitation. I was not planning to enter any competition in the first place.”

With Ren’s ability, victory in a student competition would be nearly assured.

Yet he felt no desire to participate. More importantly, it was only natural that he valued his friendship with Ulysses above the honor he might earn in a competition.

“Then you are sitting out the competitions, just like me.”

“Oh? You do not intend to compete either, Lady Licia?”

“No. Since Father became a viscount, many people have approached our family. A great number of guests will come during the Lion King Grand Festival, so I intend to accompany him when he greets them.”

“…I told you there was no need to concern yourself with that.”

“That will not do. This is an important time for House Clausel to strengthen its position, so I must be present as well.”

Given that, Ren probably would not have entered a competition even without Ulysses’s letter. Protecting Lessard and Licia at their side was more important.

“But are you sure? Since it is the Lion King Grand Festival, you should enjoy yourself too, Lady Licia.”

Licia shook her head. Her expression showed no particular attachment to competing at the festival.

“I do want to enjoy the festival, but it lasts an entire week. I will be satisfied if I can walk around with you whenever we have time.”

“I understand. I would be delighted to accompany you.”

“But are you sure you do not mind? Do you not want an opportunity to display the swordsmanship you have refined?”

“I did not hone my sword so that I could show it off.”

Besides, Ulysses, to whom Ren owed a great deal, had gone out of his way to send the letter.

Failing to prioritize that friendship would surely have been the wrong choice.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

The next day, during lunch.

“And that is why!”

Chronois declared before Ren, who had been summoned to the dean’s office, her arms crossed and chest puffed out proudly.

Licia had been told she could accompany him and wore the same troubled smile as Ren.

“Chronois, what exactly does ‘and that is why’ refer to?”

“I will explain properly! Come on, Ren and Licia. Let us sit over there and take our time talking!”

At Chronois’s urging, the two crossed the dean’s office and sat on the sofa.

“Have the two of you grown accustomed to this academy?”

Ren glanced at Licia, prompting her to answer first.

“Thanks to you and the rest of the faculty, I am gradually becoming accustomed to it.”

“The same is true for me. Every class has been valuable, and my days here have been fulfilling.”

Hearing their honest answers, Chronois smiled brightly and said, “I am glad.”

“Then let us get to the point. There is something I would like to ask of both of you.”

“…Oh.”

“Hey… do not look as though this will be such a bother…”

“My apologies. When one of the world’s greatest magicians asks for my help, I cannot help preparing myself for a formidable challenge.”

“D-Do not worry! I am the dean! I would never saddle my dear students with an unreasonable demand!”

“Of course. My apologies for misunderstanding.”

Chronois reached into an inner pocket of her robe and produced a sheet of paper.

She held it out, telling Licia to take a look as well, and the two read what was written on it without hesitation.

“This concerns the Lion King Grand Festival.”

Ren said so after examining the page.

The paper listed the festival schedule and detailed information about the competitions in which students from the academy would participate.

However, the participants for each competition had not yet been chosen.

Some events limited the number of entrants, so the Imperial Military Academy would spend the coming weeks holding selections to decide its representatives.

“We are considered a prestigious academy, so happily, most of our students enter at least one competition. Some schools have many students who skip the competitions and enjoy only the festival, but thanks to our students, I never struggle to find participants.”

“That is what I expected. However, Lady Licia and I were not planning to participate.”

“R-Really? You were not going to participate?”

Ordinarily, a dean would have been happier to hear that they intended to enter a competition.

The head of a prestigious academy, in particular, would surely want talents like Ren and Licia—students who might leave their names in history, not merely define their generation—to compete.

Yet Chronois’s face lit up as she leaned so far forward that she nearly climbed onto the table.

“You truly do not mind if Ren and I do not participate, Dean Chronois?”

“Not at all! Participation here is entirely voluntary, and forcing anyone would only ruin the fun. I want both of you to enjoy the festival, but I will not arrogantly order you to enter, so please do not worry!”

“Thank you… In that case, why did our decision make you so happy?”

At Licia’s question, Chronois let out a sigh.

Her expression changed completely, becoming weary enough to reveal the burdens of her daily work.

“…Because it is connected to what I wanted to ask of you.”

The two waited with puzzled expressions and could not look away as Chronois continued in an unusually grave tone.

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