Kays Translations

Chapter 7: Reason for being sent

A knight of the Holy Lion’s Sanctuary answers Estelle's voice.

“Ha! We are to head there as local reinforcements!"

That’s the reason why they went to the trouble of joining them in the air.

Those who are now in the air are working hard to share information.

“How was the lion sanctuary in my absence? I hope everyone has been diligent in their training?”

One of the knights asked spoke on behalf of the others.

He was the knight who had often crossed swords with Ren, who had visited the holy lion’s sanctuary to train hard, and who boasted of his huge stature and strength.

Even this man's body tensed up in front of Estelle for the first time in a long time.

“Of course. Recently, I have had to train harder than ever before, and I have to train with a deadly determination.”

“You didn't act like a blunderer against the royal family, did you?"

Estelle’s mood changed.

The knights of the holy lion’s sanctuary were especially loyal to the royal family, but Estelle was even more so.

Therefore, she mixed a high tone in her voice, fearing the possibility that her subordinate had played a blunder.

The knight swallowed hard in the face of her pressure, but he immediately spoke the truth. There was no need to hide anything.

“No such thing happened. It is just that we have realized that we are not strong enough in the face of new talent.”

“New talent?"

He talks about Ren Ashton and Licia Clausel, who came to the holy lion’s sanctuary through the introduction of Ulysses Ignat.

The knight who speaks to Estelle knows them both well and was able to tell her the details of their story.

After listening to the story, she became interested in Ren as well as Licia.

“I knew about the white saint, but that boy is more brilliant than her?”

"Yes. I thought your Excellency would recognize him at once if you saw him.”

Then the other knight spoke.

“Ren-dono is already a great swordsman. Last summer, he took up the sword beside His Highness the Third Prince and made a notable performance in the Clock Tower riot. The day when he becomes a sword saint may not be far off.”

“The boy who became the friend of His Highness Radius? I have heard rumors about him----“

Estelle turned her head in the direction of her homeland Leomel, thinking about the existence of Ren Ashton.

But she exhaled, thinking that everything would have to be seen in person before she could make a decision.

Estelle put her hand on the shoulder of her subordinate who was heading to the Martell continent on her behalf.

“I've heard some interesting things. I'll leave the rest to you."

“Ha!”

With that, Estelle set out on her return journey to her beloved homeland.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Estelle arrived in her homeland the following evening.

There were many things to think about as she returned home for the first time in several years. The view of her homeland from the window of the magic ship was filled with passion.

The military plane carrying her alighted at the landing place of the military-owned magic ship on the outskirts of the imperial capital. From there, she boarded a magic train that traveled on a dedicated track to a station near the Lion's Sacred Office.

After getting off the train, she didn’t head for the holy lion’s sanctuary, but instead headed for the Imperial Castle.

Upon reaching the imperial castle, she immediately had an audience with the emperor.

It was around the time when the sky was between evening and night.

After receiving words of thanks from the emperor, Estelle asked him about the disturbances in Elendil last summer.

But the emperor told her to find Radius.

That would be more convenient with the real reason for serving a long expedition ----.

When Estelle finished with the emperor and left the audience chamber, she found Radius with his back against the wall.

"Your Highness Radius! It has been a long time!"

His figure stood out well in the black marble cloister, similar to the interior of the Holy Lion’s Sanctuary.

Hearing Estelle's voice, Radius released his back from the wall and walked towards Estelle as she approached.

When Estelle saw this, she hurriedly tried to get on her knees, but Radius told her to make herself comfortable, so she straightened her posture.

“I said make yourself comfortable....”

“This is an easy posture for me. Please forgive me."

“Good grief..... you are the same as ever.”

“Of course. I have not changed at all since the birth of His Highness Radius.”

Radius put his hand on Estelle's shoulder with a plop.

The sight of him in front of her made Estelle, who had just returned to the imperial capital, tremble with joy.

“I’m very grateful to you for saying so. This was truly a great cause. You who love Leomel must have felt that such a long expedition would have been a great loss for you.”

“No. it’s not at all. I have no greater honor than to have received the secret order from His Majesty and His Highness Radius.”

"I hear that you have had a good harvest.”

"Yes. I have already given a written report to His Majesty. I was hoping that His Highness Radius would be so kind as well.”

Then the two of them started to walk as if in agreement.

The light of the madder red light coming in through the window was getting darker even as they were doing this.

“----Was it not two years ago his Highness Radius consulted with me in the spring?”

“Yes, two years ago. I have thought a lot about the disturbances that erupted in the Baldor Mountains a few months before that. The focus was on whether or not the existence of the demon cult had turned its fangs only on our country.”

“And at that time, a request for reinforcements conveniently arrived from the Holy Land."

Radius nodded.

He spoke as he thought back to that time.

"We owe them a favor, and we're able to make a little show of it."

“But the real purpose was different.”

Estelle's words, without a pause, were the reason why a person of her stature had been away from her country for nearly two years.

There is a secret hidden there that only a few people know.

“His Majesty and His Highness Radius gave me a secret mission for a specific purpose. I left my homeland and, in accordance with that order, I have investigated many things.”

The secret mission was to investigate.

Ostensibly, it was a reinforcement force led by the knights of the Holy Lion’s Sanctuary, and in fact, they cooperated in humanitarian aid in the conflict areas.

But that wasn’t the only reason she had been away from her home country for two years.

Estelle had other important work to do.

She had a mission to investigate whether the Demon cult was involved in the conflicts in the disputed areas and to find out any information she could about the Demon cult.

In doing so, there were times when Estelle would tour the continent of Martell by herself.

This was the primary reason why someone in her position had been away from her homeland for nearly two years.

Needless to say, the more forces protecting the royal family and the imperial capital, the better. That was one of the reasons why Estelle had her doubts about the long-term mission at first, but Leomel has the Sword King.

The same would have been true even if Estelle had been there, if she had fallen into a situation where she couldn't cope with the Sword King.

......Of course, the emperor and Radius also had their own conflicts.

No matter how important the research was, there was hesitation in sending a person of Estelle's stature from her home country for two years.

However, she was good because of the importance of the work.

She said something that seemed to prove it.

“I have continued my investigative activities on the Martell continent and have obtained information about those who are thought to be leaders of the Demon cult’s religion.”

If this was the case, it made sense to dispatch her.

It was proof that Leomel didn’t underestimate the existence of the demon cult, and no one would have any complaints if she could demonstrate the value of her secret orders in this way.

“As expected Estelle. I've received frequent reports, but I can't tell you how long I've been waiting for the chance to hear it in person."

"Ha! Your words alone were worth the risk of my life.”

There’s also information obtained from Lenidas, who attacked the Grand Clock Tower in Elendil last summer.

What they learned from his interrogation was that the demon cult had attacked a certain temple and stolen the relic Elfen's Tears, which was stored there.

In doing so, he said, Lenidas and the demon cult were led by a person called the Master of the Faith.

These were shared with Estelle, who was on the continent of Martell, far from Leomel.

“Here."

Estelle took out a sheet of parchment from the pocket of her military uniform.

As Radius received it and looked it over, Esther continued.

“How did you come by this man's name?”

“All of our conclusions are based on the information we have obtained from the demon cult.”

“You fought him, didn't you?”

“Ha. It seems that they were also active in the disputed areas, and we encountered them several times during our investigations. But they are not an enemy of my sword.”

Estelle had many run-ins with the Demon cult, but she finished each battle without a single wound.

After interrogating her opponents and gathering what little information she could from their baggage over the course of almost two years, she came across a man she believed to be the head of the church.

“I think that man is the head of the cult.”

“According to the lore, he was one of the demon king's closest advisors. This time, he was alive.”

“There is no record that the man was dead, only that he disappeared at the same time the Demon king died.”

Radius muttered, "That is true," and stared at the parchment as he walked.

Estelle, walking half a step behind him, caught the scene in her vision and said.

“Your Highness, do you remember the temple that was attacked?”

“I remember, but what does it matter?”

“I was able to meet an adventurer who had visited that temple. I was told that there were two attendants of the one who was supposed to be the master of the temple.”

“I did not hear that from the Lenidas either. Do you have any information on the appearance of these two men?”

“I am sorry, but I have no information. The adventurers who were at the sanctuary and those who were present said that the man who appeared to be the leader of the church and his two attendants were dressed in robes and masks to hide their faces.”

When Estelle said apologetically, Radius told her not to worry.

“It is enough that we know the name and race of their leader.”

By the way, before, Ren had moved in his own way to share information about the demon cult.

He had no more information about the Demon cult ----, but he could no longer rely on where they would appear, so the information he could share was infinitesimally small. The information he shared with Ulysses during the Baldor Mountains uprising was almost all he knew.

“As soon as I compile the information, I will have to tell Ren and Ulysses about it.”

Ren also knew that there was a being called the "Grand Master" in the cult of the Demon King, and he shared this information with them. The existence of the cult leader itself was known because of its appearance at the end of the Legend of the Seven Heroes II. That is why he raised his eyebrows when he heard the word "Grand Master" during last summer's turmoil.

However, as the master Ren saw was also hiding his appearance, as Estelle had reported, he could only tell them about the existence of the master. Ren would not know the name of the Grand Master, his race, or the existence of two high-ranking officials until later.

“Estelle, I have ordered foodstuffs from your homeland of Drake and fruits from Mount Osroess. I have delivered them to your residence so that you may enjoy them with your husband."

“What! Are you sure?”

“I'll thank you properly in other ways, but for now. I've got a few more things to say to you----so give me some time.”

He would like to talk a little about what remains to be said over tea.

Radius was walking with Estelle when it occurred to him.

“......Don’t be busy."

He muttered to himself.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

After the conversation, Radius went to his room to read the report.

Meanwhile, Estelle, walking in the castle, was called by a knight of the Kingsguard and went to the audience chamber again. There, she was given new orders by the emperor, and before leaving the audience chamber, she was given one strict command.

No one must know the details of her new mission. No one, not even Radius and not even the empress.

Estelle wondered about the nature of the assignment, but replied to the emperor, "Leave it to me”.

“----You have given me another unusual assignment."

The emperor's office is located at the heart of the city.

...... Night was falling.

After leaving the imperial castle, Estelle looked up at the stars in the sky and started her journey back to her mansion for the first time in a long time.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Shortly after dawn, when the sky was dim.

“Good morning. Are you training with your sword again today before you go to the academy?"

A knight standing in front of the holy lion sanctuary looked at Ren and asked.

“Good morning. I'm here to help you today.”

"Ha ha, it's ridiculous that you came to help us. We, too, feel relieved when Ren-dono comes. By the way, is the Saint not with you?”

“Licia-sama has work for the Clausel family. She will be able to make it to class, but she won't be able to attend the morning training.....”

Ren bowed to the knight of the lion’s sanctuary and moved on.

He trained and sweated as usual.

He spent a few hours polishing his sword with the jet-black knights. Ren, who had been in a series of stand-up fights, was still swinging his sword, out of breath.

When this happens, some of the adults begin to raise their voices.

"Haa…haa!"

“I'm here ......!"

Some left the center of the stage and sat down on the ground.

But you can't call them weaklings who have been defeated by a boy.

Even with the talented knights of the Holy Lion Sanctuary, the boy continues to surpass them.

“Lately, Ren-dono seems to be more determined than ever.....”

“I've heard that the Lion King Festival is having a big impact on him. “

"Is that so?”

Ahead of the night’s gaze, Ren was seriously swinging his sword.

(More ----)

He himself is training until he collapses.

He was absorbed in swinging his sword, sweating profusely as he exerted himself to the fullest, when he heard a voice saying.

"Can't be, that person is ......!”

“When did she return?

The knights were startled, and those who had been sitting on the ground rushed to their feet.

Above the atrium, which can be seen from the training area spread out in the basement. One by one, they stand tall from those who noticed the appearance of those who appeared there.

Everyone closed their mouths in unison.

Even those who had been working with Ren stopped and looked up at the stairwell.

Ren thought they were signaling that he had been overwhelmed, and asked.

“Please continue. I can still fight.”

He said these words in high spirits and waited for the next challenger.

(To become a sword saint, I must work harder.)

He constantly swings his sword and improves his cloaking technique.

(I have to work harder to become a sword saint.)

He constantly swings his sword to improve the skill of his cloak, thereby gaining new fighting skills.

This brought to Ren's ears, who was intent on acquiring new martial skills.

“According to the Elfenists, fortitude is one of the greatest spiritual qualities. If it is accompanied by great strength, they call it valor.”

A woman's voice reached Ren from far overhead.

The voice was so powerful that Ren subconsciously looked up into the stairwell.

“There's a boy in my lion sanctuary with a lot of bravado.”

Ahead of him, she was there.

Looking down at us from the top of the stairwell, a tormenting authority.

Ren gasped then, eyes wide open.

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