Chapter 13 – The Traveler’s Identity

When the room at the end of the corridor came into view, Ren stared at the object resting beside its door.

It was a large bag he recognized.

“…”

The possibility was difficult to believe, but Ren continued forward in silence.

After crossing the long corridor, he and Radius stopped before the door.

“What is wrong, Ren? You have been unusually quiet.”

“Maybe I’m nervous.”

“That is rare for you. Still, there is no need to be nervous. That is why I am here.”

“Thanks. I appreciate it.”

Before touching the doorknob, Radius knocked.

“Come in.”

Ren followed him into the room.

The entire far wall, from floor to ceiling, was made of windows that offered a picturesque view over Eupheim.

A massive desk stood before them.

Someone sat behind it with both feet propped upon the desktop and the chair tilted back in blatant disregard for manners.

“It has been a while, Radius. The boy beside you must be Ren Ashton.”

Ren had never seen him without his robe, but the voice and manner left no room for doubt.

The man lounging so arrogantly was the Bag Traveler—the same person Ren and Licia had once encountered in the Imperial Capital.

His hair resembled Radius’s silver mixed with gold. His small build had been hidden by the robe before, but was otherwise unchanged. Today he wore casual clothing with two buttons of his shirt left open, and his face possessed the androgynous beauty of a young boy.

Ren and Radius stopped before the desk.

“Ren, allow me to introduce—”

“No need. I’ll do it myself.”

The Bag Traveler rose and walked around the broad desk until he stood beside Ren.

A fresh scent, perhaps from medicinal herbs, brushed Ren’s nose.

“My name is Ragna. Biologically speaking, I am Shelgadian—though only in terms of race.”

“A pleasure to meet you. I am Ren Ashton.”

Ragna’s height was no indication of his age.

Shelgadians were a people different from ordinary humans, found primarily on the Sky Continent. Their lives were extraordinarily long, and their youth lasted far longer than that of other races.

Ragna was no exception.

“I agreed to meet you because this insolent Third Prince introduced us. Otherwise, my time is too valuable. I would rather wander wherever I please in search of romance and wisdom.”

“Thank you for giving me some of that time. There is something I hoped to ask you.”

“How to find romance?”

“No.”

That subject held a certain appeal of its own, but Ren had another purpose.

He wondered whether it would be rude to begin with an unrelated question, but Radius nodded beside him as though telling him not to worry.

For once, Ren asked without reservation.

“I apologize for beginning with something unrelated, but I had an opportunity to speak with a Shelgadian during the summer. I heard that Shelgadians can be much older than they appear, and I was curious about you.”

“So that is what you wanted to know. Not a bad curiosity.”

The small Shelgadian smiled fearlessly with his beautiful face.

“I will be thirty soon. A pleasure to meet you.”

Just as Ren had suspected.

He nodded and repeated his greeting.

Ragna gave a small yawn.

“Sit wherever you like. If you want tea, make it yourself.”

He walked back around the desk and resumed the same imperious posture in which they had found him.

Ren and Radius sat on a sofa some distance from the desk. The table before it was buried beneath towering stacks of paper.

Complicated writing and diagrams covered the pages.

Neither Ren nor Radius could make sense of any of it.

“So, you two.”

Ragna’s cool sidelong gaze turned toward them.

“The letter said you wanted to ask me something. If it is boring, I will not answer.”

He had apparently lost interest in the introductions already. While waiting for Ren to begin, he opened a book resting on the desk as though telling them to speak whenever they pleased.

“Forgive him,” Radius said. “He has always been like this.”

“I was the one who requested the meeting, so I don’t mind. Was he already like this when he taught you?”

Radius nodded.

“But he is exceptionally intelligent.”

“I assumed as much. He was your teacher, and he helped you establish the Arnevelde Trading Company.”

“Although nearly all of the company’s management rights are now in my hands. Ragna lost interest almost immediately.”

“I see… In that case, I’ll make the tea.”

“Are you certain? Ragna is very particular about tea—no, with you preparing it, there should be no problem.”

“Thanks. I’ll accept your endorsement and make enough for all three of us. Give me a moment.”

Ren rose and inspected the magic tools in one corner of the room.

There was a device for boiling water, together with an ordinary tea service that looked comfortably familiar.

He heated the water and prepared the tea with practiced hands.

At the desk, Ragna tested the fragrant steam with his nose.

“You know what you’re doing.”

“You can tell before tasting it?”

“At my level, yes. Tea is good. The flavor changes according to the person who prepares it, rather like a book changing with its author. Don’t you think?”

“I understand what you mean and yet somehow don’t… In any case, here you are.”

Ragna raised the cup to his lips.

“It’s good.”

Ren quietly exhaled in relief.

At first glance, Ragna looked like nothing more than an arrogant—if strikingly beautiful—brat. His true identity, however, made it impossible for Ren to treat him as an ordinary child.

The fact that he behaved the same way even toward Radius meant Ren had to choose his own manner carefully.

After bringing Radius his tea, Ren stood before the windows with a cup in one hand.

“I’ll call you Ren,” Ragna said, turning only his face toward him. “What do you want to know?”

“Please teach me about Sacred Magic.”

Ragna sighed as though his interest had vanished in an instant.

Perhaps because Ren had served him good tea, however, his mood did not sour.

“You can find as much as you like about that in textbooks.”

“That may be true, but I wanted to hear from an expert.”

Ren turned, and their eyes met.

At last, he reached the true reason for the visit: the opportunity he had sought since speaking with Radius after the summer incident.

“Besides enhancing the body and possessing special effectiveness against undead, can Sacred Magic produce any other unusual effects?”

“Hm? Radius told me you were intelligent, but that question is strangely vague.”

“My apologies. The Clausel family, with whom I live, has a girl my age.”

“I have heard the rumors. You mean the White Saint.”

“Yes. I can train with her in swordsmanship, but I cannot provide useful practice for her Sacred Magic. I wanted to study it myself so I could support Licia—the young lady.”

Ren smoothly delivered the false explanation he had prepared in advance.

Ragna observed him as though he were some rare creature.

Unlike his immediate loss of interest a moment before, he now appeared willing to listen.

“How commendable.”

“Is it strange?”

“No. It is merely an idea I could never follow. I would spend that time exploring ruins. Still, every person chooses a different way to live. It is not a bad one.”

A small smile appeared on Ragna’s face.

From the distant sofa came Radius’s voice.

“Ren is that kind of man.”

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