Kays Translations

Chapter 17: The Call the Following Day.

The two groups had been separated for only a dozen seconds when Charlotte spoke to Vayne.

“So that is the boy who is always so close to the White Saint.”

As she spoke, Charlotte hugged Vayne’s arm. It was a rather provocative gesture to make in front of Sera.

“W-Wait! Senior Sharo!?”

“I’m tired. Lend me your arm for a little while, Vayne.”

Naturally, Sera forced her way between them.

“Let. Go. Of. Him!”

“Eek! Sera, you’re so forceful.”

Sera’s umpteenth sigh was proof of exhaustion—though clearly not exhaustion caused by leaving the city and fighting monsters.

Charlotte, still held by Sera, looked back toward the pair walking some distance away.

She was confident that, even if she fought every student at the Imperial Military Academy, she would unquestionably rank first or second.

The person competing with her for first would, of course, be Kaito.

Recently, however, Vayne and Sera’s growth had made her wonder whether that position was becoming less secure.

Then she witnessed Licia, and something in her perspective changed.

“As expected of those who study the Lion King’s sword.”

“What? Sharo, did you say something?”

“Nothing at all. I only thought that Sera is adorable and that we descendants of the Seven Heroes must work harder.”

“I don’t understand what calling me adorable has to do with working harder.”

“Then we’ll call that your loss, Sera.”

“W-What!?”

Charlotte slipped smoothly free of Sera’s grasp and began teasing Vayne again, throwing Sera back into a panic.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Ren and Licia walked together through Eupheim.

The city at night possessed a beauty entirely different from that of the day.

“Father gave me permission to leave the city.”

“So that’s what happened. How did it feel to travel that far?”

“It was fun. It felt different from our usual outings, and seeing the techniques of the Seven Great Houses up close may have taught me something.”

“That does sound enjoyable.”

“Sera and the others are going again tomorrow. There is a cave beneath the cape, and they plan to explore farther inside.”

“You didn’t enter it today?”

“Only a little. We made many detours, so we kept the visit short to leave enough time for the return journey.”

“It is a fair walk from the city.”

Ren vaguely remembered that such an event had existed.

His memory of the details had faded considerably.

In the timeline of Legend of the Seven Heroes I, it took place after Radius was abducted.

The story had entered the route in which the Mighty-Armed Ulysses Ignat was suspected of being behind the incident, and Vayne’s group visited Eupheim.

One optional event allowed them to visit a cave by the sea.

Doing so could give the party an advantage during the climax in the Baldor Mountains.

Ren managed to recall about half of that information.

Separate from his memories of the game, the strength of the monsters gave him no reason to stop them.

The Seven Great Houses’ guards were likely watching from somewhere as well. He had no intention of objecting to Licia’s friendships or dampening her enthusiasm.

Licia continued:

“They invited you and me too, but we’re visiting Marquis Ignat’s mansion tomorrow, aren’t we? So I declined.”

“Ha ha… Naturally.”

No invitation could compete with one from the Mighty-Armed Marquis.

“What about you, Ren? What kind of person did you meet at the Bureau of Mysteries?”

“I met… Well, Mr. Ragna was an extraordinary man.”

“Mr. Ragna is the former teacher of the Third Prince, isn’t he?”

“Yes. Since he taught Radius, ‘extraordinary’ is the only word I can use.”

When Ren described someone that way, it usually meant the person had an unusually strong personality.

He realized that nearly everyone he had met thus far had possessed one, and decided this was simply business as usual.

“Do you think I’ll have an opportunity to meet him?”

“I’m sure you will. In fact…”

There was an easy way to explain what sort of man Ragna was.

After all, Licia had already seen him in the Imperial Capital.

“What would you say if I told you Mr. Ragna was the Bag Traveler?”

Licia stopped and opened her eyes wide.

Then she covered her mouth with one hand and laughed with graceful delight.

“Amazing. What sort of coincidence is that?”

Her smile captivated the men passing nearby.

After they had walked a little farther, Ren spoke again.

“…There is something else.”

It might not have been a subject for a casual walk, but he wanted to tell Licia as soon as possible.

“—For those reasons, I believe a similar phenomenon is occurring within your body.”

He shared everything he had learned from Ragna.

“Then the reason I could use Sacred Magic far stronger than ever before at the end of the battle with the Sword Demon was the same phenomenon?”

“I believe so. Still, suddenly pushing your Sacred Magic would be dangerous, so let us observe it gradually. We also need to consult Chronois.”

“All right.”

A peaceful smile appeared on Licia’s face.

Then she abruptly stopped.

“Licia? What is it?”

“…You know…”

Licia clasped her hands before her chest.

She wanted to answer Ren’s kindness.

“You have always been the one saving me, so, um…”

Even though formally thanking him embarrassed her, she could not leave the words unsaid.

“I’m always grateful to you, you know…?”

It was not as though Licia failed to thank him under ordinary circumstances. From the days they had spent together in Clausel onward, she had always expressed her gratitude properly.

This time, she had simply wanted to say it with special sincerity. Ren understood.

That night, he gave the same report in Lessard’s room at the inn.

“Then it appears we may set our minds at ease for the moment.”

Lessard was as relieved as Ren.

The night in Eupheim slowly deepened.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

The following morning, roughly an hour after Ren and the others finished breakfast, the Ignat family’s carriage arrived at the inn.

It was shortly after ten o’clock.

As Edgar guided them toward the carriage—

“Excuse me.”

Someone called to Ren just before he boarded.

It was a civil official from the Bureau of Mysteries.

“Director Ragna wishes to speak with Lord Ren Ashton. However, judging by the present circumstances…”

Lessard, who had been watching, interjected.

“Is Director Ragna the gentleman from yesterday?”

“Yes,” Ren answered.

Ragna bore the title because he oversaw one of the Bureau of Mysteries’ research laboratories.

Ren turned back to the official.

“Do you know why he called for me so suddenly?”

“I was told only to bring you to him. But seeing a representative of House Ignat here, it appears the timing was unfortunate.”

The official looked uncertain, and Ren exchanged glances with Lessard.

Ragna had taught him a great deal the day before.

Ulysses’s invitation could not be treated lightly, but neither did Ren want to ignore the summons of someone who had shared such valuable information.

Edgar stepped in.

“If I may.”

“The master has heard from His Highness that Lord Ren intended to visit the Bureau of Mysteries. He anticipated that the second day might proceed in much the same way.”

In other words, this possibility had already been taken into account.

Even without knowing every detail—including that Ren had asked Radius to introduce him to someone—Ulysses would never impose an unreasonable schedule. He had left ample flexibility.

“I shall explain the matter to my master,” Edgar continued. “Since His Highness introduced the person you are meeting, I believe this is the proper course.”

“Are you sure?”

“Please do not concern yourself. —Sir, do you know Director Ragna’s schedule for the rest of the day?”

“He has an appointment in the afternoon, so the meeting will certainly end before then. We will also prepare a carriage to take Lord Ren Ashton onward.”

“Then, Lord Ren, would you come to our residence afterward?”

Ren accepted Edgar’s proposal.

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