Chapter 25: How Should the Quest Reward Be Used?

Several days passed, bringing the end of November close.

After returning from Eupheim, Ren sat in his room at the Clausel mansion in Elendil. He had already finished dinner.

“Isn’t this quest reward far too valuable…?”

He stared at the object resting on his desk.

It was a Dragon Vein Furnace.

Although small enough to hold with both hands, it was a furnace capable of converting magic stones into tremendous amounts of energy. Its construction incorporated the cores of dragon species.

The device had been created in the Shelgad Empire on the Sky Continent more than a century earlier.

Its output remained remarkable even by modern standards, but operating it was exceptionally difficult. Ren could not understand the detailed engineering, yet the conclusion was simple: it was expensive, powerful, and terribly inconvenient.

If handled incorrectly, it exploded.

And not with any ordinary explosion.

…Maybe Ragna gave it away so readily because he hates Shelgad.

Ragna despised the Shelgad Empire, the homeland of his ancestors.

Still, the Dragon Vein Furnace was valuable enough that he would not have kept one without reason. Perhaps opening the sealed door had genuinely earned Ren a reward of that scale.

Whatever Ragna’s private motives, the gift was certainly not insulting.

The problem was that Ren had no use for it.

“I wonder what happened to Eupheim’s water flow.”

The cause had remained unknown when they left the city.

With Ulysses governing Eupheim, Ren doubted the problem would be allowed to grow serious. Even so, the matter occasionally crossed his mind.

“I should ask Werlich about this.”

Ren returned his attention to the furnace and pictured the boisterous dwarf.

Someone knocked on his door.

Licia entered.

“We were going to practice with our swords in a little while… Oh, you already displayed the painting.”

The picture discovered inside the submerged orphanage in Old Town now hung in Ren’s room.

After studying it, Licia approached the desk.

“I was also wondering what to do with this expensive reward.”

“The Dragon Vein Furnace?”

“Yes. It may be old, but its output rivals modern furnaces. Other than the fact that mishandling it could produce an explosion large enough to destroy an entire town, it’s an excellent device.”

“That exception seems rather important.”

“Fatally important.”

Even so, Ren had an idea.

“Don’t you think Werlich might be able to use it properly?”

“Oh! He might!”

It had been early autumn when Estelle brought Ren and Licia to Werlich’s workshop.

Before and after the Lesser Griffon hunt, the dwarf had repeatedly mentioned his need for a suitable furnace.

This Dragon Vein Furnace might provide the solution required to repair the magic ship Lemuria.

“But are you sure?” Licia asked. “It was your reward.”

“I don’t mind. I want to ride Lemuria as soon as possible too.”

The answer came from his heart.

Even if Ren wished to keep the furnace for himself, he had nowhere to operate such a dangerous object. Using it for Lemuria was far more sensible than allowing it to gather dust.

He certainly had no desire to make the Dragon Vein Furnace run wild and blow up part of the countryside.

“Werlich probably contacted Lord Ulysses,” Ren said. “I think they were searching for either furnace-related materials or a furnace itself.”

“I agree, but Lord Ulysses may be rather busy lately.”

The reason was not the Guardian Knight.

It was the shifting situation within the Imperial Faction.

Since autumn, Eupheim had become involved in the excitement surrounding the Hero Faction, leaving Ulysses unable to ignore the consequences.

Everything had begun when the Silver King Shield, Airia, was discovered.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

The following morning was a holiday.

By a little after nine, Elendil had begun to stir.

Licia slowly sat up in bed, straightened the neckline of her disordered nightdress, and rose.

As always, she opened the curtains covering her window.

“Today looks like another beauti—”

She had meant to say beautiful day.

Light snow had fallen on several recent mornings, and faint traces remained outside. Licia opened the window and allowed the cold air to wash over her.

Then she noticed something.

“…Eh?”

The view differed from normal.

Her hair swayed in the morning breeze as she abruptly turned and ran from the room.

She hurried toward the study where Lessard should be working.

Licia had returned to Elendil only recently and had slept longer than usual, but her father always finished breakfast and began work well before this hour.

“Father!”

Lessard and Ren were both inside the study.

They turned toward Licia, who had clearly noticed the problem.

“Judging by your expression, you saw it as well,” Lessard said.

“Yes… Something outside felt wrong.”

Moving less calmly than usual, Licia passed behind her father’s sofa and approached Ren at the window.

“Licia.”

“Good morning. You noticed too, Ren?”

The source of her unease was the Grand Clock Tower.

The enormous structure was Elendil’s most recognizable landmark.

“I wondered whether it might suddenly start again,” Ren said, “but of course it didn’t.”

Licia followed his gaze outside.

It was several minutes past nine, yet the clock face displayed eleven.

The mansion’s clocks were not wrong.

That meant only one thing.

“I’ve never seen the Grand Clock Tower stop before.”

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

At half past ten, roughly an hour after Licia’s discovery, the group stood before the Grand Clock Tower.

As soon as the hands stopped—before Licia even woke—Lessard had ordered the square closed to the public.

Members of another noble house were already present.

“Cough, cough…”

Nemu emerged through the tower entrance covered in dust.

She was descended from Mirim Altia, one of the Seven Heroes and the woman celebrated as the god of magic tools. Mirim had helped construct the Grand Clock Tower itself.

“Ugh… Just climbing it is exhausting…”

“Nemu, are you all right?” Licia asked.

“I’m fine! My thighs are only twitching a little. Want to touch them?”

“No, thank you.”

“What? You’re supposed to play along.”

“…Fine. Is this enough?”

Nemu had arrived as House Altia’s representative after receiving the emergency message.

Her family had long shared responsibility for maintaining the Grand Clock Tower, and she had spent the morning investigating the stoppage.

Wearing an adorable set of work clothes, Nemu addressed Lessard.

“Viscount Clausel, the safety system activated.”

House Clausel participated in local management of the tower, but most authority belonged to the Imperial Castle. Even so, Lessard could not simply stand aside. He needed to understand the situation and perform whatever duties fell to his territory.

“As I explained before, several small components inside the tower continuously carry mana.”

Those components had been designed by Mirim Altia.

If one became damaged or abnormal, the safety system prevented the failure from affecting the entire tower.

It detected deterioration and stopped the machinery automatically.

This time, ordinary deterioration had triggered a planned shutdown.

“The system our ancestor created is functioning correctly,” Nemu continued. “One of the components reached the end of its usable life, so the tower stopped itself because the part needs replacing.”

“Then the tower has not suffered a complete breakdown?” Lessard asked.

“Please don’t worry. House Altia inspects it regularly. This is an expected stoppage. In fact, the safety system behaving this way proves that everything is normal.”

Nemu was still a student, yet her technical skill was sufficient to help manage the Grand Clock Tower.

She could discuss mechanisms too specialized for even Lessard to follow completely. If she declared the tower safe, there was little reason to doubt her.

“In that case, perhaps this is a useful opportunity,” Lessard said.

He recalled a recommendation made during an earlier inspection.

“Lord Altia advised us to replace several gears. We should probably do so while the tower is already stopped.”

“That sounds sensible. The replacement gears should be stored in the Imperial Capital, so they can be transported here.”

The timing was abrupt, but the need had been anticipated. It inspired less shock than a feeling of, At last.

The worn component itself was a separate matter.

Nemu proudly declared that its replacement could not be entrusted to anyone outside House Altia.

“Only a member of our family can make it. The component transfers the power produced by the Grand Clock Tower’s system through the gears and the other magic tools.”

“Is it something like a secret technique of House Altia?”

“Exactly. The circumstances surrounding the tower’s construction made much of it unusually complicated.”

Nemu struck her ample chest with one hand.

Licia secretly looked a little frustrated.

“Leave everything to me! I was sent here as House Altia’s representative, so I’ll make the replacement in no time!”

“And Lord Altia?” Lessard asked.

“My parents both have other work. That’s why I’m handling this incident!”

No one doubted Nemu’s ability. She had already assisted with the Grand Clock Tower’s maintenance many times.

Before long, civil officials and knights dispatched from the Imperial Castle arrived.

The adults discussed the repair plan together. Nemu eventually left the formal conversation to House Altia’s attendants and approached Licia and Ren.

“Licia, are you free today?”

Nemu had returned to the Imperial Capital from Eupheim only a few days earlier. The long weekend was nearly over, and as a student she probably wanted to rest, yet work remained on her mind.

“I thought I was free until I woke up. Not anymore.”

“Oh no. Did Viscount Clausel give you a task?”

“No. Ren and I were only planning to go shopping, but with this happening, I can’t spend the day enjoying myself.”

“Hmm, hmm. You two are as close as always.”

A faint blush colored Licia’s cheeks. She turned away and swept her hair aside with one hand.

“What did you want if I was free?”

“I need to make the component quickly, so I hoped you’d accompany me into the forest.”

“The forest?”

“Yes. I have to visit the lake deep inside it.”

Ren silently brought one hand against the other as he understood.

He knew the lake. It was where he had once hunted far too many Berserk Fish. Their population had been noticeably lower the following spring, teaching him not to overhunt them again.

A metal that conducted mana exceptionally well lay beneath that lake.

Nemu intended to process the material on location and bring the completed component back to the Grand Clock Tower.

“Can you really make it that quickly?” Licia asked.

“Oh? Are you underestimating Nemu?”

“That isn’t what I meant. I’m asking whether it might be difficult even for you.”

“Nyufufu. Thank you! Don’t worry—I can do it. But traveling alone would feel lonely, so I wanted you to come with me.”

Naturally, she hoped Ren would join them as well.

However, Ren said:

“I plan to help here at the Grand Clock Tower.”

“What can you do here?”

“Work around the gears will be difficult, especially because of their weight. Removing the old ones and carrying replacements will be easier if I help.”

Nemu suddenly remembered the enormous machinery she had inspected. She clasped her hands together as though praying to Ren.

“I’m sorry! You’re right. Removing the old gears and carrying new ones up will be extremely hard!”

“I’ve seen the inside too. I should be able to handle that much.”

With Ren’s strength, the replacement work would proceed far more smoothly.

Nemu clapped her hands.

“I know! I met Sera before leaving the Imperial Capital. She said she planned to visit and see what happened, so I’ll bring her too.”

There had been plenty of occasions when Ren was not beside Licia.

The forests and lakes around Elendil posed little threat to girls of their ability.

Licia put a finger near her lips.

“Should you decide that without asking Sera?”

“It should be fine. She looked free.”

Faced with Nemu’s carefree confidence, Licia abandoned the attempt to object.

Sera arrived a little more than ten minutes later.

“So the tower truly stopped.”

“Sera! We’re about to work on the repairs. Do you want to come with us?”

“…Licia, will you explain what she means?”

“Of course.”

“Wait! Why aren’t you asking Nemu?”

“Because you skipped every important part of the explanation!”

After Licia filled in the missing details, Sera finally understood.

She had several objections to being described as free, but arguing would only create more trouble.

Sera lightly flicked Nemu’s forehead.

“Ow!”

“Explain properly next time.”

“Yes…”

“Still, if Ren is coming, traveling outside Elendil should be safe enough.”

“No,” Licia said. “Ren is staying to help with the Grand Clock Tower.”

“I see. Someone has to remove and carry the gears. They look heavy enough that Ren’s help would matter.”

“So I’ll remain here,” Ren said. “As for the three of you…”

He folded his arms.

There was no doubt Licia, Sera, and Nemu could defeat the monsters in the surrounding region.

Still, caution meant considering threats caused by people as well as monsters.

Ren looked toward the sky, closed his eyes, and thought.

Returning to the simplest question, did the girls truly need to go themselves?

“Nemu plans to finish the component before tonight,” Nemu said.

Ren joined the conversation again.

“Could someone else collect the material for you?”

“The metal’s properties begin changing once it leaves the water. If Nemu isn’t there to process it immediately, things become much more difficult.”

“Then you’re using Water Vein Ore.”

“Oh… As expected of you, Ashton.”

Sera alone looked completely lost.

“What is that?”

Licia explained from beside her.

“It’s iron ore transformed by the influence of aquatic monsters. It conducts mana easily and is extremely hard.”

Metal buried underwater absorbed mana released from the remains of aquatic monsters and gradually changed into Water Vein Ore.

“Exactly!” Nemu said. “But the material starts changing again the moment it leaves the water, so I have to process it immediately or it becomes useless.”

Mirim Altia had designed only certain components to use Water Vein Ore.

Other parts contained metals far more expensive than it.

Fortunately, none of those had failed during the present incident.

Even so, each enormous gear was costly in its own right. Repairs to the tower would still require a considerable sum.

“Then someone from House Altia has to go personally,” Ren said.

“And Nemu is the only person here who can manufacture the component,” Nemu added.

“I know you’re worried about Licia,” Sera told Ren, “but we’ll be fine. The roads have been crowded lately.”

After the Roses Caitas incident, many people had begun retracing the routes of old pilgrims.

Traveling from Elendil through nearby regions had become fashionable.

Lessard also judged that the three girls could manage safely.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

That was how matters stood until evening.

Ren had remained at the Grand Clock Tower, helping remove its old gears. During a brief pause, he sat on a bench in the square and exhaled.

The bright western sunlight suddenly disappeared behind someone.

“Ren, thank you for your hard work.”

Fiona Ignat stood before him.

She had entertained Ren and the others in Eupheim only days earlier, but the approaching end of the holiday had brought her back to the Imperial Capital.

Her obsidian-black hair shone with the smooth luster of silk. She sat beside Ren and offered him a towel.

He thanked her and accepted it.

“Why are you here, Lady Fiona?”

“After midday, I heard the other girls talking in the dormitory salon.”

“They were saying the Grand Clock Tower had stopped?”

“Fufu. Something like that.”

Once she realized Ren was probably working there, she wanted to see how he was doing.

Fiona prepared herself and left the academy’s girls’ dormitory.

“You didn’t come alone, did you?”

“Edgar accompanied me most of the way. He was concerned about the Grand Clock Tower too. There—can you see him?”

Fiona leaned closer and pointed.

Edgar was speaking with Lessard on the far side of the square.

“Visiting personally will make it easier to report the situation to Lord Ulysses,” Ren said.

“Yes. That was our thought.”

Fiona’s lively voice and smile carried their usual charm.

Ren wiped away his sweat while looking toward Edgar. The sight of his profile captured Fiona’s attention.

When she realized how openly she had been staring, her cheeks flushed.

She also felt she had moved too close. After a struggle with herself, she compromised by retreating half a step.

“Lady Fiona?”

“Eh!? Y-Yes?”

“That was my question. Why did you suddenly panic?”

“I-It was nothing! Please ignore it!”

Ren had addressed her immediately after she moved, startling her.

Fiona swiftly recovered and asked with dignified composure:

“How is the gear replacement progressing?”

“Only a few remain. We’ve made good progress.”

Fiona examined the gears arranged near the edge of the square.

Some retained the shine of new metal. Others were not rusted but looked unmistakably old. They differed greatly in size.

Whatever their dimensions, every one of them appeared heavy.

The scale of the machinery made that obvious.

“You brought those gears down from the upper levels?”

“And carried the new ones up. We’ve been making both trips.”

The Grand Clock Tower’s stairways had been built wide enough to transport large materials.

Even so, the upper machinery lay beyond an almost unimaginable number of steps. Carrying enormous gears through repeated journeys would exhaust anyone.

A smaller discarded gear rested beneath Ren’s bench. He intended to move it after finishing his break.

Fiona crouched and reached for it.

The gear was only about the size of an ordinary pillow, but its special metal made it much heavier than it appeared.

“…I can’t lift it.”

“It’s surprisingly heavy.”

Fiona lowered her shoulders, disappointed by her lack of strength, though the task had been impossible for her from the beginning.

She soon left Ren and joined Edgar and Lessard to perform her duties as a member of House Ignat.

Ren ended his break and rose.

“One final push.”

He faced the Grand Clock Tower and prepared to return to work.

He had climbed and descended its stairs so many times that he could no longer count them.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Night had completely fallen by the time the girls returned to Elendil.

The city was beautiful after dark. Buildings rich with history stood in harmony beside modern architecture, creating a streetscape found nowhere else.

Black, antique-style streetlamps lined the main avenue and cast orange light across the cobblestones and passing crowds.

The illuminated Grand Clock Tower still showed the same frozen time.

“Mmm… I’m exhausted!”

Nemu stretched her back into an arc while walking and linked both hands behind her neck.

Her narrowed eyes and cheerful smile made her resemble an elegant cat.

Licia, Sera, and Nemu drew attention as they crossed the sophisticated city. All three were beautiful, and the refinement they could not completely hide made people look twice.

“…That was difficult,” Sera said with a weary smile.

“Just when Nemu’s magic tool finished extracting the Water Vein Ore, an absurd number of flying monsters attacked us.”

“They probably sensed the mana remaining in the ore and mistook it for prey,” Nemu said. “Don’t you think so, Licia?”

“Probably. Every one of them targeted the ore.”

“Do either of you remember how many you defeated?” Sera asked. “I stopped counting after twenty.”

“Me too. Protecting Nemu while she processed the metal took all my attention.”

“Ahaha. Thank you both. Because you guarded Nemu, I could concentrate on the work.”

The three returned to the square before the Grand Clock Tower.

Ren sat on the same bench as before, resting after finishing the last heavy task.

“Where is Father? I’ll ask Ren,” Licia said.

She excused herself and hurried toward him.

Her pace had nothing to do with Fiona standing beside the bench. Certainly, she was not revealing any competitive spirit whatsoever.

Nemu and Sera watched her retreating figure.

“Doesn’t it feel like Licia is in the lead?” Nemu whispered. “What do you think, Sera?”

“I’m not sure. If Lady Ignat were my romantic rival, I might already have surrendered in despair.”

“Ahaha! Nemu too!”

Their private conversation ended there, and they approached the tower.

After speaking with Ren first, Licia pointed toward the entrance when the other girls arrived.

“Let’s go.”

Lessard and Edgar were no longer in the square.

“It has been some time, Lady Ignat,” Sera said. “You performed wonderfully during the recent Lion King Grand Festival.”

“Thank you. You were impressive as well, Lady Riohard.”

Sera had not spoken leisurely with Fiona for nearly a year.

They had seen each other several times during the festival but exchanged few words.

For Nemu, this was almost a first meeting. She became rigid with nervousness when Fiona looked her way.

“I-I’m Nemu Altia!”

“Fufu. It is lovely to meet you. I’m Fiona Ignat.”

Nemu was tense partly because Fiona belonged to the famous Ignat family—and partly because Fiona was exceptionally beautiful.

Licia and Sera smiled at the rare sight of Nemu becoming so formal.

“Lord Lessard and Edgar traveled to the Imperial Capital,” Ren explained. “They intend to report the Grand Clock Tower’s condition to the castle.”

“I see. Then, Ashton, what have you been doing?” Nemu asked.

“I remained here to help with the repairs and serve as a point of contact.”

Calling it help hardly described his contribution.

Adults had also carried gears, but Ren had moved most of them himself.

He stood from the bench.

“Shall we go? House Altia’s technicians are waiting above.”

They had already prepared everything required.

Only Nemu’s newly made component needed to be carried up and installed.

Ren began leading the girls, but a civil official from the castle stopped him.

“Lord Ashton, I have several questions concerning what Viscount Clausel said earlier and our future procedures.”

Ordinarily, questions directed to House Clausel should have gone to Licia.

However, she had only just returned, while Ren understood everything that had happened in the square. Lessard had also explicitly left the matter in his hands.

The official bowed to Licia before addressing Ren.

“We’ll handle the work above,” Licia said. “You should remain here.”

The girls had worked outside the city, but one look around the square showed how much strength Ren had spent transporting gears.

“Thank you,” he replied.

The scheduled repairs were completed shortly afterward.

Once the final safety inspection ended, the tower’s machinery should begin moving normally again.

Nemu returned to the square several dozen minutes later and gave Ren the report. He bowed deeply.

“Once the inspection is complete, you plan to return home, correct?”

“Yes. Why?”

Nemu tilted her head.

“Lord Lessard wishes to hold a gathering to thank everyone.”

The invitation included Fiona, Sera, and Nemu.

It created an unusual connection: daughters of great houses from the Imperial and Hero Factions receiving hospitality from House Clausel, a neutral noble family held in especially high regard by the emperor.

“I’m honored,” Sera said, “but it has become rather late…”

Nemu began hesitating as well.

“That won’t be a problem,” Ren said. “Rooms have been prepared at Arnea Inn.”

Arnea, owned by the Arnevelde Trading Company, was the most celebrated luxury inn in Leomel.

Even high-ranking nobles struggled to reserve its rooms. Sera and Nemu stared at Ren when he mentioned the arrangement so casually.

“Ren, are you serious? Even our families have difficulty booking Arnea!”

“Ashton… Nemu may be obsessed with magic tools, but even I know how famous that inn is.”

“I’m serious. You may stay overnight as well, so perhaps everyone could enjoy the evening together.”

“I’m going! Sera, you’re coming too, right?”

A sleepover with friends was tempting enough. A night in the most fashionable inn in the empire made refusal almost impossible.

Nemu had already decided.

“I need to ask Father first…” Sera said.

“You always say that! You want to stay too, don’t you?”

“I do! But I’ll be punished if I stay somewhere without permission. Wouldn’t the same happen to you?”

“My parents are away from the Imperial Capital for work. As long as I inform the household, it should be fine.”

Licia and Fiona reacted differently.

Because they knew several circumstances surrounding the castle, they guessed that Radius was involved.

They were correct.

“Ren, did His Highness the Third Prince contact you?” Licia asked.

“You figured it out?”

“Fufu. So that was the reason.”

There was no other likely explanation.

Despite the incident’s suddenness, Radius had personally secured rooms at Arnea to thank those who responded.

The castle managed most of the Grand Clock Tower, so gratitude from an imperial prince was appropriate.

Lessard did not abuse that favor. He agreed to pay the necessary expenses himself.

Within another fifteen minutes, House Altia and House Riohard replied that their daughters could stay if they wished.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Dinner at Arnea was magnificent.

The daughters of noble families accustomed to fine cuisine were quickly captivated. The cake served afterward softened every expression around the table.

Their broad suite contained several bedrooms surrounding a central salon.

After eight, Licia, Sera, and Nemu gathered there in their nightclothes, having already bathed.

Fiona had left before then. Because she lived in the academy dormitory and had not requested permission to stay elsewhere, she needed to return before curfew.

“Our academy’s examinations are far too difficult!”

Sera’s complaint echoed through the luxurious salon.

After the Lion King Grand Festival, the Imperial Military Academy had tested students from both the General and Special Classes.

Sera was lamenting her humanities results. Her swordsmanship score had been perfect.

They had discussed the examination before, and remembering it had apparently reopened the wound.

“Sera, did you actually study?” Nemu asked.

“I did! I worked as hard as I did for the entrance examination!”

“And your results?”

“Terrible. What of it?”

Her tone was not defiant so much as resigned.

Sera was hardly a poor student, but the Special Class maintained an exceptionally high standard. Her results did not satisfy her, although they remained comfortably above the academy average.

Finding it difficult to continue teasing her, Nemu looked away and turned to Licia.

“How did you do again?”

“Reasonably well.”

“Reasonably?” Sera repeated. “Licia, come here.”

Licia approached the sofa where Sera was sprawled without energy.

Sera abruptly caught her arm, pulled her down onto the bed, and gently straddled her.

“You scored above ninety percent in every subject! How is that merely reasonable?”

“I understand that you’re unhappy, but why are you sitting on me?”

“Isn’t it obvious? So I can do this.”

Sera slid her fingers beneath Licia’s arms and began tickling her.

A Mighty Sword Style user was powerful, but this had nothing to do with swordsmanship.

The surprise attack made Licia twist and laugh until she finally escaped.

She straightened her rumpled clothes, cheeks flushed from laughing too hard.

“Why would you suddenly do that?”

“Sorry. You looked cute, so I couldn’t resist.”

“That explanation makes no sense!”

Licia returned to her seat while watching Sera with unprecedented caution.

The three girls enjoyed the opportunity completely. Their smiles persisted through dinner and the entire nightclothes party.

Eventually, however, the subject changed.

They began discussing what had happened in the coastal cave.

The discovery of a Seven Hero’s great shield had shaken not only Kaito’s group and the Hero Faction, but nobles throughout every faction.

Sera and Nemu stood near the center of that attention.

“…Licia,” Sera said after a pause. “Do you think my ancestor’s sword is sleeping somewhere too?”

The joy she had felt when Light Leonaal’s shield was discovered remained vivid.

At the same time, she could not stop thinking about the sword once used by her own ancestor.

“I don’t know,” Licia replied. “But you want to find it, don’t you?”

“Yes. The Demon King cult’s existence has been known for several years now. As a descendant of House Riohard, I feel that I should find my ancestor’s sword.”

“Nemu feels the same,” Nemu said. “The others probably do too. I think Airia appearing after the Demon King cult returned must have some meaning.”

For now, however, Kaito’s discovery seemed to have resulted from simple luck.

They possessed no clues pointing toward the remaining Hero Equipment.

“Then both of you should keep trying,” Licia said. “I’ll support you.”

Her gentle smile carried the warmth expected of the young woman called the White Saint.

It eased the pressure Sera and Nemu placed on themselves.

Sera took a cookie from the table and allowed its sweetness to calm her.

“Oh, that reminds me. A party is being planned.”

“To celebrate the discovery of Airia?” Licia asked. “The Hero Faction will gather?”

“Exactly. Everyone is meeting in House Leonaal’s territory. All seven current heads of the Seven Hero Houses will attend.”

“Yes! When winter break begins, Nemu and the others are all going together!”

Simply hearing about such a gathering sounded extraordinary.

“The Hero Faction is going to become even livelier,” Licia murmured too softly for the other two to hear.

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