Chapter 3: An intriguing poster

There had been a change that occurred for Ren and Lycia.

It hadn’t been two months since the title of “Licia-sama” was replaced by Licia.

Something must have happened during the Lion King Festival. The surrounding students didn’t know anything else, and there were those who asked Licia, but she didn’t particularly elaborate on it.

The change in the way she was addressed became widely known shortly after the disappearance of the cage that enveloped Roses Caitas.

In the classroom, Ren called out to Licia as usual.

“Licia… Shall we go home?”

“Yes.”

The different way Ren addressed her surprised the students in the special class.

Ren remained calm, and Licia responded as if it were natural, so the surrounding students didn’t understand what was going on.

Among them, Sarah was particularly surprised.

However, she quickly smiled and realized that Licia’s efforts had paid off.

She was the only one among the astonished students who watched with joy.

But as with anything, people get used to it, and gradually, the surrounding students stopped reacting even when Ren called Licia by her new name.

Nowadays, even if other students overhear their conversations, they rarely bother to turn their heads.

The atmosphere from before the Lion King Festival had returned.

The change in the way Licia was addressed became a topic not only within the special class but also outside.

Fiona, who lagged behind Licia, secretly encouraged herself, but it was only that. Her struggle was just beginning.

Early in the morning, Ren and Licia arrived at the academy earlier than usual.

They went to the headmaster’s office and met with Klonoa Hyland, who was regarded as one of the world’s greatest magicians.

Klonoa touched Lycia’s hand and said.

“Sacred magic is rarely used, so research on it hasn’t progressed much.”

Licia’s wing-like power, which had manifested, was exceptional, and even the wise Klonoa couldn’t understand the reason.

The current situation was a decision made after discussions between Ren and Licia.

Licia couldn’t spend her days without revealing that she had unconsciously wielded such power to anyone.

They relied on Klonoa, who was trustworthy.

After the incident, Ren also talked to her father, Lessard, about what had happened. Apart from that, only Klonoa and Fiona, who had come to pick up Ren and Licia on that day, knew the detailed circumstances.

They decided to wait until things settled down before discussing it with Ulysses and Radius.

“I’m sorry… I’ve been scouring the books here, but I couldn’t find any significant information…”

It was said that the Dean’s mansion had a library boasting an uncountable number of books.

They searched there, but they couldn’t find any records of the same phenomenon.

“N-No, please don’t mind it! It’s because I unconsciously used powers that I didn’t understand!”

“But it’s not Licia-chan’s fault!”

“Both of you, the root cause is the Time Cage and the Sword Demon, so the initial discussion is already incorrect.”

That’s the fundamental issue.

Licia and Klonoa nodded in agreement with Ren’s words.

“Whether I’m the cause or Licia is the cause, I don’t know anymore, but in any case, we are the ones who got involved. Licia did nothing wrong.”

The effect of the Black Priestess, who had lent power to Ren at the Baldor Mountains, still remained. Either that or the power of Licia as the White Saint, when the seal brought her together as an aid to defeat the Sword Demon.

In the latter case, there might have been an influence from what Licia gained from the Viscount Givens incident.

Or could it be both the former and the latter?

Ren was also involved in a similar way, so he couldn’t be unrelated.

“Also, as I mentioned before, let’s not get involved with the Elfen Church. If they were trying to harm us from the beginning, we should have handled it better. But even so, I have an aversion to them based on my experience during the summer.”

“There’s no need to force ourselves to interact with them. If the Elfen Church contacts us, especially regarding the White Saint, let me know. I’ll come up with a reason to refuse.”

“Is that alright, Klonoa-sama?”

“Of course. The most important thing is Licia-chan’s well-being.”

Klonoa gently spoke as her shiny hair, resembling golden threads, swayed. She reached out and stroked Licia.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

“Yes! Choi choi!”

During lunch break, a lively girl attracted the attention of her friends with her cheerful voice. It was Nemu Altia, the daughter of the heroic noble of the Altia family.

Upon hearing her voice, Ren and Licia, who were enjoying their lunch at a nearby table, as well as Sarah and Vane, approached….

“What’s up, Altia-san?”

“Oh, look who’s back, Ren-kun!”

Nemu, a petite girl, grinned mischievously as she made a cross sign with her fingers.

“We talked about it before, right? That you should call me by my proper names, without including san and chan in it.”

Ren was always careful about his way of addressing classmates of the same age, especially when they were nobles. However, due to Ren starting to call Licia by her first name, he now interacted with a more casual attitude unlike in spring and summer.

“It’s just a habit. I’ll be more careful, Altia-san.”

“Mmhm. Well, I guess I’ll let it slide this time!”

“By the way, what’s the sudden occasion, Nemu? And hey, this isn’t your desk.”

Sarah spoke to Nemu, questioning her intentions. There was a reason why Nemu had gathered everyone here.

“I want you to see this! It’s a special poster that I just got this morning!”

Nemu proudly stood up, placing her hand on her waist with an excited expression. Without seeking approval from Sarah, the owner of the desk, Nemu spread out a rolled-up large paper on the table. It looked like a poster.

“What do you think? It’s amazing, right?”

Vane, upon seeing it, clapped his hands as if remembering something.

“I’ve heard of it. It’s a new long-distance train, right?”

“That’s right! Rumor has it that it will finally open to the public this winter!”

The large poster that Nemu had unfolded depicted the latest magical train, shining brightly. Its name was the Guardian Knight,’ an old term in Leomel referring to a pure-hearted knight.

“It’s the most talked-about railway that was spearheaded by Marquis Ignat and is opening soon!”

Until now, air travel by magic ships had been considered the best means of transportation. However, this time it was a journey on land, as indicated by the railway. Departing from the capital, the train would pass through several cities without magic ship ports and reach its final destination, Eupeheim. The new railway was not only convenient for transportation but also served as a reliable defense line.

…In the legend of the Seven Heroes, Ulysses, who was destined to lose his life in this winter, turned it into an unfinished project. Perhaps, losing Fiona made him indifferent to everything else.

“Oh, so the Guardian Knight also passes through Elendil?”

“Yeah, that’s right. Ashton-kun, didn’t you know?”

“No, it’s news to me.”

Although Ren had overheard many plans under Ulysses, that was about it. He looked at Licia beside him.

“What about you, Licia?”

“I knew.”

Licia whispered to Ren. Their distance had physically closed in just like the change in how they addressed each other.

“The construction had started many years ago, but initially, it wasn’t planned to pass through Elendil. But, you know, we also managed to establish a connection with Marquis Ignat, right?”

“Yeah, it seemed that way.”

“But because it’s Marquis Ignat, I believe it was a well-planned decision.”

“With such a massive project, it’s not just about personal feelings.”

It’s unlikely that Ulysses would make such significant changes to the project based solely on personal feelings. It could be imagined that various considerations and advantages were taken into account.

“So, Nemu, why did you suddenly bring the Guardian Knight poster?”

As Sarah twisted her neck and asked, Nemu momentarily looked surprised, then casually replied without much thought.

“Well, it looked fun.”

The lunchtime bell rang.

…Such things happened during lunch, and then afternoon classes ended, leading to after-school hours.

After school, two people walked and exchanged words in the corridor inside the school building.

“Since this morning. Today, the information will be officially released, so Altia-san might have gotten the poster from somewhere.”

Fiona, with her profile illuminated by the evening sunlight streaming in through the window, smiled and said.

Her obsidian-like hair shimmered with a silk-like luster. She was a girl who combined the beauty of a captivating face often referred to as a beauty of the city with a friendly disposition, making any gem pale in comparison.

She also had an excellent figure, noticeable even when wearing a jacket, captivating people of the opposite sex.

“Yes! Soon, I think Father will head to Elendil! He has something to discuss about the Guardian Knight!”

“Ulysses-sama?”

“Yes! Before it opens to the public, to everyone involved in the project…”

Fiona nodded, and the window behind her was dyed with a crimson color.

Her prideful black hair gently swayed as she moved.

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