Chapter 5 Epilogue: The End of the Story in Eupheim.

An hour later…

“Muuh…!”

It was Licia.

She was supposed to have left for Clausel from the Marquis Ignat Estate. However, she was still here because she had received an urgent message yesterday.

Both the Imperial Capital and Elendil had received reports of attacks, and many magic ships were urgently grounded. Licia’s plans to return home and take care of her work were postponed as well.

“Why does something like this always happen when I’m not around…!?”

She wasn’t complaining, but rather expressing her worry for Ren.

In the guest room of the Ignat Estate, Licia was extremely concerned about Ren, asking things like “Are you injured?” or “Does anything hurt?”

“No, um, I’m not really sure why it happened like this…”

Ren acted nonchalantly, causing Licia to lose her tension.

“…And you became a Sword Saint, right?”

“Yes. It really happened suddenly for me too.”

“You say it so casually… It’s just like you, Ren…”

If he was safe, that was enough for her.

Fiona, who was also nearby, felt the same way, nodding along with Licia’s words.

Outside the window, the soft snow that hadn’t been seen much lately was fluttering down.

Licia sighed and moved away from Ren.

“I’m going to greet Marquis Ignat.”

The sudden visit was, of course, about the recent turmoil.

Originally, Lessard also wanted to come here and talk, but he was the one overseeing his territory. There were things he had to attend to, so he couldn’t make it.

Considering those matters as well, Licia had come to speak with Ulysses.

“Licia.”

“Yes?”

“Thank you for your concern.”

“…No. If Ren is safe, that’s all that matters.”

She smiled happily, and the saintly smile sparkled.

“I want to hear a lot about it later.”

“Yes, of course.”

The two of them could have endless exchanges like this. Even when Ren spoke politely using honorifics, he was still relaxed with Licia.

After Licia left her seat…

“I’m sure Father has prepared a letter for Viscount Clausel. He’s probably worried about this incident, so…”

“I understand. I’ll also talk to him.”

By the way…

“Somehow, I feel like winter break is going to end in the blink of an eye.”

“Fufu, I feel the same way. After what happened, things are going to get busy. Ren, you’ll have your hands full too.”

“Huh? Me?”

“Oh, uh, don’t you know?”

“Sorry. I don’t know anything. What’s going on?”

“Well, about the hard Sword Technique, I think once you become a Sword Saint――――”

Ren had no idea.

Hearing such a story, Ren blinked repeatedly.

Next to him, Fiona narrowed her eyes as she watched his surprised expression.

(I’ll think about it later.)

Ren stretched his back in front of the window.

――――Yesterday, he defeated one of the Divine Beasts’ envoys, Wadatsumi, and also defeated the second one with Estelle.

The achievements were already shared in various places. There were quite a few who knew about Ren’s involvement.

The way these facts would be handled in the future was still uncertain.

He was too tired from yesterday’s events, and he didn’t want to think about it now.

“Fiona-sama, you also seem really busy.”

“Oh, not at all. Compared to what you did, this is nothing!”

“Is that so? But you haven’t slept at all since yesterday, right?”

She was busy with post-processing.

Ren said he would help, but Fiona and Ulysses wouldn’t allow it.

Then, another ten minutes passed.

Licia might be back soon.

Ren looked at the clock hanging on the wall and realized that he had been having a pointless conversation. Fiona also stood up from her seat.

“Licia-sama will probably be back soon, so I’ll go prepare some tea and snacks.”

“Oh no, Fiona-sama, you must be tired too. It’s okay if――――!”

As Ren spoke to her back as she walked away, a few seconds later…

*Thump!*

Fiona suddenly turned around in response to the sound of snow hitting the window, and she was startled to see Ren right behind her.

Hastily stepping back, her posture wavered, and Ren reached out to catch her.

As Fiona’s body began to fall towards the floor, Ren’s body fell right next to the nearby sofa, supporting her.

“….!?”

Either because she hadn’t been sleeping or because she couldn’t put strength into her body as she wanted, Fiona couldn’t stabilize herself.

Supported by Ren, Fiona ended up sprawled over him…

“Fiona-sama, are you okay?”

“……”

Something seemed to have touched his cheek for a moment, but because her glossy hair was scattered, Ren couldn’t see clearly.

However, he had a feeling that something had brushed against his cheek.

Fiona hurriedly got up, sat back on the other sofa, and rubbed her thighs on both sides, blushing profusely as she bowed her head.

“Um, are you okay?”

“…I-I’m f-f-fine!”

“Why are you flustered?”

“N-no, it’s nothing! I’m just as usual!”

She raised her head again, her eyes glistening as if she might cry at any moment.

Even though her cheeks were incredibly red, she tried to maintain her composure, but Ren still didn’t understand what was going on.

“No, no, no! This is not at all like usual!”

“No! I’m really okay, I promise!”

“But, ‘I’m okay,’ what does that mean!?”

Fiona stood up and pondered Ren’s words. Though she couldn’t calm down completely, his words kept floating around in her mind, repeating over and over again.

What does it mean? The words kept echoing in her mind.

“Wait a moment! I’ll be right back…!”

With those parting words, she quickly moved away from Ren’s side.

She wanted to stop her thoughts a little longer, even though she wanted to consider Ren, who was standing there looking bewildered, and she found the rapid pounding in her chest very comforting.

The sound of the door closing echoed, and Fiona leaned against it.

“Ren-kun… you see…”

She closed her eyes, surrendering herself to this tension.

There was only one answer.

“That, ‘I’m okay,’… is because of that.”

Since they first met, and always.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

This is from a distant era.

“Hey, who are you? Where is this place?”

“Just call me by my name, won’t you? It’s embarrassing.”

“It’s embarrassing, so no.”

“Just one word, ‘Cecil,’ is all I ask.”

“I still can’t do it.”

She said it bluntly, but she was embarrassed. That was enough for him.

“So, where is this place?”

“This is a town that derived from a nearby metropolis. A new city, you see.”

The two walked on the streets of a town still in development. However, the rapid pace of development was unprecedented due to the presence of a nearby metropolis, and it was already a place where many nobles lived.

The two of them were wrapped in robes. At first glance, they looked like travelers, so there was no need for knights to check their identities.

“If a knight asks, should we run?”

“No knight is going to ask. What would they ask about?”

“About me forcing you to come along, for example.”

“How would they even know about me, someone who has been hidden? How would you talk about me to knights?”

“Leaving that aside, I can easily make us wanted criminals.”

“Well, I guess that’s true.”

After saying that much, the girl walked ahead of Cecil.

With light and lively steps, her robe swayed.

“But, can you take that back?”

“What?”

“That you forced me to come along. I came with you of my own will, so don’t misunderstand.”

She said it again bluntly, but this time she was embarrassed.

After she said that, the girl walked ahead of Cecil.

Knock, knock.

They arrived at a building in a corner of the town.

“Is your friend here?”

“Yes. He’s the most important person at this orphanage.”

“The Geno Orphanage?”

Reading the sign aloud.

“Let’s go through the back entrance. The children must be sleeping now, and I don’t want to wake them up.”

“Yeah.”

Heading towards the back of the building, they knocked on a wooden door there.

The door opened, and a staff member from the orphanage showed her face.

Cecil conversed with the staff member in a familiar manner, and they entered from the back. Inside, it was quiet. Perhaps because it was still time for the children to sleep, there was not a single sound.

Cecil and the girl walked towards a room at the back of the orphanage.

After the staff member bowed and left, Cecil spoke up, 

“There’s one thing I have to apologize for.”

“I’d forgive anything you do, but go ahead and tell me?”

“It’s about the answer to what I’m going to do from now on. It might be better if you see it for yourself in detail.”

They entered the room at the far back.

As soon as the girl, corroding Princess, saw the man named Geno waiting inside, her powers began to go out of control.

However, thanks to the promise Cecil made to protect her, everything was safely contained. During the incident, a mithril coin she had in her robe’s pocket had been affected by her powers and fell out.

Eventually, the corroding Princess calmed down after hearing the explanation. She peeked at Geno’s condition while hiding behind Cecil.

Seeing that, Geno smiled wryly and said.

“Looks like you are getting along with my sister. That’s enough for me.”

“That too.”

“Trying to act like an older brother now? What’s with this sudden change of heart? After treating me like I didn’t exist all this time…”

“…That’s not true. I just feel sorry for Geno.”

Cecil said,

Geno had been devoting himself to help his sister. He secretly researched various ways to suppress her power, trying to find a way to control it.

Today, before the two of them left the village, he wanted to confirm how much her power was suppressed.

The corroding princess also regained a bit of composure.

“Geno was studying how to analyze the items affected by your power and find a way to suppress it. He even obtained the pen you were using for that purpose.”

“Oh… I see…”

“I’m not asking you to trust me, but… that’s how it is.”

Geno apologized, sounding pained, and then sighed. He invited them to go outside.

They headed to the playground equipment outside the orphanage, and Geno stood before a prepared canvas.

“Let me draw while we talk.”

“Why?”

“Why, you ask, Cecil. Drawing is my only hobby. It’s fine if I draw one picture before my little sister leaves, isn’t it?”

Cecil exchanged glances with the corroding Princess and nodded in agreement.

As they spent a peaceful time watching Geno draw on a small canvas, they also exchanged words.

“Cecil, do you really have no intention of appearing on the public stage again?”

“Of course not. I intend to live quietly with her.”

“Is that really okay? Someone like you—”

“Geno, that’s enough.”

“I’m sorry.”

With a puzzled expression, the corroding princess tilted her head in response to their meaningful conversation.

However, sensing an atmosphere that she couldn’t interfere with, she sat on the swing, quietly observing.

Their conversation ended there, and they took a breath.

Afterward, they didn’t mention anything meaningful and enjoyed the peaceful time here.

After a while, Cecil finished drawing as well.

“Is it done?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s not finished yet. I still need to add the remaining scenery.”

Saying so, they headed back to Geno’s room inside the orphanage.

In front of the wall covered with paintings and the altar, Geno spoke, facing Cecil and the corroding Princess.

“Have you mentioned the ceremony?”

“Ceremony?”

“Tsu—-huh!?”

“It doesn’t seem like it. And it looks like you don’t plan to have it in the future either.”

The two were surprised. Next to the corroding Princess, whose cheeks turned slightly red, Cecil said.

“Considering our situation, it would have been difficult anyway.”

“That’s what I thought. That’s why I’m glad to have this opportunity and celebrate you two. I shall bless you both.”

The ceremony here was small and went unnoticed by anyone.

This ceremony was a discreet one, not to be recorded in history.

But it was okay this way.

“Cecil Ashton, I ask you about this wedding…”

The ceremony proceeded smoothly, and eventually, the two left this town.

He didn’t ask where they were going. He didn’t ask what their plans were for the future.

But Geno thought it was fine that way.

A few days later, he stood in a corner of the garden, looking at the canvas.

When the painting was complete, he said.

“I managed to paint a good picture,” 

And looked up at the bright blue sky.

This was an event that occurred in the distant past, long before Ren discovered the painting.

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