Kays Translations

Chapter 24: As the second year drew to a close and spring approached.

Several days passed, and many nobles made their way to the imperial capital.

The Imperial Castle towering over the capital was a massive structure renowned throughout the world. Since its founding, it had never allowed enemy intrusion and stood there today as a symbol of Leomel’s power.

The largest meeting room in the Imperial Castle was too vast to be called merely a room. It was even larger than the main hall of the Imperial Military Academy and was not much smaller than the Parliament House where the city’s legislature convened.

Several meeting rooms were lined up, all connected by wide corridors. Today, each meeting room was bustling with many people.

Nobles who had come from various regions had been discussing various topics that had been prepared for days.

The Imperial Castle Conference, held every few years, was an event where almost all the Leomel nobility gathered.

At the Imperial Castle Conference, various topics were discussed, including the administration of various regions, exchanges between different territories, and discussions about the maintenance of roads.

This year, in particular, the recent winter disturbances, the incident with the messenger of the Great God, Wadatsumi, and the events in Windea had brought a lot of attention to the descendant of the Hero Ruin.

These matters were heavily discussed, and the heroic faction were full of enthusiasm.

However, Ulysses and Radius, without any complaints, sat in their seats, fully aware that this was the situation they would face.

This situation had made members of the royal faction anxious, but no one among them voiced their displeasure.

For the royal faction, there were rumors that Radius would become the crown prince. For them, that was their anchor.

Seeing the nobles enthusiastic not only about the conference but also about the factional disputes.

“They never really get tired, do they?”

Ulysses chuckled and spoke to Radius, who was sitting next to him.

Unlike other conference rooms, it was the biggest one.

“What do you think? Viewing factional disputes from the perspective of the future Emperor.”

“I can’t take it too lightly. Some of them do foolish things from time to time, so I have to keep an eye out. What about you, Ulysses?”

“I’m no different. I’ve had my share of run-ins with others, especially with the former Minister of Justice over a decade ago.”

Even if he is called the head of the Royal faction…

“That’s a foolish thing to say. There have been many who have had dealings with you, Ulysses. Especially the former Minister of Justice from over ten years ago.”

That former Minister was Viscount Givens, who had served as Ulysses’ adviser. When Viscount Givens had clashed with Ulysses in political battles, he had suffered defeat and fallen from grace.

Those events had brought young noble Ulysses’ name to the forefront, both within the country and abroad.

“I haven’t initiated any of those conflicts myself.”

“Is that so?”

“But if someone comes after me, I won’t hesitate to resist. This is one thing that isn’t related to factional politics.”

“It seems you have a point.”

As Ulysses and Radius conversed, Vane and the others were being introduced.

A nervous Vane greeted the nobles, and they responded with thunderous applause.

The only one who inherited the bloodline of the Hero Ruin, now that all seven had gathered, were deeply moving some of the nobles in the royal faction.

After the Imperial Castle Conference ended that day, Ulysses stood in the corridor, gazing out of a window overlooking the city.

He was known as the Strong Arm, a nickname that had been given to him naturally over time. Many nobles and military officers respected and revered him, and he had never introduced himself as such.

Numerous individuals, both nobles and military leaders, approached him as he stood by the window, and their reactions were almost always ones of surprise and slight trepidation. Even nobles from the same royal faction were no exception.

“Excuse me.”

It wasn’t a soliloquy.

It was Ulysses’ voice, addressing those who approached him as they walked down the corridor.

They were young boys and girls in the uniforms of the Imperial Military Academy.

For them, that uniform was more than enough for formal wear.

“Who is that over there?”

One of the approaching students noticed Ulysses.

Ulysses smiled gently and offered a nod. Vane noticed him as well and, accompanied by the children of the heroic faction, approached.

From a distance, other nobles watched the scene.

“Nice to meet you. I am Marquis Ulysses Ignat, an honor to have received a greeting from the descendant of the Hero Ruin.”

“You’re being very polite. It’s an honor to have been able to speak to someone as famous as you, someone I’ll have to boast to my late father about.”

Saying that, the strong arm bends his waist reverently.

“I’m just a humble individual, but I’ve been entrusted with the title of Marquis. I look forward to getting to know you better.”

Vane sensed the underlying strength in his smile more strongly than his companions did.

Although they hadn’t met for the first time, their interactions had been limited to exchanges of words in the same venue. The impression Vane had of Ulysses Ignat after their first direct conversation was:

This man is Ulysses Ignat…

A smile of a formidable strong-arm renowned across nations.

Unconsciously, sweat formed on the inside of Vane’s clenched fist as he felt the strength hidden behind that smile.

Ulysses found Vane’s reaction endearing.

“Don’t be too nervous. I’m just a noble, not someone like you, a descendant of a hero.”

“What… What are you saying?”

“Is it strange? Well, I don’t think I said anything wrong.”

Whether this exchange had any meaning or not, Vane couldn’t be sure.

He contemplated it, but his conclusion was that “there’s no particular meaning.” Ulysses Ignat was merely gauging his own reactions based on the interaction.

Throughout their conversation and jesting, Ulysses had a presence that was overwhelmingly powerful.

There were plenty of reasons for nobles from all factions to be cautious of him, and that was a feeling that they all shared.

“What’s wrong?”

Even a kind question seems like if you let your guard down, everything will be taken away.

“…No. It’s nothing.”

“Is that so? I hope so.”

The conversation was in progress but…

“Oh, it’s already this long? Sorry, but I have something to do.”

As they chatted while watching his departing figure, Vane and the others spoke. 

“Man, this is the first time I’ve heard the voice of Marquis Ignat up close!”

Kaito, who had relaxed somewhat, said with a laugh.

Kaito had seen Ulysses at the party venue, but that was it. This was the first time he had heard his voice from such a close distance.

“Wow, Vane, weren’t you scared?”

“How should I put it…”

Whether the word “scared” was appropriate or not, there was no denying that he had been extremely nervous.

With a wry smile on his face, Vane realized that he had been sweating inside his clenched fist all this time.

“He has a presence that you don’t show on the surface.”

“Indeed. I started sweating on my hands just being close to him.”

“Me too. By the way, didn’t Sarah talk to him a few times?”

“I did, but I’m not used to it, and I get nervous every time. Licia said she’s already used to it, but I can’t understand that at all.”

Many nobles expressed the view that one shouldn’t engage with Marquis Ignat, especially not as an enemy. Even among those who aimed to master the sword’s path like Sarah, there were some who believed it was best to avoid clashing with a master swordsman.

While not all of these factors symbolized the momentum of the royal faction, they existed without a doubt in both the political and martial worlds.

There was always someone you shouldn’t mess with.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

As students, they could conveniently use their uniforms as formal wear, especially if they attended the Imperial Military Academy.

However, for a party, they should dress a bit more elegantly.

Before spring arrived, Ren and Lessard had gone to the capital and purchased several suits from a reputable tailor known for making Licia’s clothes. They also bought summer clothes and had them delivered to the Elendil estate.

The suits arrived the day before the final day of the Imperial Castle Conference, the evening of the day when the party was to be held.

Ren, dressed in his brand-new suit, headed to a grand luxury inn along the main avenue of the imperial capital. There were several carriages parked in front of the main entrance.

Ren and Licia arrived at the venue after getting off the carriage.

Ulysses and Fiona were waiting for them.

“I need to greet the Viscount. Would you three like to take your time?” 

Ulysses said, and the three of them agreed.

The adults seemed busy, with many nobles engaging in conversation while enjoying the standing reception. Two girls dressed in sparkling dresses, and Ren in his new suit raised their glasses and toasted.

As the three of them began to enjoy their meal at the venue, a knight in armor guarding the area approached Ren.

“I have a message for you three.” 

Such messages were occasional occurrences at party venues. 

Usually, it was when individuals with important positions wanted to avoid drawing attention to themselves for a private meeting or when nobles with connections wished to have a quiet conversation away from the crowd.

Ren wasn’t particularly concerned about who the message was from; he was more curious about its contents.

“Us? Who’s it from?” 

“From Arkhaise-sama. He is waiting for you on the balcony just outside the venue.” 

Arkhaise was the family name of Mirei, a Viscount. While it would make a significant difference whether the message came from the head of the Arkhaise family or Mirei herself, the current message was from Mirei, and it was clear that it wasn’t an invitation for a private meeting.

Ren led the two others to the balcony.

The balcony offered a prime view of the capital city at night. Young nobles came to enjoy the night view with their desired partners and to cool down the atmosphere in the venue.

Each seat was separated by thin white curtains. In front of one of those seats stood Mirei.

She was wearing a dress that Ren and the others had never seen before, adorned with makeup and a hairstyle that exuded elegance like never before.

“I’ve been waiting for you nya.” 

She said with her usual tone, which calmed Ren and the others.

“Well, let’s head inside right away nya.” 

As they proceeded beyond the curtains, they found Radius waiting.

Ren couldn’t help but guess why they had used such a message. If Radius had come to talk to him at the party venue, it would have undoubtedly attracted attention. Perhaps they used the name of Arkheise for that reason.

Inside the partitioned area, there was a large round table, and the three of them sat down.

Ren’s gaze met Radius’s from a distance that was not too far for face-to-face conversation.

“Sorry for calling you all of a sudden.” 

Radius began.

“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it,” 

Mirei stood behind  to the left of Radius, smiling.

“What’s going on?” 

“Nyahaha. I was just having fun,” 

Echoing her statement, the Third Prince smiled.

“I feel the same way. When we gather like this at night, it reminds me of last summer. We used to spend days working at the academy back then.”

The five of them gathered here were members of the Lion King Grand Festival Executive Committee. Although they occasionally met in a small room deep within the library, coming together at this time brought back memories. It also gave them the feeling of being reliable comrades.

“So, Radius, what business do you have with us?” 

“I’ve gathered some information as requested.” 

Radius replied, pushing a document toward Ren.

Seeing this, Licia and Fiona tilted their heads inquisitively. While they had felt that Ren had been up to something lately, it was easy to guess that he had requested this from Radius.

“Oh.” 

“What’s with that deflated tone?” 

“Sorry, the documents are thicker than I expected.”

“It’s for the sake of a friend and for the sake of Leomel.” 

Radius replied, grinning, and winking at Ren.

Ren knew that his best friend didn’t take his homeland lightly, so he didn’t press for more information.

“As I mentioned to Ren before, there have been attacks in several areas where we predicted they might appear… since noon.” 

“How did you deal with them?” 

“We carried out several operational actions with the forces we had dispatched to those regions. However, the main group of the enemy has not been located yet. We’ve received reports that the Heroic Faction is deploying its own forces independently,” Radius explained.”

Listening to Radius’s report while reading the documents, Ren contemplated several things in his mind. Meanwhile, Licia asked Ren a question.

“Hey, Ren, when did you mention something like this?”

“It started in spring. There were incidents related to someone trying to retrieve the Ring of the Water Goddess, as well as the appearance of Wadatsumi, the messenger of the Giant God. There’s no harm in being cautious.”

For Ren, this situation was going according to plan. Unlike the Legend of the Seven Heroes, which was influenced by the story, they could take action independently here, making it easier to investigate the movements of the Demon King’s followers.

(――― Is this it?)

Among the documents, one piece of information stood out to Ren.

It was the climax of Legend of the Seven Heroes II, Chapter 1, “Bloodline of the Hero.”

The information stated that near Windea, the place where Vane and the others were expected to visit again, the shadow of the Demon King’s followers had been found. The Heroic Faction was going to pursue them. Vane, confirmed as a descendant of the Hero Ruin, would confront the powerful members of the Demon King’s followers.

The battle would begin soon.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Leaving the balcony where Ren had been, Vane and his friends were gathered at the party venue.

Sarah had gathered everyone and was about to share the information she had just received.

The content of her report was the same as what Ren had heard from Radius.

“It’s the Demon King’s Cult.” 

She said, succinctly.

Tension ran through the faces of the six of them. It was a scene that had also occurred in the Legend of the Seven Heroes.

“Several towns were attacked. It seems there were casualties.” 

“They attacked us out of nowhere again. We need to hurry too!” 

Kaito’s shield is a symbol of protection.

In the face of the threat posed by the Demon Cultists which bared its fangs against Leomel, he felt a sense of duty.

Like his ancestors, he knew he had to protect the people.

If he already had the legendary equipment known as the “Hero’s Gear” of the Leonardo family, he might have added the line, “Swearing by my ancestors’ shield, I will fight.”

But the situation was a bit different now.

“Some towns were attacked, but it seems there are no casualties.”

“Is that true!? They attacked out of nowhere, how come there are no casualties!?”

“His Highness the Third Prince and Marquis Ignat had secretly deployed forces to areas where attacks were expected. I was surprised when I heard it too, but… it’s impressive,”

The six of them were astonished.

“That’s why, if it weren’t for His Highness the Third Prince’s actions, we would have been caught off guard.” 

Everyone nodded in agreement. Then, Vane quickly added, “But…”

“The battle isn’t over yet. We can’t just stand by.” 

“That’s right. Father and the others seem to be taking action, but we can’t ignore this either,” 

Vane and Sarah looked at their comrades.

“I’m in too,” 

“Nemu too! If that’s the decision, we need to hurry!” 

Charlotte and Nemu agreed.

“It goes without saying, but we’ll need Arkei’s magic, right?”

Kaito continued.

“In that case, I’ll be the shield to protect everyone.”

The heroic family had a tradition of always joining the battle when Leomel was in danger. They possessed a unique bravery that set them apart from other nobles, always willing to put themselves in harm’s way for their people.

The seven of them were not just ordinary students; they were descendants of the Seven Heroes. Their duty was to wield their power for the sake of Leomel. When they entered the battlefield, not only would they inspire those who fought alongside them, but they would also bring courage to the people.

However, their mission went beyond that. The reason they had to go, a reason that only they could fulfill, was tied to the Meldaeg family where Squall was born.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

On the night of the party, the magic airship Deus took Vane and the others from the imperial capital. They were on their way to the battlefront under the leadership of the heroic family, determined to eliminate the threat posed by the Demon Cult, who were causing havoc, and to fulfill their special mission.

However, there was something that even Ren could not assist with, something truly unique.

Meanwhile, the Royal Faction was not idle. In fact, the one who had acted the fastest among them was the Third Prince, Radius. Ren and Ulysses were in close contact with him. The Empire’s forces were also mobilizing and relentlessly pursuing the members of the Demon Cult who had appeared.

Even though it was a holiday for the academy, Ren had come to the school. He had stayed in the imperial capital after the party the previous night.

“Klonoa-san, it’s me,” 

Ren said as he knocked and entered the room.

As always, Klonoa responded, “Come on in!”

Ren had approached Klonoa a while ago when he started discussing matters with Radius and became concerned about the Demon Cult’s attacks.

Upon entering the headmaster’s office, Ren also noticed Estelle’s presence.

“Estelle-sama, you’re already here,” 

“Yes, it’s me. I came because I was summoned,” 

She gestured for Ren to sit on the sofa. She had no reservations despite it not being her personal room. 

Klonoa was sitting on a chair facing the desk in front of the window.

“Wow… so Ren-kun did call Estelle.”

“I’m sorry. I had some concerns about Radius and felt that I really needed Estelle-sama’s assistance,” 

“You’re asking for my sword, aren’t you?” 

“I told you to tell me about it from the beginning!” 

“It might have been better that way, but Ren requested that I wait because he said he would be here soon.”

“What do you think, Ren-kun, about Estelle’s response?”

“As someone involved in this, I also feel apologetic…”

Ren said apologetically, and next to him, Estelle was laughing boldly.

“So, why did Estelle come to the academy?”

“We’re going to battle soon. Ren said he wanted to talk beforehand, so I thought this room would be suitable.”

“…Then maybe you should have told us from the beginning?”

“Perhaps, but Ren wanted to discuss it here.”

Klonoa urged them to continue, and Estelle looked at Ren.

“A man who uses strange powers is leading the Demon King cultists. He is a man who targeted a temple in another country where many Elfen Church holy palace knights were dispatched.”

“I heard that the entire town was reduced to rubble, and every single holy relic was stolen.”

“That’s right. Apparently there are traces of Demon King cultists appearing in addition to the man who uses strange powers, but it seems like that man alone basically destroyed the entire town.” 

The central topic of discussion was this strange power.

“Even though it’s called ‘regeneration,’ there are many variations of it. Among them, this man’s regenerative ability is so advanced that he can even regenerate the clothes on his body,” 

Even when pierced through by holy knights or burned by magic, he could instantly heal. 

Klonoa had heard some information from the military as well.

She was investigating what kind of regenerative ability the man was using.

His regeneration ability was abnormal.

It might just be game knowledge in the end.

However, knowing it would be a battle, they could have researched it beforehand, and not just when Ren was going to fight, but to gain an advantage in the battle against the Demon Cult.

That’s why Klonoa had been investigating the circumstances.

“What did you find during your investigation?”

However, Klonoa said she couldn’t think of any abilities.

“You can use magic to fix your clothes. But, not along with your body and from what I’ve heard, it’s not just ordinary regenerative abilities, it’s on a different level.”

“As expected there’s too little information.” 

“I’m sorry that I couldn’t be of more help. I couldn’t come up with any abilities that could counter his regeneration.” 

“Don’t worry about it. It’s the Demon Cult we’re dealing with. It wouldn’t be surprising if they had someone using an unknown power. But in any case, it’s a troublesome ability,” 

“It might be a power imbued with divinity,” Estelle added.

One thing was certain: Vane’s power. If they had information on the man’s regenerative ability, they could slow down his healing, making it the only known countermeasure.

(Then, I guess that’s the only effective way to fight.)

Ren thinks about it and asks another question.

“But if Vane’s power works, we still won’t know the details of the regenerative ability, right?” 

He was posing a hypothetical scenario.

But Klonoa has been thinking about this for a while.

“Right. Since the power of a Hero is a divine blessing from the main god, Elfen, we know for sure that it will work against anyone who wields the remaining power of the Demon King,” 

“Well, it’s fine. Handling them will be mainly the responsibility of the Hero Faction. Depending on the situation, I might join the battle, but for now, no.”

As I said in the beginning, Estelle was going to lend her sword.

“If you’re going into battle, will you cooperate with the heroic faction or the knights?” 

“No, I’m going to the Great Tree Forest for a different reason,” 

The Great Tree Forest was a remote and sacred place located in the Lophelia territory. Estelle could talk freely about it with Ren since she was dealing with Klonoa. There was a report that the knights detected a disturbing magic power in the area.

“Is the Great Sea of Trees the territory of the Black Horned Behemoth in the backcountry?”

As I found in the emblem with the mark earlier, is that what you’re referring to? Generally, it’s considered to be an individual belonging to the highest rank, S-rank.

“If the source of the ominous magical energy turns out to be related to the Demon Cult, it’s going to be troublesome. If the Demon Cult attempts to control that monster… or even worse, if they provoke it and make it go berserk, it would be a disaster. That’s why I plan to urgently investigate and, if necessary, eliminate it on the spot.” 

In the legend of the Seven Heroes, Estelle wasn’t in the Imperial Capital often. After the Third Prince Radius was abducted and lost his life, she had always been searching for the Demon Cult within the borders of Leomel, tirelessly.

But things had changed now. Estelle had received a mission from Radius.

“Isn’t it unrealistic to command such a noble creature… Are you okay? Should I go with you?”

“Haha, are you underestimating me, Klonoa?”

“No, no, I’m just worried. Can’t you tell?”

“I understand that. Don’t worry. Besides, it would be more of a problem if you left this area. Please use your power to reassure the people.”

At first, I was unsure whether I should go to battle with Vane and the others, but they are surrounded by a large number of heroic nobles, and a strong sword user is also secretly dispatched.

But given that the heroic family’s forces were also present and that there were special tasks that only members of the them could perform, it was difficult for Ren to intervene.

Moreover, Ren felt that he should leave Orphide to Vane and the others and be by Licia and Fiona’s side as a precaution, in case things took a turn for the worse. He believed that if he continued to wait, the disturbances would be resolved by nightfall.

Soon, Estelle left the headmaster’s office, and Ren also exited the headmaster’s office.

(…Vane knows about it properly.)

Last night, before the party ended, Ren had told Vane about it. He had been hesitant about how to convey the information but had decided to mention it casually, like a rumor he had heard at the guild.

“…Is it true?”

“I’m not sure. But I think it’s worth trying.”

“Alright, if a fight breaks out, I’ll give it a shot!”

By using such tactics, they might gain an advantage in battle. It was like having a strategy guide. Since Ren wasn’t entirely certain whether his knowledge from the Legend of the Seven Heroes would be applicable in this world, he had framed it as a rumor and suggested Vane try it if he thought it would help.

Ren met with Radius at the corner of the corridor. Even though the academy was on break, they had made arrangements to meet.

“They’re moving as expected, for the most part,” 

Radius began reporting one thing at a time.

“The evacuation of the citizens is complete before the enemy’s arrival. Knights and the forces of the heroic family are in combat throughout the town. They’ve also prepared military assets like magic war machines, but it seems they can’t avoid melee combat since there are so many enemy troops.”

“Any significant developments in the battle?”

“There’s nothing remarkable. Everything is progressing smoothly.”

However, Radius added.

“As I mentioned, it’s mostly as expected. In this situation, there’s a high possibility that they’re sending more forces than we anticipated.”

“Reinforcements?”

“It’s just a sign, but if they do send them, it’s likely to be in the Imperial Capital or near Elendil. They seem to be on alert, as if they’re trying to keep us from realizing their true intentions. It’s as if they’re moving to prevent us from guessing their true objective.”

“So hence, the reinforcement?”

“It’s possible,” 

The Imperial City Council had just concluded their meeting. Stirring up trouble near a major city like the capital would lure Leomel’s forces there inevitably. For Leomel, this meant that they had no choice but to relocate certain individuals.

For instance, the Sword King and Klonoa. Dispatching them elsewhere was no longer an option.

(But, maybe the Demon Cult is considering this as well.)

Unlike in the legend of the Seven Heroes, the Demon Cult had not caused any major disturbances yet, such as the recent events in the Baldur Mountains. While Ren’s actions behind the scenes had often played a significant role, they also had unintended consequences.

Sometimes, Ren was faced with unexpected developments, and the Demon Cultists appeared to be actively working to tarnish Leomel’s reputation.

“What’s bothering me is that guy,” 

That guy, previously reported to him by Ren. His name was Orphide.

“Without a doubt, he’s the mastermind behind this current commotion. But what could his objective be?”

Ren had been thinking the same thing. While the Demon Cult was wreaking havoc worldwide, Leomel was suffering more than any other nation. The reason why the Demon Cult was targeting Leomel remained unclear.

The same was true for Orphide’s motivations.

Radius continued.

“There must be something that brings them closer to reviving the Demon King by targeting Leomel. I don’t know the details, but my goal to stop them remains unwavering.”

“And besides, maybe the countries that dislike Leomel are using the Demon Cult to attack,” 

Ren added with a joking tone.

“I did consider that too. But it doesn’t seem likely because other countries have also suffered significant damage, so it’s hard to believe that they are using the Demon Cult as their pawns… though, you never know,” 

Radius replied thoughtfully.

“I don’t know about the Shelgadian Empire. Maybe it’s because they’re always flying in the skies, but there’s very little information about the presence of Demon Cultists in the Sky Continent,” 

Radius’s comment was also meant as a joke, much like what Ren had said earlier.

“So, what about you, Ren? What are you going to do from here on?” 

“What do you mean, ‘what am I going to do’?”.

“If you were your usual self, you’d probably say it’s about time you joined the fight,” 

“That’s… well,” 

He had thought about it. Since Vane and the others were going to the battle, he felt he should help. However, he was also thinking about Licia and Fiona. He believed he should stay here to protect them, as they were the closest to him.

Instead, he was doing the best he could, although he wouldn’t say it was his responsibility as someone who knew the legend of the Seven Heroes.

In return, he had been meticulously coordinating with them, starting well before spring, to stay one step ahead of the enemy.

…But even so, he couldn’t help but feel doubts about whether he should stay put. He had actively fought against the Demon Cult until now, which was part of his thinking. He felt he wasn’t doing enough by just staying here, even though it might be the right decision for now.

Seeing Ren lost in thought, his best friend spoke up 

“I’ll respect Ren’s decision, but promise me one thing.”

A promise?” Ren raised an eyebrow.

“Promise not to do anything reckless. Those two would be devastated.”

Reckless? Ren was poked in the side by Radius, who chuckled.

“What if I act recklessly without thinking I am?”

“Then it’s your own responsibility.”

“I thought you’d say that.”

“So, be careful, my friend.”

“I haven’t said I’m going to the battle yet.”

“Hmm, now that you mention it, you haven’t,” 

Radius replied with a laugh.

As Radius patted Ren on the back, he thought to himself.

“You have the same look on your face as you did at the Great Clock Tower, Ren.”

He whispered it silently, not saying it out loud.

Previous chapter | TOC | Next chapter