"Now, now. I am impressed that you know the young lady's name, but you must not address her so familiarly without a title."
"I—I'm sorry... but..."
A bewildered Ren crossed his arms. Though he knew it was rude to ignore the Knight Commander to lost himself in thought, he couldn't help it.
(Why?! The Clausel family isn't supposed to be some minor barony out in the sticks!)
He scrambled to recall his knowledge from the game. The House of Clausel was a prestigious, ancient family that maintained a grand estate near the Imperial Capital. That was why Ren had remained calm when he first heard their patron was a baron; he assumed it was someone else entirely.
Looking back, it had been a foolish mistake not to ask Roy for the Baron’s family name immediately. If he had to make an excuse, it was simply that he had been so certain his patron couldn't possibly be the Saint's father that he hadn't given the matter a second thought.
"Lord Weiss!" Ren called out, his voice tinged with panic. "Isn't the Clausel territory supposed to be much closer to the Imperial Capital?!"
"What is this? Why the sudden agitation?"
"I apologize! It's just... it's very important to me!"
"I don't quite understand the urgency, but I am impressed. You seem remarkably well-informed for your age. It is true that the Clausels hold territory near the Imperial Capital."
Ren blinked rapidly, silently urging him to continue.
"They were granted that land just last year. It was a gift from His Majesty the Emperor—partly to celebrate the birth of the young lady who possesses the 'White Saint' skill, and partly as a reward for the Baron’s success in enriching his original lands. His Majesty showed him exceptional favor."
Weiss added, however, that the new territory was only about the size of a small town.
"...I see. That makes sense."
In other words, Licia Clausel—the very person Ren needed to avoid at all costs—was the daughter of the Ashton family’s direct lord.
This was an utter disaster, a development he hadn't seen coming in his wildest dreams.
(The game never mentioned this... But it's okay. It’s not the absolute worst-case scenario yet.)
Ren was still just a child, and he hadn't even met Licia. As long as things stayed that way, he would be fine.
(I just have to not kill her. It's that simple. Even if we do meet, as long as I never leave this village, I can't fulfill the plot.)
"Eventually, you will have to travel to pay your respects to the Baron and his daughter as well."
"—Wait, what?"
"Did Lord Roy not tell you? It is an ancient custom. Even for those with the rank of knight, the heir to the house must be formally presented to the patron’s family. Once you are of age, you will certainly go to greet them both."
While Ren desperately wanted to avoid that, it didn't seem like a tradition he could simply refuse.
(It’s fine... it’ll just be a greeting...)
For now, he decided to shelve the issue. He would worry about it when the day finally came.
"By the way, Lord Weiss, I heard you are the commander of the Baron’s knights." He spoke up to change the subject, mostly to settle his racing heart.
"Hm? What of it?"
"I'm sorry to bring it up so suddenly. It just felt unusual for someone as important as a Knight Commander to travel all the way to a remote village like this. It made me wonder..."
"You are quite perceptive. Naturally, it is not my wish to be away from the manor for so long—however, as I mentioned, the Baron is deeply concerned about this recent threat."
That was why a figure of Weiss’s stature had been deployed. If they encountered the monster responsible for the recent disturbances, they were expected to subjugate it immediately.
"Furthermore, a D-rank monster is a threat that exceeds the capabilities of my junior knights."
"I see... that makes sense."
"Hm? You sound certain."
"N-no, it’s nothing."
Ren had only muttered that because he remembered the monster grading system from The Legend of the Seven Heroes. Ranks were determined by the Guild, a neutral global organization. Their criteria varied, but the primary factor was the degree of threat posed to human life.
S-rank was the absolute peak, while G-rank was the lowest. A D-rank monster was equivalent to a boss encountered in the very early stages of the game.
(I think my father is stronger than Lord Weiss’s subordinates... probably.)
Whether Roy could actually defeat a D-rank monster alone, however, was another matter. In the game, players usually fought such enemies with a four-person party. Ren couldn't be sure Roy could win a solo encounter.
If he had known things would get this dangerous, perhaps he should have started his own training even earlier.
"I guess there won't be any training today, then..." Ren muttered regretfully.
"By training, do you mean the sessions you hold with Lord Roy?"
"Um, yes."
"Ah, the lady of the house mentioned it. Every afternoon, you spar with Lord Roy after he returns from the forest, don't you?"
Ren nodded.
"Hmm... It would be a shame to cancel simply because we arrived so suddenly."
"N-no, please don't worry about it—"
"Very well!" Beside Ren, who was trying to politely decline, Weiss clapped his hands together.
"Lord Weiss?"
"It would be a poor reflection on me if I not only failed to help with the hunt but also disrupted the heir's education. I would have no face to show the Baron."
"...Wait, are you going to spar with me?"
Weiss nodded immediately.
The sudden turn of events filled Ren with excitement. It wasn't that he was unhappy with his usual routine, but the chance to be coached by the Knight Commander of a barony was an incredible opportunity.
"If you don't mind, I would like to borrow a practice weapon."
"Yes! My father's wooden sword is in the storehouse!"
"Then I shall use that. If your equipment is also there, go and prepare yourself. We shall begin at once."
Catching himself, Ren consciously switched to his formal "watashi" pronoun. Weiss flashed a small smile at the boy's earnest effort and followed him toward the storehouse.
About fifteen minutes later, just as they were about to begin.
"Lord Weiss, may I observe?" one of Weiss’s subordinates asked. Weiss waited for Ren’s nod before granting permission.
"As a warm-up, come at me exactly as you would during your usual training," Weiss commanded.
(Alright... here goes.)
Ren gripped his Wooden Magic Sword, did some quick stretches, and took his stance. His body felt remarkably light today—he was in peak condition.
"Coming!"
Ren lunged toward the waiting commander. Just as he did with Roy, he closed the distance like a gale, putting everything into his first step.
"Wha—?!" the subordinate gasped.
Even Weiss’s eyebrows shot up in genuine surprise.
"Haaaaaa!"
Weiss caught Ren’s strike with his wooden sword.
"Ho... your physical strength and your form are both impeccable!"
A smile of genuine admiration touched Weiss's lips. The impromptu training session continued, stretching until the sun began to set. As it progressed, Weiss's instruction grew increasingly passionate.
Ren learned something vital from that day's training.
He learned that there were people out there even stronger than his father—people whose swordsmanship was so beautiful it was mesmerising.
And...
"I've made real progress... This is a huge win!"
That evening, having trained until he practically collapsed, Ren lay on his bed and looked at his status.
- Magic Sword Summoning Arts (Level 2: 56/1000)
Seeing that his Proficiency had jumped by 10 points in a single day, he reached a new conclusion. Proficiency increased much faster when sparring with a superior opponent. Weiss’s strength was so great that it had accelerated Ren’s growth five times faster than his usual sessions with Roy.
Despite the throbbing muscle aches, Ren lay in the dark with a smile he couldn't hide.
Early the next morning, shortly after sunrise.
Weiss and his men finished breakfast and prepared for their departure. Once the world was fully bright, they mounted their horses.
"Lord Roy. I thank you for your hospitality despite our unannounced arrival."
"Not at all. The warning was much appreciated."
"Please, remain vigilant. You have a duty as a knight to protect this village, but that duty cannot be fulfilled if you fall."
"I understand. I will protect my home and my life."
"See that you do. That is precisely what the Baron expects of the Ashton family. Now then, we must be off."
With a final nod of thanks, Weiss signaled his men, and the group set off at a gallop. Ren and his parents stood outside the house, watching until the knights were nothing more than dust on the horizon.
The group rode hard toward the Baron’s estate, crossing hills and cutting through forests. As the sun began to dip, they found themselves far from any human settlement. They stopped to set up camp for the night.
"Lord Weiss," one of the subordinates said as they worked.
"What is it?"
"It’s about yesterday. I heard you gave the Ashton boy a lesson."
"Oh, I heard about that too!" another chimed in. "How was Roy's son? Any good?"
They didn't sound like they expected much. They knew Roy was a practical, self-taught fighter, and they assumed his son would be the same.
"It’s a shame he doesn't have a proper master," one remarked. "Roy's a good man, but he's probably not much of a teacher."
Weiss tilted his head, a curious look on his face. "You seem to be under a massive misconception. That boy is strong."
The knights froze, caught off guard by the Commander's serious tone. However, the subordinate who had actually watched the spar spoke up.
"He’s right. He was incredible."
"Is that... true?"
"Why would I lie? Lord Weiss, would you call him a prodigy?"
"Yes. He’s still unpolished, but he is undoubtedly a rare talent. He’s sharp, too. He absorbed my corrections instantly, and he has the kind of grit that doesn't know how to quit."
The knights were stunned. They had never heard Weiss praise anyone this highly—not even Lady Licia.
"Honestly... I caught myself wishing I could take him back to join the Clausel Knights right now."
"Join us?! Commander, he’s only seven!"
"What does his age matter? None of you lot could beat that seven-year-old. In terms of pure potential, he already rivals—no, surpasses—the young lady."
The knights wanted to call it a joke, an impossibility. But they couldn't dismiss the words of a man like Weiss.
"Still, it would be difficult to move him," Weiss mused. "Roy is the only protector that village has. Eventually, that responsibility will fall to Ren. We can't simply pull him away."
He sighed, his expression turning grim as he brought the conversation back to their mission.
"But regardless of the boy's talent, we must hurry those reinforcements."
The men nodded solemnly.
"If it were G-rank Little Boars, you could handle a dozen. Even F-ranks are manageable in small groups. But E-rank is where the danger starts. And a D-rank? It takes five of you to even stand a chance. Roy cannot face a D-rank alone indefinitely."
"But Commander," one knight interrupted. "Didn't Lord Roy successfully hunt a D-rank monster by himself once? Before his son was born?"
"He did," Weiss admitted. But his face didn't clear; if anything, it grew darker in the firelight. "But we cannot rely on past luck. This one is different."
The subordinate gasped, the realization finally hitting him. "I forgot... It’s a Unique Monster, isn't it? It has that irregular power."
"Exactly. That is why we must not waste a single hour. We need to get more steel into this territory immediately."
Weiss looked up at the night sky, staring in the direction of the Ashton village. He closed his eyes and offered a silent prayer—a prayer that the Baron’s reinforcements would arrive before the "Unique" threat found a new victim.