After returning to the Ashton manor, Ren headed straight to his room and sank onto his bed with a sigh of relief.
His mood was bright, largely because he no longer had to hide his bracelet when summoning it.
"And yet..."
He muttered the words with a hint of dissatisfaction as he gazed at the status reflected in the bracelet's crystal.
——————
Ren Ashton
[Job] Ashton Family Eldest Son
[Skills] • Magic Sword Summoning (Level 1: 0/0) • Magic Sword Summoning Arts (Level 2: 256/1000)
Level 1: Allows the summoning of [one] magic sword. Level 2: Grants the [Physical Ability Boost (Small)] effect while a magic sword is summoned. Level 3: Allows the summoning of [two] magic swords. Level 4: ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊.
[Acquired Magic Swords] • Wooden Magic Sword (Level 2: 100/1000) Allows for attacks equivalent to [Nature Magic (Small)]. The range of the effect increases with the sword's level.
• Iron Magic Sword (Level 1: 100/1000) Sharpness increases with the sword's level.
• Thief's Magic Sword (Level 1: 0/3) Provides a fixed chance to randomly steal an item from an attack target.
——————
This was his current situation.
He had checked it several times over the last few days, but he decided to review the top section first.
"...Well, I suppose that’s about right."
He started with his various proficiency levels.
Over the last two days, Ren had hunted a total of twenty Little Boars. By subtracting the proficiency points earned from those kills and comparing the result to his previous totals, he could determine exactly how much he had gained from the Thief Wolfen.
The answer was eighty.
Both his Magic Sword Summoning Arts and the individual magic swords had gained the exact same amount.
"I guess the proficiency earned through combat is identical to the amount absorbed from a mana stone."
However, the two wouldn't always stay in sync. When he trained with Roy, only his Magic Sword Summoning Arts gained two points, and training with Weiss had yielded ten. If he engaged in training that didn't involve monsters, or if he was unable to absorb a mana stone for some reason, a gap would inevitably open up.
"I’ll just have to keep at it steadily."
Muttering to himself, he turned his attention to the final entry.
"The Thief's Magic Sword..."
Judging by the name and the timing of its arrival, it was clearly a magic sword born from the Thief Wolfen’s mana stone. If he’d had this power during the era of The Legend of the Seven Heroes, he certainly would have tested it on countless monsters. Of course, using it against humans would have been a moral disaster.
The variety of magic swords increased by fulfilling special conditions—this was one of the fundamental rules of the Magic Sword Summoning skill. It seemed he had met those conditions this time.
"Maybe it's because it came from a Unique Monster’s mana stone?"
Would every Unique Monster yield a new magic sword? He couldn't be sure based on a single sample, but it was invaluable information nonetheless.
Lost in thought, Ren dismissed the Wooden Magic Sword at his waist and summoned the Thief's Magic Sword instead.
"It’s more like... a piece of armor for a single finger."
He had summoned it several times already, and his impression remained the same. The Thief's Magic Sword lacked a blade or a hilt. Instead, it was a ring that encased Ren’s index finger, ending in a slightly sharpened tip. When equipped, it looked as though his finger was protected by a single piece of a steel-colored gauntlet.
"The other thing that bothers me is..."
The level column for the Thief's Magic Sword was different from the others. Unlike his other blades, it required very little proficiency to level up, yet it showed no sign of increasing despite his Little Boar hunts.
Ren had two theories. Either the level wouldn't increase unless he used a mana stone from a sufficiently powerful monster, or it specifically required another mana stone from the same species—the Thief Wolfen.
Ren leaned toward the second theory. Since the proficiency requirement was so low, it made sense that the growth was tied to a rare encounter.
As he sat there deep in speculation, a voice suddenly drifted in from the hallway.
"Ren? Where are you?"
It was Mireille. Ren stood up and met his mother in the corridor. Together, they walked toward the room where Roy was resting.
"Let’s have lunch in your father’s room today. I’ll bring the food up, so go ahead and wait with him."
"Should I help?"
"It’s fine, dear. You worked hard in the forest again today."
Mireille gave him a gentle smile and headed off. Ren continued to his parents' room alone and knocked on the door. He entered as soon as he heard Roy’s voice from within.
"I heard the news, Ren! You did a hell of a job!"
Roy was propped up in bed. He was no longer in any danger, and aside from his lingering wounds, he looked healthy.
Ren tilted his head, confused. "Um, what are you talking about?"
"The Thief Wolfen’s treasure! I heard that thanks to the Baron’s generosity, the whole lot is tax-exempt!"
"So it seems. It’s a big help; we should be able to finish the manor repairs now."
"You’re the same as ever, aren't you? Don’t you want anything for yourself? New equipment, or maybe a trip to get a Skill Appraisal?"
Ren hadn't considered those things for a second. In fact, if his parents had planned such things without asking, he probably would have been annoyed enough to stop speaking to them for a few days.
"For now, I’ll be taking the liberty of ordering some medicinal herbs on our behalf."
"Hmm? But we still have Rondo Grass, don't we?"
"...It’s about being prepared for the unexpected. It’s dangerous if a strong monster suddenly appears like last time."
Faced with such undeniable logic, Roy nodded with a self-deprecating chuckle.
"I know I’ve said it before, but I really put you through it this time."
"It’s fine. We’re both still alive, so I’d call that a success."
"You really are far too mature for your age, Ren."
After lunch, Ren went out into the garden to train. He gripped a wooden practice sword in his hand while the Thief's Magic Sword was equipped on his index finger.
"This is definitely a downside."
As long as a magic sword was summoned, he received the Physical Ability Boost (Small) effect. However, since he could only summon one at a time, he had to choose between the Thief's Magic Sword and the Wooden Magic Sword. Using the ring meant giving up his access to Nature Magic (Small).
Once he increased his proficiency in the Magic Sword Summoning Arts, he would be able to summon two at once, but that was still a long way off.
Well, I can handle Little Boars without it, he thought.
He didn't strictly need the Wooden Magic Sword for hunting. The Ashton family owned several ordinary steel swords; he could simply take a small one of those into the forest.
Just then, accompanied by the fragrant scent of flowers, a voice like a ringing bell drifted toward him.
"Are you Ren Ashton?"
The voice came from behind him, near the partially repaired fence surrounding the manor. Ren turned toward the sound and froze, unable to believe his eyes.
That girl...
She was beautiful—ethereal and lovely, like a goddess or a fairy. Ren was captivated, his mind racing with two conflicting thoughts: there was no one like her in the village, yet he felt certain he had seen her somewhere before.
"Yes... I'm Ren Ashton," he managed to say, still trying to process her sudden appearance.
The girl walked toward him with a grace that made the phrase "she walks like a lily" spring to mind. Her lustrous hair fluttered in the autumn breeze, and her elegant dress only added to her breathtaking presence.
"I'm glad. I wanted to meet you."
"Me?"
"Yes. Lately, I've been thinking of nothing but you."
Ren was floored by the intensity of her words. He couldn't take his eyes off her as she approached, step by step. She possessed a magnetic charm that seemed to command his full attention.
"Are your injuries healed?"
"Yeah. They finished healing just recently."
The girl’s eyes narrowed as she gave him a small, satisfied smile. She reached behind her back and, in a sudden motion, tossed a single dagger into the dirt at Ren's feet.
Ren looked at her, puzzled, only to see her drawing an identical blade. The daggers were sized perfectly for a child—suited for Ren, and equally so for the girl, who was slightly shorter than him.
"Wait! Stop, boy! Do not... pick up... that...!"
A familiar voice shouted from the distance. Looking past the girl, Ren saw Weiss galloping toward them on horseback.
What is he doing here?
Weiss was still too far away for his words to be clear. Ren wondered why the man had returned to the village, but he decided to wait for him to arrive.
Ren crouched down and retrieved the dagger the girl had thrown. He noticed immediately that the blade was blunted and had no edge.
"How gallant," the girl said. "To take up the sword even after being told to stop. Is that a sign of your confidence?"
"Huh?"
"Do you mind if I give the signal to start?"
Ren was completely lost. "Um... yes?"
He meant it as a confused question, but the girl took it as a firm "yes" of affirmation.
A look of pure, unadulterated joy spread across her face as she leveled her dagger at him.
"Then let us begin."