It was on a day when Ren was taking a break from the hunt.
The early afternoon was pleasant, filled with the comfortable warmth of the spring sunshine.
"Ren, let’s do some spring cleaning today."
"Spring cleaning?"
"That’s right. It’s getting warmer outside, so it’s about time we put the winter things into storage."
"Ah... now that you mention it, you’re right."
Roy was not at home. He was out in the forest with the knights, likely diligently attending to his daily hunting duties. As for why Ren was the only one resting, there was no grand reason behind it. It was simply how the schedule had happened to fall.
"What should I do first?"
"Clean your own room. After that... let's see. I’ve left the items intended for the warehouse in the entryway, so could you carry those outside? I’ll be busy swapping out the things we need inside the manor."
"Roger that."
"I’ll change your winter bedding while I’m at it."
"Eh? I can do that much myself."
"I know you can. But since I’m changing the linens in every room, it’s easier to do them all at once. Besides, I have to do the laundry later anyway, right?"
In that case, Ren decided to graciously accept her help. He would make up for it by handling the heavy lifting and the transport to the warehouse. He nodded and headed straight to his room.
From the windows to the walls and down to the floor, he meticulously wiped away the grime of winter, alternating between sweeping and scrubbing. For the ceiling and other high places, he used the Wooden Magic Sword to sprout roots, creating a makeshift scaffold.
The cleaning took about an hour. By the time he finished, a pleasant sweat trickled down his forehead. Ren then headed to the dirt-floored entryway of the manor, just as he had discussed with Mireille. As she had warned, the items were piled high like a small mountain. Ren began carrying them out, one load at a time.
"Now, what was this melted box again...?"
As he worked, he caught the sound of Mireille’s voice drifting from the warehouse.
"Oh, I remember. This is the one Ren—and then that man said he’d teach him—"
"Mom? Is something wrong?"
Curious, Ren peered into the warehouse. Mireille was standing in the shadows, muttering to herself while holding something in her hand. However, he couldn't make out what it was. The back of the warehouse was dim, lit only by the faint rays of light filtering through a tiny window.
"It’s nothing! Don’t worry about it!"
"Okay!" Ren called back, returning to his task.
After a while, Mireille emerged from the warehouse carrying a large bundle of linens. Ren offered to help, but she just laughed and told him they were light enough to manage. She passed him and headed back into the manor.
She went to the second floor first to tidy the master bedroom, leaving the old linens in the hallway before stepping into Ren’s room. After swapping his bedding, she took out a small wooden box she had been carrying. The finish on its surface had melted, sealing the lid shut. She placed it on a shelf near the desk Ren usually used.
"I’ll have to remember to tell Roy I left this in Ren’s room," she murmured to herself.
She left the room and headed for the guest quarters, but stopped short with a sigh. The guest bedding was spotted with mold. It was unusable.
"I’ll have to wash these again..."
She left the guest room with the bed unmade and went back downstairs.
"Oh, are you finished?" she asked, seeing Ren standing by the entryway.
He confirmed he had moved all the luggage. Mireille told him she had finished his room and then headed to the well at the back of the manor to start the laundry.
Ren decided to tidy up the warehouse while he was at it, but paused.
"Wait... is that...?"
In the distance, beyond the forest on the path through the fields, he spotted a group of riders. Come to think of it, they hadn't visited in a while. This was likely their first trip since the end of winter.
"Their footwork is as light as ever," Ren remarked.
The sight of the knights riding along the field path was familiar, but as he watched from the window, he tilted his head in confusion. Weiss, leading the group, looked grimmer than usual, and the horses were moving at a much faster clip than their normal pace.
Sensing something was wrong, Ren looked toward the back of the line.
"She doesn't look like she's just sleeping..."
There sat Licia, her eyes closed, leaning her weight against a female knight sharing her saddle. He couldn't see her face clearly from this distance, but his concern grew. It was unlike her to be so still when arriving at the village to spar.
"I’d better get ready."
Ren hurried to the backyard to inform Mireille of their guests' arrival. She was slightly surprised, though she was well-used to Licia’s sudden visits by now.
"I see. I need to get things ready, so Ren, could you go out and welcome the young lady and the others?"
"Yes, of course."
"The guest bed isn't ready yet, though... well, it should be fine. I doubt she’ll want to lie down immediately."
"I expect so. I'll be right back."
Ren returned to the front of the house. By now, the riders were almost at the gate. As they drew closer, Ren’s brow furrowed. Licia, who he thought was sleeping, looked as though she was in genuine pain.
He ran toward Weiss as the knight brought his horse to a halt.
"Lord Weiss! My mother just finished tidying the rooms, so please, bring the young lady inside."
"My apologies. I appreciate your quick thinking."
Ren suddenly remembered what his mother had said about the guest room. If the bed wasn't ready, that was a problem. Beyond the fact that it was Licia, he wanted her to have a clean place to rest if she was truly ill.
"Please bring her in slowly. I need to speak with my mother again!"
"I am truly sorry for the trouble."
Ren dashed back inside, searching for Mireille. He found her in the hallway on the first floor and quickly explained that Licia was unwell and that the guest room was out of the question.
"In that case, let’s have her use our room."
"No, there’s still a lingering scent of medicinal herbs in your room from Dad's recovery. My room would be better. I’ve just finished cleaning it, and I can move to the guest room once the bedding is ready."
"You're right... all right, let's do that."
Just as they reached an agreement, Weiss and the female knight entered. Licia was cradled in the knight's arms, her forehead slick with sweat. Ren explained the arrangement to Weiss, offering his own room for her recovery.
"I am truly grateful. I owe you a great debt."
"It’s no problem. Please, get her upstairs first."
"She’ll need to change. I’ll assist her," Mireille added.
"I apologize for the burden, Lady Mireille."
"Think nothing of it. Now, you men wait downstairs."
Ren and Weiss watched Mireille disappear into Ren's room with the sick girl. Then, the two of them headed down to the kitchen, the floorboards creaking beneath their feet.
"I’m sorry. This manor doesn't exactly have a formal drawing room."
"Haha, don't apologize. It is a warm and welcoming home."
Ren offered Weiss a chair and served him some tea—which was far from high-quality, but it was all they had.
"Thank you. I suppose I should explain the young lady’s condition."
"Please. I didn't think you would have left the Clausel estate if she was already feeling this poorly."
"We wouldn't have. She only fell ill about three days ago."
Weiss explained that it was a common ailment for children born with high mana capacity. It wasn't a guarantee for every gifted child, but it was a known phenomenon. Once a child recovered, they gained a lifelong immunity to it.
"We were near another village three days ago, but prioritizing her health, we rushed here instead."
"Because of Granny Rigu?"
"Precisely. We judged it safer to have her under the care of a skilled apothecary."
Weiss let out a heavy sigh.
"There are usually no warning signs. Most people don't notice the change until the fever hits. We knew the possibility existed, but to have it happen during a journey..."
"And she certainly can't make the trip back to the city in this state."
"Exactly. The illness itself isn't fatal, but the high fever and headaches are grueling, and they leave the body vulnerable. Complications are the real danger. She must remain perfectly still for some time."
The only luck they had was their proximity to Ren's village and the presence of Granny Rigu.
"She should be back on her feet in two or three weeks. I am truly sorry to impose on you for so long."
"Don't worry about it. Please, stay as long as she needs to recover."
"Thank you. Truly. If there is anything the knights or I can do to help—hunting, carpentry, anything—please do not hesitate to ask."
Ren actually welcomed the offer. He knew Weiss would feel better if he could contribute, and besides, the local Little Boar population had been surging lately. Having extra blades would be helpful.
"Actually, speaking of help..." Ren transitioned. "Viscount Given’s knights were here again recently."
"Hmph. Again?"
"This time, they offered to sponsor my entry into the Imperial Military Academy. They claimed they could get me into the Special Merit Class."
Weiss looked stunned. Then he nodded slowly and let out a long, weary sigh.
"With talent like yours, it is a plausible claim. Given his history as Assistant to the Minister of Justice, it is likely not an empty boast. I... I shall pray for your success, then."
"Eh?"
"What? Why the 'eh'?"
"You're talking like I accepted. We turned them down."
"What?! Why?!" Weiss slammed his hand onto the table.
Ren winced for the sake of the old wood, but Weiss was already leaning over the table, eyes wide.
"A glorious future was all but guaranteed! Why on earth would you refuse?"
"Because we like this village. And we’ve served the Clausel family for a long time."
Ren repeated the words his father had said—words he had come to believe himself. While part of his motive was avoiding a tragic fate, his loyalty to his current life was genuine.
Weiss sat back, looking utterly dazed.
"Ren, I promise you this," Weiss said, his voice suddenly solemn. "This will be the last time I bring the young lady to this village."
"Wait... what? Why?"
"Beyond her own wishes, I had hoped she would be inspired by your talent. But I see now that I have been selfish. I took the Ashton family’s kindness for granted, and I relied too much on you. This visit will be the last."
While this was technically convenient for Ren's goal of a quiet life, the suddenness of it caught him off guard.
"I cannot continue to impose on you. Even if she is the Baron’s daughter, she will understand if I explain it was for her health. I will speak to the Lord myself."
"U-Um, Lord Weiss, isn't this a bit sudden?"
"I cannot continue to take advantage of your family, especially after you have shown such incredible loyalty."
It seemed Weiss truly respected their autonomy and didn't wish to use his status to pressure them. Witnessing the Ashtons' integrity had made him realize he had been overstepping.
But...
"I think I might actually miss her a little," Ren thought.
He felt a bit strange admitting it to himself, but he didn't dislike Licia. Despite her stubbornness, their time together hadn't been unpleasant. Perhaps that was why the thought of her never returning left him with a lingering sense of regret.