Two days later, after breakfast.
Ren stood in the garden, fully geared for the hunt, waiting for Roy. However, when Roy finally approached, he told Ren to take off his equipment immediately.
"We’re taking a break from hunting today. I need your help moving lumber in the village."
"Moving lumber? Why so suddenly?"
"Fortunately, Weiss and the others have offered to help out. They’re going to cull the Little Boars that have been multiplying like crazy, and they’ve agreed to help with the carpentry work while they're at it."
"Ah, I see."
"So, I’m heading to the storehouse with Weiss."
Ren tilted his head at the mention of the storehouse.
"Did I not tell you? There’s a hut near the bridge where we’ve been stockpiling lumber. Little by little, ever since we talked about repairing the manor."
The plan was for Roy and Weiss to head to the storehouse to check the state of the forest while handing over the lumber to the knights to transport. Ren was to assist with the work inside the village.
"I’ll give the instructions at the storehouse, then I’ll head into the forest with Weiss and a few of his men."
Just as they finished confirming the schedule, Weiss arrived. A moment later, Mireille stepped out of the manor to join them.
"Master Roy. If you are ready?"
"Yes. I’ve just finished explaining things to Ren."
Mireille spoke up next.
"I’m going to Granny Rigu’s house. I need her to prepare some medicine for the young lady, so I don't expect to be back until after noon."
"Lady Mireille, my deepest apologies for the trouble."
Seeing Weiss bow his head, Mireille hurriedly waved her hands. "Please, don't worry about it!"
"The knights have to stay and protect the young lady. Please, leave this sort of errand to me."
With that, she set off ahead of the group, walking down the path through the fields. Soon, Ren and the others followed her out of the garden to join the knights waiting outside.
"Now then, men!"
At Weiss’s command, the knights snapped to attention.
"We must repay our debt of gratitude. Take your positions swiftly and show them the strength you’ve forged in your training!"
The knights gave a valiant shout in response. They moved with practiced efficiency. Some followed Roy and Weiss as they walked away, while others headed toward the various repair sites.
(…It’s cloudy today.)
Just before he started his own work, Ren looked up at the sky. He offered a silent prayer to the Chief God that the gray clouds wouldn't break into rain.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
His fears were realized.
Less than two hours after they started, the weather took a sharp turn for the worse and rain began to pour. A thick fog rolled in within seconds, reducing visibility to almost nothing. He couldn't see more than a few feet in front of him.
"Master Ren! I think we should take a break!"
"I agree! The weather’s gotten too bad—let's head back!"
Shouting back to the knight, Ren looked toward the materials depot they had established between the fields and the manor. Since the repairs included several old houses in addition to the manor, it had been more efficient to use a central relay point.
(The rain is getting incredibly heavy.)
The downpour intensified, and the ground quickly turned to mud. He decided to take a rest at the manor until the weather settled. ...But as Ren turned to leave, he felt a sudden tension in his brow.
(What is that?)
He instinctively sniffed the air.
(What on earth is that smell?)
Mixed with the scent of rain-drenched earth was a sharp, acrid odor. It was the smell of something burning. It was a heavy, suffocating scent, much like when the villagers performed slash-and-burn farming a few times a year. The knight walking beside him noticed it too, his expression darkening.
(It’s coming from the manor.)
Realizing the direction the smell was coming from, Ren’s legs moved before he could even think.
"This smell—Master Ren!"
The knight shouted, rushing to keep pace as Ren sprinted ahead. As they strained their eyes toward the Ashton manor, a flickering crimson light appeared through the dense fog.
With every step, the true nature of that light became agonizingly clear. It was an inferno. The manor was being consumed by a violent, deep-red fire.
"Why… why is my house…!"
The question was natural, but he didn't stop to seek an answer. Names flashed through Ren’s mind—the people left inside. Not just the knights, but—Licia.
"Wait! Master Ren!"
Ren ignored the knight's attempt to stop him. The ten-minute walk to the manor was covered in a desperate sprint that felt like seconds.
"Haa… haa…"
As he drew closer, a new scent stung his nostrils. Woven into the fog and rain was the unmistakable, metallic tang of blood. Something was horribly wrong. Despite the torrential rain, the crimson flames only seemed to grow more ferocious. Glowing deep within the fog, the fire stood out like a dying sun.
(Faster…!)
The old fence came into view through the mist. As he crossed into the grounds, he saw the shapes of knights crumpled in the garden. He rushed over to check on them, but every single one was dead. Their throats had been torn out, leaving gruesome, ragged wounds. Ren touched one of the fallen men; the knight’s body was still warm. It had only just happened.
(They used the fog… and the rain muffled the sound. Is there really someone capable of doing this so quickly?)
Fighting back the urge to vomit, Ren turned his gaze toward the building. The manor he called home was engulfed in a raging blaze. Looking at the front door, it looked as if a dragon were exhaling fire from within. Even so, he didn't hesitate. He galloped forward and kicked the door open. Preparing for a fight, he summoned his Iron Magic Sword and gripped the hilt tight.
For a heartbeat, he hesitated, wondering if he should wait for the knight following him. If someone had torched the manor and slaughtered the guards, they might still be inside. It was tactically sound to wait for backup.
—But what would happen to Licia in those few minutes? The other knights would arrive soon, but what if Licia was murdered while he waited? The thought of it was more terrifying than the fire itself.
Taking a sharp breath, Ren slapped his own cheeks to steel himself and plunged into the building.
"How did this happen…!"
The interior was a world of blinding red light. The heat hit him in waves, the searing air making his skin crawl with pain. Still, Ren charged into the flames and raced up the half-collapsed staircase. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the still, silent forms of more fallen knights. Faced with this nightmare, he summoned every ounce of courage to reach his room.
He made it. Ignoring the searing pain of his burns, Ren threw the door open.
"Licia!"
He screamed her name toward the bed. In that instant, he saw them: a man standing by the bedside, flanked by two monsters. He also noticed that a shimmering blue veil surrounded the man, protecting him from the flames.
"—So, you are Ren Ashton."
The man by the sleeping girl spoke. He was draped in a gray robe, his face hidden, leaving only a cold, detached voice to identify him. When Ren saw the white wooden staff in the man’s hand, his body instinctively went rigid.
(He’s the one.)
Anger, grief, and confusion swirled within him. Ren forced himself to stay calm and observe. Before answering, he shifted his gaze to the creatures flanking the intruder.
(Those are…)
—Mana Eaters.
They resembled giant black lizards, but their faces were eyeless and noseless, dominated entirely by massive maws filled with serrated teeth. They possessed bat-like wings and were roughly the size of a grown man. Ren’s mind raced as he recalled the lore surrounding them. He swallowed hard, the sound audible over the crackling fire.
"Did you do this, Beastmaster?"
"Ho. You recognized me?"
"I’d have to be an idiot not to. Those are Mana Eaters. I can't think of anything else that uses fire while projecting a veil to protect its master from the heat."
The man let out a low, amused chuckle. He stepped away from the bed and began to approach. Ren leveled his Iron Magic Sword, stepping back in synchronization with the man's advance, keeping a consistent distance.
"Indeed. These Mana Eaters are monsters of my own summoning."
"……"
"I must say, I’m impressed you know they are the mark of a Beastmaster."
Ren felt a flicker of relief that the knowledge he’d gained from The Legend of the Seven Heroes was accurate. However, the gravity of the situation weighed heavily on him.
(Think. What can I do?)
Mana Eaters were summons brought forth by a Beastmaster's skill. Their power was generally considered equivalent to a D-rank monster. And there were two of them. It was a fight he couldn't win through brute force alone.
(No, Father and Weiss will be here any second.)
He needed to buy time. He had to keep this a stalemate until help arrived. Just as Ren shifted his stance to a more defensive one—
"Wait…?"
The manor groaned and shook violently. The fire had eaten through the supports of the aged building, and the weight of the rain-soaked roof was finally winning the battle. The ceiling of Ren’s room buckled. Part of the structure directly above Licia’s bed began to give way.
"You won't—!"
Ren summoned his Wooden Magic Sword, desperately trying to sprout roots and vines to catch the falling debris. But one of the Mana Eaters opened its maw and unleashed a blast of flame. The roots and vines were incinerated instantly, turned to ash before they could provide any support. The ceiling continued its lethal descent.
Ren had no choice but to move.
"Damn it!"
He swung the Wooden Magic Sword with every bit of strength he possessed, the sheer wind pressure from his strikes momentarily parting the flames. He didn't stop. He lunged across the room, reaching the bed just in time to slash through the falling timber and shield Licia.
—However, that was exactly what the intruder wanted.
"Sleep for a while."
As the man's cold voice echoed, a sharp, refreshing scent—like mint—filled Ren's nose. The moment he inhaled, the strength drained from his limbs. His eyelids became impossibly heavy. He tried to fight it, but his body went limp, and he collapsed onto the bed beside Licia.
"What… did you…"
"Incense. Strong enough to put a small dragon under for days."
As the man’s voice faded into the distance, Ren made one final effort to protect Licia. He reached out to shield her, pulling her slender frame toward him. In that same instant, his consciousness slipped away into the dark.