The examinee who had interrupted Ren and Fiona’s conversation was troubled by a specific concern.
It was the result of the Final Exam.
For these students, it was no exaggeration to say their entire futures were on the line. Consequently, many felt a deep-seated anxiety about having to take refuge in this fort. They feared that being rescued by adventurers and the Clausel knights would reflect poorly on their evaluation.
(Wasn’t that against the rules?)
Ren pondered this privately in a corner of the fort later that evening. He was eating a slightly early dinner of meat grilled outside while listening to a knight sitting nearby finish the explanation.
"The examinees are expected to prove their worth through their own strength, after all. However, as far as I am concerned, something about this doesn't sit right."
Even so, surely their lives were more important. Ren tilted his head, considering the knight’s words.
"What doesn't sit right?"
"Normally, the local Lord is notified of the site for the Special Merit Class exam. The entire region is then sealed off to prevent any third-party interference."
Yet, there was no sign of such precautions here. On the contrary, adventurers had been present even before the exam began. At this point, the situation could only be described as an anomaly.
"The possibility of this being an accident is essentially zero."
"It certainly sounds suspicious, but how can you be so sure?"
"Because the management system for this specific exam is supposed to be ironclad. It is far more likely that a third party deliberately set some kind of scheme in motion."
"Wait... if the management is so thorough that an accident is impossible, how could a third party intervene?"
"Regardless of faction, there are plenty of nobles who possess enough power to pull strings," the knight said with an indescribable, bitter smile.
Another knight chimed in. "Or perhaps the Imperial Family?"
"Haha! With the daughter of the Marquis Ignat family here? To what end?"
"True, the involvement of the Imperial Family seems absurd. That said, I doubt the Hero Faction is behind it either. It’s hard to imagine them picking a fight with Marquis Ignat. Even if they wanted to frame the Clausels, the potential blowback would be too high."
Ren forced a smile, masking his unease at the ominous turn of the conversation. He had gone through so much trouble to stop Marquis Ignat’s downfall in the original timeline; he absolutely wanted to avoid any further political mess here.
"I heard the Academy Principal has left Leomel, so maybe an accident isn't entirely impossible. I could see someone seizing that opening."
Ren hadn't heard that Chronoa had left the empire, but he brushed it off. He assumed she was someone he would never cross paths with again anyway. For now, he needed to focus on the crisis at hand.
"In any case, our duty to guard them remains the same," the knight who had been explaining the students’ anxiety said. "Regardless of the circumstances, we cannot ignore them. Failing to act would reflect poorly on the Head of the Family. Therefore, even if some examinees refuse our help, I have judged that we must forcibly escort them down the mountain."
The others nodded in agreement. Given that Fiona Ignat was among the group, they had to proceed with the utmost caution. As the knights’ expressions tightened with a sense of duty, one of them turned a wry smile toward Ren.
"Still, you certainly gave us a surprise, Ren-dono."
"Are you talking about Lady Ignat?"
"Yes."
"Trust me, I was surprised too."
"As was I. To think you would reunite with the person whose life you saved in a place like this."
Ren couldn't argue with that. He stuffed a piece of meat into his mouth, wearing a bitter smile of his own.
"We also saw those female adventurers hovering over you. What do you make of that?"
"...Ren-dono, this meat is excellent. Try some."
"My recommendation is this cut over here. Please, have a taste."
Though the knights didn't address the teasing directly, their transparent attempts to comfort him made Ren feel like shedding a tear. He wasn't worried about being seen as a womanizer, but that interruption had caused him to miss his window.
"I meant to introduce myself properly, but I lost the chance because of them."
"It might be for the best to wait until we’re off the mountain. It will be easier for both of you to talk once things have settled down."
"Do you really think so?"
"I do. Fortunately, Lady Ignat seems to have mistaken you for a common adventurer. The behavior of those other adventurers was an eyesore, but because of it, she likely won't bother asking for your name yet."
"Ah... I suppose there is quite a wall between the adventurers and the examinees."
Thanks to that social barrier, he could likely remain anonymous for the rest of the trip. Ren then asked the knights to avoid using his name or the Title of Hero. He had no desire to startle Fiona or cause unnecessary confusion under these circumstances. It was better to wait until they reached safety.
Furthermore, Ren himself wasn't quite mentally prepared for the fallout of a formal introduction.
"Of course. However, if we are asked for your name directly, we cannot lie."
The knight added that such a possibility was likely very low, however.
Once they finished their meal, the group continued their discussion while cleaning up.
"Now then, Ren-dono." One of the knights shared the plan. "We consulted with the adventurers. We intend to begin the evacuation tomorrow morning. The examinees will be coming with us."
However, the group was large. Because many people were incapacitated and unable to move on their own, they couldn't evacuate everyone at once. They would need to make two round trips to clear the fort.
"Therefore, we want you to descend with the first wave tomorrow morning."
"...Are you sure?"
"To be honest, it isn't ideal. Your strength is a significant asset to us."
"But we cannot allow anything to happen to you, Ren-dono."
"Exactly. If you were to get injured, the Young Lady waiting back at the Clausel estate would be heartbroken."
The knight spoke the last part half-jokingly. Ren, however, suspected that while Licia might be sad, there was a much higher chance she would be furious.
However, things did not go according to the knights’ plan.
Later that night, the knight relayed the morning’s schedule to Fiona as the representative of the examinees. Naturally, given her status, he emphasized that she should descend in the first wave.
But they hit a snag.
That night, the knight visited the room where Ren was resting.
"It seems several of the adventurers are in serious condition."
While their Mana levels were expected to stabilize in a few days, it was judged too dangerous to move them until then. Venturing into the sub-zero temperatures outside could be fatal.
"Lady Ignat has been using her Skill to nurse them. Because of that, she refuses to leave in the first wave..."
"...So taking the sick first and having her accompany them isn't an option?"
"No. Their physical condition is too unstable for the trek."
Ren let out a tired, bitter smile. He quickly realized what he had to do.
"Then I’ll stay behind as well. I’m a decent enough fighter, and it’ll be safer in various ways if I’m here to protect Lady Ignat."
By "various ways," he was mostly referring to the political headaches nobles tended to cause. If the daughter of the Marquis Ignat was staying, it was far better for him to be by her side as a guard.
"I'm sorry to ask this of you. I'll make sure to leave more knights behind as well."
"Will the evacuation be okay with fewer men?"
"Don't worry. As soon as we reach the base, I’ll bring up the knights we left below as reinforcements."
With that decided, Ren felt a sense of relief. It wasn't just Fiona; many of the stranded examinees were children of influential noble houses from across the continent. They all required careful protection. Considering the stakes, Ren was truly glad he had come.
The Clausel knights clearly felt the same.
"Food is starting to run low, so I'll do some light hunting while I wait," Ren added.
They had slain many monsters today, but few were edible. He decided to spend tomorrow hunting to ensure they didn't waste time or resources.
"...I truly apologize for the change in plans."
"Don't be. This is important to me, too. I'm happy to help."
In truth, he almost wanted to insist on staying. Having recently been caught up in a Factional Conflict, Ren felt a similar sense of urgency regarding this crisis. He was actually grateful this was happening where he could see it.
To protect the life he had built, he was more than willing to give his all.