Roy spoke as they made their way toward the village.
"Ren, do you remember the bridge that separates the village from the forest?"
Ren walked alongside Roy instead of riding, searching his memory. The bridge his father mentioned was likely the suspension bridge located at the end of the path Roy had taken to escape the Thief Wolfen.
"I remember it. Did something happen?"
"We finally reinforced it just recently. I was heading upstream from there today when a massive swarm of Little Boars suddenly appeared."
"The road construction must have agitated them, right?"
"No. I didn't get a chance to say it earlier, but I don't think that was the only reason."
"What do you mean?" Ren asked, looking at his father with a questioning tilt of his head.
"I'm not entirely sure, but lately, it seems like the Little Boars and other creatures have been fleeing from the headwaters. The carpenters who came to the village said it didn't seem like the construction alone would cause that much panic."
"Could another powerful monster have moved into the area?"
"Hmm... I doubt it. If that were the case, we would have heard reports of damage nearby."
Ren didn't doubt his father’s assessment, but he decided to check the situation himself just in case. He knew that, among everyone present, he was the one best suited for combat.
Having made up his mind, Ren swung himself onto Io's back.
"H-Hey! Ren!?"
"Sorry, Father. I'm going to go take a look."
"Wait, wait, wait! I said we'll look into it later! You just got back—you don't have to start working immediately!"
"I know, but now I’m curious!"
The knights who had accompanied him from Clausel offered to join him, but Ren told them to stay and guard the village instead. While their duty was to protect Ren, they found themselves nodding in agreement, overwhelmed by the sheer intensity behind the boy's words.
"I'll just scout the area! I'll come right back if it looks dangerous!"
"He—Hey! Ren!"
Ignoring Roy’s voice as he tried to stop him, Ren pulled on Io's reins and galloped into the woods.
Ren had never ventured to the upstream area Roy mentioned, but he quickly found a beast path following the river and spurred Io toward the source. Passing near Sword Rock, they plunged deep into the forest. With every stride Io took, the surrounding trees swayed in the wake of her speed.
When Ren finally arrived upstream, he found himself before a wide waterfall basin.
There were no signs of monsters. Nor were there any scattered, half-eaten bones like there had been during the incident with the Thief Wolfen. Only the sound of the rushing water echoed through the air, and a scenic, peaceful landscape stretched out before him.
"Nothing here..."
Dismounting, he scanned the area one more time just to be sure. But as he had expected, there was nothing. Perhaps the Little Boars fleeing toward the village had just been a coincidence.
Just as he was about to reach that conclusion, Ren's body stiffened.
He readied his Iron Magic Sword and peered at the waterfall basin with a frown.
(—)
Something was there. Something powerful.
He approached the water slowly, holding his breath to remain undetected. Then, his eyes widened.
"Wait..."
He had expected a monster, but instead, he saw something submerged beneath the surface, emitting a beautiful, crystalline glow.
Ren summoned his Wooden Magic Sword and used Nature Magic to weave a path of roots over the water. He walked out over the basin to get a better look at the source of the light.
"...Star Agate?"
There was no mistaking it. That unmistakable gemstone shimmer, which he had seen only recently in the Baldur Mountains, lay at the bottom of the pool. The tension that had gripped him vanished instantly, replaced by a baffled, dry laugh.
"Why on earth is this here?"
He decided to pull it out. Ren swung his Wooden Magic Sword toward the bottom of the basin, sprouting thick vines that lashed around the chunk of Star Agate. He gripped the vines with both hands and began to heave.
It was strangely heavy—far heavier than he had anticipated. Ren braced his legs and poured every ounce of strength into his arms.
The Star Agate rose toward the surface inch by inch until finally—
"Wait... Wha—!?"
As it was dragged from the depths, the object proved to be far larger than Ren had initially perceived. Most of it had been buried in the silt at the bottom. To an outside observer, it would have looked like Ren was dragging a massive boulder onto the shore.
"It's... huge."
It was roughly the size of four horses lined up together. The shape was shattered in places, but for the most part, it was long, slender, and twisted, tapering to a sharp point. Regardless of its condition, he couldn't even begin to guess the value of a Star Agate this large.
"Hihin!"
Io whinnied in surprise as she stood by his side.
"Yeah, I know. But why is there Star Agate near the village? This isn't supposed to form outside of special environments like the Baldur Mountains..."
Ren crossed his arms and looked down at the mass. While the money would certainly help the village, the mystery of its presence nagged at him.
"..."
His gaze shifted to the end opposite the sharp tip. Unlike the rest of the object, this section was heavily damaged, showing a jagged cross-section that looked as if it had been sheared off by something incredibly sharp.
『—, —!』
A dragon's roar echoed through Ren's mind.
Thinking it impossible, he knelt by the jagged base of the object, and the memory returned with terrifying clarity. Surrounded by hellfire, he had thrown his Iron Magic Sword at this very horn. He had severed it at the base, shattering the bone as he cut it from the dragon's head.
The moment the realization hit him, a single crack raced through the Star Agate. Like a creature emerging from a cocoon, the layer of gemstone encasing the horn began to crumble and fall away.
"...How?"
Ren let out a stunned, breathless sound and sat back on his heels.
He understood now. If a remnant of a legendary dragon was sitting in this basin, of course the Little Boars would be terrified. Their instincts would have screamed at them to flee from the lingering aura of a predator.
"...But how did it drift all the way here from the Baldur Mountains? Is there a subterranean river connecting the two? No, that still doesn't make sense."
For a long time, Ren remained where he was, staring at Asval's Horn and racking his brain for an explanation.
In the end, Ren headed back toward the forest to fetch the knights. He couldn't leave the horn where it was, but he also couldn't just drag it into the center of the village. He needed to secure it and arrange for its transport to Clausel in secret.
As per his instructions, the knights were patrolling the outskirts of the woods, so he reached them quickly.
"W-What a magnificent specimen of Star Agate...!"
"But what is this? It seems to be fused to some kind of weathered monster material."
The knights were vocal in their astonishment as they reached the waterfall. Ren waited for them to settle before making his request.
"Because of what this is, I need to speak with Lord Lezard immediately. I want to transport this to Clausel."
"Understood. However, given the size..."
"We'll manage. Fortunately, the village is currently undergoing renovations. The wagons used for the construction materials are larger than standard ones. If we link two of them together, we should be able to load it."
"Even then, it will likely overhang. But no matter the difficulty, this must reach Clausel."
"Agreed. We'll load it onto the linked wagons and cover it thoroughly with canvas."
As they worked, Ren realized he probably could have carried the horn partway himself. Previously, it would have been impossible, but his Magic Sword Summoning Arts had reached a level where the Physical Ability Boost (Medium) gave him far more strength than before.
(In any case, it’s best to keep this low-profile.)
He assisted the knights as they brought the wagons upstream and worked together to secure the horn. He made sure every shattered fragment of Star Agate was gathered as well. Once everything was loaded and hidden, he finally allowed himself a sigh of relief.
After they had navigated the heavy load back near the village, one of the knights spoke.
"Ren-dono, leave the rest to us. Please, go and enjoy your time at home."
"Thank you! I'll leave it in your hands!"
Ren hopped back onto Io and galloped away. He soon reached the suspension bridge and couldn't help but smile at the transformation. The path to the village was being properly paved, and stone walls were being erected to protect the settlement.
He raced along the road, his heart swelling with pride and amazement at his home’s recovery.
(This is incredible!)
The main road through the village was now paved with cobblestones. The muddy ruts that used to define the village during the rainy season were gone, replaced by a grand thoroughfare leading toward a brand-new manor on the hill. Most of the old, crumbling houses had been rebuilt as well. In just one year, his hometown had achieved a miraculous reconstruction.
"I-Is that the Young Master!?"
"Look how big he’s grown! Welcome back!"
"Well now! That’s a fine horse you’re riding! It suits you!"
The villagers working in the fields called out as he passed. Ren waved and smiled, continuing toward the manor.
The gate came into view. The old, rotting wooden gate was gone, replaced by a sturdy stone structure. Standing outside were his parents, waiting for him.
"—Ren!"
Mireille didn't wait for him to reach them. As soon as Ren dismounted, she rushed forward and pulled him into a fierce embrace.
"Mother! I'm home!"
"...Yes! Welcome back!"
Reunited at last, Mireille couldn't stop the tears from falling. Roy walked over to join them, and the three of them stood there for several minutes, simply savoring the fact that they were a family again.
Eventually, Mireille wiped her eyes and nudged him toward the house. "Come, let’s go inside."
Ren noticed a new stable on the grounds and told his mother he needed to take Io there first.
"Of course. She’s a magnificent animal, isn't she?"
"S-She is... yes..."
"Oh? Why are you looking away all of a sudden?"
Ren felt a pang of guilt. Io had been the mount of the man who had nearly destroyed this village. As he struggled to find the words to explain her origin, Roy spoke up.
"Well, you certainly managed to seize a fine prize."
Ren blinked in surprise. "Father? You said 'seize'?"
"Yeah. She was the Beastmaster’s horse, wasn't she? The one who attacked the manor? If she’s yours now, that makes her a prize of war."
"H-How did you know that!?"
"The knights who have been stationed here told me. They figured you might find it hard to bring up yourself, so they gave me a heads-up. They're good men."
Ren looked at his parents' faces, relieved to see no trace of resentment. Mireille was even stroking Io’s mane as the horse nuzzled her.
"The horse bears no sin, Ren. You don't need to worry about it," she said gently.
Roy grunted in agreement and gave Ren’s head a rough, affectionate rub.
That familiar, nostalgic touch finally allowed the last of Ren's tension to melt away.
"I'm glad," he whispered.