Ren returned from his journey home with a heart full of conflicting emotions.
While he certainly felt joy, it was accompanied by a newfound sense of responsibility. Realizing the challenges that lay ahead, he felt his resolve tighten.
It was the night of the very day he arrived back in Clausel.
"Lord Lezard, I have finished the inspection."
Weiss entered the office where Ren and Lezard were talking, a grave expression on his face.
"Everything matches the boy's account perfectly. That horn is, without a doubt, Asval’s."
Weiss had never seen the dragon with his own eyes. However, after seeing the horn brought to the manor, he was certain. Between the presence of the Star Agate and Ren’s detailed report, he knew it was an undeniable truth.
"Hah-hah-hah-hah!"
Lezard, still seated on the sofa, let out a booming laugh. "I’ve run out of room for surprise! If it’s something Ren did, I might as well just laugh it off!"
"L-Lord Lezard... I’m sorry..."
"No, there’s no need to apologize. If anything, we should be glad it washed up in the Ashton village. It’s better that there were no unnecessary witnesses."
"About that—why did it wash up in my village of all places?" Ren asked.
"Take a look at this. It likely traveled down an underground river."
Lezard spread a map across the table. The local terrain was marked with numerous blue lines.
"The snow that accumulates on the Baldur Mountains melts and flows into these surrounding rivers, right?"
Ren nodded. "Yes."
Those were the same waters Ren had aimed for when escaping with Fiona—the paths accessible via the hidden route in the mountains.
"The underground rivers in that area connect to several streams within our territory."
"I see. I suppose it makes sense that the horn could drift into them... but would it really find its way to my village just by chance?"
"I agree," Lezard admitted, shrugging. "Honestly, it’s so convenient that it feels intentional. And yet, it happened. The fact that it arrived in your village is a reality we can't ignore."
Ren wondered if there was some metaphysical connection between Asval and the Ashton ancestor. He hesitated to lean too heavily on fantasy tropes in this world, but the thought persisted.
Maybe because of the connection to the Ashton family, it was drawn there... or something.
While the idea lacked a sense of realism, he couldn't dismiss it entirely given Asval's immense power. In fact, the theory that Asval had intentionally sent the horn toward the village seemed more plausible than simple luck.
"Good grief... Ren, you certainly shocked me. I was enjoying your stories about the village, but I never expected you to produce a dragon's horn."
Ren had shared the details during dinner, as he and Licia took turns recounting their recent experiences. Everyone had been enjoying the peaceful stories of Ren helping with the village walls and road construction until he dropped that metaphorical bombshell.
"Haha... By the way, how is Lady Licia?"
"The Young Lady is currently observing the horn with immense fascination," Weiss replied.
"Ah, that sounds like her."
The pressing issue was what to do with the artifact.
"Lord Lezard," Weiss continued, "because it was tainted by undeath, Asval’s horn is technically an imperfect material compared to its original state. Nevertheless, its value is still immeasurable."
However, selling it on the open market would be a nightmare. Given the nature of the material and the recent incidents involving Marquis Ignat and Fiona, putting it up for sale would almost certainly spark political conflict. It was a treasure that was as troublesome as it was valuable.
What should we do?
Ren struck his palms together as a thought occurred to him. "Lord Lezard, what if we... consulted Marquis Ignat?"
"Actually, I was thinking the same thing. The Marquis owes you a great debt, so I’m sure he would be willing to help."
"Then I suppose it’s time to use the invitation I received," Ren suggested.
He was referring to the formal invitation left behind by Edgar, the Marquis’s steward.
Needs must, I suppose...
Ren still felt a lingering sense of unease regarding Marquis Ignat, fueled by his memories of the game. However, since they had been in contact through House Clausel several times since the Asval incident, his initial aversion had softened. Considering the importance of this material, he didn't hesitate to make the call.
"No, keep that one in reserve," Lezard countered.
"Eh?"
"It’s better to save the invitation Ren received. That document is proof that the Marquis recognizes you as a personal guest. It’s better to save that favor for when you truly need his personal help with something else."
"Indeed. As the Lord says, there is no need for you to step forward just yet," Weiss added.
Ren blinked, looking from one to the other in confusion. "Ah, I see... I suppose we’re already in contact because of the incident last winter, so using my invitation might be overkill."
But that wasn't exactly what Lezard and Weiss meant. They had another reason for their stance.
"A party will be held in the Imperial Capital this summer," Lezard explained.
He reached into his pocket and produced a luxurious invitation sealed with pure gold wax.
"It’s a standard affair. Nobles from all factions are invited to the host’s estate for conversation—which is really just a polite way of saying they’re there to engage in political maneuvering."
"Is Marquis Ignat going to be there?" Ren asked.
Lezard nodded. "The Marquis expressed a desire to meet with me and talk in person. In fact, this party is being hosted by a noble close to the Marquis, specifically at his request to provide us a venue."
"Wait, so the party was arranged just so you could talk to him?"
"Yes, it appears so."
Ren finally understood why Lezard, who rarely visited the Imperial Capital these days, was planning to attend. With the Marquis going to such lengths, refusal was out of the question.
"In other words, Marquis Ignat went out of his way to arrange this to accommodate you, even though you’re in a different faction..."
"Umu. There is no doubt about it."
Ren had realized that the Great Noble was far more dutiful than he had originally expected. Marquis Ignat never lacked respect, even when dealing with a Baron like Lezard. While his political shrewdness was evident, his conduct remained that of a gentleman.
As the conversation settled, Ren took the opportunity to bring up his other concern.
"Actually, there was something else I wanted to ask the two of you."
Since they were already discussing Asval’s horn, he decided to ask about the Ashton ancestor.
"If you know anything at all, I’d like to hear about the ancestor of the Ashton family."
"That’s quite sudden. What prompted this?" Lezard asked.
Ren recounted what his father, Roy, had told him. He also decided it was safe to share the specific words Asval had spoken before its end.
"—And that’s the gist of it," Ren concluded.
"An adventurer ancestor of the Ashton family... unfortunately, I’ve never heard of such a figure. Weiss?"
"The same for me. However, I cannot help but feel that Asval’s words and Master Roy’s story are connected. It is truly mysterious that no records exist of such a significant individual."
"Indeed," Lezard agreed. "Normally, someone of that caliber would have carved their name into history."
Neither of them recalled finding any relevant documents in the manor’s archives.
"I did re-examine the records regarding Ren’s village after the trouble with Viscount Given," Lezard added.
"Because you were curious why he targeted such a remote place?"
"Exactly. But I found nothing. It’s common for frontier villages to lose their history, and that village was no exception. There were simply no records."
"Haha... I figured as much."
"Did the village apothecary know anything? It’s often best to rely on the oral traditions of the village elders in these cases."
"I tried asking her casually, but she didn't seem to know anything either."
"...Then we might be at a dead end."
The only information they had was the story Roy had passed down. If even the Lord’s manor lacked documentation, they had no choice but to give up. However, as Ren and Lezard sighed, Weiss spoke up as if struck by a realization.
"If, as Ren suggests, there were circumstances that prevented this man from entering the history books..." Weiss leaned back, crossing his arms and resting a hand on his chin. "Even in this Empire, the only ones capable of erasing a hero who surpassed Asval would be the Emperor or the Seven Heroes."
"Lord Weiss, are you saying—"
"Umu. If my suspicion is correct, the situation might be quite complicated."
Weiss shrugged. The conversation had shifted from a light curiosity to a heavy topic involving the highest powers in the land. It was no longer something they could discuss casually over tea.
Lezard mirrored the shrug and let out a long breath. "In that case, there might be information in the Imperial Library."
He mentioned a place Ren recognized and reached for his teacup.
The Forbidden Archives.
In the lore of The Legend of the Seven Heroes, the Imperial Library contained a restricted section known as the Forbidden Archives. Ren knew it only as a piece of background information because it was a location the players could never actually enter, as it was under the strictest security.
"But... fufu, I see now," Lezard said with a smirk.
"My Lord? Why the smile?"
"I think I finally understand a few things. Weiss, you know as well as I do—who is allowed to set foot in the Forbidden Archives?"
"...Wait. Are you talking about Viscount Given’s time as the Assistant to the Minister of Justice?"
"Precisely. Aside from the caretakers, only a handful of people can enter those archives. His Majesty the Emperor, the yet-to-be-named Crown Prince... and beyond them, only the Minister of Justice and his assistants."
Listening to this new information, the pieces clicked together for Ren as well.
Viscount Given discovered something about the Ashton family in the Forbidden Archives. That’s why he went after such a remote territory... that has to be it.
But he still didn't know what that something was. The lack of that final piece of the puzzle was maddening.
"It’s quite fascinating," Lezard continued. "What was that man thinking when he targeted the Ashtons? It seems the answer is buried in those archives."
"Indeed. At the very least, it explains why he was so obsessed with the Ashton family."
"Umu. There was an ancestor powerful enough to overwhelm Asval. It’s only natural he would want to get his hands on Ren, who was born into that bloodline. He might have even suspected you were a descendant of the Hero Ruin."
Well, that part definitely isn't true, Ren thought to himself.
He thought of Vane, the true protagonist of The Legend of the Seven Heroes. While he couldn't say the possibility of being a distant branch of the hero’s line was zero, he was fairly certain it was as close to zero as it could get.
"But..." Ren let out a dry, forced laugh after clearing his throat. "Even if there is information there, the Forbidden Archives are out of our reach."
Since it was an inaccessible fortress of secrets, there would likely never be an opportunity to investigate it.
...Unless, of course, Ren or someone he knew reached a position where they were allowed to step inside.