The Clausel family had originally intended to spend the following day in Erendil, but circumstances had forced them to cut the trip short and begin the journey home.
It had not been long since the night of the party, when Ulysses warned Lezard about the shifting movements of the various factions. Deciding to be cautious, Lezard had opted for an immediate return.
One night aboard the magic ship, inside Lezard’s guest cabin.
Within the room where Ren and Weiss had gathered, Licia stood alone, staring fixedly out the window toward the Imperial Capital. She was unusually quiet, seemingly lost in her own thoughts.
Seeing this, Lezard rose from the sofa where he had been seated. He told Ren, who was preparing tea for everyone, to leave it to him and went to stand beside his daughter.
"Licia, is something on your mind?"
"Father... actually..."
Licia began to speak, her words coming out in hesitant fragments. She was dwelling on the conversations from the party.
"...Just as Marquis Ignat and Sera said, perhaps I really should go to the capital."
At the party, she had heard that several nobles from the Neutral Faction were switching sides. Later, Sera had approached her and echoed the same sentiment. Those words had taken root in Licia’s heart.
Of course, Ren had overheard those conversations as well. Lezard had already mentioned that Licia was seriously considering whether she should aim for the Imperial Academy.
"Quite apart from the moves you’ve been making behind the scenes, Father, I must also do what I need to do."
Until the incident with Viscount Given, their connection with Ulysses had been enough to settle most matters. However, after the turmoil of the past winter, the situation had changed now that the Demon King Cult was a matter of public record.
Beyond attending a prestigious school to excel in both academics and martial arts, there was the political influence to be gained through association with other nobles. Above all, the information available in the Imperial Capital was more precious than anything else.
"You took the Marquis’s words to heart, then."
"Yes. Deepening ties between the nobility would naturally expand the options available to the Clausel family—that thought has been stuck in my head ever since."
The best way to achieve that was through the Imperial Academy. Licia had said she should go to the capital, but in practice, it was the same as declaring her intent to enroll. Considering the anticipated intensity of the factional conflict, it was a perfectly natural conclusion.
(In that case... I really can’t treat this like someone else’s problem anymore.)
Ren was well aware that this world was not a game and that the people living in it were not merely characters. He found any comparison that reduced them to such to be offensive. On the other hand, just as before, he felt a desperate desire to avoid the tragic fate dictated by the original game lore.
That said, he could state with certainty that he was currently following a different path. It had not been long since the Demon King Cult incident in the Baldur Mountains, an event that had diverged from his knowledge.
For Ren, it was no longer enough to merely worry about game events. He had to accept that he might be swept up in unforeseen circumstances at any time. To act while only thinking about the safety of his village would be foolish; his experiences had already taught him that much.
The images of the two girls he had protected with his life, Licia and Fiona, crossed his mind.
(The Demon King Cult is already on the move.)
Knowing that the cult would eventually become even more active, Ren whispered to himself, "To protect them both, the best thing is for me to move to the capital or Erendil as well."
These were not words born from a mere sense of duty. Ren had risked his life for them and formed a deep bond. Now, he purely worried for their safety, and his long-standing aversion to the Imperial Capital was beginning to fade. At its root was a devotion that placed their well-being above his own comfort.
Everything he did was not for himself, but for those he wished to protect.
He thought of his parents, his hometown—and those he had sworn to keep safe.
"Hey, Ren."
Licia turned her gaze from the window back into the room. Her eyes met Ren’s.
"What do you... think about me going to the Imperial Capital?"
Her voice was anxious, and her shoulders trembled slightly. She clasped her hands in front of her chest as if in prayer, waiting for his answer.
If she went to the capital, she would be separated from Ren, who loved his home so dearly. But because she knew her efforts would ultimately benefit him and her family, she suppressed her own pain. She was trying to act for the sake of her duty, not just her feelings of love.
Even just a little acknowledgment would be enough. If Ren expressed even a hint of regret at being separated, she felt she could endure it. Those were the only words she wanted to hear.
"As you say, I believe going to the Imperial Capital will be for your sake, Licia-sama. I will be cheering for you from the sidelines."
He spoke in his usual calm tone.
But that was all he said.
Licia was crushed by the lack of further words. Though she felt as if a hole had opened in her heart, she forced a brave smile.
"Right... I understand."
However, Ren spoke again without a moment’s pause.
"Therefore, even if you leave Clausel, I will protect you just as I always have."
"...Eh?"
Licia stared at him, blankly.
Lezard and Weiss, who had been listening nearby, watched with knowing smiles.
Licia’s eyes wavered as she whispered, "Ren? What do you mean, protect me?"
"Just what I said. I mean that when the time comes, I will also leave Clausel to protect you, Licia-sama."
In contrast to Ren’s casual tone, Licia fell into a sudden silence. She looked down and walked slowly toward him. Stopping in front of him as he finished setting the tea on the table, she suddenly began pounding her fists against his chest.
The blows were weak and frantic.
"...Stupid."
Then, her voice grew louder.
"Stupid... you big, big, big... idiot! You dummy!"
When she looked up, large tears were streaming down her cheeks. Her expression was a mix of frustration and joy, as bright as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her soul.
When Ren hurriedly asked what was wrong, Licia smiled radiantly and said, "It’s nothing! I’m absolutely not telling you!"
With a voice full of happiness, she told him, "Thank you" and "I’m so glad."
"Haha, Licia, come over here. Let's have the tea Ren brewed for us."
At her father's call, Licia sat on the sofa opposite him, watching happily as the bewildered Ren finished serving the tea. Ren sat down as prompted by Lezard. He had tried to take a lower-status seat, but Licia insisted he sit "over here" with strange intensity, pulling him down right next to her.
"...Why here?"
"Don't overthink it. That's just how it is."
"I see..."
Ren didn't quite understand, but he accepted it. Once the tension had settled, Lezard addressed him.
"Ren, are you sure about this? I thought your priority was your life in Clausel and your village."
"Yes. Until very recently, that was true. But I’ve found new things I need to consider as well."
Even without those other considerations, Ren thought to himself that he probably would have left Clausel anyway. If Licia was going to the Imperial Academy, he couldn't imagine himself making any choice other than to follow as her guardian, especially given the threat of the Demon King Cult.
"The catalyst was my visit home, but I began to think about it more deeply last night."
Ren reached into his pocket and pulled out the envelope Ulysses had given him near the Imperial Academy. When the other three saw the name Ulysses Ignat written on the front, their expressions turned to shock.
"You met with Marquis Ignat!?"
Ren nodded to the stunned Lezard. He explained how he had accidentally wandered near the Academy and how Ulysses had suddenly appeared. The others immediately realized this had happened after their conversation at the party.
"To give some context, this is what happened back in my village..."
Ren told them about how his birthplace was developing and the administrative challenges that would soon arise. He explained that because he recognized their lack of bureaucratic expertise, he felt the need to gain an education elsewhere.
"As you say, Ren, those are skills worth having. However, a lord does not manage land alone. Even I rely on many civil officials."
"But you, Lezard-sama, are capable of managing the territory alone if necessary."
"True. A lord must prepare for every hypothetical and should be capable of administrative work themselves if the need arises."
"Then is it not the same for the Ashton family, who are entrusted with the village?"
Lezard didn't say yes. To be honest, such a burden was far too heavy for the head of a minor knight family. However, unable to say he was wrong either, Lezard simply crossed his arms.
"In that case, Ren, do you intend to aim for the Imperial Academy?"
Ren gave a wry smile and looked away. While he still harbored a slight hesitation, he no longer rejected the idea out of hand. Between his desire to protect those he loved and the weight of Ulysses’s words, he could no longer exclude the academy as a possibility for his future.
"Ren? Does that letter from Marquis Ignat have something to do with this?" Licia asked, her eyes still a bit red from crying.
Ren pulled himself together and said, "Please, take a look," as he presented the letter of recommendation.
Licia, Lezard, and Weiss were quickly struck dumb. Upon seeing that the letter was addressed to the Lion Sanctum, they were all rendered speechless.
As early autumn arrived, Ren was once again in the Imperial Capital.
Just as before, it had been a long journey from Clausel to a neighboring territory followed by a magic ship flight. He was traveling without an escort. Lezard had offered one, but Ren had declined, insisting the knights stay to protect the Clausel estate.
It was ten in the morning. Ren was scheduled to meet Edgar, the Ignat family butler, around noon.
(I have to do my best.)
Ren sat at a terrace seat of a charming white-walled restaurant in a quiet alley off the Imperial Capital Boulevard.
Last year, when the Regular Knights visited Clausel, it had been discovered that Ren had no affinity for Holy Sword Arts. At the time, he and Licia had promised to find a different style together. The fact that he was now about to be taught Strong Sword Arts while she stayed behind made him feel guilty.
Ulysses had mentioned he could eventually provide a recommendation for Licia as well, but that didn't change the fact that Ren had come to the capital ahead of her. He had expressed his hesitation to her back in midsummer.
"It's fine. I can just have you teach me the Strong Sword Arts after you've learned them, Ren."
Licia had said those words at the Clausel manor.
"Weiss is teaching me the basics, and sparring with you is the best practical study I could ask for."
"But being taught directly would be better for you, Licia-sama."
"Don't say that. Thanks to our sparring, I was able to overwhelm Sera even more than before. What we've been doing clearly works."
It was true. Even Weiss agreed that Licia benefited more from sparring with Ren than she would have from standard Holy Sword instruction. He was certain she was stronger now because of it.
However, Licia and Weiss both knew that Ren’s concerns weren't entirely unfounded. Licia would have loved to go to the capital with him.
But, as Weiss had pointed out, "The Young Lady is currently restricted by the Head of the Family."
Licia was barred from traveling for a specific reason.
"I know... I have to focus on my studies for the Special Merit Class exams, right?"
Licia had set her sights on the Imperial Academy’s elite track. Because the exams would begin the following spring, she had to devote every spare moment to her studies.
"Exactly. Sword skills are vital, but the round trip to the capital takes too much time away from your books."
"I know. So I’ll endure it for now. Don't worry about it, Ren. Marquis Ignat said he’d help me later if I wanted, right? It won't be too late once I have more free time."
And so, Licia had remained behind. It had been decided that, for the time being, her education was a higher priority than her sword training.