Ignoring the other volumes, Licia’s attention remained fixed on the reference book.
“I was planning to buy this one, too,” she said. “If you don’t mind, Lady Fiona, may I take a look at the contents?”
“Y-Yes! That’s fine—though, tahaha... it’s a bit embarrassing, I suppose.”
Licia wondered why she was so bashful, but the reason became clear the moment Fiona opened the book.
The reference book was filled with numerous bookmarks. More than that, nearly every page was covered in Fiona’s personal annotations and handwritten notes. She was clearly self-conscious about leaving behind such obvious traces of her studies.
However, those notes only served to pique Licia’s interest further.
“This part... I couldn’t understand it when I was studying from a different book.”
“Hm? Oh, this section! If it’s this, then—”
Standing side-by-side, an impromptu private lesson began. Fiona’s teaching style was brilliant; the concepts Licia had struggled with were resolved in an instant.
Impressed, Licia couldn't help but ask, “Do you have experience teaching others?”
“No, this is my first time. Since my student is Lady Clausel, I suppose I worked extra hard.”
Fiona tilted her head slightly, offering a gentle smile. “Are there any other parts you’re curious about?”
“Actually, quite a few.”
“Then... shall we discuss those for a little while longer?”
The awkward tension was finally beginning to settle. Relieved that the conversation had shifted naturally thanks to the book, the two returned to the sofa.
The ice-breaking moment they had both so desperately sought had evolved into something more substantial. Without needing to say it aloud, they both felt a sense of relief as they sat facing each other once more, exchanging wry smiles.
In any case, Fiona was an excellent teacher. Licia found her remaining questions easily answered and began to ask more proactively as time went on.
Gradually, their stiffness melted away. Just as it had during the night of the party, the hesitation between them began to vanish.
“Your notes are very easy to follow, too.”
“T-That part is still embarrassing, but... I’m glad they were helpful.”
After ten minutes or so, the questions subsided. This time, Fiona spoke up.
“Lady Clausel, you are taking the entrance exam for the Special Merit Class, aren’t you?”
“Yes. I considered many options, but I decided this was for the best.”
“...Then the exams begin next spring. We might see quite a bit of each other at the academy the following year.”
Fiona said "might," but in reality, it was almost certain. Since they would be attending the same school, it wouldn't be strange to run into each other every day.
As the talk of exams finished, a brief silence fell over them. They could no longer avoid the subject that truly mattered.
“Lady Fiona.”
“Lady Clausel.”
They both spoke at once, leading to yet another shared, sheepish smile. After yielding the floor to one another, Licia finally spoke.
“I’ve been thinking about what to do this entire time.”
She was referring to many things—their environment, their status, their futures. And in nearly every one of those things, Ren’s existence was intertwined. It was a conversation they had to have eventually. The way they had been searching for a conversational opening until now felt almost like they had been running away.
Steeling their resolve, they finally dove into the unavoidable topic.
“Both Lady Fiona and I are noblewomen. Even if our factions differ, our houses share a bond of friendship.”
That bond wasn't something that would break easily. It wasn't something that should be broken, and the heads of both houses, Lezard and Ulysses, likely had no intention of severing it. As things stood, their relationship was mutually beneficial and sincere. Of course, neither girl wanted their own relationship to become hostile.
They both understood that perfectly without needing to say it.
—My love is life-or-death. For Ren, who risked his life to protect me, I would do anything.
—I, too, would give my everything to Ren, who gave me this world.
The words they had exchanged on the night of the party flickered through their minds. There was no longer any need to repeat those sentiments.
They knew they couldn't ignore each other, and they certainly couldn't cast the other aside. Acknowledge each other was the only path forward. Setting aside their friendship, they both loved Ren with a life-or-death intensity, and neither had any intention of disparaging the other’s feelings. To insult the other's love would be to insult their own.
Furthermore, they had just worked together to save children in the capital. They shared a sense of justice that made it impossible to truly dislike one another.
Given their temperaments, a truly venomous conflict was unlikely. However, as two people who acted like simple town girls whenever Ren was involved, they shared a common dilemma: how were they supposed to define their relationship?
“What exactly are we to each other?” Licia asked.
Were they just love rivals? Their connection was far more complex than that.
Their voices overlapped again.
““Friends...””
They looked at each other and immediately knew that "noble friends" didn't quite capture it. Did that leave "rivals"? That didn't feel right either.
In truth, labeling their relationship wouldn't change the facts, but for the two of them, it felt incredibly important.
“I’ve heard that when people fall for the same person, they usually end up hating each other...”
“Lady Clausel, where did you get that information?”
“...R-Romance novels... mostly...”
“...What a coincidence. I have several similar sources of information.”
Licia cleared her throat. “But I don't feel like that fits us.”
“No. I agree.”
It was obvious that there was no benefit to them being at odds. Yet, the existence of the person they loved made it impossible not to be emotional.
Gradually, they began to voice their fragmented thoughts.
“Rivals...” Licia started.
“With feelings we can't yield...” Fiona added.
“Love rivals...”
“Nobles with close ties...”
With so many terms floating between them, they couldn't seem to organize their thoughts. It felt wrong if even one was missing, yet it felt equally wrong to emphasize just one.
“Perhaps we are all of those things at once,” Fiona suggested.
It wasn't that they had given up on finding a single word; it was that they were exactly all of those things.
“So, since there isn't a word for it in this world, we are just... us? Is that it?”
“Yes. I believe that is for the best.”
A relationship that wasn't bound by a single mold. At its core was the earnest desire to never give up on Ren—to be his number one. Beyond that was a complicated web of friendship and social standing.
If that was their reality, they were forced back to the question of how to act toward one another. But surprisingly, one part of that was very clear. They decided to voice the one thing they would never yield and leave the rest to time.
“—Because I absolutely, positively will not lose.”
As Licia spoke, the Platinum Feather in her hair swayed gently.
“—I cannot lie to my heart, either.”
As Fiona spoke, the Necklace of Star Agate at her throat shimmered.
They looked at each other with sincere expressions, fully understanding the depth of the other’s feelings. In that moment, they were no longer noblewomen. They were simply Licia and Fiona, two young women in love.
In short, they forgot their status and spoke their minds.
“R-Ren gave me this hair ornament! He searched for it himself for my birthday last year!”
“I-I also... Ren-kun, who saved me from Asval, gave this to me so I’d have at least one fond memory of the journey home!”
Neither intended to belittle the other’s gift, nor did they want to rank them. They simply needed to say it. Facing their first love rival—and a formidable one at that—they felt they had to make their stand.
“...”
“...”
However, both were new to love. Just as it had been at the party, the rush of emotion caused a deep flush to spread from their necks to their cheeks, even turning their ears bright red. Before they knew it, they were both staring at each other with eyes moist from embarrassment.
The steady ticking of the clock echoed through the room. Lezard, Weiss, and Edgar were still waiting for them in the salon. Licia’s clothes were likely dry by now. Their conversation was drawing to a close.
The two finally regained some composure as the clock chimed two in the afternoon.
“You’re bright red, Lady Fiona.”
“I know! B-But you are too, Lady Clausel...!”
“I-I just got out of the bath! My body is just flushed from the heat!”
They certainly couldn't head to the salon like this. In the silence that followed, they waited patiently until the heat faded from their skin.
A short while later, it was finally time to depart.
The hour wasn't late, but the planned trip to the Blacksmith District was postponed. When Licia and Fiona arrived at the salon located between the dormitories, Lezard and the others were there to meet them. The salon was as lavish as a high-end hotel, complete with deep crimson carpets.
“Lady Clausel, if you don't mind, could you show me that vial?” Edgar asked.
“The vial? The one for practicing Strong Sword Arts?”
The flush had already faded from Licia’s cheeks. Fiona was composed as well, though if either of them let their guard down, the memory of their conversation would likely send the heat rushing back.
“That is correct. I would like to check its progress, if I may.”
“...That’s fine, but there hasn't been any change to the crystal ball inside.”
Licia reached into the pocket of the clothes she had borrowed from Fiona. She pulled out the vial and moved to hand it to Edgar.
In the split second before he took it, a sharp crack echoed through the room. The crystal ball inside the vial had split perfectly in two.
“—I am truly amazed,” Edgar said, his voice filled with genuine wonder. “It appears Lady Clausel possesses a rare and exceptional talent for the Strong Sword Arts.”
“...! Truly!?”
“There is no doubt. If you are interested, it would be wonderful for you to learn the Strong Sword Arts alongside Master Ren eventually. In fact, I personally insist upon it.”
Hearing this, Licia beamed with joy and threw her arms around her father, Lezard.
At that same hour, deep in the wilderness far from the Town of Erendil.
After following the highway and trekking into the forest for quite some time, one would find a secluded lake. Ren had traveled to this spot, roughly a three-hour journey from the town.
The lake, nestled between low mountains, was covered in a thick sheet of ice due to the winter chill.
“Alright.”
Ren sat down on the bank to prepare. He summoned his Iron Magic Sword and surveyed the frozen expanse.
“Winter was actually quite convenient.”
He walked out onto the thick ice, taking about ten minutes to reach the center of the lake. With a swift stroke of the Iron Magic Sword, he cut a large hole in the ice.
“Let’s finish this quickly.”
A considerable amount of time had passed since he’d first learned he could unlock Magic Sword Evolution. However, because so much of this year had been spent traveling between the Clausel territory and the capital, he hadn't been able to hunt as much as usual. It had taken until today, but he was finally ready to level up.
Ren checked his status, confirming his goal for the day.
—————— Ren Ashton
[Job] Ashton Family Eldest Son
[Skill] • Magic Sword Summoning (Level 1: 0/0) • Magic Sword Summoning Arts (Level 4: 3481/3500)
Level 1: Can summon one Magic Sword. Level 2: Gains Physical Ability Boost (Small) while a Magic Sword is summoned. Level 3: Can summon two Magic Swords. Level 4: Gains Physical Ability Boost (Medium) while a Magic Sword is summoned. Level 5: Unlocks Magic Sword Evolution. Level 6: ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊.
[Acquired Magic Swords] • Wooden Magic Sword (Level 2: 1000/1000) Enables attacks equivalent to Nature Magic (Small). Area of effect increases with level.
• Iron Magic Sword (Level 3: 2925/4500) Sharpness increases with level.
• Thief's Magic Sword (Level 1: 0/3) Has a fixed probability of randomly stealing an item from the target.
• Shield Magic Sword (Level 2: 0/5) Deploys a Mana Barrier. Effectiveness and range increase with level.
• Flame Magic Sword (Level 1: 1/1) Its hellfire is the dragon's wrath, the incarnation of power. ——————
As he’d seen, he was just a hair's breadth away from leveling up his Magic Sword Summoning Arts. Proficiency in the art was gained simply by summoning and training with the blades, so he had been steadily accruing points even without combat.
Today, he would finally reach the next threshold.
Ren reached into his pocket and tossed a piece of raw meat into the hole he’d cut. It was just cheap stall meat, the same kind a Little Boar might provide, but it served a vital purpose.
A few seconds after the meat sank with a soft plop, bubbles began to rise to the surface of the dark water.