That night, Ren returned to the Erendil Manor and left Lezard and the others in a state of shock.
He had presented them with such an exceptional haul so suddenly that their astonishment was only natural. Licia, however, was the exception; she simply offered a knowing smile at his success, as if such a feat were only to be expected from him.
Since the meat of the Berserk Fish was a delicacy, Ren suggested sharing it, and they decided to serve it at the manor that evening. He chose not to sell the thick scales, as they were ideal for sharpening blades.
After dinner, Licia visited Ren’s room, having just finished her bath.
"Come to think of it, I heard you weren't able to visit the blacksmith district," he said.
"Yeah. A lot—and I mean a reaaaaally lot—happened, so I didn't have the chance."
"You've been keeping quite a bit to yourself. What exactly happened?"
"……It’s still a secret. But you'll find out soon enough, Ren. It feels a bit frustrating to just tell you everything honestly, so let me act like a spoiled child just for today."
"A spoiled child……?"
As Licia said this, she sat down on the edge of the bed.
Ren, the occupant of the room, was sitting on a round stool nearby. Despite this, Licia patted the spot next to her on the mattress, prompting Ren to come closer.
Stunned by this unprecedented gesture, Ren remained silent for a moment before Licia patted the bed again. Failing to recognize her forwardness for what it was, Ren wondered what was going on but sat down beside her anyway.
"This is from Master Edgar," she said.
Licia handed a single envelope to Ren. The physical distance between them felt noticeably smaller than usual.
Ren took it, wondering what it could be, and broke the seal. Spreading out the parchment, he found a message from Ulysses stating that they should meet in the Imperial Capital next week.
"I’m going to meet Master Ulysses in the Imperial Capital next week."
"With Marquis Ignat? Are you going for a meal or something?"
"No. I believe I consulted him about Asval's Horn before, and it seems he’s going to introduce me to a blacksmith for that."
Introducing a blacksmith meant this would involve Ren's equipment. Ren felt himself growing excited at the prospect.
Seeing his expression soften, Licia put on an air of an older sister. "Ren is a boy at heart after all, isn't he?"
"I want to go with you, but I’ll hold myself back for now. Instead, let's try going to the blacksmith district together sometime soon."
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, Licia clapped her hands together. She reached into her pocket, pulled out the familiar small vial, and spoke with a bounce in her voice.
"Look, look! It seems I have a talent for Strong Sword Arts too!"
Her hardworking nature was innate, but Licia was equally blessed with natural genius.
Regarding Strong Sword Arts, some issues of compatibility had arisen due to Ren's influence, but even so, she had clearly demonstrated her aptitude. In terms of mana manipulation, which was essential for both sword technique and the Enshroud technique, Licia boasted impressive dexterity. Looking at the crystal ball, which was split perfectly in two, one could describe it as a rare talent, to borrow Edgar’s words.
"You're right. I figured you'd be fine since it's you, Lady Licia, but I'm as happy as if it happened to me."
"Fufu—that's right! I bet Ren's has already cracked too, hasn't it?"
"Eh, no…… mine is……"
"Show me. Please."
In response to Licia's slightly coaxing voice, Ren stood up and went to the desk. He opened a drawer and took out the small vial he had stored there. Ren hesitantly handed the vial to Licia.
"……"
Licia's smile suddenly twitched.
"It’s not just scratched—it's turned to fine powder!"
"……To be honest, it ended up like that right after I finished today's hunt."
To Licia, who had been rejoicing over her cracked crystal ball, seeing the object crushed into fine powder was nothing short of a shock. But at the same time, she felt a sense of pride. It wasn't that she didn't feel a pang of frustration at the gap between them, but she was used to being overwhelmed by Ren, and in truth, she found she didn't mind it.
"……Sigh, fine. I can accept it just because it's you, Ren."
"I'm sorry. To be honest, I was so surprised myself that I actually ended up feeling strangely calm about it."
"Yeah, I thought so. Still, I thought I wasn't losing when it came to the sheer amount of mana…… but seeing this makes me feel like I was wrong about that too."
"That's a misunderstanding. This training wasn't supposed to be something where the results were dictated by the volume of mana."
He wouldn't say the influence was zero, but the core of the training using the vial from Edgar was the manipulation of mana related to the Enshroud technique. By channeling refined mana through the vial held in one’s hand, one affected the crystal ball inside. What mattered was the precision of that manipulation; a high volume of mana alone would not produce such results.
In fact, Ren believed that Licia likely possessed a greater total amount of mana within her body. In the case of this crystal ball, it simply meant that Ren was more adept at the specific manipulation required.
"Is that how it works?"
"Yes. So please don't let it bother you."
"……I understand. —Next time, when the time is right, let's go to the Lion Sanctum together. Master Edgar invited me to join as well, if I'd like."
A letter of recommendation for Licia was also expected to arrive at the Erendil Manor soon.
"That means the promise we made before might actually come true after all."
He was referring to when the Regular Knights had visited Clausel and told Ren he wasn't suited for Holy Sword Arts. At that time, the two of them had resolved to look for the sword styles that suited them together.
(I wonder if this was for the best.)
Ren knew that Licia was naturally suited for Holy Sword Arts, so he felt a slight weight on his conscience for drawing her into Strong Sword Arts. However, considering the sheer power of Strong Sword Arts, it would undoubtedly benefit her in the long run. Thinking so, he felt motivated to work hard and improve alongside her.
"But before that, there’s studying…… and then combat training against monsters. By the way, Ren, have you been to the Adventurer Guild yet?"
"I dropped by this morning. As expected, the Adventurer Guild in the city is different in many ways."
"That’s true. Unlike in Clausel, they sell all sorts of things, and I think there are many more request forms."
Regarding the Adventurer Guild, there was something Licia was curious about.
"Ren, what is your Guild Rank?"
Just like the ranks for monsters, those registered with the Adventurer Guild were ranked. That said, it didn't always correspond directly to one's true ability. There were several conditions to reach the higher ranks, and no matter how strong one was, they wouldn't advance unless they achieved them. Ren was currently affected by this and remained at E-rank.
"That’s how it stands."
"Hmm…… but with you, Ren, it feels like you'll be able to raise it in no time."
"I wonder. Good things happen when you reach a high rank, so it might not hurt to raise it eventually."
Reaching high ranks like B or A allowed for priority in receiving requests and discounts at various establishments, including those in the Imperial Capital. Furthermore, if one were to be taken into a noble's service, they might gain a significant level of influence. There were even cases where travel documents were waived or adventurers became honored state guests.
(Though I feel like the latter part is mostly unnecessary now.)
His connection with Ulysses was something far greater than any power an ordinary adventurer could obtain. That said, he didn't intend to rely solely on that connection; since it would have the opposite effect if the relationship were ever to collapse, it certainly wouldn't hurt to have a high rank as a fallback.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
Just as indicated in the letter Edgar had left, Ren traveled to the Imperial Capital the following week. Accompanied by Ulysses and Edgar, who had come all the way to Erendil to pick him up, he was walking through the Blacksmith District.
In this area where steam rose from every corner, one could find not just adventurers, but knights, students aiming for the military, and even chefs seeking blades with a fine edge. Due to the convoluted alleys and numerous slopes, carriages could not pass through the area. Therefore, the three of them were heading toward their destination workshop on foot.
Along the way, the matter of the crystal ball Ren had broken came up.
"I expected you to succeed soon, Master Ren. But to think you would shatter it into fine powder……"
"Hahaha! There’s nothing to do but laugh! To think that after being surprised by Lady Clausel's aptitude, you would go even further beyond that!"
If it was the boy who had defeated Asval, it was perhaps only natural. For the two men here, their surprise at results they had never heard of before had turned into hearty laughter once it passed a certain threshold.
"In any case, congratulations. It seems the day you master the Enshroud technique isn't far off."
"Yes. It wouldn't be strange for you to reach the Expert Swordsman Class—no, even the Master Swordsman Class—quite soon."
"Thank you very much. I will continue to devote myself so that I can reach that level."
Following the talk about Strong Sword Arts, the conversation shifted to today's main topic.
"What kind of person is the blacksmith we're meeting today?"
"He's a blacksmith with exceptional skill. The problem is that he's eccentric and hates working," Ulysses said, shrugging his shoulders as they walked through the crowd. The slightly theatrical gesture, combined with his outstanding looks, made for a picturesque sight.
"I see…… he sounds like he has a real craftsman's spirit."
"No, that's putting it too nicely. It's true that dwarf is picky about his jobs, but he's the type of man who will occasionally insist that it's 'craftsman's spirit' or some such as an excuse to simply slack off."
"……Um, is he really going to process Asval's Horn for me?"
"I wonder. I sent many letters, but there was no reply, perhaps because he hasn't checked his mailbox. I figured I might as well go directly. Haha! He’s about the only person who would dare ignore a letter from me!"
For Ulysses, who had a penchant for eccentric personalities, this was a laughing matter. However, for Ren, it was quite a concern. He didn't particularly mind if it ended in a wasted trip, but since they were here, he sincerely hoped the man would accept the job.
While harboring that hope with a mix of sighs, he casually looked toward another part of the city.
(—I can see the Academy District from here.)
From this vantage point among the slopes, one could look down upon the district where the various academies were clustered. The Imperial Academy, which radiated a massive presence in that district, stood there just as it had the other day.