A letter from Ren’s parents arrived at the manor in Erendil.
Though it was after the fact, Ren had sent a letter back to the village explaining his intent to apply for the Imperial Academy and asking for his parents' thoughts. This was their reply.
The letter that arrived that morning was filled with his parents' heartfelt sentiments. Ren read through it slowly, savoring every character as if to commit them to memory.
"If they’re happy for me, then I definitely made the right choice."
The Ashton family harbored somewhat bitter memories regarding the Special Merit Class, as the incident with Viscount Given still flickered at the back of their minds. Nevertheless, Ren’s parents respected his decision, seemingly as delighted as if Ren had already been elevated to the nobility himself.
Given the nature of the Special Merit Class, their confidence was perhaps natural, but they seemed to take it for granted that there was no way he would fail. It was an expression of their absolute faith in him, and Ren felt his heart warmed by their trust.
It renewed his determination to keep doing his best. He made a mental note to return to the village—which was surely developing rapidly by now—at the first opportunity.
"So, boy, how did it go?"
Weiss walked up to Ren, who was still standing in the manor's entrance hall with the letter in hand.
"My parents are happy with my decision."
"That is good to hear. I am also rooting for both you and the Young Lady in your exams."
Ren felt a sense of the man's sincerity through the hand Weiss placed on his shoulder.
With a bright expression, Ren replied, "Thank you very much."
He then informed Weiss that he intended to head into the Imperial Capital today.
"Hm? To the Lion Sanctum?"
"Yes, that’s the plan. —By the way, where is Lady Licia?"
He hadn't seen her yet today. If she were still sleeping, he had no intention of waking her, but if she was up, he felt it would be rude to leave without a word.
"If you mean the Young Lady—"
"Wait... Ren! Wait! I’m coming too!"
Licia appeared just as Ren asked, running into the entrance hall out of breath. She paused to gently smooth down her disheveled bangs. As she began to catch her breath, Ren looked at her flustered state in surprise.
"What's the matter?"
"I—I said I'm coming with you! You're going to the Lion Sanctum, right? I just got permission from my father, so I'm coming too!"
In her hand was the Letter of Recommendation that had arrived shortly after the New Year. It was the document Ulysses had promised to prepare so she could enter the Lion Sanctum.
Ren smiled. I guess Lady Licia wanted to start learning Strong Sword Arts as soon as possible, too.
Seeing his expression, Licia realized exactly what he was thinking. She looked slightly miffed, pouting her lips while secretly acknowledging that her own lack of initiative up until now was why he had reached that conclusion.
"...You're definitely misunderstanding me. Honestly."
"A misunderstanding?"
"No, never mind. It's not your fault, Ren."
She brushed past him with a sigh. When Ren looked to Weiss for an explanation, the old knight simply shrugged.
"I’ll escort you both to the Lion Sanctum," Weiss said, choosing only to watch over them without further comment.
They had only just stepped out of the manor and walked a short distance into the garden when Licia abruptly turned around. Her hair, which looked like amethyst melted into pure silver, was as lustrous as ever, billowing softly in the winter air.
Bending slightly at the waist to look up at him, she stared into Ren’s eyes with a dignified, competitive gaze.
"—I won't lose either, so prepare yourself."
Licia looked unusually adorable in that moment, and for a second, Ren found himself captivated.
However, he was left wondering what she could possibly mean. Licia correctly guessed that Ren, currently tilting his head in confusion, would likely assume she was talking about her training in Strong Sword Arts.
But for now, that was fine. Whether she could make him look her way from now on would depend entirely on her own efforts.
There was a reason Ren remained oblivious to the love of the two beautiful maidens. Though he was usually sharp-witted when it came to reading situations, he had lived so desperately for so long that he simply had no mental leeway for such things. It was, in a sense, the cost of having staked his everything on protecting his village, his family, and the girls themselves.
Therefore, how their relationships would evolve was something only the gods could know.
After declaring her challenge, Licia’s cheeks flushed slightly as she gave a bashful smile.
"Come on, let’s go," she said quickly, stepping out ahead of Ren and Weiss.
Walking behind her, Weiss spoke up. "That reminds me, boy. Would it be alright to move your belongings from the Clausel Old Wing to this manor?"
Now that they were moving their base of operations in earnest, plans were already in motion to transport Licia’s personal belongings. The suggestion was to bring Ren’s things at the same time.
"That's fine, but... won't it be a hassle? I could just go back to Clausel and handle it myself later."
"Do not worry about it. Actually..."
Weiss explained that it wasn't just luggage; they intended to bring the servants from the Clausel estate who were most familiar with Ren and Licia to the Erendil Manor as well. He told Ren not to worry about the packing and to simply accept the help.
"The Head of the Family and I will likely travel back and forth between Clausel and Erendil, but you and the Young Lady likely will not. We plan to bring Io along with the servants, too."
"I'm sorry to have you look after so much for me."
"Think nothing of it. For us, there is no greater peace of mind than having you by the Young Lady's side."
As they spoke, Ren’s gaze drifted upward toward the Great Clock Tower, the symbol of Erendil. The hands pointed exactly to eight in the morning. A moment later, the deep tolling of the bell reached his ears.
"That thing really is massive, isn't it?"
Licia, who had been walking a few paces ahead, slowed down to walk beside him.
"Did you know, Ren? That clock tower is actually a Magic Tool."
"Wait, really?"
Licia’s expression softened at his surprise. Since Ren usually knew everything, she seemed delighted to finally have something she could teach him.
"You can't see it from the street, but there's a garden on the roof. The Great Clock Tower Control Device is kept there, and they say it protects the Capital and the lands around Erendil."
"Protects them? Is it some kind of Magic Weapon?"
"No, not exactly. It doesn’t attack; rather, it has the effect of repelling powerful monsters from the vicinity. You’ve heard that one of the Seven Heroes was a Magic Tool Craftsman, right? That tower is one of the tools that person created."
"I see. No wonder it has an effect a commoner like me can't wrap his head around."
Licia laughed brightly at his self-deprecating joke. "Don't say such silly things."
"The power source is always an S-rank mana stone. My father said they have to replace it once every few decades."
However, the tower was apparently under the direct jurisdiction of the Imperial Castle. Lezard had no involvement in the actual replacement process.
"So, when was the last time it was replaced?"
"I think it’s been several decades now."
"Then it must be about time for a new one."
"Exactly. My father said it’s scheduled to be replaced this coming summer."
Oh... so it’s happening soon, Ren thought.
As they continued walking, Weiss mentioned that the only way to reach the roof was a very long climb up the stairs.
That day, Licia stepped into the Lion Sanctum and experienced Strong Sword Arts for the first time. A female knight employed at the Sanctum served as her training partner. Through that spar, Licia came to understand the true weight of the style's power.
The knights present were unanimous in their appraisal. Licia’s talent was undoubtedly a rare and exceptional thing.
As the end of January approached, Ren made his way to the Imperial Capital with a practiced stride.
He spent the day at a bookstore, purchasing several reference books necessary for his upcoming studies. The winter sun was out, and his coat felt a bit warm, so he walked with the buttons undone on his way back.
What should I do now?
He could just go home, but it was still early. He debated browsing a few more shops before heading back to Erendil.
While lost in thought, his feet led him toward a familiar district—a bustling commercial area filled with shops of all kinds that catered to everyone from children to the elderly. It wasn't far from the Imperial Academy; in fact, the path he had taken to escort Fiona back to her dorm was just a stone's throw away.
Clutching the paper bag full of books under one arm, Ren suddenly came to a halt.
"Huh?" he whispered, his eyes narrowing at a sight that had caught his interest.