A week later, Ulysses set foot in the Imperial Capital.
Until that day, he had been working independently of Radius on various investigations, but today, his demeanor was different. The reason for the change became clear on the balcony of Radius’s private room. It was mid-afternoon, and they stood together amidst the cooling winds of early spring.
"The annihilation of the bandit gang the other day was truly magnificent," Ulysses remarked.
"I can hardly claim it as my own achievement," Radius replied.
"Haha, your Highness’s courage remains as steadfast as ever. I am proud that you personally ventured out of the castle, determined to catch their trail yourself."
Ulysses was referring to the day Ren and Radius had met. Despite being the Third Prince, Radius had felt the need to head out to the plains personally to oversee the investigation. He had his own reasons and a particular resolve for doing so—a reason rooted in a certain power he possessed.
"The involvement of the Demon King Cult was highly likely," Radius said. "I was prepared for some danger if it meant obtaining information on them."
That was why he had gone to the plains himself. Accompanied by his Imperial Guards, he had secretly ordered other knights to remain hidden while he ventured to that location. Meeting Ren had been a mere coincidence.
"By the way," Ulysses continued after praising the prince. "I believe there was one collaborator who had absolutely no connection to your Highness."
"…As expected, you already knew."
"Yes. In fact, I am fully aware that your Highness was considering making contact with him."
"In that case, he was indeed someone close to you, Ulysses."
Ren had been forced to give his name, and even if he hadn’t, Radius could have established contact through the Guild. A boy living in Erendil, serving the House of Clausel—Radius had already looked into the nature of the friendship between Ren and Ulysses.
"If you understand that much, then I shall not mince words. I will speak plainly."
While Ulysses maintained his usual whimsical tone, he suddenly projected an intensity that made Radius catch his breath.
"I will not tolerate any interference with the Ashton family, let alone the House of Clausel."
"…What exactly do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what I said. If they are dragged into factional conflicts—including the Demon King Cult incident—I may no longer be able to remain your Highness’s ally. That is the reality of the situation."
"Is this for the sake of honor?"
"Yes. I, Ulysses, will not allow them to be exposed to unnecessary danger."
Ren was a brave and powerful boy, as were the members of the House of Clausel he served. However, Ulysses was adamant that they should not be caught up in their larger plans. He was as stubborn as his words suggested.
"I understand, I understand," Radius conceded. "I have no intention of earning your disfavor, Ulysses; I have no wish for that at all. Honestly, Ren Ashton’s abilities are incredibly attractive, but I promise not to involve him."
Satisfied with the answer, Ulysses smiled. This time, it was a carefree, genuine grin, devoid of any intimidating pressure.
"I am delighted that you understand! As expected of your Highness! You catch on quickly!"
"Sigh… How can you say that so easily after exerting such pressure?"
"Pressure? I was simply talking. If I was disrespectful, I apologize."
"Enough! Verbal sparring with you is bad for my stomach!"
Radius picked up the teacup from the table and drained the tea—which must have still been quite hot—in one gulp. Resting his chin on his hand, he looked out at the Imperial Capital spreading beyond the balcony.
"However… would you mind if I met with him?"
"Depending on your objective, I might feel inclined to interfere. May I hear it?"
"Let me at least thank him for the other day. Besides, I don’t dislike Ren Ashton’s character. I found myself feeling quite refreshed while talking to him."
"…Well, if that is the case, it is not my place to interject. Your Highness has no friends, after all."
"Stop doubting me. I’ll say it clearly: the one thing I want to avoid is making an enemy of you, Ulysses. Please, give me a break. …And so what if I have no friends?"
"Oh, no, please pay no mind to my last words."
Naturally, their exchange wasn't a sincere feud or a game of malicious probing. It was merely a way of setting boundaries while confirming their respective feelings aloud.
A few days later, Ren was on his way back from a visit to the Lion Sanctum. He had stopped at a stylish restaurant along the main street to enjoy dinner alone when a waiter approached.
"C-Customer… U-Um… would you mind… sharing your table…?"
The visibly nervous waiter gestured toward the seat across from him. Because the restaurant used tall hedges to separate the seating areas, Ren couldn't tell if the other tables were full. He didn't mind sharing, so he nodded. "That’s fine."
The waiter looked immensely relieved as he began arranging the food. He brought two portions of the exact same dish Ren had ordered. Furthermore, the layout was unnaturally precise; the forks and knives were aligned to the millimeter.
(What’s this about?)
As Ren remained silent, trying to make sense of the situation, the waiter gave a deep bow and hurried away. Before long, the reason for the man's nervousness arrived.
"Sorry for the intrusion."
It was the same voice Ren had heard in the Town of Erendil. The newcomer sat across from Ren, and the two locked eyes.
"I see why the waiter was so nervous," Ren noted.
"I feel bad for the staff here as well. I’ve asked them not to speak of me to others, but I plan to pay a nuisance fee before I leave."
Radius leaned in slightly. "And as I said before, speak to me as you did then. I won't hold it against you as lese-majesty."
Ren couldn’t ignore the repeated requests—or rather, the pleas—even though they were speaking face-to-face.
"…I was just thinking you’re asking for something quite unreasonable," Ren said.
"I think so too, but it’s too late for that now."
"I get it. Then I won’t bring it up anymore."
"That helps. Now then, let’s talk while we eat."
Radius picked up his knife and began cutting into a freshly grilled steak. Even in such a simple gesture, Ren could sense the refinement of the Imperial Family. Feeling it would be rude to keep staring, Ren picked up his own knife.
"Mm… This is quite a flavor."
"The staff would probably be happy to hear that it suits the palate of the Imperial Family," Ren commented.
"I won’t speak so arrogantly. But I shall praise this taste on my way out. If possible, I’d like to come back and have it again."
That was a compliment the restaurant staff would surely treasure. Though they would be nervous, being praised by the Third Prince was an overwhelming honor.
"So, why are you here today?" Ren asked.
"I went through some trouble to come here because I wanted to express my gratitude. However… you truly are composed. Where did you learn my true identity?"
"Various things happened. I’ve felt something was off since we met on the plains."
"A truly sharp man. Ren Ashto—no, is it alright if I call you Ren?"
"That’s fine. You’re older than me, so don’t hold back."
"You knew my age as well?"
"No, no, of course I did. I knew you were one year older than me and about to enter the Imperial Academy. Wait, since you’re older, shouldn't I be the one using formal speech…?"
"What does being born a year earlier matter? There is no significant difference."
The two continued to eat. Including the side dishes, the food was truly excellent. Back in his game days, eating the food here provided several buffs, including Health Recovery, because the dishes incorporated monster materials. For Ren, who was returning from a day of sword training, it was the perfect meal.
As they moved on to dessert and tea, Radius’s expression turned more serious.
"You were a great help the other day. Thanks to you, we were able to capture that troublesome bandit gang and take a step forward in pursuing the Demon King Cult hiding behind them."
"Don’t worry about it. I was just doing my best to protect my own home."
"…I heard from Ulysses, but you truly are a man of great devotion."
"I wonder. I’m just trying to survive, that’s all."
"That is wonderful. Living with such desperation is a treasure in itself."
Now it was Ren’s turn to ask the questions. He had already guessed Radius’s identity, so he wasn't shocked, but there were things he wanted to know.
"For the Third Prince, wasn’t it dangerous to venture out to a place like that yourself?"
"I am aware. However, I wanted to capture the bandit gang and confirm the involvement of the Demon King Cult before taking action. To that end, I felt I should move personally, even if it involved some risk."
"I think that’s brave, but… I’m sure the Imperial Guards tried to stop you."
"Ho, you realized the people there were Imperial Guards?"
"It would be harder not to realize. Swordsmen with such refined movements guarding your Highness’s—"
"Radius."
"—Prince Radius? Lord Radius?"
"Radius is fine. I’ll say it in my most royal tone: I permit you to call me Radius."
"I feel like calling you by name without titles is a bit much. Besides, it’s not that you’re being arrogant; you actually are someone of very high status."
Seeing Ren looking dumbfounded, Radius laughed. His voice was lively, showing an expression far removed from the dignified and heroic figure he had presented on the plains.
"I also have no friends near my own age. I’m sorry, but I don’t know the correct way to interact."
He quoted the very words Ren had spoken on the plains back to him.
"You won’t start talking about lese-majesty later, will you?"
"I won’t. If I made an enemy of Ulysses over that, I would be ruined."
"…In that case, you won’t say things like, 'I won’t call it lese-majesty, so do what I say in exchange for my leniency'?"
"Of course I won’t. Naturally, the same goes for the House of Clausel. Besides, as I said, that would lead to a falling out between Ulysses and me."
Since the Third Prince had gone so far to reassure him, Ren finally gave in.
"Fine. Radius, then."
"Yeah. Call me whatever you like."
"If I can call you whatever I like, 'Highness' would be easier—"
"I mean you have permission to call me Radius whenever you like."
Looking at Radius, who smiled in an unexpectedly friendly, crinkled way, Ren decided it didn't matter anymore. He let out a sigh and quenched his thirst with the fruit water he had ordered.
"Back to the topic… with people with such refined movements around you, Radius, I couldn't think of them as anything but Imperial Guards."
Ren had one more thing on his mind.
"So, is the Arnevelde Company actually yours?"
"On the surface, it’s unrelated. However, in reality, it is half mine. The head of the company was my tutor. When I was ten, a casual conversation developed into founding the business, and it’s been thriving ever since."
"That’s an incredibly vague explanation, but it’s enough since I got the information I wanted."
Ren wanted to tell him that most people don't create a major trading company just from a 'casual conversation,' but he didn't voice the thought. Instead, he acknowledged the prince's talent.
"I knew Lord Ulysses was amazing, but I think you’re amazing too, Radius."
"Ren, you certainly give blunt impressions."
"Because I can only say you’re amazing. I can’t do what you do."
"…You say that after showing me such Strong Sword Arts."
Ren wouldn’t have even known about the Lion Sanctum if Ulysses hadn't introduced him. Without him, the current Ren wouldn't exist. He turned the conversation toward the relationship between the two powerful men.
"You seem close with Lord Ulysses. Is it because you’re in the same faction?"
"Ulysses and I have a cooperative relationship that goes beyond factions. Do you know about the stir among the factions recently?"
"Yeah, the Baldur Mountains incident from last year?"
"Exactly. Ever since that incident, I wanted trustworthy comrades. Both Ulysses and I felt that way at the same time."
(He says it easily, but that’s an incredible story.)
From Ren’s perspective, it meant that two figures who had been at each other's throats in the Legend of the Seven Heroes had become allies. If the two of them joined forces, they would undoubtedly be a formidable power. With Strong-Armed Ulysses Ignat and Genius Radius Vin Leomel cooperating, the future looked much more stable.
"This conversation feels like it should be top secret," Ren noted.
"It is more than just top secret. But Ulysses and I agreed that it wouldn't matter if you knew. By the way, to change the subject, I’ll have the reward money for the other day delivered as soon as tomorrow."
"Oh? You’re actually going to give it to me?"
"Why did you think I wouldn’t…?"
It was likely a significant amount. Ren was grateful for it; he thought about how it should definitely be used for the management of the territory. However, knowing Lezard, the Baron would probably refuse to take it, telling Ren to use it for the village or his own school expenses.
After a short while, the meeting drew to a close.
"I’m glad we could talk today. Ulysses and I will be buried in work again due to the Demon King Cult incident, but if you want to hear about the progress, ask Ulysses."
"Oh, right! I also want to—"
"No. Ren, you would be a powerful ally, but Ulysses has no intention of involving you."
"…What?"
"Ulysses said he doesn’t want to involve you too much."
He had introduced Ren to the Lion Sanctum solely because he thought it would be for the boy's benefit, giving him the time he desired to polish his skills. Even recommending the Imperial Academy was done because he believed it would be good for Ren’s future, setting aside any personal connections.
"Farewell, then," Radius said as he stood up. "It was a good conversation. I hope we have another opportunity."
"Yeah… likewise."
The other person was the Third Prince of a great empire. Ren knew that meeting today was only possible because Radius had personally adjusted his schedule. He had gone to great lengths to make this happen.
It was surely because of that that Ren felt as though another opportunity might be a long time coming.