Fiona arrived to see Ren shortly after he had completed his registration for the second exam, her figure clad in the academy’s summer uniform. She had come with a specific purpose in mind.
"Ren, thank you for your hard work," she said, her lips curving into a gentle smile.
A heavy downpour had seized the Imperial Capital that day, drowning out any hope of sunlight. Fiona, however, seemed to radiate a light of her own. The academy-issued gilet she wore over her short-sleeved shirt was pulled taut across her chest, and the raindrops clinging to her pale arms only seemed to accentuate the refined allure hidden beneath her modest attire.
"I have a letter for you from my father. I’m sorry... it seems Edgar is quite busy today, so I’ve brought it in his stead."
Ren offered her a warm smile, sensing her apologetic tone. "Please, don't give it a second thought. This is addressed to Lord Lezard, isn't it?"
"Yes, so I’m told."
"Understood. I’ll make sure it reaches him safely. If you’d like, I can walk you back to your dormitory once we're finished here."
"Goodness... you’d be going out of your way just for me, Ren."
"Not at all. As I said, please don't worry about it."
The two talked as they walked. Though Ren had intended to focus on the letter, they hadn't had many chances to speak lately, so the conversation naturally turned to his first exam. Fiona already knew he had passed—it was a given, considering he was registering for the next round.
"How was the first exam for you?" she asked.
"One way or another, both Lady Licia and I managed to get perfect scores."
"That’s wonderful! I knew the two of you would pass, but to think you were both perfect...! In that case, the second exam—no, even the final exam should be no trouble at all!"
"I certainly hope so. By the way, how was your exam, Fiona?"
The moment the question left his lips, Ren felt a pang of regret, fearing he might have been tactless. "Wait, forget I asked!" he added hurriedly. But Fiona only looked bashful as she admitted she had also received a perfect score.
"Ahaha... my constitution was always so weak that I didn't have much to do besides study."
It was a difficult statement to respond to, given her self-deprecating tone. Ren chose his words carefully. "That just means it’s a testament to your hard work, Fiona."
Clearly pleased by the praise, Fiona let out a shy, happy laugh, her silk-like black hair swaying with the movement.
"I suspect even Lady Chronoa would be taken aback by a boy like you, Ren."
"The Academy Principal..." Ren murmured.
She was a person who occupied a significant place in his thoughts.
I’ll definitely be a nervous wreck when we finally meet, he thought.
Even so, his duty remained the same: to keep striving so that the future would not mirror the tragedy of the game. He had already changed so many destinies; that thought alone gave him more courage than he’d had in the past.
"If I remember correctly, Lady Chronoa returns in October. That means we’ll meet her at next year's entrance ceremony."
"She was away from Leomel on business, wasn't she?" Ren asked.
"Yes. She has duties at the Silver Holy Palace in Nodias, so she’s been away from the capital for quite some time. Apparently, she tried to return once after the incident in the Baldur Mountains."
However, Chronoa’s work was not limited to Leomel; it involved international affairs as well. She couldn't simply abandon her post, and since a letter had arrived from Ulysses asking her to leave matters to him, she had reluctantly given up on her homecoming.
"Speaking of which," Ren said, "Lord Ulysses seems to have been incredibly busy lately."
"My father? Now that you mention it, he does seem preoccupied. He’s been delegating a vast amount of work to Edgar, and it seems to be related to that."
Ren fell silent as they walked. Beside him, Fiona stole a glance at his profile, her cheeks secretly flushing at how much more mature he looked. When Ren realized he had stopped speaking, he quickly broke the silence.
"Sorry. I got lost in thought."
When he turned to Fiona, their eyes locked.
"I—I wasn't looking!" she stammered.
"Huh?"
"N-no! It’s nothing! I just... I jumped to the wrong conclusion!"
Ren’s primary goal was to understand why Ulysses and Radius were being so uncharacteristically quiet. He tilted his head slightly at Fiona’s flustered excuse but pushed it aside to focus on his theory.
Even when I sent a letter, he dodged the question...
He had written to Ulysses to ask about the aftermath of the bandit incident. The reply had essentially boiled down to "No need to worry." The rest of the letter had been nothing but pleasantries and doting remarks about Fiona.
"But Ren, why are you so concerned about my father?"
"Fiona, have you heard anything about the possibility of the Demon King Cult lurking behind that bandit incident?"
"Yes, I have. But..."
"That’s what’s been on my mind. I heard Lord Ulysses was working with Radius on a few things, but I haven't heard a single update."
"Forgive me... but that name just now. You mean His Highness the Third Prince, right?"
"I do."
"Why are you calling him without his title!?"
"Radius told me to call him that, so I figured I might as well stop being formal."
Her shock was understandable. As the daughter of the Marquis Ignat—the head of the Imperial Faction—her reverence for the Imperial Family was far deeper than that of other nobles. The fact that Ren was on a first-name basis with the Third Prince, and that the Prince had sanctioned it, was a concept her mind couldn't quite grasp.
"Is it... is it simply because it’s you, Ren, that such things are possible?" she wondered aloud. Eventually, Fiona gave up on trying to make sense of it. "...If that’s the case, I wouldn't mind if you dropped the formalities with me, too. And the way you speak..."
She whispered the last part to herself, recalling her time with Ren in the Baldur Mountains. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy toward the Third Prince.
"I’ve been constantly wondering why Lord Ulysses hasn't reached out. Even when I tried to contact him, he brushed the subject off."
Fiona prioritized supporting Ren’s line of thinking. "I don't believe for a moment that my father isn't investigating."
"Right. Knowing him, he’s bound to be moving in ways I can't see."
"Oh, that’s right, Ren." Fiona spoke up as she suddenly recalled a detail discovered shortly after the bandit disturbance. "I don't know if this will help, but... it turns out the items stolen from the workshops were various documents."
She was relaying the conversation Ulysses and Radius had shared in Eupeheim. The stolen documents contained detailed information about magic tools commissioned from various trading firms and craftsmen. It had become clear that the thieves had specifically targeted information regarding magic tools installed throughout the city.
"Are they looking for gaps in security?" Ren asked.
He had voiced the exact same theory Radius had once proposed. Fiona, however, immediately countered it.
"I don't think it’s just that. We’re talking about the Demon King Cult. I can't imagine the people who caused such chaos in the Baldur Mountains would stop at merely looking for security flaws."
"Then their true goal is something else..."
The two of them fell into silence for a while, pondering the possibility. Since it was likely true that the cult was scouting for weaknesses, much of the information regarding the stolen items was being kept strictly confidential. This was especially true for the intelligence extracted from the Dispel User Edgar had captured on Ulysses's orders. Only a small inner circle knew the full truth.
What is their objective?
Unfortunately, they reached the dormitory, bringing their time together to an end. Though Fiona insisted she didn't mind staying longer, Ren was mindful of her schedule and said his goodbyes. On his way back, Ren remained deep in thought as the magic train hummed beneath him.
That night, back at the manor, the rain had cleared, leaving the air heavy with the sweltering humidity of summer. Ren was out on the balcony at Licia’s invitation, the two of them cooling off with glasses of fruit water while a light breeze drifted by.
"Ren? You’re lost in thought again."
Licia was far too observant for him to hide it. She could always tell the moment he was preoccupied.
"To be honest..." Ren began, sharing his recent concerns with her.
Licia had already known he was receiving a letter from Fiona. As she listened to what Fiona had revealed, she too began to worry.
"I agree. I don't think they’re just looking for gaps in security," she said, echoing Ren and Fiona’s sentiments. "They likely intend to use what they’ve stolen as a foothold for something bigger."
"Exactly. The problem is, I have no idea what that 'something' could be."
"Marquis Ignat didn't say anything?"
"I asked him in a letter, but he dodged the question. I suspect he’s being considerate and trying to keep us out of harm's way."
"Yes. The Marquis is a kind man, so that sounds like him. Besides, you have a habit of trying to carry the world on your shoulders, Ren."
"I... well, I can't exactly argue with that."
Regardless of the Marquis's protective nature, the two of them felt a genuine sense of gratitude for his concern. However, the mystery remained, and Ren’s curiosity was piqued by more than just a desire to interfere.
"Did Fiona mention anything else?" Licia asked.
"I heard that the Academy Principal is returning in October. Also, regarding the stolen items..." Ren went over the common details of the theft once more.
"Hmm..." Licia murmured, tapping a finger against her lip thoughtfully. She took a sip of her fruit water to wet her throat before speaking again. "If the Demon King Cult is planning something, don't you think they’d move before Principal Chronoa returns?"
"That’s a good point," Ren agreed.
Chronoa was hailed as one of the world's greatest mages. Her presence would be a massive obstacle—and a formidable threat—to the cult’s plans.
If the cult is going to move, it’ll be before October.
But what exactly would they do? Unlike a few moments ago, Ren was now able to narrow down the possibilities. With a specific timeframe in mind, the pieces began to fall into place.
Wait... I see.
The nature of the stolen documents combined with the timing sparked a realization in his mind.
"Lady Licia... tell me about those mana stones. The ones they’re scheduled to replace this summer."
He had practically given her the answer. Based on what had been stolen, he had finally reached a conclusion.
Licia gave a small, solemn nod. "I have to tell my father," she said, starting to stand up. Ren reached out and caught her hand, stopping her in her tracks.
"Wait. I want you to think about today's letter."
"Do you mean... my father already knows about this from Marquis Ignat?"
"I think so. It’s the only thing that makes sense. If Lord Lezard isn't already in the loop, it might compromise whatever Lord Ulysses and Radius are planning."
Licia looked back at him, her expression serious. "You're right," she agreed, though she made no move to pull her hand away from his. "But in that case, should we really be interfering?"
Ren understood her hesitation. Ulysses and Radius were clearly working toward a goal while trying to shield Ren and the Clausel family from the fallout. They had likely only contacted Lezard because it was strictly necessary, and they probably had no intention of involving him any further.
If Lezard knew the truth but hadn't told them, it was because he was following that same protective logic.
"They’re being considerate by trying to keep us out of it," Ren said. "The question is whether we should be forcing our way in."
Licia nodded. To put it another way, Ulysses and his allies were likely amassing enough power to handle the Demon King Cult without Ren’s help. In terms of sheer numbers or strategy, Ren’s involvement offered little practical benefit. In fact, if he dove into the danger head-on, he might only end up being a distraction.
"Maybe we should wait and see for a bit—"
Licia finally realized that Ren was still gripping her hand. It was only natural for her to fall into a state of total fluster.