Ever since Ren had begun spending his time in Erendil, Fiona had been by his side more than ever before. As his senior by two years, she refused to remain a pathetic girl who did nothing but blush; she constantly pushed herself to act with more composure.
"——It’s okay. I’m fine now."
Fiona turned back to Ren once the flush had finally faded from her cheeks.
While she had been regaining her senses, he had stood up and started brewing tea using the equipment provided in the room.
"Would you like some as well, Lady Fiona?"
"Please. ——Hehe, I always look forward to the tea you brew, Ren-kun."
"Haha... I hope it suits your palate this time as well. Please wait just a moment."
Fiona had offered to help, but Ren had already finished most of the preparations by then, leaving nothing for her to do.
A few minutes later, a pleasant aroma wafted from the teacup placed before her.
Naturally, it tasted excellent. Unlike Fiona’s own brews, it possessed a masterful balance without any unnecessary bitterness. She could tell in an instant that his skills had improved yet again.
Fiona’s own abilities had also grown since they met, but it seemed Ren was always one step ahead.
"That's right," Ren said, returning to the seat opposite her and sipping his own tea.
Fiona, who had been happily enjoying the drink, looked up with a curious expression. "What is it?"
"There was something I didn't understand in my assignment. If it's alright, I was wondering if you could help me with it, Lady Fiona..."
Being relied upon caused Fiona’s face to light up with joy.
With a bright, sparkling smile and a lively voice, she nodded.
"Yes! I’d be delighted to!"
As she moved, the necklace at her chest swayed.
It wasn't the Necklace of Warding she used to wear in the Baldur Mountains. It was the necklace with the Star Agate charm that Ren had given her.
Noticing it, Ren spoke with a hint of bashfulness.
"...I’m truly happy that you treasure it, but are you sure you didn't want it properly processed?"
The Star Agate decorating her chest was still in its raw, uncut state.
Strictly speaking, it was a bit rustic for a Marquis's Daughter to be wearing.
"Yes. I like it exactly the way it is."
Since she sounded so genuinely happy, Ren felt it would be boorish to press the matter.
Furthermore, as if to emphasize her delight at being useful to him, Fiona steered the conversation back to the lesson, and he didn't mention the necklace again.
"Where is the part you're struggling with, Ren-kun?"
Fiona leaned forward slightly over the desk, bringing herself closer to him.
"It’s this. My Alchemy teacher gave me this assignment, but I don't quite understand why this particular reagent is necessary here."
"Let’s see... That part is a bit tricky because of the calculations involving the other materials. You see, this reagent is required because of a formula like this——"
Fiona let her pen glide across the notebook.
Her handwriting, while elegant, was rounded and charming.
"What do you think?" she asked.
Ren’s cheek twitched as he struggled to process the explanation.
Seeing his strained smile, Fiona gave a small, apologetic laugh. "Ahaha..." She didn't laugh because he couldn't keep up; Fiona would never do that. Instead, she stood up to move to the seat directly beside him.
"Let’s try starting from this formula instead. First——"
Fiona sat right next to Ren, guiding her pen across the page again.
This time, she began explaining more carefully, approaching it from a different angle. She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear as it fell over the notebook, then stole a glance at Ren’s profile.
Watching him study the notebook so seriously, her cheeks began to turn red again.
"——And that’s the general idea."
Having finished her explanation, Fiona turned her face toward him.
Because they were so physically close, the faint, floral scent of her hair wafted over him. Her smile, which looked almost mystical in the light, was more radiant than the spring sun. Ren immediately offered his thanks.
"Thank you very much! I finally get it!"
"Hehe, I’m glad."
Fiona then stood up and returned to her original seat, leaving a sweet fragrance in her wake.
She wanted to stay by his side, but she knew her face would eventually give her away, so that brief moment was her limit for now. However, she could do nothing to stop her heart from racing like a bell.
——An hour, then two, passed as they worked through their assignments.
Wanting a short break, Ren stood up and headed toward the open window.
As the breeze hit him, he remembered something from when he had cleaned this room—a specific book on the shelf that had caught his eye. He walked over to the wall and picked up the volume he had organized the other day.
Returning to his seat, he opened the book titled Monsters of the Demon King's Army.
(I don't recognize any of these.)
The book was filled with striking illustrations, but everything—from the names to the appearances—was entirely new to him.
Most of these creatures were extinct in the modern era. The text noted that they had perished during the global resistance led by Hero Ruin’s party. There was even information on monsters said to inhabit the region surrounding the Demon King's Castle, known as the Demon Continent.
Ren’s finger stopped on one particular page.
He was captivated by an illustration of a monster walking through a wasteland that looked like a battlefield.
"Whoa... incredible."
Hearing his voice, Fiona asked, "Is that an encyclopedia?"
"Yeah. I’ve been curious about it ever since I helped Chronoa-san clean the room."
Fiona stood up and walked around behind Ren’s chair.
When she asked, "May I see too?" he quickly agreed.
"This monster seems to have been one of the generals leading the Demon King's Army until he was defeated."
The massive suit of armor stood five meils tall, jet black with ornate gold decorations. The sinister aura of the creature was palpable even from the drawing. It possessed four arms, with an equal number of greatswords slung across its back, and a tattered blue cloth was draped over one shoulder.
There was no physical body inside the armor; instead, it was filled with dense mana. A mana stone was said to float within that magical energy.
"It looks like it was never ranked because there was so little information on it," Ren noted.
Fiona peered over his shoulder and read a line aloud.
"...'A monster that grew even more powerful after entering the service of the Demon King. It never served anyone other than the Demon King, and prior to that, it was known as the Sword Demon'——so it says."
Ren read the next sentence.
As expected of a general of the Demon King's Army, its nature was unlike anything he had heard of.
"It’s classified as a Dragon Species. You wouldn't think so from its looks, but apparently, it has organs similar to a Dragon Species near its mana stone."
Ultimately, it was just a classification. Given how rare the monster was, proper categorization would have been difficult; they likely made the judgment based on its internal biology.
Another trait mentioned was its overwhelming vitality. Since it was a Dragon Species rather than an Undead, Ren understood from his battle with Asval exactly how much punishment it could endure.
The book mentioned that there were once multiple monsters of this caliber, a testament to the terrifying power of the Demon King's Army.
However, the Seven Heroes had fought one of them on the Demon Continent and emerged victorious.
(I guess that’s only natural for the Seven Heroes.)
Since they had eventually slain the Demon King himself, such a feat was only to be expected.
Ren closed the book shortly after and returned it to the shelf.
"By the way, Ren-kun, what are your plans for the upcoming long holiday?"
After a few more busy days of representative selections for the Lion King Grand Festival, school would be out for a full week. It wasn't a special occasion; just a standard holiday break.
"I don't really have any plans. It sounds like Lady Licia has duties for the Clausel family almost every day."
"Ahaha... actually, so do I. My father is coming to the Imperial Capital, so my schedule is packed——oh, that’s right! I actually have a letter for you from my father, Ren-kun!"
Fiona would have loved to invite Ren out somewhere, but her responsibilities made it impossible.
With a look of regret, she pulled an envelope from her bag and handed it over.
Knowing it was from Ulysses, Ren immediately broke the seal and read the message. The letter said: Let us visit the Blacksmith District together next week.
Wondering what the occasion was, Ren quickly realized the most likely reason.
(It must be about the new armor.)
He decided to write a reply then and there.
"I’m sorry. Would you mind delivering my response to him?"
"Of course, leave it to me."
Ulysses had specified an evening the following week, with their meeting to take place in the heart of the Imperial Capital.
Looking forward to the day, Ren turned back to his remaining assignments for the afternoon.
As promised, they met in the Imperial Capital during the evening.
On a day during the holiday break, Ren was walking with Ulysses.
"Are you sure you don't need guards?"
"I have you by my side——well, that’s half-joking. I’m sure they’re hiding somewhere. Probably."
The "joke" part wasn't because he doubted Ren’s strength.
"To explain more clearly, I meant that with you here, it’s fine even if the guards aren't seen. Do you follow me?"
"...Please, give me a break."
Ulysses, satisfied at having drawn a wry smile from Ren, chuckled triumphantly.
"How is your work as an Executive Committee Member?"
"As I mentioned earlier, it’s fun. I didn't plan on doing anything at first, so I’m glad I could be involved in the festival this way."
"That’s good to hear. However... hehe, listening to you talk reminds me of my own time on the committee."
"——Eh?"
"Oh? What’s with the 'eh'?"
"I’m sorry... I was just surprised to hear that you had also served as an Executive Committee Member, Lord Ulysses."
The two of them——or rather, primarily Ulysses——walked through the Blacksmith District without a care for his high status, taking only Ren along. It felt as though the energy in the air had intensified lately as the Lion King Grand Festival drew closer.
"Did you never participate in the speech contests or anything like that?"
"Haha! I tried it once and lost interest! I wanted to see what the Executive Committee was like, and that turned out to be far more entertaining!"
"I see... what exactly made it entertaining?"
"Oh, simply watching the other nobles of my generation. Seeing how they behaved when they got excited... I remember finding it quite pleasurable."
"——Wow."
Ren looked at Ulysses with a look of pure repulsion. Perhaps finding Ren’s blunt reaction amusing, Ulysses’s lips curled into a smirk.
He leaned in, teasing him further.
"Right now, seeing that look on your face is what I enjoy most."
Ren wondered silently if this man’s composure ever broke.
"By the way, do you know why I called for you today?"
"It’s about the armor made from Asval's horn, isn't it?"
"Correct. I was told it was finally nearing completion, so I sent word last week."
"I thought as much. But Verrich-san certainly finished it quickly since we last spoke."
"I had the same thought. It’s only been a week or two since the materials reached him. It’s remarkably fast, even for him."
Hearing that, Ren’s expression softened in anticipation.
Watching Ren—who usually carried himself with such maturity—show a glimpse of a boy his own age, Ulysses wore a gentle expression that lacked even a trace of the cold intensity that had made many a noble weep.
After walking a bit further, they arrived at Verrich's workshop.
"Oh, you're finally here."
Noticing the visitors, Verrich appeared from inside the forge, welcoming the two with a broad, satisfied grin.