A white light bathed the rooftop.
Sera stood on the academy rooftop after school, having her minor bruises tended to. The source of the healing glow was Licia’s holy magic.
“Licia, has your holy magic grown stronger again?”
“Maybe. I’ve been working hard during my training with Ren, so I suppose I’m improving bit by bit.”
“It feels like a lot more than just ‘bit by bit’ to me.”
“Is that so? Well, growth is a good thing, isn't it?”
“...Though my own confidence is taking a hit,” Sera muttered.
Her words weren't born of resentment, but rather the quiet determination of someone realizing they needed to push themselves even harder. Licia, who hadn't caught the comment clearly, tilted her head.
“Confidence?”
“It’s nothing. Just talking to myself.”
Licia simply whispered, “Sera is being weird,” and allowed the light of her magic to fade.
Her mind drifted back to the martial arts tournament representative selection that had concluded only a short while ago. The event had drawn a massive crowd of students, and the atmosphere had been more electric than any of the previous rounds.
“Yeah!”
First, Kaito Leonard had secured his spot.
“Alright! I’m a representative!”
Next came Vane.
“...I suppose that settles it.”
Finally, Sera claimed the fourth and final seat, living up to the high expectations surrounding her. Aside from those three, a second-year daughter of an archduke family had also been selected, but she had been forced to leave the academy on family business immediately afterward.
Having silently cheered for Sera’s success in the upcoming main tournament, Licia began to step away once she saw Vane and the others approaching the roof.
“I’m heading out now. Just because you made the cut doesn't mean you can slack off and get yourself hurt, okay?”
“I—I know that!”
Her hair, a shimmering blend of silver and amethyst, caught the fading light as she turned her back to Sera.
“Licia,” Sera called out to her retreating form. “If you had entered the selection... how do you think it would have gone?”
Licia stopped in her tracks and looked up at the sky. She gazed for a moment at the horizon, where the edges of the sunset were being slowly devoured by the encroaching night. Finally, she turned back with a mischievous, almost playful smile.
“Don’t be silly. There’s no point in discussing hypotheticals now.”
With that, Licia departed. This time, Sera watched her leave in silence.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
On the way back to the executive committee room, Radius spoke to Ren, who was walking in step beside him.
“The selection matches were certainly the talk of the school today.”
“Yeah. The representatives are finally set. With those four, I’m sure we’ll see some great results in the main tournament.”
“I agree. Kaito Leonard, in particular, is a force to be reckoned with in both offense and defense. In terms of pure technical finesse, Sera Riohalde and the others might have the edge, but the Leonard family arts aren't something that can be easily dismantled.”
Unlike the practitioners of the Holy Sword Arts, the Leonard family was a lineage that specialized in the use of massive shields. While their style lacked the traditional elegance of swordsmanship, the raw power and ironclad defense they commanded through their combat arts were remarkable.
“We’re moving into the final stages of the committee work, so I guess it’s time for one last push.”
“Ah, about that.”
Radius spoke up as if the thought had just occurred to him.
“I’m planning to take the remaining paperwork back to the castle to finish with Mirei. I want you and the others to focus on resting up so you have enough energy for the work starting tomorrow.”
“Wait, really? Wouldn't it be faster if we all handled it together?”
“I have a favor to ask you instead. Sorry for the sudden change of plans.”
Whenever Radius made a request like this, it almost always involved a matter of significant importance. Sensing that this was no exception, Ren watched as Radius placed a hand on his shoulder and leaned in.
“Let’s invite Ulysses and have dinner at Arnea tonight.”
“...Dinner at the Arnevelde Company’s premier inn?”
“What do you say?”
Radius was clearly making an effort to speak formally. The fact that he was whispering was proof enough that this wasn't a casual invitation.
“I’d be honored,” Ren replied, nodding without hesitation as he grasped Radius’s intent.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
The meeting took place in a private dining room on the top floor of Arnea, where Ren, Radius, and Ulysses gathered.
After brief greetings, Radius insisted they enjoy the meal first. The food was a masterpiece prepared by Arnea’s finest chefs—dishes so exquisite that even Ulysses, a man accustomed to the finest delicacies in the Empire, savored every bite.
Once they had finished eating, the atmosphere in the room shifted. Ren and Ulysses straightened their postures, sensing the transition to the night’s true purpose.
“There is something I want to show you,” Radius said, sliding several documents across the table. “But first, allow me to apologize.”
He apologized for the delay in sharing the details of the secret mission he had entrusted to Estelle Drake, the Chief of the Lion Sanctum. He explained that her investigation on the Martel Continent had been so sensitive that it had taken time to process the intelligence she brought back.
“This information should have been shared much sooner. However, given the nature of the situation and Estelle’s involvement, I had to ensure everything was prepared on my end first.”
“So you were moving pieces in the shadows,” Ulysses mused. “I had a feeling.”
“As expected of you, Ulysses. You saw right through me.”
“But of course! I pride myself on understanding your habits, Prince Radius!” Ulysses replied with an ostentatious, amused grin. He then turned to Ren with a chuckle. “You suspected as much too, didn't you?”
“I thought something was going on, but that was the extent of it.”
“Fufu, that’s enough of a lead for now.”
Turning their attention to the documents, the two began to read. The papers detailed Estelle’s findings regarding the Cult Leader of the Demon King Cult and the existence of two Great Executives serving under him.
Regarding the Cult Leader:
“He is a man who was once a True Ancestor Vampire. In the age of the old Demon King, he was the one entrusted with the Serakia region—the most dangerous wilderness on the Demon Continent.”
His name was Medario. He held no family name.
While his name appeared in various legends, descriptions of his appearance were vague and inconsistent. Although there were no recorded instances of him clashing directly with the Seven Heroes, his reign of terror was etched into the history books of nations across the world.
“There are indeed records of such a man serving as one of the Demon King’s closest aides,” Ulysses noted. “What is your assessment, Prince Radius? Are you certain this man is still alive?”
“I am. From this point forward, we must operate under the assumption that he is active.”
“If we capture any more cultists, will they end up like Former Bishop Renidas?” Ren asked.
“Most likely... they will likely wither away and die just as he did. Even so, we cannot afford to remain idle.”
Renidas, the man behind the attack on the Great Clock Tower, had not survived the summer. Despite the knights providing him with ample nutrition and a stable environment to keep him alive for questioning, he had expired like a punctured balloon slowly losing air. It appeared the Mark of the Demon King Cult on his body had been systematically draining his life force.
“Back to the point,” Radius continued. “We believe the Cult Leader is Medario. Even if that turns out to be an alias——”
“You mean he might just be using the name?”
“Precisely. However, I find it unlikely that the leader of a group seeking to resurrect the Demon King would falsely claim the identity of one of the King's most infamous aides.”
“I agree,” Ulysses added. “Medario is a figure for whom no record of death exists. To impersonate him would be the height of folly. If they were lying about that, it would cast doubt on the sincerity of their entire goal.”
“In short, we have every reason to stay on high alert. It is safer for us to act as if our mastermind is indeed the True Ancestor Vampire, Medario.”
Ren spoke up, voicing a question that had been nagging at him. This was the first time he had ever heard the name.
“Is there much information about Medario in our libraries?”
“There should be some, but it’s sparse,” Radius replied.
Ulysses looked at Ren with a knowing glint in his eye. “Do you know why there’s so little information? There’s a very specific reason for it.”
“Even though he didn't fight the Seven Heroes?”
“Exactly. There is a decisive factor at play.”
Ren gave a strained, dry laugh, hoping his guess was wrong. “Is it because... anyone who saw him didn't live long enough to write anything down?”
“Spot on. Apparently, Medario was so overwhelmingly powerful that the armies he led completely erased the nations they conquered. He didn't just win; he obliterated their records, their history, and their people.”
“I wanted to share this with you two before I bring it to the rest of the nobility,” Radius said. “From now on, do not forget the names of the Cult Leader, Medario, and his two Great Executives.”
Though the request sounded simple, its implications were heavy. Ren tucked the documents into his coat, having been told he could keep them. It was decided that Ren would be the one to relay this intelligence to Lezard Clausel.
“I actually wanted to invite Lezard tonight as well,” Radius admitted, “but he has been even busier than I have lately. I felt it would be unfair to summon him away from his duties.”
“Yeah... ever since he became a Viscount, he’s been inundated with invitations and requests,” Ren noted.
“The same goes for me!” Ulysses interjected. “The merchants in my territory of Eupeheim are desperate for a connection with the famous Viscount Clausel. His name is the only thing anyone wants to talk about these days.”
Hearing this filled Ren with a quiet sense of pride. The prosperity of the Clausel house was directly linked to the growth of his home village, bringing him one step closer to the goals he had set for himself. Knowing that, the existence of the Demon King Cult felt like an even more loathsome obstacle.
“Radius, is that everything for tonight?”
“From my end, yes. Ulysses, did you have something?”
“Actually, if I may take a moment.”
With the heavy business concluded, the tension in the room dissipated. The three of them settled back into their usual, more relaxed rapport.
“Edgar wanted me to pass on his apologies. He’s been so swamped lately that he hasn't had a chance to come by and watch you and Licia train.”
“Please tell him not to worry about it. But... that isn't the only reason you brought it up, is it?”
Ren remembered the message Ulysses had sent him back in the early spring. He knew the man wouldn't bring up Edgar just to apologize.
“Clever as always. The real topic is the period of the Lion King Grand Festival.”
“Right. You mentioned you wanted some of my time during the event.”
“Exactly. Are you aware of the guests we’re expecting from abroad this year?”
“I don't know the specifics, but I have a general idea,” Ren replied.
He recalled hearing that foreign royalty and high-ranking nobles often attended the festival.
“This year, we have dignitaries arriving from numerous nations, including those from the Sky Continent. With the descendants of the Seven Heroes set to compete, the festival is expected to be more crowded and chaotic than ever before. And because of that...”
Ulysses leaned forward, finally revealing why he needed Ren’s strength.