Sera immediately understood what was happening, as she had seen Licia following Ren intently with her eyes.
Without prying too deeply into the specifics, she began to speak, basing her words on the usual dynamic she observed between the two.
"Vane used to call me Lady Riohalde at first, too. His tone was stiff, full of formal speech he wasn't even comfortable using."
"W-When did he start acting the way he does now!?"
"Do you remember me telling you about how Vane saved me? It was right after that."
Sera had mentioned that once before when they reunited in Erendil. Recalling that conversation, Licia was surprised to find that the shift had happened much sooner than she had imagined.
"So... he just stopped out of the blue?"
"I wouldn't say it was out of the blue. It was more because I told him to stop."
Struck by this simple revelation, Licia’s eyes widened, and she blinked in disbelief.
Sera couldn't help but laugh. Seeing the usually dignified Licia looking so bewildered was so charming that Sera’s expression softened into a warm smile.
Licia, meanwhile, remained skeptical of the answer. "Is that really all there was to it?"
"It is."
"I don't believe you."
"It’s true. That’s exactly how we got to where we are now."
Sera knew her explanation was a bit simplistic, but since that was the literal truth, she didn't have much else to offer. Still, seeing how seriously Licia was taking the matter, she added a final thought.
"Every relationship is different. It doesn't really matter how I handled things, does it? You’re Licia, and I think that’s more than enough."
It wasn't just a platitude meant to comfort her; it was Sera’s honest opinion. She wasn't suggesting her own experience was a template for everyone. The bond between Licia and Ren belonged to the two of them alone.
"I suppose... you're right."
"Why not try asking him one more time? Maybe wait until the Lion King Grand Festival is over so you can talk to him properly."
"Yeah. I’ll try that."
Sera patted Licia on the head as she nodded obediently. Suddenly, Sera was struck by a thought of her own.
"Still, the talk about Roses Kaitas was one thing, but this sudden concern about what he calls you is quite a pivot. Did something happen?"
Licia explained that it went back to when she and Ren had visited Erendil during the last long weekend. She told Sera about meeting Nemu Altia and what they had discussed. Hearing the story, Sera pressed a hand to her forehead and sighed.
"That Nemu... she never changes," she muttered.
Suddenly, a voice piped up.
"Hmm? Did I hear someone call for Nemu!?"
Before they even realized she was nearby, Nemu was standing right beside them.
"Where did you come from, Nemu!?" Sera yelped.
"I’ve been here for a little while, Sera."
"Ding-dong! Correct! Licia-chan gets a gold star!"
Sera whirled around in a panic, but Licia remained calm. She had more or less sensed Nemu’s presence approaching.
"So, so? Why were you talking about Nemu?"
"I was just telling Sera how incredible your magic tools are," Licia lied smoothly.
"Heh-heh! I see, I see! You were praising Nemu! That makes me so happy!"
With that, Nemu skipped away as quickly as she had arrived. Clasping her hands behind her back, she wandered off with a light step. It seemed she hadn't had any real business with them; she had simply called out because she happened to see them.
Once Nemu was gone, Sera looked back at Licia.
"In any case, why not talk to Ren after the Lion King Grand Festival?"
This was where they had left off before Nemu interrupted. Sera felt like a small thing like a name could be discussed at any time, but both Ren and Licia were swamped with festival preparations. Since Sera had just advised her to take her time, she couldn't very well suggest she go and talk to him this second.
Licia gave a brief "Yes, I will," and thanked Sera for the advice.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
Ren, Licia, and Fiona were gathered in the Academy Principal's Office.
Chronoa had kindly offered to treat the Executive Committee members to lunch, but unfortunately, Radius was absent from the academy on official business. Mirei, who acted as his shadow, was also missing from the academy today.
They had been enjoying their meal for about thirty minutes. Ren had just finished brewing tea for everyone, and they were relaxing in the post-lunch lull when Licia brought up the topic she had discussed with Sera. Of course, she didn't mention her hang-up over Ren's formal address.
She would save that for a better time.
"Principal Chronoa, just how powerful is the seal on Roses Kaitas?"
"Huh? Roses Kaitas?"
When Licia explained that she had heard about it from Sera, Chronoa nodded to herself. "I see. That makes sense."
Hearing the name, Ren and Fiona both leaned in.
"I’ve been curious about that as well," Ren admitted.
"As have I," Fiona added. "If you wouldn't mind telling us more."
"Sure, I can do that. Let's see..."
Since all three were eager to learn, Chronoa pulled a wand from her robes. She waved it over the table, and several spheres of water appeared, merging into a single mass. With another wave, the liquid shifted into the likeness of a mountain range resting on the tabletop. It was a perfect 3D model made entirely of water.
"I'll explain it step-by-step, so watch closely."
A section of the water mountain hollowed out, revealing a massive, open sanctuary. Rows of what looked like divine statues appeared, followed by the winding mountain paths leading up to the site. Through Chronoa’s magic, Roses Kaitas was recreated in miniature before their eyes.
"This area with the grand divine statues is the sanctuary that pilgrims used to journey toward in the ancient past. But as you three know, the statues were almost entirely destroyed during the invasion of the Demon King's Army."
Within the water model, the rows of statues began to crumble.
At the time, the Leomelian Army and the Elfen Church had joined forces to repel the invasion. However, the Demon King's forces were elite and had managed to push terrifyingly close to the Imperial Capital. Even Leomel, the world's greatest military power, was pushed to the brink; the army they dispatched was nearly annihilated.
The desperate battle, which had also cost the Demon King's Army a staggering number of its troops, only ended when the entirety of Roses Kaitas was sealed away.
"It looked something like this."
Chronoa waved her wand, and a veil of water rose to shroud the model. The surface of the water wall rippled, obscuring the interior of Roses Kaitas much like the dense mist of legend.
"According to the records, the sealing was led by the Elfen Church. They used Holy Relics imbued with the power of the Goddess of Time."
Completing the seal was a grueling process. While setting up the magic circles on-site, countless lives were lost—both among the clergy of the Elfen Church and the Leomelian soldiers protecting them.
But their sacrifice was not in vain. The seal was completed, trapping the bulk of the Demon King's Army within its boundaries.
"Does that mean the army will return if the seal is ever broken?" Licia asked.
"I was wondering that too," Fiona said. "If they’re just trapped inside, it seems like a disaster waiting to happen if the seal ever fails."
It was a natural concern given the story so far. However, Chronoa immediately shook her head.
"The Elfen Church says that’s impossible. The seal—it’s officially known as the 'Time Cage'—is so absolute that nothing from the Demon King's Army could survive inside."
True to its name, the seal isolated the flow of time between the interior and exterior. The space inside was a strange realm where time stood still, yet it was saturated with Holy Mana. Because it was fueled by Holy Relics of the Goddess of Time, the divine power was working at its full potential.
As Chronoa explained, the effect was devastating to anything of shadow.
Even though time was frozen inside, the Holy Mana continued to act, perpetually purifying everything within the cage. There was no doubt that by now, not a single sword remained, let alone the bones of a soldier.
Everything, without exception, had been cleansed by the holy power.
"I wanted to study the seal of Roses Kaitas in more detail, so I did some digging when I was still at the Silver Holy Palace in Nodias."
"Oh, that's right. You were at the Holy Land until last year, weren't you, Principal?" Ren asked.
"I was! But even though I worked my tail off, they wouldn't let me read even one book in the restricted archives..."
"Because they were rare manuscripts?"
"I'm sure that was part of it, but mostly it was because I'm not a member of the Elfen Church. I figured that was the case, so I didn't let it get to me too much."
Chronoa spoke without a hint of resentment, showing she understood the Church’s strict management of their Holy Relics and ancient texts.
She really has it rough, doesn't she? Ren thought.
He remembered the weary expression she had made when they were cleaning the committee room. Thinking of the burdens she carried, he looked at her with a soft, sympathetic gaze.
Noticing his stare, Chronoa looked slightly flustered.
"Ren-kun? Why are you suddenly looking at me with such kindness?"
"Oh, it's nothing. I was just thinking about how hard you work every day, Principal."
"It's true! It's so hard! That's why you have no idea how precious this time spent talking with all of you is to me...!"
As Ren poured another cup of tea for the overworked principal, she beamed at him. With one last wave of her wand, the water on the table dissolved into a fine mist, vanishing in an instant.