We were nearly back to the district where the academy buildings stood.
"Hey there, pretty lady!"
A stall owner called out as she spotted Fiona.
No matter how she tried to disguise herself, she possessed an undeniable radiance that captured the eyes of every man she passed. It wasn't surprising in the least that someone would address her.
Fiona had been so absorbed in our conversation that she didn't realize the woman was talking to her, until—
"Hey, I mean you! The lady walking with the Academy boyfriend!"
There were no other students around Fiona besides me.
Wait, boyfriend? Realizing the owner had made a massive assumption, Fiona turned toward the stall where the woman had been shouting.
The owner grinned as she caught Fiona’s eye. "How about it? Care for something sweet?"
It was a stall run by a spirited woman. On the counter, she was selling treats made of crepe-like dough grilled on an iron plate, topped with syrup and cream. The aroma was incredibly appetizing, but Licia and I had already eaten our fill earlier.
"Actually, we're quite full. And also... I'm not her boyfriend."
"Oh? You two looked so close I was sure you were. My mistake!" The owner gave a regretful smile before shouting energetically, "Come back again sometime!"
After that vigorous exchange, the two of us resumed our walk, enjoying the festive atmosphere on the way back.
As we walked, Fiona seemed to be reflecting on the woman's words.
"Y-You could have at least acted a little flustered..."
"Lady Fiona? Did you say something?"
"N-No! It was nothing at all!"
Boyfriend... The owner had mistaken me for someone Fiona was dating. Fiona couldn't even begin to imagine how happy she would be if that weren't a misunderstanding.
Putting that aside, she scolded herself for feeling dissatisfied, but it still bothered her that I had denied the word "boyfriend" so instantly. It wasn't that she was truly unhappy—she knew my personality well enough to know I would answer that way—it was simply a matter of her own maidenly heart.
"Ren-kun."
"Yes?"
To close the distance between us even by a little, Fiona summoned the courage to ask a question more daring than any she had asked before.
"Ren-kun, what kind of woman is your... 'type'?"
"Excuse me?"
The response was the same as before, but the feeling behind my words was entirely different.
Stunned, I reflexively stopped in my tracks and stared at her with wide eyes. Fiona found the sight adorable and let out a little giggle.
"Uh... I just wasn't expecting that question..."
Thinking the question had only come up because of the stall owner, I racked my brain. I realized I had never actually given it much thought.
We started walking again as I puzzled over it. Fiona watched me intently, her eyes full of curiosity as I struggled beside her.
"Someone... kind... I suppose?"
It was an incredibly cliché answer.
Fiona looked blank for a moment, then smiled softly. "That is very important, isn't it?"
"The only other thing I can think of—oh."
"Did you think of something?"
"Yes. Though I think it's a bit odd even for me, and maybe not exactly a 'preference' in the traditional sense."
Despite my usual maturity, I scratched my cheek with a bitter smile more befitting my age. The thought that had come to mind wasn't exactly a romantic ideal, but...
"Since I'm constantly swinging a sword, I suppose... someone who would accept that?"
Fiona's thoughts ground to a halt. She looked up at my face for several seconds before her expression softened once more.
A laugh escaped her, one she couldn't suppress even by covering her mouth with her hand. While she might have wanted to hear about physical traits or a more conventional romantic answer, she felt her heart warmed by what I had just said.
At the very least, she felt that she met that particular criterion.
When we arrived at the student dormitory, we exchanged final words before parting.
"Ren-kun, you have a meeting on a magic ship after this, right?"
In truth, I had to return to Erendil immediately to change. As Fiona said, there was a meeting aboard a magic ship—not quite a gala, but a formal gathering nonetheless.
"There will be many people there related to Lord Lezard’s work. I wanted to greet Lord Ulysses first, but it seems he was also very busy."
"Father mentioned he was disappointed about that."
Since Ulysses and Lezard saw each other frequently, the priority was to meet with those they didn't usually have the chance to see. Both men understood this, so they focused on their respective duties without forcing a meeting. After a few more moments of small talk, it was finally time for me to head back to Erendil.
Then, in that moment, Fiona found a sudden surge of courage. At first, she truly only intended to help me, but...
"Ren-kun, your tie is crooked."
Noticing that my tie—I was still in my school uniform—was slightly askew, Fiona reached out and lightly straightened it. She realized almost immediately how bold she was being, but she pretended not to notice her own racing heart as she smiled.
Surprised by her sudden proximity, I felt my cheeks grow warm.
"Is that better? Um... that was my first time straightening someone else's tie."
"I-I think it's fine! Thank you very much!"
"You're very welcome. Well then, Ren-kun, thank you for walking me back! And please, be careful on your way!"
Fiona hurried away from me as if fleeing, ducked through the dormitory door, and disappeared inside.
A few students nearby looked surprised by her behavior. She didn't have the composure to worry about them; she simply leaned her back against the closed door and pressed her hand to her chest.
She hurried to her room in the girls' wing and dove inside. Standing before the large mirror at her washbasin, she murmured to her reflection.
"I'm... I'm bright red."
From the moment she realized what she was doing, she had fought desperately to keep her composure—not just to hide her heartbeat, but to stop the flush from spreading to her skin. Now that she was alone, there was no need to hide.
Mirroring her racing thoughts were her crimson cheeks and slightly moist eyes. She pressed her hands together over her mouth and nose.
"What... what am I doing!?"
I hadn't seemed to dislike it, so she told herself it was fine, but a thousand thoughts were swirling through her head. She was simply stunned that she had unconsciously managed to summon that much courage.
That night, Licia and I were aboard the magic ship.
The meeting with the nobles, which had been on the schedule from the start, was being held inside the ship’s lounge as a standing reception.
The long, tedious rounds of greetings were finally over. While I was taking a breather with a drink in one hand and Licia by my side, she suddenly nudged me.
"Ren, look, look!"
Licia pointed out the large window at the night sky. Even calling it a night view was a bit of a stretch; from this altitude, the edge of the sky was still stained with a deep madder red. Below, the lights of the temporary magic ship dock were visible if one looked closely.
I stood beside her and looked toward the mountains in the direction she was pointing.
"Is that Roses Kaitas?"
"Yes! That mist has to be the Time Cage that Chronoa-sama mentioned!"
Even in the darkness, the mist of the Time Cage was clearly visible.
"It almost looks as if the mist itself is glowing."
"I wonder if it's similar to Holy Magic? My magic sparkles too, so maybe it looks luminous for the same reason."
I nodded in agreement. Since it was a seal imbued with the power of the Goddess of Time, it wasn't strange for it to have such a divine presence.
It really was a massive seal.
In ancient times, before it was sealed, Roses Kaitas was a sanctuary that drew countless pilgrims. They would climb the stone stairs of the steep mountain to worship the divine statue at the summit. It was said the Elfen followers of old offered their prayers to the heavens there.
Although Roses Kaitas was now a forbidden zone, the history remained.
"In those days, so many people must have walked those stone stairs."
"Yes. The books say they carried many torches, and the sound of bells rung by the Saints would echo through the valley."
Since it was called a sanctuary, the sight must have been incredibly solemn. I could easily imagine the scene as I stared intently at the mountain.
As we watched, the magic ship glided slowly through the sky. A man approached us from across the venue.
"You two."
When we turned from the window, we saw Richter, dressed exactly as he had been earlier that day. Thanks to our meeting in the afternoon, Lezard had invited him to join the gathering on the ship.
"Lord Leonhart, are you enjoying the festivities?" Licia asked.
"Very much so. Tonight, I have made the acquaintance of many people close to Viscount Clausel. It is a very fine evening indeed."
"I am honored to hear it."
"By the way, you two were... hmmm, looking at that sanctuary, I see."
Richter stepped up beside me and gazed out the window with a glass in his hand. The seal of Roses Kaitas was reflected in his eyes.
"Even from a magic ship, a seal located less than an hour from the Imperial Capital... it is magnificent. Truly, as they call it, the Time Cage is a crystallization of power that transcends human knowledge. The possibility of the Demon King's Army surviving within is nil. That is why its existence is permitted so close to the heart of the empire."
Richter took a sip of the wine Lezard had provided, then another.
"Magnificent indeed. To produce such a seal... even I cannot fathom the depth of the mysteries held by the Elfen Church."
"This is the first time Ren and I have seen the seal this close," Licia noted. "What about you, Lord Leonhart?"
"This is my second—no, my third time, I believe."
The first had been when he first arrived in Leomel, and the second was during his journey here this time. The third was now, standing here with us.
"I would like to descend and see it up close, but I only regret that time does not permit it. When I return to Leomel, I would certainly like to visit it with you two."
With that, he moved away. It seemed he had only stopped by to greet us while making his rounds among the other nobles.
Since Licia and I had already finished our formal greetings, we were relatively free. We could have stayed by Lezard’s side to help, but he had insisted we enjoy ourselves. All that remained was to help see off the guests once the ship returned to Erendil.
"...I wonder what it's really like inside that seal," I mused.
"Oh? Are you curious, Ren?"
"A space where time has stopped and holy power fills the air? How could I not be?"
"I’d be lying if I said I wasn't curious too, but going inside would be a disaster. We’d probably be purified right along with the monsters."
"Ah... well, my life is more important than my curiosity, so let's scratch that idea."
"Hehe, that's for the best."
The two of us spent a while longer talking by the window, watching the legendary seal of Roses Kaitas and discussing the events of the first day of the Lion King Grand Festival.
Eventually, word was sent around the room. The magic ship had begun its return journey toward Erendil.