As it turned out, Sera and her group were indeed planning to head outside the city.
Licia felt it would be improper to give her consent without consulting her father first, so she told Sera to wait just a moment and excused herself. She went to Lezard’s guest room to discuss the matter, and after obtaining his permission, she returned to Sera.
"May I join you for a bit?"
"Yay! We’ll be waiting downstairs, so come find us once you’re ready!"
Licia saw the two of them off before returning to her father’s room once more.
"Father, about what we were discussing..."
"Ah. I debated whether I should assign Weiss as your escort, but with members of the Seven Great Archduke Families present, there should be no reason for concern."
"I understand. Those children aren't the type to overdo it, after all."
"Exactly. However, Licia—try not to get too carried away while Ren isn't around."
"Father! You make it sound like I’d just run wild the moment Ren's back is turned!"
"............"
Lezard fell silent. He placed his hands on his hips and let out a small sigh.
"It simply means I trust Ren that much."
He didn't elaborate further, choosing only to emphasize his confidence in Ren to his daughter. In truth, he wasn't actually worried about her behaving recklessly; his words were merely a precaution, a parting remark before seeing her off.
"Make sure to return before it gets too late. Understood?"
"Yes, I know."
By the time Licia finished her conversation with her father and returned to her room to prepare, over ten minutes had passed since she had left Sera.
When she reached the first floor of the inn, she found several others waiting in the lobby alongside Sera and Vane. Kaito and Nemu were there, and amidst the gathered members of the Seven Great Archduke Families stood a single girl with a bow slung across her back.
Besides the invited guests of the Gardiknight, others had come to Eupeheim for various reasons—some on their own business, others having planned to spend their day off together. The clear camaraderie between these noble heirs and Vane was evident.
The girl carrying the bow stepped forward toward Licia.
"Nice to meet you, Saint."
The girl’s voice and smile were strikingly seductive. Her height was slightly shorter than Licia’s, though she was still tall by general standards. Her figure was full of curves that would incite envy in any woman, and combined with her striking features and lustrous purple hair, her allure felt incredibly refined. Yet, despite her sophisticated appearance, she managed to maintain an air of playfulness rather than pure maturity.
Faced with the girl's beauty, Licia spoke without hesitation.
"I am Licia Clausel. It is a pleasure to meet you."
As the two beautiful maidens stood side-by-side, an almost palpable intensity seemed to drift between them. Having encountered someone she hadn't expected to see, Licia spoke the girl's name.
"I never imagined I would meet Lady Rofelia here."
Charlotte Rofelia—a second-year student in the Special Merit Class at the Imperial Academy. Licia had never spoken to her or even seen her at a party, but she recognized her instantly. She was the daughter of House Rofelia, one of the Seven Great Archduke Families.
Furthermore, Licia had heard stories about her from Sera; she was the senior who occasionally made Sera grumpy by hovering over Vane. Licia’s first impression was that she was exactly as the rumors described: a beautiful, alluring senior. Charlotte was the kind of girl who seemed capable of captivating the opposite sex just by walking into a room.
Licia couldn't help but think that Charlotte would be a formidable rival for Sera.
"Licia, you don't need to worry about Charo," Sera interjected.
"Is 'Charo' referring to Lady Rofelia?"
"Yep. If you take Charo seriously, you’ll just exhaust yourself. It’s better to just brush her off."
Likely due to the long-standing ties between the Seven Great Archduke Families, Sera was on quite friendly terms with Charlotte. Even if Sera had been anxious lately about Vane being snatched away, the bond between those born into the great houses remained unshakable.
"Just remember this: when it comes to being annoyingly affectionate, Charo is in a league of her own."
"Ahahaha! Nemu thinks so too!"
"Yeah... Watching the way she clings to Vane all the time, I’ve gotta agree," Kaito added.
Charlotte smiled elegantly as she listened to the descendants of the Seven Heroes tease her. She looked utterly brimming with confidence.
"How hurtful. You make it sound like I'm some beautiful but annoying senior."
"I'm not saying you're 'like' one—I'm saying you are one! And stop calling yourself beautiful!"
Charlotte dismissed Sera’s retort with a wave of her hand.
"Yes, yes. Cute, cute. Sera-chan is as energetic as ever today."
"Ah, hey! Don't just start petting me!"
"Why not? You're so adorable."
"No... that’s not the point! Ugh, honestly! Talking to Charo always throws me off my rhythm!"
Watching the descendants of the Seven Heroes chat so happily, Licia’s expression softened. She felt a surge of surprise that Sera had been deepening her friendships in circles Licia hadn't known about, especially with such close seniors. It made her keenly aware of the distinct social frameworks within their respective factions.
"Gah! That’s enough! Let go of me!"
As Sera finally managed to shake off Charlotte’s persistent embrace, she adjusted her breathing and stepped out in front of everyone.
"Let's go!" she declared.
Licia followed behind the others as they began to move. Though no one had directly answered Licia’s unspoken question about their destination, the answer was implied.
"Since we’ve come to Eupeheim, we have to go there!"
In the timeline Ren remembered from the game, this was one of the few instances where Saint Licia actually joined the party. It was a scene from a short side-story set in an unprecedented location toward the end of The Legend of the Seven Heroes I.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
The carriage carrying Ren was headed toward the Government District in Eupeheim. He discussed their immediate plans with Radius, who had been waiting for him.
"We are heading straight for the Ministry of Mysticism," Radius explained.
"Got it."
The Ministry of Mysticism was a public institution in Leomel—a state-run research organization dedicated to magic. They studied everything from ancient holy relics to mythological lore. Historical records regarding the Lion King were also frequently handled there in cooperation with the Lion Sanctum. A researcher who had previously tutored Radius was currently stationed there.
"By the way, how was your journey on the Gardiknight?" Radius asked.
"It was fun. I enjoyed the unique atmosphere, and I plan to take things slow once we're settled in Eupeheim tomorrow."
"I'm glad to hear that. It was a shame I couldn't join you this time, but let’s make sure to ride it together when another opportunity arises."
"Of course. I’ll look forward to it."
Even speaking with the Third Prince, Ren made the promise as if it were the most natural thing in the world. This was simply their everyday reality.
"Honestly, if you were going to make it here in time today anyway, you should have just come with us, Radius," Ren said. He wasn't trying to disregard the Prince's schedule; he just genuinely felt it would have been more enjoyable if they had traveled together.
However, Radius had been particularly busy over the past few days and hadn't had that luxury.
"My apologies. I had business that I simply could not set aside. So, another time, then."
As they talked, twenty minutes slipped by. The carriage continued through the city toward the heart of the Government District. After another ten minutes, the carriage came to a halt. Since the Third Prince was visiting, they had stopped discreetly at a private rear entrance.
"We have arrived," a knight called out from outside.
Ren stepped out and looked up at the massive building.
"Whoa..."
He let out a breath of genuine admiration. So this was the famous Ministry of Mysticism. He gazed at it with casual curiosity. Like the Lion Sanctum, the tower-like building featured numerous spires and an ivory-colored exterior. Its most striking feature was its height—it stood even taller than the Sky Garden at Erendil’s massive station.
"The necessary procedures have already been handled. You can enter without worry," Radius assured him.
Even entering through the back, the immense security measures were obvious. Layers of magic tool defense systems were active, guarded by elite knights. Inside, the floors were made of polished, brass-colored stone that stretched into the distance. The walls and ceilings were finished in the same hue, with massive chandeliers illuminating the interior.
The footsteps of Ren and Radius echoed through the halls.
"—This is the survey report for the ruins—"
"Wait—we have a message from the Doctor—"
"—Give this reply to the Imperial Law Bureau. Tell them not to interfere with the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Mysticism."
Researchers in white coats bustled about, as did officials in expensive-looking suits.
"I don't really get the details, but is the relationship between the Ministry and the Law Bureau that bad?" Ren whispered.
"Unfathomably bad. The Ministry of Mysticism is granted various privileges regarding research and investigation, but legal interpretations are a headache in any era. They frequently end up in shouting matches over differences of opinion."
"Ah... sounds like a pain."
Since the subject was complicated, Ren didn't dig any deeper. He and Radius stood out slightly among the sea of working adults, drawing a few suspicious looks—until people realized who they were.
"T-The Third Prince!?"
"Bless my soul—!"
Everyone stopped in their tracks to bow deeply. Radius responded with a light nod as he walked down the long corridor side-by-side with Ren.
After following Radius—who seemed quite familiar with the layout—for a few minutes, they arrived at a magic tool elevator. The two boarded it and ascended deep into the upper levels of the massive structure.
They passed the tenth floor, the twentieth... then the thirtieth. The elevator finally came to a stop on the thirty-third floor. The folding doors slid open to reveal a single, incredibly long corridor. At the very end of that hall stood a single room.