As the room at the very back came into view, Ren’s eyes fixed on the object sitting before the door.
It was a massive, familiar-looking bag.
"..."
Though it was difficult to wrap his head around at first, Ren remained silent as he walked. They reached the end of the long corridor and came to a halt.
"What is it, Ren? You’ve been quiet for a while now."
"I might just be nervous."
"That’s rare for you. But there’s no need to be so tense. That is why I am here."
"Thanks. I appreciate it."
Radius knocked on the door. A voice drifted from within.
"You may enter."
Ren followed Radius into the room.
The far wall was composed entirely of floor-to-ceiling windows, offering a panoramic view of the scenic, white-crowned city of Eupeheim. A large desk sat positioned before the glass.
The man occupying the desk sat with his feet propped up on the surface, his chair tilted back in a display of casual rudeness.
"It’s been a while, Radius. And is that Ren Ashton with you?"
It was Ren's first time seeing him without a robe, but the voice and the attitude left no room for doubt. The man sitting there so arrogantly was undeniably the Bag Traveler—the same mysterious figure Ren and Licia had encountered in the Imperial Capital.
He had silver hair streaked with gold, much like Radius’s. His small frame was unchanged from when he wore his robe, though he was now dressed casually in a shirt with the top two buttons undone. His features possessed an androgynous, delicate beauty.
Ren and Radius came to a stop before the desk.
"Ren, let me introduce you. This man is—"
"No, that’s quite alright. I’ll introduce myself."
The Bag Traveler stood up, walked around the massive desk, and approached Ren. A refreshing scent—likely herbs—brushed against Ren's nose.
"I am Ragna. Biologically, I am a Shelgardian. Well, in terms of race, at any rate."
"It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Ren Ashton."
One could not judge Ragna by his height alone. He had identified himself as a Shelgardian, a race distinct from ordinary humans who primarily resided on the Sky Continent. Known for their extreme longevity, Shelgardians remained youthful for far longer than any human. Ragna was clearly no exception to this rule.
"I only agreed to this meeting because this cheeky Third Prince gave his recommendation. Otherwise, I wouldn't waste my time. I’d much rather be off somewhere searching for romance and wisdom."
"Thank you for seeing me. I have something I would like to ask you."
"Is it about how to find romance?"
"No, it isn't."
Ren was curious about that as well, but he had more pressing matters. He worried it might be too abrupt, but Radius gave a small nod, encouraging him to proceed. Uncharacteristically for him, Ren decided to ask a direct question without reservation.
"...I apologize for starting with something off-topic, but I had the chance to speak with a Shelgardian over the summer. I was told that despite their appearance, their actual age is often much higher."
"Curious about me, are you? I see. That’s a fair enough interest."
The small Shelgardian flashed a bold smile on his handsome face.
"I’ll be thirty soon. Pleased to meet you."
Ren nodded, having suspected as much. "The pleasure is mine," he replied.
Ragna let out a light yawn.
"Sit wherever you like. If you want tea, brew it yourself."
Ragna walked back around the desk and resumed his haughty posture. Ren and Radius sat on a sofa a short distance away. On the table before them sat a mountain of paperwork. A quick glance revealed a jumble of complex text and technical diagrams that were entirely incomprehensible to either of them.
"So, the two of you," Ragna said, his cool gaze shifting toward them. "Your letter said you had questions for me. I won't answer if they’re boring."
Ragna seemed to have already lost interest in pleasantries. He was already opening a book on his desk as if telling them to speak while he multi-tasked.
"My apologies. He has always been this way," Radius whispered.
"I’m the one who asked for the meeting, so I don’t mind. Was he like this back when he was your tutor, too?"
Radius nodded. "But he is brilliant."
"I know. He’s your former teacher and the man who helped you start the Arnevelde Company."
"Though the management rights of the company are now almost entirely in my hands. Ragna lost interest in business nearly immediately."
"I see... Well, I’ll brew the tea for now."
"Are you sure? Ragna is quite particular about his—ah, wait. If it is you, Ren, then it should be fine."
"Thanks. Since I have your seal of approval, I’ll prepare some for the three of us. Just a moment."
Ren stood up and looked toward the magic tools in the corner of the room. There was a device for boiling water along with a set of tea utensils Ren found familiar. He operated the magic tool and began preparing the tea with practiced, graceful movements.
From his desk, Ragna's nose twitched as the steam began to rise.
"You’re quite good at that."
"You can tell before even tasting it?"
"Someone of my caliber can. Tea is fascinating. Don't you think the way the flavor changes depending on the brewer is a bit like a book? It's similar to the unique voice of a writer."
"I think I understand what you mean... Here, please."
The first impression was a success. Ragna took a sip from his teacup and gave a single nod.
"Delicious."
Ren breathed a sigh of relief. On the surface, Ragna looked like nothing more than a beautiful, arrogant child, but knowing his true identity meant Ren couldn't treat him as such. Given that he treated Prince Radius with the same bluntness, Ren knew he had to navigate this carefully.
Ren delivered tea to Radius, then stood by the window with his own cup in hand.
"I'll call you Ren. Now, what is it you want to know?" Ragna asked, turning his head toward him without leaving his seat.
"Please tell me about Holy Magic."
Ragna let out a sigh as if he had lost interest instantly. However, perhaps because of the quality of the tea, he didn't seem to be in a foul mood.
"You can find as much as you want about that in any textbook."
"That may be true, but I wanted to hear the perspective of an expert."
Ren turned to face him, and their eyes met. Finally, they reached the core of the matter. After the chaos of summer and the wait through early autumn, the moment had come to speak with the specialist Radius had promised.
"Does Holy Magic possess any special properties beyond physical enhancement and being effective against the undead?"
"Hm...? Radius told me you were bright, but that’s a rather vague question."
"My apologies. In the Clausel family where I serve, there is a girl my age."
"I’ve heard the rumors. The White Saint, I assume?"
"Yes. I can help her with her sword training, but we haven't been able to find effective ways to train her Holy Magic. I wanted to learn more so that I could be of use to Licia—to the Young Lady."
As Ren smoothly provided the pretext he had prepared, Ragna studied him as if he were a curious specimen. Unlike the moment before when he had seemed bored, he now looked as though he might actually share his knowledge.
"How noble of you."
"Is it strange?"
"No, it's just a way of thinking I could never emulate. If it were me, I’d use that time to go exploring ruins... but everyone has their own way of living. I suppose it’s not so bad."
A small smile played on Ragna’s lips.
From his place on the sofa, Radius’s voice drifted over. "Ren is simply that kind of man."