"Ragna-san, what exactly is this?"
"It’s a circlet, as you can see. The mithril it’s made of is dead—a truly bizarre item. It wasn't corroded, and it hasn't been painted."
"Metal... dying?"
"Yes. Mithril is a metal that naturally harbors mana, but this piece has lost that characteristic entirely. That’s why I describe it as dead."
Ren wasn't particularly well-versed in the field of mineralogy. While he was intimately familiar with certain materials used for crafting weapons and armor—including their properties and where they were mined—specialized processing like this was a different story altogether.
"Does a processing method like that even exist?" Ren asked.
"It doesn't. The most prominent feature of mithril is that it retains its properties even when ground into a fine powder."
"Then that truly is strange."
"Isn't it? However, another piece of mithril in the same condition was found just the other day. It's the first find of its kind in the Old City in decades."
During a periodic survey conducted by the Ministry of Mysteries, an expensive mithril pen had been discovered. Looking closely, Ren saw the pen displayed in the showcase. According to the research conducted by Ragna and his colleagues, it had suffered the exact same fate as the circlet.
"I’m dying of curiosity to know what method could possibly kill mithril like this," Ragna muttered.
It would be a lie to say Ren wasn't interested, but he couldn't bring himself to share Ragna's level of obsession. To a researcher, it was likely a monumental phenomenon, but for Ren, who lacked the necessary specialized background, the concept was difficult to even grasp. He lacked the fundamental knowledge required to delve any deeper into the topic.
"Is your work as 'The Bag Traveler' also a cover for these kinds of excavations?" Ren asked.
"Ho..."
Ragna looked at Ren with newfound interest, his lips curling into a smirk.
"And where did you learn that? Did Radius tell you?"
"I said nothing," Radius cut in. "I intended to let Ragna explain his own activities."
"Then, Ren, how did you figure it out?"
"With a bag that conspicuously large sitting right there, isn't it only natural to assume the Bag Traveler is in the room?"
"Hmm. And where have you seen me before?"
"I caught a glimpse of you in an alleyway in the Imperial Capital the other day."
Ragna clapped his hands together. "Ah! So that's it." It seemed Ren's observation had been correct. "I did stop by the capital that day because I had a bit of spare time."
"Wait, Ragna! If that’s the case, why didn't you come see me!?" Radius demanded.
"I knew we’d be meeting today anyway. Or what, did you want to speak with your old tutor that badly? You have a cute side, don't you, Radius? Shall I pat your head?"
"..."
Radius fell silent—not because he actually wanted a head pat, but because he didn't want to engage. He simply turned away with a weary sigh.
"By the way, Ren, you’re quite the connoisseur to know about the Bag Traveler. I bet you’re planning on becoming a researcher after graduation, aren't you? You were probably thrilled by the rumors of a mysterious, wonderful traveler, right? I can tell."
"No, not really," Ren replied plainly.
When Ren mentioned that there were several people who spoke of the Bag Traveler, Ragna gave a knowing nod.
"Still, you don't seem particularly enticed by all this, Ren."
"I think it's amazing, but... I honestly can't think of anything else to say. Besides, wouldn't you find something out if you used Radius's power?"
Ren thought it was a brilliant idea. With the 'Analysis' power Radius was born with, they might find a clue. However, there was no way the other two hadn't already thought of it.
"In truth, this circlet isn't new to me," Radius explained. "I only just heard about the pen's discovery, but I've already investigated the circlet."
The result had been "unknown." No plausible answers or information had surfaced. He only knew that it had been transformed by some mysterious force. Even when he exercised his Analysis on the pen just now, the sensation was exactly the same. The only thing they knew for certain was that the circlet and the pen had been affected by the same power.
"It was obvious that even Radius's power would yield this result. But that's what makes items from ancient times so interesting," Ragna said.
With a snap of Ragna's fingers, the showcase slid back into its housing. The door closed without a sound. Ren and Radius watched as the "dead" mithril—the metal eroded by black—was tucked away.
Next, Ragna excused himself to go wash his hands.
"Ragna-san can work at the Ministry of Mysteries even though he’s a Shelgardian, huh?" Ren noted.
"Are you asking about his nationality?" Radius asked.
Ren had been curious whether a non-citizen was permitted to work as a researcher in a facility filled with state secrets.
"Ragna is only a Shelgardian in terms of race. His parents were ordinary people—well, that's a bit misleading. Ragna's parents were researchers born and raised in Leomel, not Shelgardians."
Ragna was a "throwback." He apparently had Shelgardian blood in his lineage, and he had been born as a pure-blooded Shelgardian rather than a mixed-blood. Ren realized such anomalies were possible.
"If anything, Ragna actually loathes the Shelgard Empire," Radius added.
"Heh... why's that?"
"Shelgard frequently intervenes militarily in other nations. Some time ago, a ruin Ragna was planning to excavate was caught in the crossfire of a war and destroyed. Apparently, the Shelgard army was the one leading the charge."
"Ah... that sounds like a very Ragna-san reason to hate them."
Ren wondered how Ragna had reacted when he heard the ruins had collapsed. Had he flown into a rage, or had he been so stunned he lost all motivation? Or perhaps both? Ren decided to change the subject.
"Regarding that mithril, Radius... what do you think?"
"I haven't the slightest idea. It's completely outside my area of expertise."
"What if it's related to the Blighted Princess we were just talking about?"
"The Blighted Princess is an old folktale. We don't even know which country it originated from."
"I mean, sure, but..."
"I understand your train of thought. They say the power of the Blighted Princess could erode anything."
"Right?"
"So, if your theory is correct, those items belonged to the Blighted Princess herself?" Radius joked.
The two shared a laugh. Later, when Ragna returned, Ren casually asked him about the word "Miko." However, Ragna's reply was a blunt, "I've never heard of it."
Since Ragna appeared to be busy for the rest of the day, the meeting adjourned. Ren made a promise to speak with him again before they left Eupeheim.
An hour’s walk outside Eupeheim lay a scenic area where sheer cliffs formed a natural labyrinth and trees stood firm against the salty sea breeze. It was a popular spot for intermediate adventurers to enjoy a bit of hunting while taking in the views.
A highway ran nearby, though the surrounding wilderness was home to monsters that bordered on D-rank even among E-ranks. These were creatures flagged for subjugation because they posed a genuine threat to travelers. Ordinarily, one couldn't set foot here without a significant level of skill, but that was irrelevant to the group of youths currently traversing the area.
With several members of the Seven Great Archduke Families present, alongside Vane—and most importantly, a girl named Licia Clausel—the monsters in this vicinity posed no threat at all. In fact, the battle was going so smoothly that Licia hadn't even found a reason to draw her sword.
"Vane! There's another one!" Sera shouted, parrying an enemy with her fluid swordplay.
"Got it! This is nothing!" Vane responded, responding instantly to lay the monster low.
The next wave of monsters fared no better.
"Oryaaaaa!"
Kaito sent them flying with his massive greatshield, and before they could recover—
"Too bad. You can't outrun my arrows."
Charlotte released a shaft from her bow, piercing a monster through the forehead with pinpoint accuracy. The monsters that had ambushed them from the trees were wiped out in heartbeats. Struggling was out of the question.
The two girls who hadn't had a turn to act began to chat.
"Hey, hey, Licia-chan. Nemu and I have nothing to do," Nemu pouted.
"I expected as much," Licia replied.
Licia didn't seem particularly bothered, and Nemu just looked a bit bored. Secretly, however, Licia was marvelling at Charlotte's skill.
What an incredible archer...
Charlotte Rofelia was the daughter of the Rofelia Family and a descendant of the legendary Heroic Archer. She had practically been born with a bow in her hand. Her ability to strike an enemy's weak point was nothing short of magnificent; even Kaito, whom Vane couldn't best, would be pushed to his limits if she kept her distance.
With three powerful fighters in the vanguard and Charlotte providing cover from the rear, ordinary monsters didn't stand a chance. Even Nemu could fight if necessary—though she preferred a support role, she was by no means weak.
"I really wanted to see Licia-chan fight, though," Nemu said.
"That's right, Licia! Were you holding back for our sake?" Sera added, joining them after the skirmish ended.
"It's not like that. You four were just so efficient that there was no opening for me."
The sea breeze swept across the grass, fluttering Licia's skirt. In another world, in a similar scene, a different choice might have appeared:
[How about Clausel-san joins us next time?] [Well, it's certainly reassuring to have a Sword Saint watching our backs.]
But those thoughts were irrelevant here.
"Next time, you’re fighting alongside me! Promise?" Sera insisted.
"...Alright. I understand. I'll look forward to it," Licia replied with a wry smile.
Hearing that, Sera did a little victory dance. The cheerful voices of the party echoed into the clear blue sky as they continued their journey down the highway.