Perhaps the recipient of the letter had been lost in thought; a small, crumpled crease marred the corner of the paper.
"I wonder if Jeno was the director of this orphanage," Licia said, peering over Ren's shoulder at the parchment.
Fiona leaned in from the other side, her brow furrowed as she spoke. "If that’s the case, then this seems to be a letter from a friend of his. During the era of the Demon King’s invasion, there were very few people capable of reaching the Sky Continent..."
"Is that so?" Ren asked.
"Yes. Magic Ship technology wasn't nearly as advanced back then, so the means to reach a continent floating in the heavens were quite limited."
Driven by curiosity, the three of them continued their investigation. Ren turned his attention to another sheet of paper.
『I’ve decided to forgive you for sending the Dragon Eater seeds I sent to a research institute instead of planting them. I suppose that was indeed my fault for sending them. But they are rare flowers, so please treasure them. Also, I managed to meet Milim Altia on the Martel Continent recently. I met her in secret, without the other six knowing, and had her craft various things for me. With this, I’ll finally be able to return home.』
Milim Altia.
Ren, Licia, and Fiona could not hide their astonishment at the mention of one of the Seven Heroes—the ancestor of Nemu Altia.
"A Dragon Eater... isn't that an extinct monster?" Licia’s voice was hushed with awe.
Fiona nodded. "Yes. As the name suggests, it was a colossal floral monster that preyed upon the Dragon Species. The last of its precious seeds were supposed to be under the protection of the Imperial Museum..."
"Why would someone send seeds like that to an orphanage director? Ren! Is there a sender’s name on the envelope?"
"No," Ren said, shaking his head. "There’s nothing. Neither the sender’s name nor the recipient’s."
Even if they needed to debate the authenticity of these claims later, the sheer scale of the information was enough to leave them reeling.
Eventually, Fiona spoke up. "There might be a reason for the lack of names."
The probability of such people using official channels or the Guild was incredibly low. Fiona explained that private correspondence of this nature was usually handled secretly through a trusted personal attendant to ensure total privacy.
In other words, the person writing to the director was someone with significant secrets. If the contents of the letter were true, there was no doubt about it.
There was only one piece of stationery left. Acting on behalf of his curious companions, Ren pulled it out.
『A bit of a problem has come up—or perhaps just a worry—but I wonder if that girl will talk to me again? You see, before it was just a convenience to drive me away... ah, no, I don't mean to speak ill of Jeno's sister, but my heart won't settle because I'm worried, or something like that... I know. I can imagine Jeno, reading this letter and thinking I should just shut up and come home. So for now, I'll head back in a hurry.』
This letter felt so personal and grounded compared to the previous ones that the tension in the room dissipated slightly. There was one final note at the very end.
『I understand that there are so many orphans because the war with the Demon King rages on. But I know it’s hard for you, too, Jeno. You have your original position to consider, after all. You probably hate being told this by a man like me who does nothing but reckless things, but please, don't push yourself too hard.』
Even after finishing the final page, it remained unclear who Jeno really was or who had sent the letters. They knew very little: only that the sender was an acquaintance of Milim Altia and that he harbored feelings for Jeno’s sister.
Despite the lack of evidence, Ren felt a strange, nagging intuition. He felt as though the sender was his own ancestor—the Adventurer Ashton. It was little more than a gut feeling, a "perhaps," but it wouldn't leave him.
"We should take these letters with us," Licia suggested.
"I agree," Fiona said. "Since the Ministry of Mysteries is involved, it would be for the best."
"Then I'll keep them safe."
Ren tucked the letters into the inner pocket of his coat and turned his gaze toward the wall.
The mural covered the entire surface above the altar. While the wall was impressive, Ren was more drawn to a small canvas resting on the altar itself. It depicted a man and a woman.
"These two look very happy," Fiona said with a gentle smile.
The setting appeared to be the garden outside the orphanage. It was a landscape painting of a girl sitting on a wooden swing, while a man watched over her from nearby. The contrast between the man’s casual attire and the woman’s formal dress felt slightly out of place, yet the piece radiated a warmth that comforted anyone who looked upon it. The style suggested it was painted by the same artist who had done the mural.
Licia and Fiona didn't say it out loud, but both had noticed the same thing. The facial features of the man in the painting bore a subtle resemblance to Ren’s, and the gentle atmosphere he projected was almost identical.
However, since he was clearly a different person from a different era, they dismissed it as their imagination.
"Won't you come work for me after you graduate?"
"No."
Later that night, Ragna had invited Ren to the Ministry of Mysteries after hearing the report. Outside the massive, floor-to-ceiling window of his office, the beautiful nightscape of Eupeheim stretched out beneath them.
"I really don't understand why you're recruiting me so suddenly," Ren added.
"You opened The Unopenable Door. That is reason enough. Are you truly not going to consider it? I like your character, Ren. If you’re going to be in the capital anyway, you might as well join the Ministry as my assistant."
"I'm sorry, but I plan to inherit my family's village eventually. I can't."
"Hmph." Ragna seemed to back down easily, but he immediately leaned back in his chair and watched Ren closely. "What if it were a part-time position?"
The man was persistent. Ren sighed, thinking it might not be a bad compromise.
"If I have the time and the leeway, I suppose I could help out a little bit."
"That’s more than enough. You'll continue to associate with me as a friend, won't you?"
"Well, something like that."
"Then that’s fine. Regardless, this is fascinating."
After seeing the door to the orphanage open, Ren and the others had tried to see if he could open any of the other sealed doors in the area. However, the other entrances remained stubbornly shut; only the orphanage had reacted to his touch. Ragna admitted that the phenomenon was currently inexplicable.
Since their focus was currently on the interior of the orphanage, they hadn't dwelled on it too much, but the mystery remained.
"I don't recognize the painting, and I’ve never heard of a figure named Jeno," Ragna admitted. "Since it might be a nickname, I’ll have to scour the archives for anyone with a similar name."
"There's also the fact that the sender knew Milim Altia," Ren pointed out.
"I wouldn't put too much stock in that yet. There is nothing harder to trace than personal relationships from that era. If the sender simply paid her for a commission, they’d just be a customer on a ledger. There would be no trail to follow."
"I see... so we’ll just have to investigate slowly through the Ministry?"
"That’s not a bad way to spend your time. They say the preparation for a festival is more enjoyable than the event itself. Chasing a legend is much the same."
Ragna was in such high spirits he looked ready to dance.
"Oh, right. You're welcome to take that painting home with you."
He was referring to the small canvas from the altar. Ren had brought it along, hoping to eventually identify the subjects. The fact that it was small and easy to carry had made the decision easier.
...Though that might have just been an excuse. It was difficult to explain, more like a sixth sense than a logical thought, but—
(It felt like it wanted to be taken home.)
Ren looked at the painting in silence. To think that a piece of art could desire to be carried away by human hands made him feel like he was losing his mind.
"It’s a beautiful piece, but that’s all it is," Ragna said. "The paper and ink aren't special. I checked to see if anything was hidden inside the frame or the canvas, but there was nothing. It is, quite simply, a lovely painting."
"It might have historical value as an artifact. Doesn't it possess the kind of wonder you love, Lord Ragna?"
"I haven't forgotten how to respect the things that inspire a sense of wonder. Because of that, I feel it would be a waste to leave it rotting in a storage lab."
"Is it really okay for me to take an excavated item home, though?"
"Ah... I suppose I should clarify. The Ministry of Mysteries is heavily involved in managing items from that site, but the Ignat family is also deeply connected to the project. The management of purely aesthetic artifacts falls under their jurisdiction."
Since Ren had been introduced to Ragna by Prince Radius and was a guest of the Ignats, there were no concerns about trust.
"Then I’ll mention it to Lord Ulysses on my way back."
"That man will likely tell you to do whatever you want. When he does, you should display it prominently at the Erendil Manor. The couple in the painting looks quite happy—it would be a shame to hide them away."
"I suppose you're right."
The time was already past eleven. Ragna let out a wide yawn.
"The only other mystery is the corroded black coin found in the desk. I wonder if those artifacts have some connection to the orphanage... Truly intriguing."
Ragna yawned again, stretching his arms. "Well, I'll look into it later."
Ren brought up the matter of the door again. Since he hadn't done anything special to open it, the anomaly bothered him.
"That door... why was I the only one who could open it?"
"As I told you, I don't know," Ragna said. "Perhaps the Magic Tool was on the verge of failing and you touched it at exactly the right moment, or perhaps there is another factor at play. As you are aware, we’ve barely begun to understand Milim Altia's work. It is an unknown technology that even the current Heroic Archduke Altia struggles to decipher."
"I thought so..."
"Considering we can't even understand it here in Leomel—the world leader in Magic Tool research—it may be a long time before we have answers. Don't get your hopes up."
Ragna spoke with a hint of regret, before adding with a scowl, "I doubt even the technology of Shelgard—much as I despise them—could analyze it."
Ren blinked. "So Shelgard's technology is that impressive?"
"For all their flaws, they are still considered the second-greatest military power in the world. They possess a level of technological prowess in every field that commands a certain degree of respect, begrudging as it may be."