Inside the gargantuan magic ship owned by the Leonard family, the vessel made several stops as it cut through the sky toward the Leonard Archduke territory.
"This is bad," Kaito muttered, his face pale with tension as he spoke to Vane.
The two boys, still dressed in their academy uniforms, stood together in a quiet corridor.
"What’s wrong, Kaito-san?" Vane asked.
"The party is almost here, and I’m wound as tight as a spring."
"So you’re nervous, then."
"Of course I am!" Kaito snapped, abandoning any pretense of composure.
Vane offered a sympathetic laugh. "It can’t be helped. We all knew a party would be thrown once a relic of the Seven Heroes was found. And we knew it was going to be an enormous affair."
"I know that, but it doesn't make it any easier..."
Kaito looked out the window of the magic ship and let out a long sigh. Unfortunately, the weather was abysmal, and the view was obscured by a relentless blizzard.
Vane stepped up beside him. "Think of it this way—in times like these, everyone is desperate for the light the Seven Heroes left behind. They’re grateful for it."
The two began walking toward the center of the ship. A vast hall, designed to mimic the grand entrance of a noble manor, occupied the heart of the vessel. With its plush crimson carpets and elegant fixtures, it was easy to mistake the space for a room in a luxury estate or a high-end inn.
The girls were already there, gathered on the sofas.
"Oh, look at that," Charlotte said, a playful smile dancing on her lips as she spotted Kaito. "How rare to see you so flustered."
"Hey! Is there a law against being nervous?"
"Not at all. I just thought you should try holding your head high."
"Holding my head high?"
"Exactly," Charlotte continued. "I know you're nervous, but you should be proud. The fact that the shield was found now means it must have chosen you."
"She’s right! I think you can afford to be a lot more dignified, Kaito-kun!" Nemu added cheerfully.
Then, Sarah, the daughter of the Riohalde family, spoke up with her usual bluntness. "I’m not suggesting you become arrogant, but you could at least pull yourself together a bit more."
The others, excluding Kaito, nodded in agreement. There was undoubtedly a reason why Airia had been rediscovered in this era—a significant purpose that could not be ignored.
Slowly, the tension drained from Kaito’s face.
"All right... then I’ll take you up on that and try to look the part."
Seeing him regain his usual bravado, the girls began to tease and poke fun at him. Vane laughed along with them, but his gaze drifted back to the window.
"The storm is getting worse."
He found himself captivated by the blizzard, which only seemed to grow in ferocity.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
"Hmm."
Aboard another magic ship floating in the dark night, Estelle stood with her arms crossed, deep in thought.
The time they were meant to arrive at their intended hunting grounds had long since passed. Currently, the ship was anchored to a mountainside by massive stakes, sitting motionless in the sky.
The weather was atrocious, though such conditions were trivial to a vessel of the Drake family. The real issue lay elsewhere.
"Fighting in this weather would be an interesting challenge, but the monsters won't even show their faces," Estelle mused.
"At this rate, it'll just turn into a snowy march drill," Ren replied. "The monsters are likely staying hidden under this much snow."
"Precisely. And that would be a waste of our time. There's no point in going out of our way for a simple march... well, it’s not entirely useless, but it’s not the kind of training a Strong Sword User needs."
If they were just going to swing swords, they would be better off back at the Lion Sanctum.
"In that case, boss," Verrich called out. He was slumped in a chair in front of the steering wheel, letting out a massive yawn. "Why don't we just head straight for Eupeheim? We’ll be there in a few hours."
"And what would we do in Eupeheim?"
"I've got business with that brat—I mean, with Ulysses Ignat. I need to talk to him about the materials for the Lemuria. I’d rather consult with him in person than deal with letters."
This was likely related to the Dragon Vein Path Ren had provided earlier. Ren nodded, understanding the urgency. Estelle, seeing no reason to refuse, simply listened as Verrich made his case.
"Should we prioritize Mr. Verrich's schedule?" Ren asked.
Estelle thought it over for a moment before nodding. "Very well. We shall spend the night in Eupeheim. A winter night at the White Crown doesn't sound half bad."
The decision made, Estelle immediately left the pilot house and stepped out onto the deck in the middle of the howling blizzard. She returned less than a few minutes later, laughing as she brushed the snow from her shoulders.
"The stakes are back on board. We can fly."
Apparently, she had leapt from the deck to the mountain, retrieved the anchors, and then kicked off the mountainside to fly back onto the ship.
The ship’s furnace roared to life, and they ascended once more. The winds buffeting the mountain and the turbulence from their increased altitude caused the ship to rock frequently. However, once they stabilized and there was no longer a need to man the wheel, Ren brewed tea for everyone.
As they ate a light dinner in the pilot house, the three spent their time as they pleased.
"The Glacier Crossing always makes things difficult this time of year..." Verrich said between mouthfuls of food.
Ren looked at him curiously. "Is that so?"
"Yeah. During the Glacier Crossing, the Sky Continent hangs over the northern reaches of the Elfen Continent. It triggers cold fronts and winds that you don't see normally. I don't know the science behind it; it's just the way the world works."
"I see... so that's why the weather is like this."
The season brought with it active monsters and foul weather alike. This phenomenon only occurred once every dozen years or so. It must have existed even during the age of the Seven Heroes, but since it hadn't been recorded as a major historical event, it was likely treated as nothing more than a recurring weather pattern.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
At exactly ten o'clock that night, Ren stepped out onto the magic ship dock in Eupeheim.
Unlike the Sky Garden in Erendil, the Eupeheim port was fan-shaped, with various docks branching out from a central building several stories high. The three of them walked down a path reserved for private vessels. The walkway was enclosed in glass, and the floor was laid with polished stone tiles that shone under the lights.
Ren’s footsteps echoed through the hall until a voice called out to him.
"Ren-kun! You really did come!"
Fiona came running toward them from the far end of the hall, with Ulysses following close behind.
"Ren, I'm going to have a quick word with Verrich about tomorrow," Estelle said. "You go ahead and talk to Lady Fiona and her father."
The two groups met near a bench overlooking the city.
"Lady Fiona, what are you doing here?" Ren asked. He knew she had returned home for the holidays, but he was surprised she had known they were arriving so quickly.
Ulysses provided the answer. "The Drake family's ship sent a signal to the port. Naturally, given the importance of their house, the port authorities notified me immediately."
"I knew Ren-kun's schedule, so I thought there might be a chance it was you," Fiona added softly. "But I was worried that something had happened for you to arrive so suddenly..."
"Oh, no, it was nothing like that! No accidents or anything," Ren assured her. He explained their original hunting plans and the weather detour without leaving anything out.
Ulysses listened, realizing that Verrich’s need for a consultation was the driving force behind the change in plans. "I see. Well then, I'll go have a word with those two."
"Understood," Ren said. "In that case, I'll—"
"There's a carriage waiting outside," Ulysses interrupted. "You should ride back with Fiona."
"Wait, why?"
"Weren't you just about to say you were going to look for an inn?"
He was. Ren was taken aback by how quickly the conversation had jumped to him staying at the manor.
"You can just stay with us," Ulysses said casually, as if he were a friend's parent offering a bed for the night. Given his relationship with Fiona, the sentiment wasn't entirely misplaced, but the invitation coming from a Marquis carried a very different weight.
"I... I would be honored," Ren replied, his response slightly delayed.
Ulysses watched him with an amused glint in his eyes. "Fiona, I’ll leave him in your hands," he said before heading off toward Verrich and Estelle.
Left alone, Ren turned to Fiona.
"Haha, well..."
Fiona seemed just as surprised by the sudden turn of events, but she wasn't about to argue with her father. "It seems he wants us to head back first. Shall we go?"
It was late, after all. There was no sense in standing around the dock.
Ulysses had clearly anticipated this outcome, as he had arranged for a second carriage to be ready. It was past eleven o’clock by the time the Marquis returned to the estate and sat down with Ren for a proper chat.
They were in the same office where Ren had met with Lezard previously. Despite the late hour and the unexpected visit, Ulysses seemed to be in high spirits.
"So, how many days will you be staying?"
"I'm very sorry, but I can only stay for tonight."
"How cold of you. And after everything we've been through?"
"I’m honored you feel that way, but I have work to do back in Erendil in a few days." It was a series of tasks he was handling on Lezard’s behalf—work that would serve as valuable experience for when he eventually took over his own family's affairs.
"I see. So you just need to be back by then, right?"
Ren realized he might have accidentally given Ulysses an opening to negotiate for a longer stay.
"Oh, that reminds me," Ulysses continued. "The other two decided to stay at an inn. I offered them a room here, but they turned me down."
Ren could understand why. Even someone as close to Ulysses as Verrich likely had his reservations, and Estelle was not particularly intimate with the Marquis.
After hearing which inn they were at, Ren stood up. "Thank you for everything today. I think I should be heading to bed."
"Of course. As I’ve said before, please make yourself at home."
Ren left the office, choosing to ignore the subtext in Ulysses's voice that seemed to suggest he should make the manor his permanent home one day. He was shown to the same guest room he had used during his previous visit. On the way, he passed the same attendant who had served him then.
"Please enjoy a restful stay during your winter break," the attendant said with a polite bow.
Ren maintained his composure despite the loaded phrasing. "No, I'm only staying for one night."
"...Oh, what a shame," she replied, letting out a heavy, genuine sigh of disappointment before walking away.