Vane naturally took the lead, guiding the group forward.
The distance to the spring was short; a leisurely two-minute stroll brought them to its edge. Kneeling on the grass just before the water, Vane slowly reached out.
"The water is glowing."
The liquid filling the spring surged with a brilliant white light. As the descendant of Hero Ruin caught that radiance in his palms, the six companions behind him watched in awe at the sheer divinity of the sight.
The light was gradually absorbed into Vane’s body. After a minute, the glow vanished completely, and a single shaft of light descended from the heavens to bathe him in brilliance. The divine spectacle left his friends speechless.
When the light finally faded, Vane pulled his hand back, yet his fingertips remained dry. He stood up, stared at his palms, and then clenched them tight. Finally, he turned back to his friends.
"——It seems that was the case after all."
The thought of "No way" had crossed his mind countless times. Since the incident with the Apostle of the Giant God, Wadatsumi, back in winter, he had frequently felt a surge of holy power within himself. He had even become able to manifest it, little by little. Now, the truth was undeniable.
A true carrier of Hero Ruin’s blood stood before them.
For several dozen minutes, the group remained by the spring, communicating in a comfortable silence. Every descendant of the Seven Heroes spent the time as they pleased, watching the wind ripple across the water's surface.
Eventually, one boy stood up. He informed Kaito he was going to offer a prayer at the temple and departed alone.
Seeing this, Charlotte asked, "Kaito? What’s with that boy?"
"He said he wanted to offer a prayer at the temple."
"Then we should probably head over soon as well. Let’s pray to the Goddess before we leave."
They had only spoken for a few seconds when a cry echoed from the temple.
"Wh—Who is there!?"
It was the voice of the seventh member of their group. Vane was the first to react, breaking into a run.
"Let’s go!"
The remaining five followed suit. They dashed toward the temple with an intensity that belied their fatigue, racing up the stone steps.
Vane drew his sword as he entered the open interior, his senses sharp as he searched for any threat to his companion. The boy who had cried out stood just inside the entrance, poised and defensive. Vane stepped in front of him, lowering his center of gravity as he assessed the situation.
He looked at the two figures standing before the altar deep within the temple. His breath hitched as he focused on one of them. The sheer aura emanating from the person's back and the strangely familiar silhouette made a faint sound escape his lips.
"Eh?"
The figure standing before the altar turned his face toward Vane and the others.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
The Blue Deer of the Ancient Land was still in an agitated state, but not so much that they couldn't slip past.
After clearing the beast, Ren and Ragna pressed on toward the temple. They took various shortcuts, using updrafts to ascend quickly or following paths of magical flora that stretched straight up the mountainside. They entered the plaza from a different direction than Vane’s group, heading straight to the temple to check its condition without stopping at the spring.
Ren turned his gaze toward Vane. This was the first time he had seen his classmate during the holidays, and he felt that Vane had grown since their last encounter. He looked more dignified, and his expression was filled with a newfound confidence.
"Vane, you’ve gotten strong."
Ren offered the boy a gentle smile.
"Yeah… I hope so…" Vane answered briefly as he approached. His pace was slow and measured. "I keep thinking, 'Is someone like me really enough?' But if I truly carry the blood of Hero Ruin, then I must have a role to play. I’m going to do everything in my power."
"Yeah. I think that’s for the best."
"But Ren, how did you know? Did you know about the spring here, too?"
"As far as the legend goes, I’ve read about it in books."
Vane continued his questioning. When asked why he was there, Ren simply replied that he was fulfilling a request for the man standing next to him. As for why the other boy had cried out in surprise, Ren offered a bitter, apologetic smile.
"Sorry. I think I just startled him."
He turned his attention to the boy who had shouted.
"Nice to meet you. I’m Ren Ashton, Vane’s classmate."
Since the boy was a member of a Heroic Archduke Family, Ren wondered if he should have been more formal. However, considering Chronoa’s insistence that students be treated as equals, he decided he was likely overthinking it. Even outside the academy walls, the relationship between peers remained the same.
Ragna introduced himself as the Bag Traveler. While several students were surprised to see a man of his reputation working with Ren, Ragna showed no interest in explaining further. Ren feigned a smile to help smooth over the awkwardness.
"I’m sorry," the boy said, bowing his head toward Ren. "I am Squall Meldeg. I lost my composure and raised my voice in surprise."
"I know who you are. The heir of the Meldeg Family. Don’t worry about it; we were the ones who surprised you."
One of the Seven Heroes had been a priest named Sisil Meldeg. A legendary White Mage, he was said to have healed his comrades' wounds and wielded immense holy power during the battle against the Demon King. As a saint who had carved his name into history, his portraits were displayed in temples across the world.
The Squall standing here was also a capable White Mage. He was of average height for his age, slender, with dusty brown hair and handsome features.
"Upperclassman Ashton, I have heard of you as well."
"Of me?"
"My father mentioned you. He said there is a wonderful knight who protects the White Saint."
It seemed Heroic Archduke Meldeg had taken notice of the person guarding Saint Licia. However, knowing that Licia was currently keeping her distance from the Elfen Church in secret, Ren felt a bit conflicted hearing such praise. Furthermore, the memory of what had happened at Roses Kaitas left him with nothing but a dry, forced laugh.
"I’m honored that Heroic Archduke Meldeg would say such a thing."
Ren left it at that before turning back to Vane.
"Vane, if you’ve finished your business here, you should head back quickly."
"I was planning to, but did something happen?"
Ren, his mind on the ring, gave a warning.
"The monsters are agitated."
"Could that be why we heard that massive roar earlier?"
"Yes. It’s related."
Ren assumed Vane was referring to the sounds of battle or the cries of the beasts he’d encountered earlier. Without missing a beat, he continued.
"The path you used to get here is safe. As long as you’re careful on the way down, you’ll be fine. Descend calmly, board the magic ship, and return to the Imperial Capital."
Vane had indeed been discussing the incredible noise with Lizred. Accepting the logic of Ren's warning, Vane looked at his companions and nodded.
"Ren, why don't you come back with us?"
"I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me."
"——But…"
Ren spoke to the worried Vane with a reassuring tone. "You have the first-year students with you. Don't mind me."
"Upperclassman Ashton! Are you underestimating our strength!?" Lizred interjected.
"I’m not. But it’s a fact that there’s no need to linger here."
"That… is true, but…"
"Besides, Vane has only just awakened to a new power. Rather than settling down here, it’s much better to relax aboard the magic ship. The way back will be much easier, trust me."
There were several paths they could use to descend quickly using vines and natural slopes. Faced with the advice of a Sword Saint who wielded the Strong Sword, Vane finally relented. He turned on his heel with his companions and walked out of the temple. At the very last moment, he looked back one more time, seeing Ren and the Bag Traveler standing together to see them off.
Once the group had completely disappeared, Ren walked toward the spring with Ragna.
"Back in the cave, you said it was 'interesting,' but you didn't seem very interested in Vane just now," Ren remarked.
"I got to see him up close; that's enough. I have no particular desire to form a connection with him."
Perhaps Ragna simply wanted to see the boy once. Still, Ren thought it was remarkably detached for Ragna to stand before the descendant of Hero Ruin—a bloodline thought to be extinct—and not even attempt a conversation.
"I’ve been hearing rumors since the Wadatsumi incident. There was no need to talk to him."
It seemed that was all the information Ragna required.
Ren reached the spring and smiled secretly as he looked at the water.
I’m acting exactly like 'Ren Ashton,' aren't I?
Appearing out of nowhere, dropping cryptic hints, and then vanishing meaningfully. Sometimes even showing up as a temporary ally in the face of a powerful enemy. Reflecting on his behavior just now, he felt the resemblance was uncanny.
The two finally took a break, sitting down on the grass where Vane and the others had been moments ago. A gentle breeze rippled the surface of the spring.
"I want to check the water quality while I'm here. Ren, you can take it easy."
"Roger that. I’ll do just that."
Ragna pulled several magic tools from his bag and approached the water. After filling a test tube, he began measuring various values. After a few minutes of rest, Ren stood up and casually looked around the area. He stepped behind a bit of cover and summoned the Water Magic Sword.
"So it wasn't my imagination."
Its appearance was unchanged, but simply holding it felt more natural than before. The idea that it had absorbed mana from the Ring of the Water Goddess was becoming a reality. Ren looked at the crystal on his bracelet.
"…Don’t just go absorbing things on your own."
It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but it was troubling when it happened without his knowledge. Still, since the change wasn't negative, his scolding was mostly a joke. Returning to the spring, he saw Ragna still engrossed in his investigation, looking quite pleased with himself.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
"Eh? There were people who went there before you, Ren-kun?"
It was lunch break on the Monday after the holiday. Fiona Ignat stood on the academy roof, leaning against the wall near the bench where Ren sat.
Ren nodded and swallowed a bite of his bread—a popular choice among students filled with meat and vegetables. "That’s right," he replied.
Licia, standing next to Fiona with her hands clasped behind her back, added, "Since it’s such a precious item, I wonder if they were planning to sell it."
"I’m not sure. Aside from selling it, the only other use I can think of is why Ragna-san and I went looking for it."
"Fufu. If you had the same goal, that would be an incredible coincidence," Fiona teased.
"I agree. We would have been searching for a legendary item at almost the same time."
"…So, rather than the same goal, perhaps they had a different objective? Money, or something else?" Licia mused.
If it involved the Power of the Water Goddess, perhaps it was for a ritual. Ren was used to events that weren't in The Legend of the Seven Heroes by now, and in those cases, there was usually a specific, special meaning behind them. He doubted it was a mere coincidence that other adventurers had gone to retrieve it.
"Ren-kun, Ren-kun," Fiona said, getting his attention. "Is it possible the Demon King Cult was trying to take it?"
"I considered that, but I don't understand why they would be gathering Holy Relics."
The Ring of the Water Goddess wouldn't reveal itself inside that crystal unless it was filled with mana. Consequently, the spring in front of the temple wouldn't be filled with water, an event that only occurred once every few hundred years. Thus, the ring hadn't been accessible until now. Ren understood the mechanics, but the timing remained a mystery.
"Maybe they just didn't want the Heroic Archduke Families to have it?" Licia suggested.
"Yeah… rather than gathering them for themselves, what Licia-sama says feels more plausible…"
Ren agreed, but added another thought. "Or perhaps the Demon King Cult knows a way to use it that we don't."
In a destiny that was shifting due to Ren’s actions, there had to be a reason the Cult wanted that ring.
Is it because there's an important use for it?
Perhaps they intended to use the ring as a catalyst to accumulate even more power. It was the most logical conclusion, but there was simply too little information. If it were a vital item, the Cult should have taken it in the original story as well.
No, maybe it's related to Lord Ulysses.
In the original game, Ulysses had become an enemy. Perhaps because of that, the Cult’s priorities were different, which was why they never sought the Ring of the Water Goddess in that timeline. Or, they simply hadn't researched it enough to find it. The more he thought, the more questions he had.
Ren looked at Fiona. "The Demon King Cult stole a Holy Relic called the Tears of Elfen before, didn't they?"
"Yes. But that was a liquid with strong divinity, and no one quite knows what the Cult intends to do with it."
"They might have stolen it just to weaken the Elfen Church, so it’s a complete mystery."
The spring afternoon passed as they remained unable to find a clear answer.
"We don't know who tried to take it, but finding out won't be easy," Licia noted.
Ren and Fiona could only offer bitter smiles in response.
For now, I'll do what I can, Ren thought. He'd start by consulting Radius. A pleasant spring breeze blew between the three of them.