"Wait," Radius called out, stopping Ren in his tracks. "The three of you are heading back to Elendil now, right? Take care."
"Thanks—"
"Especially you, Ren. Make sure you act with a level head."
"—I can't help but wonder why I'm the only one getting a special warning."
"Well, in your case, saying it twice is just about right."
"I don't quite follow, but thanks for the concern."
"Don't look so sour. I'm worried in my own way," Radius said. "Tell those two as well—even if they have noble duties, I have no desire to see any of you doing anything reckless."
Noble duties. In simple terms, it meant serving the people. Licia had been born into the Clausel family to serve Clausel and Elendil, and Fiona’s situation was much the same.
"The Academy Principal should be departing the academy this afternoon," Radius continued. "She’s heading to Elendil as well."
"Wait, why?" Ren asked.
"To bolster the defenses, just in case. Didn't you hear from her?"
"With Lady Chronoa, the conversation was mostly about Lady Estelle or the enemy. We didn't really have time for a slow chat."
It was also a precaution because the Sword Kings were currently stationed in the Imperial Capital.
"I'll see you again once things have settled down," Radius said.
"Yeah. Take care of yourself too, Radius."
Licia and Fiona were waiting in the small room in the back of the library they always used. Lezard and Ulysses had already returned to Elendil a step ahead of them. Ulysses had headed back early to handle business for the Ignat family.
Early the next morning, the Gardiknight was scheduled to pass through Elendil. The Gardiknight was a new ground-based transport service completed the previous year, running from the Imperial Capital to the City of Water, Eupeheim. Ren had even been invited to its completion ceremony last winter.
As the Head of the Ignat Family and one of the directors of its operation, Ulysses had several matters to discuss with the crew, such as whether they had encountered any anomalies along the route. If he wanted to hear their report as soon as possible, staying in Elendil was more convenient than remaining in the capital.
When Ren opened the door to their usual room, the two girls stood up to greet him. Once reunited, the trio left the academy and boarded the magic train bound for Elendil. With Ren there, they were certain there would be no safety concerns.
On the journey from the Imperial Capital to Elendil, the magic train cut across the vast plains. The total travel time was approximately one hour. Inside, many of the seats were empty. Perhaps word of the Demon King Cult’s activity had spread, as most citizens were avoiding unnecessary travel.
The rhythm of the wheels clattering against the tracks seemed louder than usual. The passenger car featured three-person benches facing each other; Ren sat alone on one side, while Licia and Fiona sat opposite him.
I guess the information I have isn't enough to make everything go smoothly after all, Ren thought.
He was moving to avoid falling behind, but he couldn't say they were truly in control of the situation. It was a thought he had grappled with many times—the Demon King Cult were thinking actors, too. If Ren’s side made a move they hadn't anticipated, the enemy would adapt and change their tactics.
It was frustrating, but inevitable. If the opponent were merely a set of data repeating programmed movements, things would be different, but they weren't.
As Ren felt the rhythmic swaying of the train, his heart suddenly gave a violent throb, and his vision blurred.
"Ugh…… it hurts……"
The headache struck without warning. Ren collapsed, clutching his head with both hands. As he lay hunched over in pain on the seat, Licia and Fiona rushed to his side.
"Ren!?"
"Ren-kun!?"
Their worried voices called out to him, but Ren’s consciousness was pulled away by a voice that rang clearer than theirs.
When the hunched-over Ren forced himself upright, he realized the scenery had changed.
It was that dream again—the one where Ren Ashton had met the mysterious girl and they had spoken. The continuation of her self-introduction, which had faded into a whisper before, was beginning again. Once more, he was being shown something abrupt and unsolicited.
『I am————』
The words the girl spoke next reached Ren’s ears clearly this time. It was a shocking name, one he could never have predicted.
Having finished her introduction and her curtsy, she spoke to him. She was bewitching, yet she exuded a pressure so intense it felt as though he might be swallowed whole if he let his guard down.
『Well? Was it a name you recognized?』
『……Yeah.』
『Good. So, what will you do? You were looking for me because you wanted to talk, weren't you?』
Without hesitating, Ren asked, 『Are you the mastermind behind everything?』
The girl looked blank for a moment, then broke into a giggle.
『And here I was wondering what you'd say…… you're a strange one.』
『Don't dodge the question.』
『Hmm, so it sounded like I was dodging? How disappointing. I'm not hiding anything. You're just the one who made me laugh.』
The girl took a light step forward. Her eyes radiated an eerie pressure unlike anything Ren had ever felt.
『Mastermind? In what sense? Are we talking about how you killed the White Saint? Or how you killed Chronoa Highland?』
『…………』
『Or perhaps you're asking about something deeper?』
『I'll say it again. Everything.』
The girl took another step. She spoke with a playful, melodic tone.
『You ask such strange things. You're a mastermind to someone, too, aren't you?』
Another step forward.
『But I wonder whose mastermind you are. At the center of that commotion, perhaps the Empire of Leomel sees you as the mastermind of the incident. The Elfen Church might, too. And to the Demon King Cult, you're the enemy protecting the descendants of the Seven Heroes. To the cultists who were cut down as if they were being lured, you must seem like the mastermind behind that entire plot.』
『……Do you intend to keep talking in circles?』
『Not at all.』
『Then what are you trying to say?』
『The same thing. In the end, whose mastermind are you?』
The girl stood directly in front of Ren.
『You're not going to complain about me cutting down cultists, then?』
『I only do as I please. It's not like I'm involved in whatever those children were doing. You can do as you like. If you want to cut them down, cut down as many as you want.』
『Oh, I see.』
The conversation returned to its starting point. The girl turned fully toward Ren.
『So, who is correct right now? The world? Or you? Or me?』
『If you want to have a philosophical discussion————』
『Pfft, haha…… Ahahaha! I don't want to talk about something so boring! I finally got to meet you like this; I’m not going to waste our time!』
The girl pressed her index finger against Ren's collarbone. Even if he had wanted to brush it off, her sheer presence wouldn't allow it. Ren was prepared to draw his sword if it came to a fight, but there was currently no sign of hostility between them. However, he knew that the slightest trigger could ignite a struggle beyond all reason.
Fortunately, that trigger did not come.
『Suffer more. Cry out in sorrow. If you do that, surely one day you will reach the answer you seek. You haven't felt enough pain yet.』
The girl whispered those words as she passed him. Ren didn't stop her, nor did he turn around.
『Just what do you really know?』
『Much of what you do not.』
The girl laughed.
『Because you were weak, you couldn't choose. You are a sinful person, Ren Ashton.』
She spoke to the boy in a deliberately taunting manner.
『That should have been the case for me, and for your King as well.』
『You're the one to say that?』
From the corner of the girl's mouth, fangs like sharp canines peeked through. While their backs were still turned, she added, 『I'm in a good mood right now, so I'll let you live. But I might kill you next time. Be careful.』
『Yeah. I have no intention of fighting here either.』
『What a wise, good boy. Is it because of your fine lineage?』
The world began to blur again. As the haze deepened, she drifted further away, signaling the end of Ren's vision. The daydream ended as abruptly as it had begun.
Ren, who had been standing in the dream, was still lying on the train seat. Licia and Fiona were huddled close to him, and Licia was focused on healing him with divinity magic flowing from her fingertips.
Under any other circumstances, Ren might have been flustered by their proximity. The sweet scent and warmth of the two girls would usually have been enough to distract him, but right now he didn't have the mental capacity for such thoughts.
Ren muttered an apology and slowly sat up. As he felt the warm light from Licia’s fingertips, he remembered that in that other world from his dream, Licia was no longer there.
"Ren-kun, you suddenly collapsed! Are you okay……?"
"Don't move so fast. You need to rest more."
To avoid worrying them further, he forced a brave smile. Licia tried to channel more sacred magic into him, but he declined.
"I'm fine, really."
Using it now was pointless. Ren wasn't injured or ill; he would only be wasting Licia’s mana. While the warmth was comforting, he couldn't bring himself to let her strain herself.
Why did I have that dream now?
The continuation of the previous vision…… he felt something intentional about being shown it at this exact moment. Ren took several deep breaths, processing what he had seen. He couldn't dismiss it as just a dream.
Why……
The headache had vanished, but the girl's words echoed in his mind.
『Because you were weak, you couldn't choose. You are a sinful person, Ren Ashton.』
What did that mean? He wondered if he could have chosen a different path if he hadn't been weak. After a long silence, he looked at the girls.
"……I'm sorry. I have something I have to do."
He felt an overriding necessity to head to the battlefield. That girl knew—she knew about the tragedies in the Legend of the Seven Heroes and the motives of the Demon King Cult. To find out what she knew, he had to go to the front. He had to hear it directly from the man called Orphide.
Both girls were stunned by his sudden declaration. But before they could voice their confusion————
The magic train shook violently and came to an emergency stop. Ren tried to stand up to investigate, but his legs felt unsteady. He wasn't sure if it was lingering shock from the dream or something else. Seeing him stumble, the two girls stood and supported him from both sides.
"I'm going too," Licia said firmly.
"I will go as well," Fiona added.
"You can't. This is my job."
However, Licia countered, "Do you really think we'll just accept that?"
"Losing you right now would be too much for us to bear," Fiona said.
"Exactly," Licia added. "Since you just collapsed, you're the one being protected right now, Ren."
It was their honest feelings, and clearly an unyielding resolve. They made it clear they intended to stay by his side.
"If I'm there, I won't let a single scratch touch Ren or Lady Fiona."
Licia spoke with total confidence, her voice backed by her actual strength. She still felt a slight hesitation about using sacred magic, but when she thought about using it for Ren and Fiona, that anxiety vanished. She found it strange, but pushed the thought aside. At her core, she was a noble Saint.
And for the current Licia, this wasn't an empty boast. She was a Strong Sword User who had reached the rank of Swordmaster and was nearing the level of a Sword Saint. She possessed the strength to overwhelm even Sera or Vane.
"Besides————" they said in unison.
"We're quite strong."
"We are quite strong, you know."
They directed their unified voices straight at Ren.
When they reached the connecting corridor of the stopped train, they found it crowded with knights. Many recognized the trio, and their arrival brought a look of surprise to the soldiers' faces. A female knight leading the squad spoke up.
"It's a small-scale attack by cultists. They've obstructed the tracks, but we will proceed to Elendil immediately."
Even so, knights were already fighting outside—some guarding the roads and others on the plains. The trains running between the capital and Elendil were built with heavy armor and magic weapons specifically for these kinds of situations. Between the vast plains on one side and the road winding into the mountains on the other, a life-and-death struggle was unfolding in the spring breeze.
Ren’s gait was steady now. He held the Mithril Magic Sword he had summoned before leaving his seat, taking in the battle. Spells began to fly between the knights and the cultists.
Ren stepped out of the carriage to see if any enemies were targeting the vehicle directly. Fiona descended next to him.
"Please, leave this to me."
Fiona stepped forward before Ren or Licia could act. Since the incident at the Baldur Mountains, her ice magic had reached a master-class level. Having recently demonstrated her growth during her spar with Licia, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and concentrated.
A vivid blue magic circle expanded in front of her, enveloping the entire carriage. Ren watched in astonishment.
To think she’s become strong enough to use that……
It was a spell nearing the highest tiers of ice magic, one that only a few in the empire could cast. In terms of martial rank, it was the magical equivalent of the Sword Saint Class.
————The name of the spell was Absolute.
Absolute-zero ice radiated from Fiona's feet. A wave of frost raced across the plains and the road. The landscape was instantly transformed into a domain of ice, the ground covered in blue, crystal-like frost. The spell bypassed the knights entirely, targeting only the cultists. It froze their limbs and encased their weapons. Spells that were mid-casting were swallowed by the wave of Absolute, vanishing instantly.
A world of ice had been forged. Giant pillars of frost stretched into the sky across the battlefield. Cries of shock erupted from the cultists. The knights, realizing they weren't the targets, took the opportunity to suppress the frozen enemy.
Fiona looked back at Ren. "How was that? I've grown stronger since that time."
"……I’m sorry. I’m so surprised I can’t find the words."
"Fufu. Hearing that makes the effort worth it."
She took another casting stance. The cultists, realizing the threat was coming from the train, launched a volley of magic at Ren and the girls. Ren moved to intercept, but Licia stepped in front of him.
"Let me handle it."
Lightning and a wind as red as fire streaked toward them. The cultists were using high-difficulty composite spells—a clear sign that they were attacking in earnest. It was something Ren had anticipated, which was why he had been coordinating with Radius and Ulysses, but seeing the intensity of the assault still made him tense.
However, the magic never reached them.
"————Did you really think you could do something with magic of that level?"
The Star-Cleaver technique, channeled through Licia's blade, Byakuen, completely nullified the incoming spells. All that remained was a harmless breeze.
Ren and the others arrived in Elendil just after noon. The city was in an uproar due to the nearby cultist activity, but because Radius had already implemented security measures, it wasn't as chaotic as Ren had feared. The city was well-prepared for defense.
At the Clausel manor, Lezard and Ulysses welcomed them home. They had already heard about Licia and Fiona’s display of power. While they were worried, they didn't scold the girls; they were praised for using their strength to protect the citizens.
Licia and Fiona also mentioned Ren’s collapse, and Ren admitted that the fight had ended before he could even draw his sword. Hearing this, the fathers understood the girls had acted to protect the passengers in Ren’s stead.
"I thought there must be a reason. I see now," Ulysses said, nodding. "Are you feeling better, Ren?"
"I'm fine. I only felt lightheaded for a moment."
"……Good. I'm glad to hear it."
Ulysses looked relieved, but Lezard stepped forward. "I'm glad you didn't have to fight, Ren. But you should rest now. None of you need to push yourselves."
"……"
"Ren?"
Lezard could guess what was coming from the look in Ren’s eyes. He didn't know the reason behind the boy's resolve yet, but he knew Ren well enough to recognize when he wouldn't be swayed.
"I'm going to head to where Vane and the others are," Ren said.
The question of why now flashed through Lezard and Ulysses’s minds. But trusting Ren’s judgment, Lezard asked calmly, "Will you tell me why?"
The real reason was hard to explain. Telling them he was chasing a girl from a dream would only cause confusion. Instead, he gave a more grounded reason: the enemy presence across Leomel was larger than expected, and they were active even near the capital. He was worried about Vane and the others. It was a plausible explanation, and it drew no suspicion—unforeseen circumstances were, after all, part of war.
In the Sky Garden.
This time, Licia and Fiona were there to see him off, walking him all the way to the docking bay.
"Ren! We’re ready to fly!" Verrich called out.
Given the crisis, Verrich had arrived in Elendil around the same time as Ulysses, anticipating that the Lemuria might be needed. Before Ren boarded, Licia and Fiona reached out to him. Their hands overlapped, and the three of them shared a small smile.
"What is it, you two?"
"I'm sorry. I just couldn't help being worried," Licia said.
"Tahaha…… same here," Fiona admitted.
The White Saint and the Black Priestess. The girls, wielders of opposing attributes, closed their eyes as their hands remained joined with his. They offered a silent prayer for his safe return. Through their touch, a pleasant, comforting warmth spread through Ren’s entire body.
When they finally let go, they offered their final words of farewell.
"We'll do our best on this end."
There was much to be done to defend against further attacks, and having figures like Licia and Fiona in the city provided immense comfort to the people.
"I heard people calling out your names after that battle earlier," Ren teased.
"……Don't say it. It’s embarrassing," Licia muttered.
"I-I agree…… I had no idea people were watching that closely," Fiona said, her face flushing.
Licia quickly tried to hide her embarrassment by returning to the matter at hand. "……We’ll talk more about that when you get back."
Ren boarded the Lemuria. The power of the mana stones surged through the airship’s Dragon Vein Path. From the open hangar doors, the Lemuria soared out into the sky.