The following day at the academy, the only sound in the classroom was the rhythmic scratching of pens. Ren focused on his notebook, matching the diligent pace of the students around him.
It was history class. Despite the looming mid-term exams, the curriculum proceeded at its usual relentless pace.
Perhaps it was the lingering exhaustion from late-night study sessions, but Ren’s eyelids felt heavy. As he fought a losing battle against drowsiness, Licia let out a soft giggle. She leaned in, her voice so low it barely stirred the air.
"Are you sleepy?"
When Ren gave an honest nod, Licia found the gesture rather endearing.
"Just a little longer, so hang in there," she whispered encouragingly.
The lecture covered the era following the defeat of the Demon King, specifically the period within the Leomel Empire when temples across the land were either restored or newly established.
Fighting off the haze of sleep, Ren listened to the professor’s droning voice while scanning his reference book.
...I remember this deity.
One particular entry detailed a restored temple where the Lion King himself had offered prayers during his reign. The deity enshrined there was the Creator God Alice.
She was the primordial goddess who took the form of a young girl—the same figure depicted in the stained glass of the Jeno Orphanage mentioned in Ragna’s report.
She was an ancient deity, the first of all gods as her title implied. While few temples were dedicated to Alice in the modern era, many had been built in honor of the other four goddesses who followed her.
The Goddess of Time.
The Goddess of Wisdom.
The Goddess of Life.
And finally—the Main God.
All were goddesses given life by Alice, collectively known as the Four Primordial Goddesses.
Legend had it that at the dawn of creation, Alice drifted alone through a world of obsidian void. From her tears of loneliness, the earth, the sea, and the sky were born. It was said that the four goddesses came into being when Alice sprinkled water from a small spring that had formed at the very center of the world.
Eventually, the War God and others were created, forming the backbone of the creation myth that defined the world today.
To the people of this age, the Main God Elfen was more familiar than any other divine being. She was a great deity with a global following, and the fact that Hero Ruin was the only person ever to receive her divine protection only served to cement her fame.
(I wonder if her mother, Alice, ever created anyone like a Hero,) Ren wondered.
At the very least, there were no historical records of the Creator God bringing such a champion into existence.
The ringing of the bell signaled the end of the lecture. The professor swept out of the room, and the students collectively slumped in their seats, finally exhaling. The tension in the classroom always spiked as exams drew near, and most students hurried out the moment the period ended.
Ren and Licia, however, remained relatively composed. They took their time before heading to the cafeteria, where they met up with Fiona, who had also just finished her classes. The hall was surprisingly empty.
After a quiet lunch, Ren parted ways with Licia and headed toward the courtyard fountain. Only a handful of students were eating outside today. In the unusual silence, the splashing of the fountain seemed louder than usual.
Walking beside Ren as they crossed the courtyard, Fiona spoke up.
"How have your second-year classes been lately?"
"Honestly, I feel like they’re just getting harder by the day. What about the fourth-year curriculum?"
"Ahaha... To be honest, I feel the exact same way."
The Black Priestess—Fiona Ignat.
Her long, obsidian hair shimmered in the light, framing eyes the color of deep amethyst. She possessed a breathtaking, almost mystical elegance, yet the flashes of innocence she showed were utterly charming.
In her childhood, she had nearly died, unable to contain the overwhelming power of the Black Priestess. However, both then and later during the Baldur Mountains Incident, Ren had saved her life. Ever since, she had harbored a pure, unwavering affection for him.
Nurturing that devotion, she kept the conversation going.
"In history class, you should be reaching the section on the origins of the temples around this time, right?"
"Exactly. Today’s lecture was about the goddesses and some of the more technical details."
"The second-year reference books are notoriously thick, aren't they?"
Fiona gave a wry smile, her hair swaying in the light breeze. Both were dressed in their summer uniforms, seeking the shade of the trees to escape the midday sun. A cool draft passed through, offering a brief respite from the heat.
"The Four Primordial Goddesses have a massive impact on history, and their temples are everywhere, not just in the Capital."
"The professor mentioned we’ll be covering local legends soon. I’m already dreading it."
When Ren complained, Fiona offered a thoughtful suggestion. "Would you like to study together again?"
Ren didn't hesitate. "Yes, please. That would be a huge help."
"Licia and I were just talking about how much harder things will get after the summer break."
"Oh, right. Lady Licia mentioned she needed to do some reviewing before she left lunch, didn't she?"
"Yeah. She left with Miss Riohalde right after we ate."
"They went to the library, I believe. Miss Riohalde said there was something she needed help with for the exams."
Licia had excused herself early to keep her promise to Sera. As they spoke, Fiona remembered her own errand. She needed to borrow a few reference books, and she figured she might as well check on Licia and Sera while she was there.
"That reminds me—I need to head to the library to find some books myself."
"Do you mind if I come along? I have a few things I need to look up too."
"Of course not."
Leaving the shade of the trees, they stepped back into the open. The sun beat down on them with relentless intensity. Bathed in the brilliant light, they exchanged weary smiles.
"...It really is hot, isn't it?" Ren muttered, feeling as though he were being slow-cooked.
"Yes... but it's only going to get worse from here."
"I’ve decided I shouldn't have said anything at all."
"Me too," Fiona agreed.
A single bead of sweat traced a path down Fiona’s pale neck. They both knew tomorrow would likely be even more sweltering, but they kept the thought to themselves. Speaking it aloud would only make the heat feel more suffocating.
Their discomfort lasted only until they reached the library. Much like the rest of the school, the building was equipped with air-conditioning magic tools, and they were enveloped in cool air the moment they stepped inside. Though they expected the library to be packed with students cramming for exams, it was unexpectedly vacant.
They spotted Licia and Sera sitting together at a table on the second floor and made their way over. Licia noticed them immediately and looked up with a smile.
Sera, however, was hunched over her notebook as if trying to merge with the paper.
"...Something’s wrong. The math isn't adding up."
Sera Riohalde—the girl who occupied the role of main heroine in the Legend of the Seven Heroes—muttered in a weak, defeated voice. Her refined features, usually so full of life, were currently clouded with misery. She slumped forward, her silky brown hair splaying across her notes, and only noticed Ren and Fiona a moment after Licia did.
Keeping her face pressed against the desk, she turned her eyes toward them.
"Oh, Ren. What are you doing here with Lady Ignat?"
"We came to look for some reference books. We also wanted to see how you two were holding up."
"Heh... all you’re going to see is this pitiful look of mine."
"N-no, I don't think you look pitiful at all..."
Ren offered a mental defense for her. Sera wasn't actually bad at academics; once she grasped a concept through repetition, she could solve even the most difficult problems. She simply wasn't the type to master things instantly.
"Sera, do you want to take a quick break?" Licia asked.
"...Yeah. I think I need one."
"Alright. I’m going to go look for another reference book, so you just relax for a bit."
Licia gave Sera a gentle smile and stood up, with Ren and Fiona following her into the aisles. As they browsed the shelves, Ren spoke up.
"If it stays this hot, tomorrow’s job is going to be exhausting."
Licia let out a heavy sigh of agreement. Fiona, remembering their pact from earlier, gave Ren a playful look.
"Ren, weren't you going to stop complaining about the heat?"
"Ah... I completely forgot."
Ren looked sheepish, clutching a few reference books under his arm. He hadn't intended to break his word so quickly, but the forecast had predicted record-breaking temperatures for the following day.
"By the way," he added, "it’s supposed to start raining tomorrow evening."
"Well, the job starts early in the morning, so we should be back long before that happens," Licia noted.
Ren nodded, his eyes narrowing as he caught a glimpse of the brilliant sunlight through a nearby window. As he moved to a different shelf to look for another volume, Licia turned to Fiona.
"So, are the fourth-year exams as difficult as they say?"
"I'm afraid so. Studying was definitely easier last year."
"Hah... I was worried you’d say that."
Fiona offered a sympathetic look. "At this point, I’m mostly just anxious about what the grades will look like before summer break."
"Right! That wait always makes my heart race."
"It really does! No matter how many times I go through it, I never get used to the feeling."
Licia and Fiona had grown much closer lately, speaking with a natural ease that had been missing before. Licia, in particular, occasionally let her guard down, allowing her more spirited side to show through.
Age, status, academic year—even their shared affection for the same person or their differing family factions—all of it felt secondary. Having faced so much alongside Ren, their bond had become something that couldn't be defined by a single simple label.
The cloudless blue sky was even more vibrant than it had been the day before. Looking at the sheer intensity of the color, it was clear that the heat would be unforgiving.
At the time they would normally board the magic train for school, Ren and his companions instead boarded a line they rarely used. They were traveling to fulfill a specific job request.
Usually, the carriages would be filled with other travelers, but today the only other passengers were a few knights and civil officials. A tranquil silence filled the car as the miles rolled by.
Ren spent the time chatting with Licia and Fiona, who sat opposite him, while taking in the passing scenery.
"Ren, have you heard anything from Mr. Ragna yet?" Licia asked, changing the subject.
"Not yet. It’s been a while since the key was fixed, so I expect word should be coming any day now."
The "key" was the magic tool that served as a guide to the legendary bard Muedi's hideout. Ren had taken on an emblem-bearing request for Ragna, which had led to the tool's restoration after a long and difficult process.
Since the key was at the orphanage, it likely contains songs about Cecil Ashton.
Those had been Ragna’s words when Ren accepted the mission. There would surely be a meeting soon to discuss the findings and determine if Ren would join the investigation. Even if the connection to the "Adventurer Ashton" wasn't absolute, it was a lead worth pursuing.
For Ren, the term "Divine Child" that the Sword Demon had uttered at Roses Kaitas was just as pressing an issue as the mystery of Eve.
"He might still be preparing," Fiona suggested, tapping a finger against her lip. "If it really is Muedi's hideout, there might be defense magic tools designed by Milim Altia. That could be why he hasn't reached out yet."
"That makes sense."
She said "might," but in all likelihood, it was a certainty. Ren wished Ragna would at least send a brief update, but knowing the man's eccentric personality, the silence wasn't entirely surprising.
A few hours later, the magic train slowed to a stop along a stretch of track cutting through a wide plain. There was no station here; the view was exactly the same wild landscape they had seen from the windows.
The trio stepped out onto a makeshift platform that had been recently erected alongside the rails. As they descended the simple wooden stairs to the grass, they saw a cluster of tents occupied by highway guards, regular knights, and civil officials.
Noticing their arrival, several individuals broke away from the camp and walked toward them.
"We have been expecting you, everyone."