Just before Ren stepped into the district where the city’s many temples stood, rain began to fall across the Imperial Capital. What started as a light drizzle soon intensified, forcing him to walk slowly beneath his umbrella.
He spotted a figure resembling Rutreche just a few minutes later.
Because everyone on the street was huddled under an umbrella, her presence was far less striking than usual. Nevertheless, Ren noticed her instantly, and her eyes found him just as quickly. They both stopped, facing one another, though the passing crowd paid them no mind.
"Hello, Ren Ashton."
It was Sword King Rutreche.
Her untainted silver hair swayed with every step she took. Her features were dignified and lovely, possessing an inherent purity that gave her the highborn air of a princess—she looked exactly as she had the last time they spoke.
Exuding an irrepressible elegance, she focused her entire attention on Ren.
"It's been a while, Rutreche. Actually... I know it’s a bit late to ask, but is it a hassle for you to keep calling me by my full name?"
"No, not particularly. If it feels awkward to you, I shall change it. What would you prefer?"
"Since you’ve given me permission to use just your name, I thought it might be better if you shortened mine as well, Rutreche."
"In that case, I shall do so without hesitation."
That was a relief. Ren often found himself being overly considerate of others—sometimes to a fault—and he had felt hesitant about making a request of a Sword King. However, Rutreche’s transcendent aura allowed him to remain relatively relaxed in her presence.
"I heard you defeated a priest in Windea, Ren."
Though she spoke the words, her tone suggested she had little interest in the incident itself.
"I can tell just by looking at you that you have grown stronger since we met in the spring."
Her voice was beautiful. It carried an indescribable weight, one that stole the words right out of Ren's mouth.
"The Third Prince mentioned that you suddenly decided to head into the fray."
"No, well... I mean, Radius really shouldn't be talking about things that don't concern him!"
"It was not unnecessary. You do not take the act of killing lightly, do you? I can easily imagine you had a valid reason, but that is a separate matter. Promise me that you will not treat your own life so carelessly."
Ren took the Sword King's unexpected kindness to heart. Seeking to escape the sudden awkwardness of the moment, he decided to pivot to his main objective.
"Um, do you happen to know a woman named Eve?"
"I was asked the same thing at the castle just the other day."
"How did you answer them?"
"Unfortunately, I told them... 'I do not know her.'"
Rutreche often spoke in riddles, but Ren got the sense that she didn't lie to him. Looking into her eyes, he could tell she truly knew nothing about Eve.
"So, you are also searching for that woman, Ren."
"Of course. She’s not someone I can just ignore."
"However, even if you were to obtain information, it would be best not to involve yourself with her carelessly."
"Because she's strong, right?"
"Not 'probably,' but 'definitely.' A being who has survived since the era of the Seven Heroes cannot possibly be weak."
There was a reason she had endured for so long. Rutreche spoke calmly, observing Ren's eyes, while Ren gazed back at her. One of his questions had been answered quite simply, but he still had one more.
"I’m sure you know something about the Ashton family. Why do you help me in such a roundabout way?"
For a fleeting second, Rutreche's eyes wavered. That brief moment of hesitation made the woman—who usually seemed so mature and composed—appear small and fragile, like an unstable young girl. But just as quickly as her eyes had shifted, the look vanished, leaving Ren wondering if he had imagined it.
"At this point, there is no significant difference between the information you have obtained regarding the Ashton family and the information I possess."
How much of a difference remained likely depended on her discretion. Ren murmured a response to her expected answer.
"If that's the case..."
"Yes. I can no longer orchestrate any more pointless detours."
"Even so, there must be a reason why you’ve helped me so many times."
Rutreche listened in silence.
"If you aren't trying to get ahead of my investigation or lead me on a wild goose chase, then you must be concerned about something else entirely. That's why you assisted me, isn't it, Rutreche?"
She offered no clear answer. Instead, she wore a faint, sorrowful smile that clouded the issue. Ren tried to read her emotions, but he gained nothing, and his doubts only deepened. Her only response was that melancholy smile.
Eventually, as if to move past the silence, Rutreche began walking again. She asked Ren a new question, signaling that she had no intention of continuing the previous topic.
"Was there any other movement in Windea?"
"A few things regarding Muedi's Hideout. Actually, I just got back from there."
"The Legendary Bard... So that is why the Bag Traveler carried such an emblem..."
"Wait. Didn't you advise me before because you knew everything about the request?"
"Did I not tell you that I do not know everything myself? Even the fact that a new discovery was made in the Old City was information I did not learn until I heard it at the castle."
"Then that means you also know about the Jeno Orphanage."
"Yes," Rutreche answered briefly.
She showed almost no surprise at the mention of Muedi's Hideout. If anything, it seemed she was simply filling in the gaps of what Ren and the others had been doing behind her back. She didn't even ask about the items he had recovered.
When Ren glanced at her, their gazes met. Realizing she had caught him staring at her profile, Ren spoke up awkwardly.
"I was wondering again why you're investigating Cecil Ashton."
"...It truly bothers you, doesn't it?"
"If it's enough of a reason for a Sword King to lend a hand, of course I'm curious."
"Have I made you feel restless?"
"Yeah... to be honest."
"I asked you this before, but can you become stronger than me?"
It was another abrupt question, but Ren already had his answer ready.
"I said it then, too—I'll become as strong as I need to be. So, if I need to become stronger than you, then I definitely want to surpass you."
"That is an ambiguous answer, but is there a need for that now?"
"...There is. If I'm not strong, I can't protect anything."
He didn't necessarily feel he had to defeat Rutreche, but his goal remained firm: to become a Sword King. 'You, who were weak, could not choose. You are a sinful person, Ren Ashton.' Eve's words were still burned into his mind.
"I don't see how my becoming stronger relates to your reason for helping me, though..."
"No. To me, it does."
Rutreche replied instantly, leaving no room for interruption.
"Therefore, I shall answer you once you have achieved that."
"The reason you’re helping me?"
"Yes."
Ren considered this with some confusion. He wondered if it wasn't about the secrets of the Ashton family at all, but something related to Rutreche's own heart. He couldn't quite grasp it, but she clearly had no intention of saying more.
"Since we met here, are you heading to the temple area now, Rutreche?"
"Yes. I was going to the Temple of the War God to look at the stone tablet. If I go to the Garden of Swords at this hour, it will be dark soon."
"Is it forbidden to go there at night?"
"It is not forbidden. It is just..." For the first time, Rutreche lowered her voice. "...I simply dislike dark places."
Unlike the city streets, the Garden of Swords had almost no light at night. Realizing that was the reason, Ren nodded. "I see."
"But... that's surprising. Even you have weaknesses, Rutreche."
"I am human, too," the Silver-white Princess replied with a faint sigh.
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to—"
"No, there is no need to apologize."
Before the atmosphere could turn awkward again, Rutreche changed the subject. She glanced at Ren's arm as they walked.
"...Is that arm not afflicted by a curse?"
Ren was taken aback. It was true that he had been cursed during the battle with Orphide, but the pain was almost entirely gone. Thanks to the efforts of Licia and Fiona, he could move it nearly as well as before.
"I got it during the last battle, but it's mostly fine now." Ren lightly shook his arm to demonstrate, but Rutreche looked unconvinced.
"Let me see it properly."
"Sure, but you can't tell anything just by looking at it, you know?"
"I do not mind."
They stopped in a shadowed corner, and Rutreche touched Ren's hand. The contact with a Sword King was a shock to Ren, but he was more surprised by the professional way she began her diagnosis.
"It seems you are not in top form, but you appear to have completed the Dispel process already," she noted, before adding in a rebuking tone, "However, there are traces of you forcing yourself to use the Strong Sword. That is why you are not in peak condition."
Ren offered a wry smile, impressed that she had seen through him so easily. "I felt like I absolutely couldn't afford to lose back then."
"Yes. It seems your overexertion worked in your favor."
"Yeah. Thanks to that, I managed to win somehow—"
"That is not what I mean. I am talking about the curse." Rutreche spoke firmly. "The Enshroud used by us Strong Sword Users also provides resistance against curses. The fact that you forced yourself to utilize Enshroud must have mitigated the effects."
She added that even expensive potions wouldn't have been very effective against a curse of that nature. Soon, they resumed their walk toward the temple district.
The Imperial Capital Grand Temple, the largest structure in the district, was barely visible today. Rain danced around the shrine dedicated to the Main God Elfen, and Ren’s umbrella blocked most of his view.
(I got the answers I wanted, mostly...)
He considered heading home, but before he could say anything, Rutreche offered a rare invitation.
"—If you are interested, would you like to visit the Temple of the War God with me?"
"The Temple of the War God?"
Rutreche gave a small nod. Since this was Ren's first time in the temple district, he had never visited it before. His desire to see the legendary stone tablet with his own eyes was likely driven by his ambition to reach the rank of Sword King himself.
With no reason to refuse, he walked alongside her in silence for several minutes.
Finally, they reached the Temple of the War God.
It was mystical and solemn. Its majestic presence set it apart from the surrounding temples, immediately capturing Ren's attention. The heavy stone gate was polished like a fine work of art. They passed through the open entrance and stepped onto a floor made of matte-finished stone.
Inside, the sound of the rain vanished. The silence was so heavy that Ren could tell they were the only ones there. The Temples of the War God in most cities shared this atmosphere; for some reason, they drew fewer pilgrims than the others.
The sound of Rutreche's footsteps echoed through the hall, followed by Ren's, their movements eventually falling into sync. They walked past rows of massive pillars until they reached the innermost sanctuary.
"...This is it."
A single, massive stone tablet stood before them. As Ren looked at it, names occasionally flickered in faintly glowing letters.
Fifth-ranked Sword King: White Dragon Princess Fourth-ranked Sword King: Thunder Emperor Third-ranked Sword King: Guardian Second-ranked Sword King: War God's Staff-Sword First-ranked Sword King: Saint
As Ren stared at the rankings, Rutreche's clear voice broke the silence.
"In ancient times, Hero Ruin also had his name engraved upon this tablet."
These stone tablets were found in every Temple of the War God across the world. No person carved the names; a magical mechanism automatically inscribed the current Sword Kings. The logic behind this had never been explained throughout history, and since the tablets themselves weren't traditional magic tools, they were considered Holy Relics.
However, the name of the Adventurer Ashton had never appeared on them. It was hard not to wonder why a man capable of single-handedly slaying a dragon like Asval had never been ranked, but there was no way to get an answer now.
"This particular relic did not exist when the Lion King was alive. Had it existed, his name and that of his associate, the Blind Knight Grimdall, would surely have been engraved upon it."
It was the name of the knight who inspired the Holy Grimdall Sword Emblem Ren had received from the Lion Sanctum.
"Legend says his skill surpassed even that of the Lion King. Did you know that?"
"I heard that from Radius. He said we don't know if it's actually true, though."
"I agree, but there must be a reason why people still speak of it that way."
Rutreche turned toward Ren.
"They say that when a name is inscribed, light bursts from the tablet. A flash like lightning dances across the stone, and the name of a new Sword King is overwritten by an even stronger glow."
"When you say 'they say,' does that mean you haven't seen it yourself? Oh, right... because you were busy fighting at the time?"
"Yes. I could not see it with my own eyes. But," she added, "Chronoa saw it."
"Wait, Lady Chronoa did?"
"You seem surprised. Does that strike a chord?"
"I just didn't realize you and Lady Chronoa were on the kind of terms where you'd talk about things like that."
"When I became a Sword King, we were traveling together. Since she became the Academy Principal, we haven't been able to spend time together like we once did."
Every new detail was a surprise to Ren, though in hindsight, it made sense. Rutreche looked at him, noticing his expression. "Was that unexpected?"
"Of course it was."
"...I suppose you're right. Chronoa is very famous, after all."
"You could say the same about yourself, Rutreche." After all, she was one of the world's Sword Kings.
When they stepped out of the temple, the rain had become even heavier than before.
Traveling together, huh...
If two people of Chronoa and Rutreche’s caliber were traveling together, they would be invincible. One of the world's greatest mages and one of its strongest swordsmen—it seemed they could repel any threat with ease.
"...Hm?" Ren stopped and looked up at the sky.
A long-standing friendship clearly existed between them. In the Legend of the Seven Heroes, it was said that Ren Ashton had killed Chronoa. If they were such close friends, it wouldn't be strange for Rutreche to hunt him down for revenge.
...But I can't imagine anyone escaping Rutreche easily.
His opponent was a Sword King. While the "Original Ren" might have done everything possible to evade his pursuers, he had still been active in the Imperial Capital and its surrounding areas. If Rutreche had truly been his enemy, could he have managed that?
Ren felt several pieces of the puzzle starting to connect, yet he also felt a sense of instability, as if the whole picture might shatter if he looked too closely.
"You seem to be spacing out. Are you all right?"
"N-No... it's nothing."
He replied reflexively, but the question continued to haunt him. He worried that Rutreche would be confused by such a hypothetical, but he asked anyway.
"Suppose, this is just a 'what if' scenario."
"Yes. Go on."
"If Lady Chronoa were ever attacked by someone, what would you do, Rutreche?"
Rutreche blinked, caught off guard. She murmured, "I cannot quite imagine that."
"Right. An attack out of the blue like that."
"No, that is not what I meant. Even if Chronoa were attacked, she would almost certainly remain unscathed. If I were to hold hostility toward an attacker, it would only be if she suffered a major injury or lost her life..."
The Silver-white Princess shook her head.
"However, should such a situation arise, I would hunt down the one who harmed her. I cannot imagine myself ever forgiving someone who hurt a friend."
I knew it.
If her words were taken at face value, operating in the shadows while avoiding Rutreche wasn't just difficult—it was impossible.
"You ask the strangest questions, Ren."
She offered a rare, gentle smile and a quiet chuckle, but the mystery in Ren's heart only deepened.
(Wait... or maybe...)
In the Legend of the Seven Heroes... was it possible that Rutreche had actually been traveling with Ren Ashton? Was that why he was a Strong Sword User? Was the person Ren had seen in that vision of the original timeline actually her?
There was no way to confirm the truth of a different world, but the possibility lingered.
"Sorry, I was just curious about how close you two were."
Rain lashed the stone pavement, breaking into a fine mist that clouded his vision. But fortunately, within a few minutes, the downpour began to subside.