July arrived quickly. With so much work to be done, the days passed in a blur.
On the day the secondary entrance exams for the Imperial Military Academy concluded, Ren returned to the mansion with Lithia. As the afternoon waned into evening, the tension etched into his features grew more pronounced with every passing hour.
"I wonder if I could have gone with you if I weren't a noble," Lithia murmured, sitting on a sofa in the main hall.
Ren looked at her and asked, "What's the matter?"
"I've simply realized my own lack of strength," she replied, bringing a cup from the table to her lips.
"Oh, that reminds me."
"Yes?"
"I didn't run into your friend during the exam, My Lady."
Lithia’s reaction was delayed by a heartbeat, caught off guard by the nostalgic way he addressed her. She blinked repeatedly, staring at Ren where he sat beside her, and then a small laugh escaped her.
"I’m sure she applied early. That’s probably why she was assigned to a different classroom."
Ren nodded, accepting the explanation.
"……I just felt like calling you that again, for some reason."
"Fufu, it felt a little fresh. Besides, I’m glad to see that even you get nervous, Ren."
"N-nervous?"
"Yes. You are, aren't you?"
Lithia didn't press the point with more explicit words. She kept them locked in her heart, not wanting her own anxieties to become a burden to him.
A few dozen minutes later, two guests arrived at the Clausel estate. Yuno guided Fiona Ignat inside, with Edgar following close behind.
Fiona had been moved to the mansion for her own protection. Even though the Great Clock Tower—the stage for the coming battle—was located in Erendir, there was one specific reason it was better for her to be here. Because Ren was joining the fray, he needed people to provide support and coordination from the rear.
"My apologies. I’ll be stepping away for a moment," Ren said, his voice stiffer than usual as he stood up. He exchanged a significant glance with Edgar and led him out of the hall.
Left alone, Fiona and Lithia sat on the sofas facing each other.
"Lady Fiona, I thought so before, but those summer clothes really do suit you," Lithia said.
"N-no! I think they suit you much better, Lady Lithia!"
Fiona’s response wasn't born of mere politeness or flattery; she spoke from the heart. She knew that when Lithia eventually donned the academy uniform, she would undoubtedly captivate everyone, just as Fiona did.
The two shared a bit of idle conversation before their expressions turned bittersweet. It was true they were far stronger than others their age, but the combat forces for this mission were already sufficient. There was nothing for them to do on the front lines; they were the ones to be protected.
However, they weren't sitting idle. They did what they could, helping with the administrative tasks for Ulysses and Lezard and remaining ready to move if the situation changed. Still, the weight of their inadequacy sat heavy in their chests, knowing they couldn't stand beside Ren.
A few minutes later, Ren returned to the hall. His appearance was transformed; he was now fully geared and ready for battle.
Kukuru, the spirit beast, flitted around him. She sensed the rising tension and looked at Ren with more worry than usual.
"It's okay," Ren whispered.
"……Kyū?"
Her cry seemed to ask, Really? Kukuru squirmed as if tickled when Ren stroked her head. When Ren moved toward the girls, she followed him, floating like a ball of fluff.
"Well, it's about time I head out."
"Take care," Lithia said firmly. "If you come back with even a single injury, I won't hear the end of it."
"Please be careful," Fiona added. "If you do anything reckless, I’ll be cross with you too."
They weren't trying to make light of his departure. Their hearts were full of hesitation, and choosing the right words was difficult. But they believed in him. To them, Ren was their savior. They trusted his strength and his word more than anyone else's.
With the girls seeing him off, Ren departed the mansion alone. Lithia and Fiona hurried to the window, watching until he vanished from sight.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
Ulysses was not in Erendir. He was currently in the Imperial Capital, operating separately to ensure he could make a decisive move if necessary.
Meanwhile, Ren left the mansion and headed toward a ruined house on the outskirts of town. Deep within the ruins lay a concealed path to a secret basement. When he placed his hand on the weathered floorboards, a portion of the wood vanished like mist, revealing a hidden staircase.
Ren descended and pushed open the heavy wooden door at the bottom.
"Master Ren?"
A massive man Ren had often sparred with at the Lion Holy Chancel stood there. There were other Strong Sword Users present as well, men Ren had faced many times during his training. None of them wore their official regalia; instead, they were dressed in gear that made them look like veteran adventurers.
"W-why is Master Ren here?"
"I don't understand…… Why him?"
As the Strong Sword Users voiced their confusion, silence fell when Radius, sitting on a chair at the far end of the room, gave his answer.
"I called him. Tonight, Ren shall be my comrade-in-arms, guarding my back."
The knights were stunned, but they accepted it immediately. For those who had experienced Ren’s strength firsthand, there was no reason to doubt his inclusion.
"If Master Ren is with us, it is a great relief."
"It’s as if we’ve gained a thousand knights. How marvelous."
The knights welcomed Ren’s arrival, several of them speaking up as he walked toward Radius. Ren acknowledged them with a nod as he moved to Radius’s side.
"Radius."
The eyes of the Knights of the Lion Holy Chancel widened when Ren addressed the Prince without an honorific, but they held their tongues when Radius simply replied, "What is it?"
"Is this the only combat force for today?"
"Indeed. Surely you're not going to tell me you're dissatisfied."
"I was just surprised. If the entire force is composed of Strong Sword Users of this caliber, I almost feel sorry for the enemy."
It was only because Ren was growing at such a monstrous pace that he could even make such a comment; these knights were a formidable force in their own right. Every man there was a prodigy who had trained since childhood, and their average strength surpassed even the elite Imperial Guards.
Radius checked his watch and stood up.
"Gentlemen, it is time."
The sound of the knights snapping to attention echoed through the basement. Their eyes shifted, taking on the cold, sharp intensity of veteran warriors. Ren was struck by the sudden shift in atmosphere—the terrifying discipline of the Knights of the Lion Holy Chancel heading to war.
The knights opened a path, drawing their swords and holding them before their chests in a formal salute. Radius walked through the aisle with Ren at his side.
"I ask you," Radius began, his voice ringing through the room. "What will you achieve tonight?"
"The judgment of the Lion King!" the knights chanted in unison.
"I ask you again. What will you achieve tonight?"
"The judgment of the Strong Sword!"
"Then trample them. With your bestowed blades, execute the wrath of our founder, the Lion King."
This was a special force that even the Seven Great Ducal Houses did not possess—the pride of the Leomel family. On rare occasions, the Knights of the Lion Holy Chancel were deployed on special missions by the direct command of the Imperial Family. Tonight, they would show the world why.
After the orderly exchange, they left the ruins. Just as they were about to begin the operation in earnest, Radius paused.
"Ren."
The Prince looked at him.
"I shall ask you as well. What will you achieve tonight?"
Ren hesitated for a few seconds. Standing before the elite knights and a Descendant of the Lion King, he felt the weight of his next words. But he spoke from his heart.
"I’ll become a lion that crushes every single enemy."
To a stranger, it might have sounded like arrogance. But no one laughed. Every knight present felt the sheer intensity radiating from the boy.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
The area around the Great Clock Tower consisted of a large square with a central fountain and a natural park, separated from the rest of the town by a waterway spanned by a single bridge. While clearing the entire town would have been ideal, it was nearly impossible. Doing so would have alerted the Demon King Cult, potentially causing the entire plan to collapse.
Instead, the area was unnaturally quiet. Since evening, the perimeter had been cordoned off under a specific pretext.
Entry prohibited due to structural anomalies detected in the square’s stonework and the bridge.
The signs posted along the road were clear. There were no residential buildings in the immediate vicinity, only commercial and public facilities. The shopkeepers ordered to evacuate had been promised compensation, and Ulysses’s agents had confirmed that no civilians remained.
What would the Demon King Cult think? Would they see it as a trap? Or a precursor to the Magic Stone’s replacement? Radius couldn't be certain, but he knew one thing for sure: the Cult was likely too far along to cancel their strike now.
Near the bridge leading to the tower, a young man and a girl stood watching. They were Wayne and Sera. Having finished their exams, they had come to Erendir to celebrate and relax.
"Too bad. Looks like the square is off-limits," Sera sighed.
They couldn't even reach the bridge. Sentries were guarding the cordon, their eyes sharp as they turned away anyone who wasn't authorized.
"Should we head back? We can come another time," Wayne suggested.
As they turned to leave, a roar echoed through the air, followed by the sound of an explosion and the distinct crackle of magic. They froze.
"Wayne."
"Yeah, I heard it."
Ignoring the guards, the two rushed toward the bridge. The sentries immediately blocked their path.
"Something may have happened. Please remain calm; we will investigate," one sentry said.
"I recognize you as the daughter of House Riohard. Please leave this to us."
"Then tell me," Sera demanded, her tone resolute. "How are you all so calm? There’s a massive commotion over there, yet you haven't even flinched."
"We are trained for unforeseen circumstances, My Lady."
"I see. Fine. But let me ask one more thing." Sera’s eyes narrowed. Her hostility wasn't toward being blocked, but toward the fact that these "guards" were clearly something else. "It's strange. I've never heard of a common guard unit where every single member is a Strong Sword User."
The sentries feigned composure, but Sera wasn't finished.
"You have courage, I’ll give you that. But don't underestimate me. I’ve crossed swords with more Strong Sword Users than I can count. I can feel the same aura coming from you."
"……Sera, why are Strong Sword Users here?" Wayne whispered.
"I don't know. But I’m not ignoring this. Not when Lithia might be involved."
Sera still felt indebted to Lithia because of the Viscount Given incident. She had sworn to help if something like this ever happened again, regardless of her father's orders.
"Strong Sword Users…… no, are you the Imperial Faction? Tell me what you're doing here."
The sentries remained silent.
"Fine. If you won't talk, I’ll find out myself. Wayne, wait here."
"Don't be stupid. If it’s for your friend, I’m going too."
Just as they tried to push past the signs, the guards' demeanor shifted entirely.
"We cannot allow you to proceed any further."
The sentry’s voice—or rather, the voice of the Knight of the Lion Holy Chancel—grew cold.
"We know you are close with the daughter of House Clausel. However, you must leave this to us. House Riohard will be officially notified by tomorrow."
The knights were in a difficult position. Sera was the daughter of a Heroic Duke; a forced confrontation could spark a diplomatic nightmare between factions. But they could not allow anyone to interfere with Radius.
Just then, another explosion rocked the square, and pillars of fire erupted near the tower. A suspicious figure emerged from the shadows, lunging at Sera’s back.
"Capture the thief!" the lead knight barked. "Sever their limbs if you must, but keep them alive!"
A knight moved with blinding speed, intercepting the attacker.
"Gah!?"
The figure, clearly a Demon King Cultist, was subdued in seconds. Wayne and Sera, already in combat stances with their swords drawn, watched with mounting tension.
"What’s happening up there?" Sera asked.
A dozen more cultists appeared from the darkness. The Knights of the Lion Holy Chancel stepped forward to shield Wayne and Sera. Suddenly, several more warriors arrived—knights in silver cloaks belonging to House Riohard. These were the shadow guards Ren had recalled from the original game's lore.
Even with a dozen cultists, Wayne and the others were now well-protected. As the cultists prepared to lunge—
"Can I leave this to you?" a voice asked.
"Yeah, it’s fine."
Ren stepped out from behind the group, moving between the defenders and the cultists. Wayne and Sera gasped. They recognized him immediately—the boy from the forest.
"It's dangerous!"
"Run! Get out of there——!"
They tried to stop him, but then they realized something was wrong. In the middle of the chaos, the boy was perfectly calm. Even the elite knights of the Holy Chancel didn't move to help him.
"I won't show any mercy," Ren said.
In that moment, Wayne and Sera realized the boy they had met was something far beyond their imagination.
Ren swung the Iron Magic Sword down with a violent force. The shockwave radiated outward in a fan shape, staggering the cultists. Without a second's delay, Ren stepped in. He moved like a blur, knocking several cultists unconscious before they could even blink. A strike to the solar plexus, a blow to the neck—he was dismantling them with surgical precision.
He wasn't just fighting; he was overwhelming them. Wayne and Sera watched, speechless.
"You really are incredibly strong," Radius said, appearing on horseback as the last cultist fell.
"Don't worry about me. You should go inside," Ren replied.
"I know."
Wayne saw Radius for the first time. Sera was momentarily paralyzed by the realization that she was in the presence of the Third Prince.
"These aren't enough. We’ll need more," Radius muttered. He held his hand over the marks on the fallen cultists, his palm glowing with a faint blue light, before mounting his horse again. Ren joined him on his own mount.
"You there—Sera Riohard, correct?"
"Eh, ah…… y-yes!" Sera hurriedly bowed. Wayne followed suit.
"I cannot allow you to go further. You are worried about the Clausels, but it is unnecessary. I promise their safety in my name."
With an Imperial promise given, Sera had no room to object. No matter how much she cared for Lithia, this was now a realm beyond her reach. Radius exchanged a glance with Ren and galloped toward the tower.
"Sera, he’s the guy from the other day," Wayne whispered.
"Yeah…… he’s so strong it’s ridiculous. I don't even know what to think anymore."
Half-forcibly, the private soldiers of House Riohard escorted Wayne and Sera away from the battlefield.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
The effects of the fighting were strangely contained; unless one was right in the square, the explosions and magic were barely noticeable. Special Magic Tools had been deployed to dampen the sound and contain the destructive energy.
It was shocking that the Demon King Cult had dared to attack so openly.
"Where did these bastards come from?"
"Likely blended in with travelers or hidden in cargo——regardless, our mission hasn't changed."
The Knights of the Lion Holy Chancel were unshakable. They were the elite of the elite.
"W-what…… who are these guys!?"
"No one said anything about this! What’s going on!?"
The cultists in jet-black robes were panicking. They had expected thin security, not a wall of master-class warriors.
"It doesn't matter how many of you there are," a knight said coldly, processing the cultists with administrative efficiency. They were being pinned to the stones as fast as they appeared.
"His Highness has arrived!"
Radius and Ren galloped through the square toward the tower's entrance. The doors had already been smashed, signaling that the cultists had made it inside.
"Clear a path for the Prince!"
"In the name of the Lion King! Crush them!"
The knights roared, their auras flaring. They carved a path through the remaining cultists until nothing stood between the entrance and the two riders.
"Ren, things are about to get a bit tedious!" Radius shouted as they rode. "There are no elevators in the Great Clock Tower!"
"Wait, what!? You mean we have to run up the stairs of this massive tower all the way to the roof!?"
"Exactly! But don't worry! I’ve been training my physical endurance inside the castle every day!"
"Like that’s going to be enough!"
But there was no turning back. They entered the tower, leaving their horses behind. Inside, massive beams stretched toward the heavens, layering upon each other in a solemn display of architecture. Giant and small gears meshed together, and the walls were covered in intricate, complex patterns.
Several knights followed them as they began the ascent. Climbing the stairs that wound around the interior, Ren glanced back at Radius.
"Are you okay?"
"……I’ve decided to double my training starting tomorrow."
"You probably should. Stopgap exercise only goes so far."
Sweat beaded on Radius's forehead. He was fundamentally a man of the mind, yet he pushed himself. Five minutes turned to ten, and the top was still far off.
"Nngh……" Radius stumbled, nearly tumbling backward.
"——You showed so much resolve earlier," Ren said, catching the Prince's arm. "Don't hold me back now."
Radius saw the deadly seriousness in Ren’s eyes. It wasn't an insult; it was a challenge. Instead of taking offense, he felt a surge of gratitude.
"Don't underestimate me," Radius growled, pushing his body to the limit. "If you mess up on the roof, I’m saying the same thing back to you."
"Yeah, yeah. Let's hope it doesn't come to that."
They were nearly there.
"Ren! Detour!" Radius pointed to a door. He explained that it led to an exterior passage attached to the clock face.
"Don't we need to reach the top?"
"If we go this way, we can catch the cultists from a different angle! Plus, there’s something I need to check!"
"Fine!"
They burst onto the exterior passage, the midsummer wind whipping against them. The walkway was a simple, narrow structure connecting the nine and three o'clock marks. From this height, Erendir looked like a spilled jewelry box of lights.
"Ren!" Radius shouted as more cultists appeared on the narrow walkway.
Ren didn't hesitate. He stepped in front of Radius and swung the Iron Magic Sword. On the narrow, treacherous scaffolding, Ren moved with a grace that defied the height.
"It's okay. Leave this to me."
He protected Radius while systematically clearing the path. Radius watched, mesmerized by the brilliance of the boy’s swordsmanship. It was more than just skill; it was a force of nature.
"……A lion, indeed," Radius whispered.
As Ren opened the way, Radius reached the center of the clock face and confirmed something.
"As I thought. They were trying to uncover the defense mechanism here as well."
Satisfied, he signaled for them to continue.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
The door to the rooftop was located beyond a floor made of giant, decorative gears.
"They’re out there," Radius said, finally catching his breath. He had a conviction that he needed to be here personally to confront the mastermind behind this attack.
"I’ll go first," Ren said, pushing open the doors to the rooftop garden.
A warm breeze blew across the roof. Under the star-filled sky, the garden felt like a sanctuary perched at the edge of the world. In the center sat an obsidian monument surrounded by colorful flowers.
And there, waiting for them, were a dozen uninvited guests.
"Oh?" a voice called out.
The man standing before the monument was wrapped in black robes like the rest, but he carried a luxurious staff. His head was shaven and covered in intricate tattoos. He was remarkably tall, yet he hunched over like a cat, giving him a predatory, unnatural appearance.
"Oh, oh, oh. I thought it might be, but isn't it the Third Prince?"
Radius, his legs trembling from exhaustion, forced himself to walk forward. The Knights of the Holy Chancel flanked him, with Ren at his side.
"……Bishop Lenidas."
Ren recognized the name. It was the man Fiona had mentioned once before.
"You still remember me!" the man laughed.
"How could I forget? You were a bishop at the Grand Temple. How could I forget a man who fell so far?"
Ren began to piece it together. Why would a man of his station join the Demon King Cult?
"You served Chief Deity Elfen," Radius said. "You were a saint known even in the Holy Land. Why would you lower yourself to this?"
"Lower myself? Us?" Lenidas straightened his back, revealing his true, towering height. He was likely of mixed blood, something beyond pure human. "I realized that the truly foolish one is Elfen! There is no point in preaching the truth to a Prince who dismisses the Demon King as a myth!"
Lenidas signaled his cultists to move forward while he smirked.
"Your Highness…… strangely, the Magic Stone in the tower is still the old one. Why is that? And why is the protection created by Mirim Altia nowhere to be found?"
"You likely already know," Radius replied. "We saw through your plot and were waiting for you."
"Fine. We’ll just take you to the Cult Leader. He can ask you himself."
As the tension peaked, Ren remembered something from the game's lore.
Lenidas raised his arm, and the cultists closed in. The Holy Chancel knights stepped forward, blades drawn.
"Your Highness, these ones are more capable than the ones below," one knight noted.
"I see. But prioritize capturing them alive," Radius commanded. He turned to his men. "Gentlemen, if you must die tonight, let it be with me. Show them the Strong Sword of the Lion King!"
The knights roared, their spirits soaring. They charged, and the rooftop garden instantly transformed into a battlefield.
Radius looked at Ren. His voice was quiet, heard only by the boy.
"Ren. I have an apology to make."
"To me?"
"Yes. You remember my power, and the handshake we shared? I caught a glimpse of your strength then. It was an accident—I hadn't intended to peer into your soul, but your power was so vast I couldn't help but notice a fragment of it. It was something…… not of this world."
Ren remained silent. Radius hadn't seen the Magic Swords themselves, but he had felt their weight.
"Because I couldn't fully understand it, I realized something else," Radius continued. "The light that pierced the sky from Clausel, the disaster in the Baldur Mountains…… it wasn't the Cult. It was something else. Like the Red Dragon Asval."
Ren didn't respond.
"If Asval was resurrected, then Ulysses’s daughter would have been in grave danger. But she is safe. Which means someone defeated a legendary dragon. Someone like you, Ren."
Radius pressed a fist against Ren’s chest.
"I won't ask you to confirm it if you don't want to. But tonight, I don't want a life-or-death struggle. I want to see you trample them. Just as you promised."
"Radius……"
"Edgar told me that if you were to trade lives in a real fight, even he couldn't predict the outcome. So, Ren. Show us the true power of the lion."
Ren took a step forward. The fighting around him seemed to slow. The knights, sensing the shift in pressure, pulled back to guard Radius. The cultists closed ranks around Lenidas.
"——Kill him."
Magic—wind, fire, ice—erupted toward Ren. Radius watched without blinking. Ren didn't even flinch.
(This is nothing compared to the Red Dragon.)
Ren raised the Iron Magic Sword.
"The stars are beautiful tonight," he murmured.
He swung. A horizontal flash.
A shockwave like a gale tore through the garden, shattering the incoming magic. When the dust settled, Ren was standing there, his blade ready. Radius felt a chill. That technique……
"Star-Slayer. I’ve never heard of a boy mastering that art," Radius whispered.
Ren was moving now, a blur of motion. He didn't waste time on the subordinates; he went straight for Lenidas. The bishop blocked the strike with a wall of dark magic.
"Kill him! Kill him now!" Lenidas shrieked.
"Out of my way," Ren said, spinning and dismantling the cultists who tried to intervene. He struck them with such force they were sent flying, unconscious before they hit the ground.
Lenidas unleashed a black wind that pushed Ren back several meters.
"Why are you so strong!?" the bishop screamed.
Ren analyzed the magic. It was a corrupt version of holy magic, designed to rot the heart and weaken the body. The remaining cultists huddled around Lenidas.
(Don't get ahead of yourself.)
Ren focused on the Flame King's Gauntlet on his left hand. It was burning hot, surging with power.
"Lord Lenidas…… we can't stop him!" the cultists cried.
"We fight for the Demon King!" Lenidas roared. "To the King of the Demon Continent!"
The cultists touched the marks on their skin. Their bodies throbbed with a dark, unnatural vitality. They unleashed a torrent of magic that even affected the weather; clouds gathered, and rain began to fall.
But Ren was the man who had slain a dragon. He cut through the magic, lunged forward, and drove the Iron Magic Sword through Lenidas’s right shoulder.
"Gah——!?"
The former bishop collapsed to his knees. Ren summoned the Great Tree Magic Sword, and magical ivy erupted from the ground, binding the remaining cultists and knocking them unconscious.
"Hehehe……" Lenidas laughed, blood dripping from his mouth. "We underestimated you. But it’s not over!"
He struck the ground with his staff. A complex magic circle erupted across the rooftop.
"A Holy Crest Formula!?" Radius shouted.
"I served Elfen!" Lenidas shrieked. "This is my true power!"
Ren stood his ground. He knew what this was—a ritual art of the highest order, usually reserved for the most powerful priests. It was designed to incinerate anything within its bounds with holy light.
"It doesn't matter," Ren said, rain-slicked hair clinging to his face.
"Fool! You don't know the weight of this light!"
"I know it better than you think."
Ren dismissed his current blades and summoned the Flame Magic Sword. To everyone watching, his movements seemed to slow down, every detail rendered in high definition.
"Show me your 'light'," Ren said.
He drove the Flame Magic Sword into the center of the magic circle. Golden flames erupted—flames so brilliant the ritual art's light was reduced to a mere shadow.
"What are these flames!?"
The golden fire raced along the lines of the magic circle, consuming it. It was like a dragon of fire. In seconds, the ritual art was gone, burned away by a power that defied logic. The golden flames soared into the night sky, and for a brief moment, the rain around the tower simply stopped.
"Impossible……" Lenidas gasped.
"It’s real," Ren said, brushing his hair back.
Lenidas tried to cast one more spell, but Ren was already there. He closed the distance in a flash.
"It’s over, Lenidas."
Ren struck the bishop in the solar plexus with the pommel of his sword. Lenidas crumpled. Just before he lost consciousness, he whispered, "You will also know the truth…… and despair……"
The battle was over. Ren turned to Radius and the knights.
"Is that all of them?"
"You really are something else, Ren," Radius breathed.
Just then, a roar echoed from the heavens. A massive monster—the Tyrant of the Corrupted Skies—descended from the clouds. It was a B-rank beast of the Demon Continent, a giant jellyfish-like creature with four pairs of wings and countless tentacles.
Ren gripped his sword. He was ready to fight. But Radius stopped him.
"It's okay! It can't break the barrier!"
"But you said there was no barrier!"
"I’ll explain later! Just watch!"
The monster slammed against an invisible wall high above the tower. Ren prepared to strike, but then the air itself seemed to freeze. A pressure he had never felt before washed over the roof.
He looked toward the Hanging Garden in the distance. He couldn't see anything, but he felt an invisible gaze.
Suddenly, the sky split. A distortion appeared in space, followed by a blinding white light. The Tyrant of the Corrupted Skies was sliced cleanly in half, its entire mass vaporizing into the light.
"……Ren Ashton. If he is there, I shall watch."
Ren could only manage a dry laugh. He had just witnessed the world’s strongest swordsman in action.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
The art used to slay the monster was "Li Verna"—the Wrath of Heaven in the old tongue of the Sky Continent.
On a restricted balcony of the Hanging Garden, the woman responsible for the strike stood alone. Her silver hair was like silk, and her beauty was otherworldly.
"So…… an Ashton still exists," she murmured.
Ranked fifth among the Sword Kings, the White Dragon Princess Lutreche looked toward the Great Clock Tower. Why she took an interest in that name remained a secret known only to her.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
Back on the rooftop, the knights were busy securing the prisoners. Ren was still processing the Sword King’s power.
"I’ve told the knights to keep quiet about your strength," Radius said, coming to his side.
"Thanks. But is that okay?"
"You clearly wanted to hide it. Though the more you fight like that, the harder it will be to keep a secret."
"I know. I don't expect it to stay secret forever."
Radius led Ren to the control device at the center of the garden. He cleared the area and opened a hidden obsidian box. Inside was a pedestal, but it was empty.
"The defense system," Radius explained. "It’s not here. Over fifty years ago, the Imperial Family and House Altia moved the actual core to a secret location. This tower is just a decoy. The Cult attacked a shell."
Ren sighed. "So their attack was meaningless from the start."
"Exactly. But they didn't know that."
They began the long walk down the stairs. Ren, exhausted, stumbled once, but Radius caught him.
"Don't hold me back," Radius teased.
Ren gave a weary smile. "I had it. But thanks."
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
Ren didn't get home until three in the morning. The town was still buzzing with the aftermath, but the Cultists had been stopped before they could reach the residential areas. The mission was a total success.
When he reached the mansion, a sentry greeted him. "Everyone is still awake, Master Ren."
Ren saw Fiona’s carriage in the courtyard. Inside, Edgar met him.
"Please, bathe and rest, Master Ren."
Ren took a long, hot bath, the water soaking away the ache in his muscles. When he finished, he headed to the main hall.
"Lady Fiona is still here?"
"Of course. She’s in the hall," Edgar replied.
Ren walked into the hall and stopped. Lithia and Fiona were fast asleep on the sofa, huddled together under a single blanket. They had worked late on paperwork and coordination, and the moment they knew Ren was safe, their exhaustion had won.
Ren looked at them and smiled. He sat on the opposite sofa, intending to wait for Edgar, but the moment his back hit the cushions, he was out.
A few minutes later, Lithia and Fiona woke up. They saw Ren sleeping peacefully across from them and realized they had fallen asleep instead of waiting for him.
"Master Ren……?" Fiona whispered.
They sat on either side of him, watching him sleep with gentle smiles. They were frustrated they couldn't have been with him, but they were mostly just relieved he was back.
Ren stirred and woke up. Seeing the two girls flanking him, he blinked.
"I…… don't understand the situation."
Yuno, who had been watching with a smile, excused herself to give them space.
"We wanted to take you to your room!" Lithia blurted out, her face red. "But we didn't want to wake you!"
Ren felt the tension of the night finally melt away. He spent the next hour telling them about the battle, the ride through the city, and the Sword King.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
A few days later, Ren met Radius for a private dinner.
"The prisoners are weakening," Radius said over steak. "The Cult marks are draining their vitality. They won't last much longer."
"But you found something?"
"Yes. They were looking for a relic called 'Elfen Tears.' They attacked a temple in the Holy Land months ago to steal it. It’s a purification liquid, though why the Cult would want it is a mystery."
As they finished, Radius handed Ren a letter. "A reward for House Clausel. Tell Lezard to come to the castle."
"And for me?"
"Anything you want, Ren."
"If you become the Crown Prince," Ren said, "find me information on House Ashton in the Forbidden Library. Anything at all."
"I’ll see what I can do," Radius promised. "Next time, let’s explore the city as friends. No business."
"The Third Prince in the castle town? That’s reckless."
"I’ll wear a disguise. Besides, I hear you know the best places for fruit water."
"Fruit water? Not wine?"
"I like sweet things," Radius confessed with a boyish grin. "But keep that a secret from the public, okay?"
As Radius left in his carriage, he looked out the window.
"Ren is like that girl in the stories," Radius murmured to his aide, Mirei. "The story my father told me when I was a child."
"Which one, nya?"
"The Eroding Princess. His strength…… it feels just like hers."