The vibrant energy of the Lion King Festival had fully dissipated by the time a week had passed.
The crowds of domestic and foreign nobles, the tourists, and the rows of stalls that had enlivened the Imperial Capital were gone, and the city had returned to its usual rhythm from before the festival preparations began.
It was the same for the many schools scattered throughout the capital.
Conversations praising the tournament participants grew sparse, replaced by students grumbling about class assignments or discussing their plans for the upcoming summer vacation.
In the height of summer, on the rooftop during lunch break.
"...It’s so quiet."
"...It really is."
Ren took a seat on a bench while Licia leaned her back against the rooftop wall.
They both wondered if this peaceful academy life was their true reality, or if the extraordinary events of the other day were.
"Until yesterday, you were still saying you were exhausted. How are you feeling today?"
"I’m back to my usual self. How about you, Licia?"
"Me too. I think I’ve finally regained as much energy as I had before the festival started."
It hadn't been wounds from battle that drained them so much as the total depletion of their magic power and mental fortitude. So much had happened since then that they had only truly found a moment of mental peace a few days ago. Finally, they were able to enjoy a quiet afternoon like this.
"Should we try visiting the Lion Holy Chancel today? It’s been a while."
"I’ve been itching to swing a sword again. Shall we?"
Even though they had only been inside for a few hours, their time at Roses Kaitas had been far too intense.
This was what had happened immediately after the battle with the Sword Demon concluded.
The area around the hole they had fallen into was already beginning to collapse, making it impossible to use nature magic to take root in the crumbling space and escape upward.
They continued to fall, Ren cutting through countless rocks and debris along the way. It felt like an eternity, but only a few seconds passed before they plunged into an underground lake at the bottom, which fed into a subterranean waterway.
Ren blocked falling rubble with Licia’s Holy Magic while they surrendered themselves to the flow of the water for several minutes. They alternated between surfacing for air and submerging their bodies to avoid hazards.
"Pwah!"
"Cough! Cough!"
As the light grew brighter, Ren surfaced first, followed by Licia, who gasped for air.
"Ren! Can you swim!?"
"I’m fine!"
Licia looked visibly relieved at his response. When Ren grabbed her hand and pulled her close, she stammered, "I—it’s not like I’ve never swum before, okay!"
"F-For now, just hold on to me!"
Ren had almost no experience swimming either, but they managed.
They eventually emerged outside Roses Kaitas, surfacing in the river that flowed at the bottom of the canyon where the bridge had once spanned the heights. The current wasn't particularly strong here; it was more of a crystal-clear stream. They had apparently been carried along by the outflow leading away from the mountain.
"Licia, give me your hand."
"Yeah... thanks."
Ren waded through the shallows and lent Licia a hand as they stepped onto the riverbank.
Licia grabbed the hem of her skirt and wrung out the water. Ren summoned the Flame Magic Sword and used its heat to cut through a nearby tree. Even though the wood was green, the magical sword ignited it instantly.
As her skirt still clung tightly to her skin even after wringing it out, Licia felt uncomfortable and self-conscious in front of Ren, rubbing her legs together to ease the damp friction.
"To think I’d be grateful for a bonfire in the middle of summer."
She could finally laugh. They decided to rest for a while before trying to head back.
"Look up there," Licia said, glancing upward.
In the distance, they could see the bridge leading to the mountain where Roses Kaitas stood. It was at a dizzying height, but their focus was further up—at the site where the temple had been. From their angle, they couldn't see the mountain’s peak clearly, but it was certain that the Cage of Time had vanished. They could faintly hear the surprised shouts of people in the distance.
"It’s not just the Cage of Time; the whole mountain seems to have partially collapsed."
"I’m more worried about how much time has passed since we went in."
"You mean since we were trapped?"
"Yes. I’d check my watch, but... well, look."
The watch face was shattered and the hands were missing. It would have been stranger if it had survived that battle intact.
"I have a few choice words for the Elfen Religion, but I suppose that would just make things more complicated than they already are."
"True... if people started asking why only we were caught in the seal and suspected some link to the Demon King Cult, it would be a huge headache. We should probably consult Lord Ulysses or Radius first."
"You're right. But... well, if things ever get too troublesome, maybe we should just run away together."
"Whoa... then we'd be total outlaws."
As they joked, the two of them shared a laugh. They didn't truly expect things to become dangerous; after all, no one else should have known they were even inside Roses Kaitas.
They sat down on the gravel together and stared into the fire.
"I can't even move my limbs properly."
"Me too... I feel like I could fall asleep right this second."
Now that the tension had snapped, the lethargy throughout their bodies was overwhelming. Ren could have asked Licia to heal them with Holy Magic, but he couldn't bring himself to force another burden on her.
"So, how are we supposed to get back up?"
"Um... maybe there are stairs somewhere?"
"At the bottom of a canyon like this?"
"...Now that I’ve said it out loud, that seems unlikely."
"Which means we're mountain climbing."
"A-Again...?"
Just thinking about the trek ahead made them feel exhausted all over again. However, no exhaustion could outweigh the joy of being alive.
To Sera and the others who had been with them before the chaos, it appeared as though Ren and Licia had simply vanished into thin air. Because time flowed differently inside the Cage of Time, those outside perceived the collapse of the seal almost immediately after Ren and Licia disappeared.
The ones who ultimately found them were Fiona and Chronoa. Fiona had been waiting in the Hanging Garden to watch the tournament with them when she heard of the anomaly. She had rushed to the scene with Chronoa, who used her magic to track their presences to the bottom of the canyon.
"You two, let us get you to a safe place first," Fiona had said.
Even without knowing the details, Fiona sensed immediately that the two on the riverbank were the cause of the disturbance. On the way back, Chronoa shared her theory.
"The more I hear, the stranger it is. Likely, to everyone outside, it just looked like the seal reached its limit and vanished. I don't know why only the two of you were pulled inside, though..."
"So it really was just us?"
"Yes. Only you two were trapped in that frozen space."
Ren and Licia were stunned when they learned the current time. Barely two hours had ticked by since they had heard the choir’s song. In other words, the people outside only noticed the seal’s collapse after the battle inside was already over. They had no way of knowing what Ren and Licia had endured.
The two only shared the truth with those they trusted most. Currently, the only people who knew the reality of what happened inside the Cage of Time were the members of House Clausel and House Ignat, plus Chronoa and Radius. Even fewer knew that Licia had manifested a powerful light against her will—only Ren, Fiona, Chronoa, and Lezard. Yuno and the others might be told eventually, but for now, they needed time to process.
Radius had already issued a strict gag order regarding the incident.
Back in the present, Ren and Licia left the rooftop as the afternoon bell rang.
The school was crowded with students heading home or chatting in groups. Licia had some business in the Academy Staff Room, so Ren waited for her outside. While he was standing there, Kaito passed by and called out to him.
"Yo! Want to grab some food before you head out?"
"Sorry. I was planning on heading straight home."
"I get it. Well, I'll catch you next time then!"
Kaito started to walk away, then hurriedly turned back.
"I haven't seen much of you lately, so I didn't get to say it, but thanks for everything during the festival! I had a great time right until the end thanks to you."
"Don't mention it. But it's a shame the Semifinals and Finals were canceled."
"Well, that's my only regret. But it couldn't be helped. Everyone was panicking because the seal on Roses Kaitas broke. The sixth and seventh days were basically a wash because of that."
Ren scratched his cheek with a wry smile. "I guess you're right."
"I heard it was insane," Kaito continued excitedly. "The state of the mountain, I mean. There were traces of an incredible battle inside. The Plaza of the Divine Statue was pulverized, and there was apparently a massive hole leading deep underground. There must have been a hell of a fight there in the ancient past."
"...Maybe so."
"The Elfen Religion is still investigating. Apparently, they still have no idea why the seal broke so suddenly."
Everything Kaito knew was based on the public aftermath. Since the truth of Ren and Licia's involvement was kept secret, the public narrative had only progressed that far.
Kaito waved goodbye and walked off. A moment later, Licia emerged from the staff room and walked back to Ren with a light, rhythmic step. When Ren told her what Kaito had said, she giggled.
"If we told them we were the ones who did it, how do you think they’d react?"
"If it’s Senior Leonall, he’d probably laugh and tell us not to be stupid."
"Hehe, probably."
They were leaving the cleanup of that incident to Radius and Ulysses. It had been several days since Radius had promised to speak with them once things settled down.
(I guess there hasn't been any major fallout to report yet,) Ren thought.
Radius hadn't shown his face to Ren since the day they entered the Cage of Time. Mirei had visited the academy briefly to mention that he was swamped with work regarding the seal's collapse.
Ren and Licia were planning to head to the station and return to Erendir, but they found Radius waiting for them just outside the Academy Gate.
"Forgive the intrusion, but could you give me some of your time?"
It was a sudden request, but Ren sensed it was important. He exchanged a look with Licia.
"Of course. Where should we talk?"
"How about the room we used for the Executive Committee?"
"Sure."
As they spoke, Licia spotted Fiona nearby. Fiona approached, having clearly anticipated this meeting.
"Licia, if you’re free, would you like to have tea with me? There’s a rumor that the new cake in the cafeteria is divine."
"I’d love to! I’ve been curious about it myself."
The two girls took their leave, giving Ren and Radius space. Ren appreciated the gesture; Licia gave him a soft smile and mouthed "See you later" before walking away.
Ren followed Radius back to their old committee room. It was exactly as they had left it, with papers still scattered on the table.
"Only a handful of people know the truth of what happened at Roses Kaitas," Radius began. Because the situation was so sensitive, information was strictly controlled—especially regarding Ren and Licia being pulled inside and the battle with the Sword Demon.
"As for the Cage of Time, the official stance is that it reached its natural limit and vanished. The collapse of the mountain is being attributed to the sudden resumption of the flow of time."
"So that's the story they're going with."
"It’s undeniable that the Cage of Time was suppressing a terrifying power from the Demon King Army. Since the presence of a creature like the Sword Demon was expected, we don't have to reveal that the two of you fought and killed it. National defense concerns won't be an issue either; we're handling that."
The Emperor and Estel had been informed of the incident, but even among the elite, very few knew Ren and Licia were involved.
"The investigation by the Knights of Leomel is continuing, but the conclusion won't change: the seal expired. It fits the ancient prophecies well enough."
"So there’s no conflict with the Elfen Religion?"
"Fortunately, no. Honestly, I personally have plenty of complaints I’d like to lodge against them."
"It's probably better for us if you don't."
"Agreed. If we pressed them, they might start investigating the two of you, and we want to avoid that."
That was a relief for Ren. While he had his own frustrations, it was better to let the matter rest for their own safety.
"It’s been a hectic few days regardless."
"Because of the investigation?"
"No, mostly because I’ve had to restrain Ulysses."
Ulysses had been furious that Ren and Licia were put in danger, and Radius had been monitoring him to ensure he didn't do anything rash.
"I’ve looked into other things as well. To be blunt, there’s no evidence the Elfen Religion was hiding anything intentionally—including the Sword Demon."
"So Licia and I weren't set up?"
"That appears to be the case."
Radius had questioned the Elfen leadership indirectly to gauge their reactions. If they had been hiding such a monster, it would have been an act of war against Leomel, so the possibility was low to begin with.
"I also checked with the knights on guard duty. There were no signs of magic being used to lure or trap visitors that day. It would have been nearly impossible to target only the two of you in that chaos."
This meant the reason they were pulled in lay elsewhere. That was the real mystery.
"Ren, do you have any idea why it happened?"
Ren had been considering two possibilities.
The first was that the Cage of Time could no longer purify the Sword Demon on its own and sought out the power of the White Saintess. Since Ren had once shared power with Licia's magic stone, he was pulled in along with her.
The second possibility involved Fiona’s 'Black Priestess' power. If any trace of that power—which was linked to the Demon King—remained in Ren after the Baldur Mountains incident, the seal might have targeted him for purification. But that didn't explain why Licia was pulled in.
Or perhaps it was both. Maybe the seal sensed them both the first time they approached Roses Kaitas, which triggered the shared dream. To Ren, that felt the most plausible. The Cage of Time was no ordinary seal, after all.
"You seem to have something in mind," Radius noted.
"A few theories."
"Tell me later then. My intuition tells me this involves not just your power, but the White Saintess as well. You should speak with her first before you tell me."
Ren smiled and thanked Radius for his tact. "Thanks." He didn't want to talk about Licia or Fiona’s secrets without their permission.
"As the one caught in the middle of this, let me know if there's anything you want me to look into. I’ll provide whatever support I can."
"You’ve helped plenty already... but actually, there is something."
There were countless things to investigate, but Ren had already picked his priority.
"I want to look into Holy Magic."
"Is this about what happened inside? Look, I'm not going to recommend the Grand Temple to you given the circumstances."
"I'd like to avoid them too, to be honest."
Radius assumed Ren wanted to study Holy Magic because of the seal, but Ren’s real focus was the wings he had seen on Licia’s back. That was his top priority.
"I’ll find a place for you to look for information then."
"Thanks. Also, Radius... have you ever heard the term 'Divine Child'?"
"Divine Child? No, I can't say I have. What about it?"
Ren explained how the Sword Demon had called him a 'Descendant of the Divine Child.' Since they had discussed the Ashton family before, Ren felt comfortable sharing this.
"The Sword Demon said it right before he died."
"In that case, you definitely need to talk to someone well-versed in Holy Magic. The Academy Director is one option, but there are others."
"Is there someone I can talk to who's tight-lipped? I know that's a lot to ask."
"I think I can manage that," Radius replied quickly. "You’ll have to leave the capital, but I can fulfill your request."
"Really!? Where?"
"If I say the 'White Crown,' you should know it."
Ren’s eyes widened as he realized which city Radius meant.
"The City of Water... Eupeheim."
The domain of the powerful Ulysses Ignat and a metropolis second only to the Imperial Capital. Ren still had the black invitation Edgar had left at his house tucked away in his desk.
Ren took a breath and brought the conversation back. "I'll talk to you more about that later then."
"Let's leave it at that for today. We shouldn't keep the ladies waiting too long."
Radius and Ren stood up and left the room. As they walked through the halls, Radius looked at Ren.
"The evidence of a powerful monster inside the seal really helped our official story. It made things much easier to handle."
"If we didn't have that, we would have had to explain what Licia and I were doing."
"I wanted to avoid that at all costs. People would have tried to use you as political pawns, or we would have been forced into a messy diplomatic battle with the Elfen Religion. It’s better this way."
"Then I guess it all worked out."
"Undoubtedly. You two accomplished something incredible. The Academy Director is also cooperating; she promised to help us if any issues arise."
With that, the matter of Roses Kaitas was settled.
"Now, about my family..."
"Something wrong with House Ashton?"
"The Sword Demon specifically mentioned the name 'Ashton' during the fight."
Radius sighed and poked Ren in the side. The Third Prince looked genuinely annoyed.
"Tell me everything at once next time."
"Sorry. My head was all over the place."
"...Good grief. Why did the Sword Demon know your name?"
"I have no idea. That's why I asked you to help me find a family tree."
"Hmm, that's true."
"Also, my ancestor was apparently incredibly strong. Before my house burned down, there were records saying he fought Asval in his prime."
Radius poked him again, harder this time.
"Tell me these things sooner!"
"I said I was sorry! I’d only ever mentioned it to Lord Lezard."
"Fine, fine. Now it makes sense why you were so interested in the Forbidden Library."
Ren had wanted to tell him, but the subject was just too bizarre.
"An incredible ancestor indeed. Fighting Asval and being known to the Demon King's generals? What exactly did your ancestor do?"
Radius crossed his arms as they walked, looking up at the sky. "Wait..." He thought of the Sword King, Lutreche, and why she had agreed to help during the Clock Tower incident. "Does she know something...?"
"Did you say something?"
"No, nothing. I'll let you know if I find anything out."
"Thanks. I'm counting on you."
As they reached the gate, they still didn't see Licia or Fiona. Radius headed for his carriage, but he paused.
"By the way... since when?"
"Since when what?"
"You stopped using honorifics for Licia Clausel. I know you wouldn't just forget."
"Oh... well, a lot happened inside Roses Kaitas."
Specifically, the promise they made before the final battle. It had been a short time, but a profound one.
"It’s good to see you two are so close," Radius said with a smirk, glancing at Ren’s profile.
When they reached the carriage, Estel was waiting outside. Radius climbed inside but left Ren with one last remark: "Estel has something she wants to say to you."
A long silence passed between Ren and the commander.
"I have something I must apologize for," Estel finally said.
"I’m not sure I follow."
"I was monitoring you in secret. It was a direct order from His Majesty the Emperor."
Ren’s expression hardened. Hearing that the Emperor had been spying on him made his mind race back to the game's lore about 'Ren Ashton.'
But Estel’s next words eased his worry.
"Our meetings in Erendir weren't coincidences. I was on the job. His Majesty wasn't sure how to judge you—what kind of person you were, or what your true nature was."
"Was it because I’m close with Radius?"
It made sense. Radius was the likely heir to the throne, and he had never had close friends before. For him to be so informal with a boy like Ren would naturally draw the Emperor’s attention.
But there was more to it.
"That was part of it, but the main reason was the Sword King."
"Lutreche?"
"Yes. Last summer, she agreed to help with the Clock Tower incident only on the condition that you participated."
Ren remembered that well. It was still a mystery to him.
"When the Sword King moves, it shakes the entire nation. It affects political factions and could even force Leomel into war."
"I understand that, but... didn't you ask her why she did it?"
"His Majesty asked several times. She only said that the rumored 'Strong Sword User' had caught her interest."
Ren had been making a name for himself, and he spent a lot of time training at the Lion Holy Chancel, so it wasn't entirely unbelievable. Still, combined with his proximity to Radius, it was enough to make the Emperor wary.
"Thus, His Majesty ordered me to 'gauge Ren Ashton.'"
Estel had been conflicted, but the more she watched Ren, the more she understood him. She realized he wasn't a threat; he was the friend Radius truly needed.
"Honestly, I felt there was no issue from the moment we first spoke."
"I'm flattered, but didn't Radius notice you were watching me?"
"Ha! He saw through it almost immediately! It was a fool’s errand to try to spy on you in the capital or Erendir, right under his nose."
"...I figured."
"His Majesty expected as much. In fact, it seems he was more curious to see how Prince Radius would react. He was monitoring the Prince’s movements himself."
Radius understood his father’s logic, but he clearly didn't appreciate it. While he was usually calm with the Emperor, the Imperial Guards had whispered about him becoming uncharacteristically emotional during their private meetings.
"I know it was an order, but it must have been unpleasant for you. My apologies."
Estel bowed her head. They were in the shadow of the carriage, so no one saw the high-ranking commander bowing to a student.
"No, it’s fine! Really! It’s a natural thing to investigate."
Ren meant it. If he hadn't been by Radius’s side, things would be different, but considering Radius’s position in the world’s greatest military power, he couldn't blame the Emperor for being thorough.
In fact, it would have been more worrying if the Emperor had ignored him entirely.