In the visitor's hall of the Ignat manor, Ren sat on a sofa while the warm light of Lithia’s holy magic enveloped his hands.
She repeatedly checked his palms and wrists with a worried expression, asking, "Are you sure there are no more injuries?" and "Does it hurt anywhere else?"
Eventually, Ren flashed a reassuring smile at her.
"Thank you, Lithia. I think I’m pretty much back in top form now."
"I see. That’s a relief."
Lithia, who was supposed to have already departed for the Clausel territory, was here because of an emergency report she had received the day before. News of the attack had reached both the Imperial Capital and Erendil, forcing many magic ships to suspend their operations immediately. Since the ship Lithia intended to board was among those grounded, her scheduled work back home had been postponed.
Ideally, Lezard would have liked to come and speak with Ren as well, but as a man responsible for two territories, his duties were far too numerous to permit the journey.
Given the circumstances, Lithia had rushed to the manor instead, partly because she also needed to coordinate with Marquis Ulysses.
"Honestly—why does this sort of thing only happen when I'm not around?" she sighed.
"Well, I’m not entirely sure how it ended up like this myself..." Ren admitted.
"I’m sure you aren't..."
She wasn't actually complaining; it was just her way of showing how much she worried about him. When she had said goodbye to Ren in Erendil, she never would have imagined his winter break would take such a turn.
Lithia had already heard the news: Ren had defeated a second Wadatsumi, Messenger of the Giant God, just yesterday. The reports of his two major victories were already circulating through various channels, and more than a few people now knew of Ren’s involvement in the crisis.
How these facts would be handled by the authorities remained to be seen. Ren himself was far too exhausted from the events of the past few days to dwell on complicated politics.
There was, however, one more thing Lithia was curious about.
"And besides that... you really became a Sword Saint, didn't you?"
"I did. But it happened so suddenly that it still hasn't quite sunk in."
"Goodness... there you go again, making it sound like it’s nothing. Though I suppose that’s just like you, Ren."
Seeing Ren acting like his usual self, the tension finally left Lithia’s body. Fiona, who was sitting beside him, nodded in agreement.
"Ahaha, well, that is Ren-kun for you," Fiona said.
"Yes, truly," Lithia replied, her voice soft and full of affection as she looked at him. "Congratulations, Ren. I felt relieved just seeing your face, but hearing that you’ve become a Sword Saint made me so happy."
As long as he was safe, that was enough for her. After finishing her treatment, Lithia stood up, leaving the warmth of her magic behind.
"It’s about time I give my formal greetings to Marquis Ignat."
When she turned to give a light wave, Ren immediately called out to stop her. "Please, wait."
"Is something wrong?"
"Um... thank you for worrying about me."
"Don't be silly. Like I said, as long as you're safe, that's all that matters. But you still need to take it easy, okay?"
The White Saintess walked away with a bright, cheerful expression.
"Tell me later what it feels like to be a Sword Saint, all right?"
She left the room with a sparkling smile.
The two remaining in the hall shared a brief silence for about ten seconds. Ren, who had been gazing at the snow falling outside the window, turned back to look at the desk calendar on the table.
"We were just talking yesterday about how this finally felt like a proper winter break."
"Yes," Fiona agreed. "And yet, I have a feeling it’s going to be over in the blink of an eye."
"A lot has happened over the last few days especially. It almost feels like time is moving faster than usual."
"I feel the same way. By the time the aftermath of all this work settles down, the holiday might already be over."
Ren recalled the conversation they’d had during their morning walk in the academy garden. Not much actual time had passed since then, but it felt as if many days had gone by.
However, Fiona spoke as if to remind herself of something.
"Because of what happened, Ren-kun, you might find yourself becoming even busier."
"Me too?"
"Oh? You weren't aware?"
"I'm sorry... aware of what exactly?"
It seemed like a non-sequitur to him, but it was actually a very logical point. Fiona looked at him directly as she continued.
"I believe Strong Sword Users, once they reach the rank of Sword Saint..."
Ren was stunned by the things Fiona mentioned—duties and expectations he had never heard of before. He thought for a few seconds and decided it was something he needed to consider carefully in the near future.
It seemed like a good idea to consult Estel about it once she finished dealing with the post-battle processing. For now, however, he turned his concern toward Fiona.
"Fiona-sama, you seem very busy as well."
"Do I? Compared to what you’ve accomplished, Ren-kun, my work is nothing."
"But you haven't slept a wink since yesterday, have you?"
"No, I'm fine! It's only been one night, so it's no trouble at all!"
Fiona managed a smile, but Ren could see the faint traces of fatigue around her eyes. She had been swamped with tasks related to yesterday’s commotion. He had offered to help, but both Fiona and Ulysses had turned him down as a matter of course, insisting he recover.
Ren glanced at the wall clock and realized that about thirty minutes had passed since the two of them were left alone. Sensing the time, Fiona stood up.
"I'll go have some fresh sweets prepared. I'm also curious about how Lithia-sama and the others are doing, so I'll go check on them."
"In that case, let me go with—"
He couldn't just keep letting her wait on him while she was so tired.
As Ren spoke to her back, Fiona suddenly stopped and turned toward him. Because he had moved to follow her, the distance between them closed much faster than expected.
Startled by Ren’s sudden proximity, Fiona tried to pull back in a panic.
"Kya!?"
She lost her balance. Between her sudden movement and the fact that she hadn't slept since the previous night, her body failed to respond with its usual grace.
Ren immediately reached out to catch her. Though his hands found her, the momentum carried them both. They tumbled onto the sofa, with Ren landing on the bottom against the cushions.
Fiona, supported by Ren’s arms, ended up draped directly over him.
"I-I'm so sorry! Ren-ku—"
"Fiona-sama! Are you al—"
A second after they spoke simultaneously, something soft brushed against Ren’s cheek.
It was only for a fleeting moment. Because her lustrous black hair had spilled over them, his vision was obscured, but he felt a tender, unmistakable touch against his skin.
"!??"
Fiona sat up in a frantic blur and scrambled to the adjacent sofa. Overwhelmed, she sat with her head down, nervously rubbing her thighs together.
Ren, for his part, could only see the nape of her neck, which had turned a vivid, burning red.
"A-Are you all right?" he managed to ask.
"I-I-I-I'm perfectly fine!"
"I'm glad, but... why are you so flustered?"
"It's nothing! Look! I'm acting exactly as I always do! I-I'm not flustered at all!"
When she finally looked up, she wore an expression Ren had never seen before.
The Black Priestess looked as if she were on the verge of tears, her eyes shimmering with moisture. She was desperately trying to maintain her composure despite her cheeks being redder than he had ever thought possible. To Ren, she looked incredibly lovely and dainty in her vulnerability.
However, he remained completely oblivious to the actual cause of her state.
"No, no, no! You aren't acting 'as usual' at all!"
"No! I really am okay!"
"What do you mean by 'okay'!?"
"...Anyway, I just am!"
Fiona stood up, Ren’s words echoing in her mind. She hadn't calmed down in the slightest; his voice kept repeating in her head. "What do you mean?" he had asked with such genuine concern.
"Please wait a moment! I'll be right back!"
"Wait! Fiona-sama!?"
She fled from the room, escaping the sound of his voice.
Even as she thought about how he had kindly caught her, she needed to find some space to breathe. Thinking only of Ren—who understood nothing of what had just happened—Fiona walked briskly down the hall, her heart pounding a frantic, pleasant rhythm in her chest.
She stepped out and quietly closed the door. Leaning her back against the wood, she closed her eyes and surrendered to the tension.
"What do you mean by 'okay'!?"
The question he had asked vibrated in her soul. A single answer flooded Fiona’s heart.
"...Ren-kun, you see."
The one feeling she couldn't lie about was the proof. There was a reason she could say she was "okay" despite the accidental kiss.
Still bound by a mix of nerves and overwhelming embarrassment, her skin remained flushed a deep crimson.
"—Because... that's just what 'it' is."
She had known for years.
Ever since the very first moment they met.