Chapter 3 An unexpectedly profitable job
If you travel for three hours in the opposite direction of the hills where Yelquq was fought, you’ll reach a vast forest.
As its name, "Eastern Forest," suggests, it lies to the east of town, making it easy to locate.
Walking through the dense thicket of trees, Ren suddenly realized something.
“Now that I think about it, this isn’t my first time here.”
Even if this was his first time seeing it in person, he already knew about the monsters inhabiting this area.
That was, of course, assuming they were the same as in the game.
“Alright.”
With a lively step forward, Ren noticed something peeking at him from behind a tree.
Focusing his gaze, he saw a beast resembling a rabbit.
However, unlike an ordinary rabbit, it had three eyes and twice as many limbs.
It was an F-rank monster called a Mitsume.
“Kiki!”
The Mitsume was more agile than a Little Boar.
Kicking off the ground, it lunged at Ren in an instant.
But there was no way Ren wouldn’t react in time.
After all, it was only one rank above a Little Boar.
Summoning his Iron Magic Sword, Ren calmly faced his opponent.
“Kree—!”
With a light thrust, the tip of his Iron Magic Sword pierced the Mitsume’s neck.
A slight sense of anticlimax, a rush of exhilaration, and, above all, relief—relief that he still held an overwhelming advantage in battle against monsters.
As the Mitsume collapsed lifelessly, Ren approached and summoned his Wood Magic Sword.
With a simple flick, vines sprouted from it, binding the corpse.
He slung it over his shoulder.
“Whoa… This is really convenient…”
Holding the Iron Magic Sword in his right hand and the freshly summoned Wood Magic Sword at his waist, Ren marveled at his progress.
His battle with Yelquq had allowed him to grow stronger, enabling him to summon two Magic Swords simultaneously.
While he had considered summoning the Iron Magic Sword alongside the Plunderer's Magic Sword, he prioritized utility today.
His gaze shifted to the crystal on his bracelet.
His proficiency was increasing, little by little.
After walking for another ten minutes or so, he suddenly detected the quiet sound of breathing from behind cover.
Without making a sound, he honed his senses in that direction—
“Gyaa!?”
Before the lurking monster could react, Ren dashed forward in the blink of an eye and swung his Iron Magic Sword.
The second Mitsume, just about to pounce, perished instantly.
It was after a late lunch.
Having hunted several more Mitsume, Ren leveled up his Iron Magic Sword.
However—
—Wood Magic Sword (Lv. 2: 1000/1000)
—Iron Magic Sword (Lv. 2: 0/2500)
Something felt off.
Unlike the Iron Magic Sword, which had leveled up normally, the Wood Magic Sword had reached its experience cap—what was essentially a counter stop—yet it hadn’t leveled up.
Surely, this wasn’t its limit.
If it was, the display should have changed to something like "0/0," similar to when he first acquired Magic Sword Summoning.
“In that case, there must be a condition to level it up…”
Since he couldn’t immediately discern the requirement, he would have to experiment further.
Not to mention, the amount of proficiency required for the Iron Magic Sword’s next level was absurd.
That difficulty likely reflected its versatility and power, but even so, the sheer number made Ren’s face stiffen.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
He hadn’t planned to hunt so much, yet by the time he returned to town in the evening, he was carrying quite a few monsters.
(Eight Mitsume and two Earthworms, huh?)
The Earthworm was an E-rank monster.
It was a massive burrowing creature that Yelquq had also used.
Unlike the Mitsume, it was too large to carry, so Ren was dragging it along as he made his way back.
Since he didn’t want to dirty the main road, he walked alongside it.
Occasionally, passing adventurers shot him bewildered looks.
Understandable—after all, it wasn’t every day a young boy hauled ten monsters by himself.
(…Am I even allowed to bring these in as is?)
As he approached the gates of Clausel—
“…Lord Lazard informed us that you had begun operating outside the town, but… Quite the haul for your first day.”
The gatekeeper knight remarked in astonishment.
“Do other adventurers not usually hunt like this?”
“Most go after smaller monsters. As you can imagine, transportation is a hassle. Even if they do hunt, they usually dismantle the monsters on-site or only take the most valuable materials.”
Ren let out a wry chuckle, thinking he should probably do the same.
“Especially with Earthworms. Even though they’re only E-rank, their nature makes them difficult to hunt. That’s why their shells fetch a good price. They’re highly useful, but few people bother hunting them.”
Hearing that, Ren felt genuinely pleased.
While his main reason for venturing outside town was to investigate monsters, earning money was also an important factor.
“I’m heading to the guild now. Can I take these in as they are?”
“Yes, it should be fine. Their bodily fluids have already dried, so there shouldn’t be an issue… but…”
The knight hesitated before continuing.
“Did you really bring all of these back by yourself?”
“Yes. I don’t have a party, so I dragged them all the way from the forest.”
It seemed the knight had been worried about whether Ren could manage such a load on his own.
Given that he had walked all the way to the gate by himself, it should have been obvious he could carry them alone, but the knight still seemed skeptical.
“Our hero might be even more incredible than we imagined.”
Ren walked ahead, smiling to himself.
(Man, I’m glad the guild is close to the gate.)
It was likely positioned there for convenience when transporting monster materials.
As he arrived at the guild, carrying his haul, he found himself drawing quite a bit of attention.
“…Whoa.”
“That’s insane.”
Two adventurers he had spoken with the previous day appeared beside him, staring in shock.
The wolfman of the pair gave Ren some advice.
“When you bring in a haul like this, you’re supposed to take it directly to the guild’s delivery entrance. If you have more than they can handle, you can request an assessment outside.”
“I see. Thanks for letting me know.”
Ren had assumed the process would be the same as in the game and had tried to get it over with quickly.
But this was the real world now—he should have taken the time to listen properly.
Regretting his impatience, he thanked them and carried the monsters to the designated area.
Waiting for him was a guild receptionist, who looked utterly stunned.
“W-Would you like to sell all of these?”
“Yes, please.”
He informed them that he had already removed the magic stones and then watched as the guild staff began their assessment.
Before he knew it, a crowd had gathered.
Ren was well known among the town’s residents as the hero of the Clausel family, but for the first time, he found himself wondering if this was really okay.
(Maybe I should’ve kept a low profile, like in those light novels…)
To avoid raising death flags.
But thinking about it rationally, hiding or not probably wouldn’t change anything.
At least within the Clausel domain, his name was already widespread.
If he had wanted to stay out of the spotlight, he would’ve had to start back when he defeated the Seawolf.
But if he hadn’t fought then, the village would’ve been in danger.
Abandoning his family and hometown had never been an option.
Besides, he had never set a goal of avoiding attention in the first place, and there was no clear connection between standing out and triggering a tragic fate.
"I just want to live in peace. The last thing I want is for the emperor to order my execution."
He still remembered thinking that from the moment he was born into this world.
More than anything, his goal had always been to live an honest and proper life, different from the fate of Ren Ashton in the game.
There was no need to justify himself to anyone—he was simply reaffirming his own resolve.
(In the end…)
Hunting like this wouldn’t necessarily lead him down the same path as the game’s conclusion.
Ren’s ultimate goal was to avoid a future where he would end up killing both Lishia and the academy headmaster.
The reason was simple—if he killed those two, the emperor would issue a decree for his execution.
But Lishia was now an inseparable part of his life.
Having once risked his own life to protect her, he could no longer simply turn his back on her and pretend she didn’t exist.
On top of that, he’d recently realized that he himself might become the spark that ignites future conflicts, making it clear that simply withdrawing to the village was no longer a viable option.
Doing so might lead to an unforeseen disaster—just like with Viscount Given’s schemes.
(What’s the right answer here, anyway?)
He had also considered the possibility that standing out too much could drag him into the conflicts between nobles.
However, the moment he took down the Sheefulfen perfectly, that concern became meaningless.
Even if he chose to live quietly, the world wouldn’t turn a blind eye to his existence.
Not that everything about it was unwelcome.
Even if they were from different factions, having a connection with someone as influential as Marquis Ignat meant that other nobles wouldn’t be able to act against him so easily.
(If I start thinking about whether this protection might cause new problems, then I really won’t know what the right answer is anymore.)
He still wasn’t sure what was right or wrong.
However, he had no regrets about taking up this work as an adventurer for the sake of his hometown and family.
“You’re all set. The appraisal is complete.”
A voice called out to him, bringing Ren’s attention back to the guild receptionist.
“This is the total after deducting all necessary fees. Is everything in order?”
As she spoke, the receptionist pulled a sheet of paper from her pocket and quickly wrote down a number.
“Oh, I made more than I expected.”
Back in his gaming days, he had only ever sold certain materials, so this was his first time selling an entire monster.
The number written on the sheet was 600,000G.
Previously, Weiss had mentioned that a commoner’s daily wage was around 10,000G, meaning Ren had just earned sixty times that amount.
“The reason for this is that Earthworms are difficult to hunt, so their materials are priced higher than other creatures of the same rank. Even after deducting the handling fees, their base value is 250,000G. On the other hand, Mitsume are easier to hunt, so they sell for 12,000G each.”
That still didn’t quite add up to 600,000G, but apparently, there had been someone specifically looking to buy Earthworm materials, so they had paid a little extra.
“That sounds good to me.”
With that, Ren followed the receptionist inside the guild.
At the counter, he received six gold coins, each worth 100,000G, and signed a document confirming the transaction.
For reference, the currency exchange worked as follows:
1 Gold Coin = 100,000G
1 Silver Coin = 10,000G
1 Copper Coin = 1,000G
1 Iron Coin = 100G
After pocketing the six gold coins, Ren left the guild, attracting the attention of the adventurers around him.
As he walked, the coins in his pocket clinked together, prompting him to sigh.
“…I should probably buy a wallet.”
The first place that came to mind was the shop he had visited with Lishia the other day.
Standing outside the store, Ren hesitated to enter.
He had cleaned up as best he could, but he still felt out of place in such an elegant establishment.
“…Sir Ren, is that you?”
The shopkeeper had just stepped outside and called out to him.
“If you’d like, please come inside.”
The man had clearly noticed Ren’s hesitation but made no mention of it, instead extending a warm invitation.
Despite sensing his consideration, Ren hesitated.
However, the shopkeeper kept smiling and urged him to come in multiple times, leaving him unsure of what to do.
“…I was actually planning to come back another day after freshening up a bit.”
“No need to worry about that. You are Sir Ren, after all, and besides, we have no other customers at the moment.”
With that, the shopkeeper placed a Closed sign outside the store.
“If you would, please do me the honor of accepting my invitation.”
Ren was touched by the man’s kindness and, deciding to take him up on the offer, stepped inside the shop.
After explaining that he had been entrusted with work by Lazard and had also registered as an adventurer, Ren told the shopkeeper that he now had more opportunities to fight monsters.
He also mentioned, somewhat offhandedly, that he had yet to tell Lishia about this.
“So, I’d like to buy a wallet.”
“In that case, I would recommend something sturdy. We have several options available—please feel free to browse.”
Following the shopkeeper’s guidance, Ren approached the section where the wallets were displayed.
The quality was undeniable.
The leather was finely tanned, and the stitching was precise—these weren’t just stylish; they were built to last.
They were clearly expensive, but Ren checked his funds to see if he could afford them.
(Whoa… They’re pricey, but I can still manage…)
Cold sweat trickled down his neck, but he felt relieved.
However, he hesitated to splurge so extravagantly all at once, unable to bring himself to say, I’ll take this one.
As he wavered between choices, his gaze drifted toward an area that hadn’t been there on the first floor last time—one that displayed women’s clothing.
There, he spotted dresses that seemed perfect for a girl like Lishia.
(That one would probably look great on her…)
Recalling how Lishia had gifted him clothing before, his feet instinctively carried him toward the dresses.
In an instant, he completely forgot about buying a wallet.
Now, a new objective occupied his mind.
What caught his eye was a simple yet elegant white dress.
It was understated but exuded an air of refinement—something Lishia would undoubtedly look beautiful in.
“If you wish, we can tailor it specifically for the young lady.”
It was easy to see why Ren would be interested in such an outfit.
Realizing his thoughts had been read, he decided there was no point in hiding it and asked without embarrassment,
“Would that be possible even without her present?”
“Yes, of course. We handle all of the young lady’s tailoring here, so you can rest assured.”
"I'll take that dress, then."
He wasn’t sure if Lishia would like it, but he wanted to give it to her as a token of appreciation.
"Understood. Please come this way."
The shopkeeper gestured toward the counter, and the two of them walked over.
"By the way, how much will it be?"
"For this one, including the tailoring fee, the total comes to about this much."
The shopkeeper wrote down the price on a slip of paper and showed it to Ren.
His first-ever gift turned out to be quite expensive.
But strangely enough, the cost didn’t bother him at all when he thought about giving it to Lishia.
"Once it’s ready, I’ll have it delivered to the estate. What about the wallet?"
That’s right—he had originally come to the store to buy a wallet.
"It’s getting late, so I’ll come back another time after freshening up a bit."
In the end, he didn’t buy a wallet, but he was satisfied knowing he could properly thank her.
Perhaps because of that, his steps felt lighter on the way home that evening.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
About a month had passed since his initial investigation.
Lately, with Lishia staying at the estate and Ren willingly helping out with the household tasks, he hadn’t been able to visit the eastern forest as much.
And even when he did, it was mostly for surveys—he hadn’t had a chance to fight any monsters in a while.
"Sir Ren, this is for you."
One morning, Yun, one of the maids, handed Ren a letter.
It had been delivered by a knight who had just returned to Clausel from the Ashton village.
It was a letter from his parents.
Ren thanked Yun, then sat down at a table in the drawing room and opened the envelope.
Roy and the others were incredibly grateful for the magic tools Ren had sent them.
He had sent several tools to serve as streetlights, brightening the village’s roads.
Thanks to them, even the elderly villagers were finding it easier to get around at night.
His parents had also written about how much they cared for him and urged him not to overexert himself.
(If I can keep sending money home like this, maybe this kind of life isn’t so bad—kind of like a training journey.)
With that thought, Ren quickened his pace and headed for Lazard’s office.
Lazard welcomed him in and sat down in one of the chairs, gesturing for Ren to take the other.
"Sounds like you’ve received some good news."
"Yeah! My parents and the villagers were really happy about the magic tools I sent them!"
"That’s good to hear. Has it helped ease the worries you had before?"
"…Yeah. I plan to broaden my horizons while doing things I couldn’t in the village."
As long as the possibility remained that he could become the cause of some kind of conflict, he intended to stay away from the village to avoid bringing trouble to it.
But that didn’t mean he couldn’t support it from afar.
"That’s why I was thinking of renting a house. I can earn my own money now, after all."
"Hmm? Renting a house by yourself won’t be easy."
Lazard stated this as if it were obvious.
"How old are you? And your parents aren’t nearby, correct? Most landlords would be hesitant to rent under such conditions."
(…He’s right.)
There was no way he’d be able to rent a house in his current situation.
If he had lost his parents, it might have been a different story, but that wasn’t the case for him.
Moreover, since he had strong ties to the Clausel family, most commoners in the area would be too intimidated to rent to him.
Unlike other regions, there weren’t many people in this town who sought prestige through connections with nobility.
"That’s why I have a proposal for you."
According to Lazard, there was an old annex behind the estate that had been used by the servants until a few years ago.
Since they had all relocated to a different building, it was currently vacant.
"It hasn’t been touched in a while, so it’s probably dusty, but with a bit of cleaning, it should be just as livable as this main estate.
It may be old, but the household magic tools are still there, and the living quarters have been refurbished, so they should be in good condition."
"I can really live there?"
"Of course. If you’re willing, I’d like you to take on the role of caretaker for the annex as well.
Your tasks would be simple—regular cleaning and trimming the garden’s weeds."
If they ever decided to repurpose the annex, it would be difficult to do so in its current state of neglect.
They hadn’t assigned anyone to manage it before for security reasons—there was apparently a passage connecting it to the main estate, so they had left its upkeep to whichever servants or knights had time to spare.
"This almost sounds like it was prepared for me in advance."
"Hah, I figured you’d be too hesitant to accept it otherwise. Besides, since it’s the annex, the servants will still be able to check in on you easily. It’s something that genuinely needs attention, so if you’re willing to take the job, I’d appreciate it. What do you think?"
Ren could tell from Lazard’s tone that he wasn’t just saying this out of consideration for him.
As Ren’s guardian, Lazard still wanted to keep him close whenever possible.
And for Ren, who wanted a certain degree of independence, this arrangement worked out quite well.
"You can go check out the annex whenever you like. Just start whenever it’s convenient for you."
"In that case, I’ll start preparing to move in bit by bit today."
After exchanging parting words with Lazard, Ren left the office.
Ren returned to the guest room where he had been staying since spring and began packing his few belongings.
Even though his parents had sent over some of his things from the village, he never owned much to begin with.
But the Azure Jewel of Serakia was an exception—he carefully placed it in a wooden box, making sure it wouldn’t break.
Just as he stepped out of the room with the box in his arms, he nearly bumped into Lishia, who had come looking for him.
"…Ren? What’s going on all of a sudden?"
She tilted her head slightly, eyes flicking to the wooden box he was carrying.
"I was thinking of getting a head start on my move."
"Move…? Who’s moving?"
"Who else? I am."
"—What?"
Lishia froze.
It was as if she had been left stranded in the coldest place on earth for days.
"W-Why?! Where are you going?!"
Panic filled her voice as she took a step closer, eyes wide with worry.
She clung to Ren’s arm, her grip tight, as if she was afraid he would slip away.
Tears welled in her eyes as she looked up at him, her voice trembling.
"It’s just… I’ve been relying on you all for too long…"
"That doesn’t matter! You can keep staying in this room!"
"I can’t. I’m still a member of the Ashton family—I serve you and your family, Lishia."
"That… That doesn’t matter! Please… just stay…!"
Tears spilled from Lishia’s eyes.
By now, several maids and knights had gathered nearby, observing the scene in silence.
But none of them stepped in.
(Figures…)
Sighing, Ren turned to one of the maids standing close by—Yun.
"Excuse me. Could you show me the way to the annex?"
Yun clapped her hands together lightly.
"I had a feeling this would happen."
"Oh? What gave it away?"
"Your age, your actions up until now, and the fact that the master had been considering having someone manage the annex. Given all that, I assumed this is where things were headed."
Ren let out a wry chuckle at how accurately she had predicted everything.
Meanwhile, Lishia wiped her tears and looked up at him in shock.
"W-Wait… What do you mean? You weren’t planning to return to the village?"
"No, actually—"
Ren began explaining to Lishia how he had ended up moving out.
He told her how his initial worries had led him to decide to stay in Clausel at least until the village’s restoration was complete.
Then, he mentioned the work Lezard had asked him to do outside the town.
"This is the first I’m hearing of any of this."
Ren had never lied about anything, but he had hesitated to bring it up sooner, caught off guard by Lishia’s reaction.
She gave him a pointed, narrow-eyed stare.
"Sorry. I was planning to tell you once everything was settled."
"Oh, really…?"
Without another word, Lishia took Ren’s hand and pulled him along.
Yun, who had been watching the exchange, spoke up.
"Well then, Lord Ren, I’ll take my leave here."
"Wait! What about the way to the annex—?"
Ren called after her, but Yun simply smiled and waved before walking away.
And so, Ren let himself be led down the hall by Lishia.
Up ahead, he spotted an old wooden door.
(Wait… is she…?)
Lishia remained silent, but it seemed she was guiding him there.
To confirm it, she reached for the aged door and pushed it open.
Beyond it stretched a covered walkway leading outside, bathed in the morning sunlight.
At the end of the passage stood the doors to the annex.
Lishia extended her hand, and the doors swung open on their own—it seemed they were enchanted.
The moment the doors parted, the grand interior of the annex came into view.
Though undeniably impressive, the thick dust in the air was impossible to ignore.
But Lishia paid it no mind.
"Sit here."
She finally released Ren’s hand and pointed at a wooden chair in the entrance hall.
A round table sat between two chairs, and Lishia casually dusted off one before taking a seat.
Ren placed his wooden box on the floor and sat down as well.
Across from him, Lishia narrowed her eyes in quiet exasperation.
Sunlight streamed through the stained glass ceiling, casting a glow on her delicate features.
"Everything. Everything."
Traces of tears still clung to her cheeks as she muttered, full of dissatisfaction.
"I didn’t know anything. I get it—I’m still just an immature little girl in your eyes. But you could’ve trusted me just a little."
Lishia wasn’t trying to be selfish.
She wasn’t upset that Ren had made his own decisions.
She was simply hurt that he had acted without confiding in her at all.
Just as a small misunderstanding was about to arise, a knock came at the door of the annex.
Ren stood up to see who it was, but before he could reach it, the door opened on its own—just as it had when Lishia had used it earlier.
“I thought it would be more convenient to bring this here, so I took the liberty of delivering it. This is for you, Lord Ren.”
The visitor was none other than Yun, one of the servants.
“We’ll need to register your mana with this door later as well.”
“So that means… only registered individuals can open it?”
“Yes. It’s much safer that way.”
After finishing her explanation, Yun turned her gaze to Lishia, who was still sulking in her chair. She gave a small, knowing smile before shifting her attention to Ren, offering him an encouraging look as she handed over the package she had brought.
By the time Ren returned to the table where Lishia waited, Yun had disappeared without a trace.
“Did you buy something from that shop?”
Lishia seemed to recognize the emblem engraved on the wooden box.
Ren also realized what it was the moment she mentioned that shop.
Opening the box, he found exactly what he had expected—a simple yet elegant dress, carefully chosen for Lishia.
“If you’d like, please accept this.”
“…For me?”
“Yes. I bought this on my way home after earning my first wages.”
Lishia blinked, stunned into silence once more.
Ren held out the white dress to her, and as she unfolded it, she murmured in a small voice,
“It’s… really cute.”
“If you don’t like it, I can find something else—”
“No. I’m not giving it back.”
“…If it pleases you, then I’m glad.”
Lishia clutched the dress tightly to her chest, burying the lower half of her face into its soft fabric.
Her cheeks gradually flushed as she looked up at Ren, her eyes shimmering.
“…That’s unfair.”
Though her tone carried a hint of complaint, her voice betrayed no real discontent.
If anything, she seemed rather pleased.
“Apologies. I didn’t intend to make amends with a gift.”
“That’s not what I meant! It’s just… everything happened so suddenly, and I wasn’t ready for it…!”
Then, as if in a desperate attempt to save face, she added,
“A-And! It’s not like I’ve forgiven you yet, okay?!”
Her words were meant to sound indignant, but the joy in her voice and the softening of her expression were impossible to hide.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
In July, the Imperial Officer Academy in the capital would hold its second special admissions exam.
Having completed the exam, Fiona returned to Eupheim aboard a magic vessel.
Now, she sat in the garden, enjoying breakfast while conversing with Ulysses.
“It’s just as I’ve heard. Summer really is hot.”
Until this spring, Fiona had lived in a temperature-controlled room due to her frail health.
As a result, she had never experienced the seasonal extremes of summer heat or winter cold.
“Is it too much for you?”
“I’m fine. Even just sitting here and feeling myself break into a sweat… it’s kind of exciting.”
For Fiona, even the simplest sensations that others took for granted felt fresh and new—this heat, too, made her feel truly alive.
“I’m sorry.”
Marquis Ignat suddenly spoke up.
“If I had handled the paperwork sooner, you wouldn’t have had to go through the trouble of the first and second exams.”
“No, Father. It was because of my own weak body to begin with, so please don’t worry about it.”
It was about the letter of recommendation that Viscount Given had once promised Ren.
For the Imperial Officer Academy’s special admission class, having a recommendation letter would exempt applicants from the initial round of exams.
Of course, that didn’t mean all exams were waived, but it was a significant advantage.
However, Marquis Ignat hadn’t had the time to prepare such a letter.
Until this spring, he had been entirely focused on finding a cure for Fiona’s illness, and in the end, he had barely managed to submit her application in time.
“Besides, Father, starting from the third exam all of a sudden would have been much more nerve-wracking. Taking part from the first exam actually helped me stay calm.”
“That may be true, but wasn’t it a burden on you?”
“Not at all. For someone like me, who spent most of my life bedridden, every moment is precious.”
That was precisely why she could smile now—
“Being able to experience so many new things… It’s truly, truly fun.”
Unlike before, when she had to endure constant pain, Fiona’s smile now was one of genuine happiness.
Seeing that, Ulysses couldn’t help but soften his expression.
“In that case, we should prepare your uniform soon.”
“Um… Father? The results of the second exam haven’t even been announced yet, and you’re already preparing for my acceptance?”
Marquis Ignat always put Fiona first, but he wasn’t preparing the uniform just out of sentiment.
“I have no doubt that you’ll pass, Fiona. But there’s another reason we need to prepare early.”
If they waited until after the final exam to order the uniform, it would be too late.
The final exam was held at the beginning of the new year, but the acceptance results wouldn’t be announced until early February.
“For nobles especially, winter through spring is a busy season filled with social events.”
The Ignat household was no exception.
If Fiona’s health remained stable, she would likely attend several parties alongside her father, Ulysses.
Nobility had many obligations, so it was always best to make arrangements in advance when possible.
Though Fiona felt uncertain about whether she would make it to the final exam—let alone pass it—
“…Understood. I’ll leave the uniform preparations to you, Father.”
Ever since Ren had saved her life, she had vowed to do her best in everything she pursued.
If she hesitated now, then what had all her determination been for?
“I’ll inform the servants later.”
With that, Marquis Ignat finished his breakfast first and rose from his seat.
“I should get to work now. Take your time and enjoy your morning, Fiona.”
After hearing her response, he left the garden.
Now alone, Fiona leisurely finished her breakfast before sipping on her tea and exhaling softly.
She gazed up at the clear blue sky, deep in thought.
“...I wonder if Lord Ren will take the entrance exam for the Imperial Officer Academy, too.”
From what she had heard from Edgar, Ren’s strength and aptitude were exceptional—more than enough to secure a place in the special admission class.
If he did enroll, then perhaps they would study at the same academy.
As she murmured this thought to herself, she tried to imagine what kind of person he was.
Since she had never seen his face, it was difficult to picture him.
Instead, she envisioned Ren dressed in the academy’s special admission uniform.
But because she didn’t know his face or physique, the image that formed in her mind was naturally blurred and indistinct.
——.
Great chapter, thanks
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