Reincarnated as the Mastermind of the Story Volume 2 Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Fallen Flame Emperor

Fiona remained unconscious, her unsteady breathing growing worse with each passing moment.

Along the way, Ren had tried pouring a potion into her mouth, but there was no sign of improvement.

Under normal circumstances, he would have stopped to check on her condition, but the raging flames and flowing lava left him no such option.

It was as if the fire and molten rock were deliberately targeting Fiona, whom Ren was carrying.

Though his steps faltered at times, Ren gritted his teeth and kept running, desperately thinking.

(There’s no choice… I have to go there…!)

He hesitated—was it really safe to head for the hidden map he had originally planned to reach?

It was located within the mountain range itself.

If the flames and lava reached it, both he and Fiona would perish.

Even so, there was no time to waver.

The relentless inferno left him with no other escape route.

He could only pray that the hidden map hadn’t already been consumed by fire and molten rock.

Fortunately, it wasn’t far.

Drawing on every last ounce of strength, Ren strained his burning legs, forcing them to move as he scanned the transformed landscape for the path ahead.

“...Adventurer… sir…”

Fiona called out to him in a faint, rasping voice.

Struggling to catch his breath, Ren forced himself to answer.

“We’ll be out of the mountains soon.”

“…I’m… sorry…”

Fiona repeated her apology weakly, again and again.

Her murmured words soon faded into silence as she lost consciousness once more.

Ren swore to himself that he would save her, no matter what.

But then—

“────”

A searing pain shot through his skull, and a voice—someone’s voice—resonated inside his mind.

In the next instant, the protective charm around Fiona’s neck shattered.

With its power broken, the enormous magic she had kept suppressed was now beginning to take form behind him.

The voice was neither male nor female.

Its words were impossible to decipher.

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Ren kept his arms tightly around Fiona as he forced himself forward.

“────, ────”

The voice rang out again, and this time, the headache was beyond anything he had ever experienced.

It was as if the release of Fiona’s true power was something to be celebrated.

Then, a crimson wind swept over Fiona’s body, lifting her into the air.

The wind was soon engulfed in flames, which wrapped around her and carried her forward, deeper into the mountain.

“Damn it… What the hell is going on?!”

Ren reached out desperately, but his hands grasped nothing but empty air.

His headache gradually subsided as Fiona was pulled farther away, and just before the approaching lava reached his feet, he started moving again.

With every ounce of strength he had left, he sprinted after her.

(This path leads to—!)

Ren was now running along the very route that led to the hidden map he had set as his destination.

After some distance, he found the path ahead changed.

A massive boulder that should have been blocking the way had been completely destroyed.

Beyond it lay the entrance to the hidden map.

In the game, examining that boulder had been the key to progressing.

At the time, a message had appeared on-screen:

There’s something beyond here. Destroy it?

Yes / No

Players had instinctively chosen “Yes.”

And on the other side, they had been greeted with a breathtaking, expansive chamber.

“The fire… went this way?”

Ren muttered as he took in the familiar sight before him.

At the heart of the massive underground space was an ancient stone staircase leading downward.

It was wide enough for five people to walk side by side, with handrails lining either side.

Beyond those rails, however, there was nothing but empty space—an abyss that stretched into the darkness below.

Or at least, that’s how it should have been.

Now, the cavern was alive with flame.

From the lowest depths, fires swirled like archways, slithered like serpents, and danced through the air.

Lava cascaded down distant walls, glowing ominously as it flowed.

Even so, Ren did not hesitate.

Not for a second did he consider abandoning Fiona and running away.

“I’m coming.”

With that declaration, he hurled himself down the stairs.

He would escape this treacherous Baldur Mountain Range—together with her.

Before long, the cavern path opened up, and Ren was greeted by an otherworldly sight.

Despite the fires raging elsewhere, this place was untouched by flames or lava.

It remained just as he remembered.

As his footsteps echoed through the vast chamber, the walls shimmered, their mineral surfaces rippling like water.

Light occasionally flitted away, like shooting stars vanishing into the distance.

Brilliant hues of sapphire, violet, and deep crimson sparkled all around him, illuminating the path forward.

This place was known as the Stellar Agate Underground Path.

A cave of breathtaking beauty, where striped agate formations and star-like radiance filled every corner.

(If only this wasn’t a game… Making money here would’ve been easy.)

Stellar Agate wasn’t imbued with any special power, but its sheer beauty made it incredibly valuable.

It was so rare that scholars dedicated entire studies to understanding its formation.

And yet, here, the walls, floors, and ceilings were covered in it.

Ren did not stop.

Not even for a second.

There was no time to search for hidden treasures.

The only thing on his mind was saving Fiona.

Beyond the Star Agate Underground Path lay an even more massive cavern, dwarfing the stairway passage that led here.

It was vast enough to swallow an entire village like the one Ren had grown up in.

When he looked up, the ceiling stretched to a height at least twice that of the massive fissure in the eastern forest.

Like the passage before, the cavern’s floor and walls were covered entirely in shimmering star agate.

But with the sheer size of the space, it felt as if he had stepped into the cosmos itself.

Unlike the underground path he had rushed through earlier, something in this cavern was undeniably out of place.

“…What the hell is going on?”

At the very center of the lowest level stood something Ren did not recognize.

A massive cluster of deep crimson crystals loomed before him, so enormous that stacking both his and Fiona’s heights several times over would barely reach the top.

And within that crystal formation, Fiona lay unconscious.

The star agate flooring beneath the cluster pulsed with a red glow, which bathed the cavern in an eerie radiance.

It was a sight unlike any Ren had ever seen.

The flames that had been raging outside were now pouring down from the cavern’s ceiling, cascading like a fiery waterfall.

The flames are striking the star agate floor, turning it red…?

The glow that radiated from the floor was steadily drawn into the cluster, fueling its ominous brilliance.

And with each pulse of light absorbed, Fiona's face twisted in agony.

The only silver lining was that, at least visually, her body bore no burns or injuries.

…At this point, Ren could no longer ignore the possibility of a certain legendary entity’s involvement.

He cursed himself for not considering it sooner.

“…Kruu.”

A faint cry sounded from Ren’s right.

A monster's cry.

Ren immediately recalled the Steel-Eater Gargoyle, a creature that always appeared in this hidden map.

The voice belonged to one.

It was smaller than the one he had fought before, likely a younger specimen.

But something was clearly wrong.

Its metallic skin appeared charred and melted, and the creature lay collapsed on the ground, barely mustering the strength to glare at Ren.

It must have been suffering from the flames pouring into this cavern.

“Kruu… rrruu…!”

Its feeble growl, meant to be a warning, only made Ren’s heart ache.

The creature’s body was in tatters.

Its voice trembled with weakness.

When Ren looked closer, he saw that its body fluids were seeping onto the ground, forming darkened puddles.

Ren said nothing as he raised his Iron Sword of Magic.

The gargoyle let out a final, defiant screech—"Gaaah!"—before its eyes briefly flickered with fear.

“…I know. You’re scared, aren’t you?”

The moment Ren’s gentle voice reached it, the gargoyle lowered its gaze in resignation.

[NAME]
 Ren Ashton

[Job]
 Heir of the Ashton Family – Eldest Son

■ Magic Sword Summoning
 Lv. 1  0 / 0

■ Magic Sword Summoning Art
 Lv. 3  1899 / 2000

[Skill]

Gaining proficiency by using the summoned magic sword.

Level 1: Able to summon one magic sword.

Level 2: While the bracelet is summoned, gains a small boost to physical abilities.

Level 3: Can summon two magic swords

Level 4: Gain the effect of [Physical Ability UP (Medium)) while summoning the bracelet.

Level 5: ********

[Acquired Magic Swords]

■ Wooden Magic Sword
 Lv. 2  1000 / 1000

-Allows for attacks equivalent to basic-level natural magic.

-As the level increases, the attack's effective range expands

■ Iron Magic Sword
 Lv. 2  1652 / 2500

—The sharpness increases as the level increases

■ Plunderer Magic Sword
 Lv. 1  0 / 3

—There is a certain chance that an item will be randomly stolen from the target..

■ Shield Magic Sword [New]
 Lv. 2  0 / 2

 —Deploys a magic barrier.
Improves durability and expands the area of effect with level.

The creature’s ragged breaths turned white in the cold, as if surrendering to fate—no, as if hoping to finally be freed from the pain consuming its body.

“…I’m sorry.”

Ren had no way to save the Steel-Eater Gargoyle.

Yet, he couldn’t just turn away from a creature suffering on the verge of death.

The moment his Iron Sword of Magic pierced the gargoyle’s chest, its breath hitched—then stopped.

In its final moments, its eyes reflected neither fear nor pain, but relief… and gratitude.

Only after delivering the finishing blow and placing a hand on its lifeless body did Ren notice the change.

The monster’s magic stone transferred its accumulated experience to his bracelet, causing his Shield Sword to level up.

But the sensation brought him no joy.

No matter how many times he reminded himself it was a monster, he couldn’t shake the image of its final moments from his mind.

Even so, he pushed the thoughts aside and took a step forward.

“I’m coming… I’ll save you.”

Forcing his aching legs to move, Ren turned toward the massive crimson crystal where Fiona lay.

He took a step.

Then another.

But just as he was about to reach it—

—I have been waiting.

A voice echoed.

It came from the crystal.

The cluster pulsed in response, glowing red.

A crushing force filled the underground chamber, weighing down on Ren’s body as if nailing him to the floor.

His body trembled involuntarily, sweat pouring down his face.

I’m going to die.

A deep, instinctual fear seized him.

The voice did not stop, hammering into his mind, disrupting his breathing.

—The black-haired girl who awakened my power… I have called to her many times.

Ren immediately realized whose voice this was.

After everything—what happened on the suspension bridge, the final moments of Kai and Meidas—it would have been stranger if he hadn’t figured it out.

Listening to the voice, feeling his own helplessness, he clenched his fists.

—I remember nothing else. Not why I am here, nor who I am… not any of it.

Ren had never seen Asvar in the game.

But recalling the flames outside, there was no other conclusion to be made.

That crimson crystal—it had to be a magic stone.

It must have always been here.

The Marquis of Ignat must have discovered the Star Agate Underground Path and extracted Asvar’s magic stone from this place.

The only mystery left was Fiona’s power.

There had been no resurrection ritual.

And yet, a single girl had managed to influence a legendary dragon.

A Unique Skill—there was no doubt about it.

Ren steeled himself.

To rescue her.

To escape these mountains.

“You are the Crimson Dragon Asvar. A proud dragon.”

—Yes. I am Asvar… Proud leader of the Fire Dragons. A warrior who thirsts for battle.

His voice resonated through the cavern.

Each time it reverberated through the air, Ren’s heartbeat pounded harder in his chest.

It all connects.

The disturbance on the suspension bridge had triggered Asvar’s magic to spread across the Baldor Mountains.

The resulting flames had reawakened the dormant volcano, completely altering the landscape.

And at the heart of it all was Fiona.

Her strange bouts of illness—now, he understood.

It had all been caused by Asvar’s power.

For Kai and Meidas, this unforeseen interference had shattered their entire plan.

—I must fight. I must slay the wicked Demon King and seek out even stronger foes.

The moment his tone shifted, the surroundings changed.

The Star Agate Underground Path trembled.

Blinding red light surged within the crystal cluster.

With a heavy rumbling, the formation began to rise into the air.

The flames that had poured from the cavern ceiling were now fully absorbed into the magic stone, vanishing completely.

“Wait! The Demon King is already dead! The hero Ruin, the one who defeated you, also vanquished the Demon King!”

—Do not speak nonsense… I am not dead. My very presence here is proof of that.

Perhaps due to the unusual circumstances, Asvar was unwilling to listen.

He was being forced into existence by Fiona’s unknown, overwhelming power.

Red light seeped from the magic stone.

Ren reached out, but the brilliance was blinding.

A primal fear welled up inside him.

But he refused to back down.

Before Asvar could fully revive, he had to shatter the magic stone.

Tearing his feet from the ground, he propelled himself forward with all his strength.

But—

The crimson wind and light repelled him, slamming him hard against the cavern wall.

—Weak one. If you dare stand in my way, do not forget this moment.

Within the blinding light, a silhouette emerged.

And it was real.

Asvar took shape, his four powerful limbs materializing as if in a graceful dance.

His long neck and tail swayed with the joy of rebirth.

The jaws at the end of his raised head parted—

—and from within, an inferno erupted.

The searing flames struck the Star Agate walls and floor, melting them in an instant.

It was as if they stood within a massive volcano-turned-battlefield.

The melting agate turned the floor into a sea of lava, swallowing what little footing remained.

Molten rock cascaded down the walls, spilling endlessly like waterfalls of fire.

When the blinding radiance faded, Asvar’s twin crimson eyes locked onto Ren.

—Before you stands the King of Flames. Know that unless you wield a greater fire, you will be reduced to ash.

He stood there, more majestic than a lion upon the open plains.

A divine presence, bathed in crimson light.

But his body—

His deep red scales were peeling away, revealing rotting flesh beneath.

One of his piercing eyes had lost its color, crushed and sightless.

His tail was severed partway, jagged and incomplete.

His massive wings, once formidable, were riddled with holes in their membranes.

There was no doubt about it.

Asvar had returned to the world as an Undead.

No ritual.

No elaborate summoning.

Only Fiona’s presence, her very existence, had brought him back—incomplete, yet undeniably real.

And at the center of Asvar’s chest, within a barely exposed portion of the magic stone, Fiona lay curled in a fetal position.

Ren took a deep breath.

“I am Ren Ashton, son of a knight who serves the lord of this land! Please, hear my words!”

At this point, it was foolish to expect Asvar to listen.

Yet—

The dragon abruptly stilled his wings.

—Ashton?

His voice, laced with fire, carried a hint of something else.

Confusion.

—Why…? That name… It stirs something within me. Something familiar.

“…What? You know my family name?”

—I remember nothing… but…

For some reason, Asvar was overcome with fury.

Even without recalling much, he gathered flames within his mouth, shaking the world.

Supporting his massive body on four legs, he arched his long neck high.

Two horns jutted from his head—one was broken and remained unresponsive, but the other gleamed with a crimson glow.

“I don’t take kindly to weaklings like you uttering that name.”

He twisted his neck and unleashed a torrent of fire.

In this space that resembled the heart of a volcano, flames that transcended human understanding slithered through the air, radiating heat far beyond even this infernal environment.

The blazing inferno fanned out, surging toward Renin an instant.

"Wha—?!"

It felt as if the world had frozen in place.

Yet, surprisingly, Ren remained calm.

As the flames rushed toward him, he took a deep breath and—

"Snap out of it already, Red Dragon!"

Raising his wooden magic sword high, he kicked off the ground using vines that sprouted from the walls.

Sparks flared from Asvar’s body, and a wave of searing heat accelerated toward Ren.

Even among magical phenomena, this was beyond the realm of the supernatural—everything about Asvar’s colossal form was the stuff of legend.

"Mimicking an insect—how ridiculous."

"And which one of us is more ridiculous?! You turned into a magic stone, and yet, even after all that, you’re still clinging to battle, dragging a girl into this! Between you and me, who’s the real fool here?!"

The air before Ren wavered.

The overwhelming heat closed in, threatening to incinerate him.

"I don’t have the luxury of picking my methods against you! Call it cowardvly if you want—I don’t care!"

As Ren thrust out his hand, the power of the shield magic sword manifested.

The fire that shook the sky roared toward him, a wave of destruction.

At the last moment before the flames met his shield, Ren swallowed hard, tension gripping him.

(Just hold out for a moment! That’s all I need—just a moment!)

The flames reached the barrier created by the shield magic sword.

As if heeding his wish, the magical wall did not shatter instantly.

Still airborne, Ren used vines and roots embedded in the wall as footholds, dashing forward to close the distance between himself and Asvar.

"I can still reach—now!"

Whether due to his massive size or his grogginess after just awakening, Asvar’s movements were sluggish.

Renhad intended to leap onto his head and drive his iron magic sword into him.

However, seeing the sheer heat radiating from Asvar, he clicked his tongue in frustration.

Instead, he poured all his strength into throwing the iron magic sword.

"Tch—!"

The sword bypassed the impenetrable scales and lodged deep into the rotten flesh beneath a peeled-away section.

It was a single, small blade against Asvar’s enormous body, yet Renhad thrown it with all his might, embedding it deep and sending a shockwave through the surrounding flesh and scales.

"You dare insult me, insect?"

Renknew that undead were typically weaker than they had been in life.

But that alone wouldn’t be enough to explain away Asvar’s legendary strength.

Based on his own theory—

(Whoever brought Asvar back doesn’t have enough power to fully restore him.)

The current Asvar was undeniably powerful.

Yet, the true strength recorded in legend was something Renshould never have been able to stand against.

After throwing the iron magic sword, Renkept his distance and thought through the situation.

One possibility was that the legends of Asvar had been exaggerated.

The other was that Asvar had been revived as an incomplete undead.

Renbelieved it was the latter.

Deep within the exposed magic stone in Asvar’s chest, a crimson light flickered repeatedly.

Each time it pulsed, Fiona clutched her upper body in pain, trembling.

Her power—her magic—was being drained by Asvar.

(There’s no time.)

Asvar spread his wings wide.

The tattered membrane was full of holes, yet the deep crimson glow that shone from them was awe-inspiring.

His powerful frame quivered, then, with a mighty flap of his wings—

It was overwhelming.

It was almost laughable how utterly overpowering he was.

Asvar’s wind pressure alone sent Renflying despite his efforts to keep his distance.

"Turn to ash."

He gathered an explosion of flames in his mouth, lowering his head as he prepared to unleash destruction.

But—

"Sorry, but I’m not ready to die just yet!"

Even as he was blown away, Rensummoned his iron magic sword once more and hurled it again.

He cursed his own lack of creativity, but still, he aimed straight for Asvar’s eye.

A voiceless roar erupted as the flames burst forth, consuming everything in their path.

The fire surrounding Asvar intensified, and just before the iron magic sword could reach him, it melted away completely.

Rencrashed hard against the star onyx wall, his hands trembling slightly as he grasped at the summoned vines.

Asvar let out a deep, satisfied laugh.

"Not bad. There’s something almost endearing about watching a weakling struggle."

To an outsider, it might have seemed like Renwas putting up a fight.

To others, it might have seemed baffling that Asvar was considered a legendary being at all.

However, Asvar had only just awakened.

As time passed, he would surely regain his senses.

And Fiona alone wasn’t nearly enough to supply the magic that made Asvar who he was.

That was why she was writhing in agony within the magic stone.

He was forcibly draining even more power from her.

"……?"

Even so, there was still a glimmer of hope.

Asvar, who had been stealing Fiona’s power, suddenly staggered.

The scales covering his massive body began to fall off one by one.

The rotting flesh beneath them was liquefying slightly, tainting the remaining dragon scales.

"His body… can't withstand its own power?"

Asvar was said to have been slain by the Seven Heroes.

Ordinarily, he was a legendary being so far beyond Ren’s reach that he wouldn’t even be able to stand in his shadow.

Yet Ren was holding his own in this fight.

That was solely because Asvar was incomplete.

Ren still didn’t fully understand what kind of power Fiona had or what effect it had on Asvar to create this situation.

(He barely has any memories, and yet he's rampaging… Yeah, he’s definitely incomplete.)

Ren took deep, steady breaths as he clung to that faint hope.

He still couldn’t afford to stall for time.

Fiona was in danger, and Ren would collapse before she did.

"My body… won’t move the way I command—Gah!?"

Rather than spewing fire, Asvar suddenly vomited a spray of pitch-black blood.

But he wouldn’t stop.

Having lost much of his memory and even the pride he held in life, the red dragon had nearly lost his mind.

He would fight until his body was completely destroyed.

"…You, a mere page, dare to claim the name of Ashton? And you persist in displaying such shameless arrogance?"

"Say whatever you want. No matter what I have to do, I will take her back. And if that means fighting you—then so be it."

Ren finished steadying his breath and locked eyes with Asvar, his gaze unwavering and resolute.

"I can’t stand to see you disgrace your own past any further."

He was surprised that Asvar knew of Ashton, but he had no intention of asking about it.

What mattered was how to take down this monster.

Getting too close would mean being burned alive, making it difficult to strike with his iron magic sword.

But he also had no way of attacking from a distance.

"I do not dislike reckless fools such as you, weakling."

The world fell silent.

Dense, oppressive magic filled the underground chamber, warping everything in sight.

Yet Asvar, seated in the heart of the flames, remained the only clear, unshaken presence.

The lava dripping from above froze midair, reversing its flow and rising back up.

And then—

Ren’s breath caught as he saw it.

On Asvar’s head, a single unbroken horn gleamed with an even stronger presence than before.

The crimson light surrounding it burned brighter, incomparable to what it had been moments ago.

That horn might be the source of Asvar’s flames and heat.

If he could break it, he might be able to dispel the inferno surrounding the massive dragon—giving him a chance to reach the magic stone where Fiona was trapped.

As Ren pondered his next move, Asvar sneered.

"Sleep… and perish."

Sound returned.

The oppressive magic that had warped the air erupted into a deep crimson blaze.

A violent storm of fire and wind radiated outward from Asvar, spreading across the entire underground chamber.

There was no escape.

Ren doubted even his shield magic sword could block it.

Now that Asvar had regained his senses and drawn power from Fiona, his might was truly legendary.

Even as an undead, vastly weaker than he had been in life, his flames made a Mana Eater’s fire look like nothing more than a flickering matchstick.

But—something had changed.

The air around Ren suddenly froze, and dazzling azure ice formed around him.

The crimson wall of fire—was blocked.

"What… is this?"

As the ice finally melted, it should have released scalding steam.

Yet the air remained cool, the heat immediately erased by another burst of cold.

Shocked, Ren turned his gaze toward Asvar’s magic stone—toward Fiona, who was sealed inside.

"…Run… away…"

For a brief moment, he thought he saw her eyes open.

It was as if her gaze was pleading with him.

Ren’s resolve burned stronger.

But that was all she could manage before she curled up again, trembling in pain.

"I’m not leaving you behind."

And Asvar—

"Guh… ugh… What… is… happening…?"

The massive dragon grimaced and shook violently.

His scales, half-destroyed and rotting, scattered around him as he roared in agony.

Ren climbed along the wall to close the distance, then leaped down to the ground, dodging the molten rock as he sprinted forward once more.

Fiona was still conscious, even after being absorbed.

She was fighting back with everything she had.

Knowing that, Ren was more determined than ever to save her.

(But how…?)

He wracked his brain for a way to strike.

At first, he considered using his Plunderer’s magic sword to steal Fiona away.

But its ability worked on probability—it wasn’t a guaranteed success.

Besides, trying to steal something from Asvar now—his magic stone, or Fiona—was essentially like trying to rip out one of his organs.

The nature of the Plunderer’s magic sword made it unlikely to work.

(Then… my only option is to go for that horn.)

Most likely, that horn was far tougher than he expected.

It was radiating power so intensely that just swinging an iron magic sword at it felt like it would be pointless.

If he wanted to break it, he needed something that could suppress Asvar’s power—something that would actually be effective against him.

(…But there’s no way I have something that convenient—)

Ren’s mind raced.

Then, all at once, his eyes widened.

"—I do."

Because Asvar, a legendary dragon, had falReninto undeath—there was one power Ren possessed that could definitely work.

"────"

Asvar raised his massive arm and brought it down upon Ren's path, closing the distance between them.

The dragon's horn still shone brilliantly.

The battlefield, surrounded by molten lava, trembled as the lava surged like crashing waves.

Ren evaded with nimble footwork, but Asvar's merciless breath attack was already upon him, spewing from the raised head of the red dragon.

The scorching blast tore through even the flowing lava, bearing down on Ren with unstoppable force.

Ren caught sight of the incoming attack and conjured vines using natural magic, grabbing hold of them to execute a swift aerial rotation.

With remarkable dexterity, he shifted direction midair, attempting to evade the searing breath.

"Kh…!"

A gust of scorching heat grazed his cheek.

Even so, the pain was sharp and undeniable, contorting Ren’s expression.

This time, instead of simply striking downward, Asvar swept his claws across the ground, scattering streams of molten lava.

Every drop that flew through the air was a burning crystal—capable of melting flesh on contact.

Weaving through the rain of molten rock, Ren pushed forward with sheer determination despite the intense heat.

A crimson flash burst forth from Asvar’s outstretched wings.

The red dragon unleashed the attack without care, sending streaks of searing light surging through the underground chamber in every direction.

"Grh…!"

The heat wave and lava thrown up by the crimson flares blocked Ren’s path, while the overflowing lava behind him pressed in closer.

For a moment, he hesitated.

That brief hesitation allowed the dragon’s encroaching flames to narrow his footing.

Fighting against the oppressive heat, Ren took a deep breath.

His lungs screamed in protest, burning from the heat, but he forced himself to fill them with oxygen.

Swallowing hard, he steeled himself.

"What can a doomed fool like you possibly do?"

Ren tightened his grip on his iron magic sword.

"This!"

He swung with all his might.

Mirroring Asvar’s own brutal attack, he brought his weapon down with sheer force.

The pressure from the swing blasted away the heat wave, and when his sword struck the ground, the impact split the molten river apart.

Without a moment's hesitation, Ren threw himself into the newly carved path.

He pulled out a potion, the one he had saved for a moment like this, and downed it in one swift gulp.

Tossing the empty bottle aside, he watched as it melted into the lava.

From all around, swirling flames surged forward in waves.

A single touch would be enough to reduce him to ashes.

But Ren never slowed.

He bet everything on the brief window created by his shield magic sword.

Asvar flapped his wings once and lifted his head.

"Crawl upon the earth and burn to nothingness. Not even your shadow shall remain."

Above Ren, Asvar’s head loomed high, releasing a fan-shaped blast of hellfire.

Ren didn’t retreat.

He didn’t evade.

Instead, he accelerated straight toward Asvar.

"How utterly foolish. Do you know nothing but to charge forward?"

"You call this reckless? Sorry, but I’m giving this everything I’ve got!"

There was no escape.

Retreat meant being burned away completely.

If nothing remained of him no matter what he did, then there was only one choice—press forward and take the gamble.

With his shield magic sword, he blocked.

With his iron magic sword, he generated shockwaves.

No reckless expenditure of magic—every move was made for the crucial moment to come.

"Accept your end, weakling."

Ren smirked fearlessly.

"I can see it now—you're protecting your body, aren't you?"

Ren had already seen through Asvar’s weakness.

The dragon never moved from its spot.

Not once.

Another breath attack bore down on Ren.

A heat so intense it could vaporize everything in an instant, intent on erasing him from existence.

"You’re the one who’ll be sleeping, Asvar! And this time, for good!"

Ren poured his remaining magic into his shield magic sword, pushing it beyond its limits.

Even after all that effort, he barely gained a fraction of a second.

The roaring flames consumed his shield.

Touching them even briefly turned the magic into light particles, obliterating everything in its path.

But—

Ren’s desperate gamble was

faster than the shifting angle of Asvar’s breath.

Kicking off the ground, he sprinted up Asvar’s massive body, leaping high into the air.

And then—

The intense heat surrounding Asvar’s head wavered.

A sudden chill stole the heat away.

Fiona had acted.

She had thrown herself into the inferno without hesitation, determined to see her will through.

The heat was suffocating—enough to steal consciousness away.

But Fiona’s power shielded Ren, allowing him to endure.

At last, he reached Asvar’s head.

"If you’re undead, then the power of the Holy Maiden should work on you!"

From his waist, he drew a dagger—a protective charm from Lishia.

And he drove it straight into Asvar’s horn.

"──────"

A cry unlike any before echoed through the cavern—one of agony.

The holy magic infused into the dagger seared Asvar’s corrupted body.

Ren’s gamble had paid off.

As he suspected, the horn was a crucial organ.

It was the source of Asvar’s power.

Now, with the sacred magic of the Holy Maiden Lishia piercing it—

"Grhh…!? How could such a dull blade… wound my horn…?"

Asvar thrashed in agony, swinging his head wildly.

The crimson winds that once radiated from his body weakened, and the mighty red scales covering his massive form began crumbling away.

Asvar flailed, his tail whipping violently, his entire body smashing into the cavern walls.

Fragments of star onyx scattered through the air.

Each shard could have been fatal if it struck Ren.

But he didn’t stop.

If he missed this opportunity, there might not be another chance to save Fiona.

"Just a little more…!"

Using the embedded dagger as leverage, he forced his exhausted muscles to keep going.

Fiona’s chill had already faded, but Asvar’s flames were now noticeably weaker.

Even so, the searing heat against his skin was unbearable.

But he wasn't dead.

As long as he could fight, that was all that mattered.

"────!?"

Asvar trembled violently, stretching his arm toward Ren in desperation.

But he couldn’t reach.

Was it because he was undead?

Because his power was failing?

Or was it simply because the dagger held the Holy Maiden’s magic?

Ren gritted his teeth and tightened his grip.

Each time he carved deeper into the horn, Asvar let out an anguished wail.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!"

A monstrous roar filled the cavern.

From Asvar’s horn, thick, dark-red liquid gushed forth.

The dragon threw his head downward, aiming to hurl Ren into the lava below.

"I'm almost there…!"

The scythe-like head swung wildly, bending like a whip.

The lava flow surged forward.

The heat pressed in, threatening to engulf Ren in flames.

But then—the crack in the horn finally—

“AAAAAHHHHHH!”

With a guttural roar, Ren’s battered body convulsed as fissures spread across the horn, spilling crimson light along with fresh blood.

Rather than being severed, the base of the horn had been shattered.

Fragments and blood poured from the jagged stump.

Dazzled by the scarlet flash, Ren’s body was flung into the air along with the massive horn that had detached from his head.

At the same time, the magic infused in the dagger by Lishia was completely drained.

"Guh—ooohhh—"

A massive tremor echoed through the ground as Asvar collapsed, overwhelmed by the pain and shock that coursed through his entire body from the point where his horn had once been.

Scattered fragments of scales and dark mist-laced fluids splattered across the cavern, hissing as they vaporized.

With a hoarse, rage-filled cry of “You…!” Asvar forced his colossal frame upright.

And standing before him, closing in on the now-exposed magic stone, was Ren—the boy he had scorned as weak.

Before Asvar could fully rise, Ren reached the barely visible core and summoned his iron magic sword.

“I’m not… done yet!”

Commanding his body, which creaked like rusted gears, Ren slammed the iron magic sword into the magic stone imprisoning Fiona.

Asvar threw back his head and roared, unleashing a breath attack in a blind rage.

But Ren didn’t stop.

He struck Asvar’s magic stone over and over again.

The second strike—focusing solely on shattering the stone.

The third—relief flooding his chest as he saw Fiona was still alive within it.

The fourth—delivered with unwavering caution, even as Asvar screamed in agony.

On the fifth strike, the iron magic sword shattered—and with it, Asvar’s magic stone.

"──────!"

Asvar’s roar shook the underground chamber.

The lava flow surged violently, and the tremors reached an unprecedented intensity, sending a deluge of rocks crashing down from above, their numbers and size escalating into a deadly threat.

A stray wisp of magic, once sealed within the magic stone, brushed against Ren’s cheek.

With nowhere else to go, the stray energy coiled around his bracelet—then seeped into his arm itself.

“Damn it… At the very end, of all times!”

Agonizing heat seared his arm, burning his flesh until it turned a charred, blackened red.

A sharp pain shot through him whenever he attempted to move it.

As he cradled his injured arm with his unscathed one, his bracelet began to glow on its own.

Letters formed within the crystal adorning the band.

・Flame Magic Sword (Level 1: 1/1)

A new magic sword—gained at the cost of one arm.

Forcing himself to move, Ren lifted Fiona into his arms, freeing her from Asvar’s grasp.

Slowly, her eyelids fluttered open, and she gazed up at him.

Her eyes were still hazy, her consciousness not fully returned—but without a doubt, she was looking at Ren.

“...Adventurer…?”

“Sorry. I’m late.”

Sweat dripped from Ren’s forehead as he tried to maintain a strong front, carrying Fiona away from Asvar’s motionless body.

The silence was almost eerie.

With his neck stretched rigidly upward, Asvar looked as if he had died.

But he hadn’t.

Ren’s instincts screamed of danger.

The moment he secured Fiona, he had already made up his mind—he had to run.

“…I’m sorry.”

Tears welled up in Fiona’s eyes as she clung to Ren’s chest.

“I… I really—”

“You don’t need to apologize. None of this is your fault. No one could have foreseen this.

And besides, you protected me… over and over again. So don’t say you’re sorry.”

His gentle voice softened her heart, and fresh tears streamed down Fiona’s cheeks.

Determined to ease even a fraction of Ren’s pain, she placed her hands on his burned arm, channeling what little magic remained within her.

A soothing coolness wrapped around his wounds.

Ren whispered a quiet thanks before shifting his gaze toward a different path—the one leading outside.

(We’ll make it out… somehow.)

With his horn shattered and his magic stone destroyed, Asvar’s power had weakened drastically.

Even the once-raging lava had begun to settle.

Escape was possible.

"Shii… shiiiii…"

But Asvar was still there.

With both his horn and magic stone destroyed, he had lost the last remnants of his intelligence.

His massive body had begun decaying at an accelerated rate.

His eyes glowed a solid blue, and from his mouth, instead of fire, came a stream of miasma.

Every step he took sent a wave of rot and filth rising from the ground.

Even as an undead, losing his magic stone should have meant death.

And yet—he still moved.

His relentless, unyielding persistence was a haunting testament to the strength he had wielded in life.

(We just have to get outside—)

Ren’s mind fixated on one thing: escaping.

Then, beside him, Fiona managed to stand on her own.

Straining her body, she began to walk—pressing close against Ren, offering him her shoulder for support.

“…I’m sorry for showing such a pathetic sight,” Ren muttered.

“No… I’ve never known anyone braver than you.”

Fiona was still weak, but she could move better than Ren.

Perhaps because all her suffering had stemmed from Asvar, her strength seemed to return as he weakened.

“Ghh…!”

“Adventurer-san!”

Ren's foot faltered as he stepped forward, causing him to stumble.

Fiona, who had been supporting him with all her strength, quickly caught him before he could fall completely.

His vision was darkening, and his consciousness was fading.

In a faint whisper, Ren urged, “Run… please…”

But Fiona refused to nod in agreement.

Though her pace was slower than when she had been leaning on Ren, she kept moving forward with determined steps.

She glanced back for a brief moment.

What she saw was Asvar, closing in on them.

The decayed body, exuding miasma as it crawled forward on all fours, was a horrific sight—yet even fallen, the legend remained fearsome.

“…Stay back!”

Fiona summoned a wall of ice, but Asvar paid it no mind.

The massive creature surged forward, tearing through the ice as if it had never existed.

"Oooooooohhhhhhhhhh────!"

He struck the ground repeatedly with his powerful arms, shaking the very earth beneath them.

The shattered starmane stones turned into deadly shrapnel, raining down upon Ren and Fiona.

Fiona conjured more ice walls to shield them, but in the brief moment of protection, Asvar had already closed the distance.

“—!!”

Just as Asvar’s massive arm was about to strike, Fiona once again encased them both in a thick, crystal-like layer of ice—the same spell she had used before to shield Ren from the dragon’s breath.

The impact of Asvar’s blow sent shockwaves through the ice, and Fiona collapsed under the force.

Her cheek scraped against the ground, leaving a trail of blood.

She was too focused to notice, but the moment her blood touched Ren, its bright red hue darkened into black.

“Ren— No… Adventurer.”

She crawled toward Ren, who had collapsed alongside her, whispering repeated apologies.

Outside the ice barrier, Asvar continued his relentless assault, slamming his fists down again and again.

Although he had lost control, his raw strength was now weaker than before.

Even so, Fiona’s ice was barely holding.

“When the ice shatters, I will shield you again.”

Tears mixed with blood ran down her cheeks as she gently rested Ren’s head on her lap.

“I’ll stop that dragon, no matter what… so that at least you can return to Clausel.”

She whispered yet another apology.

Then, for the first time, she reached out and touched Ren’s cheek.

“…You promised me… and yet… I dragged you into this. I’m so, so sorry…”

With trembling fingers, she wiped away the sweat from his face, silently expressing her gratitude for everything he had done for her.

A deep fissure spread across the ice.

“────Back at the fortress, you were so kind to me.”

There was something she needed to say before the end.

“For that one year… because of you, I was able to live like a person again, even if it was only for a short while.”

Fiona turned to look at him one last time.

But she didn’t want her final words to be spoken with a tear-streaked face.

She forced a smile.

As long as she could be by his side at the very end, she could find peace in that.

…Yes.

It’s okay now.

I can do this.

She had to bring this to an end.

“Goodbye… Ren-sama.”

A single tear traced its way down her cheek as she spoke her farewell.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

When Ren opened his eyes, he found himself walking alone through an unfamiliar corridor.

It was a vast space with a black marble floor stretching endlessly before him.

Elegant stained-glass windows lined the walls at even intervals, but beyond them lay only darkness, as if it were night outside.

Above, an ornate chandelier hung from the high ceiling, illuminating his path.

As he walked further, a massive door appeared before him.

Intricate carvings adorned its surface.

No matter how many times Ren tried to open it, the door refused to budge.

Then—

"…You promised me… and yet… I dragged you into this. I’m so, so sorry…"

Fiona’s voice echoed in his mind.

Click.

The sound of a lock releasing.

The door slowly creaked open on its own, beckoning him inside.

Inside was a vast, circular chamber, its walls adorned with even more luxurious stained-glass panels.

Unlike those in the corridor, these depicted grand, breathtaking scenes—perhaps of war.

When Ren stepped in, his footsteps echoed eerily, the sound carrying far into the silent chamber.

Then, at the center of the room, he noticed a pedestal.

Embedded within it was a jet-black longsword.

Dense magic filled the air, distorting his vision.

Ren moved forward, drawn to the blade.

Behind him, the doors shut with a deep, resounding thud, but he paid no attention.

The thoughts of where he was or why he was here faded away.

All that remained in his mind was the sword before him.

"────Back at the fortress, you were so kind to me."

Fiona’s voice whispered from somewhere.

It felt both close and impossibly distant.

"For that one year… because of you, I was able to live like a person again, even if it was only for a short while."

Her sorrowful voice reached him, filling him with urgency.

He had to get back to her.

How could he return?

As if guided by instinct, his gaze fell upon the jet-black longsword.

Strangely enough, Ren felt as if the sword was speaking to him.

"Goodbye...  Ren-sama."

Hearing Fiona’s voice, Ren stepped closer to the jet-black longsword.

For a moment, he thought he saw a faint glow emanating from his bracelet, so he turned his gaze toward it.

· ????? (Level 1: 1/1)

The notation was the same as the magic sword that had manifested under Lishia's influence when Ren fought Yelquq.

Then, could this jet-black longsword be something similar?

Was it somehow connected to Fiona’s hidden power? Did she also have a magic stone within her body?

Ren pondered the idea for a moment.

But—something felt off.

Ren recalled the moment when he had heard Fiona’s voice, followed by the sound of a lock clicking open.

While he couldn't dismiss the possibility that her power had affected him, it didn’t seem like the influence had come from a magic stone within her body.

That would mean... this jet-black longsword had belonged to him from the very beginning.

(I still don’t really get it.)

For a fleeting moment, he wondered if he, too, had a magic stone inside him, but he quickly dismissed the thought as ridiculous and chuckled soundlessly.

"It doesn't matter. If you can help me save her—lend me your strength."

Grasping the jet-black longsword, Ren felt an overwhelming surge of magical energy pour into his body.

Even though he was already on the verge of collapse, the fact that he could still stand and move was inexplicable. But more than that, a sensation of fullness—one he had never experienced before—washed over him.

The feeling of being filled to the brim continued for a moment. Then, just as it ended, the jet-black longsword vanished.

From behind him, the sound of a door unlocking echoed through the chamber.

Beyond the doorway, a dazzling light spilled forth, vastly different from before.

Ren instinctively knew—this was the way back.

As he stepped toward the light, a thought surfaced in his mind.

The Flameblade.

"Come forth—Flameblade."

He commanded it.

And then, in the hand that had once grasped the jet-black longsword—the very hand without the bracelet—

A straight sword, wreathed in flames, materialized as if it had always been there.

· Flameblade (Level 1: ■/1)

As Ren approached the door, the Flameblade began to change.

The fire enveloping its blade shifted in color, and the sword itself elongated, gradually taking the form of a longsword.

With every step he took, the hilt and size transformed further.

The silver hue that had once covered both the blade and the hilt gave way, becoming a flawless, gleaming gold.

· Flame ■ Blade (Level ■: ■/1)

It felt as though the power he had obtained from the jet-black longsword was being entirely absorbed by the Flameblade.

With each echoing step, the transformation progressed—

Until, at last, the Flameblade had grown to the size of a greatsword, as tall as Ren himself.

And in the crystal of the bracelet, its name had changed.

The Flameblade Asvar.

Standing before the radiant doorway, Ren suddenly became aware of his own pain and exhaustion.

A headache pounded in his skull—a clear sign that his magic power had nearly been depleted.

The burn on his arm, long forgotten, flared up again, grounding him in reality.

This was the moment to steel himself for what lay ahead.

But he had regained his strength.

And in his hand, he now wielded a golden magic sword.

Even if he still had lingering questions about what had just happened—

"…Well, whatever."

If Fiona had played a part in this, he could simply ask her about it later.

"For now—I'll win this fight."

After all, that was all that mattered.

Everything else could wait.

Once he had defeated the rampaging Asvar.

Once this battle was over.

Then, and only then, would he ask Fiona about her abilities.

Ren took a firm step forward—into the light.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Fiona continued to shield Ren, conjuring ice walls again and again to fend off Asvar’s relentless attacks.

But—

She was reaching her limit.

Another devastating blow from Asvar came crashing down.

She knew—this time, she wouldn’t be able to stop it.

This time—she would die.

And yet—

"…Huh?"

Shaking with fear, Fiona suddenly felt herself being pulled close—

By Ren.

The monstrous arm that had been about to strike her was repelled by the blazing sword he wielded.

Asvar was flung back by the impact.

Fiona could only stare, wide-eyed.

"…Ren…sama?"

Despair turned to disbelief.

She looked up at him, her dark eyes still glistening with tears.

Her small frame trembled slightly as she waited for his response.

And then—

"────My apologies for the late introduction. I am Ren Ashton."

A single tear had been trailing down Fiona’s cheek.

But as soon as she heard his words—

The tears came rushing forth in earnest.

She gazed at him, utterly exhausted—

And smiled.

This feeling was new to her.

Fiona could only focus on Ren, who had pulled her close, unable to take her eyes off him.

"I... I've known all along...!"

"I knew you were Ren-sama, ever since we were at the fortress...!"

"Uh... How did you know?"

"Hehe... Because I never said anything about the medicine being made from monster materials, did I?"

That night, when Ren had let his guard down while enjoying his tea.

"That's why I had a feeling... So I asked a passing knight about your name."

"Haha... I see. Looks like I got careless."

"N-No! Thanks to that, I got to know who you really were! And I also heard that you were concerned about me, that you were planning to tell me everything after we left the mountain...!"

Just as the knight had told Ren, they couldn't lie when Fiona had asked.

But after hearing the truth, Fiona respected Ren’s thoughts and considerations.

She had decided, just as he had intended, to wait until they left the mountain to talk about it properly.

So she had asked the knight not to tell Ren that she had inquired about him.

Ren let out a breath, realizing that while he had been trying to look out for her, she had actually been looking out for him as well.

"Before I apologize for everything, let me keep my promise first."

"Promise?"

"Yes."

He turned his head slightly, giving her a small smile, and Fiona found herself captivated by it.

"I promised to get you safely out of the Baldur Mountains."

Asvar lifted its head, scattering miasma into the air as it took flight.

"GIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIH!"

The miasma itself was being purified by the special flames Ren wielded, but Asvar, its decayed body crumbling, unleashed a fanned-out breath attack from high above.

Ren did not dodge.

Nor did he rely on Fiona’s ice magic or the shield-like magic sword to block it.

Instead, he swung the Flame Sword Asvar with all his might, from below to above.

The resulting blaze clashed against the breath attack, and from the point of impact, rippling waves of crimson light spread throughout the vast chamber.

Fiona was in awe.

Faced with the overwhelming power displayed by this younger boy, she forgot all the fear that had gripped her body.

He had saved her life not once, but twice.

She couldn't take her eyes off the hero standing before her.

"…Amazing."

In the end, Ren’s Flame Sword Asvar triumphed.

The unleashed flames began to engulf Asvar’s withering body in searing heat.

Desperate to escape the approaching fire, Asvar flapped its wings wildly in an attempt to flee.

"────！"

Letting out a cry, it soared upward, crashing into the ceiling of the underground cavern and creating a massive hole.

A deep crimson glow radiated from the core of its body, the same color gleaming in its vacant eyes.

The blinding light illuminated Ren and Fiona.

Ren looked up to see Asvar spreading its massive wings, stretching its long neck toward the sky.

A crimson sphere of light formed at the tip of its mouth, pulling in the falling snow and the surrounding heat.

Even the flames and molten lava were sucked into it.

Finally, the entire Baldur Mountain Range trembled violently, an ominous prelude to an impending catastrophe.

Asvar, now an undead devoid of reason, was unleashing its final attack.

In life, it had been a legendary force of power.

Now, though its revival was incomplete, its body fragile, the last attack it was preparing to unleash was nothing short of divine.

An all-or-nothing strike that would bring down the entire Baldur Mountain Range—

And with it, Ren and Fiona’s lives.

Then, from the very beginning, the path had never changed.

“There’s only one thing left—to end this battle.”

The crimson sphere of light had finished absorbing everything.

It had even stoRensound itself.

Then, the sphere of deep red light detached from Asvar and began to descend toward the ground, silently.

Ren raised the Flame Sword Asvar above his head, gripping its hilt with all his remaining strength.

With everything he had left, he would end this fight with a single, decisive swing.

"Kh...!"

But his arm trembled, weakened by exhaustion.

His body was drained, and he was struggling under the weight of the Flame Sword Asvar.

Just then, a pale hand rested over his own.

It was Fiona’s hand—grimy from dust and sweat, bearing burns just like his.

“I’m sorry, Lady Ignat.”

When Ren turned to look at her, she gave him a soft smile and nodded.

"Fiona. If it’s alright with you, please call me that from now on."

To do that, all they had to do was win.

They had to stop the crimson dragon here and now, before it brought destruction down upon the land.

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHH────!!!"

With a deafening roar, the crimson sphere expanded at last, releasing a blinding flash of light.

The stoRensound returned in an instant, replaced by an earsplitting explosion.

Yet neither Ren nor Fiona flinched.

Ren, especially, was focused only on one thing—putting an end to this battle.

“You said it yourself—That nothing less than a flame greater than your own could consume you.”

With Fiona at his side, Ren brought down the Flame Sword Asvar.

“Rest now—so deeply that you never awaken again.”

Golden flames surged around the crimson sphere, spiraling upward toward the hole in the cavern’s ceiling.

The legendary attack, the crimson sphere of light, was utterly consumed by a fire beyond its own.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

At some point, Fiona had falRenasleep.

When she awoke, she was bewildered to find herself being carried on Ren’s back as he walked through the snow-covered path.

“L-Ren-sama!?”

“Oh, good morning. We’ve made it pretty far down the mountain already.”

After defeating Asvar, Fiona had lost consciousness almost immediately.

Realizing this, her face flushed with embarrassment at her own helplessness.

She quickly insisted on walking on her own.

But Ren pointed out that her ankle was badly swollen.

Even so, she hesitated.

“I-I’ll be fine! You must be exhausted too, Ren-sama...!”

Ren gave her a wry smile.

“At least wait until we meet up with the rescue team.”

As Fiona’s nerves gradually eased, she suddenly noticed something strange—her body felt lighter than ever before.

“It really has… lessened.”

“…Lady Fiona?”

“The black power that was inside me—it’s almost gone.”

“…Huh?”

Ren tilted his head, confused.

Fiona took a deep breath, then continued with determination.

“My innate skill—Black Priestess.”

It was the first time Ren had heard that name.

“I’m sorry for keeping it a secret… It wasn’t something I could easily talk about.”

That power had been the reason for Asvar’s revival—why Ren had been caught up in this battle.

Even though her father had forbidden her from speaking about it, she couldn’t stay silent any longer.

She had carried the burden of secrecy for too long, and now, guilt weighed heavily on her heart.

“…Are you sure you want to tell me?”

Fiona nodded.

“Ren-sama, have you ever heard of the Black Priestess skill?”

“No, this is my first time.”

“Then… allow me to explain.”

The Black Priestess was to monsters what a saint was to humans.

There had even been individuals in history who possessed this skill and sided with the Demon King.

Taking that into account, Marquis Ignat had kept its existence a secret.

He knew that if people learned of it, they would scorn Fiona without a second thought.

In the kingdom of Leomel, where the Seven Heroes were revered, it was easy to imagine how the past of the Black Priestess would be perceived.

“So… you said your power has weakened?”

“I don’t quite understand it myself. It’s not like the skill itself has weakened. But… it feels like a part of the Black Priestess’s power that was inside me has suddenly gone quiet.”

All those born with the Black Priestess skill possessed immense magical energy.

That energy had a special effect—it strengthened monsters.

It also greatly increased magical aptitude, granting an innate talent for magic.

What Fiona was referring to was that vast reservoir of magic.

Until now, the power within her had always been restless, constantly searching for an outlet—

It had always throbbed deep inside her, especially within her chest.

And that, more than anything else, had been her greatest source of pain.

“The medicine made from Sheefulfen’s materials absorbed the excess magic and expelled it from my body. It couldn’t remove it all, but it reduced it enough that I only felt a little pain now and then.”

Eventually, she no longer felt any pain at all—just a faint presence within her chest.

The medicine had prevented her body from being consumed, and thanks to the growth she had undergone over the past year, she had become more resilient against the overwhelming magic that constantly surged within her.

Yet now, she couldn't sense that presence in her chest at all.

“Do you think it has something to do with the necromantic-like power that was used on Asvar?”

As Ren voiced his thoughts, Fiona shook her head against his back.

“I don’t think so. The Black Priestess doesn’t have the ability to raise dead monsters as undead.”

Hearing that, Ren thought to himself.

(But Asvar did say he had sensed Fiona’s presence early on. I guess he really can’t be treated the same as a normal monster.)

It was just a hypothesis, but Ren suspected that since Asvar was far stronger than ordinary monsters, the Black Priestess’s “power to strengthen monsters” had taken effect, leading to an accidental resurrection.

That might explain why his revival had been so incomplete.

If that was the case, then it raised an even bigger question—what exactly had caused Fiona’s body to change?

“Thanks to your help, my magic is recovering bit by bit. And yet... I still can’t feel anything in my chest.”

“Which means it might not have been because of Asvar.”

Ren mulled over her words in silence before muttering inwardly.

(It has to be me, then…)

His thoughts drifted to that strange space he had wandered into right before wielding the power of the Flameblade Asvar.

The pitch-black longsword that had been there…

If that place had been influenced by Fiona, then things started to make sense.

It was similar to the time when Lishia’s magic had affected the radiant magic sword.

“This all started when I thought about how I just wanted you to survive, Ren.”

Fiona’s voice was soft, yet firm.

“When my blood turned black… that’s when it began.”

“You mean, when you stopped feeling anything in your chest?”

“Yes. At first, I thought it was just because Asvar had drained too much of my magic.

But… at some point, I started to wonder if maybe you had done something for me.”

Ren furrowed his brows.

The Black Priestess… had contributed a part of her power to the summoning of the magic sword.

That enigmatic world, and the way the Flameblade Asvar had changed—there was no way they were unrelated.

If that strange world had been brought about by the Black Priestess’s power, then Ren could understand why it happened.

It was almost as if the Black Priestess had sworn loyalty to him, sacrificing a part of her strength in the process.

(And then there’s the Anti-Demon Necklace.)

Ren recalled how it had reacted strangely when he and Fiona made contact.

(If the necklace only reacted once, that means… the connection between the Black Priestess and the magic sword summoning had already stabilized by then. That’s why there was no second reaction… right?)

He couldn’t be certain of anything, but if that was the case, then it would make sense for the necklace, created by the Seven Heroes, to react in an unexpected way.

The power to summon such an extraordinary magic sword was beyond normal understanding, after all.

At any rate, the name of the Flameblade Asvar was no longer displayed on his bracelet.

Nor was the name of the pitch-black longsword.

Only the new name of the magic sword he had obtained remained.

(It’s just like what happened when I was influenced by Lishia’s magic stone.)

If he wanted to manifest that power again, he might need to receive Fiona’s strength once more.

It was the same conclusion he had reached back when he was thinking about Lishia’s magic stone this spring.

“…Pardon me, but Lady Fiona, you don’t happen to have a magic stone inside your body, do you?”

“No, I don’t… but why do you ask all of a sudden?”

“Oh, uh… I guess I just asked without really thinking.”

Fiona blinked in surprise, then gave a small smile as she remained on Ren’s back.

Meanwhile, Ren nodded to himself in secret.

(Lishia had a magic stone in her body, which allowed her to manifest a magic sword through me. But Fiona is different.)

In Fiona’s case, it felt more like the power of the Black Priestess had drawn out something that had been inside Ren all along.

That would explain why a part of her power had gone dormant—because she had given it to him.

That explanation tied everything together.

And yet, there were still many things he couldn’t be sure of.

“…Do you think I’ll be targeted by the Demon Cult from now on?”

“Hm, I don’t think that’s likely.”

“W-Why not!?”

“Well, I won’t say the chances are zero, but… Maidas and Kai didn’t even know you had the power of the Black Priestess. If they had known, they would have been focused on reviving Asvar from the start.”

If even those two had been caught off guard, that meant Asvar’s resurrection had been unexpected for them as well.

That was probably because, unlike in the game, Fiona had survived.

“In fact, now that they’ve seen how their plans fell apart, I think they’ll find it even harder to make a move.”

This time, the Marquis Ignat had been caught off guard.

But it was hard to imagine he would be deceived so easily again.

Their scheme had only succeeded due to the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the Imperial Officer Academy’s entrance exams.

Without a situation that special, their plan likely wouldn’t have worked at all.

Furthermore, the Demon Cult probably wouldn’t be interested in Fiona’s power anymore.

If the part of her magic that influenced monsters had truly gone dormant, then even if the cultists learned of her abilities, there was little reason for them to pursue her.

That said, her status as the Marquis Ignat ’s daughter was still unchanged, so they would need to remain as vigilant as ever.

A sudden loud noise reached both of their ears.

Ren widened his eyes at the unfamiliar sound echoing through the sky above.

"It's a magic ship."

Several magic ships soared leisurely across the sky.

They were likely from the imperial capital.

"That being the case, Lady Fiona..."

Ren hesitated over how to relay information to Marquis Ignat and the others from the imperial capital.

But before that, their farewell approached.

"Before we part, I have two requests."

"...Of course. If it's a request from you, Ren-sama, I'll do anything."

Fiona, feeling the sorrow of parting, hid her emotions behind a gentle smile.

"That means a lot to me."

His first request was that his name not be mentioned to Marquis Ignat as the one who saved Fiona during this incident.

Ren needed time to think and collect himself.

He wanted to take a step back and reconsider if he could continue living as he had after unexpectedly coming into contact with the Cult of the Demon King.

"So could you tell Marquis Ignat that an adventurer saved you?"

"M-Mou... Calling you that felt so awkward for me, you know...!"

"Haha, well, hearing it was a bit awkward for me too."

Marquis Ignat would surely figure out who had saved Fiona and why they had said what they did.

Still, Ren only needed some breathing room to think things through.

It wasn’t as if he intended to withhold information.

(Even if I don't know much...)

Within the limits of his knowledge, he had no objections to sharing information about the Cult of the Demon King.

Of course, they would likely be even more elusive from now on, and Ren himself had little information to begin with.

Beyond the fact that the cult had a leader, he could offer only the barest scraps of knowledge.

In any case, word would reach Marquis Ignat through Lazard.

(I also need to report about Asvar...)

Naturally, he had to leave out the Black Priestess's power when reporting to Lazard.

The matter of the Black Priestess should be relayed directly from Marquis Ignat to Lazard.

That wasn’t a lie.

The best explanation was that Ren had been caught up in the chaos by chance and fought to save Fiona.

And since he couldn't exactly say he'd learned about the Cult of the Demon King from a game, he had no choice but to claim Kai and Maidas had told him.

"I should probably keep quiet about your power too, shouldn't I?"

"I’d appreciate that."

Fiona had seen his magic sword multiple times.

"In exchange, I'll keep your power a secret as well, Lady Fiona."

"......"

"Lady Fiona?"

"S-Sorry! It’s just that—!"

Fiona, who had gone silent on Ren’s back, had been dwelling on the fact that they now shared a secret.

The idea of having a secret with Ren made her so happy that she momentarily lost her words.

Blushing, she pulled herself together and asked Ren a question.

"So, Ren-sama, what is your second request?"

"It's about how you address me."

"How I address you...? But Ren-sama is Ren-sama. What else should I call you?"

"Well, um, the ‘-sama’ part feels a bit embarrassing, so I’d prefer if you just called me by my name."

"That’s—"

Fiona refused.

She couldn’t possibly be so informal with the person who had saved her life.

Ren, on the other hand, felt uncomfortable being addressed so formally by a high-ranking noblewoman, and he pressed the issue.

After a bit of back-and-forth,

"Then... how about Ren-kun?"

Fiona still seemed unsatisfied, but when Ren said, "That works for me," she finally relented.

"In that case, how about you stop adding ‘Lady’ when addressing me?"

"That’s a bit much, so I’ll have to decline."

"...Muu."

She pouted, but Ren wasn’t budging.

She was a marquis’s daughter, after all.

"I’ll make it up to you with a parting gift, so please let this one go."

Ren reached into his pocket and pulled out a fragment of star agate he had picked up.

Fiona’s eyes widened in surprise as he handed it to her over his shoulder.

"It's beautiful..."

"Considering all the unpleasant memories, I thought you should at least have one beautiful one to take with you."

Indeed, this incident hadn't been full of pleasant memories.

But Fiona could say with certainty that it wasn’t all bad.

"...This isn’t my only beautiful memory."

Meeting Ren had been special in its own right.

Just then—

"Ren-dono—!"

"Over here! I heard a voice from this direction!"

The voices of the knights of House Clausel rang out, sounding strangely nostalgic despite their brief separation.

Fiona climbed down from Ren’s back and stood on her own two feet.

Ren, concerned about the rough terrain, offered his hand, but before she could take it, the magic ships above let out another resounding roar.

"—Ren-kun. You saved me not once, but twice. Thank you."

She clutched the star agate tightly and spoke.

"Will we... meet again?"

There was deep emotion in her eyes and voice.

Meet and reunite—before, she had prayed to meet Ren.

Now, she truly wished to see him again.

Given the distance between them and their differing social statuses, it seemed unlikely they would cross paths so easily.

But Ren responded in a warm, reassuring voice,

"We will. Marquis Ignat has already invited me, after all."

He added a hint of humor to lighten the mood.

Fiona smiled a little sadly but soon gasped as if realizing something.

"Oh! When that time comes, please allow me to host you! I’ll practice making tea every day until then! I’ll work hard so the maids recognize my skills... I'll keep working hard forever!"

"I’ll be looking forward to it. Though honestly, I already think your tea is delicious."

Ren gave her a bright smile, and Fiona's heart pounded even faster.

A storm of emotions churned inside her, impossible to ignore.

She gazed directly at him, summoning her courage, and said,

"That’s kind of you to say, but I won’t settle for that. I’ll keep practicing, for the day I can see you again. So..."

Then, looking straight into his eyes, she spoke the words from her heart.

"—It’s a promise, okay?"

She wished for that day to come as soon as possible.