Chapter 2: Banquet Day 3
That night, Rio once again donned his formalwear to attend the third night of the banquet. Since introductions had been completed in the first two days, there were no dragged-out introductions of each kingdom’s royalty and nobility, allowing the opening ceremony to wrap up quickly.
From the upper level of the hall, Francois looked down at the attendees on the floor of the venue. The event began with a formal greeting. “Everyone, thank you for gathering. While the disturbance last night was tremendously unfortunate, the mastermind has yet to be identified due to the apprehended assailants all committing suicide. Fortunately, there were no casualties amongst the attendees, allowing us to safely proceed with the final night of this banquet. For that, we are most blessed.
“Tonight, I shall be introducing the two valiant figures who contributed brilliantly to that. One used the bow divine arms skillfully to take out two assailants in the blink of an eye: Rui Shigekura. The other is Haruto, who defeated six attackers in an instant. Both of you, step forth,” Francois said, inviting Rio and Rui forward. Once the two of them stood side by side, the attendees in the hall waited for Francois’ next words.
“Both Rui and Haruto are quite modest, you see. Rui insists the star of last night’s roundup was purely Haruto, and accepted a meager medal for his reward. Haruto declined to receive any reward at all, despite being the final stronghold who repelled six of the attackers. He refused me so bluntly, even I was taken by surprise.” Francois chuckled at that, causing the venue to snicker along with him.
“However, we eventually settled on something. Considering his great contributions to the defense of our kingdom’s key city, Amande, as well as the rescue of the Restoration’s Princess Flora and our own kingdom’s Liselotte Cretia, I have awarded Haruto with the title of an honorary knight.”
The hall buzzed immediately. Among them were people who had attended the audience where Rio was appointed as an honorary knight, those who had heard of the rumors quickly, and those who were unaware—but it was still shocking news to all of them. They couldn’t help but talk about it amongst themselves.
“Silence! Silence, please!” The voice of the male knight leading the ceremony echoed through the hall, promptly silencing the chatter.
“Allow me to introduce him once again. The man who has been appointed an honorary knight of our kingdom as of today, the Black Knight: Haruto Amakawa.” Francois raised his voice louder and introduced Rio, who was standing beside him, to the royalty and nobility in the hall.
Rio, dressed in his formal outfit, placed a hand against his chest and bowed reverently. The hall burst into applause.
“Dear me. As unprecedented a move as this was, after seeing such military prowess at a scene like that, I have no choice but to accept this decision from His Majesty.”
“Yes, the way he fought last night was most splendid.”
“Even so, to be appointed as an honorary knight at that age... He must be the youngest in history, no?”
The guests on the first floor of the hall exchanged such words as they looked up at Rio. At the same time, on the upper floor, the heroes from each kingdom and their partners all stood watching Rio’s back.
The Black Knight... Ugh. No matter how many times I hear it, it sounds so childish. I would have been writhing in embarrassment if they gave it to me... ...Damn it, part of me thinks it’s cool at the same time! Hiroaki frowned at his conflicted thoughts. He found the idea of proclaiming oneself the Black Knight to be terribly embarrassing, but he was envious of the attention gathered on Rio.
As he was pondering to himself, the applause in the hall ceased.
“Ah, that’s right. I must introduce the partners of each kingdom’s hero, including Haruto’s. Everyone, could you step forward?” Francois invited the remaining heroes and their partners to come closer, so that they could stand within view of the attendees in the hall.
“As the second night of the banquet was suspended partway, they will be attending in the same pairs. You may address them with that in mind.” In other words, Rio’s partners were Satsuki and Charlotte, Takahisa’s partners were Lilianna and Miharu, Hiroaki’s partners were Flora and Roanna, and Rui’s partner was Christina.
“Hehe, your formal outfit looks good on you again today, Haruto.” Satsuki stood next to Rio and complimented him with a giggle.
“I agree. I almost want to forget my position and follow you all night,” Charlotte whispered to Rio on the opposite side of Satsuki.
“Hahaha... Thank you very much.” Rio’s smile twitched faintly as he thanked them.
“...” Miharu watched Rio converse with them familiarly with a frustrated frown. Takahisa was watching Miharu do so, and tightly clenched his fist.
“Now, I’m sure many of you didn’t get to socialize enough due to the uproar last night. Both the interior and exterior of the venue has had its security strengthened, so there will be no more miscreants running about. Rest assured, everyone. This concludes my greetings, short as they may have been. With this, the opening ceremony has concluded.” Francois finally declared the start of the third night of the banquet. Applause rang through the hall once again, the attendees ready and raring to make the most of this valuable social event where heroes from different kingdoms had gathered. However, among them, one man sneered coldly to himself.
Well, no matter how cautious they are tonight, nothing will happen. It was the Proxia Empire ambassador, Reiss, who was hidden in the crowd as one of Rubia Kingdom’s First Princess Sylvie’s attendants.
Sylvie and her subordinates were spread around Reiss, nervously watching him for any odd movements. However, Reiss had no intention of doing such a thing as he boldly stared up at Rio on the upper floor.
Haruto Amakawa, hm? According to Lucius, his name was Rio, though... That’s right, the same name as the orphan that gave Charles a run for his money in the Beltrum Kingdom, Reiss thought, grinning eerily.
“Tch... disgusting.” Sylvie watched Reiss with a bitter expression on her face.
“Oh? The night has just begun, yet you don’t seem to be very pleased, Your Highness,” Reiss said innocently, catching Sylvie’s expression from the corner of his eye.
“Hmm...” Sylvie turned her nose away and huffed.
“Oh my, it seems I’m still being suspected for last night’s disturbance...” Reiss shrugged his shoulders exaggeratedly.
Despite everything, I am grateful to you, Your Highness. In consideration of your usefulness, I really will refrain from pulling anything tonight. He grinned.
“It isn’t my intention to anger you any more than this myself. To clear your suspicions, I will stick to sides like a wallflower all night. If you would like to place a guard on me, feel free to do so,” Reiss said dramatically. He then took a few steps forward, before turning around with a look that asked what she would do about it.
“You lot, follow him.” Sylvie ground her teeth as she ordered her guards beside her to accompany Reiss.
About ten minutes after the banquet commenced, Duke Huguenot came over to Rio, who was still on the upper floor of the hall. He was accompanied by a number of noble men and women.
“Congratulations on your appointment to honorary knight, Haruto. No, I should call you Sir Amakawa now... Congratulations, Sir Amakawa,” the duke said to Rio, correcting himself.
“Thank you for your kind words,” Rio replied with a bow.
“I pray that your endeavors will always be blessed. May our friendship continue long into the future.” Duke Huguenot extended his hand for Rio to shake.
“Indeed.” Although Rio would prefer to have nothing to do with the people of the Beltrum Kingdom, he accepted the handshake with a polite smile.
“Thank you. I look forward to it. Now, setting that aside, I have had the honor of meeting with Sir Amakawa as well as Lady Satsuki and Princess Charlotte several times in these last two days. If you do not mind, may I perhaps introduce you to some of the nobility from the Restoration once more?” Duke Huguenot asked, shrewdly including Satsuki and Charlotte into his request.
For the record, introducing yourself to a person of higher status numerous times was considered impolite. However, during events with many participants, it was acceptable to do so several times depending on your own status. The person of higher status couldn’t be expected to remember everyone with only one meeting, so they also preferred to be greeted multiple times.
“Of course, we don’t mind at all. Isn’t that right, Lady Satsuki?” Charlotte accepted with a bright smile.
“Yes.” Satsuki nodded without any sign of negativity, seemingly accustomed to the process. She may have already been familiar with these situations due to her life on Earth as a rich family’s daughter, or perhaps the last three days of the banquet had helped her become used to it.
“You have my gratitude. Step forward, everyone.” Duke Huguenot lowered his head respectfully before inviting the nobles behind him forward. The first ones to approach were noblemen who appeared to be the heads of their houses, and they proceeded to introduce themselves. Right next to them were their daughters, who stood there gracefully.
The men had been carefully selected by Duke Huguenot for their attendance, so they all had exceptional oratory skills. The conversation gradually divided, leaving Satsuki, Charlotte, and Rio to handle their own separate groups.
After a while, the two noblemen that had been talking to Rio headed towards Satsuki and Charlotte, leaving Rio in a state with no conversation partner.
“You lot may as well greet Haruto,” Duke Huguenot said, approaching Rio with the noble daughters of the Restoration. The ladies were all in their early to mid-teens and walked closer to Rio with nervous footsteps.
“...Pleased to meet you. I’m Haruto Amakawa. It’s an honor to make your acquaintances. If you would like, could you please introduce yourselves to me?” Rio felt a little uncomfortable under the gaze of the group of girls, but he greeted them with a friendly smile on the surface. The two girls from the highest-ranked houses spoke first.
“Nice to meet you. I am Elise of the house of Count Brandt.”
“I’m Dorothea, from the house of Count Albert.”
Huh? These two... The names and faces of the two girls before him gave Rio a sense of deja vu. Of course they would; they were his former classmates at the Royal Academy. Elise had even been in the same squad as him in the outdoor drill in their sixth year. However, in the nearly four years that they hadn’t seen each other, they had lost a lot of their childish facial structure, maturing into adult women. Neither of them seemed to realize that Haruto Amakawa was Rio.
“Pleased to make your acquaintance.” Once Rio realized where he knew them from, his expression stiffened for a brief moment, before he replied with a friendly smile. After that, the other girls continued to give simple introductions of themselves to Rio, who received them all sociably.
All of the girls, including Elise and Dorothea, stared at Rio intently. They were all beautiful women that moved with elegance and spoke with modesty, but Rio knew how nasty their personalities were during their school days, and had to keep focused to stop his face from twitching.
...Hm? At that very moment, Rio made eye contact with Flora, who had been moving together with Hiroaki and Roanna elsewhere on the upper floor of the hall. She had a conflicted expression from seeing Rio interact with the girls that had been his former classmates and averted her eyes awkwardly when they met.
Rio sighed as he looked away from Flora. He glanced at Miharu, who was together with Takahisa and Lilianna in another part of the room. But at that point, the final girl had finished introducing herself to Rio, so he drew his attention back to the conversation at hand.
“Thank you for telling me your names. I will be sure to remember them,” Rio said, making the girls beam with delight. It was at that moment that Charlotte wrapped up her conversation with the nobles and walked over with Satsuki.
“Sir Haruto, if you’ve finished your greetings, how about that dance with Lady Satsuki and I? We couldn’t have one last night due to those unruly intruders.” Charlotte looped her arm through Rio’s and looked up at his face imploringly.
“Yes, of course,” Rio nodded with a wry smile. He was feeling a bit downcast after dealing with his former classmates, so he was grateful for the excuse to leave. The girls looked like they still wanted to talk to Rio, but...
“Well then, everyone. Please excuse us.” Charlotte made use of her position as a princess and gave a firm farewell to Duke Huguenot and his people, pulling Rio away easily.
Satsuki spoke up quietly after they had walked some distance away. “You sure are popular, Haruto...”
“Naturally. Other than the heroes, Sir Haruto is gathering the most attention right now. His appearance is what it is, and his exceptional abilities have been proven after last night. Duke Huguenot was also most cunning. I’m sure he hoped that one of the girls would catch Sir Haruto’s eyes,” Charlotte muttered with an adorably sullen look.
“Hmm. And? Did any of them do just that, Haruto?” Satsuki asked with a sidelong glance.
“What?”
“Are you not listening? We’re talking about whether any girls caught your eye.”
“I am far too unworthy to consider such a thing... And I still don’t know any of them very well to begin with.” Rio chose his words carefully. It would be a lie to say that there had been, but being foolishly honest by replying that there weren’t could make him seem shallow and worsen their relationship.
“Hehe, what a Haruto-like answer.” Satsuki seemed to find that amusing, as she giggled to herself. Haruto cocked his head in confusion, unsure of what would be considered typical for him.
“If Sir Haruto so desires, Father would surely supply you with many suitable women, so if you need some assistance in the marriage department, just say the word. Well, if you have someone in mind already, then there is no need to say any more...” Charlotte said, casually looking between Rio and Satsuki.
“I have answered this before, but I have no such person in mind,” Rio replied softly.
“Hmm...” Satsuki hummed in contemplation, glancing at Rio’s side profile.
“Marriage talk aside, I am reassured to hear that. It wouldn’t do to ask for a dance from a gentleman with another woman in mind. This means there is nothing hindering Lady Satsuki and I from dancing with you. We excused ourselves under the pretext of dancing, so how about you two go first? I shall take the turn after Lady Satsuki,” Charlotte smiled pleasantly. Rio naturally looked towards Satsuki, who glanced back at him.
“In that case, may I request one song from you, Lady Satsuki?” Rio asked gracefully, smiling gently.
“...Okay, fine. I guess.” Satsuki nodded, looking a little bashful. They moved to the dance space on the first floor of the hall together with Charlotte.
“Ooh! Lady Satsuki is dancing with Sir Amakawa!”
“What? I can’t miss that.”
People began to gather around them, sensing that the two most talked-about people were about to dance. Rio and Satsuki waited for the previous song to end before stepping onto the dance floor, while Charlotte stood with the others waiting for a dance at the side.
Left to themselves, Rio and Satsuki both assumed their positions and brought their bodies close together.
“Ah, just so you know, I have experience with formal dances on Earth, but the social dances here are oddly slow. It feels rather clingy, like you spend a lot of time staring at your partner. So, I’m not really used to the dances here. Can you lead?” Satsuki asked as she looked up at Rio’s face.
“Sure, I don’t mind. I’m not very good myself, though.”
“Huh, really? You can normally tell who isn’t good from the moment you get into position, so I think you’re one of the better people out there...”
“I’ve only practiced a little in the past, and all I did in preparation for this banquet was review that,” Rio replied.
“Hmm. Well, you have some kind of training in martial arts and your sense of balance is perfect, so perhaps that’s reflected in your dancing.”
“In that case, wouldn’t you be considered good too? You learned something as well, right? I can tell from the way you walk.”
“Yeah. I learned kendo and a naginata, as well as karate and aikido for self-defense. What about you, Haruto? I couldn’t quite tell based on what I saw of your fight last night... Was it jujutsu?”
“Amakawa Haruto learned an ancient style of martial arts that was passed down. It was originally a jujutsu that was influenced by Chinese martial arts in the Edo period, but after that, it was widely borrowed from both domestic and foreign techniques until it became its own style. Though the people who used it were pretty much unknown.”
“Huh... Sounds interesting. Perhaps I’ll ask to spar with you in that area one day.” Satsuki grinned boldly, Rio’s style of martial arts having caught her interest.
“If we have the chance, certainly.” Rio chuckled.
“Speaking of chances, this is a good chance for me to ask—you told Miharu that she shouldn’t stay with you, right?” Satsuki asked, suddenly changing the subject. They didn’t have many opportunities to speak alone, so she figured this was the perfect time.
“Yes. How much did she tell you?” Rio replied in a calm voice.
“Nothing in detail. She looked really conflicted, so I figured it would be better to just ask you directly—is that okay?” Satsuki asked, watching Rio’s face.
“I don’t mind. You’re Miharu’s... The song’s about to begin, so let’s continue as we’re dancing.” Rio’s expression clouded over softly as he interrupted himself. The song soon started, and Rio and Satsuki began to dance.
“So, why do you think she would be better off staying away from you? You did get that Miharu wants to be with you, right?” Once they began dancing, Satsuki opened her mouth without waiting for Rio to speak first. He closed his eyes in thought for a moment, before immediately giving a self-loathing answer.
“...It’s because I’m a good-for-nothing, I suppose.”
“...A good-for-nothing? You? That’s not true.” Satsuki looked at Rio in exasperation, as though she couldn’t believe what he was saying.
“I’m simply good at keeping up appearances. There are things that will always be incompatible between me, who was born and raised in this world, and Miharu, who was born and raised in Japan.”
“So you’re saying you’ve been keeping those incompatible things hidden?”
“That’s right.” Rio moved elegantly as he led Satsuki through the dance, nodding shortly.
“Always incompatible, huh...” Satsuki muttered dubiously. She gave Rio a look that conveyed how she thought they should still stay together, if that was what Miharu wanted.
“For example, if you found out that a friend close to you had killed someone before, was trying to kill someone for a personal vendetta right now, and had committed numerous crimes in the past, what would you think?” Rio asked in a low voice, looking a little awkward.
“Are you... referring to yourself?” Satsuki gasped. Her body nearly stiffened in response, but her limbs continued to move due to his lead.
“She should think of me as a different person. Amakawa Haruto is dead. Even if Miharu seeks the Amakawa Haruto within me, I won’t be able to be that man. She’ll surely compare the two of us, even if she isn’t aware of it herself.”
And wouldn’t that just be painful for the both of us? was what Rio was implying. He may have been bound by the thought that Amakawa Haruto was the only one worthy of standing beside Miharu.
“That’s why you think she’s better off away from you?” Satsuki took a shaky breath and asked, her voice trembling slightly.
“Yes,” Rio confirmed, quietly but firmly.
“...I want to say something about that, but I can’t find the right words. I don’t think I can say that what you’re saying is completely incorrect... But it’s definitely logical to a fault.” Satsuki swallowed back the bitter feeling she had, her voice tinted with indignation.
“How harsh of you.” Rio’s reply was somewhat evasive.
“Obviously. This isn’t a topic to discuss here, so I won’t pry any further. But I don’t think there’s anything incompatible between you two. So don’t go deciding things for others so hastily.” Satsuki suddenly brought her face close to Rio’s, threatening as she stole the lead of the dance. They remained in that pose for a moment, staring at each other.
“Haha...” There was a slight shadow over Rio’s face as he chuckled.
“...The way you won’t obediently say yes shows how stubborn you can be, too, huh?” Satsuki glared at Rio reproachfully.
“Perhaps. By the way—” Rio acknowledged her words before looking around at their surroundings.
“What?” Satsuki frowned, looking suspicious.
“We seem to have gathered too much attention. Perhaps we should unwrap ourselves from this pose.” Rio said to Satsuki with a forced laugh.
“Huh...?” Satsuki’s eyes darted from left to right as she observed their surroundings.
“My oh my, how passionate...”
“Yes, Lady Satsuki can be quite bold at times.”
“What an interesting sight.”
The gallery of royalty and nobility gathered around the dance floor were watching Rio and Satsuki curiously because of how close Satsuki had brought her face to Rio’s, as though they were about to kiss. It must have been a sensational sight.
“Wha...?!” Satsuki was rendered speechless, turning bright red. The next moment, she hurriedly distanced her face from Rio’s.
“The song’s still playing, so let’s finish the dance.” Rio figured suspending their dance at this point would only be more suspicious, so he resumed leading Satsuki in the light footwork.
“Wai— H-Haruto!” In a quiet but shrill voice, Satsuki objected with all her might. Still, her arms and legs followed Rio’s, moving along with him.
“Stopping the dance here would just attract more attention.”
“G-Geez!” Satsuki still seemed to be feeling a little embarrassed, keeping her head tilted slightly downwards as she entrusted herself to Rio’s lead.
“I didn’t expect you to be the reckless type,” Rio said with a chuckle.
“Meanwhile, you’re the overly careful type that ends up doing nothing.” Satsuki turned her nose away in a huff, cheeks still red.
“Perhaps.” Rio nodded, giving his reply in a relaxed voice with a humble smile. Satsuki wasn’t happy with that answer, pouting as she looked up at Rio.
After that, Satsuki had much less to say out of embarrassment. However, the more she danced, the more she seemed to be having fun simply moving, and her expression gradually softened. Before long, the song was over and Rio and Satsuki came to a stop with a finishing pose.
“Hah, that was fun. Thanks, Haruto,” Satsuki said with an earnest smile.
“Agreed—thank you, Satsuki. Let’s return to Princess Charlotte.” Rio took Satsuki by the hand and escorted her back to Charlotte. Charlotte was grinning brightly as she welcomed them back.
“That was a wonderful dance, you two. Lady Satsuki appeared to be enjoying herself a lot. Showing such a bold and daring display of courtship... Oh, that’s right. Everyone seemed to be interested in seeing you two dance, so I invited them over to have a better view,” Charlotte said, looking around her. In the vicinity were Miharu with Takahisa and Lilianna, Hiroaki with Flora and Roanna, as well as Rui and Christina. All the heroes attending the banquet had gathered.
“T-That wasn’t an attempt at a kiss, so it’s not like it was a display of courtship or anything! Don’t get the wrong idea! Okay, Haruto?!” Satsuki tried to explain the misunderstanding in a fluster.
“Yes, I know.” Rio had to pull back from Satsuki’s overwhelming force to nod. Hiroaki, who had been watching that exchange from the side, was so shocked that he had to take a moment to close his eyes.
“No way... a real life... tsundere? Pfft, and it had to be that brazen woman of all people...” Hiroaki grimaced, frustrated at himself for finding charm in Satsuki’s actions for even a brief moment. On both sides of him stood Flora and Roanna, who had overheard his muttering but were confused as to what a “real life tsundere” was.
“Hehe, you don’t seem that against the idea, though? I think you two would make a lovely match. Wouldn’t you agree, Sir Takahisa?” Charlotte smiled cheerfully, before suddenly turning to address Takahisa.
“W-Well, umm... Yes, they do suit each other. Satsuki looked like she was having the time of her life.” Takahisa’s eyes wandered as he searched for an answer, eventually landing on Miharu, who was looking between Rio and Satsuki with a slightly conflicted expression. He then smiled and nodded in a way that almost appeared servile. “...Does Satsuki have a crush on Haruto, perhaps?” Forcing down his guilty conscience, he put up an air of composure as he whispered a question only Miharu could hear.
“...” Miharu immediately averted her eyes from Rio and Satsuki. She didn’t respond to Takahisa’s question.
“See? Even Sir Takahisa, who knows Lady Satsuki very well, is saying that.” Charlotte was happy to receive the approval she sought from Takahisa.
“Enough already. Come on, Char. It’s your turn to dance with Rio next. Get going already. Haruto, you stop standing around and escort her properly!” Satsuki jabbed her finger at Rio and urged him to get moving.
Rio nodded. “May I be so bold as to ask for the honor of having a dance with Your Highness?”
“Of course, it would be my pleasure.” Charlotte nodded cutely.
“...Hey, Miharu, shall we also...”
“Miharu.”
Takahisa had just resolved himself to ask Miharu for a dance when Satsuki’s voice cut clearly through his speech, drowning him out.
“Yes, what?” Miharu cocked her head at Satsuki.
“There’s something I want to talk to you about—alone. Can we do it while Haruto and Char are dancing? Preferably somewhere where we won’t be disturbed.” Satsuki requested a moment to talk to Miharu alone.
“I don’t mind, but...” Miharu nodded her head as she looked at Satsuki’s face.
“Really? Then I’ll be borrowing Miharu for a moment, Takahisa.”
“...Right.” Although Takahisa’s mouth twisted slightly, he managed to muster a smile and nod. Satsuki immediately departed with Miharu in tow. Rio shot a somewhat conflicted glance at their departing backs.
“Oh no, that won’t do, Sir Haruto. You’re about to dance with me, so you should only look at me right now.” Charlotte didn’t let the slightest look escape her notice, winding both her arms around Rio’s left arm and looking up at him with an adorable pout.
“Pardon my actions. I shall now escort you to the dance floor,” Rio said, offering his free right hand to Charlotte.
“It would be my delight.” Charlotte copied Rio’s movements, taking his hand.
“Ah, right. I didn’t dance these past two days either. Well, I guess this is another one of a hero’s duties. Shall we go for a spin?” Hiroaki dramatically announced.
“In that case, please go with Princess Flora.” Roanna urged.
“Sure thing. You’re up next, Roanna.” Hiroaki smirked with satisfaction.
“Sir Takahisa, would you like to dance with me?” Lilianna asked Takahisa, who was gazing after Miharu with a lingering attachment.
“R-Right. Yeah, okay. Let’s go, Lily.” Takahisa snapped back to his senses and responded to the invitation with a forced smile.
“If all the other heroes are dancing with their princesses, it would be rude of me not to offer here. May I ask for one dance with you, Princess Christina?” said the hero affiliated with the main Beltrum Kingdom, Shigekura Rui.
“Yes, of course,” Christina agreed with a friendly smile.
After that, the heroes and princesses of each kingdom took to the dance floor, and the number of spectators increased further. Those who had been waiting for the next dance on the sides refrained from approaching, leaving only four pairs on the floor: Rio and Charlotte, Takahisa and Lilianna, Hiroaki and Flora, and Rui and Christina.
“Good grief, we’re not some exhibit on show.” Hiroaki looked around at the nobility surrounding the edge of the dance floor and gave an unruly smirk. However, whether Flora heard his statement or not, she kept Rio within her field of view as she got into position with Hiroaki.
Rio, in the meantime, had done just that with Charlotte. “Hehe. I wonder what Lady Satsuki and Lady Miharu are discussing right now?” Charlotte pressed her body close against Rio’s and looked up at his face, grinning as she questioned him.
“Not sure. Who knows?” Rio slowly tilted his head, giving a most natural response.
“Oh? You don’t know either, Sir Haruto?” Charlotte gazed at him teasingly.
“Yes. I haven’t heard anything from Lady Satsuki,” Rio replied immediately.
“But Lady Satsuki went to speak to Lady Miharu after she spoke to you, no? You were talking about something secret, hm?”
“Something secret, you say?” Charlotte’s observations were truly sharp, but Rio brushed them off with a poker face.
“Yes, something secret.” Charlotte beamed from ear to ear. Any healthy youth would have inadvertently felt their heart skip a beat at her adorable charm, but behind her age-fitting appearance was a glimpse of a hidden seductress.
“I am unable to offer anything of use based on just that...” Just as Rio said that, the next dance song began. And so, Rio wrapped up the conversation there and started to lead Charlotte.
“There’s something reassuring about the way you lead,” Charlotte said, changing the subject.
“Thank you for the compliment.” Rio expressed his gratitude almost reflexively, waiting for Charlotte to elaborate.
“The reason why Lady Satsuki seems to have so much trust in you may be because of the sense of reassurance you give.”
“I... am not so sure of that. I believe a lot of the trust was because Miharu had been there...” Rio had a doubtful expression as he stepped smoothly.
“I don’t believe that. While the trust Lady Miharu has in you may have played a large part, whether you could win over Lady Satsuki’s trust from there is entirely reliant on your own personality, Sir Haruto. The close relationship that my brother Prince Michel spent several months establishing was accomplished by you in merely three days, after all.” Have confidence. That was the message Charlotte was clearly conveying.
“I’m honored,” Rio replied shortly.
“That’s why I’m almost envious, in a way. Because Lady Satsuki must surely have confessed things to you that she has yet to reveal to us. If I asked you to tell me what you and Lady Satsuki were discussing just now, would you?” Charlotte peered at Rio’s face, asking suggestively. She was probably trying to probe into what Satsuki was discussing with Rio and Miharu away from the eyes of the kingdom, Rio suspected.
“...Perhaps.”
“Hehe. It seems I’ve made you feel wary. I’m not asking you to inform me of what kind of discussions you’ve been having out of our view. I admit I am a little curious, but if I asked that of you, it would pretty much become an order. My insistence would only trouble you and anger Lady Satsuki,” Charlotte said, revealing her intentions.
“...You’re being very blunt about this.” Regardless of where this topic suddenly came from, it was being discussed with very little reserve.
“Yes. I thought I had a fairly good understanding of what kind of person Lady Satsuki is during these last few months. And I knew that her thoughts were still preoccupied by her hometown. That’s precisely why I am more than aware that she doesn’t completely trust us, and now that Lady Miharu has appeared, I understand she has fears surrounding that too,” Charlotte said with a truly suggestive tone, smiling impishly. What could she possibly want by talking about this? “That’s why I believed it would be appropriate to explain our stance to you, as someone who rapidly grew closer to Lady Satsuki.”
“...” While he had thoughts about that, Rio couldn’t possibly question the princess himself, and he didn’t want to interrupt her words either, so he remained silent as he waited for Charlotte’s next words.
“To put it simply, we are fully aware of all of Lady Satsuki’s fears and wish to form a favorable relationship despite them. Ideally, we want to be able to lay things bare between us, like how you and Lady Satsuki are right now. In order to accomplish that, we’re willing to go through many lengths for her happiness,” Charlotte declared brightly.
“Even if Lady Satsuki has to return to her own world one day? You wouldn’t mind that?” Rio voiced the question at the core of the matter.
“Yes. That’s why we want to form a solid trusting relationship earlier rather than later, in order to prepare for that moment. It’s easy to put it in words, but the first step towards that is for there to be less wariness directed towards us. If there’s any problems at hand, we’d prefer to hear it straightforwardly, as that would be much more helpful.” The reason why Charlotte seemed so confident in her words was probably because there wasn’t any way for Satsuki to return to Earth at present. That’s why it was difficult to accept that the Galarc Kingdom would willingly send Satsuki off if such a situation were to occur for real.
That being said, it certainly seemed true that they wanted to form a favorable relationship with Satsuki. With the legitimacy of the Galarc Kingdom’s throne founded by the authority of the Six Wise Gods, they would naturally want to keep Satsuki by all possible means, as a hero was an embodiment of the gods’ might. This could be seen in the treatment from the Galarc Kingdom’s side from the moment they arrived in this kingdom until now.
At the very least, as long as Satsuki doesn’t express a desire to affiliate herself with another kingdom, they won’t do anything openly to lose her trust, and they won’t threaten her to stay with the kingdom either, huh? Since she went out of her way to mention Miharu, it doesn’t seem like she has any intention of using Miharu as a hostage for negotiations at the moment, either. As she was declaring this out loud, it seemed like she had no intention of overturning that stance and losing Satsuki’s trust as long as they could form a favorable relationship.
“I think that’s a very reasonable and constructive approach, but what do you want me to do about it?” After all, Rio believed these words should have been directed at Satsuki, not him.
“Nothing in particular. I would be delighted if you could casually mention this to Lady Satsuki, as you are in a much more favorable position in her eyes, but I shall leave it to your own judgment.” Instead of having a Galarc person pass on the message, if it came from Rio, Satsuki was more likely to be convinced. Rio thought for a moment, before closing his eyes and nodding.
“...I understand. I shall pass on the message.”
“Thank you very much,” Charlotte said happily, pulling Rio’s body closer as though hugging him. Then, she brought her face close to Rio’s cheek and ear.
“By the way, I think very favorably of you, too. Not as a princess, but personally,” she whispered. When Charlotte closed in on Rio’s cheek, the sound of people gasping echoed around them noisily. That being said, it didn’t have as much impact as when Satsuki had closed in like she was going for a kiss earlier, and she soon backed her face away, so the attention only lasted for a moment.
“...Thank you for the kind words.” Rio sighed lightly, showing a glimpse of his mental fatigue.
Meanwhile, Miharu and Satsuki slipped out of the banquet hall to stop by a balcony that was being used as a resting area. There were five security guards beside the door that connected to the venue, but other than that it was deserted.
The night was a little chilly, and with the heroes and royalty of multiple kingdoms in attendance, the banquet was the perfect event to form personal connections, assuring that no one would visit such an isolated place.
“I spoke to Haruto. I asked why he thought you were better off away from him. He really is helpless, isn’t he? And so stubborn.” Satsuki sighed tiredly.
“...Umm.” Miharu blinked. What had they talked about? She was a little curious, but too scared to ask, leaving her at a loss for words.
“He said there were things that would always be incompatible between you two, because he was born here while you were born in Japan. He thinks you would be better off thinking of him as a different person, because he cannot be the Amakawa Haruto that you seek.” Satsuki pouted, her words tinted with faint anger.
“...” Miharu remained silent, biting her lip.
“Miharu, you told Haruto you wanted to stay with him before he revealed his past, right? Do you still feel the same?” Satsuki asked, watching her carefully.
“...Yes.” Miharu thought for a long moment before nodding, forcing the words out. Her desire to stay with Haruto was still true. Satsuki thought she was worried.
“Then, let me ask you one thing. Is the person you want to be with the man that used to be Amakawa Haruto? Or is it the man he is now?” Satsuki asked, looking straight at Miharu.
“That’s...” Miharu’s eyes darted around with uncertainty.
“You don’t know your own feelings?” Satsuki looked at Miharu with a gentle expression.
“I know. But I’m not sure whether it’s right...” Miharu said softly.
“...What do you mean?” Satsuki tilted her head curiously.
“It’s... both. The Haru-kun I know, and the current Haruto. I can’t think of them as separate people. But that would mean I’m seeking Haru-kun from Haruto, and Haruto says that’s impossible for him...” Miharu said in a stiff voice, as though she was swallowing something bitter.
“...Pff— Hehehe, ahahaha. I see.” Satsuki’s eyes widened in surprise before she burst into laughter.
“W-What are you laughing at?” Miharu asked in a fluster, wondering if she said anything weird.
“I’m sorry. It was just a little different to what I was expecting. You took me by surprise.”
“What you... were expecting?”
“Well, you decided to stay with the current Haruto without knowing anything about his situation, right? So I figured you made your choice from the start, whether Haruto was Amakawa Haruto in his past life or not. But, I see now. I had split them two into separate people, but to you, he’s the same person, huh? Yup, I think that’s really good for you. You should have confidence in yourself and tell him.”
To Miharu, the current Rio was both her childhood friend Amakawa Haruto and the Haruto who saved her in this world. That was all there was to it. With that, all of Satsuki’s worries had cleared up. She beamed brightly at Miharu.
“...Are you sure? Wouldn’t seeking the Haru-kun I know from the current Haruto be forcing my own selfishness onto him...?” Rio had made it clear that he wouldn’t be able to respond to Miharu as Amakawa Haruto. And so, wouldn’t it only torment Rio for Miharu to continue to seek Amakawa Haruto from him? That was the fear Miharu held.
Because of that, she wondered if the right thing to do was to see the current Rio and Amakawa Haruto as separate people and tell Rio she still wants to stay anyway.
“What’s wrong with that? That much selfishness is fine. You’re prepared to accept every side of him you see from here on as both the current him and Amakawa Haruto, aren’t you? Without comparing the two.”
“...Yes.” Miharu nodded with determination.
“Then you shouldn’t hold back. You need to show him clearly that his fears are all unfounded.” Satsuki pointed sharply at Miharu.
“Okay...” Miharu nodded with a gentle smile.
That’s right. Ai-chan told me the same thing. I have to tell Haruto that I want to stay with him clearly, because Haruto is a very kind, but very cowardly person... She recalled the conversation she had with Aishia before. Miharu wasn’t able to connect with Aishia telepathically on her end—she needed Aishia to connect them first. Satsuki was still unaware of Aishia’s identity as a spirit and there were practically no opportunities for Aishia to materialize in the castle, so they hadn’t had any chance to talk these last few days despite being in close range. Still, Miharu wanted to talk with Aishia once more, properly.
“I’ll try to talk to Haruto one more time, and make myself clear. I’ll tell him what I feel,” Miharu decided.
After Rio finished dancing with Charlotte, they retreated from the dance floor with the other three pairs.
“Oh, that’s right, I had something I wanted to ask you,” Shigekura Rui said as he approached Rio.
“Sure, what is it?” Rio replied in a casual tone.
“It’s about your family name—Amakawa. It sounds very similar to the language of our former homeland. You said it was a word used in the land of your parents, right? Do you know where that is exactly?” Rui asked out of curiosity. Their conversation reached Hiroaki and Takahisa, who listened in out of interest as well.
“Do you know of a land called the Yagumo region, located to the far east of here? I was told that my parents were born and raised there.” Rio didn’t bother to hide any particular information, answering honestly.
“Yagumo... If I recall correctly, to the east of the Strahl region is a vast area of wilderness. Yagumo is the land located even further beyond there, I believe. I see... I thought the word ‘Yagumo’ had a Japanese sound to it, too. So that’s where your parents are from,” Rui noted, displaying his extensive knowledge in his understanding.
“You’ve heard of it?” asked Rio.
“Such a place exists?” Apparently this was new knowledge to Takahisa.
“Ah, that’s another common trope used in other world fantasies. Anyway, I’ve heard of that place myself before and it caught my interest a little. Wasn’t it some remote backcountry that didn’t even have proper diplomatic relations?” Hiroaki joined the conversation too, his interest piqued.
“Actually, as the easternmost point of the Strahl region, our Galarc Kingdom formally communicated with a place in Yagumo named Rokuren via emissary for a few decades,” Charlotte said, in reference to the diplomatic relations between kingdoms.
Rokuren...? Rio reacted quietly. That was the kingdom that once quarreled with the Karasuki Kingdom that Rio’s grandparents governed, causing his parents to leave their homeland.
“However, the trip has to be made on foot, so you don’t go there with the expectation to return, there’s no estimate of how long it takes, and there’s nothing to be gained, so it was deemed to be a risk with no return and abolished from my grandfather’s generation. There hadn’t been any records of an emissary from Rokuren for a hundred years at that point.” Because there was no way to confirm if the emissary had arrived safely or not, there was a high chance the Rokuren Kingdom deemed the trip to be futile as well.
“Couldn’t you just make the trip by enchanted ship? Or by the sea?” Takahisa wondered out loud.
“Traveling by air would require a tremendous amount of magic essence to move the enchanted ship, more than could ever be supplied. Sea travel is hindered by dangerous beasts in the waters, so there’s no realistic route. The Wilderness is filled with dangerous animals from demi-dragons to wild beasts, so while it is a dangerous path to take, it’s several times better than the other options,” Christina added to the conversation.
“The scariest part of the sea route is the gigantic demi-dragon called the Sea Serpent. Our kingdom is surrounded by the sea, so our fishing industry is prosperous, but it is said that every year we lose several ships to it,” Lilianna informed Takahisa of the dangers lurking in the sea route. Her statement was hearsay, naturally, because the sunken ships didn’t return.
“...Haha. It doesn’t seem like there are any realistic routes to the Yagumo region, then,” Takahisa accepted with a twitching smile.
“Well, it is considered an act of suicide. The fact your parents made it here is impressive.” Hiroaki said to Rio, giving a small shrug.
“I agree. I heard about the Yagumo region from them when I was young, and at the time I didn’t think of it as any more than a faraway place,” Rio said.
“Oh, Lady Satsuki and Lady Miharu have returned,” Charlotte noticed. Once Satsuki came within earshot, she looked around at everyone.
“What is everyone gathered around for? Discussing something?”
“We were talking about how Sir Haruto’s parents came from the Yagumo region and the family name ‘Amakawa.’ Apparently, it sounds similar to the language of the world where the heroes have come from,” Charlotte summarized.
“Ah...” Satsuki murmured and looked at the faces of the heroes from Earth. It seemed like Rio had been able to skillfully evade the connotation of his family name by using the Yagumo region. They didn’t seem to suspect him in any way.
“I’m a little curious about what kind of place the Yagumo region is and what the people are like. It’s possible that Japanese people like us were summoned to this world in the past and developed civilizations in the far east,” Rui said, looking around at the other heroes. It was an absurd thought, but as people who had come from Earth themselves, it wasn’t an entirely unfounded thought to have.
“However, there’s no way of confirming that at present. It’s a land irrelevant to our summoning, probably. There’s no telling if it’s worth risking the danger to go there and confirm,” Hiroaki agreed with a thoughtful hum.
“Sakata is surprisingly realistic in his way of thinking,” Rui chuckled in amusement.
“Wha? And you’re just a daydreaming romanticist, huh?” He seemed to have touched a nerve, as Hiroaki replied with sarcastic spite.
“Hmm, I wonder?” Rui brushed him off calmly. Satsuki watched the two of them in exasperation as the air developed into something more hostile.
“Haruto, how about you dance with Miharu?” she suddenly said to Rio and Miharu. Miharu flinched.
“...Sure.”
“Ah! Miharu, will you dance with me too?” Takahisa gasped, overlapping Rio’s words with his own.
“Sir Takahisa is a hero and it wouldn’t be a good look to have his partner leave him behind and dance first, so perhaps Sir Takahisa should have the first dance here,” Charlotte immediately suggested with a giggle.
“...That is true. Then I shall have a turn later.” Rio read the situation and responded accordingly. With Charlotte’s suggestion being the most socially-appropriate course of action, there was no room for objection anyway.
Miharu seemed to understand that, too, as she remained silent, biting down on her lip. It was as though cold water had been poured over the situation.
I hope you understand, Haruto. You have to dance with Miharu later. Satsuki didn’t say anything out loud, glaring at Rio instead. He smiled awkwardly when he felt Satsuki’s gaze on him.
After their chat, Takahisa led Miharu to the dance floor with glee.
“We shouldn’t wait here in everyone else’s way, so let’s watch the dances elsewhere,” Charlotte suggested to Rio and Satsuki. They attracted the attention of the attendees talking with each other on the first floor of the hall as they walked a short distance away from the waiting area of the dance floor. They came across Liselotte who was on the receiving end of attention from numerous noblemen. Charlotte called out to her cheerfully.
“Hey, Liselotte.”
“Hello, Princess Charlotte. And Lady Satsuki and Sir Haruto, too,” Liselotte replied with a gentle smile. The noblemen seemed to understand the situation and scattered like insects. They didn’t have the courage to rudely remain in the presence of not only a hero and the princess, but the man who was announced as an honorary knight at this very banquet.
“I see you are without a partner, as usual. At least you had Sir Haruto on the first night... Isn’t that why you’re being approached by so many gentlemen? They asked you for a dance too, I’m sure.” Charlotte looked around at the noblemen watching from a distance and spoke in a faintly exasperated voice.
“Ahaha, I wonder,” Liselotte replied awkwardly.
“That’s right. This is a good opportunity—why don’t you dance with Sir Haruto for one song? You’ve been entertaining so many nobles that you haven’t had the time for a dance yet, have you? Lady Satsuki and I took over as Sir Haruto’s partner for the second and third nights, after all,” Charlotte said out of consideration for Liselotte, looking at Rio to implicitly suggest he ask her for a dance.
“If Lady Liselotte is willing, then it would be my pleasure,” Rio said, following Charlotte’s lead.
“Of course, I have no reason to refuse... but are you sure?” Liselotte looked questioningly at Satsuki.
“Of course. Char and I have already danced.” Though she nodded with a smile, Satsuki’s voice was a bit resigned. She still seemed a little unhappy that Rio had passed his dance with Miharu onto Takahisa so easily earlier. That being said, Satsuki wasn’t childish enough to lose sight of their surroundings and act obtrusively. On the surface, she had a cheerful smile.
“Then I would be happy to. I’ll be in your care, Sir Haruto.” Liselotte grinned happily and picked up the hem of her dress in both hands, acting shy and ladylike. Thus, following Satsuki and Charlotte, it was decided that Rio would dance with Liselotte, one of the few key figures of the Galarc Kingdom.
Rio and Liselotte headed for the dance floor together, passing by Takahisa and Miharu just as the previous dance ended.
“Ah, Haruto.” When Takahisa spotted Rio escorting Liselotte, he raised his right hand and called out to them. He looked as satisfied as he’d ever looked all day, probably because he had just finished dancing with Miharu. Meanwhile, contrary to Takahisa, Miharu’s expression was a little gloomy.
“The two of you were gathering all the attention of the hall,” Rio said to Takahisa.
“Haha, no way. Will you be dancing with that woman next? If I recall, we met on the second night... Liselotte, was it?”
“Yes. Have you heard of her?”
“She greeted me on the second night. Miharu also told me that Liselotte has been a great help to her.” It seemed like they were acquainted.
“I’m sure you met many nobles, so I’m honored that you remember my name and face, Sir Takahisa,” Liselotte giggled with a charming smile.
“Ahaha. For some reason, I’ve always been good at remembering girls. Oops, I shouldn’t hold you two up any longer. Let’s go, Miharu.” Takahisa’s face relaxed shyly before he quickly changed the topic and tried to leave with Miharu. However, Miharu didn’t move from her spot, instead addressing Rio.
“Umm, will you have time to talk later, Haruto?”
Rio paused for a faint moment, but nodded. “...Yes, of course. Let us go, Lady Liselotte.”
“Okay.” Liselotte nodded, heading with Rio to the dance floor.
“After Lady Satsuki and Princess Charlotte is Lady Liselotte, huh? If that isn’t the top selection of our kingdom’s beauties.”
“Hahaha, His Majesty certainly regards him very highly. He apparently spoke of Sir Amakawa with quite a bit of spunk.”
“It is most likely the dawn of the youngest honorary knight in history.”
The nobles beside Takahisa and Miharu were chatting amongst themselves. Miharu watched Rio depart with a frustrated expression as she listened in on their conversations.
“Come on, let’s go, Miharu.” Takahisa frowned slightly before inviting Miharu along with a bright tone.
It was Rio and Liselotte’s turn to move to the hall’s dance floor. Rio offered his hand with a gentle expression, which Liselotte took by softly placing her hand over his. Then, the two of them both brought their bodies closer, making contact through their clothes.
The song began soon after, signaling the start of their elegant dance. Hands clasped together. Bodies pressed against each other. Feeling each other’s warmth from the closest position in the world at this moment, they slowly traced their steps along the floor. Liselotte’s skirt fluttered like a flower opening its petals.
Shortly after they began dancing, Liselotte giggled with a smile. “I never imagined I’d be blessed with a chance to dance with you when we first met.”
“Me neither. There was actually something I wanted to discuss with you as quickly as possible, so it was fortunate we could get together like this.”
“...Is it about your previous life and Lady Miharu?” The day Rio first brought Miharu to Liselotte’s estate, Rio had told her how he was actually a university student named Amakawa Haruto in his past life, to which Liselotte had told him about how she had been a high school student named Minamoto Rikka. When Rio gave himself the family name Amakawa at the banquet, she probably had an idea of what was going on.
“Yes. I wanted to talk to her after the third night of the banquet, but by declaring that my family name is Amakawa, I told Miharu everything. About my past life, and about how I was reborn into this world before Miharu wandered into this world... Lady Liselotte, I asked you to stay quiet about me, so I wanted to thank you for that.”
“All I did was stay quiet about your past life to Lady Miharu, so there’s nothing to thank me for,” Liselotte replied with a giggle.
“I’m sure I caused you trouble. When I first visited your mansion with Miharu, I promised to talk to you about my past life, under the condition that you waited until I told Miharu the truth.” In reality, Liselotte would have been able to prepare a time to ask if she wanted to, but she had left it to Rio to make a move.
“Don’t let it bother you. I was busy with the aftermath of the attack on Amande and managing the Ricca Guild, so I wasn’t able to set aside time for us to talk either.” Liselotte shook her head gracefully.
“I appreciate that,” Rio said with a smile.
“There’s one thing I’d like to ask. Why did you choose ‘Amakawa’ as your family name?” Liselotte suddenly asked.
“...Part of the reason is because ‘Amakawa’ feels the most fitting for the name Haruto, but I also believed I could corner myself by doing that. That if I named myself that, I wouldn’t be able to turn back anymore.”
“Umm, what kind of relationship did you have with Lady Miharu in your past life?” Liselotte asked nervously.
“We had been childhood friends since we were babies. Although we were separated when we were 7 because I moved away, I managed to get into the same high school as her by chance, but Miharu wandered into this world on the day of the entrance ceremony... We never met again before I died in my second year of university,” Rio said a little stiffly, forcing the bitter memory out.
“Is that... so...” A faint light of surprise beamed in Liselotte’s eyes.
“You said you were a high school student called Minamoto Rikka in your past life, right? And that we never actually talked directly...” Rio inquired.
“Yes. The university you were attending had several affiliated high schools, if you recall. I was a student that went to one of the high schools on your campus.” Amakawa Haruto’s high school was also one of the affiliated high schools, and he had chosen to enter the university internally.
“Oh, that’s why you were on the same bus, then. The bus stop was a little far from campus, so there weren’t many people who used it.” Maybe that was why he had left an impression on Rikka, Rio thought.
“Yes. Pretty much the only ones who used it at the same time as me were you and another girl in elementary school. I wonder if that girl was reborn into this world as well...” Rikka smiled nostalgically as she spoke of the elementary school girl riding the same bus—Latifa in her past life—with a faraway look in her eyes.
“...Are you curious about what happened to her?” asked Rio.
“Yes. We’ve never talked before, but that girl on the bus left a strangely strong impression on me...” Liselotte partially closed her eyes at the memory and peeked at Rio’s face.
Rio thought for a moment before speaking up. “...To tell you the truth, that girl was reborn in this world, too.”
“Really?” Liselotte’s eyes widened in surprise.
“I know where she is, and I can let you meet her if you’re interested. Would you like me to take you to her, as long as she agrees to it?” If they used a magic artifact, they could disguise her werebeast features.
“Yes, please,” Liselotte replied happily.
“But you really do have an impressive memory. You’ve remembered such minute details of your past life.” Rio could remember the events and people that had left strong impressions on him, too, but everything else he only remembered vaguely.
“We were riding the same bus so often, I unintentionally started observing you all. I noticed things like you all being in the same seats again one day, or he’s staring out the window again today, or she’s getting off at the same stop again today... I guess it just kind of burned itself into my memory over time.”
“I suppose I was the one who was staring out of the window,” Rio assumed in embarrassment, remembering that about himself.
“Yes,” Liselotte confirmed with a giggle. “By the way, what were you looking at?” she asked out of curiosity.
“Nothing in particular. There was nothing else to do while commuting, so.”
“Hehe, I see.” Liselotte seemed to find something funny about that, as she giggled again.
The sight of the two dancing elegantly as they exchanged amicable words caught everyone’s attention; perhaps because they were a beautiful couple, or perhaps because they were two figures who attracted attention either way.
While most of the spectators let out sighs of admiration at the graceful pair, Hiroaki didn’t seem amused to see Liselotte, whom he had taken a liking to, dancing with Rio, as his lips were pursed in discontent. Furthermore, Miharu and Satsuki were also among the spectators.
In the meantime, Rio and Liselotte continued chatting about the trivial aspects of their past lives. However, it didn’t last long; several minutes later, the song ended.
“I had a wonderful time. Thank you for inviting me to dance. If possible, would you be willing to talk about our past lives again some time?” Liselotte asked, smiling gently. She looked a little reluctant as she parted from Rio.
“Of course. When I think about how we may have never spoken to each other on Earth, I’m glad to have met you after being reborn here,” Rio replied with a kind expression.
“...Yeah.” Liselotte blinked before nodding at Rio radiantly.
“Now, shall we return?” Rio extended his hand to escort her. Liselotte took his hand softly and the two of them left the dance floor. She glanced at his side profile.
You might not remember me, but we actually met once when I was in middle school, Amakawa-senpai, she thought as she wore a graceful smile on her cheeks.
After their dance, Rio accompanied Liselotte back to Satsuki. Charlotte had disappeared from beside her, replaced instead with Miharu, Takahisa, and Lilianna.
“Welcome back, Haruto. Liselotte, too. Your dance was lovely,” Satsuki said, speaking on behalf of the group. Rio and Liselotte replied in unison.
“Thank you very much.”
“I’m honored.”
“Hey, Haruto. You know, right?” Satsuki asked brightly.
“Know... what?” Rio replied awkwardly, sensing an intensity that didn’t warrant an argument.
“Don’t play the fool.” Got it? Satsuki implied coldly, looking at Miharu. She probably wanted him to invite Miharu for a dance, too.
Rio didn’t have any reason not to ask Miharu for a dance in this situation, and it wasn’t as though Miharu was absolutely refusing to dance, either. He started to invite Miharu for a dance, but at that moment—
“Sorry to interrupt, everyone!” a loud voice echoed across the hall. The nobles in the hall ceased their discussions and turned their gazes to the upper floor. The knight officiating the event was standing there.
“The end of the third night of the banquet draws near, but before His Majesty makes his greetings, we will conduct the official appointment ceremony for Sir Haruto Amakawa! Sir Amakawa and the heroes, if you would please return upstairs,” the knight explained.
“What terrible timing...” Satsuki sighed in half exasperation, her shapely lips twisted in protest.
“Here you are, Lady Satsuki, Sir Haruto. I was looking for you.” After disappearing without a word, Charlotte reappeared out of nowhere to address Rio and Satsuki in a bright tone. She proceeded to approach Rio and entwined her arms around his, acting self-indulgent.
“Hmph...” Satsuki watched Rio scornfully while loneliness filled Miharu’s eyes. Charlotte showed no notice of their gazes as she pulled Rio’s arm.
“Come on, let us go. Father is waiting.” Her adorable mouth was faintly twisted with a delighted smile. In the end, the rest of the time was taken up by the induction ceremony of the honorary knight, leaving Rio and Miharu no time to dance together before the third night of the banquet ended.
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login