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Chapter 5: Onwards to Rodania 

After the conclusion of the mock battle, Rio and the others returned to the nearby fortress city and immediately boarded the enchanted ships to head to Amande. 

The problem was that Hiroaki had lost control of his Divine Arms and nearly harmed the spectators. Causing a phenomenon of that scale and being unable to control it was simply appalling. If this had occurred before Christina arrived, Duke Huguenot would have just thanked Rio and Orphia, evaded the rest without blaming Hiroaki, but that wasn’t the case this time. 

The battle ultimately ended without incident thanks to Rio and Orphia’s teamwork, but Christina insisted on addressing the issue, stating that some things deserved an aggressive response. In addition, Hiroaki’s attacks towards Rio being far too unreserved was also a target of criticism. However— 

“That was partially at my request, as I goaded him to do so.” 

At the request of Rio himself, no punishment was given. Hiroaki also seemed to be aware he had made a mistake, as he accepted Christina’s scolding while the enchanted ship headed towards Amande. 

Upon arriving in Amande, the time finally came to interrogate Charles and Alfred. The interrogation was to take place in a meeting room on Liselotte’s estate. Christina, Duke Huguenot, Rio, Liselotte, and Aria would participate. 

Originally, Christina’s guard, Vanessa, was also meant to be present, but Christina had revoked her attendance due to the uncertainty of whether she could remain calm before her older brother, Alfred. Rio and Aria were there as her replacements. 

With their magic sealed with sealing shackles and bodies restrained, Charles and Alfred were brought before them. 

“It’s time for the interrogation. I have several questions,” Christina said. She was seated on the sofa in front of them while they remained standing. 

“An interrogation now...? Rather belated, isn’t it?” Charles asked dubiously. 

Of course, he had expected there to be an interrogation. But there should have been many opportunities to question him in the time it took them to arrive at Amande, which was probably why he was curious for the reason behind the delay. 

Christina remained silent with a straight face. 

“Besides, there seem to be outsiders present?” Charles looked at Liselotte, followed by a glance at Rio and Aria, then questioned whether Christina intended on conducting an interrogation where their kingdom’s secrets could leak out. 

“As the princess, I’m the one asking the questions here, but... well, fine. I’ll answer you. The answer to your first question is because I know you won’t have any particularly useful information to begin with. There was no need to interrogate you in a hurry.” 

“What did you say...?” Charles frowned at Christina’s scornful answer. It seemed like his pride was hurt. Meanwhile, there was no change in Alfred’s expression beside him. 

“The answer to your second question is because you’ve provoked the Galarc Kingdom by deploying such a large army right beside the border. Lady Liselotte has a right to be here on behalf of Duke Cretia, who was entrusted with the defense of the kingdom’s border. I am also obligated to explain the details of what happened to the Galarc Kingdom. It’s only natural for her to be present as a concerned party,” Christina explained. It was as though she was questioning Charles’ understanding. 

“Nngh...” Right now, he was clearly being looked down upon. Charles realized that and gritted his teeth in frustration. 

“Now, it’s time for my questions.” 

“And you think I’ll answer them?” Charles immediately snapped at Christina with a defiant look. 

“Who knows? I’m just asking the questions. It’s up to you to think them over and decide whether to answer or not, correct? Or are you incapable of making your own judgments without the orders of Duke Arbor and Reiss? Did you want me to command you to answer, then?” Christina cocked her head in wonder, coolly brushing off Charles’ rebellious attitude. 

“Wha...” The completely unexpected response rendered Charles speechless. However, he seemed to realize he was being mocked, as his humiliation was evident on his face. 

“Are you satisfied your doubts have been cleared now?” Christina smiled insincerely. 

“Y-You liar! If that were true, you wouldn’t bother with an interrogation at all! You must be holding this interrogation because I have information you want!” Charles objected in shock. 

Christina sighed dramatically. “Mm... As I said earlier, I do not see you as a source of information in this situation. This interrogation is more of a show of good faith towards the Galarc Kingdom. By having Lady Liselotte in attendance, I can convey my intention to share information with the Galarc Kingdom and obtain their trust. I intend on doing the same with the Galarc King as well, if necessary,” she explained with heavy exasperation. No, she purposely created the illusion of doing so, in order to show she had no expectations of him whatsoever. 

In reality, it was extremely important to give the concerned parties a chance to ask questions when trying to resolve conflicts. 

“So you’re saying my interrogation is only for show... Nothing more than an example.” To Charles, there was no greater humiliation. 

“It would depend on whether you had any useful information. That, and your attitude, I suppose. If I can deem you to be a proud noble of the Beltrum Kingdom, then I won’t shame you any more than necessary.” 

She had no expectations of him. That was what Christina conveyed through the shrug of her shoulders, before leaving a thread of hope for Charles at the end. 

“Ugh...” 

The disgrace so prominent in Charles’ expression flickered faintly. His pride had been stirred by the possibility of not being looked down upon. He was hopeful that he could turn the circumstances in his favor with just his attitude. 

“I will now begin the questioning.” 

“What information are you seeking?” Charles asked with a conflicted face. 

“The fact that Duke Arbor’s faction has strong ties with the Proxia Empire, and that the intermediary between the two is a man called Reiss, has been as good as proven through the incident this time. If this is the case, facts based on this premise will be proven in due course. This is the major premise, but I wonder if you can understand it?” 

“...” He couldn’t deny it. He didn’t think they would believe him even if he did. Charles bit his lip in bitter frustration. 

“I won’t judge the impact of the Duke Arbor faction’s actions on the kingdom for now. What we want to know isn’t Duke Arbor’s goal, but rather the Proxia Empire’s goal. That, and what their ambassador, Reiss, was scheming by approaching you people.” 

“We made contact during the incident where the kingdom lost one of its territories to the sudden raid of the Empire. This blunder was made by none other than His Majesty and Duke Huguenot’s weak political measures towards the Empire. Our Arbor faction were the ones who prevented more territories from being taken. The goals of the Proxia Empire...” 

They were beyond their knowledge. There was no way everything would be disclosed to them. Of course, Reiss had stated “We don’t wish to needlessly expand the war front either” during their negotiations, but even Charles knew that Christina wasn’t asking for that. 

“I know you must have joined hands because the superficial intentions of the other party aligned with your interests, but there’s no telling what they were thinking in the shadows. Did you not consider that?” 

“Of course we considered it.” 

“Are you aware that Flora was abducted during her visit to Amande when the city was under attack?” 

“I received word of that, yes...” Was that relevant right now? 

“Then, did you know Reiss Vulfe was one of the abductors?” 

“What...?” 

“Did you know the perpetrator of the abduction was Lucius Orgueil, a former noble of the Beltrum Kingdom?” 

“H-Huh? T-That’s absurd... Why... Lu... Lucius? Why would that man’s name come up here...?” Charles was completely baffled by Christina’s consecutive questions. Even Alfred, whose expression hadn’t changed until now, widened his eyes greatly. 

“The Arbor faction collaborated with the Proxia Empire’s ambassador Reiss and mercenary Lucius to plot Flora’s abduction. If that truth was made public, I’m sure it would be quite the scandal for Duke Arbor’s faction. Do you have anything to say for yourself?” 

“I-I don’t know. I know nothing about this... I’ve heard nothing! Father... Father may know something...” Charles shook his head furiously. 

“Well, I figured as much. That’s why I had no expectations to begin with... But your reaction implies you know of Lucius. Does he have some kind of relation to the Arbor faction?” Christina asked. 

“N-None! He definitely doesn’t! That would be impossible!” 

“How can you be so certain?” 

“That’s because...!” Charles stumbled for words, his expression suddenly pained. 

In contrast, Christina merely remained calm as she questioned him. “Because?” 

“H-His house fell to ruin... He may harbor resentment towards our family because of it.” Charles looked terribly shifty. 

“Just what did you people do?” 

“That’s...” I don’t want to say it. It’s too hard to say out loud. 

Alfred spoke for the first time. “The details are a little peculiar, but in short, he was a scapegoat.” 

“Come to think of it, Lucius was a prominent candidate for the King’s Sword. Naturally, you were acquainted with him, is that correct?” 

“Yes.” 

Christina glanced at Rio, who was standing on guard beside Alfred, then asked about Lucius. “What kind of man was Lucius Orgueil?” 

“His behavior was a little problematic, giving him the reputation of an insincere hooligan, but he was a man with exceptional talent in the sword.” 

“Problematic behavior. Is that to say his loyalty to the royal family was nonexistent enough that it wouldn’t be strange for him to plot Flora’s abduction?” 

“That’s... He was the prodigal son with little awareness that he was a noble heir, but I would disagree with the statement that he had no loyalty to the royal family at all. However, I cannot say that remains the same now that his house has fallen.” 

“When did the Orgueil house fall?” 

Alfred thought for a second before answering. “Roughly fifteen years ago, I would say.” 

“You called him a scapegoat, but why did the Orgueil house fall?” 

“The Orgueil house had paper-thin influence in the royal court to begin with. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say the fate of their house rested on Lucius’ success. However, to their own demise, Lucius had too much talent. That wasn’t amusing to those around them that held too much pride in their social standing. Lucius also had the tendency to look down on those without talent, so he caught a lot of resentment. As a result, his father lost his job when a scandal was forced on his head. Criticism towards Lucius grew stronger, and he suffered terrible harassment. The one who pulled all the strings in the shadows was Charles over there.” 

“Guh...” Charles averted his eyes awkwardly. 

“Then one day, he completely disappeared. Of course, there were those who recognized his talents and wanted to keep him, but Lucius wasn’t the type to live tied down to begin with. He would have ran away someday,” Alfred said with a distant look, reflecting on the past. 

“I see. Sir Amakawa, was there anything you wanted to ask regarding Lucius?” Christina suddenly invited Rio to speak, wondering if there was any information he wanted to know. 

“Then... Do you know where Lucius is now?” Rio got straight to the point. 

“No. I don’t know the details of what happened afterwards, though I did hear rumors he was actively working as a mercenary... Why do you want to know?” 

Do you have some kind of connection to Lucius? Alfred looked at Rio as though he wanted to ask that. 

“After becoming a mercenary, that man killed my mother for no reason other than his own pleasure. I cannot ignore his existence knowing that he’s still alive,” Rio answered plainly. 

“I... see...” Alfred was somewhat shocked, falling speechless. Charles was also listening silently. 

In the end, they gained no information of use. Learning about Lucius’ past only increased Rio’s irritation further. 

So it’s exactly as I expected, huh... If I want to obtain any clues, I’ll have to make a move myself. 

In other words, he had to march into the enemy territory himself. Rio quietly steeled his resolve. 

 

The questioning continued for little under an hour after that, at which point the investigation came to an end. Charles was led out of the room by Duke Huguenot, Liselotte, and Aria. This was in order for Duke Huguenot to conduct his own investigation on Charles. 

However, Alfred remained in the room. Rio also remained as a guard, leaving the three of them, including Christina, in the room. 

“With all due respect, would it be better to call Vanessa over to act as your guard instead of me? I am aware there may be things you wouldn’t wish to discuss before me,” Rio suggested to Christina before she began questioning Alfred. 

“It’s fine. Vanessa lacks the composure to be in attendance right now, and she falls far behind in ability as a guard to you. Of course, I’d like you to refrain from spreading word of what you hear here, but I promise you won’t be disadvantaged by your knowledge of the discussion. Please,” Christina said a little shyly. 

“I understand. In that case, allow me to remain.” 

“Thank you very much. That’s how it is, so there’s no need for your consideration, Alfred. Have you mentally prepared yourself?” Christina turned to Alfred and asked. 

“Ready when you are,” Alfred nodded obediently. 

“The fact the King’s Sword joined the search party means Father gave some kind of command for you to do so. Is that correct?” Christina asked, first confirming the facts. 

“Yes.” 

“What kind of command was it? Were you told to apprehend me and bring me back to the capital?” Christina’s expression was disgusted, but at the same time, somewhat hopeful. 

“At the time of departure, His Majesty gave me this order: follow Charles and fulfill your duty.” 

“What duty would that be?” 

“To protect Your Highness,” Alfred answered stiffly. 

“Protect me?” Christina’s face twisted with suspicion. 

“Yes.” 

“What... Does that mean?” Christina asked after a long pause. 

“The duty bestowed upon me by His Majesty was to protect you.” 

“Your actions contradict your words. If Sir Amakawa hadn’t arrived, I would have definitely been captured by you. Are you saying you intended on changing your mind during that battle and betraying Charles?” 

“No...” 

“Then what do you mean?” Christina asked with slight irritation. 

“I cannot say any more than this at the present.” Alfred slowly shook his head. 

Christina pursed her lips in displeasure. The one who had ordered her out of the castle was none other than her father himself. 

What order had that father given Alfred? What was this discrepancy between the man that joined the search party to capture Christina and the explanation that Alfred just gave? She suspected there was a particular aim at play here. 

“May I ask for your opinion, Sir Amakawa, as the one who actually crossed swords with him? Where do Alfred’s true intentions lie? Do you think this man’s words can be trusted?” Christina took a small breath and questioned Rio imploringly. Alfred wasn’t the type of man to lie easily. Christina knew that better than Rio would, but she still sought Rio’s opinion. 

“I cannot imagine his words to be a fabrication. However...” 

“Do you have other concerns?” 

“I suppose you could call it an odd feeling? I can’t explain it well, but looking back on it now, it seemed like there was hesitation to Alfred’s actions.” 

“Hesitation?” 

“Yes. If he was truly trying to capture Your Highness, I believe he would have been able to settle things much faster. Charles and Reiss were aware of our combat strength beforehand, so they set up an ambush after splitting our forces. In other words, if he captured Princess Christina before Sara’s group or I could come running, he would have obtained a hostage and settled things immediately. However, from what I heard from Orphia afterwards, he didn’t seem too interested in battling, and it seemed like he was holding back.” 

That’s why something felt odd. Alfred hadn’t devoted himself completely to capturing Christina. 

Even if it hadn’t been Christina, the situation would have changed if he had taken a single hostage, so it was hard to imagine his true intention was to capture her. 

Although, by the time Rio crossed swords with him, he had been trying to settle things at the fastest speed without holding back, so there wasn’t any hesitation to be felt from him... 

“Is it possible that Alfred was trying to carry out the order from His majesty from the position he was placed in? He needed to act like he was following Charles’ orders in order to protect his target, but doing so would increase Her Highness’ chance of escape, so he could only act so leniently without Charles noticing. Perhaps I’m overthinking things...” 

If that were true, it was a rather clumsy attempt. 

However, once Rio spoke that far, Alfred’s expression twitched. Christina stared at his face closely so that she wouldn’t miss any change in expression. 

“Which is it, Alfred?” 

“No... I...” Alfred averted his eyes awkwardly, struggling for words. Silence fell across the room. 

“That’s quite the guilt-ridden look,” Christina eventually pointed out uneasily. 

“I am already your prisoner. I am prepared to take whatever punishment that befalls me.” 

Alfred bowed his head like he was offering his neck. 

“Are you seeking judgment from me, perhaps?” 

“...” 

“Enough. I will put aside your punishment for now. Put up with being a prisoner for the time being,” Christina said with a sigh. 

“Understood.” Alfred nodded, bowing his head. 

 

The morning after arriving in Amande... 

The night before, Rio and the others had stayed at Liselotte’s estate. Today, Sara, Orphia, and Alma would be leaving separately in order to return to Miharu and act as her guard. 

“We’ll be going now, then.” 

Sara and the others offered their farewells in front of the estate. They were seen off by not only Rio and Celia, but Christina, Vanessa, Kouta, and Rei, who had traveled with them. Furthermore, Liselotte, Flora, Duke Huguenot, and Roanna were present as well. 

Having received a house arrest order at his scolding the day prior, Hiroaki wasn’t present. 

“Thank you so much for everything. If it weren’t for Sir Amakawa and you all, we would have been captured in Cleia for sure,” Christina said in parting on behalf of the others. 

“Not at all. I don’t mean to belittle how we feel with such an oft-used phrase, but I wish you good fortune in your future endeavors.” Sara also answered on behalf of Orphia and Alma. 

“Thank you, truly... I didn’t think we’d be parting so soon,” Celia said sadly, her eyes filled with tears. 

“Please don’t be upset. We may just pop up all of the sudden somewhere,” Sara said. 

“Yup. I want to go visit you again too,” said Celia. 

Orphia chimed in. “Let’s meet up again sometime, for sure.” 

“I’m looking forward to it,” Alma added. 

“Yup!” Celia nodded happily. 

Such a shame... I would have loved to welcome them in Rodania and invite them to our cause. However, that Miharu they mentioned is something else—with Sir Amakawa included, not even royalty would have this many capable figures as their guard. I’ve heard the Aishia girl is also on another level... Just what is going on with his surroundings? Duke Huguenot thought, looking at Rio. Not only did he have miraculously powerful abilities himself, but he was surrounded by other brilliant people. He was like a treasury of exceptional personnel. 

By making an enemy out of Rio alone, one would be making an enemy of Satsuki, Liselotte, and even the Galarc King at worst—a terrifying thought. And now Christina was also included in that group. 

Perhaps the incident with Sir Hiroaki turned out for the best. 

If Hiroaki had gone too far with his envy, he could have caused an even more problematic situation. Though that meant Christina’s foresight was on the mark... 

At any rate, he drove away 5,000 soldiers—this is a fact. His fame will only grow exponentially from here. I need to find a way to tie him to the Restoration, Duke Huguenot decided. 

 

After seeing Sara and the others off, it was Rio’s group’s turn to depart. They were to head to Rodania from here via the Restoration’s enchanted ship. Their farewells were said in the garden of Liselotte’s estate, just like when Sara’s group left. 

“I will come pay a visit on a later date, then. Thank you for handling the matter involving Satsuki,” Rio said to Liselotte. 

“No problem. I’m sure His Majesty will give a favorable answer once he hears of your services. Please look forward to it,” Liselotte said with a giggle. 

“I will be hopeful.” Rio accepted her words as flattery. However, Francois would come to rate this incident much more highly than Rio was imagining. 

“See you again, Aria. I was so happy to speak to you again.” Celia also wrapped up her goodbyes with her old friend. 

“Same here. I was relieved to see you were safe. Let’s talk again if you have the chance to visit Amande.” 

“Yup. I may be visiting the estate again for a dinner party in the future, so on that occasion.” 

“I cannot wait,” Aria smiled gently at Celia and nodded. A short distance away, Aria’s colleagues—including Cosette and Natalie—watched on. 

“So Aria actually had friends outside of work.” 

“Right? I thought work was her friend.” 

Surprised at the glimpse of a face she didn’t normally show, the attendants whispered amongst themselves curiously. 

“I can hear you, you know,” Aria said coldly. 

 

That afternoon, Rio and the others finally arrived in Rodania. After landing on the giant lake beside the fortress city, they sailed towards the harbor. 

The crew swiftly prepared for them to get off the ship, and they finally disembarked. First went the royal siblings, Christina and Flora, escorted by Vanessa across the ramp connecting to the harbor. 

They were followed by Rio, a hooded Celia hiding her face, Kouta and Rei, then Duke Huguenot, Roanna, and Hiroaki. Celia was hiding her face with a hood because Charles was still unaware that she was traveling together with them. Charles was to disembark after them and it wouldn’t be good if he realized Celia was here and made a commotion on his way to the prison, so they decided to hide her face for the time being. 

An enchanted ship had been sent in advance to send word of Christina’s arrival, so the high-ranked nobles of the Restoration were all lined in a row in the harbor. When they spotted Christina behind Vanessa, they all placed their hand over their chests and bowed their heads in a show of respect. 

“Whoa...” 

“That’s incredible.” 

Kouta and Rei were overwhelmed by that sight. The princess was the one being shown respect, but it gave them the illusion that they had become important people too. Hiroaki must have been shown this respect since he arrived in this world as a hero, so his arrogance suddenly made sense. Though he was rather quiet for the time being... 

It had been difficult to tell during Kouta and Rei’s travels on the run, but it was at this moment they were reminded that Christina was truly a princess. 

Then, from the mass of nobles that had gathered to greet them, one man in remarkably fancier clothes than the rest stepped forward. It was the Rodan marquess. 

“Welcome, Princess Christina,” he said in greeting, stepping out in front of the others. 

“Thank you for the reception,” Christina said as she looked around at her surroundings. 

Donned in a spare dress borrowed from Flora, she was beautiful and orderly, giving off the imposing sense of royalty. She wasn’t particularly lavishing her charms about, but the younger male nobles were all captivated by her beauty. 

“I am unworthy of such words. We have all waited for this day with every fiber of our being. According to the reports, we’ve heard that Your Highness has taken captive Charles, the right-hand man of our archenemy Duke Arbor, and Sir Alfred Emarle, the King’s Sword. How splendid indeed!” Marquess Rodan praised Christina while beaming. 

“The capture of Charles and Alfred was the work of Sir Amakawa. Make sure you give him the warm welcome of a state guest.” 

“As you wish,” Marquess Rodan bowed. “Now... We can’t have Your Majesty standing around speaking for any longer. Let us move locations. I must also prepare for your welcome.” 

“Yes. But first, can I entrust the transport of the prisoners to you?” 

Christina turned to face the enchanted ship behind her. Alfred and Charles appeared at the top of the ramp, restrained in cuffs. 

“Ooh...” 

The nobles all stirred noisily at that sight. The two of them were well-known figures in Beltrum—Alfred being the strongest knight of the kingdom. They were aware of this from the advance notice they received, but seeing the actual prisoners was still surprising. 

Alfred ignored the gazes, standing with dignity. 

“Guh...” Charles averted his eyes, humiliation on his face. 

“Lead them away,” Duke Huguenot sneered, ordering the knight leading them by the chains connected to their cuffs. 

“Yes, Sir!” 

The knights pulled them down the ramp by the chains. They then led them elsewhere while under the eyes of the public. 

After observing that, Rio and the others also began to walk. 

 

Afterwards, Rio and the others relocated to the guest house beside Marquess Rodan’s home. A small party could be held in one room. It was still afternoon, but after taking into consideration their fatigue from traveling, it was decided the welcome party would be held without waiting for the night hours. 

The attendants were kept to the minimum, participation restricted to a select few nobles chosen by Duke Huguenot and Marquess Rodan. However, even then there were over a hundred nobles in the venue, as well as chefs, maids, and musicians, so the venue was bustling with people. The format of the party was that of a stand-up buffet, so people were constantly moving and holding conversations all over the room. 

At the very back of the venue were Christina, Flora, and Celia, as well as Duke Huguenot and Marquess Rodan. Incidentally, Hiroaki’s absence from the feast had been explained as him feeling unwell, and Roanna was keeping him company. 

“However, I never imagined Your Highness would be accompanied by Lady Celia. And with her fiance Charles Arbor in tow!” Marquess Rodan said with a curious look in his eye. 

The events of her rescue were explained to him as they had been to Duke Huguenot, but he was understandably intrigued by the circumstances. 

“Professor Celia is too good to be married to a man like that,” Christina said. 

“Hahaha! Indeed, Lady Celia is a genius far better than he deserves.” Marquess Rodan laughed heartily, but the strong-willed curiosity in his eyes didn’t fade. 

“We cannot inconvenience Count Claire who is still affiliated with the main government, so Professor Celia’s affiliation with us shall be kept as secret as possible for the time being. It may be difficult to hide internally, but it could also interfere with the investigations—ensure that no word of this reaches Charles’ ears,” Christina warned. 

There were probably spies among them, so Christina didn’t think they could prevent word of Celia’s presence in the Restoration from reaching the main government, but whether that fact was announced publicly or not changed the circumstances. Besides, with Charles as a hostage, nothing would happen to Count Claire. 

“I am aware. You can count on it,” Marquess Rodan agreed. 

“Everyone present here has received an explanation and shares the same understanding. Sir Amakawa’s great efforts have also been widespread, making him the center of attention,” Duke Huguenot said, looking at Rio, who was surrounded by young noblewomen a short distance away. 

You were the one who tempted the ladies towards him, and you have the nerve to say that? Christina thought with a small sigh. Banquets like this were a place for nobles to meet new people, so as long as the inconvenience caused no real harm, not even she could make direct criticism. 

However, the seductive techniques of such ladies would probably have little effect on him, as he was normally surrounded by young women like Celia and Sara. In fact, Rio was responding in a friendly manner, but seemed a little uncomfortable. It wasn’t just Christina’s imagination. 

“Hmph...” Celia puffed up her cheeks in a slight pout. 

 

Meanwhile, elsewhere at the party venue, Kouta and Rei were reaching for the extravagant dishes on the tables. 

“Hmm, the food’s good. But there’s still a discrepancy here, Kouta,” Rei said, watching Rio be surrounded by women. 

“Well... It’s only natural for Haruto to be popular. He’s as cool as Rui; he’s strong and as high-ranking as a noble.” He was perfect with no faults, Kouta explained. 

“Stop it. You’re just making us seem more pitiful.” 

“You started it...” 

“Anyway, we’ve followed them all the way here, but what do we do now? Princess Christina said she’d look after our living necessities if we stay here, but... Ooh, this meat is good.” Rei stuffed his cheeks with a steak that had been neatly sliced on a plate. 

“Talk or eat. Pick one...” Kouta said tiredly. 

“We’re finally able to eat a warm meal, and I don’t wanna let it get cold. So, what do we do? If they’ll let us live here then we’ll be okay for now, at least.” 

“If we’re going to live here, then I’d like to have some kind of job, personally. I don’t just want to be looked after, I want to be able to stand independently,” Kouta said with a hint of ardor. 

“Hmm. You’ve grown, Kouta,” Rei said earnestly. He believed Kouta wouldn’t have been able to sound so reliable if he were still bothered by Rui and Akane’s relationship. 

“Don’t make fun of me. What do you want to do, then?” Kouta turned away in embarrassment and asked Rei. 

“What do I want? I... want to live an easy life,” Rei said honestly. 

“The words of a useless human...” 

“Rude. Everyone thinks like that at least a little. Anyway... With all this, I could probably keep living here. The food’s good, and I’m getting full.” 

“I see...” 

Indeed, living here would be the safe option. However, Kouta wanted to be able to face Rui again proudly, so he wanted to be a better person. Would that be fulfilled by living a carefree life here? He wondered to himself. 

“Unrelated, but don’t you find that these buffet style meals tend to fill you up faster than normal? How strange.” Rei exhaled, placing his plate down on a nearby table. 

“No, I’m pretty sure you ate a lot... You probably didn’t notice because you were trying all kinds of dishes a little at a time,” Kouta answered in exasperation. 

“Excuse me, do the two of you have a moment?” someone called out to them. It was a group that consisted of two middle-aged men and two pretty girls that appeared to be their daughters. 

“Ah, yes. What is it?” Rei straightened his posture reflexively. 

“Oh, we just wanted to talk to you two. I am the baron Dirk Dandy, and this is baron Gilbert Belmond. A relative of mine.” 

“Erm, I’m Rei Saiki. This is my underclassman, Kouta Murakumo. It’s nice to meet you.” 

Rei returned the greeting in the Strahl way awkwardly. 

Behind him, Kouta bowed his head nervously. “Nice to meet you,” he added. 

“Hahaha, there’s no need to be so stiff. That’s right—allow me to introduce our daughters. Go on,” Baron Dandy said in a friendly manner, turning to their daughters. The two pretty girls standing behind them stepped forward. 

“My name is Rosa Dandy.” 

“I’m Mikaela Belmond.” 

Rosa and Mikaela both bowed their heads gracefully. The two of them were slightly younger than Rei and Kouta, with pretty facial features. They exuded an air of modesty and elegance. 

“It’s nice to meet you two. You can call me Rei.” Rei’s expression tightened sharply, his voice taking on a prominent tone as he bowed in a gentlemanly manner. However, the unfortunate destiny of all men drew his gaze towards the open chest of her dress. Especially towards Rosa, whose breasts swelled at a size slightly disproportionate for her age. 

Oooh! Kouta! Our time has finally come! 

With his head still bowed down, Rei glanced over at Kouta with glee. 

Rei, stop being an embarrassment. Really. 

Ashamed by Rei’s sudden change in attitude, Kouta’s face twitched as he tried his best to maintain a smile on his face. However, Rosa and Mikaela giggled, finding their attitude amusing. 

“Pleased to make your acquaintance, Sir Rei. Feel free to call us by our first names as well,” Rosa suggested. 

“Gladly, Miss Rosa, Miss Mikaela,” Rei nodded calmly. 

“Is it okay to refer to you by your first name as well?” Mikaela asked Kouta. 

“Ah, sure. I don’t mind...” Kouta agreed a little nervously. 

“Thank you very much. It’s very nice to meet you, Sir Kouta.” 

“Yeah, same here...” Kouta’s breath was taken away by Mikaela cheerfully addressing him. 

After that, lively conversation unfolded between them for a while. As expected of nobility, the barons and their daughters were masterful in the art of conversation, easing Rei into becoming more talkative and Kouta into relaxing. Rosa naturally drew closer to Rei while Mikaela approached Kouta. 

“Are you sure you should be talking to us? To be honest, we’re not all that important,” Rei suddenly asked, as though the thought just came to mind. 

“Hahaha, that isn’t the case at all. You seemed to be engrossed in the food earlier, so it was difficult to call out to you. We were waiting for a chance to approach this entire time,” Baron Dandy said with a gentle smile. 

“I-I see... Well this is embarrassing.” Rei accepted those words with a bashful look. Indeed, he had immediately moved to the food when the banquet started. It seemed his own actions were what prevented the nobles from speaking to them. Kouta’s face also reddened in realization. 

“However, it’s also true that the people you accompanied were a little too extravagant. There was Her Highness, Princess Christina, Count Clare’s daughter, Lady Celia, and even the Galarc Kingdom’s honorary knight, Sir Amakawa,” Baron Dandy said, looking around at the area where the aforementioned people were. 

“Will you not be going to greet Her Highness and the others?” Kouta asked. 

“Though we are nobles, we are merely at the bottom rung of the ladder. We cannot speak to those higher ranked than us so easily. These events may make it seem like we’re just having pleasant chats with each other, but there’s a proper sequence and etiquette involved in these conversations.” Baron Belmond humbled himself and answered with a strained smile. 

That being said, a bottom-tier noble wouldn’t have been invited by Duke Huguenot and Marquess Rodan to this event. Both Baron Dandy and Baron Belmond were low-ranked nobles, but they had climbed up to a fixed position and were given permission to participate today. 

“I see... That must be difficult.” Kouta was reminded of just how suffocating noble society was. 

“At least we aren’t nobles, then. You can feel free to talk to us as a break from it all,” Rei said jokingly. 

“You are so funny,” Rosa giggled. 

“It seems like the two of you are enjoying yourselves.” 

Just then, Duke Huguenot and Marquess Rodan made their way over. It was the entrance of the two great nobles that the Restoration boasted in. 

“G-Good day.” 

“All thanks to you.” 

Kouta and Rei both greeted them politely. The barons also bowed their heads in a show of respect. 

“Oh, you can all be at ease. This isn’t a formal party, after all. Come to think of it, I have yet to introduce myself to the two of you directly. My apologies for the delay, I am George Rodan. Pleased to make your acquaintance.” Marquess Rodan introduced himself to Kouta and Rei with a friendly smile. 

“We were the ones who were late to introduce ourselves. I apologize for being rude. My name is Rei Saiki,” Rei said immediately. 

“I’m Kouta Murakumo. It’s nice to meet you,” Kouta added quickly. 

“Mhmm. It’s an honor to meet the two who were summoned alongside the great hero.” 

“Indeed. I’ve heard the two of them are also quite talented.” 

Marquess Rodan and Duke Huguenot immediately complimented Kouta and Rei. 

“Not at all. We’re just the bonus dregs that were summoned along with the hero,” Rei shook his head modestly. 

“Hahaha, there’s no need to be so humble. I’ve heard that the two of you were highly educated where you came from,” Marquess Rodan said. 


“Ah, well... It’s no big deal...” 

Rei and Kouta exchanged frowns. The two of them knew they were nothing more than regular high school students in Japan. 

Compulsory education didn’t exist in this world, so they indeed had a little more knowledge compared to the boys and girls here, but that was because the bar was low when it came to their surroundings, and not because they were superior. They were aware of this. 

Besides, they had met plenty of people from this world that were smarter than them—they had even traveled with them. 

“They’re plentiful in magic essence and are blessed with talent as sorcerers too, George,” Duke Huguenot said to Marquess Rodan casually. 

“Oh, that’s wonderful!” Marquess Rodan’s admiration was almost exaggerated. 

“We’ve heard that we have lots of essence, but we haven’t gotten much training in magic,” said Kouta. All they could use was the enchantment for physical ability, Augendae Corporis, as well as some lower-class attack spells. 

“If I may say this for your own good—if you have a talent, you should try to develop it. There’ll be plenty of opportunities for the two of you in the future.” 

“Mhmm. The two of them seem too humble for their own good. However, we should refrain from placing too much pressure on the youth. Please enjoy the party today. You may meet someone wonderful, you know?” Marquess Rodan echoed Duke Huguenot’s sentiments and laughed jokingly as he looked at Rosa and Mikaela. 

“Haha, we’ve already met some wonderful people,” Rei replied enthusiastically, lured into glancing over at Rosa. 

Rei really gets full of himself as soon as a cute girl pays him any attention. 

This was nothing new, but Kouta sighed at the appearance of his upperclassman’s old habit. 

Marquess Rodan was smiling, a sharp light flickering in his eyes for a moment. “Oh, that is quite fortuitous then. If there’s a lady that catches your eye, you should move boldly and swoop in. Though you may find yourself up against rivals and fiances,” he said with a suppressed smile, stirring a sense of panic in Rei. 

“True, the competition must be fierce for beautiful people. Like Miss Rosa and Miss Mikaela.” Swept along in Marquess Rodan’s topic, Rei turned to Rosa and Mikaela. 

The one who answered wasn’t Rosa, but her father, Baron Dandy. “I may sound like a doting parent, but as they are both very capable women, they’ve received many proposals. But we’ve yet to find a partner for her that meets all of our ideal conditions. As a loving parent, I only want to find the best marriage partner for my beloved daughter, you see...” he said somberly. 

When a baron’s daughter married a noble of higher status, she would normally end up as a concubine or second wife of a senile older noble. For nobles with a strong desire to rise in status, they would generally aim to receive added value in marriage with their first wife. Of course, the opposite also applied. Even if the current heads had reached a fixed position, Baron Dandy and Baron Belmond’s houses were the same. 

“Hmm. Of course. They’re lovely, after all. Which means it would be out of the question for me to offer myself as Miss Rosa’s partner. Ah, how unfortunate,” Rei nodded deeply, putting on a show of exaggerated disappointment. His experiences up until this point had taught him not to have a single drop of expectation for being popular, but perhaps this could be his chance. It would be a lie to say he wasn’t somewhat hopeful right now. 

If anything, Rei had never had such a lively conversation with girls as pretty as them in his life. To be honest, Rosa’s appearance was totally his type. 

But at the end of the day, she was probably acting friendly to him because of the social etiquette of nobility. Assuming that was the case, Rei had accepted that this connection would end after they parted ways today, but... 

“Hahaha, perhaps it’s a little hasty of you to say that. What do you think, Rosa? You heard Sir Rei.” Baron Dandy laughed heartily and turned to Rosa. 

“I’m honored. Sir Rei is a very interesting gentleman,” Rosa replied, not displeased at all. 

“Hmm?” 

What did that mean? He had expected to be brushed off lightly, so the unexpected answer made Rei cock his head. 

“Oh? In that case, how about this. Sir Rei, would you like to meet my daughter privately on a later day? The two of you should get to know each other better first.” 

“Huh...? Uh, sure... Wait, what?” Rei nodded, dumbfounded, at Baron Dandy’s question. 

Huh? Is this... a promise for a date? Could this be my chance?! Rei belatedly processed the situation. 

“I shall look forward to it, Sir Rei.” Rosa bowed cutely, embarrassed but happy. 

“No, umm... I’m the one looking forward to it, Miss Rosa,” Rei replied, his voice cracking. 

S-Seriously?! My time has come! He rejoiced in his heart. Meanwhile... 

“Ugh...” Kouta sighed quietly in exasperation. 

 

The party ended in the evening hours. Rio and Celia would stay in the guest house and were each led to their respective rooms. However, Celia immediately made her way to Rio’s room, as she had something she wanted to discuss. 

“I’ll pour some tea. Please sit over there, Celia.” Rio walked over to the kitchenette and began his preparations to welcome Celia as his guest. They were both told the maids of the guest house could be summoned into their rooms to help out, but they were capable of looking after themselves, so there was no need for that. 

After Rio promptly finished preparing the tea, he sat down across from Celia, who had seated herself on the sofa. 

“Thank you. I’m sorry to intrude upon you when you must be tired from the long journey and welcome party.” 

Rio smiled warmly to reassure her. “It’s fine, I’m not tired. Are you sure you’re not the one that’s tired, Celia? You’re not used to long journeys and it’s been a while since you’ve attended a party like that, right?” 

“I am a bit tired, but there were many familiar faces at the party. It was fresh and fun seeing them again after such a long time. Though it was a little bit mentally tiring as well,” Celia smiled softly and shrugged. 

“That’s good, then. We weren’t able to talk much during the welcome party, so I was worried.” 

Rio had been hounded by nobles from beginning to end, so he hadn’t been able to move freely at all. Celia had been in a similar situation. 

“You were surrounded by girls the entire time, after all...” Celia said, watching Rio for his reaction. She must have been watching Rio carefully during the party as well. 

“Yes, but I couldn’t take my eyes off of you out of worry,” Rio replied with a somewhat lonely smile. 

“Huh? O-Oh. I see. Ahaha.” 

Celia was taken aback, her voice rising an octave. She couldn’t look directly at Rio out of embarrassment. She had wanted to ask if he was proposed to, but that thought had completely vanished from her head now. 

“T-That aside, Aishia’s still in spirit form, right? It’s just us here, so you should have her come out,” Celia said hastily, changing the topic in a fluster. 

“All right.” 

Particles of light gathered beside Rio and took the form of Aishia. She proceeded to flop down in the seat beside him. Celia puffed up her cheeks a little, but the thought of only being able to see these two like this for a little longer made her want them to stay like this forever. She swallowed her words and corrected her posture. “Umm, I know it’s a little late to be saying this, but I—I’m going to officially join the Restoration as Princess Christina’s advisor.” 

“Okay,” Rio said gently, as though he already knew this. 

“I know... I know I’ve caused you, Sara, Orphia, and Alma lots of trouble... I’m sorry for that.” Celia hung her head. 

Rio shook his head slowly. “There’s nothing for you to apologize for.” 

“You are too kind...” 

“Not at all.” Rio nodded happily. 

“I have nothing to my name right now, so I can’t do anything but thank you... But I’ll definitely repay you for this one day,” Celia vowed, firmly expressing her intentions. 

“I don’t really mind... Oh, that’s right. I forgot I had to give you this. Dissolvo.” Rio recited the spell to discharge the Time-Space Cache. The space above the table warped, and a small pouch packed to the brim appeared. 

“What’s inside of it?” Celia wondered, tilting her head. 

“Travel funds Count Claire entrusted to me before we left Cleia. There’s one enchanted gold coin, and around 200 regular gold coins.” 

“F-From father...? He gave you this much? Even an enchanted gold?” Celia’s eyes widened in shock. Enchanted gold coins were rare coins said to have the value of 100 gold coins. When combined with the 200 gold coins, it was a large sum of money even for nobility. 

“Please take it,” Rio said, placing the pouch before Celia. 

“I can’t. You keep this, Rio. No matter how you look at it, this sum includes your reward. I’m sure Father said the same, didn’t he?” Celia shook her head and pushed the pouch packed with coins back towards Rio. 

“Did he? I can’t quite seem to recall. I accepted it in the name of travel expenses, but... At any rate, I have no need for this money. It originally belonged to your father, and you’ll need it to pay for various things for a while, right? You should just accept it and use it.” 

In reality, Rio had received it with the agreement that the excess from their travel fees would be his reward, and quite a few extra golds had been added because of that, but Rio pretended not to know anything about it. 

I’m definitely going to confirm this with Father the next time we meet! 

Celia glared at Rio for a long moment. “Fine, I’ll borrow it then. But I’m definitely going to return it.” She accepted the money with a slight pout. 

Rio nodded in satisfaction. “Good. Also, there’s one more thing.” He held his index finger up. 

“What is it...?” Celia looked a little wary. 

“I’m receiving an estate in Rodania as a reward for the incident this time. But I have no intention of living here, so would you like to stay there in my stead?” Rio said. 

“Y-Your home...?” Celia was speechless. She had considered renting a house for a while, but she hadn’t expected to have a whole estate handed to her. 

“Yes. Out of formalities, the ownership will have to be handed to me, but after that I can transfer it to you. I’ll be shown around the potential properties tomorrow, so once all the paperwork is done I’ll hand all the papers to you—” 

“W-Wait! Hold a minute! You can’t do that!” Celia interrupted Rio’s words in a fluster. “You can leave everything in your name, and store all the papers yourself. Please!” she protested. 

“But even if I own a mansion, I won’t be able to manage it myself.” 

“I’ll manage it. I have a job lined up, so I’ll use the money I earn to pay rent as well. The mansion is something you’re receiving for your achievements, right? I cannot accept that,” Celia insisted. 

“I don’t need any rent, though...” 

“No. It’s a form of distinction for you, so let me pay for it properly,” Celia shook her head decisively. 

“All right... If you insist.” 

“Good. Once you’re done with all the paperwork, let’s write up a formal contract. Sometime before you leave.” 

Before I leave. He felt somewhat saddened by those words. 

“Yes, let’s do that...” Rio agreed with a soft tone to his voice. 

“Where will you go after this?” Celia asked. 

“I’m thinking of heading to the Proxia Empire,” Rio replied in a stiff voice. 

“The Proxia Empire... Is that because of Reiss? Or because you’re looking for the person who killed your mother?” Celia pried fearfully. 

“Both, I suppose... There’s no mistaking the two of them have something to do with one another, so I’m hoping to track down either one of them.” 

If Reiss was the Proxia Empire’s ambassador, there was a chance he would have to sneak into the imperial castle—which he fully intended on doing. 

“What will you do about the others...?” 

“I will go to the Proxia Empire alone. I’m thinking of leaving the stone house beside Rodania, so you may be able to meet everyone if you wanted to. Aishia will continue to protect you in her spirit form from here on out as well.” 

“Really...?” Celia looked at Aishia. 

“Yup. That way Haruto can travel at ease too.” Aishia nodded slowly. 

“Right. But before I leave again, we still have that meal planned at Liselotte’s estate. I plan on heading to Amande sometime soon to adjust the date with her.” 

“I see. Then I can meet Miharu and Latifa again.” 

“Yes.” 

“I’m looking forward to it,” Celia beamed. 

“There’s one more thing I’d like to give you,” Rio added. 

“Huh...?” Celia frowned warily. 

Funds for her near future had been prepared for her, a house had been prepared for her, and she even had Aishia as her guard for a while. What else would he give her on top of all that? 

“There’s no need to be so on guard. With Aishia here to defend you, we have to address the issue of essence supply. This is an item to resolve that,” Rio said, placing a metal bracelet on the table. The amount of magic essence consumed while in spirit form was trivial and could be naturally recovered by absorbing the essence in the air, but spirits took up a lot more energy when in their material form. 

“What’s this...?” 

“A magic artifact that uses a spirit stone. Spirit stones are able to store magic essence, so if Aishia ever has to materialize, this should supply her with enough magic essence. I know you have an extraordinary amount of essence for a human and you can form a temporary path with Aishia to resupply her, but it still isn’t quite enough to use Aishia in her material form.” 

In order to cause the supernatural phenomenon of manifesting a spiritual existence, there had to be a significant amount of magic essence consumed in the process. That essence consumption increased exponentially when using spirit arts in combat. 

“That’s true... But how much magic essence is stored in this item, then?” Celia asked nervously. 

“Who knows? By my rough estimate, it should be enough to fire advanced magic several hundred times, I think? So it should be able to withstand Aishia fighting seriously if needed.” 

“S-Several hundred shots of advanced magic?! Wait, wait! This is an artifact, right? It must have had an original purpose when not being used as an emergency measure, right?” Celia asked in shock. 

“Well, I suppose you could say that. The original purpose of this artifact was to amplify the output force of the spirit arts and magic spells the wearer uses. Using this artifact can make you capable of firing powerful spells with little essence.” 

It was the same type of sorcery embedded in the sword Rio used. 

“Amplification of magic... Isn’t this at the level of an ancient artifact...?” Celia was speechless. Was Rio aware of how much worth an item like this had? 

“It just uses a good quality spirit stone. I wanted to make other artifacts too, but I didn’t have the stock, so that’ll have to wait for next time.” 

“A-Ahaha... I guess this is how my debt to you just continues to grow.” Celia laughed weakly, hanging her head in dejection. 

 

Celia and Rio wrapped up the conversation early, as Rio had to look at properties the next morning. 

“See you tomorrow, then. Have a good night,” Rio said to Celia while seeing her off. 

“Yup, see you tomorrow,” Celia grinned. 

“Bye, Celia. Good night.” Aishia also bid Celia good night from beside Rio. 

“Good night. I’ll be going now.” 

Celia looked a little reluctant to leave as she exited Rio’s room. The door clicked shut, leaving Rio and Aishia alone in the room. 

“Hold on!” 

The door burst back open and Celia marched in. 

“Aishia, do you intend on sleeping with Rio tonight?” 

“Yup,” Aishia nodded tonelessly. 

“You better be in your spirit form, okay” Celia narrowed her eyes at Aishia. 

“...Yup.” 

“What was that pause?!” 

“I can sleep with Haruto as long as I’m in spirit form, right?” Aishia said, recalling that rule they had created. 

“That’s right, but you’ve been away from Haruto for a while recently, so you’re really going to sleep in your spirit form, right?” Celia glared at Aishia suspiciously. If she lowered her guard, it was possible for Aishia to sleep clinging to Rio naked. In the stone house, there were people who would warn her after waking up in the morning, but such deterrents didn’t exist here. To be honest, Celia was uneasy. 

“...You should sleep with me tonight,” Celia said to Aishia. 

“Why?” Aishia cocked her head curiously. 

“Because I haven’t seen you in so long. I’m lonely.” 

“I’ve been lonely because I haven’t seen Haruto in a long time.” 

“Y-You should be fine. You’ll be able to sleep with Rio whenever you want once he comes back from his trip,” Celia protested with a squeak. 

“Aishia, could you stay in Celia’s room tonight to make sure no one strange tries to break in? I’m sure no one will, but just in case,” Rio asked Aishia. 

“...Her name.” 

“Huh?” 

“You’re calling Celia by her name.” 

“Yeah, I couldn’t call her Professor in front of Princess Christina. I’m not quite used to it yet, but we’re going to go with this from now on.” 

“I see.” Aishia smiled softly. 

“All right. I’ll sleep with Celia tonight,” she said, easily deciding to go with Celia. Thus, it was decided that Aishia would stay with Celia for the night. 

The next morning, Rio and Celia were guided by Marquess Rodan, boarding a carriage that took them to a nearby mansion. They were surrounded by guards and escorts, and were even accompanied by Christina, Flora, and Vanessa. 

They stepped down from the carriage at the entrance gates to the estate. 

“This is the best property out of those that can be moved into immediately. My apologies for the trouble, but I shall show you around from here on foot. Please, come this way,” Marquess Rodan said, leading the way through the gate. 

At the end of the road extending from the entrance of the grounds to the mansion on the hill was a palace slightly too extravagant for a lone noble to live in. The surrounding gardens were well-maintained and blooming with natural beauty. 

The mansion is on a hill. There’s one gate to enter the grounds. It seems to have been designed to be difficult to break in, at least. The view around the grounds is also open, and a barrier spell should be able to detect any intruders at night. 

Rio cautiously surveyed the suitability of the location as he followed Marquess Rodan. 

“Most of the nobility affiliated with the Restoration have land in Rodania now. New mansions are being built, but the lack of land is a bit of an issue. That’s why this estate is also on the narrower side, but I believe it stands out in other ways,” Marquess Rodan explained as he led the party up the path to the mansion. 

From a security perspective, even this is too big... But it’s still within a tolerable range for a location. There’s also the need to keep up appearances as a noble, so all that’s left is whether Celia takes a liking to it. 

While Rio was thinking, they arrived at the front door. 

Marquess Rodan showed them around the interior of the mansion as well. It had a living space for the servants, plenty of rooms for a family, and had an interior design aesthetic that clearly cost a lot of money. 

With Christina involved in the transfer of property, Marquess Rodan couldn’t risk his reputation by offering a cheap mansion. His claim that it was one of the better properties in the domain was probably true. 

“What do you think, Haruto?” Celia asked after looking around most of the mansion. 

“I think it’s good. But I want to prioritize your opinion, Celia, since you’ll be the one living here.” 

There was no doubt they had been introduced to a good property, and he wasn’t going to be picky when it was being offered for free. 

“If you’re fine with it, then I am too. In fact, I think this mansion is wonderful—there aren’t many nobles who can have such a nice estate other than the domain lord,” Celia commented in awe. 

“Hahaha, I’m glad to hear that from you, Celia. What is your opinion, Your Highness?” Marquess Rodan turned to Christina happily. 

“If the two of them are fine with it, then I have no objections.” Christina shook her head while looking at Rio and Celia. She wanted to give more as a reward, but she wasn’t going to insist if the people in question were happy with it. 

“I see. In that case, this property shall be transferred to Sir Amakawa. Can this decision be considered finalized, then?” Marquess Rodan checked one last time. 

“Yes. Thank you for all that you’ve done.” Rio bowed deeply. 

After that, an agreement was made and all paperwork completed within the day, including the contract and title deed. 

Furthermore, the written request that Rio had handed to Christina and the Restoration—mostly concerning Celia’s treatment and safety—was also accepted and signed as a written oath with confidentiality. 

The estate had a basic set of furniture within it, so it was decided that Celia would move in tomorrow before they called it a day. 

 

Two days later, Celia had started living in Rio’s estate, and at her insistence, it was decided that he’d stay in the mansion for the duration that he was in Rodania as well. 

Rio worried that it wasn’t proper for a man to stay overnight with an unmarried noblewoman, but Celia had managed to convince him that it was okay. 

Today, Rio had invited Kouta and Rei to the estate. Things had been so busy between capturing Charles and arriving in Rodania, he hadn’t really had a chance to talk to them properly, so he wanted to see them before he left again. After preparing tea and snacks, he and Celia made their way to where they were waiting in the drawing room. 

“Help yourselves,” Rio said. 

“Why, thank you.” 

“Thank you very much.” 

Both Rei and Kouta were oddly stiff as they reached for the cups. 

“Are... Are you two nervous, by any chance?” Celia asked curiously. 

“Ah, well, it’s just... It’s a really impressive mansion.” Rei scratched at his head as he answered. 

“It made us realize that you two are nobles too...” Kouta added. 

“Well, you two are friends of the hero Rui too, right? In this world, that alone is enough to give you a certain amount of social status,” Rio pointed out. 

“Yeah, but we’re not with him anymore... So now we’re just regular people...” 

“Kouta wants to become an independent man that can stand on his own two feet, without borrowing Rui’s power. Just like Haruto.” 

“R-Rei!” Kouta’s face turned red after being outed. 

“I see... Though I can’t say if I’m the best role model, I think that’s a wonderful attitude to have. I’m rooting for you,” Rio commended Kouta a little bashfully. 

“Indeed,” Celia agreed with a grin. 

“No, you’re definitely the best... Or rather, you’re so amazing, it’s a little unrealistic of a goal,” Kouta praised Rio. 

“That I can agree with,” Rei said with a firm nod. 

“Not at all. The two of you are older than me anyway.” Rio shrank back. 

“That’s what’s strange, though. For some reason, it just feels like you’re older than us. Maybe it’s because the first impression we had of you fighting was so strong? You’re still 16, right?” Rei asked. 

“Yes.” 

“Are you really just 16?” 

“Yes, I should be...” Since he had memories of his past life, Rio hesitated just a little. However, while he was heavily influenced by the memories of Amakawa Haruto, the base of his personality was still the boy that was born and raised in this world. 

It was why he had stronger recognition being 16 years old. Not that he paid much awareness to his age at all outside of situations like this... 

“Rei, asking too many questions about that is rude,” Kouta warned. 

“R-Right. Well, okay. That aside, I’d like to ask you for a favor—as one man to another... And to Celia as well. Can you give us some advice?” Rei asked. 

“Advice about what?” 

“About our future.” 

“I see. I’d be happy to listen to your thoughts.” 

Rui had asked him to keep an eye out for them as well, so Rio agreed readily. 

“The truth is, Kouta and I are thinking about going down different paths from now on.” 

“Really?” Rio had assumed they would continue to stick together, so this was a little unexpected. 

“Well, I don’t have any particular goal at the moment, so I think I’ll still stick with my underclassman for now. But the things we want are different, you could say,” Kouta revealed with a slightly embarrassed blush. 

“By which you mean...?” 

“Well, I’ll start... Umm, I’m thinking of becoming an adventurer,” Kouta said with a slightly stiff look. 

“An adventurer...” Rio looked slightly conflicted. 

“If it’s possible, could you tell me your opinion on that, Haruto?” 

“It isn’t an easy job... is what I would say. Many of the jobs involve putting your life in danger, the pay is unstable, and your body is your tool of trade, so you’ll lose all income if you fall ill. People tend to assume it’s a quick way of getting rich, but only a select few make fortunes from it. Are you aware what kind of work is involved with being an adventurer?” Rio asked. 

“Of course. There’s things like physical labor in the city, herb gathering outside the city, vanquishing monsters, and sometimes fighting as a mercenary,” Kouta confirmed with a completely serious look. 

“If you were thinking of becoming one on a whim, I would have advised you against it, but...” 

“I’m definitely not making light of the job.” 

“So it seems... May I ask the reason why you want to do this?” Rio asked, feeling the strong conviction behind Kouta’s gaze. 

“I want to learn the harshness of reality. I still know nothing about this world right now, but I have to be able to live in it. I don’t want to be protected by someone else my entire life. That’s why I want to know more about this world. Someday, I’d like to travel to all different kinds of lands.” 

“I don’t think that way of thinking is wrong... But if you’re going to become an adventurer, I believe it would be best for you to receive combat training first. To be honest, your current level of ability would leave me worried,” Rio pointed out rather harshly. During their journey, he had taught Kouta and Rei a little bit about swinging a sword, but they were both complete beginners. 

“I know. That’s why I’ll be taking combat lessons with Vanessa and the other knights, thanks to Princess Christina’s kindness. In the meantime, I plan on basing my activities around Amande while taking those lessons and picking safe jobs to begin with.” Kouta seemed to have placed proper thought into where he was lacking. 

“I see... You have it all planned out. In that case, any other warnings I give you will just be needless meddling.” 

“No, that’s not true. If you think it won’t work out like this, then that means I’m still too naive.” 

“You think too highly of me... I wish I could be of more help to you, but I plan on going on a journey in the near future. I can be a sparring partner for you anytime before then, though, so just say the word if you need one.” 

“N-No, I’d just lose in an instant if I fought with you in my current state... But I’d love to ask you for a match once I’m able to hold my own a little. Please knock me down from my high horse when I need it,” Kouta said. 

“I understand. In that case, gladly,” Rio nodded generously. Meanwhile, Celia, who had been listening silently, seemed to be happy that Rio had made a friend his age and was watching cheerfully. 

“Okay. You’re next, Rei,” Kouta directed. 

“Right... Ahem. Umm, I’m thinking of joining the Restoration and aiming to become a real sorcerer. I’ve heard that it’s difficult for commoners to learn magic and sorcery, and... Umm...” Rei cleared his throat a little nervously before speaking of his future plans. However, he became slightly shy towards the end and struggled for words. 

“Rei fell in love with a noblewoman in the Restoration, so he wants to become a sorcerer for her sake,” Kouta revealed on his behalf. 

“W-We haven’t decided to date officially yet, though!” Rei corrected in a fluster. 

“Really...?” Rio said. 

“W-When did that happen...?” 

Rio and Celia were even more surprised at this than the news of Kouta wanting to become an adventurer. 

“The truth is, things have been going well with this girl I met at the party the first day we came to Rodania...” Rei confessed bashfully. 

“I see...” 

In all probability, that was likely a part of the Restoration’s recruitment activities. Rio and Celia immediately suspected that, but this wasn’t exactly a rare case for noble society either. Kouta had probably been recruited as well, but if he was choosing the path of an adventurer, it probably wasn’t a very tempting invitation. 

While the problem lay in Rei’s lack of understanding about noble society, seeing his blissful face as he spoke made it more difficult to say that it was a problem. 

“But the thing is, I don’t know much about dating girls of nobility. In fact, it’s my first time dating a girl at all. As nobles and senior figures, I was hoping to get some advice from you two about this,” Rei said, bowing his head at Rio and Celia. 

“But...” Rio and Celia looked at each other, frowning. 

“Now, now. You two are lovers, aren’t you? You can just tell me, like, how you started dating and stuff. How often are you meant to send gifts? What kind of gifts? Anything like that would be a great help.” 

“Huh...?” There were so many things to correct in what Rei was saying, Rio’s reaction was delayed. 

After a pause, Celia yelled with a blush on her face. “H-Huh?! L-Lovers?! Ri— Haruto and I?!” She was so shaken, she nearly called Rio by his real name. 

“Yes?” Rei nodded. 

“I-Is that how we look to you?” Celia asked nervously. 

“Yes? You look like a perfectly happy couple living together.” 

Rei looked at Celia with pure eyes as though to say, “What about it?” 

“I-I see...” Celia ducked her head with a bright red face. Meanwhile, Rio looked awkward. 

“Huh? Am I wrong?” Rei finally realized the other possibility. 

“Yes. We don’t have that kind of relationship...” Rio nodded with a frown. 

“W-What?!” 

This time, Rei and Kouta were the ones in shock. What they saw of Rio and Celia’s intimacy had made them assume they were lovers with certainty. It was almost like they were a married couple. 

“And I’m sorry to say this, Rei, but I have no experience with dating either...” 

“Y-You’re telling me such a perfect man has never had a girlfriend before...? I... I suddenly feel like I can relate to you a lot more.” Rei looked at Rio with sparkling eyes. 

“No, well... Also, I only became a noble recently, so I think Celia would be more knowledgeable in this topic than me.” At a complete loss, Rio finally sought help from Celia. 

“I-I haven’t dated anyone before either! T-Though I did have an engagement forced upon me!” Celia protested with a bright red face. 

 

One week later... 

“Then as discussed, I’ll be heading to Amande now,” Rio said to Celia after dinner. 

“Okay. Have a safe trip. Can I say that...?” Celia asked, watching Rio’s face. 

“Yes, of course.” 

Celia suddenly grinned bashfully. “...Just to let you know, I’ve found a job. A new academy was recently established for the children of the Restoration nobility. For now, I’ll be working as an instructor there while I continue my research. I might even visit the Galarc Kingdom’s Royal Academy sometime,” she reported, possibly to hide her embarrassment. 

“Congratulations. I knew you wouldn’t have any problem finding work, but I’m still a little relieved. I envy the students who get to sit in on your lectures.” 

“Ahaha. There’s nothing I can teach you anymore.” Celia laughed shyly, a distant look in her eyes. 

“That’s not true. I’m still learning things from you, just like I did in the past,” Rio also said with a distant look. 

Celia smiled fleetingly. “Hey, Rio... Do you still remember that time you came to visit me in my room before you left the Beltrum Kingdom?” she said with slight embarrassment. 

“Yes, I remember.” 

“Our goodbyes were sad back then, but that’s not the case this time. Right?” 

“Yes. This time I can proudly show my face to you.” 

“You’ll stop by every once in a while, right?” 

“Of course. I promise. No matter where I go on this continent, I’ll come see you,” Rio said clearly, nodding. 

“Huh...? Ah, umm... Yeah.” Celia blushed faintly and nodded in embarrassment. Then, with a high-pitched voice, she added a little over-eagerly: “T-That’s fine, but what I wanted to say was that we should have a positive farewell! So let’s redo it this time. I don’t want to make it a sad memory like last time... This time we’ll be bright and positive!” 

“Redo it? Like last time?” Rio cocked his head at Celia’s words, not quite getting the point. 

“Y-Yup. When we said goodbye, you... You hugged me, right? That’s why... Come on, stand up for a bit,” Celia said shyly, standing up and approaching Rio. 

“Umm... Okay.” Rio stood up, slightly confused. 

“S-Stay still like that.” Celia nervously buried her face in Rio’s chest, then softly entrusted her body to Rio. 

Redoing that day... So this is what she meant. I did hug her like this before leaving Beltrum back then. It wasn’t a very happy memory, so I guess she wants to overwrite that. 

Rio smiled happily and gently wrapped his arms around Celia. Once he did, Celia squeezed Rio a bit more. 

Celia’s warmth was the same as that day, making his heart feel at ease. 

“You really have gotten a lot bigger since back then,” Celia looked up at Rio and grinned. 

“It feels like you’ve gotten even smaller.” 

Celia pouted at Rio’s teasing laugh. “Geez... You’re just a giant.” 

“We probably won’t be able to say goodbye like this in front of other people, so I’ll say it now even if it’s a bit early. Rio... Have a good safe trip. Take care,” Celia said peacefully, sending Rio off with those words. 

“Yes. I’ll see you later.” Rio also smiled peacefully and nodded. His goodbye with Celia became a warm memory engraved in Rio’s mind. 



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