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Chapter 2: New Life in the Village 

The afternoon of the day after Miharu and the others began their new lives in the spirit folk village... 

Rio held a training sword in his hand as he stood with Sara, Alma, and Orphia, all four of them gathered in the square before the town hall. At the request of Sara and the other girls, they were about to have a sparring match. 

Beside them, the winged werebeast and warrior chief of the village, Uzuma, was acting as the referee, while Miharu, Aki, Masato, and Latifa were observing from a short distance away. The children of the village, led by Vera and Arslan, were running over after hearing the rumors of what was about to happen. However, Aishia had gone to visit Dryas and wasn’t present. 

They checked the condition of the training equipment before their match, warming up lightly first. “Rio, would you be okay with a one-on-three match? I’d like you to check our coordination as a group today,” Sara asked as she grabbed a training dagger. 

Rio nodded immediately. “Sure, I don’t mind. I wanted to practice facing multiple opponents more anyway.” 

“Hey, is one-on-three a proper match? Sara and the others aren’t that strong, are they?” Masato asked Arslan, who stood next to him; they were watching the whole exchange from the sidelines. After the banquet and a night of sleeping under the same roof together, he seemed to have warmed up to Sara and the others enough not to call them “miss” anymore. 

Arslan corrected Masato’s misunderstanding rather excitedly. “Stupid, Sara and the other girls are pretty strong, too... But Rio’s just too strong.” His eyes shined brightly as he imagined the exciting match that was about to unfold before them. 

“Really...” 

“Like I said before, Rio’s strong enough to be the very best fighter in the village. Just watch carefully.” 

“Y-Yeah. Seems like it’s starting now.” Arslan’s words and the mood in the air seemed to reach Masato, as he nodded rather nervously in return. Right before his eyes, Rio and the girls were facing each other and bracing their weapons. 

“Begin!” Uzuma called out, giving the signal to begin the match. Immediately after, Sara’s figure all but disappeared as she burst into a run toward Rio. 

“So fast!!” Masato, Aki, and Miharu gazed in shock at the speed that far surpassed their imagination as Sara resolutely swung her dagger and aimed multiple attacks at Rio. Her aim seemed to be to pin him in place, as her series of blows placed more emphasis on speed rather than power and precision. 

However, Rio managed to avoid those attacks splendidly. He deflected the minimum amount of attacks with his sword, while the rest he evaded lightly with the ways he positioned his body. 

“Fuh!” Alma, who had been hiding behind Sara with her small frame, drew near Rio and tried to land a heavy blow with her mace. However, Rio seemed to be expecting Alma’s movements in advance, as he stepped back easily to avoid her attack. Alma’s mace cut through the air with a sharp sound and bore into the ground; the sound of the soil being pulverized echoed belatedly. 

“W-Wow! But wouldn’t you die if that hit you?!” Masato yelled, flustered at how Alma’s herculean strength didn’t suit her small stature. 

“It’s fine! They’ve enhanced their physical bodies. There’s spirit arts for healing, too,” Arslan explained excitedly. 

Alma easily swung her blunt mace that didn’t suit her build, attempting to land her attacks on Rio. However, she seemed to be lacking in speed, as he easily evaded all of them. That was where Sara came in; she continued to launch her sharp attacks against Rio, covering for Alma’s wider gestures. 

The speed fighter Sara and power fighter Alma — if Rio focused on one of them, the other would come in to back them up, freeing their movements. Their roles were clearly separated, showing splendid coordination. Furthermore, Rio’s mind had to be split across one more opponent. 

“I’d like to join the fun too,” Orphia said, politely interrupting them as she fired a series of light bullets she had spread out around her toward Rio. Their appearance and individual force were identical to the low grade offensive magic of Photon Projectilis, but their trajectory twisted and turned freely instead of moving in a straight line. 

Rio finally burst into a run to avoid the bullets, but Sara and Alma had promptly closed in on both his sides, obstructing his path to safety. At that, Rio immediately stopped evading. He drew the bullets as close to him as possible before stomping down on the ground heavily. No sooner had he done that, a thick dirt wall rose from the ground before him and blocked the light projectiles; he had poured essence into his feet to manipulate the ground with spirit arts. 

However, Sara and Alma instinctually expected the fact that he would defend himself and broke into a run right away, closing in on Rio in a pincer attack. Rio glanced left and right, before thrusting his sword into the ground and choosing to brace himself unarmed. His actions even made Sara and the other onlookers a bit taken aback with surprise. 

Rio didn’t let that moment of weakness escape him. He instantly pulled his sword out of the ground and approached Alma first, moving to intercept her. Alma swung her mace reflexively, but Rio braced his sword sideways and spun his body, using his centrifugal force to swing his sword. Immediately after, Rio’s sword clashed with Alma’s mace, ringing with a tremendous impact. 

Sweat dripped from Alma’s forehead. “To think you’d directly challenge a dwarf like me in a test of strength...” Dwarves boasted the highest level of monstrous strength among the spirit folk species, but she and Rio were completely equal in power just now. 

“That’s because you’re a girl. I can’t afford to lose in a test of strength.” Rio smiled with a chuckle. By effortlessly withdrawing his sword, he cleverly threw Alma off balance. 

“Huh? Kya?!” 

When she lost her balance, Alma let out a cute sound that was normally unheard from her. She just barely managed to swing her mace, but Rio stepped deeply into her personal space and reached a hand out to gracefully parry her mace, snatching it and flinging it far away. 

“Uh?!” 

Alma felt her center of gravity drop with a jerk. Apparently she had fallen straight into Rio’s throwing trap, as she was grabbed by the chest and lightly thrown toward Sara. 

“Waah!” Sara had been about to attack Rio from behind when Alma came flying toward her, making her dodge her in a fluster. 

“I can’t believe you dodged that, Sara!” Alma objected. 

“We both would’ve been taken out if I tried to catch you!” 

In that time, Rio had braced his sword once again and started to run toward Sara. 

“Guh, Alma — quick! Pick up your weapon!” Sara just barely managed to block Rio’s attack as she ordered Alma. Alma rolled against the ground to land safely and started running, when Orphia’s voice echoed from the sidelines. 

“Sara, fall back!” 

Sara backstepped reflexively. Soon after, countless crumbled lumps of dirt scattered around the open space and attacked Rio. 

She used the dirt wall I used to defend myself earlier. Rio determined that Orphia had been hiding in his blind spot behind the dirt wall when she attacked him, then backstepped to face the incoming clumps of dirt. He flicked away the bothersome dirt lumps with his sword and feet. 

While Rio was evading the attack, Orphia prepared an extra large water bullet with spirit arts and fired it. The water bullet arched in a gentle parabola through the air and came down on Rio’s head with a great amount of force. But Rio leapt, pouring a large amount of essence into his sword and slicing it in a single splashing stroke. The water that had been split violently went rushing toward the floor. 

At the same time, Sara and Alma both attacked Rio from opposite sides once again. 

“Our timing was perfect this time,” Sara said with a grin. Alma was closing in on the opposite side, forming the perfect pincer attack. Just like earlier, dealing with one of them would leave no time to intercept the other. However— 

“?!” 

The very next moment, a large blast of wind blew out from around Rio. 

“Kyah?!” Sara and Alma both let out a scream as they were blown away. Then, Rio approached the fallen Sara and pointed his training sword at her. 

“...I yield,” Sara groaned with disappointment, admitting her defeat. 

“That’s enough! The victor is Lord Rio!” Uzuma declared. 

“Ugh... so you were gathering ode within you as you were dealing with Orphia’s water bullet,” Sara said to Rio with a pout. 

“I could tell you and Alma were about to attack me right away. I thought it’d be more efficient to take the both of you out at once, since you decided to come at me together.” Rio nodded with a wry smile. 

“So you’re saying we fell right into your trap... Ugh...” Sara sighed. 

“Ahaha, looks like we lost,” Orphia added as she approached. 

Alma also walked over with a small sigh. “Looks like we have a lot to learn. Rio toyed with us again this time.” 

“It wasn’t my intention to toy with you — it was actually a good training experience. Your coordination as a trio was wonderful,” Rio said in support of the three of them, smiling softly. 

“That’s not what I meant...” Alma murmured quietly, recalling how she was treated like a little girl during the match. However, her words didn’t reach Rio’s ears. 

“It was a splendid match. Lord Rio, if you would face me next!” Uzuma stepped forward as Rio’s next opponent in high spirits. 

“Sure, it’d be my pleasure,” Rio agreed readily, then had his sparring match with Uzuma. Miharu and Aki watched on in astonishment, while Masato gazed at the mock battle with a fire burning in his eyes. 

 ? ? 

After the sparring match, Rio and the others returned home to take a break. Rio took the initiative to serve the food, while Miharu and Orphia immediately volunteered to help, preparing tea and snacks for several people. In that time, Vera and Arslan led a heated conversation about the sparring match they just witnessed. 

“The coolest part was when you tore Orphia’s water bullet apart with a slash of your sword!” 

“No no no, the highlight of that match was when he released that blast of wind with spirit arts!” 

Vera and Arslan went back and forth, discussing which moment was the highlight of the match between Rio and Sara’s group. Apparently, they both had a particular instance in mind they weren’t willing to give up on. 

“Hmph! What do you think, Latifa?” Vera asked. 

“Huh? All of it, I think. Onii-chan was super cool. Ehehe,” Latifa replied, smiling happily. Prompted by Vera, Latifa smiled happily as she answered. 

Arslan sighed. “There’s no point in asking Latifa — she has a brother complex. What about you, Masato?” he asked. 

“...Hm? Me? ...I think the most impactful moment was when Rio clashed his weapon with Alma head-on.” Masato seemed to be distracted with his thoughts, but had been listening enough to answer with a quiet tone of excitement in his voice. 

“You mean when he spun around and slashed sideways?” Vera specified. 

“Yeah, that was amazing. I never imagined he’d face Alma in a test of strength.” Arslan said keenly. 

Alma turned her cool gaze to Arslan. “Why is that unimaginable to you?” She was aware her race had monstrous strength, but it left her maiden heart with mixed feelings. 

“Huh? U-Uhh, no, I didn’t mean it that way!” Arslan’s voice cracked as he shook his head. Just then, Rio and the others returned to the living room with trays of tea and snacks. 

“Here, food’s ready. Were you talking about the match just now?” Orphia asked with a grin. 

“Yeah, we were,” Arslan said, then eagerly changed the subject. “Oh, that’s right... Hey, Rio. Please teach me how to fight later!” 

“Yeah, sure,” Rio agreed readily. 

“H-Hey, umm. Could you... Could you teach me how to use a sword, too, Haruto?” Masato asked nervously. 

“...Teach you swordcraft?” Rio’s eyes widened faintly. 

“...Yeah. Can you?” Masato asked, watching Rio’s expression. 

“Hmm... I don’t think that’s something I can decide on my own,” Rio answered ambiguously in a guilty tone, looking at Miharu and Aki. 

“Ah, umm. I don’t really like dangerous things, but I want to respect Masato’s choices. Aki also agreed that it’s fine as long as it’s not dangerous...” Miharu explained timidly. 

“I see. So the two of you have discussed it already,” Rio said with a slightly unsettled expression. 

“Yes. Back when Sara was giving us a tour of the house, we were talking about what we wanted to do during our stay in the village,” Miharu said, watching Rio’s face. 

“Shouldn’t it be okay, then? He really wants to do it. There’s no man that wouldn’t feel fired up after seeing that fight,” Arslan said casually. 

“Quiet, you,” Sara scolded. “Rio has his own thoughts. He’s a guardian of Masato’s, too.” 

“Ah, no, I was just thinking a little. Umm... If you asked me if it was dangerous or not, I’d have to say it’s dangerous. It’s not like sports.” Rio looked at Miharu and Aki with a troubled expression, then turned to Masato with a serious look on his face. “Could I ask why you want to learn swordcraft, Masato? If you want to do it as a sport, I can’t recommend it.” 

“I...” Masato was faintly taken aback and was rendered speechless. 

“There are children in the village like Arslan and Vera that have been handling weapons from a young age in order to become warriors. Everyone’s learning in preparation for a real battle. Right?” Rio said to Masato, turning to Sara for confirmation. 

“...Yes, that’s right. In order to show that the lessons are real and not a game, the instructor usually beats the understanding of a warrior into the children through real combat first. Many of them give up on being warriors at that point.” Sara nodded slowly. 

“Aah, yeah, that. That was scary...” Arslan muttered with a faraway look in his eyes. 

“Scary...” Vera nodded in agreement. 

“Masato, the children of the village are... No, the people of this world pick up their weapons knowing that a battle is a fight for one’s life. That’s what weapons exist for. If you want to pick up a weapon, you have to be prepared for that. It’d be even more dangerous if you were to take up a weapon without knowing that,” Rio said to Masato, carefully choosing his words. 

“...” Masato gulped, falling silent with a contemplative expression on his face as he pondered Rio’s words. 

“It’d be one thing if you were to spend the rest of your life living safely within the village, but you’re going to return to Strahl someday, right? That place is more dangerous than the village. When you fight for your life, you also risk other people’s lives. By picking up a weapon, you have to be prepared to treat even children as fighters,” Rio said with a conflicted look, telling the unfortunate truth. 

The atmosphere in the room was heavy; while Sara and the spirit folk girls could understand what Rio was saying, Miharu and Aki felt like Rio’s words were directed at them, making them feel extremely uncomfortable. 

“But... that being said, not being a fighter means you’ll have to resign yourself to being attacked. Being a non-combatant doesn’t always mean one will be treated gently. There may come a time when you’ll regret not having the power to fight,” Rio said in a somewhat affirmative tone. 

“...Huh?” Masato noticed that the nuance of Rio’s remarks had changed, making a confused expression appear on his face. 

“That’s why I’ll respect your decision, Masato. It sounded like a lecture, but if you still want to learn swordcraft after everything you just heard, I’ll teach you. In other words... I’m of the same opinion as Miharu,” Rio said with a strained smile, then looked at Masato in question. What do you want to do? his gaze asked. 

“I-I... I want to learn swordcraft. I’m scared, but I don’t want to regret anything. I want to have the power to protect people!” Masato insisted earnestly. 

“...I see — you truly want to learn. Then, I’ll teach you in the spirit folk style of learning through a real battle first. It’ll be harsh, okay? If you give up here, then we won’t go any further,” Rio said in a somewhat intimidating tone. 

“J... Just what I wanted!” Masato agreed with determination. 

“Well, you wouldn’t be a man if you backed down here. Do your best.” Arslan grinned, thumping Masato on the shoulder. 

“Yeah!” Masato nodded with a smile, but a gloomy look fell over Arslan’s face. 

“Well, I do believe it’ll be mentally tough as well.” 

“I-Is it really that harsh?” 

“Ah... Rio is kind, but... hmm. I wonder? Even the normally gentle warriors of the village do a complete one-eighty sometimes. I guess all you can do is fight to the best of your ability against a better opponent?” 

“F-Fight? ...Me?” Masato tilted his head, his eyes wide. 

“Yeah, with Rio. We said it was real combat, didn’t we? In the village, we use that to determine whether or not you have the aptitude to become a warrior,” Arslan explained. 

“Oh, so that’s how it is. But, me against Haruto...” Masato recalled the strength Rio showed in the earlier mock battle and gulped nervously. 

“That’s how things are here, so why don’t we get to it right away after this? Okay?” Rio asked Masato. 

“S-Sure!” Masato nodded, his expression stiff. 

 ? ? 

A short time later, Rio stood in the square before the town hall, prepared to spar with Masato. There had been a huge crowd of observers for the earlier match, but after the break, it was only Rio’s group that remained. 

Masato was equipped in a full set of the village children’s training gear he borrowed: a one-handed sword and shield, as well as leather armor. 

“While there wouldn’t be time to do so in a real match, let’s make sure we warm up properly.” 

Obeying Rio’s words, Masato focused on loosening his body carefully. At the same time, Rio was silently checking his movements with a one-handed sword and shield — a combination he rarely used — while he silently practiced stances as he tested his grip. Now that he had agreed to teach Masato, a tense air surrounded Rio; it was as though he was telling people not to approach him recklessly with his whole body. 

“Onii-chan...” Latifa watched Rio worriedly. No, it wasn’t only Latifa — both Miharu and Aki, as well as Sara, Orphia, and Alma were shrinking back a little at the side of Rio they didn’t usually see. However, they were unable to do anything but watch over Rio and Masato from afar. 

“Umm, this is like a practical test in order for Masato to learn swordcraft, right? What exactly is involved in the teaching of understanding through real combat?” Aki asked Sara and the others, seemingly worried for her stepbrother’s well-being. 

“It’s a reenactment of a battle for your life. Of course, the gap in ability means it won’t be much of a match, but the instructor acts as though it’s real combat by using a killing intent and real hostility toward their opponent. That way, we can ascertain who has the heart to keep fighting without fearing death,” Sara explained. 

“H-He won’t get injured, though... right?” 

“He probably will. But Rio wouldn’t hurt him intentionally and we have spirit arts to heal with, so there’s no need to worry about injuries with long-lasting effects.” 

Though there was no guarantee for his mental state, Sara added to herself. 

“So that’s why everything seems so tense. I’ve never seen Haruto like that before,” Aki said, her gaze fearfully pinned on Rio. 

Sara and the rest of the group nodded, their expressions stiff. “...That goes for us, too.” 

Then, Rio finished his preparations and approached Miharu and the others. “Miharu, Aki... Sara and the rest of you, too. It might not be very pleasant to watch, so feel free to go home and rest. There’s no need to force yourself to stay, okay?” Rio said somewhat darkly. 

“Ah, no... Umm, that’s...” They exchanged glances with each other, awkwardly mumbling under their breath. 

Meanwhile, Miharu slowly raised her hand and expressed her desire to observe. “Umm, please allow me watch you.” 

“It may be a little extreme. Are you going to be all right?” Rio asked while watching Miharu’s face. 

“I’ll be fine. Umm, since I’ll be entrusting Masato to you with this, I wanted to bear my share of the responsibility. I feel like I have a duty to see things through, too... so please allow me to observe.” Miharu spoke quietly, showing a glimpse of her firm resolve as she bowed her head at Rio. 

Rio’s eyes widened faintly as he nodded, showing some surprise. “...I understand.” 

“U-Umm! Then please let me watch, too! Because Masato is my little brother!” Aki asked, following suit with Miharu. 

“I see... All right.” Rio nodded in agreement. 

“Naturally, I’ll be watching too, Onii-chan.” Latifa declared resolutely. 

“Yeah, I know,” Rio acknowledged with a faint smile. Sara, Orphia, and Alma all looked at each other and nodded. 

“Please let us watch, too,” they requested. 

“I’m watching. Masato’s my friend, after all.” 

“Me too!” Arslan and Vera chimed in. 

“So, in the end, everyone wants to watch. All right.” Rio gave up with a bitter smile and turned on his heel. If it was going to be like this, then he couldn’t afford to hesitate anymore; he had to be prepared to reveal his cold-hearted side. With that, Rio took a small breath and walked toward Masato. 

“Shall we begin soon, Masato?” 

“Y-Yeah!” Masato nodded nervously. 

“You should relax your muscles. Your movements will be too stiff otherwise.” 

“O-Okay! Got it... All right!” Masato nodded, taking a deep breath. He braced his one-handed sword and shield as well as he could; he hadn’t been taught any techniques yet, so his form was a little awkward and misshapen. 

Rio readied his sword and shield, too. His left foot was in front, while his right foot was behind; this left the shield on his left side inevitably in the front. It was the standard sparring stance for a sword and shield combination taught in the Kingdom of Beltrum — he had learned during his school days. 

“The sword and shield combination is the most common sword style in the Strahl region. In terms of combat against humans, it has excellent balance between offense and defense. That’s why I was thinking of teaching you this sword style too, Masato... But you can just consider any technical instruction today as a bonus,” Rio explained, standing roughly ten meters away from the other boy. “The rest... I’ll teach you as we fight for real. The match starts now — feel free to attack me whenever.” 

He looked up at the sky. With a small inhale of breath, Rio quietly adjusted his concentration. 

“...Huh?” Was that the signal to begin the fight? Masato wondered in confusion. However, even if he wasn’t aware of it, the battle had already long begun. 

“What’s wrong? You’re not going to come at me?” Rio asked in a cold voice that was tinged with clear hostility and murderous intent. 

“?!” That was enough to make Masato feel a dense aura of death; a shudder running through his body. It wasn’t only Masato — the others who were watching from the side were involuntarily shaking, too. 

What... was that just now? Miharu didn’t even understand why she was shaking, but the aura just now was of a type she had never glimpsed before. She couldn’t even believe it was being released by the person in front of her... Perhaps that was why her pounding heart wouldn’t stop. 

However, the amount of discomfort Miharu felt was nothing compared to Masato, who was the one actually on the receiving end of that hostility and malice. His chest ached as though his heart was being squeezed. 

Come at me quickly, Rio’s gaze was demanding the entire time, but Masato’s feet wouldn’t budge. 

“I’ll wait another thirty seconds. If you can’t attack me in that time, you fail,” Rio declared plainly. 

“Huh?!” Masato twitched faintly in an attempt to move his sword-wielding hand. He somehow managed to raise both elbows, assuming a fighting stance full of opportunities for Rio to land an attack. Several seconds passed, when suddenly, Masato charged at Rio with a roar. 

“...Uuhh, uwaaaah!” 

But the sword was heavy. The shield was heavy. His body was heavy. Masato couldn’t move as he wished, and he didn’t know how to move properly. He stopped just before Rio. 

Was a sword really something that could be swung at a person? Though it was a training sword without a sharp edge, swinging it with all one’s might was still enough to bludgeon someone to death. When he realized such a dangerous weapon was in his grasp, Masato faltered. 

“It’s all right. No matter how you swing that sword, you won’t hit me. There’s no need to hold back. Come — hit me. Or... have you had enough? We can quit if you want,” Rio said provokingly to Masato. 

“Uh... R-Raargh!” There was still some fighting spirit left in Masato, as he managed to shake his sword with impatience. 

“Guh?!” Rio purposefully stepped toward the incoming attack and deflected Masato’s sword with his shield. The impact blew Masato’s sword away. 

“Don’t move!” Rio yelled. 

Masato froze on the spot; he belatedly realized there was a sword tip pointed at his throat and gulped nervously. If they had been using real swords, the tip would have been a few millimeters from piercing his skin. 

“Your swings are inadequate. Letting go of your sword is out of the question. Pick it up and attack again. Once more, from the start,” Rio stated, pulling his sword away as he widened his distance from Masato. 

“Huh? Ah...” Masato remained standing in a daze. 

“What’s wrong? Pick it up already. The battle resumes now.” 

“Uh...” At Rio’s hostile tone, Masato timidly picked up the sword, but the fear of having the sword tip pointed at his throat still remained, making it hard for him to move. 

“...Masato. If this were a real battle, I would have moved long ago.” 

“R-Right...” Masato cowered with a nod, his usual good-humored manner of speech nowhere to be seen. Despite that, he still seemed to have some fighting spirit left in him, as he picked up the sword, trembling. 

“You’re drawing back too much. Your grip is still off, too.” Rio walked up to him, then swung his sword harshly to send Masato’s sword flying. It spun through the air before stabbing into the ground. 

“Again. One more time. Pick it up,” Rio ordered mercilessly. 

“Ah... Uh...” Masato groaned in a voice that nearly vanished. 

“Hurry,” Rio said, making Masato flinch in surprise and pick his sword up. With another careless swing, he knocked Masato’s sword away once again. 

“Again. Pick it up,” Rio ordered flatly. 

Every time Masato picked up his sword, Rio would send it flying, sometimes pointing his sword tip at his throat. He continuously tormented Masato with his demand to fight again and again. 

As the onlookers, Miharu and the others watched on with pained expressions. Aki especially, whose body gradually trembled harder as her expression twisted with the desire to speak up. However, even as that was happening, a change was certainly occurring within Masato. Despite being knocked down again and again, Masato’s fighting spirit was stimulated and he slowly began to get worked up. 

“Uraaargh!” He gradually started to yell as he swung his sword, but even then, he was scared — or maybe frustrated — as his face poured with snot and tears while he attacked Rio. His movements seemed to be getting slightly better from watching and copying Rio’s actions, at least. 

“That’s right. Your shield can also be used as a blunt weapon, but don’t swing it recklessly. You’ll create a blind spot for yourself.” Rio drove his sword sharply into the blind spot Masato created by swinging his shield wildly. 

The tip of his sword pointed at Masato’s throat. “Again,” Rio ordered in a short tone, and regrouped. 

“Uugh,” Masato groaned in frustration. 

“U-Umm, Haruto!” Aki yelled in a loud voice. 

“...What?” Rio turned his gaze toward Aki, his tone devoid of all emotion. 

Aki faltered for a moment, then stared directly back at Rio and answered. “Uh... Ah, no... Umm, isn’t that enough? I think Masato’s understood enough about the frame of mind needed for real combat at this point.” It showed how much she treasured Masato despite all their usual bickering and insults. 

Rio shook his head bluntly. “No, not yet. We’re only just finished warming up.” 

Aki refused to back down. “B-But Masato’s at his limit! You’re just bullying him like this!” she said, pointing at Masato. His breathing was harsh and his complexion was pale, and both his legs trembled fiercely. Rio sighed quietly. 

“Masato, do you want to give up?” he asked. A silence suddenly fell over everyone present as their attention gathered on Masato. 

“I’ll...” Masato murmured, then raised his voice. “I’ll do this!” he yelled with intensity, fixing his gaze on Rio. 

“Masato, you...” A sour expression crossed Aki’s face. She wanted to say more, but Masato’s glare made her close her mouth. 

“I see. As long as Masato desires it, I won’t ease up.” Rio shook his head slowly, his expression emotionless. 

“...I apologize for interrupting. Please take care of Masato.” Aki’s face was woeful as she bowed her head at Rio and spoke in a shaking voice. Her eyes were filled with frustrated tears. 

“...Got it. Let’s resume this, Masato.” Rio nodded, immediately returning to the battle. 

Ten minutes later, Masato was lying face up on the floor, mentally and physically drained to the core. “Hah... Hah...” He attempted to pick up his sword once more, but his body refused to budge. 

“...That’s enough, Masato. It’s over. You did well,” Rio informed Masato gently, letting the strength drain from his own body. 

Masato scraped together the energy to speak. “Is it... hah... hah... over? I can... still... go on.” 

“It’s all right. I know how strong your heart is now, so I’ll be teaching you swordcraft properly from tomorrow onward,” Rio declared. 

“R-Really? I-I did it.” Masato must have been relieved, as his whole body relaxed and he slumped his full weight against the ground. 

“...I’m sorry. I may have been a little harsh,” Rio said with an apologetic look. 

“Haha... I thought so too. But it was for my sake, right? Thanks to that, I know just how naive I was. Thanks, Haruto.” 

“...You’ll become a good swordsman, Masato.” 

“That’s because you’ll be my teacher, Haruto.” Masato nodded, giggling. 

“Really, now...” Rio huffed with a smile. 

“Looks like that’s settled, then. You were wonderful, Masato,” Sara said. 

“Yup. You were really cool,” Orphia added. 

“That wasn’t a test that just anyone could pass. You should feel proud of yourself,” Alma said, adding to the praise. 

“Masato, good work.” 

“...Well done, Masato.” Miharu and Aki also called out to him. 

“You did it, Masato. Rio’s training was no walk in the park, huh?” 

“Right? He was way harsher than the instructor I had!” 

“You stood before Onii-chan face to face. I think you should be proud.” 

Arslan, Vera, and Latifa gave Masato words of encouragement and praise, too. 

“Hehe, everyone... Thank you. —Ow, that hurts, Aki.” Masato looked up at them and thanked them; his face was as bright as the clear and sunny sky. But when Aki struck him on the head, he pouted his lips. 

“It’s your fault for worrying me with your recklessness.” 

“Heh, so you were worried for me?” 

“Shuddup.” Aki prodded Masato in the head once more. 

Rio watched the siblings’ exchange. “Let’s make Masato’s favorite foods tonight, to celebrate,” he suggested. 

“Ah, that’s a good idea,” Orphia agreed. “Let’s have a party! Miharu, we can cook together.” 

“Sure, I’d love to.” 

“Eeh, that’s not fair! I want to join in too. Make us meat patties!” 

“Me too! I want to eat spaghetti!” 

Arslan and Vera voiced their desire to join in. 

“Hey, it’s not your favorite foods they’ll be cooking, you know?” Sara stated with a sigh. 

“Ehehe, then I want to go to the hot springs with everyone after dinner,” Latifa suggested with a happy laugh. 

“That sounds good. The sparring matches earlier did make us sweat a bit,” Alma nodded, interested. 

Haruto, you worked hard today. Aishia’s voice echoed in the back of Rio’s mind. 

...Aishia? Rio looked around his surroundings in surprise, but he didn’t see Aishia anywhere; he figured that was because she was in her spirit form, but... 

Dryas taught me how to communicate with my contract partner through long distance telepathy. I’m to your left right now, but I can communicate within a one kilometer radius. Focus on the path that connects us and look my way. 

Rio moved his eyes as ordered, then spotted Aishia at the corner of the square. 

...So that’s what you mean. Is this okay? Rio immediately replied to Aishia through telepathy. 

It’s good. 

Have you finished talking with Dryas already? 

Yup. We finished talking for today, so I came to find you. 

I see. Will you tell me what you talked about later? 

Of course. We’ll talk then. 

While the people around him made merry, Aishia’s gentle voice echoed in the back of Rio’s head. That was enough to fill his chest with a strange warmth, healing him. 

 ? ? 

That night, Rio and the others prepared an extravagant meal and held a dinner party to celebrate Masato’s ability to overcome the practical test. However, Masato was so exhausted, he fell asleep right away. 

Afterward, Rio offered to watch the house as Masato snoozed away in his room, while the girls — excluding Aishia — headed for the hot springs near the town hall that they had reserved. With Rio and Masato remaining in the house, Arslan went home by himself. Aishia passed on the hot springs as she wanted to sleep, since spirits could remain clean even without bathing anyway. 

After seeing the girls off at the door, Rio returned to the living room alone. Everyone had cleaned up after their meal together, so he didn’t have anything in particular to do. 

Aishia seems to have fallen asleep... I guess I’ll take a bath, too. Better go get a change of clothes. 

Rio stretched lightly to relieve his stiff body before heading to his room. He turned on the artifact-powered light in his room and entered. 

“Haruto,” Aishia said, suddenly materializing beside Rio. 

Rio’s eyes widened slightly. “...You’re still awake.” 

“Yeah. I have something to tell you.” Aishia nodded. 

“Oh, right... About the required knowledge of a spirit that Dryas told you about?” 

“That, and about you, too.” 

“...Me?” Rio responded in surprise. 

Aishia nodded, peering at Rio’s face closely. “Yeah, because you’re feeling a little sad. Are you okay?” 

“That’s not true... Why do you ask?” Rio swallowed his breath, watching Aishia back. 

“Because you showed everyone a side of yourself that you didn’t want them to see,” Aishia stated without any hesitance at all, as though it was obvious. 

“...Why do you think that?” Rio asked nervously. 

“I told you in the beginning: I know everything about Haruto,” Aishia asserted in response. By the “beginning,” she probably meant the first time she woke up in the rock house. Rio’s eyes widened with shock. 

“I see... So I guess there’s nothing I can hide from you, Aishia...” he said, disappointed. He let a bitter smile show through his facade. 

“Yeah.” 

“Ahaha, of course you’d say that. I just want to ask one thing. Was I acting weird after the mock battle?” 

Aishia shook her head. “You looked normal from the outside... But deep in your heart, you weren’t.” 

“It’s all right. It’s fine, Aishia.” Rio said as though he was convincing himself, shaking his head slowly, but Aishia suddenly walked forward. 

“You don’t have to act strong in front of me,” she said, hugging Rio gently. 

“?!” Rio froze stiff with a flinch. 

“Even if it’s fine, I want to hear it. What Haruto is feeling, what Haruto is thinking,” Aishia whispered by Rio’s ear. 

The strength in Rio’s body gave out as he sighed. Aishia’s warmth was so comforting — his heart felt completely at ease. 

“...I do feel like I showed them something I didn’t want them to see. The truth is, I didn’t want to show them that. But if they want to live in this world, then I believe there are things they need to see. The violent and cruel side of humans,” Rio added after a moment with a mumble at the end. 

“Was the reason why you didn’t want to show them because it was Miharu, Aki, and Masato?” Aishia asked, seeing through him. 

“...That’s right. I wonder what they think of how I acted today... It’s possible that I scared them. When I imagine that, my chest kind of hurts.” Rio nodded, voicing a feeble whine he would have never revealed to anyone else. “But... it’s fine,” he said with a smile of resignation, as though he had sensed something. 

It was true that Miharu and the others had yet to scrape the surface of this world’s values, but Rio believed it was better that way. Ignorantly believing in peace would expose them to danger, so a certain amount of exposure was necessary... but there was no need to submerge them in it. That was why they only needed to know enough to understand that they couldn’t always wander through the world with only idealistic thoughts in their minds. 

Rio didn’t want to force that role on anyone else. That was why he thought teaching Masato swordcraft was the perfect opportunity; humans revealed the ugliest side of themselves when they were fighting, so if anything, it was a little better to cause them to feel fear. Not to mention — 

The worlds we live in are different. 

That was right — they lived in different worlds. He could no longer turn back, and the visitors to this world still had the possibility of being able to return to Earth. That’s why Rio believed this was for the best. 

“I will always be with you, Haruto. I’ll accept all of you,” Aishia said, hugging Rio even tighter. 


“...Thank you.” Rio hugged Aishia back softly and awkwardly. 

 ? ? 

Thirty minutes later, Miharu was thinking about Rio as she sank into the water of the hot spring. 

I’ll have to thank Haruto again sometime. 

Of course, she was thinking about the situation with Masato. He respected Masato’s own will, faced him seriously in battle, and agreed to teach him how to use a sword. When Masato first said he wanted to learn swordcraft, Miharu had imagined a vague extension of some kind of sport instead. She hadn’t properly understood that swords and swordcraft were weapons and techniques that were required in a fight for your life. Perhaps, if it was Haruto — the Haruto that had memories of life in Japan — then Miharu believed that he would have been able to teach swordcraft from the perspective of a sport. 

But Haruto didn’t — Rio didn’t — do that. 

He clearly explained why swords and swordcraft existed, then challenged what Masato wanted to do. He must have thought that it would have been unfortunate for Masato to live in this world thinking of swordcraft as a type of sport. Miharu could keenly feel the amount of thought that Rio had put into Masato, as well as the rest of them. 

Even though I should be pulling myself together, I’m still relying on Haruto for everything. 

Miharu’s face fell with shame. Rather than pulling herself together, she had been unreliable, and constantly needing Rio’s support. She hadn’t done anything for Aki and Masato, as their elder. The fact that she felt pathetic was inevitable. 

I can’t do anything about swordcraft myself, but... Yes — the least I can do is make sure I support Haruto properly. 

Miharu nodded firmly, having made her decision. 

For now, I have to find something I can do... Rio was the kind of person who could do anything flawlessly, so it was difficult to find something she could do for him. Miharu groaned quietly. 

“What’s wrong, Miharu?” Latifa, who had already been soaking in the bathtub, asked her with a tilt of her head. 

Surprised, Miharu shook her head. “Huh? Ah, umm. It’s nothing.” 

“...Were you thinking about Onii-chan, maybe?” Latifa asked, as though she had seen right through Miharu’s thoughts. 

“U-Umm... Yeah. How did you know?” Miharu’s eyes widened. 

“Ehehe, because I was thinking of him too,” Latifa said, nodding confidently. 

“You’re always thinking about Rio, Latifa,” Sara said in an exasperated tone, as she’d been listening to them. 

“Heh. Don’t you also think about Rio at a fairly frequent rate, Sara?” Alma quipped, jumping into the conversation without a moment’s delay. 

“I-I may have been doing so just now, but it doesn’t happen frequently.” Sara shook her head in embarrassment. 

“Fufu, were you thinking of the Rio we saw earlier today? I was too,” Orphia said with a smile; she was submerged in the tub. Then Sara looked at Miharu, Latifa, Orphia, and Alma, the four girls who were in the bathtub with her. 

“I guess we were all thinking the same thing,” she said with a small sigh. 

“Hmph! I was thinking about Rio too, you know?” Vera pouted her lips as she spoke up. Aki nodded hesitantly beside her. 

“Well, me too... I mean, about that mock battle between Masato and Haruto.” 

“Then, what did you two think after seeing that battle today?” Sara asked Vera and Aki, watching their expressions. 

“I... umm. Honestly, I was scared. I almost thought Masato was going to get killed,” Aki said with a pained expression. 

“I had chills running down my spine. His intensity was amazing, even though I was just an onlooker,” Vera agreed, shuddering. 

“It’s a rite of passage. It’s all in order to understand that sometimes, you need to be relentless before your opponent’s death. It might be drastic, but it’s a necessary experience in order to become a warrior. You have to learn this, so it’s better to do it earlier and in the safest situation possible,” Sara said with a strained smile. 

“So if a war begins, every warrior in this village will turn to what Haruto was like today?” Aki asked timidly. 

“...No, not everyone can show the same amount of vigor that Rio can — only the warriors who have crossed the line of life and death before.” 

“Ahaha. I felt overwhelmed by it, even though I was just watching from the sidelines.” 

“Right. It gives me chills to imagine what would have happened if Rio had fought us in that state when he first wandered into this village with Latifa.” 

Sara, Orphia, and Alma — the three girls who sometimes had to become warriors — each voiced their thoughts. 

“...Does that mean Haruto has overcome that much carnage on the battlefield?” Aki asked, swallowing. 

“In a place we don’t know, probably.” Sara nodded with a serious expression. 

When we first arrived in this world, the slave trader who kidnapped us seemed to be really afraid of Rio too. Did he see it too? The Rio from today... Aki suddenly imagined, an indescribable chill running down her spine. She felt too irrationally scared to think any more than that. 

Unconvinced, Vera turned to question Latifa. “Hmm, while it wasn’t a Rio that we were familiar with... Did you recognize that side of him, Latifa?” 

Latifa shook her head, a fleeting smile on her face. “Nope, I didn’t either. But to me, Onii-chan is Onii-chan. Nothing has changed. What about you, Miharu?” she asked. Miharu had been silently lost in her own thoughts. Miharu seemed to search inside herself for her feelings before agreeing with Latifa. 

“Hm? Yeah, I agree with Latifa. Even if there’s a side of him I don’t know, Haruto is still Haruto. I don’t think that will change.” 

The Rio that had faced Masato was certainly colder and scarier than she ever imagined he could be from his usual self. However, even then, there was something sad and lonely about him. Strangely, that didn’t make him feel like a different person to Miharu. Perhaps it would be better to say that the Rio Miharu knew hadn’t changed at his core. 

That being said, when she thought about that Rio, something strange within her chest stirred, as though he was somewhere far away, despite being right nearby. With that as her only concern, Miharu gave a pained smile. 

“Ehehe, I see. Then you’re just like me.” Latifa nodded happily. 

“...Yeah, just like you.” This time, Miharu was able to smile happily, and the painful stirring in her chest quieted down a little. 

“I see. That’s true — Rio is still Rio. I think I understand now!” Vera also seemed to comprehend something, beaming widely. 

“Hmph, it feels like you took the spotlight off that moment.” Sara pouted a little in protest. 

“Fufu. Then that means you’re thinking the same thing. I am too,” Orphia said, smiling gently with amusement. 

Caught off guard, Sara blushed deeply. “Ugh...” 

“Ah, Sara’s embarrassed.” Alma grinned. 

“Hmph!” Sara turned away to hide her embarrassment, the others all watching her before breaking into giggles. Sara groaned and ducked her head, cheeks turning all the more scarlet. 

“Fufufu, this is fun. If only Aishia came along too,” Latifa said, a happy smile on her face. 

“She’s probably turned into her spirit form and snoozing away inside Haruto right now, though she’ll sometimes turn into her physical form in her sleep and end up burying into Rio’s bed,” Aki remembered, her lips tugging upward in a grin as she spoke. 

“Eeh, really?! That’s not fair. I want to sleep in the same bed with him!” Latifa exclaimed with jealousy. 

“Eeh? B-But isn’t Haruto like a brother to you, Latifa? Umm, that is... wouldn’t it be embarrassing? Sleeping together with your brother...” Aki seemed to be imagining herself in Latifa’s place, her speech awkward. 

“Huh? That’s not true. I want to bathe together with him, too,” Latifa replied passionately. 

“B-Bathe?! Nope nope nope! Never! No matter what, that’s impossible!” Aki shook her head with a bright red face. Seeing her reaction, Latifa peered closely at her expression. 

“Hmm. Do you have a brother too, Aki?” 

“Huh? Yeah, I do. His name’s Takahisa.” 

“Huh, really...” Latifa hummed and stared off into the distance. 

“Speaking of Lady Aishia, there’s one thing I’m curious about...” Sara began hesitantly. 

“What’s wrong?” Aki asked. 

“U-Umm, don’t you think Aishia sticks too closely to Rio?” Sara said, watching the expressions around her. 

Orphia’s elf ears twitched in interest. “Ah, that thought crossed my mind too.” 

“Yeah, that’s true. Though I’m used to it by now...” Aki agreed with a wry smile. 

“Has she been like that ever since you were in the Strahl region?” Alma asked, also intrigued. 

They all mutually agreed on this fact because Aishia was always beside Rio. For example, they would stand next to each other as though snuggling up, and their hands and bodies would constantly make contact. It wasn’t as though Rio was pampering her, but it came across as something more natural — and it ended up catching the eyes of everyone around them. 

“Hmm. But doesn’t Latifa also cling to Haruto a lot?” Miharu said with a tilt of her head, but Sara immediately shook her head. 

“No, it’s something different from a sibling relationship...” 

“Right. It’s hard to put it into words, but there’s something peculiar in the air between them,” Alma said, nodding. 

“Rio’s a gentleman, so he usually maintains an appropriate amount of distance from her,” Orphia added. 

“Yes, that’s it!” Sara jumped with fierce agreement. “Even though he’s like that, Lady Aishia gets special treatment, almost like it’s only natural for her to be attached to him so much.” 

The girls continued to chat and gossip excitedly until they were done soaking their bodies. 

 ? ? 

The next morning, after Rio finished eating breakfast, he shut himself in his room to be alone, stating that he had work to finish. Furthermore, Sara, Orphia, and Alma had business to take care of in the town hall, so they went out, while Latifa, Aki, and Masato had made promises to meet with Vera and Arslan outside to play together. 

As a result, Miharu and Aishia were the only ones left in the living room. 

“So the three of us are watching the house. It feels kind of refreshing... And it’s been a while since I’ve been alone with Ai-chan.” Miharu sat on the sofa and faced Aishia, grinning happily as she spoke. 

“Should we call Haruto here to join us?” 

“Fufu, we can’t. I’m sure that’d be fun, but Haruto has things to do in his room.” 

“Okay... Then it’s just the two of us. What’ll we talk about?” Aishia nodded, then cocked her head to the side. 

“Hmm. Oh, I know. Can I ask you a question? Since it’s just the two of us, I wanted to ask you something about Haruto...” Miharu said, remembering something she wanted to bring up. 

“What is it?” 

“Haruto agreed to officially teach Masato swordcraft, right? That was why I wanted to thank him for that, as well as for taking care of us on a daily basis. So I was wondering if there was anything I could do for him.” 

A faint contemplative look fell over Aishia’s face before she shook her head slowly. “...I don’t think Haruto wants you to thank him for that, though.” 

“Yeah... I know that, but I want to do something. It may simply be for my own satisfaction, but if Haruto could be happy...” Miharu placed a hand against her chest as she voiced her inner thoughts. 

“I think Haruto would be really happy if you told him those feelings,” Aishia suggested, catching Miharu off guard and making her flustered. 

“Huh? T-That’s too embarrassing, saying it so directly... I’d rather do it in a way that involved some kind of gift or action, so that’s why I’m discussing it with you, Ai-chan.” 

“...If it’s something from you, then Haruto will be happy no matter what.” 

“I don’t think that’s true. Haruto can do anything by himself, so I can’t think of what I should do for him. All I ever do is hold him back...” Miharu said, her face falling with sadness. 

“You’re wrong.” Aishia shook her head bluntly. 

“Eh?” 

“It’s true that Haruto can do many things by himself, but being by yourself is lonely. Having support is essential. Haruto would definitely be happy to have your support. That’s why, Miharu, you should support Haruto,” Aishia said eloquently in response to Miharu’s expression of wonder. 

Miharu blinked in surprise for a few moments, before a gentle smile spread across her face. “...Yeah. Okay,” she nodded quietly. 

“Good.” Aishia also gave a soft smile. 

“Fufu, I’m glad I talked to you after all, Ai-chan. You really know Haruto well.” 

“You should know him well, too, Miharu.” 

“Huh? I don’t think so...” Miharu tilted her head curiously at Aishia’s words. “Do you know what would make Haruto happy?” 

“...Hearing Miharu’s feelings.” 

“Ugh, I told you that was too embarrassing. If it was just thanking him for everything he does every day, and that I wanted to repay him, then I guess...” 

“...Then, will you hug Haruto?” Aishia suggested, cocking her head. 

“T-That’s even more embarrassing! No way!” Miharu yelled in a fluster. 

“Then you should make him a delicious meal for lunch of all his favorite foods.” 

“Lunch... Lunch, huh? I’m always making that... But what are Haruto’s favorites?” Miharu asked. 

“...Omelet rice. Back when Haruto was still on Earth, he loved that food as a child,” Aishia answered simply. 

Miharu had a somewhat distant look in her eyes for a moment before coming to an enthusiastic decision. “Omelet rice, I see... Okay, I’ll try making it!” 

“I want to help, too. Teach me how to make it the Miharu way,” Aishia requested. Since she had helped out with the cooking quite often when they had lived in the rock house together, Aishia was now able to make a few things, too, though not as well as the other two girls. She was still in training, one could say. 

“Yup, of course. Let’s make a few other things together, too!” Miharu agreed cheerfully. 

Thus, Miharu and Aishia started cooking together. They decided on making a stew, a salad, and cake for dessert, before quickly making their way to the kitchen. 

The two girls put on their matching aprons and chose to bake the cake first. After the preliminary preparations were done, they poured the ingredients for a sponge cake batter into a wooden bowl. Aishia followed Miharu’s instructions and mixed the ingredients thoroughly. Once the flour was mixed well and the batter had a springy texture to it, Miharu added the butter she had warmed beforehand into the bowl with milk, then directed Aishia to stir it together. “Yup, I think that’s enough. We’ll add some warm butter and milk into it... Okay, now try mixing it lightly. Your aim is to give the batter a sheen.” 

“Okay.” Aishia obediently mixed the contents of the bowl as ordered. 

“...Yup, that looks like enough. Next, we’ll pour it into this mold. Make sure no air gets into the batter. Don’t do it too low, and go slowly...” Miharu gently guided Aishia’s hands that were holding onto the bowl. 

“Like this?” Once Aishia poured the batter into the mold, Miharu placed the now-filled mold into the oven with practiced hands. 

“Yes, just like that. Once we bake it for 40 minutes, the sponge will be complete. ...And there we go. In the meantime, let’s make the stew.” 

Thus, the two of them cooked together while chatting happily with each other. After a fair amount of time had passed, Miharu took a chance to suddenly ask Aishia a question. 

“...Hey, Ai-chan.” 

“What?” 

“You’ve forgotten everything from before you first woke up, but you still remembered your contract partner. You knew about Haruto, right?” 

“Yeah.” Aishia gave a short nod. 

“Umm, then... What kind of person is the Haruto that you knew, Ai-chan? Exactly the same person as the one you know now?” Miharu asked hesitantly, gauging Aishia for her reaction. 

After a beat, Aishia responded quietly. “...Haruto is Haruto. Cowardly, with no confidence, trapped by his own past, and at a loss for what to do. Despite that, he’s a strong person that tries to do the right thing and move forward.” 

When Miharu heard the abstract description of Rio’s persona, she smiled rather sadly. “You know so much about Haruto that I don’t know...” 

“Maybe. But the Haruto that Miharu knows well exists, too.” 

“R-Really?” Miharu tilted her head with uncertainty. 

“Yeah. You just haven’t realized it,” Aishia declared confidently. 

Miharu’s eyes widened in surprise before she smiled with amusement. “Fufu, you speak with such confidence, Ai-chan.” 

“...That’s because I want Miharu to accept Haruto,” Aishia said, fixing her gaze on Miharu. 

“I see... Okay.” Miharu ducked her head shyly before giving a small nod, then swiftly went back to cooking to hide her embarrassment. 

“Are we done talking, then?” Aishia asked. 

“Y-Yeah. Sorry for asking something so weird.” Miharu nodded with a smile. 

After that, their time cooking together went well. Then, just as they had nearly finished the dishes, Rio appeared in the living room, immediately noticing the delicious scent wafting from the kitchen. 

“Sorry, Miharu. Is this the lunch you prepared for me? Oh, and Aishia too,” he said as he walked into the kitchen. When he spotted Miharu and Aishia sporting the same aprons together, his eyes widened faintly. 

“Yes, we were just thinking about coming to call you, Haruto,” Miharu replied with a smile. 

“It’s filled with appreciation and affection for Haruto,” Aishia said monotonously. It was hard to tell whether Aishia was joking or saying that because she seriously believed it. 

“Ahaha, we tried our best.” Miharu grinned shyly without denying Aishia’s words. 

“...Umm, thank you very much. Both of you. Is that the smell of stew, by the way?” Rio thanked them with a little embarrassment, before changing the subject to the food prepared. 

“Ah, yes. We’re just about to start the omelet rice.” 

Rio’s expression brightened happily at the mention of omurice. “That sounds good. I was just in the mood for that.” 

“Miharu’s special omelet rice... It’s delicious,” Aishia said, giving her stamp of approval. 

“I-I don’t think it warrants that much praise...” Miharu muttered somewhat uncertainly. 

“No, I really want to try Miharu’s omelet rice, too,” Rio requested somewhat restlessly. 

“Fufu, thank you. Please have a seat and wait there, Haruto.” 

He really does seem to love omelet rice, just like Aishia said, Miharu thought with a giggle as she set about cooking. 

In a matter of minutes, the cooking was completed and the freshly made omelet rice was brought out to the table where Rio was waiting, along with the other dishes Miharu and Aishia had made. 

“Here you go.” 

“Thank you very much. Umm... What about you two?” Rio looked up curiously at how they were still standing around after setting the table. 

“Ah, umm. I was hoping to hear your opinion first,” Miharu said shyly. 

“I see... Then I’ll dig in while it’s still hot. If you don’t mind me...” Sensing the situation at hand, Rio took a bite of the omelet rice covered in stew rather shyly. As he chewed, the flavor of the soft-boiled egg mixed with the stew rushed into his mouth. The rice, mixed with the stew, tasted harmonious together. 

“It’s delicious! This is amazing!” Rio said, eyes widening like saucers. 

Miharu sighed with relief. “Really?! I’m glad. Omelet rice is actually the first dish my mother taught me how to cook. After making it so many times, it’s secretly become my specialty dish,” she said happily. 

“I see, so that’s how it is. But why is it a secret?” 

“Ahaha, I just haven’t had any opportunity to make it for anyone outside of my family.” 

“Is that so?” Satisfied, Rio smiled with amusement. 

“Umm, Haruto... Thank you for everything you’ve done,” Miharu said as she peered at his face. 

Rio tilted his head curiously before returning the sentiment. “...Sure? Same here.” 

Aishia watched over the two of them in silence. 

 ? ? 

Meanwhile, Latifa, Aki, and Masato had left the house to meet up with Vera and Arslan. They were currently sitting in a corner of the village square having a picnic as they chatted together. 

Laid out before them were the lunch boxes that Miharu and Orphia had made, as well as the food that Vera’s mother had prepared. 

“Hey Masato, will Rio be teaching you swordcraft today?” Arslan asked as he stuffed his cheeks with sandwiches. 

Masato nodded. “Yeah. He said he’d teach me here in the square in the afternoon.” 

“Hmm. If you guys finish early, I’ll ask him to spar with me, too,” Arslan said with a grin. 

“It’s been a long time since I’ve faced Onii-chan in a match. I think I’ll ask him too,” Latifa said, giggling happily. 

“Today, I’ll be asking Sara to face me for the first time in a few days.” Vera seemed to have her mind set on sparring with her sister. 

Aki watched Latifa and Vera closely. Even though the two of them look just like normal girls my age, they’re already taking lessons to become warriors. Aren’t they scared? she wondered to herself. 

“Hm? What’s wrong, Aki?” Vera asked, noticing her expression. 

“Ah, umm... I was just thinking about how everyone’s training like warriors already, even though you’re my age. You all went through the same initiation as Masato and still wanted to fight, right?” Aki voiced the thoughts that had been floating around in her head. 

Latifa hummed in thought before answering Aki’s question. “...Hmm. I don’t think it’s right to say we wanted to fight. And if you asked me whether fighting was scary or not, then I’d say it’s scary to fight.” 

“...Even though it’s scary, you fight?” Aki asked timidly. 

“Yup. Because it’s more scary not having the power to fight back when you need to. Masato said it as well, but I want power to protect my loved ones. It hurts just to stand by and watch,” Latifa said resolutely, smiling at the end of her explanation. Aki watched Latifa’s expression carefully. 

“That’s right. I think the same way as Latifa,” Vera offered. 

“Me too. Well, there are warriors in the village obsessed with battles. Like Uzuma, who enjoys fighting against strong opponents,” Arslan chimed in. 

“The power to protect...” Aki mumbled, looking at Masato. 

“W-What?” Masato asked with a high-pitched voice. 

“No, it’s nothing...” Aki shook her head softly. 

“Fufu, so Masato wants to protect Aki.” Vera guessed at Masato’s intentions with a grin. 

“Wha... N-... Y-You’re wrong!” Masato disagreed with a flushed face. 

“You say that, but your blush is undeniable proof!” Vera said confidently, to which Masato desperately refuted. 

“I’m telling you, you’re wrong! You’re totally wrong!” 

“Well, Masato’s feelings aside, there are times where you won’t be able to have your way without power. When it comes down to it, the only one who can protect you is you,” Arslan said, bringing their conversation to an end with a huff of laughter. 

“You’re just retelling what you heard from the warriors, Arslan.” Vera stared at Arslan disapprovingly. 

“Guh. I-It’s no big deal, is it? I have my own thoughts about those words,” Arslan said, turning away in embarrassment. 

Vera cocked her head, not quite satisfied yet. “I get what you’re saying, but hearing it from an amateur like you only has half as much impact.” 

“Ahaha. Then, Aki, let’s say someone precious to you tried to protect you. How would you feel if they put themselves in a dangerous position before you?” Latifa asked with a faint smile. 

“Umm, no, I don’t want that.” Aki was able to imagine it immediately; the first thing that had come to her mind was the sight of Miharu jumping in between her and the mysterious humanoid monsters that tried to attack them in the Strahl region. The next thing that came to mind were her brothers, Takahisa and Masato. 

“Right? That’s why we want the power to protect others. At the very least, I don’t want to be a hindrance to Onii-chan,” Latifa said, smiling a little sadly. 

“I also want the strength to protect and support my sister. That’s why I fight even if I’m scared,” Vera nodded next. 

“...I feel like the fog has cleared a little... I understand how everyone feels now. If it was for Miharu and my brother, I’d fight even if I was scared, too,” she said with a gentle smile. Now she could understand why Masato had wanted to learn swordcraft yesterday; she even felt the same way. 

“Oi, Aki. You mentioned Miharu and Takahisa, but what about me?” Masato asked, pointing at himself in a showy manner. 

“YOU’RE going to protect ME, aren’t you?” Aki giggled happily. 

“Yeah, yeah. Fine, whatever,” Masato replied listlessly, hiding his embarrassment. 

“Oh, Masato’s feeling shy,” Arslan commented in amusement, with Vera joining in. 

“Aki’s also getting embarrassed at how honestly Masato admitted it.” 

The two siblings both blushed red and fell silent. Seeing their sibling exchange made Latifa giggle, but she felt a small feeling of doubt that was caught on something. 

Aki must have meant that Takahisa person she was separated from when she said “my brother.” I wonder... Has she forgotten about Onii-chan? 

 ? ? 

Miharu and company continued to enjoy their peaceful days in the village. Just like that, over a month and a half had passed in the blink of an eye. 

One day, Rio decided to address everyone who had gathered at the dining table for dinner. 

“I think it’s about time I headed for the Strahl region. It seems like Miharu, Aki, and Masato have become pretty familiar with life in this village now,” he stated. 

“Okay. In that case, you can leave them to us,” Sara said, with Orphia and Alma nodding along at Rio. 

“Yes. It’s thanks to all of you that I can leave without worrying.” 

“Ehehe. Don’t forget I’m here, too, Onii-chan,” Latifa said, tugging on Rio’s sleeve from where she sat to his right. 

“Yeah. I’m counting on you as well, Latifa,” Rio nodded, offering Latifa a gentle smile. 

With a happy laugh, Latifa’s ears and tail flicked from side to side. “Yup, leave it to me!” 

“And so, I’ll be leaving you three in the care of this village. There may be some developments with regard to the heroes that were summoned, so I’ll investigate those too before I return,” Rio said, looking at Miharu’s group. 

“Yes, please. But... Please make sure you don’t endanger yourself when doing so... Don’t push yourself too hard?” Miharu bowed her head apologetically before looking up at Rio’s expression with worry. 

“It’ll be fine. I’ll be with Haruto,” Aishia said to Miharu, quiet but determined. 

“I see. If Ai-chan is with him, then I’m relieved,” Miharu smiled calmly. 

“Which means Rio and Lady Aishia will be on a journey alone, huh...” Alma murmured. Beside her, Sara’s expression changed with a gasp. 

Orphia was watching their reactions with a smile when she suddenly remembered something. “Come to think of it, you originally went to the Strahl region because you had business there, right? Do you have old acquaintances there?” she asked Rio. 

“Yes. There’s actually a teacher I am greatly indebted to. I wanted to go and see them again,” Rio replied, a faraway look in his eyes filled with fond memories. 

“Was this a teacher from the kingdom that put out arrest warrants for your false accusation...?” Aki guessed, recalling the story Rio had previously told them about. 

“Yeah. It’s my teacher from when I lived in that kingdom.” 

“...Say, Haruto, are you actually a noble?” Masato asked hesitantly. 

“No, I’m not... Why do you ask?” 

“Because you said you were dragged into the mess of some royalty and nobility.” 

“Ah. That’s because certain circumstances led me to attending an academy for nobles.” 

“So your teacher was a noble? Will it be okay for you to visit them?” Masato asked worriedly. 

“It’ll be fine. I have utmost faith in them.” Rio shook his head cheerfully. It was a gesture that showed how much trust he truly had in this person, which was why it caught Sara’s attention. “Umm, Rio... May I ask what kind of person your teacher was?” The others also turned their ears toward the conversation in interest. 

“Despite being fairly young, my teacher was an excellent sorcerer, professor, and researcher. But underneath all that was a warm and kind personality, albeit a little clumsy at times. I stood out in the academy for not being of a noble status, but they were the only one that didn’t discriminate against me.” A gentle smile was fixed on Rio’s face as he thought about Celia and recalled his former teacher’s personality. 

“...When you say fairly young, around how many years old do you mean?” 

“If I recall correctly... Twenty-one years old this year.” 

“That really is young... It’s not too far from me in age. So that means this person started teaching in their early teens?” Sara asked one question after another. 

“Yes. My teacher graduated from the same academy, skipping grades and scoring the highest marks in history. They first started teaching at Masato’s age.” 

“That’s amazing. Your teacher really must be talented,” Sara said. Rio’s answer had made everyone at the table widen their eyes. 

“Yeah, they must be a genius. I can’t even imagine you teaching someone else.” 

“You’re only one year older than me, Aki!” Aki and Masato bickered while glaring at each other, while Sara spoke up with another question. 

“Umm, is your former teacher by any chance a woman...?” she asked fearfully. 

“Yes, that’s right. She was the daughter of a count. No, she may already be married into another family by now...” The possibility of Celia being married suddenly crossed Rio’s mind, but he decided the chances were low and smiled wryly. She had often whined that she didn’t want to think about anything other than her research. 

“A count? If I recall correctly, that’s a high ranking noble family in the system that the humans of the Strahl region decided upon. So Rio knew someone like that...” Sara said, quietly humming to herself in contemplation. 

“Typical Onii-chan. Looks like an unexpected obstacle has appeared, huh?” Latifa turned to murmur quietly to Sara and Alma sitting nearby, but she had a somewhat delighted smile on her face. Sara and Alma cleared their throats quickly. 

“...At any rate, there’s no need for you to worry about us, Rio. Please go make your way toward Strahl without any reserve. I pray that you can meet your teacher,” Sara concluded, feigning calmness. 

 ? ? 

Two days later, in the early morning hours, Rio and Aishia were in the town square, being sent off by a group of their close friends. Once everyone present had more or less all said their goodbyes, Dryas came over. 

“Aishia, make sure you support Rio properly,” she said. 

“Yeah. Thank you, Dryas, for teaching me so many things during our stay,” Aishia replied. 

Dryas gave a small shrug of her shoulders. “I simply taught you how to use your power and the fundamental basics of being a humanoid spirit. You’re very talented, so you remembered things quickly.” 

“Allow me to thank you, too, Great Dryas,” Rio spoke up. 

Dryas shook her head in a friendly manner. “It’s fine, it’s fine. However, Aishia seems to be so powerful, it makes it hard for her to suppress her aura when she’s in her physical form. Just keep that in mind. Her aura should be pretty much undetectable when she’s in her spirit form or inside your rock house with the same barrier as the village, though,” she warned. Spirits could detect each others’ presences, and it seemed like Aishia’s was particularly strong. 

“...I’ll remember that, thank you,” Rio nodded with a solemn expression. 

“Well, you don’t need to be too nervous about it. There are barely any stray spirits in the Strahl region, and there aren’t many spirits who would voluntarily approach a higher-ranked spirit, either. You should just let Aishia do as she wants,” Dryas said, smiling gently. 

“Okay,” Rio said with a nod. 

“That’s all I have to say to you. Go and pay attention to those children now,” Dryas giggled, looking over at where Miharu and Sara stood with the others in wait. That was when Latifa jumped forth from the waiting circle. 

“Have a safe trip, Onii-chan!” she exclaimed, hugging him first. 

“I’ll be going now. Everyone, take care of yourselves.” Rio patted Latifa gently on the head before addressing the others. 

“Yes, be careful. Oh, and it seems like Miharu has a present for you?” Sara said cheerfully, looking at Miharu. 

“Ah, yes. Umm, I made this lunchbox, so... Umm, please take it, if you’d like.” Miharu stepped forward shyly and offered a wrapped lunchbox to Rio. 

“...Thank you very much. But when did you have the time for this?” Rio’s eyes widened as he accepted the package. 

“Miharu woke up really early to make it,” Orphia said, grinning as she looked at Miharu. Alma also looked at her with a tranquil gaze. 

“It was a good display of your housewife skills, Miharu.” 

“N-No, not at all. I just figured a lunch would come in handy on a trip...” Miharu shook her head in embarrassment. Rio grinned happily. 

“...I’ll gratefully accept this, Miharu. Thank you.” 

“N-No worries. I hope it suits your tastes,” Miharu said, blushing further. 

“Hohoho. I am most envious, Lord Rio,” Ursula interrupted with a hearty laugh. 

“I’ll say. A sensible woman with good cooking skills is quite the catch, Rio, my boy.” Dominic also burst into hearty laughter as he joined in on what Ursula had to say. 

To hide his embarrassment, Rio lightly brushed off Ursula’s and Dominic’s remarks. “Ahaha, thank you for coming to see me off, too, head elders. I’ll be going now.” 

“Indeed, make sure to take care of yourself. May the blessing of the spirits guide your way, Lord Rio... Oh, and Lady Aishia, too. You could say you’ve already been extremely blessed to begin with,” Syldora said, smiling with amusement. 

“Right. Conservo.” With a chuckle, Rio stored away the lunchbox into the Time-Space Cache. Then he looked at Aishia standing beside him. “Shall we go, Aishia? Make sure you stay beside me,” he said. 

“Leave it to me.” Aishia said, quietly but determinedly. 

“All right, we’ll be going, then! Thank you for coming to see us off so early in the morning,” Rio said, then kicked off from the ground and slowly floated up into the sky. Waving his hand, he looked down upon the remaining people below. Aishia soon ascended beside him. 

The two of them continued to raise their altitude until Rio suddenly noticed Miharu looking fixedly up in their direction. 

...Miharu. 

He didn’t know if she could still see them, but he smiled gently until she was out of sight. Once they rose high enough, Rio turned to Aishia. 

“Let’s go, Aishia.” 

“Yeah.” 

After Aishia nodded in response, the two of them set off immediately. They accelerated, heading straight in the direction of the Strahl region. 

Down on the ground below, Miharu watched their retreating backs grow smaller and smaller. 

Please let Haruto and Ai-chan return safely. She continued to look up at the sky, praying for the safety of their journey for a while after their figures had faded. 



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