Chapter 4: Apology
Later that night, in an office inside Liselotte’s estate in Amande...
“...And that is what happened. The employee inside the room and staff outside the room were all present for the whole ordeal and their testimonies match each other, so it is safe to presume these as the facts,” Aria reported to Liselotte and Duke Huguenot in a flat voice. She had just finished explaining the trouble Stewart and Alphonse had caused.
The guest chairs in the room were occupied by Liselotte and Duke Huguenot, who each had a pained expression on their faces. An uncomfortable air flowed throughout the room.
“...I am truly sorry for this,” Duke Huguenot said after a pause. He was seated across from Liselotte; he bowed his head deeply at her.
“No... Well, let’s see... For now, I’ll accept your apology,” Liselotte said, accepting Duke Huguenot’s apology in a stuttering tone; she had no choice since something had in fact happened, and there were other things to prioritize before sinking time into finding out who was responsible right now.
“Those fools...” Duke Huguenot muttered under his breath in a terrifyingly cold voice.
“And what about Sir Haruto?” Liselotte sighed quietly before turning to address Aria.
“As it is already late at night and Haruto was the obvious victim in this case, on top of being our valued guest, I have asked him to rest at the inn. I did offer him an apology on the scene in a rush, but I informed him that you would be apologizing to him directly tomorrow, master,” Aria replied respectfully. She had been the one to gather all the details at the inn.
Stewart and Alphonse’s fuss had been overheard by not only the staff, but some of the customers as well, so there was no way for them to excuse themselves.
Furthermore, the employee inside the room had given a testimony as a third party, and the staff on standby outside the room had also been watching the situation quietly, all confirming that none of the fault fell on Rio. On top of that, the girls who had gone there with Stewart and Alphonse testified that the two boys were the ones at fault once they had been removed from the room. They felt no reason to go out of their way to protect the two, especially once the person in charge of overseeing their city appeared in the flesh.
At that point, Rio was courteously returned to his room while Stewart and Alphonse were restrained and sent to Liselotte’s estate. For the record, Celia and Aishia were returned to their rooms by Rio’s judgment before Aria had arrived, leaving Rio alone to answer the questions but avoiding confrontation with Aria.
“...I see. Then I shall drop by tomorrow morning to apologize,” Liselotte said with a bitter face.
This is the worst possible occurrence. I didn’t want him to think of us as arrogant nobles... but an incident like this would definitely cause him to become more cautious.
There were many commoners that held the preconceived notion of nobles as arrogant. While that was due to the actual number of nobles that acted arrogantly towards common folk, Liselotte did not consider that a good thing. For a merchant like Liselotte, getting along with people began with trust — obviously, no one would form trade deals with someone they couldn’t trust.
“Understood. Then, I shall make the appropriate preparations,” Aria said respectfully.
“While I would like nothing more than to accompany you...” Duke Huguenot interrupted with terribly distraught words, trailing off.
“...It pains me to say this, but with your position as Sir Stewart’s father, it may be best if you didn’t appear before Sir Haruto, lest you make him more wary,” Liselotte said with difficulty. She feared that Rio would not wish to see the parent of an assailant, instead preferring to be apologized to directly by the perpetrator. Although that may not be the case.
“I figured.” Duke Huguenot frowned impatiently.
“Would you allow me to explain the situation on your behalf to Sir Haruto? After that, I shall prepare a proper opportunity for you to apologize,” Liselotte suggested for Duke Huguenot’s sake.
“Of course. Please tell him that I have nothing but good faith towards him and intend to settle my foolish son’s failures appropriately,” Duke Huguenot agreed immediately. It was extremely rare for someone in the position of a duke to apologize to a commoner, which was perhaps a sign of how highly valued the skills of the person named Haruto were.
“Understood.” Like Huguenot, Liselotte also valued Rio highly, and didn’t want their relationship to be ruined over such a trivial matter. That was why she needed to approach this with the utmost care and respect.
Tomorrow’s going to be a long day. Liselotte sighed quietly as to expel her exhaustion.
After Duke Huguenot finished his discussion with Liselotte, he summoned Stewart and Alphonse to the guest bedroom he was staying in. As soon as he saw their faces, Duke Huguenot spat out scornful words filled with rage.
“You utter fools...”
“...” Stewart and Alphonse shook in absolute fear. They had completely sobered up already, their faces pale as ghosts.
“F-Father, I...” Stewart began to say something, but Duke Huguenot shut him up without hesitation.
“Silence. I barely had any expectations left for you, but this incident has left me in utter disappointment. I believe I told you before... that there would be no next time,” Duke Huguenot said to Stewart, his words filled with cold rage.
“B-But...”
“I said — silence.”
“...” Stewart had no other choice but to remain quiet.
“Ruining my relationship with a swordsman of that ability, smearing dirt over my name, and even causing Liselotte such great inconvenience. Rejoice, boy. Since you wish it so dearly, I will disinherit you,” Duke Huguenot shot with a sneer.
“D-Disinherit?! Duke Huguenot, that’s going too far!” Alphonse objected to Duke Huguenot in shock.
Disinheritance was a system that allowed the head of the family to revoke the right of inheritance to those who had the right to it. In terms of private punishments, it was the second most severe penalty after disownment. The moment disinheritance was announced publicly, Stewart would lose his position to become the next Duke Huguenot, so it was understandable that Alphonse would make a fuss.
“I do not recall allowing you to speak, either, Alphonse.” Duke Huguenot said coldly, looking at him.
“B-But this is too much over a simple quarrel with a mere commoner, a swordsman!” Alphonse flared up, making light of Rio.
“A mere commoner? Him? Did you not witness his sword skills with your own eyes?” Duke Huguenot said, looking down on Alphonse with contempt.
“...Sword skills aside, a commoner is a commoner!” Sensing he was being looked down upon, Alphonse argued back undauntedly.
“And what of it? Do you see yourself being far more skilled than him?” Duke Huguenot returned coolly.
“What did you say?!” For a moment, Alphonse forgot Duke Huguenot was ranked above him.
“You sure are an emotional person. I see... Perhaps you do suit the military more than politics. Though you’d be terribly incompetent either way,” Duke Huguenot stated flatly.
Alphonse reached his limit. “H-How dare you! I don’t care if you’re a duke — take back those words right this instant!”
“I do not feel the need to. You are incompetent.”
“Then — Then I’d like to hear the reason why you think I’m incompetent!” Alphonse said, breathing heavily through his nose.
“...Both Liselotte and I were discussing ways to scout him onto our side. Yet you, greatly misjudging his value, ruined that possibility. If that isn’t incompetence, what shall I call it? He’s capable of leading three minotaurs around by the nose. Could you do the same?” Heavily exasperated, Duke Huguenot asked his questions to provoke the younger man.
Three minotaurs. Since he had been there to witness them with his own eyes, Alphonse knew what a threat they had been. That’s why Alphonse calmed down for a moment... And yet, he couldn’t back down.
“...If I had an enchanted sword too, then yes.”
“Enchanted sword? Hahaha. So, you’re going for the sword next. Using an enchanted sword also requires an appropriate amount of talent. I do not see you possessing such talent for that.” Duke Huguenot said, not even bothering to humor him.
Having just made a bold statement, Alphonse couldn’t back down easily, either. “T-That’s not true!”
“Even though the two of you tried to attack him, two-on-one, and had the tables turned on you instead?” Duke Huguenot said with a huff of laughter.
“Guh...” Alphonse’s face crinkled in humiliation, but suddenly, the direction of the conversation began to change.
“But, well... Since you’re willing to go that far, I can give you a chance to clear your name. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to look your father in the face,” Duke Huguenot suddenly said.
“I-I’ll do it! Please allow me to do it!” Alphonse offered without listening to the details. That was another part of him Duke Huguenot found incompetent, but he didn’t point it out.
Duke Huguenot calmed Alphonse flatly before he got to the point. “All right — just listen first. Considering the number of monsters that attacked us, Liselotte wants to investigate the forest to the west of Amande...”
“So you want me to assist in that investigation?” Alphonse asked angrily.
“Well, aren’t you quick on the uptake. There may be survivors of the monsters lurking in the woods... If you do well as an advance party, I can put in a good word for you to your father. Of course, if you fail, you’ll be sent back to Rodania and placed on house arrest.”
“Please, let me do this!”
“Very well. However, the condition is that you apologize to Haruto with sincerity.”
“Wha...!” Alphonse, who had been ready and raring to go, balked at the condition Duke Huguenot attached.
“Is something the matter? Whether you are a competent person or not is a different issue to apologizing for causing trouble. Naturally, you must settle those debts. I plan on negotiating with Liselotte to obtain such an opportunity for you to do so. Oh, and make sure you apologize to her, too,” Duke Huguenot said, cornering Alphonse with his well-reasoned logic.
“I... I understand.” Alphonse clenched his teeth at the humiliation and nodded his head at the end. Before he knew it, he had no other options left.
“That is good to hear. Then, shall we practice? Apologize for causing me inconvenience with this incident. Put your heart into it. That goes for you too, Stewart,” Duke Huguenot demanded nonchalantly.
“Wha...?” The sudden demand caused Stewart and Alphonse to both freeze inadvertently.
“What’s the matter? I told you to apologize.” Duke Huguenot ordered coolly.
At that, his son shook with a flinch. “P-Please forgive me, father,” Stewart said reflexively.
“Guh... I’m sorry, Duke Huguenot.” With no other choice, Alphonse also apologized quietly.
“Worthless. You mean ‘please accept my apologies,’ no?” Duke Huguenot said to the two with heavy exasperation.
“Kuh...” Stewart and Alphonse both winced, but Duke Huguenot was completely serious. He didn’t intend on showing them any mercy.
“...Please, accept my apologies,” the two said with extreme discomfort, their voices nearly disappearing as they spoke.
“I believe I told you to apologize with sincerity. How about you at least lower your heads? Foreheads go against the ground. Can you not even do that?” Duke Huguenot spat with stern disappointment, not bothering to hide the exasperation in his voice.
“P-Please, accept my apologies...” Stewart prostrated himself on the ground in a fluster, heavily shaken up.
“Guh! S-Stewart!” Alphonse nearly burst in rage, but seeing Stewart fling aside his pride made him stop just before doing so.
“Is something the matter, Alphonse? If you refuse to do this, then you can forget what we just discussed. Otherwise, apologize now,” Duke Huguenot urged Alphonse coldly.
“...” Alphonse’s body was trembling with anger, but he dropped to his knees after a moment.
On this day, he experienced the greatest humiliation of his life.
The next morning, Rio and the girls were having a peaceful breakfast together, completely at odds from the previous night.
“All things considered, last night was harrowing for a moment there. My heart’s still pounding. You’re sure it’s okay now, right? We won’t be involved in anything weird?” Celia checked with Rio worriedly.
“Yes. Aria has firmly sworn that nothing bad will come out of it for us. She wanted us to put our trust in Liselotte.” Rio smiled with a nod to reassure Celia.
“I see...” Still, Celia nodded worriedly.
“...I’m sorry, I’ve caused you a lot of worry by going along with me. How about you and Aishia stay in the stone house from today onward instead?” he suggested. Celia had already been taking extra care not to run into her old friend Aria, and now she had been dragged into an incident with her former students in an unforeseen way. It had been one problem after another since yesterday.
“No! I’m fine, really!” Celia shook her head in a fluster.
“But...” Rio frowned.
“I’m fine, I said. It’s not like issues like that will happen every day, right?” Celia said with a strained smile.
“But you won’t be able to rest properly this way.”
“That’s okay. I don’t want to be separated from you, anyway.” Celia’s will was firm — these were her true feelings.
“...” Unsure of what to say, Rio simply looked lost for words.
“Ah, t-that’s just because I’m worried, though!” Celia must have found her words embarrassing, as her words came out in a fluster.
Rio giggled and smiled happily. “Okay. Thank you.”
“Y-Yeah. A-Anyway, isn’t it dangerous outside of Amande right now? With that many monsters lurking and all...” Celia said rapidly, trying to hide her embarrassment. However, she had a point: Amande’s outskirts were certainly dangerous at the moment. That being said, the outskirts of Amande being off limits didn’t prevent them from staying further away from the city, and with Aishia there, anything that could happen would be dealt with easily.
“...Yes, you do have a point,” Rio said, respecting Celia’s decision. “Then, we’ll continue to stay at this inn. Thanks anyway, Aishia.”
Aishia had been shoveling food into her mouth silently, but when addressed by Rio, she agreed quietly. “No worries. If worse comes to worst, we can just run.”
Rio was dazed for a second, before he chuckled. “...Just run. Run, huh? Ahaha, well, I guess.”
“Hey, it’s no laughing matter. What will we do if it really comes to that?” Celia complained, but she was smiling softly.
“Leave it to me. Running away from the oppression of power is my specialty,” Rio said jokingly with a shrug.
“Geez,” Celia murmured, smiling in a show of exasperation.
After the three of them finished breakfast and returned to their rooms, Liselotte’s carriage arrived with almost perfect timing.
Liselotte stepped down from the carriage and brought only Aria as her attendant towards Rio’s room. Then, she knocked on the door politely.
The door opened immediately and Rio stepped out. “Oh my, Lady Liselotte. Good morning to you.”
“Good morning, Sir Haruto — I apologize for intruding upon you so early in the morning. I am calling on you today to apologize for the incident last night and explain the particulars of how it was dealt with. May I have a moment of your time?” Liselotte bowed politely as soon as she saw Rio. Behind her, Aria also tipped her head.
“Yes, of course. I had heard from Aria in advance, but I didn’t expect you to pay a visit in person directly, Lady Liselotte. I would have gone to you if you had given the word.” Rio had assumed a messenger would come to summon him to her estate, after all.
“The one being apologized to shouldn’t have to answer to the whims of the one at fault,” Liselotte said with a troubled face.
“I appreciate your consideration. Please, do come in... If that is okay? Would you prefer somewhere else?” Rio seemed to feel Liselotte’s sincerity as he bowed his head in return and invited her inside the room. However, he hesitated as to whether or not it was appropriate to invite her into his room or change locations. Liselotte seemed to feel the same.
“Umm, anywhere you feel comfortable with is fine.”
“Then please, come inside,” Rio said, deciding to invite her in. “We may chat in the living room.”
It was a questionable choice to invite Aria into the same room as Celia, but since they were staying in such an extravagant inn for free, it was only proper to introduce them to the person who had paid them a direct visit. He planned to introduce Celia and Aishia to Liselotte and Aria quickly, then dismiss them afterwards. However —
“Understood. Then you shall remain here on standby,” Liselotte ordered Aria.
“Yes, my lady.” Aria nodded respectfully. Normally, it would be unthinkable for someone as highly ranked as Liselotte to step into the domain of a fairly unknown stranger without a guard.
“...Then, this way.” Despite being taken aback, Rio invited Liselotte into the room. He assumed it was another way for Liselotte to show her sincerity.
Celia and Aishia were waiting inside.
“Uh...” When Liselotte spotted them, her eyes widened in surprise. She often met with attractive people through her work connections, but these two were exceptionally beautiful. It was almost as though they had an aura that was impossible to put into words.
W-Wow! Who are they? They’re so cute! Both of them are too beautiful to be real! she thought to herself, surprised. However, she didn’t let it show on her face at all.
“I’ve been staying in this room with the two you see over there. The blonde-haired girl is Cecilia, while the peach-haired girl is Aishia,” Rio said.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Cecilia,” Celia greeted first with refinement. Aishia also gave a formal greeting and bowed once.
“I’m Aishia. Pleased to meet you.”
“...I’m Liselotte Cretia. It’s nice to meet you. The two of you are both very beautiful.” Liselotte returned the greetings in a slight daze, voicing her thoughts directly out loud.
“Why, thank you very much,” Celia said with a sociable smile.
The Professor sure is used to this, Rio thought in awe at Celia’s friendliness.
“Then, can the two of you wait in the room at the back? I have things to discuss with Lady Liselotte about last night.”
“Yup, we know.” Aishia nodded in agreement, heading for the back room.
Celia lowered her head respectfully before following Aishia. “Please excuse us.”
“Have a seat, please.” Rio offered Liselotte the head seat.
“...Yes, thank you. I’ll sit over here.” Normally, Liselotte would never hesitate before anyone no matter how highly ranked of a noble or wealthy of a merchant they were, but at this moment, she chose a lower seat with slight nervousness. She couldn’t sit in the head seat when she had come to apologize.
Rio noticed how Liselotte’s expression was rather stiff and spoke up as he remained standing. “Are you nervous, by any chance?”
Liselotte considered denying it for a moment, before agreeing. “No, umm... Perhaps.”
“Actually, I feel the same. I’ll prepare tea first, so please wait a moment.”
Contrary to his words, Rio smiled gently. He stepped away to the mini kitchen in the room and returned with a tray soon after. He placed the tray on the table and sat down opposite to Liselotte.
“It’ll take some time for it to steam, so let’s start our discussion first,” Rio suggested in a calm tone.
“Umm, I’m sorry. I’m here to apologize, yet I’ve troubled you with such inconveniences.” Liselotte frowned somewhat dejectedly.
“It’s no trouble at all. All I’ve done is welcome you with some tea.” Rio shook his head with a friendly smile. That was enough to show that he wasn’t in a bad mood.
“I am most grateful. Then, without delay, may I once more offer my most sincere apologies for the trouble that happened at my store last night?” Liselotte bowed her head in shame and finally broached the main issue at hand.
“I don’t believe you have anything to apologize for regarding that incident, Lady Liselotte...” Rio said with a frown. The dispute last night was simply bad luck, he thought. He had no complaints about how the inn had handled it. If anything, the inn employee had tried to protect Rio and his party proactively, and Aria’s investigation was handled politely, too.
“No — it’s the inn’s duty to ensure the customer has a comfortable time. An issue like that should have been stopped before it reached you, and for that we will reflect deeply on how we can do better,” Liselotte said apologetically.
“But the ones who caused it were nobles. While they may have come from another kingdom, the difference in social status still made it difficult to react. In that regard, I believe the staff last night reacted in the best way possible,” Rio offered carefully.
In a society with a class system, people were not equals. No matter how unfair it was, there were times when one had to endure. To upset those social ties and act however one pleased would be making an enemy of society itself.
“...What happened was disgraceful.” Liselotte bowed her head with a shamed expression. Since the matter did involve nobles, it was true that the incident last night was beyond their means. Even so, the inn’s handling should have been criticized — yet Rio didn’t do that. That made it sting even more.
“It is what it is... We have no complaints about the inn staff nor you, Lady Liselotte. If anything, I am more concerned with my relations with the other two involved. How should I treat them from now on?” Rio asked, changing the topic. No matter the official verdict of no fault being placed on Rio’s side, there was still the fear that those in power would hold a grudge against him.
“Duke Huguenot expressed his desire to apologize to you. He said the two who caused the commotion would receive their due punishments. He wished to convey his greatest sincerity.”
“...Is that so.” Rio nodded hesitantly. Nobles were known to be capable of acting the complete opposite of their words without batting an eye.
“If Duke Huguenot or the other two who caused the problem last night ever seek more trouble from you, I promise to stand on your side,” Liselotte said, reading Rio’s apprehensions.
“...Thank you very much. As for our side, in order to prove that this incident has been settled peacefully, it would be reassuring to receive a contract or documentation with compensation or a settlement.”
“I understand. Then, allow me to assist in the documentation as the mediator.” Liselotte immediately agreed.
He seems used to this, she thought in awe at Rio’s quick thinking. A contract would have the ability to deter recurrences. Experienced merchants would write one up whenever conflict arose, but writing contracts wasn’t a thought process that most commoners would have. If Rio hadn’t been the one to bring it up, Liselotte would have suggested it herself.
“Thank you very much.” Rio smiled, reaching for the tea set on the table. After moving the hot water used to warm up the cups into a different receptacle, he started to pour the tea with experienced hands.
“...You seem very familiar with this,” Liselotte commented in awe at Rio’s skill.
“One of my companions is very fond of tea, so we often drink it together.” Rio replied with a gentle smile.
“Is that so...” Liselotte uttered in an expression of interest. Meanwhile, Rio finished pouring the tea.
“Here you are. Be careful — it’s hot,” he said, offering it to Liselotte.
“Thank you. I’m looking forward to trying it,” Liselotte said with a smile and sipped at the tea elegantly. “Delicious,” she said with wide eyes.
The temperature, the time it was steamed, and the strength of the flavor was perfect. The tea leaves used were the highest quality Liselotte had hand-selected for the guest rooms, but the careful way each step was completed was what brought out the taste.
“It’s an honor to hear that.” Rio inclined his head as he took a sip of his own tea.
This is wonderful. On par with the tea Aria pours. Liselotte keenly savored the taste before letting out a small sigh of all her pent-up stress. These last few days had just been a series of one problem after another, accumulating quite a bit of mental exhaustion.
“I’m sure you must be very busy, so I shouldn’t keep you here for too long. Now that we’ve had a breather, shall we resume our previous discussion?”
“Yes. Then, in regards to the settlement contract, I shall first inform Duke Huguenot of the decision. Afterwards, I’ll prepare a meeting between you and Duke Huguenot, so that the details may be discussed.”
“I understand. I’m sorry to be a burden on you, but I thank you for your assistance.” Rio bowed his head deeply.
“I’m sorry for all the trouble that has been caused for you, too.”
“No, please don’t let it bother you.” Rio shook his head kindly at Liselotte, who had bowed her head in return.
“Much obliged. Also, if it is to your convenience, I’d like to invite you to lunch at my place today, as we promised earlier yesterday? Of course, your two companions are invited as well,” Liselotte said.
“...I apologize. Could the two in my company please be excused? They’re still a little tired and recovering from the shock of last night,” Rio requested, conveying his intention to attend alone.
“I understand. They must have gone through a lot already. Please extend my apologies to them as well. If there is a chance in the future, I shall apologize to them directly, too,” Liselotte agreed immediately, frowning in discomfort.
“Yes — I will pass the message on.”
After that, Rio and Liselotte went to her estate. It was still morning, so they decided to work on drafting the contract before their meal.
Rio was first led into a waiting room, where he didn’t wait long before he was showed into a drawing room that Liselotte used on a daily basis. There, Duke Huguenot was waiting, opening his mouth to apologize to Rio before anything else.
Liselotte must have caught Duke Huguenot up to speed while Rio was in the waiting room, as they immediately began drafting the contract. There was a standard form for settlement contracts which they used as a base to discuss the details of accordingly.
Normally, when discussing the conditions of a settlement contract, the perpetrator and the victim would negotiate the facts and conditions which the settlement agreed upon. If an agreement could not be reached, it was common for the conflict to arise once more, but this time even Rio was surprised by how cooperative Duke Huguenot was. Duke Huguenot was meant to be present as Stewart and Alphonse’s representative, but he accepted all the facts and continuously suggested conditions that were favorable to Rio.
For example, he presented a compensation sum far beyond a typical case like theirs, an order preventing Stewart and Alphonse from harming Rio and his two companions in the future, and the penalty should that be broken...
Meanwhile, all Rio would be burdened with was not being able to not mention the actions of Stewart and Alphonse to third parties, with no particular penalties if he broke this condition. Rio hadn’t intended on spreading it anyway, so it wasn’t a very cumbersome burden.
And so, all the compromises were made on Duke Huguenot’s side. As a result, the contract draft was completed in a much shorter time than expected. Duke Huguenot took a breath and addressed Rio and Liselotte.
“I suppose this will do for now. Do the two of you have any other concerns?”
“I don’t have any particular objections at this moment in time, but something may come to mind later. I’d like to think about this for a few days before officially executing the contract. Would that suit you, Sir Haruto?” Liselotte said, looking at Rio.
“Yes, I do feel that it is a little one-sided in favor of me, but if you don’t have a problem with that...” Rio nodded in slight confusion.
“Of course it would be, seeing as none of the fault was yours,” Duke Huguenot said with a sociable smile. It was hard to believe he was the same man who once placed a false accusation on an innocent Rio’s head, and turned Latifa into an assassin.
“...Thank you for your consideration.” Despite finding the whole thing rather uncanny, Rio bowed his head respectfully.
“Then for the detailed wording and creation of the original contract, can that be left to you as a third party, Liselotte?” Duke Huguenot requested.
“Yes, leave it to me.” Liselotte nodded readily.
Duke Huguenot bowed his head at Liselotte, then turned to face Rio and apologized once more. “Sorry for the trouble. And Haruto, I apologize again for everything. My foolish son’s actions have caused you great pain, and for that I am sincerely regretful for.”
“No — if the matter is settled completely, then I have no more concerns about this issue.” Rio shook his head.
“...It pains me to admit, but I didn’t have much time with my son when he was younger, being occupied with my duties. Unfortunately, he grew up into an indulgent son. However, I swear as his parent to have him atone for his sins properly. In order to do so, I have one request to ask of you...” Duke Huguenot said, watching Rio’s expression.
“What is it?” Rio tilted his head rather warily.
“If you would so allow it, could you give them the opportunity to apologize in person? They have deeply reflected on their actions since then. It may be for their own egos, but they wish to apologize to you.” Duke Huguenot said with a strained smile.
“...Sure, I don’t mind.” Rio nodded hesitantly.
“Thank you. Then, Aria. Could you bring them here?” Duke Huguenot called out to Aria, who was waiting in the corner of the room silently.
“Understood.” Aria nodded, opened the door, and stepped outside.
“They’ve actually been ready in the room next door. It shouldn’t take long,” Duke Huguenot admitted. Sure enough, Aria returned not even a minute later, opening the door.
“Excuse me. Go ahead.” After opening the door, Aria invited Stewart and Alphonse inside. The two of them were giving off an extremely gloomy air.
“...Excuse me.” The two entered the room, greeting in rather dispirited voices.
They sure did a 180. Rio’s eyes widened at the sudden change in Stewart and Alphonse. It was hard to think of them as the same people who had been harassing girls and messing around in high spirits the night before.
“Come here.”
“Yes, sir...” As ordered, they approached Duke Huguenot.
“Good for you — Haruto here has agreed to give you the chance to apologize. Make sure you give a proper apology and express your gratitude for his generosity,” Duke Huguenot stated to Stewart and Alphonse in a calm and low voice. Stewart took the lead in kneeling down on the ground before Rio.
“...Please, accept my apologies. I am deeply repentant of last night, where I became drunk and let things get out of hand.” Stewart said his words of apology towards Rio.
“Please, accept my apologies.” Alphonse said shortly, kneeling on the floor with his forehead to the ground. His voice and body were both trembling. Just what emotion was running through him? For Rio, who knew them from his school days, it was an absolutely shocking scene to witness.
That being said, no matter how hard they had butted heads during their school days, Rio felt no satisfaction in watching them prostrate themselves forever. Rather, they were people Rio no longer cared about at all. It wasn’t even a matter of forgiving them or not.
“...It’s fine, please raise your heads.” Rio said in a rather blunt voice, accepting their apologies at once. Liselotte watched Rio’s face from the side as he did so.
After that display, Stewart and Alphonse immediately left the room. The remaining members exchanged pleasant talk until Natalie arrived and informed them that lunch had been prepared.
Led by Aria and Natalie, Rio and the others entered the dining hall of the mansion. Inside the room was a long, rectangular dining table where Flora, Roanna, and Sakata Hiroaki were seated. There, Hiroaki was chatting away talkatively.
“Ah, Sir Haruto.” When Flora noticed them entering the room, she called out to Rio with a friendly smile.
...Me? Rio was taken aback by the fact that his name was the one called out, rather than Liselotte or Duke Huguenot with him, but he didn’t let it show on his face.
“It’s a pleasure to be in your presence once again, Princess Flora. Lady Roanna and Sir Hiroaki, too.” Rio placed his right hand over his chest and bowed his head respectfully.
“Yo, I heard about the mess you had to deal with,” Hiroaki said to Rio.
“Not at all, everything was resolved without any issues in particular,” Rio replied with a strained smile.
“Really. Well, sit down then,” Hiroaki invited Rio to sit as though it was his own house.
“Yes, please have a seat. Sir Haruto, Duke Huguenot,” Liselotte urged.
“Then I shall intrude on your table.” Duke Huguenot showed no sign of hesitation as he calmly lowered himself into a seat.
“This way, Sir Haruto.” Aria selected a seat for Rio and pulled it out quietly in invitation.
“...Then, excuse me.” Rio sat down nervously; Flora was seated right next to him.
“Umm, I know we’re all seated already, but is it okay for us to join you too?” Flora asked, peering up at Rio’s face beside her.
“I believe that, if anything, I should be the one asking if I may be here with everyone else?” Rio thought he’d be having lunch with only Liselotte and Duke Huguenot, so he was taken aback. Incidentally, Liselotte hadn’t known Flora and the others were inside the room until she entered herself, but had arranged for her attendants to prepare in advance either way, so she wasn’t particularly surprised.
“Eh, I’m sure it’s fine. This is a gathering of appreciation for you, after all. Having a meal with a hero and princess is a rare experience. Feel privileged, yeah?” Hiroaki huffed with a smug look.
Despite Rio being the main focus of the gathering, Hiroaki was acting like he was the master of the house. That being said, he was the hero on par with a servant of god, so it was endearing in a way.
“Yes, it’s an honor,” Rio agreed amicably.
“It isn’t meant to be a formal event, so please relax and enjoy yourself. The highest quality foods have been prepared for today,” Liselotte said somewhat apologetically. Even though she’d set up the event to show appreciation, Rio was being made to accommodate others even now.
Rio put on a sociable smile and thanked her cheerfully. “Thank you for your consideration.”
Afterwards, Liselotte’s attendants carried the dishes in and the group promptly began their lunch party. Because it wasn’t a formal event, the meal wasn’t served in full-course style, but rather all brought out at once and laid out on the table like a feast. If anyone wanted a second serving of something they liked, they would ask the attendants to serve some for them.
The seating order was also informal. Hiroaki took up camp at the end seat, with Roanna seated beside him and Flora seated opposite. Beside Flora sat Rio, and next to Rio was Liselotte, whereas Duke Huguenot was seated opposite to Liselotte.
“The meat is top grade, as usual. I can tell it has been grilled properly as well. The chefs at Liselotte’s mansion sure know their stuff,” Hiroaki said with a satisfied expression, cheeks stuffed with steak.
“I am much obliged,” Liselotte said with a smile.
“But... eating good meat always makes me want rice too,” Hiroaki sighed quietly.
“I’ve actually used my connections with the Ricca Guild to prepare some rice...” Liselotte said, her expression somehow not looking too pleasant.
“What, really?” Hiroaki asked, showing a strong interest.
“Yes. You previously expressed your desire to eat rice, so I had some prepared exactly as the hero described. Aria—” Liselotte said, calling out to Aria, who was waiting in the room.
“Yes, my lady.” Aria nodded quietly, moving to stand before a small pot left on the waiter’s table. She served a small amount of rice onto a plate and carried it over to Hiroaki.
“This rice is supposed to be eaten as porridge, like threshed wheat. It’s only cultivated in certain parts of Strahl and not particularly favoured by royalty or nobility, so I’m sure it must be the first time some of you may be seeing it,” Liselotte said, addressing everyone seated at the table.
In Strahl, it was common for grains other than rice to be used for porridge, but porridge itself was looked down upon by the noble class as something for the lower classes to eat. It would normally be impolite to bring that ingredient to the dining table of royalty and nobility, but it was a different story if Hiroaki, the hero, desired it.
“So this is the rice that Sir Hiroaki often spoke of...” Flora looked at the plate before gazing at Hiroaki with curiosity.
There was rice in Strahl, too? Rio’s eyes widened at that fact.
“Haha, I see. Well, I guess I could give it a try.” Hiroaki picked up his fork and scooped some rice, staring at it with a grin on his face before carrying it to his mouth.
“...Is it to your liking?” Liselotte asked quietly.
“Ah, this is definitely rice. It’s rice, but not the rice I want.” Hiroaki shook his head in disappointment.
“So, it isn’t satisfactory after all,” Liselotte said with a wry smile, as though she expected that reaction.
“...What do you mean?” Flora asked curiously, cocking her head.
“It’s dry and the rice grains don’t stick to each other at all. To put it simply... it’s bad. It’s not the type of grain that should be cooked and eaten in this way to begin with. Though it probably tastes good if you make it into porridge and season it...” Hiroaki explained in Liselotte’s place.
“I agree. That’s why I had my chefs experiment and make something delicious to eat. Would you like to give their cooking a try?” Liselotte immediately suggested to Hiroaki.
Interest piqued, Hiroaki nodded heartily. “Oh? You sure are well prepared. As expected of you. Sure, bring it out.”
“Then, Aria. Please prepare enough for everyone.”
“Yes, my lady,” Aria agreed respectfully and began serving with the other attendant girls. Before long, two plates appeared before Rio. One had regular white rice, while the other one had the risotto.
“Everyone, please feel free to try and compare the differences between two types of cooked rice,” Liselotte stated cheerfully.
“What an interesting idea... I shall give it a try. Hmm...” Duke Huguenot said, starting with the white rice.
Meanwhile, Hiroaki had already eaten the risotto. “It’s great! It’s just like cheese risotto!” he said happily.
“Thank you. I see Sir Hiroaki knows about this dish, then. As you can see, it uses cheese. Did you say it was called risotto?” Liselotte asked curiously while smiling.
“Yeah, it’s the name of a similar food in my world. It was prepared in a different way compared to porridge, right?” Hiroaki nodded, confirming with a knowing look.
“Yes, it is as you discerned. The name of the food hasn’t been decided yet, so we will take this chance to name it after your risotto,” Liselotte said with a grin.
“Sure, I don’t mind.” Hiroaki nodded contently.
...This hero, does he not realize that Liselotte could have recreated this risotto using Earth knowledge? Rio doubted in his head. However, at present, he had no reason to interrupt and ask, and was content to observe quietly without overstepping.
Flora also took a bite of the risotto and offered her thoughts with a beaming smile. “This... risotto, was it? It’s very delicious.”
“Yes, I’m surprised.” It seemed like Roanna was also pleased with the taste. Duke Huguenot was also smacking his lips in awe.
“My compliments to the chef. To think a grain food could taste this good...”
“I am pleased to see it was to your liking.” Liselotte accepted their reactions happily, before turning to ask Rio who had just taken a bite of his risotto too. “What did you think, Sir Haruto?”
“It’s wonderful. I never imagined I’d be eating rice again,” Rio said with a smile. Liselotte looked at him, surprised.
“...Is it possible that you’ve eaten rice before, Sir Haruto?”
“Yes, actually. During my travels across various lands.” Rio disclosed just enough information that was within the truth. In actuality, he ate rice on a daily basis and often made risotto to eat, too, but decided against saying that out loud.
“Umm, how old were you when you started your journey, Sir Haruto?” Flora asked nervously, interested in Rio’s travels.
“...I was eleven years old.” Rio answered with the same number he gave Aria before, staggering the year he began his journey by one year. Rio had fled from the kingdom of Beltrum when he was in his sixth year of the Royal Academy, so he was actually twelve.
“Eleven...” Flora muttered quietly, seemingly frustrated.
Hiroaki narrowed his eyes at Flora’s expression. “Come to think of it, how old are you?” he asked Rio.
“I am sixteen.”
“Oh. So, the same age as Roanna... And one year older than Flora and Liselotte. But how did you travel from such a young age? In this world, you have to walk everywhere if you’re not a noble. Well... I guess it’s possible this has something to do with your parents?”
“No, both my parents died before I started my journey. I mostly traveled alone, but I did travel with others for part of the way.”
“Ah, I see. So your parents have passed already. Sorry for asking about that.” Even Hiroaki was able to sense the mood and scratched his head awkwardly.
“No, don’t let it bother you.” Rio shook his head with a smile.
However, Flora pushed further in questioning Rio. “Umm, then why did you choose to travel alone, Sir Haruto? Didn’t you have somewhere you were living before?”
At that, Liselotte, Roanna, and Duke Huguenot all widened their eyes in curiosity, finding it to be an assertive stance for Flora.
With a pensive look, Rio searched for the right words. “Actually, I was searching for a person connected to my deceased parents. My parents were nomads to begin with, so they barely had any acquaintances in the area, and weren’t very attached to the land, either.”
“...Then where did you live originally?” Flora asked further. Her posture had completely turned to face Rio beside her, staring at his face closely.
“Hey, now. Flora. Aren’t you prying into his past a little bit too much now?” Unable to continue to simply watch, Hiroaki admonished Flora.
Flora gasped as she came to her senses. “Ah, no... umm. That’s not what I intended... Please forgive me!” she apologized to Rio in a panic.
In order to avoid making Flora feel bad, Rio shook his head with a friendly smile. “No, don’t worry about it. If anything, I’m sorry for not having anything more interesting to say.”
“No, no — your story was of great interest to me. But setting the past aside, do you plan on ever settling somewhere eventually?” Duke Huguenot shifted the focus of the questions from Rio’s past to his future.
“That’s a good point. I’m still in the middle of my journey, so I’m not sure yet.” Rio dodged the question with a forced smile on his face.
“Hahaha. In that case, feel free to place the Kingdom of Beltrum in your sights as a place of permanent residency. With your sword skills, I’d hire you on good terms.” Duke Huguenot tried to scout Rio with determination, all while wearing a bright smile.
“Oh, my. If we’re talking about a swordsman of Sir Haruto’s level, I’d like to put my name out there, too.” Liselotte kept Duke Huguenot in check immediately.
“My my, it seems a rival has appeared already.”
“Fufu, but of course. I won’t let you get the lead right in front of my eyes.”
“Hahaha. We cannot remain in Amande forever, after all. We’re always in need of talented people, so being able to meet someone like this is a valuable opportunity. I must make the most of it,” Duke Huguenot said pleasantly, looking at Rio.
“...I am grateful for the offer. If fate ever leads me there, I will rely on you at that time,” Rio said, giving a diplomatic and safe reply.
“Hmm. Seriously speaking, we would be able to provide somewhere for you to use your sword skills as much as you want. And a career path upwards, too. Feel free to consider it as one of your options in life.” Duke Huguenot didn’t seem to have any intentions of allowing the conversation to end with lip service, appealing rather enthusiastically. However, he didn’t try to step forward too forcefully, wary of the trouble that Stewart and Alphonse had caused earlier.
“I will also be willing to welcome you at any time,” Liselotte reminded Rio casually.
“Wow, look who’s the talk of the town. Is this the birth of a new hero?” Hiroaki said, putting a damper on things.
“No, that would be out of the question. I would be no match for a real hero like you. The legend speaks of the ability to wipe out armies of monsters in a single blow, after all. If that were true, taking out a mere handful of minotaurs would be laughable in comparison,” Rio denied rather exaggeratedly, while also flattering Hiroaki for being a hero in the process.
“Ah, well. No matter how much effort you put in, real heroes have a status and power limited to only them. The wall that a fake could never surpass, or so they say. But if you’re aware of that, then maybe you might make it somewhere too.” Hiroaki smiled, now in a good mood.
“That’s very kind of you to say.” Rio bowed his head respectfully.
Meanwhile, Liselotte was watching Hiroaki with a worried face. “Oh, speaking of heroes. How much have you heard about the heroes being summoned all over the land, Sir Haruto?”
“Let me think... I’ve heard that the areas where pillars of light appeared were where the heroes were summoned. The rumors said that a hero appeared in the kingdom of Galarc too...” Rio took the opportunity to ask about the Galarc Kingdom hero. Finding more information about the Galarc Kingdom hero was one of his goals for getting close to Liselotte, so he was quite grateful for the topic at hand being brought up.
“The castle technically hasn’t released any information to the townspeople yet, but it’s hard to hide pillars that rose up so conspicuously,” Liselotte said with a strained smile.
“Ah, they said they would introduce her officially at the evening party, didn’t they? The female hero of Galarc.” Hiroaki said, sighing tiredly.
“An evening party... and a lady?” Rio asked hesitantly, stifling his overeager emotions.
“Yes, Lady Satsuki Sumeragi. That’s the name of the hero summoned in our kingdom.”
Sure enough, the woman was of the same name and gender as the person Rio was searching for.
“Lady Satsuki Sumeragi...” It couldn’t possibly be a coincidence. Rio was certain that the hero summoned in the Galarc Kingdom was Miharu’s upperclassman. Obtaining this information alone had made getting so close to Liselotte worth it.
“Actually, Sir Hiroaki is also set to attend that party. We also plan on unveiling him there,” Duke Huguenot said while looking at Hiroaki.
“Well, I’m not a big fan of being put on stage, but I guess this is another part of being a hero.” Contrary to his words, Hiroaki shrugged with a smile that didn’t seem all that displeased.
“...It sounds like quite the high-class event.” Rio said, eyes wide.
“Actually, there are rumors the hero summoned in the Kingdom of Centostella will also be in attendance. It’s not confirmed, though, and the hero’s name is also hidden still,” Duke Huguenot said.
“Oh my...” Rio uttered in interest.
Finally, a big leap in progress. I can tell Miharu and the others the good news too.
He sighed in relief at the situation finally taking a turn for the better.
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