Seirei Gensouki ~Konna Sekai de Deaeta Kimi ni~ (LN) - Volume 9 - Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Sumeragi Satsuki 

The next day, after their lunch at the mansion, Liselotte brought Rio and Miharu along to visit the royal castle of Galarc. Their goal was, of course, to meet Satsuki before the banquet. 

Under normal circumstances, the two of them would have never been allowed inside, but thanks to Liselotte filling out the necessary procedures required at the castle gate, both Rio and Miharu were permitted to enter without investigation. 

Once they entered the castle, Liselotte gave a note to one of the castle officials addressed to the king— it requested an urgent audience with King Francois of Galarc. Nobles had the privilege of seeking an audience with the king at any time as long as they had a good reason, and she had exercised that privilege. In some cases, they could be made to wait a month, but this time the official came back with the response that the king could meet them immediately. 

However, the information to be discussed must have been deemed to be highly confidential, as they were to use a royal reception room for an unofficial meeting rather than the audience hall for an official one. 

Rio, Miharu, and Liselotte were led to the reception room, and Francois soon appeared. Francois was in his late forties, the age where a king was at his pudgiest. His gaze and countenance were stern—typical for a king of great power. 

Sandwiching Francois on each side stood a man in his early twenties and a woman in her early teens. They both wore expensive-looking clothes which, combined with their accompanying Francois, implied that they were both royalty. Other attendants wearing maid uniforms made an entrance as well. 

“Thank you for coming today. I haven’t met Liselotte face-to-face since I received the report about the attack on Amande. I believed the next time we would meet would be at the banquet, but...” Francois looked at Miharu and Rio. They did not speak, only accepted Francois’ gaze silently while looking down. 

“Pardon me. It is a delight to be before Your Majesty. I sincerely apologize for requesting this sudden audience during a time when Your Majesty must be terribly busy with the preparations for the banquet tomorrow. And I am most grateful for your immediate response to my request,” Liselotte said, giving a reverent greeting on behalf of Rio and Miharu. 

“It’s not a problem. Even if you had given more advance warning, it wouldn’t have made this any easier to respond to. By bringing the actual person here, you’ve omitted the unnecessary steps in between. Above all, you are very busy yourself. At any rate, let’s all have a seat,” Francois said warmly, then sat down at the head seat. The young man and woman accompanying him sat down on chairs placed in the corner of the room. 

“Excuse me.” Liselotte bowed her head and sat down gracefully. Rio and Miharu also bowed once before taking their seats on either side of Liselotte. In contrast to Miharu, whose movements were awkward from nervousness, Rio straightened himself with a downcast look like a noble would. 

“...Is this person Miharu? The one who claims to be Satsuki’s friend?” Francois asked. 

“This is Sir Haruto. He placed Miharu under his protection when she wandered into this world and requested that I arrange a way for Lady Satsuki to meet her. Furthermore, he assisted in repelling monsters during the attack on Amande, and rescued Princess Flora when she was abducted,” Liselotte explained. 

Francois’ eyes widened in interest. “I see, so he’s the enchanted swordsman you mentioned from that incident. I’ve heard of your achievements. You have done your duty well, both with Miharu and the rest. You may raise your head.” In effect, Francois was giving Rio permission to speak to him. 

Despite the fact that this was an unofficial meeting, with the other party being the leader of an entire kingdom, stricter rules of etiquette had to be followed than with other nobles. This was why Rio had not lifted his gaze to look directly at Francois’ face. If Rio had joined in on Francois and Liselotte’s conversation, he would have been branded as impolite. 

However, once Rio was given permission to speak, he finally opened his mouth. “There is no higher honor than to receive words of praise from Your Majesty.” He raised his head slightly so that Francois could see his face, before lowering it once more. 

“It was noted in the report as well, but you really do seem young. To repel a large demi-dragon’s breath with an enchanted sword at that age is quite the feat. I’ve heard that your parents were migrants, but you seem capable of upholding noble etiquette too. What an interesting boy. I would like to hear more about you later.” Francois looked at Rio with great interest. The man and woman in the corner of the room also observed Rio with curiosity in their eyes. 

“It would be an honor.” Rio refrained from saying anything more and lowered his head respectfully. Just then, someone knocked on the door to the room before opening it immediately. 

“Excuse me.” A girl in her mid teens appeared. She wore what would have been a typical uniform for female knights in this world, only tailored to be more extravagant. However, her facial structure was that of a Japanese person. 

She had large eyes and a dignified gaze. Her figure was feminine and slender, and her long hair, which reached down her back, was tied. She was beautiful. 

The girl seemed to have run here, as she was slightly out of breath. However, she paid it no mind as she looked around the room anxiously, immediately focusing her gaze on Miharu. 

“...Miharu-chan!” the girl — Sumeragi Satsuki — shouted after she’d caught her breath. She’d spoken in Japanese. 

“Satsuki-san!” Miharu shot straight to her feet as her face lit up at the sight of her friend. Because Satsuki had spoken in Japanese, Miharu did, too. 

“Aah, I knew it. You’re in this world too! I’m so glad! Though I don’t know if that’s a happy thing... But, I’m relieved. I’m so relieved to see you in this world, Miharu!” Satsuki ran up to Miharu and hugged her tightly; she must have been battling loneliness and anxiety at being the only one summoned into this world. She wore her relief on her sleeve. 

“I’m so glad to see you too, Satsuki!” Miharu allowed Satsuki to hug her as she pleased, returning the hug with a tight squeeze. 

“Oh goodness, I have so much I want to tell you about. Where should I begin? I used to think all the time about what I would say if I ever saw you guys again... But now that it’s actually come true, my whole head is blank and I can’t figure out what to say.” Satsuki’s eyes were brimming with tears as she beamed with happiness. 

“I also had tons of things I was planning on telling you once we met again, but I don’t know where to start,” Miharu agreed with a giggle. Meanwhile, Francois and the others were watching Satsuki and Miharu as though they were witnessing something very odd unfolding. 

Satsuki suddenly noticed that she was being watched by everyone and stepped back from hugging Miharu. She looked at Francois. “...Umm, is something the matter?” 

“No, I knew the divine arms had some kind of translation sorcery placed on you, but it’s strange hearing it when you’re having a conversation like this. I can understand everything you’re saying, but the words coming from Miharu are beyond my comprehension,” Francois explained with a wry smile. 

“Oh, I see. ...Wait, huh? Miharu, aren’t you a hero too?” When Satsuki realized that Miharu’s words weren’t being translated into the world’s language, her eyes widened. 

“No, I don’t think I am. I don’t have one of those divine arms things.” 

“Then how do you normally communicate with people?” 

“I learned to speak the language of the Strahl region, but only the common tongue,” Miharu replied. 

“L-Learned to speak... It’s only been a few months since we came to this world, right? You learned in such a short time... and by yourself?” Satsuki confirmed as though she couldn’t believe it. It would be one thing if Miharu had a tutor, but she doubted it was possible to acquire a whole language alone. 

“Umm, Haruto has an ancient magic artifact that can let people communicate just like your divine arms. I used that to learn enough words to be comfortable with conversational speech.” Miharu looked at Rio as she gave the answer they prepared in advance. 

The truth was that Rio had memories of his previous life and knew Japanese, making it so he could teach her the language, but it was too absurd of a story for anyone to believe, and Rio himself didn’t want the story spread around. If it weren’t for Miharu’s situation, he wouldn’t have told Liselotte about himself, either. 

For the record, Liselotte knew of the situation and was of course aware that Miharu’s explanation had been a lie, having agreed to the false explanation too. There was already a precedent of translation sorcery in the divine arms, so the explanation of there being ancient artifacts that could enable communication wasn’t too far fetched. 

“So, such an artifact existed... Oh, is this Haruto, then?” Satsuki gazed at Rio in wonder. 

“Yes. He saved me after I wandered into this world and was at a loss for where to go,” Miharu nodded. 

“Haruto...” Satsuki muttered Rio’s alias and stared at his face closely. 

“...What are you talking about?” Francois interrupted. While he could hear Satsuki’s half of the conversation, he seemed to have an interest in Miharu’s answer. 

“Umm, can I share what you said just now?” Satsuki asked Miharu. 

“Yes, of course,” Miharu nodded without hesitation. 

“We were talking about how Miharu learned to speak this world’s language in such a short period of time. Apparently, there was an ancient artifact that allowed for communication, so she used that to learn,” Satsuki told Francois. 

“Oh? I’ve never heard of such an item...” Francois looked at Rio with interest. 

“However, we used that artifact too much while we were studying and broke it...” Miharu added timidly to the explanation they had prepared. She had been told that ancient magic artifacts were difficult to reproduce using modern sorcery, so it would be easy enough to use it as an excuse without someone prying, but she was still nervous someone would see through her lies. 

That being said, she couldn’t allow Rio’s secret to be known because of her, so she did her best to calm down and took small, nervous breaths. 

“Unfortunately, it couldn’t withstand the excessive use and broke, it seems.” Satsuki interpreted Miharu’s words for Francois. Well, Satsuki was actually speaking Japanese too, but for Francois and the others, it sounded like it was being translated into the world’s language. 

“Haruto, do you still have the broken artifact?” Francois asked Rio directly. 

“It was a memento from my parents, so yes... However, the magic orb core with the spell formula embedded inside was overloaded and broke into pieces. It’s beyond repair,” Rio answered without hesitation. 

Magic orbs were different from magic stones in that the magic energy could be replenished once it was used up, making it the equivalent of the spirit folk’s spirit stones. They were impossible for modern humans to refine, so it was the perfect excuse. 

“...I’m a bit curious. If you can understand both Japanese and the language of this world, what do my words sound like to you right now?” Satsuki suddenly asked. 

“It sounds like Japanese. But when I focus on listening for this world’s language, I can hear the words as this world’s... It feels really strange to hear you change languages so suddenly...” Miharu said with a strained smile. 

“Hmm. Well, I don’t know what to say. Maybe it depends on the listener’s awareness? Generally, words get converted into the language your brain recognizes as your mother tongue, or the language you often use in your daily life...” Satsuki hypothesized with interest. 

“Speaking of which, Satsuki. You shouldn’t keep our guest on her feet while you’re talking. There are some things I’d like to ask for more details about, but this is your grand reunion. I’m sure you both are giddy with excitement, and you must have much to discuss. Miharu also seems a little nervous, so how about the two of you speak alone first?” Francois suggested, having read the room. He of course wanted to show consideration for the two of them and let them feel comfortable. 

However, in reality, just like how Satsuki and Miharu may have found it difficult to speak in front of Francois, Francois had things he found difficult to say in front of Satsuki too, which is why he made the suggestion. 

“...Is that okay?” Satsuki turned a searching look towards Francois. 

“Of course. I’d like to talk to Miharu myself later, but if it’s just for the sequence of events and confirmation of the truth, I can get Haruto’s report instead. There are things I’d like to ask Liselotte and Haruto too. You two would probably have nothing to do while that’s going on, so it would be most efficient to have you talk to each other in another room instead,” Francois said warmly, shrugging his shoulders. 

“I understand. Thank you for your consideration. In that case, we’ll head to my room. We won’t need an escort that way.” Satsuki said. 

“That’s fine.” 

“Let’s go then, Miharu,” Satsuki took Miharu’s hand. 

“O-Okay...” Miharu looked at Rio and hesitated before nodding her head. But before Satsuki left the room, she came to a stop and stared at Rio. She bowed her head. 

“Haruto, thank you for saving Miharu. I’ll be borrowing her for a moment, but could I talk with you later as well?” 

“Of course.” Rio placed his right hand over his chest and nodded respectfully. 

After Satsuki left with Miharu, Rio and Liselotte continued their meeting with Francois. 

“Now, without further ado, I’d like to hear the facts regarding Miharu in Haruto’s own words. The note from Liselotte didn’t have any details. Would you mind?” Francois looked at Rio and said. 

“I understand.” Rio bowed his head with familiar ease, then began to explain the events that had happened to Miharu until now. 

At first, immediately after she was summoned to this world, Miharu roamed around a wide grassland at the border between the Kingdoms of Galarc and Centostella. She was nearly abducted by merchants to be sold as a slave, when Rio, who had been passing by on his journey, had saved her. 

Then, after taking Miharu in under his care, he used an ancient artifact to teach her the language of this world, which she studied dutifully. At one point, they realized that Miharu’s friends might have become heroes in this world and started looking into the background of each region’s hero. 

Other than the part about the ancient magic artifact, there weren’t any other falsehoods in his story. However, they had decided not to reveal Aki and Masato’s presence yet, so their names didn’t come up. 

“...I now understand the general gist of things. It was a tremendously meritorious feat of you to take in Satsuki’s friend and exert your efforts to reunite them. Furthermore, your merits in saving Amande, Liselotte, and Princess Flora are brilliant as well. I commend you once again. You have truly done your duty well,” Francois said in a stately manner once he’d finished listening. 

“It is an honor to receive your words.” Rio bowed his head deeply. 

“I’d like to confirm a few things.” 

“Please, ask away.” 

“It doesn’t sit well with me that someone as capable as you has remained unaffiliated until now. I heard your parents were migrants — is this true?” Francois asked, staring straight at Rio. 

“It is true.” 

“Then, where did you learn the etiquette of a noble? I cannot believe that a commoner from the streets could acquire such skills,” Francois asked intrusively, without hesitation. This was an area that even Liselotte, who knew that Rio had memories of his previous life, had refrained from asking out of consideration, but it wasn’t a topic that was too much for the king to ask. 

Liselotte watched Rio’s expression with a sidelong look in interest. 

“One of my acquaintances is a noble, so I learned by interacting with them.” Unaffected by the question, Rio answered fluently. He’d learned in the Royal Academy of Beltrum, but he couldn’t say that directly. 

Incidentally, the acquaintance he was speaking of was Celia. 

“What is the name of that noble? Which kingdom are they from?” 

“Due to several complications in the past, they are currently in hiding under an alias. I am terribly sorry to say this, but I cannot reveal that person’s name without their permission. I humbly ask for your forgiveness,” Rio answered, bowing his head lower. While it wasn’t favorable to refuse to answer Francois’ question, that didn’t mean he could reveal Celia’s existence, either. 

“I see. If you say that person has special circumstances to be considered, then I won’t pry any further for now. What I want to know is the motives behind the actions of a person like you. Your background and relationships are merely things to support that.” Francois said eloquently. 

“I am personally unaffiliated with any kingdom. I am not moving under the directions of the noble acquaintance I have, either. The relationship I have with that person is purely personal, and they are completely unrelated to the current case. Furthermore, while I am not the most familiar with kingdom politics, I am certain that the noble holds no grudge towards Your Majesty or the Kingdom of Galarc,” Rio replied, taking a stab at what Francois wasn’t saying. 

“Then, you moved to allow Miharu and Satsuki to meet each other. What did you want to gain from having them meet?” Francois asked bluntly. 

“I only want what Miharu wants,” Rio stated simply. 

“...Huh?” Francois let out a disappointed sound. The members of royalty sitting in on the meeting also looked like they were taken by surprise. 

“Miharu wanted to meet Satsuki. That is why I wanted to be of assistance to her. That’s all there was to it,” Rio added after observing Francois’ reaction. 

“...That was the only reason you approached Liselotte and accomplished so much?” Francois asked while staring at Rio closely. 

“It was a coincidence that I came across Liselotte during her crisis. Of course, I considered the possibility of the Galarc hero being Satsuki and had the thought to approach her for it for my own self interests. However, I believe things have only gone this smoothly thanks to Liselotte’s power and Miharu’s great fortune in that the hero was indeed her friend Satsuki,” Rio replied humbly. 

Immediately after, Francois’ mouth lifted in a wicked grin. “Bwa—bwahahaha! You sure say fascinating things. Everything is for Miharu’s sake, in order to save the girl toyed with by fate—so you’re saying that you pulled these hero-like achievements for that simple reason?” Francois said, laughing heartily. 

“I believe hero-like is too high a praise for someone like me...” 

“Ridiculous. You saved one of my kingdom’s key cities, the daughter of a great noble, the princess of a prominent kingdom, and repelled a demi-dragon in the process. If you cannot call the person who accomplished these things a hero, what would you consider a hero to be? Not to mention, at the end of all these achievements, the reason turned out to be all for a single girl? It almost sounds suspicious, but that’s precisely why it sounds like the stories of legend. You’re a man to respect.” Francois grinned good-naturedly, brushing Rio aside. The royal man and woman were looking at Francois as though they were seeing something rare. 

“...I am unworthy of your words,” Rio said modestly, hanging his head low. 

“Have a little pride. You’ve done enough to allow yourself that. However... heh heh heh. Delightful. I haven’t laughed freely in so long. Perhaps it’s because of how often I talk to the sly foxes in the kingdom and the royal court, but I had braced myself for some ulterior motive. If I may so ask informally—are you in love with Miharu?” Francois was still holding back his stifled laughter as he asked Rio. 

“...No, that isn’t the case.” Rio shook his head with a troubled look. 

“Incidentally, how old are you?” 

“I am sixteen.” 

“Oh? How young. You have composure beyond your age. I couldn’t tell what kind of a person you were from what I saw in the report, so I wanted to figure out where your loyalties lay in this meeting... Ah, but now I understand a little. A mysterious enchanted swordsman with the ability to repel a large demi-dragon’s breath,” Francois boasted in good humor. 

“It’s an honor,” Rio said in a show of modesty. 

“You’ve brought an interesting man here, Liselotte.” Francois grinned, looking to the girl in question. 

“I’m honored. Having had nothing but unfortunate events happen recently, I consider meeting Sir Haruto to be a blessing of the highest degree. I believed that Your Majesty would be able to see Sir Haruto’s disposition with a face-to-face meeting, so I’m delighted to hear Your Majesty’s praise for him,” Liselotte said with a cheerful smile. 

“So you’re saying the current situation is exactly as you planned, hmm? How vexing.” Contrary to his words, Francois’ mouth was turned in a satisfied smile. 

While Miharu’s presence was very useful for maintaining Satsuki’s good mood, this man might unexpectedly be the bigger catch. Liselotte seems to have formed a favorable relationship with him in the time before the banquet, too. The reason why she set the timing of this meeting to just before the banquet was probably because she wanted to monopolize her relationship with him. I see she hasn’t changed at all, he thought. 

“I humbly ask for Your Majesty’s mercy.” Liselotte quietly lowered her head. 

“I’ve had a wonderful meeting. All that’s left is to hear some things from Miharu and make a judgment. With my interest piqued, I expect you to entertain me in a little more conversation. But first, I owe an apology to the savior of our kingdom for making accusatory remarks. Forgive me.” Francois apologized to Rio with a strained smile. His tone was still from a position of power, but it was already quite the exception to apologize to a wanderer with unclear background. It showed just how highly Francois valued Rio in such a short amount of time. 

“There’s no need for that at all.” Rio bowed his head with emphasis. 

Francois’ smile softened faintly. “I see. Then, allow me to introduce my son and daughter. This is the First Prince Michel and Second Princess Charlotte. They are 21 and 14, respectively. You two, come here and introduce yourselves to Haruto.” 

The two of them approached Rio, who promptly stood up to bow to them. 

“I am the first prince, Michel Galarc. News of your military feats in Amande have reached my ears too. I never imagined I’d be able to meet the rumored hero. It’s an honor.” Michel gave a slightly exaggerated shrug of his shoulders as he introduced himself to Rio. He had blond hair and a handsome appearance that was well proportioned, but he had a certain pompous air to him. 

“No, I am honored to have caught Your Highness’ eye,” Rio replied to Michel with a friendly smile. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sir Haruto. I am the second princess, Charlotte Galarc. It’s wonderful to know that the hero who saved Liselotte is such a young and intelligent gentleman.” Charlotte smiled cheerfully and addressed Rio in a clear and cute voice. Her appearance was truly adorable, her semi-long hair a deep red that suited her well, and although innocence remained in her face, her demeanor was that of a lady. 

“I am unworthy of your praise. Thank you, Princess Charlotte.” Just like with Michel, Rio responded to Charlotte in a friendly manner. 

“No, it’s extremely rare for Father to take a liking to someone when meeting them for the first time, you know? That in itself is something you can be proud of,” Charlotte said with a carefree smile. 

“Now, don’t say that, Charlotte,” Francois said with a slight smile. 

Charlotte showed a hint of a mischievous expression. “Hehe, it seems like Father is feeling embarrassed.” 

“Don’t trouble Father too much, Charlotte,” Michel chided her in exasperation. 

“Yes, Brother.” Charlotte nodded obediently. 

“As you can see, she’s still a bit childish, but she’s a considerate little sister. She’s got a sociable personality, so she’ll probably talk to you about various things, so please treat her well,” Michel said, like a good older brother. 

“As you wish.” Rio smiled and nodded, observing how they seemed to be quite the close pair of siblings. 

Meanwhile, while Rio was speaking with Francois and the others... 

On the top floor of one of the many towers of the Galarc royal castle was Miharu. She was being led to the living space of the quarters that was allocated for Satsuki to live in. 

Satsuki headed to the kitchen to prepare tea and snacks, while Miharu sat down alone on the sofa in the living room. She looked around the space in interest — the room was furnished with what were clearly expensive items, filling the room with the mood of a stylish five-star hotel suite. 

Several minutes later, Satsuki appeared in the living room. 

“Thanks for waiting. Here, help yourself.” Satsuki placed the tray of tea and snacks on the table before sitting on the sofa across from Miharu. 

“Thank you. Do you live in this room alone?” Miharu bobbed her head and asked. 

“Yes. They offered to assign me a maid, but I told them I can do it all myself and refused entry from anyone else. There’s a living room and dining room, and the kitchen and bathroom are all fully furnished. There are three bedrooms, so it’s a little too big for someone who’s living alone, but it’s kind of like living in an apartment,” Satsuki said with a bitter smile. 

“Then the chance of being eavesdropped on here is...?” 

“No one can step into this room without my permission. You can speak without worrying here, so tell me everything. With how you’re acting, I’m guessing you didn’t want the king to hear?” Satsuki tilted her head with a smile at Miharu’s nervousness. 

“Yes. The truth is, Aki and Masato came to this world with me, but they’re hiding in a different location right now...” 

“I see, so the two of them are here as well. I guess it’s a small blessing that you guys weren’t all separated, huh... Yeah, I should just be happy the two of them are safe. You didn’t tell the king that the two are somewhere else?” Satsuki’s thoughts processed fast and she was quick on the uptake. 

“Yes, Haruto advised me that it would be dangerous for all of us to appear when we weren’t certain of the situation.” 

“...So it was his idea to bring you to the castle?” 

“I requested it. Haruto said he could come to the castle alone to make contact with you, but it pained me to leave everything to him...” Miharu shook her head slowly, looking somewhat apologetic as she answered. 

“I see... I would have liked to see Aki and Masato too, but I think it was a careful and correct decision not to bring them to the castle right away. I’ll tell you about myself later, but could you first tell me in chronological order what happened to you guys? And about Haruto — the one who saved you.” Satsuki stared closely at Miharu’s face and smiled gently. Miharu nodded in agreement and began to recall what had happened to her. 

“We first wandered onto a grass field in this world. There was nothing around us, my cell phone didn’t have a signal, and we were at a loss...” 

“...That’s a tough situation to be in. I was summoned to the castle so it was fine for me, but you guys were walking along a modern street when you were pulled into the wilderness, huh?” Satsuki said with a pained expression. 

“Yes, we were really confused. We decided to head towards civilization and started to walk, but...” Miharu recalled and frowned faintly. 

Satsuki seemed to notice the change in Miharu’s expression, as she held her breath. “Did something happen?” 

“Umm, the first people we met were slave merchants that nearly abducted us,” Miharu replied as brightly as possible. 

“Wait, did you get out of that okay?!” Satsuki asked in a panic. 

“Yes, as soon as we were forced onto the carriages, Haruto appeared and saved us. I couldn’t tell what was going on, but I believe there was a fight. He settled things with the slave merchants for us...” Miharu spoke about what happened vaguely. She didn’t actually know what had happened outside, but she could tell from the yelling that some sort of commotion had happened. 

“You really had it so much tougher than I did... and yet, you lived courageously and even found me again. I’m ashamed to say I was moping for a long time after I came to this world,” Satsuki said, looking guilty. 

“I was together with Aki and Masato, and we had Haruto, who arranged everything for us, so that’s why I was able to be at my best.” Miharu shook her head with a wry smile. 

“...He sounds like an amazing person, that Haruto. I can tell you really trust him a lot. But, just who is he?” Satsuki asked. 

“What do you mean, who is he?” Perhaps it was because Satsuki’s question had wide implications, or perhaps it was because she was suddenly asked about Rio, that Miharu questioned her back in confusion. 

“How should I put it... His appearance almost looks like a half-Japanese person with strong western blood, you know? His hair’s grey too, and the name Haruto has connections to Germany, but it could also be seen as a Japanese name... so I’m curious, I guess. I’ve never seen anyone with a face like his in this world, so I was wondering why he’s done so much for you guys...” Satsuki added to her question, asking in a roundabout way as to whether Haruto was Japanese. 

“Umm, Haruto’s a person of this world who was born and raised in the Strahl region. It’s just... and I’d like you to refrain from telling others what I’m about to say without Haruto’s permission, but do you know about the place called the Wilderness to the east of Galarc?” Miharu said, choosing her words carefully. For the record, she had talked to Rio in advance and predetermined how much she was allowed to explain about him in her reunion with Satsuki. 

“...Ah, yeah.” Satsuki nodded slowly. 

“Haruto’s parents are from a place further east from the Wilderness called the Yagumo region. They migrated here, but it seems like people with black hair and what we would consider East Asian faces on Earth live there.” 

“So that’s why he has a face similar to a Japanese person...” Satsuki accepted with interest. 

“If you search in the Strahl region, you’d be able to find people with similar faces with ancestors from Yagumo. Though they’re very few and far between,” said Miharu. 

“Huh, really... Oh, we went off topic. I don’t see any problem with telling other people this, though. Is there a reason why it’s a secret?” Satsuki asked curiously. 

“Umm, the part I’d like you to stay quiet about is yet to come... Can you promise me that you won’t tell anyone else?” Miharu asked Satsuki in return, her words a bit inarticulate. 

“...Yeah, I promise.” Satsuki nodded firmly with a serious expression. 

With a gentle, somewhat sad smile, Miharu began to speak. “The reason why Haruto’s done so much for us is because he’s kind. That’s the first and foremost reason. But it’s possible that the fact we’re Japanese also played a small role in that.” 

That’s right. Haruto — Haru-kun — he knew about me and Aki. He knew, yet he stayed quiet about it as he saved us. Miharu reflected on that truth in her heart anew. 

“...What do you mean?” Satsuki tilted her head dubiously. 

“Haruto has memories of his previous life. Memories of when he was a Japanese person...” Miharu stated clearly. 

“...I’m shocked,” Satsuki said after a long pause. 

“Is it unbelievable?” Miharu asked nervously. 

Satsuki sighed with a shrug. “If I was still in Japan, I might not have believed it. But right now, for some strange reason, I can accept it pretty easily... I’m here, in a world like this, after all. Is that what they call reincarnation? In other words, Haruto has memories of when he lived on Earth?” 

“Yes. It seemed like he was a university student in Japan.” Miharu nodded. 

“A Japanese university student, huh... Ah, then the magic artifact that allowed you to communicate was...” Satsuki recalled their earlier conversation with a gasp. 

“That was a lie to hide Haruto’s secret from the king. I’m sorry.” Miharu bowed her head apologetically. 

“No, it’s okay. Now that I know the situation, I understand. But... are you sure about this? Telling me his secret like this...” Satsuki asked Miharu hesitantly. 

“Yes, I’ve received permission from him, on the condition that you keep your silence.” 

“Even so, that’s quite a risky move if you want to keep it a secret. Of course I won’t tell anyone, but I don’t see how this benefits him in any way...” 

“It’s because I trust you, Satsuki. Because of that, Haruto is also willing to trust you. He said that he didn’t want us to lie to you, out of consideration for our relationship...” Miharu said with a warm expression. 

“Ah, I see. So that’s how it is. I think I understand why you trust him so much now. He’s a very sincere person, isn’t he? Okay, in that case... I’ll trust him too. I’ll have to thank him properly later, and I’d like to have a conversation with the three of us too.” Satsuki felt like she understood Rio a little more and felt deeply impressed. 

Argh! I’m so embarrassed for thinking he was shady! Satsuki scolded herself lightly. 

“You could just call Haruto to this room too,” Miharu suddenly said without much thought. 

“Oh, that’s a good idea.” Satsuki clapped her hands together. 

“Huh?” Miharu was taken aback. 

“Let’s go talk to the king,” Satsuki said, completely on board. 

“Talk? Right now?” 

“Yup. I’ll ask if it’s okay for you and Haruto to stay in my quarters tonight.” Satsuki gave a carefree smile, whereas her statement was definitely more than Miharu had expected. 

Afterward, in the reception room where Rio was meeting with Francois... 

“By the way, Haruto. Would you be interested in being knighted for your service to our kingdom? For a swordsman of your caliber, I can guarantee a highway to success—what do you say to that?” Francois asked. 

“...My deepest apologies. It’s a very tempting offer for a migrant like me, and I do appreciate it, but...” Rio’s face stiffened a bit as he declined the offer. It was a direct offer from the king himself—the weight was different than if the offer was coming from a noble. While it wasn’t a formal approach, openly refusing was a fairly difficult action to take. Michel didn’t have a very happy look on his face. 

“Oh? Has Liselotte made a pass already, perhaps?” Francois asked curiously, not looking upset as he did so. 

One path to serve a regular noble daughter, another path to serve the kingdom — and the king himself — as a knight. For anyone with standard values as a noble, the latter would be the obvious choice. However, Liselotte being the noblewoman in question made it a different matter entirely. That was how much worth the name Liselotte Cretia, daughter of Duke Cretia, currently held. 

“I gave him an offer too, of course. But I have yet to receive a favorable response,” Liselotte added. 

“Is there a reason?” Francois asked Rio directly. 

“...I explained this to Lady Liselotte as well, but I am in the middle of a journey to find someone who had ties to my migrant parents. My journey is currently suspended in order to assist Miharu, but once this case is settled, I am thinking of resuming my travels around the world again.” Rio lowered his gaze as he answered, expressing his humility. 

“I see. Indeed, there are privileges to being knighted into nobility, but it comes at a cost of responsibility for the kingdom. You wouldn’t be able to travel at the drop of a hat...” Francois said thoughtfully, accepting his response. 

“Since that was the case, I’ve asked Sir Haruto to give us some consideration if he should ever find himself in need of permanent residence in the future,” Liselotte said, immediately playing up the relationship between herself and Rio. 

While it was Rio making the choice — and there was no guarantee the choice would be between these two options only — by stating that she had made such a comment to him already, she hoped she could soften the blow if Rio would choose her in the future. Even if the person she was up against was the king, having a person like Rio snatched away would be quite undesirable. There was nothing to lose by building the right foundations for the future. 

“I see you have covered all your bases, as usual,” Francois said, sensing the intentions behind Liselotte’s words. 

Well, it would be too harsh to say “give up” to you, I suppose. Although, I may have said it if it had been anyone other than Liselotte. The king grinned. 

At that very moment, someone knocked on the door to the reception room. 

“...Who is it?” With a pointed look, Francois directed an attendant waiting inside the room to go check the door. The attendant immediately stood up and walked over. 

“Lady Satsuki and Lady Miharu have returned.” The woman opened the door for the two of them and promptly showed them inside. 

“Ooh, Satsuki, Miharu. That was unexpectedly fast. Are you done with your talk?” Francois’ eyes widened at the sight of them. 

“Yes, we didn’t want to keep everyone waiting for too long, and I also had something I wanted to ask... Have you finished your discussions here?” Satsuki looked around at the peaceful atmosphere they had been chatting in. 

“Pretty much. He’s a wandering swordsman with an enchanted sword powerful enough to repel a demi-dragon’s breath. I came here today wondering what kind of ruffian he might be, but I was met by a well-educated man. An interesting fellow indeed. Now... what was it that you wanted to discuss?” 

“Ah... Umm, how should I put this? I have a request. But first, I was wondering what the plans are for Miharu and Haruto tonight,” said Satsuki. 

“Has anything been decided, Liselotte?” Francois asked, since she’d been the one to bring them here. 

“Liselotte...” Satsuki mumbled, looking at her curiously. 

“Ah, yes. You haven’t been introduced to Liselotte yet. Before answering your question, you should be introduced.” 

“Much obliged, Your Majesty. It’s an honor to be meeting you, great hero. I am Duke Cretia’s oldest daughter, Liselotte. Pleased to make your acquaintance.” Liselotte put on a sociable smile and greeted her in a ladylike manner. 

“Yes, I’ve heard of you. As a woman, I have found the products of the Ricca Guild to be irreplaceable. I heard that you were a young noblewoman, but I didn’t imagine you would be like this...” Satsuki replied while staring at Liselotte’s face. 

“You may be pleased to know that Satsuki is tremendously fond of the products from the Ricca Guild,” Francois informed Liselotte with a good-natured smile. 

“Why, what an honor.” Liselotte grinned broadly. 

“I wasn’t able to explain earlier, but Liselotte is the one who actually brought us to the castle,” Miharu said to Satsuki, who was standing beside her. At a glance, it sounded like an explanation for Satsuki’s benefit, but it also functioned as an explanation for Liselotte as well. Liselotte had given Miharu permission to explain the secret behind the Ricca Guild’s products to Satsuki. 

The matter of whether Lady Satsuki has realized or not has been placed on hold. From the looks of things, it’s maybe a 50-50 shot that she has? Even if she’s realized it, there wouldn’t be much chance of her mentioning it to anyone, Liselotte thought, making a guess based on Miharu’s words just now and Satsuki’s appearance. 

“Why, is that true? Thank you, Liselotte.” Satsuki bowed elegantly. 

“No, it was my natural duty as a noble of the Galarc Kingdom, and I also had a debt to repay Sir Haruto... At any rate, please raise your head,” Liselotte said, bowing her head at Satsuki in return. 

“If possible, I’d love to speak to you sometime in the future too,” Satsuki said as she raised her head. 

“Gladly. I’ll be in the capital for the duration of the banquet, so please call on me anytime you find yourself idle,” Liselotte agreed with a friendly nod. Based on their positions, it was a difficult task for even a duke’s daughter like Liselotte to ask to meet Satsuki alone, but that wasn’t the case if Satsuki was the one inviting her. 

“Yes, I may contact you in the near future. I look forward to seeing you then.” 

“Yes, please. Oh, that’s right. You asked about Sir Haruto and Lady Miharu’s plans for tonight. The plan was for them to stay at my family’s home in preparation for the banquet. We didn’t make any other particular plans,” Liselotte answered Francois’ question smoothly. 

“Hmm. They were to attend the banquet by accompanying you, correct? If Miharu and Haruto are fine with it, I was going to invite them to join me for dinner... What was your request, Satsuki?” Francois asked. 

“The truth is, I was hoping Miharu and Haruto could stay in my quarters tonight,” Satsuki began. 

“Wha—?!” Michel gasped. 

“Miharu aside... Haruto too?” Francois asked Satsuki calmly. 

“Yes. Miharu is a given, but I’d like to have the time to talk to her savior, Haruto, too,” Satsuki explained confidently, nodding. 

“Hmm...” Francois hummed, thinking it over calmly. 

“What are you saying? Do you know what it means to have a man stay in the room of an unmarried woman like you?” Michel admonished Satsuki vehemently. 

“Oh, but Miharu will be staying as well. Anyway, her aside, Rio’ll be staying in a separate bedroom in my quarters. Just what exactly are you inferring from that?” Despite knowing the meaning behind Michel’s words, Satsuki pushed back with her logic. 

Miharu must have told her about the plan. While it certainly would be easier to sneak her out to the stone house if we stayed in her quarters... I can understand the prince’s objections, Rio surmised. In reality, Satsuki was just being extremely proactive. Miharu hadn’t mentioned they would take her out of the castle temporarily, which was a trivial misunderstanding. 

“Even so, there’s no need to talk in your room at night, is there?” Michel tried to argue back. 

“Oh? There are many things to talk about that aren’t just about us, so if we want to chat in a relaxed setting, I believe night time would be the best,” Satsuki said bluntly. 

“But...” 

“Enough, Michel.” Michel still wasn’t backing down, causing Francois to chide his son. 

“Father...” Michel grimaced. 

“There, there, Brother. Listen to what Father has to say first,” Charlotte said cheerily. 

“...What is your opinion, Father?” Michel asked with a sigh, seemingly calmed by his sister’s words. 

“Well, we have no right to restrain the hero’s personal life without a good reason. It would be one thing if she was to be alone with Haruto, but Miharu will be there too,” Francois said easily. 

“Guh...” Michel looked conflicted as he glared at Rio. Rio’s own opinion had not been asked for until now. 

Well, there is a gap in social status. I should stay quiet. 

If someone had asked him for his opinion, Rio would have no choice but to answer. The issue being discussed was of concern to him, but not enough for him to emphasize his own opinion and cause trouble. Despite noticing Michel’s gaze, he maintained his silence. 

“Do you have a complaint to voice?” Francois asked Michel. 

“No... If that’s what Father says.” Michel was unable to defy Francois, accepting his words reluctantly. 

“Thank you for your approval, King Francois.” With the conversation wrapped up, Satsuki thanked him before things could drift off track again. 

Francois shrugged and shook his head. “No need for that. But... let’s see. It doesn’t have to be an exchange, but how about having dinner tonight with everyone here? With the three of you, that is,” he said to Satsuki, Miharu, and Haruto. 

“Of course, I’d be happy to. Is that okay with you, Miharu and Haruto...?” Satsuki nodded in satisfaction, looking to them for confirmation. 

“Yes, I’m fine with it as long as Haruto is...” Miharu replied, passing the decision on to Rio. 

“...I’m sorry, Haruto. I went and made the assumption that you’d be fine with it, but of course you’re allowed to refuse,” Satsuki said, watching Rio’s expression as she apologized regretfully. 

“No, it’s not that I’m against it, it just feels like something far above myself...” Rio muttered his response with a troubled look. He couldn’t respond in any other way while he was before Francois and the others. 

“Eheheh. Well, he isn’t in a position where he can refuse, nor can he act happy about it. Don’t question him any further than that, Satsuki. You don’t mind then, Haruto?” Francois laughed heartily, covering for Rio’s response. 

“Right...” Rio didn’t bother to excuse himself further, nodding with his head down. 

“Then, it’s decided. Miharu and Haruto will stay in Satsuki’s quarters, but before that, Liselotte will join us for dinner.” Francois chuckled. 

“It would be my honor.” Liselotte smiled earnestly. 

“Now, Michel and I have official duties to attend to, so we will be excusing ourselves here. Charlotte will remain so that the five of you can talk together. Let us go, Michel. I entrust the rest to you, Charlotte,” Francois commanded, before departing quietly. 

“Leave it to me. I’ll make sure Miharu and the others feel welcome.” Charlotte smiled cutely, expressing her enthusiasm for her duty as a hostess. 

After their meeting with the king, the four women and Rio continued their conversation. 

“Now that all the women are here, let’s have fun chatting.” Charlotte grinned as she looked around at everyone, speaking happily. The order of seating from the closest seat to the door of the room was Rio and Liselotte; across from them sat Charlotte, Miharu, and Satsuki. 

“If I’m intruding on your conversation, I can leave the room, being that I’m a man...” Rio seemed to feel a little uncomfortable. While he did live in the stone house surrounded by women, he wasn’t on very friendly terms with anyone in the room other than Miharu. 

“Why, we can’t have that. Father told the five of us to talk together,” Charlotte replied. 

“That is true. Then I shall humbly remain here and join in.” 

“There’s no need to be humble about it. I’m personally very interested in you, so I was hoping to talk to you more.” Charlotte peered up at Rio and batted her eyelashes. Any man unaccustomed to women would be justified in misunderstanding her attitude. 

“I am honored to hear that. In that case, I will gladly accompany you.” Rio took Charlotte’s words as some kind of lip service and brushed it off smoothly, accepting to sit in on the conversation with a more positive expression than before. 

“...Okay. Now, what shall we talk about? Perhaps it would be most appropriate to address what’s on everyone’s mind...” Charlotte looked about the room at everyone’s faces once again, then fixed a blank look on Miharu beside her and tilted her head, smiling in a friendly manner “Actually. I introduced myself to Sir Haruto, but I haven’t greeted Lady Miharu yet. My name is Charlotte Galarc, the second princess of this kingdom. Pleased to make your acquaintance.” 

Miharu seemed to be rather nervous in front of her first princess. She bowed her head. “Y-Yes. I’m Miharu Ayase. It’s very nice to meet you, Your Highness.” 

“Why, there’s no need for so much formality. Both you and Lady Satsuki are from another world, which makes your existences close to saints. Even if I’m a princess, your status is no further from mine.” Charlotte placed a hand against her cheek, troubled. In reality, the reason why Charlotte was treating Miharu as an equal was less because she originated from the same world as Satsuki and more because she was a close friend of the hero. Of course, it wasn’t something she would voice aloud. 

“That’s not true — I’m just your average commoner,” Miharu replied humbly, denying her words as though they were outrageous. 

“Hehe, Lady Miharu seems to be a very modest person. Would you say she’s normally like this, Lady Satsuki?” Charlotte smiled elegantly and turned to the girl in question. 

“Well, she’s a very good girl. She has a nice personality, is good at cooking, works hard, and is smart; though she’s a little shy around boys, that’s what makes her so cute! In middle school, she was rumored to be the cutest girl in the school,” Satsuki said, listing all of Miharu’s good qualities with emphasis. 

“My, is that so? I can understand that when I look at Lady Miharu. Don’t you agree, Liselotte?” Charlotte turned to Liselotte happily. 

“Yes. Lady Miharu’s character was described very accurately.” Liselotte nodded with a smile. 

“T-That’s not true... I’m plain, and Satsuki is so much more amazing than I am. She was practically the idol of the school.” Miharu’s face turned bright red as she looked downwards and praised Satsuki. 

“Aww, that’s not true. Me and the boys in my grade all said you were the cutest, and your cooking was so famous that even the culinary club said they wanted to try it, you know?” Satsuki laughed. 

“Y-You’re lying. That’s the first I’ve heard of such a rumor.” Miharu shrunk her entire body back. 

“No, it’s the truth. Middle school boys are surprisingly slow, you know. There weren’t many of them who had the courage to actually confess... But someone actually confessed to you before, no?” Satsuki asked. 

“I have, but I’ve never dated anyone, and I didn’t have any boys I was close to, so... Hasn’t someone confessed their feelings to you, Satsuki?” 

“Well, I can’t deny that, but it wasn’t very many,” Satsuki answered with a bitter smile. 

In reality, during the time when Satsuki and Miharu were enrolled in the same middle school, the rest of the school considered them to be the most beautiful girls around. However, because Miharu was uncomfortable around men, she wasn’t the type of person who would approach them herself, so she never understood how popular she was from their perspective. 

As for Satsuki, because she was a young lady from a well-off family and her own standards were too high, she felt out of reach and hard to approach. 

Liselotte must have surmised what kind of school circumstance Satsuki and Miharu were placed in, as she giggled. “I think I have an idea as to what your school days were like. The two of you must have had many admirers.” 

“No, no. Miharu aside, that wasn’t the case for me.” 

“Maybe for Satsuki, but I wasn’t...” 

“Why, the two of you are perfectly in sync. I’m envious.” Charlotte smiled in amusement. 

“Thank you,” Satsuki said in embarrassment. “But Char, you’ve known Liselotte for a long time too, right? You’re the second princess and she’s a duke’s daughter, after all.” 

“Yes, we’ve known each other since we were young — we’re what you might call childhood friends. Liselotte is one year older than me, but we used to attend the royal academy together. Come to think of it, we had lots of tea parties back then. It brings back memories.” 

“Yes. I remember we would meet up once or twice a week,” Liselotte said nostalgically, smiling. 

“But then Liselotte left me behind and rapidly skipped years to graduate from the academy. When she established the Ricca Guild, she got so busy that she couldn’t come for tea anymore. I was lonely, you know. You should come visit me a little more.” Charlotte pouted. 

“Yes, I’m very sorry about that.” Liselotte nodded with a strained smile. 

“But I’m glad we’re able to take our time chatting today. I’ve heard many fascinating things from Satsuki and everyone.” 

“Me, too.” 

Meanwhile, there was a boy in the room who felt an indescribable sense of discomfort. 

...Should I really be here right now? As the lone male present, Rio felt strangely awkward. Since he wasn’t a very talkative person to begin with, being in a situation with four women exacerbated it. 

“Incidentally, I am also curious as to what kind of person Sir Haruto is,” Charlotte said, having noticed Rio suddenly. 

“Me?” Rio cocked his head and blinked. 

“Yes. The discussions were all serious with my father and brother present, but I’d like to know more about your nature. Let’s see. Lady Miharu, in your eyes, what kind of person is Sir Haruto?” Charlotte turned her curious gaze towards Rio. 

Miharu started with a shake when she was suddenly addressed. “Huh? What kind of person Haruto is...?” 

“Yes. You’ve been living together in the several months since you came to this world, right? You should be the most familiar with him out of everyone here,” Charlotte replied justifiably, giving Miharu no choice but to answer. 

“Umm... Haruto is an amazing person.” Miharu seemed to be embarrassed to talk about her impression of the person sitting across from her, as her words came out short and hesitant. 

“Yes, I’m sure. He’s strong, wise, and a person of character. Have the two of you been traveling by yourselves this entire time?” Charlotte asked, attempting to keep the conversation going. 

“No, there were several other people who lived with us,” said Rio. 

“Oh, is that so? What kind of people were they? I must admit I’m a little curious about what kind of lifestyles the two of you had.” 

“There’s one other boy, and he’s just a twelve-year-old child. The others are all women, including Miharu. We’re not family, but they’re all my good friends. They’re all living in a city on the outskirts of the capital for now.” Rio answered as much as he could. 

Lady Cecilia and Lady Aishia must be with him too, Liselotte assumed from Rio’s explanation. 

“Does that mean you live in a house with young men and women? It must be a lively and fun place,” Charlotte said with a grin. 

“Yes, it can get a little rowdy, but it’s full of laughter,” Rio said, smiling gently. 

“If there are a lot of women, then that means Miharu can relax in that environment, too,” Satsuki said with a gentle look. 

“Yes. I’ve been able to make a lot of friends thanks to Haruto.” Miharu nodded happily. 

“Just out of curiosity, doesn’t having young men and women under the same roof cause one or two love affairs?” Charlotte suddenly asked. 

“...Huh?!” Miharu gasped, having processed the meaning of the question. 

“It doesn’t,” Rio denied with a strained smile. 

“Is that only because Sir Haruto doesn’t feel that type of emotion towards the other residents? You don’t know how the women themselves feel about you, do you?” Charlotte asked logically. 

“That... shouldn’t be the case...” He couldn’t be certain about how other people felt, so Rio muddled his words with a frown. 

“In my opinion, I find it more questionable that the women don’t feel anything while living with someone as wonderful as you,” Charlotte said while staring directly at Rio. 

“I’m honored to hear that, but I think you’re giving me too much credit, Princess Charlotte.” Rio smoothed over his expression with a smile and shook his head. 

“My, I don’t see it that way, though. Your personality and abilities are a given already, and if my aesthetic senses haven’t gone funny, then I can say that you are a fairly beautiful person too. Your parents were both migrants, so you have a wonderfully exotic look to your face. Don’t you agree, Liselotte?” Charlotte asked, turning to Liselotte. Being addressed so suddenly didn’t sway Liselotte like it did Miharu, as her reply came with a smile. 

“Yes. It’s enough to make some of my attendants restless whenever Sir Haruto visits.” 

“See, I think I’m right.” Charlotte looked at Rio smugly. 

“Hahaha...” Rio was unsure how to respond, giving yet another strained smile. He wasn’t used to girls like her who gossiped about love, so he didn’t have much resistance to it. When he’d lived in the Karasuki Kingdom, the village girls would ask him similar questions, but that was the only exposure he’d had. 

“I would love to hear the opinion of Lady Miharu, who actually lives with Sir Haruto. How much is he admired by the others? Of course, you can talk about your own thoughts too.” Charlotte turned a gaze full of intense curiosity towards Miharu. 

“Eh, no... Umm... Uh...” When Miharu was questioned, the flow of the conversation caused her to look at Rio, who sat opposite her. Her face reddened as she made eye contact with Rio, who looked uncomfortable. 

“Enough, Char. There’s no way she can say anything without the other people present, not to mention while she’s in front of Haruto himself. Topics like this should be between closer friends, behind closed doors. She’s not good when it comes to talking about these things to begin with, so don’t bother her anymore.” Charlotte’s questions had become rather suggestive, but no one was in a position to warn her other than Satsuki, who sighed in exasperation. 

“Oh my, I do apologize for that. As a princess with no reason to fall in love, I cannot help but feel extremely curious about how young men and women fall in love,” Charlotte explained. 

“Hmm, well, royals have rather peculiar love lives. I’m personally more interested in hearing about that.” Satsuki changed the topic smoothly, causing Miharu to sigh in relief. 

“The general rule is to have a political marriage, so marrying for love is actually the exception. It’s especially remarkable among the higher classes of nobility and royalty. Well... there is one such remarkable exception sitting with us right now, though.” Charlotte explained, looking at Liselotte. 

“Huh, Liselotte was approved to marry freely for love?” Satsuki asked with interest. 

“Well, yes. Everyone else here is aware already, but I had several achievements that were recognized and received the right to choose my own marriage partner,” Liselotte replied, slightly embarrassed. 

“I can’t say this to very many people, but as another woman of the royalty and nobility class, I am envious of Liselotte. Even if it’s for the sake of the kingdom or family, no woman wants to marry someone they don’t even like. Men are able to select their political marriage partners to a degree, but many women don’t have any choice at all,” Charlotte explained, expressing her own desires to be like that in a roundabout way. 

“There can’t be very many cases of a political marriage partner being someone you love, I imagine... Incidentally, I’ve never asked before, but what would happen in my case as a hero?” Satsuki asked with a contemplative look. 

“...Of course, we would like to have you marry one of the royal members of our kingdom, but we cannot force you into doing it. A hero is a disciple of the mighty Six Wise Gods, after all,” Charlotte said with a hard to read smile, her tone cheerful. 

“I see. If there are no plans for me to be forced into marriage, then I don’t need to worry for now. I don’t want to marry someone I don’t like, either. And I haven’t given up on returning to Earth yet,” Satsuki said with a small shrug. 

“In that case, we’ll have to find a wonderful gentleman from our kingdom to tie Lady Satsuki down to this world,” Charlotte said with a joking laugh. 

It looks like I can’t let my guard down around this princess after all. How tiring... Rio let out a small sigh. At a glance, she seemed like a pure and sincere girl, but her conversation topics were rather suggestive and she asked them insistently while overstepping boundaries. Her face was also hard to read. 

The fact that Francois had left their party to her care alone was proof of how much he trusted her. Due to their differences in social status, Rio couldn’t comment very freely either, so there were more instances where he couldn’t speak up than he anticipated. 

It really was the right choice not to bring Aki and Masato along. Rio let out a small sigh and refocused his energies. 

Afterward, they continued to chat about love and other topics until it was time for dinner. Rio had been worn down quite a bit from the conversation with Charlotte, but Francois and Michel would be joining them for dinner, so he braced himself to not lower his guard yet. 

However, contrary to Rio’s expectations, the dinner went by in a relaxed and peaceful manner. There were no topics brought up that he had to be particularly wary of, and the talks after dinner died off fairly early as they were told to wind down with Satsuki and returned to her rooms. 

“Finally, it’s just the three of us. Come, take a seat so we can talk.” With Satsuki’s encouragement, Rio and Miharu sat down on the sofa in the living room. Satsuki headed to the kitchen to prepare tea for the three of them. 

They had constantly been with someone since coming to the castle, so this was actually the first time Rio and Miharu had been alone together all day. 

“How much did you tell Satsuki?” Rio asked before Satsuki had a chance to return. 

“What happened after we came to this world, briefly. And she asked about you, so I told her about your previous life. I’ve mentioned that Aki and Masato are with us, but nothing about leaving the castle temporarily, Takahisa, or what to do in the future,” Miharu summarized. 

Rio’s eyes widened faintly. “...I was wondering why you returned so quickly. How did you come to decide that I should stay overnight with you two?” He had honestly assumed that she had told Satsuki about the plan to sneak out of the castle, so they decided to make it easier by having Rio stay with them. 

“Umm, when I told her about you, she wanted the three of us to talk together, so she said we should return to the king while he was still there...” Despite being a hero, not even Satsuki was bold enough to assume she could let Rio stay in her quarters with no consequences without the permission of the king. The king was a busy man, so she wanted to settle the discussion as soon as possible. 

“She seems like a very proactive person.” 

“Yes. She embodies the saying ‘there’s no time like the present.’” Rio and Miharu chuckled together. 

“It seems like the two of you are having fun here. What are you talking about?” Satsuki said, suddenly appearing in the living room with a tray of tea. 

“There are several things we need to explain and ask you about, so I was asking Miharu how much she had told you. And a little bit about what kind of person you are, Lady Satsuki,” Rio said. 

“Hmm, I had this thought during dinner and the conversation with Char too, but... It makes me feel uneasy, so please — you don’t have to call me a lady. It might be a bad move in front of other people, but you don’t have to act so politely, either. At least when it’s just the three of us,” Satsuki said with a bitter smile. 

“...I understand. Just ‘Satsuki’ it is, then.” Rio’s mouth softened into a smile as he dropped the title from Satsuki’s name. 

“Yes. Once again, it’s nice to meet you, Haruto. I’ve heard about you, Aki, and Masato from Miharu. Thank you so much for saving the three of them and allowing me to see Miharu again.” Satsuki smiled broadly and bowed her head deeply at Rio. 

“No, I didn’t really do anything significant.” 

“That’s not true. Taking care of the basic needs of three people and teaching them everything about this world without compensation, even going as far as to find me and bring Miharu to the castle like this — it’s an amazing feat. It’s not something one would normally do just because you have memories of living in Japan. That’s why I want to thank you properly. Though I don’t have any real power, even if I’m in a high social position right now...” 

“I’m grateful for your feelings alone. I don’t need any other forms of gratitude.” 

“That doesn’t sit right with me, though... Well, we can leave it aside for now. So, what was it you wanted to explain to me?” 

“We’d like to know what actions you plan on taking, how Miharu will be treated in Galarc in the future, what would be the best for Aki and Masato with that in mind, and about their older brother, Takahisa. I think that’s everything. There’s one more thing, but that can come later,” Rio listed off. 

“...I have an idea where Takahisa might be. You may know this already, but three other heroes will be attending the banquet. Were you aware?” 

“Three others, besides you? I know that the Duke Huguenot faction, who defected from the Kingdom of Beltrum, will be sending their hero, Sakata Hiroaki for sure. But other than that, I’ve only heard that the Kingdom of Centostella might send their hero, whose identity is still hidden...” It was Rio’s first time hearing about a third hero. 

“The hero coming from Centostella is already confirmed. Also, the hero from Beltrum Kingdom’s government has also confirmed attendance,” Satsuki said. 

“...From the Beltrum Kingdom?” Rio’s eyes widened in surprise. If that was the case, they would inevitably run into Duke Huguenot faction at the venue. He couldn’t imagine what kind of situation would unfold. 

“Yes. However, the one who became the official hero of the Beltrum Kingdom is named Shigekura Rui, which is the name of a large company’s son, so he’s unrelated to Takahisa.” 

“Do you have any personal connection to the Beltrum Kingdom’s hero?” Rio asked. 

“Mm, if you have memories of living in Japan, then you may have heard of the Shigekura Heavy Industry Company.” 

“...Yes. I have a vague memory of that name. They’re a large company that represents Japan.” His memories of being Amakawa Haruto in Japan came to him over 9 years ago, but Rio could remember that much. 

“My relatives also ran a fairly large corporate group, so I knew him a little from that. Enough to know his name and face, at least.” 

“Sumeragi... Ah, you’re from the Sumeragi Group?” 

“Oh, you know my name too? Yup, I’m the daughter of an executive there.” Satsuki nodded with a grin. 

“I’m surprised.” Rio knew she was a young lady from a well-off family, but he hadn’t imagined she was the daughter of someone from such an enterprise. 

“Ahaha, it’s not like I’m a noble like they have in this world — I’m just a regular girl. Anyway, getting back on topic... Of the three heroes, Sakata Hiroaki and Shigekura Rui are most certainly not Takahisa. The problem is the hero summoned in Centostella.” 

“With four of the six heroes gathered in one location, there’s a high probability it’s him. You don’t know the name of the hero, right?” asked Rio. 

“Yeah. Apparently the Kingdom of Centostella is fairly closed off. There’s no hostility with them, but there haven’t been any diplomatic relations with us, despite being their neighbors, either. That’s why they have a tendency to guard their kingdom secrets pretty closely, so we won’t know the name of the hero attending the banquet until the night of. In my opinion, if they’re going to attend anyway, it shouldn’t hurt to just tell us,” Satsuki explained, pouting her lips unhappily. “But apparently, the kingdom doesn’t normally send ambassadors to attend banquets in foreign kingdoms. Well, they’re normally not invited in the first place, and there were disagreements up until the last minute about whether to invite them this time, but I requested that they be invited on the chance I could find Miharu or Takahisa. So, Centostella was invited, but they didn’t reply until just recently, which is when they said they’d be attending,” she added with a thoughtful expression. 

“...Naturally, you told them your name, right?” Rio confirmed with a contemplative look on his face. 

“Yes. I don’t know what kind of exchange happened behind Centostella’s closed walls, but maybe my name was passed on to Takahisa, and he made an exception as a result. It may just be wishful thinking, but I can’t help but hope that’s the case.” Satsuki nodded in satisfaction. 

“Right. All that’s left is whether or not to inform Aki about this.” Rio nodded, looking at Miharu seated beside him. 

“I’m sure Aki would be delighted to hear that. But there’s a chance it may not be the case, and she might request to attend the banquet herself...” 

“Perhaps it would be better to withhold the information until we can be certain that the Centostella hero is Takahisa?” 

“...Okay. Even if we tell her, we’ll hold the details for now,” Miharu agreed with a worried look. 

“Understood.” Rio didn’t have any particular objections to the plan and nodded his head. 

“Hold on. Based on the way you two are talking, it almost sounds like you plan on leaving the castle before the banquet to meet Aki...” Satsuki interrupted, finding it suspicious that they were discussing meeting Aki and Masato, who were meant to be outside the castle, as though it was an easy task. 

“This was what we were saving to discuss last, but it’s possible. To sneak out of the castle tonight and see Aki and Masato, that is.” 

“...Sneak out?” Satsuki blinked, wondering if she had misheard Rio’s words. 

“Yes. As long as you’re OK with it, we can leave the castle temporarily. I’m sure there’s no way for you to leave officially, so of course, you would be going out without notice...” 

“How? This is the top floor of a tower and there are several guards outside my chambers, even at night. Once you get out, there are walls all around the castle, so I assumed it was impossible... It’d be a grave crime if you were caught, yeah?” 

Rio looked around the room. “Yes, it would be extremely risky to move by foot. Which is why we’ll fly instead. From the magic essence search I conducted on the room, there don’t appear to be any essence detection-type artifacts. As long as no one enters the room to check for you in the middle of the night, we shouldn’t be caught.” 

“W-Wait. You just said you could fly as though it was an everyday thing... My head can’t keep up with this.” Satsuki was completely confused, holding her right hand to her face as she held out her left one to signal Rio to stop. 

“It’s possible for Haruto,” Miharu said with confidence. 

“...You have an artifact to make you fly?” Satsuki asked dubiously. 

“No, there’s actually a technique similar to using essence to cast flying magic, though it’s not generally known, so I’d like to ask you to keep it a secret.” 

“So something like that exists...” Satsuki muttered, her eyes widening in wonderment. 

“As you’ve pointed out, being caught would be an extremely serious crime. If you’re afraid of sneaking out, we won’t insist on it. If you’ve considered all the risks and decide that it’s worth it, then we’ll take you to see Aki and Masato.” 

“...What do you think, Miharu?” Satsuki asked. 

“It’s scary to imagine what would happen if we’re caught, and I know it’s not something we should be doing, but I want you to meet Aki and Masato. They’ve really wanted to see you, and all the more so since they can’t come to the castle.” Miharu placed a hand against her chest. 

“I see...” Satsuki closed her eyes in reflection for a while. “Honestly, if I said I didn’t have any objections at all, I’d be lying. ...But I do want to meet those two soon. So the two problems at hand here are how big is the risk of being caught, and when I would be able to see Aki and Masato next if I pass up this chance,” she muttered calmly. 

“The main concern with regard to being caught is whether anyone will visit your chambers in the middle of the night. In the case of the latter, it’s a matter of whether there are any other methods to meet the two of them without being detected by the kingdom. Of course, if it’s safe to have them be detected, then there’s no need to go that far.” Rio defined the two issues Satsuki raised with more precision. 

“No one has ever entered my room without permission until now, and no one’s ever visited at night either. I think the chance of being caught there is close to zero. That is, unless the tower catches fire or an intruder is spotted, at least. It would be difficult to meet the two of them in a way where the kingdom wouldn’t notice. Even if they gave me permission to go out, they’d definitely set a bodyguard on me. At the very least, it would be best to refrain from inviting the two of them to the castle until the banquet is over and they decide on how to deal with Miharu,” Satsuki explained. 

“Honestly speaking, how do you think the kingdom will treat Miharu?” Rio asked. 

“They’ll probably invite her to live in the castle first, I think. If she consents, she’ll probably be treated like me. She’ll be guaranteed an easy life and never lack any of the basics of living, but it’ll feel a little suffocating... Though she will be free to act as she wishes, to an extent.” 

“...Would I be able to refuse?” Miharu asked fearfully. 

“Probably. It seems like the heroes of this world have as much authority as the Pope in Medieval Europe, so they wouldn’t be able to insist in front of me, at least. But they’d probably want to know your whereabouts, at the very least. They may try to secretly monitor you on top of that, or send people to stick to you under the name of security... Also, this one will happen even if you stay in the castle, but your name and face will spread, so you’ll be at a higher risk of getting dragged into trouble. Wait, that’s my fault. I’m sorry! Saying it out loud myself has made me feel really sorry for Miharu...” Satsuki frowned apologetically. 

“N-No, I understood that when I came here. Haruto warned me of the same thing before we came to the castle, too.” Miharu shook her head in a fluster, trying to encourage Satsuki. 

“Actually, we also discussed what could happen to Miharu with Liselotte as well, and she had pretty much the same expectation as you and me. While she doesn’t participate in kingdom politics, she’s still a Galarc citizen, so the fact our predictions all overlap means things will pretty much happen as Satsuki expects. So if we sit and wait until after the banquet is over, I think the answer will naturally show itself,” Rio said. The possibility of their prediction actually coming to fruition was high. 

“...Then, if it really does happen like that, what do you guys want to do once the banquet is over, Miharu? Live in the castle? Or live outside the castle as you have been?” Satsuki asked. 

“That’s... the three of us all have slightly different directions we want...” Miharu said with a sidelong glance at Rio. 

“...Really?” Satsuki’s eyes widened in surprise. 

“Yes. Aki really wants to reunite with Takahisa. If we find him, I don’t think she’ll accept any option where she can’t be together with him.” 

“I see... Then, what about Masato?” 

“It’s also one of Masato’s goals to meet with Takahisa again. However, if it comes at the cost of his freedom, I don’t believe he wants to stay in the castle... In that case, he’d probably want to go with Haruto,” Miharu said, making assumptions on Aki and Masato’s intentions. 

“Heh, is that so? Then what about you, Miharu?” Satsuki asked. 

“I... I also want to stay with Haruto, I think. Though I haven’t clearly explained that to Aki and Masato yet.” Miharu explained, highly aware of Rio sitting beside her. 

“...That’s a little unexpected. Were you aware of that, Haruto?” Satsuki asked Rio with widened eyes. 

“No, this is my first time hearing of it too...” Rio directed his gaze at Miharu as though to question her sincerity. 

“Umm, is that okay?” Miharu asked. 

“Of course, there’s nothing wrong with that. I’ll still be moving around a lot, but there’s no problem if we continue to live as we have.” Rio glossed over the question, putting on a smile like putting on a mask. 

“By the way, if Takahisa is the hero of Centostella Kingdom, then Aki may say that she wants to go to Centostella, right? In that case, Miharu and Aki might be separated. What do you plan on doing about Aki, then?” Satsuki asked. 

Miharu thought for a moment, before replying resolutely. “...In that case, Aki would be entrusted to Takahisa, and I’d have to have a proper talk with Aki to make sure she understands.” 

It’s possible that we won’t be able to return to Earth. If that happens, we’ll have to consider who lives with who and where... I’ll have to have a proper conversation with Aki about that too. If Haruto is Haru-kun, then all the more so, Miharu thought. 

For Aki, the topic of her father and Haruto who disappeared after the divorce was taboo. That’s why Miharu had never touched upon the topic of Haruto until now. However, having been like an older sister to Aki for so long, she could hardly run away forever. 

“I see... That’s a little surprising. Miharu and Aki always seemed so close to me — like real sisters. Can I ask why you want to stay with Haruto?” Satsuki could sense Miharu’s strong determination, but wondered why she was willing to go as far as separating from Aki to stay with Rio. 

“That’s...” 

It was because they were like siblings. However, it was too early to delve into the details and explain that. 

“Ever since coming to this world, I’ve made so many close friends. I owe them all so much, and I want to stay with them. I want to start returning those debts. Of course, I believe Aki feels the same way as I do. I don’t want to be separated from her either... But even though I can’t decide which is more important, I have to make a choice, and it’s hard to explain...” Concealing her feelings toward Aki, Miharu tried to verbalize her inner thoughts with frustration. Her explanation wasn’t only meant for Satsuki, but for Rio too. She glanced at him to see his reaction, but Rio put on another smile when they made eye contact. 

“...Yeah. It’s not something you can just explain easily. I’m sorry for asking. I think I get what you’re trying to say, though,” Satsuki said, nodding her head. 

“I’m glad to hear that. I haven’t told anyone else about this yet.” 

Satsuki frowned. “I see. I get how it could’ve led to a few clashes if you had. Aki would probably argue furiously if she heard what you just said.” 

“...Yeah. That’s why I still haven’t been able to tell her yet.” Miharu nodded with a worried expression. 

“But even if they lived apart, it’s not like they’d never see each other again. They may not be able to see each other easily anymore, but it won’t change the fact they have a precious bond with everyone and the unified goal to return back to Earth together someday. So wouldn’t it be better if we involved the kingdoms and got them to form an agreement to make it possible for them to meet whenever they wanted?” Rio asked. Miharu’s expression fell when he mentioned returning to Earth. 

“Oh? You say that like it’s an easy thing to do,” Satsuki replied with some level of delight. 

“You’re going to have to live separately due to the kingdom’s affairs. It shouldn’t be too much to ask for that kind of deal to be arranged. Considering His Majesty King Francois’ actions up until now, it would be difficult to reject it if it’s a request directly from you. Of course, I’ll do whatever I can to help too.” 

“Hmm. Saying that is going to get my hopes up.” 

“I can’t assist much when it comes to matters of political power, but I’ll search for answers as to what can be done about returning everyone back to Earth.” Rio gave a small shrug of his shoulders. 

“I’m grateful for that, but not even the kingdom’s most renowned sorcerers know anything about returning to Earth. Of course, the kingdom could be lying, but do you know something?” Satsuki asked, staring into Rio’s face. 

“Yes. I know that the hero summonings are a type of time-space sorcery. The Kingdom of Galarc must be aware of that too. However, because modern sorcery in the Strahl region can only use time-space sorcery at an elementary level and artifacts with it are so extremely rare, I think even the most well-known sorcerers in the kingdom wouldn’t know much.” 

“I see...” Satsuki sighed heavily. 

“What’s making it difficult to use easily, in my opinion, is the fact that destination coordinates are required to use teleportation sorcery. There’s just no way of finding the coordinates of Earth. I also cannot imagine the amount of magic essence required to move between this world and Earth.” 

“...From the way you’re speaking, I’m guessing that you understand at least the first steps of using time-space sorcery?” 

“I’ve only disclosed it to those close to me, but I do possess several magic artifacts of the sort,” Rio elaborated. 

“...I could be wrong, but you’re some kind of weirdo, aren’t you? I mean, you do have a powerful enchanted sword too,” Satsuki said in half-exasperation. 

“I suppose I am in possession of magic artifacts that would be considered rare in the Strahl region, and I may be carrying more secrets than the average person,” Rio answered with a hint of a wry smile. 

“Umm, Satsuki. Mentioning this to the people of this kingdom would be...” Miharu said rather uneasily. 

“Don’t worry. I don’t plan on speaking about this to anyone without Haruto’s permission. Even if Takahisa appears. I would never betray anyone who you and I are indebted to.” Satsuki nodded her head as she smiled brightly. 

“Thank you so much,” Miharu said with a sigh of relief. 

“Don’t thank me — I’m the one that should be grateful. By the way, I was wondering...” Satsuki tried to smile, but an odd look suddenly came over her. “...Assuming Takahisa is a hero as well, maybe the reason why you guys came to this world was because you were dragged into Takahisa and my summoning...?” 

“Umm...” Miharu hesitated out of consideration for Satsuki, so Rio made the affirmation in her place. 

“Probably.” 

“...Right. I’m sorry.” Satsuki bowed her head. 

“Oh, you don’t need to apologize. You were dragged into this against your will, too. It would have been just as possible that you would have been the one dragged in if Aki, Masato, or I were summoned as the hero instead,” Miharu pointed out in a fluster. 

“You’re the one who was summoned directly, but that in itself is like being dragged into an accident. I don’t think you need to feel responsible for something that couldn’t have been prevented,” Rio noted. 

“You two...” Satsuki bit her lip with a helpless expression. 

“Anyways, what do we do? The original plan was to sneak out of the castle tonight to go meet Aki and Masato, but have you made a decision?” Rio asked Satsuki once more. 

“...I’ll go. Please take me to see Aki and Masato. Please.” Satsuki gulped, making her request with determination. 

“Are you sure?” Rio peered at Satsuki’s face in slight surprise. 

“Yes. Sneaking out of the castle is against the rules, but the chance of being caught sounds fairly low, and I’m willing to take a few risks in order to meet Aki and Masato as soon as possible. Well, I may have hesitated a bit more if Miharu wasn’t here.” 

“Then bringing Miharu here in spite of the risks was the right choice after all.” Rio glanced at her with a small grin. 

While revealing Miharu’s existence to the castle could bring unknown risks in the future, it was thanks to Miharu’s presence that their talk today had progressed so smoothly. If Rio had come to the castle and attempted to approach Satsuki alone, he would’ve struggled quite a bit more. 

“No, Haruto is doing all these unnecessary things just for our sake. I should be the one taking risks, so please use me if my presence can be helpful in any way,” Miharu said, looking pained. 

“...I’ll keep an eye out for any trouble heading Miharu’s way because of me. That’s why, Miharu, you don’t need to be considerate of me — you can express your thoughts openly to the king, and you can reject anything you don’t like and say what you want to do. Don’t sacrifice yourself just to accommodate others,” Satsuki reminded Miharu apologetically. 

“Umm... Okay. Thank you very much.” Miharu smiled courageously and nodded. 

...With that decided, Aishia — Can you go to the stone house and inform the others? Come back in two to three hours to help me carry Miharu and Satsuki, Rio communicated to Aishia through telepathy. 

Got it, Aishia replied, before separating from Rio’s body while still in her spirit form. 

“By the way, we’re departing later in the night, after the castle has quieted down, right?” 

“Yes.” Rio nodded in confirmation. 

“Then, the three of us should chat until then. Ah, speaking of which, there’s something I wanted to check...” 

“What is it?” 

“It’s about Liselotte. I know she’s the one who brought you guys here, but how much of your situation have you explained to her?” Satsuki asked. 

“A lot, you could say. We haven’t told her about Aki and Masato, but our conversations have delved pretty deep. In the same vein, how much have you noticed about her and the Ricca Guild?” Rio replied carefully. 

“...I’ve noticed that the Ricca Guild’s products are called the exact same things as they are on Earth. The people in this world don’t seem to have noticed, so I figured there must be a secret behind it and never pointed it out,” Satsuki explained. 

“You did well to realize that. You even had translation sorcery cast on you.” Rio widened his eyes in awe. 

“Well, that translation sorcery is still a mystery and I’d be in a real pinch if it ever stopped working. It also doesn’t help me with reading and writing, so I’ve been testing things out and studying. And so, I noticed that the words I hear translated through the sorcery don’t match the movements of the speaker’s mouth, except for several of the Ricca Guild’s products that have identical mouth movements and sounds. It would be one thing if it were just one or two, but I couldn’t overlook so many as just a coincidence, you know?” Satsuki explained. 

“If you’ve noticed that much, I guess it’d be safe to tell you. Like me, Liselotte has memories of her previous life.” 

“Does that mean you’ve opened up to each other about your memories of your previous lives?” 

“Yes. I’ve received permission from Liselotte to tell you this if you had noticed the secret of the Ricca Guild on your own.” 

“I see. Then that means that she can be trusted for now, right?” 

“Right. She is a noble of the Galarc Kingdom, which makes it hard to trust her unconditionally in that sense, but she will accommodate us to the best of her ability as long as it doesn’t oppose the kingdom. She’s also known for her good character as the governor of Amande as well,” Rio said, delving into Liselotte’s personality traits. 

“Got it — thank you. I want to thank her personally, too, so I’ll talk to her next time.” Satsuki smiled in relief to hear that Liselotte could be trusted for now.