ACT 11 - Sonata of the Beginning

Seirei Gensouki - Hajimari no Soumeikyoku (精霊幻想記 11.始まりの奏鳴曲) is the 11th installment of Seigensou series, it revolves in the continuation after Takahisa after party tantrum mess, and the first part of Rio journey escorting the fleeing Christina from Beltram Kingdom.

Chapter 1: After the Uproar
Rio lands while carrying Miharu, Satsuki notices the atmosphere between the two is different and decides in her head to ask Miharu alone about it later, Satsuki asks Miharu if she is hurt anywhere, Miharu says she's fine, Charlotte then tells everyone to go see her father to talk about the kidnapping incident.

The group arrived in François' office and finds Liliana and the king there, they're surprised of seeing Miharu there and begin to wonder if Takahisa in the end didn't kidnap her, Charlotte told them that Takahisa kidnapped Miharu as expected, Liliana and François get more confused, Charlotte then tell them that Rio already went and rescued Miharu by flying with his sword to where she was, Liliana and François get surprised even further.

They explained to Rio, Satsuki and Miharu that they already knew the kidnapping would happen and that it was all a plan to stop Takahisa from going out of control with his divine powers in the city and the castle, that Galarc's army were already surrounding the capital to stop his runaway with Miharu, and that Aki cooperated with Takahisa, Rio, Miharu and Satsuki are surprised because of it and ask why did she help Takahisa.

Liliana explains her conversation with Takahisa after he lost the duel, he said that Rio is a criminal and he can't let Miharu go with a murderer, he said that he would stop being the hero if she didn't helped him, she asked for Aki's help to persuade him and when Takahisa told her that it wasn't good that she was with him if Miharu doesn't come too, she stopped thinking straight, Satsuki and Miharu get really pissed off when hearing that.

Liliana and François tells them that they don't understand the fixation that Takahisa has with the fact that Rio killed someone, they think that it is normal for him to kill if he was attacked by someone during his travels, Satsuki explains that in their country, even if it's in self defense there're those that will point with the finger from behind them to someone who killed people.

Liliana asks them if they want some kind of punishment in specific for those two, Liliana says that treating Takahisa as a criminal because of his status as a hero is impossible, but that he will receive some proper punishment when he gets back to Centostella.

The conversation moves to Aki's treatment, Rio says he has no saying in their future treatment, Miharu says she wants Aki and Takahisa to apologise to all the people they caused trouble to like Rio and the people from the army who were mobilized because of them.

Satsuki says that something like that is a matter of course, then she told Miharu that forgiving them easily after something like that won't make them well, so she makes a suggestion, she forbid Aki and Takahisa from seeing Miharu and Rio temporarily and send Aki with Takahisa to Centostella whether she wants it or not.

Miharu and Rio say that they will tell everything to Masato, Masato is brought to François' office while Aki is taken with Takahisa to another room, Masato is left alone in the room with Miharu and Rio while Satsuki goes with Liliana to talk with Takahisa and Aki.

Masato is nervous and saying that he doesn't understand anything, that Aki's face became blue when the soldier came looking for them and took her to another room, Rio tells Masato about the kidnapping, Masato's head goes blank for a moment and he begins to apologize while crying to Miharu and with his head almost touching the table " Miharu-nee-chan I'm really sorry for what my stupid brother and sister did to you", Miharu told Masato to rise his head, that it's her fault for not talking to Aki properly while they were in Japan and just running away from her problems with her because she was afraid of damaging their relationship, Rio says to the two that nothing is their fault, that the ones that have to carry the sin are the ones committing it.

At the same time Charlotte talks with her father in another room, they’re talking about how Rio rescued Miharu, Charlotte is talking to François about the importance of connecting themselves to Rio somehow, that if it’s François he surely understands Rio’s worth, that the Galarc kingdom never had someone as the king’s sword, that now even the king’s sword is able of flying in the sky, she says to François to use his authority to stop the rest of the nobles from setting an engagement between Rio to their daughters and at the same time that he could make Rio as Satsuki’s fianće and to make herself Rio’s second wife, François is surprised of Charlotte’s interest in Rio because he thinks that she was just someone with the hobby of destroying romance or friendly relationships of the people around her, Charlotte doesn’t deny it and talks of how she fell for Rio when seeing him flying in the sky, that at the beginning she was a little dubious of some things like him being able of repelling a dragon but now she fully believes it, François admits in planning to put Rio and Satsuki together and explains to Charlotte that engaging her to Rio may be harder than with Satsuki because Satsuki as a hero can’t really be restrained by their customs, but in the case of a princess the nobles from other regions won’t accept it easily, Charlotte says that it will be fine because Rio will surely achieve bigger things from now on and the hardheaded nobles won’t have another option but to admit it, François asks her why is she so sure of that and she says that because her eyes for the people are never wrong, then she thought that maybe Miharu wants to be Rio’s wife too, that Liselotte is suspicious too but the biggest problem is that Rio right now doesn’t seem to want to tie himself to another person.

The point of view changes to Satsuki who is admonishing Aki and Takahisa, Takahisa just makes an annoyed face while Aki is worried and almost crying, she orders Aki to look at her face who is conscious of the fact that she did something bad, and asks "what about you Takahisa-kun?"

Takahisa looks the other way without answering her, he was going to begin again his pratter about Rio being a criminal but Satsuki stops him at the beginning, "out of the question, what you really can't take is that Miharu likes another man, did you think that lowering other's evaluation of Miharu would choose you instead of him?", Takahisa is at a loss when completely seen through.

Satsuki tells the two that they're forbidden from seeing or talking to Rio and Miharu for some time and that Aki will go to Centostella whether she wants it or not, Takahisa doesn't say anything, Aki begins to cry when she hears she can't meet Miharu and because she realizes that it's because of something she did with her own volition. Satsuki then tells the two half crying that it was her who asked Rio to properly talk to the two for the whole group going forward but then they went and did something like this, both lose their words again, and Liliana tells Takahisa, "I told you, do you know what is coming now?" then when they're leaving the room they find Masato in the door, he says the two he wants to talk with his brother a little and that he has Rio's permission.

Masato enters the room and talks to them but Takahisa still doesn't reflect in the slightest and Aki just cries more and more, Masato tells her while consoling her that if she's going to cry then don't do it to begin with.

Chapter 2: Masato's Decision
That night Masato visits Rio to ask him for advice, he told Rio that after seeing his stupid brother who doesn't reflect at all and Aki crying doesn't sit well for him to leave all the trouble of babysitting them to princess Liliana alone, that if there isn't at least one person who is part of the family near them who scolds them with harsh words, he can't be sure they will really go to the right path again, so he wants to go with them and be that person, Rio told him that if that is his decision then is fine as long as he is sure he won't regret it, Masato asks Rio to take him to the rock house to tell everyone there what his brother did.

At night they go to the rock house to tell everyone there what happened, they gather everyone in the living room and Masato tells them that Takahisa tried to kidnap Miharu with Aki's help, they ask Miharu if she is fine, she says yes, they ask Masato why did his brother do that, Masato says that because he couldn't stand that Miharu loved Rio instead of him, Miharu gets embarrassed hearing Masato then all the girls suddenly looking at her, Masato asks if it is wrong but Miharu doesn't say anything while Latifa putting on a dead eyes look stares at Rio while remembering their conversation in volume 4 about her still being the more important for him even if his former family was in this world too now, Satsuki looking at the girls' reactions and thinks "you're a sinful man Haruto-kun", Masato realizes he just dropped a bomb and changes the topic to him going to Centostella too and his reasons.

Chapter 3: Farewell, Onto a New Journey
Two days after that Masato goes to Centostella with Takahisa, Aki and Liliana, after saying his farewells to Rio, Miharu and Satsuki, he sees Liliana looking worried at Rio and he asks if she fell for him too, because all the older girls he met so far fell for Rio.

Liliana told him that isn't the case and that Rio is already surrounded of beautiful women, Masato told her she's beautiful too, Liliana says he doesn't need to flatter her, Masato told her he is serious and he would like to have a girlfriend as beautiful as her, Liliana smiles and says that if she gets too old to marry some noble she may marry with Masato when he grows up, Masato gets embarrassed and told her to not jest, Liliana says that it's Masato's fault for jesting the first, Masato says again he was serious and Liliana smiles again.

They arrive to where Takahisa and Aki are, Takahisa is pissed off seeing Miharu is clearly happier by Rio's side than his while Aki is sad for not being able to talk to her, then Masato begins to fulfill his promise of making sure Takahisa sees reality by saying harsh things to him,.

Don't get it wrong I haven't forgiven you, I'm here because I think is the right thing to do, or because Miharu-nee-chan isn't coming you no longer care about me? you were always saying that Haruto-niichan was a criminal and you're a perfect criminal yourself too, Takahisa doesn't answer to Masato, he just goes to magic boat while thinking what is the difference between him and Rio and they go to Centostella like that.

A week later Rio and Miharu decide to leave Galarc’s castle, Satsuki says her farewell to the two in her room, after the three go to François’ office for telling to him that they will leave now, François makes Charlotte to accompany the three until the castle gate after saying his farewell, when they arrive at the gate Charlotte asks Rio to take her to a date the next time he comes to the castle and confesses to him in front of Satsuki and Miharu, then she goes back inside the castle with Satsuki asking her about what she has just said, at the same Rio and Miharu are walking until the capital’s gate in an awkward silence while Reiss looks at them from the sky.

Interlude: Sakata Hiroaki's Interlude
At the same time that Rio and Miharu left Galarc's capital, Hiroaki is attending a tea party held by Liselotte Cretia accompanied by Flora and Roana, Hiroaki has been meeting non-stop with young noble girls from the Galarc kingdom, the girls are talking about her hobbies to Hiroaki and to trying to know his tastes, he promised to meet with the girls again another day while enjoying to the maximum his harem situation, full of pride and arrogance because he knew that all the girls there were aiming to be his wives, completely convinced in his head that he really gained the girls over with his charm and not because of his position as hero, then changed the topic to Takahisa kidnapping Miharu, all the girls stopped talking because for them as believers in the gods it was impossible to speak bad of a hero, Roana tried to made Hiroaki to change the topic after explaining to Hiroaki why to talk about that was a troublesome matter for everyone, but Hiroaki still didn't change his mind and said his opinion full of prejudice of Takahisa, how surely he was always a winner back in Japan, how he must have thought after coming to another world and having cheat powers that he could do even more as he wanted, how because of that it must have been difficult for him to accept that he wasn't the protagonist and because of that he became the NTR bastard without realizing, that he would like him to be more conscious of his position, to not do such stupidities because one hero does something bad he worsened the image of the rest of the heroes too, Roana praised Hiroaki's consciousness of his own position without any feeling on it for him to change the topic quickly, but Hiroaki took it as a real praise, after a little more of talk the tea party ended.

Chapter 4: Celia's Decision
When Rio and Miharu arrive at a forest near one of the capital gate’s Aisia materializes, Miharu thanks her for her help during the incident with Takahisa and for her advice about how to face Rio the moment he finally tells the truth about his previous life. Rio now is carrying Miharu until the rock house, when they land for some reason Miharu’s face is red, Rio asks her what happens but she says that it’s nothing Rio imagining that the reason why Miharu now always begins to act shy when he’s by her side has his own cheeks a little red too but he doesn’t say anything because he thinks he may dig his own grave if he does, at that time the rest of the girls leave the rock house for welcoming them, they asks them what happens, Miharu says that nothing while flustered but her face is even redder now, Rio says to Celia that he needs to talk with her for a moment for changing the topic and goes with Celia to his room.

Already in his room Rio talks to Celia about the people from Beltram assisting the evening party, about Restoration foundation, about the people from the Arbor faction coming to the party too, how Christina due to being always watched closely by someone from the Arbor faction was only able of treating coldly Flora and Roana in front of the others, how all of that was probably an acting due to her thanking him secretly for saving Flora in Amande, Celia is a little sorry for the sisters hearing the last part, now Rio changes the topic to when they will go to visit Celia’s father again, Celia tries to refuse thinking that it will be a bother for Rio, that he should prioritize Miharu, the childhood friend he was able of meeting again after a lot of things, Rio says to her that if Miharu is Haruto’s childhood friend then Celia is Rio’s childhood friend, that she doesn’t need to worry about that and to keep relying on him if she need it, Celia begins to cry when hearing this, Rio goes back alone to the living room because Celia didn’t want the other to know that she had cried.

When Rio arrives to the living room he sees the other girls surrounding Miharu, Sara says, so that’s what happened eh, Latifa says that Miharu is cunning, Miharu defends herself saying that it doesn’t counts because she didn’t say it to the person in question herself, Alma says that it’s a fact that the feelings were transmitted a little frustrated, Ouphia laments too with a face a little frustrated that Miharu took a little of advantage from them now, Rio that has already an idea about what they were talking clears his throat for making his presence know, everyone is surprised of seeing him there, Rio asks with a wry smile what they were talking about, Miharu said that it was nothing in a hurry, Sara now asks Rio about what he said to Celia and Rio says to them that tomorrow he will go again to Celia’s house, that it’s enough with him, Celia and Aisia, that they don’t need to bother themselves with coming too but Sara says that of course they intend to accompany them while the rest nod at the same time.

Chapter 5: Chance Encounter
The next day while flying towards Creia they notice in the distance the presence of griffins patrolling the skies and land in a forest near the city, Rio goes to the city with Celia and Aisia for investigating what is happening and the rest wait for them in the rock house, when Rio arrives at the city he sees a great quantity of homeless people, a lot shops closed and a great quantity of soldiers patrolling the streets, Rio and Celia go to the noble district, Rio makes Celia to wait for him in a cafe while he checks the security around the mansion of Celia’s father, Rio meets Celia again and they begin to make time until it gets dark for sneaking in Celia’s house.

Rio and Celia enter the secret basement and they find Vanessa and Christina there, Vanessa and Christina mistaking them for attackers fight against Rio, Rio and Vanessa try to put each other in an arm lock a few times but fail, then Christina fires photon bullets at Rio, Rio destroys them with his fists, Christina seeing him makes her remember how Haruto Amakawa did the same in the evening party the other day, Vanessa says Christina to escape while she earns time but then Rio and Celia solve the misunderstanding revealing their identities, they go to the basement’s living room and ask each other what they are doing in that place.

Celia explains how she escaped her wedding by her own will and that Rio just helped her, Christina realises Celia’s fear to being condemned by her because of what she did and she tells her that she did well in escaping that wedding she asks Celia if she escaped that wedding because she believed that it would be something bad for the kingdom, after Celia says yes Christina says to her that the whole Arbor faction is something hurtful for the Bertram kingdom, that she doesn’t need to feel guilty for running away because she did same, that what’s important is what she makes after escaping.

Christina explains how she escaped the royal castle because she thought if she stayed there, Duke Arbor would have killed her sooner or later, she explains about his ambition of getting the throne and his plan of making Christina’s little half-sister; Loris, who also happens to be Helmut's granddaughter seducing Rui and support the fruits of their union as the new king, how this plan wouldn't be successful is because Rui’s girlfriend was one of the people summoned with him, how her father entrusted her with Bertram’s future and fulfilling her duty she needs to reach Rodania first, then she begins to negotiate with Rio the conditions for his help by first lending her, Vanessa, Kota and Rei magic tools that change the hair color for escaping the search group because the soldiers of Duke Arbor followed them until Creia after Christina’s father asked Celia’s father to help her to reach Rodania, while they talk Celia’s father enters the basement.

Chapter 6: Escape
Roland is surprised of seeing Celia there and hugs her, Roland asks Celia if the letter left before in the basement was hers and Celia confirms it, then she explains again that she escaped the wedding by her own will and that Rio just helped her, Roland now explains how the search group sent reinforcements from the capital and that Charles is the leader, how the next morning he intend to break the mansion’s walls in order to look for secret rooms, hearing this Rio decides to get Christina’s group out of Creia immediately for the sake of Celia’s father, he gives everyone the magic tools and sends Aisia to look for Sara, Ouphia and Alma, when Rio is ready for beginning his plan Roland gets close to him and thanks him again for saving Celia, then he gives Rio a bag with money for the travel, after receiving it Rio leaves the basement.

Rio threw a great ball of light to the sky then Aisia, Sara, Ouphia and Alma pretending to be Christina’s group calls the attention of the soldiers while attracting them toward Creia’s north gate, at the same time Rio begins to knock out part of the soldiers pursuing them while following them from behind, when they reach the north gate Rio defeats the guards there and Aisia’s group leaves the city, after leaving the city Aisia goes back to the rock house while Sara, Ouphia and Alma go to the south gate for making sure that Celia leaves the city without safely, Reiss that has been watching everything from the sky is praising Rio’s plan while looking at Celia and Christina’s group going towards the south gate, then he descend into the city and says to some soldiers that he saw a group of suspicious people running towards the south gate.

Christina arrives to the south gate surprised at how leaving the mansion was easier than expected and wondering if Rio will really be alright, Rio catches up to them, defeats the gate’s guards and they leave the city, they’re running through the highway when Rio decides to stay behind for stalling their pursuers, a minute later Charles arrives to where Rio is with another ten knights, Rio defeats them while pretending to be someone unrelated with whatever happened in the city, when he was going to interrogate Charles he needed to dodge a lightning arrow, after that more lightning arrow came trying to separate Rio from the fallen knights, Rio is surprised when realises the sniper was Rui that is 600 m away from him over the city’s gate, then Rio sees Alfred coming with another group of knight coming his way and decides to retire because fight against the two at the same time seemed troublesome, Rui shoots at Rio one last big lightning arrow that divided itself into smaller parts and began to pursue Rio, Rio lets the lightning bullets to almost catch up with him and with a sudden acceleration he gets out of the encirclement making the lightning bullets to destroy between themselves, Rui laughs when seeing that and Charles is speechless, after that Rio runs away while Alfred’s group begins to tend to the knights he has just defeated.

At the same time Celia and Christina’s group are still running away from Creia when a minotaur appears in their way, another at one side of the road and at the other some dozens of orcs, Alma hits one minotaur with her hammer and Sara cuts its head, the other minotaur tries to bypass Alma by jumping over her, Ouphia stops the minotaur in the air with a light arrow, Alma creates a jumping point with earth spirit arts for Sara and she killed it, after that Ouphia killed the orcs shooting light bullets at them, when all the monsters died Reiss shoots a black light bullet, Sara, Ouphia and Alma reacted late to this and even Christina thought she was going to die, but Rio arrived just in time and destroyed the light bullet.

Reiss comes out of the forest while applauding to Rio, he introduces himself as Reiss a member of the celestial lions, Lucius’ mercenary group, he apologises sarcastically to Rio for interfering in his fight with Lucius, he says to Rio that Lucius is fine, Rio asks him where is Lucius, Reiss says then Rio “It’s curious how the avenger and his target changed right Rio-san?” Celia, Sara, Ouphia and Alma stiffen when hearing that name, Christina’s gaze gets fixed to Rio’s back while feeling that everything finally fell into its place, now she finally understands why the Haruto Amakawa nobody knew nothing about was so close to Celia, Rio prepares himself for fighting against Reiss and he begins to bluff about being smart or not to fight against him or not without knowing how strong he is, without knowing if he has any comrade with him and with soldiers from Creia that must be coming their way after hearing the minotaurs’ roars, Rio tells Reiss to disappear before he changes his mind.

Trivia

 * In WN, the Seirei trio arent part of this arc.