ACT 12 - Symphony of the Battlefield

Seirei Gensouki 12 - Senjou no KouKyoukyoku (精霊幻想記 12.戦場の交響曲) is the 12th installment of the Seigensou light novel series, it's the 2nd part and finale of Rio escorting Christina to Restoration.

Summary
Christina remembers her past and meeting Rio and the sins she committed against him. After Reiss' attack, Aisia is left to protect Miharu and Latifa while Haruto, Celia, Orphia, Sara and Alma help Christina and her group escape to Galwarc. Reiss’ plots to have Christina captured by Charles Arbor while he keeps Haruto occupied. Haruto and his group are split by attackers as they approach the border. Haruto defeats Alfred and Rui in battle and captures Charles Arbor. Christina regrets her past mistakes towards Rio as she fears she can't rely on his strength after everything they've done to him.

Prologue: Christina's Recollections
Christina remembers her childhood and how when she was four years old she believed herself the most special being in the world due to her talent in magic, her good results at her studies and her position as a princess, how everyone's praises kept inflating her pride, how the effort for achieving her good results never looked like the big thing for her, so she began to put more effort into everything she did as the most natural thing for and received more praises from everyone and to be more looked up by Flora, a loving family, a cute sister that respected her and she herself. For Christina, her life was the fittingly perfect for the perfect her, because of that the day of Flora's kidnapping felt as if heaven and earth turned on them.

Christina then forced Vanessa and Celia that were ordered to search for Flora to let her tag along too, then she went to the slums and met Rio. It was her first time talking to a boy like that and she wasn't sure of how to talk to him. She was surprised of him being as smart as she was, when she saw Rio again later carrying Flora she was sure that before he lied to them about not knowing about her kidnapping and she hit him. But Rio caught her hands and looked coldly at her, this shocked and scared her greatly. It was the first time for her being robbed of the liberty to move and being treated coldly, for Christina this was the beginning of her change.

In later days Christina gave a new look at herself and she realised that she wasn't as special or perfect as she thought, that her good results at school and in magic were nothing compared to the real geniuses like Celia, she thought that she would never be like her when it came to magic or on writing thesis as brilliant as hers, but there was one more genius, even if at the beginning it was a little vexing to admit it, and that was Rio.

After entering the academy he only needed one month for learning how to read and write and later he got qualifications as good as hers in the exams, she didn't thought that she would ever be able to do the same as Rio, completely isolated while studying just like he did, but above all were his martial arts, every time that Christina saw Rio swinging his sword she couldn't believe how incomparably beautiful and sharp were his swings than anyone else's, she couldn't avoid to look at them fascinated, after that she began to consider Rio as a genius.

She always wanted to apologise to Rio for what happened the first time they met. But she didn't dare in the end because a princess is supposed to never lower her head to anyone easily and was afraid of her acts causing troubles to her father that was always busy dealing with the internal troubles between the different factions. And it could become problems to Rio himself too, she was afraid that if someone saw them together the jealousy about him being able to get closer to the princess than other around them would cause the worsening of Rio's bullying, that most likely he preferred himself to not have any contact with her, something that make her sad just like the sad and lonely face that she always saw Flora make when she saw someone abusing Rio, something that made her sad too and at the same time really ashamed, seeing Rio's bullies always reminded her of how stupid she used to be herself, something that was so shameful for her that it even hurt, then the day of the outdoor drill came and Rio disappeared, ever since she wasn't able of seeing him again, it was as if a part of her heart was dead, but now ...

Chapter 1: On the Move
After Reiss leaves, Aisia talks to Rio telepathically and says to him that the rock house is safe, Rio then tells to Aisia that she is in charge of Miharu’s and Latifa’s protection and to follow them from the distance while using Ouphia’s time space cache for moving the rock house, after a little of awkward silence Rio tells the others to leave too, they move strengthening the body with spirit arts for an hour, thinking that an hour is the maximum time they can use spirit arts in front of Christina’s group before making them doubt if they really are humans, Rio’s group makes a stop for resting, there they begin to organize their new plan, Rio tells to everyone that the initial plan of using the south route for reaching Rodania are scraped, and changes the plan to aim to the Galarc kingdom where the army won’t be able of pursuing them anymore, then go to Amande and there to ask for Liselotte’s help for taking Christina in her magic ship to Rodania.

Christina, Celia, Sara, Ouphia and Alma take a bath in a small lake nearby, there Christina is envious of how the forest trio speak of Rio as if he's family and thinks of how dazzling the bond they share is for someone like her that grew up observing the dirty exchanges of the nobles, after them Rio takes a bath with Kouta and Rei and go to a city.

While walking to the city Kouta says to Rio that they're being treated almost as criminals for the way they're being searched, Rio says to Kouta that in this world the people with authority decides the right and the wrong to their convenience, that fabricating false charges is very easy for them, Christina got really hurt to hear this.

After they check in on an inn Rio goes shopping with Celia and the forest trio, he explains to them that Christina was his classmate for five years, they think that it's really bad and Rio calms them saying that the current Christina won't try to unveil his real identity because she doesn't have a way of confirming he's the same person, and even if she is suspicious she can't try to find out the truth because it may worsen their relationship and that would be fatal for her.

Meanwhile Christina is left alone with Vanessa in the room they booked for the girls use, Vanessa suggest to use Celia for bringing Rio's group to Restoration's side, a group of four demon sword users is a force equivalent to thousands and Restoration lacks a lot of capable people, Christina refuses saying that Rio's group has no reason for helping them, that they're just helping Celia, not the Bertram kingdom, Vanessa asks if Christina is refusing because Haruto may be Rio, Christina denies it but Vanessa doesn't believe it, she says he may be a different person, Christina says there is no way he is another person, Vanessa says that even if they're able of confirm that he's wearing the magic tool that changes the hair color and if he really is called Rio they don't have a way of proving that he's the same person from four years ago, after all this time if he claims to be a different person they can't say he's lying if he doesn't admit it himself, that it should be fine to treat him as just Haruto.

Christina ends the conversation saying there isn't a way she can do that to the person their country framed, Vanessa says she wasn't present on the scene at that time but that the way the things were told to have happened certainly was the more convenient for the powerful ones, Christina tells her that even without seeing herself what happened she knows it's all a lie and that there is no way for Rio to not hate them for that, later Rio and the girls came back from shopping and make dinner, after they took the dinner to the girls' room everyone were having dinner there.

Interlude: Secret Talk
At the same time Reiss went to a hut in the middle of nowhere, Arein, Lucci and Ven are waiting for him inside, there he explains to them how Christina is the person the army searched for around Creia, how they can’t allow her to reach Rodania, that it would be bad for the Proxia empire and for the Arbor faction, Lucci asks if they have to kill her, Reiss denies it and explains that in Christina’s case how she fails to reach Rodania has a meaning, that if she dies and the guilty is unconfirmed, the Huguenot faction will use avenge her as cassus belli easily against the Arbor faction, if she’s killed by monsters is different matter, but in their case, killing her was the last resort, Reiss explains how the best for them it would be for her to be captured by Charles, that because of that he pretended to try to kill Christina as a member of the griffins and not as a diplomat from the Proxia, for them to believe that he isn’t working with Charles.

He explains now how well escorted Christina is, three fighters that together can fight against big numbers of minotaurs and orcs and Rio, that completely trashed Lucius, Arein, Lucci and Ven are surprised of knowing that Lucius ended in such a way, they asked if they really have to defeat such a guy, Reiss denies it and says that against him the maximum they can do is to earn time, that their plan is to separate as many as possible from Rio’s group from Christina for Charles to be able of capture her more easily, but locating them came first, he says that he doesn’t know their exact location right now, he takes out a map and point several cities along the different routes they may take, between them a city that Rio absolutely needs to pass through if he wants to go to the Galarc kingdom, then he orders Arain, Lucci and Ven to hire adventurers in that city that must investigate if Rio’s group stopped by at that city.

Chapter 2: The Road to Restoration
Second day of the journey, Rio’s group walks through the forest today in order to avoid the patrol between territories inside the country, while walking through the forest Vanessa talks with Kouta and Rei about the difference between travelling through the road and the forest, when the conversation reaches the high chance of getting lost and or being attacked by monsters, Rio remembers the academy time and smiles wryly at how typically stupid was what they did back then, he then notices Christina is looking at him just to look away when he looks her back, he thinks that most likely she realized his real identity.

A little later they took a break for eating, Rio and Ouphia begin to talk about what meal they will prepare for everyone, while they talk everyone get close to them and offer to help, Rio told to Rei and Kota that carrying the baggage so the fighters have their hands free in case of monster attack to just rest, he asked Vanessa, Sara and Alma to watch their surroundings, Rio then asks Celia to make a cooking space and to make water for him to cook with it, Celia got annoyed because Rio has been calling her Celia-sama during the travel because Christina is present, to just call her Celia as always or she won’t use her magic, Christina thinking that Rio may be holding back from doing that because of her says to him to just treat each other as they always do without minding her, Rio doubts a little because despite of what she says Christina’s gaze is fixed on his face while Celia waits for Rio’s answer, Rio gives in and stops using the suffix with Celia, Celia is happy while Sara and Alma mumble in low voice that it’s unfair, Ouphia tries to take the chance and says to Rio that she doesn’t mind if Rio stops using honorifics with her too, Rio says to her that he will think about it if she stops using honorifics with him too just like Celia, in the end Ouphia doesn’t dare to do it because it was embarrassing, after that Rio and Ouphia prepare risotto for everyone and they continue their way.

Interlude: Meanwhile
At the same time Arein rides a griffin until the city Rio’s group must stop by absolutely if they’re going to the Galarc kingdom with a false wanted poster describing Rio’s group, he enters bar full of adventurers and offers them five hundred gold coins for watching the city’s gate and inform him when he visits again if a group that matches certain characteristics passed through the city.

At the same time in Galarc’s castle, Hiroaki has just entered with Flora and Roana to an office lent to Duke Huguenot, Huguenot says to Hiroaki that he asked him to come to his office for talking about the marriage proposals that he received, Hiroaki asks him from who did the proposals came, then Huguenot answers that a lot and that the most noticeable ones are Rosalie (Charlotte's little sister) and Lizette Gregory (The daughter of another duke from Galarc kingdom that isn't a rival from Liselotte's father not a friend either), so to say the ones that it would be the most beneficial for Restoration if Hiroaki marries them.

When he remembers that Rosalie is just thirteen, he discards the idea, and he doesn't agree yet to marry Lizette just because her name overlaps a little with Liselotte and in his head, it doesn't sound well to be Liselotte's and Lizette's husband, of course he doesn't say this out loud, this is just in his head, his official answer is that in his world nineteen years is seen as too early to get married.

That he isn't really that fond of having more than a wife but if even reluctantly he has to take several wives then they have to agree with no having ranks between then other than Flora being the legal wife and the others obediently be just the side rooms, and having arguments between them behind the scenes is forbidden, because in the end the one that will suffer the most because of that would be himself, after this he accepts to be Flora's fiançe just because if you go to another world and make a harem is common sense to have at least one princess as your wife, and he accepts Roana too just for her looks, but the two of them have to agree to wait for the wedding to be after he gets the right mood to marry them, he asks Flora with a smug face if she isn’t happy while and she answers that she will do her best effort with a small voice without any feeling on it.

Chapter 3: Signs of the Pursuer?
Fourth day of journey Rio’s group finally arrives to the city where Arein hired the adventurers, when Rio’s group is looking for an inn, the adventurers called out to them and tells them, that they match the characteristics of that wanted posters, Rio deals with them and takes everyone to an inn, after that he goes out for gathering information, then he discovers that the wanted poster is fake, he goes back to the inn and tells it to everyone, they begin to wonder how to deal with it and with the city’s adventurers that have people watching their inn, Rio tells to everyone to leave the city through the gate they entered through to the city and if they’re followed Rio will deal with it alone and the rest will be on guard of another attack from Reiss.

At the same time in a bar the adventurers are complaining about how in their opinion Rio didn’t talk to them with enough respect and begin to plan to attack Rio’s group next morning because they’re just wanted criminals and after capturing them, they will have a good time with the women.

Next morning, Rio goes with everyone to a resting spot near the city and gets a little away from the road there, Rio fights barehanded against the group of twenty adventurers, after defeating them Rio interrogates about the origin of that fake wanted poster, after questioning everyone and tied them next to the road, the group going around the city from the outside and continue their way, at the same time Reiss that saw the fight from the sky orders Arein that rides a griffin next to him to keep following Rio from the distance while he goes to tell Charles Christina’s route.

Interlude: Another Secret Talk
Reiss enters Charles’ office in Creia and told him where Christina is now, who are escorting her and his plan for capturing her.

Chapter 4: Before the Border
Ninth day of journey, Rio's group leaves the last city before the national border, they got ambushed by Arain, Lucci and Ven + a lot of hired adventurers and this time Reiss is present too, first Reiss, Alain, Rucci and Ven surround Rio's group pretending to want to take Christina from themselves, Reiss calls forth the hired adventurers, Rio begins to knock out adventurers with his wind spirit arts while receiving at the same time attacks from Reiss, Alain, Lucci and Ven trying to create a way out in their encirclement for Christina's group to escape being the only one staying behind, and the adventurers while pretending to pursue them let Cristina's group go and finally Sara and Alma stay behind too to help Rio and the battle changes to Rio vs Reiss and Alma and Sara against everyone else while Ouphia is still with Christina's group.

The action changes to Christina's group escaping from the place, Ouphia's spirit warns her about the army of 5.000 soldiers waiting ahead of them blocking the way to the border, Charles at the beginning had no clue that they were going to the Galarc kingdom but Reiss told him Rio's plan and then told him that he has another plan to capture them, that great idiot readily put the army in front of the border to block Christina's way despite this being something that may cause a war while thinking that all is his brilliant idea, after seeing the army Ouphia stops the group and tries to go back to Rio, but then they're surrounded by a griffon squad and Charles with Alfred and Rui comes with a group of another twenty Knights, in that situation Ouphia sends her spirit to call Rio while she earns as much time as possible, she and Vanessa are defeated by Alfred and then Charles puts her a magic sealing collar, Celia tries to stop it with magic but Alfred blocks the magic and Charles then gives her a punch in the face and she faints, in that moment they spotted Rio in the distance rushing to help them.

The action changes to Sara and Alma, first they fight 2 vs 3 With Alain, Rucci and Ven, the three decide they can't defeat them if they don't make it a 3 vs 1, so they order the adventurers to hold back Alma while they defeat Sara, but Sara uses water spirit arts to put a water bubble around their heads and defeats the mercenary trio, at the same time Alma defeats the adventurers with earth spirit arts and then the action changes to Rio vs Reiss.

This fight was pretty much the same than their fight at the end of arc 4 in the WN, both Rio and Reiss are flying, with Reiss trying to keep Rio away with light bullets, Rio charges against him while covered with a wind barrier and makes him crash against the forest giving him a kick in the stomach, then Reiss attacks Rio making his right arm a sword of magic power, they cross in the air and Rio cuts that right arm, he was just about to finish Reiss when Sara and Alma told him about Ouphia's situation and they run to help her, then Reiss thinks there alone that he already earned Charles enough time but he doesn't know what will happen now, that maybe they've awoken a sleeping dragon.

Chapter 5: Ruler of Battlefield
Rio is running to help Celia and Ouphia, he is one kilometer away from Christina's group and he sees the knights on the ground forming a wall of shields in front of Charles while the aerial squad prepares to attack with magic, but Rio doesn't dodge, he accelerates himself with wind spirit arts and runs past the landing spot of the magic attacks then he sees Ouphia and Celia fainted from the distance and then his most epic rage to date begins.

He accelerates even more with wind arts and reaches the knights on the ground, he grabs the shield of one of them and he throws him away, everyone there feeling Rio's anger and killing intent freeze on the spot, both allies and enemies, first he ask if Celia and Ouphia are alive, Christina told him they're just unconscious, then he asks who did it, Charles completely terrified says hurriedly that it was Alfred to escape from Rio's anger, Rio tells him but you gave the order didn't you.

Alfred, the only one in the spot that understood that they totally angered the worst guy told Charles to run away while he entertains Rio and attacks him, Rio swings the sword horizontally and sends Alfred flying back, then he creates a tornado around the sword and he defeats with it all the knights on the ground and on the air riding griffins, he attacks Alfred again and Alfred is only able to defend himself from Rio by putting all his strength into it, but even like that Rio is just about to defeat him when Rui shoots from the side and he was forced to separate from Alfred to dodge.

Rio talks a little with Rui. Rui tells Rio that what he told him in volume 10 before leaving the evening party about wanting to meet again as friends was serious and if possible, he doesn't want to kill him, Rio tells him that he doesn't want to kill him either and the 2 vs 1 begins.

Rio begins to exchange attacks with Alfred again while running around with the wind spirit arts to dodge Rui's arrows, he sends Alfred high in the air with wind spirit arts and jumps up higher than him, Alfred puts all his remaining magic power in a last big attack, Rio creates a tornado around the sword and counterattacks, after winning that exchange Rio put Alfred to sleep with spirit arts and grabs his body to not let him die in the fall and to use him as a shield against Rui's arrows, then he knocks out Rui now alone with a palm strike in the solar plexus, he then tells to Sara and Alma that have just catched up to him to watch over that place while he captures Charles that was trying to run away.

Charles is running showing his back to Rio that is following after him at walking pace while thinking, how did it end like this, it wasn't supposed to end like this, just who in the world is that monster, he orders the 5.000 soldiers to make a way for him to escape and to protect him from Rio, and the soldiers open a corridor, but they don't try to stop Rio, they don't close the corridor they have opened for Charles and just let Rio pass and capture him, they just watch how Rio reaches to Charles, he grabs him by the neck and walks back to Christina while dragging Charles with him by the neck, not even one soldier dared to attack Rio, it was unanimous, after seeing the battle and feeling Rio's anger, killing intent and domineering pressure all of them understood that they couldn't win and that they would just be killed instantly if they attack Rio.

Epilogue: Yearning to be Special
Christina is watching Rio go after Charles and bringing him back dragging him by the neck while thinking how stupid she was for having ever thought she was special, Rio was always the only one that was really special, the only one that ever had what was necessary to stand above others, he is so special and so dazzling that it's even painful to look at him, she thinks that if Rio was the royalty and not her then the country would have never been in its actual situation, and if he was to reach a helping hand to her it would be the most wonderful thing for her, but it's too late, she and her country don't deserve that, she can't by any means think ever again about taking that hand and must always stay away from the competition for gaining his favour, that is the punishment for their sin.