ACT 15 - Hero's rhapsody

Seirei Gensouki 15 - Yūsha no Kyōsōkyoku (精霊幻想記 15 - 勇者の狂想曲) is the 15th installment of the Seigensou light novel series, it follows the story after the battle between Rio and Lucius.

Summary
Rio escorts the Beltram Princesses, Christina and Flora, back to Rodania while addressing their past history. Meanwhile, Liselotte must contend with the engagement proposal Sakata Hiroaki has made as a condition of his marriage to Princess Rosalie. Rio travels through Rubia, an ally of Galwark, expecting safe conduct only for Princess Sylvia to ambush his group by Reiss order to betray her allies and attempt to assassinate the trio. Liselotte rejects Hiroaki's proposal of marriage and Haruto returns to Galwark with the two Princesses of Beltram. Hiroaki decides to marry Princess Rosalie anyway.

Prologue: Liselotte's Melancholy.
Ten days after Christina's and Flora's disappearance, Liselotte is in one of her home's drawing rooms with Roana seated in front of her. Liselotte is reading a letter, explaining Hiroaki's wish of making her his wife, not wanting to rank his wives between them, but for the sake of appearances she would be the third wife and is asked to go to Galarc's castle for having a marriage interview with him.

Liselotte thinks first about how to refuse while holding the urge of sighing, worried about how much importance François will give to the alliance with Restoration. If he will really respect her freedom or give more importance to having an ally like Restoration between themselves, the Proxia Empire and the Beltram Kingdom. Now she sighs while still reading the letter and Roana apologizes for the suddenness of the matter.

Liselotte thinks if everything she did at Amande and the Rikka firm’s front for the sake of being able to choose her future freely, wondering if in the end everything will be in vain. Roana asks her to go together to Galarc's capital in the next days because Hiroaki desires to hear her answer directly from her.

Liselotte makes an understanding face when hearing that, thinking that Huguenot and Restoration must be in quite the tight spot since Christina and Flora's disappearance. She says that she will prepare their departure right now, to which Roana says respectfully that there isn't any need for hurrying for their sake. Liselotte answers that right now she has businesses too in the capital. Roana apologizes again for the troubles and the talk ends.

Chapter 1: After the Fierce Battle.
The end of the fight against Lucius, Rio walks towards Christina and Flora through the mist and rainbows that appeared when he undid the Yamata no Orochi and over the ground that completely destroyed due to his spirit arts. He asks Christina again about Flora's condition, and Christina explains again about Flora's poisoning. Rio puts his hand inside his chest pocket and took an antidote from the time space cache, pretending that the antidote was always there. He gives the antidote to Christina and explains to her what it is.

Christina is surprised of being given a potion and checks cautiously if it's really fine to give it to Flora. Rio sees Christina's wounds from walking barefoot in the forest while carrying Flora. She tries to hide her wounds while saying that they aren't a great deal, but Rio takes out a potion from the time space cache while pretending again to take it from his pocket, he tells Christina to use it on her wounds, Christina refuses saying that Rio's wounds are way more serious and that he should use it himself, Rio tells her to that he already gave himself the minimum treatment and that he still has to deal with Duran that it's coming their way, that later he would remove the magic sealing collar too, Christina reluctantly accepts while Rio puts himself between her and Flora and Duran.

Duran rises his hands while saying that he doesn't have any intention of fighting, their conversation was pretty much the same that the one from the chapter 155 of the WN.

He just helped Lucius because he was promised to be given Flora. They were just people who fought on the same battlefield, and although there were places where they sympathized because he likes tyranny, his hobbies weren't as bad as his. Even more than Flora and Christina, he wants Rio to work for him since his country is a small Kingdom. Because of that he needs as many strong people as possible for not being looked down by the big countries around him and for fighting against the other small Kingdoms when problems arise, offering to give Rio anything he wants. Rio refuses all the time.

In the meanwhile, Christina already gave the antidote to Flora and treated her wounds with the potion. Rio makes a deal with Duran, offering him Lucius' sword, Rio himself repairing the destroyed battlefield and later testifying to those asks that the Palladia Kingdom was unrelated to the sisters’ kidnapping.

Christina agrees to it too, in exchange Duran must let the sisters go quietly and keep silence about the name Rio, Duran accepts, picks up Lucius’ sword from the ground and leaves toward the village. When Duran isn't visible anymore, Rio pierces his sword on the ground, puts his hands on it and repairs the destroyed hilly area with earth spirit arts. Christina sees him and goes even more eeehhhhh?

Rio, stands and sheaths his sword, helps Christina to stand up, and takes off the magic sealing collar from her neck. She thanks him first of all by reflex and then she began to wonder just how did he do that. Rio tells her that they need to go to a place where they can rest and talk quietly about what to do from now on. Then she asks Rio to let her treat his wounds, to which Rio replies that his wounds aren't bleeding anymore, and that they can't stand there forever because Duran may come back

But Christina insists while looking at his body full of blood. Rio says that he can heal himself while moving and Christina begs to him with her head lowered to at least let her do that. Rio in the end sighs while looking at the sky with a troubled face and gives up.

Chapter 2: Recuperation of the Royal Sisters
Rio has the still unconscious Flora on his arms (in princess carry) and told Christina to get on his back, but Christina hesitates when remembering Duran’s words about her being dirty and smelly, worrying about Rio being able of smell her while he carries her, and is a little reluctant to hold tightly enough on him.

Rio notices her embarrassment and misunderstands that maybe it’s hard for a sheltered girl like her to be in close contact with a man that way, then he apologizes for his inconsideration, to which Christina honestly admits while red-faced that hugging Rio while being that dirty is what's worrying her. Rio dismisses it saying that as for being dirty, he himself is covered in his own blood. She finally relaxes and hugs Rio strongly enough from behind.

Rio jumps carrying the two and leaves the place flying. Christina tightens more her hug worried about falling, but Rio says to her that it’s fine. Once they have a rest he will give explanations about what she saw during the battle. Then Christina puts her hands on Rio’s arm and start healing him. Rio thanked her for treating his wound, and she got red faced due to the closeness of their faces. Rio then flew like that for some minutes until he arrived to a rocky area.

Rio landed and asks Christina to get down of his back, and while Christina wonders just what are they doing in such a place Rio prepared the ground with spirit arts. After taking out the rock house Christina went eeeehhhhh? again.

Rio enters the house and asks Christina to follow him. While Christina is at a loss for words again seeing the house’s interior, Rio lays Flora on a sofa and guides Christina to a room with clothes of Miharu and the others for her to choose a change of clothes for her and Flora, then he lets her alone in the girls’ closet for her to check the clothes size with privacy. She borrowed two one piece dresses and some underwear, and went back to the living room.

When Christina arrives to the living room, Rio comes back from the kitchen bringing iced tea and offers it to Christina, and after drinking a little herself she wakes Flora up and makes her drink too to make sure that she doesn’t dehydrated. After that Christina asks Rio how long will Flora need to recover, he replies that a few days and that he will take the two to Rodania if she doesn’t have fever again by that time.

Christina asks worriedly if he will really take them back, Rio asks now if there is any problem with them going back to Rodania. Christina answers that because he is Rio, he may not want to. He tries to confirm if she is talking about his past, and she confirms it with a worried face, that for him the Bertram Kingdom wasn’t a good country, that he mustn’t like them either because they did horrible things to him.

Rio then teases her remembering the slaps from when they met for the first time to dissipate the sad mood, but she gets ashamed remembering it and apologizes lowering her head with a red face. Flora asks if she really did that, and she explained with a voice that kept gradually losing volume how she slapped Rio when she saw him carrying the unconscious Flora in the slums. Rio says that he doesn’t care about that anymore and Christina replies in a fluster that it isn’t just that.

That it’s also about how she looked the other way in the academy when she saw people bad mouthing him and about the incident during the outdoor drill, that she didn’t see what happened, that even when she suspected of her classmates words she didn’t try to protect him. Rio then states completely unworried about it that if she didn’t see what happened it wasn’t good to lie.

Now Christina tries to confirm if it’s a lie or not, but Rio says that now there isn’t a way to prove that he didn’t cause Flora’s fall. Christina says that he believes him Flora says that she believes him too, that she always did. Rio thanks their trust, Flora says that she always wanted to thank him for saving her from the Minotaur, that despite how he always was helping her she only caused him troubles. Christina then thanks him too for saving the two today and everything he did in the past. Rio then apologizes for involving them in his fight with Lucius, but Christina says that it isn’t like that, that there were more reasons for being targeted that just being connected to Rio, that if he wasn’t there, there wouldn’t be anyone to save them, and they wouldn’t have been able to meet again if not for him.

Rio changes the topic to not being clear yet that the Proxia empire is involved in their kidnapping, and that he doesn’t mind to answer more questions or taking them to Rodania. Christina then says if he really is fine with that she will gladly accept, but is still dubious about Rio being really fine with everything. Rio asks if she is still worried about his past what does she intend to do when back in Rodania? Christina answers that she will not reveal his past to anyone, but she will follow his intentions, that she will cooperate if he wants to clean his name.

Rio says that he doesn’t have any special wish of cleaning his name after all this time, that he doesn’t have any intention of unburying the past, neither has he any intention of appearing like Rio again in the Strahl region after so long. Rio then thinks on his head that he isn’t angered anymore for the framing, and that if there’s something unforgivable it would be about Latifa.

But he won’t do anything until she confirms Hugenot to be her former master and she really says that she wants some kind of payback. Christina says that she will do as Rio says then and asks Flora if she understood, after Flora nods to her Rio tells to the two to let the rest of the talk for later and guides the two to the bathroom.

After seeing the bath Christina and Flora couldn’t take their eyes off of it, and Rio explained how to use the different soaps and magic tools and how to use the bath. Flora then asks if that is a bathroom where you can soak, since Hiroaki talked about that and had an artisan to built one on his room, and from time to time he lets other people use it.

Christina then asks if she used it, but she denies it saying that using the bath of a man’s room is embarrassing. Rio then thought that it was better to not point out just in case that she’s going to bath on his, a man’s house. He warned Flora about how she mustn't use the bath for now due to her fever. When seeing her disappointment Christina decided to not enter either out of solidarity. Rio realises that he didn’t give them towels yet and goes to look for them.

After being left alone Flora asked Christina where they were right now. Christina just said that in Rio’s house. Flora now is curious about why Rio has a house in the Paladia Kingdom. Christina that doesn’t really know herself about the rock house well tells her to wait until he properly explains it later.

Christina tells Flora that she looks happy, to which she answers that of course because she was finally able of meeting Rio again, of apologizing for the past and of talking with him. Christina smiles softly at her and Flora admits that a part of it is being able of doing something like bathing at Rio’s house.

Christina then says that she never thought either that she would be able of talking to Rio like that, specially at the academy time. Flora asked them about how Christina met Rio in the slums and about the slap, she then explained very embarrassed about how arrogant she acted in front of him and how she said rude things like him being dirty and smelly. Flora says that that was certainly terrible, Christina then says that to top it all now they’re the dirty ones and wonders if they smell.

She remembers Duran’s words and thinks that if Rio carried them until there while making a disagreeable face it would be too painful to take it. Then she asks Flora if they stink, and the two begin to smell their dresses with an embarrassed face but they can’t tell if they stink or not, so they decided to smell each other.

Christina put her nose on Flora’s neck and she saw Rio coming back with the towels and screamed his name, when Flora realized his presence she screamed too. At the same time that Christina says that it was misunderstanding, and Rio said that he understands it.

Christina asked what did he understand, and with a wide smile Rio answered that he understood that the two get along really well. The two got even more red faced, Rio left the towels on the shelves and left the bathroom while laughing a little, the two got even more embarrassed and after a little of time decided to have a bath already.

When Christina is done washing her hair she tells Flora to stop losing time smelling the rest of soaps, she will get a cold if she takes too much time. While Christina begins to clean her face and body she wonders if the soaps are products from the Rikka firm, about how many mysteries there are around Rio. She thinks that most likely he wants to keep the house and the magic tool with space magic a secret because he didn’t use them during the travel to Rodania, so it’s better to not make questions about that.

When she’s about to be done Flora asks her to enter the bath and telling her her opinion, she tries to refuse out of solidarity for her but Flora insists, Christina gets in and says that if feels really well. While looking at Flora she thinks that Rio’s medicine seems to be working because Flora looks much better from before, when the two want to get out, Christina isn’t able of standing up because she felt dizzy, so Flora went to call for Rio.

When Rio arrives he stiffens seeing Flora with just a towel and looks the other way, Flora gets embarrassed but she still says what happens to Christina. Rio then tells her to go back with Christina while he talks from behind the door of the changing room. Rio talked a little to Christina and discovered that she just had a little of overheat, so he explained to her what happened and how to deal with it, then he left. When Christina and Flora go back to the living room Christina apologizes to Rio red-faced for causing troubles, Rio apologizes too for not explaining enough about how to use the bathroom and both let it at that. Rio let cold drinks and dinner prepared for them and he had a bath too, after that the three went to sleep.

Chapter 3: The Future from Here
The next morning, Rio got up early and began to train with the sword next to the house. He’s thinking about his revenge, about how he doesn’t feel guilt for killing Lucius, that even if uncomfortability remains killing Lucius was necessary for the sake of his important people. That he understood that avenging his parents won’t bring them back or will achieve anything for him, that Lucius existence will remain inside him on his memories.

But he took revenge even understanding all of that. He thinks about how it was fine for him to not have a tomorrow for the sake of vengeance, but there’s a tomorrow and people waiting for him, Miharu, Latifa, Sara, Ouphia and Alma are in the rock house, Aisia and Celia wait for him at Rodania, he wants to see them again.

Rio is thinking that it’s strange how calm he’s despite the uncomfortableness still remaining, wondering if it’s because he has a place to go back to. For a moment he wonders if it’s fine for the him that always followed his egoism to go back, but he convinces himself of being selfish and doing so. To go back and protect his peace and future with his important people. Then his revenge against Lucius will be really complete, and from now on he will live for protecting their peace, even if he doesn’t want to do it, he wants to make everyone happy. So for the sake of that he will take the sword and go back to everyone, that in this world full of unreasonable things the strength is necessary for protecting everyone.

While Rio is still lost in thought Christina and Flora got out of the house. Rio said good morning after stopping his sword, and asked if there was something wrong because they were still silent. Christina says that they are surprised of seeing Rio’s black hair again. Rio explains that he thought that there wasn’t a need to hide while still on the house, and Flora says that he really gives a different impression. That seeing him like that she feels like, "ahh that really is Rio-sama"

Rio says that it’s normal because that hair color is unusual on the Strahl region and asks if they slept well. Christina said that the room was really comfortable and that because they didn’t see light on the house they thought that he would be outside. Christina praises to work so much from so early, but Rio just says that it’s just his daily routine.

Christina then says that she remembers to see Rio practicing the sword after their lessons on the academy and seeing him at the library, Flora says then that Christina really looked at Rio at that time. Christina says in a fluster that she just looked when they happened to be on the same place, and that she was looking at him too at those times. Rio says that he remembers seeing Christina on the library too and tells the two to go back inside for having breakfast.

After Rio made breakfast both sisters praised the taste and Flora asked Rio where did he learn to cook. He answers that from a book from the library at the beginning and later he learnt a lot of things from Miharu. Flora says that she just talked with her a little during the evening party but she seemed to be really kind, and asks if she is near Rodania right now. Rio says that he’s with Sara’s group.

Then Christina asks if Celia and Miharu know about Rio’s identity. He answers that before joining Restoration, Celia lived in another rock house similar to the one they’re in right now with Miharu and Sara’s group. All of them know his past, but that he just said the minimal necessary information. Rio then tells focus on the breakfast for the time being and to let the talk for later, when hearing Rio saying that smiling the same way he used to smile to Celia at the academy the two hold their breath for a moment before nodding and eating.

After having breakfast Rio made tea and said to the two that he will answer questions about his past, but before he wants to talk about the future. Rio says that now that they have disappeared for two days, Rodania must be in chaos. Christina agrees and says that the most likely some nobles may want to leave Restoration, since without Christina and Flora there as symbols of their cause they don’t have any legitimacy. Flora asks if Hiroaki won’t do as a symbol, but Christina replies that he needs to be married with her or Flora for that.

Rio takes out a map and says that reaching Rodania will take a month and a half depending of the weather. Christina then says that the organization cannot wait that long, and that Hugenot won’t just sit and wait until the organization breaks. Christina then asks Rio to take the to two to Galarcs capital instead of Rodania because Hugenot doesn’t have another option but asking the Galarc Kingdom for help. Rio asks why, and she explains that the minimum requirement for Hiroaki to give legitimacy to the organization is to be married with someone related by blood to their father, or grandfather.

Christina explains how its impossible to rely on their half sisters living on Bertram’s capital, so he will try to use Galarc’s royalties. François’ mother was the little sister of their grandfather, so Charlotte and her little sister Rosalie have the right of being Bertram’s queen if François consents, but choosing this method has its own downsides too. This method is for when there isn’t an heir for the original family since a country’s royalty won’t just accept to be replaced by another country’s so easily, and there will be for sure a factional war between the ones who support the new royals and the the ones who support the old ones.

If Flora is discovered to be alive after the engagement is announced there will be a great scandal, and undo it won’t be easy either, that Hugenot is being too impatient. Rio then says that it may be better to forward their return, that if the destination is Galarc it will take a week, but he’s worried about Flora not being fully recovered yet. Flora says that she’s fine already, but Christina and Rio disagree and tell her to wait at least a day.

Christina asks Rio if he will use the sword’s power, Rio reminds her that he can fly and asks her how much time they have until Hugenot contacts the Galarc Kingdom. Christina thinks that they must have maybe a week from now on, seeing how difficult is to make it on time Christina asks to go to the Rubia Kingdom first and sending a message to François using the long distance communication magic tool. Rio says it will take just half a day to arrive to the Rubia Kingdom, to which Christina is surprised and relieved of hearing. She apologizes to Rio for keeping causing him troubles, but Rio doesn’t mind it. She says again that she wants to say thank you and I’m sorry for a lot of things, but that she wants to make some questions too if possible, and Rio agrees.

Christina asks first what happened in the outdoor drill, about Flora’s fall and who defeated the Minotaur. Rio agrees to talk after making them to swear to keep silent about what he will explain to them, and after they swear it Rio begins his story. He begins explaining what spirit arts are, and the principal differences with magic, then he makes a demonstration creating a mass of water, moving it around and changing its form first to a dog and then a cat. Flora says that it’s cute and wants to touch it. Christina that was surprised at the realism of the cat’s movements asked if it had will, but Rio denied it and made it walk into Christina’s hands now.

After making it disappear Flora was disappointed because it was cute, Christina chided her, but Rio said he will do another later and she got happy again. Then Rio explained how the spirit arts fell in disuse due to the difference in difficulty between learning to use magic and spirit arts, and if someone who takes in a magic formation won’t be able of using the spirit arts. That by the time he was in the academy he was already able of using the spirit arts, and goes back to what happened at the outdoor drill.

Rio says that he used his spirit arts for landing safely, he climbed up the cliff and heard the conversation about who was the guilty of making Flora fall. Christina makes a bitter face remembering that conversation, both apologize to him again, but Rio says that there’s no need because Flora was just a victim and Christina never had any intention of framing him. They aren’t convinced and Rio says that he remembers too how Christina was just worried about who endangered Flora and how Flora tried to defend him. Now Christina asks if Rio knows who made Flora fall, Rio says that he knows but that there isn’t any way to prove it after so long.

Christina repeats again that they believe him, that she never believed in any moment in Stead’s words about him getting scared. Rio then explained how he wasn’t the one who pushed Stead against Flora but another two students to who he asked to take out the spear stabbed on his shoulder. Christina then asks if Stead himself knew too that the ones who pushed him were those two boys when he accused Rio with a voice full of anger, and Rio answers that probably yes.

Christina apologizes again to Rio full of embarrassment now for not trying to look better into that situation at that time and place. Rio tells her again to not feel responsible because he intended to leave the Bertram Kingdom after graduating from the academy anyway, that it just happened a little before than expected.

Christina then says that without being framed he wouldn’t have to use an alias, but he replies that not having to deal with the people who framed him as himself is convenient too. Christina says that is too rational, how he has nothing but reasons for hating the people who framed him, the Bertram Kingdom and themselves half crying. Rio says that he doesn’t want revenge against the Bertram Kingdom, but that he distrust more of less all of its nobles.

Christina says again that it isn’t about distrust, that he must hate them and he should be more angered. He says that he understands what it is to want revenge and to take revenge, to live hating someone, and that for him to just get close to someone full of anger is out of the question. Forgetting the anger and just to not get close to that people again is fine for him.

Christina says again that Rio is too rational while looking the other way. Rio denies it saying that he has a lot of bad memories of the Bertram Kingdom and things that he can’t forgive too, remembering about Latifa. Christina asks if something more happened, and he replies that one more person aside of him is involved so he can’t say it. Christina asks if it’s Celia, but Rio denies it and says that he will tell it if there’s a chance.

Rio tells them again to not feel responsible anymore for what happened to him, but Christina still refuses to let it go, because that won’t do because she did horrible things to him. Flora says that she caused a lot of troubles for Rio. Rio says again that nothing comes to mind when she talks about that, so he asks again if she means the slap from when they met. Christina gets embarrassed again remembering it and says again that it isn’t just that.

She says again that she wants to thank him and apologize to him again. Rio says that he heard enough apologies already, but Christina still insists, so he says that part of the guilt for the slap incident lays on him for touching a princess with his dirty hands. Christina begins to scream that he wasn’t dirty, that he was innocent, that she was the dirty one for hitting him and saying all of those things to him even though he saved Flora.

Rio keeps without minding it saying that it was a complicated situation, and Christina still isn’t OK with him forgiving her. Then she and Flora lower their heads apologizing again, to which Rio says in a hurry that he forgives them for them to rise their heads already. He tells them to stop feeling guilty because part of the reason for helping them is for having them guaranteeing that Celia has a good life inside Restoration, and both sisters smile seeing him like that.

Chapter 4: Meanwhile
 * Clarification just in case, everything in this chapter happens at the same time that the things that happen in chapters 1 and 2.*

The previous day, Duran has just given his farewell to Rio and is going back to his castle. Reiss appears in his way and begins to complain to him for following Lucius’ plan instead of his, and for sending him to some random place when he asked where Rio and Lucius were, but Duran just plays dumb and makes excuses. Now he asks Reiss how did he find the place, and he replies that it’s a secret while looking at Lucius’ sword.

Duran tries to leave when he noticed Reiss’ gaze, but Reiss asks him if he can return him Lucius’ sword. Duran says that the sword is something that he received from it’s new rightful owner Haruto, so Reiss says that he was the one who lent that sword to Lucius, so that the sword is his. Duran asks if there is evidence, so Reiss offers to exchange it for several demon swords. He then adds a lie about that sword devouring the user’s soul too, he then talks about that sword being smart and being able of choosing its owner. That sword just recognizes people as shitty as Lucius as its master, so Duran tries to put his magic power on the sword for checking Reiss story. The sword certainly didn’t recognize him, so Reiss repeated his offer. Duran then agrees to give back the sword after Reiss delivers to him the promised demon swords.

Reiss accepts and says that he may have a job for him in some weeks, and Duran then asks if it is about Rio. Reiss confirms and says that he has been trying to set a duel between Lucius and Rio too, but Lucius abandoned Reiss’ plan because he didn’t trust him and calls the humans troublesome living beings whose mean he doesn’t understand. Duran says that he understands Lucius feelings, that there isn’t man who gives a worse feeling than him. Then Reiss leaves in the same direction than Rio, but Duran stops him and asks him if he can win against Rio.

Reiss denies it, stating that he will die without doubt if they fight. Duran then asks why Reiss is targeting him then, since he understands from seeing the fight against Lucius that fighting against him is suicidal That if in the worst case there is a war between Galarc and Proxia due to him doing something to Rio he may have to get out to the battlefield too. What would he do then? He may have to fight him the first then, and he isn’t into lost battles.

That if a diplomat from the Proxia empire appears before him while the sister princesses are with him it will be even harder to deny the implication of the Proxia empire and the Paladia Kingdom on the incident. Reiss says that for the time he will just tail him because Christina and Flora are important people and knowing their intentions is important. He tells Duran that he won’t do anything to them while they’re still in the Paladia Kingdom and leaves, but Duran has a really bad feeling while seeing his back.

At the same time near Rodania, while Aisia fought against Reiss, Celia hid on the rock house. When Aisia came back they went to Rodania and she discovered Christina and Flora’s disappearance. The next day she sneaked out of Rodania and met with the rest of the girls on the rock house’s living room, telling them that Restoration is on a big trouble. She explained that Christina and Flora are missing, that someone assaulted their magic ship and took them away, leaving behind a lot of casualties and Vanessa almost dead too, with no clues about Christina’s and Flora’s whereabouts right now.

Sara asks if they should help to look for Christina, but Celia says that it’s better for them to focus on protecting the rock house while Rio is absent, even more so when Reis may be lurking somewhere. Sara says then that she can’t believe that Reis is unrelated to the sisters’ disappearance when the timing is so close to his infiltration in Rodania. Alma wonders too about why did Reis sneak in Restoration’s fortress, then Miharu asks if his target was currently Celia herself. Celia thinks that she wasn’t Reis's target because he escaped the moment he saw her.

Ouphia asks if she reported Reis’ infiltration and she answers that they are looking for him too at the same time that Christina and Flora. Restoration’s people are already suspicious of the Proxia empire being involved in Christina and Flora’s disappearance, and of the possibility of the Arbor faction being on it too. Latifa then asks Celia if she is doing fine worried about the anxious face she’s doing, but Celia tries to tranquil her pretending normality. Latifa then says that it would be good if Rio comes back quickly.

At the same time, in the Rubia Kingdom, Silvie was looking through the window of the room where Renji is still sleeping. Elena entered and tells Silvie that lunch is ready she would guide her to the dining room. Silvie says that she isn’t hungry, but Elena worries about her because she has already skipped other meals too, so she tries to convince Silvie of making some exercise for building some appetite. Silvie refuses because Renji may wake up while she’s outside, so Elena asks to entrust that to the servants and asks her why does she need to lose her time with a man like that. Silvie says that he is hero while smiling wryly, but Elena refuses to believe that he’s hero because due to his imprudence Silvie and Esther are even more troubled than before.

Silvie begins to think about what happened three days ago, when Renji was completely defeated by Lucius and how she allowed that because she wasn’t able of choosing between acting as a princess or as an older sister. She wonders if she could have rescued Esther if she had joined Renji in the fight since the beginning. Silvie tells Elena that that her contact with Reis is still secret that there’s still a chance of rescuing Esther behind the scenes. Elena doesn’t trust Reis, saying that they still don’t know what will he ask after Renji’s defeat, that he surely will demand more things in the future and will become Silvie’s enemy. Silvie wonders what to do from now on while Elena glares at Renji remembering how she didn’t like him even a tiny bit from the very beginning. Silvie then asks Elena to bring her some soup to the room.

Before Elena leaves Renji finally wakes up. Silvie is relieved of seeing him finally awoken, and Renji remembers what happened before losing consciousness and jumped out of the bed materializing his halberd. Silvie begins to calm him down in a fluster, and explains to him that he’s in her castle, so Renji disperses the halberd. Silvie is relieved of seeing him that lively thinking that it must mean that he’s healthy too, and when Renji saw his members back to their places again he asked what happened, to which Silvie explains that after losing he was unconscious for three days. He then asks why does he have his members back, and Silvie says that it seems to be the power of his divine weapon. Renji asked where Lucius and Reis are now, Silvie says that they went back to the Proxia empire and asks Renji if he remembers his promise with Reis. After he remembers it he makes a bad face, Silvie then ads that Reis told her to host Renji on the castle until the moment that he comes to reclaim him to fulfill the promise. Seeing Renji’s face Silvie asks if he intends to break his promise, Renji then asks if there is any need of keeping a promise to someone like them.

Silvie then reminds Renji how he used to have duels with adventurers too but she stops midway, thinking about how a duel betting something is something really serious for the aristocrats but how between adventurers the norm is more lax. But even like that she still heard a lot of rumors of Renji starting duels with the people who looked down on him for later taking their properties from them, with that as an excuse and using them to boast in front of the defeated. Silvie now asks Renji if he ever let the people that he defeated to break their promises, and Renji still doesn’t answer.

Silvie asks if he in other words won’t ever allow others to break their promises but he intends to break his own, in other words to run away. Renji still doesn’t answer, nor has been able of looking at Silvie for a while already. Silvie then called him pathetic, talks about how she recognized his rebellious aptitude towards this world’s unfairness despite being ignorant of the the world, but that her eyes were mistaken, he’s just a cowardly thug who only is brave against those that he considers weaker than himself, and that he’s just a delinquent.

Renji is still just looking at the ground gritting his teeth and clenching his fist, Silvie asks him if he doesn’t have anything to said and where is the one who talked big and and arrogant in front of her a princess and said that he will never forgive those who humiliates him, that she’s humiliating him and Elena is laughing at him.

Renji then asks why is Silvie telling him all of that, and Silvie asks why wouldn’t she scold him with how many troubles he caused her. Renji then says that he isn’t a coward or ran away, that he tried to rescue Esther, and the coward is Silvie who didn’t help him. Silvie then says that she certainly is coward too, but different from him she won’t run away from Reis, that she carries on her shoulders her country too and not only Esther, she then explained how the Proxia empire was behind Reis and that he could have caused a war with his jumping in without understanding anything, she then asks if he intended to fight against the Proxia empire along her when he’s already planning to run away from just his promise with Reis, Renji tries to excuse himself in not knowing about the Proxia empire, but Silvie reminds him of how many times he was warned by Lucius and Reis themselves that he was poking his nose in something he didn’t understand, after that she reminds him once again how he’s just talk, she calls him pathetic once again when he doesn’t even dare to look at her face and tells him too to get out of her country, Elena then asks her in a fluster what will she do about the promise between Renji and Reis, she says that she will explain it to him somehow, she then asks Renji if he won’t leave yet or if he wants to be cut down right there, Renji then apologizes to Silvie and says that everything that she said is true, that he can’t say nothing back, Silvie then asks so what and calls him hindrance.

Renji says now that he will help Esther, to let him cooperate, that after helping her too he will do whatever for compensating the problems to her, Silvie then smiled softly at the Renji that seemed to be recovering a little of his usual spirit, Renji insist in being serious about what he said, Silvie apologizes and thanks him for the feeling but says that he will still have to leave the castle, that he has a great power but that he’s still someone childish who got blinded by it, that she won’t involve in this anymore a child like him, Renji then protest about being called a child and reminds her that their ages aren’t that different, they argue a little about how child like Renji is or not, Silvie reminds him how he intended to break his promise with Reis, she says again that he’s just a child that was given a great power by his divine weapon, how he has lived as he pleased by abusing that power and avoiding to make bonds with everyone, but that won’t work forever, in this world the strength can’t do everything, he was defeated already in fact, that even if it’s hard to defeat him individually sooner of later someone will go at him in groups, that from now he’s her country’s greatest enemy that have damaged it greatly, but she makes mistakes too, so she will let him escape just this time, so he has to leave immediately the castle.

Renji tries to convince Silvie of going back on her decision, that it’s as she says, that he won’t grow up if he runs away here, that he needs to defeat that man or he won’t be able of moving on, Silvie just says that that is his problem, Renji tries to insist on him being a hero and his power necessary but Silvie still doesn’t change her mind, she says that that is the power of his weapon not his, that he’s child precisely because he doesn’t understands it, that she can’t believe on him anymore, that he has to leave quickly, she warns him again that if he ever comes back to the Rubia Kingdom she will cut him down herself, he asks if she is serious, she confirms it and orders him again to leave quickly, then Renji says that he won’t leave, he repeats it, that he won’t leave the castle, that if he leaves the next time that he comes to the Rubia Kingdom Silvie will attack him so he won’t leave, he asks now if she’s going to cut him then, Silvie stands up and grabs her sword then Elena jumped at her for stopping her, while Silvie tries to shake off Elena Renji says again that he won’t leave, Silvie says once again that he just a child and that way he will become Reis’ puppet if he stays, Renji answers that if that is the away the adults take responsibility then he will do so, Silvie then screams to him to just do as he wants, after Elena releases her she leaves the room followed after by Elena.

At the same time Reis is looking at the rock house where Rio is with Christina and Flora from the sky, guessing that he will stay there for a while for letting Flora recover, he decides then to give up on the plan for assassinating Rio, that the risks and benefits don’t match, he is thinking that due to Lucius the situation became really troublesome now, he wonders about what will happen if the three just go back to Restoration like that, that the most likely since he was seen in Rodania there will be suspicions of the Proxia empire being involved in the kidnapping due to Restoration and the Galarc Kingdom knowing that he is connected to Lucius, that in the worst case they will suspect too from the Arbor faction, then Reis begins to think if he must play death for some time for avoiding to call Rio’s attention, he wonders if Lucius’ subordinates will still obey him after his death, he then decided to make Silvie the new piece that replaces the lost one and to use her as an scapegoat of Lucius’ mess, he then wonders how to make her meet Rio along his way, he decides to follow Rio during his travel and decide based on that, Reis lands, he puts a mark on the ground and decides to go to Arein, Lucci and Ven.

Reis teleports to an abandoned village where Lucius’ subordinates were waiting for his return, he knocks the door of a house and Arein opens it, he then asks Reis if Lucius isn’t with him, because the three of them were waiting for his victorious return there, he told them first thing that Lucius was murdered, he says that Rio killed him, Lucci them says that if it’s joke it isn’t funny, Reis says that it isn’t a joke and Lucci began to deny Lucius death screaming, Arein says him to stop screaming but he continues to make a fuss while Arein and Ven grit their teeth in silence, Reis then says them to admit already that they helped him to kidnap Christina and Flora, that he already knows everything, Arein and Ven admit it, Reis says indirectly to them that if they have followed his plan instead of Lucius’ he could be alive by now for making them to feel more guilty, that no matter how good of a mercenary he was Lucius wasn’t strong for resorting to dirty tricks, that he resorted to them because he was weak, Lucci says that that is a lie, that Lucius wasn’t weak, he falls for Reis’ provocations and says that he will prove Lucius’ strength by having his men defeating Rio, then Reis says that he has a job for them that includes a battle with Rio.

Arein and Ven are making a hard face remembering when they fought against Rio and thinking about their difference on skill, Lucci then asks if isn’t fine for him to kill Rio, Reis says that he doesn’t care about them killing him, that once they fought against him the job will be completed, then Lucci accepts but Ven says him to asks the conditions of the job first, Luccis then says that it’s Lucius revenge and asks if they got scared, Ven asks him if he forgot how they weren’t opponents for Rio, Arein then asks if the conditions will be the same as usual with the Proxia empire as the client, Reis confirms it, after promising Lucius sword as the reward Arein asks him to first explain the plan detailedly.

Chapter 5: Departure and Pursuit
Three days since the battle against Lucius, five days since the sisters’ disappearance, Rio finally leaves the rock house with Christina and Flora, he puts the rock house inside the time space cache and Christina and Flora go wide eyed seeing it despite being explained about it before time, they have difficulties accepting it as reality, when their surprise subsides Rio asks if he must carry the two the same way that three days go, Christina says yes red-faced because of the memory of how closely she was hugging Rio, but Flora asks curious about it because she was unconscious at that moment, she gets embarrassed when she discovers that she was carried princess style, Rio then offers his back to the red-faced Christina while she thinks that this time Rio shouldn’t be able of catching any strange odor because she already had a bath and worries about her dress being thinner than the other so Rio may be able of feeling better her heartbeat and her breast, she’s happy about Flora being the one on the front because her breast are bigger than hers, while Christina thinks on her own things Rio lifts Flora too, she asks if she’s heavy and Rio says that the two are light, he then tells Flora to hold onto him and not his clothes because that way is safer, Flora hesitates because it’s embarrassing but Christina says her to put her arms around her too and she does it, Rio takes fly while thinking that from the side they must quite the sight, he tells the sisters to say it if they get scared of the speed and departs, Reis following them from the distance.

A few hours later the three finally see a small fortified city that seems to belong to the Rubia Kingdom and decide to enter it for confirming it, Rio landed and the three walked the rest of the way, when they entered the city they arrived immediately to the fortress, Rio introduced himself as Haruto Amakawa the honorary knight to the guards, he shows his royal emblem and is allowed to pass, a little after Rio’s group Reis enters the fortress introducing himself as Jean Bernard, one of Silvie’s helpers.

Rio waited with Christina and Flora in a drawing room until the person in charge of the fortress came to receive them, a middle aged man called Marco Tonteri enters the room and after greeting Rio he asks his businesses while taking a few glances at the sisters, Rio asks for permission to use long distance communication magic tool, Rio decides to stay the night in the fortified city and wait until the morning for an answer from the Galarc Kingdom to come on an inn recommended by Marco, Marco gives Rio a paper for writing his message after warning him that the magic tool can’t send messages longer than 100 characters, Rio then writes a message to François that says that he will take to the castle soon two important missing people under his protection that he may be looking for, when Rio gives the message to Marco a soldier enters the room saying that Marco’s judgement is necessary, Marco apologizes to Rio for interrupting their talk and says him to wait on the room while he sends the message, then he leaves.

When Marco leaves the room Reis meets him alone, Marco asks Reis why is one of Silvie’s helpers in his fortress, Reis asks Marco what did Rio ask him and his plans, Marco shows him the message and says that he intends to leave the city tomorrow morning, then Reis tells him to not send the message but saying to Rio that he did, Marco tells to not joke because the Galarc Kingdom will complain if he does such a thing, Reis denies to be joking and says that there isn’t time for explaining, Reis grabbed Marco’s head and after light got out of his hand Marco fell asleep, he asked a nearby soldier to guide him to his room because he’s that way, after putting Marco on his bed Reis tells the soldier to say to Rio in Marco’s place that he had some urgent business, to say that he already sent the message and to guide him to the inn, Reis leaves the fortified city and teleports to Rubia’s capital for picking up Renji and Silvie.

Reis enters Rubia’s castle and meets Silvie, she then asks if he came for his promise with Renji, Reis says that aside of that he came because it’s necessary to advance the relationships of their Kingdom, Silvie blames Reis of the current instability of her Kingdom, Reis plays dumb and tells her that is already charged with half of this country’s king’s duties to decide already about changing his alliance with the Galarc Kingdom for one with the Proxia empire, Silvie tries to excuse herself in that being her father’s decision but after a little more of pressure from Reis she changes her stance at it depends on the conditions, Reis then makes up a false explanation about the Proxia empire wanting an alliance with the Rubia Kingdom due to her good relationship with Renji because there wasn’t any hero on the country, he says that kidnapping Esther was for the sake of guiding Renji to the place where he would fight Lucius and taking things that way until their current state too. Silvie is more and more disgusted at him.

Reis then promises the Proxia’s empire military support in the case that the Rubia Kingdom receives any attack from someone and economic support too, he says that after taking care of a certain problem it may be possible to give back Esther tomorrow, so Silvie decides to accept the alliance, he then says that if Silvie and Renji don’t accompany him to a certain place with his subordinated Esther’s devolution may be delayed, Silvie asks for details and Reis explains his plan for ambushing a certain knight from the Galarc Kingdom that is in the Rubia Kingdom right now.

The next day, a little before the midday, Rio is walking towards the fortress with Christina and Flora for asking if the Galarc Kingdom answered his message, he asked the two if they slept well, both say that the rock house was more comfortable, the bath specially feels lacking now in comparison, that they will really miss it when back in Rodania and that they’re losing their wish to go back, Rio crossed the fortress gate while wondering about the gatekeeper that seemed really tense, after walking a little more he saw almost all of the fortress soldiers stationed on the walls and heard the fortress’ gate closing behind Christina and Flora, Rio realized immediately that something was off and activated his spirit arts, all of the soldiers then shot arrows at Rio, he unsheathed the sword and repelled the arrows creating a wall of wind, from in front of him Lucci yells at Rio for killing Lucius, Rio then recognized Arein, Lucci and Ven as the ones with Reis before his battle with Rui and Alfred, the three surround Rio and prepare to attack from three different directions, at the same time Rio swung his sword and shot a wind attack at a mass of cold air that Renji shot at him by surprise from his hiding over the fortress’ gate, Arein, Lucci and Ven shoot phottom bullets at Rio, he defended again making a wind wall, Renji then shot ice spears at Rio and he sent them back creating a storm after Renji hid from the storm Rio began to analyse the situation after checking the sister’s safety.

Rio is thinking about all of his opponents keeping their distance being troublesome, that having to protect Christina and Flora is limiting his movements but it isn’t as bad as in the battle against Lucius because they can’t use his attacks that manipulate the space, Rio tells Christina and Flora to make a magic barrier and to keep it up for thirty seconds, to put themselves near the fortress’ gate when they create it, Rio gives them the signal and the two make the barrier, Rio shoots then a storm towards Lucius’ subordinates and jumps towards them, Lucci meets Rio’s sword with his but he’s sent flying back due to the difference in strength, Rio then shoots a wind mass at Ven and he crushes against the fortress walls, Arein ordered Renji to attack Christina and Flora, after a little of hesitation he jumped down from over the gate and swung his halberd at their barrier, Christina screamed in fear but Rio stopped Renji’s attack then he kicked his body for sending him away from Christina and Flora, Renji stands up after rolling on the ground and asked Arein next to him what in hell is Rio, Arein answers that he’s the one who killed Lucius and Renji’s gaze trembles.

Rio tells Christina and Flora to undo the barrier and to hide under the fortress gate while being careful of more enemies approaching, Arein tells Renji that Rio is frustratingly strong as a monster, and asks him if he will stop protecting Silvie and Esther, Renji tells him to shut up and Rio decides to investigate why Renji a hero is attacking him too, he asks Renji is he’s Rubia’s hero, Renji doesn’t answer, then Rio says that the ones behind him are Christina and Flora, Bertram’s princesses, and asks if they will attack despite knowing it, Rio swung the sword for repelling a magic attack shot at him by surprise by Silvie riding a griffin, she then flies over the fortress’ walls along other several tenths of women knights riding griffins.

Rio thinks that the face is familiar but he doesn’t get yet where he saw her already, Silvie is shocked at Rio being able of predicting her attack, Christina then screamed from behind Rio saying to him that that woman was Silvie, Silvie ordered the griffin riders to bombard Rio with magic and killing him no matter what, Rio stands calmly on the fortress’ center stopping the magic bombardment calmly with  swings of his sword, Rio is thinking that if he attacks and kills a royalty it may be really troublesome later so running away looks like the best option, then he tells Christina and Flora to hug him at his signal while he keeps stopping the magic attacks of the griffin riders at the same time, Silvie wonders what in the hell Rio really is while cursing because she won’t have Esther back if she doesn’t kill him, while Rio is still stopping the bombardment Renji tries to freeze him shooting a really cold mass of air at him, Rio counterattacks shooting a storm and sends flying Renji, Arein and all the soldiers inside the fortress, Silvie orders to continue the bombardment while he’s distracted, Rio then points his sword and the sky and creates the same number of light bullets as griffins, he controls them for shooting down the griffins without killing them or the women knights, he just didn’t attack Silvie, Rio gave the signal and run towards Christina and Flora, the two run towards him too, Rio hugs them and escapes flying while enveloping the three on a small storm.

Interlude: Duke Huguenot's Melancholy
Galarc’s royal castle, four days after the attack on Rio’s group, ten days since Christina’s and Flora’s disappearance, Hugenot is seated alone on a sofa of the room lent to him, he’s thinking about how Roana contacted saying that she and Liselotte are already on their way to Galarc’s castle, he’s nervous because not just Restoration’s but his own future depends on the success of the talk between Hiroaki and Liselotte, he’s thinking that despite François helping to set the marriage interview he won’t force Liselotte to accept, that because for François is important to have Restoration as wavebreaker between Galarc and Proxia he agreed to give Rosalie as Hiroaki’s wife, but that he can’t force Liselotte a vassal’s daughter to anything, so to say, for François Liselotte is more important than his daughter, he thinks that that it’s something normal too, because if Liselotte leaves the country the Rikka guild would leave too, then Galarc’s economy will be weakened, besides Liselotte is Satsuki’s friend too, that it isn’t impossible for François to not be able of doing anything forceful.

For the time being Liselotte can’t refuse to attend to the marriage interview, but now it depends on Hiroaki’s approach and Liselotte’s answer, that it would be simple if François could just force her to accept but it isn’t like that, that it depends on how much Liselotte cares about Hiroaki’s position as a hero, that he saw this coming because it was easy to see that Hiroaki liked Liselotte, but now that Christina and Flora are missing Restoration is at its limit, that they aren’t an attractive partner, that Liselotte must know too how big of a problem it’s Christina’s and Flora’s absence, even more in the current situation where Restoration is supported from behind by the Galarc Kingdom and the Rikka firm, but Liselotte musts understand too that the negative effects of Christina’s and Flora’s disappearance will disappear after the engagement with Rosalie, all of this in the case that she isn’t thinking about refusing to get married, but he has to to think about the case where she rejects Hiroaki, that he doesn’t know what kind of mood Hiroaki will be in if he’s rejected, that he may really refuse to get married with Rosalie, then it would be the end of Restoration and what to do to avoid it.

Chapter 6: Return
Evening of the same day, Liselotte’s magic ship landed on Galarc’s capital, she then rode a carriage with Roana until the royal castle, Roana and she walked through the castle until where Hiroaki is waiting, around them the servants and attendants began to gossip about Liselotte maybe marrying Hiroaki, Liselotte curses at them in her head because they’re a making an atmosphere where rejecting Hiroaki feels harder, they then arrived to a drawing room, Hiroaki is inside with Rosalie, François and his wife, Hugenot and Liselotte’s parents, seeing everyone Liselotte wonders if the marriage interview will be right there, Roana and Hugenot stand behind the sofa where Hiroaki is seated with Rosalie, Liselotte sits on the sofa in front of them besides François, who apologizes for making her come from Amande, but Liselotte says that it isn’t necessary to apologize because it’s a rare chance of meeting her parents who were looking at her with a troubled face, François then announces the marriage interview with Hiroaki as the only matter to discuss and that he will be just an observer, then he asks Liselotte what does she want to do now, if she wants to talk about the marriage right now as it’s or if she has any other business, but Liselotte wants proceed with the interview as it’s, that she came to the castle because she already has an answer, François then asks to Liselotte and Hiroaki if they want to talk there with everyone or if they prefer to talk alone in the garden next to the drawing room and Hiroaki asks Liselotte to talk with just the too and they leave.

Hiroaki walks alone with Liselotte behind him, the two comment about the look of the castle gardens a little,  Hiroaki is nervous for being alone with Liselotte, he thinks that this is the time that he has been more nervous since the summoning, Hiroaki then remembers her conversation with Hugenot about wanting Liselotte as his wife, he’s happy of how fast he worked, he’s praising Hugenot in his head for managing to set the meeting despite Liselotte always refusing to go to the marriage interview with the excuse of her job for years, but he’s frustrated of not being able of using Hugenot to make Liselotte to accept him because he didn’t want to have to confess, he’s trying to think about something to talk about with Liselotte but nothing comes to mind, now he wonders why is it that Liselotte doesn’t offer conversation topics as she usually does, he wonders if she’s nervous too, he thinks that he must have chances if it’s like that, that it’s as Hugenot said, that from now on it depends on how on he brings out the topic of the marriage.

Hiroaki looks at Liselotte over his shoulder and thinks that she’s very cute and that he really wants to get married with her, Hiroaki then apologized to Liselotte about calling her to the marriage interview so suddenly, he says that Hugenot said to him that he needed him to get married with her somehow, thinking that if he makes it look like as if he doesn’t want to get married with Liselotte that much he will have the advantage on the conversation, Liselotte recognizes that she was surprised and tries to confirm if Hugenot really was the one behind everything, Hiroaki confirms it again, he tells Liselotte that she isn’t talking as much as usual and asks if she’s nervous, Liselotte says that maybe, Hiroaki begins to laugh happily in his head convinced that her nerves come from her liking him and that she completely fell for him.

Hiroaki says that they never had a chance of talking with just the two, Liselotte agrees and remembers the meals with Flora and Roana and says that she’s really very sorry for Flora, Liselotte asks Hiroaki what will he do if Flora appears after the announcement of his engagement with Rosalie, Hiroaki says that not marrying Rosalie, Liselotte warns him that to undo an engagement isn’t that easy, Hiroaki says that then he would make Flora the fourth wife, Liselotte says that having Roana a duke daughter above Flora a princess will be complicated, or rather impossible, Hiroaki says that the numbers doesn’t have a meaning for him, if it’s really impossible to change the ranks, Liselotte says that the families involved would have to reach an agreement, he ask then if he would have to change too her rank of third wife, if it would be troublesome to make her the fourth wife, Liselotte says that maybe, Hiroaki then decides to confirm to Liselotte that an inferior number it doesn’t mean that for him Liselotte is inferior to Roana or Rosalie, Liselotte thanks him for his words but Hiroaki is unsatisfied with how Liselotte still just call him hero, Liselotte then asks if something happens.

Hiroaki asks to Liselotte if they can advance from their business relationship already, Liselotte doesn’t understand what he means, Hiroaki says that he never saw how Liselotte is in private, she asks if it is like that, because she remembers Hiroaki visiting Amande regularly without having businesses, he then talks about how she never called him by his name, that she always calls him just hero, that she treated all of their meetings until now as work not entertainment, Liselotte is a little impressed at Hiroaki having realized that, he then says that he respects Liselotte’s professionalism but asks until when does she intend to treat her just at the hero, even more if they get engaged, he says her to try to call his name, Liselotte asks if it’s fine to take that as a proposal, he says that no, Liselotte retorts in her head that then what it is, she wonders if suddenly he got scared, he says that until now Liselotte has been using her job as the reason for avoiding getting engaged and he asks if there are men with whom she gets along outside of the job, she nods, Hiroaki says that the marriage isn’t a business, that he wants to be someone with whom Liselotte gets along not because of her job, that because of that he means that with graduating from their business relationship, Liselotte asks if he means to associate like engaged people, he then says that if Liselotte can’t get married due to her job he’s fine with just being engaged and getting married when she decides, that it’s her decision.

Then Liselotte finally realized that Hiroaki has been waiting all this time for her to be the one who says that she wants to get married with him, she then asks if it’s really like that, and that she isn’t engaged yet neither she can think about someone who get married with, that she’s really sorry, Hiroaki then asks if that means that she can’t get engaged or married with him too, Liselotte then says yes clearly, Hiroaki then says that he thought that it could be fine to answers the feelings of the guys who wanted them to get engaged with his voice trembling after realizing the rejection, Liselotte asks if there are people who said that and asks who more concretely, Hiroaki answers that people from the Galarc Kingdom and Restoration, that they were expecting them to get engaged now that Christina and Flora disappeared for having a more brilliant future together, Liselotte then says that the engagement with Rosalie will be more effective than an engagement with her a duke’s daughter, Hiroaki deems the marriage interview as ended and the two go back to the drawing room with everyone.

The two entered the room and said that the marriage interview failed, then the mood became awkward, that because there aren’t mutual feelings there won’t be engagement, François then said that if it failed then that’s it and ended the reunion, Hugenot then got out of the room with Hiroaki and Roana, François orders Rosalie to go back to her room, François stayed in the room with her wife, Liselotte’s parents and Liselotte herself, a secret door inside the room gets opened and Satsuki and Charlotte get out of it, François says then to join the rest for talking with everyone and orders the maids and guards to get out too.

Liselotte wonders about what will they talk now, Satsuki tells Liselotte that she didn’t see her since their appointment for eating together, Charlotte sulks because she wanted to go too, when the two seated Liselotte apologizes to François for the possible problems that she may cause for rejecting Hiroaki, François tells her to not mind it because she properly earned the right of choosing her partner, he apologized for troubling her with having to come to the castle because it was difficult to reject Restoration’s proposal due to the hard spot they were in, Charlotte tells Satsuki that their worry ended, Liselotte asks what do they mean and Charlotte explains that they were worried about her being forced to get married with Hiroaki without loving him, Liselotte thanks their feelings a little red-faced, then Satsuki says that if Hiroaki tries to force her to get married with him she wouldn’t stop until destroy it with her hero’s influence, Liselotte laughs a little and says that it would a situation pretty troublesome.

Charlotte tells Liselotte that she’s already of marriageable age and asks her for how long will she stay still unengaged that she got involved in these kind problem already and all, Satsuki says then that a man of Liselotte’s level won’t appear that easily, Liselotte complains a little embarrassed that it isn’t like that either, before the strange sight of Liselotte acting girly her parents decide to join the teasing, her mother says that if it’s about an attractive gentleman one comes to mind, but before she can say who that man is a soldier knocks violently the door screaming that there’s an urgent report, François tells him to enter and asks what is he talking about, the soldier says almost without breath for running that Rio have just arrived to the castle, that he’s asking for an urgent audience with the king, François says that if it’s Rio that it’s fine, that he must bring him to the room, then asks the soldier why is he in such a hurry, he says that Rio’s companions, François asks what about his companions and the soldier says that Rio brought Christina and Flora with him, then François and all the presents were surprised.

Epilogue: Sakata's Decision
Hiroaki is walking quickly towards his room after being rejected by Liselotte while angered because of it. Roana tells him from behind, to wait for her and asks him where is he going. He says that he’s going to his room and that he wants to be alone for a while, that they will talk later without looking at her. Hugenot thinks that when he doesn’t let even Roana to get close to him, then his mood must be really bad, and that it isn’t a good moment for talking about the engagement with Rosalie. Although he really wants to ask, but that it’s impossible with him in such a mood, that it’s easy to know that he’s really angered just by looking at him. Hiroaki curses Liselotte in his head for making him misunderstand that she wanted to be engaged with him, when she never had that intention from the beginning, and he wonders what will he do now, because he put the engagement with Liselotte as a condition. He doesn’t really want to get engaged with Rosalie, but he’s thinking that if he rejects her now he will look like he minds to be rejected by Liselotte, and curses again in his head.

Hiroaki thinks that he doesn’t hate that much to get engaged with Rosalie, because despite the childishness her future looks promising. He then thinks about going back to earth and play games. He wonders if he will reincarnate on the earth if he commits suicide by jumping down from the window. When Hiroaki looks through the window, he views Rio walking between Christina and Flora. When he murmurs that they’re alive, Roana and Hugenot realize their existence too, and Roana screams the sisters’ names, while Hugenot laughs due to the relief of not needing to worry anymore for engaging Hiroaki and Rosalie. Roana says that they have to go to receive them and turns on her heels for hurrying towards them, and Hugenot follows after her, while Hiroaki is still looking at the window without feeling surprise or happiness for their survival. He just wonders why are they with Rio, and then about the happy expressions that they have near Rio that they never showed to him. This silently gives birth to a cold thing inside Hiroaki’s chest, that no matter how you look at it, they allow Rio to walk at a closer distance of them than Hiroaki. Even seeing Flora alive, he doesn’t have any intention of making her his first wife again, then he decides that he will get engaged with Rosalie easily, while giving a bad feeling.

Next book's preview
After escaping from the unexpected assault in the Rubia Kingdom Rio safely takes the sister princesses to Galarc’s castle, and finally gets some rest after the revenge. Then after Charlotte’s insisting request, Celia, Miharu, Latifa’s group, Satsuki, Liselotte and the sister princesses meet at Galarc’s castle, she asks to everyone what do they think about Rio and what kind of relationship they want with him. The next book is titled the knight’s holidays and it’s scheduled for sale on the spring of 2020.