Act 23 - Spring's drama

Seirei Gensouki 23 - Haru no Gikyoku, Spring’s drama.(精霊幻想記23.春の戯曲)

## Synopsis

* English
* Japanese

What lies ahead of the choice that makes fate diverge is…

Rio travels alongside Sora in search of a way to overturn the transcendentals’ rules. His first destination was the place Saint Erika was summoned to. While following the saint’s footsteps Rio deepens his understanding of the heroes’ power.
Meanwhile in Galarc’s castle, Takahisa is the only one of the four heroes gathered there that refused to train himself and goes down the path of isolation. Only one thing occupies the thoughts of that Takahisa… to restore his relationship with Ayase Miharu.
「Good for you... Aki, Miharu has already forgiven you.」

The actions of the boy that fell for the girl will soon even distort the world!!

運命が分岐する選択肢、その先にあるのは――

超越者のルールを覆す手掛かりを求め、ソラと共に旅立ったリオ。
彼が最初に目指したのは聖女エリカが召喚された場所だった。
聖女の足跡を辿る中、リオは勇者の力について考察を深めていく。
一方、ガルアーク王国城に集った四人の勇者たちの中で千堂貴久だけが自己鍛錬の機会も断り、孤立の道を進んでいた。
そんな貴久の関心事項はただ一つ――綾瀬美春との関係修復のみ。
「亜紀は……いいよな。もう美春に許してもらっているんだから」

少女に恋焦がれた少年の行動は、やがて世界すらも歪め始める!!
## Content

### Prologue.

Early morning, at Galarc’s castle, in the kitchen of Rio's mansion. Miharu is making breakfast while thinking about her dream from last night. She wonders what was that dream, about the feminine voice telling her that one day she will be asked to make a decision, a very important one. Miharu understands that it was a dream, that it is meaningless to ponder about it but then she remembers about the voice telling her to choose the option she herself will think it is absolutely wrong, she can’t get it out of her mind. She asks herself to whom that voice belonged, she feels she heard that voice somewhere before. Aki enters the kitchen and greets Miharu while she dwells in the feeling of something being off and Miharu also says good morning to her. Miharu smiles at Aki and tells her to come and hug her with a hand gesture, Aki obeys shyly while saying that it is embarrassing. While hugging Aki, Miharu thinks if she has to ever make a choice it must be about her. Miharu thinks she doesn’t want to see Aki’s sorrowful face again, she whispers to herself that it will be bad if she doesn’t do things carefully for the sake of that. Aki makes a surprised expression when listening to Miharu’s whispers, she asks Miharu what is happening with her gaze but she just tells her that it is nothing while tightening her hug.

### Chapter 1: The two on a trip.

Close to the frontier between the Beltrum and Galarc Kingdoms, some hundreds of meters away from the fortress Celia has just escaped from, her durandal and Renji’s endless force blizzard clash and release a great light and shockwave. Both Renji and Celia are blown away by the explosion while the light blinds them. Celia tells herself to get a hold of herself while being shaken in every direction by the strong air currents, she thinks she doesn’t know if she will be able to keep fighting now that she used Durandal which uses a great quantity of magic power, that in her current situation her best choice is to run away instead of risking to fall into Reiss’ and Helmut’s hands, then she decides to use the force of explosion to propel herself further away from Renji and Reiss, once she gets out of the explosion’s radius Celia finally recovers the full control of her flight and gets away using the majority of her remaining magic power to accelerate towards the border.

Reiss thinks he has no option while being forced himself to fall back because of the strength of the explosion that almost sent him and Renji back to the fortress. Reiss flies towards the center of the turbulences with Renji in his arms while wondering about what happened to Celia, if she managed to escape or if the explosion made her faint and fall in the forest. Renji asks Reiss angrily while shielding his eyes from the light with his arm what happened and if he killed Celia. Reiss tells him that he doesn’t know and Renji asks him what was that, that Celia did. Reiss tells Renji that Celia countered his attack with one almost on the level of his. Renji asks Reiss if it is true and Reiss says that there is no mistaking it. Renji asks Reiss if his blizzard wasn’t stronger than the world’s most advanced attack magic. Reiss tells Renji that there is magic even stronger than the advanced ones. Renji screams at Reiss to not mess with him, that then advanced magic isn’t the highest degree of magic, that if there are magic spells that match his attacks then there is a great demon king behind the demon king, that things shouldn’t be like a story with that kind of hidden crappy setting.

Reiss begins to laugh while Renji’s annoyance at the existence of magic as strong as the heroes’ attacks lowering their special-ness keeps mounting. Renji screams at Reiss to not mess with him and that it isn’t a laughing matter. Reiss apologizes and tells Renji that sometimes he says things really funny, then he explains to Renji that when people says the highest degree of magic they mean the world’s current highest degree of magic, but that it is said that in the past, in the ancient heroes’ era, magic was even stronger. Renji asks Reiss if he means that Celia used that kind of magic. Reiss says he does, that the chances of her having a powerful ancient magic tool aren’t zero but that she didn’t seem to be equipped with something like that. Renji says he isn’t convinced, he asks if that wouldn’t make Celia a user of a magic that shouldn’t exist. Reiss agrees and says that he doesn’t know why Celia can use that kind of magic either. Renji stays silent and looks dubiously at Reiss for a some time while he flies in search of Celia, but soon he gets annoyed at being carried by a sinister man and asks Reiss for how long they will stay like that. Reiss apologizes for that and tells Renji that it might already be time for him to learn to fly by himself, that he doesn’t fear anymore that he will just run away once he learns how to do it. Reiss thinks if it is the current Renji who wants to be taught more about spirit arts for getting stronger then he won’t run away unlike the Renji that had just been by beaten by Lucius over Esther’s matter, that the chances of Renji escaping aren’t zero but that if he offers the teaching as a way of selling a favor they should be lower. Renji huffs unhappily and tells Reiss to put him down so he can search from the ground and him from the sky. Reiss agrees and lets go of Renji’s body from twenty meters high but he endures the fall with his body strengthening.

At the same time that Renji landed, Celia lands herself and hides several kilometers away from the explosion’s epicenter, she thinks it doesn’t look like she is being pursued and pats her chest in relief while reminding herself to not lower her guard yet. Celia then makes note of her situation, she thinks durandal uses a ridiculous amount of magic power, that just her remaining magic power might not be enough for one more shot. Currently her magic power is almost used up and even if she uses that spirit stone she got from Rio to replenish it there will 20-30% loss if she doesn’t take her time absorbing the magic power into herself, all of the magic she learnt recently use a lot of magic power and right now she has no way of refilling the stone with magic power. Celia makes a resolved face while thinking of the magic power still remaining in the stone and looking at the Beltrum kingdom, then she decides to go back to Amande for the time being, she takes some magic power from the stone, casts force wing again and flies until Amande.

Celia reaches Amande safely after just a few minutes thanks to her new magic, she lands in the forest near the city and then walks until Liselotte’s mansion. She was worried about being rejected after coming without an appointment but Liselotte and Aria receive her despite that. Celia explains the two everything regarding Helmut’s letter, she having to deliver Christina’s answer to it and how she has just escaped from Helmut’s ambush. When her explanation is over Celia asks Liselotte if she can go to the capital to inform Christina and François of what happened while she apologizes for how it looks like she is pushing things into them. Liselotte can only a manage a confused “eeeh” after listening to everything, Celia’s summary of things doesn’t explain how she reached Amande safely after all, she cannot imagine how in the world Celia managed that and asks Celia for a moment to organize her thoughts, she asks Celia if she really is coming back from almost being captured after leaving Galarc’s capital for delivering Christina’s letter to a fortress in the Beltrum kingdom. Celia confirms it. Liselotte says she understands still perplexed.

Celia is serious but Liselotte is still confused, she doesn’t think Celia is the type to lie but that alone isn’t enough to just believe the kind of crazy story she has just been told, but she accepts to inform Christina and François of everything and asks Celia if she won’t go back to Galarc’s capital too. Celia says she won’t and that she plans to go back to the Beltrum Kingdom. Liselotte asks her why and if it isn’t better to go back to Galarc’s capital with the way things are. Celia says she wants to inform her family of what happened too, that thanks to Christina’s kindness her father should have become someone difficult to touch but that she doesn’t know what Helmut could do to him despite that. Liselotte asks Celia if she is worried about her family and she says she is. Liselotte takes a moment to think and tells Celia that she isn’t just Aria’s friend, that she is her important friend too, that if possible she wants to lend her a magic ship for taking her until the Claire earldom but that since Rodania’s raid her company’s ships were forbidden to enter certain places of the Beltrum kingdom. Celia thanks Liselotte and tells her that she doesn’t need to worry because she can go and come back by herself. Liselotte asks Celia if she isn’t being reckless. Aria nods agreeing with Liselotte, Celia says that it isn’t impossible for them to think like that but tells them that it is fine, that she has already come back from the Beltrum kingdom by herself.

When Liselotte is having problems to be convinced of Celia’s plan she tells her to keep just among them that it would take her just three days to go and come back to Amande. Liselotte is surprised, walking the distance until Creia and back is supposed to take months and going by horse at maximum only can halve that time while going and arriving in just three days is even faster than using a griffon. Celia meanwhile isn’t saying that those three days are just under the premise of her not running out of magic power, that without the magic power inside the stone and if she doesn’t fly slowly to control her magic power consumption the go trip might be complicated. But she still tries to have Liselotte to understand things by telling her that recently she learnt magic that no one else can use yet that lets her fly through the sky, that it was because of that that she came directly to Amande after crossing the border. Liselotte says she had been thinking it was strange for her residence to be the place she reached first and alone at that instead of any of the fortresses along the way. Celia tells Liselotte that she was sent to the border by the escort knights prepared by Charlotte but that she had to separate from them because Helmut specified that she couldn’t bring companions. Liselotte asks Celia where are those escorts right now. Celia tells Liselotte that they should be in the fortress the closest to Galarc's side of the border waiting for her return because Charlotte ordered them to bring her back to the capital the moment she returned. Liselotte says she understands now why Celia came directly to her residence, because if she had talked first to her escorts they would never have given her permission to go back to the Beltrum kingdom because it would go against Charlotte’s orders.

Celia lowers her head remorsefully and apologizes for the problems she caused. Liselotte says that as a friend she is happy about being relied on but that now it will be even worse for her if she doesn’t take Celia to the castle. Liselotte holds her head with concern while thinking now she will be the one disobeying Charlotte because she understands Celia’s wish of wanting to warn her family of the danger. Celia agrees with her own troubled expression and asks Liselotte if she can do something about that, that she needs to leave quickly because Helmut might do something at any moment and then she lowers her head again because she knows she is being unreasonable. Liselotte says she understands and tells Celia to leave reporting to the capital to her and that she will also do something about her escorts. Celia thanks Liselotte but Liselotte tells her she has a condition. Celia asks about the condition. Liselotte tells Celia she has to take Aria with her as her escort. Celia looks hesitatingly at Aria without understanding the reason for Liselotte’s condition. Liselotte tells Celia that as a friend it is impossible for her to send Celia alone to somewhere she knows will be dangerous and that she can’t compromise on that because Charlotte will also be angry otherwise. Celia tells Liselotte that it will be an international problem if anyone discovers that she helped her.

Liselotte says that it is precisely because of that that she is just sending the minimum personnel in the form of Aria, that Celia should already be familiar with Aria’s skill and that Aria was once a noble from the Beltrum Kingdom so she can somehow make excuses for her presence. Celia says that it might be like that, but that Aria is supposed to be the sword by her side and that then she will be the one unprotected. Liselotte says she still has some skillful personnel even if they aren’t at Aria’s level, that if she tightens her security to compensate for Aria’s absence she will manage, then she orders Aria to be Celia’s escort. Aria sighs and says she understands while nodding her head. Celia asks Aria if she is fine with that, if it won’t be bad if she isn’t there to protect Liselotte. Aria says she can’t help it because it is her lord’s orders. Liselotte tells Celia that if she cares so much about her escorts she must also understand her own worry about Celia's safety. Celia says she does guiltily after Liselotte hit her in her sore spot. Liselotte tells Celia to return quickly if it is like that and Celia says she will do her best. Liselotte says she will wait for it and asks Celia if she can do anything else to help her, that she can lend her a griffon or magic stones if she needs them. Celia thanks Liselotte and says that she is in her debt, then she tells her that she will need magic stones and a sword. Liselotte says she understands and tells Aria to prepare those things while she prepares herself to leave. Aria says she understands and leaves.

Several tens of minutes later, the preparations for departing are done, Celia and Aria stand in Liselotte’s garden while she is seeing them off accompanied by Cosette, Natalie and Chloe. Aria tells her three subordinates she leaves things in her hands during her absence. Cosette agrees lightheartedly to Aria’s orders and tells her to take care of herself too even if they don’t need to worry about that when it is about her. Natalie says that it is like that, that Cosette might be the one they need to worry about. Cosette asks Natalie if it isn’t now when she should worry about how the rookie Chloe would do. Aria says that Chloe is fine because she is a serious girl, that there are still awkward things but that the reports say she is polite and can be relied on for work. Chloe thanks Aria shyly. Aria tells the three that now it is a good chance and orders them to make a detailed report of how her absence will influence or change how they have to go about their daily duties, that now they can see if there is any problem they didn’t realize yet. Cosette complains with a “geh” about the rise of her workload, if Aria says “in detail” there must be a reason and… Aria tells them that she won’t accept a sloppy approach like just saying vague things like that there wasn’t any particular change, that it is fine for them to do it collaborating among them but that she wants a detailed examination of their work system, especially in regards to Liselotte’s safety.

While the maids make tense expressions when discussing Liselotte’s safety she talks with Celia a little away from them. Celia asks Liselotte if it is really fine for her to have Aria as a companion, still worried about how troubling it will be for Liselotte’s side to not have Aria with them. Liselotte tells Celia to not mind it because she also stands to gain something from this. Celia asks her if it is like that. Liselotte says that even if their peaceful daily life came back Aria still looks like she continues to overstrain herself, that Aria might not have pulled out yet the splinter in her heart for allowing the kidnapping. Celia asks Liselotte if that isn’t more of a reason for keeping Aria by her side. Liselotte says that it isn’t and tells Celia to make use of Aria till the point of making her forget about those events, that she doesn’t want to show to Aria how things can’t work without her. Celia says she understands, that if nothing happens it will just be going and coming back anyway, that if it is just for that time she won’t hold back and thanks Liselotte for letting her borrow Aria. Liselotte nods and then she and Celia begin to laugh.

After that Celia calls out to Aria and tells her they will leave already. Aria agrees. Celia asks Aria if she is fine with high places and being carried by her. Aria says that there isn't a problem with that, that she already… Aria pauses her words midway and makes a pensive face. Celia asks Aria what it is that she already did. Aria says she feels she already flew through the sky while being carried by someone but that she has no such memory, she asks herself if that is the thing called déjà vu. Aria tilts her head curiously while Celia thinks she must be thinking about her time with Rio. Liselotte says she feels the same and asks Aria if it isn’t weird. Cosette, that can’t remember Rio either, asks them if they aren’t just remembering about having rode a griffon. Aria says that maybe and Celia agrees with a lonely face unable to correct them. Aria apologizes for interrupting their talk and asks Celia how is she going to carry her, that she doesn’t believe she can do it without strengthening her body. Celia agrees, she says that the magic power consumption will be harsh if she does that while flying, she tells Aria it should be fine for her to hug her body, but that she needs to pay attention to not touch the part of her back from where hot magical energy will flow out. Aria says she understands and asks Celia if they will be fine as they are now while hugging her waist. Celia says that it is fine while Cosette laughs at how they look like Celia is hugging Aria’s head from the side but Aria’s glare stops her. Celia tells Aria they will give a try to fly like that and change while on their way if there is any problem and Aria agrees. Celia says that then she will take out her wings and casts force wing. Everyone lose their breath seeing Celia’s wings of light. Celia tells Liselotte that she will leave now and that she lets to her contacting the castle. Liselotte tells Celia to please let it to her. Celia tells Aria to cling tightly to her for not being shaken off because she will get to quite the speed. Aria says she understands while tightening her grip on Celia’s waist and then Celia takes flight while everyone loses their breath at sight of her new spell.

Time goes back until a little before Celia’s arrival at Amande. Reiss and Renji have just come back to the fortress after not finding Celia. Charles approaches them in a hurry and calls out to Reiss when he lands while carrying Renji. Reiss tells Charles that Celia escaped. Charles is relieved by that and then he asks Reiss furiously what he tried to do. Reiss asks Charles what he means. Helmut tells Reiss that trying to kill a messenger on their way back will just make things worse for them. Reiss asks Helmut if they didn’t have every intention of not letting her go back from the beginning, if they didn’t bring her to the fortress for forcing a confession out of Celia and if he is wrong. Helmut can’t deny it and makes excuses like Christina’s coronation changing things and him wanting to avoid things that worsen his appearance if he can help it. Reiss tells them that they lost their space for excuses the moment they tried to capture Celia, that they needed to capture her to make sure that no strange rumors spread and asks if he is wrong. Charles tells Reiss that it is also troubling if he does too much as he pleases in their kingdom’s border, that it is too much to use an attack of that scale close to the border. Reiss says he is sorry about that and asks Charles if Celia’s escape wouldn’t be set in stone if he hadn’t gone that far because she was flying in the sky with wings of light growing from her back, that he just though if it was impossible to capture her then it is obvious to move to sealing her mouth, then Reiss asks Charles what would be the problem if Celia had died. Charles can’t answer.

Reiss asks Charles if he didn’t stop feeling anything special for Celia already even if she was once his fiançee? Charles frowns at Reiss’ question and he apologizes if he offended him, Reiss asks Charles if it is wrong to think it is meaningless now to start caring about appearances now that they already broke the agreement with Restoration just because Christina has declared her enthronement. Charles stays silent while making a bitter face. Reiss asks Helmut if he will accept Christina’s enthronement. Helmut says he won’t, that there isn’t a way he will. Reiss says that then there shouldn’t be any change to what they have to do, that it will be fine if they do what it takes to destroy the organization called Restoration and that a woman capable of so much being by Christina’s side is bad in a different meaning. Helmut agrees, he says that if she can be erased it is better to do it, that there shouldn’t be any problem with killing a mere girl. Charles disagrees, he tells Helmut that if they fail to kill Celia they will make things even worse for themselves, that if some information disadvantageous for them flows to the other side they could turn things around. Helmut tells Charles that Celia is the only witness of what happened inside the fortress, that it will be fine if they just deny whatever she says, he asks Charles if he forgot during his time as a prisoner that the truth doesn’t matter in politics or diplomacy. Charles can’t answer. Helmut tells him that even if the other side makes a scandal using the regalia for enthroning themselves they still are the ones who control the vast majority of the kingdom’s nobles. Then Helmut curses at the other side with clenched teeth for carrying on with just a thread of life not matter how much they fall.

Reiss agrees with a sharp expression, he says that it is just like they are protected by a God’s blessing, that it is as if they have in their side a God with the power to see everything. Helmut tries to deny God’s presence with an annoyed hump but stops himself mid sentence not wanting to get caught saying troublesome things. Reiss tells Helmut to make it clear just in case, he asks him if he can deny the enthronement’s legitimacy. Hemut says that of course he can, that three quarters of the necessary votes for that belong to nobles of his faction, that there shouldn’t be a way for anyone to change sides to the Restoration that lost its base an personnel, that there isn’t a way for Christina to be crowned, that it is just a matter of time. Reiss says that it is reassuring to hear those words and asks Helmut if there isn’t something he wants to be through with, that he has an idea but… Helmut asks Reiss if it is related to earl Claire. Reiss tells Helmut that as expected of him, that the people from his house are the ones who stand to gain the most from the current situation, that there isn’t a reason to not put his hands on them with how obviously Christina wants to protect them. Helmut says that precisely now he was thinking he wanted to get someone else from his family now that his daughter escaped, that the earl is also said to be a devoted husband so his wife would be the best target. Reiss praises Helmut for not letting anything escape him and says that it is reassuring. Helmut says that their problem now is Celia, that he doesn’t know what magic she used or if it was even magic, but that with that mobility she could reach her house before them and take the initiative from them. Reiss agrees, he says they have to depart towards the Claire earldom at once, that if they take a magic ship now they should arrive by tomorrow’s morning, then he signals at Arein, Lucci and Renji and says they will also go.

Helmut calls out to Charles after taking a moment to think and he comes. Then Helmut tells Charles to go to the Claire earldom leading a squad, capture the countess for him and then go back to Bertram’s capital where he will be waiting. Charles says he understands. Helmut tells Charles to hurry about it, that despite going by magic ship he might be falling behind. Charles agrees. Helmut asks Reiss if the him who seems to be able to fly through the sky for some reason can’t get ahead of Celia. Reiss tells Helmut that he can go ahead alone or with Renji and asks Helmut why he can’t go ahead alone if he trusts him. Helmut tells Reiss that it is a problem of their kingdom, so for the time being he will have Charles tagging along with him until the Claire earldom and if it turns into a battle he wants them to use that power as they please. Reiss says he understands and that Renji and him will accompany Charles while Lucci and Arein move independently for the time being. Helmut tells to Reiss that he will ask just in case to where he intends to send them. Reiss tells Helmut that he will have them meet with another mercenaries that he left in charge of scouting things in the Galarc Kingdom and make them come to the Claire earldom after that. Helmut says he understands. Then Reiss tells Arein and Lucci to go to the Claire earldom after going to the Galarc kingdom. Arein agrees after exchanging a dubious look with Lucci because Reiss’ orders doesn’t seem to match their initial plan. Then Reiss says he has something to give them, he approaches the two white taking out from his pocket a small bag, he tells Arein that it is because it will be bad if they get lost in their way and to hurry until the Claire earldom. Arein says he understands with a smile when he guesses Reiss’ plans by the teleportation magic stone inside the bag. Reiss tells Arein that he lets it to him and whispers to him to erase Celia if she appears as silently as they can, turns back without waiting for an answer and tells Charles to hurry ahead themselves too. Charles nods and boards the magic ship with Reiss.

### Interlude Trembling

Galarc’s castle, a guest house’s living room, Liliana is waiting for the arrival of a noble from the delegation sent by her kingdom. She is thinking about the important talk this noble says they have to have about the hero. Liliana sighs while looking at the window when the feeling of that talk not being something good gets to her. She is convinced the talk will involve not just Takahisa but Masato too. She is concerned about the talk taking place now that they have already stayed for several days in the Galarc kingdom instead of at their arrival. She doesn’t think her kingdom’s prime minister, the man who brought up the talk, called out to her with light feelings. She thinks this must be the result of comparing Takahisa against Masato. She thinks for both Galarc and Centostella this is their only chance of getting a second hero, that when there is more than one individual with the same function inside an organization they will inevitably be compared. Takahisa has already caused problems while Masato must be seen by Centostella’s higher ups as easy to handle, that they will try to get Masato for their side at any cost. Liliana knows well that she has the duty of prioritizing the gain of her kingdom, she understands that she needs to pull Masato to their side but despite that… Liliana keeps looking through the window from her seat on a sofa with an expression full of hesitation until someone calls out to her.

The newcomer calls Liliana’s name several times but she doesn’t answer and when the calling begins to be tainted with worry Liliana finally comes to herself and welcomes in the newcomer, Centostella’s prime minister, she apologizes for making him wait while she was spacing out after her maid opens the door for him. Liberto, duke of Toscana and the prime minister, enters the room guided by Alice, one of Liliana’s escorts, and tells Liliana that she seems tired. Liliana tells him that he doesn’t need to worry about her, that she was just thinking about things. Liberto asks Liliana if her daughter caused her troubles again. Alice protests for the sudden accusation and Liberto scolds her for calling him papa instead of chichi-ue and for not using polite language. Alice accepts the scolding awkwardly and Liberto sighs exasperatedly while holding his head. Liliana tells Liberto that Alice does fine during her job even if she relaxes a little sometimes, that her presence makes her to be at ease because she is her childhood friend and to please praise her. Alce smiles triumphantly but her father’s strict gaze makes her stand at attention again. Liliana tells Liberto that he seems to be the one with worries. Liberta apologizes for spoiling Alice too much because she was the youngest child and sighs again. Liberto then tells Alice to leave the room because he will have an important talk with Liliana and to not interrupt them unless an important guest comes. Alice says she understands and leaves. Liliana and Liberto take a seat and after accepting tea from Frill, Liliana’s maid, they tell her to leave the room too for the time being.

Once alone Liliana asks Liberto what is that important talk regarding the hero. Liberto says that there is a message to her from her father that he was ordered to deliver after taking a look at the situation and that he thinks it is already the time for it. Liliana says she understands, that in the end it came from her father. Liberto says that as expected of her when he sees Liliana had seen it coming. Liliana asks Liberto if it is related to Masato. Liberto says that it is and that it also involves her. Liliana says she will make it clear just in case, that if the talk is related to Masato’s affiliation she can’t make him make a decision. Liberto tells Liliana that the king obviously has no objection to that. Liliana asks what her father ordered her to do then. Liberto tells Liliana that it isn’t something that she has to do immediately, that it is a matter related to the kingdom’s future. Liliana says that phrasing it like that is quite the way of beating around the bush. Liberto tells Liliana to please be understanding because it is something that hard to tell. Liliana tells Liberto that she doesn’t mind and to please just tell her after an exchange of ironical smiles. Liberto says he understands and that he will give it straight to her, he tells her that the king is considering Masato as her fiançe. Liliana asks if it is like that after pausing for several seconds. Liberto tells Liliana that if she has no objections those are the plans for the future. Liliana doesn’t answer. LIberto asks her if she has any objection.

Liliana says she has no objections, that it is her responsibility to wed the man her father chose because she has no freedom to get married freely but… Liberto asks Liliana if she has any concern, Liliana nods and Liberto tells her to tell him those concerns. Liliana says that her first concern is the difference in age with Masato, that even if she wishes for the engagement it is meaningless if Masato doesn’t, that she might not be a good match. Liberto asks Liliana if the difference in age can’t be counted with a hand’s fingers despite her words. Liliana says she heard that there are those who dislike women four years older. LIberto says he can’t deny that tendency among male nobles but that he personally disagrees, that his wife is four years older than him but he loves her from his heart and even had five children and… Liliana asks what more. Liberto tells Liliana to keep it between them, but Masato doesn’t seem to dislike her. Liliana asks Liberto if that isn’t just his misunderstanding. Liberto asks her if it is like that, Liberto says that he coincided with Liliana and Masato in the same place several times and Masato’s actions made him think he likes her. Liliana tells Liberto that he is misunderstanding things because Masato is a very gentlemanly person. Liberto says he thought it was just Liliana who didn’t realize Masato’s affection. Liliana asks jokingly if that wouldn’t make her a devilish woman.

Liberto apologizes for that, says he understood the first concern but says that it shouldn’t be a problem for the marriage, that it will depend on Liliana’s efforts. Liliana agrees after a small pause and Liberto asks for her other concerns. Liliana says that Takahisa should have been the one she was to be engaged with to begin with, that she has been dealing with him while keeping that in mind and asks if her father’s message means that that is void now. Liberto tells Liliana that it is fine for her to think like that. Liliana says that then she wants to know the reason for the change, that they should also have the option of matching Masato with her little sister. Liberto asks Liliana if she isn’t the one that isn’t understanding now, that they need to think carefully about who is worthy of being her fiançe because of their kingdom’s laws. Liliana asks if her father gave up on Takahisa or if he just wants to give more importance to Masato. Liberto says the king didn’t give up on Takahisa, that there isn’t any change to him being their hero and someone important for their kingdom but… Liliana asks what it is. Liberto asks Liliana if the one that Takahisa loves isn’t a girl called Miharu instead of her, that he keeps visiting the mansion where she lives everyday even now. Liliana nods with a lonely face. Liberto asks if they shouldn’t choose the candidate to fiançe with the higher chances, that in the current situation Masato is the most suitable partner for her, that if Takahisa’s feelings were pointed at her then things would change but… Liliana agrees after a pause while guessing that he thinks the chances of that are low.

Liberto says that he doesn’t know how to say it but… Liliana tells him to not be reserved. Liberto says that it is hard to say but that Takahisa’s emotions seem quite unstable, that his thoughts against war are too strong, that the one who seems to be the most balanced in regards to that and to have more qualities for leading a kingdom is…Liliana asks Liberto if he means Masato. Liberto says he does, he says he can understand the reason for Takahisa's instability and that learning might do something about his thoughts in regard to war, but that Takahisa won’t be made a fiançe candidate until he improves in those two areas. Lilina says she understands. Liberto asks her if she has any other concerns. Liliana says she will get engaged to Masato, that if those are her father’s orders she will put her efforts towards being the one Masato’s feelings are pointed to, but that depending on the situation that might worsen Masato’s impression of her. Liberto asks Liliana what she means. Liliana says that she has been acting as Takahisa’s caretaker until now and she wonders how Masato will take it if they change that so blatantly now that he became a hero too, if he won’t think it is too convenient for them. Liberto says the king was also concerned about that, and that’s why they wanted to let it to her judgment how to make the change appear gradual in the surface. Liliana says that he says like it is easy and lets out a tired sigh, she thinks the Takahisa she has been telling herself to love in preparation to be engaged to him one day is her first love in a sense, that being told so suddenly to point those feeling at another person won’t be easy. Liberto says he understands it if her feelings can’t keep up with the change but that it is for the kingdom's sake. Liliana says she understands and nods with guilty feelings towards Masato or maybe towards Takahisa.

### Chapter 2: In the Galarc kingdom’s castle.

The morning Celia departed alone towards the Beltrum kingdom, at the castle’s training grounds. Satsuki, Masato, Hiroaki and Takahisa stand in front of Gouki and Kayoko. Christina, Liliana, François, Hugenot and a few others like Kota and Rei look at them from a distant place. Gouki tells Hiroaki and Takahisa that they must already know it but that he was officially appointed as Satsuki’s and Masato’s instructor, and that since he had the chance he decided to invite the two of them for verifying something, he asks them if it is fine for him to think they came to the training grounds because they have a wish of getting stronger. Hiroaki says he certainly wants to get stronger but that he won’t take lessons from someone weaker than him. Satsuki tells Hiroaki that Gouki is way stronger than him and that she feels they won’t win even if the four heroes attack him together. Hiroaki says that as expected that‘s saying too much, he asks Satsuki if she isn’t reading the mood and holding back for keeping the show going. Gouki laughs and tells Hiroaki that his doubts are fine, then he asks if he wants to have a mock battle for being 100% sure that he is a worthy instructor. Hiroaki changes his dubious expression for a wary one , he understands that Gouki is strong, stronger than him, that he will probably lose if they fight, up until now he has taken for granted that he was the strong or his winning chances being high, talked from that feeling of security and run away from the situation where he didn’t feel like that, but now that he tasted defeat in Rodania, even if he won’t change his surface aptitude because his wish of not to lose is that strong he won’t run away anymore even if he shames himself in the process, the he agrees to sparring with Gouki. Gouki tells Kayoko to be the referee and she agrees.

Gouki and Hiroaki walk alone towards the center of the training grounds followed just by Kayoko who will be the referee. Takahisa, Masato and Satsuki move to a corner for not getting in the way. Gouki unsheaths his katana and tells Hiroaki that his divine weapon Yamata no Orochi made him curious because it resembles his kamaitachi. Hiroaki says he is the same, that it is a katana from another world and he also gave it an exaggerated name like kamaitachi. Hiroaki materializes his own weapon while thinking he will see now how his way of fighting looks to someone who also uses a weapon that resembles a japanese sword. Hiroaki also remembers how he refused fighting instruction from everyone until now not just because he didn’t want to be put beneath someone by a master-pupil relationship, but also because he didn’t think the teachings of knights who used western swords would be of any use for the him who wielded a katana. But now that he tasted defeat and seeks strength Gouki who has used for years a similar weapon is the perfect opponent from who to learn.

Gouki tells Hiroaki that it is forbidden to use techniques different from the body strengthening and to fight with just their swordsmanship. Hiroaki agrees. Kayoko says that if both are fine with it she will give the starting signal. Gouki and Hiroaki give Kayoko the go ahead after taking the middle stance. Hiroaki begins to run towards Gouki the moment Kayoko signals the start but stops on his feet once he sees Gouki do the same, Gouki decides to stop himself too several meters away from Hiroaki when he sees that. Gouki tells Hiroaki he approves of the audacity of trying to crash him from the front from the start but that he was too obvious, that he had the initiative taken away in such away because he didn’t think he could have the same done to him, that it isn’t good to stop one’s feet just because something unexpected happened. Hiroaki asks Gouki screaming if he didn’t stop on his feet too. Gouki says while laughing that that was a painful one so then… Gouki moves again, Hiroaki reacts late, Gouki is already in front of him when he realized it, he tries to receive his katana with his own but kamaitachi’s tip is on his throat when he realizes it. Gouki steps back before Kayoko signals the end of the match and tells Hiroaki that it would be too short if they end things with just that, to continue a little longer, that he won’t attack him himself so it is fine for him to come at him.

Hiroaki complains about being underestimated, he runs towards Gouki and swings his katana at him but he dodges his attacks easily moving just the minimum to the sides. Gouki tells Hiroaki that he doesn’t need to hold back if he is scared of his attacks hitting him. Hiroaki screams angrily at Gouki and tells him that he has some good guts. Hiroaki puts more spirit into his attacks but it is useless, he still can’t hit Gouki who continues to just nod to himself and murmuring “I see, I see” while observing his movements, after some minutes Hiroaki begins to breathe irregularly and stops his attacks. Gouki looks at Hiroaki while thinking his sword is splendidly styless and formless, that there might be people who can be overwhelmed by just his physical abilities but that that would be a waste, that it is seems he is worthy to teach. At the same time Hiroaki thinks Gouki really can see through him, that it feels like he already knows how he will swing his katana the moment he begins his attack.

Gouki tells Hiroaki that it is fine to attack with all of his strength, that he admits he is using his head for trying to land his attacks but his movements are too wasteful, that looking at the length of his blade it seems to be made for being swung with both hands and that it is better for him to think it will be easy to see through rough attacks. Hiroaki curses in his mind when he realizes that Gouki can really read his movements, he thinks then he needs to attack faster than what he can see or handle. Hiroaki approaches Gouki as fast as he can. Gouki is surprised at the rise in speed but he still deals calmly with Hiroaki’s attack, he swings his katana and sends Yamata no Orochi flying away from Hiroaki’s hands. Hiroaki asks himself if it is for real the moment he ends his swing and realizes his katana isn’t in his hands anymore because it turned into particles of light the moment it touched the ground. Gouki tells Hiroaki that his movements are too wasteful again, that even if his last attack had been several times faster he still could have dealt with it. Hiroaki says he understands while scratching his head awkwardly. Gouki asks him if he still wants to continue but Hiroaki says he doesn’t, that it is his loss. Gouki asks Hiroaki if he will be a good instructor or not. Hiroaki says he will, that he admits it, that now that he asked him to teach him he will call him sir Gouki (Gouki no danna). Gouki tells Hiroaki to refer to him as he pleases while laughing loudly.

Satsuki, Takahisa and Masato approach Gouki and Hiroaki after the match, then Satsuki asks Gouki about how it went. Gouki says he was safely acknowledged. Satsuki asks if it is fine then to appoint Gouki officially as the instructor of the four of them, then she, Masato and Hiroaki point their gazes at Takahisa. None of the three can understand what he plans to do appearing there for learning to fight with how opposed he is to it and the argument they had with him about that a little before. Gouki asks Takahisa if he is really fine with learning from him, that as an instructor he plans to prepare him for real battles and also to teach him techniques that are just for killing people. Takahisa can’t answer. Hiroaki says he also wanted to ask him that, he asks Takahisa if the stance of him who is against war and killing people wasn’t that taking a tool to fight in order to stop one was a foolish thing. Takahisa frowns without answering while receiving Hiroaki’s disgust. Satsuki tells Hiroaki to not interrupt the talk as if everything was already decided, to listen to Takahisa’s opinion first, that he might have changed his mind since then. Hiroaki asks Satsuki if she will be the class’ representative and tells her that it is Takahisa the one interrupting their talk, that Takahisa was the one rambling about being against the war, that he doesn’t want the progress of his training to be delayed just because Takahisa hates what he has to learn. Satsuki says she understands that, but that if he is arrogant and prejudiced from the get go Takahisa might not be honest about his opinion either.

Hiroaki says then that he thinks even if Takahisa is still opposed to killing at minimum he needs to think he needs to do whatever it takes to repel stupid guys that decide to use violence against them, that if it isn’t like that he is better off leaving.Takahisa tells Satsuki and Hiroaki to stop their argument, that he just came because Liliana asked him to give it a try, that he will leave if he is a hindrance, then he leaves. Satsuki extends her hand towards him and tries to say anything for stopping him but doesn’t say anything in the end, she also thinks it is like Hiroaki says, that it is meaningless for him to stay if he didn’t change his mind. Hiroaki tells Satsuki to look at that, that he didn’t do something like changing his mind. Masato doesn’t say anything and doesn't even bother to keep Takahisa in sight while he leaves. Satsuki feels impotent not being able to do anything for helping the siblings to improve their relationship. Gouki claps for getting everyone’s attention and change the mood, he tells everyone to not persecute those who leave, that they can’t force him, that they will have the training with just the remaining ones, that that is the best thing for letting out the bad feelings, that now he will have the three of them have mock battles between them, that that way they can grasp their strengths and because they need to get a wish to compete, then he begins the training session.

When Takahisa is leaving the training grounds alone Liliana calls out to him. Takahisa apologizes to her for things turning into him not participating as he expected, then he looks away from her guiltily because it was he himself who refused to participate. Liliana says she is also sorry for asking him to force himself to come and thanks Takahisa for listening to her whims. Takahisa tells her that it is fine, to not worry about it, he says he was thinking about visiting Miharu and the others and asks Liliana if she won’t come too. Liliana looks at Masato who is about to begin to spar with Hiroaki while she apologizes for refusing and says she will stay and watch because Masato is participating in the training. Takahisa says he understands while taken aback because he thought Liliana wouldn’t refuse and because he doesn’t really dare to visit Rio’s mansion alone after what he did and wanted Liliana’s presence to smooth things out. Liliana, who understands Takahisa’s reasons, asks him what about going alone for the time being, them says that she will join him later once Masato’s training is over. Takahisa says that then he will watch the training alongside her and visit with everyone later, still not daring to approach Rio’s mansion alone. Liliana says she understands and goes to watch the training with Takahisa.

In a corner of the training ground’s watching space, Charlotte and Christina sit side by side now alone because of Liliana’s absence. Flora and Roana sit a little away from them and watch the training from there. Charlotte asks Christina if she should refer to her as queen Christina now. Christina tells Charlotte with an ironic smile that she will still be a princess until her coronation. Charlotte says it saddens her to think they won’t be fellow princesses anymore but that she will wish for her rule to be a bright one, then she congratulates Christina for her enthronement. Christina thanks Charlotte for that while making a sad face. Charlotte asks Christina if she is worried about Celia. Christina admits she is. Charlotte makes a resolved face and tells Christina that it is fine, that Celia will come back for sure. Christina tells Charlotte that she is strong while surprised at her lack of doubt. Charlotte denies it, she says it is due to the difference in their relationships, that for Christina Celia is still her teacher and a superior when for her Celia is an equal comrade. Christina says she understands. Charlotte says that Celia will come back safely because she properly made her promise to do so, then she tells Christina to please believe in Celia’s return herself too. Christina says she will. Then Charlotte makes her usual mischievous smile and adds that at Celia’s return everyone will be angry at her secret departure without saying a word, and then she will fan the flames for troubling her. Christina tells Charlotte to please do it in moderation with a troubled smile.

A little after the end of the training Gouki and Kayoko enter the watching space with the heroes. Hiroaki greets Rei and Kota who went to receive him and thank him for his hard work. Masato asks with surprise to Takahisa if he was still around. Takahisa tells Masato he was also worried about him while looking away feeling guilty about his lie. Masato nods a little embarrassed at that answer and then Liliana tells him that he worked hard and offers him a drink. Masato is surprised at Liliana bringing the drink herself despite being a princess but still accepts it happily and takes it from the tray she had on her hands. Satsuki tells Masato with a wry smile that he is acting like an old man when she sees him saying he is back to life when he is done drinking, then she thanks Charlotte for the drink she offered to her, after that Charlotte also gives drinks to Gouki and Kayoko and both thank her. Hiroaki asks Rei and Kota if they didn’t prepare a single cold drink themselves too. Hiroaki sights watching how both can’t answer and then Roana offers him a drink. Hiroaki thanks her and tells her that as expected of her. Rei tells Hiroaki from the side that they didn’t prepare anything because they thought it wouldn’t make him happy to receive it from them, so they let Roana in charge of that. Hiroaki says he will leave it at that without really buying Rei’s excuses. Satsuki then calls out to him and he asks her what it is with surprise not having expected to be talked to. Satsuki tells Hiroaki that they invited Christina and Flora to have dinner with them that night and asks him if he wants to come too.

Satsuki asks Hiroaki about the meaning of his eyes when his only response is a dubious look, she tells him that from now on the three of them will be Gouki’s disciples so she is being sociable, then she tells Roana, Rei and Kota that they can come too. Hiroaki is just about to refuse but Rei stops him, he pulls him away from the group and asks him if he wasn’t just about to refuse, then he calls Hiroaki idiot when he admits it. Hiroaki asks Rei if he wants to go. Rei says he wants to go, that the mansion where Satsuki lives is rumored to be full of beauties, that after so long he also wants to contempt-thank Sara, Ouphia and Alma again, and that Christina and Flora will be present too. Hiroaki asks Rei exasperatedly if he doesn’t have a fiançee called Rosa already. Rei says that this is this and that is that, he asks Hiroaki if he doesn’t want to play around too, he says that he is still 17. Hiroaki reacts lightly to that and Rei tells him that he isn’t being himself at all, that he wants to see the Hiroaki who was sure of himself, he asks him if he wasn’t the one who was always going to tea parties full of young ladies. Hiroaki admits reluctantly the strangeness of that, he thinks if it was the past him he would have accepted happily and try actively to be the center of attention.

Hiroaki then thinks it is strange, he asks himself why the side of him that doesn’t let him get interested in women with a boyfriend is reacting, as far as he knows neither Satsuki nor the other girls have someone like that, all of them should be free, after doubting for some more seconds Hiroaki looks at Satsuki and tells himself that it must be because Satsuki is noisy. Satsuki asks Hiroaki if he will attend or not. Hiroaki tells her to wait for a bit, that he will make a decision now. Satsuki says she would be happy if he could decide quickly and hides her annoyance behind a forced smile, Roana lowers her head apologetically to Satsuki and she wonders how can a good girl like her dedicate herself so much to someone like Hiroaki. Rei tells Hiroaki that it is bad to keep Satsuki waiting for more and to say already that he is going. Kota tells Rei he doesn’t think the mansion’s girls will entertain him even if he goes. Rei tells Kota that he is noisy, that he can just talk like that because lately he looks like he will begin to date Michaella, that the normies should stay silent. Kota denies it stuttering and Hiroaki says he didn’t hear anything about that accusingly. Kota says that they don’t have that kind of relationship so he had nothing to say. The three boys continue their back and forth for a while until Roana calls out to Hiroaki and he asks her what it is.

Roana tells Hiroaki it will be bad if he doesn’t answer Satsuki already, that it is rude to make her wait for so long. Hiroaki says he understands and tells Satsuki that all of them will attend. Satsuki says she understands, turns back and leaves while saying that until later with a shake of her hand. Rei celebrates with a guts pose and Roana warns him coldly that she will tell Rosa later if he cuts too loose, then he groans weakly and says he won’t do anything like that. Takahisa, who had been looking at their exchange for a while, asks Masato and Liliana if there was going to be a dinner at night. Liliana says she certainly hadn’t told him yet. Masato says that there will be one and asks Takahisa if he will go. Takahisa whines in his mind while feeling alienated about not having been told sooner despite them having had time to talk before coming to the training grounds, then he says he will attend the dinner too. Liliana says it might be better then if he goes to change clothes before that. Takahisa agrees while seeing himself in the combat attire he was supposed to use during the training. He tries to ask Liliana if she will come with him but before he can do it she says that until later because she will go back to the mansion with Masato now.

Takahisa agrees with the face of a bird hit by a peashooter, he didn’t expect Liliana to not prioritize him. Masato also pauses little with the same surprise but decides to play along thinking it will be a good lesson for Takahisa, then he tells Liliana to get going, she agrees and leaves after him. Takahisa looks at the two walking shoulder to shoulder while thinking he used to be the one next to Liliana and not Masato, he asks himself why Masato and not him, Takahisa thinks Liliana might not have had anything in mind when she did that, that it might not be something to complain about, but why is it then that he has feel like he has been abandoned, he thinks he feels like he has lost Liliana despite not having any intention of letting go of her, he continues to look at the two people’s back while feeling he was thrown down from a high place.

Later that night, a lot of people are attending the buffet styled party at Rio’s Mansion. Hiroaki is telling Masato he won’t lose next time. Masato tells him to bring it on, that next time he will also win against Satsuki. Hiroaki agrees, he says that losing against that woman is… Satsuki tells Hiroaki that it is a matter of compatibility, that her divine weapon has a longer reach and that she has been learning to wield a naginata for long. Meanwhile Takahisa looks at the other three heroes like he wants to join them but doesn’t dare to and looks at them from the side while feeling left out. Liliana asks Takahisa if he doesn’t want to join the training too when she sees him like that and Takahisa says he doesn’t with a bitter face. At the same time Hiroaki is telling Rei he is noisy while putting him in a headlock. Rei tells Hiroaki to stop while Masato tells them that they are funny. Flora asks worriedly after an awkward laugh if that is really fine, after all the noble born and raised her isn’t used to boys being so rowdy, and if fellow nobles do something like that it could end in a conflict between their houses if things go badly. Satsuki tells her that it is fine, that that’s the way guys that age are, that in her world something like that was a daily thing. Flora asks if it is really like that to the exasperated Satsuki. Satsuki tells her that it is, that it has been so long since she came to another world that it even feels nostalgic to look at that. Roana says she was also surprised at the beginning, she says that it seems that in their world young fellow gentlemen have that much skinship. Flora says she understands. Satsuki feels Flora and Roana are just about to misunderstand something and hurriedly tells them that the boys are just being childish. Rei then tries to gain his freedom selling Kota off, he asks Hiroaki if it isn’t now when he should be asking Kota about Michaella.

Hiroaki tells Rei he is right, then he tells Kota to talk in detail about that. Kota tells Hiroaki to please stop, he insists in nothing really happening with Michaella. Hiroaki tells Kota he certainly doesn’t expect much from a wuss such as him and then asks Rei if the chances of being Michaella the one up to something are way higher. Rei says that it is exactly like that. Kota keeps denying everything desperately and Hiroaki tells him that he is the one who decides if there is something or not. Kota tells him that he is unfair. Masato says he also wants to know and Kota laments about not even Masato being an ally. Hiroaki tells Rei to tell them everything he knows because it is a request from two heroes, he agrees and begins to retell all of the recent events between Kota and Michaella. Christina says that watching them get fired up talking like that it seems that even in a different world there might not be a change when it comes to mental maturity. Satsuki agrees with a wry smile. The party continues like that, with the japanese boys getting fired up by themselves in a side, the girls talking among them in the other, Gouki and Kayoko taking the roll of the adults watching over the youths and Takahisa that somehow got dragged to the women group because he didn’t dare to separate from Liliana or enter the boy’s circle, then he asks her if she knows what is doing Miharu when he can’t see her among the guests.

Liliana says that Miharu is preparing food with the rest of the absent ones and that she said she will join them later. Takahisa says he wonders if there is anything he can do to help and tries to go to the kitchen completely taken by the feeling of anxiety that comes from not seeing progress regarding his relationship with Miharu. Liliana tells him to stop because he came to the mansion as a guest, Takahisa tries to excuse himself in not having anything to do even if he stays. Liliana, fully knowing already that Miharu was the only reason for Takahisa’s attendance, tells him that it isn’t like that, that there is meaning in him being there. Takahisa asks Liliana without stopping to look wistfully in the kitchen’s direction if it is like that, he says he thinks nothing will change even if someone like him isn’t present. Takahisa takes a look around after that and his gaze lands in Rei telling Masato how envious he is of the him who leaves surrounded by beauties. Masato says it isn’t like that and asks Rei if he doesn’t have a cute finance himself too. Kota tells Rei that it is too much to envy a primary schooler. Takahisa can’t help it but make a bitter face comparing himself to the Masato who has opened himself to everyone and is properly fitting into the group. Takahisa tells Liliana that it is as if he wasn’t present, that from the beginning it has been as if no one remembers about him, that no one looks at him, that Aki is the only one who properly looks at him but that even her is with Miharu’s group now, after that Takahisa looks wistfully again in the kitchen’s direction.

Liliana tells Takahisa that it isn’t like that, that it isn’t true that no one has looked at him or remembered him, she asks Takahisa if she hasn’t done precisely that and stops mid sentence, Takahisa’s words made her understand once again that Takahisa has just had eyes for Miharu despite how much she has always watched over him, that she is the one that hasn’t been looked at despite how much she looked at him. Liliana looks at Takahisa with a gaze that seems to want to ask if she isn’t the one whose presence is meaningless, it is at that instant when Takahisa finally turns to look at Liliana and asks her what it is. Liliana sighs with resignation when she sees Takahisa tilting his head curiously without realizing or caring in the slightest about the meaning of his words, then she tells him that it is nothing, that there was certainly someone looking at him and to please remember that even if he doesn’t understand it right now. Komomo approaches Liliana and Takahisa when she sees her shaking her after being done talking to Takahisa and asks them if something happened. Liliana feels embarrassed at having a several years younger girl worry about her, she quickly changes her clouded expression for a false smile and tells her that it is nothing, that she almost choked but is already fine.

### Chapter 3: Homecoming

In a certain eastern city of the Beltrum kingdom, the sun was beginning to set so Aria and Celia decided to stop and find an inn. It took them some time to find an inn with rooms due to the late time but they finally got a room. Celia sits in her bed saying she is happy to have found a room and sighs tiredly. Aria agrees and thanks Celia for her hard work during the long trip. Celia says Aria also worked hard but she denies it, she says she just clung to her. Celia asks Aria if it wasn’t quite bad to have had to hug her and at that speed. Aria denies it, she says that Celia’s body had a wonderful huggability. Celia tells Aria to not tease her while looking down in embarrassment. Aria says she isn’t teasing her but that her speed was incredible and that almost not having felt any air resistance at that speed was even more incredible. Celia explains to Aria that the moment she deploys her wings of light it seems it is also deployed a barrier around the user that lowers the air resistance but that she still doesn’t know how much speed it can handle. Celia herself doesn’t understand well the phenomenon, but Rio told her once that he did something similar and repeated his words. Aria asks Celia if she could have flown even faster then. Celia says she can, that it depends on how much magic power the user utilizes, but that with the speed the magic power consumption also rises, that if she wants to travel long distances with her magic power quantity today’s speed is her limit. Aria says she understands, that at their current speed it seems they will reach Creia the next morning and asks Celia if her magic power will last until then. Celia says it will, that she also has the magic stone she got from Liselotte, that for the time being she will use the night for resting and use the stone in the morning if she didn’t recover enough by then. Aria says she understands and that if needed she will hunt monsters for their magic stones and tells Celia to tell it if it becomes necessary. Celia thanks Aria and tells her she will be fine for the time being and to take a good rest herself too. Aria says she understands.

On the other side, at the same time that Celia and Aria found an inn, in Creia, two men peek on the patrols around the earl’s mansion from the grove nearby. Lucci approaches Arein and tells him that the other members are in position already. Arein says that fine, that now they just need to wait for the arrival of Reiss’ group and tells Lucci to order the men to took turns for sleeping, but Lucci stays there without passing Arein’s instructions, then he asks Arein if Reiss’ target isn’t the earl’s wife, if it wouldn’t be fine if he just went now captured her right now. Arein asks Lucci if he is an idiot, he tells him they are supposed to have gone to the Galarc kingdom after leaving the fortress, he asks Lucci what will they do after infiltrating the earldom before anyone else and capturing the countess, he asks Lucci if he will just report honestly what they did after that, he tells Lucci that in order to not complicate things later it would be bad if they move in strange ways, that waiting for Reiss and let Charless take care of things the proper way is the best option. Lucci asks Arein if they won’t take action if that woman comes. Arein says they will, that they were ordered to erase her if they can if that woman arrives faster than Reiss who will come by magic ship, but in a way that it isn’t known it was their doing.

Lucci asks Arein if their mission is just to kill that little woman and capturing the countess isn’t included. Arein says it is like that, that if they can eliminate that woman result-wise they would also be stopping her from taking the countess elsewhere. Lucci says he understands and that it is fine if he can fight that woman. Lucci then asks Arein why they won’t fight from the front on purpose in the current situation where all of the preparations are perfect, he asks why they have to go as far as bringing the guys in the Galarc kingdom to keep watch around the earl’s mansion. Arein asks Lucci if it isn’t for making sure that they eliminate that woman. Lucci says everything can be reduced to that but asks why it is necessary to erase her. Arein asks Lucci if it isn’t for the sake of killing that woman before she uses any strange magic. Lucci says it is, he asks Arein if he doesn’t understand what he means, that he doesn’t know the trick behind the strange magic she used at the fortress, but that without that she isn’t so different from any other woman, that there won’t be any threat if she doesn’t use her magic, he asks Arein if just assassinating her isn’t boring. Arein tells Lucci that in that sense he must be the most similar to Lucius. Lucci says that he is, but that Arein is the current captain and has to put his act together and that he will do as his strategy says. Arein says that that’s his line, that even if it was decided that he would manage the squad he is the heir of Lucius’s sword, he tells Lucci that he is their symbol and to not forget it. Lucci makes a solemn expression while touching the sword and says he understands that, that he won't do anything pathetic that casts shame on the sword.

The next day, after leaving early Aria and Celia finally reach Creia the next morning. When the two of them cross the city gates, they see streets with still plenty of jobless people. Helmut has been driving out workers from the territories of nobles that used to belong to Hugenot’s faction and pushed them into Roland’s hands, Roland has been doing his best to prepare jobs for them but it isn’t enough. Aria asks Celia is she is worried about the city’s state when she sees her sighing with a worried face. Celia says she is, that when she came several months ago she couldn’t take a proper look at the city’s situation after all. Aria tells Celia that it might be fine to take a look at things in secret now during their return, that they couldn’t do anything trip-like because their traveling speed was too quick and… Celia asks Aria what more. Aria says she was feeling like taking a rest for a change, and that that is better if alongside a good friend. Celia says she understands, that they will make the return trip more leisurely and that in exchange of making her tag along with her businesses she will tag along with her time off. Aria says that then they need to take care of things quickly, that she won’t stand it if Helmut gets ahead of them. Celia agrees and tells Aria to get going. Aria says that before that she has an idea to put to use in case Helmut’s forces are already in the city. Celia asks her what it is and after a small discussion the two continue on their way.

After that, at the earl’s mansion, Arein and Lucci, who had been watching the way to its main gate and watching anyone that gets close, realize there is a person approaching the mansion, Lucci asks Arein if the beautiful woman in adventurer clothes approaching the mansion isn’t a incredibly high level one. Arein calls Lucci idiot and tells him to look at the woman’s waist instead. Lucci says that it is certainly a good waist, that he would gladly be her partner. Arein tells Lucci that it isn’t that, that it is her sword, that it is quite the thing. Lucci asks if it is a magic sword. Arein says he thinks the woman is a visitor, he asks himself if she isn’t a knight serving some other noble, he says he feels he already saw her. Lucci asks Arein if he has to go to check. Arein tells Lucci to not mess around and he asks if it isn’t fine because there are more observers. Arein tells Lucci that the other guys are watching other places. The woman, Aria, enters the mansion’s gate and Lucci gives up on picking her up reluctantly. Ten minutes later without seeing any change in the mansion they also see a robe wearing person approaching the mansion. Lucci clicks his tongue and curses about the robe’s hood hiding the newcomer’s traits. Arein says that the newcomer’s height is suspicious. Lucci agrees, he says it matches that woman’s. Arein says that the newcomer has a sword, an expensive looking one but without much use.

Lucci asks Arein if that woman went to prepare a sword before coming back to her parents’ house. Arein says it is possible. Lucci asks Arein if this time is a hit and what will they do, if it wouldn’t be troublesome if the newcomer enters the mansion and turns out to be that little girl, he asks if he has to kill them for the time being. Arein can’t answer, if the newcomer isn’t Celia it will troublesome to hide the corpse and they might be seen by the guards, but if it is as Lucci says, the newcomer is Celia and she enters the mansion, things will be even more troublesome and they are in the perfect place for attacking one sidedly too, the target is just seventy meters away and didn’t realize their presence at all. Arein says that it can’t be helped, that they will do it, he tells Lucci to close in on the target, finish them off and make sure it is the person in question after he attacks them with magic, then immediately come back and to not forget to hide the corpse in case it isn’t that woman. Lucci says he understands and Arein orders him to go while preparing to shoot light bullets. Lucci agrees, unsheaths his sword, strengthens his body and begins to run but at that moment Arein lets out a strange noise after being knocked out from behind by Aria. Lucci stops himself for checking on Arein and sees Aria standing there with her sword pointed at him and asking him what they were doing.

At the same time, Celia keeps walking the path to the mansion, she tells herself to do as Aria told her to and appear as calm and unconcerned with her surroundings as possible on her way to the mansion, she followed Aria’s orders of going separately to the mansion to not look like they are collaborators but she can’t the understand the reason behind her actions. Aria is supposed to enter the mansion first, give a brief explanation to her parents and leave through the back door for scouting the mansion’s surroundings, Celia will enter mansion normally and if someone tries to attack her Aria will take care of them, if there isn’t any enemy she will just go back to mansion and regroup with her, that’s how it was supposed to be. Celia arrives at the mansion ten and some minutes after Aria and a gatekeeper warned in advance guides her inside, the moment she is getting close to the mansion she sees her parents waiting for her by the door, she feels like running towards them but does her best for holding back, if there is anyone watching over the mansion doing so will blow her cover. Once inside, the mansion’s doors close behind Celia and she jumps at her parent’s bosom. Roland pats her back soothingly and kindly, meanwhile a petite silver haired woman, Monica Claire, who appears to be in her twenties despite being in her forties, hugs her lovingly.

Celia strengthens her hug on Monica whom she hadn’t seen for the longer time, because of her health, the cause is unknown but because of the Claire family’s special constitution sometimes individuals with unstable conditions are born among them. When they are feeling well they can exercise, if the conditions are met it won’t affect their lifespans and can lead a normal daily life, but sometimes their condition worsens without any warning until the point of needing absolute rest, their life won’t be in danger if they rest and sleep, but those who try to force themselves to move in that condition are different, even just walking several meters will be hard. How long those periods of bad health last depends on the individual but during that time they are forced to stay bedridden, and it is never known when the next bad period will come, if it will take weeks, months or years, because of that those with that condition use to stay all of their lives in their natal city. Monica hasn’t left Creia even once in her life and Roland also tries to stay as long as possible in his home instead of at his house in the capital for her sake. It is known that Celia wasn’t born with that constitution because she has never showed the symptoms in her childhood but it isn’t the case for Monica, for her it was such life risking bet to have to give birth during one of those bad periods, that Roland and her to had a lot of arguments about having children for succeeding him or not. Roland insisted on making a child of the branch families his heir while Monica wanted her own child no matter what and after all of their back and forth Celia was born.

Celia apologizes to Monica for not having visited for so long and asks her how her health is right now. Monica says she is fine now, that when Celia entered the mansion’s basement she was in bed but that for the last two months she improved a lot but that the half year bedridden weakened her muscles a lot so she isn’t fully recovered yet. Celia asks her worriedly if it is like that while Monica just laughs cutely completely unconcerned about her condition, then she tells Celia to not make that kind face because there won’t be any danger to her life if she can take things calmly. Then Rolands says he wanted to hug again with three of them while rubbing his cheek against Celia’s and Monica’s. Monica tells Roland to stay away for a bit because it is suffocating. Roland obeys reluctantly, Celia smiles happily when the feeling of being back home gets to her and after a moment she tells her parents to get to the main problem. Roland agrees and says that he already listened to what happened from Aria, that as planned she went to watch over the mansion’s exterior and asks Celia if she is fine. Celia says that as they can see she is fine but that now the problem is with them, that she came to tell them that Helmut might aim them too. Rolands nods in understanding with a doubtful face and at the same time a great noise comes from outside the mansion.

A little earlier. Aria knocks out Arein hitting the back of his neck and asks Lucci what were he and Arein doing with her sword pointed at him. Lucci asks Aria with a relaxed laugh if she isn’t the high class woman that entered the mansion earlier. Aria tells Lucci to answer her question. Lucci asks Aria if she won’t play with him for a bit. Aria asks Lucci if he has no intention of talking while shaking her head in annoyance. Lucci tells Aria to not be like that and that he would be happy to talk with her. Lucci stays wary of Aria despite his words, she is someone skillful enough for taking them by surprise and knocking out Arein, he can’t let his guard down. At the same time Aria thinks Lucci seems strong beneath his crookish appearance, that the chances of him being the magic sword user from the heavenly lions described by Celia are high and that if it is like that she already knows his sword’s abilities. Both Lucci and Aria walk in circles with slow and cautious steps. Aria then thinks it can’t be helped, that at worst she will have to let Lucci go and capture only the unconscious one. Lucci asks Aria if her leaving Arein alone means he is more her type. Aria sighs tiredly while thinking it is troublesome to deny Lucci’s nonsenses, not only that, she currently wanted to defeat Lucci first because he had a magic sword but she needed to prioritize Arein who was just about to attack Celia with magic.

Lucci asks Aria if her silence counts as a confirmation. Aria tells Lucci she doesn’t know what kind of misunderstanding he is so happy about and advises him to retreat if he doesn’t want to die or to make his affiliation clear if he has any connection to the earl. Lucci tells her she is the same and asks Aria if he has any connection to the earl, he says he never heard anything about a woman knight as skillful as her. Aria says she will take Lucci’s evasion as him not being connected to the earl, that she can see he is mercenary employed by some kingdom but that she will use the force for detaining him as a suspicious person. Lucci asks Aria with a sharp glare if it is like that when getting the hidden meaning that she knows who he is. Both Lucci and Aria enter the other’s range and exchange attacks for some seconds and step back when they don’t manage to settle things. Lucci tells Aria that she seriously is quite the woman, that he also wants to be her night partner not only with the sword. Aria says she is uninterested and attacks Lucci one more time, she takes distance again when he receives her slash and moves to counterattack and circles around Lucci running.

Lucci clicks his tongue at the Aria who keeps running around, he thinks her way of moving is strange, Aria’s movements seem too wary of a counterattack of his, she keeps running without stopping even at moments when it would be fine for her to stop, he thinks it is hard for the current him to attack through the space with his sword when his opponent moves so much, then he asks Aria if she knows about his swords abilities completely sure she must do. Aria doesn’t answer. Lucci thinks there shouldn’t be so many people that knows the sword’s abilities, it hasn’t been so long since he received the sword, that the chances of she having seen Lucius use the sword aren’t zero but that he wasn’t a man who would show the sword’s ability to a stranger, so there is just one possible reason. Lucci asks Aria if Celia was the one who told her about his sword, that then it must have been her the hooded woman that entered the mansion. Lucci glances shortly in the mansion’s way and Aria tries to cut him down during that opening. Lucci clicks his tongue while being forced back by Aria’s attack. Lucci’s stance is broken and Aria is just about to cut him down but she realizes something and takes distance from Lucci, at that moment darkness spreads beneath Lucci and the blade of his sword emerges from where Aria was about to pass through. Lucci asks if it is for real that she dodged that while laughing.

Aria asks herself in her mind if Lucci showed that opening on purpose, she thinks it is troublesome if he can also use the sword’s abilities for things like traps. Aria thinks she can read the ability’s usage by looking at the sword, that it will take a little of preparations but that she can counter it. When Aria finally sees a path to victory three hooded men come and surround her while asking Lucci what is going on. Aria thinks it is as expected, that Lucci had more comrades. Lucci tells his comrades that it is as they see, that he got caught up on a woman too high class and he is having it hard because she is a little of a wild horse. One of the mercenaries says to quickly eliminate Aria before the mansion’s guards notice the noise and come to check on things. Lucci says that it can’t be helped after clicking his tongue. Aria then recites the magic canon spell in a low voice and points her hand at the sky, the mercenaries try to stop her but she gets away from them with a big jump, shoots a great ball of light at the sky and makes it explode causing a big noise. The mercenaries glare up at Aria who landed on a tree’s branch while cursing her. Aria says she decided to invite the mansion’s guards because they seemed to not want to be found out by them.

Lucci tries to cut Aria from the ground using his sword’s ability while clicking his tongue, then he tells his comrades to surround Aria when she jumps down to the ground again, they attack all at once, they can’t afford the guards hurrying towards them getting any troublesome information, Aria is surprised at the other mercenaries strengthening their bodies beyond what just strengthening magic can do, but still deals with them calmly while falling back slowly so they can’t take her back. The mercenaries curse and get impatient when seeing how the three of them can’t defeat Aria. Lucci asks them while laughing if Aria isn’t seriously strong. One of the mercenaries says that it isn’t a laughing matter. Another says it will be bad if they don’t silence Aria quickly. The three mercenaries get more impatient while feeling they are running out of time, but Aria is the same. She thinks the mercenaries are a bad match for her, that if it had been just three knights strengthening themselves with magic she would have already won, but that against three magic sword users things change and Lucci, the one she needs to be the most wary of, is waiting behind them too so she can’t take her eyes off him either.

One of the mercenaries tells Lucci to come help them. Lucci tells his comrades to not panic, that now is the sword’s turn, that he will cut Aria down while they distract her. Lucci stabs the air with his swords and the blade appears behind Aria. Aria decides to avoid the sword with a twist of her body without looking at it because otherwise she would be showing her back to Lucci’s comrades who are also blocking her retreat, but Lucci expected her to do that and decides to move the sword in a way that compensates for Aria’s evasion. Aria prepares for blocking Lucci’s attack with her sword thinking she has no other option but showing that kind of opening to his comrades, then Celia approaches Aria in a hurry calling her name worriedly and deviates Lucci’s attack for after that attacking his comrades and create some distance between them and Aria. Celia then apologizes to Aria for her lateness while aligning herself with her. Aria pauses with surprise, the high level swordsmanship Celia has just used is just so shocking having come from her, the look in her eyes is completely different from before too, as if there was another person inside her, then she tells Celia to not mind it and that that surprised her, she asks her when did she learn that level of swordsmanship. Celia smiles wryly and tells Aria that she is in a little of a cheating state and that she will explain later. Aria says she wants to listen to it without fault and asks Celia if she can leave her back to her for the time being. Celia tells Aria that she can. Aria thinks it is mysterious and illogical, despite Celia shoulding have to be the typical mage that would need to be protected she felt she could entrust her back to her without worries.

    Both sides glare at each other for a moment. Lucci clicks his tongue while looking at the unconscious Arein and tells his comrades that they have no option but retreating. One of them asks them what they will do about the plan. Lucci says it is a failure, that they might not have won but that it would be the worst if they keep prolonging things and any of them is defeated and captured, then he adds in his mind that it would be the worst because Reiss will seal their mouths later. Lucci frowns remembering Ven, his long time friend, who suffered that fate after the attack on Rio’s mansion and decides to save Arein, he tells his comrades to leave quickly the moment he recovers Arein. Aria asks Lucci if he thinks they will just let them run away. Lucci says he does, stabs the ground with his sword and makes a mass of darkness spread around him. Aria and Celia keep their distance warily with the mass of darkness but it wasn’t an attack, it swallows Arein’s body and makes it appear next to Lucci. Lucci tells his comrades that he leaves Arein to them and one of them picks him up from the ground. At the same time Celia tells Aria in whispers to let them go. Aria asks Celia if she is fine with that. Celia says she is, that she also wants to avoid unnecessary battles, that their presence confirms that Helmut is aiming at her parents, that it wouldn’t be strange for a main force to come at any moment and that Lucci’s group might even be a distraction while another group is attacking the mansion. Aria says she understands while maintaining her sword stance, then both groups take distance from the other slowly. After a while and noticing that there is no pursuit Lucci and the others run away.

Several hours later, at noon, several magic ships from Bertram’s navy land in Creia, Charles leads his soldiers to Roland’s mansion, opens the mansion’s gates violently without being invited in and enters the mansion calling out to Roland screaming. Roland comes and asks Charles what it is before telling him that he is noisy, he takes a look at the knights, Reiss and Renji behind Charles and tells him that he also brought quite the numbers before sighing. Charles asks Roland where his wife is. Roland asks Charles why he is looking for her. Charles says he heard Monica is a famous healer, that there is an important person that needs treatment with urgency so he wants her to go to the royal capital for the time being. Roland asks Charles if he doesn’t know already that his wife was born with a weak body. Charles says that of course he knows, but says that they will travel by magic ship, that it isn’t certain that she will die just because she is feeling ill and then he tells Roland to be patient because it is an emergency. Roland tells Charles that when his wife is ill she can’t even endure a ship’s shaking. Charles asks Roland if he means that right now her wife is ill. Roland says he doesn’t, he says he means it is a matter of the symptoms appearing during the trip, then he asks Charles if he can bring the person in need of healing to his mansion. Charles says he can’t, that the person in question is even weaker than that, that it is absolutely necessary for Monica to come to the capital.

Roland says that they are walking parallel lines then. Charles says that they aren’t, that it is a decided matter and that if he refuses then… Roland says he understands getting the hidden threat of using the force if necessary, and says that it can’t be helped if it is like that. Charles humps arrogantly watching Roland like that. Unfortunately for him there isn’t anyone who can tell him that normally Roland would already be screaming at him to not mess with him when being told that he would take his wife to the capital. Then Roland says that he can’t give his wife to Charles while shrugging his shoulders. Charles asks Roland if he will refuse despite them being rough with the taking. Rolands says that even if he had wanted his wife to go she is already away from the mansion. Charles asks Roland what he means. Roland sighs heavily as if lamenting his powerlessness and tells Charles that maybe because he was such an unworthy husband his wife gave up on him and left the mansion today saying she will go see how her daughter is doing or something. Charles screams at Roland to not mess with him and angrily orders his soldiers to hurry and register the mansion and the city’s docks. Roland looks at the sky in Galarc’s direction and tells Celia in his mind that he lets Monica in her care while Charles’ angry screams keep resounding everywhere.

The Bertram kingdom’s eastern skies, a magic ship belonging to the earl Claire hurries towards the Galarc kingdom at several times the normal speed without caring about the magic stone consumption. Monica sits on a bed of one of its guest rooms when someone knocks on her door, then she tells Celia to enter when she says that it is her. Celia enters with Aria following behind her and asks Monica if she is doing well. Monica says she is in perfect form and smiles softly. Celia then tells Monica they will arrive at Amande in the evening. Monica says that so it seems, that she is waiting for it, that because that person was so overprotective and such a worrywart she had never left the city. Celia tells Monica that about father… but Monica interrupts her saying it will be fine with a soft smile, then she says it again while looking through the window, seemingly to herself this time while tears go down her cheeks.

Time goes back, just after Celia and Aria came back to the mansion after repelling Lucci’s group. Roland asks Celia if she can take Monica to Galarc’s castle. Celia asks Roland what he will do. Roland says he will stay in the mansion, that leaving temporarily is one thing, but that he can’t abandon the territory and the subjects entrusted to him by the king, that if he goes to the Galarc kingdom too he won’t be of any use to the king or Christina. Celia stays silent while making a worried face. Roland tells her to not make a face like that, that for Helmut he should still some use, that rather than that for the time being Helmut shouldn’t have the option of not using him, but that it is different for her mother, that he doesn’t when or how Helmut will try to put his hands on her, that the current him hasn’t the power to push those fellows back with just strength, that if they have tried to put their hands on her while he was away from the mansion he… that that’s why he wants her to take her mother to a safe place, that he can just pray that she doesn’t get ill during the trip so he lets her mother in her care. Celia says she understands and nods with encountered feelings.

Roland then tells Monica that he is also letting Celia to her. Monica nods. Rolands says he is worried about sending her outside for the first time but… Monica tells Roland she will be fine and that he is overprotective, but that it was because he protected her, that it was because he protected the sickly her that she could live until today peacefully and happily and she will be always thankful for that. Roland asks Monica why she is saying that so suddenly. Monica says it is because she is going to leave behind alone her husband who is working hard for their family, that she will at least say one or two words of love and thanks. Roland asks Monica if she fell in love again. Monica says she does everyday, then she hugs him after caressing his cheek. Roland laughs bashfully. Monica keeps hugging him for a moment, then she separates from and tells Roland to stay well. Roland tells Monica to enjoy the outside world to the fullest on this chance and wishes her a good trip, the two exchange farewells that way knowing the chances of maybe not seeing the other again are there, be it because of the power struggle Roland is participating in or because of Monica’s sickness.

Back to the present, Celia tells Monica to please immediately call for her if she needs something, then she and Aria leave Monica’s room. Both of them walk together through the ship’s corridors, Celia sighs with a pensive face. Aria tells Celia that if she is fine with her she will listen to her as much as she needs to, be it complaints, doubts or whatever. Celia is surprised by Aria’s words but thanks her, she says it isn’t that it isn't hard but that she believes in her father. Aria nods. Celia says that but.. and Aria asks but what. Celia says that her feelings aren’t of complaint or concern but that she might be thinking now isn’t the moment to think about something like that, that when she saw her parents before she was envious. Aria says that it is because they are wonderful parents, that she also always admired them. Celia says that that’s it, admiration, that she also admired how it was transmitted that they could exchange emotions without words, that they felt like they could communicate despite being away, that she thought “so this is what a couple is”. Aria says she understands and asks Celia if she got desires of getting married. Celia says she wonders about that, that in the past she used to think she didn’t want to get married but… Celia stays silent and her cheeks get red with embarrassment when a certain man appears in her mind.

Aria says she is surprised, she asks Celia if her expression means she is interested in someone. Celia tells Aria to not tease her. Aria says she will listen to her story slowly the next time because it doesn’t seem to be a talk suited for a serious time anyway. Celia says she understands and apologizes to Aria. Aria says she has no memories of Celia having something to apologize for. Celia asks Aria if she didn’t tell her that they would return leisurely and tag along during her day off, but that in the end they ended having to go to Amande as soon as possible. Aria says she didn’t think Celia would say that, that she doesn’t mind if they do that at any other time. Celia says she isn’t offering it to compensate for that and asks Aria if she won’t have a leisure talk with her at night when they are at Amande. Aria says that gladly. Celia says that it is a promise then.

Meanwhile at Creia, Reiss tells Charles that he will go take a look at the city and goes with Renji to certain inn where Arein’s group is waiting. Reiss says he understands after receiving their report. Arein apologizes to Reiss for being the first one to fall. Reiss tells Arein that it can’t be helped, that he can’t say it for sure, but that the chances of the interferer being Aria Gavaness, Liselotte Cretia’s sword, are high, that it was completely unexpected that she would be accompanying Celia. Reiss thinks in his head that in the end the other side keeps going beyond his expectation again and again, he asks himself if he shouldn’t suppose that everything has been seen through, he asks himself who is it and how they are keeping watch over his plans. Arein brings Reiss back from his thoughts asking him if Helmut won’t discover that they have been moving behind the scenes, if that won’t make him more wary of Reiss in the future. Reiss says that it certainly might be troublesome but that it is still at a level where he doesn’t need to care much about it, that he will deal with that at its time, that for the time being he will just think it is a good chance. Arein asks Reiss what it is. Reiss says he was thinking it might be a good moment for collecting some usable looking trump cards in preparation for the future so he will go back home, that in that way he won’t meet Helmut until things calm down, and that Renji, Lucci and Arein will come with him. Renji tells Reiss that it is obvious and that it will be troublesome if he postpones the flying lesson he talked about. Reiss nods while thinking if everything is being seen through then the only thing he can do is take that into account and prepare a force the other side can’t deal with despite that, that the current him has a way to do it, that it won’t be bad if he thinks too about activating that.

### Chapter 4: Erika's Path.

While Celia’s group was on its way to the Galarc Kingdom Rio and Sora arrive at the Saint Erika’s Democratic Republic. Rio looks down at the Republic’s capital while remembering Erika’s last moments, her honest thoughts about what she did and the people, her last wish, the description of where she buried her fiançe. The explanation wasn’t enough and Erika was the one who started the war with the Galarc Kingdom, but Rio will grant her wish despite not having to, be it because he is a good person or his sympathy as a fellow avenger Rio decided to keep his end. Rio thinks it is fine if he just flyes fifty kilometers to the east as Erika instructed but he is worried about how things are going without Erika and decides to land in the city and take a look. He tells Sora what they will do, she agrees and both land near the city. Then they decide to use the invisibility for spying the Republic’s higher ups in their parliament. Fortunately they arrived just when the day’s session had just begun. The prime minister Andrey tells the chamber that the next topic will we the people sent to the Galarc Kingdom and its demand of a ransom in exchange for the prisoners. A legislator says there is nothing they can do about it, another says that they can’t take anything out from an empty sleeve. Another one asks those two what they will do about the prisoners, if they will abandon them. One of them says he didn’t mean that, that he meant to ask if they can somehow rescue them negotiating. Another legislator asks if they have any negotiation material. The legislator says that they could pay with food or something if they can’t afford to pay in gold. A legislator asks the other how they are going to give their foodstuffs to another kingdom despite not being able to secure the ones they need for next year, he says he is against it.

Another legislator then asks why they did begin a war with the Galarc kingdom that it is so far from them to begin with. Another says that it was for the sake of their cause to destroy the evil royalty. Another asks that same legislator how that is a reason, if it was necessary to begin with to go as far as beginning a fight with a foreign country and he can’t answer. When the parliament gets silent Andrei tells the legislators that he understands their opinions but asks them if they won’t reach a conclusion already about saving or abandoning their comrades that became prisoners of war. The legislators tell Andrei with guilty looks that they are trying to do just that. Andrei tells them that they keep repeating the same things again and again, that they debate with a lot of enthusiasm but that when it comes to abandoning their comrades he can’t only see how they flinch when faced with it. And that’s precisely it, none of them wants to be responsible for the decision of abandoning their comrades, over and over they say things that guide others towards a conclusion but refuse to speak that conclusion themselves. One of the legislators asks Andrei if it isn’t obvious, that their decision will decide the prisoner’s fate and that it will be his responsibility too. Andrei says it is exactly like that, that it is precisely because of that that he wants to reach a conclusion already, that they can’t keep Galarc’s messengers waiting forever either. Then a legislator suggests capturing Galarc’s messengers and exchanging them for their comrades. Another one tells him to not say stupid things and asks him what he will do if the Galarc kingdom gets really angry to which he answers calling him a coward. Then the parliament gets filled with angry screams.

After just several minutes Rio gets sick of seeing and listening to the sorry spectacle and tells Sora to get going using telepathy, both leave the parliament and take flight again headed to the capital’s east in search of the village Erika mentioned. After several tens of minutes Rio finally reached the said village fifty kilometers east of Erikaburg, he searches from the sky for the mountain with a waterfall mentioned by Erika, when he sees it he tells Sora to land near the waterfall because it might be the place he is looking for. Both land and Sora tells Rio she saw something resembling a grave. Rio approaches the construction consisting of a stone molded into a simple square plaque with some words written in roman letters on its surface. Rio is sure it must be a gravestone. Sora asks Rio what it is written in the stone and Rio says that it reads Teshigahara Akira. Sora says that as expected of the dragon king to be able to read those symbols. Rio says it just a matter of him knowing the characters by chance. Rio puts his hand on the ground and makes his magic power flow through it for inspecting it, he finds a corpse and thinks there must be no mistake about it belonging to Erika’s fiançe when he finds no evidence of the earth being digged. Rio stands up while wondering if it is fine to just bury Erika there like that but gets curious about something and decides to check the village near the mountain first.

The villagers look warily at Rio and Sora when they enter the village, they feel like they don’t want to get involved with strangers. Rio calls out to them, asks them where the village chief is and then goes to his house. Rio knocks a house’s door, a man opens it and asks who it is while judging Rio’s appearance. Rio says he is a traveler and that there are some questions he needs to ask the chief about the village, he asks the man if he won’t listen to his story and tells him that he will thank him suitably if he can get the information he wants to know. The man asks Rio if he is noble while looking at the bag full of silver and copper coins Rio has just shown and his high quality equipment. Rio says he was one once and tells the man to not care about his status. The man tells Rio and Sora to enter his house. Rio then asks the man if he is the village chief. The man says he is and tells Rio and Sora to take a seat. The chief asks Rio what he wants to ask after Sora and him sit at his dining table. Rio asks the village chief if a foreign man called Teshigahara Akira came to live at the village a year ago. The chief doesn’t answer, he just makes a surprised face followed by an awkward one and finally by a guilty one. Rio says it seems he did. The chief confirms it with an embarrassed look. Rio asks the chief if anything that leaves an impression happened with that man involved, the kind of involvement that kills people that’s it. The chief asks Rio what was his relationship with Akira. Rio says he wasn’t directly acquainted with him, that they are strangers, but that he knows a little about a woman that used to be his fiançee, that that woman is already dead but that when he researched about her he found out she used to have a fiançe, so he wants to know too about the man who used to be her fiançe. The chief says he understands having recovered some of his calm when he knew that Rio wasn’t someone related directly to Akira, thinking then he shouldn’t do anything to the village. Rio puts the bag of coins she showed the chief before on the table and asks him if he won’t tell him what happened in the village, he says he just wants to know the truth, that he won’t do anything after knowing what happened, that if he can tell him what he is hiding he will just give him the bag as thanks, after a moment of doubt the chief takes the bag of coin tells everything to Rio.

A certain day a well dressed black haired man arrived at the village, in order to earn their trust he did the jobs the villagers didn’t want to do and because he was smart he ended up doing the work the villagers couldn’t do too. That way the man kept getting used to the village bit by bit, but there were also times when he wasn’t so kind too, he boasted of knowledge the villagers lacked and showed off his valuables when they were going through hard times. Then one day the man was chosen as part of a group that would visit the capital for trading and after that a great incident that shocked the village occurred. Because the man showed his valuables in the city he caught the eye of a noble. That noble came to the village accusing the man of having stolen those articles from him and demanding their return. The villagers were enraged and blamed the man. The noble tried to settle the matter peacefully but the man showed no remorse and refused to give back the stolen goods, the man was specially obsessed with a ring with an expensive looking gem that he falsely claimed was an engagement ring while stubbornly refusing to give it to the noble despite the villagers’ persuasion. When the ring was finally taken the man began to rampage with an incredible power, the noble had no more option that ordering his knights to kill the man, as thanks for their cooperation with the case the noble promised the village to be exempted from paying taxes that year, and so the theft incident was settled, to it should have been.

But then a new great trouble occurred, when the noble left the village all of his group was brutally murdered, a young couple and their baby were also murdered. The village entered in panic wondering who killed the family and the noble’s entourage. The kingdom also casted suspicions on the village because a noble died just next to it even if he hadn’t stayed a single night there, if things had gone badly all of them could be executed, but fortunately there were traces of the use of magic in the scene of the massacre and also knights that could use strengthening magic, the kingdom concluded that mere villagers couldn’t be the killers, that way the villagers were freed from the suspicions but it was still a mystery who assassinated the noble and the family, that mystery is talked about even now, they could have been attacked by a strong monster or beasts but there wasn’t any trace of something like that around the village. It was then that they began to wonder if the killed man cursed to death the noble and the family because of his grudge, all of the death ones where the people the killed man had a grudge against, the noble and the man who testified against him. After the man’s death they began to wonder if they hadn’t been cursed too because strange phenomenons began to happen, there were earthquakes in the Stralh region where they have never occurred, fields were destroyed, livestocks’ corpses found. They wondered if those were also because of the man’s curse, the villagers were scared, there are also those who suspect it was someone from the village who did all of that. The strange happenings stopped lately but the villagers are still scared of them occurring again, now the distrust towards the strangers spread through the village and even the relationships between fellow villagers are getting awkward.

That was more or less what the chief told Rio. Rio feels there are several points in the story where the Akira took Erika’s place, probably because of the rules making the villagers to fill the gaps in their memories with something after making them forget about Erika, he doesn’t know either how truthful the chief is being, he feels the chief included his subjective view of the happenings a lot of times, he thinks the chances of him having changed his relate for making it convenient for himself are high, that going by his story Akira was a villain with a disgusting personality and that that is suspicious too, but despite that the chief’s story still made things clear to Rio. He thinks the accusation of stealing are definitely false charges, that there isn’t a way for Akira to have stolen anything from a noble when he was transferred directly from Japan to the village, eight or nine out of ten times those things should be the things he had on him at the time of the summoning. Rio can’t tell if the villagers were scared of the noble or if they were blinded by greed when they were promised the tax exemption, but that in the end no one helped Akira is certain, then he was blamed of being a liar by the villagers and killed by the noble. Rio asks himself if Erika wasn’t present at the scene of Akira’s death seeing how she killed the noble’s entourage on its way back from the village.

Rio can’t imagine Erika not doing something if Akira was just about to be killed, he thinks she might not have been present until he remembers the chief saying that Akira was killed when he rampaged with an extraordinary power, he asks himself if Erika wasn’t the one actually rampaging and if she was killed once. Even if Erika hadn’t been as strong as during their fight he can’t think she would fall behind knights that can just use magic for strengthening themselves, but he can’t imagine either that Erika, a common woman raised in Japan, had any experience killing, that it must have been complicated for someone like that to have to kill so suddenly despite having obtained a hero’s power, even if she couldn’t avoid to get involved there should have been fear and hesitation, it is very possible the knights brought by the noble managed to beat Erika with their numbers after she fell behind them, Rio also knows well that Erika will revive even if she is killed, he thinks it was definitely her who killed the noble’s entourage and the family after Akira’s death, he doesn’t know if Erika didn’t kill the rest of the villagers because they weren’t that involved with her or because she wanted to make them suffer first, but now Rio is sure of why Erika fought in a way that was so sure of her resurrection, that it might have been then when she discovered that a hero won’t die so easily.

At Rodania Renji used a great power but he still couldn’t compare to the Erika that didn’t have the safety limiter of his spirit enslavement anymore. Rio asks himself while having goosebumps if it could be that dying is the condition for pulling out a hero’s power, if that was what removed the safety limiter from Erika’s spirit enslavement, going by what was told of the events in the village Rio thinks it is possible that Erika suffering once or even more times wounds that would kill a human instantly might have removed the assimilation’s safety limit, but he has no way of making sure of it, if he wants to verify it he would have to make a hero suicide, that it would be completely insane if there is someone who tries to verify it by having a hero receive a mortal attack, that only the ones who become a vengefull demon like Erika can do such a thing. Rio asks himself if Erika fought in such a despairing way because she discovered the secret behind the assimilation or if she made her power go out of control without knowing. Rio thinks no matter which of the two her story was one without any salvation for her. Rio thinks he never understood why Erika hated the world itself but now he finally understood what was in her heart. Usually Rio wouldn’t involve himself with someone’s circumstances, he lives keeping his distance from people, but now that he visited the village Rio can empathize with Erika the avenger, he can help it by frown not that he gathered all of the pieces, while Rio is like that the chief is finally done with his story for badmouthing Akira. The chief thanks Rio for taking the time to listen to him, he says that now that he talked about it he feels like he got something out of his chest.

The chief sighs deeply with a relieved face, seemingly feeling like he let go of his guilty feelings. Rio stays silent with a bitter face, the chief must be making that face because he felt guilty towards Akira for what they did to him and sharing his sin must have relieved him but Rio won’t allow that, he asks the chief if he and the villagers did anything to feel guilty about. The chief makes a surprised face and when the guilty feelings come back to his face he asks Rio why he asked that question. Rio tells the chief he thought he managed to get that something out of his chest because there was an event that made him feel guilty towards the Akira. The chief denies it stuttering while looking away from Rio. Rio says that he understands and that thanks goodness then. Rio prepares to leave when the chief asks him why he thanked goodness. After a pause Rio asks the chief if it wouldn’t be hard having to live while wanting to apologize for something but not being able to because the person in question died, that then he would have something to regret all his life. The chief stays silent with his eyes wide open. Rio tells the chief that things change if the person in question wants an apology, that there a lot of people whose feelings get lighter after being apologized to, but if the thing to apologize for is the kind that can’t be forgiven despite having apologized one might have to live their life while being hated and without being able to apologize, the chief keeps staying silent at the same time that his complexion worsens. Rio tells him that that’s why he thought thank goodness he doesn’t have anything to apologize for to the dead, that he really said a strange thing, he says he will leave now and thanks the chief for talking to him. Rio stands up, signals Sora with his look to follow him and both quickly leave walking. The chief extends a hand towards Rio trying to stop him but Rio ignores him, then the chief is left there alone while he looks with a bitter face at the bag of money on the table.

Rio and Sora immediately leave the village and go back to the grave, Rio stands in front of the grave while looking silently at the gravestone, he thinks the negative emotions that came from losing Akira transformed Erika into the saint, that she resented the world and its people because she wouldn’t have lost him if she hadn’t been summoned to another world, that that’s why she tried to make the world itself miserable. Rio thinks Erika’s revenge wish was distorted and unfair, that as expected he didn’t have the choice of not fighting or not killing Erika because he and his loved ones lived in the world she was trying to make miserable, but he can sympathize with her anger, he was also someone who lived consumed by his desire of revenge, there isn’t a way he can say Erika’s anger was wrong, and that’s why the fact of not having the option of not killing each other might have got so unbearable, but now thanks to knowing her past he can mourn her with dignity despite things shoulding have to be easier for him if he hadn’t tried to know of her past on purpose. Rio takes out a knife from his time space cache and engraves the name Sakuraba Erika in the gravestone, he thinks it is a relief Erika wrote her fiançe’s name in roman letters because he doesn’t know the kanjis of her name, that maybe Erika chose to use roman letters so not knowing kanji wouldn’t be a problem for the person engraving her name, then he asks himself if he isn’t overthinking it.

When he is done engraving the name, Rio digs a hole with spirit arts and takes out Erika’s corpse from the time-space cache, he makes the corpse descend carefully through the hole, he looks at corpse for a moment before closing the hole when the peaceful expression Erika made at the end impresses him, but there isn’t a way for the dead Erika to say anything now, so Rio shakes his head and closes the hole. Sora calls out worriedly to the Rio who continues to look at the gravestone despite having completed the burial already. Rio smiles kindly, apologizes while petting her head and says that he was just thinking for a bit. Sora loosens her expression for a moment, but immediately remembers what she wanted to say and calls out to Rio again. Rio asks her what it is. Sora says that Lina told her that the six wise Gods hated the humans because they were sick of their ugliness and foolishness and that she feels she understands the reason for that now. Rio agrees, he nods with a complicated expression when he can’t deny Sora’s words because he also saw in the past a lot of disgusting sides of people and felt it on his skin so he can sympathize, but Sora seems to have said her words with other intentions and gets flustered when Rio doesn’t react as expected, she says she didn’t mean that, that she just wanted him to cheer up and forget about something like those nasty disgusting fellows.

Rio thanks Sora and says that he understands that it should be a mistake to say that humans are beyond hope looking at just one side of them, that he thinks humans aren’t just their bad side so he will sort out his feelings and continue their trip. Sora nods strongly to Rio’s words. Rio bows to the gravestone and tells Erika he will come again someday, he turns his back to the gravestone and he is just about to take flight when he feels he heard Erika thanking him. Sora asks Rio what it is when she sees him looking with a surprised face at the grave. Rio says it is nothing and tells Sora to go to the land where the divine war is said to have begun, then both fly towards Stralh’s western skies.

### Chapter 5: Takahisa's Recollection.

Sendo Takahisa has always liked a person since the first time he met her, for the first time since he was born he fell at first sight for the girl called Ayase Miharu. He met her for the first time when his father remarried. Aki, the new step sister that he got when his father remarried, was the one who introduced her to him. Aki was shy at the beginning but she soon opened to Takahisa and Masato, without knowing it both of them filled the whole that the trauma of losing her father and brother because of her mother’s divorce left in her heart, so she decided to introduce the Miharu she thought of as her real big sister to them. Takahisa met Miharu when he was just about to enter middle school, Takahisa remembers even now the shock he took back then, Miharu was so cute that he lost his words. Aki was telling happily to Miharu that she got two new siblings, her big brother Takahisa and her little brother Masato. Miharu said she understood and introduced herself nervously and awkwardly to them. Aki saw Takahisa standing there wordlessly and red faced and called out to him. Takahisa came back to his senses and introduced himself to Miharu while stuttering nervously. Meanwhile Masato just told Miharu happily and unreservedly that she was incredibly cute, that it was the first time he met a person so cute. Miharu was surprised at first, then she thanked Masato and told him it was the first time anyone told her that.

Takahisa called out to Masato with more envy at his forwardness than reproach for his words. Then Aki hugged Miharu’s arm and told Masato to stop, that someone like him isn’t a good match for Miharu so it can’t be. Masato said he knew that while scratching his cheek. Aki then said that Takahisa maybe could be a good match while looking between him and Miharu. Takahisa gets flustered, he wanted to tell Aki to not say things like that but he got too nervous for that. Miharu let out a troubled wry laugh and told Aki that she will trouble Takahisa if she says those things so suddenly. The wry and troubled smile Miharu made while scolding Aki left an impression on him. Aki asks Takahisa what he thinks and he said it was troubling. Takahisa didn’t dare to say it wasn’t a problem at all, he doesn’t know if Miharu still remembers that time but he still does. Several days later he asked Aki if Miharu had a person she liked, Aki was happy at first but then her expression hardened for an instant, probably being reminded of Haruto by that question. Takahisa calls out to her curiously and then Aki denied it, she said that Miharu didn’t have something like a person she likes. Takahisa said he understood, that it was like that. Takahisa was happy and relieved, he wouldn’t know what he was supposed to do if Miharu had liked someone already. He didn’t realize that now Aki was grinning at him and asking him if it could be that… then she laughed when Takahisa couldn’t deny or confirm with a red face.

The three years of middle school passed and there was no progress with Miharu, Takahisa didn’t make a single active approach to Miharu during all of that time after all, and with Miharu’s feelings not being pointed at him there wasn’t a way for things to progress without Takahisa taking the initiative. Even if he had attempted anything it might have been complicated to make Miharu look his way because Haruto still existed within her heart but that he didn’t do a thing is still the truth. Despite his chances maybe not having been zero Takahisa let them stay at that point, he might even have had hopes of things advancing without him having to do anything. He could always be by Miharu’s side because Aki was there, For Aki Miharu was like her real big sister and for Miharu Aki was like her real little sister, they were inseparable, so as long as he continued to be Aki’s good big brother he would have an excuse to be close to Miharu, he actually was the closest boy to Miharu at and outside school, Miharu being bad at dealing with boys made it so there wasn’t any other boy around her besides Takahisa. This relieved Takahisa but also made him scared of changing his relationship with Miharu if he did something unnecessary, he loved Miharu so so so much that he couldn’t help it, confessing and being rejected was the scariest thing for him. It might have also been that he was having fun, Miharu was so cute that the other boys at school were always paying attention to her, so being the only one close to her made him feel special, he couldn’t help it but feel so so happy when he listened to rumors about him dating Miharu among the other boys. There was no need to be impatient, Miharu should get conscious of him with time because he was the one closest to her, he told himself it was natural for him to end up dating Miharu at some point if their relationship stayed like that. Then their third year at middle school ended.

After their graduation came the high school’s entrance ceremony. Takahisa began to feel uneasy, he entered the same high school that Miharu but human relationships change completely when entering high school. Another boy that liked Miharu could appear, he could confess to her. What if Miharu came to like someone else? Takahisa began to get impatient, he kept having more and more doubts during spring break, wondering if it wouldn’t be better if he confessed to Miharu. Then he reached a conclusion, he wouldn’t go as far as confessing but in high school he would take a more proactive approach. The day of the entrance ceremony he felt superior seeing the other boys envious of him being with Miharu, he told himself to be confident and proactive because there wasn’t a change yet to him still being the closest to Miharu in school. At that time he didn’t know that inside Miharu’s heart was her childhood friend Haruto and he has entered the same high school too, not like knowing it would have changed anything, after all Takahisa was summoned to another world on his way back home, the future where he and Miharu had a high school life together didn’t exist.

Until the summoning Takahisa was with Miharu, Aki, Satsuki and Masato but when he realized it the scenery changed, he was alone at an unknown place despite him shoulding have to be walking through a japanese residential district. It was a space wide and elegant, similar to an ancient greek or western temple, he was looking dumbfounded at the scenery around him from atop an altar, there were more people aside of him in the room, all of them wore clothes that seemed suited to appear on a fantasy movie, they also looked at Takahisa without understanding what was going on. Takahisa finally comes back to his senses and turns back for asking everyone if they were fine but there wasn’t anyone there, he calls out to Miharu and the others in panic but there wasn’t anyone he knew among the ones looking up at him who was on the altar, then he falls on his knees dumbfoundedly while saying that it must be a lie. Then two people specially well dressed with ages as apart as a father and child accompanied by escort looking people come out from inside the multitude. They were the king and Liliana. Then the king asks the dumbfounded Takahisa if he is the hero. Takahisa finally looks at the king and Liliana and is surprised at their presence, the king repeats his question while guessing that Takahisa must not have realized he was asked a question.

Takahisa opens his eyes wide and just lets out a stupid sound after listening to the question, after a moment of silence he asks the king what he is saying about a hero, he asks him if he is a hero and if he was summoned to another world. The king explains to Takahisa that on the altar where he is standing there used to be one of their national treasures, the sacred stone, that the sacred stone suddenly produced a great pillar of light and that when the pillar of light disappeared the sacred stone and the pedestal it seated at were gone and he was there. Takahisa asks if it is like that. The king tells Takahisa that there was a prophecy left to them by the six wise Gods in the past and that the way in which he appeared matches the said in the prophecy. The king explains the prophecy about the heroes to Takahisa and he says he understands, he doesn’t know well what else to say then he asks if there wasn’t anyone else aside of him, he says that there was a girl called Miharu next to him. The king tells Takahisa that unfortunately no one aside from him appeared. Takahisa says that it can’t be, the shock of losing Miharu didn’t let him care about where he was, what a hero was or why he was there. While Takahisa was lost in his thoughts the king tells him that he is Giovanna Centostella, the king of the Centostella kingdom, and asks Takahisa his name. Takahisa then introduces himself without fixing his dumbfounded expression.

After that the Centostella kingdom recognized Takahisa as a hero, treated him as a national guest and even made its first princess Liliana his caretaker and explained everything carefully to him. Takahisa finally understood what was happening, that he was in a different world, that the sacred stone summoned him by itself unrelatedly to Centostella’s wishes, Miharu’s group who should have been with him at the time of the summoning weren’t anywhere, that as expected he was the only summoned one, the rest weren’t seen anywhere in the castle or the royal capital, he also had a strange dream that taught him how to use his divine weapon. Then because he was able to materialize the divine weapon he was the hero of the legends, but he didn’t want to become a hero, he wanted to wake up if it was a dream but he didn’t go back to earth when he went to sleep or when he woke up, but it was reality and not a dream, he had no more option but accepting the reality he could just call a nightmare. But it was a different matter if his heart could take that reality. Couldn’t he go back to earth or meet with Miharu’s group once again?

He kept asking himself what to do, unable to give up and getting more depressed every day. It was supposed to be now, it was supposed to be now when he was going to get closer to Miharu. Was he the only one lost in another word? He began to feel like an idiot for having doubted so much about how to approach Miharu because he might not be going back to the earth anymore, going to another world cut his relationship with her physically and now he couldn’t tell her his feelings, he wallows in regret while thinking he should have gathered his valor faster and told his feeling to Miharu if it was going to be this way, how idiot was his coward past self. Takahisa spends the first days since the summoning thinking those things in a loop and getting angry with himself, it was always the same, every morning Liliana comes at the same hour followed by her maid Frill to check on him but he just ignored them when they came in, his eyes were pointed at the door where the two were standing but his consciousness never pointed at them, his mind didn’t have the leeway to deal with those two at the moment, for the Takahisa of that time it didn’t make a difference if Liliana was there or not, it wasn’t until days later that he began to meet Liliana.

It has been already ten days since Takahisa was summoned, as everyday Liliana had food prepared for Takahisa and went to his room followed by Frill who was pushing a food cart, and after she greets him she enters the room with Frill. Takahisa greets her back and tells her that she came again. Today he seems a little different. He is still depressed while closing himself to others but, could it be that he got sick of closing himself to everyone? This time he didn’t just look at them, he was also conscious of them and continued the conversation. Liliana herself didn’t try to talk with Takahisa either until now unless he himself said something to her and left the moment the food was served, fully knowing that trying to force someone who closed his own heart to bond with others will just have the opposite effect, but today was different. She tells Takahisa that she came again and asks him if they can have breakfast together. Takakisa says he doesn’t mind if she stays. Liliana thanks him and tells Frill to prepare her portion too. Frill nods and begins to set the table while both Takahisa and Liliana wait on their seats until she is done. Takahisa realizes that the cart had food for two and that Liliana has had plans to stay from the beginning, he wonders if she wanted to talk about something without realizing that or thinking it was possible she did the same all of the previous days too.

Liliana asks Takahisa if there was something he didn’t like about the meals he was brought until now. Takahisa says awkwardly he thinks there wasn’t because he barely ate anything until now, left the majority of his food on the plate and was so depressed that he barely remembers anything he ate or its taste. Liliana tells Takahisa to tell her without reservations if there is any flavoring he dislikes in order to find out if Takahisa didn’t eat because of his feelings, his dislikes or both. Takahisa says he thinks it is fine and thanks Liliana remorsefully, he also apologizes for staying shut in closed on himself without doing anything despite being allowed to live in the castle. Liliana smiles kindly and tells Takahisa to not mind it because she doesn’t think it could be helped considering his situation. Takahisa says he is really sorry. Liliana says they are also sorry, that even if they didn’t expect it, it was the sacred stone they were keeping what brought Takahisa to their world. Takahisa says that it isn’t their fault, that the stone would have still summoned him even if they hadn’t kept it, that she has nothing to apologize for, that it was also fortunate that the place he was summoned to was the castle. Or so Takahisa says but Liliana can see well that he is looking down while he talks in order to kill his emotions.

Liliana says she is thankful for his kind words and that they have been investigating several things since he was summoned, that unfortunately they didn’t find a way to solve his problem but that the chances of the people he said to be with being in their world might not be zero. Takahisa lets out a surprised voice. Liliana says that she doesn’t know if it is something he can be hopeful about because it isn’t verified information, that it might also give him more despair so she wasn’t sure about telling him but that now when talking to him she decided to tell him. Takahisa asks Liliana what it is and if she means that Miharu’s group might have come to the other world too. Liliana says that she just means that the chances of that aren’t zero, that they might or might not be in their world, that it might be impossible to search for them and meet them immediately too, and that she will explain to him what it is if he doesn’t mind that. Takahisa says he wants to listen to it. Liliana says she understands but that there is a condition. Takahisa asks nervously what the condition is. Liliana asks Takahisa if he won't eat his meal while it is hot. Takahisa lets out a stupid voice when the condition is something so unexpected. Liliana tells Takahisa she can see he has barely eaten since he was summoned, that if he collapses everything will be for nothing and tells him to please properly feed himself.

It was then that Takahisa finally realized that Liliana was worried about him. He also asks himself if Liliana’s face was always like that, she was really cute. He felt it was the first time he recognized her as a human being. He thought he was the worst when he finally realized that he hadn’t thought at all about the emotions those around him pointed his way because he just thought about himself. Liliana gets flustered when she sees Takahisa holding his head in shame for his worthlessness, she asks him if he dislikes her kingdom’s food that much, that if it is like that she is sorry for asking the impossible. Takahisa denies it hurriedly, he says that it isn’t that, that he just is really sorry. Liliana tells Takahisa he has nothing to apologize for. Takahisa tells Liliana he will properly eat his meal while it is hot and listen to her after that. Liliana agrees and tells Takahisa to call her when he is ready. After taking the first bite Takahisa looks fixedly at the food while letting out surprised murmurs about him not having realized its warmth until now, after all since he was summoned he had never eaten the moment he was served and only ate a bit when the food was already cold. For the first time in a while Takahisa ate a recently made meal, felt its taste and ate with someone else. His body must have realized that it had been hungrier than he thought because he didn’t stop eating even while tears fell from his eyes. He says it is weird while drying his own tears. Liliana calls out to him worriedly and Takahisa says that something just got into his eyes. Liliana says she understands and stays silent until Takahisa is done drying his tears.

    Takahisa wants to call out to Liliana for talking about something but then he looks away from her guiltily, he thinks it is bad, he doesn’t remember the princess’ name, they were introduced to each other when she was selected as his assistant but then he didn’t bother to remember because his heart didn’t have the leeway for that and his brain didn’t care either, but now is different, the current Takahisa is properly looking at the girl in front of him and  thinks he wants to know more about which kind of person she is. So what is he supposed to do in order to listen to her name again? Then Liliana tells Takahisa that her name is Liliana and to please call her that instead of princess. Takahisa agrees embarrassedly while asking himself in his mind if he is that easy to read, then he apologizes to Liliana for having forgotten her name. Liliana smiles kindly and tells Takahisa to not mind it because it was an obvious thing looking at the situation he is in while shaking her head and being surprised by Takahisa's honesty. After the meal Takahisa regains his hope after being told that Miharu’s group could have also been summoned as heroes, after that day he become optimist and established a good relationship with Liliana who was always looking after him, when he discovered that Satsuki had become Galarc’s hero his hopes turned into expectatives. Couldn’t he meet with Miharu again too? He could tell her his feelings the next time he sees her, then Takahisa decided to attend the evening party.

How did it end like this despite his decision? How, how, really how did it end like that? The Takahisa who attended the evening party lost everything. Miharu didn’t accept his feelings despite his confession and in his despair he tried to take her by force to the Centostella kingdom. The chances of being with Miharu went from zero to the negatives and Satsuki and Masato lost hope on him. He was forced to leave and when he was back in the Centostella kingdom he kept shutting himself in his room all the time, feeling guilty he also began to avoid talking to Liliana. Aki, who shared his same pain, became the only person he could face while talking to her. Then, the day that Rio became a transcendental and without Takahisa knowing what started it, he finally began to feel sorry and to ask himself what he had done, to think it would be bad if he didn’t apologize, that it would be bad if he didn’t apologize to everyone. Takahisa finally came back to his senses just like he had woken from a nightmare and the guilty feelings he had been holding back overflowed out of his chest, he hurriedly left his room when he couldn’t stand it. It was then that Liliana and Masato suddenly disappeared from the castle. Both Takahisa and Aki panicked and worried about them from their hearts.

It was several days later when they discovered that Masato had been summoned as a new hero and that Liliana got dragged into his teleportation. When he knew that both of them were in the Galarc kingdom he told the king he wanted to go there too, he towered his head to him while saying that he wanted to go and apologize to Masato, Liliana and Miharu’s group and the king decided to allow him to go the the Galarc kingdom again. Then he met safely with Masato, Liliana and Miharu’s group, he apologized from the beginning and Miharu and Satsuki allowed him to stay in the castle for a while but … as expected. Will they not forgive him? Can’t they go back anymore to the relationship they had when they were still on the earth? Takahisa couldn’t stop those doubts from crossing his mind and they grew bigger with time and then evolved into fear. Could it be…? Did Miharu start to hate him for sure this time? He hated it, he didn’t want to be hated, he can’t be hated, being hated is so so so scary… Takahisa wakes up from his sleep with a sweaty pallid face, he looks around anxiously while breathing roughly and having unpleasant palpitations. It is still dark around him because it is the middle of the night, he asks himself if it was a dream while patting his chest in relieve but the reality isn’t that different from his nightmare, rather than that, it is precisely because it is the reality that it is a problem that it won’t do if he doesn’t face it directly, he imagines that if he makes another mistake in the reality he… he hates it, he doesn’t want to go back to the Centostella kingdom after making another mistake, it is so so scary that he can’t help it but scowling at it.

### Interlude Miharu's Dream.

When she realized it Miharu was alone in a white space, she knows the feeling and the sighscape, she experienced something similar a little ago. Miharu realizes she is dreaming and asks herself if this is what a lucid dream feels like. She doesn’t know the reason but she feels she isn’t seeing something real but she also can’t help it but asks herself if this is really her dream, then a feminine voice calls out to her saying good morning and then asking if it should say goodnight instead. Miharu can’t see the speaker but she strangely remembers to have listened to the voice, Miharu asks it if is them again. Miharu could tell that the feminine voice was the same she heard in her other dream. The voice says it is them, that it seems she properly remembers. Miharu asks the voice its identity and it says that if they are inside her dream it could be voice of her subconsciousness, that what it is for certain is that she is in a sleeping condition in reality, then the voice nods to itself and says that the reception seems to be better than last time and that that is a good sign. Miharu is confused at what reception means and the voice says it is just a thought of them. The voice asks Miharu if she remembers their talk from last time. Miharu asks the voice if it means the talk about her being asked to make an important decision some day.

The voice tells Miharu she is a smart child, and that it is like that, that she will be asked to make an important, a very important decision and that it should have also told her that she strongly recommends her to pick the option she will think is absolutely wrong. Miharu asks the voice what kind of decision she will be asked to make thinking she won’t know what would be a good choice without knowing that but the voice calls her idiot and asks Miharu if it isn’t being so indirect about it because it won’t tell her that much, then the voice sighs. Miharu says that even if she says that… the voice then says that it will give some hints to the her who is bad at guessing, the voice tells Miharu that the moment of making the decision might be nearby, that her decision will make the future diverge and… the voice stops mid sentence before the third hint and says the information it will give her will be just that. Miharu asks herself if something happened, Miharu feels the voice wavered at the moment of saying the third hint. Miharu then says she won’t barely understand anything with just that. The voice tells Miharu to be content with just that information. Miharu wants to say that that’s unfair but before that the voice tells her that the world is unfair. Miharu doesn’t know what else to say and the voice then says that it can’t be helped, that it is almost out of time but that there is one last thing it wants to say to Miharu. Miharu asks cautiously what it is when she realizes the voice sounded irritated and not understanding the reason for its annoyance. The voice then tells Miharu that she might hate her, then Miharu lost consciousness.

### Chapter 6: Impatience.

The day Celia arrived at Creia, Liselotte boarded a magic ship towards Galarc’s capital for reporting to François and Christina that Celia went to her parents’ house, at her arrival she immediately applied for an audience and is now meeting with François, Christina and Charlotte. François and Christina are both perplexed while Charlotte is saying “Arara, maa” with a happy smile just like she had just listened to something very interesting. François says it is fortunate that Celia fulfilled her duty as messenger safely and that he has no doubts about the succession of unexpected events, but that the part about Celia flying with magic is… he asks Christina and Charlotte if they knew Celia could fly. Christina says it is the first time she hears about it. Charlotte says she didn’t know either, that she wanted to be taught about it faster if Celia could do such an interesting thing. Liselotte tells François that it is the truth, that she saw with her own eyes how wings of light grew from Celia’s back and flew through the sky while carrying Aria, that she thinks it won’t be complicated for Celia to come back safely when she can move like that unless something strange happens at her destination, that she also sent Aria as Celia’s escort, that it will just be a matter days until she is back. François says he understands and asks Christina with his look if she has anything to say. Christina thanks Liselotte for her report and says that if it is as she says then they can just wait for several days.

Meanwhile, at Rio’s mansion, with Charlotte’s exception everyone continues with their daily lives without knowing what is going on with Celia. During the day Satsuki and Masato go with Gouki’s group to the training grounds while the rest of the girls stay back. In the mansion they try to do by themselves anything they can, processed foodstuffs, design and make their own clothes, and if something looks well the Rikka firm buys the rights to the design from them. Right now Sayo and Shin are leading the rest of Gouki’s servants while they create a small kitchen garden in the mansion’s backyard. Aki, Komomo, and Latifa were planting tomatoes in the parts already done while Aoi helps them and watches over them from the side. Aki asks Komomo if she did it the right way and she tells her she did. Latifa is happy because now she will be able to eat tomatoes in the Stralh region too and says she can’t wait for the pasta with tomato sauce and the omurice. Komomo tells her she is getting ahead of herself because they still have to grow the tomatoes. They also have plans to cultivate rice and make everything pass as things grown from seeds that Gouki’s group had on them. Sara, Ouphia and Alma also plant a different vegetable at a different spot. Miharu is also with them thinking about her dream.

She asks herself what it was, she stops working when she can’t get out of her mind the moment the voice said it might hate her, she also asks herself with whom she has talked with, she thinks if it was her dream then the voice would be her subconsciousness but she feels she was talking to a person different from herself, she doesn’t know why that unknown someone hates her and also remembers about the decision she is supposed to make being close. It is unknown what decision she will have to make, the decision that the feminine voice inside her dream mentioned was intriguing, it might not be good either to take it seriously because it is something that happened inside a dream, but Miharu can’t help it but ask herself if it was a prophetic dream just for smiling wryly the moment after thinking there isn’t a way for those things to exist. Sara calls out to Miharu curiously when she sees her like that and Miharu asks what it is. Sara tells Miharu that she looked like she was thinking about something and asks her if she was doubting about something. Miharu denies it, she says that it is fine, that she just remembered a dream that was a little strange. While Sara and Miharu are talking Takahisa appears and calls out to Aki. Aki is surprised about seeing him coming alone to the mansion, she hesitates about going with him but Latifa and Komomo tell her that it is fine for her to go and that they can take care of planting the seeds. Aki thanks them for their consideration and trots towards Takahisa. Takahisa keeps stealing glances at Miharu while Aki doesn’t come and Sara, Ouphia and Alma who are besides her understand it well. Miharu looks away from Takahisa awkwardly and tells the other three to continue their work. The three agree while surrounding Miharu in order to shield her from Takahisa’s gaze.

Takahisa’s heart jumps inside his chest when Miharu looks away from him. He asks himself if she isn’t avoiding him as expected. He gets impatient thinking he hates it, that he doesn’t want to think he can’t go back to how things were before. Then Aki finally arrives next to him and asks him what it is. Takahisa says he came to see her and asks Aki if it was bad that he came. Aki says it isn’t like that and that she is happy for his visit. Takahisa says he understands with a face a little relieved and asks Aki what is Miharu doing. Aki, maybe because she doesn’t want to pair Takahisa with Miharu anymore or maybe because she guessed it is already impossible becomes a little awkward, then she tells Takahisa that they are creating a kitchen garden. Takahisa asks if he should help too, he says it would be better if there are a lot of men. It is obvious for Aki that Takahisa says it for trying to create an excuse for talking to Miharu, she still loves him as her older brother but she tries to reject him kindly telling him that she thinks they have enough people while thinking it won’t be good if he gets close to Miharu. Takahisa tells her that she doesn’t need to hold back not knowing about Aki’s thoughts. Aki tells Takahisa that the fine clothes he is wearing will get dirty. Takahisa tells Aki that it is fine, that clothes can still be used if they get dirty or get changed. Aki tells Takahisa that then he should wear clothes that are fine for him to get dirty but Takahisa insists on being fine as he is not wanting to lose time going to get a change of clothes. Aki asks Takahisa if it will be really fine to let him do such fieldwork when he is a hero.

Takahisa says it will be fine because he himself is the one saying it and that he didn’t become a hero because he wanted to. Aki doesn’t know what to say when she sees Takahisa clouding his face with annoyance at the tightness of the hero’s position. Takahisa asks Aki again if it isn’t fine for him to help. After a pause Aki asks Takahisa if he can plant seeds with her, if he can help her. Takahisa says that of course. Aki tells Takahisa to follow her and pulls his hand until the spot where she was working with Komomo and Latifa, she tells the two that Takahisa will be helping them and that she will do the next row with him. Latifa nods and Komomo says she lets it to them. Aki then takes a bag of seeds with her and tells Takahisa to go with her. Aki chooses a starting point that takes her and Takahisa in the direction opposite to Miharu’s group so Takahisa doesn’t have a chance to talk to her until the work is over. Takahisa asks Aki if he shouldn’t begin from the row next to Miharu’s, saying that that way is more efficient. Aki tells Takahisa she doesn’t think the efficiency changes much regardless of Miharu’s group staying a four person one or with him joining them to make a five person group. Takahisa says it might be like that while looking wistfully at Miharu.

Aki tells Takahisa to talk for a bit and pulls him away from the kitchen garden by the hand, when they are away from the others Aki asks Takahisa if he still likes Miharu as expected. Takahisa doesn’t dare to agree or deny it while looking away from Aki. Aki tells him that everyone in the mansion saw through him already and probably Miharu too. Takahisa is surprised and Aki facepalms. Aki tells Takahisa that they knew it by just looking, that he is always looking at Miharu, that even now he was just looking for excuses for getting close to her. Takahisa says he doesn’t want to talk to Miharu because he likes her, that he just wants to be properly forgiven by her, to at least go back to a relationship like the previous one, that he wants to make it so they can talk without reservations like before that incident occurred. Aki tells Takahisa she understands it but… she thinks she wants to be his ally but she also understands that there isn’t a chance for Takahisa’s feelings to be requited, then she asks Takahisa if they weren’t supposed to be fine with not be forgiven because they were just coming to apologize properly to begin with. Takahisa agrees reluctantly. Aki tells Takahisa that he is getting impatient. Takahisa tries to deny it but then he admits it, he says he doesn’t know for how long he would stay in the Galarc Kingdom, and that if he loses this chance he doesn’t know when he will meet Miharu again. Aki tells Takahisa that it might be complicated to go back to their previous relationship and talk without reservations, that they can’t act like that incident didn’t happen because they did something that severe.

Takahisa refuses to agree and lets out a loud voice while distorting his expression in anger, everyone realizes it and stops working while looking probingly in their direction, Miharu looks worriedly at Aki. Takahisa tells Aki that not her too, to please not say something like that her too, that he… that he just… that he doesn’t want to confess to Miharu or something, that he just wants… Aki says she is sorry and that she understands that he gets impatient by the day but asks Takahisa if it wouldn’t be better to try to go back to how things were at the beginning instead of thinking about being forgiven. Takahisa tells Aki that she has it good because she was already forgiven by Miharu. Aki apologizes with a wounded expression and guilty feelings. Miharu calls out worried and unusually loudly to Aki while trotting towards her. Both Aki and Takahisa shake just like when someone sees anything they want to hide. Miharu asks Aki what happened while looking at her face when she arrives next to her. Aki doesn’t answer, unsure about what to say. Miharu calls out to Takahisa while looking accusingly at him. Takahisa looks away from Miharu guiltily while trying to stutter an excuse. Miharu asks Takahisa what he said to Aki and if he didn’t promise to not do again anything that saddens her anymore when he arrived at the castle. Takahisa makes another attempt at stuttering an excuse still looking away from Miharu. Then Aki asks Miharu with a false bright face what is going on trying to pretend that nothing happened, but seeing her trying to cover for Takahisa just makes Miharu cloud her face while feeling troubled.

While the two were facing each other someone’s voice saying they are back resounds through the garden. Then Satsuki, Masato, Gouki and Kayoko arrive. Aki turns towards them for running away from Miharu’s gaze and greets them with the same false bright tone. They also turn to look at Aki and get surprised about Miharu being so close to Takahisa even if Aki is with them too. Satsuki narrows her eyes with suspicion, approaches Latifa and Komomo and asks if the mood there isn’t strange and what happened. Satsuki says she understands after the two children explain what they saw. Satsuki thanks them for letting her know, she looks at Miharu’s group while sighing having guessed what must have happened, then she calls out to Takahisa. Takahisa answers while being surprised about being talked to. Satsuki tells him that he came alone to the mansion today. Takahisa says he did and asks if it was bad of him to do so. Satsuki says it wasn’t, that she just says it because it ended up being a loss of time for Liliana to have gone to the castle to call for him. Takahisa looks away guiltily from Satsuki and asks if it was like that and says that he thought he could also come alone sometimes. Satsuki says she understands, then she asks Takahisa if he doesn’t want to have dinner at the mansion that night now that he has already come.

Takahisa asks with surprise and happiness if that is fine. He visits the mansion everyday but he is made to go back to his room in the castle at night and have dinner alone in his room, he was only invited to have dinner at the mansion when there was any kind of event, he might have earned some trust for him to be invited like that, then Satsuki says that it is fine, that she also has other reason but that she wants to have a talk with him. Takahisa gets reserved with those words he is wary of the meaning of that something to talk about. Then Satsuki tells him that she will tell Liliana about it herself and to keep his schedule open, after that she calls out to Miharu, tells her to talk with just the two for a bit and leaves with her. Takahisa and Aki are left alone feeling awkward, maybe because of the argument or maybe because the fear to have worsened Miharu’s feelings is strong. Then Takahisa apologizes to Aki, Aki does the same while doing her best to seem happy and hide how wounded she feels but her pained smile still gives it away. Takahisa says he is really sorry, that he swore to himself to never do anything like that again so he wants her to believe on him. Aki says she understands, that it is because she understands his feelings to a painful degree that she doesn’t want him to lose himself in his impatience, she tells him to please not do it because she is with him. Takahisa stays silent while making a distorted and stiff expression.

    Later, at that day’s dining time, Christina, Flora and Liselotte were also invited to have dinner at Rio’s mansion. The moment Liselotte crosses the mansion’s entrance Latifa trots towards her and hugs her. Liselotte greets Latifa while petting her head and Latifa welcomes her after asking her if she had come to the castle. Liselotte says she had a matter to attend to at the castle and then she accepted Charlotte’s invitation to come. Latifa nods and tells Liselotte that she will always be greatly welcome and asks her if she doesn’t want to live at the mansion too, Latifa then realizes Aria’s absence and asks about it with surprise. Liselotte clouds her expression remembering being told by Charlotte to keep Celia’s matter a secret, then she tells Latifa that Aria had something to do and that she should arrive at the capital after some days. Latifa says she understands and asks Liselotte if that means that she will stay in the capital for some days then. Liselotte says she will. Latifa celebrates it and tells Liselotte to stay over at the mansion again and talk about a lot of things and Liselotte says that gladly. Latifa then pulls Liselotte by the hand until the seat next to hers in the dinning room, meanwhile Liselotte reminds herself in her mind to act happy in order to not worry Latifa unnecessarily. A little later Christina and Flora finally arrive themselves too, some of Gouki’s servants guide them towards the dinning room where Christina thanks Satsuki and Charlotte for inviting them and Charlotte tells the sisters to be at ease.

After greeting Satsuki and Charlotte, the landlords, Christina and Flora also greet Masato, Takahisa and Liliana. Masato greets them back awkwardly in another display of his clumsiness about unknown pretty older girls. Liliana also greets the sisters after laughing lightly at Masato’s clumsiness. Takahisa greets the sisters too and asks if Hiroaki isn’t with them this time while looking around cautiously. Christina says that he isn’t, that he said he had already plans with Rei and Kota. Takahisa says that he understands obviously relieved about Hiroaki’s absence with whom he gets along the worse and tends to argue with. Satsuki feels like sighing exasperatedly at how easy to understand Takahisa is while thinking about how bad it is as member of society and even as a human being when an attendee at a social event is relieved at someone’s absence, to make things worse he didn’t consider either how much he might be offending Christina and Flora with his aptitude. Liliana lowers her head silently to the sisters for apologizing for Takahisa’s rudeness. Christina tries to put Liliana at ease with her own silent gesture, then Charlotte says with a happy voice, just like she was expecting something very interesting to happen later, that it is a pity Hiroaki is absent, to enjoy the night with just themselves and signals everyone to take their seats.

The meal began, possibly by Charlotte’s and Satsuki’s decision Miharu’s and Takahisa’s seats are far away. Takahisa is at a table with the other two heroes and three of the four princesses while Flora and Miharu are at another table with everyone else. Takahisa sighs disappointedly while looking at Miharu’s table, Masato gets annoyed at the sight of that Takahisa and Satsuki asks Takahisa what happened for him to sigh and everything. Takahisa says that it is nothing, that nothing happened. Satsuki says she understands and tells him to have fun together. Takahisa nods while looking at the table in front of him and Masato decides to let him off for the time being so the meal begins without any problem. Masato says that today’s food is also delicious and Liliana agrees. Christina says it is the truth, that the food at the mansion is always delicious and that the other day Hiroaki, Kota and Rei also enjoyed the food. Masato says that it must be because of Miharu, that she might have chosen flavors that the japanese would like more, that Hiroaki and the others really wanted to eat them when they knew that they had rice and miso soup. Satsuki says that it must be because they didn’t serve that the other day and that she doesn’t mind giving them the ingredients. Masato tells Satsuki then that they wanted to come to the mansion to eat because they weren’t confident in making something that tastes satisfactorily. Satsuki says exasperatedly that they will have to let them come after the next training session then.

Christina apologizes to Satsuki for the bother. Satsuki tells Christina to not mind it, that it is just their sympathy for their compatriots, and that now that she thinks about it she and Flora must have never had rice and miso soup themselves so they should come too when they have a chance. Christina thanks her for that. Takahisa says it is also his first time listening that they have white rice and miso. Satsuki says that it is true that they didn’t serve those when he came and that he can also come at that time too. Takahisa thanks her happily. Satsuki tells him that it is fine even if he doesn’t rejoice so much because she would have given him some ingredients to take back with him to the Centostella Kingdom. Takahisa gets rigid and impatient when listening to that, he says a meal made by Miharu would be more delicious than something made by him. Satsuki does her best to not ask him why is his premise that Miharu has to be the one cooking before sighing exasperatedly and

tells Takahisa that men that can make at least one dish are more popular. Liliana asks Satsuki if she can teach them how to do the dishes aside from giving the ingredients, that she thinks her maid Frill can remember how to prepare them. Satsuki says she understands and that they will match their schedule with theirs the next time they prepare those things. Takahisa asks if he can receive those cooking lessons too if it is like that, obviously wanting to use the lessons as an excuse to talk with Miharu, but Satsuki tells him to have Frill teach him after he goes back to the Centostella kingdom. Takahisa tells Satsuki that she is going too fast because it hasn't been decided yet when he will go back. Satsuki says it is like that not wanting to continue with that topic in front of Christina. Takahisa is also relieved at things ending like that.

After that Satsuki and Charlotte kept making small talk with the other princesses and heroes, thanks to the princesses being good conversationalists they managed to keep Takahisa entertained despite the glances he keeps sending Miharu’s way. When the time for dinner is about to end Charlotte asks everyone if anything inconvenienced them during their stay at the Galarc kingdom, she tells them to not hold back because she will cooperate gladly if it is a problem she can solve. Christina thanks Charlotte for her offer but tells her that they are being treated well enough already. Masato agrees, he says he is happy about meeting Satsuki and Miharu again and is even receiving training from Gouki, that he is very satisfied. Takahisa says he is the same, that the food is better than Centostella’s and that far from inconvenienced it is so much more comfortable to a level that makes him not want to go back. Satsuki and Masato stay silent with slightly clouded impressions, Takahisa was too honest, to make things worse what he said is like throwing mud at Liliana’s face. Liliana keeps her social smile while saying that she is as satisfied as Masato and Takahisa. Masato frowns when he realizes the sadness in Liliana’s eyes while she speaked, he wants to tell Takahisa off but decides to hold back because Christina is with them too. Satsuki apologizes to Christina with her gaze and a slight bow of her head about things getting awkward. Christina tries to tell Satsuki to not mind it with a soft smile when she guesses the meaning of her gesture.

When the dinner is over and after Christina’s and Flora’s leave, Satsuki guides Takahisa to one of the mansion’s drawing rooms and tells him to wait there for her. Takahisa waits alone for ten and some minutes with a rigid expression while getting anxious wondering what the talk will be about. Then Satsuki enters the room after knocking on the door and tells Takahisa that she made him wait. Masato also comes a little after Satsuki. Takahisa gets wary while thinking it might not be a bright talk because there isn’t anyone else present. Satsuki asks Takahisa if that expression means he can guess somehow what the talk will be about. Takahisa says he doesn’t know while further hardening his expression. Satsuki says that whatever and tells Masato to take a seat themselves too. Masato agrees and both sit in front of Takahisa. Satsuki tells Takahisa that it is fine even if he isn’t so wary. Takahisa says that people will get wary if they are confronted like this. Satsuki says it is like that, that it can sound kind of bullyish, but asks Takahisa if that doesn’t mean he has a reason why it will be bad if he isn’t wary. Takahisa says he won’t know anything if she is so indirect, neither what she wants to talk about or if he has a reason to be wary. Satsuki asks Takahisa if he didn’t have an argument with Aki before she and Masato came back from their training. Takahisa asks if Aki said that.

Satsuki tells Takahisa that he talks like a suspect being interrogated. Takahisa says that if they make something so similar to an interrogation… Satsuki says that Aki didn’t say anything. Takakisa tries to say that then there wasn’t any argument, but before that Satsuki tells him that the girls around them properly listened to him make a loud voice, that everyone saw that Aki’s face looked like she was just about to cry. Takahisa then gets awkward and silent. Satsuki tells Takahisa with a smile that she wanted to hear from his mouth what happened and what he and Aki talked about. Takahisa says it was nothing, that he just wanted to consult something about Miharu with Aki. Satsuki touches her front in annoyance and says that it is as expected, that it was related to Miharu. Takahisa tells Satsuki that they weren’t having any kind of strange talk, that he wants to be properly forgiven by Miharu, but because he didn’t have any chance to talk with her despite being so close he just wanted to ask Aki for help. Satsuki says she understands that he misunderstood something because he was unsatisfied with the current situation and rushed in a strange direction. Takahisa says that misunderstanding is a way of putting it… Masato tells him that he misunderstood with a scolding tone. Takahisa asks Masato what he said while frowning in annoyance.

Masato apologizes to Satsuki, he asks her if he can be the one talking despite having said that he would let things to her. Satsuki tells Masato that it is fine. Masato asks Takahisa if it wouldn’t be better if he goes back to the Centostella kingdom alone ahead of the rest. Takahisa tells Masato loudly that he has no right to decide on that. Satsuki tells Takahisa that Masato has that right, and that even if he hadn’t had that right just by himself she is with him in that matter, that she also thinks it would be better if Takahisa goes back alone to the Centostella kingdom ahead of the rest. Takahisa asks why is that, that he hasn’t done anything bad, that he also swore to not do anything like what he did to Miharu before, that he absolutely has no intention of that. Satsuki says that that is unrelated, that the problem right now is that he is paying so much attention to Miharu that he is losing sight of himself. Takahisa says he didn’t do something like that. Satsuki says that he did it to a level where it interferes with his daily life, that she also thinks there were a lot of problems at the dinner before. Takahisa asks if he didn't just have a meal normally. Satsuki tells Takahisa that he really doesn’t look at anything but Miharu and himself. Takahisa says that it isn’t like that, that he is properly looking at everyone else too. Satsuki asks Takahisa if it isn’t strange then that his words from today made Aki make a face like she was just about to cry, she asks him what he told her.

Takahisa tries to make excuses when he remembers what he told to Aki, he says it was because he is looking at everyone else too, that it is for their sake too, he asks them if they don’t dislike too their current rigid relationship, that that’s why he wants to go back to how things were before and being forgiven by Miharu, that he wants to go back quickly to how things were before. Satsuki tells him that it is enough and Takahisa lets out a surprised voice. Satsuki says she means it is enough of excuses already, that she understands that those are his real feelings but that it just sounds like he is justifying himself. Takahisa says that it isn’t like that. Satsuki says that it is, that he is the one that wants to be forgiven but it is troublesome if he treats it just like it is something everyone wants by himself. Takahisa asks Satsuki if they are fine with how things are now even if they don’t go back to their previous relationship, if she is fine even if they are quarreling like now. Masato tells Takahisa to not make the talk bigger by including them on it by himself, that that way of asking is selfish and coward, Masato asks Takahisa if the Miharu who didn’t forgive him wouldn’t be the bad one for not letting things go back to how they used to be if it was as he says, he tells Takahisa to not try to use them for making Miharu into a villain. Takahisa says he isn’t making her into something like a villain, that it is the opposite, that they are the ones who… but before Takahisa can accuse them of being the ones villainizing him  Satsuki tells him that he is the one in the wrong because he did something like that.

Takahisa says he knows that, that he is the one in the wrong but… Satsuki asks but what. Takahisa tells Satsuki to please stop looking at him as if she wants to see through him. Satsuki tells Takahisa to not do things that will make her look at him that way then, that she isn’t doing it because she wants to. Takahisa says that it isn’t like that, that they are misunderstanding him, he asks if they can’t properly look at him. Satsuki says that she was looking at him, that they tried to look at him as positively as possible, that they gave him a chance and a grace period to show them if he reflected and changed his mind because he is their friend and Aki’s and Masato’s brother. Takahisa asks Satsuki when they gave those things to him. Satsuki says they did when they allowed him to stay at the castle and coming and going from the mansion within a limit, that during their time together they properly looked at his aptitude and behavior. Takahisa asks Satsuki if they were looking at him while asking himself in his mind if they didn’t just look, if they did anything else, if it could be that they really just looked at him and why if it is like that. Satsuki asks Takahisa if she didn’t say it already, that in order to make sure if he reflected and changed they have been looking at his daily behavior and aptitude because they thought it would show there if he did or not. Takahisa asks Satsuki if they kept him observed without telling him then. Satsuki ignores Takahisa's complaint and says that as a result of their observation they decided officially that it was still too soon for letting him appear in front of Miharu.

Takahisa asks them why they doubt people and do things like testing them. Takahisa says that it can’t be and asks why. He asks himself why they do things like putting people through a test, if that isn’t the worst.Takahisa asks himself in his mind if this isn’t just their evil hobby, even thought they should have had more way of doing things, if it wouldn’t have been fine if they had given him more chances to talk with Miharu, that if they had done that he wouldn’t have lost his peace of mind. Satsuki tells Takahisa it is as he says, that she is sorry about the way of saying it, but that they doubted and tested him and that it was because they didn’t believe on him. Takahisa asks if justifying oneself isn’t precisely that, he says they are just giving themselves an excuse. Masato tells Takahisa that he is acting quite spoiled while frowning at him, Satsuki interrupts Masato with a hand gesture and asks Takahisa if what they did wasn’t better than abandoning him from the beginning without giving him a chance to rehabilitate himself. Takahisa stays silent while clenching his teeth. Both Satsuki and Masato look at him with complicated emotions. Satsuki asks Takahisa if to begin with he hadn’t come to the Galarc kingdom just for apologizing while being fine even if he wasn’t forgiven, Satsuki asks Takahisa if it is wrong that he made being forgiven his objective despite being forgiven being supposed to not have been his goal to begin with. Takahisa asks if thinking about wanting to be forgiven is a bad thing.

Satsuki says she wonders about that and that it might depend on the time and situation, but that it is certain that what made Takahisa act strangely was thinking he wanted to be forgiven, that in the end she doesn’t know what he told to Aki but that he also made her sad. Takahisa stays silent. Satsuki says he knows the reason why it is like that but Takahisa still doesn’t answer. Satsuki asks Takahisa if it wasn’t because he still likes Miharu. Takahisa trembles when he realizes that even his deepest emotions were seen through. Satsuki says she will advise him something while taking his silence as a confirmation and asks Takahisa why not to begin from giving up on Miharu. Takahisa tries to say that that isn’t so simple but Satsuki’s and Masato’s fixed stares silence him. Satsuki asks Takahisa why he won’t give up despite Miharu having already rejected him properly once after the evening party. Takahisa says that it is because he likes her, he asks if it isn’t obvious that he won’t give up easily. Satsuki says she honestly believes the strength of his feelings is incredible, but that it will be bad if he doesn’t give up on Miharu because it is something one sided, that if he can’t do that he will never be able to move on. Takahisa makes an angry face that clearly shows that he is asking himself why he is the only one that it will be bad if he doesn’t give up after all of what he went through. Satsuki says that they want him to go back alone to the Centostella kingdom precisely because it will be complicated for him to give up immediately and that they will meet again once he had given up on Miharu.

Masato tells Takahisa that his return is already a decided matter. Takahisa asks the two of them why they decided such a thing by themselves. Satsuki says that it is as he says, that Miharu and Liliana have also a right to decide. Takahisa says that then. Satsuki asks Takahisa if he wants to be told to go back directly by them, she tells him that not bringing those two with them was her minimum kindness towards him. Takahisa makes a horribly scared face while imagining to be rejected directly by Miharu. Satsuki says that because things are like that they plan on making go back in two or three days at the longest, that they already made a promise, so if it is just serving him some rice and miso soup they will do it too. Takahisa looks down in frustration when he can’t say anything back to Satsuki. Satsuki tells Masato to do it and winks at him. Masato nods, stands up and walks towards the door that it turned out it has never been completely closed. When Masato opened it completely Miharu, Aki and Liliana were standing behind it. Masato tells the three that they are done and invites them inside the room, but Miharu just lowers her head at Satsuki for letting the hard part to her and leaves for another place while thinking showing herself to Takahisa will just make things worse. Aki stays by the door and sees Miharu go with a conflicted expression but without trying to stop her or following after her. Liliana enters the room, says she will take her leave and tells Takahisa that she came to pick him up. Liliana tells Takahisa to go back to the castle together after seeing him stay unmoving while looking at the ground with a bitter face.

Satsuki tells Takahisa to stand up and to not act childishly when he still doesn’t move. Takahisa distorts his face further, stands up reluctantly and leaves the room without looking at Masato and Satsuki. Aki calls out to Takahisa worriedly when he passes by her, he stops for a second and looks at her but then he just distorts his face even more while continuing on his way until the mansion’s door. Aki asks if it is fine for her to see Takahisa off until the mansion’s exterior. Liliana asks for Satsuki’s permission with her gaze, Satsuki nods and Liliana tells Aki that it is fine and that she leaves it to her. Then both Liliana and Aki go after Takahisa. Now alone with her Masato tells Satsuki that he is sorry. Satsuki asks him what it is. Masato says that it is about Takahisa, that despite this being their problem… Satsuki tells Masato that it is fine and shakes her head with a smile. Miharu then enters the room and calls out to the two of them. Satsuki welcomes her a little tiredly with a kind smile and tells her that it is as she heard, that it is over. Miharu apologizes to Satsuki. Satsuki says that right now Masato apologized too and asks Miharu what is her apology for. Miharu asks if she shouldn’t have been the one talking with Takahisa, that she pushed an unpleasant duty on her. Satsuki says she wonders about that, that she said the same before, that she doesn’t think Miharu should meet Takahisa until he shows his appearance after having moved on.

Miharu continues to make a bitter face while feeling guilty. Satsuki tells Miharu that she has nothing to feel responsible for because to begin with it was just matter of Takahisa liking her by himself, that it was just a matter of him who wouldn’t give up at anytime despite her having already rejected him after the evening party, that if she has no option but coming in front of Takahisa despite that it would be precisely as he wished it to happen, then Satsuki says that it is as expected that she thinks she had to be one shooting the arrow. Miharu thanks Satsuki while smiling awkwardly and lowering her head. Satsuki tells Miharu that Takahisa’s matter might certainly have been everyone’s problem but that the one who has to fix it is Takahisa himself, that it isn’t a problem they can solve themselves, that she understands to be frustrated because Takahisa didn’t manage to solve the problem and tells them to wait together until he manages to do it. Miharu and Masato agree with her. Satsuki sees Miharu looking worriedly in the direction of the mansion’s entrance, probably waiting for Aki, then she tells Miharu and Masato that Takahisa should have already left the mansion and asks them if they should go to see how Aki is doing. Miharu agrees and the three go to the mansion’s door.

As Satsuki predicted Takahisa is already outside the mansion’s gates, he walks silently the way to the castle in the dark of the night. Aki, Liliana and Frill follow after him while being surrounded by the escort knights Kiara, Hilda and Alice that are using magic tools for illuminating their way. Aki calls out worriedly to the Takahisa clad in a tense atmosphere in order to say her farewells because she won’t be following him until the castle. Takahisa stops on his feet and stays silent. Aki feels relieved seeing he is still listening to her, she tells him that she will also go back to the Centostella kingdom later for sure and to wait for her. Takahisa calls out to Liliana and Aki hesitatingly while turning towards them. Both ask him what it is. Takahisa tells the two that everyone is misunderstanding him, after pausing for a bit Aki tells Takahisa that maybe they do without really feeling it for not worsening his mood. Takahisa says annoyingly that it isn’t a maybe. Aki says she understands him and at the same time she hugs him for calming him down. Takahisa asks if it really will be bad if he doesn’t go back alone to the Centostella kingdom. Liliana says that it can’t be helped as long as everyone else says otherwise. Takahisa asks Aki and Liliana that it might not change if they convince everyone, if they can’t persuade Satsuki and Masato somehow, if they can’t do something themselves because he thinks it will be useless even if he asks them himself.

Takahisa interrupts Aki when he realizes she is in the middle of telling him that she can’t do that, he asks her if she doesn’t want to be with Miharu herself too, he tells her that he thinks then it is fine if she has her coming to the Centostella kingdom this time, that it is fine if she wants to bring the rest of the people with them too. Aki says that she herself wants to be with everyone and support him. Before Takahisa can tell Aki to help him if it is like that she also tells him that she doesn’t want to betray everyone’s feelings again. Takahisa is surprised by Aki's refusal. Aki then says she is sorry because she can’t convince everyone because she doesn’t want to betray them again, that it will be better if he goes back to the Centostella kingdom alone ahead of them, that the current her also thinks it will be for his sake if he does so. Takahisa says that it can’t be when he listens to Aki’s answer, he asks her if she isn’t lying, he calls out to her imploringly when she doesn’t answer him. Then Aki tells him that it isn't a lie, she tells Takahisa to properly think together about what it will be fine for them to do, that he won’t be alone even without Miharu because she will be there with him, to work hard together to recover everyone’s trust. Takahisa asks angrily to Aki was is she on about trust and not being alone, he tells her that no one can’t understand what it is to be alone because they didn’t experienced it, that they can easily tell him to go back home, to make himself to be left alone by himself and to give up because they don’t know the loneliness of being left alone themselves.

Aki tells Takahisa that if he will be lonely she will accompany him when he returns instead of later, that she will be with him. Aki tells Takahisa that he isn’t alone but he denies it, he says it isn’t like that, that that isn’t what he means. Aki asks him what it is then, she asks with a lonely face the same question from after the evening party, if she isn’t enough. Takahisa says that it isn’t like that, he asks Aki if she doesn’t want to be with everyone too, if she doesn’t want to be with Miharu, he says he is asking her if she can make it somehow so all of them can be together again, not as apart as they are now. Takahisa keeps insisting on wanting to be with everyone, but Aki can see that everything he says are excuses for his real goal, she knows that with whom he wants to be with isn’t everyone but just Miharu but doesn’t dare to tell him that and stays silent. Takahisa turns to Liliana when he realizes that Aki won’t do as he wishes and calls out to her anxiously but Liliana also stays silent. Takahisa asks her if she can’t do anything, he says he is asking her because she is the only one who he has left. Liliana sights and tells Takahisa she honestly doesn’t know the reason why he is so impatient. Takahisa says that he is just about to be made to go back to the Centotella kingdom, that he will get impatient.

Liliana says she is talking about before that, that when he arrived at the Galarc kingdom he was acting very logically, seemed to have regretted his past actions and reflected from his heart, but that with the pass of the days those things began to thin out and turn into impatience, that even while they speak like they do now he just talks about himself and just makes excuses, she asks Takahisa to where that regret and reflection disappeared. Takahisa says that they didn’t disappear, that it is because he continues to regret and reflect about what he did even now that he absolute has no intention of doing something like taking Miharu by force to the Centostella kingdom, that he really regrets it, he says that the him who did something like that wasn’t his real self so he wants Miharu to know his real self and to look at it. Liliana asks Takahisa why he couldn’t wait patiently if it is like that, that he says he wants her to look at his real self and to know it but trust once lost isn’t something that will come back so easily, that right now keeping his distance is his only option, she asks Takahisa if he can’t think he should be able to recover everyone’s trust bit by bit if he keeps showing he reflected regardless of how he is treated. Takahisa tells Liliana her words are just sophistry, that doing as she says doesn’t guarantee he will recover everyone’s trust.

Liliana says that if being in Galarc's castle is the reason for his mind’s disarray then keeping him away from the castle is a logical measure anyway, that she also thinks he should go back to the Centostella kingdom.

Takahisa asks if being at a place or at another isn’t his freedom, he asks Liliana why everyone has the right to tie him down like that, that they are ignoring his feelings, that there isn’t a way for him to be convinced in his head about being ignored in such a way. Liliana tells Takahisa that him ignoring Miharu’s feelings is everything’s cause to begin with, he asks Takahisa if he can’t understand that he is being told to go back with the reason of Miharu not wanting to be with him. Takahisa falters for a bit while making a pained face, then he says he didn’t become a hero because he wanted to, that it just ended in him having to stay in the Centostella kingdom being the only one who can’t be with everyone because he became a hero. Liliana makes a hesitant face while wanting to but not daring to ask to Takahisa if living in the Centostella kingdom is something he disliked so much, then after pausing for some more Liliana tells Takahisa that he won’t be able to be with Miharu even he stops being a hero. Takahisa tries to deny it by stops himself mid sentence when he realizes that it is the truth, then he asks Liliana to please not make him suffer so much while still refusing to accept reality. Liliana says that she doesn’t want to do something like making him suffer. Takahisa asks her why she told him such a horrible thing then. Liliana says she did because she thinks about him.

Takahisa makes a bitter face and asks Liliana if it is really for his sake with suspicion. Liliana asks Takahisa what he means. Takahisa makes an arrogant smile while thinking he will get back at Liliana for her words and tells her that she likes him, he asks her if she doesn’t want him to be with Miharu for Centostella’s sake too. Liliana stays silent while asking herself if this is the thing called a lightning in a blue sky, for a moment she makes a dumbfounded expression and loses her words, she tries to say something but the words won’t come out, she looks down very, very sadly while her tears fall to the ground. Then, precisely because Takahisa said the worst possible words a scream full of anger resounds. Takahisa trembles when listening to the scream and stutters Masato’s name in surprise when he sees him coming from the scream’s direction followed by Satsuki and Miharu. Masato tells Takahisa to not mess with him and asks him if as expected he won’t try to make excuses now. He walks towards Takahisa while making an angry face and readying himself to punch him but someone stops him grabbing his shoulder, thinking Satsuki is the one who stopped him Masato tries to tell her to not stop him but the surprise of realizing the one who stopped him was Miharu instead makes him lose his words and calls out to her surprisedly. Miharu tells Masato to wait and he obeys while understanding from Miharu’s angry face that Takahisa really did it now. Satsuki also thinks about stopping Miharu at first but stops herself in the middle of that and lets her go. Miharu walks silently towards Takahisa, the moment Takahisa opens his mouth to make an excuse Miharu’s slap shuts him up.

    While Takahisa is incredibly confused Miharu tells him that he is the worst and then she says it a second time. Takahisa says he is sorry in a hurry and Miharu asks him what he is sorry about. Takahisa says in stutters he is sorry for just saying strange things. Miharu tells Takahisa to stop apologizing without knowing what he did wrong and says she can’t trust his apologies. Takahisa keeps apologizing to Miharu whose complete body is trembling after slapping someone for the first time in her life, she feels like collapsing in the spot but endures it and tells Takahisa she isn’t the one he has to apologize to, that she thinks he really hurt Liliana. After Takahisa looks at Liliana unable to say anything Miharu asks him if he hurt Liliana because of her, if he told her such a horrible thing because of her. Takahisa tries to make excuses again but Miharu stops him, she tells him she had enough of him, that she doesn’t want to listen to him anymore because he always just derails the talk, so she will say just one thing clearly from her own mouth, that as expected it wasn’t good to not have make herself clear. Miharu tells Takahisa that she hates him, she despises him, that she won’t be with him, she doesn’t want to, and tells him to not show his face in front of her again.

Takahisa says that it can’t be while making a face as if it is the end of the world. Miharu asks Hilda if she can take Takahisa, not to take that person to the castle, that she herself will take Liliana to the mansion and to please come to pick her up later. Hilda lowers her head deeply at Miharu and says she understands and that she lets Liliana in her hands, then she tells Frill to stay with Liliana too and she nods. Miharu lowers her head deeply to Liliana and apologizes to her, she says that things ended like that because of her. Liliana tells Miharu that it isn’t her fault while wiping her tears and shaking her head. Hilda tells Takahisa to go while grabbing his arm but she shakes her off and tells Miharu to wait. Miharu pretends she can’t listen to him while refusing to look his way. Takahisa tells her that he was alone, that he hated to be alone, that because he had been alone since he arrived to the other world being left alone again was incredibly scary and hateful, that he kept getting weirder and weirder because he likes her so much, that he himself hates too the him who is like that, then he begs for forgiveness before apologizing more times, he asks for forgiveness two more times before saying that this time he is reflecting on himself for sure. But Miharu stays silent and continues to pretend she can’t listen to Takahisa with her back turned to him even when he makes dogeza with a face as if he is about to die. Miharu clouds her face with doubt for a moment, then she feels it will just be a repeat of the same if she forgives Takahisa and ***decides*** to not forgive him, she thought it wouldn’t do if she doesn’t properly rejects Takahisa ***because she believed it would be absolutely wrong if she forgives him now***.

Liliana tells Miharu to go while giving a small push to her back, probably having the same feeling. Miharu agrees and tells Aki to come with her too. Aki nods and follows Miharu after looking worriedly at Takahisa for a moment. Then Satsuki approaches Takahisa, she tells him to cool his head in his room until he goes back to the Centostella kingdom, she tells him to think well about what he did wrong because she will go to see him off at that time and will listen to what he has to say. Everyone goes back to the mansion and Takahisa also is taken back to the castle.

Two days later, in the morning, it is time for Takahisa’s return to the Centostella kingdom just like Liliana told everyone the previous night. Satsuki says she will be on her way when she is ready to see Takahisa off. Miharu, Aki and Masato see her go from the mansion’s entrance. Aki tells Satsuki she lets Takahisa in her hands while lowering her head to her. After Satsuki nods Masato realizes that Liliana is coming their way. Everyone is surprised at seeing her trotting towards them while grabbing her dress’s hem. Satsuki runs at Liliana with the other three following after her and asks her if something happened. Liliana apologizes to them when she finally meets everyone. Satsuki asks Liliana what she is apologizing for, then Liliana tells everyone that Takahisa went missing with a plaid face.

### Chapter 7: Holy Capital Tonerico.

More than one thousand years ago, when the divine war is said to have begun in the Stralh region’s westernmost side, in the past an army of demons appeared there and marched towards the east. At that time Stralh’s western side was ruled by demons and wasn't a place where humans could live, it wasn’t until after the war that they could live there again. It is recorded that the descendants of the people that lived there once founded a country. When talking about Stralh’s biggest countries one will talk about the Galarc and Centostella kingdoms in the east and southeast, the Beltrum kingdom and the Proxia empire in the center and the Holy kingdom Armada in the west. Rio and Sora have just arrived to the Stralh region’s westernmost tip, where the divine war it is said to have really began and where Armada’s holy capital, the holy city Tonerico is located. Rio and Sora congratulate each other for their hard work until arriving there and look down at the city from the sky. The palace where the city’s rulers live is the most eye-catching building but there is something even more conspicuous, the dungeon, the hole the army of demons is said to have come out from, a gigantic cavern that irradiates darkness located at the plains between the sea and the city, surrounded by several layers of walls and with a one kilometer long path connecting it to the city. There are some people coming and going between the city and the dungeon but aside of them the area is deserted and the dungeon seemingly isolated and under watch.

Rio thinks for himself that the armed men near the dungeon are soldiers and adventurers, that he already heard about the dungeon during his academy era but that the story about monsters continuing to come out even now seems to be the truth. Rio guesses that must be the reason why adventurers enter and leave the dungeon, he thinks it would be good if there is any clue about what happened during the divine war but… there are still too many unknowns, he doesn’t know yet what it is that Lina predicted or what she wanted him to do after making the dragon king reincarnate, he doesn’t know barely anything about the holy capital and the dungeon either, only what he was taught at the academy, if he hadn’t listened that it was place related to Lina he would have never thought about going there, but now there is something he has to do. Rio tells Sora to go to the city and research about the dungeon and the divine war.

Rio decides to enter a cafe after two or three hours of asking around thinking he researched enough, he and Sora put together first what they learnt about politics. They learnt that Armada is a place where the faith in the six wise Gods is strong, the king is the head of the state and the one ruling the land but there is also a religious leader known as the pope called Fenris Tonerico. The king has more authority and a higher position than the pope, but the pope possesses an autonomous region in the holy kingdom that he governs independently, the holy capital Tonerico, the kingdom’s royal capital being a separated place, Rio and Sora has just arrived at. Rio decides that that’s enough to know about politics, Sora agrees and says that now comes the dungeon. Rio agrees. They learnt that monsters are certainly still coming out from the dungeon and that if left alone they will overflow from it so adventurers enter the dungeon daily for culling their numbers but not much more. Sora says with confidence that if it is the two of them arriving at the dungeon’s deepest part and coming back will take barely any time. Rio says that now that he came until the city he wants to give dungeon diving a try but that there might be much more aside from monsters that they should be careful about if no one reached the deepest part for one thousand years, and there is one more problem, he asks Sora if the rules will activate too while fighting against monsters, if that counts as taking a part in a conflict between the world’s residents. Sora says that it depends in the situation, that the penalty shouldn’t activate when they defeat just some monsters at isolated places but that it will be a problem if they defeat too many and that it gets hard to tell what will happen if there is anyone nearby so it might be better if Rio wears a mask inside the dungeon. Rio says he understands, that if they are lacking in any supplies he will buy them and store in the time-space cache, and that if possible they should also ask about the dungeon at the adventurer’s guild. Rio also has to go there no matter what because it is necessary to be registered as an adventurer for entering the dungeon. Then arrives the waitress with Rio’s cold tea and Sora’s juice and fruit salad. Rio smiles wryly watching how Sora look with shining eyes at her fruit salad and tells her to take care of what they have in front of them for the time being. Sora nods and stuffs her mouth full of fruit happily.

Rio and Sora leave the cafe and go to the adventurers guild. Rio thinks the building seems more like a fortress compared to Bertram’s or Galarc’s that seem closer to an elegant mansion in appearance, but Tonerico’s guild is embedded on the walls that separate the city from the dungeon, making it so all of the adventurers going to the dungeon have to go through it and seems to be the place where the adventurers are supposed to set a defensive line if monsters overflow from the dungeon. Rio sees a counter dedicated to new registrations currently free when he enters the building and walks towards it wanting to be done before someone else queues for it. No one in the guild can realize Rio’s and Sora’s presence because of the rules and no one bothers to look in their direction, the receptionist woman behind the counter also doesn’t realize Rio’s presence until the moment he speaks. Rio tells the surprised receptionist he is thinking about registering as an adventurer and wants to ask some questions, while thinking he won’t register depending on what he finds out in order to avoid the obligations with the city that come with registering, something that might go against the rule that forbids him to take a side in a conflict between mortals, and it also seems like Sora and him can just sneak into the dungeon without registering anyway after all, even if they and there is a scandal if they get caught people will just forget about them within the hour anyway, but if told that there is information that it is just available to registered members he might have to register.

The receptionist says she understands and that she doesn’t mind because she is free right now. Rio thanks her and says that until now he hadn’t been in contact with the guild at all and there is a lot he doesn’t know. The receptionist says she understands and asks Rio who will take the registration. Rio says he will and maybe the child too. The receptionist lets out a dubious voice, she stands up from her chair so she can look well at the other side of the counter and take a good look at Sora, who was so short that only her face was visible over the counter’s edge. Rio tells the receptionist that despite her appearance Sora is just two years younger than him, there isn’t a way anyone would believe him if he says Sora’s real age after all, he can’t help it. The receptionist asks Rio’s age and he says he will be seventeen soon. The receptionist says she understands and that then there shouldn’t be any problem, but she does it really dubiously. Sora insists sulkingly on being an adult while receiving the receptionist's dubious gaze. A little later Rio thanks the receptionist for the information unknown to the normal civilians he got from his questions, then he and Sora leave the guild without registering. The sun is beginning to set so Rio tells Sora they will go to buy the things the guild said they would need and then go to rest in the rock house until the next day. Sora agrees, then the two do their shopping, leave the city, set the rock house and go to sleep early in preparation for the next day.

Now, one thousand years after the end of the divine war a lot of adventurers challenge the dungeon but none reached the deepest level, mainly because the difficulty is too high, the dungeon is vast and complicated and the monsters are stronger and more numerous the deeper one goes. Despite that, people keep trying in order to obtain fame and riches. Right now, early in the morning Rio and Sora used the invisibility for sneaking inside the walls and mix themselves with the adventurers going to the dungeon. They stand next to each other while looking to the several hundred meters wide and close to one hundred meter high entrance. After a moment Rio tells Sora they are going in, she nods and follows after him.

After entering the dungeon Rio and Sora make another pause because the place is just so incredible. The inside is as tall as the entrance, there isn’t any kind of artificial illumination but even the far ceiling could be seen clearly thanks to the walls’ glow, they were told in advance at the guild but it is still surprising to see it in person. Rio, knowing that the stone in the walls will lose its glow immediately when extracted, asks himself if the reason for the glow is the magic power contained in the walls, he also says that the magic power concentration in the air is high too. Sora agrees and says it might be related to the reason why monsters keep appearing in the dungeon.

Rio takes his eyes off the ceiling and takes a look at the sighscape in front of him, the path to the second floor is supposed to be at the end of the three kilometers long cavern spreading before him right now, but as expected he can’t see the cavern’s bottom from the entrance, while looking at parties of adventurers fighting groups of goblins here and there, Rio thinks if the information that Lina planted in Aisia’s mind is correct the chances of the six wise Gods having done the experiments that resulted in the divine war at the cave’s bottom are high, he asks himself if the dungeon is the place where whatever it is that Lina saw will happen, he thinks he feels that there is something in the dungeon. Rio tells Sora that it seems there is a strong monster guarding the tenth floor, that it seems to be forbidden to challenge it without the guild’s permission but that for the time being they will go to just before that point. Sora agrees and says that it will be an easy victory for them. Rio tells Sora to not let her guard down while taking out a mask and putting it on. And so the two began their dive until the deepest point reached by the adventures until now, there were people who managed to enter the eleventh floor but they turned back just after, so the tenth floor, where that monster reappears every time someone reaches that point, is currently treated as the deepest explored point.

The first floor, there were just goblins with the occasional orc mixed among them. Rio and Sora cleared this floor simply running until its bottom. In the second floor there were also just goblins and orcs but in bigger quantities and in the second floor there were also rocky protrusions everywhere that they could use for hiding and lurk in their shadows until their prey comes, an ordinary adventurer would have to advance very carefully, but Rio and Sora just needed to run for some minutes until the floor’s bottom for clearing it again. The third floor has the same geography as the second one, but among the monsters there are mutated individuals whose strength scalates the closer to black colored their skin becomes, but they still weren’t an opponent for Rio and Sora and they crossed the third floor having barely fought any monsters. The fourth floor, the geography stays unchanged but instead of the third floor’s simply pale black colored mutants now there are completely black individuals mixed in too, but they are still just goblins and orcs, they couldn’t be rivals for Rio and Sora either so they arrived to fifth floor without any problem. The fifth floor, the ceiling is lower than the previous floors and instead of one open space the geography consists of a lot of intertwined and ramified paths. Rio thinks it is exactly as he heard at the guild while making a pause for looking at the ramified paths in front of him, he thinks he did well in going to the guild to ask for information about the ten explored floors, that if he hadn’t he wouldn’t have known which path to choose.

Sora asks Rio which path they will choose. Rio tells Sora that all of the paths seem to take to the next floor so they will just take the path in the middle, that it might take some time because the paths are jumbled among them but that they will continue to walk. After walking for some minutes Rio and Sora find a minotaur on their way, even if they knew it was there in advance thanks to their spirit arts its roar is still annoying enough for making them frown. While the minotaur is just about to charge at them Sora tells it that it is noisy and to shut up while pointing her finger at it, then a light ball pierces the minotaur’s heart and dies instantly. Rio says that this is also as they heard in the guild, that minotaurs begin to appear in the fifth floor. Sora puffs up her chest confidently and says that against mere minotaurs it will be easy even if there are one thousand of them. Rio tells Sora that if monsters keep getting stronger at the current rate it might be complicated to conquer the floors beneath the tenth one and that he feels that people without a magic sword will reach their limit at the sixth or seventh floor. Sora agrees with Rio’s evaluation and tells him to let her be the one that picks up the magic stones, then before Rio can go pick it up himself Sora hurries towards it, picks it up and brings it to him with an expectant look just like she wanted to be praised for it. Rio thanks Sora while petting her head. Sora says that she is doing the obvious because she is his familiar while smiling happily.

Some time later, the moment Rio and Sora enter the ninth floor, at any place anywhere in the dungeon’s depths, in a space like a great hall, there a small child wearing completely white clothes stands alone with their face hidden beneath a hood, the child tells to no one in particular that there are two intruders in the ninth floor after a long time, they asks themselves who they are and says that they seem incredibly strong. A jet black revenant with a body that seems to be made of stone appears next to the child and asks them what they need while kneeling. The child tells the revenant that as things are the intruders will reach the tenth floor so they will send it to take a look at things, then the moment the revenant nods to the child’s order it disappears from the space.

Time advances a little more, Rio and Sora are in front of the corridor that connects the ninth and tenth floors. Rio tells Sora that the path seems to be the one that leads to the tenth floor, that it is supposed to be forbidden to continue without the guild’s permission but… Sora tells Rio to keep going. Rio agrees, he says they came all the way down for the sake of that after all. Then both Sora and Rio follow the path and enter the tenth floor, they pause for a moment to take a look around them, this floor is just a great open space just like the first one, but instead of the several kilometers wide the rest of the floors were the tenth floor only has a diameter of seven to eight hundred meters, despite that the ceiling is unusually high. Rio thinks it is incredible how the ceiling is more than one hundred meters tall despite them shoulding have to have gone pretty deep down in the earth, he thinks that height should also allow him to fly inside the dungeon somehow and asks himself how deep is really the dungeon. The dungeon descends diagonally towards the sea so he wonders if they went already below the sea’s bottom, that even if the total of adding every floor’s height doesn’t give the dungeon’s deepness they must have gone quite far below the ground, Rio asks himself just how further below it will go the dungeon if there is anything beyond the eleventh floor that is the limit to humanity. Rio asks himself if a space so big can really appear in a natural way, he didn’t find anything man made until now but…

While having such doubts, Rio looks at the path to the eleventh floor, towards the existence that can be called its guardian, the ten and some meters high winged skeletal knight with a several meters long sword in one hand and an enormous shield in the other, the creature was kneeling in the ground and looking down just as if it was asleep but it suddenly stood and let out a roar full of resentment. Rio asks himself if that is the monster Aisia described to him, the one that Gouki and Celia defeated too and couldn’t say for sure if it was monster because it didn’t leave a magic stone behind when defeated. Rio heard it was quite the strong monster but next to him Sora lets understanding “ah” without any caution and says that it is one of those. Rio asks Sora if she knows what the monster is. Sora says she saw that monster in the Yagumo region during the divine war, that it is a weakling a little bit stronger than the rest of weaklings. Rio says he understands after a small pause, that he will give a try to fight the monster for the time being and tells Sora to not let her guard down despite the apparent lack of more monsters. But Sora tells Rio to stop, she tells him that that weakling isn’t something he needs to dirty his hands with and to please leave it to her who is his familiar. Sora´s childish appearance makes Rio doubt for a second but then Rio agrees and asks her if it is fine for him to have her show him her power while thinking it might be possible for him to get a better grasp of Sora’s real strength if he sends her to fight.

Sora agrees happily and tells Rio to please leave it to her, then she begins to draw circles with her shoulders just like someone warming up before beginning a light training session. The dragul roars and takes flight. while looking at it Rio thinks the ceiling is the perfect height for letting the dragul fly, that it seems the space they are in was made for fighting it, just like an arena. Rio asks himself what is the feeling of strangeness he can’t shake off while looking around the space where there shouldn't be anyone besides the dragul and them with suspicion, he can’t see the appearance of any other monster. Still unable to shake off the feeling of anxiety Rio decides to look at Sora’s fight for the time being. The dragul is flying towards them at an incredible speed and when it is within one hundred meters of them Sora accelerates towards the monster and in just an instant she is already prepared to punch it with her draconified hand. The dragul tries to blow Sora away with a shield bash but Sora’s right fist breaks the shield and makes the arm holding it crash against the dragul’s chest making its body tilt backwards, then Sora punches the dragul’s face with her left fist, destroying its head and killing it with that, then just for good measure she finishes it with another right to the monster’s chest that destroys its armor and bones and makes it crush against the ground, the dragul’s remains turn into dust like any other dead monster but without leaving a magic stone behind.

Rio says it was incredible. Sora turns towards Rio and says she is done while making a peace sign with a happy smile. Rio returns the smile while asking himself if his anxiety was a baseless one. He thinks the mask he is wearing not suffering any burden despite having defeated such a strong monster must mean that there isn’t anyone else beside them on the tenth floor. But in the path to the eleventh floor there was a monster, a jet black revenant, it lost its words for a moment when Sora defeated the dragul but hurriedly runs towards the eleventh floor after that. Rio looks at the hole leading to the eleventh floor from the entrance to the tenth but there isn’t anything there anymore.

The eleventh floor, there were adventurers who reached it in the past, all of them went back immediately or died, it is unknown territory for humanity and for a reason, when Rio and Sora enter the eleventh floor the sounds of the minotaurs’ roars welcome them, they can’t take them likely anymore, there are too many of them, Rio asks himself how many they are while looking at the space before him with a somber face, the geography is the same as the second floor’s, it is probably the same size, but all of the monsters congregated before him barely let him see beyond the floor’s entrance. Rio uses his wind spirit arts for scouting his surroundings and the number of monsters lurking ahead of them goes beyond his imagination. Goblins, orcs, Minotaurs and even some revenants, all of the monsters Rio has seen until now are there. One thousand, two thousand, three thousand of them and the countless ones more behind those. It is no wonder that the adventurers used to make common sense based decisions decided to retreat the moment they saw that sight, but now the monsters are against people to whom that common sense doesn’t apply. Sora steps forward while calling the monsters disgusting fellows and telling them to stay away from the dragon king, she opens her mouth wide while a incredibly hot ball of light forms in front of it and then releases the gathered light, Sora’s breath attack, while held back for the sake of not destroying the dungeon, kills the close to one thousand monsters at the front of horde.

After that Sora tells Rio to please wait for some time behind her while she reduces the enemy’s numbers but Rio refuses, he says he will fight too, he tells Sora to cooperate for defeating the monsters and asks her if she can leave the monsters coming from the right side to him while he unsheaths the two daggers on his waist. Sora agrees happily when thinking about the chance to fight alongside Rio. After listening to Sora’s answer Rio tells her to begin the fight, he deploys countless balls of light around him that turn into arrows and begin to rain in the monster horde coming from the left side, he also makes great blades of light to extend from the daggers on his hands and uses them for killing several monsters with each swing of his daggers. Sora says that as expected of the dragon king while looking dumbfoundedly at Rio, she recovers her senses after a moment and tells herself that she can’t stand still like that, that it will be bad if she isn’t of use to the dragon king, then she throws herself at the monster horde and begins to punch away her enemies with her draconified fists.

The black revenant looks at the battle from hundreds of meters away from Rio and Sora, it asks itself while trembling what it is that absurdity while seeing Rio’s and Sora’s attacks blowing the monsters away as if they were ragdolls, they aren’t opponents they can do something about by themselves. The revenant begins to get anxious while thinking it is just a matter of time already until they defeat the several thousands of monsters. The revenant then hears the child’s laughing voice in its mind that says that it is incredible. The revenant apologizes in fluster to the child for what is happening to the monster entrusted to it. The child tells the revenant that that isn’t something it needs to feel responsible for, that if it is monsters there are so many of them they have them rotting away, and because they aren’t opponents they can do something about just by gathering a lot of monsters, especially the little girl, the child says that that is unmistakably a transcendental’s familiar, an existence beyond logic. The revenant makes a dubious face when it fails to understand what a familiar is. The child says that the other one looks like a human man but it is also strong, the child asks themselves what is happening while failing to make sense of Rio’s existence. After a moment of doubt the child gives up understanding Rio, tells the revenant that it is fine because the path to the twelfth floor is sealed and that it is fine for it to come back already so it isn’t found out. The revenant says that it understands and disappears from the place.

After some time Rio and Sora finally defeated all of the monsters. Rio tells Sora that it seems they took care of everything when rejoining her. Sora apologizes to Rio for making him dirty his hands. Rio tells her that it is fine, that he fought because there wasn’t a way for him to be fine with letting her fight alone. Then he tells Sora to look together for the path to the twelfth floor and to pick up as many magic stones as they can because it would be a waste to leave them behind. Sora says she understands and Rio and her separate themselves to look for the path to the next floor while picking up the magic stones on their way. Rio thinks it is strange when he can’t see the hole leading to the next floor, until now the path to the next floor has always been opposite to the previous one’s entrance but this time there isn’t anything there, both Rio and Sora walked following the dungeon’s walls but they can’t find the way down. Sora asks Rio if the eleventh floor is the deepest part of the dungeon while tilting her head curiously. Rio says it might be but says to look for a little more for the time being, then he tells Sora to search the walls again while he checks the center, both continued the search but didn’t find anything.

In the dungeon’s depths the child looks happily at Rio and Sora continuing their search despite its uselessness while the black revenant kneels next to them. The child asks themselves what to do, they say that inviting Rio and Sora to the twelfth floor might be interesting too, they say they could go greet them themselves too. Then an adult man tells the child good evening from the side and they tell him that it has been a while without taking their gaze from the ceiling, completely uninterested in the newcomer. The man tells the child that he needed a golem so he came to pick it up, then he asks the child what they are looking at. The child tells the man that there is a very interesting existence and asks the man how things were in the outside world. The man tells the child that it is strange for them to be interested in the outside world. The child says that they got interested suddenly, they look at the man with a mischievous smile and say they thought the interesting existence could be related to the reason why Fenris nii-san came to pick up a golem.

    An hour later, in Tonerico, at the pope’s office, a man wearing completely white clothes, the pope, sits on his chair while sighing with reluctance. A young priestess knocks on the pope’s door and asks for permission to enter, the pope tells her to enter and the priestess thanks the pope for his hard work in the months lasting sealing ritual while lowering her head to him reverently. The pope nods and says he is very tired, that he wants to take a rest but that it won’t do if he doesn’t continue with the sealing ritual immediately. The priestess tells the pope that he can’t do that, that during his absence the things that she wants him to take a look at piled up and to please check them. The pope says that it was because of that that he didn’t want to come back and asks the priestess, Anna, if she can explain to him the contents of the documents she is carrying. Anna says she will do gladly while nodding exasperatedly, then she smiles to the pope who, very strangely, has the same appearance as Reiss Wolfe, the Proxia empire’s ambassador that visited the dungeon’s depths a little earlier.

### Epilogue: The criminal.

    Galarc’s royal capital, at dusk, a back street in the slums. Takahisa trembles while blood drops fall to the ground from his divine weapon, a crook like man curses Takahisa while looking at him as if he wanted to kill him just with his resentment. A girl wearing rags sits on her buttocks while looking dumbfoundedly at Takahisa and the man that are surrounded by blood puddles. Takahisa looks alternatively between his hands, the blood puddles and his divine sword that is piercing the man’s chest. Takahisa tells himself that it is wrong, he thinks it is wrong, even though it should be wrong, that someone that kills people would simply be a murderer, even though it is absolutely wrong. The crook spits a great quantity of blood and Takahisa lets out a shrill scream at the same time that steps back and pulls out his swords from the crook’s chest as if wanting to run away from the sight of him, a great quantity of blood comes out from the crook’s chest, that then falls dead to the ground. It was too late, it was too late for everything now, he can’t go back anymore. That day, for the first time in his life, Sendo Takahisa killed a person.

### Next volume's preview.

That day she made a decision. That was a correct decision. It should have been. Either way, because of her decision fate moved. Then the hero’s sword was tainted with blood and the young man’s heart screamed while breaking to pieces. Is what awaits him destruction or…?

“I will find that immigrant brat and kill him, I will do it without fault.”

精霊幻想記24闇の聖火, Seirei Gensouki 24 - Yami no seika, The darkness’ holy fire.

Scheduled to be released on the 1st of August of 2023 and confirmed to include a drama cd with its special edition.

Drama cd characters confirmed as of now: Rio, Celia, Aisia. Miharu and Sora.

## Short stories:

1. Toranoana - Holding hands: Rio and Sora are forced to walk through crowded streets during their trip, then Rio offers Sora his hand...
2. Melonbooks - Tsundere sleeping beauty: Haruto and Satsuki talk in the student council's room. What happens when Satsuki complains about having to be the sleeping beauty in a play?
3. Bookwalker - Teatime with a friend: Celia and Aria make some time to rest after things calm down. While they drink tea the stories of the past blossom...

## Gallery

Final coverVol 23 cover cleanVol 23 bonus book coverVol 23 bonus tapestryVol 23 frontispiece teaser
Thanks to ooPeaToo for sharing the illustrations.