Chapter 3: Behind the Daily Life
Stewart Huguenot was the eldest son of the Huguenot family, one of the three ducal families of the Beltrum Kingdom. He was also the former heir of the family.
He had been disinherited after an incident in Amande where he had gotten drunk and caused trouble for Rio, which in turn had angered his father, Duke Huguenot. Now, his little brother had taken over the position of heir, and he was just a low-ranking knight of the Restoration.
It was the middle of the day at the Galarc Castle.
“Hah...”
Stewart was on duty patrolling the castle grounds. In contrast to the sunny sky, his sigh was heavy and gloomy. He couldn’t help feeling listless. Every time he passed the Galarc knights on patrol, that feeling increased.
The reason behind that feeling was Stewart’s inferiority complex towards the Galarc knights.
“Guh...”
A weak and cowardly knight that fled from Rodania as it fell. He couldn’t help the feeling that all the Galarc knights were thinking that as they sent him looks of disdain. Thus, each time he came across a knight of Galarc, he sped up his walking pace.
This is humiliating. Why should I be doing this as a high-ranking noble?
Even the knight uniform of the Restoration was embarrassing to wear. The reason he felt this way was probably because he himself would think the same if the positions were reversed.
Wouldn’t it have been better to stay in Rodania as a prisoner of honor?
Such thoughts flashed through his mind.
No, there’s no guarantee they would have kept everyone alive.
He recalled the battlefield at that time and immediately corrected himself. When the Arbor army was attacking, Stewart had been on duty protecting the city. But when he’d witnessed Renji use a single attack to freeze over a hundred Aerial Knights, he’d completely lost the will to fight. That was when he had decided to evacuate on an enchanted airship. If he were to return to that moment now, he would still choose to evacuate.
Besides, I’m the oldest son of the Huguenot family. Who knows what would have happened if the Arbors had caught me...
His justification for fleeing was his family’s status. He convinced himself out of self-interest that he couldn’t be captured as the heir of the Huguenot family.
However, that decision was now spurring on Stewart’s sense of guilt. With every passing moment, he questioned whether his decision was truly correct.
“Brother.”
Just then, someone called out to Stewart mid-patrol. Their voice had a mocking tone to it, as though they were looking down on him.
“Pierre.” Stewart turned back to look in disgust at his younger brother, Pierre Huguenot. Though only a second son, he’d gained the right to succeed the Huguenot family after Stewart had been disinherited.
“How unsightly. As a member of the Huguenot family, you should be walking with your head held high. What are you so ashamed of?” Pierre asked, seeing right through to the inferiority complex Stewart was carrying. It seemed they weren’t brothers for nothing.
“What did you just say?”
“If you had died in the fight in Rodania, you would have at least regained the honor you lost.” Pierre sighed scornfully.
Damn it! He’s just saying whatever he wants!
Stewart closed his mouth but cursed him on the inside.
Things had been better in the past. At least up until the incident that had allowed his brother to take the position of heir from him. Even when they’d been unable to stay in the capital due to the faction wars, he’d still had his pride as the heir of the Huguenot family.
But now that he had been disinherited, he didn’t want to meet foreign nobles anymore. He didn’t feel any pride in the uniform he wore. His younger brother looked down on him, and he couldn’t even argue back. At this rate, he was just a failure, of which his little brother made him extra aware every time they spoke. That was why Stewart hated interacting with Pierre.
However, Pierre was just airing his grievances with Stewart, who had abused him back when he was the heir, and returning the favor with interest.
“Father knew all along. You claimed to be guarding the evacuees, but you were just trying to save yourself by fleeing on the enchanted airship.”
“Wh-What?! Don’t be ridiculous! I would never!” Stewart stuttered, losing his composure from Pierre hitting the bull’s-eye.
“Well, I knew you didn’t have the guts to die honorably to begin with. At the end of the day, you’re still a member of the family, so I suppose it’s better than you getting captured.”
“Tch! Did you come all the way here to pick a fight?”
Realizing that extending the conversation would just create more stress, Stewart held back his anger and asked his brother for the purpose of his visit.
“No, father is calling for you.”
“What? Father...calling for me?”
Ever since he had been disinherited in Amande, Duke Huguenot had barely spoken to him. Thus, while he tilted his head in suspicion, there was a tone of joy to his voice.
◇ ◇ ◇
In the guest house within the Galarc Castle grounds, Stewart and Pierre were visiting Duke Huguenot’s office.
“Father, I’ve brought him,” Pierre said as he entered the room.
“Good work. Pierre, you can return to your own duties.”
“Yes, father.”
Pierre nodded obediently at his father’s orders. But he didn’t like the thought of leaving his father alone with his disinherited brother, so he shot Stewart a warning glare on his way out.
“Pfft.” Stewart chuckled triumphantly.
“What are you laughing at?”
“N-Nothing. What did you need from me today?”
Duke Huguenot’s cold voice had Stewart pulling himself together in a fluster. But his eyes had a faint light of expectation as he watched his father’s expression, hoping he had good news.
“Four years ago, you participated in an outdoor drill at the academy. Do you remember that?” Duke Huguenot got right to the point, pulling a curtain over the light in his son’s eyes.
“Huh? Outdoor drill? Four years ago...” Stewart’s eyes darted about the place at the unexpected question.
“The drill where you caused trouble. Don’t tell me you forgot.”
“N-No, of course I remember...”
There was no way he would forget. When he looked back on his past, that outdoor drill had been the start of his father’s disappointment in him.
However, he was offended by the accusation that it was he who had caused the trouble. While it was Stewart who had bumped into Flora and sent her over the cliff, Stewart himself had been sent flying into Flora.
I was a victim too!
He had no responsibility for the situation. At the very least, that was how Stewart saw things, and it was also how the aftermath had been handled externally. So why...
“Why are you bringing it up now?” Stewart asked nervously.
“What was the name of the boy at the center of the outdoor drill incident?” Duke Huguenot asked, ignoring his son’s question.
“If I recall correctly...it was Rio.”
This name was also unforgettable to him. After all, merely recalling it filled him with hatred. He was a lowly orphan, yet he stood out all the time, always had an air of superiority to him. He was like a plague of a boy, Stewart recalled with a frown.
That’s right. If he hadn’t been there...
Flora would never have fallen off the cliff.
In reality, it was another male student who had collided with Stewart. Stewart had been injured by the monster ambush and had tried to cling to another male student in a panic during the battle. As a result, Stewart had been thrown into Flora, sending her off the edge of the cliff. That was the truth.
However...
He pushed me, and Princess Flora was entangled in the result. It wasn’t my fault.
Stewart had used his father’s power to twist the truth. Thus, all the blame went to Rio. At this point, even his own memories and perception had been twisted by that truth. Merely recalling Rio after all this time was enough to make him annoyed.
“I see...” Duke Huguenot said after a long pause. Then...
“Uh...” Stewart’s whole body trembled. Duke Huguenot was staring at him so coldly, his gaze could be mistaken for killing intent.
But in the next moment, Duke Huguenot closed his eyes in thought.
Was it just my imagination?
Stewart tilted his head blankly.
“That aside, you weren’t in the rooftop garden during the attack yesterday, were you?” Duke Huguenot asked, suddenly changing the topic.
“Yes, I had just been on night patrol...”
“I don’t care about that. I’m asking if you saw Sir Amakawa fight.”
There was a hint of exasperation in Duke Huguenot’s tone, believing Stewart had just been hiding inside the castle. Whether Stewart himself realized that...
“No, I was extremely tired after my night shift, so I was asleep... I didn’t see anything.”
“It should have created quite the commotion,” Duke Huguenot said with a disappointed look.
“M-My apologies.”
“Forget it. I have a meeting with Queen Christina after this. You’re coming with me.”
Duke Huguenot got up from his chair while giving Stewart his orders.
“Huh?”
Stewart blinked blankly. His father never took him with him anywhere anymore.
“I told you to follow me.”
“M-Me? R-Right away!” Stewart replied in an excited voice. Could there be a chance for him to regain his position in the discussion with Christina? Hope filled his eyes once again.
◇ ◇ ◇
On the same floor of the guest house, Stewart was accompanying Duke Huguenot to Christina’s office as his guard. Christina and Duke Huguenot seated themselves facing each other, while Stewart stood behind his father. Vanessa was also present as Christina’s guard.
She’s as beautiful as always...
The beauty of Christina, the pride of the Beltrum Kingdom, left Stewart captivated.
After Stewart had been disinherited and fallen to the rank of an ordinary knight, Christina was now far out of his reach. They’d once been members of the same squad for the academy’s outdoor drill, yet now he barely had the opportunity to see her from afar, much less meet her face-to-face.
When was the last time he had seen Christina this close?
She’s nothing like those cheap girls that can be bought with money... The average noble lady could never compare. Her grace and her charm are on another level.
Stewart was being affected by Christina’s fragile and refined atmosphere. How long had it been since he’d last seen a woman like this? Stewart gulped, swallowing the urge to pin her down and have his way with her.
“What a rare sight. You don’t normally bring your son around with you.” Christina glanced at Stewart before giving Duke Huguenot a questioning look.
“There’s a lack of personnel these days. He’s accompanying me as my guard,” Duke Huguenot explained curtly.
So father really is planning on promoting me?
Hope swelled within Stewart. As Christina had said, Duke Huguenot rarely ever brought him around anymore. Having Stewart accompany him to an important one-on-one meeting like this was almost unthinkable.
This was related to Duke Huguenot’s careful nature—whenever something important was going on, he would try to avoid getting as many unrelated people involved as much as possible.
Even Stewart’s younger brother Pierre, who was currently working as Duke Huguenot’s trainee secretary, was barely allowed to attend any important meetings. Yet the same Duke Huguenot had brought Stewart to this meeting with Christina.
“Heh...”
It was no wonder Stewart felt he was being treated favorably. After being banished to the shadows to constantly feel pathetic about himself, all the conditions were fulfilled for Stewart to be even more elated. He puffed up his chest proudly at the attention Christina was giving him.
This is it. This is how a noble of a duke house should be.
This was the stage above the heavens that only a select few of the highest-ranking nobles were allowed to step on. The feeling of returning to that stage filled Stewart’s heart with pride. However...
“I see. Very well. So what business did you have today? I have a meeting with King Francois after this, so I’d appreciate it if you made it quick.”
Christina immediately lost interest in Stewart. Although she seemed curious about why Duke Huguenot was doing something he didn’t usually do, she had deemed it a waste of her time to pursue the thought. She figured Stewart wouldn’t be there if it wasn’t a topic he couldn’t listen to, so she asked about the purpose of the meeting.
“While it isn’t extremely urgent, there is a matter I wish to discuss with you sooner rather than later. It’s about the future of the Restoration.”
“Let’s hear it.”
“First, regarding Haruto... I mean, Sir Amakawa and the strange phenomenon surrounding him. Up until yesterday, we had absolutely no memory of him...”
“This is related to the future of the Restoration, yes?” Christina shot Duke Huguenot a look of mixed exasperation and wariness at the sudden, seemingly unrelated topic.
“Yes. It just so happens to involve him. Which is why I want to know what happened to him. Is there anything you can share with me?”
“I was told he was cursed by a nasty ancient artifact. We were only able to regain our memories of him thanks to this barrier around the city, which neutralizes the effect.”
Christina had already heard about what had happened to Rio from King Francois yesterday. Other than the residents of Rio’s mansion, only Francois, Christina, Flora, Lilianna, Liselotte, and Aria were aware of the truth.
However, out of all the transcendent ones, the Wise Gods were viewed as religious deities in the Strahl region. There was a condition to sharing the information, and that was to receive Rio’s direct approval before informing any third parties. It had even come with the threat of losing the Galarc Kingdom’s trust, thanks to King Francois.
That was why Christina feigned an emotionless look as she lied; this was the explanation she had discussed and decided on with Francois and Lilianna beforehand. In this world, there were a vast number of magic artifacts—far too many to keep track of, which was why most unnatural events could be dismissed as the effect of an ancient artifact.
“An artifact’s curse, you say? I have heard of interesting artifacts that can affect the mind and memories of a person before...”
“Do you not believe it?”
“It’s not that I don’t believe it, it’s just that the area of effect is far larger than I can believe... Almost to a nonsensical degree.”
It was only natural for him to be dissatisfied by this explanation. However, the truth was even more nonsensical. Being told that their memories weren’t being controlled by an artifact, but by the rules of god would be even harder to believe.
“I don’t blame you. I’m confused too.” Christina agreed with Duke Huguenot with a genuinely troubled smile. “But it actually happened. And we have no reason to doubt Sir Amakawa,” she added with a serious look. Those words alone made it clear that Christina had absolute faith in Rio.
“Of course. I’m not suspecting him of anything.”
“Then what is it?”
“I merely did some light investigation into the reactions of those around us. To my surprise, there were a large number of people who hadn’t realized they had lost any memories to begin with.”
“So it seems.”
Christina had already heard of how the people in the castle had reacted to Rio. Those who had no interest in him or had barely interacted with him hadn’t even noticed that their memories of him had been missing. They didn’t pay Rio any mind to begin with, so the empty space in their memories had no effect on them. He was no more than a passing thought to them.
In contrast, those who were greatly involved with Rio were deeply impacted by the return of their memories. They also felt the blank interval in their memories much more keenly. The prime subjects of this were the residents of Rio’s mansion and those who had witnessed the battle on the rooftop garden.
“You were aware? Take Stewart, for example. He didn’t witness Sir Amakawa’s fight yesterday.” Duke Huguenot glanced at Stewart over his back.
Is that why he brought his son?
Christina also looked over at him.
“Stewart. You remember Sir Amakawa, yes?”
“Yes, I remember him...”
Stewart nodded with a grimace. He couldn’t forget even if he wanted to. Haruto Amakawa was the reason he had tasted bitter hardships in Amande. Stewart considered him the culprit behind his disinheritance. However, that didn’t mean he thought of Rio around the clock.
“You should have lost your memories of him too. Did you feel anything odd regarding that?”
“No. It’s not like I think about that g—that man on a daily basis, so I never noticed...”
Glossing over the fact he nearly said “that guy,” Stewart gave his answer with a dissatisfied look.
“As you can see, there are some people who never noticed their missing memories.” Duke Huguenot stopped looking at Stewart over his shoulder and turned back to Christina.
“I understand that, but get to the point already. I don’t see how this topic connects to the future of the Restoration,” Christina said, returning her gaze to Duke Huguenot to question the direction of the conversation.
“There is a connection. We need to know what kind of obstacles may get in the way of inviting him to the Restoration.”
It was already clear that the main subject was inviting Rio.
“I believe I previously asked you to drop the idea,” Christina said with a tired look. She probably had an inkling of how the conversation would go from the moment Rio was mentioned.
“But you should be well aware of the precarious situation we’re in.”
Duke Huguenot’s words were uttered with a sincere urgency. His strong determination and refusal to back down easily could be glimpsed.
Father...
Stewart gazed at his father’s back in wonder. The topic was much more serious than he had been expecting.
“Of course, I know.”
“It isn’t just a lack of personnel or finances. We have no hope. No future. We’ve lost Rodania, and the evacuees separated from their family are filled with fear. I don’t want to fear the worst, but if this situation drags on, people may be tempted to defect. The survival of our organization is at risk.”
“I know that. That’s why I declared my accession earlier than planned.”
In reality, Christina’s declaration to ascend the throne had received favorable reactions from the members of the Restoration. However...
“It’s true that your declaration helped relieve some of the members’ worries. But it only bought us a little more time. At this rate, your legitimacy will be denied at the coronation. When that happens, the situation I fear will come true.”
The declaration made with the regalia should never have been used as a stopgap. It had been their trump card—a hand they should have saved to use at the most effective moment to defeat the Arbor faction.
“I know we need a plan to improve the situation... Our people need hope,” Christina agreed, but her face still looked reluctant. Using their trump card meant they had no more effective hands they could play.
“Indeed, we need hope—a tangible hope that can be seen with our own eyes. A strong hope that can create a path for us through the darkness.”
“And you want Sir Amakawa to be that hope.”
“Word of his valor has already spread far. Even without being on the rooftop garden, many witnessed yesterday’s fight from afar. The entire castle knows that Sir Amakawa was the one who defeated the monsters. He’s also renowned for beating the King’s Sword, Alfred, which has great meaning for us. Now imagine if he assisted the Restoration.”
Naturally, the members would feel hope again. They would place their expectations on Rio.
“...”
Duke Huguenot’s desire to cling to Rio was understandable. His point was convincing. But Christina remained silent. It was apparent that she was passive about—or rather, flat out refusing—to invite Rio.
But even then, Duke Huguenot stayed firm.
“The members of the organization will have hope. I believe he could be able to retake Rodania for us all by himself. He could lead our way,” he said, speaking eloquently.
“You wish to entrust our future to someone unrelated to us?”
“We merely need to create a relationship with him.”
“Another marriage of convenience? You know he has no interest,” Christina said, tired of repeating this conversation.
Rio was already surrounded by attractive members of the opposite sex. There was no room for the noble ladies of the Restoration to cut in line. The only one who had a chance—and probably the best chance at that—was...
“There’s Celia, no?”
“Even so, it’s not our place to say anything.” Christina maintained her passive position with a frown.
At that, Duke Huguenot finally showed signs of impatience. “We don’t have the leisure in this situation. Celia is a member of the Restoration. It doesn’t have to be marriage either—she just needs to appeal to Sir Amakawa for his assistance. The fact that she isn’t doing that already is one problem, but the fact that you won’t order her to do so is another,” Duke Huguenot argued emotionally.
“I would never do such a thing,” Christina said, brows furrowing in clear disapproval.
“Why not?”
“What does Sir Amakawa have to gain from helping us? It would be shameless of us not to offer an appropriate reward.”
“We can ask him what kind of reward he wants, no? Why don’t you do that?”
“I’ve tried to probe into it before. As a result, I realized there was nothing we could offer him. He doesn’t have many desires—you should know that too.”
“Nevertheless, we’ve never invited him to formal negotiations as an organization. Even if it fails, it’s worth a try. We should at least approach him and ask for his cooperation.”
Both sides presented firm arguments as they debated. Although he was up against his direct superior, Duke Huguenot wasn’t showing any reserve today.
I had no idea father could be so zealous...
Stewart quietly held his breath as he watched his father argue with Christina.
Are our prospects really that bad?
Of course, he was aware of the Restoration’s precarious situation as well. But his vague impression was made much more real by the sight of his father—the organization’s number two—arguing so heatedly.
Christina, who had been so passive about requesting Rio’s assistance, fell silent in thought with a troubled look. She could imagine the situation improving dramatically with Rio’s assistance. It was true she didn’t have any better ideas either.
Duke Huguenot grew tired of Christina’s silence and pressed her for an answer. “Your Majesty, I wouldn’t be urging you this much if there were other ideas. We don’t have the time to be considering nonexistent options. Is there a reason we cannot even ask Sir Amakawa for his assistance?”
“Sir Amakawa is still suffering from the effects of his curse. Even if we were to receive his assistance, we will forget him as soon as we leave the barrier,” Christina argued bitterly.
“But that shouldn’t be a hindrance to receiving his help. We’ll remember him again if we return to the barrier, no?”
The downside was an inability to coordinate with their own army outside of the barrier, but their strategy wouldn’t have involved using Rio in a group anyway. They wanted him for his outrageous power as an individual. If he could use that power for their army, it wouldn’t matter if they couldn’t coordinate with him during the mission.
“There is another reason. You saw how he wore a mask when he was fighting, right?”
“Yes.”
“Without that mask, Sir Amakawa is unable to fight outside this barrier.”
“Is that another part of the curse?”
“Yes. If he fights without the mask, he’ll lose his memories of himself,” Christina said, explaining the reason for her reluctance.
“That does sound like a problem...”
But Duke Huguenot hummed, not looking entirely convinced.
“The masks break as he’s fighting due to the effects of the curse. And he only has a limited number of them.”
“It sounds like we should be able to receive his assistance if we offer a reward on par with the mask he has to use up.”
“Theoretically, yes.”
“Is there another perspective I’m missing?”
Duke Huguenot didn’t let up on his questioning. With the future of the organization on the line, he spoke his mind frankly.
Christina was unable to reply immediately, falling into an unsettled silence.
“I can’t help but feel like you’re keeping something from me. It’s a feeling I’ve had for some time now. Whenever Sir Amakawa is the topic, you seem to draw an emotional conclusion first and make up a logical excuse afterward.”
Duke Huguenot pressed the matter further, cutting off any chance of her dodging the question.
“I just don’t want to cause him trouble.”
The look in Christina’s eyes darkened out of guilt over Rio.
“Is that really the only reason?”
For some reason, Duke Huguenot sounded nervous after coming this far. He showed the first sign of hesitance since the meeting started.
“What do you mean?” Christina asked, tilting her head dubiously.
“You don’t want to cause him trouble. I see, I understand. But that doesn’t seem like the only reason to me.”
“So what is it?”
“That’s what I’d like to know...”
Duke Huguenot looked down and muttered to himself bitterly. He then noticed Stewart standing behind himself and almost looked like he was about to turn around.
Father? Stewart wondered to himself.
Just then, the hourly ringing of the castle chimed.
“Your Majesty, it’s almost time for your meeting with King Francois,” Vanessa whispered in Christina’s ear.
“Sorry, but as I said in the beginning, I have an appointment with King Francois. Sir Hiroaki will also be in attendance, so we’ll have to continue this conversation another time.” Christina sighed as she wrapped up their talk.
“I will visit again in a few days.” Duke Huguenot sighed heavily as well and left the room.
◇ ◇ ◇
Immediately after exiting the room...
“Stewart.” Duke Huguenot came to a stop and addressed his son. However, he did not turn around.
“Y-Yes?”
Stewart couldn’t tell what kind of expression was on his father’s face. However, he had witnessed the fierce argument with Christina just now, so his reply was nervous.
“Forget what you heard in the room,” Duke Huguenot ordered in a cold voice. He still did not turn around.
“Excuse me?” Stewart’s reaction to the sudden order was delayed.
“Your reply?”
“Y-Yes!” Duke Huguenot’s irritated voice startled Stewart into nodding immediately.
“Don’t do anything else,” Duke Huguenot added, voice still devoid of all emotion other than resentment.
“Huh?”
Stewart couldn’t make heads or tails of what he was saying, but Duke Huguenot started walking back to his office on the same floor without saying anything else. Stewart quickly chased after his father. They soon arrived at the office, where a visitor was waiting for them.
“Ah, good timing. I thought I had missed you and was about to leave.”
The visitor was a middle-aged man of large stature. There was also a guard beside him.
“Why, if it isn’t Duke Gregory.”
Duke Huguenot’s eyes widened at the unexpected encounter. Clement Gregory was one of the leading nobles in the Galarc Kingdom. Before Rio became a transcendent one, Saint Erica had seized the capital of his territory.
“I apologize for the unannounced visit, but I had some pressing matters to discuss with you. Is this boy with you?” Duke Gregory looked at Stewart.
“My son, Stewart.”
“Hello. Pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Stewart brought his right hand up to his chest and gave him a knight’s salute.
“My, how dependable.”
“Not at all. I’m ashamed to say he has no claim to the title despite being my eldest.”
“Guh...” Humiliated by his father, Stewart trembled in shame. Duke Gregory looked at him and smiled.
“No, no, he looks like a wonderful son.”
“Thank you. Now, you said you had something to discuss?”
“Yes, preferably off the record.”
“Of course. Please, come in.” Duke Huguenot invited Duke Gregory into his office. He then turned to his son.
“Stewart, return to your post.”
“Yes!” Stewart replied respectfully and returned to his patrol.
◇ ◇ ◇
After Duke Huguenot’s secretary prepared tea and left the room...
“I heard your queen is about to have a meeting with our king,” Duke Gregory said as though he was making small talk.
“Yes, I’m surprised you know.”
“The hero of our nation, Lady Satsuki, is also attending along with the new hero, Sir Masato. So is Princess Charlotte of our kingdom, and Princess Lilianna of the Centostella Kingdom. On top of that, Amakawa, the one at the center of all this commotion, will be there too.”
Duke Gregory’s eyes narrowed slightly. He seemed to have an opinion on the attendance list, and in particular, Rio.
“Oh?” Duke Huguenot’s eyes widened.
“Oh, were you not aware?” Duke Gregory asked pointedly after seeing that reaction.
“Not of the full list of attendees, no... It seems like quite the grand gathering.”
“Yes, who knows what will be discussed with all the heroes gathered there.”
“I haven’t heard anything either...”
It was indeed an interesting gathering. Duke Huguenot hummed to himself.
“It’s not good having so many secrets. They said they weren’t going to discuss anything major, but that appears to be a clear lie.”
Duke Gregory shook his head in disapproval.
“Indeed, I wish they would hide things better if they wanted to keep secrets. Otherwise it just feels like they’re telling us to our face that they don’t trust us.”
It would be one thing if it only lowered motivation for a short period of time, but for an ongoing cooperative relationship, mutual trust was essential. It would be terrible if the dissatisfaction grew to the point of losing even the minimum level of trust, leaving only resentment.
“I completely agree. Sharing information is proof of trust, after all. Such poor lies will only lead us to suspect something unfavorable to us is going on. As their chief vassals, I do wish they’d trust us more.”
Perhaps it was because of his own experience, but Duke Gregory’s words carried not only empathy, but his own dissatisfaction.
Well, it’s not like I’m demanding to be told everything. I have no intention of asking for information unrelated to me, and I understand that there are some things that need to be kept confidential. I do the same to those around me.
It was fine there was information that couldn’t be shared—what was important was to make that clear without trying to evade the question. Sometimes, not sharing information could be proof of trust as well. At the very least, that’s what Duke Huguenot personally believed, and he tried to put that into practice as much as possible.
“Especially when the matter concerns oneself. Avoiding the question, changing the topic and speaking in circles...then being annoyed when asked for clarification? It’s inexcusable,” Duke Huguenot agreed. The latter half of his words also appeared to be based on his personal experience, as he had a glimpse of a bitter frown on his face.
“Bwa ha ha! Why does that sound so familiar to me? It seems we’ve both suffered a lot.” Duke Gregory laughed heartily.
“So it seems,” Duke Huguenot said with a chuckle.
Having exchanged lighthearted complaints as business talk in lieu of greetings, they formed a feeling of camaraderie.
“While I would love to drink the night away with you while discussing such things, let us leave that for another day. I came here to discuss something serious today.”
“You mentioned it was a pressing matter...”
“Yes, and one I would like to keep between us.”
“Understood. What is it about?”
Both dukes stiffened in expression and stared at each other warily.
“I was actually reluctant about accepting this duty. But you’re familiar with the association of nobles across kingdom borders, no?” Duke Gregory presented an oddly roundabout preamble.
“Does this involve the Beltrum Kingdom’s nobility?”
“As I expected, you’re an astute one. You see, one of my relatives married into a noble family of your nation. I’ve received a message from a certain person.”
“Oh?” The look in Duke Huguenot’s eyes sharpened at Duke Gregory’s words. Never mind the person in question, what exactly could the message be?
“There is someone who wishes to meet you in secret.”
“Requesting to meet me when I’m affiliated with an enemy faction doesn’t sound too peaceful.”
If the fact that he had met someone in secret was made public—no, even if the fact that he tried to meet someone in secret circulated as a rumor, it would be quite bad. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he was branded as a traitor.
“You would both be nobles of the same kingdom, worried about the kingdom’s future, no?”
“It all depends on how you say it. Bringing up something like this could put your own position at risk, Duke Gregory.”
“That’s why I’m here meeting you one-on-one. I have nothing to fear as long as you stay quiet.”
“You’re crossing a line,” Duke Huguenot warned.
“My apologies. My aforementioned relative was begging in tears, you see. I felt the need to fulfill my obligation to them, so please forgive me. Don’t get me wrong—I am merely a neutral party. I have no idea what they wish to discuss with you, and it won’t be my concern whether you choose to meet them or not,” Duke Gregory said, emphasizing his neutrality, but it was clear that Duke Huguenot was wary.
Is it a trap, or a defection? Either way, they’ve made a move to throw me off-balance. But approaching me in this way means...
He had expected there to be traps to split the Restoration, but he was surprised to see he was the target. If this was a trap, it was most likely an invitation for him to betray Christina and defect to the Arbor faction.
It wouldn’t be strange for other nobles to be targeted already. This is why I’ve been telling her we need to make the first move...
In order to prevent these kinds of situations, they needed Haruto Amakawa’s reputation. Yet Christina was still hesitating at this late stage. Duke Huguenot bit his lip in irritation.
With such an unclear future ahead of them, it would be no wonder if people started defecting. If Duke Huguenot was being shaken as one of the leaders of the organization, the nobles at the bottom would be even more agitated.
What if there were nobles lining up to accept the secret meeting? Would it be better for him to accept the meeting just to see what the other party was up to?
No, that’s out of the question. I would never...
Before he knew it, Duke Huguenot felt like he was standing at a crossroads with no way back. He swallowed his breath nervously.
“I’m sure you’ll need some time to consider. You may give me your reply at the meeting that will surely be held about our future with the Beltrum government...or at the very latest, the coronation ceremony.”
Duke Gregory gave him a deadline for his response. There was a thin smile on his face, as though he was enjoying Duke Huguenot’s distress.
“I can’t give a reply without knowing who the other noble— No, never mind. I will pretend we never had this conversation.”
Duke Huguenot refused the offer firmly. He pressed his right hand over his eyes as though holding back a headache—or keeping away the fog of hesitation hanging around him.
“Very well.”
Duke Gregory nodded easily, looking unaffected by the reply. Thus, the secret discussion between the two dukes came to an end.
◇ ◇ ◇
While Duke Huguenot was finishing up his secret meeting with Duke Gregory, heroes and royalty alike gathered in King Francois’s office in the castle.
Satsuki, Masato, Hiroaki, Charlotte, Lilianna, Christina, and Francois were there, along with Rio and Aishia—in fact, it was Rio who had called them all there. His purpose was to explain everything regarding upper high class spirits and heroes to them. Sara, Orphia, and Alma, who were deeply acquainted with spirits, were in attendance as well.
Rio and Aishia were the only ones standing as they gave their explanation. Yesterday, during the meeting they had held for the residents of the mansion after the battle, details about the heroes and upper high class spirits had been obscured on purpose. They only explained the situation to the royalty of each nation prior to explaining it to the heroes themselves.
First, they revealed that heroes had upper high rank spirits in them, and that those spirits were constantly assimilated with them. Sara and the other spirit folk were shocked to learn that the upper high rank spirits that had been missing for so long had been right near them. However, they held their tongues, since the explanation was being held for the sake of the heroes.
“Assimilation with an upper high rank spirit...” Satsuki muttered, looking down at her body curiously as she remained seated.
“The six upper high rank spirits were called the transcendent ones along with the Dragon King and Seven Wise Gods. They were beings that protected this world. Satsuki has a wind spirit, Hiroaki has a water spirit, and Masato has a contract with an earth spirit.”
“Contracts are made through mutual agreement. It doesn’t feel right having that choice taken away from me,” Satsuki said with a pout of disapproval.
“Well, it happens all the time in fantasy stories.”
“I know, right?”
Hiroaki and Masato accepted it easily.
“I guess it’s because you’re boys,” Satsuki said with a tired sigh.
“Ha ha. We also know someone who’s got a contract right near us. Haruto and Aishia have a contract too, right? Sara and the others too,” Masato said, looking at Rio, Aishia, Sara, Orphia, and Alma.
“Right. But now we know there are two types of contracts with spirits. The normal spirit contract with a shallow link, and the stronger spirit bond. Sara’s group has normal spirit contracts. The one the other heroes and I have is a spirit bond,” Rio said.
“What’s the difference?” Masato asked.
“Like I already said, they can assimilate with spirits. They can also use Spirit Arms...the Divine Arms that heroes can create. Aishia.”
“Yeah.”
At Rio’s signal, Aishia turned into her spirit form and vanished. Immediately after, they assimilated, and Rio’s Spirit Arms—a sword—materialized.
Hiroaki’s eyes widened. He had seen Aishia vanish during the battle with the golem, but he hadn’t known she was a spirit, so he was shocked.
“Wow!” Masato’s sparkled with pure admiration at Rio’s sword.
“This is my assimilated state with Aishia. In this state, my physical body becomes tough, and my ability to manipulate spirit arts increases too. My self-regeneration also improves, so I won’t die easily from wounds. The more we increase the degree of assimilation, the more this effect increases. The reason heroes can control such strong powers is because of this assimilation.” Rio looked around at everyone as he listed the merits of their abilities.
“Based on that explanation, there’s no difference between you and me...” Satsuki said sagely. “Are you sure you’re not a hero too, Haruto?”
“No, being able to make a Spirit Arms doesn’t make me a hero. There is another reason heroes are called heroes.” A faint shadow fell over Rio’s face.
“We can both assimilate and create Divine Arms. Is there a difference between us?”
“There is. The difference is in the spirit bond I have with Aishia, and the spirit bond you have with your upper high rank spirits. That difference is what makes you heroes.” It was clear from Rio’s expression that the difference wasn’t a good thing.
“And what exactly is the difference?” Hiroaki asked, staring at Rio.
“Whether the contract was made with the spirits’ consent.”
Everyone except the royalty gulped nervously at Rio’s ominous answer.
“The upper high rank spirits were all forced into their contracts with the heroes against their will.”
“Why?” Satsuki asked hesitantly.
“During the era of the Divine War, Six Wise Gods sought the assistance of the upper high rank spirits to defeat the demons. However, their negotiations failed. I don’t know the details myself, but it seemed they tricked them. The Six Wise Gods created a subservient sorcery system in order to unilaterally use the spirits’ power. That is the hero system.”
Rio explained the secret of the heroes’ birth.
The three heroes of the current era all had conflicted looks on their faces.
“Isn’t that kind of awful of the Six Wise Gods?” Satsuki said, giving her honest opinion.
“Are you sure you should be saying that? They’re the gods worshipped across Strahl, no?”
Hiroaki glanced over at the reactions of the royals in the room, worried they were discussing a dangerous topic.
“It definitely can’t be publicized,” Francois said calmly. “I was informed of this in advance, but it was Haruto who requested this meeting so that the heroes could be informed of this issue. I hope you can all swear to never speak of this to anyone else.”
Hiroaki glanced at Rio’s face and ruffled his own hair as he nodded. “All right. I’d rather stay away from religious problems anyway.”
“Let’s get back to the topic. The answer to if I’m a hero is no. Only those with spirit bonds with the six upper high rank spirits are heroes,” Rio said, revealing the definition of a hero.
“But there’s no difference in what you can do compared to us, right?” Satsuki asked.
“If you just look at my abilities, I guess.”
“Sounds like there’s something else...” Satsuki stared at Rio’s face.
“As I’ve already said, the problem is the will of the spirits. Even at this very moment, the upper high rank spirits crave freedom from the restraints of their bonds. If I say that much, you should be able to piece together the rest.”
The heroes must have imagined the spirits sleeping peacefully within them. They all stiffened as they looked down at their own bodies.
“The spirits want to annul their spirit bonds with the heroes and free themselves. But that isn’t possible, as the Six Wise Gods have cast a powerful seal to prevent them from surfacing.”
“We can’t break the contract even if we want to?” Satsuki asked.
“Unfortunately, no. The spirit bond fuses the human and spirit at a near soul level. Once the spirit bond is formed, there is no way of breaking it—unless the contractor dies,” Rio said, hesitantly but clearly.
“I see...”
“Aishia and I can freely cancel our assimilation, but the heroes cannot. You’re constantly forced to be assimilated with the spirits.”
“So that’s one thing you can do that we can’t,” Satsuki said.
“Yes. Because this involves all of you so closely, I want to explain the demerits of assimilation too,” Rio said as preface. “Think of it as becoming a being that is both nonhuman and human while you’re assimilated with your spirit. If the degree of assimilation gets too strong, you really may cease to be human. The effects of this are unknown. At worst, you might be unable to return to being a human.”
“So it’s an ability boost with risks.”
Hiroaki seemed to find that rather cool, as he had a fearless smirk on his face.
“My hair and eye color permanently changed as a consequence of a powerful assimilation. My body also suffers strain relative to the degree of assimilation afterward.”
Hiroaki’s face stiffened faintly when he heard about the actual changes to Rio’s body.
“I don’t know what will happen if I continue to assimilate with Aishia, and I might just be lucky I’ve gotten away with this much until now. The heroes are constantly in an assimilated state, so please don’t think about increasing the degree of assimilation. Weak assimilation seems to have no effect on the physical body.”
“Is it possible to lower an assimilation after raising it?” Satsuki asked worriedly.
“I believe there’s a limit set to prevent you from raising your assimilation degree too high, but I don’t know how far you can change the degree yourself. Aishia and I can communicate freely, so we can adjust our assimilation degree, but the heroes can’t...”
“But that ice hero named Renji in Rodania had a stronger assimilation than us, right?” Hiroaki asked with a frown. During the retreat from Rodania, Kikuchi Renji had taught him a harsh lesson. He was probably recalling that moment.
“Ah, him. Yes, most likely. He seemed a lot more familiar with combat than the last time I saw him, and his skills were much better too.”
“Tch...” Hiroaki clicked his tongue bitterly.
“So there is a way, right? For us to change our assimilation degree,” he asked Rio.
“H-Hey, didn’t you just hear what Haruto said? It’s dangerous to raise the assimilation degree!” Satsuki scolded Hiroaki in a panic.
“Of course I heard that. But I don’t want to lose to him if I ever fight him again, you know?”
“That’s...” Satsuki was well aware of what it was like to be completely helpless in an emergency. That was why she struggled to find her words.
“There’s also a risk that only the heroes have,” Rio added with a sigh.
“What?” Hiroaki asked.
“If the degree of assimilation is too high, control of your body will be stolen by the upper high rank spirit within you.”
The heroes all gasped in shock.
“Saint Erica is an example of this. She raised her degree of assimilation so high, the earth spirit inside her took over her body. Satsuki, you should know what happened to her as a result.”
Satsuki’s expression turned grim.
“What happened to her?” Hiroaki asked.
“She created a natural disaster. The ground—no, the entire earth flipped over and rushed at us like a tsunami reaching all the way to the sky...” Satsuki recalled the scene she witnessed back then with a bitter look.
“Seriously...?” Hiroaki muttered in a daze.
“Because of the limit, the spirit should only be able to take over for a short period of time. But there’s no telling what the upper high rank spirit will do in that time. If they use more power than a human body can withstand, the hero will weaken and die. Do you still want to increase your assimilation knowing that?”
Hiroaki fell silent.
“As long as you keep the degree low, you’re no different from a regular human. If you want to gain strength, train properly and improve yourself the old fashioned way. You may learn how to control your assimilation safely too,” Rio advised.
“Hold up. That makes it sound like there’s an unsafe way?” Hiroaki asked with a questioning look.
“There is. It’s an extremely dangerous and drastic method. It’s the method Saint Erica used. The ice hero may have used it too. But I do not wish for you to use it—no, I do not want you to fall into such a state. Which is why I will explain what it is.”
In a way, this was the main topic he wanted to discuss.
“Heroes can force their assimilation degree to increase by suffering a fatal wound.”
For the umpteenth time, a pained silence fell over the meeting.
“Heroes cannot die easily even if they’re mortally wounded. This is because of the regenerative abilities they gain through assimilation healing their wounds. However, recovering from a fatal wound requires powerful assimilation. So by suffering a wound that requires powerful assimilation to heal, you’ll be able to force the degree of assimilation to increase.”
Satsuki turned pale with a gasp, realizing something.
“Yesterday, Satsuki suffered a fatal wound in the battle with the golem. The reason she didn’t die was because of her self-regeneration from her assimilation,” Rio pointed out. He gave Satsuki a worried look.
“I knew something was weird... I was sure I felt it go through my chest. I was also in strangely good form during this morning’s training...” Satsuki smiled, distressed.
“Are you feeling okay, Satsuki?” Masato asked, worrying about any changes to her body.
“Yeah, I just said I was in good form.” She kept up the best smile she could manage to ease his worries.
“Breaking through the limit just once shouldn’t increase the degree of assimilation. As long as you don’t repeatedly suffer fatal wounds over a short period of time like Saint Erica...”
“Yeah...”
“You should be able to maintain a low degree while living normally, but if you feel like anything changes, let me know.”
“Thank you,” Satsuki said with a fleeting smile.
“I get what you’re saying about not using fatal wounds to strengthen the assimilation. But being able to control the degree of assimilation is still essential. Am I wrong?” Hiroaki asked with a dead serious expression.
“Hey now, Hiroaki. That can be discussed later,” Masato said with a conflicted look, but Hiroaki kept making his point about the core of the matter.
“I’m saying we need enough power to avoid getting fatally wounded if something happens. Like yesterday, if we’d had more power... If we had been able to use the hero power better, Satsuki might have avoided her wound.”
“That’s true,” Masato agreed reluctantly.
“Yesterday’s attack was my fault—I shouldn’t have left the castle. I didn’t know monsters like that would appear, so I was one step behind. Without Lina, the situation would have been doomed,” Rio said with deep regret.
“That’s not right,” Satsuki pointed out with a pout. “Although it vexes me a little to say this, I don’t think Hiroaki is wrong. It’s reassuring to have you protect us, but it’s not healthy for us to be completely dependent on you either. That’s why I agree with Hiroaki in wanting to become stronger. Not only to protect myself, but everyone else too.”
Hiroaki snorted to hide his embarrassment. “Hmph.”
“Besides, you shouldn’t be assimilating recklessly either, Haruto. It’s wrong to make you stand alone in the line of fire, don’t you think?” Satsuki stood up from her chair to lash out at Rio with force.
“Huh? Uh...”
“And in your case, it’s not only assimilation, no?”
Bound by the restrictions of the transcendent ones, he couldn’t even fight without a mask. His situation meant he wasn’t only at risk of being forgotten by others, but of losing his own memories too. Satsuki pouted in disapproval at him worrying about others.
“I only gathered you all today to explain the risks of assimilation...”
Rio grimaced, eyes darting about with guilt.
“Hee hee. Their positions are reversed now,” Charlotte said with an amused laugh, seeing Satsuki scolding Rio. Christina and Lilianna were also giggling to themselves.
“Well, at least the original goal was accomplished. And Haruto should worry about himself a little more.”
Francois watched over Rio and Satsuki with a cheerful smile on his face.
◇ ◇ ◇
Some moments ago, elsewhere in the Galarc Castle, Stewart Huguenot had returned to his patrol duty. While he was on his rounds near the guest house, he ran into Duke Gregory.
“Oh?” Duke Gregory had just finished his meeting with Duke Huguenot and was on his way out of the guest house with his guards. Stewart approached him. “Good day, Duke Gregory.”
“Well met.” Duke Gregory gave him a friendly smile.
“Are you leaving already?”
It hadn’t been that long since Duke Gregory entered his father’s office.
“Yes, I’ve finished my business here.”
“I see. Have a nice day.” Stewart bowed respectfully and waited for the duke to pass.
“Hmm. Come to think of it...” Duke Gregory started on his way, then stopped as though he had remembered something.
“You just so happen to be the same age as Queen Christina, yes?” he asked.
“I’m one year younger. Although we did take some classes together.”
“Oh, really now? I’m sure she must have been beautiful back then too.”
“Ha ha, many of the students in my year admired her. But no one ever got close to her.”
“I get it. When someone’s too beautiful, they become impossible to approach.”
In comparison to Duke Gregory being the head of his house, Stewart was merely a son of a duke house—and a disinherited one at that. Despite that, Gregory was speaking to him courteously and amiably.
“Her superior abilities also played a large part. She was always at the top of her year while she was at the academy, which made all the boys feel inferior.”
It didn’t feel bad to be treated so politely by the duke of a foreign kingdom. Stewart had a relaxed smile on his face as he made small talk.
“Ha ha ha. It’s true that men are left in an awkward position when up against someone so superior. But whoever marries Queen Christina will be quite the lucky man. It would be a man’s greatest honor and pride to bag such a prize,” Duke Gregory said while stroking his stout chin.
“No doubt there.”
“In which case, the knights of the Restoration must be quite anxious about now...” Duke Gregory said suggestively.
“What do you mean?”
“You are aware of our kingdom’s Amakawa, yes?”
Stewart’s eyes widened for a brief moment. “Of course... He’s a famous figure.”
A shadow fell over his face. It was clearly the reaction of someone taken aback by more than Haruto’s name suddenly being brought up.
Oh? What’s this?
Duke Gregory’s eyes narrowed as he observed Stewart carefully. Incidentally, Duke Gregory was one of the people who felt a strong sense of discomfort from missing his memories of Rio. His own connection to Rio was weak, but he felt extreme wariness and hostility towards him. Then, thinking he would be able to draw something interesting out of Stewart...
“It seems Queen Christina has been frequenting Amakawa’s mansion for some time now. I wonder if he’s incurred the displeasure of the knights meant to protect her. Who in their right mind would make a queen travel to their own residence?” he lamented dramatically. It was an attempt to shift the curtain over Stewart’s heart and reveal the shadow he had shown a glimpse of earlier.
“Yes... I can’t say I agree with it either. But I’m sure Queen Christina knows what she’s doing...”
“Oh? Such as?”
“Well, if you can keep it between just you and me...”
Stewart hesitated for a brief moment but ultimately decided to speak. He was probably in high spirits from being able to engage in noble small talk again. Although it was with a foreign noble, it had been a long time since he had such an opportunity.
“Of course.”
“I think she may be trying to borrow Sir Amawaka’s power for the Restoration. She fears he’ll reject her, so she’s going out of her way to show reservation before him...”
“I see, I see. His military strength is indeed on another level. But there should be no need to show any reservation. Our kingdom is allied with the Restoration, so if your leader requests assistance, he should be happy to help. That is his duty as a member of noble society.”
Duke Gregory’s smooth speech succeeded in stirring Stewart’s negative feelings about Rio.
“Well, he was originally a commoner, so I’m not surprised,” Stewart scoffed, showing his deep-rooted discrimination towards Rio’s birth status.
“Heh. He’s a former lowborn, you say?” Duke Gregory agreed with a cold laugh.
I have my doubts about that, though. His ability is the real deal. There’s no doubt about that, and he shouldn’t be underestimated for it. I don’t like to admit it, but he’s necessary to the Galarc Kingdom. I can understand why His Majesty gives him special treatment. Although it doesn’t change the fact that his background is suspicious...
Duke Gregory actually valued Rio rather highly on the inside, conflicted as it made him feel. But he wasn’t about to say that aloud. He was trying to goad Stewart into revealing more information right now.
Although his expectations were low, it was possible Stewart knew something about Rio that he didn’t. There was no knowing what kind of useful information could be lying hidden. And so...
“Goodness me, I’m glad we can agree with each other so well. If I recall correctly, your name is...”
Duke Gregory expressed affinity in order to close the distance with Stewart.
“It’s Stewart.” Seeing Duke Gregory try to recall his name, he voluntarily introduced himself. He must have been happy to be acknowledged.
“That’s right, Stewart. This meeting must be some kind of fate. Would you like to take a walk with me and talk some more?” As a sign of wishing to build rapport, Duke Gregory spoke in a more casual tone.
“Of course. I would be delighted to.” Stewart accepted the invitation with a smile. The two then walked shoulder to shoulder, with the duke’s guards following at a distance.
“Speaking of Amakawa, don’t you think he’s rather suspicious? He claimed his parents were immigrants, but there’s absolutely no history of him before he suddenly came to fame. Then he went and miraculously vanished from our memories for a period of time—it’s honestly getting rather eerie.”
Duke Gregory brought up the subject of Rio once again. He wasn’t lying—this was what he truly thought of Rio. He could acknowledge Rio’s abilities, but as a man who didn’t trust easily, he still felt a sense of suspicion.
“Yes, he’s a mysterious one. I remember the first time I saw him in the outskirts of Amande...”
“He saved Cretia’s daughter, Liselotte, from that monster attack, yes? I heard he displayed a strength unthinkable for his age as he scattered the swarm.”
“Yes, I was there too. And the rumors of his strength are accurate. Though I believe a large part of it was due to his enchanted sword...” Stewart said with a somewhat bitter look, unable to acknowledge Rio’s strength honestly.
“Hmm. But don’t you think it’s rather strange? A man as strong as him was completely unheard of until then. Enchanted swords aren’t easy for commoners to get their hands on either.”
“I agree, it’s very unnatural. I’ve suspected him of hiding his past and masquerading as someone of different status before, but...”
“Oh, how sharp of you. As expected of Duke Huguenot’s son, I should say. Wonderful.”
Stewart looked pleased at Duke Gregory’s exaggerated praise of him. “N-No, not at all. It’s been a rumor for a while...”
“I was actually thinking the exact same thing. He must be lying about who he is.”
“But is there a reason for a man that powerful to hide his identity?”
“No no, he may have some kind of dark past he wants to hide, you see?”
“Right... When you put it that way, it makes sense. In which case, he shouldn’t be left in the center of noble society. It’s too dangerous.”
“The abnormal phenomena involving everyone’s memories of him happened just recently. It was explained as a curse from a magic artifact that blocked everyone’s perception of him, but I think it sounds fishy. He might be using that artifact to hide any unfavorable moments from his past. Is it silly of me to suspect him of this?”
“Good point. I think your theory is well thought, Duke Gregory. You’ve certainly convinced me,” Stewart said, praising Duke Gregory and expressing his strong agreement.
“Oh, you think so too?”
“Yes. If he’s able to manipulate the memories and perception of others, it should be easy for him to lie about his identity. Wouldn’t it be better to investigate that artifact in detail?”
“Apparently the artifact was taken by an opposing magic user.”
“Surely not... He might have hidden it away,” Stewart said with a doubtful look.
“I did pass my apprehensions on to His Majesty, but he told me not to speak nonsense and dismissed me.”
“What? Is there a chance the king is being manipulated too?”
“Oh dear, don’t say that too loud now. If it’s true, His Majesty would be a victim, but without any proof, you would sound like you’re doubting the king.”
“R-Right, it was a slip of the tongue. Forgive me.” Stewart flinched and apologized in a hurry.
“It’s fine, I understand what you mean. But it would be best to keep it here...just between you and me,” Duke Gregory said with a smile.
“Yes... That aside, the fact he’s risen this far while lying about his background shows he couldn’t resist the desire for status. That says a lot about his character.”
Stewart mocked Rio, either completely convinced that this was fact without any proof, or perhaps to cover up the guilt of his inappropriate words earlier.
“Indeed. However, at present, we can only theorize.” Duke Gregory sighed uneasily.
“If only we had some kind of evidence of his dark past that we could use to expose him...”
“Evidence, huh... There’s one thing that may be helpful...”
“You know something?” Stewart asked.
“It happened during the commotion yesterday. According to some knights who were at the scene, a little girl called him Rio. If Haruto Amakawa is his alias, then Rio may be his real name... But it really isn’t enough to change anything,” Duke Gregory uttered without any particular hope.
However, Stewart froze. “Rio...?”
Duke Gregory didn’t miss the change in his expression. “Oh? Is something the matter?”
“Ah, no...”
“The look on your face is saying there is.”
“N-No, I can’t be sure of it, so I can’t say... I have no proof either...”
Stewart’s voice cracked, and he trailed off as he spoke. Various thoughts were flying about his head at that moment.
Rio... Is it him? No, that can’t be. But what if it is...?
Wouldn’t it be very bad if it was him? The sudden knowledge left his thoughts scattered, but he knew on instinct that it would be.
Don’t tell me—is that why father brought up the past just now?!
That was his next realization.
I see, my father was in the rooftop garden during the commotion yesterday. He must have heard someone call him by that name...
Stewart’s expression froze over. Dots were connecting themselves before he could even process the facts.
But is it really the same person? His hair color is different... Wait, his current hair color is slightly different to before. Could he...?
He broke out in a cold sweat as his heart beat erratically. He desperately wished for it all to be a lie.
“Stewart.” Duke Gregory called his name impatiently. Stewart snapped back to his senses.
“Y-Yes?”
“I’m very curious about what you’re thinking. Will you not share your thoughts with me?”
“U-Um, about that... Ah...”
He didn’t want to share them. His thoughts weren’t even gathered enough for him to make a judgment on sharing them. Stewart tripped over his words awkwardly.
“If you won’t tell me, I’ll have to ask the other members of the Restoration for clarification...”
Duke Gregory was unsatisfied with that answer after seeing such a reaction right before his eyes. He decided to say something Stewart wouldn’t like—to ask around and see if anyone else knew anything.
“W-Wait a moment! I need a little time... Just a little time to think! Give me one day, at least until tomorrow. Can you please wait?”
“Very well. Then I will wait until tomorrow morning.”
“Th-Thank you very much.”
“I shall come visit you tomorrow.”
“Yes...”
Duke Gregory gave a clear warning, making Stewart nod somberly.
“I look forward to what you have to say.”
Once they’d decided on where to meet, Duke Gregory took his leave.
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