–
Part 1At the evening of the day of practice, Celia was walking inside the school building of Beltram Royal Academy.
「Geez, his way of using people is rough! Do something like an investigation by yourself. Just because I'm the youngest among the teacher, this is too much. Using a person like a secretary. Furthermore it took time because it was searching about a monster from the era of god and demon war.」
Celia was mouthing her dissatisfaction in a huff while heading to her destination the headmaster office. The source of her anger was because she was ordered by her superior to investigate about a certain monster while she was doing investigation for her research in library.
「What's more telling me to come to headmaster office……. Though he was strangely impatient, did something happen?」
For a moment she wondered if the monster that she investigated actually appeared, but she immediately rethought that there was no way that was true.
The monster that Celia investigated was a monster called Minotaur that possessed human shape and cow face. It was an existence that played an active role in a great war that happened more than a thousand years ago which was now called god and demon war.
God and demon war was a war that unfolded between human race that was led by the Six Wise Gods and the demon race that was led by the demon king. It was said that minotaur had their population drastically reduced at the closing of the god and demon war.
It seemed that their existence would rarely be confirmed even now at the countries in the north and west, but there was no case of sighting of that monster in this Beltram Kingdom for a few hundred years.
While thinking of various things like that, Celia arrived at the headmaster room. She stopped walking in front of the room and noticed that the door was slightly opened.
Then, Celia could hear the voices of the headmaster Garcia Fontaine and the elderly teacher who ordered her to do the investigation. Celia observed the situation inside while thinking whether it was alright for her to enter.
「However, for her highness the second princess to almost fall from a cliff, it's disquieting. Is it alright to think of this as a case where some kind of punishment is necessary?」
Garcia asked with slightly annoyed look.
Celia froze spontaneously at the uneasy content of the conversation.
「Perhaps that cannot be avoided. But, there is also dissension regarding all the facts. It seems there is no doubt that it was the son of Duke Huguenot who directly collided with her highness but……」
「And?」
「More than half of the students are giving testimony that in the first place the cause was because the student called Rio pushed away Duke Huguenot's son. On the other hand, her highness the second princess herself is insisting that there is no way that's true……」
'Eh? Rio? What is going on?'──Celia gulped hearing the unexpected name.
「Why is that?」
「That's because it was the student called Rio who saved her highness from almost falling below the cliff. Though it seems he was the one who fell from the cliff instead.」
'Falling from the cliff? Is Rio alive?'──something cold ran through Celia's back.
「Then, how is it going with that Rio?」
「His whereabouts is unknown. After falling from the cliff, it seemed he appeared in front of the isolated second princess who was under attack of the later mentioned unknown monster, but he immediately absconded after defeating the monster I heard.」
'I'm glad. He is alive'──Celia sighed in relieve, though it was concerning that Rio's whereabouts was unknown.
「If that's the case then it seems that kid didn't have any intention to harm her highness the second princess but, do you understand his motive of pushing Duke Huguenot's brat?」
「The students said that it was because he fell into panic when the swarm of monsters attacked.」
'That Rio fell into panic just from getting attacked by monsters?' ──Celia felt a strange discomfort.
「I see……. Then, is there proof that can overturn the testimony of half of the students?」
「No, it seems there is no student including her highness the second princess who witnessed any such scene.」
「Hmmm……」
「Him absconding like this is the proof that he has something to feel guilty about. He should come forward to explain if he isn't involved at all.」
Garcia was making a pondering face. The elderly male teacher said that unabashedly.
「That's only if he can proof his innocence perfectly.」
Garcia muttered with a small voice.
「Ha?」
「No, it's nothing.」
「Haa……. Then, what should we do about the report to the castle? There is strong pressure from the house of Duke Huguenot on us, it's necessary to write the report promptly.」
「Hm. Right now it also won't be good for his majesty if Duke Huguenot slipped into a blunder. Luckily there is also a convenient sacrifice available. It will be a bad move to recklessly blow up this matter out of proportion.」
「Then, is it alright to put the report to submit to the castle in a way that placed the problem on the student called Rio?」
'What's with that? From the start you all don't have any intention to let Rio explain himself?'──Celia felt a strong indignation at the progress of the talk that was ridiculing Rio.
「Do that. There is also testimony from many people. Duke Huguenot will surely take care of the matter skillfully in the castle. We at least have to make him do that much.」
Frankly, the truth didn't matter for Garcia. The scenario that was the most convenient and didn't blow up the matter out of proportion was the truth.
「Then, I will make the document for the report to the castle like that.」
「Right. I'll leave it to you. I will bring the report to his majesty and ask for his judgment. During that time notify the teachers to restrain the boy if he shows up in the academy.」
「Understood.」
Celia was quivering anxiously while eavesdropping the two's businesslike conversation.
'Aa, what to do, what to do?' ──At this rate Rio would be in danger.
Celia believed in Rio. She didn't understand the detail of the event with just this conversation, but she couldn't imagine that Rio losing himself from terror and pushed Stead because of that. ……Though if it was the reverse it was more likely.
Perhaps Rio absconded because he had realized that a false suspicion was put on him.
Just speaking would be simple, but doing something like proving that he didn't do it was a case of devil's proof. If a suspicion was given because of a false charge and it would only be a waste of effort to clear that suspicion, it would be better to immediately escape right from the start. Celia's face was broody, but she took a deep breath to calm herself before knocking the door.
–
Part 2At night, Rio returned to the capital and sneaked into his room at the dormitory inside the royal academy's ground.
Originally the gate of the city was closed during the night, because of that it was impossible to enter inside the rampart.
But, Rio used physical strengthening to strengthen his body and physical ability to surpass human's limit and accomplished his infiltration by act of force of jumping over the rampart. He also wouldn't be suspected if he entered inside the city. He also sneaked inside the noble quarter in the same way by jumping over the rampart inside the city, and then he quickly headed toward the academy.
Because most of the students went home at night, the security was relatively light. For Rio who was knowledgeable about the academy's ground, it was a piece of cake to walk around without getting found out by the patrolling security.
Rio opened the door and entered inside his familiar dormitory room. From the start it was a room with few belongings, but there was still no sign that someone had entered inside. After confirming that, Rio took out a bag that was hidden under the bed. Inside the bag was the money he received five years ago after rescuing Flora. It was mostly untouched. It was an amount that was more than enough for his life from now on.
Next, Rio took out clothes from a drawer and changed. He put the money bag into the belt bag that was hanging on his waist. The academy's uniform was excellent as battle clothes, but to his regret it was too conspicuous.
Like that he finished his preparation. Then Rio left the room and headed toward the only person he could trust in the academy──the room where Celia was.
(It will be great if she is still here but……)
Celia often shut herself in her lab until late at night. Rio prayed that she still hadn't gone home while walking through the familiar underground passage of the library tower.
Because many of the teachers had also gone home, the passage was quieter than usual.
When he arrived at Celia's lab while probing for sign of human, there was light of artifact leaking out from the door's gap. It seemed Celia was still there.
Rio slowly knocked the door.
「Who is it, coming at this ti-……」
Celia came out with a slightly displeased look, but her eyes opened wide in astonishment when she saw Rio's face. She almost yelled unconsciously but Rio gently shut her mouth with his finger.
「Shh. I'm sorry to come at this time. I want to talk for a bit.」
Rio talked with a small voice.
Celia almost blushed, but she looked around restlessly at the corridor before,
「Come in.」
Muttering that, she invited Rio to enter the room.
Both of them entered inside and then the door closed with a thud. While Rio was at a loss at from where he should start explaining, Celia strongly hugged Rio.
「Se, sensei?」
Rio let out a bewildered voice while feeling Celia's worm across the clothes. *Thump*, it felt like the heartbeat of Celia's heart was transmitted.
「You aren't injured right?」
After a bit of time, Celia touched all over Rio's body searchingly.
「It's ticklish. I'm fine sensei.」
Rio said while smiling from the ticklish sensation.
「I'm glad……」
Celia smiled in relieve with tears gathering in her eyes.
'Aa, it's Rio. He is safe'──she was hopelessly happy knowing that. Celia was liberated from the uneasiness and it felt like the block in her heart was taken off.
「Could it be, sensei has heard about what happened in the practice?」
「Yes. They said Rio pushed Stead-kun which caused Florsama to be in danger. Also, they said that Rio defeated a minotaur alone……」
「Putting aside the latter, the former is a false charge.」
Rio told Celia with an exasperated voice.
「As I thought! There is no way Rio would do something like that.」
「Thank you very much. So sensei believes in me……」
「That's obvious!」
Celia proclaimed vigorously.
「But, the other people aren't like sensei. So I'm really happy.」
Saying that, Rio smiled awkwardly. Then Celia hugged Rio one more time.
「……It's okay. I believe in you. After all I know Rio.」
'I don't have any ally in this academy'──Rio might be thinking like that.
That was why, 'you have an ally here'──Celia wanted to tell Rio so.
「Sensei……」
Warm. He wondered when was the last time he felt the warmth of opposite sex. Rio was embraced by Celia as she wished while he was feeling the comfort that was hard to resist.
「Hey, can you tell me what happened? Honestly, I still don't understand just what happened……」
Celia finally asked.
「That's, right. About what happened in the middle of the practice──」
–
「What's with that! Rio didn't do anything bad at all!」
When Rio finished telling everything, Celia exposed her anger in dissatisfaction.
「The person with authority is the one who decide what is bad and what isn't.」
Rio spoke philosophically as though he had resigned himself from the start.
In a society of social status, justice was a fluid sense of value that was determined by the strong. Therefore, for the weak justice never brought a convenient result. Justice existed for the sake of the strong.
「That's true, but. Rio, even though you didn't do anything bad, you are pinned with false charge!」
Celia yelled with grieving look at Rio's realistic words.
「But, even if I tell the truth, the people with authority in this country won't become my ally, far from that they would instead come to crush me. After all the eldest son of Duke Huguenot is involved with this case.」
At present the number one noble in Beltram Kingdom was Duke Huguenot. In contrast Rio was nothing but a commoner with no social status or backer.
If Rio exposed the truth of the case this time, the house of Duke Huguenot would surely receive heavy political damage. After all although it was only an accident, the eldest son of that house almost caused the death of a royalty.
But, considering the present political situation of Beltram Kingdom, it really wouldn't be a pleasant situation for the mainstream nobility and royalty including the king himself.
Because at present, Duke Arbeau whose influence was decreased due to his failing five years ago was regaining his clout inside the royal court to the degree that couldn't really be underestimated.
Recently Duke Huguenot faction and Duke Arbeau faction were having a heated argument behind the scenes regarding the diplomacy policy toward a certain enemy country. The name of that enemy country was Proxia Empire──, it was an emerging nation at the north that invaded several small countries around it and held a tense relation with Beltram Kingdom.
The king and Duke Huguenot faction held moderate opinion of maintaining the current tense relation toward such Proxia Empire, on the other hand Duke Arbeau faction held aggressive argument that the kingdom should assertively expand the military.
Right now Duke Huguenot faction was still possessing great influence, but if Duke Huguenot stumbled here, the scale would immediately tilt toward Duke Arbeau faction. If that happened it wouldn't be strange even if war broke out anytime. That wouldn't be a desirable development for the majority of the royalty and nobility including the king.
At the present situation that had such political background, would the main faction of the royalty and nobility wish for Duke Huguenot to stumble? Would they be driven by righteous indignation and exposed Stead's foolishness under the sun, recklessly aggravating the situation? No, if everything could be settled peacefully by pushing all the responsibility to a single commoner, than they surely would think that it was a cheap price to pay. Even Rio and Celia could easily understand that if they thought about it a bit calmly.
「Sorry. I actually should do something about this but……」
Celia bit her lip and apologized in frustration.
Even if Celia appealed for Rio's innocence, it was clear that it wouldn't be sufficient. Even if she was feeling indignant due to her idealistic thought, it would be meaningless without the strength to confront the reality. It was unbearably frustrating.
「Please don't apologize.」
Rio said with a kind voice.
「It's thanks to sensei. Because Celisensei was here for me, I was able to live until this far without going rotten. I'm glad I was able to meet you. I'm really thinking so from my heart.」
「Rio……」
Celia's face distorted sadly. She somehow understood what he was going to say next.
「That's why, I want to say my farewell only to sensei. I will leave this country temporarily.」
The cruel and sad words of farewell, those were words that were just as expected for Celia.
「……Do you have a destination in mind?」
「I have said it before, I'm thinking to head to my parents' birthplace.」
「The birthplace of Rio's parents, don't tell me you are going to Yagumo region? Really? Will you be fine?」
「Well, I'll manage somehow, perhaps.」
Rio answered as brightly as possible in order to assure Celia.
「……Should I come along with you too? Do you have money?」
After a momentary pause, Celia spoke with a brooding expression.
「It will become a serious affair if sensei vanished. I'll be fine. If it's money I still have a lot of the reward money remaining. That's right, I will write a letter addressed to sensei in the middle of my journey. Naturally I'll use a fake name for it though.」
「……You have to write no matter what okay? If you forget, I won't forgive you.」
「Yes.」 Rio nodded with a smile.
「But, what kind of name you will use?」
「Let's see. Then, ……Haruto.」
After a bit of hesitation, Rio told Celia his fake name. That was Rio's name at his previous existence.
「Haruto, Haruto is it.」
Celia hummed that name and carved it into her brain.
「Then, I'll depart soon.」
Rio informed as though to sever the reluctance of parting and he gently pushed away Celia's body.
「Ah……」
Celia let out a hoarse voice when Rio's warmth separated from her.
「We will, be able to meet again right?」
But, she immediately made the best smile she could muster and asked with a trembling voice.
「……Yes, surely we will be able to meet again.」
There was a pause when Rio was thinking for a bit before he nodded and showed a soft smile.
「Then, take care of yourself, and return back safely. ……See you again.」
Celia muffled the anxiety that was whirling inside her chest and smiled with a slightly pained face.
「Yes.」
Rio replied so before he slowly turned around. He was going away from Celia for one step, two steps.
Celia's chest felt like it would burst when she was staring at his back. If she let go of her feeling even just for a bit, she might cry and cling on Rio's back.
But, that was no good. Right now she mustn't cry. She had to see him off resolutely, so to not hold Rio back. Celia bit her lip strongly.
And then, Rio quietly vanished from the room without saying anything further.
*Click*, the door closed quietly.
The next moment, the damn in Celia's eyes broke and tears spilled out.
Thinking back now, it was Celia who was saved by their time together.
Since her childhood, Celia continued to advance further and further forward. Many times she became target of jealousy from her surroundings and she didn't have any close friend near her, so a talking partner who didn't harbor the slightest self-interest inside themselves was something fresh and precious for her.
She enjoyed her time together with Rio every day. She was helplessly happy when one day Rio told her that she was his friend.
「Sorry, Rio. I, cannot do anything……」
Sobbing voice continued to resound inside Celia's room for a while.
–
Part 3「Excuse me.」
Flora visited the office of her father Philip III. After receiving permission and entered inside, there wasn't just Philip III inside. Flora's eyes opened wide in surprise because Garcia was also there.
But, perhaps it was convenient instead that the headmaster Garcia was also here. Flora pinched the fringe of her dress and bowed while harboring determination inside her heart.
「Flora, what's your business?」
Philip III had faintly noticed Flora's intention, but he asked her brazenly.
「It's about the incident in the outdoor practice. I came here in order to ask Otou-sama about it.」
Flora spoke with a slightly tense voice and determination on her face. Philip III's eyes slightly opened wide seeing a glimps of her daughter's strong side that had never really come out until now.
「……Don't worry. We have heard about that incident from Garcia.」
「Than that person, Rio-sama naturally won't receive any blame then?」
Flora asked the result that she wished for straight to her father.
「Forgive me, but we also cannot do that.」
「……Why is that?」
Philip III's face clouded and he shook his head. Flora turned a blaming gaze toward him.
「We aren't making light of your testimony by any means. But, it's also a fact that many of the students witnessed him pushing away the eldest son of Duke Huguenot. As the result of that, you a member of the royal family met danger. That's enough reason for punishment.」
「But, that person saved me! There is no way he did anything like that!」
「Then why is that boy concealing himself? We are also thankful to him for saving you several times. But, it cannot be helped even if his current action is being suspected.」
「That's……that's because, everyone is being malicious toward that person! Surely he doesn't trust us……」
「Hoho, ah youth.」
Garcia spoke cheerfully while Flora was talking insistently.
「What do you mean by that, Headmaster Garcia?」
Flora pouted.
「I mean that ideal and reality are not always one and the same. It will be better if your highness also quickly understand that as someone who is living in a privileged class.」
「……Please don't divert from the topic. In the first place what kind of report that you gave to Otou-sama? Please give me an explanation that I can accept.」
Flora pressed her question as though to say that she wouldn't be tricked.
「Oh hoh, I am only compiling the testimony of the students.」
Garcia was making a smile like a good natured grandfather in contrast to his words.
「Garcia, don't bully my cute daughter too much.」
「Hoho, my apologizes.」
Garcia spoke apologizing words after the warning from Philip III. Although he was thinking 「What a doting parent」, he didn't say it out loud.
「Flora. There is a reason to punish him, because of that, it will be a bad form toward the nobles if we do nothing in regard to this incident. But, it's also a fact that boy had saved you from danger. We will charge him for his crime, but we will also think about the lightening his punishment. Can you accept that compromise?」
「That action is too soft.」
Garcia muttered to himself. Philip III glared at Garcia to shut him up.
「Even if his punishment is lightened, that will still leave behind criminal record that will follow him……」
Flora spoke with a sullen tone.
In other words, at the end Rio would still be treated like the bad guy like that.
He would be recognized publicly as someone guilty. The future for a person with criminal record wouldn't be a bright one. In the case that Rio was living in Beltram Kingdom from here on, it would be the same like having his path of success closed.
「Hmm, but, you see……」
Garcia made a delighted smile and watched the conversation of the parent and child as though it was completely unrelated to him. Philip III moved his gaze and asked for help from Garcia with a completely troubled face.
「Your highness, calm down for a bit. We too don't have that much free time to go along with a child's selfishness.」
Garcia joined the talk with patronizing words. Flora closed her mouth with an angry expression.
「I just cannot tolerate a mistake being carried out.」
「That's what I'm calling being a child. Detach yourself from emotion when taking action and speaking. For a royalty, doing something that goes against your emotion is an everyday experience.」
In the first place it was already too childish for her to feel conflicted just because of something of this level. Although Garcia thought that, he didn't say it out loud.
Flora fell silent completely and tears gathered in her eyes. She was painfully made to understand that she was being treated as an immature child, and no matter what she said the other party wouldn't listen to her. She was vexed by that.
Until now Flora had lived by honestly listening to what her father and her big sister told her. Because she believed by doing that she wouldn't make a mistake and did the right thing.
But, she felt like she wouldn't be unable to do that no matter what just in this matter.
「Enough, already.」
She muttered something that she didn't even think of with a subdued look. She thoroughly understood that the words of the current her didn't have any power. She couldn't do anything with her own strength. Her heart felt so painful as though her body was being torn.
What she could do was only to pray for Rio's safety. Flora cursed her own powerlessness.
The time was year 996 of the Holy Calendar──five years already passed since Rio became aware of his reincarnation to this world.