Chapter 94 [Confidential Discussion]
TL : Cnine
ED/PF : LittleEndu
Part 1
Satsuki, while looking at the hand Rio is offering, is seizing his hand.
The noble girls of Bertram kingdom including Dorothea were looking at their exchange with slightly dumbfounded expression.
「Excuse me」
When he’s muttering those words to Satsuki, Rio is suddenly turning around to face the noble girls.
「My deepest apology, everyone. Since I received an invitation from hero-sama, I decided to become her partner for a dance . Though it’s truly regrettable for me to leave your side, please excuse my discourtesy」 [ED: Read TL note from last chapter]
Rio’s telling those noble girls while wearing troubling-like smile.
And then, the noble girls finally snapped out of their daze.
「Y-You can’t expect to refusing it if it’s a direct invitation from hero-sama, can you」
Elise replys with awkward smile.
She was the one who greeted Rio earlier.
Certainly, the status of Satsuki who’s the hero is above everyone of them.
But still, it’s not something amusing for the girls when someone is coming and snatching the man they’re aiming at.
Since If things go naturally as it is, someone of them might be dancing with Rio.
Or rather, approaching Rio was also those girls objective.
But, while it might be true, as ladies, you couldn’t expect them to scold Satsuki in public.
「O-Okay, I still want to chat with Haruto-sama but, since it’s come to this」
Dorothea also having a cramped smile while agreeing to Elise.
The other noble girls is also giving similiar responses.
「I feel really happy to be able receiving such words. If there’s a chance again later, please allow me to say my apology to everyone」
「Yeah, of course」
The noble girls are throwing an appropriate answer for Rio words.
Though those words might be just a lip service, it’s something for raising their honor if they’re making an appropriate response. [TL : It’s pain in the ass for me to translate such ambiguous wording]
For arguments sake, it might be incuring displeasure of those noble girls if he just leave them without any kind of following. [TL : SO you learn from your previous lesson huh(when he’s incurring the jealousy of both male camp and female camp of noble during royal academy era)]
And Satsuki who’s the culprit is――
「My deepest apology. There was something I wished to tell him for a little while」
Saying so, Satsuki also apologized using proper gestures and expression.
「Well, regarding that. Please don’t mind about us. Since we’ll be willingly pulling back if hero-sama wishes for it」
「Thank you very much」
Satsuki left that place along with Rio after saying her gratitude to those noble girls.
The two of them are walking side-by-side.
This distance is close enough so that they can have a secret conversation.
「Thank you very much for calling me. So, you managed to successfully escape from that crowd alone huh？ 」
Part 2
So, Rio successfully said those words which can only be heard by Satsuki since their surroundings are quite loud.
「You’re right. It was hard, indeed. To sneak here by myself」
「Must be so, right」
&nb
sp;
Rio’s agreeing while showing a wry smile.
Just like that, they’re gathering the looks of the surrounding people just by walking side by side with just the two of them.
If she, the guest of honor, is walking alone, she definitely will be greeted in the place she goes to.
Rejecting all of that hospitality might become a considerably grave matter.
「My apologize for troubling you. Since I don’t wish for this conversation to be heard by the people in that place」
「Yeah, I understand that. That’s why I came to you as you wished. Since I was quite surprised with what you did. Now, please tell me. Miharu-cha――」
Just when Satsuki was about to ask something.
「P-Please wait a minute！ Satsuki！ 」
Saying that while walking toward the dance space in the center of the hall, a man has come to stop Satsuki.
「They found us huh」
Satsuki’s murmured while sighing.
Her voice is filled with slightly troubled emotion.
「What’s matter？ Michael」
Satsuki’s turning around to ask the owner of that voice.
Standing in there is a tall youth with air of a gentleman.
If Rio isn’t mistaken, he was amongst the royalties who he greeted sometimes ago.
He certainly is a man who has the right to stand beside Satsuki.
His is a bit older than Rio and Satsuki.
His name is Michael Galwark, the genuine prince of Galwark kingdom.
「Don’t “what’s matter” me. It’s because you suddenly disappeared the moment I took my eyes from you. I’m worried you know. I can’t let you go missing」
Michael’s speaking to Satsuki.
「It can’t be helped you know. Who do you think I’m？ 」
Satsuki’s replied with displeased tone.
「For you to say something like that, weren’t you lost in the castle once before. When you were arbitrarily trying to exploring the castle」
「That was only when I just come to this world, wasn’t it」
Satsuki’s sighing a little.
「Well then, I’ll be going soon if you have no other business though？」
「Going to where……………………..？」
「After all, I’m dancing with this person」
Satsuki was looking at Rio while smiling a sweet smile as if being fascinated.
Part 3
「Dance………………………？ With…………………….. This man？ 」
Michael’s staring at Rio’s face with dumbfounded expression.
「Yeah, that’s right」
Satsuki’s nonchalantly affirming his question.
「W-What have you just said. Since you’re a hero, you can’t be so careless when choosing your first dancing partner……….」
……」
「Ara, I wonder why he’s no good？ I think that he’s quite good looking though」 [TL : sushh, “she’s a predator”]
Saying so, Satsuki’s getting one step closer to Rio while showing an impish face.
Their shoulders coming so close to the point of almost touching.
「Na~~………」
Michael’s eyes are opened wide.
And then, he’s immediately sending a piercing glance at Rio.
「You…………………….. Are the person who was brought as a partner by Liselotte, aren’t you」
It a little unexcpected that Michael recalls about Rio.
「Yes. My name is Haruto」
Rio’s stated his name while giving a wry smile.
He’s sighing inside with this slightly troublesome.
「He’s okay with Liselotte, and the same with Satsuki, is this kind of a man really so nice looking？」
Michael’s muttering with sullen expression.
It doesn’t mean that Michael is what you call ugly.
Or rather, you can say that he has well ordered features that you could call perfect.
His semi-blonde hair which is stretched in wavy style on both sides of his face is attracting the looks of many girls.
But, on close inspection, when comparing his body closely with Rio it might gave slightly poor image as Rio has the slender and well-proportioned one.
Despite there really being no need for training the royalties, it can’t be helped that he’s lacking in muscularity.
「I mean, his face is slightly resembling the people of my motherland. I’ve said it right. I’ve say that I want to go back to my world. Which means that I won’t miss even a trivial hint if it’s for that sake. Your side said that you’ll give your cooperation to help me get back to my original world, right ？ 」
Satsuki told him so while a serious expression floated on her face just in that moment.
「T-That is…………….. B-But, just because you say that his face is similar, it doesn’t mean that it’ll become a hint to returning to your original world………….」
Michael’s replying with pressuring appearance.
「Ara, there’s a possibility that his distant ancestor might be someone from my original world」
「I-Is that so？」
Part 4
Michael asked Rio.
「I don’t know the details regarding my lineage. But, since hero-sama’s seemingly taking an interest in my hometown, I’m thinking of telling her as much as I know」
Rio’s telling him in composed manner while matching what he said with Satsuki story.
「!!!………………… E-Even so, there’s no need to dance to do that, right？ I mean you can make other arrangement for this……………..」
Though he was at loss for words for a moment, nevertheless, Michael’s clinging persistently on them.
Somehow, it seems that he’s unable to accept the fact that Satsuki’s dancing with Rio first.
Thereupon, in that place,
「Ara, isn’t that fine then. Onii-sama. I’m fine with hero-sama’s dancing a dance with that gentleman you know」
A girl appeared and said those words to Michael.
She’s around as old as Rio, or just slightly younger.
She has an extremely lovely appearance.
Her shoulder length blonde hair which overlapped with madder red is so brilliant, her style is well arranged even from the top of her lovely frilly dress*.[TLC* : 茜色のかかったセミロングのブロンドヘアは鮮やかで、フリルの付いた可愛らしいドレスの上からでもスタイルが整っているのがわかる。]
「C-Charlotte…………………… Even you…………….」
Michael was looking at the girl called Charlotte with bewildered expression.
「It’s because hero-sama is not your thing, nor she’s your fiancee, onii-sama. You can’t bind her, doing such unreasonable things will also stress hero-sama」
Charlotte’s skillfully covering for Satsuki.
「That’s right. I’m giving my agreement to become a hero but, I don’t remember giving my agreement to have my movement restricted for anything unreasonable」
And so, Satsuki was taking an advantage of that situation.
「GUH………….. But, I’m just thinking for your sake………………」
「She didn’t even have any contact with nothing but just some people during this several months when she’s been secluded in the royal castle. Don’t you think that having a contact with another person will become a nice stimulus for hero-sama？ 」
Charlotte’s going by logic.
She’s saying that to this point since there’s no allies in their vicinity, It’ll look bad if he keeps on clinging to Satsuki like he has for now.
Maybe bacause Michael felt so.
「……………. Understood. I’ll let you to dance with Satsuki」
He’s agreeing reluctantly.
Charlotte’s smiling a delightful smile and then,
「Well, am I not good enough for onii-sama！ Though it’s just as subtitute, please dance with me, onii-sama」
Part 5
She’s saying so while clinging on Michael’s arm with a playful atmosphere.
「Charlotte………………… Understood, well then, shall we have a dance」
After breathing lightly as if to say “It can’t be helped then“, Michael finally said those words.
And Charlotte is replying with「Thank you very much！」.
「Thank you, Sharl-chan」
Satsuki told her gratitude to Charlotte with whispering voice while winking at her with one of her eyes.
「No, it’s nothing. He’s a wonderful gentleman isn’t he. Please enjoy your dance」
Charlotte’s replied while sending a fleeting gaze at Rio.
「It’s not like that though」
Satsuki’s smiling wryly as if being troubled by her statement.
「Well then, let’s go at once, Onii-sama！」
Charlotte was walking at brisk step after seizing Michael’s arms with a wide smile on her face.
「Are you okay with that？」
Rio’s asked Satsuki while watching those two retreating figure.
「About what？」
「Nothing, maybe it’s better for you to be free from obstacles like invitations since he is some kind of a royalty」
「It’s okay. Since I’ve no plans to deteriorate our relationship with unnecessary hard-heartedness, and I want to have a chat with you more than I want to accompany him right now」
Satsuki’s replying with honest expression.
Thus, despite being curious about Rio’s story, she did have her reasons.
yes, Rio used spirit arts on Satsuki when they were sharing a handshake sometimes ago.
That was thought type of art of conversation called conveying the voice of his heart to the other party.
It doesn’t mean that they can do bi-directional conversation too when separated in fixed distance like his case with Aisia who’s tied to him by spirit contract.
There’s an absolute need for directly touching the other party, and as long as the other party is unable to use spirit arts, it would be nothing but just like one-way communication.
Therefore, though there’s limitation for using it, it’s a useful spirit arts for a confidential confersation.
「There’s a lot of things that I want to ask but, let me start by asking this. The matter about you taking care Miharu-chan and co………… Is that true？ 」
Satsuki’s asking that while peeking at Rio face.
She won’t miss any signs of lying.
He can feel this kind of strong will from her.
「Yeah, it’s true」
Rio’s staring back into Satsuki eyes.
Their eyes are meeting in the air.
Part 6
「Are they safe？ 」
「Of course they’re safe. They’re living full of spirit in this world even at this moment」
Satsuki squinted her eyes when Rio gave that kind of reply to her.
「Say, me believing your story is based on nothing but the fact that you, know the full name of Miharu-chan and co. That’s why I have no choice but to trust you. But, I can’t do something like blindly trusting your words without even knowing all the details about you」
「I see. It’s as you say」
Rio’s saying an appropriate response while nodding deeply.
「If so, will you let me to hear of your purpose and what were you aiming with this kind of contact with me in the beginning？ And, why’re you trying to let me meet Miharu-chan and co？ 」
Satsuki’s asked with composed tone.
「Though I don’t mind to answer that, that’s right――」
Rio’s showing a gesture of pondering lightly.
Even if she asks whether he has any kind of goals, Rio’s taking this action for nothing more than for the sake of Miharu and co.
Currently, Satsuki’s trying to probe for Rio’s goal.
What sort of things must he tell so she would believe him when he conveyed that to her.
Though he’s pondering about it, maybe it’s better for him to conveying the truth as it is than lining up words.
「It’s because Miharu-san and co really want to meet…………. You that is. Nothing to do with my own goals………………」
Was Rio reply after pondering about it for a while.
「Because Miharu-chan and co want to meet me you say？」
「Yes」
Rio’s replying right away.
（Does that mean he’s acting completely from his goodwill？ Well, I think such reason is completely impossible but…………）
After looking at him to the very best of her ability, Satsuki doesn’t think that he’s lying.
But, he really might not be somewhat of a good person.
Satsuki also fully understands her value as a hero.
Ever since she come to this world, even in this evening party, various kind of people have approached her to abuse her status.
Maybe for that reason, Satsuki has become slightly suspicious of him without the she herself noticing it.
So that means, by participating in this evening party, the youth before her also has some sort of influence.
Is so, “is this man really approaching me out of good will and without caring about the risks ?“. [ED: It is “Calculation” in Japanese but what he is calculating over is whether it’s worth the risk.]
Maybe he really is moving around and sparing no effort working hard for the sake of fellow friends who have separated.
She’s noticing as if she’s overlooking for some kind of precondition.
For the sake of making sure of that――,