Heroes in the Moonlight

by Yuri Kitayama

  “Shall we walk a lap around the deck for now?” Rio suggested.

  “...Okay.” Miharu’s voice was slightly stiff from nerves, but she nodded with resolution. When Rio started walking, Miharu maintained a somewhat diagonal position behind him.

  It was afternoon — while it was a little early for the sun to begin setting, it was far too late to be called lunchtime. The weather was pleasant and the sunlight shining on the enchanted ship scattered its rays onto the deck. While the ship flew at a fairly quick speed, the body of the vessel was covered in a special wind barrier sorcery, making the breeze on the deck fairly gentle.

  While they walked, Rio called out to Aishia through telepathy. Aishia, are you awake right now?

  Yup, I’m awake. What’s up? she responded instantly. His voice must have reached Miharu too, as her body flinched as soon as Rio called out to Aishia. For the record, Rio and Miharu could also communicate telepathically through Aishia.

  Nothing in particular, but we can’t talk much when other people are around. I wanted to take this opportunity to talk, Rio explained. Part of the reason was also because he felt a little awkward with just Miharu, not knowing what to say.

  Thank you for everything, Aishia. I’m always such a problem for you, Miharu added, her tone concerned.

  You’ve been in your spirit form inside me this whole time. I hope it hasn’t been too boring... has it? Rio asked, wondering if she was okay staying in her spirit form.

  Yup, I’m fine. If anything, I feel the most comfortable inside Haruto, Aishia replied in her flat voice.

  I’m glad to hear that, but don’t hesitate to speak up when you want to come outside, Rio said with a smile.

  Got it. But I’m fine for now. You two should enjoy your walk along the enchanted ship instead — the scenery is beautiful. Aishia seemed to be more interested in being considerate to the two of them. They had just arrived at the bow of the ship that overlooked the scenery before them.

  Rio suddenly stopped walking. “...The view from this spot is probably the best,” he said to Miharu while gazing out at the vast land sprawled underneath the endless sky. Valleys carved their way between the towering mountains, lakes dotted the areas that weren’t covered in fields, and rivers flowed across the surface to paint the ground like a colorful canvas. Such was the beauty of nature.

  “Yes, it’s beautiful.” Miharu stood beside Rio and gazed upon the same scenery, muttering quietly.

  “It looks a little different from when I’m flying through the air with spirit arts,” Rio said to fill the silence, too.

  “...Yes. It’s a little strange to be flying through the air with my feet on the floor. I’m normally being carried by someone.” Miharu showed a hint of her natural smile as she recalled the times how she was carried by Rio, Aishia, and Orphia’s contract spirit Ariel.

  “Even the people of this world rarely have the chance to ride enchanted ships, so this has been a valuable experience.”

  Miharu nodded. “Yes. Thank you very much, Haruto,” she said with a soft smile.

  “...Why are you thanking me?” Rio asked, looking at her curiously.

  “Because it’s all thanks to you... The reason that I’m able to be here, that is.”

  “That’s because this was what you wanted and decided on,” Rio said, slightly awkward.

  “You granted my wish, Haruto. I wouldn’t have been able to do anything alone. I wouldn’t even have been able to make my wish at all,” Miharu said with a sad smile.

  “It wasn’t through my efforts alone, though. It was only because of your own popularity,” Rio chuckled.

  A troubled look appeared across Miharu’s face. “Hmm... Then let me change my phrasing a little. Thank you for always helping me out, Haruto,” she said with a gentle smile.

  “Not at all. I’ll help you as much as I can, so please don’t hesitate to ask for anything you need,” Rio said with an embarrassed nod.

  “Will you do anything I ask of you?” Miharu asked nervously.

  Rio mustered a somewhat guilt-ridden smile. “...Yes. If it’s to help send you and the others back to Earth, I’ll do anything that’s within my power.” He had to for a smile because — As far as I’m aware, four years passed without Miharu ever returning to Earth.

  Indeed, at the point when Amakawa Haruto passed away, Miharu still hadn’t returned to Earth yet. After turning twenty and becoming an adult, Haruto had met with his mother just once. He’d inquired as to whether or not she still had any connections to Miharu’s family, and found out that she was still acquainted with them, but Miharu herself was still missing.

  Incidentally, when Haruto asked how his little sister Aki had been, his mother didn’t inform him that Aki was also missing. She only told him that Aki was doing well. He didn’t know what she was thinking when she didn’t inform him of Aki’s disappearance, but as a result, Haruto remained unaware that Aki had gone missing until they reunited in this world.

  At any rate, Miharu had come to this world after Haruto died, and Haruto had been reborn into this world with his previous life’s memories before Miharu’s arrival. Rio had yet to tell her this. If he did, he would inevitably have to tell her about his past life.

  And yet, he couldn’t remain silent about it forever. Would Miharu and the others really be able to return to Earth? Even if they could find a way back, what time period would it be when they arrived? Considering all those uncertainties, there was a need for Miharu to be well-informed of the situation...

  At the very least, after reuniting with Satsuki and Takahisa and discussing their plans for the future, she would need to know by then, Rio thought.

  Listening to Rio speak of returning to Earth caused a conflicted expression to appear on her face for a few moments, but she was clear with what she was thinking shortly after. “...It’s not that I don’t want to return to Earth. It’s just... I also like my current life where I can be with everyone.”

  “I... see. That’s good, then.” Rio was looking at Miharu in slight surprise.

  “Both are very important to me. I don’t want to forget either of them and pretend they never happened... That’s why I still want to be with everyone. I want to be with you, too. Regardless of returning to Earth and so on, that’s what I want right now,” Miharu stated clearly.

  Rio was still looking at Miharu in surprise, feeling as though she was acting strangely more assertive and bold than usual. “...I understand. I will respect your intentions as much as possible,” he said nervously.

  “Promise?” Miharu stared fixedly at Rio’s face in confirmation.

  “Yes.” Rio gave a slightly anxious smile as he replied.

  Miharu sighed in relief. “Thank you very much. ...Oh, I might have said something really embarrassing right now,” she said with a pang of realization and turned red.

  “No, not at all,” Rio replied, then directed his gaze to the person who approached.

  “Umm, Sir Haruto. Do you have a moment?” The one who appeared was Liselotte’s trainee attendant, Chloe.

  “I’m fine. Has Lady Liselotte summoned me?” Rio asked, shaking his head in a friendly manner. He was just about to wrap up his conversation with Miharu.

  “No. I was hoping you would allow me some of your time to talk, for my own personal reasons,” Chloe said respectfully.

  “Your own... What is this about?” Rio cocked his head and asked Chloe.

  “When Amande was being attacked by monsters, you saved not only me, but my mother and little sister too. I wanted to thank you properly for that, as well as apologize for what happened when you came to stay at my family inn several years back...” Chloe seemed to be nervous, as her voice came off quite stiff.

  “Setting aside the monster attack on Amande for now, what do you mean by what happened when I stayed at your inn?” Rio questioned curiously.

  “Umm, I mean when the drunk adventurers kept harassing you in the dining room and ended up picking a fight,” Chloe explained.

  “
Oh, that incident? You had nothing to do with it, no?” Rio laughed it off lightly.

  “That’s not true. I was so scared, I couldn’t do anything. I even ended up afraid of you, even though you were the victim at the time, which was very rude of me. You departed first thing the next morning, and I’ve always wanted to apologize ever since... I’m truly, very sorry!” The more she spoke, the more clearly Chloe seemed to recall her emotions at the time. She bowed her head deeply at Rio.

  “It’s fine, I had already forgotten myself, so don’t let it bother you,” Rio reasoned with a gentle smile.

  “But I still feel so bad about it...” Chloe continued to bow her head in shame.

  Rio got the impression that she was very sincere and decided to encourage her. “...I understand. Then I’ll accept your apologies in earnest. Now, please lift your head,” he said, eyebrows knit.

  “Yes, thank you very much.” Chloe slowly raised her head.

  “Umm, shall I step away for a minute? If you have anything else to discuss...” Miharu, who had been watching the two of them silently until now, offered to leave the two of them alone out of consideration. She was curious about what kind of past Rio had, but she figured it would be awkward for her to stay if they had anything more to discuss.

  “No, I have to return to work now, so I’ll excuse myself here! Please, the two of you should continue to enjoy your time in peace!” As a guest, Miharu shouldn’t be the one inconvenienced, Chloe concluded. She shook her head in a fluster and thanked Rio once more for her mother and sister before departing.

  ◇　◇　◇

  Several hours later, the enchanted ship finally reached the capital of Galtuuk, and it slowly descended towards the lake to the east of the city. As the distance between the lake and the ship gradually closed, the captain’s voice yelled through the pipe speakers. “All hands prepare for splashdown!” After a moment, the enchanted ship landed on the water, splashing waves around the area.

  Afterward, the vessel traveled along the water to dock at the harbor, where the ship crew and harbor crew worked together to begin disembarking preparations. A rope was flung to attach the ship to the harbor, and a ramp was immediately installed to allow its passengers to debark.

  The ship captain and crew finished their work at lightning speed. “Lady Liselotte, disembarking preparations are complete!” they reported to Liselotte, who was waiting on the deck.

  “Thank you, captain, and to all of the hardworking people on the crew. Please maintain the ship until it is time to return to Amande. Meanwhile, you are free to enjoy the capital as you please,” Liselotte said amicably, satisfied with their rapid work pace.

  “Y’all heard that, right?! If you want your time off, ya better get your asses to work and finish the inspections!” said the ship’s captain, spurring the crew into action.

  “Yeah!” the crew replied energetically, scattering off to work. Liselotte saw them off with a warm smile before turning to prompt Rio and Miharu off the ship.

  “Now, Sir Haruto, Lady Miharu. The preparations are done, so please come this way.”

  “Right. Thank you for taking us here,” Rio said, and started walking to disembark from the ship, with Miharu following suit. Liselotte also walked with them, while the four attendant ladies — Aria, Cosette, Natalie and Chloe — escorted them as bodyguards.

  Once they reached the dock, a middle-aged man stepped forward from the workers and approached them. His muscular and brawny build implied his military skills were not to be underestimated, but despite having a sword at his waist, his outfit was that of a butler instead of a soldier.

  “Lady Liselotte, it has been a while,” the man said respectfully.

  “Oh, Ricardo. Thank you for coming to welcome us. I know I gave notice of our arrival in advance, but you didn’t have to come to greet me yourself...” Liselotte’s eyes widened as she recognized the man. It was probably a servant from the Duke Cretia family, Rio assumed.

  “It was Sir Cedric and Lady Julianne’s orders. A proper welcome must be given to Sir Haruto, who saved Lady Liselotte’s life, and Lady Miharu, our most important guest,” Ricardo said, looking at Rio and Miharu standing beside Liselotte. Rio bowed when their eyes met, and Miharu did the same.

  “Father and Mother... I see.” Liselotte seemed appreciative of her parents’ arrangement and smiled.

  “The two of them are eagerly waiting to meet Sir Haruto and Lady Miharu. I would love to lead you to the main estate of the Cretia family immediately, but if it isn’t too rude of me to ask, may I be given the honor of being introduced?” Ricardo asked, speaking in a subdued voice.

  “Of course. Sir Haruto, Lady Miharu, this man is a butler of the Duke Cretia family who is serving my father Cedric. His name is Ricardo.” He was the butler who was in charge of leading all the servants who served the house, the closest aide of the master of the house. In other words, he was given comprehensive authority as the right-hand man. While his position was technically that of a servant, as the head butler, there was no doubt his origins were from nobility as well. Because someone as important as Ricardo had come to retrieve their guests directly, it was proof that Liselotte’s father, Cedric, did not take Rio’s presence lightly by any means.

  “Is that so? My name is Haruto, and this is Miharu Ayase. We have arrived in this land thanks to Lady Liselotte’s exceptional arrangements. We are exceptionally grateful to receive a direct welcome from you, Sir Ricardo,” Rio said courteously. Miharu bowed her head politely when Rio introduced her.

  “Why, thank you. As introduced, I am Ricardo. To you, Sir Haruto, I would like to offer my deepest gratitude for saving the young Lady Liselotte during her crisis. I have also heard about Lady Miharu’s situation. Now, please, allow me to show you the mansion. A carriage has been prepared, just this way.” Ricardo had an amicable smile on his face as he returned the greeting, then began leading the way without any further conversation.

  Rio, Miharu, and Liselotte followed him. They were silently accompanied by Aria, Cosette, Natalie and Chloe.

  “Come to think of it, are Pascal and George here too?” Liselotte suddenly asked Ricardo. Pascal and George were Liselotte’s elder brothers.

  “Sir Pascal is unfortunately absent, but Sir George has gone to visit his fiancée Lady Colette’s family home. You should be able to meet them at the banquet.”

  “I see. It’s unfortunate that Pascal won’t be there, but so be it. Sir Haruto, Lady Miharu. My brothers are not present tonight, so I will be introducing you to just my parents. It sounds like they’re quite eager to meet you two.”

  “Yes, of course,” replied Rio and Miharu. As they conversed, they arrived at the carriage waiting by the harbor. Once they boarded, they headed for the main estate of the Duke Cretia family. The two carriages that Rio’s party and the attendants were on rattled their wheels as they moved.

  The Duke Cretia estate in the capital city was in the noble district near the enchanted ship harbor. A main street stretched directly from the harbor to the royal castle, and the noble district sat in between. The area also had military related facilities at every turn, keeping the noble district protected under strict security. While the area was quiet, patrolling soldiers could be seen walking everywhere.

  Several minutes of travel later, the carriage arrived at the section of the noble district that was closest to the royal castle.

  “We’ve arrived at the gate,” Ricardo announced to the carriage from where he sat beside the driver.

  “Then please prepare to disembark,” Liselotte prompted, but Rio and Miharu’s belongings were being managed by Aria and the attendants, so they didn’t have anything to prepare. All Rio had was his sword.

  The carriage soon passed through an ornately decorated iron gate and entered the estate grounds. They alighted from the carriage before the mansion.

  “Wow, what a beautiful estate...” When Miharu stepped down from the carriage with Rio’s assistance, she gazed in wonder at the grand view of the Duk
e Cretia estate before her. An enormous building composed of stark white walls towered before them. There was also a well-maintained flat-geometric garden on the premises, putting the gate a fair distance from the mansion.

  “Hehe, thank you for the compliment. It’s a little too unsettling to reside in, but it’s been an ancient custom in the capital to build a befitting mansion in order to show our pride for our family’s power. One of the annoying aspects of noble society,” Liselotte said with a wry smile.

  “The sun has already set today, but you may explore the gardens as much as you wish tomorrow. For now, please come this way. Dinner is ready,” Ricardo said, inviting them inside the mansion.

  From the moment they stepped inside, the interior’s decorations showed off its highly artistic atmosphere. Miharu felt like she had wandered into a palace, which made her nervous. Rio was gazing at the engraved designs of the interior with interest.

  Thus, Rio and Miharu were first led to the guest room. The door opened to reveal a wide living space before them.

  “This is the key to the guest room — please use this room tonight. There are two bedrooms. Both are installed with their own locks from the inside,” Ricardo explained, handing Rio a key. The rooms were styled like a hotel.

  “Thank you for preparing such wonderful rooms,” Rio said with a polite bow as he accepted the key.

  “A servant will come in roughly 20 minutes to come get you, so please organize your belongings and wait here. Do you have any questions so far?” asked Ricardo.

  “What is the dress code?” Rio asked.

  “There is nothing wrong with what you’re wearing right now, so not to worry,” Ricardo said with a warm smile.

  “Thank you very much.”

  “Bring in Sir Haruto and Lady Miharu’s belongings,” Liselotte ordered Natalie and Cosette.