In contrast, possibly due to her attention being taken away by Miharu’s growth, Aki’s mind seemed rather restless at times. She didn’t seem to be having any distractions in her daily life, and while one option was to keep observing quietly for a little longer, Orphia found herself racking her brains as to why she couldn’t lead Aki better as both her elder and spirit arts instructor.
It might be best to talk to Miharu about it after all. I have things I want to discuss with her anyway, and she should know Aki best. Orphia may have been her instructor in spirit arts training, but Miharu was actually one year older than Orphia, so she felt like she could rely on her at a time like this.
Okay. I’ll do it tonight right away! And I’ll have to call Sara and Alma over too!
With that decided, Orphia giggled to herself.
◇ ◇ ◇
That night, in the village house where they all lived together...
After the younger group of Latifa, Aki, and Masato had gone to sleep, Orphia brought Sara and Alma along to Miharu’s bedroom and knocked quietly on the door.
“...Yes? What’s wrong, everyone?” Miharu was still awake, so she opened the door immediately. When she saw the older group of girls gathered outside, her eyes widened slightly.
“Fufufu, could the four of us have a little talk?” Orphia suggested to Miharu with a smile.
It was basically an invitation for an other-world version of a pajama party, and Miharu and the spirit folk girls were already in their sleepwear. While the residents of the house would regularly gather in the living room to drink tea at night, it was rare for only the older girls to gather together, much less visit Miharu’s bedroom.
“Sure, come in.” Miharu readily welcomed the three girls inside.
“Thank you.” Orphia and the others entered the bedroom happily. Miharu’s room was roughly 15 square meters large, with a small table in the corner of the room. Orphia placed the tray on that table.
“Were you practicing spirit arts just now?” Sara asked, looking around the room.
Miharu nodded hesitantly. “Ah... yeah. How did you know?”
“There are remnants of ode and mana waves flowing through your room. The ode density was greater than what the light artifacts give off, so I guessed you were practicing in secret,” Sara deduced with a giggle.
“I see...” Miharu mumbled quietly at Sara’s observational skills. The spirit art she had been using was an extremely minor one, but constantly repeating it had caused a significant amount of magic essence to be released without her realization.
“It seems like you were practicing a fair bit. You’re such a hard worker, Miharu.” Alma giggled.
“T-That’s not true.” Miharu shook her head in discomfort. It wasn’t as though practicing in private had been forbidden, but overworking would cause exhaustion and wasn’t recommended. She had been practicing spirit arts for nearly an hour before the girls had arrived, but she didn’t want to worry them.
However, Miharu couldn’t fool the eyes of Sara and the others, who were known as the leading talents in spirit arts in all the village.
“I can tell even if you try to hide it. It’s good that you’re hard-working, but when you’re a beginner, you have to be careful not to practice too much,” Sara warned Miharu with an exasperated tone.
“That’s right. I’ve told you many times already, but if you release too much ode from your body while you’re still inexperienced, you could ruin your health, you know?” Orphia noted, emphasizing Sara’s words with her own.
“I agree,” Alma nodded along.
“Ahaha, I don’t feel particularly bad or anything, so I’m sure it’s fine. I won’t practice anymore today. Now, have a seat.” Miharu laughed a little awkwardly, urging Sara and the others to sit.
“Okay. Excuse me.” Sara gave a helplessly strained smile before sitting down on a chair. Alma and Orphia followed her, and Orphia immediately began pouring tea.
“We normally gather in the living room, so meeting up in someone’s bedroom is a new feeling,” Alma said as she looked around the room.
“I agree. If we’re the only ones gathered, does that mean you have something important to talk about?” Miharu asked somewhat curiously, nodding while she gazed at their expressions.
“How about it, Orphia?” Sara must have been summoned by Orphia without knowing what the matter at hand was, as she tilted her head in question.
“Fufu, I suppose you could call it important. I wanted us to have a talk about Miharu, Aki, and Masato once more, just between the four of us,” Orphia said with a bright smile.
“Well, it’s true that we haven’t had the opportunity to discuss this...” Sara looked back on their living together until now with a thoughtful face. While she accepted Orphia’s reason more or less, she suspected that there was another motive behind it.
“Right.” Orphia clapped her hands together in front of her chest. “And so, Miharu... How has life been in the village? Do you have any worries, any woes? Anything that makes you anxious?”
“Huh? Umm... Not really, I guess?” Miharu was taken aback by the sudden interrogation, cocking her head as she replied.
“Really?” Orphia asked once more, peering at Miharu’s face.
“...Yeah. That’s the truth,” Miharu confirmed hesitantly.
“Do you suspect otherwise, Orphia?” Sara asked, cutting straight to the point.
“Hmm. It’s just the fact that they’re living in an unfamiliar village. I was wondering if they had any anxieties or problems outside of our knowledge. Not only for Miharu, but Aki and Masato too,” Orphia explained.
“I see. How about it, Miharu?” Sara asked.
“I haven’t had a problem with life at the village. We’re treated so well — I can’t be grateful enough to Haruto and everyone here,” Miharu answered with a cheerful laugh.
Sara resolutely asked what she had feared bringing up. “But aren’t you lonely? You’ve been separated from your family, too.” In order to prevent that, Sara and the others had put their utmost effort into welcoming them warmly, but there was a limit.
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t lonely, I think. As far as Aki, who at times doesn’t seem as energetic... She’s been separated from her beloved brother, so I think she ponders a lot about that,” Miharu uttered, showing a glimpse of a fleeting smile. “But I’m so grateful... my feelings of regret have all but dissipated. I truly believe we’re blessed to be in this situation right now. I’m so happy to have met everyone, you know?” She continued, laughing shyly.
“Miharu...” Orphia, Sara, and Alma all smiled quite happily.
“Of course, I believe Aki and Masato also feel the same way. That’s why, even if we might be lonely, we’ll be fine with everyone here. Thank you for always being with us.”
“We’re also grateful to have you guys here. I’m so happy we became friends,” Sara said with embarrassment.
“...Yeah.” Miharu nodded in a similar fashion.
“We’ll also try to keep an eye out for Aki and Masato, but please don’t hesitate to speak up if you need anything, Miharu,” Alma said.
“Thank you, Alma,” Miharu said happily. Orphia suddenly spoke up. “...How has your spirit arts training been going? I think Aki and Masato have been feeling a little impatient, as they’re unable to catch up to you.”
“Really? It didn’t seem like that to me...” Sara said in surprise.
“I could be overthinking things, but it seemed a little like that during training. I was wondering what she was like outside of training.” Orphia said, indirectly turning the question to Miharu.
“...I haven’t seen her bothered outside of training hours, as far as I know. I’ll also pay a little more attention from now on,” Miharu answered with a contemplative look. “Thank you, Orphia, for watching Aki closely.”
“It’s nothing. When it comes to spirit arts, I’m meant to be your teacher, after all. Though I may still be lacking at times,” Orphia said with
a strained smile.
Miharu shook her head. “That’s not true. The way you teach is so good — I can definitely tell I’m improving bit by bit,” she said, advocating for Orphia as the secret to her rapid growth.
“That’s because you’re so talented. Not only that — the fact you’re the hardest working when it comes to spirit arts training also plays a large part.” No matter how much talent she had, it would’ve been wasted if she hadn’t been motivated.
“And it seems like you’ve been practicing secretly too,” Sara said with a laugh.
“I-It wasn’t that much.” Miharu defended herself in embarrassment.
“You seem really ambitious about it, but is there a reason why?” Alma giggled, wondering why Miharu worked so hard at it.
“Part of it is because it’s fun, but...” Miharu trailed off halfway, causing Sara and the others to all urge her to continue in unison.
“But?”
“But even while we’re living peacefully, Haruto must be working hard out there, right? I feel bad leaving everything for him to deal with like this...” Miharu replied bashfully, feeling everyone’s attention gathered on her.
“I see, so it’s for Rio’s sake.” Alma seemingly emphasized Rio’s name in understanding.
“Ufufu, I see. So that’s how it is,” Orphia said happily. Meanwhile, Sara was glancing at Miharu’s expression silently.
“...Umm, is everyone misunderstanding something?” Realizing she was on the receiving end of the three meaningful gazes made Miharu blush.
“Misunderstanding what?” Alma asked back innocently.
“No, umm... I just don’t want to be a hindrance to Haruto like this. He saved us, so I want to increase the number of things I can do as much as possible... So the next time something happens, I can’t be left behind...” Miharu defended herself in a fluster, blushing all the more.
“Yes, it goes without saying that everyone understands your reason for working so seriously now.” Alma said, a gentle smile tugging at her lips.
“So you want to be with Rio.” Orphia said, nodding along.
“T-That’s not it! I-I mean, you’re not wrong, but!” Miharu objected in vexation. She was extremely frustrated at how she was unable to do anything in return for the person who had done so much for her, a stranger. She refused to be content at remaining a hindrance to him.
That was why Miharu worked so hard. If she at least became strong enough to protect herself, she could stay by Rio’s side. If she didn’t work hard while she could, it somehow felt like Rio would one day go somewhere far away. She didn’t want that to happen.
She didn’t want Rio to leave her behind. It was hard to describe using words, but she was utterly terrified of that happening.
“Well, if that’s why your spirit arts learning is going so fast, then it’s fine, right? Being able to reach activation in such a short time is an impressive feat, no?” Sara giggled, supporting Miharu with all she had.
“Right. It’s a result obtained by combining Miharu’s talent and hard work,” Orphia agreed with a grin.
“But even for that, I feel it’s a little too fast... Honestly, the speed is on par with the higher ranks of the village. Although there are barely any people who start learning at Miharu’s age, so it simply may be a case of having nothing to compare with...” Alma said with a contemplative look.
“While I’d certainly understand if she had been contracted to some kind of spirit, that isn’t the case for Miharu. Although, she is a citizen of another world, I suppose,” Sara pondered out loud.
“Contracted to a spirit? Huh?” Miharu uttered, blinking as though she had realized something.
“Is something the matter, Miharu?” Orphia cocked her head and asked.
“This was before we came to the village, but I remember when Rio came here without us to explain the circumstances, Ai-chan formed a temporary pact with me in order to replenish her magic essence,” Miharu explained, the memory suddenly resurfacing from the back of her mind.
“...That’s it,” Orphia said with wide eyes. Sara and Alma also blinked in surprise.
“It’s the reason why I can learn spirit arts so fast, right?”
“Yes. The connection used in a temporary pact cannot match that of a real contract, but Lady Aishia is a humanoid spirit. She must have awakened your talent in spirit arts,” Sara explained.
“So that’s how it was... I’ll have to thank Ai-chan when she gets back.” Miharu looked back on her memories with Aishia and found herself smiling with a giggle.
Chapter 5: Evils Lurking Near
Meanwhile, when Rio was dining together with Liselotte at her estate, by her invitation...
Alphonse Rodan had apologized to Rio, split ways with Stewart Huguenot, and was visiting the forests to the west of Amande with a few other knights.
Alphonse was currently walking along the road to the west; his goal was to, of course, investigate the cause of the huge spawns of monsters and confirm that no more savage monsters lurked in the woods. In other words, a reconnaissance in force. At the request of Duke Huguenot, an advance party was formed consisting of mostly knights traveling together with them, which he was made to join on their mission.
Incidentally, Stewart was confined to house arrest on Duke Huguenot’s order, remaining at the mansion. The fact he gave Alphonse a chance to clear his name but not his own son was probably because he had showed consideration for Marquess Rodan’s house.
Fuck this! I’ll never forget this — I’ll never forgive this! Making me lose face like this... Alphonse was holding an irrational, deep-set grudge. Rio, Duke Huguenot, Aishia, Celia, Liselotte, Aria... he couldn’t help but feel so much hatred for all the factors that stood in the way of what he wanted.
Why did I have to apologize to that filthy commoner anyway?! He was completely shelving the fact he had caused the problem, though he may have never considered it a problem to begin with, being that he thought he was a human of the privileged class.
Commoners should just shut the hell up and do as we say. Those women, too — they should have been grateful we bothered to lay our eyes on them. Getting ahead of themselves for looking a little attractive... Alphonse’s rage did not calm. In the time between bowing at Rio’s feet and moving to the forest, he had continuously simmered in his anger.
Of course, his apology had been for appearances only. Even if it was only in appearance, he had showed intent to apologize with his behavior. Duke Huguenot’s intervention meant a settlement contract had been formed.
Alphonse could no longer touch Rio and the others. In other words — he had been utterly defeated. On top of that, Duke Huguenot had stamped him as an incompetent person.
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck! I’m not at fault! I’m not incompetent! Alphonse couldn’t forgive the current situation. A high class and talented individual like him could not accept the fact he was being outright rejected by society.
...First is that damn duke. Just watch, you old fool. I’ll show you what I’m worth. A strong desire to prove himself was welling up within Alphonse right alongside his rage. He wanted to prove Duke Huguenot wrong so much, he could barely stand it.
I’ll definitely achieve something here. Alphonse harbored his ambitions with eagerness. He had been glaring around at the surrounding forest, searching for a target to vent his bitterness against.
“Oi, Alphonse. You’ve been restless for a while now. I get that you’re annoyed at being scolded, but we’re mid-mission right now. Get your head in the zone.” The commanding knight of the investigation squad was unable to ignore Alphonse’s clearly bad mood and gave him a warning.
“Tch,” Alphonse clicked his tongue. The commanding knight was in his mid-twenties, normally acting as the vice-commander of Flora’s elite guards, but Alphonse’s family was higher-ranked. Any speech from a person of lower social status would only fall upon Alphonse’s deaf ears at the moment.
“...Hey, I don’t like your attitude.” The commanding knight f
rowned. Even if Alphonse was from a better house, he was the superior rank military-wise, and proud of obtaining his position through his own ability.
“That wasn’t my intention. I’m just on edge from my hatred of monsters. More importantly, how long are we going to walk along this road for? Let’s go into the forest already.” Alphonse huffed with a rebellious attitude.
“...We are merely an advance party dispatched to strengthen guard patrol. Reconnaissance in force is part of our mission, but our goal is not to exterminate monsters,” the commanding knight replied in an unhappy voice.
At that, the knights that had formed lines while on guard of their surrounding started being distracted by Alphonse and the commander’s conversation.
“You say that, but what if a minotaur appears in the city?” Alphonse objected with a more aggressive attitude than usual.
“Cut that out already. That’s why we’re currently strengthening the city’s security. It’s not something for a mere foot soldier like you to worry about. You just follow your orders,” the commanding knight scolded Alphonse a bit harshly.
“Hmph, what a coward...” Alphonse muttered quietly.
The commanding knight finally seemed to snap, arguing back aggressively. “And here I was being considerate, since you’re clearly still a child. Would you like to head into the forest alone instead? You may be able to encounter a minotaur, as you seem to wish.”
“Kuh...” Alphonse frowned deeply. No matter how hot-headed he was getting because of anger, he wasn’t foolish enough to think he could defeat a minotaur alone.
“That will be unnecessary.” From out of nowhere, an unfamiliar man’s voice echoed loudly.
“Who’s there?!” The knights looked around them in a hurry. Two men appeared from the forest, stepping onto the road. One was Reiss, wearing a black hood to cover his appearance, and the other boldly had his face on full display. The man with his face revealed looked to be in his prime adult years, a sword hanging from his waist and in an outfit fitting for a mercenary. His name was Lucius. While his facial features were refined, he emitted a wild aura filled with confidence and spirit.
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