Quotes
Many layers of wide-range sorcery force field stretched around the village, but the most powerful barrier among them was composed of anti-detection sorcery that could only be infiltrated with a certain level of spirit arts training.
The anti-detection effect was considerably weaker against intruders approaching from the air, but the villagers were informed from the moment they entered the barrier’s range. Even Rio, who was flying closer through the sky, would probably be detected soon.
At last, Rio thought sentimentally as he looked upon the giant tree of Dryas, towering near the village.
Roughly two weeks had passed since Rio had departed from the Yagumo region; even though he could fly with spirit arts, it had been a long journey.
As Rio immersed himself deep in thought, a tingling sensation ran through his entire body. He had entered the barrier, meaning the village would undoubtedly be able to sense his presence as an outsider. With the village right before his eyes, it was only a matter of time before someone came flying out at him.
Rio halted in his flight and remained airborne.
The anti-detection effect was considerably weaker against intruders approaching from the air, but the villagers were informed from the moment they entered the barrier’s range. Even Rio, who was flying closer through the sky, would probably be detected soon.
At last, Rio thought sentimentally as he looked upon the giant tree of Dryas, towering near the village.
Roughly two weeks had passed since Rio had departed from the Yagumo region; even though he could fly with spirit arts, it had been a long journey.
As Rio immersed himself deep in thought, a tingling sensation ran through his entire body. He had entered the barrier, meaning the village would undoubtedly be able to sense his presence as an outsider. With the village right before his eyes, it was only a matter of time before someone came flying out at him.
Rio halted in his flight and remained airborne.
First, the king of Beltrum was a young and newly crowned king still in his late twenties. Unfortunately, this had allowed Duke Arbor to use his authority and make calculated maneuvers to benefit himself when the previous king passed away from an illness. He had trusted Duke Arbor, conferring upon him the right to appoint knights into the Royal Guard. However, once the king was on his deathbed, Duke Arbor abused this right and sold favors to powerful nobles with sons that were not in line to inherit a position into the knighthood. As a result, Duke Arbor attained an enormous amount of influence over the king’s court from his position as commander of the Royal Guard. In contrast, Duke Huguenot and Duke Fontaine had gained their ranks around the same time that Philip III assumed the throne, putting them one step behind and constantly suffering the consequences for it. With his influential power over both the military and the court’s administration, Duke Arbor was a thorn in the side of not only Philip III, but the factions of Duke Huguenot and Duke Fontaine as well. As time passed, Duke Arbor’s elevated status made his arrogance grow into near insolence — though that may have been his true self coming to light — which caused his rise in power to be viewed as problematic in recent years.
This was the political climate at the time of Flora’s kidnapping case.
It was the duty of the Royal Guard to protect the royal family, and they had allowed the Second Princess to be abducted. As the commander of the Royal Guard, and because the man in charge of security at the time was Charles — his son — Duke Arbor could not overlook such catastrophic failure. Ultimately, the responsibility fell on Duke Arbor as his supervisor.
In other words, it was the perfect opportunity to pin the blame on Duke Arbor.
“Perhaps this incident is a sign that the quality of the Royal Guard has decayed,” Duke Huguenot suggested coldly. In agreement with him was Marquess Rodan, a member of his faction.
“Exactly. I can only imagine how lenient they must have been to allow such lowlifes to get through.”
“The security... was flawless,” Duke Arbor tried to justify with a wince, but there was nothing to be said that could excuse such a failure.
“Flawless security is meaningless without the desired results. Fortunately, Princess Flora was unharmed this time, but how do you intend on taking responsibility for this situation?” Duke Huguenot continued pressing with a cool expression.
“...Neither the mastermind behind the kidnapping nor their headquarters have been discovered yet. I believe responsibility can be discussed after that happens,” Duke Arbor answered through gritted teeth. But Duke Huguenot pounced on him like the cat that ate the canary, clearly in his element. “What are you saying? Why not discuss it here and now instead?” Duke Huguenot objected.
“I agree,” concurred Marquess Rodan. “The investigation can be done without the Royal Guard, especially when the current Royal Guard allowed the kidnapping to occur in the first place.” Duke Arbor watched the two nobles, who were nearly half his age, with a weary grimace on his face.
These youngsters... He cursed in his mind.
“They have a valid point, Helmut,” Philip III said after watching the discussion take place, silently — until now. Helmut was Duke Arbor’s first name.
“Y-Your Majesty...” Duke Arbor faltered. His face had gone pale.
“There have been concerns that the Royal Guard has declined in quality as of late. With this current incident in mind, it may be time for a rehabilitation of the Royal Guard.” The members of Duke Huguenot’s faction nodded approvingly at the king’s words; Duke Fontaine’s faction wore similar expressions of agreement.
“Your right to appoint knights into the Royal Guard is hereby revoked, Helmut. You shall resign from your position as commander. Charles shall be demoted for his involvement as the on-site supervisor. This will leave the position of commander and deputy commander open; thus, Alfred Emerle shall assume the position of commander.”
Philip III declared the details of the punishment. While it was difficult to revoke privileges bestowed by a previous king without justification, it was a different story in the face of such failure. The kidnapping of his daughter was unforgivable, of course... but the case itself had turned out rather fortuitous.
“Tch...” Duke Arbor couldn’t help from scowling. He had toiled away, building his family’s reputation, only to see it crumble away in an instant. It wouldn’t have been unusual for him to throw a fit, but as a great lord with a long militaristic history, Duke Arbor concealed his emotions behind a smile and immediately thanked the king.
“As you wish, Your Majesty.” He noticed Duke Huguenot’s smiling smugly to the side and felt a dark emotion swell up within him. Even then, Duke Arbor’s own smile did not wane.
They wouldn’t be laughing for long. He’d surely recover from this... And when he did, he’d pay them back twofold the humiliation he had to suffer — and he’d never forgive the culprit behind this incident.
Duke Arbor vowed this to himself, deep within his heart.
He suspected the mastermind behind this case was from either one of the opposing factions, but it was hard to imagine that the devoutly loyal Duke Fontaine would kidnap the princess. The more likely answer was Duke Huguenot.
But even if that were true, Huguenot wouldn’t show his true colors easily, and there was no decisive evidence. Their only source of useful information — the assassin — was dead. He also had his suspicions about the boy named Rio, who just happened to be at the scene of the crime, but Duke Huguenot hadn’t shown any signs of concern over him. Arbor’s conclusion was that the boy might actually be unrelated to the case.
It wouldn’t hurt to take some cautionary steps, though.
“Your Majesty, what do you intend on doing with the orphan named Rio?” Duke Arbor asked, focusing on Duke Huguenot’s reaction.
“Hmm. He may be a valuable primary witness to the incident, but Flora owes her life to him. No matter his status as an orphan, he deserves to be shown gratitude. I am thinking of giving him some reward.”
“Couldn’t that be a dangerous move? There’s no guarantee he isn’t associated with an outside power.”
“Oh? I heard your son was more than thorough with his investigation. Don’t tell me you intend on torturing him further for a confession when you don’t even have clear evidence?” Philip III asked, narrowing his eyes.
“I am not suggesting to enact torture on Her Highness’ savior, of course. But the fact is, there is no proof of his innocence, either.” The king frowned at Duke Arbor’s roundabout way of conversing.
“What do you suggest, then?”
“Your Majesty, I humbly believe it would be best to keep him under surveillance for a while.”
“Hmm. The same thought crossed my mind. Indebted as I am to him over Flora’s incident, I suppose it is necessary, though reluctant as I am... Garcia.”
The king looked over at Duke Fontaine’s faction.
“Yes, Your Majesty?” An elderly man said, stepping forward from the back of the group. He stood straight-backed and had a gentle face at first glance, but the other members cleared a path for him in an almost nervous manner.
His name was Garcia Fontaine. Although he was the head of the Fontaine dukedom two generations ago, he still held a fair amount of influential power as the king’s advisor.
“I am thinking of enrolling the aforementioned orphan into the Royal Academy. I’d like to leave the procedures to you.” The throne room stirred at Philip III’s words.
The Royal Academy of Beltrum — as both a research institution and education institution — was the pinnacle of academia within the kingdom of Beltrum. While there were several schools and tutors for the wealthy in provincial cities, the Royal Academy of Beltrum was the only government-owned academic organization. Located just next to the royal castle, its grounds covered an immense area that included both elementary and middle school educations. From middle school and upwards, it focused more on specialized areas of research rather than academic education. Each year, the Academy turned out impressive numbers of experts in areas such as martial arts, magical arts, and the sciences. For nobility, graduating from the Royal Academy of Beltrum was a sign of great status, leading to success in both name and practice. Although there was an entrance examination, social standing and wealth played a big role in admission, making most of the students children of high-ranking nobles. Its doors never opened to commoners.
In other words, enrollment was limited to only a small fraction of nobles.
The thought of an orphan of an unknown background attending such an an influential and prestigious academy would naturally shock the nobles in the room, but Garcia simply stroked his beard in understanding.
“I see. You wish for the Academy to keep an eye on the boy?”
“Indeed. Admit him within the next few days. I’m leaving it all to you.”
“As you wish. Claire’s daughter just started teaching the first years in elementary school — I’ll admit him into her class.” Garcia placed a hand against his chest and bowed deeply.
◇◇◇
The time for Rio’s audience with King Philip III had arrived.
The throne room doubled as an audience hall; it held all official audiences of the king. It was a rectangular room with a tall ceiling, filling the room with a sense of grandeur. Ornate decorations were placed at every corner, overwhelming those that entered the room with its powerful display. The royal family — King Philip III; his wife, Queen Consort Beatrix; First Princess Christina; and Second Princess Flora — sat in formal dress, overlooking the room from their podium at the very rear, directly across from the entrance. Christina, the eldest sister, had her young face drawn tightly in resolution, whereas little sister Flora seemed a bit nervous and uncomfortable.
Meanwhile, the nobles of the inner court lined both sides of the aisle, all dressed in formal-wear as well. They were all in attendance to witness the audience about to unfold.
“The boy who saved Her Highness Princess Flora will now enter,” the voice of an official echoed through the silent room. The doors to the audience hall slowly opened, and every person in the room directed their gazes toward it.
A single black-haired boy stood there.
It was Rio.
He had cut his hair in a style that fully exposed his shapely and androgynous facial features, leaving behind a hint of innocence. The royalty and nobility in the room stared at him openly, drawn to the exotic aura brought about by his rarely-seen black hair and eye-catching visage.
“So that’s the child who saved Her Highness.”
“What an unusual hair color. Must be an immigrant child.”
Rio braced himself against the noisily stirring audience hall. He calmly walked down the red carpet, which stretched down the hall to the throne. The stylish children’s formal-wear he wore didn’t quite suit him; under normal circumstances, it would have given off a distinctly statuesque and respectable impression. But unlike his outward appearance, Rio’s expression was exceedingly mature. If this had been a noble child of the same age, it would have been natural for them to be trembling or frozen with frayed nerves. Yet, Rio’s movements were completely calm.
Some of the eyes on him seemed impressed by his bold attitude.
“Hmph, some indigent...”
“Well, he cleaned up surprisingly well... He even moves according to the proper etiquette.”
“What a bizarre sight.”
And so on. Many of their gazes were filled with intolerance as the nobles’ whispers spread like wildfire, but Rio showed no concern at all. He walked forward, step by step, with a composed expression. Eventually, he reached the stairs leading up to the podium, and stopped there, lowering his head. All that was left was to wait until he was spoken to, just as he was taught.
“Raise your head, Rio,” King Philip III stated grandly
This was the political climate at the time of Flora’s kidnapping case.
It was the duty of the Royal Guard to protect the royal family, and they had allowed the Second Princess to be abducted. As the commander of the Royal Guard, and because the man in charge of security at the time was Charles — his son — Duke Arbor could not overlook such catastrophic failure. Ultimately, the responsibility fell on Duke Arbor as his supervisor.
In other words, it was the perfect opportunity to pin the blame on Duke Arbor.
“Perhaps this incident is a sign that the quality of the Royal Guard has decayed,” Duke Huguenot suggested coldly. In agreement with him was Marquess Rodan, a member of his faction.
“Exactly. I can only imagine how lenient they must have been to allow such lowlifes to get through.”
“The security... was flawless,” Duke Arbor tried to justify with a wince, but there was nothing to be said that could excuse such a failure.
“Flawless security is meaningless without the desired results. Fortunately, Princess Flora was unharmed this time, but how do you intend on taking responsibility for this situation?” Duke Huguenot continued pressing with a cool expression.
“...Neither the mastermind behind the kidnapping nor their headquarters have been discovered yet. I believe responsibility can be discussed after that happens,” Duke Arbor answered through gritted teeth. But Duke Huguenot pounced on him like the cat that ate the canary, clearly in his element. “What are you saying? Why not discuss it here and now instead?” Duke Huguenot objected.
“I agree,” concurred Marquess Rodan. “The investigation can be done without the Royal Guard, especially when the current Royal Guard allowed the kidnapping to occur in the first place.” Duke Arbor watched the two nobles, who were nearly half his age, with a weary grimace on his face.
These youngsters... He cursed in his mind.
“They have a valid point, Helmut,” Philip III said after watching the discussion take place, silently — until now. Helmut was Duke Arbor’s first name.
“Y-Your Majesty...” Duke Arbor faltered. His face had gone pale.
“There have been concerns that the Royal Guard has declined in quality as of late. With this current incident in mind, it may be time for a rehabilitation of the Royal Guard.” The members of Duke Huguenot’s faction nodded approvingly at the king’s words; Duke Fontaine’s faction wore similar expressions of agreement.
“Your right to appoint knights into the Royal Guard is hereby revoked, Helmut. You shall resign from your position as commander. Charles shall be demoted for his involvement as the on-site supervisor. This will leave the position of commander and deputy commander open; thus, Alfred Emerle shall assume the position of commander.”
Philip III declared the details of the punishment. While it was difficult to revoke privileges bestowed by a previous king without justification, it was a different story in the face of such failure. The kidnapping of his daughter was unforgivable, of course... but the case itself had turned out rather fortuitous.
“Tch...” Duke Arbor couldn’t help from scowling. He had toiled away, building his family’s reputation, only to see it crumble away in an instant. It wouldn’t have been unusual for him to throw a fit, but as a great lord with a long militaristic history, Duke Arbor concealed his emotions behind a smile and immediately thanked the king.
“As you wish, Your Majesty.” He noticed Duke Huguenot’s smiling smugly to the side and felt a dark emotion swell up within him. Even then, Duke Arbor’s own smile did not wane.
They wouldn’t be laughing for long. He’d surely recover from this... And when he did, he’d pay them back twofold the humiliation he had to suffer — and he’d never forgive the culprit behind this incident.
Duke Arbor vowed this to himself, deep within his heart.
He suspected the mastermind behind this case was from either one of the opposing factions, but it was hard to imagine that the devoutly loyal Duke Fontaine would kidnap the princess. The more likely answer was Duke Huguenot.
But even if that were true, Huguenot wouldn’t show his true colors easily, and there was no decisive evidence. Their only source of useful information — the assassin — was dead. He also had his suspicions about the boy named Rio, who just happened to be at the scene of the crime, but Duke Huguenot hadn’t shown any signs of concern over him. Arbor’s conclusion was that the boy might actually be unrelated to the case.
It wouldn’t hurt to take some cautionary steps, though.
“Your Majesty, what do you intend on doing with the orphan named Rio?” Duke Arbor asked, focusing on Duke Huguenot’s reaction.
“Hmm. He may be a valuable primary witness to the incident, but Flora owes her life to him. No matter his status as an orphan, he deserves to be shown gratitude. I am thinking of giving him some reward.”
“Couldn’t that be a dangerous move? There’s no guarantee he isn’t associated with an outside power.”
“Oh? I heard your son was more than thorough with his investigation. Don’t tell me you intend on torturing him further for a confession when you don’t even have clear evidence?” Philip III asked, narrowing his eyes.
“I am not suggesting to enact torture on Her Highness’ savior, of course. But the fact is, there is no proof of his innocence, either.” The king frowned at Duke Arbor’s roundabout way of conversing.
“What do you suggest, then?”
“Your Majesty, I humbly believe it would be best to keep him under surveillance for a while.”
“Hmm. The same thought crossed my mind. Indebted as I am to him over Flora’s incident, I suppose it is necessary, though reluctant as I am... Garcia.”
The king looked over at Duke Fontaine’s faction.
“Yes, Your Majesty?” An elderly man said, stepping forward from the back of the group. He stood straight-backed and had a gentle face at first glance, but the other members cleared a path for him in an almost nervous manner.
His name was Garcia Fontaine. Although he was the head of the Fontaine dukedom two generations ago, he still held a fair amount of influential power as the king’s advisor.
“I am thinking of enrolling the aforementioned orphan into the Royal Academy. I’d like to leave the procedures to you.” The throne room stirred at Philip III’s words.
The Royal Academy of Beltrum — as both a research institution and education institution — was the pinnacle of academia within the kingdom of Beltrum. While there were several schools and tutors for the wealthy in provincial cities, the Royal Academy of Beltrum was the only government-owned academic organization. Located just next to the royal castle, its grounds covered an immense area that included both elementary and middle school educations. From middle school and upwards, it focused more on specialized areas of research rather than academic education. Each year, the Academy turned out impressive numbers of experts in areas such as martial arts, magical arts, and the sciences. For nobility, graduating from the Royal Academy of Beltrum was a sign of great status, leading to success in both name and practice. Although there was an entrance examination, social standing and wealth played a big role in admission, making most of the students children of high-ranking nobles. Its doors never opened to commoners.
In other words, enrollment was limited to only a small fraction of nobles.
The thought of an orphan of an unknown background attending such an an influential and prestigious academy would naturally shock the nobles in the room, but Garcia simply stroked his beard in understanding.
“I see. You wish for the Academy to keep an eye on the boy?”
“Indeed. Admit him within the next few days. I’m leaving it all to you.”
“As you wish. Claire’s daughter just started teaching the first years in elementary school — I’ll admit him into her class.” Garcia placed a hand against his chest and bowed deeply.
◇◇◇
The time for Rio’s audience with King Philip III had arrived.
The throne room doubled as an audience hall; it held all official audiences of the king. It was a rectangular room with a tall ceiling, filling the room with a sense of grandeur. Ornate decorations were placed at every corner, overwhelming those that entered the room with its powerful display. The royal family — King Philip III; his wife, Queen Consort Beatrix; First Princess Christina; and Second Princess Flora — sat in formal dress, overlooking the room from their podium at the very rear, directly across from the entrance. Christina, the eldest sister, had her young face drawn tightly in resolution, whereas little sister Flora seemed a bit nervous and uncomfortable.
Meanwhile, the nobles of the inner court lined both sides of the aisle, all dressed in formal-wear as well. They were all in attendance to witness the audience about to unfold.
“The boy who saved Her Highness Princess Flora will now enter,” the voice of an official echoed through the silent room. The doors to the audience hall slowly opened, and every person in the room directed their gazes toward it.
A single black-haired boy stood there.
It was Rio.
He had cut his hair in a style that fully exposed his shapely and androgynous facial features, leaving behind a hint of innocence. The royalty and nobility in the room stared at him openly, drawn to the exotic aura brought about by his rarely-seen black hair and eye-catching visage.
“So that’s the child who saved Her Highness.”
“What an unusual hair color. Must be an immigrant child.”
Rio braced himself against the noisily stirring audience hall. He calmly walked down the red carpet, which stretched down the hall to the throne. The stylish children’s formal-wear he wore didn’t quite suit him; under normal circumstances, it would have given off a distinctly statuesque and respectable impression. But unlike his outward appearance, Rio’s expression was exceedingly mature. If this had been a noble child of the same age, it would have been natural for them to be trembling or frozen with frayed nerves. Yet, Rio’s movements were completely calm.
Some of the eyes on him seemed impressed by his bold attitude.
“Hmph, some indigent...”
“Well, he cleaned up surprisingly well... He even moves according to the proper etiquette.”
“What a bizarre sight.”
And so on. Many of their gazes were filled with intolerance as the nobles’ whispers spread like wildfire, but Rio showed no concern at all. He walked forward, step by step, with a composed expression. Eventually, he reached the stairs leading up to the podium, and stopped there, lowering his head. All that was left was to wait until he was spoken to, just as he was taught.
“Raise your head, Rio,” King Philip III stated grandly
Only nobles and oddballs want extravagant homes.
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