Seirei Gensouki's
Chapter 118: Because you are pt2

After the opening ceremony ended, the last night party finally began.

「Oh ~, so this is the Black Knight?」

「Do you enjoy yourself, Mr Haruto?」

「I want to introduce my daughter to Lord Haruto. 」

As soon as Rio got off the stage, he was greeted by an attack of people.

They all wanted to establish a good relationship with the newly appointed honorary knight who was praised as a hero.

He had no idea what they were really thinking about him, but everyone greeted him kindly.

Some even offer weddings.

The nobles who tried to have sex with her by calling her things like "Master Haruto" or "Black Knight" slowly shaved away Rio's spirit. Called the Black Knight especially the grille.

By having the title of "honor" attached to his name, Rio was instantly recognized as a noble even though he did not serve the country.

As a result, the nobles left and right moved towards him without regard for their own.

If this keeps up, I won't even get a chance to breathe.

Behind her insincere smile, Rio became even more frustrated at not having room to move freely.

He let his eyes wander among the greetings, looking for someone among the crowd.

Rio remembered that morning when he asked permission for Miharu and the children to enter the castle, Francois wanted them to attend.

However, only after the party started would they participate.

Rio felt it was a good idea to talk when they had the time.

Fortunately, thanks to Satsuki and Takahisa, they weren't too nervous.

Actually I really wanted to join them, but …

He turned his attention back to the woman by his side, as well as the many nobles blocking the exit.

The woman beside him tonight is not Liselotte.

On the orders of King Francois Galwark, he commissioned his beloved daughter Charlotte Galwark to be his companion.

Charlotte was one of the royalties that Rio protected the night before.

As expected, ignoring the king's orders was impossible, so Rio hurriedly attended the party with him.

「Haruto-sama, Haruto-sama. 」

And Charlotte, who had been smiling kindly all this time, called out to Rio while pulling his arm.

Although it might have something to do with him being younger than her, it seemed like he was just a pampered child from the start. She was like this with her older brother, Michael, and her nature was no longer calm now towards Rio.

「Haruto-sama. 」

"Yes? What'sthat?"

「Are you not dry after talking so much?」

Perhaps because she noticed that Rio continued to speak without pause, Charlotte picked him up when she finally caught her breath.

「How disrespectful am I. Let's drink from the servants. 」

「Fufu, allow me. 」

Charlotte might be thirsty too.

Rio subconsciously took a step by thinking about it, but Charlotte was already in front of him.

Section 2

「This is it. 」

He came back with a funny move that reminded him of a small animal, giving him a silver glass filled with fruit drinks.

"Thank you very much . 」

「Come toast, Haruto-sama. 」

"Yes nih . Cheer. 」

「Ceria. 」

The two smiled as they made eye contact, and lightly raised their glasses.

And with that, they shared drinks.

「Fufu. It's delicious, but somehow the alcohol seems to be quite strong. 」

Charlotte commented with a mischievous smile on her face, elegantly putting her hands on her cheeks.

「No need to force yourself. Please let me know if you feel something is wrong. 」

「Thank you very much, but I should be fine with this. 」

When they stopped talking, Rio saw a group of six people approaching them. A woman with brownish black hair greeted them when they were within earshot.

「Haruto-kun's chat. 」

The one who called first was Satsuki.

Following behind him were Liliana, Takahisa, Masato, Aki and Miharu, all in formal attire.

Takahisa smiled awkwardly as his eyes met Rio's eyes, while Liliana nodded along with her usual friendly smile.

On the other hand, Masato, Aki and Miharu were a little embarrassed wearing the strange clothes they were not used to wearing.

「Everything .. You all look great. 」

Rio briefly lost his breath, but managed to respond with a smile.

The cause is a girl in the group, Ayase Miharu.

He could see it clearly from afar, but he unwittingly found himself fascinated up close.

She wore a pale pink dress that exuded a fairy atmosphere, and her long black hair was woven to the right of her neck, giving her an overall neat and tidy atmosphere.

Rio had seen and met noble girls who were more beautiful and indisputable than he could count in the past three days, but Miharu's sparkling brilliance made everything else seem dull in comparison.

He stiffened slightly upon seeing that, and Charlotte was the first to pick it up, watching him from the side.

But he did not mention it, quickly turning to Miharu and the others.

Section 3

「Happy to meet you all. I am the second daughter of the Galwark Kingdom, Charlotte Galwark. 」

Charlotte clamped the end of her dress and bowed to the others as she introduced herself. When he raised his head, he looked at Miharu with a smile on his face.

「Ya, my name is Miharu Ayase. The fun is mine. 」

It was a bit rude, but Miharu answered politely, using her given name first to follow the customs of this world.

「Char-chan, I think you already know about Takahisa-kun and Liliana-sama, but these three are my friends. Miharu-chan introduced herself, but that little girl is Aki-chan, and this brat is Masato-kun. They are Takahisa-kun's brothers. 」

Satsuki takes over Aki and Masato, who fall behind Miharu.

"It's nice to meet you . 」

Charlotte greeted her sisters with the same smile as always.

「S-It's nice to meet you. 」

Aki and Masato bowed nervously as they responded.

Perhaps it was her sophisticated demeanor that suited her royal status, or simply because they were caught up in her cute appearance.

「I think Aki-chan is about the same age as Char-chan. Masato-kun is a year younger. And Miharu-chan is a year below me, about Haruto-kun's age. 」

After Satsuki's brief review, Charlotte saw the three of them.

「Miharu-sama, Aki-sama and Masato-sama, right? I will definitely remember it. Please take care of me in the future. 」

"Yes of course . 」

Aki and Masato answered together for Charlotte's innocent smile. And while the rest of the group watched their exchange, as if suddenly remembering something, Satsuki spoke up.

「In addition, it seems that" Black Knight "-sama is quite popular at the moment. You have had a lot of people around you since the party started. 」

A mischievous expression was painted all over Satsuki's face, like she was laughing at a good joke. Rio face cramp when he saw her.

「... It's not like I'm popular. They may be attracted by Princess Charlotte's beauty. 」

But he managed to recover, answering her with his best business smile.

Amazed by Rio's ability to do follow-up, Satsuki's round eyes narrowed.

Section 4

「Yeah, aren't you a fluent speaker. 」

Hearing her praise, Charlotte did not hide her excitement.

「Haruto-anchan got cool titles like Black Knight! I'm so envious!"

And Masato cheerfully fused with the twinkle in his eyes.

「A-ah .. Thanks. 」

The innocence of young Masato only pushed the blade deeper.

And Satsuki, who was no longer able to fully suppress the urge to laugh, started to chuckle.

「This is truly an incredible title, Haruto-sama. 」

Charlotte was also quick to join Masato's momentum.

In addition to the high school students from Japan, Charlotte is a pure girl from this world. He did not even feel the smallest disturbance in saying such an embarrassing name.

It was a truly genuine compliment, as was Masato.

Perhaps it would not bother him as much if Satsuki did not grin like an idiot while watching him sitting there obediently receiving their praise.

"… Thank you very much . 」

Rio expressed his gratitude, doing his best to hide his embarrassment.

Charlotte's father was the one who bestowed the alias Black Knight on her.

He could not and did not want to say the horrible things he thought about that alias in front of him.

「By the way, Haruto-kun, aren't you getting too close to Char-chan?」

Choosing the right moment, Satsuki changed the subject, and Charlotte smiled broadly.

"That's right . Haruto-sama is a good and wonderful man. It felt like I had a new brother. 」

He leaned against Rio's arm as he spoke.

Their status difference no longer mattered to the crowd. They all stared in amazement, focusing intently on the conversation between Charlotte and Satsuki.

「... Heh, doesn't that make you happy, Haruto-kun? You got a cute little sister. 」

Satsuki took a few seconds to reply, a slightly cooler tone in her voice.

He smiled as usual. Maybe it was just his imagination, but Rio could feel some sort of pressure pressing down on him.

「It was just a joke. I'm still far from Michael-sama. 」

Rio boldly shook his head in denial despite the chill creeping down his spine.

「Fufu, Haruto-sama has a different kind of charm compared to Onii-sama. 」

Charlotte happily lit a fire, getting closer to Rio's arm every second.

Satsuki narrowed her eyes, and even Miharu next to her had her full attention on the couple.

Section 5

What's with this atmosphere?

Rio did not understand exactly why, but the strange air surrounding him felt clear.

What he understood was that if Charlotte continued to stick to him like him, things would only get worse for him.

Nevertheless, seeing that she was the king's daughter, she couldn't just let go by force.

「Fu ~, Haruto-kun charm, right? I'd like to know what you mean. 」

"Religion . She let out this reliable air that made me feel comfortable just being by her side. 」

「So .. I think I can understand that. 」

Satsuki reluctantly agreed to Charlotte's remark, Miharu silently nodded.

However, others from Japan are a bit confused.

Satsuki acting according to her age — shows a lot of emotions that suit a teenage girl. This rarely happens.

She was practically flawless in the eyes of her friends, including Takahisa.

Stamped as an exemplary student by those around him, he easily took on the position of student council chairman, and gave a difficult-to-approach image in the process.

He will naturally respond if someone talks to him, but, perhaps because he is not very open about himself or makes a line that separates him from others, Satsuki proved herself to be a calm and calm person without much emotion.

That Satsuki was fulfilling her surroundings expectations, and showing a little about her even to those close to her, but Satsuki now seemed like a completely different person, her feelings were clear as the day on her face.

「You also think so?」

Charlotte brought her face closer to Rio's arm, as if she was about to rub his cheek.

The intensity of Satsuki's gaze surged to another level, and despite her unconcerned gaze, Miharu's gaze locked tightly on Charlotte's attachment to Rio.

An alarm bell rang in Rio's head, yelling at him to leave as quickly as possible, but Charlotte stuck to him like glue to keep him in place.

Everything went from bad to worse.

Fearing the growing danger behind his cool mask, Rio desperately searched for anything that could be used as an excuse to free himself from the situation.

Then he found an empty glass held tightly in Charlotte's hand.

「Charlotte-sama, may I borrow your glass?」

"Yes nih . Wh-wh-what for? 」

Although a little confused, Charlotte complied with his request.

「Maybe empty, but what's left will stain your beautiful dress if it spills. I'll give it back. 」

Rio immediately took the opportunity to casually create some distance between himself and Charlotte.

「Yes, as expected of a man. How wise you are, Haruto-kun. 」

Just when it seemed like he had already left, Satsuki spoke again in awe. Unable to be understood by Rio, the crushing atmosphere from before vanished in an instant.

And as if disappointed, Charlotte showed a hint of boredom on her face when no one was looking.

"Not everything . It'll be a problem if something happens, that's all. 」

Slipping away with a wry smile, Rio went to the nearby table to return the glass that he and Charlotte drank. When he did, he heaved a sigh of relief from being released from that overwhelming pressure.

Section 6

All right, I think I'll be back now.

Rio returned to the others with the enthusiasm of a soldier who marched into the battlefield.

「Do you enjoy the party, Miharu-san?」

He greeted Miharu first when he made her close.

As the observer of the conversation, Miharu trembled as she turned to Rio, her face looking like she was secretly asking what was wrong.

Miharu smiled, a little embarrassed.

「Um, somehow, but I'm a little nervous. 」

He answered her while twisting the tip of her braid, and they slipped a little way to part from the group.

Takahisa was watching them with ama, but he did not call out to her.

"I'm happy . I'm afraid you'll force yourself to participate, but it seems my concerns are unfounded. 」

"Yes nih . Liliana-sama said this will be beneficial in the long run, as we can thank the king if we are present tonight. 」

"I saw…"

Looking pensive about it, Rio nodded, sure.

「It looks like Masato-kun and Aki-chan are having fun too. 」

Saying so, Rio was looking at the two. They chatted with the people around them, smiling and laughing all the time.

「They were happy when they heard we were coming. Although, they were a bit anxious right before we entered. 」

Miharu chuckled as she spoke.

「It's very like them, huh?」

After a while, Rio realized that he was enjoying his conversation with Miharu, and an unclear thought flashed across his tongue.

「It has been a while since we could chat like this, just the two of us. 」

In fact, even though they live under the same roof, they don't get many opportunities to be alone.

The last time was probably when they made their last meal before heading to the capital.

Section 7

「That's right .. To be honest, I was a bit nervous when you talked to me, Haruto-san. 」

There was a timid expression on Miharu's face as she replied.

"Is that so?"

「We haven't met for a while, so something about Haruto-san here in the castle feels different than usual. You're more refined and sophisticated .. and even though you're right next to me, you feel very unattainable. 」

Seeing Rio hold a conversation with nobles and nobles without the slightest bit of anxiety, it was as if he did not see the Rio he used to use, but everyone else entirely.

「I'm really not like that. 」

Rio shook his head in denial, seemingly distracted by the impression the woman had on him.

It could have been his brain playing tricks on him, but he saw something faint in his yellow eyes.

"Yes nih . Haruto-san who spoke in this way was the one I was familiar with. 」

Miharu's slowly nodding, carefully looking into Rio's eyes.

It could be said of the usual thing that Rio looked back, standing very close.

For a few seconds, the two stared at each other in silence.

「- …」

And the next moment, Miharu averted her gaze, looking down with flushed cheeks.

When he raised his eyes again, twirling the tip of his braids around his finger, Rio was still there watching him.

「... Miharu-san. 」

Then he called her in a low tone.

「Y-Yes? What's problem?"

Miharu stumbled over her words as she replied.

The sincerity in Rio's voice penetrated through her.

He could hear his heart beating faster.

What .... What's wrong with me …?

What kind of feeling is this—

He can't understand it.

But she was sure, just looking at Rio made her even more nervous.

「Will you come with me to the balcony? I'll need to talk to you alone. 」

Rio made a proposal with a troubled expression, but a resolute voice.

Her time did not match what she expected, but she thought this would be her best chance to be alone with Miharu.

Section 8

I should have stopped making excuses to run away from him.

Sneaking away must not be good.

But he's short on time. He didn't know if he would get a chance like this again if he didn't take it now.

He had no intention of letting the opportunity to confess his feelings pass, and if this one passed him, he would start looking for the next one.

「Is that okay? It's important . 」

「Ah .. I also have something I want to say to Haruto-san. 」

Miharu nodded to confirm.

「It's decided. … Masato. 」

Rio got Masato's attention from behind.

「Hm? What's the matter, Haruto-anchan? 」

Masato turned around and approached the two.

「I'll go for a while with Miharu-san. Since it will be a little before we return, will you tell anyone who noticed our disappearance not to worry about us? It would be awkward if someone suddenly interrupted our conversation. 」

Fortunately, Rio's presence had moved away from everyone's consciousness when they engaged in a lively chat.

They could easily come out now, when no one cared about them.

And if someone was thinking of chasing them, he did not tell Masato about where they were going.

「Yes. Leave it to me . 」

Masato immediately replied.

"Thank you . All right, shall we go? 」

Thus, Rio and Miharu left in secret.

However, two girls followed them from a distance, determined not to let them off just like that.

One was watching with a pleased smile, although the other continued to show an expression that hid his thoughts.

Section 9

Rio and Miharu arrived at the balcony that was left open for the guests to rest, and the soldiers were arranged at the entrance just in case.

But no one seemed to have any inclination to approach this place, as the evening party was aimed at making connections.

The commotion throughout the hall sounded so lonely, and even the luxury of the event itself felt so far away.

The refreshing night air blowing over the balcony cools them from the heat of the party.

They walked to the back, standing side by side on the ledge.

It was a quiet place, both to calm and clear the mind.

「Uwaa ~, the sky is very beautiful. It feels like my soul can fly .. 」

Miharu muttered in amazement, a sea of stars filling the night sky.

「As if you can reach the moon and stars just by stretching your arms. 」

Rio voiced his own impression as he looked up towards the night.

「Fufu, it's very poetic. 」

Although a little confused by her words, Miharu smiled gently as she turned to Rio.

Then their eyes meet. Rio looked back.

And under the moonlight, seeing each other's faces clearly embarrassed him.

「That dress suits you, Miharu-san. You are so beautiful . 」

Rio's honest thoughts, as simple as that, echoed deeply in Miharu's heart.

「..... Hah—?」

Miharu's face flushed.

His heart started to beat.

Who did he say that to? Are those words really for him? What was he trying to do, saying something like that?

Head turned.

There was no one here except Rio and himself.

That alone was enough so there was no doubt he intended to say those words for her, but—

The fact he said 「Miharu-san」 is—

「T-Thank you very much ..?」

She lowered her head, her voice trembling as she thanked him.

His face was as red as a tomato.

「Miharu-san's chat. 」

Rio smiled and carefully touched her hand.

「Y-Yes?」

She replied timidly as she looked back to meet him.

When he did, Rio face was right in front of him.

He took a step towards her.

It's just one step—

But the gap that closed between them felt much wider.

Rio's gaze was fixed on Miharu's eyes and looked straight to the point.

Section 10

「……」

The silence lingered for a while, then Miharu's brain noted that Rio's lips were moving.

Words that came out of his mouth—

「Miharu-san, I love you. 」

It was a confession.

"I love you so much . 」

He repeated it, and he began to tremble in surprise.

His mind became empty.

His heart threatened to burst from his chest.

Miharu suddenly felt warmth.

Rio's hand was large, yet barely stiff, and from there his warmth enveloped his entire body as if a fire had been burning deep inside.

His breath touched his skin.

He was overwhelmed, but could not force himself to turn away.

Miharu could see herself trembling, reflected in Rio eyes.

But he broke through his anxiety.

「I love you, Ayase Miharu-san. 」

Rio repeated his simple confession once again.

He did not leave the slightest gap for misunderstanding.

With just a few words, Rio was made to make sure his feelings reached him.

「A ... Au ..」

Miharu's at a loss for words.

He had experienced a few confessions before, but this was probably the first time he had deeply shaken him.

No .

That's happened before.

He made an appointment with Amakawa Haruto when he was seven years old.

「I want to always be by your side, Miharu-san. 」

Rio held her hand, and showed no signs of letting go.

Section 11

Miharu's not so good with the boys, especially not touching them.

She was a pretty girl from a young age, but was ridiculed ever since she separated from Haruto.

The reason is quite simple.

Haruto, who acts as a breakwater for her, has to change schools.

The kids love Miharu.

They're still kids. They take the typical route of being rude to the girl they like.

It did not grow into something very cruel, but because of his own personality, Miharu was quietly persisting every day.

He made it through his days dreaming about the promise and memories he made with Haruto.

After entering high school, the boys began to take different paths to approach her, but that would not easily erase the fear and isolation that Miharu felt.

So he keeps a comfortable distance from the opposite sex.

Although he did not move so blatantly every time a boy tried to approach him, he tried to escape as leisurely as possible.

He even pushed Takahisa when he suddenly hugged him earlier. Maybe it was because he didn't like any other guy besides Haruto.

So why can't he pull himself out of Rio's grasp?

He was not worried about his touch. Instead, Miharu was confused about how willing she was to let him stay so close.

「Whether I dream, wake up or be reborn, I love you. I will always love you . 」

One after another, Rio said his words slowly and firmly.

「But what I wanted to say to Miharu-san—. This is something I want you to hear. 」

Miharu's chest stiffened with her determination, and she found herself squeezing her hand in return.

Rio's face was close enough that if one of them moved a little more their lips would touch.

A smile painted itself on Rio's face.

It was a gentle smile, but it was a timid smile filled with fear and relief. However, for some reason Miharu felt a deep nostalgia from him.

They just stared at each other in silence for a few moments.

「Maybe you've forgotten, but that day, nine years ago for you——」

「Miharu-oneechan? Are you here?"

The voice of a young girl echoed over the balcony.

It was Aki's voice, and she sounded a little impatient.

He led the nervous Takahisa by the hand when they managed to find them.

「Miharu .. onee-chan?」

Aki called out Miharu's name and was immediately dumbfounded.

He found two inches from each other, and Miharu held tightly onto Rio's hand.

They look like lovers.

「Um ..」

Having hesitated to say something about their appearance, he turned around as if recalling the person he had joined.

Behind him stood Takahisa, the expression on his face making it clear that he was holding back a whirlwind of emotions inside.

Section 12

「Ah, um.. This ..」

Miharu released her grip and retreated once she realized that she was the one holding Rio. His body had moved itself on the bursa.

When the atmosphere shattered and he regained his senses, he was too embarrassed to form a reasonable sentence.

"What's the problem? You seem to be in a hurry. 」

But calm as usual, Rio spoke with his normal and calm voice.

「Um, we are looking for you because Masato said you went somewhere ..」

Aki replied awkwardly.

「I said we'd be back soon. Did Masato forget to say that? 」

Rio smiled wryly, guessing it couldn't help.

「Ah, no, she mentioned it, but ..」

「Only with everything that happened yesterday and all. My worries are getting better than mine. 」

Takahisa added his own explanation with a smile to support Aki, but her voice trembled slightly.

「I-That's right. We're worried. 」

Despite being surprised by Takahisa's unexpected reaction, Aki nodded.

"I'm sorry . I took him out for a while. I want to discuss with Miharu-san. 」

"Discussion?"

Aki looked at Rio through her straightforward apology.

「Yes. A little bit about what will happen after this. That is something I need to tell Miharu-san at any cost.

Actually, there are things I have to tell everyone as well, but this is something I cannot say to anyone. 」

Rio replied with a bitter smile.

"I saw . 」

Aki knew better than to push further, so she stopped there.

「Miharu-san's chat. There's something I want you to have. It may not be embarrassing for me to ask, but will you hear what I'm going to say next? 」

Rio asked in a slow tone so that only Miharu would hear. He was confused for a moment, but voiced his acceptance well.

Section 13

「Haruto-sama, do you know how worried I am?」

Immediately, from behind Aki and Takahisa came Charlotte at a rapid pace, calling out to her partner with her bottomless bright voice and grabbing her hand as she reached his side.

「My deepest apologies. I want to discuss with Miharu-san. We were supposed to be back soon, but .. 」

"No problem . To make up for it, please come dance with me. 」

Charlotte expresses her innocent wish with a pleasant smile.

Rio's eyes met Miharu's eyes when she looked away, and she also smiled at him, though more agitated.

"… As you wish . 」

He endured his urge to sigh, and Rio resigned himself to his fate. As soon as he did, Charlotte immediately brought him back to the event hall, wrapped around his hand.

Almost unable to get out for a moment, the third night party ended peacefully.