After finishing morning training, they all washed up in the bathroom of the mansion and headed for the dining hall.
“Man, I’m starving!” Masato said, entering the dining hall noisily.
Miharu and Sayo were right in the middle of setting the tables. Gouki’s wife Kayoko and their attendants were there too.
“Hey, Masato! Don’t run in the dining hall. What if you bumped into someone?” Aki, who was helping set the table, warned him with a sullen pout.
“Oops. Sorry, sorry,” Masato said while scratching his cheek.
Just then, Rio entered the dining hall with Latifa and Charlotte on each arm.
“Princess Charlotte, why are you pressing against my brother’s body so much?”
“Oh, I’ve been feeling dizzy since this morning, so I’m having Sir Haruto escort me.”
“If you’re not feeling well, shouldn’t you be resting in your room? Don’t push yourself.”
“Oh no, I wouldn’t get any proper nourishment by skipping breakfast. Besides, aren’t you clinging to Sir Haruto too, Lady Suzune?”
“Because I’m his little sister!”
It was the usual composition of Latifa puffing up her cheeks and Charlotte looking like she was enjoying herself. Rio had a strained smile on his face, unable to move.
“That’s enough! Both of you get away from him!”
This time, Sora had also joined the fray. She had been too awed to cling to Rio, which allowed Latifa and Charlotte to get a head start on her.
Aishia came over and grabbed Rio’s right hand. “Haruto, let’s sit at that table.”
“A-Aishia! Release Master Haruto’s hand! It’s Sora’s duty to lead the way. This way, now!” Sora grabbed Rio by the left hand, stubbornly unwilling to lose to Aishia.
“All right, all right. I get it already. Let’s all sit at the same table,” Rio said, finally taking charge of the situation that was getting out of hand.
Just then, Sayo hurried over and tried to muster the courage to join the circle of Rio and the girls.
“U-Umm, may I join you too?” she asked.
“Of course,” Rio said, nodding with a smile. He then greeted her by name. “Good morning, Sayo.”
“Good morning, Sir Haruto.” Sayo’s eyes sparkled with happiness.
“Let’s all sit over there then. Come on, Onii-chan!”
Thus, Rio sat at a table with Latifa, Charlotte, Aishia, Sora, Sayo. Meanwhile...
Onii-chan, huh...
Aki was watching Rio and the others from a distance. She frowned with a conflicted expression, having heard Latifa call Rio “Onii-chan.” Many things—many, many things were flashing through her head.
At the banquet held by the Galarc Kingdom, Rio had explained to her that he had the memories of Amakawa Haruto. That’s why she had cooperated with Takahisa’s sloppy plot to kidnap Miharu. She had been in the wrong; Aki now understood that.
However, Aki hadn’t met Rio face-to-face since the banquet. Of course, she had seen him after the fight with the golem yesterday, but she had been too awkward to say anything other than a brief greeting.
She didn’t know how to interact with the person who had her former brother’s memories. That’s why she was trying to avoid having to talk to him by keeping her distance.
But when she was in the same space as him, she couldn’t stop following him with her gaze. When she looked at Rio and Latifa, she understood. No, she was forced to understand; it was thrust in her face.
In his mind, Latifa is his little sister...
Rio’s little sister was Latifa. Not Aki, who was Amakawa Haruto’s little sister. The sibling bond she had never been able to build with Amakawa Haruto was being built by Latifa and the person who had Amakawa Haruto’s memories.
I don’t get it.
Aki pursed her lips sullenly. She hated Amakawa Haruto; she didn’t know the reason behind her parents’ divorce, but watching her mother suffer had caused her to feel resentment. Aki had only been four years old back then.
Of course, she had realized those feelings were irrational as she grew older. But even then, she’d hated him. She still hated Haruto even now.
But Rio, with his memories of Haruto, was the person who had saved her life. Latifa was still a great friend who treated her exactly as she did before. Aki couldn’t imagine herself hating the current Rio. When she saw Rio and Latifa being such close siblings, a complex emotion rose within her.
✦ ✦ ✦
✦ ✦ ✦
When will my brother come back...?
To take her mind off Rio and Latifa, Aki thought of Sendo Takahisa.
Thanks to Sara’s sharp senses, the castle’s search team was able to identify the inn Takahisa had stayed in. That had been the day before yesterday. According to the report, the search team was to ask Takahisa to accompany them to the castle as soon as he returned to the inn.
But there had been no news about Takahisa yesterday. Wasn’t it weird that he hadn’t returned by now? They may have been distracted by the golem attack, but that shouldn’t mean there should be no report at all.
Did something happen?
For example, was Takahisa in danger? A vague sense of anxiety filled Aki. But if something had happened, it would still be strange not to receive a report about it.
He would have remembered Haruto too, right? What would he do then?
Takahisa had already left the castle because he was hurting over Miharu. If he had regained his memories of Rio, he would be even more hurt.
But maybe he’s already back at the castle. I’ll ask later.
Lilianna should be coming to the mansion as well today. Perhaps she would give them an update before Aki could even ask for it. With that thought, Aki pulled herself together.
However, Aki noticed one more person who was watching Rio from a distance: Miharu. She was looking at Rio with an expression between envy and vexation.
She should just join them at their table.
Just what was she holding back for? She was the one who had decided after the banquet to stay with him because she loved him. She had finally regained her memories of Rio too. Aki pouted unhappily.
Is she still bothered by the fact she kissed him?
Yesterday, Miharu had looked embarrassed the entire day. But today, she looked different than her usual self. Instead of looking shy, it was more like she was lost in her own thoughts or brooding over something,
Miharu said she had the soul of a god from this world in her, so maybe...
Was that what she was worried about? Aki looked from Miharu back to Rio.
But in that short amount of time, Rio had left his seat. She couldn’t see him anywhere.
Huh?
Aki looked around the dining hall.
“Good morning, Aki,” Rio said to her.
Aki flinched before returning the greeting. “G-Good morning...”
He had apparently gotten up to help set the tables. There was a tray in his hands, and Latifa was with him.
“Say, do you want to eat at our table, Aki?” Latifa asked.
Aki froze for a brief moment, then turned down the invitation with an awkward smile. “Oh. Sorry, I promised Miharu I’d eat with her.”
“Okay...” Latifa frowned in disappointment, then glanced up at Rio, who was standing beside her. Rio seemed to be holding back his words in front of Aki, as he was only watching over the two of them.
“Then let’s have lunch together,” Latifa said, taking a step forward to invite Aki to lunch instead. This time, Aki was the one who glanced at Rio’s face—and ended up meeting his eyes.
“What do you say, Aki?” he asked, smiling a little hesitantly.
“Sure, if it’s with everyone else...”
A shadow fell over Aki’s expression as she nodded. She had added the condition of “everyone else” to avoid having to eat with just the three of them. Either way, it was clear that Aki was feeling awkward.
“It’s a promise then!” Latifa said in a gentle tone, with a friendly smile on her face.
“Yup. See you later.”
Aki bid farewell to Latifa with a slightly uncomfortable look, then bowed to Rio. She then headed over to Miharu to invite her to eat breakfast together.