01x08 - Royal Lineage

[bunniefuu]

All right! Here.

Here you go. Careful!

Hold on. All right!

Lord Hayate,

thanks to you, Gon and his men will be taken

to the royal capital's prison camp,

and our transport team will

be able to set out safely.

As someone who serves the kingdom,

I have only fulfilled my

duties as expected of me.

I trust that sincere, earnest nature of yours,

and so I have a favor to ask of you.

If it's something within my capabilities

This letter is for your

esteemed father, Lord Gouki.

If you could pass it to him, for me

To my father?

It is a very important letter.

If you could give it to him personally,

I would greatly appreciate it.

I understand.

I must go to the next village

for their tax evaluation,

so I won't return to the royal

capital until after that,

but I will, without fail.

Will that be acceptable?

You have my thanks.

Stay safe!

And so, we all

traveled together, and parted

with Lord Hayate along the way.

Kingdom of Karasuki, Royal Capital

We didn't reach the royal capital of the

Karasuki Kingdom until several days later.

Seirei Gensouki

Royal Lineage

This is where we'll be staying.

If you get lost, you won't

be able to make it back,

so when you leave the premises, make sure

to go with someone who knows the capital.

I've got to go out, so I'll

leave the rest to you.

Rio, Shin, will you come with me?

Yes.

Me, too?

Come on.

That dirtbag.

I was thinking of k*lling him.

Not a very satisfying end, is it?

Come on, now.

Don't just sit there looking depressed.

Time for your emotions to change tacks.

C-Cut that out, Huntmaster!

This guy's watching!

Three large servings of kamutan!

Thanks for waiting!

This is kamutan?

Huh? Rio, you've never had kamutan before?

N-No, I haven't.

Once you have, you'll start craving it.

The first time you ate it, it was an

emotional experience, right, Shin?

I suppose

With kamutan, slurping it up dynamically

is the classy way to do it!

Come on, Rio. If you don't

eat it, it'll get soggy.

I will. Thank you for the meal.

This is delicious!

Right?

Yes!

Thank you!

Hey!

Thanks for what you did for Sayo.

What?

Oh, right.

I need to make sure she gets to eat this,

or else we'll get into another fight.

Is that everything we were needed to get?

Yes. Thank you so much, Sir Rio!

But asking me, someone unused

to the town, to go shopping

I can't imagine what everyone was thinking.

If you'd like, shall we go

eat some kamutan after this?

What?

Master Shin asked me to take you

if we could manage it, Miss Sayo.

My brother did that?

He said he'd asked you to make it for him,

but you got into a fight, saying you couldn't

make it since you'd never eaten it.

He said he wanted to make sure

you couldn't say that next time.

Honestly, he's such a glutton.

But I think maybe he just wants to give

you the chance to eat some, Miss Sayo.

What?

He's a nice older brother, isn't he?

Yes, he is.

You there, young man!

How about a gift for that

cute girlfriend of yours?

I-I'm not his girlfriend or anything!

Oh, my! You look so

good together, I just assumed.

But how about just one souvenir of the capital?

We have some very nice

wares here, wouldn't you agree?

That's true. Since we're

here and everything

Miss Sayo, is there anything you want?

What? I-I'm fine!

You've done so much for me,

Miss Sayo. Please, don't hesitate.

Yes, yes.

Miss, at times like these, quietly accepting

the gift shows a lady's courteousness.

Really?

Miss, you're very good

at business, aren't you?

Thanks!

My, miss, what a good eye you have!

That's one of our finest items.

Would you like to try it on?

What?

What do you think, young man?

It really suits you.

Doesn't it? It looks so lovely on you!

But the price is just so high.

It's two lesser silver tablets.

L-Lesser silver tablets?

All right.

S-Sir Rio, it's all right!

I really don't need

I might be able to give

just a little discount.

I could never haggle over the

price of a gift for a lady.

Very impressive!

In that case, I should have

set the price a little higher.

Shall we go?

Th-Thank you so much!

Young lady!

Do your best to make him yours!

It seems to me there'll be a lot of

competition for that young man.

You ruffian! Unhand me!

Someone, get him!

Outta the way! Outta the way!

What?

Miss Sayo! Are you all right?

Y-Yes, I'm fine.

Lady Komomo!

She seems to be unconscious, but I don't

think there's any risk to her life.

M-My apologies. This is all due

to my hopeless incompetence.

If you're going to apologize,

apologize to her when she wakes.

What happened?

What's going on?

Clear a path!

Let's go, Miss Sayo.

What? But are you sure?

Yes. I want to avoid any kind of trouble.

Please, wait!

Are you all right?

You're not hurt?

Komomo was almost kidnapped?

We're lucky that they were unsuccessful.

The young man who saved Komomo

and apprehended the perpetrators

quickly departed the scene, they tell me.

So, you said you wanted a private word?

Yes.

Lady Yuba entrusted me

with this for you, Father.

She said that it was an important letter,

and I should give it to you in person.

I see. From Lady Yuba.

Hayate

Yes?

Did you meet someone named Rio?

We're back!

Hey, good work.

Big Brother, the kamutan was delicious!

Huh?

Then, when we get back to the village,

this time you'll make some for me, right?

Yes. I'll do my best!

Sayo, where did you get that hairpin?

Huh?

Oh, um, well

I'll go put these away.

Lord Rio!

Lord Hayate?

I am called Saga Gouki.

I am Kayoko.

We are husband and wife, and we

were both once attendants of your mother

Lady Karasuki Ayame.

Karasuki Ayame?

Your surprise is understandable.

Lord Rio, your mother was of the royal

family of the Kingdom of Karasuki.

My mother was royalty?

First, shall I tell you about my

connection to your father Zen, Lord Rio?

Yes.

It happened over twenty years ago.

At the time, the Karasuki Kingdom was at

w*r with our neighboring kingdom, Rokuren.

Zen volunteered to be a soldier.

Zen had a natural gift for both

the spirit arts and martial arts.

His Majesty the King soon bestowed

upon him the rank of warrior-noble.

At that time, he had a bout with me.

His skills were the real thing.

Because of that,

I strongly recommended that he should

guard members of the royal family.

I am sure you can already guess that the

member of the royal family he guarded

was Lady Ayame.

Lady Ayame took a liking to Zen.

And it was at that time that a truce was

negotiated with the Kingdom of Rokuren.

At the ceremony celebrating the truce,

the prince who had come as ambassador

took a liking to Lady Ayame,

and tried to have his attendants abduct her.

Zen kept them from completing their plan,

but the prince resented the fact that

his attendant had been k*lled.

If the truce were to be finalized,

the prince demanded Zen's execution,

and a political marriage to Lady Ayame.

Even now, the thought of

it makes my blood seethe.

And that's why my mother and

father ran away together?

Yes.

His Majesty the King

arranged for it in secret,

and the two of them left our country.

And so time flowed on, with no

news or contact with them.

But today, I received

correspondence from Lady Yuba.

And having looked upon your honored

countenance, Lord Rio, I am certain.

There can be no doubt that you are their son.

Yes.

Lord Rio, tomorrow, will you

come to the castle?

What?

His Majesty the King and

Her Highness the Queen

It is my dearest wish that you

and they might meet, Lord Rio.

The two of them and me?

Please. Please, I beg of you.

All right, I will.

So you are Rio?

I am honored to meet you, Your Majesties.

King Homura, Queen Shizuku, my name is Rio.

This is a meeting with

our darling grandchild.

Would it be possible for you

to be less formal with us?

Yes, please.

If you permit it, then I will do my best.

First, will you take a seat?

Yes. Thank you.

Rio, you really do look exactly like Ayame.

I feel that it's you, Queen Shizuku,

who looks just like my mother.

My, do you think so?

Rio, will you tell us?

Tell us about Ayame and Zen.

Yes.

To cut straight to the conclusion,

both of them have already died.

It is how they died and how they lived

that we would like to hear.

My father died when I was

too young to know him.

My mother was a kind person

who never stopped smiling.

She never showed me her

grief at my father's death.

We were by no means affluent,

but every day was a happy one.

But when I was five, my mother passed away.

When you were five?

How did Ayame die?

If I tell you the truth, it will

be incredibly painful to hear.

Even so, we want to know.

My mother

was k*lled

right in front of me.

The person who k*lled her

is a man named Lucius.

Apparently he had worked with

my father as an adventurer.

After my father's death,

he'd helped us in many ways.

But that day

I'll be back soon. If anyone you

don't know comes, you stay inside.

I will!

Rio, it's me. It's Lucius.

Will you open the door?

In this world, there are demons

who masquerade in human skins.

You're one fact smarter now.

What are you doing, Master Lucius?!

Rio!

What have you done to him?

Let go! Let go right now!

Rio

Mother

That is my last memory of my mother.

How could this be

And how have you lived since then?

When I woke up, I'd been left in the slums.

I stayed there and lived as an orphan.

Though that was only until I was seven.

What happened then?

There was an incident where

I happened to rescue someone

of importance to the kingdom.

I was allowed to attend an educational

institution run by the kingdom.

In our kingdom,

we have a school for the court nobles

and some of the warrior-nobles, but

Everyone around me was of similar rank.

That must have been difficult for you.

I was treated a little harshly,

but there were people who treated me well, too.

Thanks to them, I can hold my head high

and say my days there were enjoyable.

I attended that school until I was twelve,

then I set out for this land that my

mother had promised to show me one day.

Ayame made such a promise?

Both you and Ayame must

harbor a deep hatred for us.

I think my mother was grateful to you

for being able to marry my father.

It would make no sense for me to

hate you in the face of that, would it?

I see.

But Rio

The man who k*lled Ayame

I don't think I can forgive him.

That man is the one person

I will never forgive.

Then, do you hope for revenge?

Once, that was all

I thought about. It kept me alive.

But revenge doesn't create anything.

And my mother wouldn't want it, either.

I've thought those things, too.

Even so, if I ever met that man

With these hands, I would

I see.

But you know, Rio

If you travel the path of revenge,

what you will find is hell.

I know.

You can still turn back.

Will you proceed, even so?

I am determined to proceed, even so.

If it's necessary, I would not

hesitate to dirty my own hands.

Then, I won't stop you.

But before that, I would

like you to spar with Gouki.

With Lord Gouki?

There is no match for Gouki in

any of the surrounding kingdoms.

He is the Karasuki Kingdom's

strongest warrior.

This man named Lucius must be very skilled.

Considering his hideous nature,

he may even have k*lled Zen.

Don't you think so, Gouki?

I don't want to admit it,

but it is definitely possible.

If you are to one day face Lucius, then you

will require strength, will you not?

I understand.

If he is willing to teach me

the basics, then, yes, please.

Father! Mother! Welcome home!

You're

Aoi, what is it?

Th-The person you're with is the

one who saved Lady Komomo!

What's this? Is that right?

Oh, I just

Then we will proceed with combat forms.

Both parties, at the ready.

Begin!

Your potential is frightening.

And to think that in terms of both

physicality and experience,

you haven't yet reached your prime

Training is the one thing

I've always kept up.

You've done well!

He combines sword work

with weaponless styles.

Impressive!

What?

It can't be Father is at a disadvantage?

This is thrilling!

Magical energy is gathering around his sword?

F-Father! You can't be thinking of using

Hidden Skill, First Blade

Air Slash!

End of match!

The bout goes to Lord Rio!

I've lost this one.

Thank you very much.

I can't believe Father has

He's incredible.

Impressive.

I had thought to have you train under Gouki,

but I see my solicitude was unnecessary.

Yes.

Not at all. Having this experience before

heading to Beltrum was invaluable.

Thank you for your concern.

We don't have much time left,

but is there anything you wish to ask?

I have a cousin who lives in the

village where I've been staying.

I would like to tell her

about my lineage, but

Yes. We will trust your judgment in this.

Thank you.

Welcome back!

Huh? Where's Rio?

Miss Ruri, Sir Rio is

Father, Mother I can't run anymore.

In order to live, in order

to protect what's precious,

I will accept the ugliness

within me and move forward.

Next Time

Each of Their Decisions

"Each of Their Decisions."

Spirit Chronicles

Exciting Bonus Manga

Oh! A date

with Sir Rio!

It's like

a dream!

By Minazuki Futago

fluffy

Sir Rio,

this date is

so much fun!

tee hee

I'm just

glad you're

happy.

ha ha

Huh?

Oh!

panic

Yes

Did I say

all that

out loud?!