Daybreak Rondo

by Yuri Kitayama

Not to mention the fact Amande was under Liselotte’s governing. It would be one thing if they were within the Kingdom of Beltrum where Alphonse had influence, but there was no way that nonsense would be accepted in another country.

  That being said, a commoner with no knowledge of how the right to strike worked would have cowered in fear by now, yet Rio did not falter an inch.

  “Guh...” Having the faults in his request so easily raised had Alphonse glaring at Rio hatefully. Even he knew he was at a logical disadvantage. However, his haughty pride wouldn’t allow him to back down to a mere commoner after being humiliated so much already.

  “Have you had enough yet?” Rio could no longer hide his exasperation in his question to Alphonse.

  Alphonse stared at Rio sharply. Out of the blue, he lunged forward at Rio with his fist held high. “Shut the hell up, you lowly commoner!”

  “Kyaa!” Celia screamed from behind Rio. He couldn’t avoid him by stepping to the side, nor could he step backwards, either.

  Thus, Rio engaged with Alphonse from head-on. After grasping the arm that had been raised in a punch, he gracefully pinned Alphonse down to the ground.

  “Ow!” Alphonse cried out, the pain unbearable.

  “Wha...?!” Stewart’s gaze was stolen by how skilful Rio’s restraint techniques were. He had no idea what movement was taken just now to restrain Alphonse so well.

  “A-Alphonse! Hey, you! Release him!” Stewart objected, having returned to his senses after a moment. In that time, Aishia took the chance to pull Celia’s hand and place distance between themselves and Rio.

  “I’m afraid I must object to that. If I release him, he’ll attack me right away.” It’s legitimate self-defense, Rio thought flatly.

  “S-Shut up!” Rio’s response seemed to have touched a nerve, as Stewart tried to grab at him. At that, Rio swiftly stood up and evaded Stewart’s hand, and as a result, Stewart’s momentum caused him to stumble over his feet.

  “Grr...!” He corrected his balance immediately, now glaring at Rio angrily. The now-released Alphonse also struggled to his feet.

  “You’ve done it now, you bastard!” Alphonse yelled, lunging again to punch him. However, Rio evaded his fist lightly, all while barely moving from his spot.

  “Kuh!” Alphonse completely snapped, continuing to swing his fist. Rio finally had enough and sighed in exasperation, slapping away Alphonse’s fist. Then, he grabbed Alphonse’s arm and twisted it while standing up.

  “Gwah?!” Alphonse’s face twisted.

  “Alphonse? Wha?!” Stewart tried to jump to his rescue, hurriedly grabbing Rio. However, Rio shoved Alphonse’s body away, sending the two of them falling over each other dramatically.

  “Guh...” Everyone other than Aishia averted their eyes at the pitiful scene.

  As a result, silence fell over the room. During that time, Rio silently moved his body, approaching where Stewart and Alphonse had fallen over each other. He pushed them both down from above, easily restraining them.

  “Guh, hey!”

  “What do you think you’re doing?! Let go, dammit!”

  Stewart and Alphonse complained in an unsightly way, but Rio paid them no heed. He continued to restrain them without letting his guard down.

  However, he couldn’t remain in this position forever. Rio sighed in annoyance before addressing the employee, who was standing still in a daze. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like this can be settled peacefully after all. Could you please call someone here who can deal with these two appropriately?”

  Chapter 4: Apology

  Later that night, in an office inside Liselotte’s estate in Amande...

  “...And that is what happened. The employee inside the room and staff outside the room were all present for the whole ordeal and their testimonies match each other, so it is safe to presume these as the facts,” Aria reported to Liselotte and Duke Huguenot in a flat voice. She had just finished explaining the trouble Stewart and Alphonse had caused.

  The guest chairs in the room were occupied by Liselotte and Duke Huguenot, who each had a pained expression on their faces. An uncomfortable air flowed throughout the room.

  “...I am truly sorry for this,” Duke Huguenot said after a pause. He was seated across from Liselotte; he bowed his head deeply at her.

  “No... Well, let’s see... For now, I’ll accept your apology,” Liselotte said, accepting Duke Huguenot’s apology in a stuttering tone; she had no choice since something had in fact happened, and there were other things to prioritize before sinking time into finding out who was responsible right now.

  “Those fools...” Duke Huguenot muttered under his breath in a terrifyingly cold voice.

  “And what about Sir Haruto?” Liselotte sighed quietly before turning to address Aria.

  “As it is already late at night and Haruto was the obvious victim in this case, on top of being our valued guest, I have asked him to rest at the inn. I did offer him an apology on the scene in a rush, but I informed him that you would be apologizing to him directly tomorrow, master,” Aria replied respectfully. She had been the one to gather all the details at the inn.

  Stewart and Alphonse’s fuss had been overheard by not only the staff, but some of the customers as well, so there was no way for them to excuse themselves.

  Furthermore, the employee inside the room had given a testimony as a third party, and the staff on standby outside the room had also been watching the situation quietly, all confirming that none of the fault fell on Rio. On top of that, the girls who had gone there with Stewart and Alphonse testified that the two boys were the ones at fault once they had been removed from the room. They felt no reason to go out of their way to protect the two, especially once the person in charge of overseeing their city appeared in the flesh.

  At that point, Rio was courteously returned to his room while Stewart and Alphonse were restrained and sent to Liselotte’s estate. For the record, Celia and Aishia were returned to their rooms by Rio’s judgment before Aria had arrived, leaving Rio alone to answer the questions but avoiding confrontation with Aria.

  “...I see. Then I shall drop by tomorrow morning to apologize,” Liselotte said with a bitter face.

  This is the worst possible occurrence. I didn’t want him to think of us as arrogant nobles... but an incident like this would definitely cause him to become more cautious.

  There were many commoners that held the preconceived notion of nobles as arrogant. While that was due to the actual number of nobles that acted arrogantly towards common folk, Liselotte did not consider that a good thing. For a merchant like Liselotte, getting along with people began with trust — obviously, no one would form trade deals with someone they couldn’t trust.

  “Understood. Then, I shall make the appropriate preparations,” Aria said respectfully.

  “While I would like nothing more than to accompany you...” Duke Huguenot interrupted with terribly distraught words, trailing off.

  “...It pains me to say this, but with your position as Sir Stewart’s father, it may be best if you didn’t appear before Sir Haruto, lest you make him more wary,” Liselotte said with difficulty. She feared that Rio would not wish to see the parent of an assailant, instead preferring to be apologized to directly by the perpetrator. Although that may not be the case.

  “I figured.” Duke Huguenot frowned impatiently.

  “Would you allow me to explain the situation on your behalf to Sir Haruto? After that, I shall prepare a proper opportunity for you to apologize,” Liselotte suggested for Duke Huguenot’s sake.

  “Of course. Please tell him that I have nothing but good faith towards him and intend to settle my foolish son’s failures appropriately,” Duke Huguenot agreed immediately. It was extremely rare for someone in the position of a duke to apologize to a commoner, which was perhaps a sign of how highly valued the skills of the person named Haruto were.

  “Understood.” Like Huguenot, Liselotte also valued Rio highly, and didn’t want their relationship to b
e ruined over such a trivial matter. That was why she needed to approach this with the utmost care and respect.

  Tomorrow’s going to be a long day. Liselotte sighed quietly as to expel her exhaustion.

  ◇　◇　◇

  After Duke Huguenot finished his discussion with Liselotte, he summoned Stewart and Alphonse to the guest bedroom he was staying in. As soon as he saw their faces, Duke Huguenot spat out scornful words filled with rage.

  “You utter fools...”

  “...” Stewart and Alphonse shook in absolute fear. They had completely sobered up already, their faces pale as ghosts.

  “F-Father, I...” Stewart began to say something, but Duke Huguenot shut him up without hesitation.

  “Silence. I barely had any expectations left for you, but this incident has left me in utter disappointment. I believe I told you before... that there would be no next time,” Duke Huguenot said to Stewart, his words filled with cold rage.

  “B-But...”

  “I said — silence.”

  “...” Stewart had no other choice but to remain quiet.

  “Ruining my relationship with a swordsman of that ability, smearing dirt over my name, and even causing Liselotte such great inconvenience. Rejoice, boy. Since you wish it so dearly, I will disinherit you,” Duke Huguenot shot with a sneer.

  “D-Disinherit?! Duke Huguenot, that’s going too far!” Alphonse objected to Duke Huguenot in shock.

  Disinheritance was a system that allowed the head of the family to revoke the right of inheritance to those who had the right to it. In terms of private punishments, it was the second most severe penalty after disownment. The moment disinheritance was announced publicly, Stewart would lose his position to become the next Duke Huguenot, so it was understandable that Alphonse would make a fuss.

  “I do not recall allowing you to speak, either, Alphonse.” Duke Huguenot said coldly, looking at him.

  “B-But this is too much over a simple quarrel with a mere commoner, a swordsman!” Alphonse flared up, making light of Rio.

  “A mere commoner? Him? Did you not witness his sword skills with your own eyes?” Duke Huguenot said, looking down on Alphonse with contempt.

  “...Sword skills aside, a commoner is a commoner!” Sensing he was being looked down upon, Alphonse argued back undauntedly.

  “And what of it? Do you see yourself being far more skilled than him?” Duke Huguenot returned coolly.

  “What did you say?!” For a moment, Alphonse forgot Duke Huguenot was ranked above him.

  “You sure are an emotional person. I see... Perhaps you do suit the military more than politics. Though you’d be terribly incompetent either way,” Duke Huguenot stated flatly.

  Alphonse reached his limit. “H-How dare you! I don’t care if you’re a duke — take back those words right this instant!”

  “I do not feel the need to. You are incompetent.”

  “Then — Then I’d like to hear the reason why you think I’m incompetent!” Alphonse said, breathing heavily through his nose.

  “...Both Liselotte and I were discussing ways to scout him onto our side. Yet you, greatly misjudging his value, ruined that possibility. If that isn’t incompetence, what shall I call it? He’s capable of leading three minotaurs around by the nose. Could you do the same?” Heavily exasperated, Duke Huguenot asked his questions to provoke the younger man.

  Three minotaurs. Since he had been there to witness them with his own eyes, Alphonse knew what a threat they had been. That’s why Alphonse calmed down for a moment... And yet, he couldn’t back down.

  “...If I had an enchanted sword too, then yes.”

  “Enchanted sword? Hahaha. So, you’re going for the sword next. Using an enchanted sword also requires an appropriate amount of talent. I do not see you possessing such talent for that.” Duke Huguenot said, not even bothering to humor him.

  Having just made a bold statement, Alphonse couldn’t back down easily, either. “T-That’s not true!”

  “Even though the two of you tried to attack him, two-on-one, and had the tables turned on you instead?” Duke Huguenot said with a huff of laughter.

  “Guh...” Alphonse’s face crinkled in humiliation, but suddenly, the direction of the conversation began to change.

  “But, well... Since you’re willing to go that far, I can give you a chance to clear your name. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to look your father in the face,” Duke Huguenot suddenly said.

  “I-I’ll do it! Please allow me to do it!” Alphonse offered without listening to the details. That was another part of him Duke Huguenot found incompetent, but he didn’t point it out.

  Duke Huguenot calmed Alphonse flatly before he got to the point. “All right — just listen first. Considering the number of monsters that attacked us, Liselotte wants to investigate the forest to the west of Amande...”

  “So you want me to assist in that investigation?” Alphonse asked angrily.

  “Well, aren’t you quick on the uptake. There may be survivors of the monsters lurking in the woods... If you do well as an advance party, I can put in a good word for you to your father. Of course, if you fail, you’ll be sent back to Rodania and placed on house arrest.”

  “Please, let me do this!”

  “Very well. However, the condition is that you apologize to Haruto with sincerity.”

  “Wha...!” Alphonse, who had been ready and raring to go, balked at the condition Duke Huguenot attached.

  “Is something the matter? Whether you are a competent person or not is a different issue to apologizing for causing trouble. Naturally, you must settle those debts. I plan on negotiating with Liselotte to obtain such an opportunity for you to do so. Oh, and make sure you apologize to her, too,” Duke Huguenot said, cornering Alphonse with his well-reasoned logic.

  “I... I understand.” Alphonse clenched his teeth at the humiliation and nodded his head at the end. Before he knew it, he had no other options left.

  “That is good to hear. Then, shall we practice? Apologize for causing me inconvenience with this incident. Put your heart into it. That goes for you too, Stewart,” Duke Huguenot demanded nonchalantly.

  “Wha...?” The sudden demand caused Stewart and Alphonse to both freeze inadvertently.

  “What’s the matter? I told you to apologize.” Duke Huguenot ordered coolly.

  At that, his son shook with a flinch. “P-Please forgive me, father,” Stewart said reflexively.

  “Guh... I’m sorry, Duke Huguenot.” With no other choice, Alphonse also apologized quietly.

  “Worthless. You mean ‘please accept my apologies,’ no?” Duke Huguenot said to the two with heavy exasperation.

  “Kuh...” Stewart and Alphonse both winced, but Duke Huguenot was completely serious. He didn’t intend on showing them any mercy.

  “...Please, accept my apologies,” the two said with extreme discomfort, their voices nearly disappearing as they spoke.

  “I believe I told you to apologize with sincerity. How about you at least lower your heads? Foreheads go against the ground. Can you not even do that?” Duke Huguenot spat with stern disappointment, not bothering to hide the exasperation in his voice.

  “P-Please, accept my apologies...” Stewart prostrated himself on the ground in a fluster, heavily shaken up.

  “Guh! S-Stewart!” Alphonse nearly burst in rage, but seeing Stewart fling aside his pride made him stop just before doing so.

  “Is something the matter, Alphonse? If you refuse to do this, then you can forget what we just discussed. Otherwise, apologize now,” Duke Huguenot urged Alphonse coldly.

  “...” Alphonse’s body was trembling with anger, but he dropped to his knees after a moment.

  On this day, he experienced the greatest humiliation of his life.

  ◇　◇　◇

  The next morning, Rio and the girls were having a peaceful breakfast together, completely at odds from the previous night.

  “All things considered, last night was harrowing
for a moment there. My heart’s still pounding. You’re sure it’s okay now, right? We won’t be involved in anything weird?” Celia checked with Rio worriedly.

  “Yes. Aria has firmly sworn that nothing bad will come out of it for us. She wanted us to put our trust in Liselotte.” Rio smiled with a nod to reassure Celia.

  “I see...” Still, Celia nodded worriedly.

  “...I’m sorry, I’ve caused you a lot of worry by going along with me. How about you and Aishia stay in the stone house from today onward instead?” he suggested. Celia had already been taking extra care not to run into her old friend Aria, and now she had been dragged into an incident with her former students in an unforeseen way. It had been one problem after another since yesterday.

  “No! I’m fine, really!” Celia shook her head in a fluster.

  “But...” Rio frowned.

  “I’m fine, I said. It’s not like issues like that will happen every day, right?” Celia said with a strained smile.

  “But you won’t be able to rest properly this way.”

  “That’s okay. I don’t want to be separated from you, anyway.” Celia’s will was firm — these were her true feelings.

  “...” Unsure of what to say, Rio simply looked lost for words.

  “Ah, t-that’s just because I’m worried, though!” Celia must have found her words embarrassing, as her words came out in a fluster.

  Rio giggled and smiled happily. “Okay. Thank you.”

  “Y-Yeah. A-Anyway, isn’t it dangerous outside of Amande right now? With that many monsters lurking and all...” Celia said rapidly, trying to hide her embarrassment. However, she had a point: Amande’s outskirts were certainly dangerous at the moment. That being said, the outskirts of Amande being off limits didn’t prevent them from staying further away from the city, and with Aishia there, anything that could happen would be dealt with easily.

  “...Yes, you do have a point,” Rio said, respecting Celia’s decision. “Then, we’ll continue to stay at this inn. Thanks anyway, Aishia.”

  Aishia had been shoveling food into her mouth silently, but when addressed by Rio, she agreed quietly. “No worries. If worse comes to worst, we can just run.”