Daybreak Rondo

by Yuri Kitayama

  Rio was dazed for a second, before he chuckled. “...Just run. Run, huh? Ahaha, well, I guess.”

  “Hey, it’s no laughing matter. What will we do if it really comes to that?” Celia complained, but she was smiling softly.

  “Leave it to me. Running away from the oppression of power is my specialty,” Rio said jokingly with a shrug.

  “Geez,” Celia murmured, smiling in a show of exasperation.

  ◇　◇　◇

  After the three of them finished breakfast and returned to their rooms, Liselotte’s carriage arrived with almost perfect timing.

  Liselotte stepped down from the carriage and brought only Aria as her attendant towards Rio’s room. Then, she knocked on the door politely.

  The door opened immediately and Rio stepped out. “Oh my, Lady Liselotte. Good morning to you.”

  “Good morning, Sir Haruto — I apologize for intruding upon you so early in the morning. I am calling on you today to apologize for the incident last night and explain the particulars of how it was dealt with. May I have a moment of your time?” Liselotte bowed politely as soon as she saw Rio. Behind her, Aria also tipped her head.

  “Yes, of course. I had heard from Aria in advance, but I didn’t expect you to pay a visit in person directly, Lady Liselotte. I would have gone to you if you had given the word.” Rio had assumed a messenger would come to summon him to her estate, after all.

  “The one being apologized to shouldn’t have to answer to the whims of the one at fault,” Liselotte said with a troubled face.

  “I appreciate your consideration. Please, do come in... If that is okay? Would you prefer somewhere else?” Rio seemed to feel Liselotte’s sincerity as he bowed his head in return and invited her inside the room. However, he hesitated as to whether or not it was appropriate to invite her into his room or change locations. Liselotte seemed to feel the same.

  “Umm, anywhere you feel comfortable with is fine.”

  “Then please, come inside,” Rio said, deciding to invite her in. “We may chat in the living room.”

  It was a questionable choice to invite Aria into the same room as Celia, but since they were staying in such an extravagant inn for free, it was only proper to introduce them to the person who had paid them a direct visit. He planned to introduce Celia and Aishia to Liselotte and Aria quickly, then dismiss them afterwards. However —

  “Understood. Then you shall remain here on standby,” Liselotte ordered Aria.

  “Yes, my lady.” Aria nodded respectfully. Normally, it would be unthinkable for someone as highly ranked as Liselotte to step into the domain of a fairly unknown stranger without a guard.

  “...Then, this way.” Despite being taken aback, Rio invited Liselotte into the room. He assumed it was another way for Liselotte to show her sincerity.

  Celia and Aishia were waiting inside.

  “Uh...” When Liselotte spotted them, her eyes widened in surprise. She often met with attractive people through her work connections, but these two were exceptionally beautiful. It was almost as though they had an aura that was impossible to put into words.

  W-Wow! Who are they? They’re so cute! Both of them are too beautiful to be real! she thought to herself, surprised. However, she didn’t let it show on her face at all.

  “I’ve been staying in this room with the two you see over there. The blonde-haired girl is Cecilia, while the peach-haired girl is Aishia,” Rio said.

  “Nice to meet you, I’m Cecilia,” Celia greeted first with refinement. Aishia also gave a formal greeting and bowed once.

  “I’m Aishia. Pleased to meet you.”

  “...I’m Liselotte Cretia. It’s nice to meet you. The two of you are both very beautiful.” Liselotte returned the greetings in a slight daze, voicing her thoughts directly out loud.

  “Why, thank you very much,” Celia said with a sociable smile.

  The Professor sure is used to this, Rio thought in awe at Celia’s friendliness.

  “Then, can the two of you wait in the room at the back? I have things to discuss with Lady Liselotte about last night.”

  “Yup, we know.” Aishia nodded in agreement, heading for the back room.

  Celia lowered her head respectfully before following Aishia. “Please excuse us.”

  “Have a seat, please.” Rio offered Liselotte the head seat.

  “...Yes, thank you. I’ll sit over here.” Normally, Liselotte would never hesitate before anyone no matter how highly ranked of a noble or wealthy of a merchant they were, but at this moment, she chose a lower seat with slight nervousness. She couldn’t sit in the head seat when she had come to apologize.

  Rio noticed how Liselotte’s expression was rather stiff and spoke up as he remained standing. “Are you nervous, by any chance?”

  Liselotte considered denying it for a moment, before agreeing. “No, umm... Perhaps.”

  “Actually, I feel the same. I’ll prepare tea first, so please wait a moment.”

  Contrary to his words, Rio smiled gently. He stepped away to the mini kitchen in the room and returned with a tray soon after. He placed the tray on the table and sat down opposite to Liselotte.

  “It’ll take some time for it to steam, so let’s start our discussion first,” Rio suggested in a calm tone.

  “Umm, I’m sorry. I’m here to apologize, yet I’ve troubled you with such inconveniences.” Liselotte frowned somewhat dejectedly.

  “It’s no trouble at all. All I’ve done is welcome you with some tea.” Rio shook his head with a friendly smile. That was enough to show that he wasn’t in a bad mood.

  “I am most grateful. Then, without delay, may I once more offer my most sincere apologies for the trouble that happened at my store last night?” Liselotte bowed her head in shame and finally broached the main issue at hand.

  “I don’t believe you have anything to apologize for regarding that incident, Lady Liselotte...” Rio said with a frown. The dispute last night was simply bad luck, he thought. He had no complaints about how the inn had handled it. If anything, the inn employee had tried to protect Rio and his party proactively, and Aria’s investigation was handled politely, too.

  “No — it’s the inn’s duty to ensure the customer has a comfortable time. An issue like that should have been stopped before it reached you, and for that we will reflect deeply on how we can do better,” Liselotte said apologetically.

  “But the ones who caused it were nobles. While they may have come from another kingdom, the difference in social status still made it difficult to react. In that regard, I believe the staff last night reacted in the best way possible,” Rio offered carefully.

  In a society with a class system, people were not equals. No matter how unfair it was, there were times when one had to endure. To upset those social ties and act however one pleased would be making an enemy of society itself.

  “...What happened was disgraceful.” Liselotte bowed her head with a shamed expression. Since the matter did involve nobles, it was true that the incident last night was beyond their means. Even so, the inn’s handling should have been criticized — yet Rio didn’t do that. That made it sting even more.

  “It is what it is... We have no complaints about the inn staff nor you, Lady Liselotte. If anything, I am more concerned with my relations with the other two involved. How should I treat them from now on?” Rio asked, changing the topic. No matter the official verdict of no fault being placed on Rio’s side, there was still the fear that those in power would hold a grudge against him.

  “Duke Huguenot expressed his desire to apologize to you. He said the two who caused the commotion would receive their due punishments. He wished to convey his greatest sincerity.”

  “...Is that so.” Rio nodded hesitantly. Nobles were known to be capable of acting the complete opposite of their words without batting an eye.

  “If Duke Huguenot or the other two who caused the problem last night ever seek more trouble from you, I promise to stand on your side,” Liselotte said, rea
ding Rio’s apprehensions.

  “...Thank you very much. As for our side, in order to prove that this incident has been settled peacefully, it would be reassuring to receive a contract or documentation with compensation or a settlement.”

  “I understand. Then, allow me to assist in the documentation as the mediator.” Liselotte immediately agreed.

  He seems used to this, she thought in awe at Rio’s quick thinking. A contract would have the ability to deter recurrences. Experienced merchants would write one up whenever conflict arose, but writing contracts wasn’t a thought process that most commoners would have. If Rio hadn’t been the one to bring it up, Liselotte would have suggested it herself.

  “Thank you very much.” Rio smiled, reaching for the tea set on the table. After moving the hot water used to warm up the cups into a different receptacle, he started to pour the tea with experienced hands.

  “...You seem very familiar with this,” Liselotte commented in awe at Rio’s skill.

  “One of my companions is very fond of tea, so we often drink it together.” Rio replied with a gentle smile.

  “Is that so...” Liselotte uttered in an expression of interest. Meanwhile, Rio finished pouring the tea.

  “Here you are. Be careful — it’s hot,” he said, offering it to Liselotte.

  “Thank you. I’m looking forward to trying it,” Liselotte said with a smile and sipped at the tea elegantly. “Delicious,” she said with wide eyes.

  The temperature, the time it was steamed, and the strength of the flavor was perfect. The tea leaves used were the highest quality Liselotte had hand-selected for the guest rooms, but the careful way each step was completed was what brought out the taste.

  “It’s an honor to hear that.” Rio inclined his head as he took a sip of his own tea.

  This is wonderful. On par with the tea Aria pours. Liselotte keenly savored the taste before letting out a small sigh of all her pent-up stress. These last few days had just been a series of one problem after another, accumulating quite a bit of mental exhaustion.

  “I’m sure you must be very busy, so I shouldn’t keep you here for too long. Now that we’ve had a breather, shall we resume our previous discussion?”

  “Yes. Then, in regards to the settlement contract, I shall first inform Duke Huguenot of the decision. Afterwards, I’ll prepare a meeting between you and Duke Huguenot, so that the details may be discussed.”

  “I understand. I’m sorry to be a burden on you, but I thank you for your assistance.” Rio bowed his head deeply.

  “I’m sorry for all the trouble that has been caused for you, too.”

  “No, please don’t let it bother you.” Rio shook his head kindly at Liselotte, who had bowed her head in return.

  “Much obliged. Also, if it is to your convenience, I’d like to invite you to lunch at my place today, as we promised earlier yesterday? Of course, your two companions are invited as well,” Liselotte said.

  “...I apologize. Could the two in my company please be excused? They’re still a little tired and recovering from the shock of last night,” Rio requested, conveying his intention to attend alone.

  “I understand. They must have gone through a lot already. Please extend my apologies to them as well. If there is a chance in the future, I shall apologize to them directly, too,” Liselotte agreed immediately, frowning in discomfort.

  “Yes — I will pass the message on.”

  ◇　◇　◇

  After that, Rio and Liselotte went to her estate. It was still morning, so they decided to work on drafting the contract before their meal.

  Rio was first led into a waiting room, where he didn’t wait long before he was showed into a drawing room that Liselotte used on a daily basis. There, Duke Huguenot was waiting, opening his mouth to apologize to Rio before anything else.

  Liselotte must have caught Duke Huguenot up to speed while Rio was in the waiting room, as they immediately began drafting the contract. There was a standard form for settlement contracts which they used as a base to discuss the details of accordingly.

  Normally, when discussing the conditions of a settlement contract, the perpetrator and the victim would negotiate the facts and conditions which the settlement agreed upon. If an agreement could not be reached, it was common for the conflict to arise once more, but this time even Rio was surprised by how cooperative Duke Huguenot was. Duke Huguenot was meant to be present as Stewart and Alphonse’s representative, but he accepted all the facts and continuously suggested conditions that were favorable to Rio.

  For example, he presented a compensation sum far beyond a typical case like theirs, an order preventing Stewart and Alphonse from harming Rio and his two companions in the future, and the penalty should that be broken...

  Meanwhile, all Rio would be burdened with was not being able to not mention the actions of Stewart and Alphonse to third parties, with no particular penalties if he broke this condition. Rio hadn’t intended on spreading it anyway, so it wasn’t a very cumbersome burden.

  And so, all the compromises were made on Duke Huguenot’s side. As a result, the contract draft was completed in a much shorter time than expected. Duke Huguenot took a breath and addressed Rio and Liselotte.

  “I suppose this will do for now. Do the two of you have any other concerns?”

  “I don’t have any particular objections at this moment in time, but something may come to mind later. I’d like to think about this for a few days before officially executing the contract. Would that suit you, Sir Haruto?” Liselotte said, looking at Rio.

  “Yes, I do feel that it is a little one-sided in favor of me, but if you don’t have a problem with that...” Rio nodded in slight confusion.

  “Of course it would be, seeing as none of the fault was yours,” Duke Huguenot said with a sociable smile. It was hard to believe he was the same man who once placed a false accusation on an innocent Rio’s head, and turned Latifa into an assassin.

  “...Thank you for your consideration.” Despite finding the whole thing rather uncanny, Rio bowed his head respectfully.

  “Then for the detailed wording and creation of the original contract, can that be left to you as a third party, Liselotte?” Duke Huguenot requested.

  “Yes, leave it to me.” Liselotte nodded readily.

  Duke Huguenot bowed his head at Liselotte, then turned to face Rio and apologized once more. “Sorry for the trouble. And Haruto, I apologize again for everything. My foolish son’s actions have caused you great pain, and for that I am sincerely regretful for.”

  “No — if the matter is settled completely, then I have no more concerns about this issue.” Rio shook his head.

  “...It pains me to admit, but I didn’t have much time with my son when he was younger, being occupied with my duties. Unfortunately, he grew up into an indulgent son. However, I swear as his parent to have him atone for his sins properly. In order to do so, I have one request to ask of you...” Duke Huguenot said, watching Rio’s expression.

  “What is it?” Rio tilted his head rather warily.

  “If you would so allow it, could you give them the opportunity to apologize in person? They have deeply reflected on their actions since then. It may be for their own egos, but they wish to apologize to you.” Duke Huguenot said with a strained smile.

  “...Sure, I don’t mind.” Rio nodded hesitantly.

  “Thank you. Then, Aria. Could you bring them here?” Duke Huguenot called out to Aria, who was waiting in the corner of the room silently.

  “Understood.” Aria nodded, opened the door, and stepped outside.

  “They’ve actually been ready in the room next door. It shouldn’t take long,” Duke Huguenot admitted. Sure enough, Aria returned not even a minute later, opening the door.

  “Excuse me. Go ahead.” After opening the door, Aria invited Stewart and Alphonse inside. The two of them were giving off an extremely gloomy air.

  “...Excuse me.” The two entered the room, greeting in rather dispirited
voices.

  They sure did a 180. Rio’s eyes widened at the sudden change in Stewart and Alphonse. It was hard to think of them as the same people who had been harassing girls and messing around in high spirits the night before.

  “Come here.”

  “Yes, sir...” As ordered, they approached Duke Huguenot.

  “Good for you — Haruto here has agreed to give you the chance to apologize. Make sure you give a proper apology and express your gratitude for his generosity,” Duke Huguenot stated to Stewart and Alphonse in a calm and low voice. Stewart took the lead in kneeling down on the ground before Rio.

  “...Please, accept my apologies. I am deeply repentant of last night, where I became drunk and let things get out of hand.” Stewart said his words of apology towards Rio.

  “Please, accept my apologies.” Alphonse said shortly, kneeling on the floor with his forehead to the ground. His voice and body were both trembling. Just what emotion was running through him? For Rio, who knew them from his school days, it was an absolutely shocking scene to witness.

  That being said, no matter how hard they had butted heads during their school days, Rio felt no satisfaction in watching them prostrate themselves forever. Rather, they were people Rio no longer cared about at all. It wasn’t even a matter of forgiving them or not.

  “...It’s fine, please raise your heads.” Rio said in a rather blunt voice, accepting their apologies at once. Liselotte watched Rio’s face from the side as he did so.

  After that display, Stewart and Alphonse immediately left the room. The remaining members exchanged pleasant talk until Natalie arrived and informed them that lunch had been prepared.

  ◇　◇　◇

  Led by Aria and Natalie, Rio and the others entered the dining hall of the mansion. Inside the room was a long, rectangular dining table where Flora, Roanna, and Sakata Hiroaki were seated. There, Hiroaki was chatting away talkatively.

  “Ah, Sir Haruto.” When Flora noticed them entering the room, she called out to Rio with a friendly smile.

  ...Me? Rio was taken aback by the fact that his name was the one called out, rather than Liselotte or Duke Huguenot with him, but he didn’t let it show on his face.