On the way back from my leisurely stroll in the Water City, everything was going smoothly.

Occasionally, Emilia would gaze thoughtfully at the water’s surface, but whenever I tried to point it out, she would quickly hide it behind a smile.

The figure I had seen earlier—the hooded man who looked to be about the same age—I could barely remember anything about him apart from that, and I wondered what connection he had with Emilia.

He seemed surprisingly at ease for someone who knew Emilia. Sure, there was something about silver hair, but being fond of silver hair wasn’t exactly common…

“Now that I think of it, the coat of recognition obstruction…”

Suddenly, it hit me. The recognition-obstructing magic woven into Emilia’s coat, which made her features beyond her gender difficult to perceive, hadn’t seemed to affect the man earlier.

If this magic worked properly, the most anyone would have grasped might have been her gender. Yet, that man clearly noticed Emilia’s silver hair.

This meant he was at least skilled enough to resist the spell to some degree.

“Beatrice.”

“Yes, I’m aware. Emilia and Garfiel seemed oblivious to the situation. They’re quite needy children, you know.”

As I voiced my concern, Beatrice, walking beside me, subtly lowered her chin.

“I didn’t have the impression he meant any harm, but that guy earlier looked a bit suspicious. I don’t think recognition obstruction magic easily breaks, do you?”

“Either he’s well-versed in magic or has an appropriate rank… In either case, I’d say he’s certainly more than your average citizen. He seems to be all about hassle.”

“I’ll need to subtly warn Emilia about it later.”

“I think that’ll be alright. Emilia is perceptive enough to realize that she’s sensing something untrustworthy. I doubt she’ll go looking for it.”

I accepted Beatrice’s assertion with a short “I see.”

She was likely right about this; she really had a good eye for people. If Beatrice noticed something off in Emilia’s demeanor, I could trust it for now. No need to stir up unnecessary worries.

Still, at the very least, Beatrice and I needed to remain vigilant.

Considering the vastness of Water City, it was unlikely we would come across that man again—but it wouldn’t hurt to always be on guard for such encounters.

“Looks like we’re almost there, Chief. The sun is setting to match Beatrice’s pace.”

“Don’t go saying extra things, you little brat.”

Garfiel, walking ahead, turned his head back slightly to tease Beatrice, who retorted with a harsh insult. Garfiel chuckled at her words, but his expression shifted suddenly.

His ears twitched, and he wrinkled his nose.

“What’s wrong?”

“Hmm, I can hear some kind of spat coming from the inn…”

Right after Garfiel mentioned hearing voices around the corner, we too caught wind of the commotion.

It clearly sounded like two men arguing with each other.

“Seems like there’s quite a ruckus here in this perpetually noisy town.”

“You, of all people, can’t complain about it after causing a ruckus at a merchant’s place, being surrounded by guards yourself!”

“That incident was beyond my control… Emilia-tan?”

Having been awkwardly reminded of the previous commotion, I looked to my side and saw Emilia hastening her pace.

I called out to her.

At my address, Emilia, without turning, replied, “That voice… one of them sounds familiar… I think it’s Joshua.”

“Oh, right. It could very well be that lanky guy’s voice.”

“If the people involved are causing trouble, we need to check it out. Let’s go.”

Eager to avoid the slack energy emanating from Garfiel, I darted after Emilia. I quickly caught up with her as we rounded the corner, finally spotting the uproar in front of the Water’s Feather Robe Inn. There, I heard:

“Seriously, don’t make me repeat myself, kid! Quit talking back and go get your master!”

“I can’t even call your kind of boorish front rowers, let alone my brother. Please leave, while I can still handle this politely!”

“Who the hell do you think you’re talking to? I’ll smash you if you keep this up!”

A young man with purple hair—Joshua—stood boldly in front of the inn, squaring off against a man whose back was turned to us but whose muscular build suggested trouble was imminent.

Just when it seemed like it would escalate to violence…

“Enough!”

Before I could gauge our side’s strength, Emilia zipped in between them. The man faltered, and Joshua widened his eyes in surprise.

“E-Emilia-sama?!”

“I just returned from my errands. Isn’t it reckless to kick up such a commotion in front of the inn? What’s causing this fight? Calmly talk it out.”

With her tone reminiscent of a child mediating between friends, the previously charged atmosphere turned dull. I let out a relieved sigh while Garfiel, slowly catching up, remarked, “What a bore; it doesn’t look like it’s turning into a fight.”

“Looks like everyone’s coming back in full swing… thanks for the hard work.”

“Yes, thank you. Now, please tell me the reason for this quarrel without hiding anything.”

“It’s not anything that would worry Emilia-sama…”

Joshua’s stubborn refusal to explain probably stemmed from a fear of being perceived as weak. If so, he was overthinking things; Emilia was far too innocent to consider such underhanded motivations for anyone.

“That kid called us over without going through us first. We were just protesting.”

Just before the frustrating atmosphere took hold, the man arguing with Joshua raised his voice. He narrowed his slit-like eyes and harshly complained about Joshua.

“I’ve told you repeatedly! If you’re going to pretend to be someone else, at least prepare yourself and understand your position! Just wearing nice clothes doesn’t hide your lack of class. Please, enough with your lies!”

“I’m sorry I’m not classy! I’m not doing this because I want to! And neither do I want to be a lackey. Damn it, this conversation is going nowhere!”

The man grew visibly agitated and grew increasingly desperate as Joshua wouldn’t accept his claims.

Despite Subaru and company trying to intervene to settle things, it felt as if they were entirely in their own world.

“Hey, we’re being left out of the conversation here. Subaru, what do you think… Subaru?”

As the two continued their stubborn argument, Emilia looked puzzled and turned her head to me, who was resting my chin on my hand, furrowing my brows in thought.

Before I could respond, I realized that the rough man arguing with Joshua looked somewhat familiar.

“What’s up, Subaru?”

“No, maybe it’s just my imagination, but… I feel like I’ve seen this guy somewhere before…”

“Huh? What? Are you trying to bring me into this too?!”

The man turned in our direction, preparing to direct his anger toward me. But then, suddenly, his expression turned serious upon seeing me.

He trembled and pointed, saying,

“You… You’re the one from the Reinhardt fraud!”

“That’s a pretty niche fraud… Oh.”

Upon hearing the words “Reinhardt fraud,” my memories clicked into place.

And I recognized who this man was. He appeared much more put together than when we first met; though his outfit was proper, the viciousness in his gaze remained unchanged.

“Chin! Isn’t it you! Wow, what are you doing here looking so upbeat?”

“Don’t call me that casually! Who’s Chin? My name is Lachins!”

“You’re still Chin.”

“Shut up!”

With nostalgic reflexes, I almost tried to throw an arm around Lachins’ shoulder, but he shoved me away roughly. Pouting at his unfriendly response, Emilia asked, “Do you know him?”

“Yeah. He was a familiar face in the royal capital when Emilia and I first met. Cornering me in an alley to mug me.”

“Wait, really? Mugging?”

“When I returned to the capital later, he tried to take advantage of Priscilla too and even came back with friends to get revenge. They left quite the impression.”

“Based on what Beatrice says, he sounds like a scumbag.”

As Emilia and Beatrice reacted to my nostalgic recollection, Garfiel cracked his knuckles behind them, and Joshua’s expression hardened even more.

With the situation getting worse, Lachins lost even more color in his face.

“W-Wait! That might’ve happened, but both were failed attempts and it’s all in the past! Let’s just forget about it and talk!”

“Garfiel. What do we do in situations like this?”

“Cruelty should be met with death.”

“P-Please, just wait! I really mean it! Just let me go!”

The revelation of Lachins’ evident weakness made it clear he couldn’t win a real fight. It seemed he had a little growth since our last encounter, perhaps a slight change in circumstances.

He raised his hands in surrender, then pointed to the inn.

“Really! I was called here… no, my employer told me to come here! But before making it to the inn, he wanted to check out the town first, so I had to come here first to tell you! I’m not lying!”

“Oh, I get it. We’ll talk in the garden then…”

Garfiel spoke indifferently as he moved closer.

Lachins desperately tried to defend himself, but he had zero credibility with me. Just sprucing up his appearance wouldn’t change the fact that his character hadn’t caught up. No wonder Joshua brushed him aside; it was a vivid reminder of how easily one could fool themselves.

“You really picked the wrong day to come. Not only is today the day a famous person is staying here—”

Garfiel backed Lachins against the wall, stretching out towards him, but suddenly cut off his movement.

His eyes widened, the pupils narrowing with intense caution as every hair on his body stood up, ready for battle.

It was a startling and immediate reaction, a primal instinct awoken within him that spread a different kind of tension around the group.

As Garfiel glared in a direction, we all turned toward—

“Lachins. I thought you were lost; what’s all the fuss about?”

I experienced a visual illusion, feeling as though flames burst forth right before me.

The flames flickered deep red—no, it was emanating from a hand lightly waving. It was not a fire; it was a person.

With hair that burned crimson and eyes like clear skies, he stood tall, dressed in white. This was someone whose handsome face would be difficult to forget after just one meeting.

The shock that shot through me was akin to seeing a hero, an overwhelming presence that could leave anyone feeling small. Because this reunion indeed felt monumental.

I knew there was no mistaking who he was.

“—Reinhardt.”

A voice like a whisper flowed from my lips as the young man approaching me smiled gently, his smile warm enough to soothe anyone’s heart.

Simply being met with that smile granted me peace as if I were embraced by a steadfast protector. And it wasn’t just me; everyone present could feel that serenity.

“It’s been a while, Subaru. I never expected to meet you here. I owe thanks to Julius for bringing us together this time.”

“O-oh. It’s been a while! Have you been well… wait, you too, with Julius?”

“To be precise, it wasn’t me who was invited by Julius. Lady Felt received an invitation from Lady Anastasia. I tagged along to enjoy a reunion with friends, but I didn’t expect to see you here.”

I found myself surprisingly overwhelmed by Reinhardt’s presence.

While I had felt his large presence before, I had never experienced this sensation that opened every pore—so intense and yet pleasant.

The fact that I could now sense Reinhardt’s greatness, which I hadn’t recognized before, was simply due to my own growth over the past year.

The greater the training, the more daunting those who stood beyond your level felt; this was certainly humbling.

“I see. Has it been a year since we last met? You seem a great deal stronger than before, Subaru. I’m glad.”

“Don’t say that too casually; it sounds like a jab. Although I can’t hear it, it’s terrifying! I had confidence in my growth, but it all evaporates when I see you.”

“That’s not true at all. If anything, I’m disappointed in my own lack of growth. The discrepancy in our experiences over the past year is painfully evident, and it makes me feel embarrassed.”

I wondered if that was a matter of hitting a growth ceiling, or was it that Reinhardt was such a high-level individual that leveling up became difficult for him?

It terrified me that someone so capable hadn’t ceased to grow.

“By the way, Subaru.”

“Yeah, what is it?”

“That guy glaring at me, your friend, right? I’d appreciate it if you could tell him not to be so wary.”

Gazing at Reinhardt’s faintly amused expression, I spotted Garfiel, still on guard, poised for potential violence.

Garfiel hunched over, his posture coiling up like a spring, ready to pounce at a moment’s notice. I had seen his fangs and claws make mincemeat of prey over this last year, and they’d been quite reassuring but with Reinhardt before me, I couldn’t imagine Garfiel landing a hit.

“Garfiel, stand down. This is Reinhardt. My… friend. He won’t harm you, nor will I allow harm to come to him.”

When I attempted to call Reinhardt my friend, I hesitated slightly.

Feeling the weight of Reinhardt’s significance overshadowing me was part of it, along with the memory of our last parting—the day of the Royal Selection. I had brushed aside his extended hand that day.

But, standing beside me now, Reinhardt nodded without concern for such memories.

“As Subaru has introduced me, I’m Reinhardt Van Astraea. It would be wonderful if you would tell me your name.”

“—Garfiel Tinsel.”

“Nice name. And you look well-trained. It’s impressive, considering you’re still so young.”

I was taken aback by Reinhardt’s careless but astute compliment lingering in the air.

Garfiel, who had gained some experience since leaving the “Sanctuary,” now appeared much more grounded with the aura he carried, really looking quite mature.

If one were to say he appeared around twenty, I doubt anyone would catch on to his actual age of fifteen.

Reinhardt’s statement immediately pierced through that misconception.

“I’ve heard the rumors. The dual protectors of Emilia-sama. ‘The Shield of Garfiel’ and ‘Spirit Knight Natsuki Subaru’ are well-known. As a friend, I am proud.”

“Good to know my name is now circulating, especially under such circumstances.”

“I’ve heard other names too, but I imagine you wouldn’t be keen on those. Speaking of which, is your partner, claiming the title of ‘Spirit Knight,’ this young lady beside you?”

Reinhardt’s curiosity shifted to Beatrice, who had shrunk down beside me. She had quickly grasped my hand and was staring intensely into Reinhardt’s gaze as he knelt slightly to meet her eye level.

“I see you are a high-ranking Great Spirit. It is an honor to have this audience.”

“…Beatrice is Subaru’s contract spirit. Your polite demeanor isn’t uncalled for. Just stay cautious, alright? I’m sure you understand why.”

“I understand. I apologize for any burden caused.”

Unlike Garfiel, Beatrice didn’t seem openly wary. However, her grip on my hand was intense, and I detected a notable tremor.

This wasn’t an expression of fear but something different entirely.

After such a dramatic response, Reinhardt respectfully turned to the last member of our party, Emilia.

“Emilia-sama, it’s been a while. I’ve been keeping an eye on your numerous triumphs, even from far away in my own territory.”

“Yes, it has been a long time, Reinhardt. It’s truly been a year since that castle visit, hasn’t it? We’ve been hearing about you as well.”

“In comparison to the dazzling endeavors of Emilia-sama, I still have a long way to go. I feel ashamed of my inability to fully assist my master. Hearing about Subaru’s exploits doesn’t make it any easier.”

“Hehe, yes. Subaru is amazing. He’s my prideful knight!”

As Reinhardt complimented me sincerely, Emilia’s chest puffed up with pride. Hearing her praise brought me a mix of joy and embarrassment.

Anyway…

“I feel like we’re getting off track here, but you called for Lachins earlier, didn’t you?”

“Oh, that’s right. Do you know Reinhardt by any chance?”

“Yes. He… is now serving under Lady Felt as her attendant. He is still lacking in many areas, but Lady Felt seems fond of him.”

“Wait, he works for Felt!?”

I gasped at the surprising news, and Reinhardt put on an apologetic expression.

“Knowing how you feel, I can’t help but feel sorry. I happened to be there when they surrounded you in that alley. Later, when I met them again, various things happened… and that’s when Lady Felt said she would take them under her wing.”

“Well, it’d be a lie to say I don’t care, but… what a coincidence. Of all people, it would be them… that’s plural, right?”

“They’re hiring three of them, including him. They all attempted to assault you back then.”

“What a lineup of clumsy fools!”

With an unexpected twist of fate, I held my head and screamed.

These were the thrice unfortunate characters I found myself tangled with soon after being summoned into this world. I had never thought about what became of them, never imagined we would meet in such a situation.

“Um, it’s great that Subaru seems super shocked, but… that means Lachins is now one of Reinhardt’s peers—in other words, he’s Felt’s subordinate?”

“Yes, that’s right. Lady Felt wished to look around town, so I had asked him to notify the inn ahead of time, but he never returned.”

The rest of the party nodded in understanding as Reinhardt straightforwardly recounted Lachins’ story. Seeing that, Lachins regained some of his momentum.

“See! I told you! I kept saying this all along! Yet you all doubted me! Apologize and pay me damages, will ya?!”

“Lachins, I’ve told you repeatedly that your tone lacks the awareness expected from an envoy. While I grasp the general circumstances, it seems difficult to come to your defense now.”

“Whose side are you on?!”

“The side of justice. And in this case, it’s understandable for a friend’s younger brother to slip up.”

Line went cold as I quipped toward Lachins while flashing a smile at Joshua, who simply nodded, looking embarrassed.

“Long time no see, Reinhardt-sama. I’m sorry for the trouble my missteps have caused the envoy…”

“That’s in our court, Joshua. And please, spare me the formalities. Since it’s been so long since we last met, feeling distance is somewhat lonely, you know?”

“Since my brother and Reinhardt-sama are chums, it’s safe to say they are now political rivals.”

“Nothing ever changes, does it? You don’t need to resemble the old Julius in every way.”

Reinhardt’s wry smile made Joshua clench his jaw in silence.

It seemed the ruckus had been diffused peacefully, which gave me relief, but I was left pondering another question.

“Still, I’m curious why we’re all called here. What in the world is Lady Anastasia thinking?”

“The invitation was framed as a platform for beneficial information exchange. Knowing Anastasia-sama, I assumed she’d put her creative twist on things, but I never expected Emilia-sama and the rest to be called along. However, it might be that such things’ significance holds little weight here.”

“Could that mean she’s prepared something to surprise us even more?”

“That’s definitely a possibility. What are your thoughts, Joshua?”

Turning to the one of the orchestrators, Joshua straightened out his displaced monocle while saying, “Well, what do you think?”

He seemed to be regaining some composure, directing Reinhardt’s gaze toward the inn.

“Guess we’ll have to see the building ‘Wahu Architecture,’ known as the ‘Water’s Feather Robe Inn.’ It’s an unusual design. I’ve heard that it’s a common architectural style in Kararagi.”

“Wow, I’m surprised. You’ve never seen this design before? Haven’t you been to Kararagi?”

“Nope. I’m banned from leaving the country. There’s a risk it might violate international agreements, so I avoid even getting close to the border. Therefore, Pristella, which is so close to Kararagi, is about as far as I can go.”

As the reality of Reinhardt’s travel restrictions captured Subaru and Emilia’s attention, we exchanged startled glances. I’d thought it was a joke, but Reinhardt laughed, leaving the question unanswered.

It was best to hold off probing further for now.

“I seem to be getting weary. I can’t keep causing a commotion standing at the entrance, so let’s head on inside. The others should still be a bit delayed, right?”

“Since I’m the overseer, I doubt they’d be in a hurry. I’m sure they’re taking advantage of the moment to relax. Sometimes, it’s necessary to slow down; we don’t have to rush.”

“Just sometimes? You’re always taking time to chill out.”

“Did you just say something, Lachins?”

“Not at all! So, what should I do? The atmosphere here is unbearably stuffy!”

While muttering softly under his breath, Lachins was clearly begging for permission to leave. Reinhardt sighed as if he had no choice.

“Join up with Felt and keep watch with Gaston and Canbury. There shouldn’t be any danger, but for this occasion, Rom-dono isn’t with us. If Lady Felt is about to do something reckless, please stop her.”

“Got it! And what about you?”

“I’ll go ahead and join Emilia-sama and the others to greet them inside. If anything comes up, I’ll blow the goa up and come running in five seconds.”

“No way that doesn’t sound serious!”

After leaving that, Lachins dashed away, squeezing between us. Along the way, he had a parting glare toward Joshua, an amusing little display of interaction that was quintessentially petty.

“Well then, let’s head in. Since we’ve updated Lady Anastasia, we should inform her that Reinhardt has arrived.”

“Technically, I think that’s Joshua’s job, but whatever, let’s roll.”

“…Sure, I’ll do that. I apologize for the inconvenience.”

Joshua appeared somewhat dejected for not handling things smoothly, and to encourage him, we all patted him on the shoulder as we ascended into the inn.

“I’m feeling like this cooperation is making me feel even more miserable.”

“Well, because it was coming from you, I thought I should at least keep up.”

“I thought that since you did something, I should lend a hand too!”

“Of course I’ll join in since the captain and Emilia are doing it!”

“I can’t let Beatrice just sit there abandoned, you know. …Not that I was concerned or anything! It was just a coincidence!”

“Indeed, adorable, adorable.”

Subaru and Emilia affectionately patted Beatrice’s head as she shrugged it off, then, in a huff, she grabbed the hems of their clothes as they walked.

“This way. Lady Anastasia and the others are currently welcoming guests.”

While leading us down the hall, Joshua brought us to a room separate from the meeting area. I noticed the attention to detail in the wafting shoji as it slid open, making the Japanese culture within stir my pride as a Japanese person.

However, that optimism faded within seconds.

“Excuse me. Could I ask if we can bring in some other guests in the tea room?”

Joshua called out to someone behind the shoji, possibly because there was already another visitor inside.

Then, someone shifted inside, accompanied by a calm voice.

“—Please come in. I’ve been quite at a loss as well.”

The moment I heard that distinctively familiar voice, my eyebrows knitted together, and I was thoroughly taken aback.

It was an unmistakable voice, one I couldn’t ever forget. I had just now recalled this individual moments before.

No one else seemed to catch on immediately—except Reinhardt, whose previously soft expression hardened, his azure eyes shaking with confusion.

While he remained oblivious to this tension, Joshua slid the door open.

The quiet scraping of the wooden door revealed the tea room that lay beyond, and as we entered, a figure seated on a cushion turned to face us.

“—Grandfather.”

“Reinhardt.”

The words exchanged between grandparent and grandchild echoed as one.

This was an unintended reunion between Reinhardt Van Astraea and Wilhelm Van Astraea.