The King visited my room, greeting me with formal courtesy before stepping inside. He turned his eyes toward me—eyes that held a mixture of sharp intelligence and gentle calm—and slowly began to speak.
"Miyama-dono, this may be a breach of etiquette, but would you mind if I dropped the formalities?"
"Eh? Oh, yes. Please do. In fact, you don't even need to use 'dono' with me."
"I see. Thank you. In that case, I’ll call you Miyama-kun. Please call me Ryze, not 'His Majesty the King.'"
"Alright."
Ryze-san spoke in a tone that seemed to be his natural voice, his expression turning serious as he gazed at me.
"Now then, let's get to the reason for my sudden visit."
Having said that, Ryze-san moved toward me, knelt on the floor, and bowed his head low in a deep prostration.
"Allow me to apologize once more. I am truly sorry."
"What?! Wait—please, raise your head! I already accepted your apology earlier!"
"No, that was merely an apology as the King of Sinfonia. A gesture made while carrying the weight of a nation cannot be truly sincere. Only by stripping away my royal dignity can I offer an apology that carries real meaning."
"I—I understand! I’ve felt your sincerity, Ryze-san! So please, raise your head!"
He wasn't apologizing as a monarch burdened by his country, but as a single human being. He wasn't doing this for national interests or political gain, but because he truly felt the need to apologize from his heart. I was grateful for the sentiment, but seeing a man more than ten years older than me performing a dogeza made me feel incredibly awkward.
Once I told him I accepted his apology, Ryze-san remained bowed for several more seconds before slowly standing up.
"Thank you. To be plucked from the life you knew by something like the Hero Summoning, only to be forced into an unknown world with all that anxiety... Knowing that, my previous actions were inexcusable."
"……"
"And then, after doing all that, I suddenly flip my script and apologize just because you became close to powerful figures. It must look quite pathetic to you. You’re free to laugh at me as a foolish king."
"You had a reason, didn't you?"
"……"
There was undeniable sincerity in his voice. The emotions I picked up through Sympathy Magic were colored with deep regret. I really couldn't believe that he had acted that way simply because he disliked me.
"It wasn't just because Lilia-san is cute, was it?"
"Lilianne is cute, of course. She is a truly precious sister to me."
"But that wasn't the direct reason for what you did, right?"
"……I heard a little about you from that vixen, but it seems you really do have a keen eye."
Letting out a faint sigh, Ryze-san glanced at the sofa in the room and asked if he could sit. When I nodded, he sat down and looked me straight in the eye.
"I think... I might have been afraid of you."
"Afraid?"
"Yes. Not just you, but 'Otherworlders' whose pasts cannot be investigated. I must apologize to Aoi-kun and Kusunoki-kun as well. I'm sorry for causing them unnecessary anxiety."
"Unnecessary anxiety?"
"I was the one who instructed Count Ducas to leer at them."
Count Ducas? Who was—ah, the Toad Count I met at the temple?! Wait, what? Ryze-san gave him those orders?
"If they were frightened, Lilianne’s position as their protector would improve. The public would look favorably on the former princess who shielded otherworldly guests from a lecherous Count. That would have bolstered Lilianne's standing..."
"……"
"Your anger is justified. If you want to hit me once this conversation is over, I'll accept it."
Hearing him admit to using Kusunoki-san and Yuzuki-san just to boost Lilia-san’s reputation, I felt my eyes narrow with involuntary anger. Yet, I could still feel the weight of his regret, which kept me from lashing out blindly.
"I truly was desperate. To stir up fear in children who are barely older than my own... it was a foolish thing to do, and I regret it now. Though I'm sure that sounds like nothing but an excuse."
"No... I can tell that you mean it, Ryze-san."
"Thank you."
Ryze-san bowed his head to me once more, his gaze drifting as if looking at something far in the past.
"I was never really cut out to be a king. A king is someone who discards the individual for the sake of the many—someone who prioritizes national interest. In that regard, the vixen—Chris—has the makings of a true ruler."
"……"
"But I failed. I chose Lilianne over the good of the state."
Ryze-san turned his eyes back to me, pausing for a moment before continuing.
"Do you know that I am the son of a concubine?"
"Yes. Lilia-san told me."
"I see. Back then... I used to find Lilianne detestable."
"What?"
His words shocked me. According to Lunamaria-san, he was a famous sis-con, and he had just finished saying she was more important to him than the country. And yet, he used to hate her?
"I possess only mediocre talent—or perhaps slightly above average at best. From the time I was a young boy, I suppressed my desire to play for years, working myself to the bone so I could one day be king. Just as those efforts were starting to bear fruit, Lilianne—the Queen's child—was born. People began calling for her to take the throne."
"……"
"I truly loathed her then. I had worked so hard for so long, and yet I might never become king. Everything I had built over the years could have vanished in an instant. It was infuriating."
It sounded like an incredibly difficult situation. Lilia-san had mentioned there was some friction over the succession, but it seemed the conflict with the Queen's faction had been much more intense than she let on.
"In the end, because Lilianne was so young and our father's health was failing, I took the throne early. But my anxiety didn't go away."
"……"
"Lilianne was a genius of a magnitude rarely seen. The knowledge I spent years acquiring, the skills I had cultivated—she mastered them in the blink of an eye. I was terrified. Looking at it objectively, I was far inferior to her. I lived in fear that I would eventually be dragged off the throne."
Even though he said he was afraid of her, his expression was soft, as if he were reminiscing about a cherished memory. He smiled gently.
"But Lilianne adored me. She followed me around, calling me 'Brother,' and was always worried about me. Once, when I collapsed from the exhaustion of my new duties, she stayed by my side and nursed me day and night. Her kindness brought me to tears. I wondered how I could have ever found such a sweet sister detestable. Since then, she has been more precious to me than anything else in the world."
"I see..."
"After that, I couldn't help but dote on her. I worked harder than ever to be a king she could be proud of. More than anything, I wanted her to be happy. When it came time to find her a fiancé, I was lonely, but I thought I would be happy for her if she found someone who could make her smile."
I had heard about Lilia-san’s potential suitors before, but seeing Ryze-san’s face now, I suspected there was more to the story than what Lunamaria-san had told me.
"That engagement was called off when the man became afraid after Lilianne took second place in the martial arts tournament. Don't you think that’s strange?"
"Eh?"
"No matter how strong she is, Lilianne is a kind girl. Why would anyone need to fear her? Besides, she was a princess. Normally, wouldn't a man be desperate to secure such a marriage?"
"Now that you mention it..."
He was right. No matter how strong she was, I couldn't imagine Lilia-san turning that strength on a partner. As royalty, she should have been the most coveted bride for any nobleman.
"I was curious, so I looked into it. It turns out the man was hiding a wicked nature behind a polite mask. Fearing her was just a pretext; he realized he couldn't control a girl with such a strong sense of justice, so he intended to break off the engagement from the start. Well, I made sure he politely exited the public stage."
"……"
"But Lilianne was devastated. For someone as kind as her, the idea of being feared by someone was deeply painful. She spent days crying in her room where no one could hear her."
When I first heard the story from Lunamaria-san, I remembered Lilia-san was terrified that we might be afraid of her too. For her, having her strength used as a reason for people to fear her was the ultimate cruelty.
"So, that’s why you..."
"Yes. After that, I made it my mission to investigate every man who approached her. Though I say it as her brother, she truly has terrible luck. Every man who flocked to her was hiding some ulterior motive. I kept them away in various ways... though back then, I was still relatively restrained."
"……"
"Do you know about the incident four years ago?"
"I do."
Ryze-san’s eyes turned sharp, and I nodded solemnly. Four years ago—the knight division Lilia-san led was sabotaged with false information. They were ambushed by a massive horde of monsters, and Sieg-san was gravely injured.
"I still can't forget the look on Lilianne's face. The sheer agony as she wept and apologized to Sieglinde, who had lost her voice..."
"……"
"And more than that, I blamed my own worthlessness. Why couldn't I protect her? I knew the factions were fighting over the succession, so why hadn't I acted before it came to that?"
Ryze-san gripped his fists tight, his expression etched with a profound sense of self-loathing. Because he loved her so much, he couldn't forgive himself for failing her.
"I swore then that I would never let Lilianne look like that again. I didn't care if I was a failure as a king. No matter who hated me or what it took, I would protect her. Since that day, I have used every means at my disposal to eliminate anything that might hurt her. I dug into people's lives, and if I found even a hint of darkness, I crushed them without mercy."
"……"
"By some strange twist of fate, the targets were always men. Eventually, rumors spread that I would destroy any man who got close to her. I suppose, in a way, the rumors were true."
He gave a dry laugh, but I could see the unwavering resolve in his eyes. He was a very different person from the one I had imagined based on Lunamaria-san's stories. Ryze-san scratched his head, looking a bit sheepish.
"That’s why you and the other Otherworlders were so terrifying to me. I had no way to investigate your pasts. I didn't know if you were good people or villains. But since I was already used to treating men as potential threats, I handled you with a particular prejudice."
"Ryze-san, can I ask you something?"
"What is it?"
"Why are you telling me all this?"
He was being incredibly open with me. It had completely changed my impression of him, but I still didn't understand his motive for sharing his secrets.
Ryze-san was silent for a moment before a gentle smile touched his lips.
"Beyond the apology, there is something else I had to say to you."
"Eh? Wait—"
Before I could finish, Ryze-san lowered himself to the floor again in a deep bow.
"Truly... thank you."
"Eh?"
"I heard from the letters sent to my father. You mended the rift between Lilia and Sieglinde. You gave Sieglinde her voice back. I don't know how much gratitude I would have to show to ever truly repay you."
"No, I didn't really—"
"Thank you. Truly, thank you... for saving Lilianne's heart."
"Ryze-san..."
Tears dripped onto the sofa. From the tremor in his voice, I knew he was crying. He truly loved his sister with every fiber of his being. He thanked me again and again, and after letting his tears fall for a while, he finally stood up.
"I should have said this much sooner. I'm sorry it took so long."
"No, I'm glad I got to hear how you really feel, Ryze-san."
"Thank you. Miyama-kun, I have one more request."
"A request?"
Ryze-san looked me straight in the eyes, speaking the words he had likely come here to say most of all.
"Whatever choice you eventually make, I don't mind. Whether you stay in this world or return to your own... I want you to face Lilianne's feelings with sincerity. That is my only wish."
"……Yes. I understand."
"Thank you. If you ever find yourself in trouble, tell me. I will gladly do everything in my power to help you."
Looking at Ryze-san’s peaceful smile, I carved the weight of his words into my heart.
Dear Mother, Father—meeting someone in person really can change your impression of them. Ryze-san was very different from what I’d imagined. And, more than anything—he was a devoted brother.
I watched Ryze-san leave the room, letting out a long breath once he was gone.
"Tch. No souvenir? For a king, he’s pretty stingy. He could’ve at least brought some cookies—Ow!?"
"You need to learn how to read a room!"
"Gnyaaaah! My cheek! You're gonna pull it off! I'm sorry! Whenever the mood gets too serious, I just feel like making a joke! You know, for the vibe—Fugyah!?"
"That makes it even worse!"
I delivered a solid strike to the idiot who had obliterated the somber atmosphere in a single second.
This girl... is definitely getting a lecture.