"S-students, it appears that there's something happening so I ask everyone to go to the practice field."

Kenji's class professor had instructed them.

The students who expected lessons were bewildered but followed the instructions of their teacher. When they reached the practice field, there were five classes' worth of students there.

"What is this?"

"Beats me, I haven't seen anything like this happen before."

Many students where whispering with each other.

"Ehem. Students, I'm sure you're all alerted but this is a surprise inspection from the royal family. I hope you'll all cooperate with us."

A man wearing knight armor said so, his armor had the crest of the kingdom.

"Everyone will place their hands on the crystal balls and have your name, age, and other information recorded. If you have dual attributes, channel both of your attributes and the ball will become half and half."

The man pointed at several tables and there were knights stationed on each one. One of them wore a helmet but the rest of them had their helmets down because of the heat.

Kenji narrowed his eyes towards the man wearing a helmet and decided to line up there.

After a few minutes, it was finally Kenji's turn.

"Place your hand on the crystal ball."

Kenji did as instructed and the ball turned red orange.

"Name... just kidding."

Kenji sighed.

"So, why are you here?"

"Of course, it's to see my darling~"

"Look, I know that it's been quite awhile since you've appeared in public, there's still the chance that some people know your face. Keep the disguise on."

"You're no fun~!"

The woman's voice had displeasure in it but it was evident in her tone that she was close with Kenji.

"I'm holding up the line so write down my information."

The woman nodded and wrote down on the paper in her hands fast.

"Done."

That voice was a male youth's voice.

"Good, keep that disguise."

Kenji left and the next person in line stepped up.

Yoko and Haru had already finished earlier, the line at the man with a helmet was longer than the others.

"Kenji, you took quite awhile, what happened?"

"Nothing, just some problems with the information."

Haru asked him, Yoko and Kenji were still at odds with each other. Yoko keeps pestering him to spill the beans but she isn't going for aggressive methods like last time.

But Yoko wasn't like Haru, she was looking closely at the knight that Kenji had just talked to. When the knight finished writing down information, he looked at Yoko and nodded. Yoko was alerted, he managed to detect her gaze from far away.

When Kenji saw that, he immediately sprung into action to remove Yoko's attention.

"Hey, Yoko. I'll tell you the truth, I know where Kai is."

The sudden talk caused Yoko to stare at him. Haru on the other hand, panicked.

"Tell me now."

Yoko had a threatening tone but even she wouldn't attack Kenji in front of everyone.

"He's in the capital."

When Yoko heard that, she fell into silence. Then, her eyes flashed and traveled to the knight wearing a helmet.

It couldn't be...

"Listen up, anyone who has finished can return to the room and wait for news."

The instructor's voice stopped Yoko's thoughts.

Kenji and Haru started to walk back, Yoko focused her gaze on the knight for a few more seconds before following them back to the classroom.

After Yoko left, the knight sighed and removed his helmet.

"Sheesh, that girl is too perceptive~"

The knight who talked with Kenji as a woman had the face of Kai.

"Alright, next!"

"So, how did you meet Kai?"

Yoko and Haru changed seats, Kenji was being interrogated by Yoko.

"I met him outside the capital, we're close friends."

"...Do you know about the clan?"

"Everything."

Yoko fell silent.

"...About Erina too?"

"Yes."

Kenji's answers were straightforward.

"Even so, you still sympathize with Kai?"

This time, it was Kenji's turn to fall into silence.

"...What if hypothetically, he was blaming himself even now? Dreaming about the massacre over and over each night, would you still hate him?"

"Yes."

Yoko's instant answer turned the atmosphere worse than before.

"I..."

Haru who was silent the whole time spoke up.

"...I think the one suffering the most is Kai. If he had his body taken over and was forced to watch the massacre of his own clan by his very hands or even if he wasn't even awake and saw the bodies of his dead clan members, I think that he'd face the ultimate despair out of everyone else."

Yoko bit her lip.

"...I know that. He loved his family and treasured his friends. I know he must be suffering even to this very day, even more than me but I really... can't forgive him. The sight of his face having a smile with his tattered body while killing everyone, it still gives me nightmares from time to time."

And ironically, it's his little sister that saved me from those nightmares.

"Of course it would..."

Kenji said this with a sad face. Then, he stood up and walked to the door.

"Haru, we're going to be called by the professor so get ready."

Kenji stood by the door and sure enough, a few seconds later, the professor came in.

"Hm? Oh there you are. Satou Kenji and Takamiya Haruka, the knights had called for you."

Sure enough, Haru raised her brows and sighed.

"Yes..."

Haru walked down from her seat while being followed by everyone's curious eyes. Kenji and Haru followed the professor just until the entrance to the practice field.

"They said I'm not allowed to hear the conversation so I'll just stay here. You guys, I don't know what you did but I believe in you."

The professor placed a hand on Kenji's shoulder.

Why did you immediately assume it was something bad...?

Kenji thought but decided to ignore it.

Then, both him and Haru decided it was time to go. When they were there, the knights surrounded them.

"We've recorded your information but we've found no traces of you guys living in the capital. State your true names and purpose!"

The knights pointed their weapons at both of them.

Haru hid behind Kenji who didn't even twitch at the situation.

"You guys are quite the idiots, huh?"

Kenji said this in spite.

"What'd you say?!"

One of the knights felt angry and brandished his spear.

"I suggest you drop your weapons and kneel."

"Haaa?!"

The knights inched closer to them but didn't attack. But there was an exception, one of the knights didn't react at all and was just standing behind the rest.

Haru's eyes kept glancing at that knight and Kenji back and forth.

"So the king didn't inform you all, huh?"

Kenji glanced at Kai who shrugged his shoulders.

"Alright, I'll tell you our identities."

Kenji was taking something from his pocket and all of the knights were about to pounce on him.

When Kenji still wasn't done taking the item from his pocket, one of the knights decided to attack.

"Idiot! Stop it!"

The leader of this group of knights yelled but it was too late.

Kenji's eyes flashed and everyone except Kai fell on one knee.

"W-what is this... pressure?!"

"It's for your insolence."

The pressure further enhanced and even the ground below the knights was cracking.

The knights felt angry but Kenji finally finished taking out the item from his pocket. The knights who were angered instantly had horrified expressions and some even trembled. The pressure had already been removed but they kept kneeling, in fact they also had their heads facing the floor.

"W-we apologize for our insolence! We were not informed about the situation and-!"

"Haa?! So you're telling me that action against the princess of the kingdom, Alteria Natsumi can be justified on accident?!"

Kenji stepped in front of the knight that had said that. That's right, the object that Kenji had taken from his pocket was the crest of the royal family which only people of the royal family could use to exercise their authority.

"W-we sincerely apologize! Please spare our lives and families!"

The knights stopped kneeling on one knee and even had their foreheads on the floor, it was 'dogeza'.

"Hmm, should I?"

Kenji crouched down next to the knight and said so which made them shiver even more.

"N-now, that's enough intimidation."

Haru walked next to Kenji and placed both of her hands on his back.

"Alright, since the princess spared your lives I'll respect that decision but remember this, none of this is to spread to anyone. I've remembered all of your faces. If news of this spreads, you'll all be swimming with the fishes."

"""Y-yes! Thank you for your mercy!"""

The knights prostrated themselves even more as Kenji turned around to leave.

"G-great sir, may we ask your name?"

The leader of the knights asked.

"...I can't give you my name seeing as only a handful of people know my name. But, I'll give you my title."

Kenji kept walking and talked with a loud voice.

"Captain of the third princess' royal guard, second only to the authority of the third princess and the king."

The knights turned even more pale with those words.

"T-the one that the king had said was the strongest in the kingdom...?"

"S-seriously..."

Just before Kenji stepped through the doorway, he turned around.

"Also, we're going to have a talk later."

Kenji looked at Kai-no, the woman disguised as Kai and said this.

"S-seriously...?"

A girl with blue hair and glasses was shivering while peeking from the wall.

"I was just going to pass through but to think I heard that..."

"But you're going to keep it a secret, right?"

"Of course- eh?"

The girl's vision scanned around and landed on a beautiful blonde woman wearing black clothes, her beauty was even a match for Erina who was crowned the most beautiful in the kingdom by everyone.

"I-I'm sorry for eavesdropping!"

"Under normal circumstances, you'd probably be silenced but I guess he allowed you to listen in, what a problem..."

The blonde woman walked forward and leaned in front of the girl with blue hair.

"Make sure to not spill anything, okay? I'll personally come after you if you do."

With those words, the woman vanished from her view.

"Eh? Eh?"

The blue haired woman scanned around but she saw nobody.

Was that an illusion?

But she saw a piece of black paper on the floor.

'Keep your promise, okay~?'

Those words were light-hearted but it sent shivers down her spine.

"I-I will!"

She shouted to nobody in particular and ran away.