Seirei Gensou Ki Volume 1 Chapter 3 part3

V1 C3 [False Charge]

TL : Cnine

TLC, ED, PF, 多芸は無芸 : LittleEndu

Part 1

It’s been decided that Rio would be put under house arrest inside of the interrogation room located under the castle.

“Please wait right here for a while. The investigation chief will come soon”

After saying so, the soldier who guided him leaves. The sound of locking the door is echoing inside the interrogation room.

Rio’s looking around, briefly surveying the room.

It seems that there are no windows in this interrogation room. Only a wooden desk and chair are placed in the middle of the room, a truly dreary atmosphere envelopes the entire room.

He can’t open the only door serving as the entrance and also the exit since the key can only be inserted from outside. For this, the interiors and the locked door make it into a perfect closed off room.

“It seems they’re not trusting me that much huh”

Rio understands the situation he is in and thus mutters that with an uninterested tone.

By the way, Vanesstachi* left right away taking Flora along with them after entrusting the soldier to guide Rio. [*TLC: -tachi is pluralizing suffix. If it helps, you can think of it as “and the others”. Author-san uses this suffix way too much and translating it sounds clumsy in our opinion]

Though it would have been fairly simple for him to explain the situation along the way, they must at least wait for Flora to wake up and confirm the truth. Until that, they are treating Rio as a possible suspect.

They were not going to do a proper investigation during that time nor were they bothering themselves to make a record of anything when they could have. Truly reasonable.

Thinking about if he were in their position, he understands that confining him like this is a reasonable action. But, to be honest, the situation back there didn’t look good at all.

If he knew that it’ll turn into a situation like this, it might have been better not to save Flora at all.

If he did so, he wouldn’t have even received this kind of treatment. Despite not doing anything wrong, he couldn’t be trusted and thus he ended up being treated as the culprit――

Him being unable to leave fainted Flora behind and bringing her outside resulted in this kind of treatment.

This world is full of unreasonable things. It’s kind towards the strong, unreasonable towards the weak.

He understands that very well, and yet――

Rio sighs, releasing all of his frustration, and then sits on the chair in crude manner.
The chair, despite him trying his best to compliment it, is uncomfortable.
Crossing his arms, he shuts his eyes in a sullen expression.
He is unable to predict anything about his future nor gather any information. When thinking about his situation, it doesn’t seems to be improving.

It seems he just has to wait while trying his best to feel like at home.
As soon as he regains his composure, he hears the sound of someone unlocking the door.
Following that, the door is flung open.

What appeared from the other side of the door are three man.
Despite everyone of them wearing uniforms of Kingdom’s Imperial Guards, the man standing in the front is wearing an attire with an especially gorgeous design.

The man who’s wearing that gorgeous knight attire might be around the second half of his twenties.
Though he has well ordered appearance, he somehow looks presumptuous, there’s disdain in his eyes as he’s looking at Rio.

The man wearing the gorgeous knight attire is glancing at Rio and,

“I’m going to ask some question from now on. It’s been decided that the vice leader of the Kingdom’s Imperial Guards, Charles Albo, will be the one in charge of your investigation. You better answer honestly to my questions if you want to be released quickly”

Part 2

He suddenly orders with such overbearing tone. Rio’s frowning in displeasure.

The man who called himself Charles Albo is sitting in front of Rio.

“Are you the one who kidnapped her highness, the second princess?”

So he asked while examining some kind of documents. He disregarded Rio’s feeling.

The knight next to Charles working as his secretary started to record Rio’s testimony.

The last knight, as if trying to intimidate him, was standing right next to Rio.

“……….. I’m not though”

Maybe because he revolted the arrogant attitude Charles-tachi were giving him, Rio bluntly replied like that.

「Then, where did you find her highness, the second princess?”

「Inside of a hut in slum district. She was sacked into a bag”

「Why were you in that place?”

「Because the people who lived in that hut were the ones who raised me*” [*TLC: ‘ore’]

「I learned from the report that they were the ones who confined her highness, the second princess, weren’t they?”

「It seems so. I only saw them coming back bringing along a sack with the princess inside of it”

And in such way, the investigation is advancing with an indifferent atmosphere.
Rio told him the same information that he told to Vanessa and the others on the way to the castle.
Maybe Charles is trying to sort through the information written inside of the document, looking for any inconsistencies that might have happened during the investigation.

Although there’s some information which might be unfavourable towards Rio inside of those testimonies, because there’s a possibility that it’ll spread to the public if they go further trying to find out the truth and because it’ll bite him back if his testimonies lose all consistency due to a poor lie, Rio had no choice but to answer their inquiries honestly.

“In other words, you* did not participate in the kidnapping of her highness, the second princess?” [*TLC: ‘kisama’, Charles really hates Rio already]

“That’s right”

Rio’s consenting without a shred of hestitation while Charles ask him curiously.

“Fuuhn, that’s suspicious. According to this written report, though those thugs, who were keeping you as a pet, were all killed by the man who wore that mysterious mask, why were you the only one left alive?”

“I did”

“What?”

“I’m the one who defeated that man”

When Rio answered like that, Charles sneered at him.

“You’re lying. A brat like you defeated a burglar? Impossible. And your opponent has also received some sort of a training”

“I don’t know about that. Maybe he was just careless? Moreover, I was in a desperate situation at that time and only somehow managed to beat him…………”

Rio hides the fact that he was strengthening his body.

“Fuhn, well whatever. In that case, where’s that man right now?”

“Ha~h？ Unless he ran away after regaining his consciousness, he should be lying down along with the corpses inside of that hut”

Part 3

Rio replies with a slightly fed up tone.

“The people who searched through the hut should be arriving any minute now. We’ll know the truth soon enough. If it’s according to what you said, we can pull some information from that man but……..”

Right after he said those words, the sound of door being knocked can be heard inside of the room.

“It seems they’ve arrived. Oy”

Charles’s ordering one of the knights to open the door.

Thereupon, a new knight entered the room.

“Excuse me. Charles-sama, this is the report of the investigation progress”

After the knight who just entered the room said so, he whispers something to Charles.

Charles is silently listening to the knight’s report while gazing at Rio. Rio also silently watches over the situation but, soon enough, Charles’ expression turns into a dissatisfied one.

And then, after a little while, maybe because he finished listening to the report.

“……… It seems we need to change the investigation place. STAND”

Charles ordered Rio.

“Why is the investigation place changed?”

“Because we have to do the investigation, don’t we”

“Then, isn’t this place good enough”

A huge question mark is floating on top of Rio’s head since he can’t understand the reason behind Charles’ reply. He doesn’t really understand why leave the investigation room in spite of doing an investigation.

“Listen up, stand! We’ve no time”

Charles spoke in coercive tone.
Thereupon, the two other knights hold Rio from both sides and force him to stand.
Rio’s showing a sullen expression and,

“I can stand myself”

He’s standing up as he says so.
And then, he nonchalantly brushes off the hands of the knights who are holding him.
But, those knights have no intention of releasing Rio.
They keep holding him tightly from both sides.

“Will you release me already, it’s not like I’ll try to escape?”

Rio asked Charles who’s sitting in front of him.

“Huhm, that’s right…………..”

Charles is suddenly leaves his chair, walks toward Rio and then,

“Give me his hand”

He’s giving his order to both of the knights who are holding onto Rio’s hands.

“Certainly”

The knights are replying promptly and then present both of Rio’s hands.

“Oi, stop it!”

Despite his resistance, there’s no way he can win against an adult with his strength of a child.

Though it might be easier for him to shake them off if he raised his strength and power like what he did a while ago, he couldn’t do that due to this sudden development.

Moreover, if he were to shake off Charles-tachi and this place, that would be interfering with an official investigation and would turn the situation into a difficult one if he is treated as the true culprit. So, when it comes to that, even if Rio were to calmly strengthen his body, the possibilities of him getting away are low.

Part 4

Despite trying to struggle, Rio’s easily held down by the strenght of the adults. Charles choose that moment to quickly make his move.

Thereupon, a clicking sound echos inside the room.

“Hah?”

Rio dumbfoundedly looks at his wrists.
He finds a pair of metal handcuffs with chains for pulling along the criminal were put on his hands.
The knights are holding the chain, maybe to prevent Rio from escaping.

“Hurry up. Bring this brat along”

Charles said so to Rio who’s unable to understand the situation.

Rio was pulled by the chains toward a gloomy basement.

A cold atmosphere is drifting inside here.

Though the lantern which hanged on the wall is dimly shining, the strange thing is that the source of the light isn’t fire. Though there were severals of these lanterns hanging on the wall of the investigation room in which Rio sat since a while ago, there’s nothing but one lantern in this basement.

Though there’s a bed placed inside, the room is completely uncomfortable and impossible to live in, entrance being a robust metal door and all sides of the room – the ceiling, the walls, and the floor, being made of stone.

There are several restriction devices placed on the floor and the walls, some of them dyed with certain color ―― most likely the color of human blood ―― which is starting to fade away.

Even if he hated to imagine it, he knew what they do inside of this room.
Perhaps this place is a single man cell made for performing rough interrogations.
Rio thought so.

“Oi, why you’re not putting me inside of a jail?”

He’s not even trying to smooth his rude, slightly dissatisfied tone and just says that.

“Because you’re under suspicion of kidnapping her highness, the second princess. Naturally we have to put you in this place for the sake of the investigation”

“I’m did not kidnap her!”

Rio furiously objects the accusation. He would understand this accusation if there’s a witness to it, but there isn’t, so why are they charging him with that.

“That’s what every criminal says”

Charles lightly brushed off Rio’s words with such an unreasonable reply.

“Don’t mess with m-guh…………..”

Right as Rio was about to voice his dissatisfaction, the knight starts pulling the chains stretching from the handcuffs with all his strength.

Part 5

Rio lost his balance and fell to the ground.

Charles, high above him, is looking down on Rio and then declared.

“I’m the one who will determine whether you were involved in the kidnapping of her highness, the second princess.

Therefore I’ll performing an interrogation after this.

You’ve no right to keep your silent attitude.

You have to honestly answer the questions that I ask to you.

Since you’ll be going through a bitter experience if you keep silent”

“Don’t…………. mess with me”

In spite of being at a loss of words due to this unexpected development, Rio who can’t hold back his anger anymore is glaring at Charles.

“Fuhn, how rebellious.

Truly the eyes of criminal with low moral conduct”
Charles lets out a heavy sigh.

This is might be how he is or just a provocation towards Rio but, his attitude is extremely repulsive towards the other party.

“It seems I need to teach you a lesson about your own situation.

Do it”
Charles sends an order to the other knights by jerking his chin.

The knights grab the chains of Rio’s handcuffs, fixing them to the pulley that was hanging on the ceiling, and after they had adjusted its height, it began to pull Rio’s body upward.

“Oi, stop it!”

Though Rio protested, those knights don’t stop what they were doing.

Rio is then pulled high enough, by the chains attached to his handcuffs and the pulley, to where he doesn’t have anything to stand on.

No matter how light the body of a child is, it’s still quite a burden to Rio’s arms.

Charles is showing a satisfied smile after seeing Rio grimacing in pain.

Next time Rio looks at him, he has a wooden stick in his hand.

“I also didn’t want to do this the rough way.

If you’re willing to cooperate with the investigation, I’ll even release you right away.

So you just have to admit that you participated in the kidnapping of her highness, the second princess.

How about it?“
Charles spoke as he gently caressed Rio’s cheeks with his wooden stick.

Rio enduring the pain on his wrist says,

“Like hell I’ll do that.

I’m not involved in that at all”
Rejecting Charles’ suggestion with those words.

“Not involved at all, huh?”

Rio’s answer to Charles’ question is just silence.

The next moment, Charles throws a powerful strike towards Rio’s abdomen.

“KHA……………”

Rio moans in pain.

Charless caresses the stick that he just hit Rio’s abdomen with and then,

“You were involved in the kidnapping of the second princess.

Right?”
He asked that question again.

“I…………… had nothing to do with it”

“I wonder”

Charles said those words with theatrical tone.

He brings his face close to Rio’s ears and,

Part 6

“Do it”

Muttered those words with bone chilling tone.

Meanwhile, around the same time, in Flora’s bedroom, located in the upper floors of Galwark kingdom’s royal castle.

“Suu~…………. Su~…………”

Flora Bertram was sleeping soundly on top of a big bed with a gorgeous canopy.

The gentle spring wind is coming in from the balcony windows overlooking the Bertrand’s royal capital.

“《Detection》” [TL:Written as 「《探知魔法 – Detection Magic》, Read as 《デイテクシヨン – Detection》

When Celia is done reciting the spell, the light of the magic formation floats in front of her hands.

And just like that she puts her hands on top of Flora’s body while squinting her eyes.

A short time later, Celia sighs a little while opening her eyes.

“There are no traces that some sort of magic was used on her.

But I can’t get any more information since medicine isn’t my area of expertise. I think she’ll be fine if we let her rest and give her with plenty of water“
Vanessa heaved a sigh of relief as she heard the examination report from Celia.

“Thank you, Celikun.

If your 《Detection》 found no abnormalities, it means that they did not give something strange to her, right”
Vanessa’s bowing deeply toward Celia.

“It’s nothing, really, I’m just happy that I could help you even if it’s just something like this.

We should be relieved knowing this, right”
“Yeah.

But, in the end, we don’t know anything about what those kidnappers were aiming for………………..”
“Even so, I think the information we got from that kid called Rio was quite a useful one.
Maybe he knows something about the specifics of the criminal”

“………. But it’s only if that boy is telling the truth, right”

“He’s telling lies?”

Celia asked in amazement.

“I don’t know, there is the possibility that he’s not involved, but doubting others is occupational disease”

“Even so, I don’t think that boy is a bad child”

“It might be so if you, who’s a lecturer of the royal academy, say so”

Vanessa’s saying that while smiling at Celia.

“I’m still a new lecturer, am I not?”

Though Celia responded in bashful manner, her mouth opened as if she had noticed something.

“Come to think of it, where are Christinsama and Roansama?”

“Ah, it seems they’re being lectured by his majesty, the king, right now angry due to them abusing their authority for sneaking out of the castle”

Vanessa replied with an amazed expression.

Flora showed signs of waking up.

Part 7

“U~…………….Hn”

“Florsama!”

Vanessa’s quickly reacting after Flora’s eyes opened lightly.

She’s blinking for a while and keeps looking absentmindedly at Vanessa.

“Vanessa… is it? This place is…………..”
 

“We’re in your room, Florsama.

You fainted due to light dehydration.

Please drink this”

Vanessa takes the metal water pitcher and the glass, then pours the water from the water pitcher into the glass before handing the glass to Flora.

“Thank you”

Flora’s giving her gratitude before she receives the glass from Vanessa, then she slowly drinks from the glass.

After a while she lets go of the glass, then after taking a deep breath for a moment, she addresses Celia.

“Uhm, You are?”

“My name is Celia Claire, your highness.

I’m the lecturer who’s in charge of Christinsama class in the royal academy.”

“You’re onee-sama’s…………………. I often hear rumors about you”

“It’s my honor”

Flora gives Celia bowing in humble manner before her a smile.

“May I inquire about what has happened to me? Just what is going on……………..”

“Ahh. Let me explain it”

Vanessa begins her explanation after Flora asked about the current situation.

She explained the general situation to Flora for about several minutes.

“In short. That boy is insisting that he was protecting you but, is that the truth?”

Vanessa asked Flora after she was done with the explanation.

“Yes. I can’t really remember but I did ask the same boy to save me.”

Flora nods to affirm that fact.

“Then, is that boy the one called Rio?”

“………. Sorry.

I don’t know since I didn’t ask his name.”

Flora shakes her head wearing a puzzled expression.

“Even so, I’ll know once I see his face. May I ask where that person is？ I want to give him my gratitude.”

Flora asks them.

“…………. He might be being interrogated around this time”

“Interrogated? Why?”

Flora’s asking while tilting her head.

“Probably because we need to confirm the truth about that boy testimonies.”

“In that case, please call him to this place. That person is the one who saved my life.”

Part 8

Flora’s request is enough evidence to prove Rio’s innocence.

But, Vanessa is showing a troubled face.

“That’s………………., It might be a bit hard to call him into this room………”

“Why do you think so?”

“That person is nothing more than an orphan, we need to ask the permission of his majesty the king and then dress him up…………….”

“………. In that case please arrange it quickly. I won’t permit anything bad happening to that person”

Flora asks with a slightly stronger tone.

“R-Right away. But, please take a bit of rest while I do that. It might harm your body.”

“Understood. Then, please see to my request.”

“Naturally………..Celikun. I’m really sorry but, may I ask you to be with the princess for a bit longer? I’ll arrange everything in the meantime.”

“Yes, with pleasure.”

“Thank you.I’ll try to be back as soon as possible.”

After giving her gratitude and nodding quickly at Celia, Vanessa hurriedly, at quick pace goes towards where Rio is held.

Rio is extremely exhausted.

The handcuffs already bite into the skin of his wrists but he can’t even feel the pain any longer.

Rather, the feeling of pain of being beaten with a wooden stick that is all over his body is more severe, it couldn’t even be compared with the pain of his wrist.

“YOU SHITTY BRAT!!! TELL US ABOUT THE KIDNAPPER ALREADY!”

Charles’ harsh words echo inside the single man cell.

His voice is filled with anger and anxiety.

Though he don’t know the reason, even Rio could understand that much.

Having realized that Charles is being impatient, he regained his composure.

But still, his situation is as bad as before.

After he come into this room, Rio’s continuously being tortured and forced to confess to a crime he didn’t commit.

He can’t even faint without their permission.

His stamina is almost depleted and he is already doing his best to bluff* with his guts and will power. [*TLC: It’s written in katakana. He is just acting tough]

He’s at least increasing the strength of his flesh by strengthening his body to reduce the damage taken.

The sensation of that time vividly remained in his memories.

He felt that he can do that again if he’s focusing his concentration in it, and yet.

For some reason Rio’s unable to do so.

The cause lies in the handcuffs that are restricting Rio’s movement.

It’s loaded with magic that will seal the magical power of the one who’s wearing these handcuffs.

Though Rio has no knowledge regarding magic or magical power, he knows that the body strengthening that he did in combat a while ago needed magical power as its energy source.

That’s why he can’t strengthen his body since he couldn’t release his magical power due to the influence of these handcuffs.

Nevertheless, Rio keeps trying without giving up.

Since he knows that Charles must have a reason for trying to force Rio into making a confession in a hurry.

If Rio ever makes that confession, it’s easy to imagine what kind of profit it’ll be for Charles.

Part 9

That’s why Rio’s steeling his determination to not give up to the violence and to not make that false confession.

“I won’t speak anymore.”

“You bastard!”

Charles in rage is beating Rio with his wooden stick.

It was a relentless blow.

“GA!”

Blood is flowing from Rio’s lips and nose since that blow was aiming at his face.

“V-Vice chief! He’ll die if you keep doing this.”

One knight who was watching silently on the side restrained Charles in hurry.

“SHUT UP! AT THIS RATE MY POSITION WILL BE IN JEOPARDY!”

Charles replied back with an hysterical tone.

“B-But. But, you’ll be in much worse situation if you carelessly kill him.

Since you’re still treading on the fine line even now.”

“What do you mean? MY SITUATION WON’T CHANGE UNLESS I TAKE THIS RISK! AND YOU ALL WILL BE ENJOYING IT TOO IF I CAN RESTORE MY HONOR RIGHT NOW!” [TLC: This is where the raw Cnine provided is falling apart so I don’t really get what’s going on… I’ll still try my best] [TL : I think his situation already clear enough from the previous lines though, and the raw indeed stated as it is since the author make it that way]

After Charles’ scream, a silent descends inside the room.

Currently everyone inside of the room is a member of the Kingdom’s Imperial Guard, save for Rio that is.

And, everyone’s position is in jeopardy due to Flora’s kidnapping incident.

An uproar happened yesterday because someone kidnapped Flora.

The royalties of Bertram kingdom were going to do a ceremony for the prosperity of the country which become a custom practice of spring season, and Flora received an important task as the priestess whose position was essential in this ceremony.

There’s a purification ceremony before she can do her job as the priestess, thus Flora must visit the spring that located in the suburb of the royal capital which already become a sacred place ever since the olden day.

But, all other people except for the priestess and the manager of the place are forbid to enter the sacred ground.

In spite of the imperial guard spreading strict layer of defense in the surrounding of the sacred spring ground, the kidnapper might have been able to bypass in between the hole of the defense formation since the spring is located inside of the forest.

So it’s a fact that the kidnapping of Flora was the fault of the Kingdom’s Imperial Guard.

Which means that the one in this place is the one who hold most responsibility for the crack in the defense formation.

And currently, Charles is starting to lose his position as the vice chief of Kingdom’s Imperial  Guard.

Due to that, he’s starving to do a meritorious deed which will restore his falling-in-the-mud position.

Charles has forcibly taken over the investigation job from the one who was ordered by Vanessa and then, he’s even doing his investigation of Rio by himself.

~To Be Continue in part 4~

Chapter end