Despite Rotsard's objection, the Royal Academy did launch an investigation into the real identity of the fake first-year student, and did so with haste, especially after finding the youngster whose identity was used, tied up and crying under his own bed in the boy's dormitory. By that point, it really was out of Rotsard's hands… although he did refuse to reveal who he believed the assassin worked for, claiming that his declaration about being in the know was only a performance to scare the assailant.
The streak of duels had to be paused for a week, which was still within the story guidelines, although it also marked a rather unpleasant event that Rotsard tried his best not to think of…
It wasn't anything big, merely an introduction of a character that would actually enter the story and gain relevance for the plot in later volumes.
Not just any character, but one of the future members of the hero's harem.
Nordenthele's third princess, Demi-Leigh Nordenthele.
…she was… someone akin to a childhood friend of Rotsard…
Akin was doing quite the heavy lifting for the relationship, though.
In fact, Demi-Leigh was the youngest of the Royal siblings at the time... Around twelve years back, when the tension between her older siblings became a bit too high, her mother sent her away from the Royal Palace to protect her from becoming collateral damage…
The place that Demi-Leigh's mother chose was the Vallhall family castle, and the timing of it was still when both of Rotsard's parents were alive and in quite high esteem.
Rotsard's father received a personal request to protect the princess.
Demi-Leigh, seven at the time, was a boisterous child with very little foresight but with a huge amount of confidence. She not only didn't care about the fact that her own siblings could attempt to murder her, she straight-up believed that her visit to the Vallhall family's castle was a vacation.
Since there was a big gap in age between her and her own siblings, Demi-Leigh was incredibly excited when she discovered a certain pair of children roughly around her age that always played together… That being Rotsard and Saria… and instantly joined them, declaring herself their older sister.
Rotsard was almost six at the time, with the three-year-old Saria clinging to him as if her life depended on it, welcomed the new playmate eagerly.
The time they spent together was around a month, and Demi-Leigh went back to the Royal Palace right before Rotsard's offering ceremony…
…promising to be present during it, but never fulfilling that promise…
Since for Rotsard it was basically the last good memory before his mother's death, it became one of his core-memories, he looked back fondly. That said, he was quite certain that Saria, for example, remembered none of it…
But the story's character of Rotsard was fully convinced that Demi-Leigh remembered him, and when she would make a return to the Royal Academy to continue her academic endeavour, he called out to her just to face the humiliation of being harshly rejected and scolded by the young woman who had no recollection of ever meeting him.
Publicly.
And with the date of the third princess's return to the Royal Academy in the real world, the event had to be replicated for the seed of a relationship between Demi-Leigh and Justin to be planted, as the character of Rotsard was supposed to insist and almost harass the third princess, only to be humiliated even more by the future hero coming to the girl's rescue.
"..."
The thought of that was keeping the actual Rotsard awake, especially the day before the event was supposed to happen.
Well, it was also kind of a good thing, him not falling asleep, as although the duels were banned for a week, a certain vice headmaster's research did not, and Syon had never failed to show up at Rotsard's doorstep after the sun went down.
That did cut into the time that the bleached-blond-haired youth could spend with his fiancee, but it wasn't just a whim.
The more knowledgeable Syon was, the more useful for the future hero and therefore the future of their world he would become… and, at least in Syon's words, an in-depth research on perfect mana unity would allow just that.
...not to mention that learning more about his own skills and abilities was increasing his own strength...
Just to be sure that his involvement would not be recorded, Rotsard insisted on being noted as an anonymous volunteer or test subject and nothing more… He simply could not risk messing with the proper flow of the story.
Not until he was certain that he could stand up against the Arch Deofol.
"...Just you wait... You will get what's coming to you, filth…!"
Rotsard ended up muttering while glaring at the ceiling.
There was a time limit for him to gain enough strength. One that he could not ignore.
...with less than a year… less than nine months until that time was up, those words didn't bring as much relief as before.
The knock on the door, ripping Rotsard away from his own thoughts, was very much welcomed, and the bleached-blond-haired youth jumped out of his bed, actually smiling softly as he went to welcome the visitor.
With how Rotsard's eyes worked, he didn't need light, but since Syon always complained that even though his left eye works in the darkness, a proper lighting is best for the research, so he switched on the magic lamp before opening the door…
"...!"
And freezing up at the sight of the person on the other side.
Instead of Syon, it was a young woman.
Tall, with a stunning figure and long, wavy dark brown hair, wearing traveling clothes, short cape included.
When Rotsard opened the door, her face lit up with a brilliant smile, but the very next moment her full lips quivered and her slightly cat-like gray eyes filled with tears…
…she carried a nostalgic scent…
"Rotti…!"
She cried out, throwing herself at Rotsarad and hugging him with such longing that any thoughts that began to form in Rotsard's brain evaporated instantly.
"B… big sis Demi…?"
"Rotti! You do remember me…!"
Rotsard muttered, causing the young woman to sob and pull away only enough to kiss his forehead and then hug him even tighter, because of their height difference, pressing his face against her ample chest so strongly as if she never intended to let go.
"Rotti…! Rotti, I'm so sorry… Tomorrow… tomorrow you need to do something for me…"
"?"
The third princess of the Nordenthele kingdom, Demi-Leigh Nordenthele, cried out while nuzzling her cheek against the top of Rotsard's head, but even if he wanted to speak up, Rotsard had no way of pulling away without hurting her.
"I don't have much time, I sneaked out without telling anyone, so I have to return soon, or they will raise an alarm…"
"???"
Demi-Leigh added hurriedly, only strengthening her embrace and causing Rotsard more confusion.
"Rotti… Tomorrow, when we will see each other again, I need you to call out to me, okay…?"
"!"
Demi-Leigh sniffled and said in a pitifully sad voice, causing Rotsard to flinch as her words started to sound very familiar to him.