Rio: The Heroine Who Finds Love
Whether it’s a harem ending or not, I think Aisia will be the first one to end up with Rio. There are plenty of reasons for this.
There have been many hints so far—in the main story, the side stories, and the drama CDs.
First, let’s look at the hints from the main story.
Since I’m translating from Japanese, there might be some awkward parts. I apologize.
Volume 16. Page 163. “(Haruto, welcome home.) A telepathic message from Aisia arrived. (……I’m home, Aisia.) Rio couldn’t help but let a smile slip across his face as he replied in his heart. Hearing Aisia’s voice somehow made him feel very at ease.”
The protagonist feels calm when he hears a specific heroine’s voice. This is often used to hint at romantic feelings. However, since it can also be used for other purposes, this evidence is still somewhat weak.
Volume 20. Page 70. “‘Haruto, you worry too much,’ Aisia pointed out bluntly. ‘Well, I guess…’ He couldn’t bring himself to say, ‘That’s not true.’ ‘Trust me a little,’ Aisia urged Rio, who was beating around the bush. ‘I do trust you, though,’ Rio said with an embarrassed wry smile. Then—‘I’m fine,’ Aisia said, her expression softening as she gently hugged Rio. “Um…” Rio stiffened slightly, looking a bit tickled. Aisia was usually very close to him and often pressed against him, but when she hugged him like this out of the blue, his heart still skipped a beat. Yet, strangely enough, it also calmed his mind. Rio gradually relaxed his body and decided to let Aisia’s warmth wash over him. After that, a moment of silence passed. A space that belonged entirely to the two of them had been created. Meanwhile—(……Dinner’s ready, but it feels awkward to come in. What should I do?) Outside the bedroom, Aria stood there, looking uncomfortable.”
“When she hugs me like this out of the blue, my heart still skips a beat.” This confirms that Rio not only trusts Aisia as a soulmate but also sees her as a romantic interest. The fact that he feels his heart skip a beat yet still finds calm is a strong sign of romantic feelings.
Volume 28. Page 72. “Haruto”—Aisia materialized and appeared. “......Aisia,” Rio said, her eyes widening. Then she looked away from Aisia. She felt intimidated, as if Aisia could see right through her. But—without saying a word, Aisia pulled Rio into a hug. As if gently enveloping every last bit of his anxiety, fear, and even guilt. “...What’s wrong?” Rio had been hunching his shoulders in a defensive posture, but he went limp as if resigning himself to the situation and asked. “It’s okay. The person Haruto was just talking to was Miharu.” “...................I guess so. Thanks.” Rio’s eyes widened, then he thanked her with a self-deprecating smile. Part of it was that Aisia had seen right through his thoughts after all— (……This is no good. At this rate, everyone in the house is going to worry.) He felt pathetic for making her worry, and a wave of shame welled up inside him, strong enough to drown out his negative emotions. The guilt darkening his heart isn’t something that can be easily dispelled… (I have to snap out of this quickly.) At least I can put on a brave face. A light finally lit up in Rio’s eyes. But— “...Is it okay if I stay like this a little longer? I think if I do, we can go back to the way we always are.” “Yeah.” Just a little longer, just a little more—I want to stay wrapped in this warmth. And so, Rio surrendered herself to Aisia’s warmth for a little while longer.”
Here, Rio said, “...Is it okay if I stay like this just a little longer?” This is essentially the same as saying, “I want you to hold me.” In other words, Rio is being clingy. It’s a behavior she would absolutely never do with any of the other heroines. This is powerful.
Extra Chapter: A short story for NovelUp+.
Special Side Story: Aisia Arc
“‘Haruto,’ ” Aisia’s voice came from behind him. “…Aisia,” Rio turned around. When he did, he couldn’t help but stare. Aisia, standing there, was simply too beautiful and adorable. She was wearing a two-piece swimsuit—what you’d call a bikini. Although it was quite revealing, perhaps because she was wearing a sheer pareo, she gave off a rather demure vibe and didn’t look too risqué. Maybe because of her great figure, it suited her perfectly. “I tried on this swimsuit. Does it look weird on me?” Aisia grabbed the hem of her pareo with both hands and tilted her head slightly, as if seeking his opinion. “…I think it looks great on you. You’re beautiful,” Rio gasped softly, voicing his honest impression. “Well, I’m glad to hear that,” Aisia said with a gentle smile. At that, Rio’s heart began to race—something completely out of character for him—and he felt his cheeks grow hot. “Let’s get right to it and go for a swim. The water’s shallow near the shore, but I don’t know how deep it gets further out, so I’ll dive down and check it out. “I’ll be right back, so Aisia, you just play here.” With that, Rio hurried off toward the center of the spring, as if trying to suppress his embarrassment.
Here, Rio—usually a clueless, self-restrained, and straightforward guy—is incredibly flustered. He’s fully aware of her as a member of the opposite sex and is completely captivated by her. As he says, “unlike me,” this is a very rare occurrence.
Popularity Poll Commemorative Short Story: Ms. Seria’s Demonstration—Wedding Ceremony Workshop (The Silver Brides)
“‘I don’t really understand the meaning of a wedding ceremony. People have weddings whether they love the person or hate them. What’s the point?’ Aisia’s question was simple yet complex. ‘Hmm, ideally, you’d have one with someone you love, I suppose, but even setting that aside, isn’t it a ceremony to vow to stay with that person forever?’” Celia pondered the question with a troubled look before answering. “I see… Well then, let’s have a wedding with me and Haruto. Haruto will be the groom, and I’ll be the bride.” For some reason, Aisia seemed convinced and suddenly blurted out those words. “Wh-…!?” Celia’s mouth fell open in shock. “Celia, teach me how to do it,” Aisia said calmly to Celia. “W-Wait, the way you’re saying that, it sounds like we’re actually going to have a real wedding!?” Seria was flustered and demanded clarification from Aisia. “Yeah. Since I’m going to be with Haruto forever, we’re having a wedding.” Aisia nodded nonchalantly. “Haha…” Rio didn’t know what to say and could only manage a wry smile. It was nothing new for Aisia to blurt out outlandish things from time to time. Although Celia hadn’t been dating him for very long, she knew this all too well from personal experience. However, that didn’t mean she wasn’t surprised. Celia stood there with her mouth agape. But after a moment, “N-no! Something’s wrong! I feel like something’s fundamentally off!” Celia cried out in a panic. “A wedding isn’t where you swear to stay together forever?” “Yes, but a wedding is also a ceremony where you vow to devote your entire self to your spouse! It’s not something to be taken lightly!” “I can make that vow,” Aisia declared without batting an eye. Seria was so flabbergasted she was left speechless. For a split second, she even found herself thinking, (Huh, maybe these two should just get married?) “Everything’s ready,” Aisia said, implicitly urging Seria to hurry up. “R-Rio!” Seria turned to Rio for help, hoping he could stop this from going any further. “Um, Aisia, a wedding is something two people who love each other do. Well, sometimes people who love each other don’t get married, but how should I put it…” Rio seemed to be having trouble explaining it clearly; unable to give a coherent answer, he tried to persuade her by stringing his words together. “I like Haruto, you know? Do you dislike Haruto?” asked Aisia. “No, I like him too, but…” Rio replied with a troubled expression. What exactly is a wedding, anyway? Even I’m starting to get confused. Then. “Well, let’s do this. To help Aisia understand what a wedding is like, we’ll pretend to have one. It’s strictly practice—just practice. It’s part of Aisia’s emotional education,” Celia suggested, as if she’d resigned herself to the idea. She’d decided it would be better to treat it as practice rather than have the actual wedding forced upon them. “...Well, if that’s the case, what do you think, Aisia?” “Okay,” Aisia replied obediently and solemnly after Rio confirmed. “So, Rio will be the groom, and the bride will be………………” Seria said as far as that, then glanced at Aisia in her wedding dress before checking her own outfit. Then, she pursed her lips with a “Hmm,” cleared her throat dramatically, and said, “Wait a second. I’m going to go change, too. Aisia, help me.” Blushing, she headed back to her room.
At this point, I found myself thinking that it would be perfectly fine for the two of them to get married. The fact that Ms. Celia—the main heroine of *Spirit Fantasy Chronicles*—is saying this carries a lot of weight. It’s practically as if Aisia were the one proposing. What’s more, while it’s not clear whether her feelings are romantic or familial, she’s clearly telling Aisia that she “likes” her.
Drama CD
Volume 17 Drama CD.Hiroaki: “You’re the one with the least heroine appeal out of all of us here, Satsuki!!” Satsuki: “Huh… Well then, why don’t you tell me who actually has heroine appeal?” Hiroaki: “Fine, I’ll rank all of you based on your heroine appeal.” Satsuki: “Fine, whatever. I’ll listen to it.” Liseotte: “.....I feel like this conversation is straying quite far from the main plot.....” Charlotte: “It’s getting interesting, so let’s just keep going. Don’t be a killjoy, Liseotte.” Liseotte: “Charlotte-sama....” Hiroaki: “....First up, number one!” Everyone: ““““........””” ” Hiroaki: “Hmph, it seems everyone’s curious about this after all...” (What on earth is the flow of this conversation...?) Aisia: “Haruto, who do you think is number one?” “Ah, Aisia, maybe? Ah, hahaha...” “Thank you.”Even though Aisia asked him, by saying she’s the most charming in a discussion about charm, he’s essentially saying she’s the most charming among the heroines.
Volume 26 Drama CD
Hiroaki: “She’s your little sister! Your little sister! If you were dating her, things wouldn’t go like this! That’s right, assume Christina is your girlfriend and say it!” Christina: “Huh!?” Hiroaki: “Well, Haruto? Even if you were dating Christina, could you say you love her?” Haruto: “E-even if it’s just acting, saying something like that to a princess… I’d say that’s taking things a bit too far…” Hiroaki “I don’t care. This is an order from the Hero, who ranks higher than the Princess. Do it.” Satsuki: “Ugh, that’s the worst.” Hiroaki: “It’s only right to help out where I can. What do you say, Christina?” Christina: “Ah… h-h-h… it’s fine.” Hiroaki: “It’s settled, then. Now do it just like you did earlier.” Haruto: “A-are you really going to do that?” Hiroaki “Of course. Don’t underestimate the First Princess of the Kingdom of Bertram, okay? Royalty never goes back on their word!” Celia: “C-Christina-sama... Are you all right?” Christina: “....H-h-of course I am!” Hiroaki: “Just so you know, I’m a guy who’s picky about acting. I won’t tolerate half-hearted performances where you’re just going through the motions because you think, ‘I’ll just say this and be done with it.’ Get it right in one take, okay?” Satsuki: “You really are such a pain in the neck.” Liseotte: “Ahahahaha....” Hiroaki: “All right. Let’s begin!” Christina: “.......A, Ah... Lord Amakawa....” Haruto: “…Yes.” Christina: “Could you please say ‘I love you’ ten times?” Haruto: “I, I, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you—… Haaaah.” Christina: “Then… what about me?” Haruto: “……I love you so much.” “Aaaah/////” Everyone: “““Ooooh!””” Hiroaki: “W-what is this? This feeling of defeat...” Satsuki: “So this is Haruto-kun’s ‘I love you’ to his girlfriend—I see...” Aisia: “Haruto, what about me?” “I-I love you too, Aisia.” “Love me? Don’t you love me the most?” “Of course, I love you the most.” Celia: “Hey, Aisia. Don’t make Haruto uncomfortable.” Latifa: “Big brother, is the ‘I love you’ you say to me different from the one you say to Lady Christina?” “If the ‘I love you’ you say to your little sister is exactly the same as the one you say to your girlfriend, wouldn’t that make you a terrible guy?” Aisia: “Then, what’s the difference in the ‘I love you’ you say to me?” Rio: “W-well... hahaha...” The interview wrapped up at this point, so Rio didn’t answer.
Here, he clearly asserts that the “love” he feels for his girlfriend is different from the love he feels for his little sister. On top of that, he naturally tells Aisia that he loves her. Yet, when Aisia asks him about the difference between his love for her and his love for his little sister, Rio laughs it off. Since the interview was wrapping up, he didn’t end up answering. This suggests that even Rio himself cannot explain his feelings for Aisia. On page 217 of Volume 17, when Ruri asked Rio about his relationships with Miharu, Aisia, Celia, Sara, Alma, and Orphia, he answered, “Family.” This is just my own speculation, but if the question had been about Sara and the others, I think he would have answered, “The kind of ‘like’ I feel for family.” But he didn’t say that to Aisia. It’s not the kind of “like” he feels for his sister, nor is it the kind of “like” he feels for family. So, to me, it seems natural to conclude that it’s the kind of “like” he feels for a member of the opposite sex.