Futago Minaduki – illustratör

Rio is a run-of-the-mill seven-year-old orphan from the slums who serves as a lookout for a local gang. Yet when he falls into a fever, memories of a past life surface.After the gang shoos him away from their hideout to celebrate their latest haul, Rio wanders into town, still coming to terms with his new memories. There he crosses paths with a group of nobles looking for a missing girl.When Rio returns to the hideout, he finds the gang slaughtered—and the perp's still around! What's worse, the gang's haul was actually the girl the nobles were looking for.Rio has to combine the martial arts from his memories with the magic power of this world to fight his way out of trouble and save the lives of both the girl and himself!

As a reward for saving Princess Flora, Rio gets to leave behind his life in the slums and enroll in the Royal Institute!However, the story of a seven-year-old besting an assassin draws the eyes of the adults, while the other students don't look kindly on a commoner mingling with nobles.Rio has to contend with Charles Arbor, who has fallen out of favor for failing to catch the culprit behind Princess Flora's kidnapping, as well as Alphonse, a student with sway who refuses to accept a commoner among their ranks.It's up to Rio to demonstrate his worth in a practice match against Charles and in an outdoor drill with Alphonse. Will Rio be able to graduate safely, or will the pride and prejudice of nobles be too difficult to overcome?

Rio sets off for his hometown via parts unknown...so why does everything look so familiar? From udon restaurants to vanquished enemies bent on vengeance, he's seen it all before—either in this life or his previous one! Could there be others with a spirit connection to this world? Moreover, who is this fox girl trying to kill Rio?!

Rio's journey to Yagumo takes him and Latifa deeper into the forest—and its denizens aren't happy to see them! Can Latifa convince the Spirit Folk's warriors of Rio's innocence and forge a new bond? And what of Haruto's spirit still slumbering within Rio?

Life in the spirit forest is pleasant for Rio and Latifa—but alas, their time together there isn't meant to last. With a promise that he'll eventually return, Rio departs for his parents' hometown in the Yagumo region. A small village holding the secrets of his birth awaits him…

Rio has settled into village life with Chief Yuba, Sayo, and Ruri. A trip to the capital, however, has him sharing the secrets of his origins and his tragic past with the king and queen. As he prepares to leave the Yagumo village afterward, it seems Sayo also has something to share...