Saji and Rio silently followed Vanessa and the others back toward the towering gates of the Beltrum royal castle. The grandeur of the structure was imposing, but neither boy seemed impressed. They were more focused on what would come next. Vanessa approached the guards stationed at the gate and began explaining the situation in hushed but firm tones.
After a brief delay and several skeptical glances, the guards eventually nodded and opened the massive iron gates, granting the group entry. Inside, things moved quickly. Saji, Rio, and the still-unconscious masked man were separated. The masked man was dragged away to a heavily warded chamber deep in the bowels of the castle—a room reserved only for the most dangerous criminals.
Saji and Rio, on the other hand, were brought to a separate interrogation chamber. The stone walls were lined with enchantments that suppressed magic. Inside, Vanessa quietly signaled a nearby investigator. He stepped forward, clipboard in hand and expression unreadable.
Saji, playing his role, answered all questions with calm and clarity, providing the same fabricated story he had told Vanessa earlier. He explained how he had followed the kidnappers from afar, careful to mask his true origins and powers. Rio played along, keeping quiet when needed and confirming details when asked.
---
Somewhere in the Slums...
In the very shack where the masked assassin had slaughtered his victims, a cloaked figure stood frozen in fear. The air still smelled of dried blood and burnt flesh. Beneath his hood, panic twisted his features as realization dawned—the assassin had been captured.
"No... no... this can't be happening," the man whispered, eyes darting around in paranoia.
He fumbled through his robes and retrieved a glowing red gem. Without hesitation, he crushed it between trembling fingers. A pulse of red light erupted from the gem and vanished in an instant.
---
Inside the Interrogation Chamber
In the special chamber where the masked man had been taken, the guards were preparing to start their work—tools of torture glinted under torchlight. But before they could begin, the man's body convulsed violently.
"AAAAAARGH!!"
His scream echoed through the stone walls like a banshee's wail.
The guards rushed forward—only to find him dead. Blood trickled from his nose, ears, and eyes, and a faint crack glowed on the back of his neck.
"He's gone… what the hell just happened?"
---
Back in the chamber with Saji and Rio, the door suddenly burst open. A small squad of armored guards stepped in, led by a man who radiated authority and smug superiority.
He was tall, with shoulder-length blond hair, keen brown eyes, and wore an ornate uniform unlike anything the boys had seen. His presence was suffocating.
"I'll be taking over this interrogation," he announced.
The guards quickly restrained Saji and Rio, clamping down magic-sealing cuffs on their wrists. The pressure of their magic being suppressed was suffocating.
"I am Charles Arbor, Royal Investigator of the King's Court," he declared with pride. "You two will confess to the crime of kidnapping Princess Flora. Now."
"What?! Are you insane?!" Saji snarled.
"You must be joking," Rio added coldly.
But Charles wasn't interested in logic or truth. When they refused to confess, the torture began.
For Saji, every wound, every lash, every punch healed within seconds, thanks to his regenerative factor. But Rio wasn't so lucky. He bore the brunt of the pain—his silence rewarded only with agony.
Saji burned with rage. He had endured much in his life—but watching Rio suffer pushed him past his limit. As Charles continued his relentless abuse, Saji's mind-reading ability activated, peeling away the lies.
> This bastard... He's doing this to save his own skin... trying to pin the blame on us so the King doesn't demote him.
Disgust twisted in Saji's chest. He clenched his jaw.
> You want blood, Charles? Then I'll give you some.
He subtly activated his Sharingan, locking eyes with the guards.
> Genjutsu: Mind Illusion.
The guards froze, eyes glazing over as the illusion took hold. Saji then turned to Charles, voice low and mocking.
"Come on, big man. Hit me again."
Charles, blinded by arrogance, fell for the provocation. He lunged forward.
SHINK!
With precise timing, a bone blade erupted from Saji's foot and slashed across Charles' left eye. Blood sprayed as Charles howled in pain, clutching his face.
Saji retracted the blade, released the guards from the genjutsu, and collapsed unconscious to the floor.
---
Third-Person POV – Four Days Later
Saji lay motionless in a large, luxurious bed in one of the guest chambers of the Beltrum Royal Castle. Sunlight filtered through silken curtains as two girls sat by his side.
Celia Claire, the noble girl, and Vanessa, the knight captain, had been taking turns watching over him.
Vanessa looked guilty. "I never should've left him alone with Charles Arbor…"
Suddenly, Saji's eyes snapped open.
The lightning mana around him surged, bolts of electricity dancing across the room.
Celia stood quickly. "Mhm! Please calm down. We're not going to hurt you."
"Oh yeah? Tell that to someone who believes it," Saji growled. "I came with you people to talk, and somehow that turned into a torture session."
"I'm so sorry for how you were treated," Celia said, her voice sincere.
Saji paused. His emotional detection kicked in—she meant every word. Her remorse was genuine. The tension in his muscles relaxed, and the lightning subsided.
With a sigh, he turned to them.
"So… what's going to happen to me now?"
Vanessa stepped forward. "His Majesty the King wishes to thank you and Rio for saving and protecting his daughter, Princess Flora. I will inform him at once."
She gave a respectful bow and left the room.
Saji glanced at Celia, who stood quietly. He rubbed the back of his neck, awkward.
"Mhm... sorry about that. You didn't deserve that outburst. You weren't one of the people who tortured me."
He stepped forward and extended his hand.
"Let's start over. Hi, my name is Jon Snow. What's your name?"
Celia blinked in surprise but smiled warmly as she took his hand.
"Pleasure to meet you. My name is Celia Claire."
And so, under the new identity of Jon Snow, Saji began a new chapter in the world of Seirei Gensouki.
Unbeknownst to him, he was no longer just a visitor in this world... he had become one of its main characters.