Rio and Latifa have entered a forest in the Wilderness. While she's sleeping, they're surrounded by a band of what appear to be demi-humans. The girls reveal themselves to be People of the Spirits. Rio tries to talk things out with them, but Uzuma, a winged beast person, finds Latifa and assumes that Rio has abducted her. Uzuma swoops down on Rio without giving him a chance to explain. Her sudden attack renders Rio unconscious. In his dreams, a beautiful girl with pink blonde hair appears to him as well as Amakawa Hayato's childhood friend, Ayase Miharu.

It's been over a year since Rio began living in the village, and now the day of the Grand Spirit Festival has arrived. With the blessing of the great tree spirit Dryas, Rio is recognized as a sworn friend to the People of the Spirits. That night, while everyone is having fun and feasting, Rio tells Latifa that he intends to leave the village. Unable to accept it, Latifa runs off into the forest. Meanwhile, an airborne intruder is detected and the warriors of the village go to investigate suspicious od reactions. What they discover is a huge flight of wyverns headed straight for the village.

Rio has left the village of the People of the Spirits and headed for his parents' homeland, Yaugumo. Unable to find any information on them, Rio searches and encounters the head of a small village in the Karasuki Kingdom, Yuba. When Rio tells Yuba the names of his parents, she's shocked—she and Rio have a profound connection. At Yuba's recommendation, Rio decides to live in the village and so a quiet, happy life alongside the villagers, including his cousin Ruri and a girl named Sayo, begins. Before long, the season turns to autumn, and they hear that the tax examiner will soon arrive to determine the amount of their annual tribute. Then, one day, Sayo's older brother Shin gets into a fight with men from the neighboring village.

Rio and the others have traveled to the royal capital of the Kingdom of Karasuki with the village's annual tribute as guards. With their duties fulfilled, Rio and Sayo head into the castle town. They enjoy a meal and are doing some shopping when wandering warriors attempt to abduct a young girl. Rio jumps into the fray and easily defeats them, saving the girl. Her name is Komomo and she's the tax examiner Hayate's younger sister. Hayate's father Gouki receives a letter from Yuba. What he reads astonishes him and he and his wife, Kayoko, visit the lodgings where Rio is staying. They reveal to Rio that they once served his mother, Ayame.

Having once again firmed his resolve to avenge his mother, Rio tells Yuba that he intends to return to the Strahl region. But prior to that journey, he passes peaceful, happy days in the village, keeping his royal heritage a secret from everyone but his cousin Ruri. Spring arrives, and after learning of Rio's eventual departure, Sayo returns home and collapses in tears. When her older brother Shin sees her like that, he can't just sit still. He goes to beg Rio to stay in the village, but...

Rio returns home to the village of the People of the Spirits. The next day, he wakes to find an unknown, beautiful, naked girl beside him...?! Latifa and the others peek into the room and chaos ensues, but it turns out that the girl is Rio's bond spirit. As she doesn't have a name, Rio gives her one-Aishia. Dryas, a spirit of great trees, appears after sensing the presence of a powerful spirit. At her urging, Rio and Aishia agree to fight in order to determine her combat capabilities.

Rio is shocked when he learns of Celia's marriage of convenience to Charles Arbor. The wedding is closing in quickly. It's to be held the next day. Rio uses Aishia's powers to sneak into the palace guest house to reunite with Celia. The sight of Rio's face makes Celia overflow with joy, but when she's asked if the wedding is something she truly wants, she replies by saying it's something she's agreed to. From beginning to end, Celia's smiling demeanor never falters. Rio is unable to discern her true feelings. The next day, a magnificent parade begins, heading toward the great temple where the wedding will be held.

The moment the carriage carrying Celia arrives at the great temple where the wedding is being held, a dark figure darts toward her, threading nimbly through the crowd. The figure who so easily overpowers the knights acting as guards in order to steal Celia away is Rio. In the face of Rio's straight-forward emotions, asking Celia once again what her will in the matter is, she finally speaks her true feelings... Then, a beam of light shoots upward from the royal capital. The same thing happens in other places in the Strahl region until six pillars of light pierce the sky...!