Rio

Rio carries two lives inside one body. He was once Haruto Amakawa, a Japanese college student who died suddenly before he could see his childhood friend again, and his memories and skills resurface inside a poor orphan boy named Rio in a fantasy kingdom after witnessing his mother's murder at the age of seven. That horror leaves Rio determined to find whoever was responsible.

Because he carries a young adult's memories inside a child's body, Rio comes across as unusually calm, thoughtful, and hard to read for someone his age. He rarely shows his true feelings, keeps a steady, polite expression even under pressure, and often thinks several steps ahead of the people around him, treating problems almost like puzzles to be solved rather than threats to panic over. Unlike most spellcasters in his world, he masters rare techniques that let him fly and channel a type of magic tied directly to spirits, skills that set him apart from everyone at his kingdom's academy.

Falsely accused of a crime early in the story, he is forced to flee and travels to a distant kingdom tied to his other life before returning home to pursue the people who wronged his family. Along the way he earns the loyalty of people who see past his calm mask, including his teacher Celia Claire, the fox-eared girl Latifa who comes to see him as an older brother, and princess Flora Beltrum, who recognizes him even after his appearance changes.