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.
And so time flowed on, with no
 news or contact with them.
.مرّ الوقت ولم نسمع أيّ أخبار أو معلومات عنهما
Die Zeit verging, ohne dass wir
von ihnen gehört hätten.
E così il tempo passò,
senza che giungesse da loro alcuna notizia.
E assim o tempo passou,
sem notícias deles.
Время шло, вестей от них не было.