Chapter 0730 Aftermath
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"So, trade is being carried out between the Nozoo Country in the north and the Western Countries. And you attacked this ship because you thought it was one of those trade ships."
"Yes…"
On the deck, the five captured pirates are being interrogated.
"They are answering incredibly readily."
"Well, that just makes it easier on us, right?"
"That's a smear on the name of pirates… no, even on the name of villains."
"Name of pirates? Name of villains?"
For some reason, Ryo was indignant, and Abel had no idea what he meant.
"The boss of a band of villains, even if caught, must not easily spill his guts. That is the code of honor between people in the same line of work."
"Code of honor…"
"You have to throw down a line like, 'Do your worst, torture and all! I will never talk!'."
"I-I see…"
"But then, when their subordinates are threatened, they finally crack. Stop! Fine, I'll tell you, don't lay a hand on him!… something like that, full of bitter regret."
"…"
"And then the subordinate cries, 'Boss…' and so on."
"…"
"After that kind of exchange, the information is extracted. I think that kind of stylized formality is necessary."
"As expected of Ryo… I'm always impressed by your sort of deluded sense of flair, Ryo."
Ryo spoke of stylized formality, and Abel coined yet another new term, delusional aesthetics.
Even so, Ryo found himself wondering as he looked at the pirates answering so readily without resistance.
The sooner a question is solved, the better.
And beside him was an expert in this field, after all.
"Abel, in the Central Countries, what kind of punishment do pirates receive?"
"Basically, death."
"The basic punishment is… death…"
"Unless there's some exceptional mitigating circumstance… like a neighboring village on land falling into famine and they turned to piracy purely to help the villagers there. Short of something like that, everyone involved gets the death penalty."
"That's an awfully exceptional case…"
"Exactly. That rarely happens. So basically, it ends in death."
Ryo was stunned, and Abel answered with a grimace.
Abel himself did not want to execute fellow citizens.
Not even if they were bad people… even outright villains.
Because even if they had once turned to wrongdoing, they could change their ways.
But he also understood, as a ruler, that there were times when heavy punishment had to be imposed to prevent the same kind of conduct.
"Pirates are like mountain bandits in that respect, but even if you defeat the raiders who attack you, you cannot simply hand them over to the navy or the guards right away. You have to take them to a place where you can hand them over, but while you're moving, you end up consuming food for the bandits too."
"Yeah, that's true."
"So there's also the aspect that we're basically forced to sentence them to death."
Food is not something you can just get anywhere, instantly.
That is even more true out at sea, where drinking water also becomes a problem.
When it is not only enough for the crew and passengers, but also for the pirates they have captured, then… it is not realistic.
"So not only in the Central Countries, but at least in the Western Countries too, pirates are basically sentenced to death."
"A practical reason why they can't be handed over to the people responsible for public order…"
Both Abel and Ryo gave a small shake of their heads.
"But trade is already being carried out with the Western Countries from around here, huh."
"So it seems."
"So it seems? Abel didn't know that? Aren't you a little underinformed…"
"No, it wasn't written in the report that came to me."
"Maybe Abel just skimmed right past it."
Ryo gave Abel a skeptical look.
"What's with that look? I remember most reports after reading them once! But there was nothing in there about the Western Countries trading with this area. Well, not all information is made public, and there's no guarantee the pirates are telling the truth."
"You mean they're lying? But what would be the point of that?"
"It doesn't necessarily mean they're lying. They may have been deceived, or not told, or fed false information… there are all sorts of possibilities."
Abel shrugged.
Not one in the world has access to every piece of information.
Information one believed to be true can, in fact, turn out to be wrong… that kind of thing happens all the time.
After continuing the interrogation for a while, Captain Paulina came over to the two of them.
"Your Majesty, I would like to report some of the information we obtained."
There are ten inhabited islands in the archipelago region, along with countless uninhabited ones.
The population of the archipelago region is around two thousand.
There is no real government, only regular gatherings on the largest island.
The northern country of Nozoo, which trades with the Western Countries, is also an island nation, though a rather large one.
Nozoo's population is unknown.
It is three days away by pirate ship from the archipelago region.
Trade between Nozoo and the Western Countries is conducted with large ships… which is why they apparently took the Skidbladnir for one of those trade ships.
No one paid attention to the ship's shape.
This time they committed piracy, but they claimed that under normal circumstances they were ordinary fishermen… though Paulina did not seem to believe that.
"Good work."
When Abel offered his thanks, Paulina hesitated for only a moment before steeling herself and speaking.
"Your Majesty, regarding the treatment of the prisoners…"
"Hm?"
"Under the laws of the Western Countries, those who commit piracy face the ultimate punishment… that is, death."
"Yeah. The same is true in the Central Countries."
"But those men are… if I may have Your Majesty's approval, I would like to release them here."
"Ooh?"
Abel was surprised by Paulina's words.
Ryo, listening silently beside him, was also a little surprised.
As had come up in his conversation with Abel earlier, not only for legal reasons but for practical ones as well, the death penalty was the norm.
"They are people from this archipelago region. In other words, there is no need to take them far away, and if we release them here, they will be able to make their way back to their islands on their own."
"I see."
"Even though it is burned and reduced to wreckage, parts of the pirate ship are still floating on the sea. If they use those, the injured ones should still be able to make it back to the island."
"That's true."
"Thinking about the future, I believe it would be better for your Your Majesty to show mercy."
"I see, the future… trial voyages and the opening of new routes, then."
Abel nodded at Paulina's explanation.
It seems the release of the pirates was being proposed with the long term in mind, and even at the level of a national project.
After thinking for a moment, Abel nodded.
"I will accept the captain's proposal and permit their release. I leave the finer details to you."
"Thank you."
Paulina bowed deeply, then left Abel's side and began giving instructions to the crew.
"Captain Paulina really is amazing. She proposed releasing them while thinking about the ships that will pass through this sea area in the future."
"Not something just anyone can do. People like that are valuable."
Both Ryo and Abel knew how difficult it was to make such a proposal.
It was what could be called a sophisticated political judgment, or perhaps an extraordinary measure outside the law.
When it comes to actions at the national level, things like that happen a lot… which is perfectly normal, but something ordinary citizens do not understand at all.
We live by the law, so why is the country doing something that seems to ignore the law?
That anger.
It's perfectly natural.
It is natural, but… the world is not made up of just one country.
There are other countries.
You cannot just do whatever you like while ignoring relations with other countries, or disregarding the people of those countries.
Something that seems normal to oneself is not necessarily normal elsewhere.
Anyone can understand that if they think about it… but people do not think in the first place.
That is why they do not understand.
"The world is so complicated and difficult."
"If only you could just do things according to the law… if everything were like that, governing a country would be easy."
"Is that something a king is supposed to say?"
"Hm?"
"You're supposed to set the standard for the people and uphold the law… that's the position you're in, right?"
"It is, but reality is more complicated, isn't it?"
"Yes, the world is complicated."
Both Abel and Ryo understood.
The importance of laws.
The importance of obeying rules.
And that if those things started to be treated lightly, order would collapse.
And yet, even so…
"Before long, history will surely prove that judgment to have been the right one."
"Is it the kind of thing that has to be entrusted to history?"
"History watches every human action with severity."
"Sounds like it has it rough too, history."
Ryo, having taken half a step into the path of historical studies, shrugged at the burden history carries.
History, without any concern, continues recording the world today as well.
-x-X-x-
Chapter 0731 Deck Sparring Match
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Having returned the pirates to the sea, the crew of the Skidbladnir continued on their journey.
After carefully reviewing the information they had obtained, Abel reached a decision.
"This time, we won't head for the Kingdom of Nozoo. We'll make for the Western Countries instead."
Someday, it was possible that diplomatic relations would be established between their country and the Kingdom of Nozoo.
But this time…
"I agree it would be unwise to sail into waters we've never traversed before with Your Majesty aboard."
Captain Paulina had said so without hesitation.
Hearing those words, Scotty, commander of the Royal Knights, gave a deep, emphatic nod in agreement.
With such firm opposition, Abel chose not to force the issue.
As originally planned, the Skidbladnir set a direct course for the Western Countries.
Everyone aboard the Skidbladnir devoted themselves wholeheartedly to their duties.
The crew worked diligently to ensure the ship's safe passage.
The Kingdom Knights devoted themselves to rigorous training so they would be ready to protect their lord whenever the need arose.
Their responsibilities differed, but many of them wore bright, energetic expressions.
Among them, however, was one knight with a troubled look on his face.
After agonizing over something for quite some time, the knight finally descended into the cargo hold.
A little while later, he returned to the deck carrying two objects in his hands.
"Duke Rondo, I ask that you grant me a sparring match and your instruction!"
"Huh?"
Knight Zack Cooler had challenged Ryo to a practice match.
A wooden sword rested in his right hand, thrust out toward Ryo.
Two people were stunned by the sight.
Scotty Cobook, like Zack, was a commander of the Royal Knights.
The other was King Abel.
Both of them had a pretty good idea why Zack had challenged Ryo.
"Hey, Zack!"
"R-Ryo, I need to talk to you about something work-related."
Scotty called out to Zack while Abel addressed Ryo.
Simply put, they were trying to separate the two.
Incidentally, Ryo had absolutely no idea why Zack had challenged him to a sparring match.
"Don't stop me, Scotty! I can't move forward until I've defeated that man!"
"Don't be ridiculous! He's a duke, for heaven's sake. The Premier Duke, no less. And what are you thinking, challenging a magician to a sword match? Even if you win… Sera-dono isn't suddenly going to turn around and choose you!"
"I know. I know, but…"
Scotty and Zack exchanged words in hushed voices.
Zack had long harbored unrequited feelings for the elf Sera.
He also knew that Sera was very close with Ryo standing before him.
He understood that sparring with Ryo wouldn't change anything.
He understood in his head.
But his heart still ached.
"I want to throw everything I've got at him… If I don't, I don't think I'll ever be able to move on."
"Zack…"
Scotty frowned.
He knew how Zack felt.
He also knew about the relationship between Ryo and Sera… not in detail, but he knew they were extremely close.
Zack had probably suppressed those feelings all this time.
But after witnessing yesterday's 'battle', that restraint was beginning to crumble.
Even so, the two of them were commanders of the Royal Knights.
Together, they commanded fifty knights.
And all of this was happening right in front of the men they led…
"Zack-san has been giving me scary looks ever since we first met."
"I-Is that so…"
"I might have done something to upset him, but I honestly can't remember what."
"M-Maybe something happened without you realizing it."
Ryo shook his head. Abel, who knew the whole story, had already decided not to tell him anything.
"So, Abel, you said you wanted to talk about work?"
"Huh? Ah, right…yeah."
That had simply been something Abel blurted out to separate the two.
Naturally, there wasn't any work to discuss.
Still, he had to keep the conversation going somehow…
"Ryo, you used to serve as the swordsmanship instructor for the Rune Knights, didn't you?"
"Yes, I did. Everyone was so motivated that it made teaching them really rewarding."
Recalling those days, Ryo nodded repeatedly.
"And what are you doing these days?"
"In the mornings, Sera and I have practice matches at the Elven Autonomous Office."
"I see…"
Abel nodded.
He vaguely remembered receiving a report about that…
As Ryo and Abel were talking, Zack approached them.
Behind him followed Scotty, his head hanging low.
Seeing that, Abel understood.
Scotty had failed to persuade Zack.
"Duke Rondo, I ask you once more. Please grant me your instruction."
Zack held out the wooden sword.
Ryo glanced at Abel.
Then, in a quiet voice, he asked,
"Should I handle this the same way I did back in Rune? Are there any taboos in the Royal Knights? Anything I absolutely shouldn't do?"
"You mean forbidden techniques? Not really. At worst, someone can cast
"I've never used a wooden sword before… but where I come from, we have something called a bokken. If you're struck in the wrong place, you can end up seriously injured. I imagine wooden swords here aren't much different."
Ryo gave a small shake of his head.
When he'd been instructing the Rune Knights, they'd used blunted steel swords.
Compared to those, perhaps the chances of a serious injury really were lower.
"So, basically I can treat this the same way I did back in Rune?"
"Yeah. No problem."
Ryo asked, and Abel nodded.
Then, as soon as he nodded, something occurred to him.
"Wait…wasn't your instruction at the Rune Knights basically beating everyone into the ground?"
Abel knew about it.
Apparently, because Sera, Ryo's predecessor, had taught that way, Ryo had simply followed her example.
"I said there wouldn't be a problem… but maybe there will be after all."
The king's quiet murmur failed to reach anyone's ears.
And so, atop the deck of the Skidbladnir, the sparring match between Ryo and Zack began.
"I look forward to learning from you."
"Yes, likewise."
Zack and Ryo exchanged greetings.
As always, Ryo settled into a middle guard stance. (TLN: Seigan-no-kamae kendo stance)
The instant he did, goosebumps ran down Zack's arms.
(What… is this feeling?)
It was a sensation he barely remembered.
No, long ago, when the former Captain of the Royal Knights had come to inspect them, Zack had been granted a practice match… he had felt these same goosebumps then.
(The former Captain of the Royal Knights… Marquis Alexis Heinlein. Are you telling me this is the same pressure as the legendary captain known as the 'Oni'?!)
I refuse to accept that!
"Uraaaah!"
Zack let out a fierce battle cry.
If he didn't, he felt the pressure would swallow him whole.
Abel noticed something as he watched Ryo.
"His footing… it's different from usual?"
Abel had witnessed Ryo fight in earnest several times before.
Each time had been against formidable opponents.
Back then, Ryo's stance had been front to back… with his right foot forward and his left foot behind.
But now, his feet were spread sideways.
His right foot was still slightly ahead… but nowhere near as much as usual.
With his normal stance, he would drive off the ground and instantly leap into his opponent's range.
This time, however… rather than moving first himself, it felt as though he was planting himself firmly to receive whatever attack came his way…
"Uraaaah!"
Once again, Zack shouted as he charged in.
His fastest downward slash.
Clack!
The distinctive sound of wooden swords colliding echoed across the deck.
Ryo firmly received Zack's downward strike.
But that first exchange seemed to clear Zack's mind.
His relentless barrage immediately began.
Its speed was astonishing.
Even the Royal Knights watching from around them couldn't help voicing their admiration.
Their commander was truly living up to his reputation.
However, the two men who understood swordsmanship best saw something entirely different.
"This isn't sparring anymore. Zack is swinging as if he's trying to cut him down…"
"Zack has completely lost his composure."
Those observers were Scotty Cobook, commander of the Royal Knights, and Abel, formerly an A-rank swordsman.
Zack's ferocious barrage stemmed from not having any leeway.
Their assessment was correct.
(What is this guy? What's with him? Just what the hell is this guy?!)
Zack Cooler was a commander of the Royal Knights.
Ordinarily, he was a warrior strong enough to command fifty Royal Knights.
Yet now he was being utterly overwhelmed by the sword of the robed magician standing before him.
(I don't feel like I can land even a single hit. This defense… it's like striking a boulder!)
Zack unleashed one furious combination after another.
But every swing was driven by the crushing pressure radiating from the robed magician before him.
And despite attacking with everything he had, he couldn't find any opening.
The result was growing despair.
Yet despite maintaining that impregnable defense, the moment Zack's assault paused for even an instant, Ryo answered with a sweeping horizontal slash or a thrust to keep him in check.
Yes, Zack knew they were merely probing attacks.
He knew that, yet he also knew that if he made a single mistake, one of those strikes would put him down… they were that sharp.
(You can't call attacks like these 'probes'!)
Zack screamed inwardly.
They were both using wooden swords.
And yet, the idea of a probing strike capable of ending the match in a single blow if dodged poorly was absurd.
Yet the sword flashes were so sharp that he instinctively understood.
They looked razor-sharp, yet at the same time, they carried tremendous weight.
(That weight… it's because every strike comes from his hips. It's not just the sword's weight or his arms. It's not just his upper body, either. His knees, hips, and shifting center of gravity all work together perfectly, that's why his sword feels so heavy. Even I can't do that. Scotty couldn't either. Abel… yes, Abel probably could. Does that mean this guy's swordsmanship is on Abel's level? What the hell?!)
Zack's thoughts spiraled into chaos.
Naturally, that turmoil began to appear in his swordsmanship as well.
Most of the spectators failed to notice.
That was because Zack had devoted himself wholeheartedly to the sword over the past four years.
His emotions rarely manifested themselves in his technique anymore.
It was proof of how thoroughly he had honed his blade.
Even so…those with discerning eyes could still see it.
"It's difficult to swing a sword with a perfectly calm mind."
"If even Your Majesty says that, then perhaps it's impossible for anyone."
Standing beside Abel and watching the match, Scotty responded to the king's quiet remark.
"You can see Zack's mind wavering."
"Yes."
"But the other one…"
"Duke Rondo… Ryo-dono is incredible. He's like the surface of still water, without so much as a ripple."
"As expected of you, Scotty. That's a poetic way of putting it."
"Please don't tease me."
When someone as handsome as Scotty spoke so poetically, it created quite an atmosphere.
Abel had been his classmate, so he'd watched for years as Scotty effortlessly attracted the opposite sex.
Since Scotty himself spoke that way without the slightest awareness… Abel imagined the hearts of those who admired him had been the exact opposite of a perfectly still surface.
"Anyway… regrettably, Zack doesn't stand a chance against Duke Rondo in his current state of mind."
"Ah… even if Zack's mind were perfectly calm, he still wouldn't beat Ryo."
"It feels problematic that a knight can't defeat a magician in a sword fight. That's why I chose my words carefully."
"You don't need to worry about that. Besides, Ryo succeeded Sera as the swordsmanship instructor of the Rune Knights, remember?"
"…Huh?"
Abel stated the fact plainly, and Scotty looked utterly bewildered.
"Well, it was before the Kingdom Liberation War, so it's been about five years now…"
"The Rune Knights… you mean the Knights of the Rune Frontier Count?"
"That's right."
"The Rune Frontier County Knights who are renowned for their strength?"
"That's right."
"The Rune Frontier County Knights where Sera-dono served as swordsmanship instructor?"
"Exactly. And after Sera stepped down, Ryo took over as the swordsmanship instructor."
"…Then Zack never stood a chance."
"Don't look at me…"
Scotty spoke in exasperation, while Abel merely shrugged.
In truth, the period during which Ryo officially served as the Rune Knights' swordsmanship instructor had not been very long.
Even so, because he had repeatedly sparred with Sera in front of the knights long before his official appointment, every knight of the Rune Knights regarded him with the utmost respect…
"But even so, knowing Zack…"
"Yeah. He'll eventually gamble everything on one decisive move."
"And if Ryo-dono fails to defend against it, he could be seriously injured…"
"Hmm, I wonder about that. Well, let's just watch and see."
Scotty worried. Abel did not in the slightest.
Both men knew Zack well.
The difference between them was really the difference in how well they understood Ryo.
The sparring match continued.
Zack attacked. Ryo defended.
Gradually, however, Ryo's probing strikes began grazing Zack's body.
It wasn't because Ryo's sword had become sharper. Rather, Zack had begun trimming away his safety margin, pushing closer and closer to the limit.
Why?
To land a decisive finishing blow, of course.
(I'll only get one chance. One is enough. I'll bait out that diagonal probing slash. That'll lower his sword… then I'll finish it in one strike!)
Even with his thoughts in turmoil, Zack had been carefully analyzing Ryo's swordsmanship.
Among Ryo's many probing attacks, he had concluded that the easiest one to counter was the diagonal slash.
A strike descending from Zack's left shoulder toward his right hip.
He would evade it, then strike.
And then…
Zack unleashed a horizontal sweep.
Ryo evaded it and answered with the expected diagonal slash.
(Now!)
Zack narrowly slipped past the very tip of Ryo's blade and brought his own sword crashing down with all his strength.
Without question, it was a decisive finishing blow.
Clack!
A light sound rang out as Zack's wooden sword was knocked upward.
Both of the arms holding it were thrown into the air as well.
His torso lay completely exposed…
One strike.
A lightning-fast body blow, swift as the wind.
Zack collapsed to the deck.
-x-X-x-
Chapter 0732 Zack Gives It His All
-x-X-x-
And so, the two of them's sparring match came to an end.
When he took a blow to the body, Zack collapsed, but of course he had not suffered any serious injury.
It was a sparring match, after all, and they were using wooden swords.
Rather, it was his spirit that had broken when he collapsed…
"Impressive. Did you catch the last one with the hilt?"
"Yes. He had baited me into the diagonal slash, so I took him up on it, and when the downward strike came, I… caught it with the hilt, between both fists, lifted it, and then went for his torso."
"That's very much like you, both fists spread apart like that."
"It's a cool move."
It was a move he had seen at the All Japan Kendo Championship back when he was on Earth.
"Still, I learned a lot. As expected of a company commander in the Royal Knight Order. The fact that he could keep up that kind of relentless combo must be because he never skipped training, right? His sword work was proper, and his body movement, or rather his footwork, was proper too. I could feel that there was no cutting corners anywhere in his swordsmanship. Zack's swordsmanship is the Hume style that Abel studied, right?"
"That's right. Even if he doesn't look it, that fellow's Cooler family is a famous warrior house that has produced knights for generations. To be honest, when he was younger, he did not really throw himself into swordsmanship all that seriously, but these past four years it seems he has changed his ways and is devoting himself to the path of the sword."
"Yes, yes. I could feel his seriousness. Um, I would like to hear the reason he changed his ways. It might be useful for my life going forward."
"Ahhh, well… I wonder about that. Isn't that something you'd be better off not asking?"
Ryo innocently voicing his hopes, and Abel, stopping him because he knew the full story.
Abel felt that he should change the subject.
"When I first heard you say you were going to do it like in Rune, I panicked because I thought you meant you were going to completely knock him down."
"Knocking him down would serve no purpose, would it? Since it is a sparring match, you should do something that becomes your own lesson and lets you learn what you want to take in, right?"
"What you want to take in?"
"How should I put it… I go into sparring with a theme in mind."
"With a theme in mind? What do you mean?"
"It is hard to explain, but… for example, in today's one, I was focusing on 'defending mainly with my upper body without moving my feet too much'."
"I see. I thought so from the start, since your stance and footwork were different from usual."
"As expected of Abel. You noticed from the very beginning."
Ryo said it with honest surprise.
Abel's observation meant that because he knew Ryo's usual stance and way of fighting, he could tell that today was different from that.
"My information is being stolen by Abel."
"I watch closely because I want to know everyone's swordsmanship. You never know when it might be useful, do you?"
Abel answered with a laugh to Ryo's deliberately ominous words.
"Zack's sword earlier… his combo was sharp."
"Well, Zack is not weak by any means."
"What an arrogant way to put it."
"No, I mean Zack is not weak, but he was being swallowed by Ryo's pressure."
"My pressure? Did I really have that? I was not putting out any 'pressure' or anything."
At Abel's remark, Ryo tilted his head.
"It was not the kind of superficial 'pressure' you usually exude. It was something more fundamental, something only a swordsman, or a knight, would understand… in other words, fear."
"Fear?"
"The fear that if you strike at this guy, he will get you in return… the kind of fear you cannot help feeling."
"I had that? That is kind of cool."
Ryo wore an expression mixed with embarrassment and delight.
"I did end up defeating Zack at the end, but was that all right?"
"He did not take any serious injuries, did he?"
"No, I mean in terms of appearances, or his standing, I guess."
Zack was a company commander, and he led half of the Royal Knight Order aboard ship.
Ryo was worried that he had crushed that dignity.
"No problem. Just look at the knights."
But Abel said it was fine.
In fact, the knights had already started swinging their swords.
Because of the limited deck space, even those who could not swing them were talking eagerly about the sparring match from earlier.
Regardless of who had won in the end, it seemed to have breathed new motivation into the knights' hearts.
"That's a relief."
Seeing that, Ryo sighed in relief.
While they were fighting, he had been thinking that it might be better to end without particularly settling the score.
However, Zack's sword was extremely sharp, and as they fought, Ryo had gotten fired up too.
Of course, not to the point of losing his composure…
"In a practical format like a sparring match, you notice all kinds of things no matter who you fight."
"Yeah, that's certainly true. There are times when you get attacked or defended against in ways you never expected, or when you are shown sword movements and body movements you had never imagined."
"That's right! It's so educational."
Ryo nodded very happily.
Ryo did not think of himself as a battle maniac.
Still, he did know that he did not dislike crossing swords… he was aware of that.
To Ryo, sparring was not a true life-or-death fight, so it was something he did not dislike, and rather liked.
While the two of them were having that conversation, the two company commanders approached them.
"Your Grace, Duke Rondo, thank you for the guidance."
Saying that, Zack bowed deeply.
"Oh, not at all. It was a very educational sparring match. Thank you as well."
Ryo had been a little worried that Zack, who had bowed so vigorously, might be dragging the damage from the sparring match along with him, but he looked fine, so Ryo felt relieved.
Zack then turned toward his lord and continued.
"Your Majesty Abel, I have cleared my head."
"O-oh, is that so?"
"I was not nearly enough."
"Hmm?"
"From here on, I will devote myself even more seriously to the path of the sword. I have come to understand that if I do not, I will not come anywhere close."
"…Hmm?"
"Then, if you will excuse me."
Saying that, Zack, in a sense, with an air of exuberance, walked to the opposite side of the deck and started swinging his sword.
"He said he had cleared his head, but not about that matter?"
"It doesn't seem so. I think he only cleared his mind of the frustration he had been carrying."
"Is that so… Well, never mind."
Scotty and Abel exchanged whispered words.
Yes, Zack had not cleared his head about Sera's matter.
He had only cleared his head in the sense that he needed to try harder.
Even if it were not the two of them, frankly, it would be hard to understand.
And then there was one more person, the Premier Duke, who was mistakenly admiring Zack's figure.
"Zack is amazing, isn't he? He is full of motivation. To say that he will devote himself to the path of the sword… I do not think many knights could state that so clearly right in front of their lord, the king."
"Y-yeah, that's true…"
Abel could not say anything else.
-x-X-x-
Chapter 0733 Storm
-x-X-x-
The voyage westward had been going smoothly, even with the mock battle between Ryo and Zack taking place along the way.
That was, until they encountered it.
"Storm's coming!"
The lookout's shout sent a wave of tension through the ship.
"So it finally happened…"
"It can keep monsters away and even turn the tables on pirates, but a storm is another matter…"
Ryo and Abel both grimaced.
Abel suddenly had a question and asked Ryo.
"Doesn't this ship have any mechanism for dealing with storms?"
"Nope."
Ryo answered with a look of regret.
"A storm is the most troublesome thing for a ship, isn't it? And yet there's nothing?"
"It certainly is troublesome, but at the same time, there's nothing we can do about it."
Ryo answered while giving a small shake of his head.
"The energy of a storm… well, its power, I suppose. It isn't something people can do anything about. All we can do is pray that it passes before it does too much damage. Humans are always powerless in the face of nature's overwhelming fury."
"I see. But I'd rather avoid having the sails or masts break."
Abel had experienced storms at sea before.
Twice, in fact.
It was because of one of those storms that he had washed ashore in Rondo Forest.
"Yes… you're right."
Ryo thought for a moment.
Skidbladnir had already furled all its sails.
It was what all sailing ships did to prepare for a storm.
But there was nothing they could do about the three enormous masts.
For a sailing ship caught in a storm, capsizing is the most frightening thing.
Damage to the masts comes next.
A mast that breaks in the middle of a storm can damage the ship's equipment as it falls.
And even after the storm has passed, if the mast is broken, they can no longer set the sails…
What do you do if a mast is damaged?
If the broken mast is still there, or if it can be recovered, you join it back together… even if it looks somewhat awkward and its strength is reduced, you simply have to accept that.
Then, if you happen to spot an island or some other land along the way, you obtain some wood there and carve out a mast yourselves…
The sea is a harsh world indeed.
To keep that from happening, was there some good way to prevent it?
Ryo thought.
What caught his eye was a red old man and the coffin.
"A coffin… putting it in a box… wrapping it in a box… Ah, maybe…"
Ryo suddenly had an idea.
"What is it, Ryo?"
"Yes, if all we need to do is prevent it from breaking… I think there might be a way."
"Really?!"
Abel seized on Ryo's mutterings.
That was unusual these days.
Abel knew.
He knew what happened to ships swallowed up by storms.
He had experienced it firsthand when he was on the smuggling ship.
If they could avoid that…
"I'm going to tell Captain Paulina."
"I see. If that is possible, I would certainly like you to do so."
"The swaying will still be a problem, since it's caused by the movement of the sea surface…"
"No, even being able to prevent damage would be a great help."
After Ryo explained, Paulina thought for a moment before accepting his proposal.
"Then, here I go.
When Ryo chanted, walls of ice covered the entirety of Skidbladnir.
The entire ship, which was more than one hundred meters long.
At that very moment, the strong wind blowing across the deck stopped.
"Oh…"
Paulina could not help but gasp in surprise.
Even for a woman who had spent almost her entire life aboard ships, it was her first time experiencing anything like this.
She was not the only one.
The crew members who had been frantically moving about on deck in preparation for the storm also stopped in surprise.
Then they looked up at the sky.
They realized it. The storm had not gone away.
Rather, they had been wrapped in and protected by some immense power.
"Certainly, this should be enough. However, Your Grace, forgive me for asking, but how long will your magic power last?"
"Ah… I wonder. If all I have to do is maintain
"Oh."
"That's amazing."
Paulina, and Abel as well, were astonished by Ryo's answer.
Even Abel, who had known him for a long time, found it beyond anything he had imagined.
Yes, even though Abel usually dismissed almost anything with 'because it's Ryo', maintaining an ice wall of this scale for three days was…
"Are you really going to be okay?"
He was so concerned that he found himself asking Ryo again.
"Who do you think I am? 'The Reckless One, thy name is Ryo.' Leave it to me."
"I don't really understand, but being reckless is not something to be proud of."
"Well, really, it's fine as long as I'm only maintaining it.
Ryo assured him.
And then Skidbladnir was swept into the storm.
Skidbladnir was buffeted by waves as high as several-story buildings.
In the quarters at the stern, two nobles were speaking with pale faces from seasickness.
"As long as
"That alone is amazing. Although this swaying is something else…"
"As long as we don't somehow float off the surface of the sea… this swaying can't be helped… Float? With a water jet… it's theoretically possible to make the entire ship float… but perhaps it's a little too big? I could make it a one-shot gamble… and if I fail, we all fall together? Since there's safety in everyone falling together… should I give it a try?"
"Yeah, don't."
Abel stopped Ryo's spirit of challenge from a risk-management perspective.
"Since the Golden Hind was able to do it… there's no reason why Skidbladnir shouldn't be able to…"
"That one was designed and built as a ship that could fly through the sky… Its starting point is different…"
"Damn… one day, Skidbladnir will also be refitted into an aerial clipper ship…"
"Assuming it can sail several thousand kilometers…"
Because they were suffering from severe seasickness due to the violent swaying, Abel and Ryo's conversation came in broken fragments.
"Oh, right, Ryo."
"Yes?"
"Say what you just said in the Dark Continent language."
"Eh…"
A sudden special remedial lesson in the Dark Continent language.
"…గోల్డెన్ హింద్ దీన్ని చేయగలిగితే, స్కిజ్బ్లాజ్నిర్ దీన్ని ఎందుకు చేయలేకపోవడానికి కారణం లేదు"
"Ooh, not bad, not bad. Since the Golden Hind could do it, there's no reason why Skidbladnir can't. Good, the results of your studying are showing."
"Hehehe… if I get serious… this much is a piece of cake."
"Piece of chee? Well, it's good to see that your mastery of the Dark Continent language is progressing smoothly."
Abel was satisfied with Ryo's performance.
Of course, that did not change the fact that they were still in the middle of a storm.
Skidbladnir was protected by
The swaying was terrible.
Absolutely terrible.
"Captain Paulina, who came to give her report earlier… said it too, didn't she? Even experienced crew members would get seasick with this much swaying."
"She did. And yet… the captain herself wasn't seasick at all…"
"People like that really exist, huh?"
Ryo gave a small shake of his head.
Yes, Paulina was not seasick.
Even when reporting to Abel, she had her feet spread slightly wider than usual, but she reduced the effects of the swaying simply by shifting her weight, never falling over or anything of the sort…
"That might be… training in shifting her center of gravity, something swordsmen need."
"Yeah, the fact that that's where your thoughts went… is proof that you're a battle maniac, Ryo."
Of course, even during a storm, it was not as though the ship was always being shaken at maximum intensity.
There were periods of severe swaying, but there were also periods when the swaying was less violent.
But even with such minor swaying, naturally, the two of them could not stand up.
The storm lasted for seven days and seven nights.
During that time, the ship continued to be swept along.
As though guided by something.
At last, the storm passed, and the two went out onto the deck.
"I never knew sunlight could be this wonderful."
"Yeah, that was rough."
If you put Ryo and Abel's words to paper exactly as spoken, it would look like this, and they might seem no different from before the storm.
But in reality… they had lost weight.
"With that much swaying, I suppose…"
"It's been a long time since we had to get by on bread, dried meat, and water."
Even Chef Kobatch, for all his skill, had been unable to cook aboard a ship being tossed around by a storm.
The Djinn and the coffin came over to the two of them.
"I am impressed, Ryo."
"Huh? Coffin-san… no, Regna-san?"
"Your supply of magic power is magnificent. To continue supplying magic and maintaining an ice wall for seven days despite being human is truly impressive."
"Indeed. As expected of the Fairy King's favorite."
"Ah, you're too kind."
Coffin Regna and the Djinn Merlin praised him, making Ryo blush.
However, those two were not done yet.
"You're far more capable than this Spellno over here."
"You insolent coffin, come out of your box. I'll beat that smart mouth out of you."
"Interesting. Go ahead and try, if you can."
"No, please don't. You'll break the ship."
Merlin and Regna traded barbs, while sensible Ryo stopped them.
Abel silently shook his head.
That day, the dinner marking their first meal in seven days was, naturally, 'karaage'.
"Just as expected of Chef Kobatch."
"Yeah, right?"
Ryo and Abel praised the choice of dish and enjoyed its deliciousness just as they had hoped.
Of course, on deck, the Kingdom's knights as well as the crew were also enjoying the fried chicken.
Amid them, the two spotted some people using instruments to observe the stars in the sky and recording their observations on the sea charts spread out on a table.
At the center of it all was First Officer Rochea.
A little farther away, Captain Paulina was also there, receiving reports from Rochea as they came in, so the two decided to go over and ask.
"Captain, you're calculating where we are, aren't you?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. We were swept quite a long way off course during the storm."
"That expression on your face means there's a possibility we've drifted farther from the Western Countries?"
Abel read it from the slightest change in Paulina's expression.
"Very soon…"
Just as Paulina began to speak, Navigator Rochea came over.
"King Abel, Captain, I've determined our location."
"Very well. Where are we?"
"Off the coast of the Dark Continent."
"I see."
"Eh…"
Paulina had anticipated Rochea's answer, while Abel and Ryo were left speechless.
"If we continue westward at this pace, by tomorrow morning we'll be able to see Vamos Island, northeast of the Dark Continent."
-x-X-x-
Chapter 0734 Vamos Island
-x-X-x-
"We've skipped the Western Countries and came straight to the Dark Continent."
"Skipped?"
"Ah… you mean without stopping by?"
"That's right."
"What should we do?"
"What else can we do? Well, we were planning to go to the Dark Continent eventually anyway… We can go to the Western Countries after the Dark Continent. It just means we'll do it in the reverse order."
"I can't tell whether you're broad-minded or simply haven't thought things through at all. When the king is like this, the people around him have a hard time."
"I feel like you, of all people, shouldn't be saying that to me, Ryo."
Ryo shook his head slightly with a troubled expression, while Abel shrugged with a look that seemed to say he was offended.
"Your Majesty, what would you like to do?"
Captain Paulina asked Abel for his decision.
Abel is not an adventurer.
He is in a position of responsibility for more than a hundred people.
Paulina, under him, is likewise in a position of responsibility for the crew.
"Captain, sorry about this, but we'll stop at the Dark Continent first. After that, I want you to head for the Western Countries."
"Understood."
"I've heard that people only live along the coast in the Dark Continent?"
"Yes, that is correct. In particular, the only area that trades with the Western Countries is the northern coast of the continent. Vamos Island, which we should be able to see tomorrow, is an independent island nation, but beyond that, the Eastern Countries and the Western Countries Federation* govern much of the coastline. Apparently, if you travel a little inland, there are oasis cities, as well as towns and small nations that are not under the control of either great power, but… we people of the Western Countries know very little about them." (TLN: This Eastern/Western Countries refers to counties within the Dark Continent and not the broader continents we know)
"I see. Then perhaps we should go from Vamos Island to the Eastern Countries and the Western Countries Federation, making our way along the coast from east to west. After that, we'll head for the Western Countries. Is that possible?"
"Understood."
Thus, King Abel's journey to the west would be changed drastically from the very beginning.
After that decision had been made, a certain old man in red and a coffin came to Ryo and Abel.
"Fairy King's favorite, and King Abel, I have come to take my leave."
"Merlin-san?"
"Did you say you were taking your leave?"
Ryo and Abel asked again, unable to understand what Merlin meant.
"Yes. The ship is stopping at the Dark Continent, is it not?"
"Yeah, sorry, that's how it turned out."
"It is fine. I am only someone who was given a ride. I tried something a little while ago, and it seems I can teleport to my dungeon from here."
"Oh…"
Ryo let out a surprised voice.
"And, actually, I do not want to set foot on the Dark Continent."
"Why?"
"There is a troublesome fellow of golden color there. I do not even want to get close to him."
Merlin gives a wry smile in response to Abel's question.
Ryo took it to mean that there was a Djinn on the Dark Continent who did not get along with Merlin.
"So… I understand about you, Merlin-san, but…"
Ryo glanced at the coffin standing beside Merlin.
"I shall also teleport with Merlin."
"Even though you do nothing but complain to me, you only say things like that at times like this…"
The coffin… or rather, Regna makes the declaration, and Merlin grumbles.
"After that, I think I will travel around the Western Countries."
"I see."
Ryo nodded at Regna's words.
He nodded, but then a question occurred to him.
How is he going to travel around?
Surely he would not do it while remaining in the coffin?
No, there was no way he would actually do that…
"This box is comfortable."
"W-what…"
Everyone had their own way of life.
"If you happen to stop by the West Dungeon, let me know. I will treat you to some delicious coffee."
"I hope we can meet somewhere before I disappear."
After saying that, Merlin and Regna left the Skidbladnir by teleportation.
The next morning.
Ryo and Abel stood at the bow of the Skidbladnir, peering through a spyglass.
"Indeed… I can faintly see land."
"That must be Vamos Island."
"Sailors really are amazing, aren't they?"
"Hm?"
"They can determine where they are just from the positions of the stars out on the vast open sea, where there's nothing around them to see, right? In a world without GPS."
"JeePeeEs?"
It was a word Abel did not know.
Captain Paulina came over to the two of them.
"Your Majesty, in a little while, I believe a patrol ship will come and conduct an inspection. It's a perfectly ordinary procedure along the coast of the Dark Continent…"
"Ok, I'll leave that to you, Captain. If necessary, you can have them verify my identity or do whatever else is required."
"Thank you."
After Paulina left, Ryo spoke to Abel.
"This time, you actually remembered to wear your identification plate."
"Well, yeah."
Yes, when they had been sent flying to the Eastern Countries, Abel had not been wearing his plate… and Ryo had suffered because of it.
"That was a real ordeal…"
"Uh, yeah. Sorry about that."
Abel sincerely apologized to Ryo's complaint.
In fact, ever since returning from the Eastern Countries, Abel had always worn his plate.
"Because Abel wasn't wearing his plate, I couldn't do the Mito Komon role-play. That was a major loss."
"Mito Komon role-play?"
"Since things seem fine this time, let's do it somewhere."
Ryo started working out the details of the idea in his head.
"What is this extremely ominous feeling I have?"
Seeing Ryo like that, Abel frowned.
He assumed that whatever it was, it must be something terrible.
Well, he was more or less right…
They had been informed about the patrol ship, but even as the Skidbladnir approached Vamos Island, no ship came.
"They're not coming."
"That's strange."
Ryo and Abel continued talking while peering through their spyglasses.
The port of Vamos Island seemed to be on the opposite side of the island, so the two of them couldn't see it.
However…
"Doesn't it look like smoke is rising from the other side of the island?"
"Yeah… now that you mention it. Maybe everyone is preparing breakfast?"
While Abel and Ryo were having this peaceful conversation…
Clang, clang, clang. Clang, clang, clang…
A bell rang out across the deck.
"Huh?"
"An attack?"
Of course, neither Ryo nor Abel could see any hostile ship attacking them.
But the crew silently began furling the sails and placing shields and bows and arrows on the deck.
In response, the Royal Knights led by Zack and Scotty also began surrounding Abel with shields in hand.
Neither Zack nor Scotty knew exactly what was happening.
However, they could tell that something abnormal was about to happen, so they first ensured their lord's safety.
While this was happening, Captain Paulina came over.
"Your Majesty, it appears that fighting is taking place at the port of Vamos Island."
"That smoke is from that?"
"Yes. Rather than entering the port directly, we will circle to the waters offshore and assess the situation."
"Understood. I support the Captain's judgment."
Abel immediately accepted Paulina's explanation.
Abel quickly looked toward Vamos Island through his spyglass.
"There isn't any smoke rising from anywhere else on the island, is there?"
"No, there isn't."
Ryo answered Abel.
Then Abel's gaze turned upward and behind them.
In the direction he was looking was the mast of the Skidbladnir.
"They must have confirmed that there was fighting from the top of the mast."
"Probably. Don't go climbing up there and getting in the way, okay?"
"I won't. Honestly, Abel, what do you think I am?"
"A selfish magician?"
"What an outrageous thing to say!"
Abel casually answered while continuing to look through his spyglass, and Ryo took offense.
The Skidbladnir continued moving as it attempted to circle to the port side of the island.
Meanwhile…
"Captain! Please come take a look! "
A lookout called out from the mast.
As soon as Paulina heard him, she turned around and nimbly climbed the mast, landing at the lookout post and looking through the spyglass.
"She's quite nimble."
"As expected of the Captain."
"But that expression…"
"Would you say she can't quite decide what to make of it?"
Ryo and Abel tried to read Paulina's expression from the deck.
Her expressions hardly changes, but the two of them had gradually become able to understand it somehow.
Her current expression would probably be 'confusion'.
"Helmsman, circle while keeping your distance from the port. Do not approach under any circumstances!"
"Aye, sir!"
"Deck, watch out for arrows and long-range magic!"
"Understood!"
Paulina's orders flew down from the mast.
"Long-range magic?"
"At this distance?"
Ryo and Abel tilted their heads in confusion.
"Could you make magic reach this distance, Ryo?"
"If all I have to do is make it reach, then yes, but… it would be difficult to see the target clearly, right? I think precise magic attacks would be difficult."
Ryo answered honestly.
Even while maintaining a distance at which magic would be difficult even for Ryo, Paulina was ordering them to prepare for it.
Just what did she see from the mast?
"The Captain made that judgment. When she has some free time, she'll come and report to us."
"I honestly think that side of Abel shows how broad-minded you are."
"Hm?"
"You know how sometimes there are bosses who say things like, 'Report every little thing to me!'?"
"Ah… Well, I can understand that feeling to some extent… But to begin with, I'm not an expert in handling ships or naval combat. I can't judge what is right, so I'm simply leaving it to someone more knowledgeable."
"That's what I mean when I say it's impressive. Because even if things don't go well after that, you wouldn't blame the person you entrusted it to, right?"
"Of course not. I'm the one who made the decision to entrust it to them. If things don't go well, shouldn't I be the one to take responsibility? Being a king means taking responsibility for things… or so I'm told. My elder brother said that before."
"As expected of Crown Prince Caindish."
Ryo nodded as he praised Abel's elder brother, the former Crown Prince Caindish, whom he had taken a very high opinion of on his own.
Easy to say, hard to do… Ryo thought this was the perfect example.
A superior taking responsibility for a subordinate's failure… if it meant getting fired himself, he would be sacrificing his own family as well.
All because of a subordinate's mistake.
When faced with a situation like that in reality, most people would be forced to make a difficult decision.
"Still, maybe Abel is simply abnormal."
"I don't understand what you mean."
That was Ryo's conclusion, and Abel's complaint.
At last, Captain Paulina gave permission, and the Skidbladnir moved a little closer to the port.
By then, the two of them could see what was happening in the port even from the deck where they were standing.
"It's certainly a fierce battle, but…"
"A few people are putting on quite a display against an entire army?"
"Looks like it. But those few people…"
"They're not killing their opponents. They're just rendering them incapable of fighting…"
Both Abel and Ryo had noticed it.
But there was something even more abnormal.
"Are they fighting bare-handed?"
"They aren't carrying swords or anything… but they're wearing gauntlets on their hands and something like greaves on their legs, and they're punching and kicking."
"Yeah… Somehow, their attacks look incredibly powerful."
"Literally, the people they hit are being blown away."
That's right. They were being blown about three meters away.
Just like in an anime or manga.
It was a little hard to believe.
After watching closely for a while, Ryo figured it out.
"They're enchanted."
"Enchanted? That's the magic unique to the Western Countries, right? Granting attributes to weapons, increasing attack power, increasing movement speed…"
"Yes, that's it. So there's an Enchanter among them."
Ryo nodded in response to Abel's confirmation.
The Enchanter Ryo knew was Ash Khan, who was part of the Hero's Party.
Of course, she was not among those fighting.
"Are they deliberately striking the leather armor?"
"Yeah. That's probably why they're not dying even when they're blown away."
"Those people look like adventurers, don't they?"
"Yeah, they do."
The vibe given off by adventurers was different from that of regular soldiers or knights.
Completely different.
Of course, you could usually tell from their equipment and clothing as well, but Abel, who spent a long time as an adventurer, knew it well.
"But if that's the case, it means adventurers and the army of a country are fighting each other."
"Yeah. And it's not something like a garrison… it's a regular army. No, more like an elite unit such as the Imperial Guard, right?"
"Their equipment is impressive, too."
"Why are they fighting, I wonder?"
Ryo and Abel both tilted their heads in confusion.
Captain Paulina came over to the two of them.
"Your Majesty, I believe we should remain here and wait."
They were just barely outside the port.
Even if something happened, they could escape offshore immediately.
"Ah… Captain, there's something I'd like to confirm."
"Yes?"
"You ordered the entire ship to take defensive measures earlier. What did you see from the mast?"
"The magic cast by a blue-haired woman. Its range was astonishingly long… and she saved her allies."
"Ooh?"
Paulina pointed to the blue-haired woman among those who looked like adventurers.
"She's an Enchanter too, isn't she?"
Ryo gave a small nod as he added that information.
"You can tell?"
"Somehow. She alone…is probably on a different level."
"A different level?"
"The others are certainly strong too, but her strength is in a class of its own, so to speak."
"You mean her magic?"
"Her magic too, I think."
Ryo corrected Abel's words precisely.
"She isn't wearing gauntlets or anything, is she?"
"No, she isn't. To begin with, though, the army hasn't even managed to reach her…"
Ryo trails off, tilting his head.
"What is it?"
"I've been thinking this for a while… but I feel like I've met those people somewhere before…"
After a while, Ryo struck his clenched right fist against his open left palm.
Apparently, that was his way of expressing that he had an epiphany.
"I saw them at Cafe Roemer in the Holy Capital Marlomar."
"The Holy Capital?"
"After that, they rescued a green-haired man and a pink-haired woman. I think the man was Patrice-san, and the woman was Guti-san."
"Oh? You know them?"
"We only talked a little, but they weren't bad people."
Ryo answered with several emphatic nods.
Perhaps that information from Ryo was what made the difference.
"Captain, the battle looks like it's about to end. Let's enter the port."
"But what about that long-range magic? Isn't it dangerous?"
"It's fine. Ryo will block it."
Abel said it as though it were obvious.
Ryo struck his clenched right fist against his own chest this time.
Apparently, that was his way of saying, 'Leave it to me'.
"Understood."
Thus, the Skidbladnir entered the port of Vamos Island.
-x-X-x-
Chapter 0735 Old Acquaintances
-x-X-x-
The group landed at the end of the harbor.
Only Ryo and Abel, along with Scotty and the twenty-five members of the Royal Knight Order under their command, disembarked.
The crew of the Skidbladnir, along with Zack and the rest of the Royal Knights, remained on board.
The five adventurer-like people who had been fighting noticed the group that had come down to the harbor.
They had noticed them, but they were still engaged in battle with the army.
And finally, they knocked out the last member of the army who had been standing in their way.
"Phew, phew…"
"Hah… hah…"
Even though the battle had been one-sided, they had been fighting continuously without a break.
The adventurer-like people were breathing heavily.
Among them, only one woman looked completely at ease.
A woman with light blue hair.
When she saw the Kingdom group that had landed, she smiled.
And then…
She slowly walked toward them.
As if time itself had stopped… as if she alone were able to move in this world…
No one got in her way, and no one asked who she was.
The light blue-haired woman approached Ryo with light, graceful steps.
She stopped… not in front of Ryo, but took one more step…
Entering Ryo's personal space, she gently placed both hands on his cheeks.
Ryo was surprised, but he could not speak or move.
The woman smiled gently as she softly cupped both of Ryo's cheeks in her hands.
"Thank you for coming."
Her voice echoed in Ryo's ears, astonishingly light and carefree.
That caused Abel to move.
"Ryo!"
"Ah…"
When Abel's voice reached him, Ryo came to his senses.
At that very moment… the light blue-haired woman stepped back as if by teleportation.
Still smiling.
Abel stepped in front of Ryo.
As if to shield Ryo.
"Who are you?"
Abel asked who she was.
Even though Ryo had been momentarily dazed, Abel had never seen anyone enter his range while Ryo offered no resistance.
Someone capable of doing that could not possibly be an ordinary person… and that was precisely why he asked who she was.
"This is our first meeting, descendant of Richard."
The light blue-haired woman answered with a smile still on her face.
"Kinme…"
A voice called out to the woman from farther behind.
It was the pink-haired woman who had been fighting until just moments ago.
"Kinme?"
Abel tilted his head.
Ryo also silently tilted his head, but… he felt as though he had met her somewhere before.
No, of course, he knew that he had seen her at Cafe Roemer in the Holy City of Marlomar.
That was not what he meant. It had been even earlier… somewhere…
Perhaps noticing the confusion on Ryo's face.
Kinme brought the index and middle fingers of her right hand to her eye.
When she touched it lightly, something like a colored contact lens that had been clinging to the surface of her eye peeled away.
What appeared beneath it were golden eyes.
Ryo knew someone with golden eyes.
Djinn Merlin, Djinn Garwin… yes, both of them were Djinn…
And that was when he remembered.
"To the south…"
Just as Ryo muttered those words, Kinme smiled and raised the index finger of her left hand, gently bringing it to her lips.
As if to tell him not to say anything more.
Yes, she was the Djinn who had been sealed in the southern part of the Kingdom.
The Djinn whom Ryo had visited together with 'Room 10', Hugh McGrath, and the Hero Party, and whose seal happened to be broken at exactly that time.
The Djinn whom Ryo had identified as 'anti-gravity' from the way she had floated upward.
The Djinn who, after looking at Ryo with a gentle expression, had flown off to the west…
"You came to the Dark Continent."
"Thank you for remembering me."
Ryo spoke in a small voice, almost a mutter, and the Djinn Kinme answered in an equally soft whisper.
"Could it be that you're called Kinme because of your golden eyes?"
"My true name is something else, but I hoped this name would reach you."
Those golden eyes could be seen only from Ryo and Abel's side.
Smiling, Kinme placed the object, like a colored contact lens she was holding on her finger, back over her eye.
In an instant, they turned black.
"I knew right away. I couldn't possibly mistake those overflowing 'droplets'."
"Droplets? Could you be talking about the 'Fairy Factor'? You can see them?"
"Yes, I can. They are very beautiful."
Kinme smiled more brightly than ever.
"I thought Djinn… Spellno couldn't see it."
"Oh? You know a Spellno other than me?"
"Yes. Merlin-san, and… someone whose name starts with Gar and ends with win."
"Garwin is, well, a fool. But I'm surprised you know the 'Crimson Robe'. Did you perhaps fight the Demon Lord's army?"
Djinn Merlin had always been at the side of successive Demon Lords as one of their strategists.
What he always wore was red clothing and a red hat…
"No… a lot happened. He even helped me. In fact, he was on the ship until yesterday."
"Well… that's surprising. Perhaps someday I should visit his dungeon with our party for a little outing."
"Kinme-san, why are you with that party? That's the party that came to the Pope's inauguration ceremony a year ago, right? I saw them at Cafe Roemer, and I remember helping them afterward at the assembly hall. The green-haired Patrice-san and the pink-haired Guti-san."
When Ryo said this, Kinme's eyes widened dramatically.
She looked quite surprised.
"I heard the report afterward. So, you were the one who helped those two. Thank you."
"No, it was just a coincidence."
Kinme smiled again in gratitude, while Ryo grew embarrassed.
Just then…
"Um… Kinme?"
"Hm?"
"Sorry to interrupt while you're having such a pleasant conversation…"
The one calling out to Kinme from behind was Guti, the pink-haired woman.
"Oh, Guti, don't you recognize him?"
"Sorry?"
Kinme pointed at Ryo.
"A year ago, at the Pope's inauguration ceremony…"
"Oh! You're the one from the party that helped us back then!"
"Yes, it's been a while."
"Thank you very much for what you did back then."
Guti bowed deeply.
Watching this from a distance, three people tilted their heads in confusion.
Patrice, the green-haired one, shook his head several times and walked toward the corner of the harbor.
There, a middle-aged man was sitting on the ground, trembling.
He was wearing extremely luxurious clothes.
Yes, clothes that looked almost like those of a king.
Patrice took a letter from inside his clothing and held it out to the man.
"Your Majesty, I hereby deliver this letter from Battuzon, Emir of the Bardael Emirate."
"…"
"I trust you understand that refusing to accept a letter of state is not an option."
"I-I understand… I accept it."
The King took the letter Patrice held out.
He had accepted it, but he could not stand up.
"So they were fighting to force the King, who refused to accept the letter of state, to take it?"
"That must be it."
"They're even more muscle-headed than Abel."
"They're even more forceful than Ryo."
Watching the scene, Ryo and Abel whispered to each other.
"The incident began because His Majesty the King of this country refused to accept the letter of state."
Perhaps she had heard their conversation, because Guti began explaining quietly.
"We only came to deliver the letter under the formal orders of Battuzon, Emir of the Bardael Emirate. We were not told the details of its contents, but apparently it contains rather severe terms for Vamos. It seems His Majesty the King had been informed of that beforehand… and he refused to accept it…"
"Refusing to accept a letter of state…"
"I've never heard of such a thing in the Central Countries unless the countries are at war. No, even during a war, wouldn't they still accept it?"
Ryo was astonished, and Abel shrugged.
In some regions, refusing to accept a letter of state sent from one head of state to another was considered one of the greatest diplomatic insults.
Apparently, that was the norm in the Central Countries.
"It is almost unheard of even on the Dark Continent. However, when His Excellency the Emir gave us the order to deliver it, he clearly said, 'Make him accept it, no matter what. No matter what sacrifice it takes.' So in the end, we had no choice but to fight…"
"Patrice was looking forward to it."
Guti said this while shaking her head, and Kinme added it with a smile.
Patrice, having delivered the letter, came over to the four of them.
"Guti, Kinme, what are you doing?"
Patrice called out to the two who had gone over and had not returned.
"Patrice, look, this is the person who helped us when we were about to be attacked by the Knights Templar during the Pope's inauguration ceremony."
"The Pope's inauguration ceremony…? Ah! I remember."
Patrice said this and looked at Ryo.
Then he bowed as deeply as he could.
"Thank you very much for what you did back then!"
"No, it was nothing much."
Ryo gave an awkward smile.
"So… why are you on this island? You were from the Central Countries, right? Wait, you can understand us even though we're speaking the Dark Continent language?"
"Yeah, I studied it."
Ryo gave a wry smile at Patrice's confusion.
Abel smiled beside him.
Ryo's acquisition of the Dark Continent language had progressed extremely smoothly, and he had reached a level where he could use it without any problems.
"I'm an adventurer from the Kingdom of Knightley in the Central Countries. I came ashore on this island for work."
Ryo answered.
And that was not a lie.
He had not said anything false.
But it could not exactly be said that he had provided enough information.
Before Ryo could add anything, before Abel could say anything, another person spoke.
"I said it before, but you are a descendant of Richard, aren't you?"
Kinme asked Abel.
"If you're talking about King Richard, who was the King of the Kingdom of Knightley, then that's right. Why did you think that?"
"Of course, it's that sword. That's his 'Ex', isn't it? No one other than Richard could use it, but… it's become quite attached to you. You must have worked pretty hard."
"W-well…"
"So swords can get attached to people."
"Don't ask me. I wouldn't know."
Ryo looked at Abel's sword with admiration… though Abel had no way of answering that.
"You were planning to request an audience with the King of this Vamos Island… or rather, the King of the Kingdom of Vamos, but as you can see, it's going to be difficult."
Kinme pointed toward the King, who remained sitting where he was.
Even after receiving the letter from Patrice, he still could not stand.
As for his army, none of them could stand either… because they had been thoroughly beaten down.
"So let's go have some tea somewhere."
"Huh?"
Ryo tilted his head at Kinme's suggestion.
Abel also silently tilted his head.
The four members of Kinme's party also tilted their heads.
"The King took quite a shock, so I don't think he'll be able to have a proper conversation. We should give him some time, don't you think?"
"…That may be true."
Abel nodded.
"There was a nice-looking cafe in the harbor plaza, wasn't there? Let's go there."
As soon as Kinme said this, she promptly grabbed Ryo by the arm and started walking.
"Uh, um…" Ryo protested as he was pulled along.
Abel followed behind him.
The Royal Knights followed behind him as well.
"Kinme is being really proactive today."
"That's unusual."
Both Guti, the pink-haired woman, and Patrice, the green-haired man, shrugged.
The members of Kinme's party followed along with wry smiles.
-x-X-x-