It was fifteen minutes later that Crimson Sword and Ilarion returned to the 『Kingdom Magic Research Institute』.
It was only about a kilometer away.
Abel, Warren, and Ilarion went straight to the basement with the leader in a bag.
It was the room where Hector of 『Dawn Star』 was interrogated.
Abel asked Ilarion, dropping the still-unconscious leader to the floor.
"Gramps, what were the contents of that barrel?"
There was something that a man like Ilarion was anxious about. He would be lying if he said he wasn't curious.
"That's what they call 『black powder』."
"Black powder?"
They were certainly black … and Abel remembered that they were like powder or sand.
"Originally, it is something that shouldn't be in such a place. I'd love to get this guy to spit some information out …"
After saying that, Ilarion's words stopped.
Now, for the first time, he looked at the leader's face properly … and it was a face he knew.
"Isn't this the half-brother of Finance Minister Fuka …"
"Younger brother?"
Ilarion made a deeply surprised voice and Abel asked quizzically.
By involving his younger brother in a conspiracy … wouldn't he be suspected of being involved as soon as it was revealed?
Abel thought so with common sense.
"Although he is his younger brother, there must be about fifteen of them. His father is an energetic one. He is the youngest brother among them … he is more than thirty years younger than his eldest brother Fuka."
"I'm surprised you know him then."
Abel was honestly impressed by the amount of knowledge Ilarion had.
"Because the brother directly older than him is working at my place, that is, here."
"...Ha?"
"He's a researcher here. So, when he was still coming over from their mansion, this boy sometimes came with him. His name was … Sica? By the way, his brother is Saca."
It wasn't that his amount of knowledge was great, but that he was the younger brother of his subordinate.
(The eldest son Fuka, the fourteenth son Saca, the fifteenth son Sica …? Is that right?)
Abel was organizing the information.
Mainly only the names of the brothers …
The leader, Sica, according to Ilarion, woke up.
"Ku … where is this?"
"So you're awake?"
"I-Ilarion-sama …"
Ilarion answered the man's monologue. And the man soon realized that the old man in front of him was Ilarion.
"It's been a long time, Sica."
"W-Why are you …"
"Here, you can tell if you look at this guy?"
Ilarion called Abel to stand beside him.
"You were the one just now …"
Seeing that, Sica, who was the leader, was at a loss for words.
"Well, that's that. And, Sica, as you know, your brother Saca works under me. Oh, to be more precise, he works in this building."
"Then, here is … Ilarion's House"
"Yup. It will be really painful to tell Saca that you had betrayed the country."
Ilarion shook his head.
"W-wait! I did not betray the country …"
"Then what was hidden in that location! That was 『black powder』!"
"That ..."
Sica couldn't continue his words.
"You know … what that is? That is something not meant to be stored in such a place."
Sica drooped and muttered in response to Ilarion's words.
"That's what we took back …"
"Took back? From whom?"
Sica did not answer the question and remained silent.
Abel couldn't stand the silence … instead, he moved to solve the question he had been thinking about since he saw the barrels in the previous place.
"Hey, gramps. Tell me while Sica is keeping silent. What are the 『black powder』 in the barrels?"
"Hmm … it wasn't until Abel became an adventurer that it was mass-produced. So you wouldn't know. That is … a powder that explodes when a fire is brought close to it."
Ilarion replied seriously to Abel's question.
"Explode … Does that mean something like the Fire-Attribute Magic
"Yes. In the central nations, mass production is done only in the eastern part of the Kingdom. Well, mass production per se, but it is not at a large quantity. However, depending on how it is used, it will change the form of war. Therefore, it is not exported. Of course, the existence itself is top secret even in the Kingdom. It is only stored in Slanzewi to the east and here in the royal capital. I and Alchemist Baron Kenneth Hayward created the storage facility for the royal capital so we are aware of it but … a lot of care is needed when storing it. Those barrels, of course, were created through alchemy, but they are still quite unstable."
During Ilarion's, Sica shook his head several times.
It seemed that he was in conflict internally.
Seeing that, Ilarion gently called out.
"Sica. Is it because some of your brothers are involved that you are so worried?"
His words struck Sica … a few moments later, he raised his face with a snap and stared at Ilarion.
His eyes were wide open.
"I know. You are loved by all your brothers, even, Fuka, who is nearly thirty years older."
Ilarion paused there.
It seemed that Ilarion already had an idea of which 'brother' was involved.
"Abel. I can guarantee that is it fine, may I reveal your identity?"
"What?"
Abel was surprised by Ilarion's sudden proposal.
At this timing?
Abel's gaze at Ilarion said that.
However, it took only a few seconds of hesitation.
"Well, that's fine."
Abel shrugged his shoulders and allowed it.
"Thank you, Sica, the real name of this adventurer Abel is Albert Bethford Knightley, the second prince of His Majesty Stafford IV."
When he heard that, Sica opened his eyes wider than before, and this time his shoulders slumped down.
"Do you understand now? It's best to say everything here now. Before it is too late. Ilarion Baraha and Prince Albert will be witnesses to your testimony. Even taking extenuating situations into account, there isn't anybody better for this?"
(I see, so that was why he needed my identity. If one of his brothers has extenuating circumstances … or even if that wasn't possible, we would be able to prevent his house from getting exterminated … if Sica cooperates.)
Abel thought.
"Okay..."
20 seconds after Ilarion's persuasion.
Finally, Sica opened his mouth reluctantly.
"Ilarion-sama has already noticed, but this is to help my eldest brother Fuka …"
Sica started, biting his lips.
"Is it related to Knight-Captain Baccara?"
"Yes, rather, the Knight-Captain is the heart of it."
"I see. Those barrels were branded with the royal vault's seal, and the Kingdom's Knights' Order manages the vault."
Abel listened to Ilarion and Sica's conversation without saying a word.
He was trying to understand what happened during the eight years he left the court and became an adventurer.
"Yes. The Knight-Captain was selling the 『black powder』 stored in the royal capital vault through illegal channels. We were retrieving it."
Ilarion was a little surprised to hear Sica's explanation.
"I'm surprised you managed to do so against Knights."
"No, Knights did not manage the transport. It was a trading partner … a caravan."
"Well … who is the other party?"
Without changing the tone of the words, in a sense casually, Ilarion asked the core question.
Depending on this answer, it could be a big problem.
"I don't know exactly who they are."
Both Ilarion and Abel were let down by his words.
However, the meaning of the following words was very heavy.
"However, we ascertained the destination. It is the northern city of Carlyle."
The words shocked them.
The northern city of Carlyle.
It is the capital of the Flitwick Duchy and is the second largest in the north.
And the current Duke of Flitwick is Raymond, the younger brother of King Stafford IV.
In other words, Sica's testimony indicated treason of the King's younger brother.
"This is..."
As expected, Ilarion was stunned because of the seriousness of the matter.
Originally, the relationship between Stafford IV and his younger brother Raymond was by no means good.
The reason may be that they are half-brothers, the sons of the first queen and the second queen, respectively.
Also, as Stafford IV had mastered both magic and swordsmanship at a high level and had a high level of political skill, it would have been difficult to be compared to him.
Raymond wasn't incompetent at all, but he was a little introverted compared to his brother Stafford, who was broadminded and attractive, and Raymond wasn't as charming or charismatic as he was.
But for the royal family, that was enough.
A younger brother was just a younger brother. The brother's spare.
If a younger brother surpasses his older brother, a civil war would happen if there was an internal squabble … and if the Empire intervened at that point, the country would be in danger of collapse.
However, even though it was sufficient for the royal family, the younger brother Raymond was also a human being.
There were emotions and pride. Especially as a member of the royal family.
Even in a normal home, complex emotions between siblings can occur.
That would be compounded in a royal family.
"His Highness Raymond … It would be hard if Duke Flitwick is involved … And Sica. How would Fuka be involved here?"
Ilarion asked how Finance Minister Fuka would be involved in this issue.
"My brother … pays the Knight-Captain for the black powder. On behalf of Duke Flitwick. And he's withholding the black powder purchases in the tax reports for Carlyle."
The Finance Minister had the right to collect taxes from the aristocrats.
Of course, the amount of tax collected was not uniform, and it was complicated and changed year by year depending on the power relations within the Kingdom.
If you are a powerful aristocrat, you will be able to put pressure on the amount of tax collection to be extremely small.
It was a story that would anger the public if word got out …
Taxes were not fair in any world.
On the contrary, if the aristocrat loses his power, he would be slammed with taxes.
Fuka's excellent skill as a Finance Minister was his exquisite 『adjustment』.
He brilliantly dissects the influence and relationships of each aristocrat and of course, the change in yield due to the climate; relationships that are complicated and mysterious that can't even be calculated using mathematical formulas.
By doing so, there would be as little dissatisfaction as possible, but the total collection amount would be as expected.
That was Fuka's outstanding skill.
During tax collection, the tax collectors submit various reports.
Fuka, the Finance Minister, is obliged to compile them and report to the King.
Among them, matters regarding the military, magic, and relationship with other countries must be reported.
Those were absolutely necessary from the perspective of national defense.
However, Fuka buried the tax collection report on Carlyle and reported it as 『no problems』.
That was clearly national treason in the light of the law of the Kingdom.
"I see. He doesn't report regarding the military matters, the 『black powder』 which is one of the most important secrets in the Kingdom, in his tax collection report, and he's even paying for it … It would be difficult to defend him."
Ilarion's words caused Sica to slump even more.
"But why does Fuka patronage the Duke of Flitwick so much?"
"It's for Luca."
Sica replied Ilarion's question with his head hanging down.
"Luca? Isn't he the fourth son? The second and third sons died in the last war, so now he is the younger brother just below Fuka. What happened to Luca?"
(The eldest son Fuka, the fourth son Luca, the fourteenth son Saca, and the man in front of him is the fifteenth son Sica …. The name information had been updated …)
Abel groaned in his heart. And he shook his head.
"Luca is currently being held by the Handal Union."
"What?"
The Handal Union.
It was one of the three major powers of the central nations, along with the Kingdom of Knightley and the Debuhi Empire.
Its territory borders the eastern part of the Kingdom and parts of the north.
Ten years ago, they were defeated in a large-scale war with the Kingdom of Knightley.
As a result, neighboring countries such as the Inbury Duchy, which had been treated as client states, became completely independent.
In addition, a part of the territory of the Union was also ceded to the Kingdom, and the country suffered considerable damage.
With that history, of course, the relationship between the countries was not good.
Nonetheless, a peace treaty had been signed, diplomatic relations had been restored, and people were coming and going.
"What is the relationship between your brother, who was captured by the Union, and giving 『black powder』 to the Duke of Flitwick …"
After saying that, something seemed to flash in Ilarion.
"No way … that rumor."
"Yes, that rumor is true."
"What rumor?"
Ilarion muttered, Sica affirmed it, and Abel asked.
"It was rumored that the Duke of Flitwick, His Royal Highness, had signed a secret agreement with Sir Aubrey of the Handal Union."
Sica explained the rumor.
"Secret Agreement? Sir Aubrey is the de facto leader in the current Union after the war?"
"Yes, he's a man we're wary of."
At the time of the war, Abel was still in the royal palace, so he was in a position to have access to quite a lot of information about the situation in other countries.
As one of the princes, he was still learning about the situation in each country, although he was not as adept in judgment as his older brother, who had a weak body but excellent brain and had already gained a reputation as a sharp and able man.
"Secret Agreement … Duke Flitwick wants the throne, Sir Aubrey wants … the territory lost in the war?"
Abel described a possible scenario.
"Well, that's what was rumored. The diplomat who accused him committed suicide in a protected mansion after the first hearing, so it remains a mystery."
"His mouth was sealed huh."
Hiding the truth by faking it as suicide … it seemed to be the same in any world.
"But … it's such a huge matter that big names are in play … Isn't it dangerous for you to rob the black powder? It will be revealed someday."
"Yes, I'm prepared for that. Right now, a separate corps should be rescuing Luca. There, Fuka had ordered elites under his direct supervision to do it. The black powder transaction is just a means to save time for this rescue operation … The black powder we stole is evidence, but it's also a secret item that many don't know the real number of. So nobody could pursue it openly."
Sica fully affirmed Ilarion's worries.
"Hey, I'm just checking …"
"Hm?"
Ilarion tilted his head to Abel's question.
"Knight-Captain Baccara removes the black powder from the vault and sends it to the Duke of Flitwick. The Finance's aide, Sica, steals it from the side and hides it. Because his younger brother is taken hostage, Fuca pays the Knight-Captain for the black powder. In addition, he is withholding the reports about the black powder. Am I correct so far?"
"Yes, that's right."
Sica affirmed Abel's explanation.
"Then what is the Duke of Flitwick, who has been robbed of black powder … doing?"
As promised, the Knight-Captain withdrew black powder from the vault to hand it to the Duke of Flitwick, and receives money from the Finance Minister. There was no problem there.
However, the Duke of Flitwick had not received the goods …
"At first, we let them take the real black powder, but now we exchange it for a fake and the fake is transported to the capital city of Carlyle."
"I see."
Abel was convinced by Sica's explanation.
(If they get their younger brother back, they will have various bargaining chips against the Knight-Captain, using the black powder that he stole as evidence … politics is difficult.)
Abel honestly didn't want to get involved too much.
Of course, he knew that he wouldn't be able to do that as part of the royal family.
Just when they had finished confirming all the information.
The earth shook.
"Is it an earthquake? That's rare in the royal capital."
"No, that was not tremors from an earthquake just now …"
Then Ilarion rushed out of the room.
"Sica and Warren remain in the room. It's bad if others see Sica."
With those instructions, Abel also charged out of the room and ran up the stairs to the first floor.
And they went out of the building almost at the same time.
Both looked around.
They saw smoke rising from the east.
"There?"
Ilarion chanted.
"Wind, carry me in your hand
After the super-fast chanting, Ilarion's body levitated on the spot.
Ten meters, twenty meters … The height soon exceeded the Ilarion House.
"How is the situation, gramps?"
He heard Abel ask from below.
With that, Ilarion slowly descended to the ground.
"It's that building. Probably the explosion is from 『black powder』. It seems that the whole building was damaged."
"Damn. Did they erase the evidence first?"
They didn't know who made their move. It could perhaps be just an accident.
However, the timing was too good for that.
It was natural to think that the explosion was deliberately caused.
"I'll check the scene and tell you later. Abel, I request you ensure the safety of Sica."
"So there's a possibility that they will also try to erase Sica?"
Abel nodded and answered Ilarion.
"Yes. By the way … I wonder if 『Dawn Star』 managed to escaped properly …"
When escaping from the building, Ilarion whispered to Hector, the leader of the Dawn Star, to escape immediately …
"They'll be okay. They are C-rank adventurers even if they are rotten. If Ilarion hurries to escape … I think they would have gathered the scent of danger."
An adventurer who has risen to C-rank would have a strong ability to avoid crisis.
Abel had high assessments of adventurers because he was an adventurer too.
-x-X-x-
The job of the guards at the scene of the accident was to keep the curious onlookers away from the scene.
In the case of a flashy incident in the royal capital like this time, the number of onlookers was unusually large.
As a result, even the guards who were supposed to be off duty were also called to the scene.
Still, their numbers were insignificant compared to the number of onlookers.
Therefore, a 『no-entry rope』, which is a kind of alchemy tool, was stretched around the site.
Touching the rope would cause a slight shock.
Letting the onlookers know that they couldn't go any further.
However, an old man came over and entered while grasping the 『no-entry rope』 with his hand.
In front of the guards.
"Hey, old man, you can't come in here. Or rather, why are you fine grabbing the rope?"
One of the guards tried to chase the old man away.
"Hmm. This is a tool that I helped make. I know the principle it works by better than anyone else."
"Ha?"
"I'm Ilarion Baraha, the Chief Magician of the Kingdom's Court Magicians. Call the person responsible for the site over."
When Ilarion said that, nobody moved for a few moments, but one person understood and rushed off.
The remaining guards were all silent, glancing at each other.
No one was confident that they could properly deal with the sudden appearance of one of the Kingdom's heavyweights.
The guard who encountered him first started with 'Hey, old man' … and that guard's complexion was so deathly pale that he could be seen even at night.
A minute later, a person who seemed to be in charge of the guards rushed over.
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, Ilarion-sama. I am Rex, the Vice-Captain of the Royal Guard Corps, who is in charge of this site."
Vice-Captain Rex saluted and introduced himself.
"Okay, Vice-Captain Rex, I'm sorry to bother you when you're busy, but I wonder if you can explain the current situation. After all, the explosion shook my laboratory too. As a person in charge, I have to explain various things as well. Just enough for me to grasp the situation."
"Y-yes. Currently, there are accident investigators, but I have not received any reports yet …"
"I'll explain."
Someone interjected from Vice-Captain Rex's side as he was trying to explain.
"Count Harold Lawrence? The Minister of Home Affairs arrived already? That's quite swift."
"The explosion was just that serious. Even the royal castle was shaken … I ended up having to rush over in a hurry."
Minister of Home Affairs Harold Lawrence explained why he had already arrived.
(Even so, that was quick. No, it's too quick …)
At that moment, there was a sliver of doubt in the corner of Ilarion's mind.
"The accident investigator says it was a misfired Fire-Attribute Magic."
"Magic from Fire-Attribute Magic that can cause such an explosion … I didn't know that."
Ilarion did not hide the fact that he was not convinced by Harold Lawrence's explanation.
"That is tough. There is no magic that Ilarion doesn't know. This magic may be a failure of fusion magic with alchemy or a simultaneous misfire by multiple people."
"Hmm. Fusion magic with alchemy …"
Upon hearing that, Ilarion fell into thought.
Of course, he knew that it was actually the impact of an explosion caused by 『black powder』, but the recently mentioned 『Fusion Magic with Alchemy』was a research subject that Ilarion had an interest in.
However, Ilarion also knew that even 『Fusion Magic with Alchemy』 could not produce such destructive power.
However, there was no point in pursuing it.
Rather than that, there was something he wanted to confirm then.
"I get the gist of it. Was there anyone involved? The condition of this building is terrible. It seems that the surrounding buildings were also damaged."
"Yes. It's terrible. Ten bodies were found on the first floor of the building where this blast originated. From the things scattered around, it seems that they were adventurers. That was also one of the grounds for suspecting it was fusion magic.
(There still aren't any adventurers who can use fusion magic! There's no way these people were capable of it!)
Ilarion retorted internally.
"Ten adventurers? Do you know their identities?"
"No, not yet. Why are you interested to know?"
Ilarion felt that Harold Lawrence's air seemed to change for a moment at his question.
It was dangerous to dig too deep.
"Well. If there was an adventurer who could use fusion magic, I would want to scout them for my laboratory after retirement. If a person I selected had died …I would have to source for a substitute as soon as possible."
Ilarion responded in a carefree manner.
"I see. That's right. Right now, I've called an adventurer guild staff member to confirm their identities. It's about time they finish confirmation and report …"
A man came forward as he said that.
It was Josiah Onsager, the vice guildmaster of the Royal Capital Adventurer's Guild, who also knew Ilarion.
"Minister of Home Affairs, I was able to confirm … Ilarion-sama? It has been a long time."
"Hi. Vice guildmanster Josiah. It's been a long time."
"So, Josiah, the adventurers?"
When prompted by Harold Lawrence, Josia frowned.
"It's true that they are adventurers from the royal capital. They are the six members of the C-rank party 『Dragon's Claw』 and the four members of the D-rank party 『Black Shadow』."
Josiah was saddened by the death of his fellows.
Ilarion was relieved to hear that 『Dawn Star』 was not involved.
(The six were the ones at the adventurer's guard station. The four were the ones Sica mentioned he hired …)
Ilarion matched the news with prior information.
"I see. That is a tragedy. Thank you for your confirmation. We will return the bodies to the guild once the inspections and procedures are completed. Please wait until then."
"I understand. Thank you."
The conversation between Harold Lawrence and Josiah was over, and Josiah walked towards the guild.
"Now then, I'll return too. Count, I've taken your time."
"Don't worry about it."
When Ilarion stepped in front of the onlookers, they naturally split to the left and right.
Then he went back to the laboratory.
Harold Lawrence watched with a slight glimpse of an indescribable light in his eyes before turning to return to the scene.
-x-X-x-
The day after the explosion in the royal capital.
The Kingdom Second Highway.
It was a highway that runs from the royal capital Crystal Palace through Wingston, the largest city in the east, to the city of Red Post on the eastern border.
The eastern border borders the Inbury Duchy and the Handal Union.
Ryo and His Royal Highness Willy, Rodrigo-dono, four escorts, and six adventurers led by Cohn, a total of thirteen, were heading west on the second highway toward the royal capital.
The carriage on which His Royal Highness Willy and his subordinates were riding was relatively large and fairly well made.
There were many towns along the second highway, and there were plenty of accommodation facilities, so basically they would stay in town at night.
Everyone was grateful that there was no need to keep watch over the camp.
Instead, they had to gain a good distance during the day.
Cohn was acting as the coachman.
It was the result of Cohn's suggestion that it would be better that way compared to hiring a bad coachman.
The party was not attacked since the destruction of the Order of Assassins' village.
Given that His Highness Willy was targeted by the Chief in search of eternal life in the first place, there was no reason to be targeted now that the Chief had died.
That said, there was a possibility that they would attack to avenge their chief so they could never relax while they were on the move.
Perhaps that's why Cohn noticed the sound of sword fighting carried by the wind and the neighing of horses.
"Hey, something is happening in the forest to the north."
Cohn opened the partition for the coachman and called out to the three inside.
The escorts and adventurers also increased their vigilance, especially focused on the carriage.
"I can certainly hear the sounds. It smells like trouble. Your Highness, what should we do?"
Ryo could somewhat imagine what Prince Willy would say, but he asked just in case.
"If someone is being attacked, I'd like to help …"
No one came to help when they were attacked.
That was normal. No one wants to get involved in trouble.
Or maybe at that time, just no one was passing through the highway …
But if there were people who were being attacked, like them a few days ago, he would like to reach out … His Highness Willy thought to himself.
As a result, someone could get injured or even lose their life … but perhaps he didn't think that far.
Still, the adults around him felt that the prince had a wonderful heart.
Despite being a prince, they didn't want him to grow up to be a person who naturally thinks that he is to be served.
"Okay, the six of us adventurers will check it out. Ryo and the escorts are to stand by His Royal Highness's side."
Cohn gave out instructions.
There was already absolute trust in Ryo.
At present, the most important thing was the safety of His Highness Willy.
And Ryo could ensure that.
So he put Ryo next to the prince and led the others to check on the situation.
"I understand. I will protect His Highness."
Ryo promised Cohn.
When Ryo searched again with
About 400 meters away.
In a place with many trees such as a forest, that distance was the limit of passive sonar.
Furthermore, because he was in the carriage, Cohn may have noticed them first.
Cohn's auditory acuity was scary!
He told Cohn the distance and the numbers, and after nodding once, the adventurers ran off.
For the time being, the carriage was parked in the shade of a tree along the highway.
Ryo waited on the roof of the wagon, and His Highness Willy and Rodrigo waited in the wagon.
As Ryo was watching with Passive Sonar, Cohn and the others, who seemed to have been watching for a while, plunged into the fray.
However, that wasn't what concerned Ryo.
(These five people keeping a delicate distance … who are they?)
Five people had moved to a place about 200 meters away from the conflict.
But the five had not strayed from that position.
They might be watching the situation for the moment.
(Did people unrelated to the conflict stumble upon the site? Are they just waiting for it to pass? It's possible. Some people wouldn't want to stick their necks in trouble.)
While Ryo was monitoring them, the conflict seemed to have been settled.
All six adventurers were safe. Apart from them, two others were alive.
"Your Highness, everyone is coming back. Besides that, it seems that they will bring two survivors."
"Is that so! I'm glad everyone is safe. And they rescued …"
At that point, His Highness Willy's voice became very quiet.
"Your Highness?"
"Ryo. Was my judgment wrong?"
It endangered the lives of his subordinates, albeit they managed to save people.
He was worried about that.
"Your Highness, there is no right answer to this question. In certain situations, it would be correct while in another situation, it would be criticized. But once you make a decision, you must be responsible for the outcome. And you have to be prepared for the worst and the actions to take if it happens."
"The worst?"
"Yes. In this case, what would you do if Cohn and his party died? What would happen to the bereaved families in the country? Or, what if they were seriously injured? There may be situations where you have to leave them and flee to the royal capital depending on how injured they are, or … what would you do if there are pursuers … like how Your Highness experienced previously."
When he heard that, His Highness Willy's body tensed slightly.
Ryo explained why His Highness Willy was targeted after he was recovered.
The leader of the Order of Assassins wanted his blood.
He wasn't frightened, but the shock of being clearly targeted wasn't so easy to get rid of.
Ryo understood that and chose to mention that experience.
That was because His Highness Willy had to overcome it.
"What would you do if you were chased? You could defeat those who chased you, but what if you continue to be targeted after that? There are many things to think about. I hope you can make decisions with that in mind in the future."
"It sounds difficult …"
"Of course it's hard. It's not something possible to do right away, so I think it's a good idea to start little by little."
Make decisions after anticipating possible outcomes.
No matter what world, situation, or position, a person must experience it.
His Highness Willy was only 16 years old, but it was not a bad idea to have that experience from a young age.
Ryo thought.
When the six adventurers led by Cohn and the two survivors were about to appear in front of Ryo and his group, the five who had stopped and waited until then started to move.
They moved to follow Cohn's party of eight.
Ryo stood on the carriage and caught the eight people in sight.
The two survivors were injured and were unlikely to be able to run quickly.
"
The ice wall ensured that they would not die even if they were attacked by the five pursuers.
In the woods, whether it was by bow and arrow or magic, long-range attacks were very difficult … but not impossible.
Prevention was better than cure.
Taking action first was always better.
And, as expected, two arrows were shot from where the five people were.
The arrows drew a trajectory to the necks of the two rescued people …
Kakin Kakin
They struck the ice wall before piercing them.
The two who were targeted were surprised.
Because they heard a high-pitched sound of something hitting a hard object directly behind them.
They turned around in a hurry and saw arrows that had fallen to the ground.
"This way!"
Ryo, who stood on the carriage, shouted.
The two headed toward the carriage without showing any hesitation.
Almost at the same time, Cohn and his party arrived in front of the carriage.
"Ryo?"
"Five people from a different group from the ones who were annihilated were still lurking."
Ryo answered Cohn's question.
Ryo's answer surprised Cohn and the adventurers, the two survivors, and Prince Willy and Rodrigo in the carriage.
"The arrows that were shot earlier were on course to precisely strike their necks from a distance of 200 meters. They are terrifyingly skilled."
"Aiming for the necks from 200 meters away … That's the level of top-rank archers in the country …"
Cohn shook his head and commented. It was a fairly difficult feat.
The enemy moved.
"They have split into groups of two to the left and right. They are approaching. Only one person has not moved from the previous point. I will intercept them with ice wall. Everyone, stick around the carriage."
When Ryo said that, all eight of them stood with their backs to the carriage.
His Highness Willy showed only his face from the window of the carriage.
"Cohn, I will support you. Others are to remain on defense.
The ice wall surrounded the carriage and all members in all directions except for Cohn.
"Protect them, you lot."
Cohn instructed the rest of the adventurers.
He was willing to deal with those who followed them on his own.
The protection was perfect.
"I will stop the two people coming from the right, so Cohn, please deal with the people coming from the left."
"Ou, okay."
Cohn answered Ryo's instructions.
(There are two strangers with us so magic that isn't very flashy would be good. Then, that's it! First of all, stall.
"What? An invisible wall …"
A confused voice could be heard from the right side.
It seems that he was successful in surrounding them with an ice wall and stopping them.
Next, the two on the left.
"Here they come!"
At Ryo's signal, Cohn readied himself and Ryo set up something special.
The two pursuers rushed in with battle cries.
"Oraaaaaa … wha"
However, they slipped slightly before Cohn.
(
"Uryaaaa … Buhe"
The other person who charged in … slipped and fell.
Cohn couldn't understand what had happened for a moment, but when he saw the men on the ground, he moved almost reflexively.
He got closer and kicked their heads to knock them unconscious.
The other person who was about to get up received a kick to his head and lost consciousness.
"Next, two from the right are coming!"
Instructions from Ryo flew in without a break.
"Oh, leave it to me!"
Cohn moved to the right of the carriage and held his sword again.
(
At the same time, the two pursuers rushed in.
"Shaa … Nua"
In the same way, they slipped and fell in front of Cohn.
There, Cohn's kick exploded out as if waiting for this moment.
"Oryaaa … Wa-"
The last one also slipped, fell, and was kicked … the battle was over.
(Oh, the one remaining … is gone before I knew it.)
They were no longer within Ryo's
"The four people who rushed in are all equipped for close combat, but … that means the remaining one was an archer, and they fired high-speed continuous shooting, with both being precision shots …"
"O-oh … if that's the case, that archer has terrifying skill with the bow."
Ryo looked at the equipment of the four and commented, and Cohn replied.
The four pursuers were bound by rope equipped on the carriage.
Meanwhile, Ryo gave the potion he had bought in the city to the two who were being chased.
"My thanks."
"Thank you."
Words of gratitude from the two survivors.
Meanwhile, His Highness Willy and Rodrigo also came down from the carriage.
First, Rodrigo opened his mouth, introducing His Highness Willy.
"This is Prince Willy, Prince of the Kingdom of Ju."
Upon hearing that, the two people who were saved were surprised with their eyes wide open.
They thought that he was the son of an aristocrat because of his good appearance, but he was a prince … that's the look on their faces.
"Oh, I'm Matthew, this is Luca."
They introduced themselves and bowed to His Highness Willy.
In response, Rodrigo introduced the escorts and adventurers, including Ryo.
For the time being, self-introduction was over.
Then, of course, the next question was 'Why were you fighting?'.
When asked, Matthew turned to Luca.
In response to that gaze, Luca nodded once. Confirming that, Matthew began his explanation.
"Actually, we were troops sent to rescue Luca, who was held captive in the Handal Union."
'Held captivity' and 'rescue'. Ryo sighed inwardly as it sounded like they were involved in something that was dreadfully troublesome.
Rodrigo, Cohn, and the others may have felt that way too but they were really well trained because they didn't show any expressions.
"I was heading to the royal capital but I was pursued and in the end, I was captured alone …"
(The royal capital … in that case, he was probably not a criminal from the perspective of the Kingdom.)
Ryo thought so in his heart.
He may be a criminal in the Handal Union … but in for the Kingdom of Knightley, he was at least a person who can enter the royal capital.
"Can I have a minute, Rodrigo-dono."
With that, Cohn started talking to Rodrigo at a distance.
It was likely a consultation about what to do with these two people.
If they take it as an escort request, it was not a big deal.
The attacks from the Order of Assassins were gone, but that order was not the only assassins.
However, it was also true that they were people pursued by foreigners.
It could be trouble if they housed them.
Heading toward the royal capital from here for about two hours would bring them to the next town, Stone Lake.
It was a two-day journey from there to the royal capital Crystal Palace.
(In either case, considering His Highness Willy's heart, it was likely that they would be brought with us.)
Ryo thought.
And Rodrigo and Cohn suggested that they should accompany them to the royal capital.
"Of course, we are grateful for that but …"
"We are being chased. There is a possibility that we will continue to be chased …"
Matthew and Luca said they were grateful for the proposal, but were concerned.
"We'll cross that bridge when it happens."
Rodrigo suggested and His Highness Willy nodded happily.
-x-X-x-
For the time being, the guidelines for the next steps to take have been decided.
The remaining was what to do with the four captives.
"They don't look like adventurers, do they?"
Ryo muttered to nobody in particular.
"Hm? Is that so?"
His Highness Willy tilted his head and said.
Their equipment seemed to be used by adventurers who mainly engaged in close quarters combat…
"Somehow … I don't get the crude feeling that adventurers have from these people."
Then Ryo glanced at Cohn.
"Oi, Ryo. Why did you glance at me after saying that?"
Cohn snapped at Ryo.
"No, it's nothing …"
Ryo looked away quickly.
"I see..."
Then, Rodrigo murmured, comparing the four with Cohn.
"Rodrigo, that isn't where you agree, right?!"
Cohn lamented the ruthlessness of the world.
"The difference is their stubble."
Rodrigo said, looking at the four.
"Oh … I see. Like Cohn, I think many adventurers are not clean-shaven. Comparatively, these four people are nicely clean-shaven. It's like a knight's shave..."
The members of the Knights of Rune were all well-groomed.
Ryo, who often appeared at the Knights' Training Ground for mock combat with Sera, replied with the faces of the knights he knew.
"A group of knights dressing like a bunch of adventurers … this is pretty shady."
Cohn gave an honest impression.
Ryo and his group had parked the carriage beside the highway.
Naturally, the people who passed them moved off without saying anything while looking sideways at the four people tied up with ropes.
Meanwhile, one of the four captives woke up.
"Ah, good morning."
Cohn called out to the man.
"Kuh."
The man bit his lips when he confirmed that his limbs were tied and the other three were in the same condition.
"You seem to understand the situation. So? Who are you guys?"
Of course, he didn't answer Cohn's question.
"Well, I'm not good at this kind of thing … Hey, Ryo, aren't you great at it?"
Cohn addressed Ryo in the same tone as if it was a friendly drinking session.
"I don't know why you're pushing the task to me but … You're asking what should we do in this case? Well, if we stick a thin ice needle in their eyes or take out their frozen heart and show them, they should feel the threat?"
"No, Ryo, that's overkill …"
Cohn asked Ryo how to torture them but the answer caused Cohn to draw a line.
The complexion of the man who was listening paled.
"I guess the heart is overkill but stabbing the eye can work? I heard stabbing the eye won't cause any pain. But those who are stabbed will be traumatized and will never forget …"
When he heard that, the man's teeth clattered and his facial expression froze.
"Hey. I wouldn't like to hurt you either. Why don't you just tell me who you are and whom you're working for? Just say that. And I think I can prevent that … eye stab he's talking about …."
Bringing his face to the same height as the man sitting on the ground, Cohn asked gently.
"I-I can't say …"
The man, who had maintained silence until then, squeezed out those words and answered.
Thin ice needles formed and dissipated, formed and dissipated from Ryo's fingertips, which may have had some effect.
"I see, that's a shame. Ryo!"
"W-wait."
The man shouted as Cohn called Ryo and Ryo took one step closer to him.
"Hmm? What's wrong? There's not much time until he comes over."
"I-I want to talk but I can't … please wait until capt … leader wakes up."
(He almost said captain … So they really are Knights …?)
Ryo decided to stay silent because of warrior's compassion.
"You're a knight, not an adventurer."
Cohn didn't …
"!"
The man became speechless.
At the same time, the second man, who seems to be the captain or leader, woke up.
It was Prince Willy who noticed a group of horsemen coming from the west of the highway.
"A group of horsemen from the other side."
From a distance, they seemed to be guards.
Did someone who reached the city report after seeing their situation?
(Or were they called by the archer who had escaped … If so, enemy guards … or they could even have been bribed, as was the case with Slanzewi).
Ryo and his group were attacked in Slanzewi where they stayed during the Gecko caravan request.
It was a bitter memory where the Vice-Captain of the Knights was bought by the Order of Assassins and robbed them of the captured assassins.
"We are the Guards of Stonelake. We were informed that there was a dispute on the highway."
Eight horse-riding guards called out to Ryo and his group.
"Insolence! This is Prince Willy, Prince of the Kingdom of Ju. It is outrageous to ask from horseback! Is that the courtesy of the Kingdom of Knightley!"
A sharp rebuke.
Rodrigo's voice struck down the guards who asked from horseback.
"Wha …"
"My apologies!"
Saying so, the eight guards dismounted.
"Our sincere apologies. I did not know that the prince of the Kingdom of Ju was present. Could you please offer something that proves the prince's identity?"
A person who seemed to be the captain asked politely, unlike previously.
"Here."
Then, His Highness Willy gave the captain a necklace that had been hung around his neck.
The captain who received it turned it over and held a business card-sized plate, which seems to be an alchemy tool, taken out of his pocket over the necklace.
After checking something for a while …
"I have confirmed it. I am very sorry for our previous actions."
Then, he returned the necklace.
"No, it is okay as long as you understand."
His Highness Willy answered with composure.
As expected, growing up as a prince, he was imposing in such situations.
Ryo was strangely impressed.
"In other words, these people raised their hands against a foreign prince."
The captain said, looking down at the four prisoners sitting on the ground.
"No … wait a minute. We did not have that intention …"
The man who seemed to be the leader who just woke up shouted his reply in a hurry.
Naturally.
Even though it was a small country, harming a foreign prince, you cannot escape the death penalty.
In some cases, even their families would be punished.
"Even if you didn't have the intention, it's true that you attacked."
Cohn rejected the man's plea.
The complexions of the two conscious people were completely pale.
"Wa-wait. Please look at this scabbard emblem."
The leader desperately appealed to the Captain of the Guard.
When the captain jerked his chin, his subordinate pulled out the scabbard and brought it to the captain.
"Th-this emblem is the Duke's …"
The captain suddenly stopped speaking.
(Duke? They were Knights of a certain Duke?)
Ryo thought in his heart.
Of course, he didn't know which Duke. He was confident that he wouldn't know at all even if he heard their name.
"Yeah, yeah, we're not suspicious individuals. This was also some misunderstanding. If you're a Stonelake guard, you should know what the emblem implies?"
The captive man seemed to be quite persuasive.
The captain's expression was clearly now more concerned with the Duke's coat of arms.
That was to be expected too.
Although His Highness Willy was a prince, the Kingdom of Ju was a small country and did not border the Kingdom of Knightley.
It may be unavoidable to weigh the prince of such a distant country with those who probably have the coat of arms of the Duke of his own country.
"Captain. Could you show me that emblem?"
His Highness Willy politely called out to the captain of the guard.
"Eh … oh yes, here."
The captain of the guard handed the scabbard of the captive man to His Highness Willy.
His Highness Willy glanced at it and immediately returned it to the captain of the guard.
"I understand why Captain is conflicted. It is unavoidable if they are members of the Duke of Flitwick."
"Th-that's right … Your Highness recognize this coat of arms?"
The captain of the guard replied, sweating a lot.
He might not have expected the prince of a distant country to know the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Knightley, albeit that of a duke's.
"Yes. It's the coat of arms of Raymond, the younger brother of His Majesty."
Those words shocked many present.
Among them, the one who was the most upset was Luca.
Was his expression closer to anger than fear?
(Knowing that they were being targeted by the younger brother of the King, will they still head for the royal capital?)
Ryo wanted to confirm that, but the situation didn't give him that much room to ask.
"Even if he is a prince, those two are criminals. We need to bring them to the Duke's city of Carlyle."
The assailant leader said to the captain of the guard.
The two of them he was referring to were, of course, Matthew and Luca.
His Highness Willy's reaction to his words was fast and fierce.
"I will not accept that. They are already my attendants. As Prince of the Kingdom of Ju, I formally reject that request."
His Highness Willy's anger was like a raging fire.
Both Ryo and Cohn had expressions of surprise.
However, it may be natural in a sense.
If he abandoned the two who Cohn and the others risked their lives to rescue, what would that action be for?
His Highness Willy could not accept that.
"Prince, I understand where you are coming from but …"
The captain of the guard continued to be swayed by the captive man, the people affiliated with the Duke.
(This kind of person is swayed by power or violence. Well, both sides, in this case, have power … I hope I get to know someone who has power and can help me but … I don't know anybody from Stonelake and the royal capital in the first place.)
Ryo lamented his lack of connections.
(No, if it's the royal capital, there is!?)
Ryo approached the Captain of the Guard and whispered softly.
"Guard Captain, shouldn't it be better to call someone who is higher ranked and let that person make the decision?"
Many would leap at the chance to escape the difficult decisions and the responsibilities that arise from them.
"It's a problem involving princes and dukes. A decision made lightly may have difficult consequences later."
"I-I see. Certainly, that may be the case."
The Guard Captain was on board with his suggestion.
"Hey, wait. That's not …"
"Assailants have no say in this.
The captive man was about to speak out, so Ryo put all four of them in ice coffins.
"This …"
"In case the assailants escape. It's okay. They are alive."
"I-I see …"
The Captain of the Guard was completely overwhelmed by Ryo's 『violence』.
(The last factor is authority …)
"Well then, to make a decision, it will probably be difficult unless the person has strong authority in the Kingdom?"
"Y-yes … but all of them are busy individuals …"
"Although presumptuous, it might not be an issue for Arthur Verasis, the advisor to the Court Magician Group who is in the royal capital, to make decisions regarding national issues. I believe Arthur-dono should be able to come from the royal capital quickly. How about that?"
"Yo-you, you know Advisor Verasis?"
They were companions who returned together from the 40th floor of the dungeon of Rune.
"Yes. He'll be here quickly if you say it's Rune's adventurer Ryo's request."
"I see! … But what if he is not in the royal capital?"
(I don't know anyone else … There's no other choice, I'll have to utilize Abel's connections …)
"In that case, please call Ilarion-dono. Tell him that it is Abel's friend, Ryo's request."
"What! You know Ilarion-sama too? Of course, we will send the message immediately. Hey, quickly send a fast messenger to the royal capital for Advisor Verasis and Ilarion-sama."
(Ilarion, who often exchanges letters with Abel … seems to have more influence than Arthur …)
"Then, everyone, please move to Stonelake for the time being. There, we will await the arrival of Advisor Verasis or Ilarion-sama. But, these ice-encased people …"
"Oh, leave it to me."
Ryo replied and prepared four
-x-X-x-
Cohn and Matthew were at the coachman's seat, His Highness Willy, Rodrigo, Luca, and Ryo were in the carriage.
Behind the carriage followed four
The party headed for Stonelake, with His Highness Willy's escort, adventurers, and horseback guards guarding in front and behind them.
"Thank you, Ryo-san. I ended up saying they are my attendants …"
"Prince, don't worry about it. We rescued them while being aware of the danger. Did you feel sorry for Cohn and the adventurers to hand them over like that?"
His Highness Willy apologized for the remarks he made without deep thought but Ryo understood his feelings.
"I'm truly sorry for the inconvenience caused to everyone."
However, Luca bowed in apology instead.
"But Luca should be an important individual too … to be chased by the Handal Union and targeted by the King's younger brother."
Rodrigo commented.
He hinted that it was time to reveal his identity and circumstances.
Luca nodded a few times and started talking.
"I'm the younger brother of Fuka, Finance Minister of the Kingdom of Knightley."
(Finance Manager Fuka! What an unfortunate name …)
What came to Ryo's mind was, of course, Alexandre Dumas's work 『The D'Artagnan』.
Finance Minister Fouquet. The tragic Finance Minister who plotted to rule France but was foiled by Sir d'Herblay, also known as Aramis, one of the three musketeers.
Naturally, he was a real person.
Luca's explanation went on while Ryo had rude thoughts in his heart.
"His Highness Raymond made a secret agreement with Consul Lord Aubrey of the Handal Union. I happened to stumbled upon it … and to draw my brother, the Finance Minister, into his camp, I was held captive in the Handal Union."
(If there is Finance Minister Fuka, maybe there is also Finance Inspector Colbert … Speaking of Colbert, he appears in high school world history textbooks as a proponent of mercantilist policy…)
Ryo was in his own world but his mouth remained closed.
The other two also quietly listened to Luca's story.
"Matthew and his colleagues, direct subordinates of my brother, rescued me, but to think even His Royal Highness Raymond tried to kill me …"
"I've heard that His Majesty King Stafford IV and His Royal Highness Raymond aren't very close with each other. Perhaps they think it would be possible to raise issues to the Royal Palace through your brother the Finance Minister?"
His Highness Willy proposed to Luca.
"It's true that His Majesty the King and His Royal Highness Raymond are not on good terms. But … the royal palace is in a mess in various aspects …"
Luca shook his head and replied.
"Hmm …"
His Royal Highness Willy also thought about it.
When Willy suddenly looked straight ahead, he saw Ryo nodding a few times and thinking.
"Did you come up with something, Ryo-san?"
"Eh?"
Ryo didn't express that he was recalling how D'Artagnan had arrested Fouquet, the Finance Minister in the story.
"Oh, why don't you talk to Arthur Verasis about that?"
"He's a political authority coming from the royal capital. I think that's a good idea."
His Highness Willy nodded.
(I managed to deceive him.)
Ryo was relieved.
"Does Ryo really know Advisor Verasis? It wasn't a lie on the spot?"
Luca asked a shrewd question.
"I certainly do. To put it exaggeratedly, we are like comrades for a battle."
"Ooo."
His Highness Willy responded to Ryo's words.
"Ryo has such a wealth of experiences!"
For some reason, His Highness Willy was excited.
"If I train more, will I gain more experiences …"
"Well, possibly …"
"From today, the inn will be protected by the guards until that Sir Verasis arrives. That means we won't have to worry about an attack, so it's okay to practice magic until the last minute, right?"
"We-well, maybe …"
His Water-Attribute Magician disciple was very enthusiastic about practicing …
In the morning after two days of staying at the inn with the guard's escort, the captain of the guard announced a visit.
Then, Arthur Verasis, Advisor to the Court Magician Group, entered His Highness Willy's room with the Guard Captain.
First, he greeted His Highness Willy, and then Advisor Arthur celebrated his reunion with Ryo.
A stereotypical Magician with a long white beard, a magician's gray robe, and a large staff.
"Ryo, it's been a long time. It's rare to receive a request for support from you. I rushed over dropping everything else."
"Thank you, Verasis-sama."
Advisor Arthur said in a good mood, and Ryo smiled and thanked him.
"I said it previously too, addressing me as Arthur is fine."
Then, suddenly, Advisor Arthur looked around.
"By the way, I heard on the way that this is regarding people associated with the Duke's house … I don't think these people are the ones in question."
"Yes. Actually, it was quite difficult to get them in here, so they are in the courtyard …"
"Difficult?"
The Guard Captain explained and Advisor Arthur tilted his head.
Then he approached the window facing the courtyard and looked down at the courtyard from there.
"Oh … those are wonderful ice statues … definitely Ryo's work."
Arthur grinned and looked towards Ryo.
"They were assailants, so to prevent them from running away …"
"Hands and feet tied up and encased in ice … while still alive … I definitely don't want to experience being inside that."
The second half was a very soft mutter.
An explanation of what happened and their point of view was conveyed to Arthur.
Only one of the frozen individuals was thawed and brought to the room.
His name was Badaa.
"Hmm, I have a rough understanding."
After listening to the story, Advisor Arthur requested for more tea.
He remained silent until the refill was poured.
After taking a sip of the refilled tea, Advisor Arthur opened his mouth.
"First, Matthew and Luca, as Prince Willy's attendants, go to the royal capital. If this is hindered, it will surely become a diplomatic problem. The assailants … Badaa, right? Tell only your employer that. But your party must first atone for your crime. Well, although the attack was attempted, it was a failed attempt, so 20 days' imprisonment would be appropriate. You will be detained in Stonelake. Tell the local governor this."
Prince Willy's wishes were almost all fulfilled.
Well, that was why they had Ryo's acquaintance, Advisor Arthur, come to visit.
Fixed trial, hurray.
"They will be thawed when we leave tomorrow."
Ryo promised the Guard Captain and Advisor Arthur.
By the way, the released Badaa was encased in the ice again and stood once more in the courtyard ….
"Oh yeah, I arrived a little earlier, but the members of our Court Magic Group will arrive at Stonelake today. It seems that they want to escort Prince Willy and Ryo to the royal capital."
"Ha?"
Ryo made a hysteric voice at the sudden words from Advisor Arthur.
"It seems to be an act to express their gratitude for saving them in Rune. Your Highness, would you allow the Court Magic Group to escort you?"
"Yes! Of course. That will be very welcomed!"
(Well, entering the royal capital as a foreign prince … It's only a single carriage so it would be nice to put on a show of having a large escort …)
With that in mind, Ryo convinced himself.
The next morning, Ryo, who had thawed the four as promised, went to the carriage parked in front of the inn.
There was a group of Magicians lined up in a row …
"I-Isn't there way too many?"
Ryo asked Advisor Arthur, who was right next to him, in a whisper.
"It seems to be fifty people …"
Perhaps the number was larger than expected, Advisor Arthur's voice was a little strained.
"I thought it would only be about five or six people …"
Fifty Magicians escorting a carriage on foot.
It was pretty spectacular.
"Ryo … you saved quite a lot of people …"
Cohn sitting on the coachman's seat whispered to Ryo in a soft voice.
"Ah, yes … that seems to be the case …"
It went without saying that the party that arrived at Crystal Palace, the royal capital, two days later was the talk of the royal capital.
-x-X-x-
That day, Ilarion had been away from the laboratory from the day before because of other engagements.
He returned at 3 o'clock in the afternoon.
Naturally, in the office, the girls were hanging out surrounding a plate of snacks.
"I don't think you have to come here just to eat …"
"This sofa is just too comfortable to resist."
Rihya said happily.
When he saw that smile, even Ilarion couldn't say anything in response.
"Teacher, there was a fast messenger from Stonelake who arrived yesterday. He left a message. The message is on teacher's office desk."
Rin told him that a fast messenger came by.
"Really?"
With that, Ilarion read the message on the office desk.
"… Ryo?"
It was a soft mutter, but it was clearly audible to Rin's ears.
"Ryo?"
Ilarion was surprised to hear Rin repeat Ryo's name.
"I-I remembered a small errand. I'm going out. I'm won't be back tonight, so tell Abel that."
"Oh, yes. Have a safe trip."
Rin sent Ilarion out with a slight look of suspicion.
Ilarion rushed the laboratory carriage day and night.
His destination was Stonelake.
"Ryo, the Water Magician that Abel talked about? Would like to get my help at Stonelake? Sure! I can be acquainted with Ryo this way! I would love to see his many original magic. Huhuhu, this is godsend. I won't miss this opportunity!"
Ilarion's misfortune would have been to completely close the wagon window and not pay attention to what was happening outside.
Therefore, he did not notice that he passed the carriage escorted by the Court Magic Group on the way.
Of course, Ryo was no longer in Stonelake by the time Ilarion arrived …
-x-X-x-
A few days before the day Ryo arrived at Crystal Palace, the royal capital, with Prince Willy and his party.
There were two adventurers in front of the Lord's mansion in Rune, the largest city at the frontier.
The Swordsman Ra and Scout Sue from the C-rank party 『Switchback』.
The two asked the guards to convey a message and were waiting for the requested person to come.
After about 10 minutes of waiting.
"Sue, Ra, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
Sera, B-rank adventurer and the knights' swordsmanship instructor, came out.
"No, we're sorry for the sudden call, Sera-san."
Scout Sue bowed her head.
By the way, the Swordsman Ra was frozen stiff.
Known as 『Sera of the Wind』, Sera had already become a legend in the Adventurer's Guild.
For her overwhelming ability and beauty comparable to it.
Being an elf, she was a Magician who manipulated powerful Wind Magic but she was also a transcendental Swordswoman.
Swordsman Ra's reaction was quite normal.
Scout Sue could talk to her without seizing up … well, female adventurers as a whole were able to speak to her without any issue.
"Oh, actually, we went to the Inbury Duchy with Ryo on a request, but Ryo will be a little late in returning due to certain circumstances. So he wanted us to hand a letter to Sera … we're here to do so."
Scout Sue explained and handed the letter from Ryo to Sera.
"I-I see. So he's not back yet … Sue, thank you for the letter. I'll return to my room and read it immediately."
"No worries, then please excuse us."
Sue replied and returned home with Ra, who was still frozen.
The guards who were on duty couldn't understand at all why she brought Ra.
After they left, Sera suddenly opened the letter.
She said that she would return to her room and read it, but she was very curious about the contents.
She read it once … read it once again … and collapsed to her knees.
"Se-Sera-sama?!"
The guard was shocked and called out.
"No, I'm okay, no problem."
Sera put her right hand toward the guard and stopped him, then slowly stood up.
Then, she started walking unsteadily toward the mansion.
"Royal capital … Royal capital … Royal capital …"
While muttering such words.
She walked for a while, and when she arrived in front of the building, she raised her face resolutely and started walking with strong steps.
Her destination was the Knight-Captain's office.
As usual, two knights were standing in front of the Knight-Captain's office.
"I want to meet Neville-dono."
Sera's expression seemed to show that she had made a resolute decision on something.
That was the first time the knights saw that expression too.
"Y-yes, please wait."
Then they knocked on the door.
"Sera-sama wishes to see you."
"Enter."
From inside, they heard a man's rough voice.
Sera entered the office.
"Sera-dono, what's the matter?"
Knight-Captain Neville Black called out to her.
Sera said nothing, walked to the office desk, slammed her hands against the desk, and leaned towards Neville.
"Neville-dono! Are there any plans for the Knights' Order to visit the royal capital soon? Are there? There should be! Right?"
"Wh-what happened Sera-dono, please calm down."
Neville, who asked her to calm down, was not calm at all.
He was overwhelmed by Sera's aura, a bloodcurdling sense of pressure.
"Pl-plans to travel to the royal capital … Oh, there's one. The Knights' Order was ordered to transfer the magic stone that the royal family bought again. Eight Knights would be leaving tomorrow. The members had already been selected..."
"I see. I want you to assign me there. I'll pay for the increased travel expenses at a later date. Yes, I'm the swordsmanship instructor and I'm curious about how well the knights can perform their duty."
"But that has never been done before …"
"Neville-dono! I believe there is no issue with assigning me?"
"Ah, yes, no problem."
Neville yielded.
"Okay, then I'll leave it to you. I will inform the Lord."
With that said, Sera left the Knight-Captain's office with a refreshing smile on her face.
"Well there's no problem, but … what happened …"
Even the highly acclaimed and sharp Knight-Captain Neville Black could not think of the reason.
-x-X-x-
"Thank you very much, everyone."
His Highness Willy bowed when he said so.
Diagonally behind him, Rodrigo was also bowing.
"No no, I'm glad we were able to arrive safely."
"We were just fulfilling the request. Your Highness, please raise your head."
Cohn felt awkward and Ryo replied in a hurry.
They were in front of the royal palace of the Kingdom of Knightley.
Volunteers of the Court Magic Group who escorted them had already disbanded and left to the royal palace.
Matthew and Luca also thanked the four and left for the Treasury, with an army escort appearing out of nowhere.
Finally, the escort adventurers, including Ryo, were bidding farewell to His Highness Willy and Rodrigo.
"Ryo-san, I have a final request!"
"Yes, Your Highness?"
His Highness Willy had never made any request to Ryo and Ryo lightly asked.
"Can I call Ryo-san 『Mentor』 from now on?"
"I'm sorry, please don't do that …"
"I see … Then, I'll leave it as 『Teacher』."
"Eh..."
Feeling very disappointed, His Highness Willy compromised with 『Teacher』.
Yes, compromised … although Ryo didn't find it to be a compromise at all.
The two then went into the royal castle to report their arrival.
"Now, we're going to the Adventurer's Guild, but what about Ryo?"
Cohn, Ryo, and the other adventurers were left.
Cohn and the others were going to the Adventurer's Guild. Thereafter, it seemed that this temporary party would be disbanded.
Even though it was Ryo's first time in the royal capital, he didn't have anywhere to go urgently.
At most, he had to pop by and meet Advisor Arthur who told him to do so later.
Therefore, he tried to follow Cohn and the others but … he heard a familiar voice from a group walking out from the royal palace.
"Ryo?"
As Ryo turned around, Sera hugged him at the speed of sound.
"Guho … Se-Sera? Why are you here? And the Rune Knights?"
For a while, Sera was silent while hugging Ryo.
Instead, Platoon Leader Eden of the Knights replied.
"Well, we were asked to deliver something from Rune to the Royal Palace. We have just delivered it."
"Eh … Sera too?"
"Yes, Sera-sama too … initially she wasn't involved but she requested to participate in a hurry …"
"I couldn't help it …"
Sera, who interrupted Eden's words and raised her face, finally made a sound.
"Didn't you send the letter through Sue from 『Switchback』? When I opened it, it said that you were going to the royal capital … Ryo is very precious to an Elf like me. ... I mean … Yes, as a source of nourishment. I would be greatly troubled if you aren't around. I want you to be a little more aware of that!"
"Um … I guess I'm sorry …"
(What about being a source of nourishment … that's the first time I was told that.)
"Yup, if you understand then it's fine."
Sera replied with a big smile.
The destructive power of that smile transcended everything.
For that smile, Ryo would be able to fight even if he had to turn the world into his enemy …
But he wanted to solve the query he had.
"By the way, that source of nourishment you mentioned …"
"Hmm? You see, that guardian beast you met somewhere said it too? About how it felt like their life span would be extended if they are near Ryo."
"Yes, they did say that …"
"That's it. As I said before, an Elf is like a half-Fairy. And I'm sure that guardian beast is also a guardian beast of the Fairy lineage. We call it 『Fairy Factor』and Ryo is a very valuable source of nourishment for those who have it. It's like … the feeling of purifying evil spirits. It also has a refreshing effect. It's good for you to remember."
The knights who were listening next to them nodded and went 'Hoh~'.
"Um … does it have effects on humans …?"
"No, not at all."
Sera answers Ryo's question bluntly.
"Um … does it has some effect on me …?"
"No, probably not."
And Sera answered Ryo's following question bluntly as well.
And for some reason, Ryo suffered from a feeling of defeat.
In the middle of such an exchange, Ryo didn't realize that Cohn and the others had left, saying, 'W-we're going.'
"So, Luca has escaped to the Treasury, Sica is missing, and the unshackled Finance Minister is likely to change sides. In addition, there is a glimmer of Ilarion's shadow behind them …"
It was the residence of the Duke of Flitwick in the royal capital.
In the office, two men were talking.
One person with a thin body who wore a monocle spoke while reading the report.
The other had a medium build but looked like a person with a somewhat eerie atmosphere and didn't look like he belonged in a Duke's residence.
"And the man who connects them is this guy called Abel?"
"Yes. It seemed that he was sniffing around the Knight-Captain too."
Abel had already been noticed not only by Sica but also by the Duke's subordinates.
In the first place, Abel was mainly an active adventure and not adept in espionage … so it couldn't be helped.
"Where is Ilarion now?"
"Yesterday, there was a report that he left the royal capital and headed east on the second highway."
"Is this an opportunity to get rid of this Abel?"
The monocle man thought a little.
Even if he tried to dispose of him, there was also information that he seemed to be quite skillful.
Sending a half-hearted assassination attempt may cause the tables to turn.
"If we want to take him down for sure … we should use them."
"Yes, we have already prepared it."
"Wow … as expected. So how will you do it?"
"We can use Gordon, Bellrock, and Roman. Gordon alone should be fine, but the other two are insurance."
"Okay. Get rid of him before Ilarion returns."
"Yes."
Then the creepy man left the office.
The monocle man who remained in the room smiled and muttered.
"Attacked by Heroes …"
-x-X-x-