Chapter 0228 Change to the Throne
-x-X-x-
"As expected of Lord Aubrey, unlike the Imperial Expeditionary Force, he moves very quickly."
Raymond, the king's brother, said bitterly, without changing his expression.
"The area they intend to invade is…"
"Probably the Reims region…which the Kingdom took from the Union in the last war."
In response to Raymond's right-hand man, Parker Fletcher, Count of Kirkhouse's words, Raymond replied and continued.
"The Union must have figured that Reims was up for grabs. With the royal capital taken over by the imperial army and the king missing. The Kingdom is now practically without a functioning government. Since that's the case, now's the best time since the Kingdom can't fight back. The imperial army won't go out of their way to take back Reims for the Kingdom, either. Goddammit… this is why I wanted to ascend the throne as soon as possible…"
After such a lengthy remark, Raymond sipped the coffee that was placed in front of him.
"The Reims region is as good as…"
"Yeah, it can't be helped. We might as well cut it away."
Both Raymond and Parker had concluded that it was inevitable that the Union would take back the Reims region.
"Hey Parker. The procedure required to ascend the throne is to wear the crown and declare my accession before the High Priest of the central temple, correct?"
"Yes. The crown, scepter, and royal seal must be present, so long as you have them, the High Priest cannot refuse."
"Good…"
As Parker explained, Raymond, pressed his middle finger on his left temple and began to ponder something.
After thinking for a while, Raymond asked Parker.
"If I were to force the accession, how would Marquis Musel and the others react?"
"So that's what you were thinking about."
Parker said, looking at Raymond and shaking his head slightly.
"I'm afraid, they probably won't say anything openly."
"Figures…"
"But honestly, we can't be sure of what they'll do behind the scenes."
"Hmmm…"
Once again, Raymond sank deep into his thoughts.
"Your Excellency, we have completed our advance into the heart of the Reims region, into Kashnin and Goth city."
"Good work."
Aide Lamber's report was met with a single nod of acknowledgment from Lord Aubrey, the Union Governor.
"The Imperial Army won't sortie, but…the Royal Army will, eventually."
"I wonder about that …. If I were the king, I'd leave it until the country is completely stabilized… we'll have to see."
Lord Aubrey said and picked up the cup of coffee placed in front of him.
In Lamber's eyes, it was quite refreshing to see Lord Aubrey taking his time with a cup of coffee after the murderous amount of work he had done since the annexation of Inbury, including a lot of paperwork and not enough time to sleep.
That is, until a few minutes ago, when he finally got to the point where he could take a breather.
Lamber was so close to applause involuntarily at that moment.
Since Lord Aubrey, his boss, being busy meant that naturally Lamber, his right-hand man, was also busy….
"Still, I knew that the Empire might invade the Kingdom, but I never would have imagined that the entire northern nobles would also betray them."
"You mean support the king's brother, His Royal Highness Raymond?"
"No, not that. Prince Raymond is not incompetent by nature, and reports had been coming in that he had matured a lot since he entered the Flitwick Dukedom. So I knew there were a good number of people who would follow him…"
He took another sip of coffee before continuing.
"Just didn't think he would win the support of all the northern nobles."
"But the reality remains that the entire northern nobles are with him."
"That's exactly my point, Lamber. I wonder how many of them are really with Prince Raymond."
"How many? Do you think some nobles are not aligned with him but betrayed the Kingdom all the same? If so, it makes one wonder where their interests lie."
"The logical conclusion would be…the Empire, right?"
At this point, Lamber frowned as hard as he could.
"Traitors…just thinking about it is making my stomach turn, even if it's another country."
"Well, nobles near the border are that volatile."
Lord Aubrey suddenly thought to himself…but quickly raised his head.
"This doesn't look good. Lamber, as I thought, the political power of the Emperor cannot be underestimated. We must quickly prepare troops to be stationed in the Reims region."
"Sir?"
"The eastern part of the Kingdom will soon fall into the hands of the Empire."
Three days later, in the audience chamber of the royal castle.
"Your Royal Highness, you wanted to see me?"
"Marquis Musel, thank you for coming."
Marquis Musel, commander-in-chief of the expeditionary force, accompanied by chief adjutant Linus, stepped into the audience chamber.
There were several dozen nobles present, in addition to Prince Raymond.
All of them were nobles with fiefdoms in the northern part of the kingdom.
"What in the world is this…"
"Marquis Musel, I know it's on short notice, but we are about to hold a coronation ceremony for the king. Please join the honored guests."
Parker, Raymond's right hand man, answered.
"The…hell…"
A startled gasp escaped from Linus' mouth.
Of course, it is not that Raymond did not consider forcing his accession to the throne.
However, with the southern and western parts of the Kingdom still unmoved and the imperial army attacking the central cities, it would seem too reckless to act in clear defiance of the empire's wishes.
Even though the northern nobles are accompanying him and have placed more than ten thousand troops in the royal capital…still.
"Your Highness, if you would hold on for…"
"Restrain yourself, Viscount Kruger. The coronation ceremony has already begun."
Parker rebuked him again sharply.
In fact, the northern nobles were lined up, and Prince Raymond, was also standing in front of the throne, and beside him were the crown, the scepter, and the royal seal, the three sacred objects that signify the king's authority.
Already, Linus, of course, and Marquis Musel, were in a helpless state.
Then, the final piece, a figure, entered through the front door.
"The High Priest of the Central Temple, Sir Gabriel, has arrived."
At the annoucement, High Priest Gabriel entered and stood in front of Raymond.
High Priest Gabriel checked the crown, the scepter, and the royal seal according to the ceremonial order.
When he had done so, he only uttered a single phrase.
"They are all in order."
Gabriel's expression hadn't changed since he came in.
The kind of face that said … he was doing the job given to him without any personal feelings.
Many people would call that being 'professional', but…that just proves that there are a lot of people everywhere who don't understand the true nature of things.
Without a change in expression, Gabriel proceeded with the coronation ceremony.
"Raymond, the Central Temple recognizes you as king."
At that moment, Gabriel's expression wavered, just slightly.
However, it was a slight waver that might have been noticed if one had been watching closely, and none of those who were watching from a distance noticed it.
Also, Prince Raymond, who was looking down in front of him, did not notice it either.
Regardless of Gabriel's feelings, Raymond's coronation as king came to pass.
"Woo-oo! "
Such cheers rose from the northern nobles lined up in the audience hall.
For them, this was the moment they became the new king's closest aides, and they were elated about it.
However, if one looked carefully, it would appear that some of them were genuinely happy, some looked happy, and some were feigning it.
Sitting on the throne, King Raymond addressed Marquis Musel, who was seated among the guests.
"Now then, Marquis Musel. As you can see, I have ascended the throne."
"Congratulations, Your Majesty."
Marquis Musel stood up and congratulated him.
Even though it was another country, moreover in the city they had conquered, they had to be courteous when dealing with the king of a country.
"Now the chaos in the capital will die down. However, nothing can be settled if the army of another nation is present in the capital of a nation."
"Uh, Your Majesty, what exactly are you…"
Marquis Musel was at a loss for words.
"I am grateful to the imperial army. You did a good job. However, I believe your job here is now done. I know it will be a bit difficult to do right away, so I will give you a week. You have a week to withdraw your troops."
"Nonsense! "
The one who stood up and shouted was the chief adjutant, Linus.
Marquis Musel was too shocked to say anything.
"Viscount Kruger, be careful what you say."
Parker said to Linus again.
But this time, he didn't back down.
"Cut the crap! You think you will get away with this? "
"Stop."
The one who stopped Linus, who was kicking up a fuss, was Marquis Musel next to him.
"Look around you."
His words weren't loud, but they calmed Linus down.
Both of them were surrounded by cold eyes staring at them….
"Ugh…"
"Your Majesty, I am terribly sorry. Viscount Kruger here is tired from the hard work he has been doing day after day. I beg your indulgence."
"It's fine."
The new King Raymond nodded and replied to Marquis Musel's request for forgiveness.
On that day, King Raymond's accession to the throne was announced to every city in the Kingdom.
-x-X-x-
"Today, at noon, Raymond's accession to the throne was announced."
Marquis Heinlein reported to Abel in his office in Rune.
Alexis Heinlein.
He was once the Knight-Commander of the Kingdom's Knight Order and was nicknamed 'The Demon' for his stern nature.
However, he is said to excel in espionage and have a network of intelligence throughout the Kingdom.
His capital, Acre, is the largest in the south, and he is one of the leading nobles in the south, both in name and in reality.
His son, Phelps A. Heinlein, is a B-rank adventurer based in Rune city.
"Okay. Then, as planned, I will ascend to the throne in two days."
Abel replied.
Not on the same day, but he deliberately waited two days.
In the meantime, they'll wait for the information about Raymond's accession to the throne to reach all the cities.
Abel will then ascend to the throne as well, overshadowing it.
Abel's accession has already been arranged so that it will reach every city in the country on the same day.
Ryo was watching the top-level meeting in a well-behaved manner, sitting in a chair in the corner of the room instead of his usual sofa.
Alexis looked at Ryo and said, smiling.
"Still, having the infamous water-attribute magician, Ryo, as Master Abel's bodyguard is very reassuring."
"P-Please, you flatter me…"
Ryo was embarrassed to be praised to his face by the Marquis, another famous former Knight-Commander.
"He doesn't do anything most times though."
Abel commented.
"Right, you also think you ought to be protected regularly right? Not to worry, I just need to put you on ice and you're good. I assure you, no matter what comes flying at you, you'll still be kicking without feeling a thing."
"Hey, cut it out, you blockhead."
Ryo said while nodding his head, and Abel immediately refused.
"There's no need to be shy, Abel."
"Ryo, don't you dare!"
Seeing the two of them, Alexis laughed out loud and said.
"When you say put him on ice, are you talking about the same threat you made toward Princess Fiona that caused the heated exchange between you and the Explosive Blaze Magician?"
"I'm amazed you even know about that."
Abel was impressed with Heinlein's information network, and Ryo could not say anything except to crack his mouth open in surprise.
Then Rin and Warren came in.
"Abel, we're back…Marquis Heinlein? It's been a while."
Rin greeted him in surprise, and Warren bowed his head firmly.
"Oh. You must be Shook's daughter. And Warren…well, long time no see."
Warren smiled, which was unusual.
But the highlight of the day was yet to come.
The door slammed open.
"Abel, is Ryo here…"
A magician with an unkempt white beard and white hair came in without knocking.
"You could at least knock before coming in, gramps."
"Well, that's just like Lord Ilarion."
Abel was exasperated and Alexis laughed sarcastically.
"Oh, so the Demon is here as well. No, more importantly…"
"Ryo, run—"
Ryo was in Ilarion's sight, despite Rin's heads up.
"You must be Ryo."
"Yes, I am. Lord Ilarion."
Ilarion confirmed, and Ryo nodded and waited for him to approach. Without running away.
Because Ryo also had many things he wanted to talk to Ilarion about.
"Listen Ryo, I have something I want to talk to you about. May I?"
"I, too, would like to ask Lord Ilarion some questions about magic and to confirm some things."
"Pardon?"
Ilarion was a little surprised by Ryo's reply.
Then he smiled happily.
Ilarion is a seeker of magic.
If so, there is nothing wrong with talking about magic.
"Absolutely. Let us talk a great deal. Abel, get us something to drink, will ya."
"Oh Abel, I would like a cup of coffee."
Ilarion demanded, and Ryo agreed.
"Uh, you realize, I'm the next king, right…"
"Looks like it's going to take a while."
Abel blurted out, followed by Alexis, with his mocking smile.
Rin watched from the side, a little shaken, hiding behind Warren.
"Ryo sacrificed himself to master…"
Muttering such words.
"Ryo, you said you had questions and something you wanted to confirm?"
"That's right. Lord Ilarion was investigating the magic of the Majin, ah…"
After saying that much, he remembered that the subject was classified.
Back at the guild, Hugh practically chewed his ears off about it…but looking at the present members, he thought it unnecessary.
Abel, the next king, Marquis Heinlein, who collects intel from all over the country, Rin and Warren…both of whom accompanied him on the investigation….
"Mm-hmm, these are people we don't need to hide it from."
Ilarion must have grasped it too. As he smiled and said so.
"You're right. So, as I was saying about the Majin's magic, she floated in the sky."
"Apparently. I used a residual magic power detector to find out."
It's an alchemical tool used in the investigation of the Great Tidal Bore in Rune city.
"The magic power used wasn't that of wind attribute."
"No, it wasn't wind-attribute."
"So, a non-attribute then?"
Ilarion was surprised at Ryo's conclusion.
Because none of his companions had been able to guess it, and no one but Ilarion had noticed it.
"Exactly, it's non-attribute. Ryo, you have something in mind, don't you?"
Ryo had no intention of hiding anything before Ilarion's serious gaze, but that said…it was a little difficult to explain.
How does one explain 'anti-gravity'.
First and foremost, most people would never think of the concept of 'gravity'.
They don't think that there is such a thing as 'gravity' just because an apple falls in front of their eyes.
"It's hard to explain… but yes, there is a force at work on all things in the world… and it's a magic based on that concept."
"A force that works on all things in the world… hmm."
Gravity is a force that works on everything on the planet…that is true.
Ryo created a ball of ice and demonstrated to the audience by dropping it.
"Everything in this world falls."
"Mm-hmm."
"That's because there is a force that pulls it down. It is a force that acts on everything."
"A force that pulls it down…"
Ilarion said this and went silent for a moment.
Abel and Alexis, who were listening at the side, also paused, tilting their heads.
They didn't seem to understand at all.
"I see…"
Ilarion muttered softly.
"I get it now, a force that pulls things down. Indeed, everything falls. Everything that is not magically generated."
"All that is not magically generated…"
After Ilarion had grasped something, this time, something came to Ryo's mind.
Whether it's about the ice spear that he used to generate that falls immediately afterward not long after he came to 'Phi', or that the same ice spear now flies as he wills it…or the water jet he generates in the air and moves in a random trajectory, or perhaps the ice wall that he generates high in the sky and then free-falls…
"H-Huh?"
They both sank into the depths of their respective thoughts.
Things inevitably progressed late into the night as a number of things were shelved, a number of things discussed, and an exchange of information that seemed to go on indefinitely.
Rin was already asleep in Warren's arms, and Marquis Heinlein had long since left.
And Abel was doing paperwork as usual.
"Abel, is it true that the coronation ceremony will be held in the south square?"
"Yes. I don't have the three sacred items needed for the coronation anyway. Uncle Raymond has them. Since that's the case, I see no reason to stay indoors. So I thought I might as well allow the people of the city to come and observe."
"I see. Lord Ilarion, is there any kind of wind-attribute magic that can make a person's voice reach far away?"
"Mm? Of course. It'll be difficult to use in a messy place like a battlefield, but…in a place like, say a square, it can be used to get a voice from the square to reach every corner of the city."
Ilarion seemed to understand what Ryo wanted and said with a grin.
And Abel, too.
"Oh I get it, that's a good one. Not everyone will be able to make it to the square."
"All that's left now is Abel's face. That face, projected in the sky…no wait, Abel, what do you say to just floating in the sky? Maybe we could float a platform with Abel on it in the sky, waving to all the people in the distance."
"How is he going to pull that off when he's not a wind-attribute magician?"
Naturally, Ilarion was surprised and asked.
"The Majin was hovering freely, but compared to that…it's amazingly easy for a person to stay afloat."
Abel, the day of the coronation ceremony.
The coronation ceremony was about to take place in the town square of Rune as planned.
The priest in charge was Rihya, dressed in the formal attire of a saint.
The people in the square couldn't help but raise their voices at the sight of her graceful and elegant beauty.
A group of three D-rank adventurers standing near the front of the square were also admiring her figure.
In particular, a priest named Etho was reported to have repeatedly said, "Beautiful, O beautiful goddess".
As the coronation ceremony reached its climax, the saint, Rihya made a proclamation.
"Prince Albert, by virtue of the authority vested in me as a saint, I acknowledge you as King Abel, the First."
At that moment, the people in the square erupted in cheers.
The cheers, which could be described as roars, converged into one word.
"Abel! Abel! Abel! Abel! "
In the city of Rune, the name 'Abel' is the name of an adventurer who is well-liked by all and admired by men and women alike.
That popular man was in fact the second prince, and he is on his way to take back the throne from the usurping king's younger brother.
And then he is going to stand up to the usurper and the invading empire.
Everyone in Rune flared with energy!
Abel gazed at the cheering crowd from the stand.
He waited quietly for the cheers to subside.
Eventually, the people, too, noticed Abel's appearance, and the cheers lessened…and finally quieted.
Abel held out his hands and called out to the people.
"People of Rune, I want you to listen to me for a moment."
Abel said, looking over from right to left, and continued his words.
"At this moment, the kingdom is in peril. And this calamity will soon reach our beloved Rune city. But I promise you. I will not let the city of Rune fall victim to it. For this reason, I've taken up the mantle of king. I became king to unite all our forces. Knights, adventurers, as well as you common folks, I ask for your help. There will come a time when we will have to fight with everything on the line. When that time comes, I want you to give everything you've got. Lend me your strength to regain all that has been taken from us, to restore the peace that has been stolen from us! "
A moment of silence.
"Oooooooh!!"
Cheers, which could be described as raging roars surpassing the previous one, arose.
Not only from the square.
From every corner of the city.
It was in response to Abel's words, which were delivered to every corner of Rune city using Ilarion's wind-attribute magic,
Abel raised his hand to respond to the cheers.
At that moment, the platform on which Abel was standing rose.
It slowly moved, about five meters above the ground.
The people who saw him cheered even more.
In response, the platform Abel was on rose even higher.
The scene became the subject of many paintings and has been preserved for posterity.
As 'King Abel's Speech'.
-x-X-x-
Marquis Hope's territory in the western part of the Kingdom of Knightley.
At the lord's mansion in the territorial capital of Jewel, a negotiator on leave was making an impassioned speech.
"Father, brother, we should issue a statement of support for King Abel immediately!"
Negotiator Ignis from the Kingdom's Ministry of Foreign Affairs was trying to persuade his father, the Marquis of Hope, and his brother, the next in line.
"I certainly understand what you're trying to say, Ignis…"
After saying that, the Marquis of Hope frowned and scratched his head.
Then he continued speaking.
"I don't know Abel, or rather the character of King Abel. We, as a Marquis house will be in a very difficult position if, after making our stance clear, the person we're rooting for turns out to be a terrible individual."
"And I already told you! I know Abel, or rather King Abel, very well! Albeit as an adventurer, I can assure you that he has an outstanding character. I do not doubt that he will be an extremely great king comparable to the ones of the past!"
Ignis had spent a great deal of time with Abel, an A-rank adventurer at the time, on a mission to the Twilight Land just a few months earlier.
He was trying to win the support of his father and brother by telling them about his experience.
"Father, if what Ignis says is true, then King Abel certainly seems to be a man worth supporting. At least much more so than the Duke of Flitwick…"
"Mmmm…that may indeed be so, still…"
King Abel's coronation proclamation was issued at noon today.
It's now 12:30.
At a time when many nobles in the Kingdom are on the fence, a declaration of support from the Marquis of Hope would greatly put them in good standing.
In the coming reign of King Abel, the prestige of the Marquis house will be even greater than before.
Of course, Marquis Hope house is still the largest noble family in the West.
The current Marquis of Hope has little interest in central politics.
However, considering that his descendants will inherit the territory and the title 'Hope', he ought to have a certain degree of strength…and one powerful enough not to be underestimated by the central government.
"Very well. Our Marquis Hope House will support King Abel."
"Ooh!"
Hearing their father's declaration, the elder brother and younger brother exclaimed in unison.
Thirty minutes later, the Marquis of Hope, a great western noble, proclaimed support for King Abel.
At about the same time, the Marquis of Heinlein and the Count of Rune on the southern frontier also declared their support for King Abel.
The Elves of the 'Western Forest' also declared their support for King Abel.
At this stage, the conflict between King Raymond, who held the northern and central regions, and King Abel, who had the support of the southern and western regions, became clear.
The Kingdom was divided into two, except for the eastern part which was in turmoil and where the lords were being replaced one after another.
-x-X-x-
Wingston, the largest city in the eastern part of the Kingdom.
On the plains to the west of the city, close to the Second Highway, the armies faced off.
On the Kingdom side, there were 500 Wingston garrisons, 1,000 troops stationed in the eastern part of the Kingdom, and 5,500 other conscripts…for a total of 7,000 men.
The Imperial Army, on the other hand, consisted of 90 members of the Emperor's Magic Division…only.
"The day before yesterday, Stonelake surrendered without resistance…but I guess it won't be that easy with the largest city in the east."
The second-in-command, Jurgen, said to the personage at his side.
"I guess so. Since Wingston is more or less the capital of the Shrewsbury Dukedom. As the most prestigious of the noble families in the royal lineage, it will not easily fall into the hands of the Empire."
"But speaking of the Duke of Shrewsbury, I heard that the succeeding dukes died one after another during this eastern upheaval…"
Jurgen, the adjutant, looked up for a bit and asked, recalling something.
"Yeah. Currently, it seems that the heir is a child who is not even ten years old…. I guess the guardian is the one making all the decisions. It must be hard being a duke."
Oscar, the deputy chief, said with an aura that doesn't give the impression that he felt any sympathy in the least.
"Your Excellency, are we really fighting it out?"
The one who asked this question was Nalizon, commander of the eastern garrison. And the person to whom he asked this question was….
"Are you still saying that nonsense even after it's come to this! Wake up already, Nalizon!"
The man who shouted at him was Gaspar Hayes, Count of Adfa.
He is the grandfather and guardian of the present Duke of Shrewsbury.
The continuing upheaval had left much of the East in turmoil.
The Duke of Shrewsbury, one of the great nobles of the East and a member of the royal family.
He was one of the five most powerful nobles in the Kingdom, but he was caught up in the upheaval in the East, and the heirs to the dukedom died one after the other.
Irwin, who succeeded to the dukedom at the age of nine, was the last person left in the direct line.
There's no one left, both the men or women.
If he were to fall into the hands of the Empire and his life taken, the Duke of Shrewsbury's family would be cut off.
Of course, there are collateral descendants.
However, no noble family will support the Duke house should someone of a collateral lineage be installed as the Duke of Shrewsbury.
The aristocratic world is not so forgiving.
"For Irwin's sake, we cannot back down!"
Gasper's expression was filled with bitterness.
Even Gaspar knew who he was dealing with.
He also knew that Stonelake had surrendered without a fight the day before yesterday.
He doesn't blame Stonelake for their decision…but even Gasper would have surrendered without a fight if Irwin's life was not on the line and the Dukes of Shrewsbury were not in danger of being cut off.
The Explosive Blaze Magician.
The name carried that much weight.
Thirty minutes after the two armies faced each other, a 'voice' came from the imperial army, the Emperor's Magic Division.
"Surrender now. Surrender, and I guarantee the life of the Duke of Shrewsbury and his subjects."
"L-Like hell we can! No one will support a duke who surrenders without a fight."
Gaspar blurted out, gnashing his teeth.
Commander Nalizon could understand Gasper's anguish.
Although he gets it…
(Still, to order an assault against an opponent we can't hope to defeat is nothing but…)
Nevertheless, deep down in his heart, he would also like to see how the rumored Emperor's Magic Division and the Explosive Blaze Magician fights.
However, he would have loved to watch as a spectator and was not at all willing to risk his life and his men to see it.
While Nalizon was thinking about this, a part of his army started raising a clamor.
"What is it?"
Nalizon asked, not directing the question to anyone in particular.
"Commander, the enemy is on the move!"
Nalizon looked toward the direction of the Imperial army and saw only one man walking towards them.
"What the…"
He reached the midway point between the two armies, but did not stop and continued to approach.
"If you walk any closer, we will attack!"
A soldier from the Wingston garrison shouted loudly. But the man did not stop.
At this point, the man had walked close enough to be recognizable.
He has short white hair and brown skin, with his cloak fluttering about as he walks, probably a commander.
"Oh no…"
Nalizon had heard the rumors as well.
Including the most distinctive part of his appearance…
"The white-haired commander of the Emperor's Magic Division…"
While Nalizon was still taken aback, Gasper's voice rang out.
"Attack!"
With that command, dozens upon dozens of arrows flew toward the lone man.
However…
All of them bounced off a transparent wall in front of the man.
"Impossible…"
Whoever said that was anybody's guess….
"A-Attack with magic."
In response to that order, numerous magic attacks flew toward the man.
However…
Again, they were all repelled by the transparent wall in front of the man.
"Physical and magic barriers…"
The chief of the Eastern Garrison's magic unit muttered.
"How can there be such a sturdy barrier…"
The deputy chief of the magic unit muttered.
Finally, the man came within sight of the Kingdom Army.
No one could move when he got there…actually, none except one.
Gaspar Hayes, Count of Adfa.
"Shah!"
With a spirited effort, he thrusts out the spear he held in his hand.
The spear-wielder, once said to be the best in the East, thrust it so brilliantly that only a few could catch its glimpse.
However…
Clangg.
It still bounced off the invisible barrier.
"What in the world is that…?"
Despair washed over Gasper's face.
Literally, all attacks were useless.
Arrows, magic, and even melee attacks….
How were they supposed to defeat such an opponent.
"That crest, I presume, you are the Count of Adfa, the Duke of Shrewsbury's guardian."
The white-haired man said, clasping his hands to his chest and bowing lightly as he introduced himself.
"I am Baron Oskar Ruska, the Deputy Chief of the Emperor Magic Division appointed directly by His Majesty, the Emperor. I have come to humbly ask for your surrender."
That day, without a single casualty on either side, the largest city in the East, Wingston, fell to the Imperial Army.
News of the fall of Wingston reached the Rune Lord's mansion, which became noisier than ever.
It is not well known to the general public that there is a development workshop on its grounds, which boasts a vast area of land.
There is also an alchemy workshop in Rune city, but it has remained closed for several years.
The reason for this is that all the people who worked in the alchemy workshop are now rather immersed in the development workshop of the lord's mansion….
There was a robed, magician-looking man sneaking around the building.
The man was peeking through windows, trying to open doors, and acting all suspicious.
No one could fault Radden from the royal alchemy workshop, who had fled the royal capital a few days earlier and was finally getting used to the place, for challenging such a suspicious fellow.
"You there! What are you doing?"
The accosted fellow was startled and quietly turned to Radden.
"W-Whoa? Ryo?"
"Yo, Radden…"
It was the water-attribute magician who had been caught in the act and was trying to figure out how to cover it up.
"What are you doing, Ryo?"
"I was just curious about what you guys were making in there…"
Ryo decided to answer honestly. He wasn't any good at whitewashing anyway.
"Oh right…Ryo, you don't have an access permit, do you? I am afraid even you can't get access to this one. This isn't like back in the royal capital."
"…"
On the orders of the Crown Prince, the Royal Alchemy Workshop team led by Baron Kenneth Hayward, who had escaped before the fall of the royal capital, had headed south and arrived at Rune city.
Originally, Kenneth was from Rune city, but there was another reason.
That reason has to do with the strict access regulations and a certain 'alchemy tool' that has been developed in this development workshop for decades.
The combination of that 'tool' and Kenneth's 'Vaedra'….
That was Kenneth's train of thought when he chose Rune city as his refuge instead of Acre, the largest city in the south.
Needless to say, Ryo didn't know anything about it, and even Radden did not fully understand.
"What are you guys doing?"
Ryo was shaking with grief when a short figure approaching from the distance called out to them.
From his short stature and low voice, he was clearly a dwarf.
"Oh, Master Dolan, it has been a while."
Ryo greeted the familiar dwarf.
Master Dolan is a blacksmith who has a shop in the city.
He remembered that Sera had taken him there before.
"Hm? Ryo, right? You were together with Miss Sera."
Master Dolan also remembered Ryo.
"I remember you had a knife with you…"
Master Dolan's words were so soft that they were apparently inaudible to the grief-stricken Ryo.
He looked at Ryo's belt, but the robe covered Ryo completely, so he couldn't see past it.
"Come to think of it, I heard from Sera. That you're a member of the development workshop and a pretty skilled blacksmith."
"Oh please."
When Ryo said so, Master Dolan's face turned bright red and blushed.
"Ryo and…you are, the alchemist from the baron's place. What, you two know each other or something?"
Master Dolan looked at Radden and commented.
"Yes. Ryo helped me quite a lot back in the royal capital."
Radden explained.
"So what are you two doing here?"
"Nothing much, I was just wondering what exactly they were making inside…"
Ryo answered honestly Master Dolan's question.
"Oh…"
Master Dolan had an indescribable expression on his face.
"Actually I wouldn't mind showing you, but this one is way out of my hands…"
"Yes, exactly…"
Master Dolan and Radden refused with apologetic expressions on their faces.
"I understand…"
Ryo nodded.
"How do I get access inside?
He asked, thinking it wouldn't hurt.
"Well…I guess you'd have to get permission…and since it's a project under the jurisdiction of the lord, you'll have to get permission directly from him. But that would be a bit difficult…"
Master Dolan said.
Even for those who work in the lord's mansion, it is not easy to meet with the lord, the frontier Count, to begin with.
Because, the frontier Count is a busy man.
Adding to ask for permission to access the building to boot….
However…
"I understand. I will go see the frontier count now!"
Once it became clear what he needed to do, all that was left was to get on with it.
Ryo put aside his somber expression and raised his head, looked at the two of them, and said so.
Then he took off and headed toward the remote area where the frontier count was.
"And there he goes…"
"Yup…"
Both Radden and the Master Dolan muttered, staring blankly.
Later, while they were still standing there talking as they were, Ryo came back.
He then held out a piece of paper in front of them.
"I've been granted permission to enter!"
The piece of paper that Ryo held out reads.
'Permission for Ryo to enter the development workshop'.
And at the end, a signature.
But while Radden felt bad and sorry for him, he thought it must be a forgery.
He had heard that it was not that easy to meet the frontier Count, and besides, looking at the access permit….
"Ryo, this is what an access permit looks like."
Radden showed him his little card-sized access permit.
It had his name and some kind of alchemically stamped seal on it so that it cannot be forged.
"I-I was told it would take a while to issue it, so I had him write it on a piece of paper!"
Ryo said turning down a corner of his mouth and showing the handwritten access permit 'form' again.
Radden and the Master Dolan took it and looked at it carefully.
After looking at it for a while, he groaned.
"Umm~m…"
"Master?"
Radden called out to the master.
"Sure enough, this is the lord's handwriting."
"Wha~?"
Master Dolan muttered, and hearing that, Radden let out a surprised sound.
And Ryo puffed out his chest and was like "Ahem".
While the three of them were doing this, a man came walking toward them from the lord's mansion.
"Ryo? And isn't that Master Dolan and Radden? What are you guys doing hanging around the entrance?"
It was the next king, or rather, King Abel, who had just ascended to the throne.
"Y-Your Majesty!"
First, Radden rushed to his knees.
"Oh, King Abel!"
Master Dolan was not as flustered as Radden because he had known the adventurer for a long time, but he still got down on one knee for the man who had just become king.
"What are you doing here, Abel?"
Ryo, on the other hand, didn't observe any such courtesy whatsoever.
"The thing they're making here will contribute to the development of the Kingdom, not only in this battle, but in the years to come. I care about it too. That's why I come to see it from time to time…"
"Why waste time on something like that instead of doing your job properly."
"I don't need to hear that from you of all people!"
Abel gave his reason, Ryo nitpicked at him, and Abel angrily retorted.
"You are supposed to be my bodyguard, and yet you're always dawdling up and about…"
"It's exactly because I'm your bodyguard that I need to know every corner of the lord's mansion!"
"Yeah right, you're obviously just trying to satisfy your curiosity…"
"Ugh…"
Ryo choked on words at Abel's precise point.
"A-Anyway…oh right, Abel, take a look at this."
Ryo said and he showed Abel the access permit.
"Hm? A document written by the frontier Count? Okay, what about it?"
"With this, I can get access to this building, right?"
"Sure, why not? The frontier Count took the trouble to write it down for you, didn't he? I'm sure you must have pestered him to no end…"
"Th-that's beside the point. The point is, with this I can go in."
Abel hit the nail right on the head, and Ryo glossed it over, albeit sloppily.
At any rate, he got permission to enter the building!
"Well, if that access permit is genuine, then there should be no problem."
"Exactly."
Both Master Dolan and Radden nodded their heads.
Thus, Ryo was allowed to enter the development workshop.
Inside the building with the large emblem of the 'doe' representing the Rune Frontier Count at the entrance, there was a vast space.
He was surprised when he visited the Library in the South of Rune for the first time before, but this was even more spacious….
In other words, the space was larger than any dome stadium on Earth.
He had the feeling from the time he was sneaking around outside that it was quite spacious, but going in, his impression was even more than he had imagined….
"Wide, isn't it? Get this, there's a space of this size underground, too."
"Goodness me…"
Ryo was unable to continue speaking as Abel explained.
Creating a vast space without pillars is quite difficult in architecture.
Then again, it wouldn't be so difficult if there weren't any risk factors such as earthquakes and such, but perhaps that is not the case here.
Every conceivable risk would have been taken into account….
In the center of such a vast space, a huge object was sitting.
Two figures could be seen working on the object, attached to it.
One could be recognized, even from a distance, as Baron Kenneth Hayward.
The other, even from a distance, could be seen to be quite beautiful.
"Oh, the beautiful woman is the daughter of the Grand Master. She fled the royal capital and arrived here."
"Uh…Mr. Hugh's, ex-fiancee…?"
Elsie Forsythe.
A brilliant young woman who, while a member of the Court Magician Order, was also a member of Magic University because of her excellence.
She was forced to flee when the royal capital fell by using the influence of her father, Grand Master Finlay Forsythe, and came to Rune city, relying on Hugh.
After thinking about all of this, Ryo's gaze finally fell on the entire giant object they were attached to.
"A ship? No, no way…a plane…"
Ryo involuntarily muttered.
The shape resembled a ship floating in the water…and looked like a rather long and narrow trimaran…but upon closer inspection, not quite.
There are many ships in the world that one could truly describe as 'looks like it could fly in the air'… even in this 'Phi', the trimaran that he once saw in Whitnash was a thing of beauty…what the hell? That was a trimaran too?
An elegant trimaran that captivate people's hearts.
"That one…flies in the sky, doesn't it?"
Ryo uttered this with a certain conviction.
Master Dolan and Radden were surprised to hear those words.
Abel was not surprised at all.
Somehow, he had thought that Ryo would understand it the moment he saw it.
"I see. It would be ideal to load 'Vaedra' on it. Vaedra doesn't generate a recoil…and if there is no recoil, controlling the attitude in the air is a piece of cake."
These words surprised Master Dolan and Radden even more.
This time, even Abel was surprised at this.
"To even deduct loading that thing with Vaedra…gotta give it to you, Ryo."
Abel praised him honestly.
"Flying with wind magic stone and operating the Vaedra with wind magic stone…they seem compatible."
Ryo crossed his arms and nodded repeatedly as he said this.
Then he continued.
"By all means, I want it when the war is over…"
"Nope, you can't."
"Why not? With the mentality of 'I know I can't have it until we win', and I'm stylishly saying that I'll wait until then, can't you tell…?"
Abel flatly refused, and Ryo was trying to explain the logic with a look of despair on his face.
"I don't care about any logic or mentality, but to start with, that ship belongs to the Rune Frontier Count. Sure, Vaedra is the property of the Kingdom, so it belongs to the Kingdom…as for that ship, it's merely a form of loan by the Kingdom from the Rune Frontier Count in this war."
"Ugh…the evils of bureaucratic sectionalism…"
Ryo muttered to himself and feeling frustrated.
On that note, Master Dolan and Radden, who were watching the situation unfold, had blank expressions on their faces, like they didn't want to be involved.
-x-X-x-
"King Abel controls the south and west. Raymond holds the north and central. So far, so good, as for the east…"
"Didn't think that the Explosive Blaze Magician would advance to the east…"
Marquis Alexis Heinlein and King Abel were having a conversation with a map of the Kingdom in front of them.
Ryo sat on a chair in the corner of the room, reading an alchemy-related book he brought from the library, since his usual sofa was currently occupied for the meeting.
"And to have captured not only Stonelake but also Wingston city in such a short time."
When Abel said this, Ryo turned his head up from his book and looked at them.
It wasn't from of a spark of inspiration or anything like that, but because he heard a familiar name and got a little curious.
Then he stood up, put the book down on the chair, went closer to the two of them and looked at the map.
From the eastern border city of Red Post, Barsham, Wingston, Stonelake, and the royal capital.
The second highway connected those cities.
It was the road and the cities where Ryo had served His Highness Willy of the Kingdom of Ju, as his bodyguard.
Just taking a trip down memory lane, where he experienced quite an adventure, like how he froze the village of the Order of Assassins, his meeting and parting with 'Hassan', all while on the job.
Ryo was immersed in such memories as he stared at the map.
That was all, and he was by no means pondering the serious issues of the state.
"What is it, Ryo?"
Abel didn't call out to him expecting anything in particular.
He was simply thinking, Ryo probably heard the name of a familiar city and decided to come to take a look at the map…since it was typical of him.
He was right.
"Any ideas?"
Marquis Heinlein asked, as he seemed to have a misunderstanding about Ryo, and for some reason held him in high regard.
Misunderstandings are a terrible thing.
That being said, Ryo has a good head on his shoulders.
There are times when he has a flash of inspiration.
"The Empire will want to advance as far south as Slanzewi, which is further south than the Second Highway."
"Wha..."
Abel and Marquis Heinlein were at a loss for words.
Slanzewi is south of the Second Highway, along the road that connects the eastern part of the Kingdom to the south.
"Ryo, what makes you think that?"
"Hm? If they're pushing east, then their objective is gunpowder…um, I believe you call it 'black powder'. That's what they are after, right? I can't say for sure if it will become a variable in the war if put to practical use…or not, since there's magic…. Either way, if that's the case, Gecko once told me that they are found in the eastern part of the Kingdom in Slanzewi, if I recall correctly…oh, and apparently this is classified information."
"How come you and a merchant from another country know such classified information…"
Abel blurted out.
"It did cross my mind, but if black powder really is their objective…"
Marquis Heinlein seemed to have considered the possibility.
"Have you forgotten, Abel. Slanzewi was the first place Sharfi attacked, remember?"
"The Order of Assassins huh…. Since it was a request from the Empire, it could only mean that the Empire's target has always been the eastern part of the Kingdom and the 'black powder' right from the beginning."
"It's useless securing only the eastern part of the Kingdom…the other places it connects to, in other words, some parts of the north, will eventually end up with the Empire, not Raymond…"
Abel was startled by the Marquis Heinlein's mutterings.
"That's not good."
The northern part of the Kingdom borders the Empire. If there's even a hint of such a move, then they must take action at the earliest opportunity, but first of all, they are severely lacking intel….
"My…no not quite, to be precise, Phelps' subordinates are over there. He said he sent the most elite of his party members over there, so how about we get in touch with them."
Marquis Heinlein gave a small nod as he said this.
(I would expect no less…)
Ryo was honestly impressed. Both Marquis Heinlein and his son Phelps.
He looked at him with respect…wondering how many moves ahead of time they had read and made.
"That reminds me, apparently the advisor of the court magician order, Sir Arthur Verasis, made it to Acre and is training the magic corps there.
"I see. That's reassuring! Speaking of which, where is Phelps now?"
"Since I am here in Rune, I left Phelps in charge of Acre."
The Marquis said casually.
Phelps has apparennntly been trained well enough to be entrusted with the territory.
He is a B-rank adventurer, and moreover, a decent successor to the Marquis.
While Ryo was feeling impressed, he heard Abel's really tiny murmur.
"Wow."
"Hey, this ain't good, we're really going to die if we keep going like this."
Normally, Wyatt, an Earth-Attribute Magician, would retort to Blair's complaints, but he said nothing as he builds an earthen wall to block the enemy's attack.
It was literally raining magic and arrows…and Wyatt's earthen wall was their last line of defense.
Carlisle, the capital of Prince Raymond and the Flitwick Dukedom.
The four were trapped in a corner of that city.
Blair, Wyatt, Gideon, and Lorenzo…These four are the executives of the White Brigade, an adventurer party from Rune city.
By order of their leader, Phelps A. Heinlein, they had infiltrated the Flitwick Dukedom and had sent several pieces of intel to Acre until yesterday.
But today….
"Goddammit, fuckin' monsters…. Why are these freaks here?"
"Just our luck to be dealing with these monsters."
Blair, the dual swordsman, blurted out, and Gideon, the priest, chimed in.
All four of them were B-rank adventurers.
Of course, with Phelps, the leader, and Sheena, the deputy leader, together, they make a complete party, but they often have to do things without the two of them.
In particular, they have had several experiences infiltrating cities.
Occasionally, they were chased by city guards and garrisons, but since they were stronger, they were never in any tight spot that could put them in danger.
After all, they are B-rank adventurers!
This time, however, their opponent was an order of magnitude different from their previous encounters.
"What in god's name are the 'Five Dragons' doing here…?"
Priest Gideon muttered.
"Little~kiddies~~~, come out and play~~~"
Such words came from across the other side, tinged with derision.
"Shit, it's definitely that swordsman from earlier! "
"That would be their leader, San."
The 'Five Dragons' are the pride of the Kingdom, all five of them are A-rank.
The leader, swordsman San…hasn't had any good things said about him.
Blair, the dual swordsman, babbled, and Gideon, the priest, frowned and said his name.
"Hate to say it , but I'm no match for him. He's likely even more troublesome a swordsman than Abel."
Blair said regretfully.
He was blunt and certainly don't look intelligent by any means, but he was adept at accurately gauging the difference in strength between himself and his adversary.
"Although…"
There were walls on both sides and behind them, and they knew that there were guards waiting in ambush beyond each of those walls.
So they could either defeat the 'Five Dragons' in front of them…grow wings and fly away…or….
"Okay, it's done."
Wyatt, who was doing something with his left hand on the ground while maintaining the earthen wall with his right, announced in a low voice.
"Everyone brace yourselves for the impact of the fall."
"What…"
The ground collapsed as soon as he said that.
And the collapsed ground quickly closed up.
The four of them fell into the ground.
"Here I come~~~"
With that, San plunged into the earthen wall and tore it open in one fell swoop.
He was prepared for some kind of counterattack, but there was none.
In fact, there was no one on the other side of the wall.
"Huh?"
He looked closely at the ground and saw that it was in the process of solidifying.
Following San, Connor the spear-wielder and Bruno the magician rushed in.
Then they saw that the space was empty.
"They got away?"
Connor, the spear-wielder muttered with a furrowed brow.
"Underground, apparently. Bruno, can't you do something?"
"Yeah, as if, I possess the fire-attribute. I guess those guys have someone with an earth-attribute among them. But underground is…"
"The sewers."
Calvin, the archer and scout who arrived last, muttered a whisper.
"Aw, that's too~ bad~"
Swordsman San said in a tone that clearly shows he feels no disappointment at all.
Then he turned around and shouted in a slightly different tone.
"Guard Captain, the enemy has fled into the underground sewers. I'll leave the rest to you."
"Got it!"
The guard captain, whom he had relayed the message to, hastily split up his men and began to move to take control of the surface exits of the sewers.
"We just received word from the royal capital."
Calvin, the scout, handed San a piece of paper.
"What do we have here…oh, finally, we can go back to the royal capital."
San said happily.
That made both Bruno the magician and Connor the spear-wielder smile.
Originally, they were adventurers from the royal capital.
For several reasons, they had left the royal capital to hide out in the north, but they still preferred the royal capital!
Their expressions said it all.
In the sewers of Carlisle.
"Oh god it stinks…though it stinks to high heavens, I'm so glad we got away. This one time, I'm grateful to you, Wyatt."
"How unusual."
The magician Wyatt looked somewhat quizzical at twin swordsman Blair's unusual appreciation.
"Going forward we'll need to dig a lot more side holes if we're going to get outside the castle walls. So, on that note, I'm counting on you, earth-attribute magician Wyatt! "
"…Ugh?"
After that, the guards searched every corner of the city, but they couldn't find the whereabouts of the four people….
-x-X-x-
"The 'Five Dragons' were in Carlisle all along…?"
Hugh McGrath, the guild master, groaned in the office of Rune Adventurers' Guild.
The information came from Marquis Heinlein, who was assisting Abel.
The Grand Master himself had previously come to 'Crimson Sword' with a request to search for 'Five Dragons' when he lost contact with them.
At that time, since the location where they had lost contact with them was near the border with the Empire, it was too dangerous to send Abel, the second prince, so instead he was sent to the Twilight Land, and B-rank and C-rank adventurers from the royal capital were sent to search for Five Dragons.
In the end, the subsequent course of events and information didn't make it back to Rune city, and Hugh himself was so busy that it had completely left his mind.
Seeing that the Five Dragons remained in the northern region of the country, in the Flitwick Dukedom, they were probably siding with the enemy.
Whether that enemy was 'King Raymond' or the 'Empire' was yet to be determined.
"Either way, they're a troublesome opponent to have as an enemy…"
Hugh held his head in his hands.
If they were to appear on the battlefield, ordinary soldiers would be slaughtered helplessly.
A-rank adventurers have serious combat strength.
The only way to suppress them is to prepare adventurers of the same rank or to overwhelm them with B-rankers… either way it's an immense headache.
Moreover, a total disaster would be if they were to be used as assassins.
Whether it be King Raymond or King Abel, they were still at the stage where their government is built upon the existence of both individual kings.
There was no strong bureaucracy in place to systematize replacements, and there was no one ready to step in to replace them if they died.
'It's all over once the king dies.'
The situation was as perilous as a board game.
Should a powerful pawn storm in with an eye for the king's life….
It would be like a dragon in shogi or a queen in chess barging into the camp.
Even if the king's life is protected, the damage to those who protect him would be enormous.
They will be shattered to pieces and will end up hindering the maintenance of the front line thereafter.
How would one use powerful pawns?
That is an area that requires both strategic and tactical perspectives.
"The swordsman, the spear-wielder, the fire-attribute magician, and the scout are the four members confirmed…four? They're called the 'Five Dragons', so they ought to be five of them, right? The missing one should be the priest, Henning, I believe…why isn't he with them?"
Hugh McGrath mumbled as he racked his brains.
"I see, all four of them besides Priest Henning huh…"
King Abel was also checking the same documents that had been sent to Hugh McGrath.
"And they're all A-rankers, that's amazing."
Hearing Abel's mutterings, Ryo commented, sitting properly today on his usual sofa.
He sat there just for the coffee.
"Yeah. They are adventurers standing at the top of the Kingdom in terms of both achievements and abilities."
"They were the only A-rank party in the Kingdom until you were promoted to A-rank, weren't they? Now they're enemies…"
Abel explained, and Ryo lamented with a slight shake of his head.
"How I hope this is all just some kind of misunderstanding…"
Abel also slightly shook his head and said those words.
"I wonder if Abel would be able to take on those five, I mean four?"
"I'm afraid not. Frankly speaking, I'm not sure how long I can last against only their swordsman, San, on my own…"
"Are they really that strong?"
Abel conceded, shaking his head again, and Ryo blurted out with a troubled look on his face.
"What are you going to do if they come storming into the mansion? If Abel dies, I think there are a good number of people who would raise… raise their brows."
"Ahh I see …they'll just tweak their brows once or twice."
"Don't be down just because of that. I rephrased it in case there wasn't anyone concerned enough to raise hell. Which reminds me, you're still keeping up with your daily sword practice even after becoming a king right? It's very admirable, so do keep it up."
"Y-yeah…"
"I practice with the knights every once in a while, and seeing Abel practicing his sword seems to boost their morale. As king, you are doing a wonderful job."
"I-Is that so?"
"Listen, I actually have a great idea on how to go about improving King Abel's reputation!"
"Nah forget it, I can take a guess even without you saying anything…"
"You can treat me to a meal or something to find out…"
"Yup, I knew you were going to say that!"
Naturally, staying in the lord's mansion meant that Ryo was guaranteed three meals and afternoon naps…actually no naps, but he gets three meals plus a good night's sleep.
So there was absolutely no need for Abel to treat him to a meal.
"Hey, Ryo…"
"Yeah? Again…?"
"It's not about money!"
"Damn, how did you…"
Ryo hung his head, having been beaten to the punch.
"Um, what's with that tower made of ice that's been forming and disappearing in the corner of the room for a while now…"
"You noticed!"
Abel asked as he looked at the corner of the room, and Ryo nodded and replied with a single nod.
In the corner of the room, a Tokyo tower made of ice, about the height of a person, was appearing and disappearing.
"Looks like a slightly bigger version of that thing that you sometimes make on your palms, shoulders, or top of your head. You call it Tokyo Tower or something."
"Yeah. I'm surprised you remembered."
In the past, Ryo used to generate tiny Tokyo Towers with ice as a way of practicing magic control in a place where no one could see him, but since he became Abel's bodyguard, he's been doing such training in this room.
Only when he's alone with Abel, obviously.
Or it could be said that he gave up hiding it from Abel.
"I'm actually impressed with how serious you are with that sort of thing, Ryo."
"I wouldn't call it being serious…when there are a lot of strong opponents out there. No one would think about cutting corners if their life is on the line, right?"
"W-Well, I guess so."
When Ryo tilted his head and said such a thing with a look as if it was a matter of course, Abel replied while scratching his head.
From Abel's point of view, he was impressed that Ryo continued to work hard even after becoming that strong, but from Ryo's point of view, he felt that even with all his efforts, it was still far from being enough, if he were to consider fighting against an opponent like Akuma Leonor.
"Magic control…is what I call it, but things like the ability to manipulate magic precisely or the ability to create it instantly, those sort of exercises, you get better at them the more you practice them. It is the same principle as swordsmanship. That's why I practice every chance I get!"
"From what I can see, it looks to me like you're just lounging on the couch though…"
"Listen Abel, it's quite possible that not just in the corner of this room, but maybe a hundred meters away, out of sight, I'm also building a tower, did you consider that?"
"Of course it's possible. Although it's possible, you would never do it, Ryo."
"Why…"
"Because doing it in such a place won't show that you're actually working hard!"
"Ugh…"
Ryo was hit where it hurt and collapsed.
-x-X-x-
King's office in the royal capital palace.
"Why are they still here!?"
He did not, in any way, yell in anger.
It was a quiet, but sharp, voice full of annoyance that he uttered.
The one who uttered it was King Raymond.
"They did not give a reason…"
King Raymond's right-hand man, the Count of Kirkhouse, Parker Fletcher, answered.
"What's more, that Explosive Blaze Magician is conquering cities in the eastern region one after another!"
"Yes..."
King Raymond continued with a tone of annoyance and Parker could only nod.
The advancing speed of Oscar and the Emperor's Magic Division far exceeded expectations.
Who could have predicted that a magic division of about 100 people would conquer a city, one at a time, every two days?
Moreover, the damage to their army was almost zero!
"Is it even possible!?" How many times did King Raymond shout that in his mind?
But that was not where the biggest problem lay.
"Why are they taking over the eastern cities? The agreement with the Empire clearly states that 'territories and cities will not be ceded'. The cities they take will become ours, so…why are they conquering them…"
Yes, the agreement signed with the Empire before the war stipulated that the cities and territories conquered by the Empire during the war would be transferred to King Raymond.
The royal capital was strategically necessary, so the Imperial Army had to conquer it, even at the cost of sacrifice. And it fell.
According to a later investigation, it seems that there were other reasons for conquering the capital, but there were reports that those plans didn't go well in the end.
In any case, he could understand their need to conquer the royal capital.
However, the other cities… even if they were taken by the imperial army, they would eventually be handed over to King Raymond.
There was no reason to conquer them.
"And how far are they going to go…"
Since the areas surrounding the royal capital supported Raymond, the Emperor's Magic Division passed through the area and instead conquered Stone Lake and Wingston along the second highway.
Both are important towns in the East, with Wingston being the largest city in the East.
There were also reports that he caused Erwin, the Duke of Shrewsbury, who was a great aristocrat in the East connected to the royal family via bloodline, to surrender.
How far do they plan to go until they caused such a great noble to surrender?
Neither King Raymond nor Parker could read Oscar's intentions.
While the two were puzzled by Oscar's intentions, a new report came in.
"Report. The Emperor's Magic Division of the Imperial Army has taken over the city of Slanzewi in the eastern part of the Kingdom."
"Slanzewi?"
At that report, King Raymond frowned.
Until now, they were heading east along the second highway. Stone Lake, Wingston.
Then, they suddenly turned southward to conquer Slanzewi.
Certainly, Slanzewi is the second largest city in the East after Wingston.
Also, when the Rho Bridge existed, the East Highway connecting Slanzewi, Rho Bridge, and Rune boasted a considerable amount of trade, even when considering the Kingdom as a whole.
However, after the collapse of the Rho Bridge and deteriorating public security in the east, Slanzewi's status had fallen considerably.
In the first place, the trigger for the Eastern Rebellion was the 'fire' in Slanzewi's lord's mansion and armory. As a result, the feudal lord was replaced, the Knight-Commander died and the Deputy Commander seized power. Currently, Slanzewi's name is associated with a very bad image even among the aristocrats.
In any case, the two of them didn't understand why the Imperial Army would turn toward Slanzewi.
Although they knew of the existence of 'black powder', they did not know that it was produced only in the eastern part of the country and that it was stored in Slanzewi.
Ignorance is sin.
For those in positions of responsibility, that is a fact.
When Parker left Raymond's office, his subordinates ran up to him.
"Your Excellency, the Knight's Quarters was just attacked."
"Rebels?! They've attacked before but … Isn't that where the Imperial Army's headquarters is located? The rebels have the strength to attack the headquarters?"
The Knight's Quarters was once the headquarters of the Kingdom's Knights Order and the place where the commander of the Knights Order, Baccara, was killed in action during the capital disturbance.
Currently, it is where the main headquarters of the Imperial Army stationed in the royal capital is located, and Marquis Musel, who found it difficult to visit the royal castle once King Raymond declared his enthronement, was often in the Knight's Quarters.
"Last night, it seems that many imperial soldiers were dispatched to investigate the murders of imperial knights that occurred in several places…"
"They were attacked when they were short-handed? The imperial army is stupid to fall for such tricks, but the rebels are also cunning!"
(But the execution was too skillful… There must be someone smart among the rebels, but who is it? I would have suspected the crown prince if he was alive but…. or maybe Marquis Heinlein from the south. But it is impossible to direct such a detailed strategy from the south … No matter what, a person must be there to move people on the spot with quick decisions … Whoever it is, that person is in the royal capital.)
Parker was about to sink into deep thought, but he remembered that it was not the time to do so yet.
"I'm going to the Knight's Quarters. Prepare the horses."
The Knight's Quarters was not far from the royal castle.
By the time Parker arrived, he had not yet fully recovered from his confusion.
"I am His Majesty the King's consul, Count Kirkhouse. Is Marquis Musel safe?"
Outside the room, many knights and squires were coming and going, and it was still chaotic, but the inside of the quarters was relatively calm.
Parker asked a guard near the entrance.
"Yes. He's in the office on the fourth floor."
Upon receiving the answer, Parker climbed the stairs.
When he entered the office, Marquis Musel was being treated by a priest on the sofa.
It seemed that until just a little while ago, he was commanding the front line.
"Count Kirkhouse, we were deceived."
Marquis Musel said and smiled wryly.
King Raymond and the Imperial Army could not be said to be complete allies, but they were not clear enemies either. At least not yet.
In particular, the Commander-in-Chief, Marquis Meusel, wasn't someone he wanted to avoid as a person, so Parker couldn't help but smile at his wry smile.
"The enemies were the adventurers and the remnants of the royal knights."
After completing a series of treatments, Marquis Musel began to explain.
Adventurers and Knights, it was also their expected enemies.
Since the fall of the capital to the Imperial Army, the guilds in the capital, especially the adventurer guild, have ceased their activities.
Also, at the time of its fall, the Kingdom's Knights Order fiercely resisted, but was destroyed.
However, they were not annihilated.
Also, although it is unconfirmed information, there are rumors that some of the knights who went to the Desborough Plains somehow infiltrated the royal capital.
If Ryo heard it, he would have screamed 'Resistance!'…
There is no doubt that a resistance force exists in the royal capital.
And their target is not King Raymond and his nobles, but the Imperial Army.
They have repeatedly attacked only the Imperial Army and its surroundings.
Burning the supplies of the imperial army, raiding various stations, or assassinating imperial soldiers in the dark.
Because it was an attack from those familiar with the royal capital, the foreign Imperial Army was always on the back foot.
"I thought of informing Count Kirkhouse first, but we were planning to leave the capital within the next week."
"That's…"
"Isn't that what King Raymond wishes for too?"
When he said that, Marquis Musel laughed loudly.
"However, considering the attacks that are getting more intense by the day, I want to leave as soon as possible, not next week."
(I guess that's what they're after)
Parker thought to himself.
The rebels were only aiming at the imperial army.
As far as Parker knows, neither Raymond's men nor members of the Northern Nobility have been attacked.
The reason was to get the imperial army to leave as soon as possible.
The people who planned this raid correctly understood that there was no need for the imperial army to stay in the royal capital.
If they could read the situation that well… what will they do after the imperial army leaves?
(Will we be the next target?)
Parker had a sour expression internally.
He understood that King Raymond did not have the support of adventurers and knights, including the people.
'Traitor'
Those words will follow King Raymond for the rest of his life. And even apply to himself, his assistant.
However, Raymond had his reasons.
King Stafford IV's abnormal behavior.
At that rate, it was a distinct possibility that the entire Kingdom might become the property of another country along with King Stafford IV.
That was why he stepped up and Raymond became king.
Of course, he wouldn't say that Raymond didn't have an obsession with the throne.
To be honest, he must have wanted it quite a lot.
But Raymond's motives were not the issue this time, but the loss of Stafford's ability to govern.
And the sickness of the crown prince.
Both were problematic, and the fear was right.
The crown prince died, and the Kingdom was unable to take effective measures against the invasion of the Empire.
It was a situation where Raymond could even assert that it was the right thing to do for the survival of the Kingdom.
For those who knew.
However, the citizens were unaware of Stafford IV's anomaly.
Adventurers, knights, and even those in the royal castle, some didn't even notice.
On top of that, 'Prince Albert', who was thought to be training in some knight order, declared his accession to the throne in opposition.
What's more, he's an A-rank adventurer!?
The reception from the people would be great.
All adventurers would support him.
Knights would also like to have a strong person at the top.
What the hell!
Parker remembered the time when Stafford had taken the throne with a lot of support and Raymond had gone North in disappointment.
It felt similar.
Liked by everyone, supported by many, and able to live up to those expectations… Just like Stafford in the past, Prince Albert seems to have inherited that trait.
Leaders who can't win over the people will only face failure.
The citizens will hold back for a while.
As long as they have the power to suppress them, they will not rebel.
But it doesn't work in the long run.
Parker knew that.
That's why Raymond, who came to rule over the people as Duke Flitwick, studied how to deal with the people along with the necessary knowledge as a politician.
And Raymond, who excelled above others, acquired that skill.
However, Prince Albert easily surpassed what he had acquired through that effort.
No, it is King Abel now.
Is it talent, or did he have someone around him who trained him … Either way, it's not something that can be easily obtained.
Parker knew that.
That's why, to be honest, he felt envious of King Abel.
Parker shook his head, said goodbye and left the room.
He understood.
Either way, they could no longer turn back now…