Intermission 9 Splitting Magic Stones
-x-X-x-
The corridor leading to the King's office in the Royal Castle.
"His Majesty is not here yet, right? Are you sure it's okay to wait inside?"
"Yes. That was the instruction from His Majesty. That once Baron Hayward arrives, I should show you to his office. His Majesty will be back shortly."
That was a conversation between Baron Kenneth Hayward, a genius alchemist and the head of the Royal Alchemy Workshop, and the chief chamberlain.
After the conversation, Baron Kenneth Hayward was shown into the King's office.
However, the office was not exactly vacant.
It wasn't King Abel, of course.
But a certain water-attribute magician who was reading a book on alchemy while lying on the sofa….
"Huh? Kenneth?"
"Ah, Ryo. Now I understand. That's why His Majesty asked me wait in the office."
Kenneth understood.
The other guest also understood but had a lot to say about it.
"Kind of boggles the mind, doesn't it, I mean how could anyone be absent from receiving their own guest. Wouldn't you agree that he's gotten more cocky now that he's king!"
"No, I have not …"
Abel blurted out after hearing the water-attribute magician's accusation the moment he entered.
"Your Majesty."
Kenneth saw Abel enter and immediately got down on one knee and took a bow as a vassal.
Even though they were old acquaintances, he made sure to observe the proper courtesy.
"You don't need to, Kenneth. It's a different story if others were present, but it's just the three of us, so you can address me as Abel as you've always done before."
Abel said.
But of course, the water-attribute magician and the premier duke of the Kingdom, who was lying on the sofa, did not perform such courtesy….
"I, too, would properly do the needful before Abel if in public, okay?"
"…Is that so?"
"What is it, Abel? That, oh really, kinda attitude. With those eyes that seem to be saying, would he really do it?"
"I didn't say anything."
"Yeah, right! I, myself, always want to get down on one knee and bow, too, you know? But as the premier duke and representative of the nobles, and by extension, the people, I must prevent His Majesty the King from being tyrannical! It is part of my duty to prevent His Majesty the King from getting carried away. A country is such a complicated organization!"
"Oh…right…that sounds like a lot of work…"
Abel nodded, having lost the energy to argue with Ryo's speech.
Kenneth was by the side listening to their comical dialogue, or rather the banter between the King and the premier duke, with a smile on his face.
"Yes, Kenneth. I was told you had something to report about some long-distance communication."
"That's right, Abel. I've put it all together in a document…It's a paper titled 'Possibility of Long-Distance Communication Using Resonance Phenomena by Splitting Magic Stones'."
Kenneth put the rather thick document on the desk.
Along with two magic stones.
Abel read the first few pages of the document.
Which contained the overview.
Ryo was interested in the subject, so he went behind Abel and surveyed the document.
"Abel, aren't you reading a little too fast?"
"Really? I believe I'm reading at my usual pace, though?"
Abel was reading at a very fast pace, if not as fast as a fast reader.
He must have practiced quite a bit.
Thanks to his daily paperwork.
People become stronger as they practice.
But it also brings tears to the eyes of those around them.
Especially when the person in question doesn't realize that they've grown because of such tragic circumstances….
"Ryo, why are you staring at me with such pity?"
"N-No, it's nothing…."
Abel looked at him with a suspicious look, and Ryo hurriedly removed his gaze so as not to get exposed.
It's not very nice to look at a pitiful person with a gaze that is probably filled with pity….
"I see, this is great. With this, it will be possible to communicate at a considerable distance, albeit one-to-one…but both sides will have to expend a great deal of magic power, and both must be magicians."
"Yes. The challenge in making it generic lies in that bit. But please understand that it is only technically possible. In the royal capital, the average magician can use it, but…even so, about twenty seconds of communication will drain half of their magic power. Going forward, we will work on reducing the magic consumption and extending the communication distance."
Kenneth nodded to Abel's inference and also talked about the future prospects.
"But, first of all, this 'splitting of magic stone' of a thing is a surprisingly difficult thing to do…according to gramps, Ilarion."
"Yes. It is, that hasn't changed. It's not something anyone can do, due to the characteristics of the magic stone. Which is why this long-distance communication is not something that can be made available to just anyone."
"Well, I appreciate that."
Kenneth's explanation brought Abel some relief.
If long-distance communication becomes common, society itself is likely to change drastically.
Even if this will eventually happen, policymakers aren't always in favor of such drastic changes.
That was not to say that Abel was lazy or that the Kingdom government was not trying hard enough.
In any age, in any government, rapid changes in society are undesirable.
Because the 'government' is usually the largest organization in a country.
And the bigger it is, the slower it moves and the slower it starts moving.
However, because it is huge, once it starts moving, its driving force is just as strong.
Acceleration is slow, but horsepower is enormous.
That is the essence of government.
When policymakers attempt to apply drastic changes to the government without understanding that, it generates a strain of massive proportions.
And strain always leads to catastrophe.
It either 'ruptures' or 'rebounds'.
The only way to prevent this from happening is to suppress it with a strong force, something akin to 'violence'.
Generally, that is what history calls oppression or massacre….
Can it be avoided?
Of course, there are examples in history where it was avoided.
How?
It takes a 'special person', without exception.
A charismatic, yet extremely capable leader.
Only with such a person will it succeed.
Of course, this doesn't really make the 'strain' disappear, it just makes it less visible….but there is no other way.
"Is it really that difficult to split a magic stone?"
Ryo asked the question that had been on his mind.
"Oh trust me, it is. If you thrust a sword at the magic stone inside a monster's body, it will break and dissipate, right? By doing so, you can defeat the monster, but then you can't retrieve the magic stone either. Basically, the magic stone disappears once it is broken."
Abel, not Kenneth, answered Ryo's question.
Kenneth also nodded from the sofa across from him.
"You'd have to be an alchemist in the same league as Kenneth to do that, isn't that right?"
Abel said, and Kenneth smiled shyly.
"Amazing, Kenneth! Unlike a certain swordsman and King, it's impressive that you're capable of such a thing!"
"While a certain water-attribute magician and premier duke is likely not capable of it either!"
"That's understandable! In my case, I'm still developing with so much room for growth!"
Ryo said proudly for some reason.
Hope for the future is important for everyone….
"The larger the magic stone, the more difficult it is to split. Of course, even I don't always succeed, but again, the larger the stone, the lower the success rate. However, it seems that the larger the stone, the stronger the resonance phenomenon, and the farther the distance that can be communicated with it. Needless to say, the magic power required by the people holding the magic stone will also increase…."
Hearing Kenneth's explanation, Ryo thought for a moment and then asked a question.
"Is there a preference for the type of magic stone…?"
"We've tried wind, earth, and fire, but wind is preferable. With the same magic power consumption as the rest, the distance stretched further by fifty percent. Also, with regards to the pair holding the magic stones, it seems that magicians with the same attributes consume much less magic power."
"I see…"
After Kenneth finished his report and left the King's office, Ryo was still sitting on the sofa thinking about something.
Abel did not bother to ask.
Because words were leaking out of Ryo's mouth, perhaps unconsciously, and somehow he knew what he was thinking.
"If we're talking about wind magic stones, that means wyverns…there are a bunch of them in the mountains on the way to Rondo Forest…the problem is, who gets to hold the other half…the person has to be a magician, with lots of magic power to boot…in which case, say I possess one, whoever I give the other half has to be a water-attribute magician…I suppose it can only be Prince Willy…"
Abel prayed for the safety of Prince Willy, who was about to become an experimental subject….
-x-X-x-
April.
In the Rondo Duchy, rice planting was over, leading to a peaceful countryside.
The size of the paddy fields is about five tan.
Five thousand square meters.
In tsubo, that would be 1,500 tsubo.
About…one-tenth of the size of Tokyo Dome….
Well, it certainly isn't that large, but it can yield enough rice for one person for one year, enough to distribute to neighbors, and enough to give as souvenirs to close friends.
"Phew, looks like it's going to be another hot day."
Ryo, the Duke of Rondo, was already up and working early in the morning.
Every morning, he goes around pulling up the weeds in the paddy fields.
This practice is inevitable when growing rice without herbicides.
If this were Earth, he would have to go into the paddy fields and remove the weeds by hand or by pushing a rice field wheel…which is quite hard work.
In the Rondo Duchy, naturally, a golem with an automatic weed-removal function has been completed …but Ryo deliberately chose to take out the weeds personally.
Nonetheless, it's quite a hassle to enter every paddy field.
He stretched out only the thumb and forefinger of his right hand to form the shape of a gun.
Then, he aimed at the roots of the grass protruding out of the water and shot.
"
The mud at the base split open and the weed floated to the surface.
Paddy fields have a passive flow of water, so even if left alone, the weeds would flow into the river on their own….
Based on the same plasma…or cavitation…from the large snapping shrimp that had once stunned Ryo.
Ryo named the magic
…It seems that Ryo is severely lacking when it comes to naming things after all.
There are several pillars erected around the paddy fields.
These pillars are called 'Warding Pillars' in the Kingdom, and they are erected along large roads to ward off monsters.
Although they're not as powerful as the 'barrier' that Michael (pseudonym) erected at Ryo's house, they have been quite useful so far, and no monster has been able to intrude on the paddy fields and land.
But of course, he's very much aware that even barriers made by Michael are practically useless against his enormous and mighty neighbors….
They must never, ever, be offended.
In the morning, he patrols the paddy fields, and spends the rest of the morning practicing magic while running through the forest, and spends the afternoon reading alchemy-related books that he had smuggled…or rather, borrowed from various libraries.
And this peaceful life was broken one evening.
The alchemy tool, which had never been activated before, started to go off.
A stone tablet-like alchemy tool that Ryo calls the 'communication tablet' on the shelf in the living room.
Like a fax machine…or an e-mail…that delivers text….
One-to-one.
And one-way.
Moreover, it runs out of energy after one use.
However, the effective distance is several thousand kilometers….
A straight line distance from Ryo's residence in the Rondo Forest to the royal capital is more than two thousand kilometers, but it can be reached without any problem.
"How unusual…"
As it was the first time communication was made on it, Ryo was indeed surprised and picked up the tablet to read it.
"Proceed to the castle in formal attire as soon as possible…? I understand going to the castle, but…in formal attire?"
He had a feeling that it wasn't going to lead to anything good….
That evening.
Ryo was getting ready to head to the royal capital…but he didn't, of course.
First of all, he needed to inform someone.
Ryo headed to the northern marshland.
There he met the Water Fairy King, Ryo's sword master…in the form of the headless knight Dullahan.
Without exchanging a word, the two drew their swords and began a sword fight.
Two hours later, the mock battle ended with two wins and three losses for Ryo.
He still faced difficulty getting ahead of him.
Every time Ryo gets stronger, so does Dullahan … which begs the question of what is his limit?
"I'm sorry, Master. I will be away from the forest for a while again, starting tonight."
Ryo bowed deeply as he said that.
That scene had played out several times in the past…and of course, the headless Dullahan didn't say anything.
As usual, he just gave off a slightly lonely vibe.
At least, that's what Ryo perceived.
Usually, after the sword fight, Dullahan would turn on his heel and leave, but today was different.
Something emerged in both hands.
Then, he extended his hands out toward Ryo.
Ryo took it.
"Are these…shoes? Boots?"
They weren't spectacular.
They looked like ordinary boots…but when he looked closely, he could see that they had been designed in some way.
You could call them lace-up boots.
Looking at them, Ryo suddenly glanced at the shoes he was wearing.
They were quite battered.
It would be typical of Ryo not to care at all about what he wore.
Thus, Ryo took off his shoes and tried on the pair of lace-up boots.
They fit quite perfectly.
He tried prancing and bouncing around, but they were extremely easy to move around in!
"It's amazing. They fit perfectly. Thank you, Master!"
Ryo bowed happily and deeply again.
When Dullahan saw that, he turned on his heel and left.
When Ryo returned home, he thought for a moment.
"The last time master gave me something was…when he gave me this robe. Back then, I couldn't come back here for a while…could it be that I won't be back here for a while this time as well?"
It's unknown whether Fairy Kings have the power of precognition or the ability to see the future.
But there is no doubt that these non-humans have sharper senses than humans.
If they act 'differently from the usual', it is best to assume that 'something unusual will happen'.
After all, it is fine if everything stays the same as usual.
Ryo headed for the backyard.
And two golems about the size of a person were there.
That's right, at last, Ryo had succeeded in building golems. At the very least, in shape.
However, he was far from satisfied with their performances…
Their functions are rice planting, weeding, harvesting, drying, and threshing…they are specialized golems for paddy field management.
And they cannot speak….
They lack the ability to learn by themselves like an artificial intelligence….
They really were still just 'machines'….
They were far from Ryo's ideal.
Nonetheless, there was no problem in letting them manage the paddy fields while Ryo was away.
Ryo started them up, took a bath, washed off his sweat, and prepared meat.
He put on comfortable clothes, Murasame and its sheath, Michael's knife, a shoulder bag, his usual robe, and the boots he had just been given.
Then he stepped out of the house and recited a chant.
"
A small flute was generated in his right hand.
He brought it to his mouth and blew it.
Ryo couldn't tell because it was out of the audible range of humans, but it was sounding.
After waiting for a while, something came down in front of him.
It was a Griffon…the champion of the skies.
Without a word, Ryo held a piece of meat covered with salt and pepper in his right hand and threw it to the griffon.
The griffon deftly received the flying meat in its beak, took one look at it, opened its beak, and slid it down into its mouth.
Then it looked at Ryo.
"Gri-gri, I need you to give me a ride to the royal capital. The reward is, as usual, two pieces of the meat you had just now. How about it?"
The Griffon called Gri-gri thought for a moment, then sank its body down to make it easier for Ryo to ride, and moved its head to indicate 'get on'.
"Okay, thanks!"
Ryo did not succeed in 'taming', or subduing, the griffon.
No one can do that in the first place.
He was only asking for cooperation from the griffon as a human and as a meat provider.
He had never been turned down before, but even if it did, it's only natural…because originally, a griffon doesn't carry anyone on its back.
The fact that Ryo was allowed to ride on it was the result of diligent negotiations.
But thanks to this, Ryo had gained unrivaled mobility from the Rondo Forest.
Ryo straddled Gri-gri's back.
When Gri-gri confirmed this, it flapped its wings and rose into the sky.
After soaring, it entered horizontal flight.
It quickly exceeded the speed of sound.
If it went faster than the speed of sound, it would be hotter due to adiabatic compression, right?
Exactly.
Spacecraft returning from space get super~ hot, that kind of thing.
When gases are compressed, they heat up.
But…Gri-gri, as well as Ryo, who is being given a ride, weren't feeling hot.
Since Gri-gri is a griffon, it may be doing something with wind-attribute magic….
It seemed that there were still many ways to use magic in 'Phi' that people do not understand.
Apart from that, however, there was one thing that Ryo was able to help with when flying at supersonic speeds on Gri-gri.
That was to suppress the generation of sonic booms.
For example, when an aircraft flies at supersonic speeds, shock waves generated from various parts of the aircraft may merge during their long propagation through the atmosphere, causing a sudden increase in pressure on the ground and causing damage.
That is what is known as a sonic boom.
However, in the 21st century, research to reduce the strength of these sonic booms by half was already underway in many countries on Earth, and test and experimental aircraft were being built.
JAXA's S3CM, NASA's X-59, etc…..
All of them have in common 'terribly long nose' and 'delta wings'.
So, Ryo had negotiated with Gri-gri to be allowed to install an invisible long nose made of ice in front of Gri-gri if it would fly at supersonic speeds.
At first Gri-gri was reluctant, but when it actually tried it on, it found it easier to fly, and it is now its favorite gear.
Incidentally, it seems that the delta wings are apparently not necessary in the case of the griffon's wings….
Thus, the ground was spared from the threat of sonic booms.
With no one on the ground the wiser.
It's a little over two thousand kilometers from the Rondo Forest to the royal capital.
Even a griffon would take an hour and a half.
Even Ryo would feel some fatigue from maintaining the long cone of ice for an hour and a half…on the back of a griffon.
Whenever Ryo rides on Gri-gri to the royal capital, he doesn't ride into the royal capital directly, of course.
If he did, the whole city would be in a panic.
Basically, Ryo felt that the griffon should not be shown to people, nor should people see it…and Gri-gri seemed to understand that.
As they approached the sky above the royal capital, Ryo fed the reward meat to Gri-gri by hand.
Then he jumped off Gri-gri's back!
Gri-gri turned around and returned to the Rondo Forest…Ryo was skydiving without a parachute.
Not to worry, he's not going to crash into the ground.
"
He spewed water jets from the frontal part of his body to slow down, and when he got really close to the ground, he also spewed water jets from various parts of his body to control his posture and landed completely unharmed.
Through hundreds of experiences, he had now fully mastered the technique of skydiving without a parachute.
The Duke of Rondo's residence in the Royal Capital. Three o'clock in the morning.
The Duke of Rondo's mansion in the royal capital was located close to the royal castle…but in fact, Ryo has hardly ever used it.
When the king gave it to him, he entered and used it for a few days, but since then, he had rarely used it.
He was often in the royal capital itself, and also went in and out of the Alchemy Workshop and the Royal Castle as well…unofficially.
The king's office in particular, had a hidden passageway, which Ryo often used…see, boys like that kind of thing, don't they?
So, as a result, he had never officially visited the castle….
Since he had the key to the duke's mansion, of course, Ryo unlocked the door and went inside.
The mansion and garden were taken care of by a contractor, and both outside and inside were very clean.
Ryo remembered that he had not slept all night, so he went upstairs to his bedroom and got into bed.
Nothing good can come from a lack of sleep….
Seven o'clock the next morning.
The front door of the Duke of Rondo's mansion was opened and a boy entered.
He must have been about sixteen years old.
"Excuse me."
He greeted at the door, though not too loudly.
He was very polite.
It's not like anyone was watching, yet he did it properly…that one gesture could open up one's future.
"Come in."
The boy literally jumped up when he heard the voice from within.
He had not expected anyone to be there.
It had been a year since the boy was in charge of cleaning the mansion.
He would come once a week to clean like this and had never seen anyone, yet…this morning he got a reply from inside….
The boy remained frozen for a while, but then he made up his mind and decided to advance further than the entrance.
The trading company to which the boy belonged was contracted to provide not only cleaning services but also general administrative services.
He knew that there were no valuables in the residence, only a dozen or so pieces of clothing, but the furnishings, including sofas and beds, were first-class.
Rumor has it that they were ordered by the king himself, and it would be a serious matter if they were to be stolen.
Then again, It's very unlikely that a thief would reply and say, "come in".
The boy opened the door to the living room.
"Excuse me…"
In the living room, he found a young man…with dark hair, who looked not much older than he was, sitting on the sofa drinking coffee.
He looked very relaxed, probably just got out of the bath.
"Oh, hello. You're the cleaner of this house, right?"
The dark-haired young man asked in a polite tone.
It was a question, but a rhetorical one.
"Yes. I am Bob from the Schmidhausen Management and Trading Company in the royal capital. I am in charge of cleaning the Duke of Rondo's residence."
"Oh, just as I thought. It's in very clean condition, so I can tell you take such great care of it. Thank you very much."
After saying this, the dark-haired young man bowed his head.
"Oh, not at all…"
From his words, it seems that the black-haired young man is related to the Duke of Rondo's residence….
However, Bob didn't hear from the company that such a person was coming.
Why?
"I had to use the mansion for some urgent business…. I came in last night, or rather at dawn, and used the bed and bath."
As he said this, the dark-haired young man showed him a golden key.
It appeared to Bob to be the official key to this ducal residence.
"So listen Bob, I have a favor to ask of you. You don't need to do any cleaning today, instead I'd like to ask you to run some errands for me."
"Eh…"
Bob also does the cleaning of nobles' residences.
So he understands that nobles and the people around them sometimes make reckless demands.
It is the policy of the trading company to refuse any request that would undermine human dignity, but to be willing to accept any other request.
"Well, it depends on the request, in terms of the company's policy…"
"Sure…. Don't worry, it's nothing difficult."
The dark-haired young man smiled as he said this.
And even though they were both men, and perhaps a little older, his smile seemed endearing to Bob.
"I just need you to deliver this letter, that's all."
With that, the dark-haired young man held out a letter in an envelope to Bob.
Bob took it and looked at the address and sender.
"T-This is addressed to His Majesty the King…from the Duke of Rondo…. Um, excuse me, but are you…"
"Oh, sorry for the late introduction. My name is Ryo Mihara, Duke of Rondo."
Ryo stood up and bowed.
It took exactly one minute for Bob's thoughts to return to normal from the sudden shock.
"Is it really him?"
"How could I possibly know that? He hasn't been to the castle since three years ago, when he became a duke."
"Obviously, he's here because he's been identified by his 'plate', right?"
"And the queen knows what he looks like, too."
"Makes sense, since they were both Rune adventurers."
"Still, it's all too sudden…the Premier Duke, who hasn't been seen in three years, is here all of a sudden and seeking an audience…"
"Perhaps, the rumors are true…"
"Shush! Lower your voice."
Before the Duke of Rondo's first audience, various conversations were taking place among the courtiers in the audience chamber.
Everything was already prepared, all that remained was for the Duke of Rondo to enter the audience chamber.
"Lord Ryo Mihara, Duke of Rondo!"
The door to the audience chamber was opened as the court officer shouted that.
A dark-haired young man wearing the formal attire of a duke walked in, his cloak fluttering and flapping.
His steps were not too fast, but not too slow either.
None was the wiser that he was walking while remembering what he had learned from King Abel…three years ago.
With each step Ryo took, there were those who were whispering out in low voices.
"He's so young…"
"So he's the one they say surpasses even the Explosive Blaze Magician…"
"Some call him the 'Silver Duke' or 'Ice fall'…"
As Ryo approached the throne, he noticed something odd.
(Two thrones side by side?)
Normally, there is only one throne. Naturally.
But there were two…moreover, the person sitting on one of the thrones seemed awfully small.
(Did Abel shrink…nah not quite)
The figure sitting on the other throne looked familiar.
Queen Rihya.
Priest Rihya, the rightful wife of King Abel and a member of the 'Crimson Sword'.
Then, the other little one would be.
(The first prince Noah…should be less than three years old. Sitting there without so much as a whimper.)
Ryo reached the base of the throne, got down on one knee, and took a bow.
"I, Ryo Mihara, Duke of Rondo, hereby report my arrival to the castle after receiving your summon."
"Raise your head, Duke Rondo."
A woman's voice echoed. It was Rihya's voice.
But there was no emotion in her voice.
And the expression on Rihya's face, as Ryo looked up, was also completely devoid of emotion.
"Duke, thank you very much for making the trip on such short notice."
"It's my honor."
This part of the conversation was just as usual.
However, there was still one question on his mind.
(Where the hell is Abel?)
-x-X-x-
Away from the royal castle.
Ryo was summoned by Queen Rihya after the audience.
"Ryo, what you are about to learn can't leave these four walls."
Rihya said, and Ryo nodded silently.
Then they went to the next room.
The room contained a large bed….
"Abel…"
King Abel the First was lying on the bed.
Ryo felt weak and drained of energy all of a sudden.
His chest was rising and falling faintly…so he was alive.
That's right, though he was alive…his face….
His face was that of a very sick person that even Ryo, who has no specialized medical knowledge, could tell.
His cheeks were hollowed, the skin stiff, and his lips were chapped…and he was severely weak…that it looked like…he was at death's door.
"Abel…"
The second time he called him in that manner was…truly feeble.
At that moment, Abel opened his eyes.
"Ryo…you're looking…awfully good in that outfit…aren't ya?"
Abel complimented Ryo in the duke's formal attire, albeit in broken sentences.
His voice sounded really pitiful.
"Abel…"
Ryo's third time calling his name was…very faint, weak, and…sad….
"I'm sorry, but…looks like this is…it for me…. I leave Noah…and the Kingdom…to you…"
He had Ryo come up to the castle to entrust the prince and the Kingdom to him.
The first prince, Noah, was still very young.
Queen Rihya would assist him as regent, but if Ryo, the premier duke and the leader of the nobles, supported him, he would be in a stronger position.
To entrust these to him, Abel called Ryo….
"I haven't seen you in six months, and now this…"
Ryo's voice remained weak.
It was only natural.
It was impossible for him to sound like his usual self in a situation like this.
"But…that was fast…I sent out the summon request…just yesterday…"
"I just happened to be in the Rondo Forest. So I got here early."
"…"
Abel was vaguely aware just how far the Rondo Forest was.
He and Ryo had once walked all the way back to the Kingdom territory.
How could he come so quickly when he was so far away?
"Well…that doesn't matter."
Of course, Ryo didn't tell Abel about Gri-gri, either.
He was going to tell him eventually, but…in this situation, 'eventually' may never come….
Then he suddenly wondered.
In 'Phi', there is such a thing as magic.
With light-attribute magic spells, one can recover from all sorts of conditions.
For injuries, use
For poison and disease, use
Ryo turned to Rihya, who was standing behind him.
Rihya must have understood why Ryo looked at her.
And she shook her head slightly.
Rihya's
During the past three years, Ryo's alchemy had advanced considerably.
Learning alchemy also implied learning magic altogether.
That is because alchemy can be said to be a method to manifest magical phenomena with alchemy tools.
Therefore, one must have a profound knowledge of magic.
Specifically, he deeply studied recovery magic, especially
That was because he thought it would be convenient if he could create alchemy tools that could exercise those recovery-type magic.
But upon research, he also found out that it is quite difficult to reproduce light-attribute magic through alchemy.
Well, that's a subject for another time….
In the course of his research, he understood that
That strengthening attained with light-attribute magic is so horribly violent that…Ryo still has a hard time accepting how it is possible to realize what can almost be called instantaneous recovery through Heal and Cure….
Nonetheless,
The natural killer cells and T-cells.
In other words, the fact that
Ryo looked back again and asked.
"Rihya, what is the diagnosis of Abel's illness?"
"We don't know. He's been examined by people in the Central Temple who are experts at using Cure, but all they can tell is that…it's an incurable disease from ancient times."
Rihya's voice was weak as she answered.
There were no tears, as if she had already accepted Abel's death.
"Ryo…sorry about this…but I think it's time…"
Abel said all that…but Ryo shook his head repeatedly.
There was such a disease on Earth…and even Ryo knew about it, the most famous deadly disease in Japan….
"Cancer…"
Why do people lose so much weight when they have 'cancer' in the first place?
There are several reasons….
First, cancer cells are pretty much energy gluttonous cells.
Therefore, they break down fat for energy, and the proteins that make up muscle are broken down into amino acids, which the cancer cells use as nourishment for growth….
The body is deprived of both fat and muscle…and more than it can replenish with a normal diet….
A condition called 'cancer cachexia'…or a variant….
Its pathogenesis is not fully understood….
Ryo nodded and approached Abel.
"Abel, I'm going to examine your body for a bit."
"Hm?"
Ryo touched Abel's shoulder.
Then he closed his eyes.
So he could devote all his attention to 'examining' Abel's body.
Sixty percent of the human body is water.
And Ryo is a water-attribute magician.
Therefore, the inside of a person's body is Ryo's exclusive domain.
But again, it wouldn't be easy to probe the body of a complete stranger, someone who has never been 'examined' with magic, but that was not the case with Abel.
Abel's body had been exposed to Ryo's magic many times before.
Hence, it's the body Ryo knew best, only second to his own.
(Are these, foreign substances, cancer cells…?)
Back when he was on earth, he had seen what the cancer cells looked like on TV and in videos.
And most importantly, he also remembered when his grandfather had surgery for colon cancer, and the cancer-infested colon was taken out and shown to him….
(The biggest one is…the one in the stomach? The one in the inner wall has reached the muscles of the stomach wall, which means…it may have metastasized…?)
They can enter lymph vessels and blood vessels within the stomach wall and metastasize to other organs.
It must be carefully examined.
(No! The cancer cells have penetrated the stomach wall and reached the outermost layer of the stomach… peritoneal metastasis… and what are all these things on the peritoneum… spilled cancer cells…?)
Before he knew it, a large drop of sweat was pouring out of Ryo's forehead.
It was indeed the first time he had explored inside a body so seriously.
(There are some pretty big ones in the lungs and liver…. None in the brain! Thank God for that at least. The primary tumor is in the stomach. Peritoneal and lymphatic metastases…? It also metastasized to the lungs and liver. What appears to be a few small cancer cells have spread quite well. The question now is, what do I do…)
Basically, there are two approaches to treating 'cancer'.
To remove or not to remove.
Leaving cancer cachexia and other substances that constantly harm the human body in the body without removing them…seems reckless, but it can't be helped in the case of patients who are not physically strong enough to withstand the surgery.
Or, if the area is technically inaccessible to scalpels…for example, deep in the brain…in such cases, radiation or chemotherapy would be the only way.
On the other hand, in recent years, there have been some new drugs developed on Earth, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, for which the Nobel Prize was awarded.
However, in terms of immediate efficacy, surgery would be the go to option still?
If he turned out to be in a state where he could withstand surgery, then is resection the only option?
Of course, Ryo had never performed cancer surgery back when he was on Earth.
Neither was he a doctor.
It's all just amateur knowledge.
At best, he only did some research when his grandfather had cancer….
For such a person to try removing cancer cells was beyond ludicrous.
But….
That's right, but…this is 'Phi'.
A world of magic.
And Ryo is a water-attribute magician.
The inside of a person's body, which is sixty percent water, is his home ground.
But he had some questions.
To begin with, Ryo had been away from Abel for half a year at most.
Abel was very healthy as far as he could tell.
In other words, he became like this in just six months….
Can stomach cancer spread this fast in just six months?
Well, it is also true that the speed of cancer progression and the condition of the body varies considerably from person to person.
Or there may be some other factor….
All things considered, he understood the current situation and what needed to be done.
"Abel, Rihya, I have found the root cause of the illness."
Ryo opened his eyes and decided to report his findings.
"Ryo?"
Rihya looked at Ryo with a weak but hopeful look in her eyes, as if asking for something.
What could she be asking for?
To save Abel, obviously.
Then he'd better give a proper answer.
"Could you leave Abel's body in my care?"
Rihya nodded her head without any hesitation.
But Abel's response on the other hand….
"Ryo…seriously, I am…good…"
He had resigned to his fate.
"No can't do! I won't allow it!"
Ryo raged for the first time since he walked into the room.
"You still have a lot of work to do, Abel! You want to leave Noah fatherless? Or leave Rihya by herself? Or perhaps abandon the people…who hail you as their king? Of course you don't really want that. I, for one, won't allow it! "
"But…"
"Abel. There's no denying that it is a difficult situation. What I am going to do may as well be unconventional and have never been tried before. So I can't give any assurances. If so, why not think about it this way. 'Since I'm going to die anyway, I'll leave it to you, Ryo'."
"What…distasteful persuasion…"
Abel chuckled, as he said in a weak voice.
Then, he closed his eyes.
After a good twenty seconds, he opened his eyes, looked firmly at Ryo, and said.
"Okay. Ryo…if you'd please."
"Sure. Leave it to me."
The room next to the room where Abel was laying.
Ryo was explaining the situation to Rihya.
"To put it simply, there are some pretty bad stuff nestled inside Abel's body that
"Yes, it just arrived."
Saying that, Rihya handed the bottle to Ryo.
A general anesthetic.
He had thought it was fairly common, since it was available at the inn where he stayed when he operated on Sharfi, the ex-cultist…but it appeared that some were kept in the royal castle too….
"Great. This will come in handy during Abel's surgery. But before that, there's a technique I'd like to try…on my body."
"Eh…"
"It's okay. I'm just going to try it out a little. I'm going to drill a hole in my belly…in my stomach. After trying out the technique, I'd like to ask you to cast Heal on my body. It's to confirm if it'll close up the hole."
"A hole inside of your belly…?"
Rihya tilted her head.
Can't blame her.
There is no such thing as surgery…at least not in the Kingdom.
Meaning, they wouldn't know what goes on inside the body…or so he thought….
"You're talking about the 'stomach', the place where food is digested, correct?"
Rihya knew.
"Did you learn that at the Temple?"
"Nope. From dissecting monsters…"
"I see."
Certainly, as a former adventurer, she had experience in dissecting monsters… Ryo himself doesn't dissect monsters very often, except for when extracting magic stones, which explains why he was oblivious to the fact.
Although, he had dissected quite a lot of boars and rabbits in the Rondo Forest…he only ate the meaty parts.
Entrails aren't really his thing.
The water jet, which is Ryo's specialty, will be used to remove the cancer cells.
In Japan, the development of the water jet for medical use was already in progress in the 1980s.
So, it's not a unique technique by any means.
"
Ryo gave a name to the magic that probes the inside of a body.
Only because it seemed more convenient….
After
"Great. Here we go."
Using the water in his body like a water jet, he pierced his stomach.
"Uggha!"
He felt intense pain.
Naturally…since he wasn't under anesthesia.
It was the severe version of the 'stomach ache' that middle managers experience every day.
"Now please, Rihya."
Ryo, who was out of breath, said, and Rihya put her hand on Ryo's stomach and chanted.
"Mother Goddess, I leave it to your great healing hands,
"
At the same time Rihya casted
It was to check in real time the improvements caused by Heal.
Then, he found that the hole in his stomach was gradually closing up.
"Good, looks like Heal will do the work just fine. I prepared some potions I always carry with me just in case, but I don't think I'll be needing them."
Ryo nodded broadly as he said this.
"Ryo?"
"Yes, we can now proceed with Abel's surgery."
Ryo announced solemnly in front of Abel who had completely passed out from the general anesthesia.
"We will now perform a partial resection of the stomach, lungs, liver, peritoneum, and lymph nodes."
No one said anything.
Rihya was concentrating so as not to miss the word "Heal" that would eventually come from Ryo, and Abel, who usually nitpicks his words, was completely under.
Ryo, a little dejected, touched Abel and began the operation.
"
He carefully
There was no need to rush at all, so he did so carefully and repeatedly.
"Good."
Ryo nodded his head and brought his right hand to Abel's abdomen.
There was no real need to put his hand on it at all, but he couldn't help being conscious of the target area.
The cancer cells had invaded from the inner wall of the stomach to the outside of the stomach, completely penetrating the stomach wall.
The primary tumor… had scattered quite widely from the stomach….
The reasonably large ones in the lungs and liver also need to be removed.
The other scattered cancer cells throughout the body were not large, but were quite numerous.
Ryo's procedure was to remove these scattered cancer cells first.
This would be impossible if it were on Earth…because they were too spread out and too numerous…and some of them were too small….
But that's where water-attribute magic comes into play.
Ryo, who can manipulate water on a molecular level, can find even tiny cancer cells on a nano level.
Since the scattered cancer cells were not large, their invasion into each tissue wasn't too serious.
The water in the body was used like a water jet to strip away the cancer cells.
The cancer-infiltrated areas were excised … it would recover later with Rihya's Heal…the blood vessels and lymph vessels were covered with a film of ice to prevent blood from flowing out into the body….
The same thing was done on the lungs and liver.
Since the primary tumor was in the stomach, the cancers in the lungs and liver also originate from the stomach cancer cells.
Hence, on Earth, the treatment for stomach cancer would also treat these lung and liver cancers….
However, this is 'Phi'…and Ryo is a water-attribute magician.
There's also a former saint named Rihya on standby for recovery, so he could boldly excise them!
As he gathered those stripped and excised cancer cells near the stomach, he further excised whatever cancer cells he could detect.
On Earth, there is a way to kill tumors so small that they are unrecognizable through cryosurgical therapy.
Originally used to treat tumors outside the body, such as skin tumors, it is sometimes used as an option for surgical removal of tumors inside the body.
But Ryo doesn't even need that….
Since he is a water-attribute magician who can manipulate water on a molecular level.
All hail water-attribute magicians!
After more than an hour, all the cancer cells, except for those in the stomach, were finally stripped away.
As expected, Ryo was beginning to feel slightly fatigued.
Such precise control consumed a great deal of concentration and magic power.
But he wasn't done!
It was the most important part.
That's right.
Resection of the primary tumor, the stomach cancer.
He performed another
The difference in elasticity from healthy areas, which cannot be seen with the naked eyes, was decisive.
"Here goes nothing."
Ryo muttered quietly and slashed at it in one go.
He cut from the inner wall of the stomach to the serosa, the outermost layer.
The primary tumor was then placed 'inside' the stomach.
The stomach was then 'filled' with cancer cells from the lungs, liver, and other cancer cells collected earlier, while controlling gastric juices and blood flow, leaving the gaping hole intact.
Now, all the cancer cells in the body were in the stomach.
"Rihya, cast Heal on the entire body."
"Got it. Mother Goddess, I leave it to your great healing hands,
At Ryo's signal, Rihya performed Heal on Abel's entire body.
Not once, but twice… and then a third time to wrap up….
Ryo confirmed that the Heal had repaired the lungs, liver, and infiltrated areas that had been removed, along with the hole in the stomach, with
"Expelling now."
Water was produced in the stomach, and the water captured all the cancer cells and carried them gradually up through the stomach and into the esophagus, like reflux esophagitis.
Finally, the cancer cells were removed from Abel's open mouth into a bag of water.
"
The removed cancer cells were entrapped in ice….
Finally it was all over.
Ryo took a couple of deep breaths.
Then he announced.
"Rihya, the surgery was a success."
"Ohh…"
Hearing Ryo's words, Rihya broke down in tears.
Ryo looked at Rihya and Abel, who was sleeping peacefully, and muttered to himself.
"Magic is truly amazing. Long live the world of fantasy!"
-x-X-x-
The day after the surgery.
"How are you feeling?"
Ryo asked as he entered Abel's bedroom.
He then made a quick gesture to push his glasses up.
He was living up to the stereotype that doctors wear glasses.
Ryo had a good number of childhood friends and classmates who went to medical school…though only four of them wore glasses….
Well, it's all about the impression. Yup, the impression matters.
"Oh, Ryo. I feel great, it's unbelievable. I haven't felt this good in months…maybe more."
Abel's complexion was looking better, completely different from yesterday.
He also seemed to be eating well. All hail magic.
The trouble with cancer is that while the cancer cells themselves are gluttonous, they also reduce the appetite of the human host.
Moreover, on Earth, the treatment process often resulted in a loss of appetite…treating the illness is extremely difficult.
"All you need to do now is eat well, no need to rush, just take your time to regain your strength."
That was quite decent coming from Ryo.
He was sounding like a doctor.
"By the way, Abel…"
"Hm?"
"You've been buried in paperwork pretty much ever since you became king, isn't that right?"
"The phrasing is a little…well, yeah, I guess."
Ryo felt like he had only ever seen Abel signing documents every time he saw him….
"I can't imagine you being able to so much as write your signature as you are now, or a while ago for that matter, whatever happened during all that time…?"
"Um…?"
When Ryo asked, Abel shifted his gaze to the side.
He averted his gaze, seemingly.
People act like that when something inconvenient is pointed out to them.
"Noah is still very young, and I don't recall ever seeing Rihya buried in papers…"
"Well, um, you know…I got Marquis Heinlein to take over for me…."
After the liberation of the kingdom three years ago, Marquis Alexis Heinlein had been placed in the position of Prime Minister of the Kingdom by Abel.
Even though Abel had intensively upgraded his knowledge necessary for a king with the previous crown prince Cain's impromptu king training exercises, he had suddenly turned king from an active adventurer.
As one might expect, it was not realistic for him to take the helm of the country by himself.
Hence, he asked fellow adventurer Phelps's father, Marquis Heinlein, a great southern noble who had played a leading role in the liberation of the Kingdom, to serve as his prime minister.
Marquis Heinlein was apparently very reluctant at first.
It's quite understandable why he was reluctant…when he found out that he'd pretty much be swimming in paperwork.
"My condolences, Marquis Heinlein…"
Ryo said, feeling sorry for his situation.
"Actually, Ryo, as the leader of the nobles, you should have been the one to take on this role…"
"I profusely refuse!"
It was a classic demonstration of with nary a pause.
Before Abel could say anything else, Ryo shot him down.
"That was fast…"
Abel was quite taken aback by the sheer speed.
"I only accepted the title of the premier duke and the leader of the nobles, because it's an honorary position!"
"With your knowledge, Ryo, you would be most suitable…"
"I profusely refuse!"
Shot down for the second time.
Ryo then absconded the room.
The smartest thing in a tight situation is to beat a retreat.
There are many cafes in the royal capital.
Among them, Ryo's favorite is 'Cafe de Chocolat·Royal Capital Branch'.
It is the main branch of the cafe in Rune city.
What sets it apart from the others is the quality of its cakes…he especially likes the Mont Blanc and strawberry shortcake.
Needless to say, he's dressed in his usual robe, so at a glance, he appears to be a magician adventurer.
Thus blindsiding the staff from the fact that he was a duke.
However, since he visits the store quite often and alone, most of the staff recognized him as a regular customer.
By the way, it's privileged information that he treated himself to a cake there, to celebrate right after the surgery.
For some reason, Ryo has been called "cute~" behind his back…the fact that it is never "cool", probably reflects how he is….
Of course, Ryo himself doesn't know this.
Today, too, on his way to escape from the royal castle, he had stopped by the royal castle library to borrow one alchemy-related book before coming to this store.
He ordered his favorite set of Mont Blanc and Kona coffee, and took a bite.
"Mm~m, this mellow, yet light-tasting, indescribable texture…"
He muttered words that seemed to describe the taste in his mouth.
It would seem that the sight of him eating the pastries in such a delectable manner makes him popular, including among the pastry chefs.
They say that watching him motivates them to do their best the next time.
Human sentiment is so difficult to understand….
Then, after finishing the cake, he opened the book he had borrowed and started reading it over a cup of coffee.
One of the traits of 'Cafe de Chocolat·Royal Capital branch' is that the coffee is served in a decanter.
Ryo's favorite perk was that he could drink about three cups of coffee from that.
"Honestly, getting away from Abel's clutches and having a full set of coffee for a change is the best…"
He also mumbled that too, but no one heard him.
When Ryo had finished pouring the last of the coffee left in the decanter into his cup, the commotion began.
"Hey, don't you fuck with me!"
He heard the voice from a larger table two tables over.
"What do you mean you're out of Mont Blanc!"
(Well…the Mont Blanc does taste quite yummy. I can understand why you would want to scream out if you came all the way here to eat it and it was sold out! )
Ryo nodded placidly with a triumphant look on his face because he had just eaten the Mont Blanc.
While thinking that it was not acceptable for them to be so loud and annoying to others, Ryo could understand how the young adventurer trio was feeling.
And he felt a little sympathy for them.
Sympathy is free after all.
But the next words they uttered were….
"I'm a C-rank adventurer just so you know! And I'm going to inherit a dukedom in the future! I can do whatever I want to a place like this!"
Ryo nearly spewed out a mouthful of coffee.
Why would they say that just because they couldn't get a Mont Blanc?
Would saying that solve the problem?
And in the first place, that's…so uncool….
The commotion must have been heard all the way inside.
A calm man in his fifties who appeared to be the manager came out and began to deal with the situation.
However, it didn't go the way the young adventurers wanted it to go…seeing as the Mont Blancs were sold out and there were no more, obviously.
One of the fellow adventurers was sympathetic to his agitated companion…but the other was silent.
The silent one said nothing, his expression and the way he observed with his eyes was calm.
From his outfit, he's probably a priest.
The other two people began to rant and rave, and as expected, the customers around them began to frown at the bunch.
"What! You got a problem with it or something?"
Naturally, these were the kind of words that the people involved would begin to say…to the decent customers who were giving them suspicious looks.
And when this happens, it begins to inconvenience the store.
"Sir, you are disturbing other customers."
"Shut up! "
The young adventurer said, and took a step toward the owner.
Slip.
"Uh…"
Suddenly, he almost slipped and fell…but the priest supported him.
"Ooh…"
Ryo muttered and was impressed.
The priest's reflexes were quite good.
Ryo's impression of 'priests' is like Etho from 'Room 10'…and he can't exactly say that he's got good reflexes even as flattery.
Of course, that doesn't diminish Etho's strong points in the slightest…but then again, he's not exactly athletic….
But the priest reacted.
"So you didn't become a C-rank at such a young age by sheer luck."
Ryo muttered and nodded slightly.
Naturally, it was Ryo who tried to make their companion fall by generating
"Dammit. Enough of this shit! Let's go!"
With that, the young C-rank adventurer trio left the store.
Needless to say, everyone was relieved, customers and staff alike.
Only Ryo, however, was somewhat dejected.
Outside the window, he could see the three of them walking.
(
Two of them fell spectacularly.
The only one who avoided falling…was the priest in question.
"As I thought, that priest has good reflexes."
But it didn't end there.
The priest not only avoided falling, but also looked around.
He didn't think the falling was an accident.
But of course, he couldn't find anything suspicious….
-x-X-x-
Ryo had something on his mind.
"I'm a C-rank adventurer just so you know! And I'm going to inherit a dukedom in the future", that outburst from earlier.
Ryo is the premier duke of the Kingdom of Knightley.
Even though it's only a formality…even though it's an honorary position…even though it's just for decoration….
Thinking about it, he didn't know how many dukedoms there were in the Kingdom.
On top of that, he thought that it would be best to do something about the young man that made those narrow-minded threats over mont blanc while they're still young, if they really are going to inherit a dukedom in the future.
So he thought….
This was his duty!
And, not at all a stunt out of curiousity!
…Maybe.
First, he confirmed the ranks of nobility.
From the top.
Duke, Marquis, Count, Viscount, Baron.
Some countries have a grand duke above the duke…but not in the Kingdom.
Some countries have baronets under baron, but…the rank may only be valid for a single generation or they may not be treated as nobility.
For knights…there is no such thing as knighthood, apparently.
They are not nobility, but a profession of sorts…in the current Kingdom.
Considering that, one could say that 'Duke' is the highest rank in the Kingdom, except for royalty.
He somehow felt that Abel wouldn't tell him jack even if he asked, and it wouldn't be a good idea to bother someone who had just undergone surgery in the first place, so he decided to ask someone else.
And that 'other person' was currently swimming in paperwork due to the conspiracy of the powers that be…even though he's the second-highest authority in the country, the Prime Minister!
There is only one person whose authority supersedes his!
And this personage, with the honorific title of 'His Majesty', followed by his official position that begins with 'The' and ends with 'King', is the mastermind behind his nightmare of drowning in documents….
Ryo visited the Prime Minister's abode, prepared to be turned down.
"Your Excellency, Prime Minister. His Excellency the Duke of Rondo is here to see you."
The guard at the door announced Ryo's visit.
"Send him in."
A calm and collected voice was heard from the inside.
When Ryo entered the room, the prime minister was sitting on the sofa and relaxing.
"Whoa, wait a minute? Aren't you supposed to be swimming in paperwork…"
Looking at the desk, there was a tall pile of documents on the 'processed' side, and nothing at all on the 'yet-to-be processed' side.
"Ah, Duke Rondo, have a seat."
Marquis Heinlein then tried to give up the honorary position on the sofa.
"Oh, no, please it's fine."
Ryo said, and quickly took the vacant seat on the other side of the sofa.
"I just finished going through the recent documents that needed approval."
Marquis Heinlein smiled as he said that.
(How excellent! He actually got through King Abel's paperwork-drowning nightmarish attack perfectly…)
Ryo was astonished.
That was because he had seen Abel's usual condition in depth and knew how devastating and formidable an attack it was.
Sure enough, seeking this man out was most likely the right move…that was the moment he became convinced of it.
"Thank you for taking the time to see me, Marquis Heinlein."
"Oh please don't worry about it."
"By the way, please accept this little gift…"
Ryo said and held out a small box he had brought with him.
Marquis Heinlein accepted it and immediately opened it to see what was inside.
"Whoa, isn't this that? The strawberry shortcake from the rumored 'Cafe de Chocolat'. Wow, thank you. I'll be sure to savor it later."
He replied cheerfully.
It seemed that the central figures of the Kingdom of Knightley have a sweet tooth….
"So, what have you come here to ask today, seeing as you graced us with your presence…?"
"As expected of the Marquis, you're very quick on the uptake…"
After Kona coffee was served in front of Ryo, the Marquis cut to the chase and Ryo responded.
"Actually, there is something I would like to ask the Marquis…"
"Hmm?"
Marquis Heinlein's eyes widened a bit and he nodded slightly.
"I am actually looking for the future heir to a dukedom in the Kingdom who is of adult age."
"That's quite…an unusual inquiry."
Marquis Heinlein already anticipated a different reason why Ryo, who rarely visited, would make the trip…and even brought a gift, but…he was let down splendidly.
(And here I was thinking it was about that…. Or could it be that His Majesty hasn't told Duke Rondo yet…?)
While thinking about that, he also had the answer to Ryo's question in mind.
"First of all, there are five dukedoms in the Kingdom. Besides the Rondo Dukedom, there are four others, among which the Shrewsbury Dukedom has their authority as a dukedom suspended, with their authority now entrusted to the crown."
"By the Shrewsbury Dukedom, you're talking about the one based in Wingston in the east during the liberation war…"
Ryo said as he recalled from memory.
"That's right. The Eastern Rebellion caused the deaths of the heirs to the title one after another, and at that time, the heir to the title was nine years old, Lord Irwin. All of the direct descendants except for Lord Irwin had died…"
"Don't tell me even that Lord Irwin too…?"
"No, Lord Irwin is still very much alive. But he is only twelve years old…almost thirteen, and his guardian, Count Adfa, and others are dead, leaving the dukedom with few nobles to support it. Therefore, the dukedom's authority has been suspended and the crown has jurisdiction over the dukedom until Lord Irwin comes of age. I think it's the closest to the requirement you mentioned, Duke Rondo…"
"Hmmm, twelve years old is a bit young…"
The Mont Blanc twerp looked a little older than a high school student in Japan…more like a college student.
Twelve is a little too young.
"Then, the remaining three houses…"
Marquis Heinlein thought for a moment, then nodded once and continued.
"There's another that comes to mind. Should be nineteen years old."
"Ooh!"
"Faith from the Silverdale Dukedom. I've heard that they are quite skilled with the sword."
"Ooh!!"
Ryo was a little excited, convinced that he had hit the mark.
It was worth the extra effort to bring the strawberry shortcake, he thought.
"I'd love to know more about this person!"
When Ryo said so, Marquis Heinlein's eyes widened even more than before.
He was surprised at Ryo's eagerness to learn more.
Then he began to say something a bit unintelligible to Ryo.
"I thought that Duke Rondo's true love was Lady Sera of the Western Forest…But of course, you're the premier duke, so there's absolutely no problem whatsoever with having a second or third wife, as long as your financial power permits. But Lady Faith is from a dukedom lineage and Lady Sera is the next representative of the Western Forest…it will be a tough one to decide which one should be the first wife."
"…Pardon?"
Ryo tilted his head.
"Since Lady Faith has no siblings, it is almost certain that she will inherit the Silverdale Dukedom. Meaning, the duchess will be the head of the dukedom. It would be realistically difficult to have the head of a dukedom as a second wife. On the other hand, Lady Sera is now the representative of the elves in the Kingdom. Her success in the recent defense of the Western Forest against the Empire has been sung about by bards and spread throughout the central nations. It would not be practical to have such a person as a second wife."
"Ah, ah…"
Ryo finally realized that Marquis Heinlein had totally gone off the rails in his misunderstanding.
And that the answer he got was not the right one.
"Um, Marquis Heinlein, just to confirm, is that Lord Faith of the Silverdale Dukedom, perhaps a woman…?"
"Yes, a stunningly beautiful one…"
"Is that so…"
Ryo hung his head.
Because little Mont Blanc was definitely a 'man'.
Seeing Ryo like that, even Marquis Heinlein realized that he had been mistaken about something.
"Let me guess, this isn't about you looking for a potential partner, or setting your sights on a beautiful woman, is it…?"
"No, I'm looking for a guy…"
"And it's not a BL or anything like that…"
"Nah, just looking for a little twerp that has been a bad kid…"
Marquis Heinlein drooped his head too.
Then he continued.
"There aren't any other heirs to a dukedom in the Kingdom around that age…"
"Okay, you would know best."
"Any possibility of it being a dukedom from another country?"
"Ah! "
Yup, that was very negligent of him.
The Kingdom of Knightley is a great power.
It is no exaggeration to say that it is one of the countries that attract talented people from all over the central nations.
There are examples such as Prince Willy, who came to study from the Kingdom of Ju.
But if that's the case, it is certainly an inquiry that even Marquis Heinlein can't help with.
"If we are talking about the current head of a family, we are aware of the foreign nobles in the country, but as for the next successors to those families, unfortunately…"
"So you know the current head of those families…"
Ryo muttered in surprise at Marquis Heinlein's words, catching a glimpse of his counterintelligence skills.
"Okay, I understand. Thank you, Marquis Heinlein, I appreciate you taking the time."
"Is that all?"
"Yeah. I mean, I was just curious."
Saying this, Ryo got up from the sofa.
But….
"Duke Rondo, there's something I think you should know."
"Huh?"
Marquis Heinlein came out and said.
"Actually, His Majesty said he was going to tell you, but…I don't think he has from the looks of it…"
-x-X-x-
Ryo visited the room where King Abel was recuperating away from the royal castle.
"Oh, Ryo. I'm feeling great. Can't thank you…"
"Abel."
"Hmm? What's with the scary face?"
Ryo called out to Abel, interrupting Abel's attempt to express his gratitude.
Abel wondered why.
"Abel, is there something you're not telling me?"
"Whoa, where's that coming from…?"
When Ryo questioned him, Abel looked away.
"See! You looked away! Now come on, out with it."
"Well, there are so many of them, so I'm not quite sure which one exactly you're referring…"
"Argh…"
Ryo landed on his hands and knees on the floor, in a pose of despair.
"The Kingdom of Knightley, a rift between the king and the premier duke!"
"Come on, would you please don't say something that could stir up a national crisis."
Ryo said something that sounded like a headline in a newspaper or weekly magazine, and Abel chuckled as he rebuked him.
Incidentally, there were no newspapers of any kind in the central nations.
"So, really, which one are you talking about?"
"In that case, why not everything?"
"If I were to tell you everything, you will end up being buried in documents…in a way that could be fun too, I suppose."
"My bad, but should it come to that, the Rondo Dukedom will be breaking away from the Kingdom."
"Yeah, that won't do."
The negotiations between the King and the premier duke were like sparks flying from a violent clash of swords….
"Marquis Heinlein told me. One of the reasons you summoned me here is because delegates from the Empire are coming down here in a month."
"Oh, that…?"
Abel nodded back and forth a few times.
"By the way, I didn't expect you to be able to come right away after I called you. Since if you were in the Rondo Forest, I figured it would take about a month, right? So I sent for you early. As a matter of fact, in a month, an envoy will be arriving from the Empire. And not just any ordinary envoy, the chief delegate is Duchess Rubin. Sister to the current Emperor."
"So, a bigshot."
Ryo was somewhat in the mood to give a riposte.
"Uh-huh. When receiving such a bigshot, the Kingdom can't afford to send any random person to receive them. It has to be the King or someone of similar status…"
"Ah…in other words, the envoy is sent to assess the extent of King Abel's illness."
"Exactly. Or to confirm if maybe I already bit the dust."
Abel chuckled as he said this.
In fact, until a few days ago, he had already made peace with the fact that he might be dead before the imperial envoy arrived.
"The actual negotiations will be handled by Marquis Heinlein, and if Ryo is to be present…with the Prime Minister and the Premier Duke handling things, it will look good even if I don't make an appearance."
"But in the end, they will still get the confirmation that you're seriously ill, won't they?"
"Because it's true. It's going to be discovered soon anyway, so it can't be helped…"
Abel was not at all good at maneuvering as a King.
But even so, Ryo's summon to the castle was the result of his consideration for the survival of the country….
Having listened to this point, Ryo could not but cooperate.
"All right. I will be at that negotiation table with the delegation."
Ryo nodded vigorously, Abel smiled, and they shook hands firmly.
Well, now that his itinerary in a month has been decided, what's he going to do until then….?
A lot!
Discovering good restaurants.
Reading books on alchemy.
….
And so on, Ryo wasn't short of things to do.
"So you don't have anything else besides eating and alchemy…?"
"Oh please, I don't want to hear that from a King who does nothing but sleep all day!"
"That's because I'm sick, what's your excuse…?"
Such a conversation between the King and the premier duke was taking place in a remote part of the royal castle.
Then they heard a knock, and the King's attendants entered with a stack of papers.
"Your Majesty, are you sure about this? You can rest a little longer…"
"No, it's fine. Leave it here…"
"Abel? What exactly is the meaning of this?"
The attendant asked, Abel replied, and Ryo questioned his actions.
"Nothing much, just thought I'd do a little work…"
"Of course not! I believe I told you to rest for a month!"
Ryo, as the attending physician, had strictly confined his patient to absolute bed rest.
"I mean, even you just said that, 'I don't want to hear that from a King that does nothing but sleep all day'…"
"That has got nothing to do with this. As your doctor, I can't allow you to do this. Attendants, please take them straight to Marquis Heinlein. Tell him that Duke Rondo, the Premier Duke, asked you to deliver them to him."
"Y-Yes sir! Got it!"
With that, the attendants carried the documents and left the room.
Abel was like, "Wait…", as he held out his hand.
He's a total workaholic.
A King who does not work is a problem, but a King who is anxious if not surrounded by documents isn't exactly normal as well, Ryo thought….
"Hey, Ryo…"
"What now? Is it money?"
"Didn't you say that three years ago?"
"I'm surprised you remember. Reusing a good gag material over and over again is inevitable."
"Yea, you mentioned gag, too, back then…"
"Gag king…sleepyhead king…sleepyhead Abel…"
"Yeah, one thing I know for sure is that you're making fun of me."
Abel was reading some book brought from the royal library, and Ryo was reading a book on alchemy from the 'Forbidden Section' of the royal library, while they were having the conversation.
"I'm bored out of my mind…"
"But you're reading a book."
"Yeah, I am, but…I may as well be going through paperwork…"
Hearing this, Ryo sighed deeply and tried to come up with a rebuttal.
But then they were informed of the arrival of a visitor.
"Your Majesty, the Grand Master of the Royal Capital Adventurers' Guild is here to see you."
"Send him in."
The man who entered the room was Hugh McGrath, a big, burly, man with a fierce look.