Chapter 0261 Ryo backed against the Wall
-x-X-x-
"Hey, King Abel, I heard from the Marquis that you can now receive visitors…hmm, Ryo? Sorry, I mean, the Premier Duke of Rondo is here as well?"
Hugh somehow used honorifics that didn't not suit his appearance at all.
"Ah, Mr. Hugh, it's been a while. I'm still a C-rank adventurer, so please call me Ryo, as you normally do."
"Really? Then don't mind if I do…"
While talking about this, Hugh's coffee arrived as well.
Abel's bed had a built-in table, but Ryo and Hugh's bedside chairs each had an improvised desk made of ice.
The coffee was placed on it.
"So, I'm guessing the Grand Master didn't come all this way just to visit, right?"
Abel took a sip of coffee, took a deep breath, and cut to the chase.
"You could say that. The expansion of the Adventurers' Guild in the royal capital has finally been completed with various facilities now available. There is a second training area, a second dormitory, and an affiliated school."
"An affiliated school?"
Ryo muttered and tilted his head slightly.
Then, he thought in his mind.
(Is this perhaps the beginning of the academy chapter?! )
"It's an extension of Rune's dungeon training course. It's a three-month beginner's school for new adventurers of F-rank. We'll hire retired adventurers as instructors, so they can find new employment."
"Uh…what about me, for instance…"
"You're already a C-ranker, right, Ryo? Besides, ain't no way we can hire an unparalleled talent like you as an instructor now, can we?"
"B-But the academy chapter…"
Ryo nodded in disappointment as he muttered this.
Seeing this, Abel muttered.
"You're probably up to no good again, as usual…"
Ryo, who was sinking into a pit of disappointment after the academy chapter fell apart, cheered up after eating this month's new cake 'Improved Mille Crepe' from 'Cafe de Chocolat'.
"I will not succumb to the persecution of Abel and Mr. Hugh!"
For some reason, while spreading rumors about His Majesty the King and the Grand Master, he left Cafe de Chocolat and returned to the Royal Castle.
But, he returned to the royal castle library….
Ryo was looking for a new alchemy-related book to read when a voice called out to him from behind.
"Y-Your Excellency, Duke Rondo…"
"Yes? Oh, hello Chief Librarian."
Ryo greeted him with a smile.
Gasparnini, the elderly chief librarian, was in charge of the Royal Castle Library.
He's a very good person whom Ryo was always indebted to, answering his questions accurately and giving him book recommendations.
However, Mr. Gasparnini, the chief librarian, was sweating profusely.
At first glance, one could tell that he wasn't being himself.
"Uh, what's wrong?"
"P-Please don't be offended, but it seems that your Excellency has yet to return the book you borrowed two years ago, 'Alchemy: Its Future and Prospects – Alchemy in Our Daily Lives'…"
"Eh…"
"In fact, yesterday, Viscount Kenneth Hayward of the Royal Alchemy Workshop dropped by and asked to borrow the book…. But, of course, there is no deadline for returning a book, but the Viscount, in his position, wanted to check something in it, so he stopped by to have a look, but…"
"Oh…"
This time, cold sweat began to run through Ryo's back.
He certainly remembered borrowing it.
He certainly remembered reading it.
And he certainly…remembered not returning it.
Viscount Kenneth Hayward, whom Ryo thinks of as his alchemy master, is a genius alchemist who represents not only the Kingdom of Knightley but also the central nations.
Although he is still only twenty-five years old, he is a rare talent who is already at the pinnacle of the alchemists of the central nations and has even more potential for the future.
He didn't get angry, so he probably just laughed it off this time…still, Ryo, who failed to return what he borrowed, was explicitly responsible.
Moreover, the chief librarian told Ryo with a seemingly cornered expression…like his life was riding on it.
Which isn't surprising.
Seeing as Ryo is the premier duke, even though he looks the way he does.
He is the next in power after the king…even if only in name.
To ask such a person to 'return a book'…might have been the first time in the long career of chief librarian Gasparnini.
That was the reason why cold sweats were running like a river down Ryo's back.
"My apologies, chief librarian. I definitely should have returned it sooner. I'll look for it and return it immediately…wait, or should I deliver it directly to Kenneth?"
"N-No, it's fine, even the Viscount said, 'If Ryo has it, then I guess it can't be helped. So, I'll just ask him about it next time I see him', so I think it will be alright if you can return it when you have the chance."
"A-Ahahaha…"
The amount of cold sweat increased even more with the chief librarian's kind words.
He was ashamed of his actions, causing trouble to such a good person….
I shall return it immediately!
He firmly vowed so in the back of his mind.
Ryo left the royal castle and hurried back to the Duke of Rondo's mansion.
The Duke of Rondo's mansion in the royal capital was prepared by Abel and was located close to the royal castle.
It was the highest-class area in the royal capital where the mansions of dukes and marquises stand in a row…Ryo, of course, had only heard about it and had no idea who his neighbors were.
Since Abel's surgery, Ryo had basically been staying at the royal castle and had only used this Duke of Rondo's mansion a handful of times.
Naturally, there was no way he could find a borrowed book in such a place.
"Ah…"
That occurred to Ryo as he passed through the door.
Before he could get down on his hands and knees in a pose of despair…he remembered.
"My Rune house!"
He recalled that he borrowed the book… to have something to read inside the carriage on the way to Rune.
And that he didn't bring it with him when he returned from the Rune house.
"Rune…that's a little far…"
In the end, he still dropped to the floor of the mansion in a pose of despair.
-x-X-x-
Grand Master's office, Adventurers' Guild in the royal capital.
"Please!"
"I hear you, but there's nothing I can do about it."
Ryo was pleading.
And Hugh was frowning as he refused.
"Ugh…I am hailed as the premier duke, yet I can't even borrow a single carriage, what a harsh reality check…"
Ryo lamented as he hung his head.
"Please don't put it in such a misleading way. Even if I wanted to lend you one, all the guild carriages are currently unavailable."
Ryo opted to use the guild carriage as a means of getting to his house in Rune in the shortest time possible.
It would take seven days to travel from the royal capital to Rune using an ordinary carriage.
However, with guild carriages, which could travel nonstop by changing horses prepared at each town, the journey from the royal capital to Rune could be completed in two days one way.
Ryo remembered that he and Abel had once traveled from Rune to the royal capital in that guild carriage.
Of course, ordinary adventurers were not allowed to use them.
They're only available to those who have received special permission from the guild master and need to travel extra fast for a special request.
But he was requesting permission, relying on his position as a premier duke.
Abusing his position and power…not quite, he was asking Hugh McGrath, the Grand Master, to let him use it as a favor …
But he was turned down.
"I believe the Adventurers' Guild in the royal capital is central to the Kingdom, with more than twenty guild carriages. But it's also true that the Grand Master's authority allows for a great deal of flexibility. An example would be how your predecessor, Sir Forsythe, used it to help his daughter escape."
During the fall of the royal capital, the Grand Master at the time, Finlay Forsythe, used the guild carriage for his personal use to get his daughter out of the royal capital to Rune.
Although it was an emergency evacuation, private use of the carriage wasn't intolerable….
Rather, from a practical standpoint, in the Kingdom where royalty and nobility hold considerable power, requests from nobles to the Adventurers' Guild are diverse, and the guild is quite flexible in accommodating them.
From that perspective, it is actually quite common for them to meet requests like that of Ryo, the premier duke.
But….
"Seeing as all the carriages are out, I can't lend you any even if I wanted to."
"Ugh…"
Hugh frowned as he said that, and Ryo bit his lip in frustration.
By some stroke of luck, Hugh looked out the window at that moment.
And as soon as it dawned on him, he ran to the window, opened it vigorously, and raised his voice down the courtyard.
"Stop the third carriage! Grand Master's orders!"
An instant decision.
Within roughly two seconds.
It happened so fast that even Ryo, who was in the same room, couldn't keep up with the development.
Looking out the window, a person who looked like a guild official was running from the courtyard toward the carriage depot.
Having heard Hugh's yelling, he seemed to have moved quickly.
Seeing this.
(I guess this happens often.)
Ryo thought to himself, as if it were someone else's problem.
"You're in luck, Ryo. I can't lend you a carriage, but I'll let you ride the guild carriage heading to Rune."
Hugh grinned as he said that.
His face, even to Ryo, who was used to seeing it, was really scary….
The two arrived at the carriage depot and Hugh opened the door of the third carriage.
Then came a voice from inside.
"Grand Master, why did you make us stop? I believe we're already pressed for time."
"Yeah, my bad. I need you to let him join you guys to Rune, please."
Hugh said, stepping aside, and Ryo put his head through the carriage door.
"Excuse me, I will be imposing on you guys till we get to Rune city…"
Having said that, Ryo tilted his head strenuously.
The three people in the carriage tilted their heads sharply in response.
Then, a swordsman who seemed to be the leader of the group opened his mouth nervously.
"Is that you…Ryo?"
Ryo also opened his mouth timidly.
"Could you guys be…Niels? Etho? Amon?"
The three people in the carriage were the three members of the party 'Room 10'.
"It's been like, how long…?"
"Yeah, it's been quite a while."
"I think about a year and a half."
Niels, Etho, and Amon were all astonished and commemorating the reunion.
"Wow~ I never thought I'd come across you guys here!"
Ryo was grinding coffee beans in an ice mill as he said so.
After all, it's only right that they drink to their reunion with some coffee!
"Still you guys are something, a party of three roommates is now a well-established B-rank party in the kingdom?"
When Ryo said this in admiration, all three of them blushed and felt embarrassed.
That's right, 'Room 10' is currently a B-rank party, with all three members being B-rank adventurers.
"Now that you're a B-rank party, you can be dispatched to the royal capital. Well, it turned out to be in my favor this time though."
"Actually, not quite, Ryo."
Niels, the leader of the party, said solemnly.
"We've moved to the royal capital, and we're a party belonging to the royal capital."
"Whoa…"
That came as a surprise to Ryo.
Each adventurer is certainly free to decide where to set up his or her base of operations, and some parties frequently move from one place to another.
Changing one's base of operations across countries isn't without its difficulties, but it seems to be a common practice within the Kingdom.
"But why the royal capital?"
Ryo asked the obvious question.
"It's only natural for me to go where I could be close to King Abel!"
"Queen Rihya is such an angel!"
"…Well, there you have it."
He didn't even bother to think of anything to say to any of them….
Niels has always respected Abel.
To Etho, Rihya is an angel.
And Amon is…nineteen years old and the youngest, but somehow finds himself being the one watching after them.
"Oh, yup…I understand perfectly well."
Ryo deduced as saw Amon's wry smile and the other two's unusual state of excitement.
It would appear that the three members of 'Room 10' haven't grown up in that regard.
"So are you heading to Rune on a quest or something?"
"Oh, yeah. It's an urgent quest, and one that requires a lot of manpower, so they came all the way to the royal capital to make the request."
Niels replied, puffing out his chest a little, feeling proud.
"I wonder if Niels is capable of carrying out such a quest…"
"Hey, Ryo, I'm not how I used to be! Though I admit that this quest is quite a tough one."
Niels refuted Ryo's not-so-subtle statement.
"It's a request for reinforcements to subjugate wyverns."
"Two of them to boot!"
Etho divulged the quest objective, and Amon supplemented it with staggering information.
"Subjugation of two wyverns…wow."
"Right?"
"So that means Amon will be flying twice this time…"
"Not a chance, I'm never doing that again…"
Ryo tried stirring up some old memories, and Amon chuckled as he scratched his cheek.
In the past, the members of Room 10 were forced to take down a wyvern…and they accomplished the feat by sending Amon flying into the sky in cooperation with a party called 'Six Petals'.
The tale of the wyvern subjugation with only nine people was still told among adventurers to this day.
"This time, two wyverns appeared near a village about a day south of Rune city, and the adventurers currently in the south are a little lacking to take them on, so we decided to lend a hand."
"The adventurers being dispatched to subjugate the wyverns are of C-rank and above. Apparently, even with Rune, Acre and Kyradea combined, they are quite scarce in numbers these days…. Although I heard that there isn't even a single adventurer above C-rank in Kyradea, to begin with."
Etho explained at length, and Niels pointed out the unchanged status quo of Kyradea.
Kyradea… they serve fairly decent curry over there.
Ryo was thinking about such a thing while the conversation carried on.
-x-X-x-
The guild carriage arrived in Rune city the next afternoon, with the four of them staying overnight in the carriage, changing horses in each town.
"Okay, we'll be jumping on the road again. We'll leave the guild carriage here, and then…"
"The Rune Adventurers' Guild has a carriage ready for us from here on out."
"The others are already in the destination village."
Niels, Etho, and Amon were all in high spirits even after a day and night in the carriage.
Worthy of being B-rank adventurers…Ryo was genuinely impressed.
By the way, Ryo remained a C-rank adventurer.
Which wasn't surprising, since he's only completed a handful of requests in the past three years.
"What about you, Ryo?"
Niels asked as he got out of the carriage.
"I'm going home to pick up some books, grab a bite at the 'Houshokutei' for the first time in a while, and then head right back to the royal capital. I probably won't be able to borrow a guild carriage, so I'll just catch a regular transport carriage or something."
"Well, unlike the royal capital, they only have three guild carriages here."
Niels also nodded slightly, agreeing with Ryo's idea.
"All right, first we'll report our arrival to the guildmaster and talk about renting the carriage. So we're off to the guild. Take care, Ryo."
"Let's meet in the royal capital another time."
"How envious, getting to eat that tasty curry at Houshokutei."
Niels dropped a weighty line like a leader, Etho promised to meet again in the capital, and Amon, who loves spicy food, praised the curry at Houshokutei and then went on their way.
Ryo did not even bother to show up at the Rune adventurers' guild, but instead headed for the 'Houshokutei' at the east gate.
The next morning.
D-rank adventurers belonging to Rune were gathered in the lecture room of the Rune Adventurers' Guild.
"…So, there are currently no adventurers above C-rank in Rune city, as they're all out on the wyvern subjugation quest. You guys here in this room are the best force we have at the moment to support the city."
Standing in front of them, speaking, was the guild master, Ra.
That's right, Ra, the swordsman who was once the leader of the party 'Switchback' that belonged to Rune city.
'Switchback' became a B-rank party in the end and later disbanded.
He had served as a vice guildmaster and was currently the guildmaster of the Rune Adventurers' Guild, the largest guild at the frontier.
The fact that he was a B-rank adventurer proves that he's, after all, a figure admired by many active adventurers.
In the lecture room, the D-rank adventurers were looking at Ra with great enthusiasm.
His imposing physique was reminiscent of Hugh McGrath, the former guildmaster and now grandmaster of the royal capital.
"Nice speech, Ra."
Sue, the vice guildmaster, complimented Ra when he returned to the guildmaster's office.
Sue was the scout of the party 'Switchback'.
"T-Thanks…"
Many guild officials thought that the reason the Rune Adventurers' Guild was running so well and Ra not failing at his job…was because Sue was supporting him.
And Ra himself thought so.
And because of this, the feeling of him being indebted to Sue resonated even more strongly now than when they were in the same party.
How Sue felt about it, though, was anyone's guess.
Three o'clock in the afternoon of the same day.
The bell at the Rune Square rang, announcing to the whole city that it was three o'clock.
Hearing this, Ra muttered to himself.
"The wyvern subjugation should be underway by now."
"Don't worry, southern adventurers are tough. Moreover, those 'Room 10' guys are there too."
Sue replied to Ra's muttering with a big nod.
In actual fact, none of the members of 'Room 10' was capable of using offensive magic, but the rest of the assembled parties were made up of quite a few magicians.
One of the established rules for defeating wyverns is to have as many magicians with offensive capabilities as possible.
Following this rule, they should have quite the lineup.
On this day, the problem didn't befall the wyvern subjugation team, but Rune city itself.
"Guildmaster, we have a problem!"
A guild official came tumbling into his office and announced.
"The Great Tidal Bore has occurred!"
The Great Tidal Bore.
A large increase in the number of monsters that occurs once every few years inside the dungeon in the center of Rune city.
Of course, since it occurs regularly, a barricade was built around the dungeon entrance to make it easier to intercept the monsters when they pour out due to the Great Tidal Bore.
Three years have passed since the last Great Tidal Bore… an interval that is by no means impossible….
"Already?"
Ra muttered involuntarily.
The Great Tidal Bore is said to occur once every few years.
In past records, there were certainly records of a reoccurrence within three years of the last Great Tidal Bore.
However, since the Great Tidal Bore three years ago occurred ten years after the previous one, it's understandable why he would feel it came too soon compared to that.
As soon as he said that, a follow-up report arrived.
"The captain of the county knights, Neville Black, who was near the dungeon, took command and succeeded in containing the monsters within the barricade. Now he's preparing to intercept them."
"Good. I'm heading there now. Notify the rest of the adventurers…"
Ra's voice trailed off as he was about to complete his sentence.
Yup, all C-rank adventurers and above were out on the wyvern subjugation mission, and only D-rankers and below were currently in the city.
But even so, he had no choice but to give the order.
"Summon the remaining adventurers. Tell them to gather at the dungeon barricade. And bring every bow, arrow, and weapon they can find along to the barricade!"
By the time Ra was done giving the instructions, vice guildmaster Sue was already out of the office.
She had already left for the dungeon barrier to organize and command the defense on the adventurers' side.
Then, more reports came in.
"The core monster for this time is ogre!"
"What…the…?"
Only one type of monster appears during the Great Tidal Bore.
The last time was a goblin…which posed quite a challenge due to their ridiculous number.
But still, goblins…individually, aren't strong.
But this time, ogres… every one of them is vicious.
Their huge two-and-a-half-meter physique is not easily pierced by arrows.
A mere graze of the club they wield would render a human incapable of combat.
Yet only D-rank adventurers and below were available to confront waves upon waves of such monsters.
"I guess our only offensive option is the Knights Order …"
As he exited his office, Ra's face turned deathly pale.
-x-X-x-
As Ra, with such a pale complexion, was about to walk out of the guild, he saw a magician entering the guild…perhaps by divine providence or arrangement.
"Ah, Mr. Ra, long time no see."
It was a C-rank water-attribute magician who had come to the guild cafeteria to have something to eat for the first time in a while before heading to the royal capital.
"Ryo…? Why are you here?"
The words that unintentionally escaped Ra's mouth were purely just a question….
"D-Don't get the wrong idea, I am not going from one restaurant to another sampling food because I've missed the tasty lineup Rune has to offer, or that the guild cafeteria serves the best lunch, then go back to have dinner at 'Houshokutei', stay one more night and just catch the carriage heading out tomorrow! "
Ryo replied, flustered for some reason.
"Oh, okay, that's not what I meant… You know what, never mind. Listen Ryo, I have an emergency quest and a designated commission for you!"
"Sorry…?"
"The Great Tidal Bore, really, what shitty timing…"
Even Ryo was shocked after learning about the situation.
He had already learned from his conversation with 'Room 10' that all C-rank adventurers and above were out, but for the Great Tidal Bore to occur at this time…and to make matters worse, ogres.
Ryo and Ra arrived on the barricade and looked inside.
"How…spectacular!"
Ryo was excited.
Ryo didn't witness the last Great Tidal Bore because he was in the library.
This time, for the first time in his life, he saw thousands of monsters squirming about.
It was a bit eerie, but a spectacular sight still.
"Damn, this might be a bit difficult…"
Ra muttered next to him.
Long-range attack with bows and arrows had already begun on the defensive wall.
To first of all reduce their numbers as much as possible with bows and arrows
Magic too, but since magic power is more finite than arrows, the main assault will be with bows and arrows.
However….
"The ogres' skin is too hard, the arrows aren't getting through!"
A guild official reported so at the top of his lungs
"Ra, it looks like even the archers on the Knights Order side are having trouble penetrating their hide."
Sue, the vice guildmaster who arrived earlier and was in command, reported that the Knights Order side was also having difficulties.
Then she noticed.
"Is that? Ryo?"
"Oh, Sue, hello. Listen, I wasn't trying to score the daily set meal at the Rune Adventurers' Guild cafeteria since I'm in Rune or anything like that, just so you know!"
"S-Sure…I think I know how he found you…"
Sue sneered as she said this.
And Ryo thought for a moment.
It should be okay to use some fancy magic.
Because those in Rune, including the knights who he served as their swordsmanship instructor, are like relatives, and since he is now, after all, the premier duke…there should be no need to worry about some strange noble setting eyes on him!
With that in mind, Ryo decided to make a suggestion of his own, especially since nothing was being said.
"Mr. Ra, should I whittle down the number of those ogres with magic?"
"C-Can you do that!?"
"Sure. I have just the right water-attribute magic for the task."
"By all means, please do it!"
Ra was already at a point where he was pretty much grasping at straws.
He had heard for as long as he could remember that Ryo's combat ability was very high and that he was very good with both magic and sword.
So, he brought him here intending to have him play an active role in melee battles after they had whittled down the monsters to a certain extent with bows and arrows.
However, the bows and arrows turned out to be ineffective….
He was in despair, and Ryo's suggestion was a godsend.
But then he remembered.
What Ryo had done during the Kingdom Liberation War.
"
Ryo chanted, and sixteen magic circles floated in the air around him.
At the sight of these magic circles, the adventurers' stopped shooting arrows.
The knights on the opposite wall, who were also shooting arrows, also stopped.
Then he chanted.
"
At that moment, tens of thousands of ice lances were launched from Ryo and those magic circles.
From the sky, countless ice lances could be seen flying in an unfolded fan shape, with Ryo at the center.
They shimmered beautifully, reflecting the rays of the sun as they rained down incessantly…piercing the ogres.
And not a single volley, but a second, third, and even a fourth….
The arena below the defensive wall was riddled with countless icicles, so much so that there was no place to tread.
It was a sparkling white silver world.
Only not from snow, but ice….
"Silver Duke…"
"Ice fall…"
Only God knows who muttered that.
A world where everything was still.
Neither below the wall nor on the wall, no movement, not a word other than murmurs….
However….
"Mr. Ra, one is still moving."
The silence was broken by the same water-attribute magician who brought it on in the first place.
He pointed his finger at a single ogre, larger than the others, and the only survivor.
It was an unbelievable sight to see over five thousand ogres slaughtered by the magic of a single person, but it was also unbelievable to see an ogre that was unaffected by the same magic.
"The hell…is that?"
Ra didn't know.
"That's an Ogre King…"
Sue knew.
"Release."
Ryo muttered, and all the ice lances that had pierced the ogres vanished.
Only the fallen ogres and the Ogre King, the only survivor, remained in the arena.
"The ogres around the king seemed to have shielded it with their bodies…"
Ryo's murmur seemed to be louder than expected, and both Ra and Sue were stupefied.
"I didn't think that ogres were capable of that…"
Sue muttered, and Ra nodded in agreement.
"Now then, what would you like to do with the remaining one, the king?"
Ryo asked Ra, the commander of the scene.
"I guess I'll have to go down there."
Ra said, and began to stretch and flex his body.
"Are you going to be alright?"
Sue looked extremely worried.
Ryo could relate to the feeling…since he, too, was a little worried.
But, of course, Ra is the guildmaster of Rune city, and a swordsman…..
"I'm a former B-rank adventurer, remember? I'll be fine."
Ra said emphatically with a smile on his face.
All the while, the Ogre King, standing in the center of the arena, didn't even move a muscle but kept its eyes on them.
In response, Ra looked back at the King.
After glaring at each other for a moment, Ra leaped off the top of the wall and headed down the arena.
The king didn't follow his figure…but kept looking up at the top of the wall.
Ryo thought that perhaps it was looking at him since he was the one who unleashed the ice lances all over the place…but decided not to worry about it.
On his own accord, he decided that his work was done….
"Hey King, I'm your opponent!"
Ra shouted as he confronted the king.
It was only then that the king looked at Ra.
Ra is a huge swordsman, nearly two meters in height.
The Ogre King, however, was nearly three meters tall.
It thrust its huge cudgel into the ground, looking very majestic.
After a few moments of staring at each other with their weapons at the ready…Ra struck and the sword fight began.
Clang.
Clang.
Clang.
The sound of heavy objects clashing against each other echoed throughout the walls.
Ra's sword…was more like a thick plate of iron, rather than a sword.
Or perhaps, a lump of iron….
The clash between such a sword and the ogre's cudgel.
Ogres, even among the many monsters, excels in 'strength'.
Although it wielded a cudgel, its power was tremendous.
It was almost impossible to take it head-on.
However….
"This is amazing."
Even Ryo was impressed.
Ra was striking back the cudgel with his sword.
He wasn't inferior in power at all.
It would seem that Ra also possesses power that wasn't inferior to that of a monster.
Notwithstanding….
"Well that power is the only thing Ra's got going for him."
Sue muttered as she let out a sigh.
Power on both sides were even, speed…too, as for skills… were both sides even using any?
It looked like it was going to be a while before the match would be decided….
Two hours later.
Clang.
Clang.
Clang.
…Nothing had changed.
Sue suddenly looked toward Ryo, who had made an ice chair beside her and was sitting on it, watching the sword fight.
He was holding something in his hand.
And sometimes he would put it in his mouth…he seemed to be eating it.
"What's that, Ryo…"
"Oh, so sorry, I only bought one, it's crepe."
Ryo wondered if he should have bought another one…and given it as a bribe to Sue, the authoritative figure in that place.
What a blunder.
"Oh, okay, nah, it's fine. Enjoy…"
Sue decided not to pay attention to it.
It meant that Ryo had somehow slipped away, went to a crepe shop in town, and bought it.
And he was watching the match while eating.
At times like that, there was a great saying that applied in any world.
As they say, 'If you let it get to you, it's your loss'.
Another two hours later.
Clang.
Clang.
Clang.
…They were still at it.
It was still going on, but the tide was gradually turning.
Sue suddenly looked toward Ryo again, who had made an ice chair beside her and was sitting on it, watching the sword fight.
He had now made an ice desk and was reaching for something he had placed there.
And sometimes he would put it in his mouth…he seemed to be eating it.
"What's that, Ryo…"
"Oh, would you like some, Sue? It's Pizza Margherita. It's quite delicious."
"Oh, sure, I'll have a slice…"
Saying this, Sue took a slice of the eight and ate it.
"Wow…this is good."
She couldn't help but let those words escape out of her mouth.
She had been here for hours, watching, without eating or drinking.
No wonder she was famished.
Hearing Sue's expression and the unintentional words that leaked out, Ryo struck a fist bump pose in his mind.
He recovered from his blunder.
The moment Ryo finished the last slice of Margherita…the king's cudgel was knocked away.
Without a word, Ra beheaded the king, finally bringing the sword fight to an end.
Which also marked the end of the Great Tidal Bore.
-x-X-x-
After enjoying the all-you-can-eat at the guild cafeteria in the aftermath of the Great Tidal Bore, Ryo headed for the Royal Capital in a guild carriage the next morning.
Ryo was given permission to use the precious guild carriage of the Rune Adventurers' Guild, apparently in recognition of his efforts during the Great Tidal Bore.
Ryo was delighted that his hard work had paid off, and he continued to sleep in the guild carriage that had been reserved for him.
Since he pretty much ate until dawn last night….
The next day in the early afternoon, he arrived safely at the Royal Capital and went straight to the Royal Castle Library to return the book he had borrowed that was long overdue, 'Alchemy: Its Future and Prospects – Alchemy in Our Daily Lives'.
At that moment, the chief librarian, Mr. Gasparnini, looked like he was about to burst out in tears…or rather, he was crying a little and bowed his head repeatedly in gratitude.
Then Ryo made a firm vow in his heart.
To always return anything he borrowed.
Else, he would make a good person like the chief librarian cry….
Meanwhile, a remote location in the royal castle.
King Abel the First wasn't in bed….
But in the courtyard of the annex, swinging his sword.
"Abel…you're still in recovery, so don't overdo it."
"Ohh, Ryo. Looks like you've been busy. What have you been up to?"
"Just saving the world from ruin is all."
"I-I see…"
Abel thought that Ryo was saying something that didn't make sense again…but he didn't dare to get into it.
He judged on his own that Ryo was probably absorbed in a book on alchemy, or some kind of delicacy…or something along those lines.
Poor Ryo.
When Abel returned to his office after swinging his sword, Marquis Heinlein, the Prime Minister, turned up.
He had something to report.
"Your Majesty, the day before yesterday, Rune city suffered another Great Tidal Bore after three years…"
Having revealed that much, the Marquis noticed Ryo in the room.
"Whoa, the Great Tidal Bore, how nostalgic. What was the monster and how big was it this time? Speaking of which, there probably weren't that many B-rank adventurers in Rune city, was everything all right? No wait, the fact that you're just making the report now means that it's been resolved, right?"
Abel's continuous questioning brought the Marquis back to his senses and he answered.
"Ah, yes…this time it was ogres, five thousand of them. The only B-rank party belonging to Rune is 'Coffee Maker' led by Delong. And to make matters worse, they were sent on a wyvern subjugation mission…"
"Oh yeah, I read the report on that! Two wyverns, right? Hm? Wait a minute, meaning that there would have been hardly any adventurers of C-rank and above left in the city…"
Saying that, Abel's expression grew increasingly stern.
He knew how difficult it is to take down a wyvern.
Since he came across quite a few of them when he was an adventurer.
He's also participated in the Great Tidal Bore before…only, this time it was ogres…where arrows would have just bounced off their skin!
"It must have been tough, even for the Rune Knights, right? With quite a few casualties I reckon?"
"Well, not exactly…"
Marquis Heinlein glanced at Ryo.
Ryo was lying on the sofa reading a newly borrowed book on alchemy he got after returning the previous…and doesn't seem to be listening to the report.
"There were no casualties. The incident occurred at 3:00 p.m., and they defeated the Ogre King who was leading the mob just after 7:00 p.m. on the same day."
"No casualties! The current guildmaster is Ra, correct? Sue's got great support skills as well… gotta give it to them. No, perhaps it's all thanks to the well-trained knights. Well, either way, they really did…good…hmm? Wait a minute? An ogre's skin is impervious to arrows, right? And yet, there were no casualties, how in the world did they manage that?"
When Abel said this, Marquis Heinlein again glanced at Ryo, who was occupying the sofa, and answered.
"Yeah, actually, except for the Ogre King, they were done in by magic…"
"Oh okay! So it's magic, uh. …Magic? Against five thousand ogres? Really? …Uh, alright, Marquis Heinlein, I'm going to ask you, but who is the caster of this magic?"
Abel asked, but his gaze was already on the water-attribute magician sprawled out on the sofa.
"Yeah, you guessed it, Your Majesty, it's Duke Rondo."
"So it was you!"
"Pardon?"
Abel shouted, and Ryo reacted because his name had apparently been called.
Then he somehow realized that he was at the center of the conversation.
"So Ryo, it seems that you haven't been around these past five days or so, were you in Rune city?"
"Yeah. But, you have to understand, it wasn't to pick up a book I borrowed from the Royal Castle Library which I left in my Rune house and failed to return or anything like that, okay?"
"Sure… now I know why you were in Rune at that time…. Well, you did good…"
Abel said, looking a little tired.
"That doesn't sound like much of a compliment, Abel?"
"What do you mean?"
"If you really mean what you say, words aren't enough to show your sincerity!"
"What more do you want besides my words?"
"It goes without saying, grant me a privilege."
Marquis Heinlein, the Prime Minister, frowned at the sight of the premier duke…demanding 'privileges' from the king.
He didn't think it appropriate for the order of the country.
However, King Abel asked Ryo with a nonchalant attitude.
"So what kind of privilege do you want?"
"The monthly cake privilege, obviously!"
"Sure, done."
"Yay!"
Abel nodded affirmatively with a tired look on his face. And Ryo was repeatedly making a fist pump gesture, feeling really pleased.
Leaving Marquis Heinlein completely lost in what just transpired.
"Eh? Cake? What kind of privilege is that…?"
Today, too, the center of the Kingdom was peaceful.
-x-X-x-
"The Imperial envoy, Duchess Rubin, will be arriving at the State Guest House tomorrow morning. Negotiations will begin immediately thereafter."
"So, no audience or anything then."
"That's right. We are following the procedure that was agreed upon a month ago when this negotiation was decided. To be honest, His Majesty's condition wasn't really good at the time…"
Marquis Heinlein explained, nodding.
"Indeed."
Abel nodded broadly and replied thus.
"I can't thank you enough, Ryo."
"Oh please~, don't mention it."
Abel was honestly grateful, and Ryo felt abashed.
In the remote wing of the royal castle, Abel, Marquis Heinlein, and Ryo were having a meeting about the envoy from the Empire.
"The people of the Empire would be surprised to see the king, whom they had heard was seriously ill, in good health."
Ryo said, grinning, probably picturing the scene in his mind.
"Negotiations will take place in the conference room of the Exchange Hall, which is located between the Royal Castle and the State Guest House where the guests will be staying. There are no magic barriers in the conference rooms, so please bear that in mind."
For some reason, Marquis Heinlein made emphasis on that point.
"Hold on? Abel, are you thinking of bombarding the envoy with magic? The Duchess is the Emperor's sister, isn't she? Wouldn't that be an insane move?"
"That wasn't directed at me! He was referring to you, Ryo."
Abel rebutted.
Ryo tilted his head.
"I wouldn't just attack someone that I've never met before out of nowhere. Even if they're from the Empire."
"…Hm?"
"…Huh?"
Marquis Heinlein and Abel looked at each other involuntarily.
"Your Majesty, to what extent has Duke Rondo been briefed?"
"…I should have known, you really don't know who the Duchess of Rubin is, do you, Ryo…?"
"Of course I do! As I said before, she is the Emperor's sister. And His Majesty Rupert VI is in his mid-fifties…"
Ryo remembered Emperor Rupert, whom he had met on the battlefield, who despite being in his fifties had a body like steel, without a trace of fat on it.
"Oh…I see where the problem is. Listen, Ryo, His Majesty Rupert abdicated two years ago, and his son, Crown Prince Helmut, ascended to the throne as Emperor Helmut VIII."
"Whoa…"
Ryo had no idea.
Even though it was quite a hot topic at the time….
"Without delay, the other princes and princesses were all granted the titles of Dukes and Duchesses. Including this same Duchess Rubin. Duchess Rubin, whose first name is Fiona…"
"No way, that Princess…"
"Yup, the former Eleventh Princess, the chief of the Emperor's Magic Division, whose name at the time was Fiona Rubin Bornemisza, whom you tried to freeze, Ryo…. She appears to be the official envoy."
"I had no idea…"
Ryo frowned a little and scratched his cheek.
"I don't suppose you know who her husband is as well."
Marquis Heinlein said in a rather quiet voice.
"Her husband? As in she's married?"
"Yes, her husband, Count Ruska is the vice envoy."
"Oh you gotta be kiddin' me…him…"
"Yup, Count Oscar Rusca, the Explosive Blaze Magician."
The moment Marquis Heinlein carried on with the explanation, Ryo frowned his face with all his might.
Then he turned to Abel and said.
"Abel, you knew about this and played a fast one on me! You knew he was coming! "
"N-No, I was going to tell you eventually…"
Abel looked away from Ryo and made an excuse.
"By eventually, you mean you already decided to keep me in the dark since that time I agreed to welcome the envoy!"
Abel and Ryo even shook on it firmly that time….
Ryo despaired….
"…Fine, I'll make the once-a-month cake privilege once-a-week."
"Oh Abel, I'll be sure to follow you for the rest of my life! You can leave those two Imperial whackjobs to me!"
Ryo was back and looking alive….
Food rules.
Food is justice.
Food rocks.
People live for food and die for food.
In a different place, the envoy carriage of Duchess Rubin of the Empire.
"The ones leading the negotiation are the Prime Minister, Marquis Heinlein, and the Premier Duke, the Duke of Rondo…"
Fiona, the Duchess of Rubin, muttered for the umpteenth time.
"Fiona, are you still bothered about that?"
That was Oscar, her husband, Count Ruska, who also goes by the name, the Explosive Blaze Magician.
"Yes…. The Duke of Rondo is a new dukedom, established after dissolving the Flitwick Dukedom, the brother of the previous king, and the head of said dukedom happens to be the premier duke of the kingdom. Despite this, he holds no office within the royal castle, and it's not even clear where his dukedom is located. Moreover, no one has seen him in the last three years…. Even the Imperial Intelligence Service had concluded that there was in fact no Duke of Rondo, but merely a dukedom nominally created by the royal family to exert pressure on other nobles. The fact that the royal family still retained half of the dissolved Flitwick Dukedom can attest to that conclusion. For him to show up now, out of nowhere, to participate in the negotiation this time… and appointed in name by King Abel I."
"Well, I'd be lying if I said it doesn't bother me for sure…but we'll find out anyway when we get to the negotiating table, won't we?"
"Oh, we certainly will…"
With that, they both took a sip of the coffee Marie had brewed for them.
"I'm more concerned about King Abel's medical condition. It means that he is in such a state that the premier duke, who has never come out, was forced to take the stage."
"Indeed. According to the information gathered by the Intelligence Service, he is probably dying."
"But the Intelligence Service has not been able to get anyone inside the castle."
"The Prime Minister…"
"Yeah. When it comes to counterintelligence, the Prime Minister, Marquis Heinlein is one or two steps ahead of the Empire…. So, we're going in directly through the front gate instead."
(Although the way they refer to themselves has changed, in the end, there's hardly any affectionate moment between the two…)
Marie thought, as listened to the conversation on the side.
Then she sighed loudly in her mind.
Marie was the second-in-command to the chief of the Emperor's Magic Division, but at the same time, she was also Fiona's maid.
Therefore, when Fiona established the Rubin Dukedom, she was appointed as the chief maid.
Naturally, she was also accompanying the envoy, Fiona, on this mission as her adjutant and maid.
As Marie devotes herself entirely to Fiona, she wants Fiona to be happy…but she also understands that happiness comes in different forms from person to person.
(What tough luck…)
-x-X-x-
Conference room in the Exchange Hall.
The Imperial envoys were ushered in and seated.
Soon, a person from the Kingdom's Ministry of Foreign Affairs began to explain.
"As previously informed, Duke Rondo and Marquis Heinlein will be here shortly as contact persons for the Kingdom. So, if you would please wait for a moment."
As the person was about to return to their seat in the corner of the room, Fiona asked a question.
"I believe the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs also requested in advance, but is it really impossible to have an audience with His Majesty the King after the negotiations are over?"
"Ah, Yes. We did put in the word, but we have not received any positive response from the Royal Castle…sorry about that."
The person from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who answered choked on their words.
Perhaps they're vulnerable to unexpected questions…or perhaps got carried away by Fiona's good looks….
"Must be pretty bad…"
Oscar's muttering was so faint that only Fiona, sitting next to him, could hear it.
Hearing this, Fiona also nodded her head.
A minute after the explanation.
The door to the conference room opened, which signaled the arrival of Duke Rondo and Marquis Heinlein.
The first to enter was Marquis Alexis Heinlein, who holds the position of Prime Minister of the Kingdom and is also known as a great noble of the South.
He is one of the principal backbones of the Kingdom, both in name and in reality.
A former captain of the Royal Knight Order, and was active during the 'Great War' between the Kingdom and the Union, earning him the nickname 'The Demon'.
He is also known as an expert who has a great deal of weight in the Kingdom's intelligence, and for this reason, he is watched closely by neighboring countries.
He is a man with no stone left unturned in terms of military, intelligence, political, and conspiracy strategies.
(What a formidable individual…)
Oscar thought as he watched Marquis Heinlein make his entrance.
Perhaps that was why he was a little slow to see Duke Rondo, who entered next.
But Fiona, who had been paying attention to Duke Rondo since before their arrival in the royal capital, immediately shifted her gaze.
And he noticed her catching her breath.
Perceiving this, Oscar also shifted his gaze to Duke Rondo, who had also entered….
His eyes widened like they were going to pop out.
"Why would he …"
The words leaked out unintentionally….
The words were barely audible to Fiona, who was sitting beside him, as it was seldom within perceptible range of human hearing.
But then, Fiona too.
"No way…"
She muttered.
Oscar managed to control his emotions.
However, it was an unexpected surprise and he really was on edge.
"Oh, hello, it's been a while. I guess it's been since the Kingdom Liberation Battle, where I cut off half your body."
He was obviously bound to lose his temper, if such a thing was said to his face.
…If it had been in the past.
But with one deep, heavy, really deep breath, Oscar barely prevented his emotions from spiraling out of control.
Seeing this, Ryo was honestly a little impressed.
He wasn't exactly trying to rile them up and mess up the negotiations.
He was just trying to stir things up a bit to annoy the obnoxious guy in front of him.
And to find out how effective it would be psychologically.
Instead, this obnoxious guy managed to control his emotions with one deep breath.
It was truly remarkable.
Oscar isn't exactly Ryo's favorite person in the world, but by no means does he have a low opinion of him.
If he had a low opinion of him in the first place, he would neither like nor dislike him….
And seeing him take those deep breaths made Ryo realize that he was evolving, which further improved his opinion of him.
Though his dislike for him hasn't changed one bit.
Ryo and Marquis Heinlein took their seats and the negotiations began.
Nevertheless, the official envoy of the Empire had something to say.
"I didn't expect you to be the premier duke, the so-called Duke of Rondo."
"Is that so? It's simply because the Duke of Rondo has the greatest military might in the Kingdom. That's just about it. But more importantly, congratulations on your marriage."
"…Thank you."
Ryo explained brazenly before smiling and congratulating Fiona, who also smiled and accepted his blessing.
Marquis Heinlein, who was listening to this with an impassive expression on his face, thought.
(Looks like Duke Rondo is also versed in stomach art*…) (TLN: Lit. 腹芸; expressing oneself without words or gestures.)
Typically, diplomatic negotiations between countries are worked out in advance at the bureaucratic level, and the final stage, where politicians and nobles come out, is simply the confirmation and conclusion of the treaty.
In other words, before gathering in the conference room, the contents to be discussed this time had already been discussed at the administrative level.
Therefore, it is not usual for new topics to come up at this stage that the other party does not know about, or for new proposals to be made….
Usually.
"We have an additional proposal to the one you already have."
As Fiona said this, the clerks from the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs handed over the documents to the Kingdom representatives.
"Sending a delegation…?"
Marquis Heinlein muttered.
Hearing this, Fiona pressed on.
"The Empire will soon be sending a delegation to the Western countries. And if possible, we hope that the delegation includes not only representatives from the Empire, but also from other countries of the Central Nations. So, we would like to propose that the Kingdom also cooperate in sending representatives."
This surprised not only Ryo but also Marquis Heinlein.
He hadn't heard any chatter about such a move from the Empire.
(Why the Western Countries? And why now?)
Marquis Heinlein had no idea what was going on, and frankly, he was baffled.
With so little information to make a decision. The first order of business would be to gather intel.
"When you say other countries of the Central Nations, does this proposal also include the Union?"
"Yes. The proposal is being delivered to the Union right about now just as we speak."
"And the size of this delegation…how many people is the Empire planning to send?"
"Excluding the guards, about a hundred from the Empire."
"A hundred, just the civil servants alone…"
That's quite a scale.
If the Kingdom and the Union were to form a delegation of the same size, the number of civilian officials alone would be three hundred….
Moreover, the destination is the Western Countries.
It would be a long journey, with a lot of difficult places to navigate.
Considering this, the size of the guard detail would also be substantial.
Including the guards, the number should run up to about a thousand total?
How are they going to feed that many people?
What about transportation?
"However, we are still in the proposal stage. If the Kingdom, the Union, and other parties are willing to consider it, we're sure that we will be able to work out the details."
Ryo's heart was stirring up as he listened to the conversation.
Needless to say, he was interested in the 'Western Countries'.
His main interest was, of course, the 'Golem Corps'
He once heard that a certain country in the Western Countries has such a thing.
And he would love to see it!
However… Ryo had no idea what the so-called 'Western Countries' was like!
Not to brag, but not a damn clue!
(I'll ask Abel later.)
A premier duke who treats His Majesty the King as a handyman.
Just where was the order of the country….
Two days later.
Negotiations between the Empire and the Kingdom took place.
Besides the 'Delegation to the Western Countries', there were several other issues to be discussed.
It seems that when countries share a border, problems arise on a daily basis from just that…
Then, on the evening of the last day, the entire itinerary came to an end.
The faces of the foreign affairs and economic officials of both countries were heavily fatigued.
Naturally, they'd been under extreme tension, not only for the past two days, but in the month leading up to this meeting…since these two days were the culmination of the pent-up tension over the month, they couldn't afford to be lax.
Compared to them, the four top officials from both countries were at ease…basically sitting there looking grumpy and just saying the necessary words at the appropriate time…especially in this case, the deals were all like that.
Or maybe it was because the Duke of Rondo, who was not accustomed to such heated exchanges, was put in charge of the negotiations on the Kingdom side…or maybe not….
Who knows.
At any rate, the agenda was somehow finalized.
"Thank you for your hard work over the past the two days. By the way, there is a guest who would very much like to meet the representatives of the Empire. He would like to say hello to everyone, so I'm going to invite him in."
Ryo said with a straight face.
"A guest?"
Fiona asked quizzically.
Oscar just frowned and said nothing.
"Please, come in!"
Ryo said deliberately, the door opened and a man walked in gallantly.
The moment Ryo said, "Come in", everyone on the Kingdom side stood up.
The person who walked in was King Abel I of the Kingdom of Knightley.
There was not the slightest sign of illness, and he looked even younger and more dignified than when they had met him on the battlefield.
After a moment's pause, all the representatives from the Imperial side, including Fiona and Oscar, stood up.
"Dear Imperial envoys, thank you for coming to the Kingdom. I apologize for only greeting you now. I was caught up in some circumstances and had my hands full."
It was a lie.
His Majesty the King simply took up the offer of the premier duke, a certain water-attribute magician, to give them a shocking surprise at the end of their visit.
Which he did splendidly.
Both Fiona and Oscar managed to hide their surprise, but the other Imperial envoys were caught with their pants down.
The intel saying 'King Abel is seriously ill' was considered common knowledge among the upper echelons of the Empire.
Only to find the person in question, looking all dashing and energetic, of course, they would look befuddled.
At the very end of the 'negotiations', it was a sweeping victory for the Kingdom.
Needless to say, it was a mental victory, not a real one….
-x-X-x-
"Kukuku, did you see that fire-attribute magician's dumb face! That was a landslide victory for us!"
Back in Abel's office, the water-attribute magician was smiling devilishly….
He was very pleased.
"W-Well…his expression didn't waver much…"
Trying to refute, His Majesty the King was met with the stern gaze of the premier duke.
"I-I could see through his expression that he was trying to hide his surprise…"
"That's right, there you go."
Abel revised his opinion, and Ryo nodded repeatedly.
Marquis Heinlein, listening next to them, remained silent.
Perhaps he had come to terms with the fact that that was the way things were with those two.
Nevertheless, there was a matter that needed to be brought to their mutual awareness as soon as possible, so he initiated the discussion himself.
"The dispatching of delegation to the Western Countries…we need to look into it."
"Mm. I was surprised when I heard the proposal…but the question is, why now and why that in particular?"
The question Abel posed was the same as the one Marquis Heinlein had when he heard it.
The timing of the proposal was too abrupt.
"Um~, is it really that difficult to go to the Western Countries?"
Ryo decided to ask the question in earnest, as he had no knowledge of the Western Countries.
Better to ask for the way than go astray.
"Oh, you bet it is. First of all, there are no roads leading there from the Central Nations. No direct trades, let alone regular exchanges. There are several small states scattered throughout the region, and we'll need to go through them…but they aren't the safest of places, and in some places, there are no countries at all. No decent merchant would venture there to do business. And from either side, be it the Central Nations or the Western Countries, it is physically difficult to have regular exchanges."
Abel answered Ryo's question.
Ryo's eyes widened at the answer.
"Abel gave a decent answer…"
"Oh, give it a rest. You may not realize but I'm still the king of this country. I would know at least that much!"
Abel yelled in reply to Ryo's terrible words.
But then, a question suddenly popped into Ryo's head.
"Come to think of it, the hero Roman and his party came from the Western Countries, right? And, you know, Arthur Verasis, the advisor of the magician order, has been to the Western Countries when he was young…"
"Yeah. But they're all top-notch adventurers, aren't they? Even Arthur must have been a B-rank adventurer at the time. Makes sense that such a capable lot would make it there in one piece. But when it comes to protecting a large number of non-combatants who aren't used to violence, as in this case…what do you think, Marquis Heinlein?"
"Yeah, it's going to be pretty challenging."
Marquis Heinlein replied, nodding several times before continuing.
"We will have to pass through at least four small countries to reach the QC Duchy, the easternmost of the western countries. These are the corridor countries, as some call them. In all, it's a month-long one-way journey, but the intervening pitch-black forest, Lanci Gorge, and Hunsun Mountains…will pose quite a challenge."
Ryo was honestly impressed by Marquis Heinlein's explanation.
"As expected of the Prime Minister…you're more informed than His Majesty the King…"
"Hey, you, premier duke, I heard that!"
The relationship between the number one and number two of a country is usually not a good one, but in the Kingdom, it seems that there's no such concern….
"If we were to send a delegation, I think it would be a question of size and who to send as the head of the delegation."
Marquis Heinlein said.
Abel, Marquis Heinlein, and Ryo were sitting on the sofa, having the discussion.
With some Kona coffee in front of them.
"It's kind of a hassle that we'll have to see what position the Empire takes."
Abel said, sipping his coffee.
"The Empire?"
Ryo asked, tilting his head, not quite understanding what he meant.
"Who the Empire appoints as the head of the delegation will determine who we send as the head of the delegation as well. For example, if the head of the delegation is a negotiator from the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then a person from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would be fine. However, if, for instance, Lady Duchess Rubin from earlier, in other words, the sister of the current Emperor, is appointed as the leader, we will have to appoint a member of the royal family or a high-ranking noble as well."
"That's indeed cumbersome~."
Abel explained with a frown on his face, and Ryo muttered to himself as if it were someone else's problem, thinking that such aspects between countries, hidden from the general public, are not only difficult to understand but also cumbersome~.
Even though the premier duke is undoubtedly a high-ranking noble….
"Besides, there are others to consider besides the Empire and our Kingdom…"
Marquis Heinlein said, to which Abel replied.
"The Union."
Jayclaire, capital of the Handal Union. The governor's office.
"What a royal pain…"
Lord Aubrey, the governor, said while letting out a heavy sigh.
The Union also received an invitation from an Imperial envoy for a joint mission to the Western Countries.
After sending off the imperial envoy, Lord Aubrey sat on the sofa in his office, contemplating the matter.
Sitting across from him was his right-hand man, his aide Lamber, looking at some documents and said.
"My Lord, even if you say that…"
"I know. The Empire will take the lead, and perhaps the Kingdom will also send a delegation. We can't send some nobodies that would make us look inferior compared to the two countries…I know it sounds ridiculous, but if we make policies that destroy the country's reputation, it may rub some people the wrong way. The best way to ensure smooth governance is to make the people realize that their country is a great power, respected by neighboring countries. If we send a poor delegation to the Western Countries, who knows what they will say about us for decades to come."
Lord Aubrey said with a wry smile.
Although….
"Now then, who shall I appoint to take charge of this…"
In his mind, he was having a hard time choosing the right person.
As a coalition government, no decision has been made yet, obviously…since they just received the news from the Imperial envoy an hour ago.
The bureaucrats at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were apparently in a hurry to consider the matter.
Although that being the current situation, Lord Aubrey is the governor of the Union.
He felt it necessary to come up with something on his end besides whatever the bunch at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would come up with.
If after pooling ideas together and looking into it, it turns out decent, great.
Or if both sides ended up coming up with the same idea, even better.
No one can run a government if they are so foolish enough to be without a plan until someone brings it to them.
"I've thought it over and…I can't think of anyone else besides that old man…"
Lamber broke into a smile upon hearing Lord Aubrey's muttering.
"I wonder if he'll accept…. you're very wary of that venerable personage after all, sir…"
"Well, yeah…"
Lord Aubrey chuckled and accepted Lamber's opinion.
"I finally replaced him two years ago, and now he's living a secluded life in…where's it again?"
"Fost, it's situated in the north. A city that has grown considerably in the last five years…it's a nice, scenic place with good quality iron ore."
"I see. I'm going to take a quick stroll there. As for the kingsguard…I guess a company will do. In case I end up getting attacked."
Saying this with an expression that was neither serious nor joking, Lord Aubrey left the room.
He left behind a large number of unapproved documents on his desk along with Lamber.
"…Um…you'll be gone for at least three days…what are you going to do about all these documents…?"
Lamber's mutterings fell on deaf ears in the office.
After a day, Lord Aubrey arrived in the northern city of Fost.
The city spreads out on both banks of a large river.
The west bank is the city center, and the east bank is lined with the mansions of wealthy merchants and nobles.
Lord Aubrey and his company-sized kingsguard arrived in front of one of the largest mansions on the east bank.
Naturally, the gatekeeper was puzzled.
However, the carriage in which Lord Aubrey was riding had the coat of arms of the Union painted on it.
Moreover, the company-sized kingsguard accompanying him was a fearless unit, with a presence that could not be ignored by anyone who laid eyes on them.
With that alone, even the gatekeeper could understand that the person riding in the carriage was no ordinary person.
The commander of the company-sized kingsguard dismounted his horse, approached the gatekeeper, and asked.
"This is the residence of His Majesty Roberto Pirlo, the former king of the Kingdom of Capitone, is that correct?"
"Indeed, yes. May I ask who is this gentleman?"
The gatekeeper too in turn asked, properly.
He does measure up to what one might expect of the gatekeeper of a mansion in which a former king resides.
"This is the carriage of Aubrey Hubble Coleman, the Governor of the Handal Union. Could you please inform your lord of our presence."
"Governor…Lord Aubrey! R-Right away sir. Please wait a moment."
With that, the older of the two gatekeepers ran into the mansion.
The one who remained behind waited, his face tense, unable to move at all.
"Does the Governor of the Union have that much time on his hands?"
Lord Aubrey was shown into a room, with a cup of coffee placed in front of him as he waited, when an old man opened the door and walked in suddenly, saying so.
His gray hair was trimmed short, with no beard, and his back was ramrod straight.
But he was definitely an old man, and looked to be over the age of seventy.
But there was power behind his gaze, and many would tremble if they were to look him squarely in the eye…even now, after he's retired from active service.
The person he was addressing, however, was Lord Aubrey.
"Thankfully, I've been in this position for thirteen years, so I've gotten a little used to it."
He replied and sipped his coffee.
"Did it occur to you that maybe I put poison in that coffee?"
"Not for a second. If you get rid of me now, who's going to hold the Union together? Your Majesty knows it best."
Lord Aubrey possesses full confidence in his presence to say such.
"Hmph. I do think I was right in choosing you as the governor…but I also hate your gut."
Saying that, the old man sat down in front of Lord Aubrey.
The Kingdom of Capitone.
One of the ten major countries that make up the Handal Union
The core of the Handal Union is the Ten Countries.
Representatives from each country make up the Ten-member Council, which was originally the supreme decision-making body of the Union.
Yeah…originally.
Thirteen years ago, the Union suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the Kingdom. During the so-called 'Great War'.
After that, the Ten-member Council chose Lord Aubrey as 'governor', and a 'commander' in time of war to rebuild the Union.
At this point, the power relations were certainly more in favor of the Ten-member Council than of the new governor, Lord Aubrey.
Which wasn't surprising since they had the power to appoint governors and commanders.
Quite a number of governors had been elected and presided over the Union in the past, but the Ten-member Council had always been above them.
But after Lord Aubrey took over as governor, the balance of power changed.
About a decade later, the governor, Lord Aubrey, had become much more powerful than the Ten-member Council.
The main reason for this was that nine of the ten members of the Ten-member Council had been replaced.
The representatives of each country who make up the Ten-member Council are the king, grand duke, or duke of each country.
They are the highest authority in their respective countries.
However, since Lord Aubrey became governor, they suffered a series of unfortunate events….
Some died of illness, some were attacked by thugs and never to be heard from again, and some were involved in a coup d'etat and died….
Naturally, when such things happened so conveniently and at such opportune moments, one wonders if someone was pulling strings behind the scenes….
Needless to say…it didn't take a conspiracy theorist to figure it out.
And in this case, the person most likely to be pulling the strings was the governor, Lord Aubrey.
He had that much power, ability, and motive….
The nine who were replaced…were those who had become the new supreme powers in their respective countries…and they were content with their positions alone.
They recognized that the supreme power in the 'Union' would be held by Lord Aubrey…for their own protection.
To protect the position they held in their respective countries.
If they desired even the supreme power in the Union and were killed like their predecessors…it would all be for naught.
Thus, Lord Aubrey, as the highest authority in the Union, was able to demonstrate his acumen without being restrained by anyone.
Nine figures were replaced.
But only one man kept his seat in the Ten-member Council without being replaced.
That is Roberto Pirlo, the previous king of Capitone, who is seated right before Lord Aubrey.
Of course, that isn't to say that Lord Aubrey trusted King Roberto Pirlo…or didn't try to replace him.
It's just that King Roberto Pirlo was more capable than most and defended his position against all obstacles.
And two years ago, Roberto Pirlo gave up the throne of the Kingdom of Capitone and his seat in the Ten-member Council to the crown prince, and finally went into hiding.
"So, what brings you all the way from Jayclaire? I need to go fix my sword after this. So make it brief."
"I am surprised to hear that His Majesty is a smith."
Of course, that was a lie.
Lord Aubrey knew that King Roberto Pirlo was a smith by hobby.
He also knew that that was why he chose Fost, where good quality iron ore can be extracted, as his hiding place.
"Hmph, keep lying through your teeth. Fost was a pioneer village that produced good iron ore and had talented blacksmiths who sometimes produced remarkable swords. I, too, once commissioned a sword without revealing my name…. But the village was attacked by a pack of war wolves and perished…. It's such a big city now."
Roberto Pirlo looked out the window as he said this.
He had become fond of looking at the view of the city on the other side of the bank.
"Actually, an envoy from the Empire came yesterday…"
Lord Aubrey began by telling him about the mission to the Western Countries.
"…I would like to ask Your Majesty to take charge of the delegation from the Union."
"You do know I'm already seventy-five years old, right? Yet you're asking such an old man to make a trip to the West? Good grief…the governor of the Union is as cold-hearted as they come huh…"
Roberto Pirlo said with a frown.
Nonetheless, Lord Aubrey knew that he wasn't really against it.
Hence why he came to ask him in the first place.
"I believe that Your Majesty once spoke of your admiration for the Western Countries."
"…I'm surprised you remember such a thing from so long ago."
Roberto Pirlo had told him in a conversation that took place before Lord Aubrey was appointed governor.
Lord Aubrey, who boasted an excellent memory, could not have forgotten.
"But why me? I'm sure there are younger and more suitable options."
"As far as I know, the only person in the Union who has retired but is still competent and able to stand on equal footing with whoever the Empire or the Kingdom puts forward is Your Majesty."
"The Union can't really be that short of talent…"
Nevertheless, Roberto Pirlo brought his hand to his chin and thought deeply.
Then he muttered.
"Whoever they put forward, huh…"
After that, a full minute passed in silence….
"Fine, why not. I'll be putting out a list of demands, but sure, I'll go."
"Thank you."
Roberto Pirlo accepted, and Lord Aubrey bowed.
"However, if, for instance, the Empire puts a high-ranking official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in charge, in that case, we'll also appoint someone from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and not Your Majesty…"
"What a letdown, after stirring things up thus far…"
Roberto Pirlo shook his head slightly a few times in response to Lord Aubrey's words.