Chapter 0334 Dark Age and Dark Continent
-x-X-x-It was safe inside the inn 'Holy City Ginyu'.
Of course, the Knights Templar even asked to visit the inn, but the inn politely declined.
They heard later that the owner of the inn was on good terms with some cardinal of the church, and even the Knights Templar couldn't do anything.
An expensive inn has an advantage after all due to its clientele.
The next morning, the group traveled to the entrance of the West Dungeon in a carriage prepared by the 'Holy City Ginyu' inn.
Although it was just a little over five minutes' walk away, the inn took care of them.
The hospitality of a luxury inn, truly incredible.
Thus, the dungeon conquest by the group began again.
In the end, it was when they cleared the 80th floor after persistent attempts that the group met Merlin, the old man in red.
"It's outrageous to capture ten layers a day without a map."
A slightly stooped-over old man with white hair, a wide red hat, a red robe, and a staff, suddenly appeared in front of the group and said so in front of the 'Stone Monument' on the 80th floor.
"That's because we wanted to meet Sir Merlin as soon as possible."
Niels replied.
"Hmm? That's right. Sorry. I only returned yesterday. I was surprised when I saw the record… Well, that's good anyway. And the reason you wanted to see me was…"
"Yes, we would like you to tell us where the Demon Lord is."
"Is that… to undo that person's 'Rupture'?"
In response to Niels' answer, Merlin looked at Harold and asked.
"Yes. Of course, it would be best if Sir Merlin can resolve it…"
"Umu, as you know, I can't solve it. Only the person who cast it or the blood of the Demon Lord can do it."
Merlin shook his head slightly and replied.
"Well, we shouldn't be talking while standing, please come to my room."
The moment Merlin said that, everyone was hit by a momentary floating sensation.
And before they knew it, they were in a room that looked like an office.
In the center was a fairly large round table that could be used for meetings.
With eight chairs.
"Well, take a seat."
Merlin said as he sat down as well.
The group looked at each other.
But they had no choice but to sit.
They gradually all sat…
And coffee appeared in front of them.
Merlin explained about the coffee.
"This is quite a gem ordered from the Dark Continent."
"Dark Continent!"
Ryo screamed quietly.
It was another exciting word.
Although it is a fantasy word, it is in fact a historical term.
There was a period in Earth's history when the terms 'Dark Age' and 'Dark Continent' were used.
Not just in slang, but even in papers.
The Dark Age referred to medieval Europe.
The Dark Continent was the continent of Africa.
As for how those words fell out of use… that's for another time.
Well, anyway, to Ryo, who has a background in Western history, the Dark Continent = Africa Continent was selfishly connected in his head.
The most famous brand of coffee from Africa is… Kilimanjaro.
Of course, there are many other brands, but…
Ryo happily took a sip.
A perfect balance of acidity and bitterness.
Furthermore, it spread in the mouth… delicious.
Combined with the perfect aroma, it was great coffee.
"Hou…"
Involuntarily, a sigh of satisfaction escaped from Ryo's mouth.
Seeing that, the other six people also tasted it.
Merlin nodded slightly and started drinking himself.
No one spoke for a while.
The space was filled with the aroma of coffee.
If 'satisfaction' were to take shape, it would probably look like that space…
"It's delicious"
Ryo said honestly.
Of course, he loves the coffee from Kona Village.
He also loves Hawaii Kona, which he drank on Earth.
But that coffee was good too.
Delicious food is delicious.
Delicious food is justice.
"Splendid, it seems that you are satisfied."
Merlin said with a tiny smile.
"Yes, it was very delicious."
Ryo replied with a satisfied expression.
"Well then, let's get down to business."
Merlin's words brought everyone back to reality.
"First, let's start with the conclusion. I'm not against letting you meet the Demon Lord."
Merlin's words surprised the party.
They thought it was 50/50 whether he would allow them to meet him or not.
From the perspective of the Demon Lord and Merlin, they didn't think there was any merit in letting them meet the Demon Lord… that was the honest truth.
"I'm grateful to be able to meet the Demon Lord. But what advantage does that hold for you?"
Zeke asked.
It only merited the party, but they couldn't think of any particular merits for the Demon Lord's side.
"Umu. That's the crux of it. On the Demon Lord's side, we'll undo the 'Rupture Spirit Curse'. In exchange, the Demon Lord will provide blood and we want you to give it to the church's upper echelons."
"What…"
Ryo was at a loss for words, along with the other six members.
The Demon Lord will provide his blood?
"Since you only need blood, isn't it unnecessary to kill the Demon Lord?"
Merlin asked.
"You're not wrong."
Etho nodded after saying that.
What the church wants is the blood of the Demon Lord.
It is also out of necessity, to undo the spirit curse of those affected by the 'Rupture Spirit Curse'.
If that's the case, the Demon Lord's side has no problem with providing it.
Niels looked at the other six.
Etho and Zeke nodded first.
Amon nodded as well.
Harold and Gowan also nodded many times.
"Ryo?"
Only Ryo was tilting his head.
"Ah, no, I agree with that proposal. I think it's the most wonderful solution. But… why us?"
"Why?"
Merlin also replied with a question to Ryo's question.
"The most sure-fire method is to deliver it yourself… No, well, it's the church, so I understand that it can be difficult. But we might betray you."
"Hey…"
Niels jumped in after Ryo's words.
"Fuhahahaha. Interesting, yup, interesting."
Merlin laughed.
It was probably the first time he had laughed out loud since they met.
"If you ask me why I trust your group, you are the reason."
"Me?"
Merlin looked clearly at Ryo and said.
His reason for believing in their party was because of Ryo.
Ryo didn't understand.
"There's no way I wouldn't believe someone who's been favored by the Fairy Lord."
"Eh…"
It didn't make sense to him at all.
"That sound amazing, Ryo…"
Niels commented.
Somehow, he was being praised for something he couldn't understand.
That didn't make him happy at all…
"Eh, what do you mean by favor…?"
Ryo asked because he didn't understand.
Like Sera and the others, could this Genie also see the 'Fairy Factor' that overflows from Ryo?
"Hmm? It's the robe and sword you're wearing. They were given to you by the Fairy Lord, wasn't it?"
"Yeah…"
Ryo admitted it.
He still couldn't understand why someone who is favored by the Fairy Lord can be trusted, but… well, okay then…
Ryo stopped thinking.
He didn't know anything about their system.
What's more, they said that neither Ryo nor humans would benefit from it at all…
"So… specifically, how can we meet the Demon Lord?"
Etho spoke up.
"Oh, that's right… in the unlikely event that the people of the church follow you to the Demon Lord, it will be troublesome. Or rather, if someone from the church is killed and it is revealed, it won't be pretty…"
"That's for sure."
Niels nodded.
The Demon Lord cannot be defeated by anyone other than a Hero.
At least, there is no record of someone other than the Hero defeating one.
And the Hero of this generation is Roman. And he was missing.
In other words, at present, no one can defeat the Demon Lord…
"It will take some time to prepare the Demon Lord's blood. We just started accumulating it little by little every day. Umu, a week later would be better. I will transfer it from this dungeon."
"What!"
It was Ryo who raised a surprised voice at Merlin's words.
However, the other six also had their mouths wide open.
People open their mouths when they are surprised.
At the very least, not many can keep their mouths shut when surprised.
"So, come back here in a week."
Finally, the prospect of curing the 'Rupture Spirit Curse'' on Harold was in sight.
-x-X-x-
The group took the week after that for a trip to the Holy Capital Marlomar.
To report to the delegation.
In the lounge after the lobby on the first floor of the delegation lodgings.
"I see. I understand the situation."
Commander Hugh McGrath received the report, nodded, and said so.
"I heard from Cardinal Oscar that the Knights Templar had shown movements, but…"
Cardinal Oscar was one of the personnel from the church responsible for hosting the delegations of the Central Countries.
Especially in the case of Harold, from the very beginning of the matter, such as the issuance of the 'Sacred Seal', he had been very accommodating toward the delegation.
"Icy grounds and hail… it certainly sounds like something Ryo would do…"
Because he muttered softly, it didn't reach the ears of Ryo, who was enjoying the delicious cake and coffee.
Niels and Etho, who were reporting right in front of Hugh, could hear him clearly.
"Well, as long as you didn't use force to eliminate them, there shouldn't be a problem. They won't be able to raise any complaints."
Hugh didn't see any issue with how they dealt with the situation.
"That leaves us with the blood of the Demon Lord. You're meant to deliver it to the upper echelons of the church, but well, there's only one choice to deliver it to…"
"Cardinal Oscar."
"Yeah. He's stationed in the Holy Capital as one of the negotiators with the mission, so I'm sure he'll meet me anytime. Of course, there's no guarantee that Cardinal Oscar will always be on our side… Well, we have no control over that. But the fact that Merlin is a Genie…"
Hugh seemed to be concerned that Merlin is a Genie.
"Grand Master?"
"Well… we were there when the Genie of the South was released, right? And it's another Genie this time? I feel that neither of the Genies has the 'destructiveness' we hear about in folklore…"
Hugh replied as he recalled.
"Certainly, the Genie of the South was like that. However, Merlin seems to have been fighting people for thousands of years as an officer of the Demon Lord's Army… so I wonder what his true form is like."
Niels commented.
"I see. So this time, he was friendly because …"
Hugh stopped at that point and looked toward Ryo eating the cake deliciously.
"Because Ryo was there?"
"Yeah."
Niels nodded at Hugh's confirmation.
"Well, Genies and such are not beings that humans can fight and win against anyway…"
Hugh's mutter was mixed with a sigh.
One week after the promise with Merlin.
The party dived into the 80th floor.
Immediately after the transfer, Merlin appeared in front of them.
"Welcome. Shall we?"
Before his words even ended… immediately, the group felt an overwhelming sensation of floating and they immediately landed on the ground.
Grass was under their feet.
There was a blue sky when they looked up.
One small cottage was in sight.
A forest could be seen in the distance.
"Hmm? Something feels weird?"
Merlin muttered softly.
It was at that moment.
A shadow flew toward Niels, who was on the outermost side of the group…
Clang.
The shadow's high-speed strike… was blocked by an ice sword.
"Roman, that's dangerous, you know?"
"Eh… Huh? Ryo …?"
The shadow that attacked was the Hero Roman.
"I am sorry…"
Hero Roman apologized.
"It's okay…"
Niels couldn't say anything beyond that.
"Roman's Holy Sword Astaroth would shatter the parrying sword if it strikes a normal sword, right? My Murasame is fine." (TLN: Was written as Holy Sword Astarte the previous time it was introduced)
Ryo answered while nodding with a sly look.
"Hero, what's wrong with you?"
"Sir Merlin, this place … seems to be surrounded by the enemy… the church."
"What …"
Hero Roman's explanation of the current situation caused Merlin to be at a loss for words.
"Then, I suddenly felt a presence, so I wondered if the enemy had rushed in…"
"That's why you attacked…"
Roman continued his explanation, and Etho nodded in reply.
"Well, what should we do… I wanted to at least explain."
Merlin muttered.
"If it's just to buy time, shall I cover this area with a wall of ice? It should take some time to break through."
"
Hero Roman agreed to Ryo's suggestion.
"Umu, please do."
Merlin nodded too.
"
An ice wall surrounded the house and its surroundings.
With that, they should be able to earn some time to explain.
Inside the house was a girl with a cute face.
Probably around the age of fifteen or sixteen?
As the party entered, she stood up and greeted them.
"N-nice to meet you. I'm Nadia."
Perhaps she was nervous as her face was a little flushed.
"Oh yes, nice to meet you."
Ryo spoke and the other six bowed their heads in silence.
"Nadia is the current Demon Lord."
"Ah, I… see?"
Merlin explained without putting on any airs, and Ryo tried to nod but failed… the other six froze.
The six who froze were still frozen… Ryo was the first to recover.
Her body shape was human. A girl.
It didn't look like she had horns on her head.
As for a tail… it didn't look like she had one either.
The color of her eyes… dark brown. Not red or gold.
Five fingers… it didn't even look like her nails were sharp.
As for her teeth…her canine teeth didn't seem to be particularly developed.
Conclusion, human race.
"Nadia is a human… right?"
"Yes."
Nadia nodded in response to Ryo's confirmation.
In other words…
"So there are times when a human becomes a Demon Lord. When Demon Princes do not evolve into Demon Lords."
"Seriously…"
Ryo confirmed and Niels muttered.
"It's a very rare example. I have followed the Demon Lords for generations, and I've seen more than 100 demon lords, but I only know one other human Demon Lord apart from Nadia."
It was rare even for Merlin.
"Eh?"
Ryo noticed. No matter how you look at it, Nadia in front of them was in her mid-teens.
Since she seemed to be human, his guess was probably close.
If so…
"When it was announced that the Demon Lord was subdued three years ago… you didn't actually subdue the Demon Lord, right?"
"Yes, I didn't. I gave false evidence to the church."
Hero Roman admitted easily.
Well… if such a sweet girl appeared… even if he was told to defeat her because she's a Demon Lord, Roman wouldn't be able to subdue her.
Ryo was convinced.
Moreover, it seemed that in the past 100 years, the Demon Lord's army was not raised and has not taken any hostile action toward humanity.
In that case, there might not be any need to forcefully defeat her…
"Well, first of all, let's solve the mission's problem."
Merlin looked at Harold and said.
"Ah, yes. Please."
Harold stepped forward.
Roman pulled out his holy sword and pointed the tip towards Nadia.
Nadia applied the tip of her right index finger to the holy sword and cut it.
And then she reached out her hand… and dripped the flowing blood onto Harold's forehead.
At that moment, the light burst forth.
"Oh…"
Was it Zeke or Gowan who muttered that unintentionally…
The burst of light receded.
"The spell has been lifted."
Nadia said with a smile.
"Th-thank you very much…"
At the corner of Harold's eye, there was something that shone a little…
Zeke and Gowan pulled Harold into a hug.
"I'm glad…"
"Yeah"
Ryo muttered to Amon's agreement.
Niels and Etho nodded to each other.
Harold was finally freed from the Rupture Spirit Curse.
"Then, next is the problem on your side."
When Merlin said so, Hero Roman nodded once and brought a pot from the back.
A metal pot, not ceramic. Its decoration was quite extravagant.
It had about two liters capacity?
"It's a simple alchemy pot. It can't store it for decades like the one in the church, but the blood won't deteriorate for a few months."
Merlin said and opened the lid.
When Niels peered into it, he saw that it was filled with blood.
"Understood. I will take responsibility and deliver it to the church. Arrangements are in place."
"Umu, please do."
Niels accepted and Merlin nodded.
"However, we'll have to escape from here."
"That's not a problem. With a reversal of what I cast, we can transfer to my dungeon. But the problem is…"
Merlin paused and looked at Nadia and Roman.
"Neither of you can stay here anymore."
"Yes…"
Merlin announced, and Nadia and Roman answered in unison.
The church forces had surrounded them.
Even though they were protected by ice walls, there were probably powerful Magicians in the church as well.
Alternatively, there may be magic from the Western Countries that Ryo and the others didn't know about.
Someday they would break through…
"Escape is easy. You can go to my dungeon… but the problem is beyond that."
"Can't they stay in the dungeon forever…?"
"The dungeon is filled with too much magic. It's a tough environment for a Demon Lord."
Etho made the first proposal that came to mind but Merlin rejected it.
"Somewhere out of reach of the church would be nice, but there is no such country…"
Most of the Western Countries are under the great influence of the Western Church.
"The only country that advocates complete separation of church and state and is not under the control of the Western Church is the Republic of Mafalda, but… there are church spies everywhere there. You would be discovered immediately."
Merlin muttered.
(There is such a thing as a republic…)
That was what surprised Ryo.
As far as Ryo knows, there are no republics in the Central Countries.
He got a little interested.
"The two of you… are you going to go into hiding together?"
"Yes…"
In response to Zeke's confirmation, Nadia and Roman answered in unison.
Nadia's face was bright red.
Roman looked at Zeke firmly and answered.
"Well, that's how it is."
Merlin replied with a grin.
"I see"
Ryo nodded repeatedly with a self-satisfied look.
Yes, if there is love, there is no difference between races… Ah, no, both of them are humans.
Yes, if there is love, even a Demon Lord and a Hero… Well, that's a common development for a light novel.
"If there are no options in the Western Countries…"
Ryo's muttering could only be heard by Niels who was beside him.
((Abel, Abel, Abel. Urgently, urgently respond!))
((I was listening. I knew you would make such a suggestion))
((Eh? You know what I want to request?))
((If I would accept Roman and Nadia in the Kingdom of Knightley, right?))
((That's right! As expected of Abel! What do you think? If you don't have enough money, I can reduce the aristocratic pension I'm receiving…))
((Money is not a problem. In the first place, you are not receiving a pension from the government. You are only receiving a small allowance for the position of Special Advisor to the King. Well, leaving that aside, of course, the Kingdom is ready to accept the two. Luckily, the number of nobles is still small, so if they want, they can become nobles, or if they want to live a quiet life, they can live in the countryside. They can decide after living in the Kingdom for a while. They can take their time to decide))
It was a prompt decision.
That speed of judgment was one of the things that Ryo appreciates about Abel.
Although it was a bit of a shock that he wasn't getting a pension.
Light novel knowledge may have many errors…
"Roman, and Nadia. Would you like to come to the Central Countries?"
"Eh?"
The two were surprised by Ryo's suggestion.
As expected, they probably didn't even think about moving to the Central Countries.
"We have just received confirmation. The Central Countries, the Kingdom of Knightley, will welcome the two of you to emigrate."
"What do you mean…"
"We have received direct permission from King Abel I of the Kingdom of Knightley."
"Abel? Could it be, Abel from the Crimson Swords?"
Roman didn't seem to know that Abel had become the king.
He was living in the Western Countries, so that couldn't be helped.
"Yes, that Abel. Due to various reasons, I can talk directly with Abel, so I've just received permission. What do you think? After all, you've already experienced the streets of the royal capital with a deadly battle."
"Ahaha…"
Roman smiled wryly at Ryo's words.
However, the six people who heard it for the first time were surprised.
And Nadia was also surprised.
"But, I'm a Demon Lord… is that okay…?"
"Yes. Hero Roman and Demon Lord Nadia, you are both accepted."
Ryo nodded with a smile to Nadia's question.
"Interesting… really interesting"
Merlin looked happy about something.
"Speaking of the Kingdom of Knightley, isn't that the country where Richard was the King? You can't fight blood huh… I don't know if it is because of deep pockets or having an open mind… it's truly interesting."
Merlin seems to have known Lord Richard, the founder of the Kingdom.
Then he said something shocking.
"If it's from my dungeon, I can transfer you to Crystal Palace, the capital of the Kingdom of Knightley."
"Seriously…"
Niels muttered involuntarily.
"Well, once I send you back, I won't be able to use it for a few years because it won't have enough magical power. But if it's for the sake of you two, it's not a waste."
Merlin said with a smile.
Roman and Nadia looked at each other.
No words were exchanged.
Eyebrows did not flutter, lips did not move.
But…
They nodded without any hesitation.
Then Roman spoke.
"We'll go to the Kingdom"
-x-X-x-
"Cardinal Oscar, this is the blood of the Demon Lord."
"What… really…"
Hugh McGrath placed an ornate metal jar on his desk.
Oscar was so surprised that he couldn't continue his words.
"May I look inside?"
"Of course."
Oscar opened the lid.
It was half-filled with blood.
Oscar nodded once and told the clergyman who was beside him something.
Three minutes later.
The clergyman returned with a man.
"This person is under the Rupture Spirit Curse. May I attempt to dispel his curse?"
"Sure, go ahead."
Oscar asked, and Hugh nodded.
Oscar placed the blood on his finger and dropped it on the man's forehead.
At that moment, light flared out.
Seeing that, Cardinal Oscar nodded once.
"It truly is the blood of the Demon Lord. Thank you, Commander McGrath."
Oscar lowered his head as he said that.
The next day, the secret order to the Knights Templar to search for the Demon Lord was canceled.
One night.
Archbishop's office in the Church's building in Bacirta, the royal capital of the Eastern Kingdom of Lasha.
"Maurice?"
Archbishop Graham asked without raising his head while writing.
"Wow, Graham. I thought I was able to erase my presence well."
The person who appeared from the shadows was the former Hero party scout Maurice.
"Shouldn't you quit being a priest and become a scout?"
"I can't do that… So, did you meet Master McGrath?"
"Yes. I received this."
When Maurice said so, she placed a clear, beautiful small bottle… actually, a rather large bottle, that appeared to be made of crystal or something similar… on the table.
It seemed to have a capacity of about 1 liter.
"That's a pretty stylish bottle. If it's made of crystal, it would be extremely valuable. Is it glass? Wasn't it difficult to deliver it without breaking?"
"It's not like that. It was made by that water magician. Made of ice."
"Ryo-dono, huh… Then it definitely won't break."
Maurice replied with a sigh, and Graham said with a wry smile.
Then he tried to open the lid…
"Hmm? It doesn't open?"
"Oh, sorry. He told me that you need to channel magical power into it while saying a particular chant. Uh…"
Maurice took out a piece of paper from her pocket.
Then passed it to Graham.
"Hmm? Open, sesame?"
When Graham chanted while channeling magic power, a cut was made and the lid could be removed.
"Is this alchemy? It's pretty advanced."
Graham muttered softly.
"I see… this is the blood of the Demon Lord. So, any message from Master McGrath or Ryo-dono?"
"Mr. McGrath said nothing in particular. Mr. Ryo said, if the blood of the Demon Lord stored in the church is lost again, please use this, take the credit, and secure a Cardinal seat."
"… So the head Duke of the Kingdom is a schemer."
Graham shook his head and sighed at Maurice's message.
"Actually… what are your chances, Graham?"
"What do you mean?"
"Do you think you can become a Cardinal? It's been half a year since Gesualdo-sama passed away… that Cardinal's seat is still vacant, right?"
"Ah… That was exactly why I went to the Papacy yesterday. Next month, I will be appointed Cardinal."
"Ooo…"
Maurice was surprised by Graham's words.
However, Graham's expression appeared overcast.
"Why do you look so gloomy?"
"I can't feel at ease in the Papacy. Thinking about it now, my heart was at peace during my trip with the Hero's party and my life here."
"Is it that hard in the Papacy?"
Maurice shook her head slightly as she asked Graham about his grumbles.
"Because I became too emotionally expressive while I was away from the Papacy. I'll have to retrain my expressions…"
"What's with that…"
Maurice commented while frowning at Graham who said it with a bitter smile.
Was the Papacy no longer an environment for humans to live in?
"Well, it's fine. I've done it before. More importantly, it's about Roman. I've always thought that I could have helped Roman a little earlier…"
"It can't be helped. Even if you had become a Cardinal earlier, I don't think you could have protected Roman… unless you became the Pope."
"Pope? It seems like you are much more ambitious than I am, Maurice."
"What!"
Graham said with a wry smile and Maurice denied it.
"Well, regardless… Roman and Nadia wouldn't have a safe haven in the Western Countries."
"Yes. It's a Hero and a Demon Lord after all… But in the Central Countries…"
"Yeah. If it's Abel-dono, sorry, if it's His Majesty Abel, I can leave them to him with peace of mind."
Graham's gaze turned distant.
He may already be imagining Roman and Nadia living in the distant Central Countries.
"I must make sure that someday… Roman can visit the Western Countries with peace of mind."
He muttered really softly but with surprising vigor.
Hearing that, Maurice nodded slightly.
On that day, the former search party, that is, the seven people from 'Room 10' and 'Room 11' were having an off day.
Well, until the Pope's inauguration, they were practically on break all the time…
Since morning, Ryo had been in the city of the Holy Capital West Dungeon on his own.
((Why did you come alone?))
((I have a lot of secrets that I don't want people to know.))
Ryo answered with the air of a mysterious hero.
((What's with that…))
((If the bad guys find out, they might capture and dissect me to find out my secret!))
((Ah, well… indeed, a person who does such a thing is a bad person…))
((Yeah. You never know when a person in power will bare their fangs, so you have to be careful.))
((Was that directed at me?))
((Of course. There is the possibility that Niels and the others would catch me and dissect me under Abel's orders…))
((That won't happen.))
((Well, probably not, but I never know when Abel will become a Mad King))
Ryo shook his head slightly.
((Usually, people don't get dissected, even if it's a country-backed arrest…))
((…Even in the Empire?))
((Ah… if it's in the Empire, it might happen?))
((See! There's no telling if or when the Kingdom of Knightley would start following the path of the Empire, so I must be careful!))
((… I guess Ryo has a lot to worry about then.))
Abel gave up on many fronts…
Ryo showed the 'Holy Seal' he borrowed and entered the dungeon.
Immediately he jumped to the 80th floor and said.
"Merlin, are you there~?"
He didn't shout.
He didn't think he needed to raise his voice anyway.
Merlin was like the 'manager' of the dungeon, so if he wasn't away, he would probably hear his voice.
As expected, a slightly hunched old man with gray hair, a broad red hat, a red robe, and a staff appeared in front of him.
"Hmm? The Fairy King's favorite. What do you want?"
"Yes. I have a few questions for Mr. Merlin."
"… You're human… maybe not, but probably human, and I'm a Djinn. Aren't you scared?"
"I am."
"… I've joined the Demon Lord's Army and fought against humans for thousands of years, you know? Aren't you afraid?"
"I am."
"Muu…"
"Ah, also the coffee you gave us the other day was really delicious, so I thought that if possible, I'd like to have it again. That might be the biggest reason."
"I-I see… Coffee. Umu, it's refreshing to know someone who can tell its greatness… Well, okay."
After that exchange, the two transferred to the room they visited previously.
There were two chairs.
"There, sit down."
"Yes, excuse me."
Merlin suggested a chair, and Ryo politely sat down.
Even Ryo could do that much if he wanted to.
Before he was reincarnated on Phi, he was a member of society on Earth!
As soon as Ryo took his seat, coffee was served, just like the previous time.
Yes, he wanted to ask about that coffee as well…
But first…
"Thank you for sending Roman and Nadia to the Kingdom the other day."
"No, don't worry about it. I think that was a very good solution. I am the grateful one."
Ryo thanked him, and Merlin thanked him back.
First, build relationships.
And if you want to quickly build a human relationship… well, even though one of them was a Djinn… praise the other person's actions or express your gratitude.
That is the best way.
There aren't that many people who would be offended by being thanked.
"King Abel was also extremely pleased."
"I see, that's good. You can contact the Central Countries thanks to the alchemy tool you have on your ear, right?"
Merlin looked at the 'Soul Resonance' that Ryo wore on his left ear and asked.
"Yes. A certain alchemist adjusted it to work only for me."
"No, don't worry, I won't try to steal it."
Ryo must have made a face saying, 'I won't give it to you' as Merlin laughed and replied.
"As expected of a precious favorite of the Fairy King, you make others want to have a good relationship with you."
Merlin sipped his coffee.
At that timing, Ryo also took a sip.
Again, the perfect balance of acidity and bitterness. It coated his mouth.
"Hou…"
He leaked a sigh unintentionally.
Merlin observed happily.
Even without words, if the other party could see that you are happy, they would be happy too.
Ryo didn't realize it, but that kind of honest and unpretentious behavior is very useful for building relationships.
After taking another sip, Ryo spoke.
"That… the Fairy King's favorite is… no, before that, did we, by any chance, not tell you our names?"
"I remember the first time we met, you introduced yourself as Ryo Mihara, Duke of Rondo, but the others didn't."
"What…"
That was careless.
From the beginning to the end, the search party didn't introduce themselves other than Ryo…
Even though introducing yourself is the first step in building a relationship…
"Well, don't worry about it. After living this long, I no longer care too much about names…"
Merlin said with a laugh.
"We-well… my name is Ryo."
"Umu, Ryo. I will remember that. Well, no one is as loved by the Fairy King as much as you are… so I won't forget you."
Merlin laughed again.
"Is that so?"
"Umu. First of all, only one person in thousands of years is given that robe of the Fairy King… that's about how often it occurs."
"What…"
"Furthermore, that sword of the Fairy King… and Ryo's is water, isn't it? It's the first time I've seen a Water Fairy King's sword in my tens of thousands of years."
"What…"
The fact that it was a rare piece of equipment was only now revealed…
"Ryo, you're a water magician, aren't you?"
"Yes, I am."
"Umu… You learned magic from the Water Fairy King, didn't you?"
"No… I wasn't taught magic at all… he was my sword master."
"What…?"
He recalled having a similar conversation before…
"We-well… the relationship between master and pupil is different in every case. That's right. So, what is the purpose of Ryo's visit today?"
"Is Merlin's role to stop the Demon Lord?"
"… Ho."
Merlin narrowed his eyes a little at Ryo's sudden question.
"Why do you think so?"
"First, you didn't instigate Nadia to confront the humans and urged her to escape."
"Maybe I'm trying to raise the Demon Lord's army by letting her escape and grow?"
Merlin said with a slight laugh.
Of course, he probably didn't have that intent.
"In that case, there would be no need to migrate to the Central Countries together with the Hero Roman."
"Umu…"
"I previously investigated and found that Mr. Merlin has always been a staff officer by the Demon Lord's side in the Demon Lord's army, but there aren't many records of the Demon Lord's army inflicting a huge amount of damage on humanity."
Ryo could go in and out of the Royal Castle's Library.
And even the Forbidden Library!
Demon Lords have only appeared in the Western Countries for the past several hundred years, but they have also appeared in the Central Countries before.
The record at that time was left in considerable detail in the Forbidden Library of the Royal Castle Library.
Ryo told Merlin in detail.
"Umu…"
Merlin, who was listening in silence, sighed and smiled a little.
"Well, you're right to some extent…"
He muttered so.
And continued speaking.
"In the first place, Demon Lords aren't that strong. Ah, well, compared to humans, they're ridiculously strong, aren't they? But, for example … yes, compared to the Dragon King, they're not that strong."
"Dragon King… Ruwin, or something like that?"
"What, you know the Southern Dragon King?"
Merlin showed a genuinely surprised expression upon confirming with Ryo.
"Ruwin-san is a neighbor."
"The Dragon King of the South is your neighbor… Does that mean you live in the Rondo subcontinent?"
This time, Ryo was surprised.
For the first time After reincarnating on Phi, he heard the words 'Rondo subcontinent' or 'Rondo Forest'.
Ah, of course, except for those who live there, such as the Dragon King Ruwin.
"Yes. I have a territory in the Rondo Forest."
"What, well… that's why you are Duke of Rondo. I see, that's right… If you're a disciple of the Water Fairy King, that's reasonable."
Ryo explained his territory and Merlin realized that he had overlooked his title.
"Oops, I've digressed from the topic. Demon Lords are troublesome, and they are the only being that can freely manipulate all monsters with the 'Demon Lord Factor' regardless of their will. Why only the Demon Lord? I don't know either."
"Come to think of it, the Centaurs also said that."
"Is that so? They are also manipulated by the 'Demon Lord's Factor' after all…"
Merlin shook his head slightly.
"Um… Is Mr. Merlin in this because of the 'Demon Lord's Factor'?"
"No, you're incorrect. We do not have the Demon Lord's Factor. In the first place, we don't even have magic stones in our bodies."
Those were shocking words.
"Even though you're a 'magic' person, you don't have a 'magic' stone…?"
Ryo muttered dumbfoundedly.
Seeing that expression, Merlin grinned.
"You must be surprised. Yes, we are called Djinns, but we don't have magic stones. In the first place, we refer to ourselves as 'Spellno'. That's why dragons and other ancient creatures still call us 'Spellno'. I think it's probably humans who started calling us 'Djinns'… but when did that happen, I don't know why. It was so long ago that I don't even remember."
After saying that, Merlin finished the remaining coffee.
A new cup of coffee immediately appeared on the desk.
"Ah…"
Ryo noticed and muttered.
Then, a new coffee appeared before Ryo too.
"Thank you."
He took a few sips of fresh coffee.
It refreshed his mood.
In such a case, it was necessary to move to a new topic.
"Um, this coffee, you mentioned previously it was harvested in the Dark Continent…"
"Umu. That's right."
Merlin nodded at Ryo's question.
"Where is the Dark Continent?"
"Is that right, do the people of the Central Countries not know? The Dark Continent is the land that spreads to the south of these Western Countries. No, to be exact, it's considered a continent. Trade only happens around the coastal areas. It seems that in the last few hundred years, nobody from the Western Countries have gone into the hinterland and come back."
"What…"
A continent extending south of the Western Countries.
What dreamy words!
"The coastal areas are also divided into Eastern Countries and Western Countries, but… it is said that there are ruins of an ancient civilization in the hinterlands… by the way."
Merlin said with a grin.
Maybe Merlin knew something.
However, it seemed that he would not answer anything about that.
"I would like to go there someday."
Ryo muttered.
In the end, they talked about various things after that, and it wasn't until the afternoon that Ryo left Merlin's side.
He entered at nine o'clock in the morning and talked for more than four hours…
Finally, when they parted ways, Merlin gave some advice.
"The Djinn who is sealed in the east of the Kingdom of Knightley… We call him Garwin, but be careful with him. He's the one who put the 'Rupture Spirit Curse' on your companion. He created a lot of soldiers and manipulated them to destroy cities. He also has many high-ranking retainers who always follow him. Also, even among the Djinns, his urge to destroy is extremely strong. His tastes and ways of thinking are completely different from mine… well, I don't know when his seal will be lifted, but I think it would be best to ask King Abel to pass the information down in the royal family for generations."
-x-X-x-
"Damn you, damn you, damn you to hell~~~"
An outcry of curses echoed through the air.
The Duke of Shrewsbury's mansion in Wingston, in the eastern part of the Kingdom of Knightley. The basement.
"How, how did 'Rupture' come undone? That shouldn't be possible. Undoing 'Rupture' without my consent… could it have been the blood of the Demon Lord? But there should be none in the Central Countries as far as I know… damn it all!"
It was, appearance-wise, Erwin, the thirteen-year-old current head of the Shrewsbury Dukedom.
As for whether or not the person inside is Erwin remained to be seen…
"Damn it… I was so close… Even lucky enough to get my hands on someone closely related to Richard too… Oh well, at least I have this body."
Saying that, Erwin placed his hand on his chest and checked his heartbeat.
Then, he laughed ominously.
"This guy's blood is close to Richard's too…. Soon, very soon. My 'Generals' will rise… and when they do, the Central Countries may not be enough to contain them, kukuku… Either way, there is no longer anyone who can stop my resurrection. Nor is there anyone who can seal me up. Richard, your country's fate is just about sealed."
-x-X-x-
The King's office in the Royal Castle, the capital of the Kingdom of Knightley.
"It's been a long time, Roman."
"Your Majesty…"
"Oh please, we're old friends. No need for that."
As Hero Roman was about to greet the king, Abel stopped him.
"Lovely to meet you, Nadia-dono. I am King Abel I of the Kingdom of Knightley."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty. My name is Nadia. Thank you for allowing us to settle here."
Nadia bowed her head.
Roman the Hero and Nadia the Demon Lord.
Abel accepted the emigration of the two to the Kingdom.
"Don't mention it. It is only natural that I should accept a recommendation from the premier duke of my Kingdom."
"I see, so Ryo has become the premier duke."
Roman was frankly surprised to find that Ryo, with whom he had once fought alongside, had risen to a higher position than he had imagined.
Not to mention the fact that the adventurer Abel had become the king.
"So… I thought I'd ask how you'd like your new lives in the Kingdom to look like, as well as your wishes."
As Abel said that, he looked at Marquis Heinlein at his side.
"Yes, Your Majesty. You could be nobles, commoners, or some other special status, they are all possible. But for the time being, I think it would be best not to disclose your status as a Hero yet."
Marquis Heinlein replied that they could choose to be anything.
"If possible, I'd rather we're not made nobles…. The fiefdom aside, ruling over subjects is a bit…. Both Nadia and I come from villages, so we are good at growing wheat."
Roman expressed his wishes, albeit modestly.
"Hmmm. What do you think, Marquis Heinlein?"
"Then, how about a wealthy farmer from the south? In Rune City…the outskirts to be precise, as Your Majesty knows, Rune is also home to many farmers living on the outskirts. One of them was a fairly large wheat-farming household, but the couple died one after another, and the heir is now a member of the Royal Knights, so the house and land are on the market. The Kingdom will finance the purchase, so… how about that?"
"…I seem to remember hearing something similar before."
Abel tilted his head and asked Marquis Heinlein.
Roman and Nadia looked at each other and both nodded.
"That would be perfect."
Roman answered decisively.
"No wait, hold on a minute…. Marquis Heinlein, just to clarify, who are the neighbors, or… the territory next to that house?"
Abel seemed to be bugged about something.
"Right, the neighbor is about five hundred meters away, so you don't need to worry about it… but the person living there is a water-attribute magician."
"I knew it! It's right next door to Ryo's house!"
Marquis Heinlein answered nonchalantly, and Abel banged the desk as he responded.
"Eh? Ryo's house?"
Roman was surprised.
"That's right. The Duke of Rondo, Ryo Mihara, lives next door. Well, he is currently in the Western Countries, and even if he is not, he is in the royal capital more often than not… He also has his fiefdom and other things, so he hasn't been back to his home in Rune much lately."
Marquis Heinlein paused and continued.
"Well, Rune City is one of the most stable and safe cities in the Kingdom. It is certainly a good place to settle."
Roman and Nadia nodded and said.
"Please, we would very much like to stay there."
-x-X-x-
There was no official record of whether or not Ryo was sneezing repeatedly when the matters of his new neighbors at his Rune house were decided upon.
After breaking Harold's spirit curse and asking Merlin a few questions, Ryo's current concerns were gone.
Then, of course, he wanted to eat something sweet.
"This mille crepe of the month… is kinda intriguing."
The inn lounge of the Kingdom Mission also served fairly decent cakes, but there weren't many varieties… in other words, he's had them all.
However, there was a café next to the lodge.
'Cafe Roemer'
The coffee was of premium quality, and the cakes were delicious, so naturally, it became his favorite spot.
After much hesitation, Ryo ordered a set of 'mille crepe of the month', which caught his interest first, and Roemer-blend coffee, before he finally had time to look around.
Two seats away, diagonally in front of him, sat someone he recognized from somewhere.
Looking extremely tired and with his shoulders slumped, he seemed as if he was having a hard time.
However, when the cake set he ordered arrived, he smiled as if he had come back to life and began to eat it with great relish.
Meanwhile, Ryo also received his mille crepe of the month and coffee…
After eating, they both left the cafe at the same time.
"Mr. Ignis?"
The man was Ignis, Chief Negotiator of the Kingdom Delegation.
"Ryo-san? Oh, you're here too. The cakes here are delicious aren't they?"
He seemed to be having a hard time with the negotiations but had no trouble having a nice treat.
Ryo knew that as long he still recognized good food as delicious, he's good.
Of course, Ryo himself has never experienced this, but he knew someone when he was on Earth who was so busy with his work that he ended up losing his sense of taste…
"Negotiations… must be tough."
"Yeah, well…"
Even though they're members of the same delegation, he couldn't tell him what they're negotiating.
Ignis answered vaguely with a wry smile.
Then Ryo said covertly.
"If there is anything you want to discuss with Abel in the royal capital, you can discuss it through me. If you have to, please let me know. I am, after all, the Premier Duke, so I have pretty high authority to access confidential information."
Ryo gave a thumbs-up with his right thumb.
Although Ignis probably had no idea what it meant…
"With His Majesty…? Are you serious?"
He didn't tell Ignis about 'Soul Resonance'.
Apart from the search party, the only one who knew about it was Commander Hugh… and that was because he had no choice but to tell him recently.
However, he couldn't leave Ignis alone, as he looked so exhausted.
Then again, he wasn't told not to tell others about 'Soul Resonance'… and they probably wouldn't be offended.
"Well, I can't do it for too long, but it's possible with alchemy."
Having said that, he didn't want to be overly relied on, so he just said it couldn't be used for long.
Ryo is good-natured, but he is also a schemer!
"Thank you. If it comes to it, I may have to ask His Majesty's opinion."
Saying that, Ignis bowed his head.
He seemed much less pensive than he did at first.
That alone may have made Ryo's proposal worthwhile…
Being at the forefront of negotiations between countries is accompanied by unimaginable pressure….
Ryo shook his head slightly after parting with Ignis.
Returning to the mission's quarters next to Café Roemer, Ryo found Commander Hugh McGrath in the lobby, looking at some documents and letters with a stern look on his face.
Ryo, not particularly paying it any mind, tried to walk past him.
Then, he got caught.
"Ryo! "
"Eh?"
He didn't expect that he would call out to him.
And Ryo involuntarily exclaimed in surprise.
"Sorry, but I need you to do me a favor."
Hugh called Ryo to his side and showed him the letter.
"I need you to deliver this letter to a magician in the Republic of Mafalda."
"A magician? And a Republic?"
Ryo answered, tilting his head.
Then he suddenly noticed.
"Huh? Where is Niels and the others?"
"Oh, I asked Room 10 and 11 to carry out some urgent tasks for me. Today, or rather, just moments ago, the workload of the escorts suddenly increased so much that… they all had to return from their vacations."
"Wow…"
Hugh said with an apologetic look on his face, and Ryo made a sullen face as he could picture the disappointed faces of the escort adventurers.
"So, Ryo… you're the only one I can entrust this task alone. For some reason, the Cardinal requested it personally… and to be honest, I find it shady. But I'm sure Ryo can handle it, right?"
Hugh grinned.
Jumping into a trap even when you know it's a trap… seems to be an adventurer's vice.
Ryo thinks so, but he gives off the impression of one who knowingly jumps into a trap to crush it with force…
How strange.
"The Republic of Mafalda is a five-day trip by carriage one way. Can you help me with this?"
"Sure. I'll go."
Thus, Ryo took on the job of delivering the letter.
Or rather, more of an 'errand' than a job.
The destination was the Republic of Mafalda.
It was his first time hearing of a Republic on Phi… a country he had heard about previously and was a little curious about.
Ryo was a little excited as he left the quarters…
-x-X-x-
((Normally, when moving between cities like this, there would be a group of noble daughters who are being attacked by bandits and monsters, and you can help them and create a good relationship with the local influential people… but nothing happens at all.))
((Hey, if such a thing happens frequently, you can't call that a decent country, right? That would mean that public order had completely collapsed…))
((Sheesh… Abel has no appreciation of the fleeting nature of beauty.))
((What the heck are you talking about…))
Ryo's pitying thoughts and Abel's retort.
Those were really common sights.
Inside the carriage headed for the Republic of Mafalda from the Holy Capital of Marlomar.
Of course, the carriage was chartered, so Ryo elegantly sipped coffee… and had such disturbing conversations with Abel through 'Soul Resonance'.
Evidence that you should not be deceived by appearances.
That said, with plenty of money, fragrant coffee, and as a robed magician, he must be one of the top passengers in the carriage!
((Is that so?))
His Majesty the Swordsman King, who was not there, raised doubts, but he didn't care.
As long as you display such an atmosphere, others will see it like that.
Put on a worthy face, and then the world will value you!
In the afternoon, Ryo finally crossed the border of the Republic of Mafalda and was about to enter the country.
He crossed two countries from the Holy Capital of Marlomar, but compared to them, border security there seemed to be extremely strict.
((Abel, very strict border security is in place.))
((Hoho. If I remember correctly, that Republic is the only country that goes against the wishes of the Western Church, right?))
((Well, rather than say it goes against their wishes… they practice complete separation of religion and politics.))
((Fumu… honestly, is it possible to establish a country that way?))
((What do you mean?))
((Governance of the nation requires reason through law, emotion through religion…))
What Abel said was, in a sense, the basics of historical national governance.
Even on Earth, the idea of separating the church and the state was advocated… but strictly speaking, such a nation does not exist.
Like a communist country…
Or when the president of a democratic country swears an oath, they place their hands on the Bible… so there is not even one millimeter of separation between politics and religion.
That said, religion is not bad.
((The theory of governance that Abel learned is actually surprisingly realistic. Religion itself is not a bad thing at all. But what you should be careful of is if religious forces intervene too much in politics. Please keep an eye open!))
((Su-sure…))
A strict separation of church and state is impossible, and in fact, there are not many countries in history that can be said to have succeeded in doing so…
Nonetheless, it would be easier to govern a country if there was a certain degree of separation between politics and religion.
Well, there were also cases where the emperor himself tried to incorporate religion into the country, like in the last days of the Roman Empire.
By the way, if you delve deeper to think about what it means for the people… it's going to be a complicated story.
While Ryo was thinking about such things, the border inspection reached Ryo's turn.
The driver of the carriage got off, and after some formalities, there was a knock on the door.
"Please enter."
"Excuse me."
When Ryo said that, the door opened and a guard entered.
It was a fairly large carriage.
"Please do not be offended, it is my duty to ask this. Do you have a border pass issued by the Republic or an identification card?"
A very polite question.
An arrogant security guard and a difficult exchange, resulting in the use of great magic to force his way through the border… Ryo, who had imagined something like that, was taken aback.
((Hey, if that happened, you would be in trouble, Ryo!))
Somewhere, a King was saying something like that.
By the way, Ryo, of course, did not have a border pass issued by the Republic.
What he had at hand was…
"Then this."
He showed him the 'Holy Seal' that he had borrowed from the time he went to the West Dungeon town.
Up until now, even when passing through two countries, there was no problem with that 'Holy Seal'.
But he was at the Republic of Mafalda…
The guard's eyes narrowed.
"I'm sorry. The Holy Seal will take some time to pass through examination."
His tone was polite, but the content of his reply was harsh.
"Eh… well, how long would it take?"
"About a week."
"So long!"
Words came out of his mouth unintentionally.
"Hmm…"
Ryo was at a loss.
Then he heard gospel!
((Wouldn't your Duke of Rondo's plate work just fine?))
((You're right!))
The guard was trying to summon his comrades outside.
"Ah, then this."
Ryo hurriedly handed over the identification plate that was hanging around his neck like a necklace.
"Huh…? Oh, were you a noble? Wait a minute."
After the guard said so, he spoke to someone outside.
"Bring me the inquiry board."
A few minutes later.
"Kingdom of Knightley… Duke of Rondo… Pre-premier Duke…? Your Excellency, please excuse the delay. The inquiry is complete, please enter."
"Sure, thank you for your hard work."
Ryo entered the Republic of Mafalda.
"The Premier Duke of the Kingdom of Knightley? When you say Knightley, the Central Countries… why is such a guy here… Ah, a mission from the Central Countries was traveling to the Holy City, right? But, the Premier Duke? In person? Well, he did show his identification plate, so it was the Duke himself… But he showed the Holy Seal first. I don't understand… Burley, what do you think?
"No idea… even if you ask me… For now, we have no other choice but to monitor the situation and see how it goes."
The capital of the Republic of Mafalda, the official residence of the head of state, and the office of the head of state.
A conversation between Head of State Columbano della Russo and Supreme Advisor Lord Burley.
The Head of State, Columbano, is 190 centimeters tall and weighs 90 kilograms.
Rather than calling him the head of the Republic, it would be more fitting to call him a frontline swordsman.
He is in his late 40s, has dark skin and short-cropped hair… his dark brown hair has already begun to mix with white.
And his most distinctive feature is probably his left eye… he wears an eyepatch over it.
In a way, he might be more suited to be a pirate boss than a frontline swordsman…
Columbano was originally a man of the sea.
Conversely, Supreme Advisor Lord Burley was sitting on the sofa.
He is said to be nearly eighty years old, but his eyes are still sharp.
His long white hair is tied back, and it can be said that his face gives off a sense of intelligence.
If you look closely, you can find a large staff used by magicians nearby…
"However, it's certainly a surprisingly unpleasant timing."
"That's true..."
Head of State Columbano let out a huge sigh.
Then, he ran his fingers across his temple.
It was his habit when he's thinking about things he dislikes.
"At this time, when we're on the verge of war…"
-x-X-x-
Two days after crossing the border, Ryo entered Mussolente, the capital of the Republic of Mafalda.
The capital, Mussolente, is a seaside trading city and surprisingly vibrant.
Looking at the surrounding energy from the window of the carriage, Ryo nodded repeatedly.
"It's very lively."
Like he was responsible for it somehow.
The carriage stopped in front of a seemingly high-class inn that was close to the city center but occupied a fairly large piece of land.
"Thank you very much."
With a word of gratitude, he paid the coachman. With some tips, of course.
Travel funds were plentiful as he was funded by the mission.
In the meantime, an employee came out of the inn and carried the luggage loaded on the carriage to the inn.
Everything progressed smoothly.
There was no momentary delay or ounce of stress.
It was top-notch service.
Ryo was in a good mood and went through the door of the inn.
He entered a huge lobby.
The lobby was spacious with the ceiling 3 floors up and very well-lit with plentiful use of glass.
Even Ryo was overwhelmed.
So far, his best lodging on 'Phi' was probably the inn where he stayed in Marquis Heinlein's territory as a mission to Twilight Land.
As an inn under the direct control of the noble family of Marquis Heinlein, everything was perfect.
However, this inn seemed to be just as good as that.
"Welcome to Doge Pietro."
The lady at the reception also had a nice smile.
"Hello. For now, I'd like to request for three nights."
Ryo's job was just to hand the letter directly to the other party.
But it was already three o'clock in the evening, so he won't be going out that day…
Hm? It's already three o'clock, the time to get rid of the fatigue of the day, you know?
You can't visit someone without an appointment at that time, yeah, you can't.
Well, anyway, it was just handing over a letter, so it should be done soon but… Ryo seemed to be planning to stay for three nights.
In Ryo's head, he had already made plans to tour the city.
And of course, he referenced the 'Travel Guide' for his plans.
When he left the dormitory, he borrowed an extra copy…
Surprisingly, the 'Travel Guide' contained quite detailed information about the only Republic in the Western Countries and even its capital city… even though there were no plans to go to the Republic during this westbound trip.
But the information was there.
Incredibly, he still had not found anything missing from the 'Travel Guide'.
The room Ryo was guided to was on the top floor, the eighth floor.
In the room which was easily over 100 square meters, there was an open-air bath that was naturally attached to it.
Not only in the Central Countries but also in the Western Countries, was it a standard for luxury inns to have attached open-air baths…
Well, nothing beats being comfortable.
After crossing the border, some people kept an eye on Ryo.
They're from the Republic Secret Services.
Not only are they capable of espionage, but they are also skilled in melee combat that rivals other knights. It is no exaggeration to say that they are the elite who support the independence of the Republic from behind the scenes.
However, even though they are such an elite group, their condition has become strained over the past few days.
"Is there still no replacement?"
"Yes. Headquarters persists to continue monitoring."
"Damn… too many church personnel are entering… we don't have enough people."
Yes, in the past few days, many people related to the Western Church entered the Republic, and a lot of personnel were mobilized to monitor them.
Of course, many of those entered the country after going through regular procedures, so they can't be put in jail…
But it's possible that some may be entering to conduct sabotage.
They couldn't let their guard down.
As a result, the monitoring of Ryo was always done by the same people.
Captain: Bangan.
Vice Captain: Amalia.
Member: Shuri.
These three.
Originally, it was supposed to be a system of five people, and every twenty-four hours, the five people would be replaced, but for the reason mentioned earlier, there weren't enough people at all.
"Captain Bangan, how should we monitor the inn? With three people…"
Vice Captain Amalia confirmed the surveillance plan.
This time, it was too different from usual.
There weren't enough people, no replacements… and what's more, the target of surveillance wasn't people from the church or potential enemy countries, but a dignitary from the Central Countries mission.
Furthermore, he stayed in a first-class inn.
When it comes to this class of inns, it is impossible to bribe the employees to collect information.
The employees are also carefully selected.
"It can't be helped… Someone will have to stay on the same floor. I'll …"
"Captain, that's sly! Just because it's a luxury inn that you rarely stay at…"
"W-What are you talking about? I'll be staying because I can handle anything that happens, not because the dinner here is delicious."
Vice Captain Amalia criticized him and Commander Bangan defended himself.
Shuri, who was further away, looked at the two of them and shook her head slightly…
In the end, the infiltration was called off.
Due to new instructions from the Headquarters, there were more targets to be monitored, so they had to send Shuri there.
Captain Bangan and Vice Captain Amalia, who were left behind, continued to watch from outside the inn while sighing over and over again…
The next day.
A delicious dinner, a comfortable sleep, and a delicious breakfast.
Everything was perfect.
Ryo left the inn after doing some light stretching after his meal.
To complete the job he had been contracted to do, which was to deliver the letter.
Naturally, the two intelligence agents who were monitoring Ryo, Captain Bangan and Deputy Commander Amelia, kept a certain distance and followed him.
The main task assigned to the two of them was to find out why this 'Premier Duke of the Kingdom' came to the Republic, and what his purpose was.
Also, if he tries to cause some kind of sabotage, they are allowed to stop him immediately.
For that reason, both of them were trained in close combat.
Ryo intentionally walked from the inn.
Of course, the inn tried to arrange a carriage, but he declined.
He wanted to walk around town for a while.
And…
((I'm being watched all the time.))
((It's only natural for a country to monitor a visibly suspicious water-attribute magician.))
((A king from somewhere who doubts people from the bottom of his heart… I think it would be nice if the world was filled with a little more kind people. Like me.))
((If it weren't for the last two words, some people might agree!))
The surrounding people didn't know that such a conversation was being held using 'Soul Resonance'.
Of course, the two people who were watching him didn't know either.
((The address is around here, but… hmm, maybe I should ask the two people observing me))
((No, idiot, stop it. Don't intentionally cause a fight.))
Ryo's proposal was stopped by the king in the distant royal capital.
It is typical that people who are not on-site do not understand the hardships of the site!
Since it can't be helped, Ryo entered a nearby cafe.
((Since Abel rejected my suggestion, I have no choice but to ask at the cafe. Yes, I have no choice. It isn't because there is a rindo tart that looks delicious. It's true!))
((Ah, yeah… I somewhat could tell before you said anything why you chose that cafe…))
However, the two people who were watching did not know the reason.
"He entered 'Cafe Royale'…"
"Okay, we'll monitor from the outside."
"Captain Bangan, it's the 'Cafe Royale', you know? That 'Cafe Royale'? Their rindo tarts, which are said to be the best in the west, are famous… and so expensive that your eyes pop out…"
"Ah… no, I understand that, but…"
Captain Bangan broke into a cold sweat under pressure from Vice Captain Amalia.
You would think that the two of them should keep a distance from each other, but since they usually form groups of two or groups of three, it can't be helped.
They could see the Duke of Rondo sitting by the window.
Happily eating a Rindo tart that looked very delicious…
"So jealous..."
Involuntarily, her true feelings leaked from Amalia's mouth.
But they didn't notice.
That there were people watching the two of them…
-x-X-x-
Ryo was beaming as he came out of 'Cafe Royale'.
It's only natural.
The cafe he entered to ask for directions served surprisingly delicious cakes.
He thanked his good fortune.
((This is also the result of daily deeds.))
((Hah?))
The king, who was connected with 'Soul Resonance', seemed dissatisfied for some reason, but Ryo ignored him.
The address he was given was on the other side of the road from 'Cafe Royale'.
A slightly large ordinary house.
Ryo didn't know, but the cost of land in that neighborhood was quite high, so people who owned houses around there were, to put it bluntly, rich.
"Excuse me, I wish to deliver a letter to Mr. Neil Andersen, a magician."
Ryo knocked on the door and showed the letter he had been entrusted to someone who appeared to be a maid.
"I'm sorry. Master is out right now…"
The maid answered apologetically.
"Ah… the client told me to hand it directly to the person in question…"
Ryo explained the situation properly.
If he suddenly says that he will wait until he returns, it would be terrible if the person only comes back after a few days…
"I think Master will be home soon. Please wait inside."
"Pardon me then."
It didn't seem like it would take long.
Captain Bangan and Vice Captain Amalia monitored Ryo from the same place as when he was in the cafe.
It was the same for the other people watching them…
Twenty minutes later.
"I'm back. I heard someone is here to see me?"
"Welcome back, Master. There is a person who has a letter to hand directly to Master."
While listening to the maid's voice behind him, the man opened the door and entered the reception room where Ryo was waiting.
He was nearly two meters tall, but he looked slender.
Gray hair trimmed short, a hook nose, and a monocle over his left eye.
He gave the impression of being high-strung and scary.
Ryo stood up and greeted him.
"My name is Ryo. I have been entrusted with your letter."
After saying that, Ryo handed over the letter.
"Hm"
The magician Neil Andersen said, took the letter and looked at the sender.
"Cardinal Sacharias?"
He opened the letter and read.
"Hmm… why now?"
Ryo could hear him mutter that.
"If you wish to reply, I can deliver it back?"
Ryo asked.
Hugh told him that he didn't know if he needed to deliver a reply or not.
"No, it's fine. It's a letter to headhunt me. I've declined dozens of times until now and there had not been letters recently… why at this timing?"
Neil Andersen suddenly looked at Ryo in front of him.
"Did you say… Ryo? You're not a member of the church, are you? Why were you entrusted with this letter?"
"Yes… I am actually a member of a delegation from the Central Countries…"
He explained briefly.
"I see….."
Neil Andersen commented and sat down in a chair.
He urged Ryo to take a seat and continued.
"Are those people outside with you?"
"No… two of them have been monitoring me since I crossed the border, so they must be from the intelligence agency of this country. But their numbers suddenly increased today so I'm a bit lost as to why."
"Hmm. If you're aware of that much, then there's no need for my input. Probably, the person who gave you this letter isn't aiming for me, but you, Ryo-dono."
"Eh..."
Hugh said something similar too. He thought there might be something fishy.
"I don't really understand the situation in this country, so I would like to ask… If a member of the mission from the Central Countries dies in the Republic… would there be a big problem?"
Ryo decided to ask directly.
For some reason, the magician in front of him seemed to be familiar with various matters at the national level…
It appeared that the cardinal had tried to poach him many times.
"Let me see…"
Neil Andersen thought for a moment before continuing.
"Currently, this Republic is about to go to war with its western neighbor, the United Kingdom of Stachen."
"What…"
"Well, the Republic is often embroiled in wars, so it's a common thing… but this time it seems it will be a little tougher. I can't really reveal the reason why it will be tough, but there is a possibility the Republic will lose. The United Kingdom of Stachen is a military superpower, so it's also tough in terms of pure military power ratio. This time, it will be obvious. At the same time, it is very likely that other countries, or rather, the church, will intervene."
"The church?"
"Yes. The church's intervention means that the Van De Vie Theocracy Army will intervene."
"But… the Van De Vie Theocracy doesn't border this Republic, right?"
Ryo answered with a map of the Western Countries in mind.
"Yes, but it doesn't matter. All countries except the Republic are under the control of the Church. They can pass through the countries as they please."
"I see…"
"For hundreds of years, this Republic has been a thorn in the side of the Church… This time, it's a golden opportunity to destroy it. They will send their troops even at this critical time when they are receiving ambassadors from the Central Countries. Probably the Golem Corps."
"Golem Corps!"
Ryou unintentionally raises his voice in excitement.
Neil Andersen looked at him suspiciously.
"Ah, excuse me. I have an interest in golems…"
"Oh. You… From the way you look, you're a magician, aren't you? Do you also like alchemy?"
"Yes. I'm still a novice, but… I love it."
Ryo laughed when he said that.
Neil Andersen looked at that dazzling smile.
It was as if he was looking at the passion that he once had but ultimately lost, for the first time in a long time…
"I hear that the peak of alchemy is very high. Do your best."
"Yes, thank you!"
"Oops, that's right, moving back to the topic. Frankly speaking, if you died, the Theocracy that accepted the missions from the Central Countries would have a reason to react and intervene."
"Hah…"
"Well, they will probably intervene even if you don't die… The only difference is whether or not they have an extra cause."
"I don't want to die for something like that…"
At Neil Andersen's excessive explanation, Ryo shook his head slightly and sighed.
He didn't want to die… it's too much to be killed to be an additional cause…
"Apart from the two observers, are the other observers here to kill me?"
"No… from what I've seen, well, felt, it seems like the main purpose is to kill the two members of the Secret Services… If they get the chance, they'll kill you too."
At this time, Ryo learned for the first time that the Republic's intelligence agency was called the Secret Services.
After a few more exchanges, Ryo left Neil Andersen's place.
"I didn't expect him to visit Neil Andersen…"
"Is he also an alchemist?"
Captain Bangan and Vice Captain Amalia saw Ryo enter Neil Andersen's house and consult with him.
After that, he started to say something toward a small box that could fit in the palm of his hand.
Sometimes he would put it to his ear and listen.
It seemed to be a tool for communication.
"I have reported to the headquarters. We're to continue to observe the Duke of Rondo."
"As for the replacement personnel…"
"None."
Captain Bangan replied with a sigh.
Likewise, Vice Captain Amalia sighed.
"Also, he said something that bothered me. It seems that communication with Lusher Squad has been cut off."
"Huh? Lusher Squad… they were watching someone related to the church, right?"
"Yes, the cardinal who entered the country five days ago. Cardinal Sacharias."
"I wonder if the church personnel have started to move…"
"No idea…"
While they were talking about such things, Ryo came out of Neil Andersen's house.
((Abel. If it was you, where would you attack?))
((Huh? Why all of a sudden?))
(Abel was an experienced adventurer, so you attacked both criminals and innocents a lot, didn't you? What kinds of places are easy to launch an attack?))
((Yeah, I feel like you said something reaaaly absurd. Well, thinking about it normally, it would be a less crowded place. Besides, it's better at night than during the day, right?))
((No, at night, I plan to take an open-air bath, eat delicious dinner, and sleep comfortably in a fluffy bed.))
((Well, I thought Ryo would say something like that…))
While exchanging such conversations through 'Soul Resonance', Ryo left the city and gradually walked toward the outskirts of town.
As far as he could search with Passive Sonar, the two members of the Secret Services and the six people chasing them followed him the entire way…
"Somewhere like this, I guess."
After saying that, he stopped and looked back.
And shouted.
"The two people from the Secret Services, your lives are being targeted."
"!"
The surprise of the two people was conveyed.
They wouldn't have thought that they would be noticed… but they never would have thought that their lives would be targeted either.
Ping. Ping.
From the bush where the two were hiding, sounds of something hard deflecting throwing knives could be heard.
In a panic, the two of them came out of the bush.
"Both of you, this way!"
Ryo shouted.
Without thinking much, the two of them ran.
Throwing knives flew from behind them.
Ping. Ping.
The same sound as before.
An invisible wall of ice repelled the throwing knives.
They must have realized that they could not defeat them with long-distance attacks.
Six attackers appeared.
TLN: Neil Andersen is the author of the three alchemy books Ryo read as a beginner.