Extra 13
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The Union quarters of the Western Countries Delegation.
Former King Roberto Pirlo, the delegation leader, was conversing with the head of the guards, Groen.
"The papal election starts tomorrow, doesn't it?"
"Yes. All the cardinals and archbishops will be isolated in a place called the Tower of Silence and will vote to select the new pope. The pope is chosen from among the cardinals, but the archbishops also have voting rights. The cardinal who receives the majority of votes from the entire group will become the next pope. However, the process can take up to a month."
"I recall the last election took more than three weeks, didn't it? It's tough… especially for old folks like me."
Roberto Pirlo said with a wry smile.
Groen, having nothing to add, simply shook his head in silence.
"Choosing people, whether for the delegation leader or the pope, is always a difficult task."
The next day.
All the cardinals and archbishops gathered in the Tower of Silence within the Papal Palace.
For the papal election to select the 101st pope.
Originally, there were twelve cardinals and twenty-four archbishops.
However, two cardinals were already missing.
Cardinal Camilo had been stripped of his clerical status after beheading the pope with an axe.
And Cardinal Sacharias was killed by adventurers from the Central Countries after becoming something other than human.
Thus, there were only ten cardinals present.
Among them, three cardinals were considered the main contenders:
Cardinal Oskar, Cardinal Adolfito, and the potential dark horse, Cardinal Graham.
These are the three.
Graham was highly regarded for his efforts during the papal inauguration.
Earning praise not only from the archbishops but also from the general clergy.
However, he was considered too young.
At forty-three, he is significantly younger than the average age of the archbishops, which is fifty….
There are supposed to be twenty-four archbishops, but there are currently three vacancies.
The oldest among the remaining twenty-one archbishops, Archbishop Baudelaire, will preside over the papal election.
The process is simple.
The thirty participants, excluding the presiding Archbishop Baudelaire, write the name of the cardinal they deem suitable for the papacy on a ballot and place it in a ballot box.
Both cardinals and archbishops have one vote each.
The cardinal who secures the majority of votes becomes the 101st Pope.
If no one obtains a majority, the voting is repeated.
Until someone does.
The voting sessions occur once in the morning and once in the afternoon.
Outside of voting hours, members gather to discuss and strategize… to compete… secure more votes for their preferred candidates.
The results of the first round of voting were read aloud by Archbishop Baudelaire.
"Cardinal Oskar: twelve votes, Cardinal Adolfito: eleven votes, Cardinal Graham: five votes, blank votes: two. No candidate has secured a majority."
A slight murmur spread through the assembly.
Both cardinals and archbishops had made their predictions before gathering.
And most had anticipated that no one would secure a majority in the first round.
The outcome matched expectations.
Neither the frontrunner Cardinal Oskar nor his primary opponent Cardinal Adolfito had a decisive lead, and their near-equal tallies were anticipated.
Both sides knew their next steps:
To secure the two blank votes.
And to persuade members of Graham's camp to join their side.
Although the voting was anonymous.
The participants could make educated guesses about the affiliations.
Each side knew its supporters.
And could guess the opposition based on prior movements within the Papal Palace.
Thus, the remaining voters were likely the holders of the blank votes and members of Graham's camp.
The question then was how the leaders would maneuver.
Specifically, what actions would Cardinal Oskar and Cardinal Adolfito take?
Cardinal Adolfito acted decisively.
He approached Graham, who was seated and sipping plain hot water.
"Your Eminence Graham, might I have a word with you?"
"Your Eminence Adolfito, what brings you here?"
Those eavesdropping couldn't help but think that "What beings you here" was a disingenuous question… given the circumstances.
Adolfito went straight to the heart of the matter.
If Cardinal Graham were to join Adolfito's camp, his five votes would be added.
Giving Adolfito a total of sixteen votes, thus securing a majority and electing him as Pope.
This was Adolfito's aim.
"In the afternoon vote, I would like you to cast your vote for me."
Adolfito said directly.
Hearing this, Graham's expression showed slight surprise.
It was half an act, but half genuine as well.
As Graham had once explained to Ryo, Cardinal Adolfito was the most skilled in backroom dealings within the Church.
He was adept at espionage, as evidenced by his surveillance of Ryo.
Graham was surprised that someone like Adolfito, who was known for his scheming, approached him straightforwardly.
This was the method that the ostensibly upright Cardinal Oskar would typically employ….
"Well… that puts me in a difficult position. I have people who support me, and I cannot betray their expectations."
"With all due respect, Your Eminence, you have five votes. That is not enough to win. Shouldn't you make the most of those votes?"
"So, if I vote for you, you will ensure that we are treated favorably after you become Pope?"
"That will be as God wills…"
Adolfito replied, evading a definitive promise.
Graham chuckled inwardly at the predictable answer.
"However, wouldn't the same apply if I supported Cardinal Oskar?"
"Cardinal Oscar drinks only pure water."
Adolfito replied without changing his expression.
In other words, Oskar would not reward anyone for their votes or treat them favorably after becoming Pope.
Graham thought this was likely true.
Cardinal Oskar was known for his integrity.
No one denied that.
The question was whether a person with such integrity could effectively lead the vast Western Church.
Ordinary believers and clergy might say it was not a problem.
However, as priests, bishops, and archbishops rise in rank, they are increasingly confronted with the complexity of the world.
The gap between ideals and reality.
It might be the gap between God and humans.
This is precisely the position of clergy.
"Your Eminence Adolfito, please allow me some time to think."
Graham said, parting ways with Adolfito.
In the afternoon, the voting results were read aloud by Archbishop Baudelaire.
"Cardinal Oskar: twelve votes, Cardinal Adolfito: thirteen votes, Cardinal Graham: five votes. No candidate has secured a majority."
Adolfito's camp had succeeded in securing the two blank votes from the morning.
Graham's most trusted archbishop approached him.
"Your Eminence, what shall we do?"
Archbishop Stefania asked.
Stefania was the only woman among the cardinals and archbishops.
She was also the head of the Inquisition.
Naturally, she was part of Graham's camp.
"I want to observe a bit longer. I feel something is off."
"Something off?"
"Yeah. I'm not sure why… it might be something about this Tower of Silence. Something feels strange…. So, I think it would be wise for us to spend the nights together, all five of us. We can't leave the tower during the election, and everyone will be discussing amongst themselves, but… I feel it would be best if we stayed in the same room at night."
"…You're concerned about assassination, aren't you?"
Stefania's eyes gleamed.
During the papal election, all the cardinals and archbishops of the Western Church gather in this Tower of Silence.
In other words, the entire leadership of the Western Church is here.
If someone wanted to inflict significant damage on the Church, attacking during this time would be most effective…
While not publicly acknowledged, cardinals and archbishops have been assassinated in the Tower of Silence during past papal elections.
Official records state they died of illness or accidents…
Whether these were the actions of external forces or rival candidates, no one knows.
"If I wanted to destroy the Church, I would release a golem into the Tower of Silence during the election."
"A golem…"
"Even one 'Holy Knight' would likely slaughter most of the cardinals and archbishops."
Holy Knights are combat golems maintained by the Western Church.
It is said that a single one has the strength of five B-rank adventurers.
Most cardinals and archbishops are not accustomed to combat…
The Tower of Silence is a three-storey stone building with over a hundred small rooms, ten medium rooms, and two large rooms.
The small rooms are truly small, about the size of a four-and-a-half-tatami mat space.
Usually, clergy members seek solitude here for meditation.
Giving the Tower of Silence its name.
During the election, these rooms are used for discussions… sometimes under the guise of persuasion or recruitment….
The medium rooms are about the size of a school classroom.
It was one of these medium rooms that Graham suggested they spend the night in.
One of the large rooms is used as a dining hall during the papal election.
While the other is where the cardinals and archbishops gather to vote.
After dinner, each camp gathered to discuss.
Their strategies for the following days.
During the election, there are no assigned rooms.
The Tower of Silence allows everyone to spend their time as they please.
Some who have clearly declared their allegiance might spend the remaining time in meditation…
Graham's faction consisted of Cardinal Graham, Archbishop Stefania, Archbishop Schlotter, Archbishop Balthasar, and Archbishop Goon.
The five of them gathered in one of the medium rooms with their bedding.
Which consisted of just a blanket and a pillow each provided by the church.
Archbishop Schlotter, like Stefania, was one of the youngest among the archbishops.
He had taken Graham's place as archbishop when Graham was elevated to cardinal.
And had held the position for less than a year.
However, whether it's been a year or ten, an archbishop's vote holds equal weight.
"I will follow Your Eminence to the end."
His gaze filled with a mix of admiration and fervor directed at Graham.
As a former vampire hunter and head of the Inquisition, Graham often garnered enthusiastic support from younger clergy members.
Archbishop Balthasar rarely spoke.
Almost as if he had taken a vow of silence.
However, Graham had no doubts about his loyalty.
Balthasar had been one of Graham's direct subordinates during his time as head of the Inquisition and had survived many life-threatening situations alongside Stefania.
In the intrigue-ridden church, Balthasar was one of the few high-ranking clergy Graham could trust implicitly.
A simple nod from Balthasar was enough for Graham.
The last member, Archbishop Goon, was quite unique.
He would never betray Graham.
Not out of fervent loyalty like Schlotter.
Nor due to shared experiences like Balthasar.
But because his mind and body were completely dominated by Graham's 'smoke'.
To an outsider, Goon's behavior appeared unchanged.
Calm and gentle, even a third party conversing with him would notice nothing amiss.
This subtlety highlighted Graham's fearsome capabilities.
Late at night.
The door to their room silently opened, and the five were sleeping, sprawled in the center of the room.
The moment the intruder stepped in…
Clang, Clang.
Two knives flew from Stefania's hand, who had awakened without anyone noticing, and the intruder deflected them while advancing.
He lunged at Graham, who had risen to one knee.
With a swift movement.
Graham drew the sword hidden in his staff.
The man's right arm was severed in an instant.
However, he immediately grabbed the severed arm with his left and reattached it to the stump.
Before long, his right arm was reconnected.
"A vampire?"
Stefania muttered.
Though her tone was questioning, as if she wasn't entirely sure.
"Everyone, do not attack, just defend yourselves. I will handle this."
Graham instructed clearly.
The other four nodded.
The man, his eyes glowing red, focused solely on Graham.
Ignoring the others.
"If I'm your target, that makes things simpler."
Graham said, almost laughing.
As if that were a signal, the man lunged forward.
His speed was extraordinary.
Both in movement and in his sword strikes.
A downward slash, a horizontal sweep, an upward diagonal cut, followed by another downward slash…
The relentless flurry of attacks was beyond human capability.
However…
"Wow…"
The one who involuntarily muttered that was the young Archbishop Schlotter.
The admiration was not for the intruder.
It was for Graham, who deflected all of the man's extraordinary attacks.
And he did so with obvious ease.
As if he were measuring his opponent's strength.
"I've got it figured out."
Did anyone hear Graham's muttering?
"Sure, your strength is great… but your technique is unrefined!"
In that instant, the man's right arm was sliced off again.
He immediately grabbed it with his left hand.
But the next moment, his left arm was cut off as well.
Then his head was severed… and without a moment's delay, the sword pierced his heart.
With a consecrated weapon, beheading and piercing the heart.
That's the way to finish off a vampire.
However, Graham himself wasn't fully convinced that the man before him was a vampire.
"There are several strange aspects to call him a vampire."
"Your Eminence?"
Stefania must have heard Graham's muttering.
She questioned him.
"No, it's certain he's close to a vampire… an evolved species? I've never heard of such a thing. Vampires' bodies are unusually stable. In a sense, they are extremely difficult to evolve."
Graham pondered further.
"Moreover, just now, he grabbed his severed arm with the other arm… but a vampire's severed arm would reattach itself."
"Ah, now that you mention it, indeed."
"And vampires have incredible technique, even more so than strength. They live much longer than humans and have ample time to refine their skills. But this man was unrefined."
"I see."
Stefania nodded in agreement with Graham's analysis.
Graham holds a doctorate in Vampire Studies.
Though never called by that name in the church, he is known as Dr. Graham at the church-affiliated university.
Drawing from that expertise, he analyzed the man before him…
"I don't get it, there's too little information."
At that moment.
"Gyaaaaaaaaahhh!"
A scream echoed from the upper floor.
"All four of you, stay close to me!"
Graham said and started running.
Graham and his group arrived just as Cardinal Adolfito was pierced by a sword.
Perhaps he was protecting someone, as four others lay already fallen beside him.
Graham charged at the woman stabbing Adolfito.
She saw it and pulled out the sword, facing Graham.
Her face showed surprise.
"Why…"
She stopped short of completing her sentence.
"Wondering why I'm alive? Your comrade failed to kill me."
"Tsk."
At Graham's reply, the woman clicked her tongue loudly.
She glanced around, then turned and started running at full speed.
Graham pursued.
But in terms of leg strength, she was far superior to a human.
She broke through a window, leaped to the ground, and fled beyond the premises.
Then another voice from the upper floor.
"Somebody, please!"
Graham, Stefania, and the others started running again.
As they confirmed that Cardinal Adolfito was being healed with magic by the archbishops…
In the medium room on the third floor were Cardinal Oskar and others…
But the assailant was already gone.
The archbishops were weeping over the bodies of Cardinal Oskar and three other cardinals.
"Hmm?"
Graham looked again at the bodies of Oskar and the three others.
"All cardinals?"
"Cardinal Adolfito might survive, but the four killed on the second floor were also cardinals."
Stefania answered Graham's muttering in a low voice.
Graham hadn't realized it until then, but Stefania had noticed.
"I see. Including me, they intended to kill all the cardinals…"
The only surviving cardinals were Graham and the recuperating Adolfito.
"Whoever did this… seems to want a full-scale war with the church."
"Cardinal Graham, twenty-two votes. Unanimous. The next pope will be Cardinal Graham."
The moderator Archbishop Baudelaire declared.
After the attack, Cardinal Adolfito survived.
However, he declared himself unfit to serve as pope and expressed full support for Graham.
Those who supported Cardinal Oskar also declared their full support for Graham.
The archbishops believed the attackers were vampires.
At that point, the next pope was practically decided.
If a full-scale war with the vampires was imminent.
There was only one person to lead the Western Church.
Known as the vampire hunter, Cardinal Graham.
Too young to be pope?
In times of battle. The church should be led by someone young and untainted!
That day, the news of Graham's appointment as the next pope spread throughout the Western Countries.
-x-X-x-
Extra 14
-x-X-x-
The day after the papal election concluded and Graham's appointment as the next pope was announced.
In Graham's office at the Papal Palace.
The office's master, Graham, and his right-hand, Archbishop Stefania.
The leaders of the three Central Countries' delegation: Count Oscar Ruska, former King Roberto Pirlo, and Hugh McGrath, were all gathered together.
"As you have heard, I will be the next pope."
Graham announced.
"Congratulations… if that's appropriate. I've heard about what happened in the Tower of Silence."
Hugh said, grimacing.
"Yes, it is not a joyous occasion."
Graham replied with a wry smile.
During the papal election, they were attacked by what appeared to be vampires, and many cardinals were killed in the Tower of Silence.
It is no exaggeration to say that the appointment of the young Graham as pope was a result of this incident.
"The events that occurred during the papal election, namely that the cardinals were attacked by vampires and killed, will be publicly announced at noon today."
Graham stated, sending shockwaves through the three leaders.
A minute of silence followed.
It was Hugh who broke the silence.
"You mean… to disclose everything to the public?"
"Yes. Without hiding anything."
Graham affirmed clearly.
Informing the public of everything.
On the surface, it sounds like an exceptionally enlightened policy.
But they know.
It is not so simple.
"It's sure to cause chaos."
Former King Roberto Pirlo murmured.
Graham nodded silently.
Undoubtedly, the populace will fall into panic.
This is inevitable.
It's not the kind of panic where people hastily pack up and leave the holy city en masse…
Outwardly, things might appear unchanged.
But their minds will be distinctly altered.
Their thinking will halt.
They will no longer be able to think for themselves.
Above all…
They will become emotional and unable to engage in discussions.
They will lose their calm.
Even if reasoned explanations are provided, the panicked populace will not understand.
That is the nature of such things.
No one is to blame.
Those present are aware of this.
The count, the former king, the grandmaster, and the future pope and archbishop.
All of them are on the side of those who 'disseminate information', not on the side of the populace who 'receive information'.
The people cry out.
"Reveal all the information!".
But if all the information is revealed, the populace will panic and be unable to make rational decisions.
Those in responsible positions know this.
The panicked populace will begin to harm innocent, unrelated others.
Of course, without a sense of guilt.
Believing they are acting correctly.
At that time, no one will pay attention to the side of the populace that is being harmed.
That is the nature of a panicked populace.
Thus, disclosing all information is terrifying.
The solution is the passage of time… there is no other way for the populace to regain their composure.
There is only one reason why the populace falls into panic.
Because they are scared.
They are scared because they cannot foresee the future.
They are scared because they do not know if they or their families will be okay.
They are scared because they do not know what will happen next.
Thus, they fall into a state of mental paralysis, become emotional, and start to reject all opinions different from their own.
So, is there no way to prevent this?
Of course, there is.
The populace itself must continue to think.
They must avoid falling into a state of mental paralysis.
They must keep questioning, "Why did those people take such actions?".
They must keep pondering, "Why did those people not take this action?".
This is the first step in not becoming a panicked populace.
However, the troublesome part is that it must be the populace itself who takes these actions…
"In reality, it is impossible to keep it hidden, so there is no other choice."
Graham shrugged.
In practical terms, apart from Graham, who will become the pope, there are no other cardinals left except Adolfito.
Sooner or later, various things will have to be made public.
Given that, it would be better to reveal everything at once.
"Moreover, I do not think the populace is foolish. Once the madness passes and they regain their composure, they will return to normal. That is what I believe."
Graham said with a smile. Hugh shrugged, Roberto Pirlo gave a small nod, and Oscar closed his eyes.
"And so… why exactly did you call us here?"
Hugh asked, shaking his head slightly.
"Originally, after the announcement of the new pope, the enthronement ceremony is held the next day. The new pope then appears before the populace."
"The enthronement ceremony is held immediately, and a year later, the inauguration ceremony is held as a public event, right?"
"Yes, that's correct."
Graham nodded.
The delegation from the Central Countries had come for that inauguration ceremony.
For the previous pope.
"This time, it is believed that the vampires who attacked will launch further attacks."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. Because they failed to kill me."
Graham replied with a smile.
Despite his smile, Hugh found it somewhat unsettling.
(It reminds me of Ryo's smile.)
For some reason, the water-attribute mage, often referenced for his eerie smile, came to mind.
It was unfortunate for him.
"Why did they attack the church at this particular time? The church had been peaceful for the past century, hadn't it?"
"Probably because they saw the church as weakened and vulnerable after the recent inauguration ceremony."
"I see. They had been lying in wait and saw this as their chance."
Graham's explanation was easily accepted.
"More details will be provided after everything is formally decided… but this time, I intend to hold the enthronement ceremony not inside the papal palace, but in the amphitheater."
"The amphitheater, where the recent inauguration ceremony was held?"
"Yes."
Graham nodded in response to former King Roberto Pirlo's confirmation.
Although parts of the amphitheater were destroyed during the recent inauguration ceremony, thanks to the papal palace's wealth and influence, resources and personnel for the repairs were gathered from across the Western Countries, and it had been almost completely restored.
"Conducting the ceremony outdoors rather than indoors, you're deliberately setting it up for an attack, aren't you?"
"Yes."
"Graham, you're using yourself as bait, aren't you?"
"Yes."
Graham nodded in response to Hugh's question.
"Are you asking us… to help strike against the vampires?"
"Not exactly. I want the members of the delegation to attend the enthronement ceremony as they did before. If the vampires attack, please protect yourselves. Assisting the church personnel will not be necessary."
"Are you okay with that?"
"Yeah. Your presence alone will serve as a deterrent to the attackers."
With Graham's words, the three leaders fell into contemplation.
The delegation carries the weight of their home countries.
The Central Countries are expected to eventually formalize trade agreements with the Western Countries centered around the Theocracy.
They must consider this request from their prospective partner.
No one wants to endanger their subordinates.
But they also understand their roles.
Allowing emotions to dictate their actions is not permissible.
"The Union agrees."
Former King Roberto Pirlo was the first to respond.
His swift decision was likely shaped by his extensive experience in weighing the lives of himself and his subordinates.
"The Empire agrees as well."
Oscar Ruska answered almost immediately after.
For him, the decision was simpler, he trusted in his ability to protect his subordinates if it came to that.
"Haa…. The Kingdom agrees too."
Hugh McGrath answered last.
It was clear from his expression that he was reluctant.
Of course, he was deliberately showing his reluctance.
While it was true he was not enthusiastic, he could hide it if necessary.
But this time, he chose not to.
"Thank you."
Graham said, bowing his head to the three leaders.
After the delegation leaders left the office, three archbishops entered.
These were Archbishop Schlotter, Archbishop Balthasar, and Archbishop Goon, all members of Graham's faction.
And Archbishop Stefania, who had been standing behind Graham.
Facing the four archbishops, Graham announced.
"Upon my ascension as pope, Stefania, Balthasar, and Goon will be elevated to cardinals."
Balthasar and Goon bowed silently.
Only Stefania looked flustered.
Which was a rare sight.
"Schlotter, you have just become an archbishop. So you'll have to wait a little longer."
"Understood."
Young Archbishop Schlotter replied, bowing respectfully.
"Out of the twenty-one archbishops, eleven will be promoted to cardinals. Your ranking among the archbishops will also rise, Schlotter."
Graham said kindly.
However, one person was visibly uneasy…
"Your Holiness… elevating me to a cardinal is a bit…"
Stefania finally spoke up.
"A bit what? Because you're too young? When I was appointed to the Hero's Party, I became an archbishop… in terms of years of experience, you are well qualified to be a cardinal."
"But, I'm a woman…"
"A female cardinal since Pope Anna? That sounds progressive and good."
Graham said with a laugh.
"Her Holiness Anna is almost a lagend…"
"It's fine. Promoting the three of you to cardinals isn't about factions. It's necessary."
"Necessary? Could it be for our combat abilities against vampires…?"
Stefania whispered, and Graham nodded.
"As a vampire hunter, my becoming pope must be quite unfavorable for the vampires."
Graham said, smiling.
He was aware that the vampires hated him.
"If they have an opportunity to kill me, they'll want to do it as soon as possible. And doing so in front of the clergy and the delegation at the amphitheater would be highly symbolic."
The four nodded.
"Frankly, ordinary clergy cannot fight vampires. But inquisitors are different."
"Yes. I heard that the Inquisition was originally established to combat vampires."
"Exactly. Stefania, even after you become a cardinal, I want you to continue leading the Inquisition."
"Uh…"
"In the future, I plan to triple its size and make it permanently under the direct control of a cardinal."
"I understand."
Stefania now comprehended that Graham was serious about fighting the vampires.
Strengthening the organization, not just individual combat ability, was necessary.
However, that was a future plan.
With no bearing on the present.
For now, they needed immediate measures.
"Well… we suffered greatly at the Tower of Silence. This time, we will set a solid trap."
Graham said with a smile that even Stefania, who was accustomed to his expressions, found terrifying…
-x-X-x-
Extra 15
-x-X-x-
Two weeks had passed since the announcement that Graham would ascend as the next Pope following the results of the papal election.
The enthronement ceremony was about to be held in the amphitheater.
Typically, the enthronement ceremony is conducted within the Papal Palace the day after the papal election concludes.
On the third day following the election, the newly elected Pope appears before the believers donning the papal robes and crown.
However, this time, the enthronement ceremony was to be held in the amphitheater.
This was not unprecedented.
But extremely rare.
Having only occurred twice in the past three hundred years.
Moreover, this time, the delegation from the Central Countries was present as honored guests.
The delegation was seated in the front row of the audience, similar to the papal inauguration ceremony.
The difference this time was that the civil officials were absent, with only the delegation leader and their guards present.
This was because they had been informed that the assembly hall would soon become a battlefield…
"Will the vampires really come?"
Hugh McGrath, the leader of the Kingdom's delegation, murmured.
"We've seen vampires before, but we've never fought them."
Whispered Niels, the swordsman from 'Room 10'.
"The passageways leading to these seats are completely sealed off this time. The people coming from outside will enter directly to the central area, right?"
"Yes. Everyone went out of their way to climb the stairs and reach these seats."
Etho, the priest, and Amon, the swordsman of 'Room 10', were conversing.
The amphitheater had undergone thorough renovations.
Previously, it was possible to access the audience seats from the stairs, but that was no longer the case.
Thus, the audience seats were supposed to be safe, but…
Three years ago, the three members of 'Room 10', Hugh, the hero party, and a certain water-attribute magician fought against vampires and their followers.
The vampire was a 'Count' who wielded dark-attribute magic.
"I was mentally controlled back then."
Hugh recalled the memory, his face grimacing with a look of resentment.
Frankly, he hoped to avoid facing such foes in large numbers again…
However, within the Kingdom's delegation, Hugh had to take the lead.
This was because his holy sword, Galahad, had the ability to seal regeneration.
The most troublesome aspect of vampires is their ability to regenerate quickly when cut by an ordinary sword.
But with Hugh's Galahad, that regeneration could be prevented.
Therefore, he had no choice but to cut down the vampires on the front lines…
"What a hassle…"
His murmur was so faint that no one else could hear it.
The enthronement ceremony was very brief compared to the inauguration ceremony.
The next Pope would don the white papal robes and the three-tiered crown.
Then hold the 'Papal Staff', a one-meter-long staff with a white jewel.
This appearance would be shown to the clergy.
That was all.
There would be no declaration of policies or speeches.
Those would be given at a later date during a formal audience with the believers.
Due to the brevity of the enthronement ceremony, the attackers had little time to act.
It happened when Graham donned the three-tiered crown.
"They've come."
Graham muttered, looking toward the arena entrance.
Cardinal Stefania, the new cardinal, also seemed to sense it.
Taking the holy sword prepared for this occasion from Archbishop Schlotter who stood behind her.
Ten seconds later.
The doors at the arena entrance were blown off.
Riding the momentum of the explosion, numerous figures charged towards the newly crowned Pope Graham.
"What in the world is that number…?"
Hugh McGrath muttered from the audience.
Over a hundred figures were attacking.
"Over a hundred vampires?"
"We struggled so much against just one last time."
Etho murmured, while Niels looked stunned.
Indeed, roughly over a hundred vampires.
However, none of the clergy moved. No, they did not budge.
Only Graham raised his right hand.
And then forcefully swung it down.
Seeing this, Cardinal Adolfito and the other cardinals and archbishops confirmed the signal.
And began channeling their magic into the magic stones they held.
Bwoom!
A dull, low sound resonated throughout the arena.
Simultaneously, something was drawn on the ground.
"A magic circle?"
"Aren't magic circles usually round?"
"Is that… a star shape?"
From the slightly elevated audience seats, it was clearly visible.
However, neither Niels, Etho, nor Amon were confident.
Unlike the familiar circular magic circles they knew, a star-shaped magic circle, composed of straight lines, was drawn on the ground.
In fact, even Cardinal Adolfito and the others who activated the magic circle by channeling their magic power into it were not told what it was for.
However, they followed the instructions and activated it as directed.
This is because the one who created and directed the magic circle was none other than the new Pope, Graham.
All the vampires that had infiltrated the arena trembled as if struck by lightning, then collapsed unconscious.
Were they wiped out?
No.
Once again, the same number of vampires infiltrated the arena through the front entrance.
"A total of two hundred vampires? How is that even possible?"
Hugh's mutterings were audible to those around him, but no one could answer.
The number of vampires has drastically decreased.
This is a commonly accepted belief not only among the Western Countries but also among the people of the Central Countries.
Yet, the fact that they could muster a force of two hundred here suggests… this group must consist of over a thousand vampires in total.
But first, there is the immediate problem.
They managed to take down the first hundred vampires with a trap, but what to do about this second wave of a hundred vampires…
Something strange happened right in front of Hugh and the others.
First, the hundred vampires knocked down by the magic circle got back up.
Then, they attacked the hundred newly infiltrating vampires.
A fierce battle ensued among them.
"What is going on?"
No one answered Niels' question.
In fact, not only the delegation but even the clergy couldn't understand the scene before them.
Among the clergy, only one other person besides Graham understood.
"That magic circle just now… it's a puppet magic circle…"
Stefania, standing next to Graham with a sword in hand, murmured.
"Half correct. It's a collective puppet specifically for vampires. But it's still strange."
"Hm?"
"The success rate against even baron-level vampires is about fifty percent. It's not that high. But all the ones in front of us have turned into puppets. I thought the same during the fight at the Tower of Silence, are they half-baked vampires?"
"But… their movements and abilities could be considered baron-level…"
Stefania responded to Graham's words.
Stefania is the head of the Inquisition.
Which means, besides Graham, she is the clergyman who has faced vampires the most within the church.
Even from her perspective, their movements were not inferior.
"Yes… their movements are not inferior… Could they be artificially accelerated?"
"Artificially accelerated vampires… I can't even comprehend that."
"Yeah, I don't understand it myself even as I say it."
The term artificially accelerated slipped from Graham's mouth, but whether such a thing is possible is unknown.
Although a fierce internal battle was unfolding, there was no satisfaction in their expressions.
"Well then, what's next?"
"Your Eminence… no, Your Holiness, there are still enemies."
"Of course. They must have known we laid traps. They attacked us with that knowledge. They must have prepared multiple layers of attacks."
At that moment.
A shadow attacked Graham.
Clang.
Graham drew the sword from his usual cane and blocked the strike.
"Finally, the real thing."
But as he looked at the attacker, his face twisted.
"Not 'Hal', I see."
Graham muttered, his voice a mix of disappointment and relief as his expectation of the attacker he had in mind was proven wrong.
After muttering, he quickly reverted to his usual tone and spoke.
"I am Pope Graham. Who are you?"
But the attacking man did not answer.
Stefania was poised to strike at any opening… but there was none as the attacker continued pressing Graham.
It was clear he was quite skilled.
"Let me ask you again. Who are you?"
Graham inquired once more, but the man remained silent.
"Hmm. Have recent vampires lost even the ability to state their names? In the past, they would proudly declare their identities, and even we in the church, despite being their nemeses, would admire their audacity. It is lamentable to see vampires reduced to such pitiful creatures."
"You lowly wretch!"
The man, provoked by Graham's taunt, became enraged.
Graham knew well that such provocations were effective against vampires, who held immense pride.
"I am Dinu Lesco, Marquis of Sionca!"
"…A Marquis?"
Stefania murmured in surprise when Dinu Lesco announced his name.
"A marquis, huh? Quite the big shot."
Graham remarked with a sly smile.
Even for someone known as a vampire hunter like Graham, encounters with marquis-level vampires were exceedingly rare.
These individuals rarely revealed themselves.
"But, Marquis, look at what has become of your allies."
Graham pointed out the situation in the arena.
More than half of both the first hundred vampires turned into puppets by Graham and the second wave of a hundred had been defeated.
"It doesn't matter."
Dinu Lesco smiled slyly.
The reason became clear immediately.
"There's something in the sky…"
Stefania exclaimed, looking up.
Dozens of vampires were seen descending into the amphitheater from the sky.
Although they were vampires, they weren't flying as bats or with wings.
Had a certain water-attribute magician been present, he might have exclaimed;
"Gliders!".
Yes, over fifty vampires were attempting to attack from the sky using something like gliders.
The amphitheater had no roof.
It was open to the sky.
An aerial assault was entirely unexpected…
But in the audience seats, there was an exceptional fire-attribute magician.
Count Oscar Rusca, the Explosive Blaze Magician.
"
The moment he chanted, a blinding light filled the sky, forming a white curtain.
It was a curtain of scorching flames… so hot that it appeared white instead of red…
The curtain of flames engulfed the airborne vampires in an instant… evaporating them entirely.
Even vampires, with their unparalleled regenerative abilities, vanished without a trace when evaporated in an instant.
"Impossible…"
Marquis Dinu Lesco muttered as he caught sight of the scene out of the corner of his eye.
"I agree, it's unbelievable. But there are terrifying magicians in this world."
Graham said with a wry smile.
Indeed, he could only smile wryly.
Such a spell was impossible to defend against…
"Retreat!"
Dinu Lesco ordered and made a large backward leap.
Simultaneously, he pulled something from his pocket and smashed it on the ground.
A thick white smoke billowed up from the smashed object.
The surviving vampires from the second wave did the same, and the arena was quickly filled with smoke.
"Don't pursue them!"
Graham shouted immediately.
They had managed to fight advantageously this time due to the trap, but vampires were never easy opponents.
Even artificially accelerated ones…
"Your Holiness, a marquis…"
"Yeah, it was a bit surprising."
Graham nodded in response to Stefania's words.
"But in a way, it was a relief. If he was our only opponent, we could manage with proper preparations."
"Is it because he wasn't the 'Hal' you mentioned earlier?"
"You heard that."
"Yes. …Who is this 'Hal'?"
Stefania asked.
Graham hesitated before answering.
This was unusual.
It meant that even for the person he trusted most, Stefania, he was reluctant to disclose the information.
"Keep this to yourself. 'Hal' is… something like the leader of the vampires."
"A duke, or perhaps a grand duke?"
"No, not like that. He's extraordinary in all aspects… you could say he is the final evolved form of a vampire."
Graham spoke while shaking his head slightly.
He might have been picturing 'Hal' in his mind.
"In terms of swordsmanship, I don't even come close. He could defeat me as easily as twisting a baby's arm."
"No way…"
"He can wield all six attributes of magic."
"…"
"Moreover, he's a genius in alchemy."
"That sounds like a monster…"
"Indeed, a monster. The ultimate and the supreme."
Graham nodded in agreement with Stefania's involuntary exclamation.
"If the enemy this time had been that 'Hal', we would have had no choice but to surrender completely… but it wasn't. We were lucky."
"And… where is this 'Hal' now?"
"Who knows? He should be leading a bunch of vampires, but I have no idea where he is. Come to think of it… the vampires used to call 'Hal' this…"
After a pause, Graham continued.
"The True Ancestor."
-x-X-x-
Chapter 0438 Ryo and Abel are Foreigners
-x-X-x-
"Hey, Ryo, wake up."
"…No, I can't. I can't eat any more cake. I'm full… mumble mumble."
"You probably ain't gonna find no cakes here, buddy."
Was Abel's statement the deciding factor?
Ryo's eyes widened, and he literally jumped up.
He looked around.
Beside him was Abel.
The two were on a sandy beach.
In front of them, the sea stretched out.
Behind them was a forest approaching near the coast.
He was wearing his usual robe.
He wore the shoes he received from Dullahan.
Murasame, Michael's knife, and his self-made sheath were all there.
The identification plate he was told to always wear was hanging from his neck.
There didn't seem to be any particular problem.
"Phew, that's good. It seems like there's no fatal problem."
After grasping the situation, Ryo expressed relief.
"No, it's definitely a tough situation no matter how you look at it…"
Abel, by Ryo's side, seemed unable to agree with Ryo's opinion.
That's inevitable.
The world is made up of diversity.
There are people with different opinions and ways of thinking, and that basic understanding must always be kept in mind.
"Indeed… since I left my usual bag behind, I don't have salt and pepper. That is quite a situation, but I want you to bear with it. Could it be that Abel, having become a king, can no longer tolerate such things?"
"It's not like that! Besides, where even is this place?"
"It's a beach, you know? Where else could it be…"
Ryo, with a mysterious expression, tilted his head in response to Abel's unjustifiable outburst.
"Yeah, okay… I guess my way of phrasing it was wrong. Why are we here at this beach?"
"I see. Abel, you don't understand what happened at that time, do you?"
Ryo finally understood why Abel was blurting out such things.
…Or at least, he thinks he understood.
"Djinn Garwin's magic power… or rather, magic went out of control. Djinns are good at gravity manipulation magic, right? Since gravity is the bending of space, as a great physicist said, I think space was twisted and we ended up somewhere unknown."
"…Sorry, I don't get it at all."
Despite Ryo's thorough explanation, Abel didn't seem to understand….
It's difficult to make someone understand without fundamental knowledge.
It's like trying to make someone who can't do addition and subtraction understand a 10-simultaneous second-order nonlinear partial differential equation. It's impossible.
…Yeah, I don't understand a 10-simultaneous second-order nonlinear partial differential equation in the first place.
It's not something you'd normally solve.
"So, both of us were sent somewhere far away, is that it?"
"Yes, I think that's a good way to put it."
Abel said roughly, and Ryo accepted his words.
"We need to get back as soon as possible."
"Yeah. But it's going to be difficult…"
Ryo responded to Abel's words.
And then, Ryo fell silent.
Even after waiting for a while, Ryo remained silent.
Abel could see that Ryo's expression was unusually serious, deeply lost in thought.
It was different from his usual pretense of seriousness.
With as long as Abel has been with him, he can grasp that difference.
"What's wrong, Ryo?"
"Abel… I think we're going to have to throw ourselves into a fight that we can't avoid."
"What's gotten into you?"
With a serious expression, Ryo said, and Abel tilted his head in response.
Ryo stretched out his arm.
Where he was pointing was…
"The sea?"
"Yeah. Unless we stay here indefinitely, we'll eventually have to venture out into this sea."
"Yeah…"
Then Abel understood what Ryo was concerned about.
"It's a different world out there in the sea."
"Yeah…. It's said to be a world where people shouldn't venture into, even more so than the forest at night."
Abel agreed with Ryo's words.
"No one can defeat the sea monsters underwater…"
Abel muttered.
Indeed, that's natural.
In an environment completely surrounded by water, attacks with fire magic or wind magic are meaningless.
Even generating stone lances with earth-attribute magic and throwing them… would be resisted by the water.
Moreover, the water in the sea is under the control of the sea monsters…
Furthermore… there's the fundamental problem of how to breathe underwater.
"That's why water magic stones obtained from aquatic monsters command astonishingly high prices… or rather, they're rarely obtained."
"Come to think of it, I hardly ever hear about water magic stones."
Abel remarked, and Ryo nodded as he remembered.
Abel spoke while looking at Ryo's ear.
"That earring you're wearing, Ryo, that's a water magic stone, but even at that size, it costs a fortune."
"This?"
Ryo's earring was a prototype made by Viscount Kenneth Hayward of the Royal Alchemy Workshop for Abel's 'Soul Resonance'.
It was a very beautiful earring with a small, blue magic stone embedded in the center.
"The Royal Alchemy Workshop only receives about two or three of these water magic stones a year. Despite being the institution with the highest priority magic stone distribution within the Kingdom."
"Ho-hoo~."
It seemed to be a considerably rare piece of equipment…
Yes, sea monsters sink to the bottom of the sea when defeated.
That's what happened when he defeated the Bait Ball…
They sink to the bottom of the sea… not in the shallows, but further down, where it's deeper.
Certainly, even if they were to defeat sea monsters, it would be impossible to retrieve the magic stones.
"But… if we don't defeat that guy, we won't be able to leave, right?"
"That guy?"
"Yeah. Our common archenemy."
"We have an archenemy?"
Abel tilted his head at Ryo's words.
"It easily took control of my magic and sank the ship you were on into the sea…"
"…Oh, the Kraken, huh. Wonder if it's here too."
It was off the coast of Rondo Forest.
It's uncertain if it's here.
Of course, it would be a different one, but… when crossing the sea, one can't ignore that giant squid.
"Of course, it would be great if it let us pass easily… But from what I learned in the Western Countries, Krakens actively attack those who invade their territory. It's probably best to consider the possibility of a fight."
"For real…"
Even Ryo, who had fought a deadly battle against the legendary djinn, couldn't defeat a Kraken underwater.
Because in the water, he would lose control over water.
What would happen if he lost control over water?
He couldn't defend with
He couldn't attack with
He couldn't even swim.
And might even be crushed by the seawater…
In other words, he wouldn't be able to put up a fight…
But they might have to defeat such a colossal opponent…
For Ryo and Abel to survive.
From that day on, Ryo began days of contemplation and experimentation.
He spent all day staring at the sea.
Usually, or previously, Abel might have complained, but he didn't now.
He understood that Ryo wasn't slacking off but was earnestly trying to find a way to overcome their current predicament.
Occasionally, Ryo would go to the water's edge and create something with water-attribute magic.
But he never went into the sea.
When Abel asked for "Salt", Ryo would produce it from seawater.
When Abel asked for "Water", Ryo would generate it in an ice pot or an ice jug.
When Abel asked for a "Shower", Ryo would make fine rain fall on him.
The rest of the time, Ryo spent thinking and experimenting.
Abel swung his sword, trained his body, and went into the forest to gather animals and fruits.
Yes, animals, not monsters.
Once, he saw a rabbit monster, but it ran away at an incredible speed.
It seemed there weren't many strong monsters in the forest near the coast.
After a while, Ryo started making something big.
As usual, it was made of ice.
Abel didn't understand what it was and figured Ryo would tell him when it was finished, so he didn't ask questions.
He swung his sword, gathered food, and cooked.
They had completely divided their roles.
However, it seemed that Ryo wasn't necessarily making progress.
One morning, he rushed to the sea with great excitement, but by the evening when Abel returned, he was surprisingly downcast.
Abel guessed something hadn't gone well. Without saying anything, he cooked dinner and ate with Ryo in silence.
Abel believed that when someone is truly struggling, they don't want anyone to talk to them…
After eating and sleeping for a night, Ryo was back to his usual self.
"I will definitely avenge you, Rondo!", he shouted, but Abel didn't understand what he meant.
After that, the balance shifted overwhelmingly from thinking to experimenting.
And more towards alchemy than magic.
Given Abel's position as king, he often interacted with Viscount Kenneth Hayward of the Royal Alchemy Workshop.
He would sometimes invite Kenneth to the royal castle for lectures.
And had seen the detailed process of creating alchemy tools.
Sometimes, magic formulas or magic circles are directly drawn on the alchemy tools themselves, while other times, they are inscribed on something like a stone tablet and then 'transferred' to the alchemy tools.
Abel knew there were mainly these two methods.
So, when he saw Ryo drawing what seemed to be magic formulas on ice slabs and then 'transferring' them, he wasn't surprised.
Incidentally, what Ryo was ultimately transferring the formulas to was the sheath of the knife he always wore at his waist.
Made from the tanned hide of a boar or a bear, Abel knew that Ryo cherished this knife.
Ryo was engraving the sheath with alchemy…
About ten days later.
Abel was called by Ryo to the beach.
There, Abel found…
"Wh…what is this…?"
"Hehehe. Are you surprised? This is our trump card, the Rondo-class second ship, Neil Andersen!"
Before him was a submarine.
It was technically a submersible in size, but to Ryo, it was a decisive weapon, so he called it a submarine.
"Ten meters long, three meters high, two-person crew. Weight and displacement unknown. Named after the alchemist who helped me, Neil-san."
Ryo explained happily, patting the transparent ice submarine.
He seemed very pleased with its craftsmanship.
In size, it was about as big as a tanker truck you might see on Earth, the kind that transports gasoline.
The upper structure of the submarine, the sail, which allows for entry and extends the periscope;
Was absent in Ryo's design.
It was shaped like a bullet, similar to a missile or torpedo.
With a slightly pointed front.
Looking closely, Abel could see something like seats inside the front part of the submarine.
Since everything, including the walls and seats, was made of transparent ice, it was faintly visible.
"I see… You mentioned this is the second ship. What happened to the first…?"
Abel asked, and Ryo replied with a sad look on his face.
"The Rondo-class first ship, Rondo… unfortunately, during the experimental phase, it was lost to the sea…"
"Lost to the sea…"
"It was taken by the sea monster… Kraken. It seized control of my magic and dragged it to the bottom of the sea."
"O-oh… so there's a Kraken here as well?"
Ryo explained tearfully… and Abel, not knowing what to say, nodded and murmured his thoughts.
"Hmm? If that's what happened to the first ship, will the second one… be okay?"
"Of course! The major difference is that the second ship is created through alchemy."
"…Huh?"
"That's why it's named after the alchemist Neil Andersen."
Ryo seemed very pleased.
Abel, still confused, decided to ask for clarification.
"The first ship… was made with your water-attribute magic, right? But this second ship was made with alchemy. I'm sorry, but I don't understand the difference… how are they different?"
Abel's question was valid.
Unless you were a magician or alchemist, the difference wouldn't be clear.
Even a king, who needed much more knowledge and discernment than the average person, might not grasp it.
"Magic is… well, you know it, right?"
Ryo said and cast a spell.
"
Next to the second ship, Neil Andersen, another submarine of similar size and almost identical appearance was created.
"Like this, it's an easy and simple creation with water-attribute magic."
"Yes, I see…"
Abel nodded, although he was slightly uncomfortable with the words 'easy and simple'.
Needless to say, for an ordinary magician, this was neither easy nor simple…
"However, with this method, powerful sea monsters can seize control of the magic, taking over the submarine."
Ryo seemed to be recalling a past experience.
Explaining with a regretful expression.
"But! If we use alchemy to generate it, the magic control can't be rewritten and hijacked afterward. That's because it's defined by magic formulas and magic circles. It's similar to how, in computer programming, the compiled product can be tinkered with by the user, but as long as the source code itself isn't rewritten, it's safe!"
"Hmm… yeah, I'm completely lost."
Abel said, shaking his head slightly at Ryo's explanation.
However, it wasn't as if he couldn't understand at all.
"The magic control of things generated by alchemy can't be hijacked. Because, at the stage before generation, it's written in magic formulas or magic circles… it's defined there, so unless you rewrite it from there, parts like ownership or usage… those aspects can't be changed externally. Is that the right understanding?"
"Yes, yes. That's correct. As expected of Abel."
Ryo nodded in satisfaction at Abel's understanding.
Perhaps this was due to Abel's position as a 'king', requiring him to make decisions even without specialized knowledge.
He seemed to have developed a sort of special skill to grasp the gist of things he didn't understand… at least, that's how it appeared to Ryo.
"Where is this alchemical magic formula written…?"
"This time, it's engraved on the sheath of my knife."
Ryo answered, showing the knife's sheath to Abel.
Abel looked at the indicated sheath but…
"It looks incredibly small?"
It only appeared as scratches on the sheath.
The magic formula seemed to be very minutely inscribed.
"Yes, yes, that's the convenience of it. Kenneth taught me this before."
Ryo answered happily.
Viscount Kenneth Hayward, whom Ryo had arbitrarily dubbed his alchemy mentor, was said to be one of the most brilliant alchemists of the current era.
"You mentioned this time… but there are cases where it's directly engraved on a magic stone, right?"
"Yes. When you want to supply magic power directly from the magic stone, it's very convenient. But engraving it so it doesn't break… it's quite difficult, especially for small magic circles."
It seemed there were various approaches even within alchemy.
"Ryo, your alchemy skills… have really progressed."
"Hmm, but I still think I have a long way to go."
Ryo responded, shaking his head slightly at Abel's expression of admiration and amazement.
"Creating things with alchemy instead of magic. Fundamentally, it's not difficult.
Ryo chanted, and a small flute appeared in his right hand.
"This is a flute for calling Grigri in the Rondo Forest. And this is alchemy."
Ryo said, taking out something resembling a shell in his left hand and channeling magic through it.
The shell emitted a soft alchemy glow, and a small flute identical to the one in his right hand materialized beside it.
"This flute on the left is one I made during practice. As long as it's properly defined, you can create with alchemy what can be generated with magic."
"I see…"
Abel nodded in agreement.
Although he had no idea what Grigri was, he assumed it was some kind of pet.
"By the way, the 'lamppost' alchemy tools in the city. Those seem like they reproduce the light-attribute magic of the priests with alchemy tools, right?"
"Oh, yes. I heard that too. Since the temple monopolizes its manufacture, the temple's income is stable."
"Y-Yeah… It sounds somewhat questionable when put like that, but… thanks to that, the priests can heal the wounds and illnesses of the town's people for free."
"The person who thought up that system might be a genius…"
Both Abel and Ryo were impressed in their own ways.
After their admiration, Ryo continued his explanation.
"A submarine's mechanism itself is relatively simple. It sinks by taking in seawater and surfaces by expelling seawater. It moves forward and backward by turning the screw and maneuvers up, down, left, and right by steering."
To manufacture something that could continuously operate underwater without magic, under constant water pressure.
It required quite advanced metallurgical technology.
"The Rondo-class operates with
"Oh, I see… And… is it right to perceive that vehicle as a submarine?"
"Yes, yeah, that's right. With this, we can dive into the sea."
Abel asked, and Ryo answered.
Submarines, unlike ships, were not yet present in the kingdom.
"In a nutshell, magic is about imagery. If we can define that imagery entirely through formulas, numbers, or language, then anything that can be created with magic can also be created with alchemy."
"I see. That's amazing. So, why are you dissatisfied?"
"Because what I'm aiming for lies far beyond this!"
"Huh?"
"My goal is to create a golem army!"
"Wait, what?"
Abel was baffled by Ryo's declaration.
"You mean like… the artificial golems of the Union?"
"No, not at all. I'm talking about an army of ten thousand ice golems that can be summoned and dismissed anytime, anywhere, through alchemy! With this, the Debuhi Empire wouldn't be able to act so high and mighty!"
"Yeah… you could probably conquer not just the Empire, but the entire Central Countries… and even the Western Countries with that."
Abel replied, half-amused, half-exasperated by Ryo's bold declaration.
Safe to say he didn't take it seriously at all.
Creating battlefield golems, even metallic ones that can't be summoned and dismissed freely, was extremely difficult without foundational research.
Even the genius alchemist Viscount Kenneth Hayward struggled with this.
"Yes, meeting the requirement of 'enduring battlefield use' is remarkably challenging. For any kind of creation… It's an aspect I need to consider very thoroughly."
Ryo said, starting to ponder.
"Ryo, let's focus on the submarine first, okay?"
Abel hastily interrupted.
Suggesting that golems could wait.
"You're right. So, Abel, shall we board now?"
"Wait, I'm coming too…?"
"I told you earlier, didn't I? The crew consists of two people. You need to listen more carefully."
"Oh… yeah, I guess this is just so incredible that I couldn't process everything."
"Right! That's completely understandable!"
Ryo replied cheerfully.
Reactions can change drastically with a single word.
"Don't worry. The outer shell is based on
"Oh… yeah, that would be terrifying."
Abel shuddered at the thought, which hadn't crossed his mind before…
Venturing into the open sea.
That meant trusting Ryo's magic and alchemy skills completely.
"Of course, I trust you, Ryo."
Abel declared confidently.
Ryo led the way and touched the side of the second Rondo-class vessel, Neil Andersen, with his right hand.
A person-sized entryway opened on its side.
"Let's go inside."
"Alright."
Ryo entered first, followed by Abel.
Once inside, the entryway closed behind them.
The interior had two seats arranged front and back.
Resembling the cockpit of a two-seater fighter plane.
The rear seat was slightly elevated to ensure a clear forward view even when someone was seated in the front.
"The front seat is mine, and the back seat is yours."
Ryo explained, as Abel examined his assigned seat.
The ice chair seemed a bit hard…
"Please bear with it. This isn't meant for a luxurious passenger trip. it's a decisive weapon."
"Got it."
Abel nodded in agreement to Ryo's words.
And sat down in his seat.
A U-shaped ice bar descended from above, securing Abel from his shoulders to his waist to prevent him from being thrown forward.
It was a safety bar Ryo designed based on amusement park roller coasters.
With this in place, Abel wouldn't be thrown from his seat no matter how the submarine moved.
Between Abel's legs, a control stick protruded.
"What's this?"
Abel asked, unfamiliar with the device.
"That's a control stick. It allows you to steer this vessel."
"Steer? Me?"
"Yeah. I'll be piloting from the front seat most of the time, but you can control it from your seat as well. However, it's usually locked to prevent any accidental tampering."
"Got it…"
Abel said, swallowing nervously.
"Hey, this vessel… it is a ship, right? The ship is pretty long at the back. But when I looked inside, there wasn't anything loaded, was there?"
"Right. The rear is filled with air."
"Air? Hmm?"
Abel seemed not to fully grasp the concept.
He should understand the concept of air itself.
It had come up in various conversations while he was in the Central Countries before…
However, there seemed to be something he couldn't quite accept or understand.
Perhaps humans find it very difficult to comprehend things that are invisible.
Typically, submarines submerge by taking in seawater into internal tanks and rise by expelling the seawater from the tanks.
However, there's a technical difficulty in this.
Submerging is easy, but the problem lies in expelling the seawater from the tanks when surfacing.
The outside of the submarine is the sea. Filled with seawater.
Always under pressure.
Some kind of 'force' is needed to push the water out.
Such as pumping it out.
How does Ryo's Rondo-class handle this?
Since it uses alchemy, the structure is made as simple as possible.
The 'tank' section from the middle to the rear of the vessel is essentially a double-walled structure with an inner and outer wall.
However, it does not take in seawater from outside.
When submerging, the inner wall contracts, compressing the air inside.
The space between the inner and outer walls is filled with water generated through alchemy, causing the vessel to sink.
Conversely, when surfacing, the inner wall expands, the compressed air returns to normal pressure.
And the alchemically generated water between the inner and outer walls is reduced or eliminated, allowing the vessel to rise.
This is a variant… of the method using compressed air employed in many submarines.
On Earth, submarines typically use the force of compressed air returning to its original state to expel the water from the tanks…
Often dramatized in movies with commands like "Blow the main tanks!".
The Rondo-class, whether the first ship using magic or the second ship using alchemy, shares the same basic structure.
The problem of 'ice floats on water' was solved by making the ice denser.
It's known even on Earth that ice created under high pressure and extremely low temperatures can sink… this application of common physics was used.
The real challenge was doing everything with alchemy.
The need to recreate a 'submarine' generated by
Meant writing 'everything' in magic formulas and magic circles.
This turned out to be a more troublesome task than anticipated.
Reflecting on the second artificial intelligence boom on Earth… one of its core components, the expert system, failed because it couldn't 'describe all the necessary information'.
Consider, for instance, an 'expert' pottery artist recognized as a living national treasure.
If one wanted to replicate the artist's skill using AI and robots.
One would need to program 'all' the necessary information.
Nothing could be left out.
However, this is impossible.
The potter unconsciously adjusts to a plethora of information beyond their conscious awareness, and this information isn't passed on to the artificial intelligence.
For example, the day's temperature, humidity, the dryness of the clay, the ratio of ingredients, and even the temperature of the water used to wet their hands… might be factors the potter adjusts to unconsciously.
They adapt their perception and body, unconsciously.
These unconscious adjustments mean the programmers aren't informed about all necessary data… so the AI doesn't account for them…
Leading to failure.
However, overcoming such failures, the third AI boom succeeded by using big data and deep learning to allow the AI itself to gather the necessary information through learning.
Proving that it is difficult for humans to describe 'all' necessary information manually.
But Ryo did it. He managed it.
The result is the second ship, the Neil Anderson.
Abel, seated, was looking around.
And murmured.
"It's amazing that I can see everything around me."
There was a hint of excitement in his voice.
Which Ryo sensed.
Indeed, the entire submarine was made of ice, allowing for a full panoramic view.
"Yeah! That's the major difference from a normal submarine. Regular submarines don't have any windows due to the pressure underwater, making it impossible to visually check the surroundings. At best, they rely on sonar for graphical imaging. But with the Rondo-class, you can directly see your surroundings!"
Abel heard terms like water pressure and graphical imaging but didn't fully understand them.
Nonetheless, he was eager to set off to sea.
Feeling the excitement building up.
The ocean's depths are said to be even more forbidding than a forest at night.
While Abel knew this.
It didn't dampen his curiosity about what lay beneath the waves.
He was familiar with deep rivers.
And knew fish swam there, but he sensed that the sea was a different world altogether…
Ryo also noticed Abel's growing excitement.
Naturally.
Because Abel was an adventurer at heart.
With a smile, Ryo took his seat in the front cockpit.
Yup, in Ryo's mind, his seat was the cockpit. Regardless of what anyone else said.
Of course, there were no instruments or gauges…
Ryo sat in his cockpit and lowered his safety bar.
Then, placed his hands into the console.
Which was like a hand massager, enveloping his hands completely.
It was different from Abel's control stick.
"Ryo… your setup is different from this control stick thing I have."
"Yeah. From here, I can also operate the weapons."
"Weapons?"
"We are going to avenge the first ship, Rondo. We aren't just going out there to be defeated again!"
Ryo spoke with determination and continued.
"Alright, let's go. Rondo-class second vessel, Neil Andersen, launch!"
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