On the eleventh day since setting sail.
The transport fleet had progressed without incident.
That meant that out of the three days when an attack was anticipated, two had passed uneventfully.
Today, another tea party is being held on the upper deck.
Although it is called a 'tea' party, coffee is being served.
It is the special blend from the Blue Jade Inn, brewed by Ryo.
Gathered around the table today are Ryo, Abel, the head of the guard, Bansox, and the transport fleet's marine commander, Rajaton.
Rajaton took a sip, showing a look of happiness, but soon after, his expression soured again.
Everyone knew it wasn't because the coffee wasn't to his taste.
"By the transport fleet's prediction, we thought yesterday, the tenth day, had the highest chance of an attack."
"Yes, that's correct. Now, with only the fourteenth day left, we can concentrate our defenses there. This isn't a favorable situation for the attackers. Thus, we thought they would most likely attack in the middle. The next likely day was the fourth day when we might not have been accustomed to sailing yet… but…"
"Nothing happened on either day."
Bansox confirmed, Rajaton provided the fleet's view, and Abel nodded in agreement.
Of course, the best outcome would be to reach the capital without any attack.
However… constantly being on guard for a possible attack is undoubtedly exhausting.
"What's the basis for those three anticipated attack spots?"
Abel asked.
As a king, he was eager to gain even a little experience in naval warfare from this trip, so he asked actively.
"There are islands near the route that are easy for the attacking fleet to hide behind on those three spots. In land combat terms, it would be like terrain that's easy to place ambushes in."
"I see."
Rajaton explained, likely because he knew Abel was a swordsman.
With the explanation relating to land combat.
Abel seemed to understand easily.
"So that's why we use a circular formation."
"Circle? Oh, the fleet does indeed form a circle. In the archipelago region, we don't specifically call it that, but your reasoning is correct. Those three spots pose a high risk of attack from all directions, so our ship arrangement reflects that."
Preparing for an ambush is quite a task.
"Tomorrow, we will resupply in the city of Jushita, but we can't leave the ship, can we?"
"No, I apologize… The crew will have to, but everyone else… including the princess and the guards, please remain on board."
Bansox confirmed, and Rajaton nodded.
That seemed to have been pre-decided.
"If we disembark… unnecessary trouble will surely arise."
Ryo muttered, imagining a typical light novel scenario.
Abel gave Ryo a sidelong glance.
Ryo noticed and questioned him.
"Abel, do you have something to say?"
"No, not really…"
Abel intentionally looked away in response to Ryo's question.
"If you have something to say, you should speak up."
"I just thought Ryo might want such trouble to arise. Don't mind me."
"How rude! I don't wish for trouble that would inconvenience many people."
"But if it wouldn't inconvenience others and only affect you?"
"Well, I wouldn't mind handling it alone."
"Knew it!"
"W-well, it's… not so much for killing time, but for adding color to life, a bit of variety…"
Ryo became flustered.
He didn't want to involve others, but if it were just him… maybe a little trouble wouldn't be so bad…
"No, if something happens, it won't just be Ryo-san's problem. The marines would have to respond too."
"And us guards. Both Ryo-san and Abel-san are adventurers hired by the Blue Jade Trading Company."
"I-Indeed…"
Rajaton and Bansox gently but firmly warned Ryo. He accepted it.
However…
"See! Because of Abel's strange comment, now everyone's worried!"
"Is it my fault?"
Ryo needed to reprimand Abel too.
Even though everyone understood… it was Ryo's comment that was the issue.
On the twelfth day.
After being warned, Ryo behaved during the stopover in Jushita.
No, of course, he didn't intend to cause trouble even if he hadn't been warned.
He sat on the upper deck, reading an alchemy book while drinking Blue Jade Inn's special blend coffee on an ice-cushioned chair, just like during the voyage.
That alone was already a supreme joy.
And then, finally!
"Hehehe… I finally understand. I've finally grasped it."
The joy welled up inside Ryo, making him tremble with excitement.
Beside him, Abel, who had also been reading a book, looked at him with suspicion and said;
"What's with the creepy laugh?"
"I'm in such a good mood right now that I'll forgive your rude remark, Abel."
Uncharacteristically magnanimous, Ryo nodded and brushed off Abel's comment.
Then, he thrust the alchemy book he had been reading in front of Abel.
"It's the technique that repaired your armor."
"Oh… the armor shop in Manyamya, right? My armor was in tatters, but it came back looking brand new… that was impressive."
"Yeah. The book, recommended by the armorer, explains the foundational techniques of alchemy, as well as their application in other fields. I understand it now!"
"That's amazing."
Ryo spoke with delight, and Abel praised him honestly.
Seeing Ryo's dedication and focus always impressed Abel.
Engaging in something doesn't always guarantee the desired outcome.
You might not acquire the technique you wanted.
But still, Ryo pursued it diligently.
Such a person is a rare asset, Abel thought.
And Ryo was one of those people.
They often exchanged banter, but it was all out of genuine respect.
There was no falsehood in their relationship.
"The term 'restoration' might make one think of turning back time, but that's not the case."
Ryo spoke joyfully, almost as if giving a speech.
Abel listened in silence.
"The technique involves rejoining the severed edges of structure cut by a sword. So, for example, if it's burned to charcoal or dissolved by acid, repair becomes quite difficult. But since it was mostly sword cuts this time, it could be repaired in a day. Still, considering the repeated process, repairing that many cuts in one day is impressive… that armorer must be highly skilled in alchemy."
"Uh… I don't fully understand, but… can you do the repairs now, Ryo?"
"Ugh… I understand it, but understanding and applying it is different. If I study deeper and practice… I might be able to do it…"
Ryo replied, his mouth forming a pout.
There is a big gap between understanding and application.
"I see. I believe you can achieve it someday, Ryo."
"Leave it to me. I'll make it happen!"
Abel expressed his expectations, and Ryo nodded happily.
If it became possible, Abel could have his leather armor repaired anytime.
Ryo, on the other hand, would acquire a new alchemy technique he loved.
It was a win-win situation… probably.
Five hours after docking at Jushita.
The fleet, including the Bashteek and twenty escort ships, set sail, having completed loading all cargo.
Nothing happened during the stopover.
"That was good."
"Indeed, it was good, but…"
"What is it, Abel? You seem to imply that it would've been better if there had been trouble. If something happened, the guards and marines would have a hard time."
"That's what you were told, Ryo."
Abel shook his head in exasperation.
"I was just thinking, with only the fourteenth day left… what the attackers, the Suje Kingdom, are planning."
Abel's concern was valid.
Ryo understood that too.
"In strategy, there's a saying to avoid the strong and strike the weak. In battle, it's wise to avoid well-prepared forces and attack those that are vulnerable. As we approach the fourteenth day, the transport fleet will increasingly focus on defenses."
"…Ryo, you say complicated things sometimes."
"It's written in 'The Art of War', a famous military treatise."
"How do you know about such a book?"
"I read it in my hometown's library. It's fascinating."
"I'm more interested in the fact that your hometown's library has military treatises…"
'The Art of War' was one of the books Ryo devoured in middle school.
Along with Machiavelli, it had steered Ryo towards a path of historical study.
Until then, he had aspired to be a theoretical physicist, but these books changed his life direction…
Books indeed hold immense power.
"…What is the Suje Kingdom's military thinking?"
"Yeah. I have no idea."
"Perhaps… after all this build-up, they might not attack at all…"
"What do you mean by build-up…?"
"I understand that not being attacked is the best outcome, but still…"
"Well… Let's focus on the fourteenth day."
And on the fourteenth day… there was no attack.
-x-X-x-
It was the fifteenth day.
"Yesterday… we weren't attacked."
"Yeah…"
Today, Ryo and Abel were on the upper deck.
Neither of them was reading; they were sitting and drinking coffee.
They knew that Marine Commander Rajaton would be coming to explain things later, so a large ice table had been set up, and coffee had been made in a larger-than-usual coffee press.
Just as they took their second sip, Marine Commander Rajaton and Guard Captain Bansox arrived and sat down.
Rajaton let out a big sigh.
A mix of fatigue from not understanding the situation and relief from passing through a critical point without incident.
"Here, please have some coffee, Rajaton-san, Bansox-san."
Ryo offered them the special blend coffee from the Blue Jade Inn.
"Thank you."
"Oh, it looks delicious."
Rajaton and Bansox accepted the coffee happily and took their first sip.
"Ahh…"
A satisfied sigh escaped their lips simultaneously.
Ryo felt content watching that scene.
"I feel like the ship's speed has slowed down a bit today."
Abel commented.
Indeed, compared to yesterday, the ship seemed slower.
"Oh, yeah. In this part of the route towards the capital, we face a headwind. Of course, we can move forward using wind magic, but it is slower compared to having a tailwind."
"I see, so that's how it is."
Rajaton explained, and Abel nodded.
"When we have a tailwind, we proceed using only the wind caught by the sails without using wind magic… it's faster that way. The power of nature is great."
Rajaton added with a smile.
At that moment.
The sound of bells echoed through the fleet.
"What is that?"
Abel asked, and Ryo looked around.
The bells were coming from the escort ship ahead of the fleet.
"An attack? Here?"
Rajaton muttered as he stood up and shouted.
"Prepare for an enemy attack! Marines to the upper deck!"
"Damn! Okay, guards to the upper deck too!"
Bansox also shouted.
He then turned towards Captain Dao and shouted.
"Dao, as planned!"
"Understood! "
Captain Dao shouted back.
They could hear Dao shouting orders to her subordinates.
"Protect the princess in the captain's cabin. The guards will handle it."
They had pre-arranged procedures for such scenarios.
Finally, Bansox turned to Ryo and Abel and said,
"If the Suje Kingdom soldiers board, we need your help. Fight with us."
"Of course."
"Leave it to us."
Both Abel and Ryo nodded without hesitation.
By then, the table and chairs were already gone.
This place would soon become a battlefield.
Ryo looked around.
But the enemy appeared only from the front.
Naturally.
There were no suitable islands around to hide ambushes.
They had thought they wouldn't be attacked because of this…
However, being between large islands meant the sea was not very wide.
It wasn't narrow enough to be called a strait, but…
In other words, unless there was a magic bombardment from land, they didn't have to worry about an attack from the side.
Only from the front or back.
It would have been difficult for the enemy to come around from behind too.
So, for now.
They only needed to pay attention to the front…
Ryo leaned forward from the bow of the Bashteek, looking ahead.
Abel, Guard Captain Bansox, and Captain Dao, who had finished giving orders, also came running up behind him.
"What is that…?"
It was a mutter from someone.
Finally, they could clearly see the enemy fleet approaching from the front. The ships were very different from the escort ships of the Manyamya stationed fleet.
And, of course, different from the Bashteek.
"Are those… oars sticking out from the ship? A galley ship?"
To Ryo, it looked like a galley ship.
But there were supposed to be no galleys in the Central Countries or even in this archipelago region…
Captain Dao was surprised by Ryo's mutter.
"Galley…could it be a galley ship? A ship that became obsolete over four hundred years ago."
"Eh? Captain Dao, do you know what that is?"
"Ryo-san, you mentioned galley ship, didn't you?"
"Yes… they supposedly existed in my homeland a long time ago…I've never actually seen one though."
On Earth, the Battle of Lepanto was almost the last naval battle involving galleys.
Galleys were unsuitable for high seas with rough waves.
They were limited to enclosed seas like the Mediterranean and the Baltic Sea, where Vikings roamed.
Well, this archipelago region did have many islands, so the waves were quite calm.
"In the past, when wind magic wasn't as common as it is now, and when slavery existed, these ships were used as warships."
"Oh…I've heard of them. They were ships that relied on slaves to function, right? Why would anyone revive such ships now?"
Captain Dao explained, and Bansox nodded, recalling what he had heard.
"Isn't it incredibly fast?"
Abel murmured.
"Indeed, they have a tailwind, but… they're unbelievably fast. Are they using galleys to increase speed? Their masts and sails are as large as modern ships."
Bansox replied, nodding.
"It's more like a galleass than a galley? Compared to a Venetian galleass…it's incredibly sleek. It defies the conventional wisdom that galleasses are slow."
Ryo murmured, but no one responded to his comment.
As they didn't understand it.
Naturally. After all, Venetian galleasses aren't common knowledge… they're ships filled with romance!
"We're going to collide!"
Just as Ryo said this, five galleass ships from the Suje Kingdom collided with the lead escort ship of the transport fleet.
Before the collision, arrows, and magic were launched at the galleass ships from the transport fleet, but they seemed to have no effect.
"They've stopped moving?"
Bansox muttered.
"There are two tactics for galley ships. Boarding and ramming. Given their speed, it's the latter. Ramming…a ram attack. The purpose of a ram attack is simple…"
The galleass ships began to back away.
Not as fast as they charged, but still at considerable speed.
"They're rowing backward with wind magic."
"They move pretty quickly both forward and backward."
Ryo observed, and Abel agreed.
As the galleass ships retreated, the transport fleet's vanguard experienced a sudden change.
"Oh no…they're starting to sink."
"The goal of a ram attack is to create a hole in the ship."
Ryo said bitterly in response to Bansox's observation.
Galleys and galleass ships have a ram at their bow.
A sharp, underwater protrusion.
They charge at high speed, driving the ram into the enemy ship to create a hole and sink it.
That's a ram attack.
Uh? How to prevent it?
Basically, there's no way.
The only solution is to strike before being struck.
Of the five galleass ships that launched the ram attack, one couldn't retract its ram and was engaging in a boarding battle, throwing ropes to the enemy ship.
Four galleass ships from the Suje Kingdom were retreating.
But behind them, more ships from the Suje Kingdom were approaching.
These weren't galleass ships but looked similar to the escort ships of the Manyamya stationed fleet.
No oars.
However, they were likely using wind-attribute magic in addition to the tailwind.
Moving quickly past the retreating galleass ships.
Without slowing down, they moved to the outer edges of the transport fleet.
"Defensive formation!"
"Prepare for boarding!"
Voices shouted from the ships on the wings of the transport fleet, including the Bashteek.
However…
"They're not boarding, just passing through?"
Bansox said suspiciously.
Captain Dao seemed to share his confusion. Tilting her head slightly.
"They intend to circle behind us."
"A flanking maneuver…"
Abel said, and Ryo murmured.
The Suje Kingdom's navy moved quickly.
Some ships in the transport fleet noticed their intent but were flanked before they could react.
"We're surrounded."
Abel muttered. Bansox, Captain Dao, and Ryo all nodded.
But the fleet behind didn't attack.
They just lined up in an orderly fashion.
"If we try to escape, they'll chase us?"
"Probably. The main force is in front."
Bansox replied to Captain Dao's open question.
"They're peeling us like an onion…"
"Huh?"
Abel looked puzzled at Ryo's murmur.
Though he could see from Ryo's expression that he wasn't making a frivolous remark…
"They peel us layer by layer from the outside. When surrounded, everyone except the outermost layer becomes a reserve force. Unable to join the fight. The first step in tactics is to avoid creating reserves, but we failed right from the start."
"I get what you mean."
"The Suje Kingdom's navy will place its main force in front, and sink the transport fleet one by one. They will simply repeat this process, sinking any ships that come out to meet them head-on. Like peeling an onion layer by layer. Until they reach the core."
"So, the Bashteek is the core of the onion, huh?"
Abel nodded at Ryo's explanation.
The Suje Kingdom's navy goal was simple.
And their strategy was simple too.
Simple strategies are hard to counter.
Because there's little room for confusion.
"We've been on the defensive from the start… if we don't do something, the situation will remain dire."
"Indeed."
Four ships of the transport fleet that took the initial ram attack were sinking, taking on water through the holes below the waterline.
The crew and marines were jumping into the sea, swimming to other ships.
These seamen were resilient.
In fact, human casualties might be minimal.
However, there was one galleass ship, unable to retract its deeply embedded ram.
And it had engaged in a boarding battle with the escort ship from the transport fleet…
A brutal fight was unfolding on the deck.
"It can't be helped, but…the morale of the marines and the escort ship crew…"
"Yeah, they're trying to muster their courage, but it's tough."
Ryo and Abel exchanged their opinions in low voices.
Up until yesterday, they had been under immense tension, relieved that there was no attack. And now, today…they were attacked.
To make matters worse, they were caught off guard.
Sunk by unfamiliar ships, and boarded by elite enemies…
It would be difficult for anyone not to waver under such circumstances.
At that moment, Ryo and Abel noticed a commotion spreading from the stern of the Bashteek.
Bansox and Captain Dao turned around as well…
"Princess?"
They muttered in unison.
Princess Iliaja walked slowly towards the bow of the ship.
The bow was high and curved upwards.
Both the bow and stern were higher than the center part of the ship.
Though the ratio was smaller compared to the previous generation of ships like carracks, standing at the bow of a galleon made her visible to the other ships.
"I cannot remain in a safe place while you all fight for me."
"But, Princess…"
The one trying to stop her was Rajaton, the marine commander who had followed her.
"That position is clearly visible from other ships. You'll be targeted."
"I understand that. But still…"
The crew of the other ships began to notice Princess Iliaja standing at the bow of the Bashteek.
"Princess!" Princess Iliaja! Voices echoed to the Bashteek.
On some ships, people were even kneeling…
Naturally, the exiles from the Suje Kingdom, who had followed her, were already on their knees.
"If exposing myself raises morale, then I wish to stay here."
Princess Iliaja's voice wasn't loud.
And this was a battlefield.
Her voice couldn't reach the distant ships.
However…
"Long live the Princess!"
"Princess Iliaja!"
"If we flee here, the people of Komakyuta will laugh at us!"
"In the name of the Manyamya Stationed Fleet!"
Such words spread.
The voices were…
"Long live Princess Iliaja!"
The sentiment unified into that single phrase.
It didn't matter if she was the princess of a former enemy nation.
Her willingness to expose herself to danger to raise morale touched the hearts of the seamen and seawomen.
"Ryo-san, can you protect me with your ice?"
With a smile, Princess Iliaja asked Ryo as she stood at the very tip of the bow.
"Of course.
Ryo chanted, and a transparent ice wall surrounded the bow.
"I've covered the bow with an ice wall. Please watch over everyone's efforts."
The Suje Kingdom's navy might try to snipe Princess Iliaja.
But the ice wall would repel arrows and magic attacks.
"People don't follow a king's words; they follow his actions."
"Abel-san?"
Princess Iliaja called out in response to Abel's murmur.
"If you want people to follow you, you must constantly show them a figure they can support. It's reckless, but I believe your actions are right, Princess."
"Thank you."
Princess Iliaja bowed her head in gratitude to Abel.
Abel was a king.
He had served for over three years.
Before that, he had led half the country, defeated the enemy, and liberated the kingdom…
His words carried weight, backed by his experience.
Meanwhile, the Suje Kingdom's galleass ships launched a second attack…
Four more escort ships of the transport fleet were holed and sank.
Bringing the total to eight sunk and one engaged in boarding combat.
Excluding the Bashteek, the number of escort ships was reduced to eleven.
But the morale of the surviving ships was high.
This was due to Princess Iliaja's presence.
Crew and marines who escaped the sunken ships were being pulled up onto the Bashteek.
The escort ships guarding the sides of the Bashteek moved to the front to protect the Bashteek, and thus Princess Iliaja…
"The enemy has four ramming ships in front, eight other ships. And six deployed to the rear."
Abel murmured, counting the enemy ships.
"They backed far away for the ramming."
"They need a long run-up to build speed for the ram."
Bansox and Captain Dao conversed.
The four galleass ships that executed the second ram attack were retreating backward without turning around.
They were rowing backward and using wind-attribute magic in the opposite direction to make such movements possible.
Meanwhile, Ryo was looking at the Suje Kingdom's navy, as if searching for something.
The galleass ships of the Suje Kingdom moved through the gaps between the eight friendly ships and retreated further back.
They were gaining distance for a third ram attack.
At that moment, Ryo saw something.
He turned to Abel and spoke.
"Abel, the key to fleet battles is the same in any world or era. Destroy the flagship. If that's not possible, force the commander to retreat from the front lines."
"I see. So you were searching for the enemy's flagship all along, Ryo."
"Yeah. I found it. It's at the right end of the eight aligned ships. There's a golden figurehead on the bow, right? They're giving orders with semaphore from that ship."
"It's not in the center, huh…"
"Yeah. It's a bit sneaky, isn't it? That's why it took a while to identify it."
Ryo frowned slightly.
Ordinarily, the flagship where the commander is located would be in the center.
That's the best position to issue orders to other ships.
Unless you have a magician extremely skilled in wind-atribute magic like Ilarion, it's challenging to give commands to every corner of a battlefield.
Therefore, those who issue orders are often in the center…
However, the commander of this raiding fleet seemed different.
"So I just need to get to the flagship and take out the commander. How do I get there? It's about two hundred meters away."
"Abel, you're a swordsman, so you could fly, but…"
"No, swordsmen can't fly. Amon was thrown, not flying, remember?"
"Well, it's fine. There's a suitable water-attribute magic spell for this. I'll create an ice bridge from here to that ship. I'll add some color to the path so you can see it…I'll also add a cover. It wouldn't be good if you got attacked while crossing."
Ryo said and turned around.
Facing Bansox, the guard captain.
He seemed to have been listening to the conversation.
"So, you want us to charge with Abel-san and take out the fleet commander, right?"
"Yes, can I count on you?"
"Of course!"
Bansox nodded vigorously.
Then he shouted to the back.
"Blue Jade Escort Squad, we're charging! Get ready! "
"Yeah! "
The Blue Jade Trading Company Escort Squad responded with a roar.
Despite being at a disadvantage, they were excited that it was finally their turn.
They might be more of an 'assault' squad than an 'escort' squad…
"I can see the ship, but I can't distinguish the commander from here."
"Sure. We'll just take out everyone on the ship."
"Aah. Abel-san, your guts are impressive."
"Being around Ryo, you need this much courage to survive."
"Why am I getting dragged into this…"
Bansox was impressed, Abel explained his reasoning, and Ryo shed tears over being unfairly involved.
They were about to board the enemy ship.
They needed this kind of banter to survive.
"Ready whenever you are."
Abel said.
"Here we go!
Ryo chanted, and an ice tunnel extended in a straight line from the bow of the Bashteek.
Toward the Suje Kingdom's navy flagship ahead.
"Charge!"
Abel shouted, running first through the ice tunnel.
Bansox and the escort squad followed.
The
Unlike
Specifically, it had small bumps for the shoe soles to grip onto…
The enemy ship was two hundred meters away.
Abel's feet would reach it in about twenty-five seconds.
"There's no use panicking now."
Ryo murmured.
The enemy flagship, connected by the ice tunnel, started to panic.
They must have realized that their flagship had been identified…
"There's nothing they can do in twenty-five seconds."
Even a modern Earth's warship wouldn't have enough time to start moving in twenty-five seconds.
Still, Ryo watched closely.
He might need to make slight adjustments to the tunnel according to the flagship's movements.
If the galleass ships, which had retreated for a run-up, charged, they would collide with the tunnel.
It probably wouldn't break…but it was better to be cautious.
"Wait, maybe I should have stopped their charge with this?"
Ryo muttered.
Perhaps doing so would have prevented unnecessary casualties…
"I-it can't be helped. I'm not perfect…"
Ryo said, making excuses to no one in particular.
Princess Iliaja, who was standing nearby, might have heard him…
Even though she was protected by an ice wall, she was standing in the middle of a battlefield. That was nerve-wracking enough.
She didn't have the luxury to react to Ryo's banter.
And the situation ignored Ryo too and began accelerating.
"Someone's flying over here!"
"Get ready to fight!"
"From behind! They're coming from the ship behind!"
Such voices could be heard.
When Ryo looked back, six men had boarded the deck of the Bashteek.
"From where?"
Words unintentionally slipped from Ryo's mouth.
However, the answer was in the previous information.
"The ship behind? From the six ships deployed in the rear? But they said people were flying…when they're not Amon…"
At that moment…more people flew through the air. In a neat arc.
As they landed on the deck, something resembling a cloth spread from their backs.
It looked like an airbag that expanded to protect their bodies at the moment of impact.
The people who had flown… or rather, been launched, must have trained for this in advance.
As they landed, they correctly positioned their backs and buttocks downward.
"The world is vast…"
Ryo muttered to himself, shaking his head slightly at the sight he was witnessing for the first time.
"Maybe they do this in naval battles everywhere… Even in the Knightley Kingdom's navy…?"
However, there was no one beside Ryo to answer his questions.
"I need to protect them for now…"
Ryo looked towards the stern.
In the event of an enemy boarding, the crew of the Bashteek was supposed to gather near the entrance of the captain's quarters at the stern.
Naturally, this meant they couldn't operate the ship…
But it seemed that the head of the trading company, Bandelsh, had strictly ordered them to do so.
Moreover, if the enemy boarded, it meant the ship was being approached by enemy ships, rendering it immobile.
So, the crew was allowed to leave their stations…perhaps situations like this one, where the enemy boards without ships touching, weren't anticipated.
"But there are people who run two hundred meters to board, like Abel."
Ryo said, without mentioning that he had built the two-hundred-meter tunnel, leading the boarders.
Ryo was that kind of man.
"Found them!
When Ryo found the crew gathered together, he enclosed them in a generously large ice wall with a margin of safety.
The crew was surprised.
"I've enclosed you in an ice wall!"
Ryo shouted, which was unusual for him.
Otherwise, his voice wouldn't reach from the bow to the stern of the large Bashteek.
Maybe under normal circumstances, but not in its current state of being boarded by enemies…
"Thank you!"
The one who shouted back was Captain Dao.
However, Captain Dao wasn't inside the
"Yeah… I thought as much."
Ryo said softly.
He had suspected from the first meeting.
This woman would be at the forefront, fighting with her two knives.
On the Bashteek's deck, the Manyamya stationed fleet's marines were fighting against the enemies who had boarded from the sky.
Between that battlefield and the bow were the former retainers of the Suje Kingdom, who had come with Princess Iliaja.
Ryo had suggested protecting them with an
They wanted to fight for the princess, saying, "Let us fight for the princess", and "We don't want the princess to feel constrained in her new home by always being protected".
And the like…
Ryo could understand their sentiments, so he sought confirmation with his eyes from Princess Iliaja.
"As they wish."
Princess Iliaja said as she bowed her head.
Her expression was very forlorn because she understood that there would be sacrifices.
She wanted to save as many lives as possible…but some chose to fight.
This divergence exists in every world and every era.
Ryo hesitated about whether to intervene in the battle on the Bashteek's deck.
The airborne enemy assault had ceased.
In the end, it seemed that twenty-four people had flown over.
In terms of numbers, the marines had the upper hand, but the boarders were skilled enough to push back the marines.
The ones holding their own were Marine Captain Rajaton and Captain Dao.
The enemy's target was likely Princess Iliaja.
However, the princess was at the bow, protected by Ryo's twenty-layered ice wall.
That position was very secure.
Ryo decided that he should focus more on the movements at the enemy flagship, two hundred meters away.
After all, only Ryo could maintain the ice tunnel connecting the flagship to the Bashteek.
And if any signals came from the other side, only Ryo could respond.
Since it was impossible to respond to everything alone, prioritizing what only he could do was the best choice.
Intense combat was also unfolding on the enemy flagship.
Led by Abel, Bansox, and thirty members of the Blue Jade Escort squad charged.
Some were confused by the sudden appearance of the ice tunnel on the flagship, but others responded quickly.
This was the Central Navy Command's 1st Assault Corps.
Simply put, they were the strongest in the Suje Kingdom's navy when it came to deck combat.
More skilled than those fighting alongside…
Or those who had flown to land on the Bashteek…
They were unquestionably the elite.
As the name 'Assault Corps' suggests, they were a unit meant to charge at the forefront and spearhead attacks.
However, in this battle, they were stationed on the flagship.
This was solely due to the orders of Admiral Rockday, the commander of the raiding fleet.
Assault Corps Commander Monrashou petitioned repeatedly.
For his unit to be at the front line.
If not, at least allow them to be part of the unit charging the ship carrying Princess Iliajah.
But Admiral Rockday dismissed this suggestion.
Admiral Rockday wasn't well-regarded by other naval units and departments, despite the loyalty of his direct subordinates.
Was it because his appearance seemed weak by the standards of sea-faring men?
Or because, though he had a high success rate, his strategies often appeared cunning and stingy?
Or perhaps it was because he consistently kept his flagship at the rear during fleet battles?
While there were tactical reasons for his actions, his approach starkly contrasted with the daring spirit preferred by sailors…
Maybe that's why.
The decision to station the First Assault Corps on the flagship drew various whispers and criticism.
The most common whispers included…
"He's always at the rear, yet he places the elite Assault Corps there…what's that cowardly admiral thinking?"
"Does he expect the flagship to become a battleground? Just like a coward!"
However, the flagship did indeed become a battleground.
"Prepare for interception!"
The voice of Assault Corps Commander Monrashou rang out.
In response, fifty members of the Assault Corps braced themselves.
Usually, they were the ones who boarded enemy ships.
For this reason, they carried no shields for defense.
They would charge with just a knife or a sword.
Though this time they were defending…their task remained unchanged.
Defeat the enemy.
In any case, they were confident that even the strongest foes would fall before the mightiest Assault Corps!
However, among the opponents this time…was someone they had never encountered before.
The first to emerge from the tunnel was a man wielding a glowing red magic sword.
The sword was evidently too large to wield on a ship.
However…
With a single swing, blood splattered.
Without even crossing swords once, he rendered each Assault Corps member incapable of combat.
"So strong…"
Whose voice uttered those words?
His swordsmanship was unfamiliar, his movements unseen before, and he wore…a smile.
Abel was likely not a battle maniac.
He wasn't…but neither would he despair when caught in trouble.
Rather, he was the type to rejoice.
In this respect, he was undoubtedly more suited to being an adventurer than a king.
And if he could make use of the sword skills he had honed since childhood, his joy would only increase.
He never laughed maniacally like the djinn.
He wasn't like a certain water-attribute magician who smiled during sword fights.
Yet…a smile would naturally appear…
He was a born swordsman.
Anyone watching could understand that his sword was no ordinary weapon.
"I'll take on that magic swordsman. Handle the ones who came afterward!"
Commander Monrashou of the Assault Corps said as he positioned himself in front of Abel with his sword drawn.
"Oohh…"
Abel inadvertently voiced his impression of Monrashou's presence.
Just by standing before him, Monrashou conveyed an aura entirely different from other foes.
"Bansox! This one looks strong. I'm counting on you for the rest!"
"Understood!"
Abel shouted without taking his eyes off his opponent.
Bansox, the Guard Captain, glanced at the man facing Abel and shouted back.
Chaos spread across the flagship's deck, which wasn't as spacious as the Bashteek's.
"I've never heard of marines like you in the Manyamya stationed fleet. You're not among the princess's guards either. Who are you?"
"You know? If you're asking someone's name, they say it's polite to introduce yourself first."
Abel replied with a laugh to Commander Monrashou's question.
"Hmph, interesting. I am Monrashou, Commander of the Suje Kingdom's Central Navy First Assault Corps. Now. Who are you?"
"My name is Abel."
"…Is that all?"
"Yeah… That's right. If you want to know more, ask with your sword."
"Very well. I'll ask with my sword!"
With his words, Monrashou charged.
He crouched low…and his sword attacked Abel from below.
Clang, clang, clang.
Monrashou wielded a straight sword that was too long to be a knife but too short to be a sword.
While shorter than a typical sword, it was difficult to leverage against a swordsman.
However, it surpassed in one aspect.
That was attack speed.
Especially the speed of consecutive strikes.
The rapid consecutive attacks astonished even Abel.
(Color me surprised. I thought he was strong just by standing before me… I'll be done for if I let my guard down.)
The sword fight began with Monrashou's attacks and Abel's defense.
Monrashou, with his fast short weapon, took the initiative.
However…
(What's with this guy? Is he a monster? )
Commander Monrashou, unleashing his consecutive attacks, felt despair before Abel's perfect defense.
Even an amateur could recognize exceptional offense.
However, it took an expert to recognize remarkable defense.
Abel could perfectly receive all of Monrashou's attacks.
And he did so with ease.
Though Monrashou attacked and Abel defended, it was the attacking Monrashou who felt an overwhelming pressure.
"Once you engage in fulfilling training after a long time, and are thrown into a battlefield that sharpens you whether you like it or not, you can return to being a swordsman. Ryo was right; skills don't deteriorate."
Abel said with an upturned mouth.
"A man of such skill…what were you before returning to being a swordsman?"
"A king."
Abel replied clearly and confidently to Monrashou's question.
However…it seemed the message didn't fully get across.
"A king…are you claiming to be the Sword King? Don't be ridiculous!"
Monrashou inexplicably erupted in anger.
Abel didn't know why Monrashou was angry, but he figured it was good enough that he had disrupted Monrashou's composure.
Disrupting an opponent's composure is the basic of basics in one-on-one combat.
Abel recalled a certain water-attribute magician saying that with delight.
Naturally, the angered party launched an attack.
Abel carefully received the attack.
It wasn't that he had no choice but to defend.
He intentionally allowed Monrashou to attack to grasp Monrashou's sword paths.
This was a technique commonly employed by experts after robbing an opponent of their composure.
The reason for grasping it.
Of course, it was for…
Clang.
Abel's counterattack struck, and Monrashou's sword was knocked away.
"Ah!
A voice slipped from Monrashou's lips.
Abel prepared to deliver a finishing blow…
But!
Sensing something, Abel turned to his right rear.
What he saw was a stone spear.
The spear deeply pierced Abel.
He was blown backward.
Crushing a wooden crate, and more crates fell onto him.
"Rockday, don't interfere!"
Commander Monrashou shouted.
Instantly understanding who was responsible.
"Even so… if you were to die, Lord Kabui would scold me severely."
Stepping out from the shadows was a middle-aged man who was neither very tall nor muscular, and didn't appear at all capable in individual combat.
His face was unremarkable, one that might be considered average at best, unlikely to attract any fanatical female admirers…
However, his attire was of fine quality.
That alone indicated a high status.
Indeed, he held a very high position.
The highest in this fleet. The admiral commanding the fleet.
He was Admiral Rockday, the fleet commander.
Commander Monrashou retrieved his fallen sword.
Then he asked.
"Is he dead?"
"It pierced his throat, chest, abdomen, and both legs."
"In an instant, five stone spears… Magicians are indeed terrifying."
Commander Monrashou muttered, frowning at Admiral Rockday's response.
"I believe there are far more terrifying magicians on the enemy side than me."
Admiral Rockday said, gazing at the 200-meter ice bridge extending to his ship.
"Indeed, you're right…"
Commander Monrashou nodded in agreement.
"Rather than alchemy. It's likely magic, but…for such a grand spell, how many water-attribute magicians are required… The magician who orchestrated such a massive spell must be one of the leading magicians of the Archipelago region."
"But…I've never heard of such a water-attribute magician?"
"Yeah. Neither have I. That's why it's terrifying. The fact that the Komakyuta Principality harbors such talent unknown to us."
"True enough."
Commander Monrashou nodded deeply at Admiral Rockday's words.
It meant that they were severely lagging in information warfare.
"Those three months indeed took a toll…"
At the moment Admiral Rockday said that.
Rustle.
The two, whose eyes were on the ice bridge, were slow to understand what had happened.
By the time they realized it was the sound of a crate being moved…
Monrashou's right arm had been severed.
And with a returning stroke, his left arm as well.
"Ughaa!"
Monrashou groaned involuntarily.
The red shadow didn't stop there…
"Ugh…"
The sword deeply pierced Admiral Rockday's abdomen.
Abel, who had thrust the sword, was also bleeding significantly from his right side and right thigh.
"The armor that I just had repaired has more holes again…"
His words were light, but his expression was stern.
One could even say he was angry.
Indeed, Abel was angry.
If asked whether he had let his guard down when attacked by magic…he had to admit he might have.
Therefore…
He was angry with himself.
The gaping holes in his abdomen and leg were his penance.
"You made me pay a steep price."
Glaring down at the man who had cast the spell, his sword still embedded.
He spoke.
"Hey, magician. You're wearing fine clothes, so you must be of high status, right? Where's the fleet commander?"
"Haha… Do you think I'd answer that?"
"Yeah, probably not."
With those words, Abel slightly twisted the sword embedded in the man.
"Ughhaah"
A groan escaped Rockday's mouth.
"Sorry. I dislike torture, but I need to end this battle quickly. Even at this moment, both enemies and allies are dying. So, I'll ask again, where is the fleet commander?"
"I don't know."
Rockday replied to Abel's words with a faint smile.
"I see. Then you're unnecessary. Die."
With that, Abel withdrew his sword.
He prepared to sever the man's head.
"Wait!"
The shout came from Commander Monrashou, lying on the deck with severed arms.
"Stop it, Monrashou!"
Rockday shouted.
He realized that Monrashou was about to reveal his identity.
"Rockday, you can't die now! The future of our country depends on Lord Kabui. You are his right hand."
Abel listened silently to Monrashou's words.
He roughly understood from the content…
"That magician is the commander of this fleet, Admiral Rockday."
-x-X-x-
Chapter 0454 Conclusions
-x-X-x-
A ceasefire flag was hoisted on the flagship of the Suje Kingdom.
The semaphore signal was also being conveyed within the Suje Kingdom's navy.
As a result, the fighting began to subside.
Finally, Abel had a moment to drink the potion he was holding.
"Abel-san! As expected… whoa!"
The one who ran up to Abel was Guard Captain Bansox.
However, he was surprised to see the blood spreading at Abel's feet and the large hole in his armor.
"Bansox, this is Admiral Rockday, the fleet commander of the Suje forces. He has surrendered to us. Escort him to the ship with due respect."
"Ah, understood. But wouldn't it be better to heal the admiral first?"
"Hmm? Ah, I forgot. You have a big hole in your stomach too, uh?"
Bansox looked at Admiral Rockday's condition and suggested, and Abel remembered.
"That because you stabbed me with your sword."
Admiral Rockday said weakly, but clearly, to Abel.
"Only two of the five stone spears I launched hit you…"
"Yeah. The ones aiming for my throat, chest, and left leg were blocked by the sword's blade."
"Unbelievable…"
Abel answered casually, and Admiral Rockday was astonished.
"Here, this is a special potion I got. Drink it."
Abel said, handing Rockday a potion he took out from his pocket.
"You think a potion will heal such a wound?"
Bansox's words could be heard.
It was indeed a rather severe wound.
The sword had pierced through the stomach to the back, and the hole had enlarged from being twisted a little…
Rockday silently drank the potion he had been given.
And then…
The large hole closed up.
"Are you serious!"
Bansox exclaimed in surprise.
"I saw your wound healing, but now that it happened to me… I understand that I drank something extraordinary."
Admiral Rockday said, touching his stomach and looking at the crystal-like bottle the potion had been in.
"It's a special potion made by Ryo. I don't know much about it, but it should work better than normal potions."
"Better than normal? You'd need a considerable amount of money to get something like this."
Rockday said, exasperated at Abel's words.
Once Rockday's astonishment subsided, he looked at his fallen comrades on the deck.
"However, Monrashou has had his arm chopped off. A potion can't heal such a loss of a limb…"
"Ah, apparently that's impossible. The one who made it also said so."
Abel nodded in agreement with Rockday's words.
Loss of a limb cannot be healed with a potion.
"Is there any priest who can use
"A priest? We have one top-class healer. But… is that alright?"
"What do you mean?"
Not understanding the meaning of Rockday's words, Abel asked back.
"Our army has surrendered. That means the resources we possess… including human resources, are now at your disposal. That includes deciding whom the healer will heal."
"Hmm. I'm bad with the finer details… but allowing the recovery of one person should be acceptable. I'll take responsibility, so let Monrashou be healed."
"…Thank you."
At Abel's decision, Admiral Rockday bowed his head in gratitude.
Abel turned to Bansox, who was beside him, and said.
"Bansox, you heard what I just said. I want you to be my witness."
"Yeah, I got it. Bansox, the captain of the Blue Jade Trading Company's guard unit, will be your witness."
Bansox nodded firmly.
Admiral Rockday was escorted by Bansox and Abel as he crossed the ice bridge to the Bashteek ship.
"Oooooooh!!"
Cheers erupted from the Bashteek ship at that moment.
It was a roar of victory and words of gratitude to Abel and the Blue Jade Trading Company's guard unit for their accomplishments.
Some were even crying.
"Well done, Bansox!"
It was Captain Dao who shouted and jumped on him.
"Y-yeah."
Bansox replied, flustered and turning red in the face.
"Abel…"
"Yeah, we managed somehow."
Abel replied, raising one hand as Ryo abruptly called out.
"It's not just somehow. Your armor just got repaired, and now it's got a big hole in it…"
"Use that technique you learned about to repair it…"
"I told you, I only learned about it and can't do it yet!"
Alchemy is not that simple.
And then…
"Your Highness…"
Admiral Rockday knelt on one knee in front of Princess Iliaja and paid his respects.
"I remember, you were Admiral Rockday of the Central Navy. You gave a courteous explanation during the war game exercise of the Kingdom Navy some years ago."
"Yes. I'm honored that you remember, even though it's been three years…"
Rockday's respect was not perfunctory.
Those around could see it was genuine respect from the bottom of his heart.
"Admiral, why did you do this…"
Princess Iliaja also sensed the sincerity in Admiral Rockday's respect.
That is why she asked.
"Of course, to bring Your Highness back to the kingdom."
Rockday said this and looked up at Princess Iliaja clearly.
His expression showed no hint of doubt.
That is why she couldn't understand.
"Why…"
Princess Iliaja's murmur was so faint that it reached no one else's ears.
The attacking fleet had surrendered.
Although they had surrendered, how to handle them was a headache for the transport fleet.
Normally, they would be disarmed, follow the victorious fleet, and call at the port of the Komakyuta Principality.
Then, negotiations would be conducted with the Suje Kingdom.
However, this time, only eleven ships of the transport fleet survived.
Moreover, two of those ships were barely operational.
Unable to match the speed of the others.
In other words, there were only nine escort ships and the Bashteek ship.
Having the Suje Kingdom's fleet follow them was… frankly terrifying.
Of course, Admiral Rockday, the fleet commander, and Commander Monrashou of the First Assault Unit were in custody on the Bashteek ship, but… there was no guarantee that nothing would happen.
Besides the five galley-type assault ships, there were twelve intact ships.
If they attacked all at once…
It was a nightmare that couldn't be ignored.
In the end, only three ships, including the flagship of the attacking fleet, were to follow the transport fleet.
The remaining fourteen ships would voluntarily head to a port of the Komakyuta Principality and anchor offshore, awaiting orders…
The transport fleet wasn't sure if this was acceptable… but they couldn't think of a better solution.
"There are ways like connecting all the ships with chains of ice or putting them in ice coffins and letting them float at sea."
Muttered a water-attribute magician, but Abel ignored him.
Poor thing.
-x-X-x-
The day after repelling the assault fleet.
The transport fleet was proceeding steadily towards the capital.
Ryo was sitting on the upper deck with a chair and a table, reading a book on alchemy.
He had started on the second of the three books he bought in the city of Manyamya.
A short distance away, Abel was swinging his sword.
From Ryo's perspective, it seemed that Abel was moving more carefully than ever before… confirming each movement thoroughly and slowly.
After a while, Abel finished his practice and came over to Ryo's table.
As if it were natural, he sat down on the prepared ice chair with an ice mat.
And, as if it were natural, he drank the offered coffee.
"Phew."
A satisfied sigh escaped his lips.
Abel muttered quietly.
"I wonder what the Suje Kingdom's endgame is?"
"Endgame?"
Ryo responded so as not to be rude.
Yes, Ryo was a very good guy.
Even if no one said so, he was indeed a good guy!
"The fleets clashed, and there were prisoners and captured ships. A ceasefire negotiation will eventually take place, but I was wondering what the Suje Kingdom is thinking."
"Umm~m…"
Ryo pondered over Abel's words.
Ten seconds later, Ryo looked up and said.
"Why not just cut them loose?"
"Cut loose? What do you mean?"
"The prisoners and the ships."
"No…that can't be right…"
Abel shook his head at Ryo's extreme suggestion.
"They could argue that a fleet that didn't receive instructions from the government clashed with a neighboring fleet on its own."
"Yeah, that's absolutely impossible."
Abel dismissed Ryo's arbitrary argument.
However, Ryo didn't give up.
"Unlike conflicts on land, maritime collisions have the advantage of being able to adjust the scale of the conflict more easily."
"What? What do you mean?"
"At worst, even if they are annihilated, the damage is only to the ships and sailors."
"Hey…"
"If it were on land, a city would fall, and then the next city would be in danger…the lines could expand recklessly. The citizens would become anxious, political situations could worsen, and the scope and speed of influence would be entirely different from a maritime conflict."
"I see…I get what you're saying."
"So, in this case, it might be a decision to cut off the conflict as if it never happened! That kind of decision might be valid…"
"Yeah, but that's still not going to happen."
Abel rejected Ryo's final leap of logic.
"So close, yet so far…"
"Not close at all."
Ryo looked regretful, and Abel shook his head slightly.
The two were having a trivial conversation as the premier duke and the king.
As they were talking, a person approached them.
As that person came closer… two marines beside them stopped him in his tracks.
"Oh… I'm sorry, but the wonderful aroma of coffee was wafting over here."
The approaching person said with a wry smile.
"Rockday, was it?"
Abel said, raising his hand slightly.
The marines stepped back behind Rockday.
"You're the one who surrendered, right? Well, have a seat."
Ryo said, generating an ice chair and a cup, then poured some coffee from the coffee press.
"Thank you."
Rockday said, sitting down on the ice chair with the ice mat and taking the cup.
He wore wooden cuffs that resembled handcuffs.
Making it a bit awkward to drink, but it couldn't be helped.
Neither Ryo nor Abel had the authority to remove those restraints.
After savoring the aroma, Rockday took a sip of the coffee.
Then, he swallowed.
"Ooh…"
He murmured involuntarily.
And then another sip.
"This is really delicious."
He said happily.
"Right? It's the special blend from the Blue Jade Inn in Manyamya."
Ryo replied cheerfully.
After enjoying the coffee for a while, Rockday looked at his ice cup and said:
"This water-attribute magic is amazing."
"Oh, it's nothing special."
Ryo replied, blushing at the praise.
"You were the one who commanded the creation of that ice bridge during the battle, weren't you?"
"Eh…"
Rockday made the statement with a smile, and Ryo was at a loss for words.
Ryo glanced around for a while.
Finally, he spoke.
"I don't know what you're talking about…"
"The ice bridge was magnificent. It must have been a grand magic performed by several water attribute magicians. The one who led it must be a powerful magician… one said to be the greatest in the nation. That's you, isn't it?"
"No, it's not…"
Rockday laughed as if pursuing the matter.
And Ryo tried to deny it.
"Give it up, Ryo."
"Abel! I was almost able to get away with it!"
"No, it's impossible."
Ryo grimaced. And Abel was exasperated.
"Your magic was also incredibly troublesome, wasn't it?"
Abel said, looking at Rockday.
Five stone spears from the darkness, completely silent.
He had deflected three but was deeply pierced in the abdomen and right leg.
"Yeah, sorry about that. Commander Monrashou is crucial to our country's maritime tactics. If he were to die, I would be in big trouble with the homeland."
Even being told by someone he tried to kill, Rockday smiled wryly.
Truly talented individuals are not easily found.
If they are secured, they must be protected at all costs.
"Abel, this person has found out a lot about us. Why didn't you eliminate him on that flagship? "
"Hey, don't say such dangerous things…"
"Even now, it's not too late. We can silence him…"
"Hey, stop being an idiot."
Abel said, stopping Ryo's rash actions.
"When handling information, we must be extremely cautious. If it's just one person's life…"
"Of course not."
Listening to their exchange, Rockday smiled wryly.
Despite the conversation about ending his life taking place…
"There's no helping it. Since you're going to take my information anyway, I might as well try to get some in return."
"Information in return?"
"What?"
Ryo declared resolutely, Abel asked suspiciously, and Rockday tilted his head.
"But first, I don't know this person's position."
"Oh, that just occurred to you?"
Ryo confessed, making Abel sigh in exasperation.
Indeed, it seemed a bit late to ask.
"He's Admiral Rockday, commander of the attacking fleet."
"Oh, I see! I thought since Abel mentioned being hit by magic, he was a magician officer or something. To think you were done in by the fleet commander, Abel still has a ways to go."
"Damn it… I can't even argue against that."
Abel admitted, feeling frustrated by his lapse.
It was true that he'd been caught off guard.
"Anyway. Being an admiral sounds cool."
"Huh?"
"What?"
Ryo's words puzzled both Rockday and Abel.
"'General' sounds cool too, but I prefer 'Admiral'. Admiral Ryo… yeah, that doesn't sound bad."
"It's a matter of personal preference, so I won't say anything."
Ryo mused, satisfied with his own words, while Abel gave up commenting.
Wisely, Rockday said nothing as he drank his coffee.
"By the way, Admiral Rockday, I have a question for you."
"I'll answer if I can…"
Rockday replied with a smile.
"What do you think the Suje Kingdom's endgame is?"
"Endgame?"
"Hey…"
Rockday tilted his head, and Abel sighed in exasperation.
It was the same topic Ryo and Abel had just discussed.
Asking it directly to the person involved was questionable… so Abel's exasperation was understandable.
However…
"They might just cut us off as if it never happened."
Rockday replied, echoing what Ryo had said earlier.
"See!"
Ryo said triumphantly.
"There's no way he's telling the truth!"
Abel exclaimed, exasperated.
There's no way a national policy would be disclosed in such a casual setting to an enemy.
"Honestly… Abel, can't you believe in people? Look into Admiral Rockday's eyes. Do they look like the eyes of a liar?"
"Sorry…they do look like he's lying."
Abel replied honestly.
Rockday nodded and admitted,
"Sorry, I was lying."
"What?! "
Ryo exclaimed in shock.
"I trusted you…"
"I'm sorry."
"What did you base that trust on…?"
Ryo felt let down, Rockday chuckled wryly, and Abel looked unsurprised.
After a moment, Ryo lifted his head with determination.
He seemed to have an idea.
"What kind of person is the Lord Protector?"
"Eh?"
Ryo asked, catching Rockday by surprise with the sudden question.
After thinking briefly, Rockday looked Ryo in the eyes and answered earnestly.
"Lord Protector Kabui Somal is a wonderful person. Truly fitting to lead a nation, he inspires confidence that everything will be alright if you follow him. That's the kind of person he is."
Rockday said this all in one breath, then continued after a pause.
"I would gladly give my life for him."
Rockday's expression shone with admiration.
He understood that serving such a person… one he would willingly give everything for, was an incredible fortune.
Most people live their entire lives without such an experience.
Without experiencing it, they cannot understand that feeling.
Some can't even imagine it.
But Rockday realized how fortunate he was to serve such a person.
'He must be quite the man to inspire such loyalty."
Abel said, nodding repeatedly.
He understood that Kabui Somal was a captivating figure.
"Admiral Rockday is lucky."
"Yeah."
Ryo said, and Rockday nodded firmly.
"I understand that feeling."
Ryo said, glancing at Abel before continuing to Rockday.
"Well, he may be a bit off sometimes, and he makes mistakes now and then, and there are times he slips up during battles, but at least you can completely trust his judgment…I think it's lucky to be able to support someone like that."
"…"
"I can somewhat understand how Admiral Rockday feels."
Abel looked like he wanted to say something, but he remained silent.
Ryo said decisively.
Then Ryo continued.
"That's why I understand. The Lord Protector will not abandon you, Admiral Rockday. He will try to save you."
"Well…"
"I don't know when or how he'll do it, but… I'd like to meet him."
Rockday evaded, while Ryo spoke confidently.
"Ryo?"
Abel called out, frowning.
As he couldn't quite understand what Ryo was thinking.
"Don't worry. I'm not planning to freeze him and take him back to the country."
"Yeah, I didn't expect that. Besides, he wouldn't come to the rescue himself."
"Then, I'll intercept the rescue squad… and if we capture them, I'll make them spar with Abel for training!"
"Huh?"
"If Abel, who got rusty and had a hole blown in his stomach, goes to the next battlefield like this, he might die. To retrain him and regain his warrior's instincts, he needs a serious sparring partner…"
"Don't make the prisoners engage in serious battles. In some countries, you'd be put on trial, Ryo."
"Hah. Prisoner abuse…"
Abel's words reminded Ryo of something he'd learned from his knowledge of Earth.
"If Abel loses, it won't be prisoner abuse. "
"If I lose a serious match, I'll die, won't I?"
"If you die from that, it just means that's the extent of Abel's skills!"
"What about that complete trust in judgment you mentioned earlier…?"
Relationships between people can sometimes be incomprehensible to others.
It seems there are even times when the people involved don't fully understand them either…
-x-X-x-
Admiral Rockday was returned to the hold.
As a prisoner, he could not spend as much time on the upper deck as he liked, like Ryo and the others.
The prisoners' confinement area was not the second or third deck, but the hold…
It seemed that was not much different in any world.
Ryo and Abel were reading books on the ice table.
Ryo was reading one of the three books he purchased in the city of Manyamya.
Ryo glanced at Abel.
Abel had been a bookworm since his days in the city of Rune.
That much was certain, but…
The book Abel was reading… where on earth did it come from?
As you know, Abel is penniless.
And books are never cheap.
They shouldn't be easy to obtain.
If that's the case, how on earth…?
Of course, Ryo had a suspicion.
(He must have threatened the innocent sailors and extorted them from the unsuspecting citizens! How an unscrupulous and ruthless swordsman!)
"Ryo, did you just think of something strange?"
Abel asked without lifting his face from his book, in a voice devoid of emotion, surprising Ryo.
Of course, he denied it with all his might.
"W-What are you talking about, Abel? No one thinks you are a ruthless swordsman reading a book extorted from kind sailors! It's not commendable to doubt a serious and kind magician without any basis."
"I knew you were thinking something unnecessary…"
Abel shook his head slightly.
"This book is borrowed from Captain Dao."
"Captain Dao?"
Captain Dao is the female captain of the Bashteek, on which the two were on board.
In the recent battle, she fought at the forefront with two large knives.
Ryo remembered that she was quite skilled.
Ryo looked at the cover of the book Abel was reading.
"'Knife Fighting on Board'…what a straightforward title."
"Monrashou, whom I fought, used a short straight sword that was longer than a knife but shorter than a sword. But reading this makes me understand that that man's technique was also derived from knife combat."
It seems Abel was trying to solve the parts he questioned during the battle.
That kind of thing was where Ryo honestly thought he was amazing.
He thinks it's impressive not to leave questions vague while memories are still fresh.
"Abel, you're admirable!"
"T-thanks."
Ryo honestly praised, and Abel was slightly embarrassed.
Abel, who was a former A-rank swordsman and a king, was not very used to being praised.
Well, by praising him, Ryo managed to gloss over the issue of his unnecessary thoughts.
"So, this book wasn't taken from the sailors."
Abel didn't let it go unmentioned…
Ryo looked around, desperately searching for a way to cover it up.
"Oh, by the way, Abel, did you know? Princess Iliaja was apparently quite popular among the citizens of Suje Kingdom?"
"Do you think you can gloss over it with that…?"
"I don't understand what you mean by glossing over. I just think it's better to have constructive discussions than barren arguments."
Realizing that Ryo was desperately trying to cover it up, Abel sighed deeply, very deliberately.
Then, he decided to go along with the new topic.
"So? Princess Iliaja was popular in Suje Kingdom?"
Ryo was relieved that Abel went along with it and continued speaking.
"Yes, that's right. The king apparently had five princes and six princesses. Ah, the second prince was reportedly adopted into the royal family of another country a few years ago."
"Adopted into the royal family of another country? You don't hear that in the central countries, but I guess it happens around here."
"I don't know the details. But it was a small kingdom on the continent or something… They say he was proficient in both the literary and martial arts and could even use earth-attribute magic. However, his mother was of very low status and passed away when the second prince was very young. Of course, the king reportedly adored him without discrimination… but he was removed from the line of succession for the Suje kingdom's throne early on."
"I see. If there's no chance for succession in his homeland, it might not be a bad idea to go to another country if requested."
Abel also understood Ryo's explanation.
Choosing one's path and carving out one's destiny doesn't seem like a bad thing.
"But after a while, the kingdom he was adopted into was reportedly swallowed up by a neighboring country. Since then, the prince's whereabouts have been unknown…"
"I see…"
Ryo grimaced as he spoke, and Abel grimaced as he responded.
The rise and fall of fortunes are inevitable in this world, but the fall of a nation is a sad story.
"Well, putting aside the second prince. Princess Iliaja is apparently the youngest child."
"Hmm. But if the youngest is fifteen, the oldest prince or princess must be quite old, right?"
"The first prince was reportedly made the crown prince. When the rebellion occurred, he was thirty-three. It was said he would ascend the throne in two or three years…"
Here, Ryo deliberately paused.
"Ryo… don't be dramatic."
"How rude! You need to create suspense for these things. It's essential to have pacing when telling a story."
Abel pointed out and Ryo rebutted.
It seems both make a valid point…
"Well, it's fine. But it seems that the crown prince wasn't very good… apparently, he used his position to do whatever he wanted."
"Is that so?"
"He only gave government and kingdom jobs to merchants he favored, and shut down honest businesses that were working for the citizens on false charges…"
"Ah… that kind of thing happens often."
Ryo explained, and Abel nodded.
In the stories Abel knows, such things are common.
"Moreover, the other princes and princesses were reportedly doing similar things. So none of the princes and princesses were popular… except for Princess Iliaja."
"Maybe she just didn't do such things because she's still young?"
"What a mean thing to say! From now on, I'm going to call you Mean Abel!"
"What does Mean Abel even mean…?"
Ryo was driven by righteous indignation, and Abel shook his head slightly.
"Isn't the biggest problem with the king and queens for allowing the princes and princesses to behave like that in the first place?"
Abel pointed out, as expected.
Abel couldn't understand how the king could remain silent while the princes and princesses were causing the people to suffer.
"For Mean Abel, that's a good perspective. The first queen, second queen, and even the third queen passed away six years ago, and the king was reportedly ill. The ministers were running the government, but I'm sure the crown prince had the ministers under his control too!"
"Well, that might be possible… but jumping to conclusions doesn't seem right…"
"Don't you feel sad for the oppressed citizens of the kingdom, Abel?! If that's how you feel, the future of the Kingdom of Knightley is dark too."
"Well, I understand I'm being accused unfairly."
Ryo was somehow angry, and Abel was exasperated.
Ryo is very kind, so he hopes that the people of other countries can be happy too!
"The classic difficulty with a monarchy. The ideal is to entrust politics to capable kings and ministers, and princes and princesses trained to be rulers from a young age, govern so that the citizens can live happily without worrying about unnecessary things… But hearing cases like this…"
Ryo shook his head slightly.
He doesn't think democracy is perfect, but there are times when he thinks that being able to oust politicians who have gone astray through elections is a good part of it.
However, if the core of the problem lies with the bureaucrats, they cannot be ousted democratically.
Therefore, historically, people have had no choice but to forcibly remove bureaucratic apparatuses through wars, civil wars, or revolutions…
No one chooses such methods willingly.
If there were a smarter way to oust bureaucrats and officials who have become disconnected from the people, they would choose that.
Because the unstable national governance that follows a revolution for twenty years means that… many citizens will have to live through an unhappy twenty years.
What a paradoxical situation.
"Central countries don't have it, but there are countries in the western countries that take a republican form of government."
"You remembered well! The Republic of Mafalda."
Abel asked from his knowledge as a king, and Ryo answered.
"Because it's the country that built the Skidbladnir that Ryo procured. Of course, I remember."
"As expected of Abel."
Through the 'Soul Resonance' that Ryo had attached, Abel had seen the Skidbladnir and was surprised by its size and elegance.
That's why it was firmly etched in his memory.
"In a republic, there are no kings or emperors or people like that. People elected by the citizens conduct politics."
"Elected by the citizens? That means it's not aristocrats or anything like that, right?"
"No. There may be cases where aristocrats are elected, but it doesn't matter in that sense."
"Honestly, I can't imagine it… How can a person who was suddenly elected one day handle something as monstrous as the politics of a country? I can't understand it."
At Ryo's words, Abel frowned and tilted his head.
Having been at the center of national politics as a king for three years, Abel believes that it is only possible because he spent so much time studying since he was young.
Indeed, with careful and time-consuming study, it might be possible.
However, being responsible for making decisions that affect all current citizens and future citizens after studying for a few years is too harsh.
It affects not only one's citizens but also the future of citizens in neighboring countries.
If someone has decent thinking skills and a certain amount of imagination… honestly, it might crush their spirit.
To govern a nation is such a thing… Abel thought so.
"Well, let's leave the republic alone. No matter what foolish policy a politician implements, all the citizens who elected that person should just enjoy the result. It's their responsibility. A republic can only exist when all the citizens understand national-level politics and national-level economics. That's how it should be."
"…"
"It is a political system where citizens cannot cut corners. It's a terrifying thought, isn't it?"
"Y-yeah."
Ryo stated firmly, and Abel nodded.
"Well, anyway, about Princess Iliaja. Among the princes and princesses, she alone was popular not only among the people but also, surprisingly, with the navy."
"Well, otherwise, they wouldn't have rallied around her and resisted as an entire province, Tamako Province was it? And in the recent battle, without anyone telling her to, she exposed herself on the battlefield to raise morale."
"Yeah, yeah. That's something that's not easily done. Especially knowing she was a target. It's incredible that it boosted the morale of people from the Komakyuta Principality, who were supposed to be the enemy. It's amazing."
Ryo nodded happily.
A commander who exposes themselves on the front lines is admirable in its own right.
There is a king swordsman, the epitome of this, right in front of Ryo…
But he didn't say that.
He can't let him get carried away!
"Ryo, do you have something you want to say?"
"No, nothing at all! Oh, Abel, why would you ask that?"
Abel asked with suspicious eyes, and Ryo hurriedly denied it.
That sharpness is always perilous, Ryo thought.
"There was actually something I was curious about during that battle."
"Hmm?"
Ryo spoke in a slightly serious tone, which Abel noticed.
"After Princess Iliaja stood at the bow, I surrounded her with
"Didn't they attack from ships deployed in the rear, flying in?"
"Yeah. There were such attacks… but for example, arrows aimed at her life or magic attacks, there were none at all."
"Ah, I see."
Ryo's
Therefore, in many cases, ordinary people can't recognize whether it's there or not.
So if the aim was to take Princess Iliaja's life, a sniper attack would be expected.
Sniping in naval battles.
In Earth's history, it was common.
The most famous example… or rather, the most famous target would be Admiral Nelson of the British Navy.
The statue of Nelson stands in Trafalgar Square in London.
The name of the square, Trafalgar, is famous as the name of the sea battle that thwarted Napoleon's invasion of England.
And it was Admiral Nelson who commanded the British Navy in that battle.
Before heading into the Battle of Trafalgar, Nelson was already a one-eyed, one-armed admiral.
And in the Battle of Trafalgar, he was also shot and killed.
Of course, considering the accuracy of the guns at the time and the fact that it was between moving ships, it's generally difficult to believe that he was specifically targeted and hit… that's the common view.
However, that's irrelevant.
Nelson's flagship, HMS Victory, was at the forefront of the charge, braving the concentrated cannon fire of the French-Spanish fleet, and Nelson stood on its deck throughout.
That fact is what's important.
That's why he is considered the greatest hero in British history.
But in this world of 'Phi', there is magic.
Magic boasts a remarkably high accuracy rate compared to the firearms of Earth at that time.
"If the goal was to take Princess Iliaja's life, I think using magic to snipe her would have been the most certain method."
"So the aim wasn't to take Princess Iliaja's life but to secure her."
Ryo said, and Abel, finding much to agree with, nodded in response.
But if that's the case, various things change.
"Does that mean the objective wasn't to kill Princess Iliaja and eradicate the royal bloodline?"
"Or perhaps capture her alive and publicly execute her as a possibility."
"I don't like that idea…"
Abel frowned and shook his head slightly at Ryo's speculation.
The King of the Knightley Kingdom doesn't seem to like cruel things.
"A public execution is symbolic. It's a straightforward action that shows the new government's stance not only domestically but also internationally. Princess Iliaja is the last survivor, so foreign countries would be watching too."
"When you say foreign countries… in the archipelago region, the only country with comparable power to the Suje Kingdom is the Komakyuta Principality, right?"
"Well, yes… But even small countries, if they form an alliance, could be troublesome, right?"
"That's true. Countries with monarchies would be interested in the outcome…"
As the two conversed like that…
Twenty-one days after departing from Manyamya City, the transport fleet arrived at the capital of the Komakyuta Principality, Wannya.
Although they were a day behind schedule, there were no particular problems after the battle with the assault fleet.