Chapter 0481 The New Ambassador's Arrival
-x-X-x-
The next morning.
The day in the Free City of Kwebasa dawned peacefully and calmly.
However, the peace lasted only until 10 a.m.
The commotion began spreading from the free port.
"What is that?"
"…A ship?"
"It's a ship, all right. It's getting closer."
"No, wait. It's still quite a distance away, but for it to cover such a vast area…"
"It's filling the entire horizon…"
Rumors of a fleet approaching from beyond the horizon quickly spread.
Of course, some rushed to the port authorities…
"It's the ships from the Atinjo Grand Duchy. They've submitted the necessary papers."
That was the bureaucratic response they received.
The officials couldn't even begin to imagine the pressure exerted by the vast fleet that stretched across the entire horizon.
Thus, they couldn't comprehend why the citizens were so panicked.
"Go outside and look at the horizon!"
Urged by the citizens, the officials were half-dragged outside to witness the scene.
And then, they understood.
The majestic appearance of the fleet.
The overwhelming power it exuded.
A feeling of despair…
"What in the world is that…?"
The words slipped from the official's mouth.
A massive fleet filled the horizon.
And it wasn't their own country's fleet.
It was the powerful fleet of a neighboring nation…
And that was enough to instill a deep sense of despair.
"Is everything really… going to be okay?"
The citizen who had brought the official outside asked.
"I don't know…"
"What do you mean you don't know?"
"I don't know! Ask someone higher up!"
Both the citizen and the official shared the same thought.
With something like that coming… can this free city really be safe?
"Quite the sight, isn't it? A fleet filling the horizon. You don't get to see something like this every day."
"Indeed."
In stark contrast to the panic of the officials and citizens, a magician and a swordsman exchanged words, showing no hint of despair.
Perhaps it was because it wasn't their country.
"Our Knightley Kingdom could use a fleet like that!"
"We don't need it. This is purely for intimidation, isn't it?"
"This is what they call gunboat diplomacy."
"Our country has no one to intimidate with a grand fleet."
"That's a shame…"
The Knightley Kingdom's greatest rival is the Debuhi Empire.
But that empire is a completely landlocked nation with no sea.
Even if they built a grand fleet, it wouldn't serve as intimidation.
Moreover, intimidation often backfires when dealing with a powerful nation…
However, Ryo suddenly seemed to have an idea.
"I've thought of something great!"
"I'm not expecting much, but go ahead."
"Let's rebuild the Golden Hind!"
"Huh?"
The Golden Hind was Knightley's pride—a sky battleship equipped with the incredibly powerful main cannon, 'Vaedra'.
However, it was sunk during the recent war against the djinn, brought down by the Djinn Garwin…
Rebuild it?
Though it had been sunk, repairing it should make it usable again.
"We should build 200 Golden Hinds! If we need wind magic stones, I can arrange for them to be supplied from Rondo Duchy!"
"That would mean… overharvesting from that mountain, wouldn't it…"
"High-ranking officials shouldn't concern themselves with the details. Just nod your head!"
For some reason, Ryo said this with a mischievous grin.
"Well, in any case, I can't approve that."
"Why not?!"
"Because it would cost too much, even besides the wind magic stones."
"…Really?"
"Even with mass production, it would cost a trillion florins per ship."
"A t-trillion florins…? A bowl of curry at the Kagutei costs 1,000 florins, so that's… ten billion bowls? Yeah, that's impossible…"
"I don't know why you're using curry as an example. But yes, it's an incredibly expensive ship."
Abel was baffled by Ryo's comparison.
But Ryo realized something.
"If you know how much mass production would cost, that means someone has already calculated the cost of building a fleet of Golden Hinds before me!"
Exactly—knowing the cost per ship meant someone had ordered the estimate.
It was probably Abel who gave the order, but the fleet idea…
"Well… I was just curious about how much it would be…"
"Did you come up with the plan, Abel?!"
Ryo was surprised.
Of course.
Of course, it would be shocking if Abel, of all people, had come up with the idea of a fleet of sky battleships…
"If we can win without fighting… If we can make them submit, all the better. With that much power, they wouldn't even think of attacking us, right?"
"No nation can expect to maintain independence or peace if it doesn't have the will to protect itself with its strength…"
"Huh? Is that from 'Sun Tzu', or something?"
"Close. It's from Machiavelli."
"Oh, that one."
Abel had apparently gotten used to Ryo's frequent quoting of Sun Tzu and Machiavelli.
For a king, knowing such things could certainly be useful.
As they were talking, a familiar voice rang out from behind them.
"This is quite something."
"The central navy has considered the possibility of the Grand Duchy annexing the Free City before… but they might be serious this time."
When Ryo turned around, he saw a couple of familiar faces.
"Susie and Lena. Did you come out to see this too?"
It was Susie the cook and Lena the First Officer from the Lone Dark.
Both were staying at the same inn as Ryo and Abel, the 'Freedom Breeze'.
"We were just heading out for lunch when we saw the citizens in a panic."
"Seeing this, it's understandable why they'd be upset. Captain and the rest might have a tough time soon."
Both Susie and Lena shrugged.
Half of the crew of the Lone Dark, including Captain Gorick, were staying at the embassy and had been working hard.
Compared to them, the 'Freedom Breeze' group seemed to have it easier.
"Now that you mention it, I saw them yesterday."
"Yeah. When we were at that tea shop in the square, Captain Gorick came in with Nan and Nin. Looks like they're busy."
"When you see a sight like this, you can't help but feel things are getting tense in this free city."
"Sooner or later, we might receive orders as well."
Abel and Ryo shared their observations about the captain's party, while Susie and Lena pondered the future of the Free City.
After parting ways with the female duo of Head Chef Susie and First Officer Lena, Ryo and Abel walked together.
"Do you know Abel? Wherever that swordsman goes, incidents always happen, and people lose their lives. People call him Abel, the Calamity Swordsman."
"The first victim in the Free City might be some water-attribute magician."
"Ugh… what a comeback… Abel's skills are improving."
"Why do I feel like I've voluntarily fallen into a trap…?"
Having a partner is always a tricky thing.
In the office of the Deputy Minister of the Port Authority.
"The flagship Franze of the Atinjo Grand Duchy has entered the port."
Aide Ronfan reported to Deputy Minister Mishta. Mishta nodded silently once.
After a brief pause, Deputy Minister Mishta asked,
"The new ambassador is Lord Rokaku from the Ieba family, correct?"
This port entry was for the appointment of the new Atinjo Grand Duchy ambassador to Kwebasa.
There's no way two hundred escort ships are necessary, though…
"No, actually…"
Ronfan hesitated to answer.
Mishta looked at him suspiciously.
"They say the new ambassador is Duke Helb."
"What!"
Deputy Minister Mishta was shocked at Aide Ronfan's report.
"Duke Helb… you mean that Duke Helb?"
"That one?"
Ronfan was unsure how to respond to Mishta's panicked question.
"No, sorry. There's no one else it could be."
Mishta sighed once.
"Duke Helb… he's the younger brother of the Grand Duke! Not only that, but one of the Ten Masters who oversee the Southern Church of Sorcery… What in the world is going on?"
That statement, too loud to be called a mutter, naturally reached the ears of Ronfan, but he remained silent.
It couldn't be helped.
It was a question without an answer.
Deputy Minister Mishta was the Deputy Minister of the Port Authority.
It was likely that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been informed of the ambassador change in advance, but the Port Authority had not been notified.
They were only informed upon the ship's arrival…
The Atinjo Grand Duchy, as its name suggests, is ruled by the Grand Duke.
The Grand Duke's younger brother by fifteen years is Duke Helb. A large age gap between siblings.
Duke Helb is not only the Grand Duke's biological younger brother but is also known to be an exceptional sorcerer.
Traditionally, the Atinjo Grand Duchy has produced many outstanding magicians and sorcerers.
Even among them, Duke Helb stands out, and just having him present makes other nations hesitate to act.
Such an influential figure.
It's unthinkable that he would be appointed as an ambassador to another country.
Even someone like Deputy Minister Mishta couldn't help but wonder, "What in the world is going on?".
"What in the world is going on?"
Captain Gorick said nothing.
He understood that the question was not directed at him.
Even if it had been, he wouldn't have had an answer.
This was the Suje Kingdom Embassy.
At least Captain Gorick understood the troubled expression on the face of Ambassador Randassa, who sat before him.
After all, an unexpectedly significant figure had arrived.
"Duke Helb…"
The name was forced out of Ambassador Randassa's mouth.
Captain Gorick was a captain in the Central Navy of the Suje Kingdom.
Though he had received basic training, intelligence gathering was not his specialty, and he had never been stationed abroad.
But even he knew the name 'Duke Helb'.
One of the Atinjo Grand Duke's younger brothers. The only one born from the same mother.
One of the ten leaders of the 'Southern Church of Sorcery', which wields immense power in the southern continent.
He is twenty-eight years old.
Even though he's still in his twenties, the fact that he's this well-known speaks volumes about his abilities.
For more than a minute after muttering the name Duke Helb, Ambassador Randassa remained silent.
Finally, he spoke.
"The garden party in six days… We have to send an invitation to Duke Helb."
"Shall I deliver it?"
"No, it's not an official invitation… but we'll send it through the normal diplomatic channels from the embassy. I hope he declines, but if he decides to attend…"
Ambassador Randassa sighed deeply.
Though technically of equal rank as an ambassador, Duke Helb is still the 'Grand Duke's brother'.
Among royalty, he's in quite a high position.
Considering both his influence and renown, it could be said that his standing is second only to the Grand Duke himself.
It's simply unheard of for such a person to be appointed as an ambassador, and no one has ever experienced anything like it.
Faced with such a situation, Ambassador Randassa had no idea how to respond and was at a complete loss.
Of course, this garden party has a purpose.
It's being held for a reason… but Duke Helb's appearance was completely unforeseen.
Ambassador Randassa sighed for what felt like the hundredth time.
Captain Gorick, unable to say anything or leave… sighed inwardly.
-x-X-x-
"Abel, a foolish action may be laughed off the first time, but repeating it twice makes one a fool."
"Ryo, we're both fools."
The two of them, Abel and Ryo, were sitting at a tea shop facing the square.
Full from overeating once again, just like the previous day.
Yes, they had overeaten yet again.
"I told you we should stop. But you insisted on ordering more, Abel…"
"I told you to consult your stomach. Before you ordered anything…"
It seemed both Ryo and Abel were indeed fools.
Sitting at the same spot as the previous day, the two idly gazed out at the square, sipping green tea as they waited for their food to digest.
While watching the square, Ryo remarked,
"I feel like… there are a lot of military-looking people around."
"I know what you mean. They're dressed like regular citizens, but it's their way of walking and where they focus their gaze that gives them away."
The people loitering in the square clearly stood out from the usual crowd of civilians.
If this were the Knightley Kingdom, one might assume they were adventurers, but…
"If they were adventurers, their clothes would look more worn out."
"Ryo, that's quite the biased opinion."
"Do you think they're from the neighboring country…?"
"Most likely. They came in with the fleet… Not all of them would have disembarked though… Didn't we hear at 'Happy Eats' that there were around two hundred ships? That means tens of thousands of people, but I doubt all of them came ashore."
"With two hundred ships, the horizon was filled. Queen Iliaja's procession had about four hundred ships, right? That's twice as many! It must have been an overwhelming sight. The lead ship, the Rainshooter, must have glided in smoothly. I wish I could've seen that from the harbor."
Ryo said, nodding repeatedly as he imagined the scene.
"Displays of power and presentations, when used correctly, can be highly effective. This one must have made a significant impact on the hearts of the citizens of this free city…"
"I see. It's like the principle of military strategy that says the highest form of victory is to capture a state whole and intact, while destroying it is the next best option."
"I got it wrong yesterday, but this one's from 'Sun Tzu', right?"
"That's right! Well done, Abel. It's 'Sun Tzu'."
Ryo praised Abel for his correct answer.
Abel smiled proudly, happy to have gotten it right.
"The idea is that it's best to win without destroying your opponent, so you can take all of their resources intact. Defeating them through sheer intimidation and taking everything for yourself is ideal."
"That's true, but…"
"Yeah, it's difficult to achieve. Even though General Sun Wu, who wrote 'The Art of War', said it… in practice, more battles were won through actual fighting. So I think of it more as an ideal to aim for rather than something that can always be achieved."
Ideals and reality rarely align perfectly.
While pursuing ideals, one cannot ignore the practicalities of reality.
Those who accomplish great things are often skilled at balancing the two…
At a table two seats over from the two, three men were having a serious conversation.
Ronfan, aide to the deputy minister of the Port Authority;
Zo, aide to the minister of the Port Authority;
And Juse, aide to the minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
They were all part of the same cohort from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and had remained relatively close.
Ronfan and Zo were currently assigned to the Port Authority.
This wasn't unusual, and it didn't mean they had been demoted.
In fact, they were considered some of the rising stars among their cohort.
"Zo, what's the port minister thinking? First, he allowed the fleet of two hundred ships to dock, and now he's avoiding meeting with our deputy minister. Why?"
"I know, Ronfan, I get what you're saying. I even told the minister. That Deputy Minister Mishta has been requesting a meeting multiple times."
"And?"
"He just said he has a terrible headache. Granted, he's been suffering from bad headaches for about ten days now, but… It feels like he's deliberately avoiding it."
Ronfan and Zo lamented how the minister and deputy minister weren't communicating.
Anyone could see that it was crucial for the two to be in close contact, especially in the same ministry…
But it was Juse who interrupted their conversation in surprise.
"The port minister has a terrible headache too?"
"Wait, 'too'? Does the foreign minister also have headaches?"
"Now that you mention it, I heard a rumor that the finance minister has been suffering from bad headaches as well…"
Juse was shocked, Zo was surprised, and Ronfan frowned.
"Something definitely isn't right."
"Yeah, we should assume something's going on."
Ronfan and Zo nodded to each other.
"And speaking of strange things, there's the new ambassador from the Atinjo Grand Duchy."
"Duke Helb, right? It's unbelievable. He's one of the Ten Masters of the Southern Church of Sorcery and the Grand Duke's full-blooded brother. Why would someone that important be appointed as an ambassador?"
Juse brought up the topic, and Zo shook his head in disbelief as he responded.
Ronfan, however, had a slightly different reaction.
"Sorry, I'm not that familiar with sorcery… but just how high a rank is one of the Ten Masters of the Southern Church of Sorcery?"
"Well… Ronfan, you know that sorcerers hold significant power across the eastern countries, right?"
"Yeah, I've heard that. Lately, they've even been pushing out traditional magicians."
"Well, rather than pushing them out, it's more like they're finding their niches. Anyway, sorcerers have been thriving. Most of the sorcerers in the southern part of the continent belong to the Southern Church of Sorcery. Or rather, they're forced to belong. I've heard those who don't join are heavily persecuted."
Zo paused to take a sip of tea before continuing.
Before continuing.
"The Southern Church of Sorcery has ten leaders, and they're known as the Ten Masters. These Masters rarely cooperate, but they're not known to clash either… or so they say."
"So they say?"
"Yeah. In reality, it's unclear. The only one whose position is officially recognized is Duke Helb. Even our Special Defense Bureau has looked into it… but they've speculated that the leadership might've changed hands. There's still a lot of unknowns."
The Special Defense Bureau, which works alongside the navy to defend the Free City of Kwebasa, is an external bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The three men—Ronfan, Zo, and Juse, being Foreign Affairs alumni, also had connections within the Bureau.
"I've heard rumors that Duke Helb is also the head of 'that organization' from the Grand Duchy."
"The Secret Operations Division… yeah. They've been clashing with our Special Defense Bureau for a while. So the head of that division arriving here is a pretty significant move."
Juse added, and Zo replied.
"Could it be… the Grand Duchy is serious about taking action?"
"That's likely. It seems like they're planning to crush Kwebasa."
Zo said, echoing thoughts that both he and Ronfan had pondered many times before.
However…
"But, our nation may be small, but it's far from weak. Whether in terms of economic or military strength, we're on par with the Grand Duchy. We've clashed multiple times, on land and sea, and we've never suffered a major defeat. Especially our navy, which has consistently held the upper hand. We're certainly a thorn in the Grand Duchy's side… but how exactly do they plan to crush us?"
"What if… the Grand Duchy's soldiers, the ones aboard those two hundred warships, staged a coordinated uprising?"
"If it's less than fifty thousand soldiers, the Special Defense Bureau and city garrison can suppress them. We've already prepared strategies… based on war simulations."
Zo answered without hesitation.
Recalling the plans shown during the welcoming of the two hundred warships.
"They won't attack us head-on… So what's their plan…?"
"Who knows? We don't have enough information. Let's contact people from other ministries and share what we've learned."
"Agreed. Let's meet here again at this time tomorrow."
The three men said as they left the tea shop.
"Abel, I swear I wasn't eavesdropping."
"…W-Well, we can't help what we overheard?"
Indeed, the conversation of the three officials had been quite audible to both Abel and Ryo.
"They have such a careless attitude about sensitive information! If they were from the Royal Alchemist Workshop, Kenneth would fire them immediately for their lack of security awareness!"
"Kenneth is certainly strict when it comes to handling information, and that's a principle shared across the Royal Alchemist Workshop… but no one would get fired for that."
"I see. Rather than firing them and letting them loose, it's better to keep them close on a leash and monitor them. You think things through, Abel."
"I'd appreciate it if you chose your phrasing more carefully, Ryo…"
Although Ryo had intended it as praise, Abel seemed to have taken it differently.
Words can be tricky like that.
"Well, setting aside what we overheard… It seems a big shot has arrived."
"They mentioned Duke Helb. A Sorcerer…"
"The ones who attacked us in the Suje Kingdom were also Sorcerers, right? And Kabui Somal said they were likely from the Atinjo Grand Duchy."
"So, there's a chance that Duke Helb could be the mastermind behind that attack. Small world, isn't it?"
"Perhaps swordsmen whose names start with 'A' and end with 'L' have a knack for attracting misfortune."
"That's ridiculous."
Abel retorted, swiftly dismissing Ryo's half-joking comment.
"Anyway, we'll have to come back here tomorrow."
"Yes. They did say they'd meet here at the same time tomorrow. But we shouldn't make the same mistake again."
"Agreed. Tomorrow, let's skip 'Happy Eats' and find another place for lunch."
"Too much delicious food is a curse in itself."
"We're just fools, Ryo."
Both of them were well aware of their own foolishness.
And yet, even with awareness, they couldn't escape it.
Perhaps that's just human nature…
-x-X-x-
"Abel, foolish actions may be laughed off twice, but doing them three times makes you a fool."
"Ryo, even doing them twice already makes you a fool."
Here they were, at a teahouse facing the square.
Ryo and Abel had become the duo of overstuffed eaters, resting for the third day in a row, just like the day before and the day before that.
Yes, they had overeaten yet again.
"We even avoided 'Happy Eats' and went to a different place…"
"It had a sign saying something like 'Eat Until You Drop'. And here we are, both of us dropping from overeating."
"This free city has too many delicious places to eat."
"And yet, trying to get full on bad food doesn't seem right either…"
"Yeah, that's true. That doesn't feel right at all."
Both Abel and Ryo sighed in resignation.
Sitting at the same spot as the previous day, sipping green tea while absentmindedly watching the outside and waiting for the food to digest.
After a while, the same trio from the previous day appeared once again at the table two seats away.
Ronfan, aide to the deputy minister of the Port Authority;
Zo, aide to the minister of the Port Authority;
And Juse, aide to the minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Today, there was one more person with them, a woman.
"You may already know her, but this is Larsa, our colleague from the same year, aide to the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs."
Zo introduced, and they all exchanged brief introductions.
"Larsa, you were the one who came up with the draft for that training exercise we discussed yesterday, right?"
"Yes, that was me. I made it during the first year of our training."
"Impressive."
Ronfan said as if he suddenly remembered, while Larsa smiled slightly, and Juse praised her.
It was quite rare for something created during the first year of joining the government to be recognized at the core of national defense and become part of it.
"Yesterday, after hearing Zo's story, I was really surprised. The Minister of Ports, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Finance… they all have severe headaches. And then…"
"No way…"
"Yes, even the Minister of Internal Affairs."
Larsa's words shocked the three, but they also somewhat expected it.
"There's no doubt about it. Some kind of plot is at work."
"Yeah. Could be poison, or magic…"
"Could also be a curse."
Ronfan, Juse, and Zo said, dismissing the idea of it being a coincidence or some widespread illness.
With such pinpoint cases of 'severe headaches', it was only logical to assume that someone had targeted them for a reason.
"After hearing about it yesterday, I asked around among the people working under the Minister of Internal Affairs, and they said he's often in a daze and isn't as sharp in his thinking as he used to be."
"Not as sharp? The Minister of Internal Affairs is known for being a sharp person, right?"
"Now that you mention it… our Minister of Ports also seems less responsive. Though, honestly, he wasn't exactly sharp to begin with, but he was better than this."
"Yeah, maybe our Minister of Foreign Affairs is the same. Though he's always had a lot on his mind, so…"
At Larsa's words, Ronfan, Zo, and Juse shared their thoughts.
It seemed that, at the very least, there had been some change from how things used to be.
"It's only the ministers, right? The deputy ministers are the same as always?"
"Everything's normal on our end."
"Same here."
Rongfan from the Ministry of Ports and Larsa from the Ministry of Internal Affairs nodded as they answered.
The troubling situation seemed to be affecting only the ministers.
"We need to find out how far this has spread."
"Other ministers, or even the prime minister."
"Yes, and also the naval admiral and the defense commanders."
Just then.
"
Clang. Clink-clink-clink-clink…
A translucent roof appeared above the four.
There was a sound of something invisible hitting the roof repeatedly.
On closer inspection, a single talisman floated near the ceiling, from which nearly invisible air slash-like attacks were being sent toward the four.
At some point, a talisman had appeared above the four, launching an attack.
And at some point, a translucent barrier had been raised to protect them.
"R-run!"
Zo shouted.
Together with the trio, other customers inside the shop fled outside.
It's a secret that among the people who fled were a swordsman and a magician.
"I instinctively blocked it."
Ryo said, now sitting on a bench in the square.
"Well, it's a good thing you did. I wouldn't want to see the people striving so hard right next to us die."
Abel said, sitting next to Ryo, panting.
Yes, both of them were still full from eating.
"I saw the talisman float in. And I thought it might be something, and of course, it was…"
"Yeah, there was something similar during the crown princess's room incident in the Suje Kingdom and the coronation ceremony. Back then, it was stone bullets."
"Yes, and this time, it was like an air slash, wasn't it? A wind-attribute magic? Is launching a surprise attack from above using talismans a specialty of sorcerers?"
"That might be the case. Since humans naturally have a blind spot above them. Especially during ambushes, it's an effective strategy."
Both Ryo and Abel had been through numerous battles, so they weren't bad at analyzing these things.
However, there were still many unknowns.
"They were probably trying to kill those four, but why did they carry it out there?"
"Exactly. They should have done it somewhere with fewer people. Thanks to that, it got blocked."
"…It feels weird hearing that from the person who blocked it."
"There's a saying, 'To see injustice and do nothing is to lack courage'. You have to stop bullying when it's happening right in front of you!"
"O-okay…"
Abel felt that something was slightly off but couldn't disagree with Ryo's words.
Then he asked about something that came to mind.
"By the way, Ryo, during the coronation, you found the enemy's location using the magic lines extending from the talisman, right?"
"Yes. I wonder how this is different. Unfortunately, I couldn't trace it. That process takes quite a bit of time, you know. If I could train to be able to locate the enemy's magic lines instantly, things would change a lot. I'll keep working on it!"
"I see… well, just don't push yourself too hard."
For some reason, Abel's question seemed to have fired up Ryo's determination. 'I'll make it happen!' he declared.
Abel, who had sparked this motivation, wore a slightly guilty expression—perhaps a sign of the asymmetry between their feelings.
As they sat on the bench in the square, the voices of the townspeople reached their ears.
"I heard it was some government bigwig who got attacked."
"A talisman attack, huh…"
"What? So, a sorcerer? No way…"
"Of course! When it comes to assassinations and sorcery, that's how that country operates!"
"The Atinjo Grand Duchy…"
The citizens murmured among themselves.
"Could what just happened have been a show of power?"
"Probably. The speed at which word is spreading is too fast."
Abel replied, agreeing with Ryo's question.
Their opinions seemed to align.
"There were people who clearly looked like soldiers, right? The Atinjo Grand Duchy already has the power to attack high-ranking officials of the Free City government in broad daylight, and they're spreading the message that the Free City government can't protect itself…"
"That's…"
"Yes. They're trying to break the will of the citizens."
"Break their spirit…"
Ryo stated firmly, and Abel shook his head slightly.
The root of human strength lies in the heart.
As a swordsman, a king, and someone who had faced countless formidable enemies.
Abel knew that as long as the heart doesn't break, one can rise again and again.
But if the heart breaks…
"Generally speaking, the most successful way to capture an enemy's key city is to prepare everything in secret and take it all at once, before anyone knows."
Ryo explained.
"Like what happened in our royal capital."
Abel recalled, thinking of how the Crystal Palace had been occupied in one night by the King's younger brother, the northern nobles, and the imperial army.
"Exactly. But when you use that method, there are always rebellions afterward—by citizens, former guards, or similar groups. That's what we call a resistance movement."
It was only natural for resistance to rise when their homeland was suddenly occupied by a foreign nation.
"Zack, Scotty, or even the 'Valkyries' and the 'Morning Star' became rebels and resisted…"
Abel nodded as he responded.
"Yeah. The occupying force must crush such resistance movements again and again to demonstrate their power. If they fail even once, the situation could be overturned. That's because the population of the citizens is larger than that of the occupiers. If they all rise at once, the occupiers can't win."
"Yeah, that makes sense."
"That's why the Atinjo Grand Duchy is showing their power first this time. They're saying, 'Even with your government, we can wield this much power'. They want the citizens to think, 'It's hopeless. We can't resist. Let's give up'. They're starting the occupation by breaking the will of the people."
"They're breaking their spirit so that they don't even feel like resisting in the first place. That's ruthless."
Ryo's explanation made sense to Abel.
Whether you show your strength after the occupation or before.
The effectiveness is clear.
"But if they show their hand too early, it makes the actual occupation more difficult. Any government or country would try to prevent an enemy from taking over. They'd strengthen their defenses, right?"
"Either they're confident they can handle that, or they believe it won't happen. They must have made some sort of preparations…"
"Well, that seems like the natural conclusion. But we don't know what exactly those preparations are."
Ryo answered, frowning.
Although it wasn't his homeland, or even his second home, watching the country before him fall to occupation wasn't a pleasant feeling.
However, as someone who had studied history, Ryo knew:
All nations eventually fall.
The only way to prevent that, or at least extend the nation's lifespan—is through the actions of every individual citizen.
"The world isn't kind…"
-x-X-x-
The four aides who had fled from the tea house in the square.
They had split into pairs along the way and dashed towards the Administrative Island and successfully escaped to the ministries they belonged to.
Port Authority.
Deputy Minister's aide, Ronfan, and Minister's aide, Zo, were among them.
The two rushed up the stairs, entered Ronfan's aide office, and locked the door behind them.
Finally, they caught their breath.
For a solid five minutes, neither spoke a word.
Both tried to make sense of what had just happened as they calmed their ragged breathing.
The first to break the silence was Ronfan, the owner of the room.
"It was an attack using a talisman…"
"Yeah. It was floating near the ceiling. Must have been some kind of wind-attribute magic attack."
Zo nodded, adding details.
"Any idea who was behind it…?"
"Logically, you'd think it was the Grand Duchy."
"But why target us…?"
"I don't know."
Neither Ronfan nor Zo understood why they had been targeted.
True, they had been working to uncover the Grand Duchy's ongoing conspiracy.
But to be honest, that was all they had done.
They hadn't taken any significant action yet.
They certainly hadn't carried out any sabotage operations.
So why had they been attacked?
And in such a conspicuous place?
"I'm going to stay at the Port Authority for a while."
Zo, the Minister's aide, muttered.
The Ministry had a wide range of anti-magic and anti-sorcery defenses installed.
The level of alchemy in the Free City of Kwebasa was quite high.
One of the reasons they had been able to fend off the threats of both the Grand Duchy and the Federation so far was due to the advanced level of their alchemy.
"Yeah. I'll do the same. That really gave me a scare."
Ronfan, the Deputy Minister's aide, also decided to stay in the ministry.
As far as they could tell, it was the safest place.
"But still…"
"What?"
"The magic that blocked the attack… that magic barrier. Who cast it?"
"Who knows… Probably someone from the Special Defense Bureau…"
"We owe them our lives. Maybe we should send some drinks over to the Special Defense Bureau."
"Exchanging gifts between officials is prohibited."
"Man… what a strict world we live in."
Ronfan grumbled with a wry smile, and Zo shook his head in lament.
It seemed that society was tough no matter where you were.
"You fool! How could you fail to eliminate even the aides!"
"My apologies."
Inside the second secretary's office of the Atinjo Grand Duchy embassy.
Second Secretary Zlurma was furiously scolding the sorcerer who had failed the mission.
At that moment, the door opened without a knock, and a man entered.
"Your Excellency!"
Zlurma hastily dropped to one knee in reverence.
Naturally, the sorcerer who had been receiving the scolding also remained kneeling, facing the man who had entered.
"Zlurma, don't be so angry."
Duke Helb said with a smile, as he sat down on the reception couch.
He then continued.
"The important thing about this incident was that a government official, or at least someone of similar status, was attacked in broad daylight in front of many witnesses. It doesn't matter if you failed."
"Yes. I understand, but still…"
Zlurma lowered his head, sweating nervously at Duke Helb's words.
"Well, it would have been better if they'd become a gruesome corpse. But there's not much difference. Now, you… Zaban, was it?"
"Y-Yes! I'm honored that Your Excellency remembers my name…"
"Of course, I do. You're a wind-attribute, right? I've heard you're quite talented for your age. I hope you learn from this failure and continue to improve."
"Yes! Thank you very much!"
The young sorcerer Zaban's face flushed with excitement, and he bowed deeply.
His excitement was obvious to anyone.
And understandably so.
The man who stood at the pinnacle of the sorcerers of the Atinjo Grand Duchy, one of the most powerful sorcerers in the southern continent, and the younger brother of the Grand Duke himself.
The person many sorcerers idolized, had not only remembered his name but had even encouraged him to keep trying.
It would be strange not to be excited!
Zaban left the room, still riding that wave of excitement.
"Your Excellency, I truly apologize…"
"It's fine, Zlurma. What I said earlier is the truth. The fact that the attack took place is what's important. However, I'm curious about the one who blocked it. It's likely a magician from the Special Defense Bureau, but… Could you investigate that for me?"
"Understood."
"It would be wise to weaken the power of the Special Defense Bureau."
Zlurma acknowledged the order, and Duke Helb nodded.
"Oh, by the way, I just received an invitation to a garden party."
Duke Helb spoke with a smile.
"The one hosted by the Suje Kingdom embassy? Are you planning to attend?"
"Yes, I am. They probably don't want me to, but it sounds like fun."
"…The ambassador over there is probably having a tough time."
"He's an ambassador like me, but I'm also the Grand Duke's brother. I'm curious to see how they'll handle it. This is my first time being posted as an ambassador, so I'm looking forward to it."
Duke Helb spoke with glee.
"It's probably the first and last time I'll serve as an ambassador. After all… I'm likely to be the last ambassador to the Free City."
He laughed.
But it wasn't the playful laughter he had shown earlier.
It was laughter tinged with malice.
Second Secretary Zlurma found himself swallowing nervously.
"Abel, we've finally graduated from being fools!"
"Yeah, I guess we have… we're not so stuffed we can't move this time."
After lunch the next day.
The two of them were walking across the Administrative Bridge, which connected the mainland to the Administrative Island.
On their fourth day, they had finally avoided overeating and secured the freedom to move about in the afternoon.
Thus, they decided to check out the Administrative Island as tourists.
"We're really growing!"
"But the reason we didn't overeat was because the food was super spicy."
"Th-That's something we agreed not to mention!"
Yes, the reason they didn't overeat was that the place they'd gone for lunch, a restaurant called 'Hot n Spicy', specialized in super spicy dishes. They hadn't stopped eating because they were full, but because the spiciness had overwhelmed them before they could.
It wasn't a result of their own efforts.
"Well, the food was tasty even though it was spicy. But I definitely couldn't eat a lot."
"You can handle spicy food, huh? Come to think of it, Amon was also fine with super spicy stuff…"
Ryo recalled the time at the opening festival in Whitnash, when Amon had casually eaten a super spicy curry.
"Swordsmen can handle spicy food."
Abel declared confidently for some reason.
"But Niels ate the same thing and was completely knocked out."
Ryo objected, disagreeing.
"I-I see…"
It seems to depend on the person.
"This bridge is huge!"
"It's over 200 meters long, isn't it? Building a bridge this big over the sea must be difficult."
The bridge was over 200 meters long and about six lanes wide, if you compared it to Earth.
It was a truly massive structure.
"Just by looking at this bridge, you can tell how advanced the Free City is in terms of technology and economy."
"Definitely. There's no bridge this big in the capital of the Knightley Kingdom, is there?"
"Because we don't need one."
The royal capital, Crystal Palace, had no sea or even a large river.
"We shall build a huge bridge to show the nation's power!"
"Huh? Where?"
"Between the capital and Rune!"
"That makes no sense."
"A massive bridge that spans mountains and rivers, straight as an arrow!"
"Rejected. It's not necessary."
"Then… between the capital and the Rondo Forest…"
"Rejected even more. It's even less necessary."
"I have failed to attract public works funding… how unfortunate."
Bridges can't just be built anywhere.
"That's the Supreme Council, and next door is the Free Assembly, it seems."
"They're impressive stone buildings."
The Supreme Council was a three-story stone building that stood tall and imposing.
The Free Assembly, also made of stone, used a lot of dark-colored stone, so when the light hit it, it gleamed black.
Both faced a vast square, but there weren't many people relaxing there.
"Everyone seems to be hurrying around."
"It's work hours, after all."
Across from the square stood the Prime Minister's residence, along with the various ministries. You could easily spot merchants moving around as well.
Apparently, every society has some form of paperwork submission to the government.
The two of them leisurely walked through the government district, known as the Administrative Island, heading south.
There, once again…
"Another big bridge, just like before."
"This one connects the Administrative Island and the Diplomatic Island. It's called the Administrative-Diplomatic Bridge."
"What a bureaucratic name…"
Ryo couldn't help but wish for a more appealing name.
"Then what would you name it, Ryo?"
"Something like the Great Super Big Thunder Sea Bridge…"
"That's a no."
"Why?!"
"It lacks any sense of style."
"Down with tyrannical authority!"
Naming things is not easy.
"Let me guess, the bridge between the mainland and the Diplomatic Island is called the Diplomatic Bridge?"
"Exactly."
"What a boring name…"
Ryo sighed in disappointment as Abel confirmed it.
But the citizens probably thought it was none of Ryo's business to criticize their naming sense when he came up with something like 'Great Super Big Thunder Sea Bridge'.
The mainland, the Administrative Island, and the Diplomatic Island were connected by bridges, forming a triangular shape.
The mainland was at the top, creating an isosceles triangle.
The Administrative-Diplomatic Bridge was the shortest side, forming the base.
The mainland lay to the west, while the Administrative Island and the Diplomatic Island were to the east.
All three bridges were enormous, and they were built quite high above the water.
Allowing most ships to pass underneath.
"Wait, wasn't the Free City supposed to have 'three' big islands?"
"It does. The third one is the Prison Island."
"Of course, it's a prison…"
"Naturally. Civilians aren't allowed there, and they purposely didn't build a bridge."
"Someone might occupy it with armed forces and make demands of the government!"
"What are you even talking about…"
Abel was baffled by Ryo's wild imagination.
Ryo was picturing something like Alcatraz Island, floating in San Francisco Bay on modern Earth.
It was once infamous for housing the supposedly escape-proof Alcatraz Prison… and the idea of armed groups came from some movie he must have seen long ago.
"We should build a Prison Island off the coast of Whitnash in the Knightley Kingdom, too…"
"No, we shouldn't!"
The Diplomatic Island had a very different atmosphere from the Administrative Island.
Though both were political centers, there was a clear distinction…
"The Diplomatic Island feels kind of lively, doesn't it?"
"Yeah. The Administrative Island had places to eat too, but here there are not only teahouses but also cafes."
"And they're stylish. Some of them even have private rooms."
"Officials from other embassies probably meet in those places for unofficial or quick discussions."
Abel speculated, from the perspective of a king.
"That makes sense. If you need to have those kinds of meetings, a place with private rooms would be better. Even the taverns here… seem to have mostly private rooms."
"In diplomacy, having multiple informal channels of communication is crucial."
Ryo was impressed with the shops, while Abel spoke from the viewpoint of a ruler discussing diplomacy.
In every field, it's usually in the unseen areas where crucial decisions are made.
By the time things are brought into the public eye, most decisions have already been finalized.
It's just a presentation of the outcome.
"Efforts made behind the scenes are what determines success or failure."
"The same goes for swordsmanship, magic, and diplomacy."
"Evaluating that kind of effort is difficult."
"Humans tend to focus only on what they can see. Results are everything, and effort that doesn't produce results is meaningless… some people say that, and sometimes they're right. But this moment isn't all that matters. People who've made big mistakes often grow the most afterward… and those people are often the ones who are good at training others or managing organizations. They make good use of their own failures."
"I see. It's complicated."
As they admired the stylish cafes and eateries, the swordsman and the magician walked with their arms crossed, looking like they were pondering something serious.
To an outsider, they might have appeared to be deeply contemplating which restaurant to choose.
Just then, a group of people passed in front of them.
"We saw some people who seemed a little different."
"Could those be… adventurers?"
Both Ryo and Abel followed the group with their eyes.
At first glance, they thought the group might be sailors, like Captain Gorick, but the swords they carried were too large.
They wielded one-handed swords, though still much longer than a typical knife.
There was also someone holding a large staff, likely a magician.
"It's been a while since I've seen adventurers, but it feels reassuring somehow."
"They said there weren't any adventurers in the Archipelago region. The continent is different after all."
"Yeah, though their weapons and clothes are interesting… the staff looks similar to those from the Central Countries, but the sword is a curved one-handed sword, and their clothing seems more local."
"Naturally, there'll be regional differences."
Both Ryo and Abel were adventurers at heart.
One was a premier duke, and the other was a king… but they had originally been adventurers.
And one of them had even risen to an A-rank, becoming an elite swordsman.
"Do you think there's something like an Adventurers' Guild here?"
"Back when I was in the kingdom, I heard there was an organization similar to the Adventurers' Guild in the Eastern Countries."
"Really?!"
"Was it the Adventurers' Mutual Aid Society?"
"Mutual Aid Society… Guild sounds cooler."
"Is there really much of a difference? Should we try looking for one when we get back to the mainland?"
"Yeah, yeah! I'd like to take a peek."
Both Abel and Ryo, at their core, were adventurers.
The desire to discover the unknown… that was surely essential for an adventurer.
Of course, there's a saying, 'Curiosity killed the cat', but…
And so, the two of them crossed the Diplomatic Bridge and made their way back to the mainland.
-x-X-x-
"Is this really the place…?"
"The directions said it was here, right?"
Ryo and Abel had returned to the mainland and, after asking around in town, arrived at the location they were told housed the 'Adventurers' Mutual Aid Society'.
In front of them was indeed the building of the Adventurers' Mutual Aid Society.
However…
"It's not that big… is it?"
"Is the economy bad here or something?"
What stood before them was an ordinary house.
Well, perhaps it was slightly larger than a typical house, but still, at most, it was the size of two.
Compared to the Crystal Palace in the royal capital or the Adventurers' Guild in Rune, it was shockingly small.
"Well, Rune is the largest city in the frontier after all."
Abel probably felt the same way as Ryo.
Which is why he added that remark.
"What should we do? I did say I wanted to take a quick peek, but it feels awkward for us, not being affiliated with them, to just walk in…"
"They'll definitely call out to us…"
Both of them imagined the Adventurers' Guild back in the kingdom.
The large, bustling kind with lots of people, like in the royal capital or Rune.
In that kind of guild, they thought they could slip in unnoticed for a brief tour, but…
"But if we don't go in now, after all the trouble Abel went through to get directions from the townspeople, it'd feel disrespectful."
"Hey, don't make it sound like I threatened them to get the info…"
"…Shall we go in?"
"Sure."
With Ryo's question, Abel made the decision.
Well, after all, making decisions was a king's job.
The two opened the door and stepped inside.
"A cafe?"
That was Ryo's first impression as soon as they entered.
It wasn't a modern cafe.
But more like an old-fashioned Japanese coffee shop.
Wooden floors, wooden walls, wooden ceiling beams.
The place was run by an elderly couple, and naturally, all the tables and chairs were wooden too.
There was a counter at the back.
The kind of place you'd imagine wouldn't compromise on coffee and serves great Neapolitan spaghetti… but it turns out their ginger pork set meal is the most popular dish. Even during weekday lunches, businessmen in suits would come for a quick meal… that kind of coffee shop.
Of course, all of this was just Ryo's imagination.
Inside the Adventurers' Mutual Aid Society, the atmosphere resembled that of such a coffee shop.
But there were no customers enjoying Neapolitan spaghetti or gobbling down a ginger pork set meal.
And there was no smell of coffee either.
In fact, no one was even sitting on the chairs.
"Welcome."
From behind the counter, a lone old woman, or rather, an elderly lady—yes, it was fitting to call her that—spoke to them.
She looked to be in her 80s at least.
She appeared to be the only person present.
"Excuse me. We heard that this was the Adventurers' Mutual Aid Society."
Abel asked politely.
"That's right, this is the Adventurers' Mutual Aid Society."
The elderly lady answered, a bit gruffly.
Perhaps she had been an adventurer in her youth.
"Are you travelers?"
Even without asking, it was obvious that Ryo and Abel weren't from the Free City.
"Oh, yes."
Abel answered but hesitated slightly.
It was clear they weren't adventurers coming to take on a quest.
And they certainly weren't affiliated with this place…
"There aren't many adventurers in this Free City. The city is peaceful, and no monsters appear on land. There are no tyrannical nobles or kings who issue unreasonable orders. The only powerful people are the merchants, and they all have their own private forces. They never need to post requests in this society. That's why the few adventurers who start here soon leave for the Grand Duchy or the Federation. Especially now, with the Federation in civil war. All sides want as many rogue types like adventurers as they can get."
The elderly lady said, her face showing a hint of sadness.
Ryo and Abel exchanged glances.
They hadn't come to hear such a sorrowful tale.
They had just wanted to catch a glimpse of adventurers working hard, even in a foreign land.
But it seemed that adventurers didn't have much opportunity to shine in this Free City.
"Actually, earlier, we saw some people who looked like adventurers on Diplomatic Island…"
"Oh, yes. A few groups are working under contracts with the embassies of various countries. They're practically exclusive to those clients. And they rarely come here anymore."
No matter how they turned it, the conversation seemed to lead to a sad conclusion.
At that moment, the door burst open.
"President! We're done!"
The ones who entered were a group of three.
Two men, or rather two boys, and one girl.
None of them seemed to be older than eighteen.
"Mara! I've told you to open the door more carefully!"
"Ah, sorry…"
The elderly lady, whom they had called the president scolded him, and the boy called Mara apologized.
While the other two shook their heads slightly, covering their faces with their hands.
It was only then that the trio noticed Ryo and Abel, the earlier customers.
They bowed their heads and then sat at a table away from the counter, where they began whispering to each other.
Though their voices didn't carry to the counter, it was obvious they were talking about Ryo and Abel.
They kept glancing over at them.
"Are those adventurers too?"
"Yes. They registered about six months ago. There aren't many quests available here, so they're still ninth-ranked. It seems they just finished their most recent request, but there's nothing lined up for them right now. If they can complete one more job, they'll advance to eighth rank. Once they do, I can start giving them hunting jobs outside the city… but who knows when that'll be."
With a small sigh, the elderly lady responded to Abel's question.
"Does it start from rank nine, with rank one being the highest?"
Ryo asked, curious.
"Well, yes. There's a special rank above rank one, but… you don't hear about those much around here. Even in the vast Eastern countries, you'd only find them in a place like 'Darwei'."
"Darwei?"
"You don't know Darwei? Where in the world are you two from…?"
"We're from the Suje Kingdom in the archipelago region."
Ryo answered. He wasn't lying, but he carefully left out certain important details, making the president widen her eyes in surprise.
After a moment's thought, Ryo gave a small nod and asked.
"Excuse me, would it be possible for us to request a job?"
"Of course, but… you're travelers, aren't you? There's no guarantee that you'll get results within the deadline. Also, payment is required in advance. The Mutual Aid Society collects the full fee, including the reward, and then pays the adventurers. You can receive the report directly from them, or the Society can prepare a written summary for you…"
"I see. And how much would the total cost, including the reward, be?"
"That depends on the request. After hearing the details, I determine the rank and number of adventurers needed, and then calculate the cost. For instance, a rank nine job would be 10,000 denari per adventurer as a base fee. For longer assignments, there's an additional cost. The fee increases by 10,000 denari with each higher rank."
"So, if I hired those three, the base fee would be 30,000 denari, with additional costs depending on how many days it takes?"
"Exactly. If there are extra expenses, those will be added on too."
Denari is the currency of this free city.
Based on Ryo's recent experience eating around the city, he'd come to recognize that one denari is roughly equivalent to one yen.
"Yes, there will be expenses. Let's go ahead and pay in advance."
"Ryo?"
Ryo said quietly, nodding with a plan in mind.
Abel asked, noticing Ryo's thoughtful demeanor.
"Don't worry, Abel, you won't have to pay for anything."
"I wasn't worried about that…"
"This is to make sure we don't face any life-threatening danger in the future."
"A job that serious, for those kids?"
Abel said, surprised.
The president had mentioned that the adventurers had only been doing this for half a year.
Were they really capable of taking on a job that could ensure Ryo and Abel's safety?
"H-Hey, Ryo…"
Of course, Abel trusted Ryo.
They often bickered, but deep down, Abel believed in him completely.
He knew Ryo wasn't the type of person who would sacrifice others for his own gain.
Still…
"I want them to gather information on the dining spots around the free city."
"Huh?"
"Dining spots?"
Ryo requested with a smile on his face, Abel blurted out in confusion, and the president asked suspiciously.
Having spent decades working with the Mutual Aid Society since her days as an active adventurer, the president had never heard of such a request before.
It was understandable that she was skeptical.
"Yes. I want information on the names, locations, and types of food they serve… Nothing too high-end, though… maybe places where lunch is 1,500 denari or less per person. As for other details…"
As Ryo started to list the information he wanted, the president hurriedly began taking notes.
Realizing that this was indeed a legitimate request.
Meanwhile, Abel was still frozen in disbelief.
It seems that when people are truly blindsided by an unexpected situation, they tend to freeze up.
Ryo continued detailing the information he wanted, while the president took notes and occasionally asked for clarification… finally, they discussed expenses.
"If they have to eat at the places, they'll need money for that. I'll pay the necessary expenses upfront. Could you handle distributing the funds as needed?"
"Understood."
"The deadline is in one week. As I mentioned, ten locations should be sufficient… is that manageable?"
"Given the time and the documentation process, it should be feasible."
The finer details were settled between Ryo and the president.
Abel, who had remained silent throughout the entire conversation, stayed quiet until the end.
"Ah, doesn't doing a good deed make you feel refreshed?"
Ryo said cheerfully as they walked toward their inn, "Freedom Breeze Inn", after leaving the Mutual Aid Society.
Abel had been silent in the guild and remained so outside.
"It's rare to see you so quiet, Abel."
"Well… I mean, I'm just speechless."
"Hmm?"
Ryo tilted his head, confused.
"I've never heard of a job to investigate restaurants before. It's such an unexpected idea, I'm just surprised."
"Ah, I see. Well, the idea isn't originally mine."
"Really?"
"Yes. In my homeland, there's this tire manufacturer… um, a company that makes wheels for carriages… I suppose?"
"A company that only makes wheels? That's something I've never heard of… they must make really impressive wheels."
"Well… it's a bit different, but close enough."
Ryo responded, realizing how off his explanation was but choosing to continue rather than backtrack.
"That company published books about good places to eat. There were rumors that their inspectors kept their jobs secret from even their families. They'd visit restaurants with their families. Acting like regular customers to check how the food and service were."
"That's pretty thorough."
"Exactly. They'd evaluate everything—the food they serve to regular customers, the quality of the food, and the service. They used stars to rate the places. If a restaurant lost a star compared to previous years…well, it could cause a lot of trouble."
"That's probably a huge deal for the chefs."
Abel nodded solemnly, picturing the disappointed face of a chef who had lost a star.
"I just thought of it because I knew about that kind of book."
"I see… But to think that it actually turned into a business."
"Right? It's pretty amazing. Originally, they included information about inns and such for people traveling by automo… carriages. So, the books themselves didn't make much profit, but they boosted sales for their main business… wheels."
"Even when a method seems roundabout… sometimes, that turns out to be the right approach."
Abel nodded thoughtfully.
It wasn't clear whether he was thinking about national affairs or his swordsmanship…
"The book sales make up only about one percent of the company's overall revenue, but everyone has heard of it. Some people don't even know the company makes wheels. But after a hundred years of building that reputation, you can't underestimate it."
"Interesting."
Abel nodded again, understanding the weight of Ryo's words.
"Those three were Mara, Nikos, and Rosa, right? Their party name was 'Tiger's Fang'… quite a bold name. The two boys, the swordsman and dual-wielder, probably represent the fangs on either side. And the healer girl, Rosa, might be the brains behind it all."
Ryo mused about the three adventurers introduced at the guild.
Ryo, viewing them as junior adventurers, hoped they'd do well.
"Party names only get registered from rank eight, right? So it's a self-given name. Well, I don't mind it—shows their enthusiasm."
Abel said with a smile.
He had always been good at looking after younger adventurers during his active days.
"They're childhood friends, apparently… I wonder how that will play out?"
"What are you getting at?"
Ryo said, grinning mischievously, hinting at something.
Abel asked, confused by Ryo's teasing tone.
"There's a possibility that, in the future, Mara and Nikos might engage in a bloody battle over Rosa."
"Why would they…?"
"Because love often outweighs friendship."
Ryo said with a playful grin, ignoring Abel's exasperation.
"If one of them loses in love, they'll leave in despair, wandering far and wide. And with their heart broken, they'll devote themselves to the path of the sword, eventually being known as the Sword God…! "
"Yeah, sure. But that story lacks a twist, so it probably wouldn't sell."
"Ugh… it seems that surpassing 'The Starving Swordsman Abel' will be difficult after all."
It's not easy to create back-to-back hits.
Of course, no one really knew yet whether 'The Starving Swordsman Abel'—the first book in the series… was even a hit.
-x-X-x-
The two returned to the 'Freedom Breeze Inn'.
At the counter, another pair was receiving their room key.
"Ah, you two just got back too?"
"Abel-san, Ryo-san. We're just returning from work."
Head Chef Susie answered.
Lena, the First Officer, nodded in agreement.
"Abel, this is how people should be."
"Yeah, you're the last person I want to hear that from."
Abel retorted to Ryo, who had been wandering around with him.
Indeed, Abel didn't want to hear that from Ryo.
"Welcome back, Abel-sama, Ryo-sama. A letter has arrived for you both."
The well-mannered man at the counter said as he handed them the letter.
"An invitation?"
"The Suje Embassy?"
Their murmurs must have been louder than intended.
As the two women who had just received their keys turned around.
Both Lena and Susie were eyeing them suspiciously.
Noticing this, Abel broke the seal.
He thought they were curious about what was inside.
"An invitation to a garden party?"
"Ah… just as I thought."
Susie, the head chef, shook her head slightly at Abel's murmur.
And Lena frowned.
"Hm? Is it not a good invitation?"
"Well… to be honest, it could be troublesome."
"Why would the embassy send you two an invitation?"
Susie answered Abel's question, while Lena raised a concern.
"If we refuse, will it cause problems for the Suje Kingdom?"
Ryo asked.
Not fully grasping the significance of the 'invitation'.
"It would be a loss of face."
"Someone who was counting on you two might be disappointed."
"And there will be leftover food."
Abel, Lena, and Susie each responded in their own way.
Naturally, the last response was what struck Ryo the most.
"Le-leftover food?! That's terrible! We must reduce food waste! Abel, even if this is a trap, we have no choice but to attend!"
"You just want to eat embassy food…"
Abel replied, exasperated.
"Embassy head chef Logo Bagirsh-dono is a master of both meat and fish dishes. As a chef, if you have the chance, I highly recommend his food… though this time…"
"Let's go, Abel!"
"…Well, fine."
Despite the potential trouble, Susie, the head chef, couldn't fully recommend attending. But Ryo, who was optimistic and thought everything would work out, persuaded Abel.
Who also thought, it would be fine.
In the end, maybe they really were a good pair.
"Wait, you sent an invitation to Abel-san and Ryo-san?"
"Yes, I did. Is there an issue?"
Slightly confused by Captain Gorick's raised voice.
Ambassador Randassa responded suspiciously.
They were in the Suje Kingdom Embassy, inside the ambassador's office.
"We received an official response from the Grand Duchy's embassy. The new ambassador, Duke Helb, will attend the garden party. He's a formidable force. If something happens, our embassy's current strength won't be enough. Even with the seasoned crew of the Lone Dark."
"That may be true, but…"
"You were the one who said those two were quite strong, captain. Having them here in the Free City is an unbelievable stroke of luck. Of course, I don't expect them to work for free. Since they seem to be adventurers, I'm prepared to offer appropriate compensation."
"…Have you already reported this to the kingdom?"
"Yes, I did earlier. No response yet."
In response to Captain Gorick's question, Ambassador Randassa nodded firmly.
The embassy was equipped with a 'magic communication device' that allowed for communication with the royal castle of the Suje Kingdom.
It's a kind of long-distance communication, though it doesn't allow for real-time two-way conversations.
It's somewhat like a fax machine or email.
They would send a message and wait for a reply.
Depending on the distance, like between the Free City and the capital, it could take about two hours one way.
The reply would likely arrive tonight at the earliest.
"Honestly, even with their strength, I doubt they could stop Duke Helb. But they'll surely be of some help."
"You're not planning to start a war in the embassy, are you?"
Captain Gorick blurted in response to Ambassador Randassa's words.
"If nothing happens, great. But we can't wait until something goes wrong, can we?"
"But they're our guests…"
Captain Gorick trailed off.
If the two declined the invitation, it would be over.
And even if they attended the garden party, the captain planned to keep them from getting caught in any trouble.
The crew of the Lone Dark would also be present as assistants.
Knowing they'd act properly, he felt a bit more at ease.
At this point, however, at the 'Freedom Breeze Inn', the decision to attend the garden party had already been made, mainly due to the magician's insistence…
The next day.
"So, what should we do about Abel's outfit?"
"Outfit?"
"For the garden party. Since it's a formal invitation from the embassy, you can't go in your regular clothes, right?"
"Well, I guess not…"
Abel was caught off guard by this sudden topic right after breakfast.
"You wore a white formal outfit during Suje Kingdom's coronation. How about going with black this time?"
"Bl-black?"
"Or, given the 'Crimson Sword' in your party's name, are you attached to red? Maybe a combination of red and black? Very Stendhal… or even a red and black striped pattern—Rossonero. Like the famed Italian team."
Ryo, grinning to himself.
Clearly imagining Abel wearing the Rossonero uniform, playing soccer.
Ryo muttered things like, "Being a swordsman, you'd play as a forward, right? I can feel the breeze from Milan…" but Abel had no idea what he was talking about.
"The white formal wear I wore for the coronation ceremony in the Suje Kingdom, can't I just use that…?"
"No, no, Abel's fans across the continent would want to see you in a different outfit."
"What? Fans across the continent…?"
"Exactly. Abel's fans who live on the continent."
"There are no such people!"
"Let's take this opportunity to grow your fanbase properly. 'Behold, Abel the swordsman!' Just like that, you'll make a big impression."
"Not necessary."
Ryo's suggestion was flatly rejected by Abel.
It seemed that the King of Knightley didn't like being in the spotlight.
The two of them spent the rest of the morning as usual.
In the courtyard, Abel practiced his sword swings, while Ryo read an alchemy book and conducted experiments.
However, as Abel swung his sword, he noticed something.
Ice towers appeared and disappeared at the four corners of the courtyard.
Of course, it had to be Ryo's doing.
That much was clear.
But Ryo was reading his alchemy book and repeatedly conducting his alchemy experiments.
"Could it be that he's simultaneously performing water-attribute magic while doing alchemy experiments…?"
Abel couldn't use magic.
Therefore, his knowledge of how it was executed was purely academic.
Based on that knowledge, he believed it was impossible to perform both alchemy and magic at the same time.
Though he had heard of 'fusion magic'.
A concept introduced by his friend Kenneth.
It was a combination of alchemy and magic…
But it required one person to perform alchemy and another to cast magic… the fusion occurred through collaboration between multiple individuals.
The idea of one person simultaneously performing alchemy and magic was unheard of.
Alchemy, whether it involved experiments or crafting alchemy tools, required the infusion of magic power.
To use elemental magic at the same time would be akin to… shooting an arrow while swinging a sword.
It seemed impossible to do both simultaneously.
And yet…
"Phew."
Ryo exhaled, seemingly satisfied with the results of his experiment, and tilted his neck from side to side.
A typical gesture to ease tension.
"Hey, Ryo."
"What is it, Abel?"
"You were just doing alchemy experiments, right?"
"Yes, and they went quite well."
Ryo replied with a cheerful smile.
"Were you also creating ice towers at the same time?"
"Ah, you noticed! Maybe it's because they were as tall as a person. I still can't make smaller towers while doing alchemy, though. I need more practice."
Ryo responded, nodding as if it were the most natural thing.
Abel was still far from convinced.
"Yeah, but I thought it was impossible to do both at once…"
"Abel, nothing is impossible. Some swordsmen can wield a sword in both their right and left hands, aren't there?"
"I don't think that's the same thing…"
"I-Is it not? Well, how about this… some people fight with a spear in their right hand and a sword in their left, right?"
"…That's pointless."
"Where there's a will, there's a way!"
"Right…"
Ryo said this with full confidence, and while Abel didn't find it convincing at all, he decided to accept it.
After all, he had just witnessed Ryo simultaneously perform alchemy and water-attribute magic…
At three in the afternoon.
Both dressed for the garden party, Abel and Ryo descended into the lobby of the 'Freedom Breeze Inn'.
A carriage was scheduled to pick them up and take them to the Suje Kingdom Embassy, and they had a fellow passenger.
"First Officer Lena, sorry to keep you waiting."
"No, I've only just arrived myself."
Ryo spoke, and First Officer Lena responded.
Then, looking at Abel, she added.
"Abel-san, you're wearing the same outfit from the coronation ceremony. It really suits you."
"Oh, really?"
Abel replied, feeling a bit embarrassed.
As for Ryo, he was, of course, wearing his usual robe.
First Officer Lena was dressed in the formal attire of the Suje Kingdom Navy.
She and Captain Gorick were attending the party as representatives of the navy.
While the other crew members were assisting with the event.
"Head Chef Susie has already gone ahead to the embassy, right?"
"Yes. She had to help with preparations. I'll be escorting the two of you."
Lena said, bowing elegantly.
Her graceful posture, combined with her well-tailored naval uniform, made her bow a beautiful sight.
Ryo nodded happily.
And Abel let out a quiet "Ooh", in admiration.
No matter the time or place, proper etiquette always elevates one's reputation.
It is, after all, a part of one's education.
Education isn't just about knowledge.
It encompasses one's behavior and manners as well.
The three of them boarded the carriage and headed for the Suje Kingdom Embassy on Diplomatic Island.
"I've learned why the two of you were invited."
Lena said as the carriage began to move.
"It's because Duke Helb, the new ambassador of the Atinjo Grand Duchy, will be attending the garden party."
"Why us, though?"
"Do you know this Duke Helb? He's not an old friend or an enemy of yours, right?"
"…I've heard the name before."
"Abel, now would be a good time to say, 'No, I don't know him'…wait, you've heard of him?"
"You've heard of him too, Ryo. Remember, at that teahouse by the plaza."
"Oh, right, now that you mention it!"
Yes, they had overheard a conversation among some 'big shots' from the Free City government.
In that conversation, the name of the new ambassador, Duke Helb, had come up.
Ryo and Abel continued chatting, while Lena looked on in slight confusion.
"Ah, sorry. We know about Duke Helb. And the fact that he's a powerful sorcerer. So they called us as a countermeasure against him, uh?"
"Yes. That was Ambassador Randassa's decision…"
First Officer Lena knew that the two before her were not just any guests, but rather honored ones of Queen Iliaja.
Because of that, she believed they shouldn't be involved in such matters.
However…
"Well, it'll be fine. Whether he's a sorcerer or a 'jujujuju' master, Abel will handle it. In no time!"
"Hey… We're not going there to start a fight."
"Of course not! We're going to enjoy some delicious food… oh no! I fell into Abel's trap and revealed my true feelings hidden deep in my heart…"
"It was obvious from the start."
The two in front of her didn't seem to care about First Officer Lena's concerns.
Listening to their conversation, the feeling of guilt Lena had in her heart started to dissipate.
"But, Abel. That outfit really suits you."
"You're still wearing your usual robe, Ryo. Is that alright?"
"This is a gift from my master. It's more fitting for a garden party than any formal attire."
"Is that so?"
Abel looked at him skeptically.
"You're just too lazy to change clothes, aren't you?"
"W-What are you talking about? Anyway, wearing that outfit, Abel, you might not pass as a Count, but you could easily look like a Viscount. You certainly won't be treated poorly."
"What a forceful change of topic…"
Abel looked at Ryo with a mixture of exasperation and amusement.
However, he noticed First Officer Lena's puzzled expression from where she sat.
"First Officer Lena, what's wrong? Is Ryo's robe inappropriate?"
At Abel's question, Ryo looked at Lena with a sad and startled expression.
"Oh, no, of course, it's perfectly fine."
Upon hearing Lena's reply, Ryo smiled again.
"It's just… The word 'viscount' that came up in the conversation earlier caught my attention."
"Ah, I see."
Abel nodded in understanding.
Of course, Ryo had no idea why that was relevant.
"What do you mean 'I see'? Wait, First Officer Lena, you don't know what a viscount is?"
"No. I'm afraid I'm unfamiliar with it."
"What…?"
Ryo was taken aback by Lena's answer.
When he looked to the side, Abel didn't seem surprised.
"Why aren't you shocked, Abel!"
"It's a matter of basic knowledge."
"Ugh… Abel just called me ignorant…"
Abel responded with a calm expression, and Ryo pretended to cry in frustration.
But then, it seemed that something had dawned on him.
"Lena, could it be that there are no 'viscounts' in your country?"
"Yes… we don't have them."
"I see!"
Ryo nodded firmly and looked at Abel.
But Abel was still frowning.
"Huh? That's not enough? Okay then… do you also not have the title of 'baron'?"
"No, we don't."
"I see!"
Ryo nodded again, looking once more at Abel.
But Abel was still frowning.
"What about 'dukes'…?"
"Dukes… well, it's an old title. Nowadays, we just say 'duke' like 'Duke Helb'. Though using 'duke' isn't wrong. It's mostly reserved for royalty."
"I see… And what about 'marquises'…?"
"I think I've read about them in some old books… but I'm not familiar with them myself."
First Officer Lena answered apologetically.
"So, is 'Count'…also an old title, and now it's just 'Count' on its own?"
"Yes, that's right."
"I see…"
Ryo mulled over the new information in his mind.
It seemed that things were quite different from the Central countries.
"In the Central countries, people are divided into royalty, nobility, and commoners, but that's not the case in the Eastern countries."
Abel started to explain further.
"In the Eastern countries, there isn't really an aristocratic class as we know it. The title of 'duke' is reserved for royalty, and while 'count' can be considered nobility… there aren't many of them. In terms of the Central countries, you'd consider them to be equivalent to the highest-ranking nobles… like marquises or above."
"I see."
"There weren't any counts in the Archipelago region either, were there?"
"No, there weren't."
Abel asked Lena a question.
And she nodded in response.
"You've probably never heard of the title of Lord Protector Kabui Somal either, right, Ryo?"
"Oh, now that you mention it, I guess not. So that's what it was all about."
Ryo thought back and started to reflect.
"It's a more equal world."
"Well… maybe. But if you go further north on the continent, you'll find a class known as 'Shitaifuso', which is similar to the aristocratic ranks of the central countries."
"In the end, there's a hierarchy wherever you go in the world…"
Upon hearing Abel's explanation, Ryo let out a small sigh.
By the way, Ryo, who was lamenting the class system, was a premier duke.
"It's simply more convenient for governing a country that way."
Abel shrugged as he responded.
Incidentally, Abel, who was saying this, was the King.
"But Abel, how do you know all of this?"
"Oh, I learned it long ago."
He had learned it when he was still in the royal castle before he came of age.
"Ugh… this is what they call an information gap. Down with social inequality!"
"What are you even talking about?"
As they bantered, the carriage the three were riding in arrived at the Suje Kingdom Embassy.