Chapter 0565 Revealing Identities
-x-X-x-
Three days had passed since the attack on the Imperial Palace. During that time, the two remained secluded in the Ryusen Residence.
Abel spent his days engrossed in practicing with the Flight Ring, while Ryo devoted his time to analyzing it.
On the evening of the third day, a message arrived from the palace.
"They say we can move into the residence starting tomorrow."
"…Isn't that a bit fast? It's only been three days, right?"
Of course, the residence bestowed by the Emperor wasn't newly constructed.
So, it likely didn't take much time to prepare…
"Prince Ryun and Princess Shio Fen moved into their new residence the day after the palace attack…maybe he wants us to join them quickly?"
"Is that how it is?"
"Well, moving in is fine. But there's a huge problem."
"A problem? What is it?"
"The housewarming present."
"Huh…?"
Abel froze, unable to grasp what Ryo was talking about.
As usual.
"You say, 'We've just moved in next door. Here's a trivial gift', and present something to the neighbors."
"I don't really get it…you bring something trivial?"
"T-That's just a figure of speech. It's called humility…or modesty, I think. In any case, we'll need a small gift."
"I see… sounds like a hassle."
Abel shook his head slightly.
"Why are you acting like this has nothing to do with you?"
"Huh? I'm involved too?"
"Of course! We'll be delivering the housewarming gift together, so if it's embarrassing, we'll both be embarrassed!"
"You're exaggerating…"
Ryo muttered to himself as he thought.
"First of all, alcohol is out. Since they're both young. Princess Shio Fen is only seventeen, still underage. So, maybe classic baked sweets? But we don't know which confectionery here is good. If this were the royal capital, we'd go to Cafe de Chocolat… ah, but I've only had cakes there, not cookies or anything. Do they even sell baked goods like that…?"
Watching him, Abel murmured,
"You're so meticulous, Ryo…"
The two spent the entire night pondering.
Abel, to his credit, accompanied him the whole time.
The next day at 9 a.m., after greeting Von Debout, who was also staying at the Ryusen Residence, Captain Li Chu and the White Flame Army arrived to escort them.
The fifty soldiers also served as porters for their belongings.
However, the two had very little luggage.
"Huh? Is that really all?"
Aside from their usual robes, cloaks, and swords, all they had was Ryo's bag.
Containing just a few books—not heavy at all.
Seeing Captain Li Chu looking puzzled, Ryo decided to ask:
"I'm not sure about housewarming gifts here, but are there any trendy baked goods popular among the Shitaifu social class?"
"Oh!"
"I'll have one of my men go buy some."
"Thank you so much!"
Thanks to Captain Li Chu's suggestion, Ryo's concern was resolved.
Ryo was overjoyed.
Abel, watching beside him, chuckled wryly.
For now, the two mounted Andalusia and Feiwan respectively, and as before, moved under the escort of the White Flame Army.
They were led to a southeastern section of the Imperial City.
While Prince Ryun's residence had been newly built, several disused residences nearby remained.
These were now the property of the Emperor, and one of them was granted to Duke Rondo.
Although unused, the area was regularly patrolled by the city's guard units to prevent them from becoming havens for bandits or criminals.
These guard units were similar to town watchmen or garrison soldiers in the Central countries.
Since Prince Ryun moved in, patrols around the area had increased in frequency and intensity.
"Captain Li Chu, are the guard units under the Ministry of War or something else?"
"The guard soldiers belong to the Guard Corps, which is independent of the Ministry of War. Their commanding officer is First Rank Marquis Hau Gin."
"First Rank Marquis? That's different from a Duke or Count?"
Another unfamiliar term.
But upon seeing Ryo's puzzled face, Captain Li Chu smiled wryly.
"It's hard to understand, I know. I once heard someone say the Darwei system is even harder to grasp than those in the southern continent."
It seems that dukes and counts are noble ranks, while titles like First Rank Marquis are bureaucratic ranks.
For example, Count Matan, Von Debout is a Second Rank Marquis.
"Dukes and counts are hereditary. And indicate regional lords. But separately, there are bureaucratic ranks like First Rank Marquis to signify a government position."
"So First Rank Marquis is the top?"
"Yes. There are only a few, including Hau Gin-sama. The system ranges from First to Ninth Rank… even ministers overseeing the Six Ministries, like the Ministry of War, are only Second Rank. That should give you an idea of how powerful Hau Gin-sama is."
"I see…"
Back on Earth, Ryo had studied China's civil service examination system, which had aimed to break the hold of the aristocracy.
The imperial examination—used for over a thousand years—was meant to widely recruit talented individuals.
That it was even used under the rule of northern nomadic tribes made it all the more fascinating.
Dawei seemed to adopt new talents through such exams while preserving traditional elements… the system appeared to be thoughtfully constructed.
"Using the term 'Marquis' just adds to the confusion… I keep thinking of the five noble ranks: Duke, Marquis, Count, Viscount, Baron."
The Central countries were based on the Five Ranks, and Ryo muttered his complaint.
Hearing him, Abel shook his head quietly.
"Well, let's just remember that First Rank Marquises hold great power. And ministers are Second Rank Marquises!"
Ryo summarized it that way…
The residence the two were led to by Captain Li Chu and the White Flame Army was visibly spacious even from the road.
First, the wall was massive.
A white wall stretched to the edge of their vision.
Everything within that wall belonged to their residence.
"This is… a bit too big, isn't it?"
"It's the largest among the available residences in this area. Still, it's only about one-third the size of Prince Ryun's residence."
"How many people are supposed to live in the prince and princess's residence…?"
After walking along the wall for a while, they finally reached the gate.
There, a woman was waiting.
"Welcome, Duke Rondo. I am Lan Fa from the Ministry of Engineering."
"How courteous of you. I am Ryo Mihara, I go by the title of Duke Rondo."
Lan Fa was a young woman in her early twenties with beautiful black hair, though she wasn't particularly tall.
Rather than beautiful, cute would be more fitting.
Wearing a proper Eastern-style outfit as if going to the imperial court, her black hair was neatly tied up and adorned with a small silver crown.
Having been told that Duke Rondo was close to the Emperor, she had dressed with utmost formality.
She couldn't afford even the slightest misstep!
Captain Li Chu began explaining.
"As I mentioned earlier, Lan Fa from the Ministry of Engineering is a Seventh Rank official. She's a brilliant talent who passed the central examination—a potential future minister."
"C-Captain Li Chu, please don't tease me!"
Flustered, Lan Fa waved her hands at his words.
"Seventh Rank… official? Not Seventh Rank Marquis?"
"Oh, yes. Normally, it's just 'official'. Only First and Second Rank use 'Marquis' as a courtesy title."
"This is so confusing… They should've just called it 'First Rank Official' to avoid misunderstandings…"
Ryo's grumbling drew chuckles from both Captain Li Chu and Lan Fa.
The residence bestowed by the Emperor was a standard Darwei-style home, with several one-story buildings connected by covered walkways.
But it was massive.
"Rather than buildings…how many rooms are there…?"
"Forty."
"Forty rooms…"
Lan Fa's answer was beyond what Ryo could imagine.
"They've all been repaired and cleaned for immediate use. We can also arrange attendants and maids if you'd like…"
"Um, please let me think about that."
Ryo paused before responding to Lan Fa's offer.
"There's no way the two of us can manage this alone. Let them arrange some staff."
"What if one of them turns out to be an assassin?"
Ryo replied in a hushed voice to Abel's suggestion.
Of course, he didn't think Lan Fa would do such a thing.
But in a vast empire like Darwei, you never knew who was lurking where.
You had to be careful.
Abel couldn't deny Ryo's concerns as mere paranoia and could only sigh lightly.
"It can't be helped… I'll do my best."
"Hm? Ryo?"
"No, it's fine. Until then, I'll have you help me."
"Help? Well, I guess I don't mind giving a hand."
Then, as they walked through the residence… Ryo made a startling discovery.
"This is… could it be…?"
"It is what we call a bath."
At Lan Fa's response, Ryo's eyes widened in astonishment.
Before them was a square bath about three meters on each side, carved directly out of a giant rock…
"My apologies. There are no hot springs near the imperial capital, so this is the best we could offer…"
"…Eh? Lan Fa-san, what did you just say?"
"That you'll have to make do with the bath…"
"No, before that."
"That there are no hot springs near the capital…"
"So there are hot springs outside the capital?"
Ryo turned to Lan Fa with a surprised look.
With his body unmoving and only his head swiveling around, it looked just a little creepy.
"Yes. For example, the town of Yosu is famous for its hot springs, and many nobles have villas there."
"Ooooh~. Abel, we must go there someday!"
"Ah, yeah…"
Urged by Ryo's swiveling head, Abel nodded almost reflexively.
By the way, Abel didn't know what the word 'hot spring' meant…
While Ryo and Abel were being guided by Lan Fa and moved by the new residence and the mention of hot springs, next door stood the residence of Prince Ryun and Princess Shio Fen.
Though technically a residence, it also served as the working quarters of the Sixth Prince Ryun.
If Ryun were to ascend from prince to an imperial prince and establish his royal residence, this 'workplace' would grow in scale.
He would then command civil and military officials, and even his own general and army.
Compared to such a grand royal residence, his current operations were modest—but still employed several dozen retainers.
For now, their main duties were managing Ryun's fiefdom and collecting and analyzing information from across Darwei.
Once the royal residence is established, these people would likely become its core personnel.
That is why Prince Ryun spent his daytime hours there. Meanwhile, the residence side was effectively managed by Princess Shio Fen.
At this moment, three women were chatting in one of the residence's rooms.
"Still, I was surprised to learn that Ryo-sama is Duke Rondo."
Princess Shio Fen said with a smile.
"Yes. Even in Bosuntar, 'The Ballad of the Kingdom of Knightley' was well known, but not to the extent it is in Darwei. That's likely because the famous bard Wang A-Shi centers his activities here in Darwei."
Captain of the Princess's guard, Bizis, explained enthusiastically.
Originally, Bizis was meant to return home after escorting Princess Shio Fen from Bosuntar to Darwei for her marriage.
However, at her request, she remained at the residence for the time being.
"Apparently, not just the nobles (Shitaifu) but even the commoners know of him. Still, those who realize that Ryo-sama and Duke Rondo are the same person…must be few."
Princess Shio Fen tilted her head slightly as she spoke.
That was because the maid Mifa had been quiet the whole time.
In this room were the usual three: Princess Shio Fen, Captain Bizis, and Maid Mifa.
That's why Mifa was permitted to speak freely—as requested by the princess herself.
"Mifa, did you realize that Ryo-sama was Duke Rondo?"
Princess Shio Fen asked, and Mifa looked startled at the question.
But quickly shook her head.
"No, certainly not… But I did know he was incredibly skilled in water-attribute magic, and since he was traveling with someone like Abel-sensei, who's such an accomplished swordsman, I did suspect he might be a renowned magician in disguise."
"I see. And then you asked if he had a title or nickname?"
Princess Shio Fen responded to Mifa's answer with another question.
Renowned adventurers, generals, or magician often had nicknames or titles.
Usually not self-assigned—they just become known by them.
"Yes, I asked, but he said he didn't have one. Instead, he told me Abel-sensei's nicknames…"
"Abel-sensei's nicknames?"
"Yes. Hungry Swordsman or Unreasonable Swordsman, things like that."
Mifa replied, and Princess Shio Fen chuckled softly.
"That sounds just like Ryo-sama. I bet Abel-sensei got mad afterward."
"He did! He said 'Hey!' in a scary tone."
"Figures."
The princess giggled again.
"But if Ryo-sama is Duke Rondo…and he has such sword skills…then that would mean the Duke isn't just a top-class magician, but also a master swordsman?"
Captain Bizis, who once had her full-power strike effortlessly blocked by Ryo, tilted her head.
"Seems that way. Although there's no mention of that in 'The Ballad of the Kingdom of Knightley'…the bards must not know about it."
At that moment, Mifa's body visibly trembled.
So noticeably that the other two noticed it immediately.
"Mifa?"
Princess Shio Fen called out.
Realizing that Mifa's face had gone pale.
It was clearly not normal.
Mifa took several deep breaths.
Raising a hand to stop Captain Bizis, who tried to rub her back.
After about a full minute, she finally regained her composure.
"My apologies."
Mifa bowed deeply.
"It's alright. Did something happen?"
The princess asked gently.
"Yes… Now that we know Ryo-sama is Duke Rondo. That would mean Abel-sensei is…"
"Hmm? Abel-sensei is Abel-sensei, isn't he?"
Captain Bizis looked confused at Mifa's question, as if she didn't understand what she meant.
But Princess Shio Fen continued with a soft smile.
"Yes. Duke Rondo appears in 'The Ballad of the Kingdom of Knightley'. And in that same song, there's mention of a person named 'Abel', correct?"
"Yes…"
Indeed, the princess had noticed it.
Though perhaps not with certainty.
But the similarities were too great to ignore.
Abel I, and the swordsman Abel.
Both were associated with the figure known as 'Duke Rondo'.
"Which means, perhaps Abel-sensei is actually His Majesty Abel I, King of the Kingdom of Knightley."
Even Mifa, who had already begun to suspect it, gasped for breath at hearing it aloud. Captain Bizis, who had never imagined it, was left stunned and breathless.
"Gah—"
Some moments later, Bizis finally began to breathe again.
Though a strange sound escaped her lips, that alone was enough to show how shocked she was.
"Abel-sensei is…His Majesty Abel…? And that person is Mifa-dono's master…?"
"Stop it, Bizis-san…please don't say any more."
Mifa cut her off sharply, her usual polite tone completely gone.
Just recalling it made her tremble again.
That she had learned the sword from—no, had even been taken as a disciple by—a man sung of by bards, a living legend…
And yesterday, she had fought side by side with him.
"I…"
The realization of how immense he truly was began to weigh her down.
"I'm so jealous of you, Mifa."
"Eh? Princess?"
Princess Shio Fen said it with a smile in her usual gentle tone, and Mifa tilted her head, unsure what she meant.
"Because you were able to learn the sword from such an amazing person."
"But I'm just…"
"It's fine. "No, it's precisely because it's you, Mifa. His Majesty Abel… no, Abel-sensei took you on as his first and only disciple. He must have seen something in you. As expected of a king praised by bards. He truly has an eye for people."
Princess Shio Fen spoke with genuine joy.
She had grown up with Mifa from a young age. Mifa had honed her swordsmanship for her sake and even chose to become her lady-in-waiting to protect her. To have someone like her recognized by such a legendary figure.
How could she not feel genuinely happy?
Even proud?
Saying she was jealous was partly meant to ease Mifa's burden.
Though it wasn't a lie.
"That said, there may be a few who know that Ryo-sama is Duke Rondo. But I doubt many know that Abel-sensei is Abel I."
"Won't someone figure it out eventually?"
"Yes, some will eventually catch on… but Ryo-sama had introduced him back in the imperial palace as 'Albert the bodyguard'. So it may not be obvious right away."
"Then… how should we treat them?"
Captain Bizis looked troubled.
If he really was a king, improper treatment might be considered disrespect.
"We should treat him as we always have—with respect. Since he hasn't revealed himself as a king, we are not treating him as royalty, but as the Duke's bodyguard and Mifa's sword master."
"Understood."
And then—a visitor was announced.
"Princess, Duke Rondo wishes to visit to report his move to the new residence."
-x-X-x-
"Welcome, Duke Rondo."
"I'm terribly sorry for the sudden visit, Princess. Today, we've moved in next door, so I'm here to offer our housewarming greetings."
"Housewarming greetings?"
Ryo said with a smile, but Princess Shio Fen didn't quite understand.
Perhaps in Bosuntar, there was no custom of giving congratulatory gifts to neighbors when moving in.
Nevertheless, with the help of the White Flame Army, the housewarming gift— baked sweets from a popular pastry shop in Hanlin, the imperial capital— was delivered.
Forty boxes, each containing fifty cookies.
A total of two thousand.
"Please distribute them, at your discretion, to all who work in the residence."
"Thank you for your thoughtfulness."
Princess Shio Fen said with a smile, bowing her head.
By distributing them under the Princess's name, her reputation among the workers would improve.
Of course, the Princess was the second-highest authority in the residence, after the Prince.
But at the same time, she was a foreigner.
To be honest, the workers were watching closely:
"Is this person worthy of serving?" "How will they treat us?"…
So, give them this—was Ryo's intention.
If it were simply the Princess giving out cookies… it might make her seem frivolous.
Flattering the servants too much could invite criticism regarding her dignity and authority.
But if the cookies were gifts from the Duke of Rondo and distributed under the Princess's discretion, the impression would be different.
Yes—leading people is a tricky and troublesome business…
Act too proud, and you're shunned.
Act too humble, and you're looked down upon.
The balance is truly delicate.
"Please, come inside."
"Oh no, today is just a quick greeting for the move."
"Please don't say that. If I let you leave now, I'll be scolded by Ryun-sama."
The Princess insisted more strongly than usual.
Ryo tilted his head slightly, but in the end…
"Well then, just for tea."
Ryo, Abel, Princess Shio Fen, Captain Bizis, and the maid Mifa.
The five shared tea and light conversation. Then Princess Shio Fen brought up a topic:
"Ryo-sama, Abel-sensei—I have something I'd like to confirm."
"Hm?"
"Me too?"
Princess Shio Fen smiled as she spoke.
Ryo and Abel tilted their heads.
"It's about Abel-sensei's true identity…or rather, his status."
"Ah."
Ryo gave a wry smile and nodded at the Princess's words.
Indeed, the three here knew that Abel was not 'Albert' but 'Abel'.
With how well-known the 'Ballad of the Kingdom of Knightley' had become, even Ryo understood that it was only a matter of time before someone figured out who Abel really was.
And of course, Abel himself knew it too.
"I'm an adventurer and a swordsman. And I'm Mifa's swordmaster. At least for now, that's all I am—nothing more, nothing less. Is that acceptable?"
"Yes, understood."
That was the entirety of the exchange between Abel and Princess Shio Fen.
But with that, it was confirmed—Abel was indeed Abel the First.
However, for now, he would act as an adventurer.
Also, he was Duke Rondo's guard 'Albert', and wanted to be treated as such.
One day, he might reveal his identity as Abel I, but that day was not today.
"However… I would like to inform Prince Ryun alone…"
"Ah, well…"
Ryo glanced at Abel, who gave a small nod.
"He says that's fine."
"Thank you very much."
And lastly…
"Ryo-sama, the mansion next door must be quite large for just the two of you. Shall I arrange for attendants or maids? I can send some from my household."
"Oh, I completely forgot! No need, Princess. We'll manage somehow."
"Somehow?"
"Well then, we'll be going. Abel, let's return. Princess, Captain, Mifa—thank you for the hospitality. We'll visit again properly another day."
With that, Ryo and Abel hurried back to their mansion.
Upon returning, Ryo said one thing and shut himself in his room:
"I'm about to concentrate on a project. Please do not disturb me except for snacks and meals. Also, please refrain from using the big bath today. That is all."
His expression was so full of determination that Abel could only nod.
Not that it was a problem for Abel—
He had planned to practice flying around the new garden with the flight ring anyway…
Abel called for Ryo only once, at dinnertime, as instructed.
Dinner had actually been delivered in a layered box—like a bento—from the neighboring residence of the Prince and Princess.
Ryo came out of his room to eat, but he was clearly distracted.
Still, he ate properly… then shut himself in again.
Abel was never told what he was working on.
He found out the next morning.
The next morning, Abel woke at six.
As a rule, Abel always rose at six. His body remembered the time.
When he first became king, he rose even earlier but realized his early rising forced everyone else to wake up even earlier too… so he settled on six.
Apparently, even a king can't just wake up whenever he wants.
He stepped out to swing his sword.
Just as he planned to do in their new base of operations—when something caught his eye.
It wasn't an enemy.
Something was opening windows and doors.
In Darwei, houses didn't have glass windows.
They were either open or shut.
This mansion had forty rooms.
Naturally, the number of windows was vast…
Something was opening them all.
What was it?
"A golem…?"
Abel muttered.
It was a humanoid figure, about 1.5 meters tall, light blue, and bipedal.
"So that's what he was working on yesterday in his room? Impressive…"
Abel was genuinely impressed.
"No need for attendants or maids", Ryo had said—and this was what he meant.
Abel was a king.
He knew that the Royal Alchemy Workshop of the Kingdom of Knightley had been researching combat golems.
Led by the genius alchemist Viscount Kenneth Hayward, even he struggled with the project.
Creating simple moving puppets was doable.
Like the quadrupedal golems used by the Union.
But bipedal movement was so difficult that the research had been suspended.
Especially when those golems had to function in battle—it added layers of complexity.
"Huh? This golem walks on two legs…"
Abel noticed the golem at work was, indeed, bipedal.
The Royal Alchemy Workshop had frozen biped research due to time and labor constraints.
Yet here was a functioning, stable bipedal golem.
"Did the Royal Workshop secretly commission Ryo, who dabbles in alchemy as a hobby…?"
A highly unlikely possibility, he thought.
The Royal Workshop handled sensitive information and technologies, and access was heavily restricted.
Any collaboration with external researchers requires high-level approval.
Moreover, since Abel's ascension to the throne, the Royal Alchemy Workshop had been placed directly under the king's jurisdiction again.
It used to be managed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, but after Abel became king, he reinstated the 'Royal' aspect by placing it under direct royal control.
As such, most related paperwork came through Abel himself—but he had no recollection of any documents regarding the resumption of bipedal golem research or any external commissions related to it.
Of course, if the person in question was Ryo, it wouldn't be entirely impossible.
After all, Ryo was the Kingdom's premier duke.
He had access to confidential information—referred to in the kingdom as 'viewing privileges'—and his access was unrestricted.
That was something Abel had set by royal authority.
He was virtually the only noble with unrestricted access to the Royal Alchemy Workshop…
"Well, whatever."
With that one phrase, Abel dismissed the things he didn't understand.
He could just ask Ryo when he woke up.
That was the most efficient and reliable way to solve the problem.
A skill he had surely developed through his time as king.
"Still, to think he managed to create a golem in just one night…"
The moment Abel said that, he caught a glimpse of something blue.
Not the golem in front of him—something else.
He moved a little and looked off into the distance.
"A second golem…"
That's right—there wasn't just one.
"No way…"
Abel ran through the mansion.
As a result, he discovered that ten golems were working.
It was as if the mansion had been taken over by golems…
At that moment, Ryo finally woke up.
"Good morning, Abel. You're up early."
He said sleepily.
"Did you spend yesterday making those golems?"
"Oh, you saw them? Yeah, it was tough. But I figured it'd be even harder for the two of us to go around opening all the windows, so I gave it my all."
Ryo puffed out his chest slightly, showing off his hard work.
"Yeah, I think it's amazing. As expected of you."
"Aha, it's not that big a deal."
Ryo said, blushing a little at Abel's honest praise.
"But to build them overnight… aren't you better than Kenneth?"
"Oh, no, not at all. These golems just reuse the specs for the paddy-field maintenance golems."
"Paddy-field maintenance— you're talking about the rice fields in the Rondo Forest, right?"
"Yes, but the way you say it makes it sound so odd."
Ryo replied with a wry smile.
"I reused the bodies as-is and rewrote the job functions. They can now open and close windows and doors, clean inside and outside the mansion…oh, and they also turn the corridor lights on and off."
There were lights under the eaves and along the connecting corridors, but each had to be switched on manually.
"Each one had a little magic stone embedded in it."
"That's pretty amazing too. Turning them on one by one would be a hassle…well, in a normal mansion with lots of staff, it wouldn't be an issue."
"Exactly. But with just the two of us, it's a real chore. Some are way up high, and… Do we bring a chair or ladder every time?"
"Probably."
Abel nodded in response to Ryo's question.
"They should've just made a centralized system where you press one button and all the lights turn on…"
Ryo said, shaking his head slightly. Abel gave a silent, wry smile.
"Oh, and these housekeeper golems can also carry luggage if you ask them to."
"Seriously…? That's awesome. Really convenient."
Abel praised the golems enthusiastically.
But Ryo was frowning.
He seemed dissatisfied.
"But they can't talk, they can't think for themselves. And they can't fight either, so they can't guard the mansion."
"Ah…I see. That does sound like a problem."
"But it's fine. This isn't their final form! Once the base is made, I can keep updating them. We live in the age of DLC—downloadable content!"
"Yeah, I have no idea what that means."
Abel shook his head slightly.
"And I haven't linked them in a golem network, either. The golems of the Theocracy in the Western countries, Holy Knights, I believe they're called. They could communicate and choose optimal combat strategies. The ones from QC Duchy didn't do that, and even when I disassembled them, I didn't find anything similar… I guess that's why the Theocracy's golems are considered the best in the West—not just because of power, but because of that part."
"Sounds like a lot of impressive stuff."
Abel was already out of his depth, so his responses were vague and automatic.
"I got to examine a damaged Holy Knight golem with Neil-san, and from what I learned… oh, but if I use water-attribute magic, the theory's not that complicated. I just need to transmit the data via atmospheric moisture… information exchange basically works through variations in wave strength, right? Thinking about it that way, it might be fairly easy to implement."
At the end, Ryo looked directly at Abel.
Was he seeking agreement?
"Y-Yeah. Do your best. I'm cheering you on."
"…Abel, don't just say something random."
"That's the vibe I got, so I went with it…"
Ryo shook his head with a sigh. Abel had tried to give an answer despite not being sure, and of course, it hadn't landed.
"Still, it took six months to make the paddy-field golems, but these took only a day. Reusing existing data really is the key to shortening production time."
"I don't really get it, but you mean starting with something pre-existing and improving it properly? Yeah, that's common in a lot of fields."
"Humans are amazing."
"Yeah, I won't argue with that."
Ryo nodded grandly, and Abel nodded in agreement without protest.
"Alright then, Abel. Now that we've got the housekeeper golems ready, let's go explore the nearby restaurants today."
"Oh, sounds good."
The area around this mansion had many unoccupied mansions, except for the prince's residence.
But it wasn't tucked away on the outskirts of the capital—instead, it was a strangely empty pocket in an otherwise bustling part of the imperial city.
Just a short walk away led to lively streets full of shops.
"Come to think of it, these golems can't cook, huh?"
"Right. I noticed that back in Rondo Forest too… for some reason, golems are terrible at cooking."
"Really?"
Ryo tilted his head, and Abel followed suit, surprised.
"Cooking is just processing ingredients in a set way… measured amounts, fixed steps. It sounds simple."
"Exactly. But the food still turns out bad. Sure, golems can't taste-test, but if you follow exact measurements, that shouldn't matter. But it doesn't work."
"That's strange."
"It is, right? I think it's because every ingredient is a little different, and human cooks subconsciously make adjustments. These guys can't do that."
"Huh… makes sense."
"It's like the failure of expert systems in early AI. But I can't say for sure."
Ryo shrugged.
Then he added something important:
"Finding a good cook is a very important matter."
"No doubt about that."
-x-X-x-
The morning after the two searched for a restaurant.
A herald arrived at the mansion.
"His Majesty the Emperor is coming."
"Pardon?"
Before long, a single carriage guarded front and back by about twenty horsemen, stopped in front of the mansion.
A man stepped down from the carriage.
He was dressed like a high-ranking official of the Shitaifu class, but…
"Welcome, Your Majesty."
Ryo greeted the Emperor from inside the gate, as instructed by the herald.
Behind him, Abel also bowed his head.
"Duke Rondo, sorry for the sudden visit."
Emperor Tsuin greeted him with a smile.
"We've only just moved in and don't have much ready, but please, come in."
Ryo led the way.
Tsuin followed him.
Satisfied to see the mansion he had bestowed was well-kept.
But after his gaze passed once, it suddenly returned.
A double-take.
His eyes returned to a person in blue clothing who seemed to be cleaning…
But no— that was a mistake.
There was no one in blue clothes.
No, not a person at all…
"D-Duke Rondo, that one cleaning—is…?"
"Yes, it's the mansion's maintenance golem."
Ryo answered, looking slightly pleased to have surprised the Emperor.
"A golem… I've heard of them. They're not made in the Eastern countries, and we don't even have wild golems…wasn't their production thriving in the Western countries? Do the Central countries also have golems?"
"Yes. Recently they've become common even in the Central countries. Our neighboring country, the Handal Union, has begun deploying them on the battlefield."
"What!…"
Tsuin was further shocked by Ryo's explanation.
Then he stopped and carefully observed the golem cleaning nearby.
"The Ministry of Works reported that Duke Rondo said he needed no attendants or maids—but this explains it."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"It's almost like a shikigami."
Tsuin's murmur surprised Ryo.
"Pardon me, Your Majesty—did you just say shikigami?"
"Indeed. It's not mainstream, but among certain sorcerers, some assign household tasks to shikigami. I saw it once…"
"I find that fascinating!"
Ryo's voice was full of curiosity and excitement.
Which made Tsuin chuckle as he continued.
"It's amusing to watch even as an outsider…"
"Your Majesty, we're running short on time."
Interrupting Tsuin was a man who had been walking behind him the entire time.
He looked every bit the stern military officer— obviously a guard.
"Tin… don't look so grim."
Tsuin replied with a frown.
Though he admitted time was indeed limited.
"My apologies for delaying you, Your Majesty. Please, this way."
Ryo resumed leading them.
They entered one of the mansion's forty rooms.
Chairs and a table were set for a small meeting of about four people.
Tsuin sat at one seat, with Ryo sitting opposite.
Behind them stood Abel and the grim-faced Tin.
Tin clearly had no intention of leaving the Emperor's side.
Seeing that, Tsuin slightly shook his head and spoke to Ryo:
"Apologies, Duke Rondo. This is Tin Meu—my bodyguard, as you can see… He holds the title of Commander of the Forbidden Army, which numbers fifty thousand troops."
"Impressive."
Ryo nodded with sincere admiration.
Tin looked to be in his late 30s or early 40s.
He was about the same height as Abel, but with a noticeably more muscular build.
His close-cropped hair, originally black, was streaked with enough white to appear grey from a distance.
The sword always hanging from his left hip had almost no decoration—clearly well-worn and familiar to him.
Given Tsuin's simple attire today, it didn't stand out, but in the imperial court, its lack of ornament might be conspicuous.
Ryo had noticed something.
People of Darwei used double-edged straight swords.
They were sometimes worn at the waist, but more often carried in hand.
Yet Tin had kept his sword at his waist—even while on horseback.
"Tin-dono must keep his hands free to protect His Majesty."
Of course, that was a personal guess.
But Ryo said it anyway.
Despite Tin's stern face, Ryo understood it came from loyalty.
And so pointed it out.
It was a statement only someone of equal standing could afford—but if it landed, it would be powerful.
Tin gave a silent nod.
After that, the atmosphere softened noticeably.
Now Tin understood that Ryo grasped his intentions.
That didn't necessarily mean he considered him an ally.
But still…
The subtle shifts of the human heart are fascinating things.
"During the recent attack, Tin led the Forbidden Army to defend the Taiji Hall. We believed the attackers would come that way…indeed, they did, but from the sky. Since then, he's felt responsible and has been like this ever since."
"Your Majesty, I sincerely apologize."
Tin said, bowing his head in apology as Tsuin explained.
"How many times must I tell you I do not blame you? No one could have predicted the Starry Veil would be breached. It's not your fault."
Tin apologized repeatedly.
Tsuin replied, clearly irritated by the repeated apologies.
Commander Tin of the Imperial Guards seemed to be a serious man.
"Ah, yes, we are pressed for time."
Tsuin resumed with urgency.
"So, Duke Rondo, I will be direct. I'm here today to ask a favor."
"A favor, Your Majesty?"
"Before long, the Sixth Prince, Ryun, will have to go to the battlefield. I want you to protect him."
"What exactly do you mean…?"
Ryo tilted his head. Confused by the request.
"All over Darwei, monsters are descending from the mountains and causing havoc."
"Yes, I'm aware."
Both Ryo and Abel had witnessed one such incident.
"Indeed, I heard you were present at one of those scenes. In fact, there's a region called Moason to the north of 'Chuo Chuang'. It's also been attacked multiple times. The duke who ruled that land failed to suppress the threat and lost his life."
"What…?!"
Ryo was shocked.
A duke—not just a count—meant someone with considerable military strength, or so he assumed.
A duke's territory is larger, and their status is higher than that of a count.
And yet, even he was defeated and killed…
"You suspect they're being led by an Illusionkin.
"That's what we believe. That's why the Imperial Palace has decided to intervene. Prince Ryun will be placed in command of the suppression army."
"I see. I have no experience commanding troops though…"
"That's not an issue. Ryun and his subordinates will handle that. What I ask of you, Duke Rondo, is to make sure Ryun doesn't die."
Tsuin's gaze as he said this was piercingly serious.
He had likely come to Ryo because of the
An invocation that had even fended off an Illusionkin's attack.
"I may be speaking out of turn, but… Prince Ryun just got married. And yet, you're still sending him?"
Ryo asked, probing for something.
"Yes, even so."
Tsuin replied solemnly.
After a brief silence, Tsuin continued.
"Let me be frank, Duke Rondo. I intend to eventually confer the title of Imperial Prince upon Ryun."
"As I suspected. So if he succeeds in this campaign, that achievement will serve as the basis for his elevation?"
"It may not be enough alone, but it will be a significant step."
Ryo had already been told by Count Roche Ten of Bashu about the possibility of Ryun becoming an Imperial Prince.
That might explain the new mansion's location and surroundings.
"I told Ryun of the possibility of handling this campaign long before his wedding. Originally, I intended for him to cooperate with the now-deceased duke…"
Clearly, plans had changed.
Tsuin gave a small shake of his head.
"The main force will be troops from Ryun's domain. They should have already been summoned. His trusted aides will form the command staff. They, too, are either summoned or already at his estate. However, that alone is insufficient. I wanted to send the Forbidden Army from the capital, but…"
Here, Tsuin paused.
Ryo glanced and saw Tin scowling as well.
He too had likely wanted to send troops…
"Someone opposed the idea, didn't they?"
"Yes. The other princes opposed it."
Even the emperor, it seemed, did not wield unlimited power.
"The Forbidden Army exists to protect the emperor and the imperial palace. And should be led by the emperor himself, or at the very least, an imperial prince. There is no precedent for it being commanded by a mere prince. That's what they told me, quite directly. And they're not wrong… So instead, we're deploying ten thousand troops from the Black Banner Army under the Ministry of War."
"Ten thousand—that's a large force."
Ryo said, nodding.
Back when Ryo and Abel had helped Fu Ten as Rank 8 adventurers, only 80 men had been mobilized.
Compared to that, ten thousand was a massive number.
No—a staggering number.
"At the very least, we need to match the enemy's numbers. Regardless of who commands them, the enemy won't be easy to suppress. We don't even know how many monsters there are…"
"Avoiding piecemeal deployment of forces is a wise decision, I believe."
"You think ten thousand is too many, don't you, Duke Rondo?"
Emperor Tsuin asked with a laugh.
Apparently, Ryo's thoughts showed on his face.
"But the duke who just died lost even with two thousand troops from his domain."
"I see. In that case…perhaps even ten thousand is not too many."
Overwhelming force to crush the enemy head-on.
A textbook military strategy.
"All tactical decisions and command will be left to Ryun. I do want him to gain experience, but more than that, I want to evaluate him."
"Evaluate?"
"The tiger pretending to be a cat, as you once said, Duke Rondo."
Tsuin laughed heartily.
Commander Tin narrowed his eyes slightly, as if dazzled by the light.
As the laughter died down, Ryo spoke.
"I will accept the task of accompanying Prince Ryun in his suppression campaign."
"Oh! I am most grateful. It feels as though I've gained an army of a million."
Tsuin grasped Ryo's hands with both of his own.
"They say victory or defeat depends on fate. I don't mind if we lose… just bring him back safely."
"Understood."
-x-X-x-
"I failed."
After Emperor Tsuin had left, Ryo muttered those words.
Abel noticed and asked.
"What's wrong? Did you say something unnecessary to the emperor?"
"No, it's not that. If I had known it would come to this, I should've brought the 'Panacea Breath: Long-Range Diffusion Type – Mercy of the Goddess'."
"Yeah, like hell you could."
The 'Long-Range Diffusion Type – Mercy of the Goddess' was an alchemy tool developed by Ryo and Viscount Kenneth Hayward. It spreads a healing spell—
Rather than a tool, it's more of a full-on apparatus in terms of size.
Indeed, there's nothing more reassuring to bring into a battlefield than that device…
"We got caught up in the djinn's magic and flung somewhere in an instant anyway… And besides, that thing's huge."
It's the size of a full carriage from the Central Countries.
"So the key is miniaturization. Something that fits in the palm of your hand…"
"From carriage-sized to palm-sized? That's a bit extreme."
Abel didn't take Ryo's muttering seriously in the slightest.
Of course, Ryo's muttering wasn't particularly serious either.
"Well, anyway, our job is to support Prince Ryun… His Majesty called us 'advisors', right? Since this is the Eastern countries, that means—"
"Means?"
"A military strategist!"
"…A what now?"
Ryo stood up excitedly, but Abel had never heard of a gunshi*. (TLN: military strategist)
Ryo turned to him, visibly shocked.
"What's that face for? I just don't know the word."
"So strategists… don't exist in the Central Countries? I mean… not as a profession or even a concept?"
"Never heard of it."
Abel tilted his head.
If even the king hasn't heard of it, then the role must not exist.
"It's someone who doesn't fight on the front lines, but advises the commander, and might even have authority to move troops. Like a civil official… but in battle."
"A civil official in battle? That sounds odd… I guess the closest we have is old man Ilarion?"
"Ilarion-sama… is different, I think."
Ilarion Baraha was always at Abel's side, using
But he wasn't what Ryo imagined a strategist to be.
To Ryo, a strategist was someone like Zhuge Liang or Sima Yi from Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Or perhaps Zhou Yu or Lu Xun…
He remembered the strategy game Sukoku-shi that he used to play obsessively…
"Right, right—Cao Cao was too strong and good at everything… I liked him, though. Liu Bei was weak, but that made him sympathetic. Sun Quan… I never quite got him."
"Yeah, Ryo, I have no idea what you're talking about."
Ryo passionately spoke about the Three Kingdoms, but it was lost on Abel.
Then Ryo had an idea.
"Abel, I need a hat and a feather fan!"
"Huh?"
"A strategist must wear a big hat, like a rolled cake, and carry a white feather fan!"
"I get the hat, but what's a feather fan?"
"A fan made by bundling together multiple feathers! Or maybe more like a flat fan?"
"A fan? A flat fan?"
Apparently, there are no fans or flat fans in the Central countries.
Come to think of it, Ryo couldn't remember seeing any either.
"Abel, let's go buy one in town right now."
Ryo may be the type who needs to start with appearances…
Meanwhile, at Prince Ryun's residence next door.
"A letter just arrived…"
Ryun's most trusted aide, Grand Chamberlain Lin Shun, brought in a single sheet of paper.
"Hm?"
Ryun opened the letter and read it.
Surprised by the content, he read it again.
"This… certainly bears His Majesty's seal…"
It was rare for Emperor Tsuin to send a letter as a single sheet of paper.
"It was personally delivered by Commander Tin of the Forbidden Army. Most likely, he had just visited Duke Rondo's residence."
"I see."
The letter asked Duke Rondo to accompany the suppression forces headed for the Moason region.
"Does this mean… the command will be given to Duke Rondo?"
"Impossible… does His Majesty not trust Prince Ryun?"
"This and the matter with the Forbidden Army—perhaps it's the work of the imperial princes?"
"Enough."
Ryun cut off his subordinates' speculations with a single word.
"His Majesty must have his own reasons. At the very least, the letter did not instruct us to halt our preparations. Pay no mind to Duke Rondo. Continue as planned."
"Yes, sir."
That was all Ryun said out loud.
But he understood.
He understood Emperor Tsuin's reasoning.
Perhaps because he had seen the wall of ice that had protected them during the palace attack.
"To protect me… in case something happens."
He shook his head slightly and murmured.
"I must prepare so that such a case never comes."
Ryo and Abel went into town in search of a feather fan and a hat.
But then encountered something far more unexpected.
"Huh? Banhu?"
"Eh? Oh, Ryo-sama, Abel-sama—it's been a while!"
They ran into Banhu, the youngest son of the Blue Jade Trading Company from the Komakyuta Principality.
"What are you doing here, Banhu? Don't tell me—you're opening a branch of Blue Jade in the imperial capital?"
"No, Ryo-sama, that would be impossible. This place is too far from our homeland. Doing consistent business here would be quite difficult."
"Yeah… asking about a branch right off the bat is one thing, but answering so plainly is also… well."
Abel murmured at their exchange.
"Abel, with that mindset, you'll never be a good merchant!"
"I wasn't planning on becoming one…"
"If your current career falls apart, you'll have to survive as a merchant! You should be training your entrepreneurial instincts while you're young."
"Uh… is that how it works…?"
Abel tilted his head. He had absolutely no intention of becoming a merchant.
"Actually, I've been sent here as a diplomatic envoy for the wedding of the Sixth Prince of Darwei."
"From your country? So large trading companies get such assignments?"
Banhu explained how he came to Darwei and what he had been doing there.
"I never imagined that Kabui Somal, the Lord Protector of the Kingdom of Suje, would be here too."
"That's pretty far away. Is their country okay…?"
"Yes. Since Queen Iliaja ascended the throne, Suje has been recovering rapidly in every field."
At that, Banhu's face lit up as if remembering something.
"Come to think of it, the book 'Abel, the Hungry Swordsman'—wasn't that written by Ryo-sama, with Abel-sama as the main character?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Even people in neighboring countries know about it…"
Banhu asked, Ryo replied proudly, and Abel muttered, shaking his head.
"Oh yes. It's reportedly the most popular book in Suje's history. It spread as Queen Iliaja's favorite read."
"Whoa!"
"You've got to be kidding…"
It was more popular than expected.
"That was my magnum opus. I want as many people as possible to read it."
Ryo said, honestly, as the author.
"Actually, our trading company is currently negotiating to publish it in the Komakyuta Principality as well…"
"What?!"
"C'mon…"
"Of course, I've read it myself. It's very entertaining…"
As Banhu shared his impressions, Ryo nodded happily.
Abel, meanwhile, listened with his mouth half-open.
"As expected of Banhu! Did you hear that, Abel? You should read it too!"
"I mean, it might be good, but… it's embarrassing when I'm the protagonist…"
"Don't worry. It's not like I wrote you as a constantly hungry, lazy swordsman or anything. You're portrayed in a way that inspires admiration… well, maybe half…or ten percent…or like, five people might admire you…"
"What the hell kind of portrayal is that…"
Abel grew increasingly worried about how he was depicted.
He decided he'd secretly read it someday.
"By the way, earlier you two seemed to be looking for something?"
Banhu remembered how they'd looked when they met.
"Right! We're searching for a white fan—a white feather fan, or flat fan. Something that can flutter and send a breeze."
"I see. Actually, I think I passed by a shop that specialized in wind-making tools earlier."
"Where is it?!"
Ryo immediately perked up at Banhu's words.
"I'll guide you."
With that, Banhu took the lead and started walking.
-x-X-x-
After finishing their shopping, the two parted ways with Banhu.
Ryo, looking delighted, with the brand-new feather fan he had just bought.
Fanned himself.
Or possibly Abel.
"We couldn't get a hat, but this white fan alone makes it a successful trip."
"There were plenty of hats for sale though."
"Yes, but not the kind I was looking for. I want something more like… poof, like half a Swiss roll on top of your head."
"…I have no idea what you're talking about."
Abel gave up trying to understand Ryo's vague description.
It's difficult to picture clothing you've never seen, especially when it's only described with words.
It can't be helped.
As they were walking along the long white wall of their mansion, they noticed someone standing in front of the gate.
Right in front of the gate to the house they lived in.
"Maybe they have business with us? We'll need to figure out a system for dealing with this when we're both out."
"Well, there's no one else here. Still, doesn't he look kind of scared?"
Ryo raised a future concern, and Abel commented on the man's demeanor.
The man noticed the two approaching and bowed his head toward them.
"Ah, sorry to keep you waiting. Do you have business here?"
"Yes. I'm here as a messenger from Prince Ryun."
The man—probably just barely an adult—handed over a letter.
Still, his eyes kept darting toward the inside of the gate.
"It's okay. That golem won't attack people."
"O-Okay…"
Just inside the gate stood a golem.
It didn't venture outside.
But its presence alone was enough to make entering the gate an intimidating thought.
Meanwhile, Ryo read the letter.
He figured a reply would be necessary.
"Please inform Prince Ryun that we understand. We'll be waiting for him tomorrow."
With that, the man bowed and left.
"It really is a shame they can't talk. But replicating the human vocal cords with ice is no easy feat."
Ryo said as he gently patted the golem's head while passing through the gate.
It was still far from perfect, but it was certainly the result of hard work.
"They can't speak, but they can listen. And understand."
"That alone is pretty amazing."
"Yes. For the paddy-field management golem, I had to collect countless voices in the capital."
"Collect voices?"
Ryo nodded as he recalled the effort.
While Abel tilted his head in confusion.
"For voice recognition to work, you need to analyze a lot of voices. If there aren't enough samples, the accuracy drops. So I thought, where are there lots of voices? And the answer was—taverns."
"Well, people do get talkative after a drink."
"Then I had people from various professions help me collect voice samples… and somehow, I managed to make the paddy-field golem respond to voice commands."
"I see. If you can get that far. You could just have the golem respond with written words—like on a board or something."
Ryo's eyes lit up at Abel's casual suggestion.
"What? Did I say something weird?"
"No, not weird at all. That's genius."
"…I don't follow."
"If I make it display words on an ice board. The other party can just read them… Abel, that's brilliant."
"Y-Yeah…"
Abel looked a little embarrassed at Ryo's effusive praise.
"With this, all our problems are solved!"
"Wait, isn't there one big issue?"
"Huh?"
"We speak the Central Countries' language, so the voices from the tavern work fine for us. But we're in the Eastern Countries now."
"Ah…"
"If you don't collect Eastern languages, the recognition accuracy will drop again, right?"
"No way…"
Ryo dropped to the ground, both hands and knees touching the earth.
The pose of utter despair.
He stayed like that for maybe thirty seconds.
"Hup!"
With a strange sound, he sprang to his feet.
Then, with a determined expression, he declared:
"I'll postpone that problem for now."
The classic line: "I'll deal with that later".
Mankind's universal coping mechanism for thousands of years.
Of course, it always ends in disaster when it can no longer be postponed…
But what can you do?
When the time for disaster comes, may the one in that position do their best.
And so nations fall, companies go bankrupt, and people end up homeless…
A sad tale, but… such is life.
"For now, since they understand what we say, it'll do."
"I see."
"So, the next thing to teach them is combat."
"What?"
"Well, they'll need to fight and drive off intruders if bandits ever break in."
Ryo said this with full confidence.
"Is that really necessary…?"
Abel wasn't convinced but kept his voice down.
After all, both Ryo and Abel, the mansion's residents, had decent combat abilities themselves.
It didn't seem likely that anyone could harm them easily—even without the golems fighting.
"I can't rely on brute strength or size like the three-meter golems of the Western Countries, so I'll need to rely on technique."
"Technique?"
"Yes. Right now, I'm thinking of arming them with swords and having them imitate your sword style."
"…My sword style?"
"Eventually, they might start staring at you as you practice, but don't worry about it. Just keep swinging. They won't get in your way."
"…I'll keep that in mind."
Ryo's words conjured an image in Abel's head: a ring of golems silently watching him train with his sword.
A surreal, maybe slightly terrifying sight.
Abel shook his head slightly, trying to shake the image.
"Actually. Let's have another group imitate my sword style. Then we'll have mock battles between the 'Abel team' and the 'Ryo team'. Let's see whose technique is superior!"
"…Fighting among allies doesn't sound like a good idea."
"No worries. It's just training. They'll improve their skills through practice, and eventually, we'll have golem swordsmen who surpass even Abel…"
"That's what's scary—you actually might do it."
Abel looked at the golems peacefully cleaning the garden.
A tranquil scene—yet he couldn't help but imagine what Ryo described.
"Should I destroy them now, while I still can?"
"Did you say something, Abel?"
"No, nothing. Mock battles might be fine, I guess."
Ryo bought the lie without question.
"Eventually, we could attach flight rings and create an airborne golem army. That could be fun."
"…Huh?"
As soon as Ryo said that, and Abel understood what he meant, the image of dozens of golems flying through the air popped into his mind.
Golems, flying through the sky with their right arms extended, swords in hand.
"Is that even possible?"
"It's not easy. You experienced it yourself, right? It's really hard for humanoid shapes to fly. The human form just isn't naturally suited for it. These golems are shaped like humans, so maintaining posture in the air would be quite difficult without a lot of clever adjustments. Unlike you, Abel, they can't react on the fly or shift their posture naturally."
"Is that so."
So yeah, flying humanoids really is hard.
"With wing suits… gliding might work. Like a flying squirrel. If I attach wings between their arms and waist, and between their legs… That part's easy to implement. But it requires speed. I'd have to make them move autonomously."
"…"
"Fufufu. Once this is done, the Debuhi Empire won't be able to boast anymore. We'll have the Flying Squirrel Aerial Golem Squad defending the skies!"
Ryo's delusions knew no end.
Of course, at the current stage, it was purely a fantasy.
There were way too many hurdles to overcome.
"Do you know what's the best thing about golems, Abel?"
"Hm? I mean. They're useful for a lot of things, right?"
"No. The best thing is—they don't get hungry or tired. They can work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, until they break down… or rather, since they don't break down easily, they can work forever!"
Ryo let out a sinister little chuckle as he explained.
Abel gave a slight shake of his head.
Apparently, golems are perfect for black company labor.
"That's right, Abel. From now on, there's something you should start practicing."
"Something I should practice?"
"If you master it, your name will go down in history. Special training starts now."
"…Huh?"
The next day.
As promised, Prince Ryun came to the mansion.
"Prince Ryun, welcome. We're honored to have you."
"Duke Rondo, I apologize for the sudden visit."
Ryo led the way as he guided the prince.
And once again, a double take occurred.
"Is that…a golem?"
"Yes. It seems we startled the person who brought the letter yesterday."
"I was informed. In the Central Countries, such things appear even on the battlefield…"
It must be because Ryun had been tasked with leading troops for the subjugation.
The sight before him seemed to remind him of the battlefield.
"There is a certain way of thinking—that it's better than seeing humans get injured or bleed."
That was all Ryo said.
Ordinary people cannot endure situations where their orders lead directly to the death of others.
Especially if they have witnessed such scenes firsthand.
However, throughout history, rulers have often been forced to make such decisions.
It's not a good thing.
It is surely painful.
But it is also an undeniable historical reality.
And sometimes, even future rulers must face that trial.
On a smaller scale, perhaps.
But no less intense or merciless.
The Prince Ryun before him might be preparing to face such a trial.
"This tea is rather plain, but please enjoy."
Tea was served to Ryo and Prince Ryun, who were now seated.
This time, it was Japanese-style tea, as remembered by Ryo.
The one who served it was Abel.
Both Ryo and Ryun took a sip.
Ryo gave a slight nod.
It was more than passable.
The special training from the day before had been: how to make tea.
The water temperature when pouring.
The steeping time.
Basically, these two points were the key…but just these alone could make a big difference in the impression the drink left.
It's not something anyone can do the same way by being careless.
In any task, the result of a careful person's work and that of a careless person will always differ.
A sad truth.
After some small talk and seasonal greetings, Prince Ryun got to the point of his visit.
"Your Grace, the reason I asked for your time is quite simple. Yesterday, I received an imperial order from His Majesty to bring you along for the subjugation of monsters in the Moason region, north of the capital. That is what I wish to speak about."
"Yes, Your Highness, I expected as much. In fact, His Majesty came to see me yesterday and mentioned this matter. That said, I don't think it's something you need to worry about. Just consider it as two more people being added—myself and Abe…Albert. We can take care of ourselves on the battlefield, so please focus on commanding the troops."
"You would entrust the command to me?"
Only then did Ryo understand the finer reason behind Prince Ryun's visit.
In other words, it was a confirmation of who held command authority—and by extension, a clarification of Ryo's position.
"Yes. I have no intention of interfering in command matters. His Majesty was quite clear. Movement of the troops, judgment, and all other decisions are to be entrusted entirely to Your Highness. I am merely an advisor."
"Understood. Then I will proceed with the troop formations as before."
Ryo sipped his tea again, then asked about the composition of the forces.
"This time, the core will be troops from Your Highness's domain, but I heard the Black Banner Army will provide the largest force—ten thousand strong."
"You are correct. My domain's army numbers at most two thousand. We can't mix them operationally, nor is there any need to. My domain troops will remain at the main camp, and the Black Banner Army will take the front lines."
"I see."
Ryo nodded at Ryun's explanation.
Then Ryun paused in thought before speaking again.
"Your Grace, may I ask you something?"
"Certainly. What is it?"
"I heard you've experienced the monster attack firsthand. Is that true?"
"Yes, it is."
Ryo nodded.
"It was in the territory of Count Roche Ten of Bashu. I have experience serving in the subjugation force under his uncle, Deputy Magistrate Fu Ten of Boago. I imagine His Majesty took that experience into account when assigning me to Your Highness's subjugation force."
"Yes, I believe that as well."
Ryun nodded in agreement with Ryo's assessment.
Then, something seemed to dawn on Ryun.
"Your Grace, this Fu Ten you mention—wasn't he formerly the Count of Barro?"
"Ah…yes, I remember hearing that name. He lost his position due to the incident involving the Crown Prince five years ago, didn't he?"
"Yes… That incident changed everything within the Imperial Palace."
Ryun's expression darkened as he replied.
Ryo, too, had been curious about Fu Ten's case since then.
He resolved to investigate it properly one day.
"Right now, we are trying to gather intelligence on the enemy's strength…but to be honest, it's not going well."
"His Majesty told me the previous noble who attempted the subjugation deployed two thousand troops but was defeated."
"Yes. Since it was within his territory, he must have had subordinates who knew the land well. Even so, he lost…with two thousand troops no less. That's why I want to gather as much information as possible…"
A battle begins even before armies clash on the field.
"Your Highness's approach is admirable. In my homeland, there's a military treatise that says one must carefully analyze information using the 'Five Factors and Seven Considerations' before engaging in battle."
"Five Factors and Seven Considerations…"
"'The Moral Law', 'Heaven', 'Earth', 'The Commander', and 'Method and Discipline' are the Five Factors. 'The Ruler', 'The Commander', 'Heaven and Earth', 'Law and Order', 'The Troops', 'The Officers', and 'Rewards and Punishments' are the Seven Factors. I imagine they're not too different from what Your Highness has studied over the years."
The essence of battle is the same:
If you surpass your enemy, you win. If your enemy surpasses you, you lose.
Humanity has spent thousands of years seeking ways to gain that advantage.
Some say the history of mankind is the history of war.
In other words, it's a history of the pursuit of superiority over one's opponents.
That truth doesn't change—whether on Earth or on 'Phi'.
Perhaps intrigued by Ryo's outlook.
Prince Ryun said:
"Your Grace, I'd like to speak further with you about warfare…"
Their discussion on war continued for four hours.
It wasn't just about the upcoming monster subjugation. They spoke of warfare and military matters on a national scale as well.
Throughout the conversation, the point Ryo emphasized most often was…
"I'll say it as many times as needed. Your Highness, 'it begins with the Moral Law'."
"Yes. That means, even in peacetime, rulers should always strive to be one in heart with the people."
"Exactly. Then, when the time comes, the people will willingly lay down their lives for their rulers. Which is the same as laying down their lives for the country. The same principle applies to everything. Diligence in ordinary times leads to success in critical moments. You can't just try hard when a crisis arrives."
"It's fascinating how the essence of war exists even in everyday life."
"Since it's always humans carrying it out, the principles remain the same."
And with that conversation ended, Prince Ryun departed.
"That was a fascinating discussion."
"For someone like you, Abel, who actually governs a country and leads soldiers on the battlefield, I imagine it was nothing new."
"No, even so, there were many things I should remember again and again. It was educational."
Abel responded with a smile.
Yes, Abel was a good man.
"Ah, shoot."
"What is it?"
"It's already past noon."
"Well, you got pretty engrossed in the discussion."
"In my homeland, there's a saying: 'You can't wage war on an empty stomach'."
"Shall we go get something to eat, then?"
Proverbs, classical idioms, and even 'The Art of War'…it seems the world is full of wise and meaningful sayings.
-x-X-x-
Five days later.
Ryo and Abel were riding on Andalusia and Feiwan, swaying gently as they traveled.
"So we're setting off just five days after that. Pretty fast, huh?"
"The Emperor said he had informed them even before the wedding. Preparations must've been well underway already."
A march of ten thousand soldiers stretches long.
They weren't crossing open plains.
The road continued from the Imperial Capital and was quite wide, though it wasn't endlessly so.
At the moment, the two were approaching a bridge.
"So this is the South River Grand Bridge?"
"Yep, it's massive as expected."
Spanning one of the two great rivers flowing north of the Imperial Capital—the South River—was a huge suspension bridge called the South River Grand Bridge.
The South River was over a kilometer wide.
Moreover, ships traveled upriver from the sea.
To avoid obstructing that navigation, this bridge was the only one built across the South River—and an enormous one at that.
The two had come to the capital by sailing down the South River and had seen this bridge from the water.
They'd been awed then—but now…
"The view from atop the bridge is amazing too."
"Yeah…it's beautiful."
Apparently, the left side was for traffic heading out, and the suppression army that Ryo was part of was crossing on that side.
This allowed them a full view westward—and it was indeed a stunning scene.
Plains stretching seemingly without end.
And cutting through them: the South River, also stretching endlessly.
The contrast was like a perfectly painted landscape.
"Looking at this view…everything else starts to feel so small."
"Yeah, I get what you mean."
Rocked by their horses' gait, the two silently took in the scenery.
Ryo and Abel were riding just behind the main force that included Prince Ryun.
They weren't riding within it, since the main force was visibly busy.
Scouts and messengers were constantly coming and going, gathering information during the march.
The two figured they'd just be in the way if they got too close…
"We won't get attacked mid-march or anything, right? I mean, it's monsters."
"Who knows? I heard it's led by an Illusionkin… Someone like Abel pulling cowardly ambushes might be par for the course."
"Why am I suddenly the expert on underhanded ambushes?"
"Just a theory. Don't worry about it."
"I am gonna worry!"
They probably wouldn't be able to joke like this if they were with the main force.
"But still, war really is a sad thing."
"Where did that come from all of a sudden, right before we head into battle?"
"I know it's necessary to protect the people, but… war never produces anything good."
"So what should we do instead?"
"Talk it out, of course."
Ryo replied confidently to Abel's question.
"Monsters don't speak our language, though."
"Then you say this: 'You're not worth negotiating with. Bring out someone in charge!'."
"…"
"And then when the Illusionkin shows up, we give a passionate speech. About the foolishness of war, the horrors of violence, and your absurdity, Abel."
"Hey…"
"That's the three-part punchline."
"If I chop your neck and torso in three pieces, I could call it 'Ryo's triple fillet'."
"Wh-what a horrifying thing to say!"
"You did say I'm absurd, right?"
"Ugh…down with violent, oppressive regimes!"
If it had been 'slicing in three', maybe the joke would've made more sense.
Just then, a messenger from the main force rode up.
"Duke Rondo, His Highness Prince Ryun is calling for you."
"Your Highness, I have come at your request."
"Ah, Duke Rondo, thank you for your trouble."
Ryo and Prince Ryun exchanged greetings on horseback as they rode.
The entire main force was slowly moving forward on horseback.
Ryo was never especially good at riding.
But now things were different.
On Andalusia's back, he could fully entrust himself… he trusted the horse that much.
So even a meeting on horseback was no problem.
He kind of felt like being part of an equestrian tribe.
The real issue was the gazes from others.
Especially those accompanying Prince Ryun. They weren't exactly friendly.
Most of them were the same age as Prince Ryun… nineteen.
And still full of youthful bravado.
The only exception was Lin Shun, the eldest.
He looked calm and composed, clearly standing apart from the rest.
At twenty-four, he was only five years older than the others, but…
From what Ryo had heard, Lin Shun was the chief attendant.
He was likely the top-ranking member of the Prince's entourage.
And probably also the person the Prince trusted most.
In contrast, Ryo didn't feel much hostility from the Black Banner Army commanders.
General Bijan Lu, the forty-year-old leading the Black Banner Army this time, was particularly kind.
Perhaps Emperor Tsuin had spoken to him directly.
Even if the Black Banner Army wasn't quite the Emperor's personal guard, it was still part of the central army.
A general in such a force had to maintain good relations with the Emperor and the royal household—not just command troops.
And anyone who'd heard about the wedding banquet could guess the Emperor was fond of Ryo—Duke Rondo. So it was no surprise the general wanted to stay on good terms.
"I asked you here, Duke Rondo, for a specific reason. We've received information from the Moason region."
"Oh?"
"It seems monsters have come down from the mountains and are forming ranks on the plains."
"What? Monsters forming ranks?"
Ryo gasped in surprise at Prince Ryun's report.
He had never heard of monsters forming formations.
He glanced at Abel, who shook his head slightly.
Even Abel, an experienced adventurer, had never seen such a case.
"That alone tells us something's not normal."
"Yes. An Illusionkin is likely leading them. And that being can control monsters at will."
Prince Ryun nodded in agreement.
"Your Highness, please proceed with caution…"
"Our intel is flawless!"
The reply didn't come from Prince Ryun, but from one of his attendants.
Wen Shu, if Ryo recalled correctly.
He was supposedly the third son of some noble family.
"The monsters are forming on a well-known, unobstructed plain in the region called Midoriso Field. Around ten thousand of them, it seems."
Wen Shu spoke in an almost confrontational tone.
Just short of starting a fight.
"That's enough, Wen Shu."
Even Prince Ryun must have noticed.
So he stepped in to stop him.
Then, he turned to Ryo and apologized.
"My apologies, Your Grace. Moason is Wen Shu's home region…"
"Could it be…the late duke the Emperor mentioned?"
"Yes. Duke Montier was Wen Shu's father."
Wen Shu seemed to be holding back tears as the Prince explained.
"My condolences."
Ryo said, bowing his head.
Wen Shu bowed silently in return.
After receiving the report and departing from the main force with Abel, a woman approached Ryo.
"Your Grace, may I have a moment?"
"Yes. You're with the territorial army's magic artillery corps, right?"
"I'm Lu Yao, captain of the Magic Artillery Corps."
Captain Lu Yao had long, jet-black glossy hair—truly like wet feathers—and piercing eyes.
She wasn't just cute; she was plainly, clearly beautiful.
She too was among Prince Ryun's entourage, and like Wen Shu, she was nineteen.
(So young, yet already a finished beauty.)
Ryo muttered internally
(And she looks incredibly strong-willed.)
That unnecessary thought also stayed safely internal.
"I was training in His Highness's territory all this time, so I apologize for the late greeting."
Ryo had only been introduced to Lu Yao about an hour earlier, during the departure ceremony.
Since the Prince's mansion wasn't a royal palace, it didn't have the space to house a full territorial army.
Even if it was three times bigger than Ryo's own estate.
Of course, there were training grounds managed by the imperial family or military, where troops could be stationed with proper procedures.
"Oh, by the way—I've never seen Eastern-style magic artillery in action."
"Yes, His Highness mentioned that. I'd hoped to show you a demonstration before we reach the battlefield."
"Really?"
Ryo looked thrilled.
Then he thought of a concern.
"But…wouldn't that consume a lot of magic power?"
"One shot is no problem."
Captain Lu Yao replied with confidence.
They wouldn't call it a 'magic artillery unit',
if they could only fire once or twice, after all…
"I look forward to…"
That's when Ryo's world flipped upside down.