Chapter 0581 Malice Approaching the Adventurers
-x-X-x-
That night.
At the residence of Fourth Imperial Prince Bin, outside the Forbidden Palace.
"Who's there?!"
Sensing a presence in the corner of the room, Imperial Prince Bin called out.
"It's been a while."
A woman's voice answered.
"You…"
Prince Bin recognized the voice.
Though he did not know precisely who she was.
Nor had he ever seen her face.
Because she always wore a mask…
That night as well, the woman emerging from the shadows was dressed in a black robe and wearing a black mask.
Robes like that were rare in Darwei and its surrounding nations.
Which only confirmed to Prince Bin that she was the same person as before.
The last time they met had been the day after Prince Ryun and Princess Shio Fen's wedding banquet.
Yes, there had been an incident at the banquet, one that should have killed Prince Ryun, dragging him into the chaos, but he survived.
Several moves in that plot had been arranged by Lin Sui, Prince Bin's right-hand man.
The chaos occurred, and attackers came for Prince Ryun…but they failed.
"So you lot turned out to be from the Choouchi Empire, or whatever it's called."
"That's not quite accurate…but it's meaningless to explain the details."
"Hmph."
Prince Bin brushed off the masked woman's words with irritation.
But her next words struck him like a thunderbolt.
"It's been decided. Sixth Prince Ryun will be conferred the title of Imperial Prince."
"What!"
Prince Bin literally leapt to his feet.
What he had feared had come to pass.
"I told them! I warned them that Ryun was dangerous! But my brothers refused to listen…"
His shock turned to anger as Prince Bin spat out his words.
"No… or could it be they understood everything and are trying to have Ryun and me destroy each other? It's possible. All of them are contenders for the throne… they'd be happy if everyone else sank!"
He muttered to himself in anger.
While the black mask watched in silence.
The mask, of course, betrayed no expression.
But if one could have seen the face beneath it, a wicked smile would have been there.
"This is bad. I have to do something."
Prince Bin's thoughts turned toward dealing with Prince Ryun.
"Hey, Black Mask."
"Yes, Your Highness?"
"I'm commissioning you again to eliminate Ryun."
It was a command, spoken as if to a subordinate.
Prince Bin considered her beneath him.
However…
"I apologize. At present, I do not have the forces necessary to take on such a task."
"What did you say?!"
The Black Mask refused him with calm finality,
causing Prince Bin to explode with rage.
He saw her as beneath him,
but to the Black Mask, it was laughable.
The previous attack had been accepted only because it aligned with her interests.
There was no benefit in accepting this request now, so she had no intention of taking it.
"Useless!"
Prince Bin spat.
Even then, the Black Mask did not grow angry.
If anything, she was laughing silently beneath the mask.
That laugh meant: So this is what passes for one of the successors? How pitiful.
Even so, the Black Mask thought it would be interesting to stir the pot further, to push the princes toward conflict.
So she made a suggestion.
"Your Highness, the Imperial Capital is filled with expendable forces you could use, is it not?"
"What? My army…? I can't use the Bin Household Army. If they attack Ryun, I'd be stripped of my title as Imperial Prince."
Prince Bin responded.
The Black Mask sneered beneath her mask.
(Does this fool really think of his own army as expendable? I knew he was foolish, but this is beyond foolish.)
"Your Highness, I was referring to the adventurers."
"Adventurers? Ah…I see."
His reaction was slower than she had expected.
It was clear that adventurers had never crossed Prince Bin's mind before.
"Second Prince, Third Prince—both make good use of adventurers."
"I see… Adventurers, then."
Prince Bin nodded once and raised his voice.
"Lin Sui! Lin Sui, where are you?!"
He was calling for his right-hand man.
By the time Lin Sui entered the room, the Black Mask had already disappeared.
At the Ryusen Residence.
"Taoran, reporting back."
"Well done."
The black-robed woman knelt before Crown Prince Berke, reporting.
In her hand, she held her black mask.
That face…was the same as one of the envoys who had accompanied Crown Prince Berke to the palace.
"How did it go?"
"Yes. I successfully stirred him up."
"I see."
Berke nodded with a smile at Taoran's report.
"Adventurers are not a force to be underestimated when it comes to defending a nation. Even if they hate the elite or the royals, they will lend their strength when the country is in danger. The best time to thin their numbers…is now."
This muttered remark was heard only by Taoran, bowing before him.
"Don't they have catering around here?"
"Cate…what?"
Ryo dropped an incomprehensible word, and Abel tilted his head.
It was the usual scene.
"It's a wonderful service where restaurants deliver food to you while you're lazing around at home. So you don't have to go out or cook for yourself."
"If you pay extra, wouldn't any place do that for you?"
"Huh?"
"If you pay enough, they'd come to your house and cook it for you, wouldn't they?"
"I'm not talking about rich people's indulgences!"
Abel replied matter-of-factly, while Ryo indignantly insisted he was talking about a service for ordinary people.
To be fair, even on Earth, some people would pay hundreds of thousands of yen to have top chefs come and prepare meals for them for parties.
But that wasn't what Ryo was talking about.
He meant an everyday service for the general public… perhaps slightly expensive, but within reach.
"Wouldn't it be easier to just go out and eat? Besides, if they deliver, it'll get cold, won't it? The taste and aroma will change. It's best to eat freshly made food on the spot."
"Well, you're right, but that's not the point! Busy people don't even have time to go out. You were like that too, weren't you, Abel?"
"Me? Was I?"
"When you were a king, didn't you have your meals brought to your room? That's catering!"
"Ah, I see… that's what it is…"
Abel finally understood and nodded.
"But I still preferred eating freshly made food…"
"Well, I can't deny that…"
There are many busy people in this world.
As they chatted, they were eating boxed lunches in their residence.
The lunches had been sent over by their neighbors, Prince Ryun and Princess Shio Fen.
Originally, Prince Ryun was supposed to come over and eat with them… but he had been suddenly summoned to the palace, so only the lunches were delivered.
"Prince Ryun was supposed to come over and talk, but… it's probably about that, right?"
"Well, at this timing, it's only natural to think it's about his new Imperial Prince title."
Abel nodded in response to Ryo's question.
Given the timing, it was hard to imagine it being about anything else.
"What if he asks us for a request?"
"A request?"
"To assassinate the other three Imperial Princes."
"Why would he…?"
Ryo said it with a mischievous grin… no, it was outright malicious.
Abel shook his head in exasperation.
"Ryo, you're practically a state guest here. Why would he ask someone like you for an assassination job?"
"But we're adventurers too, you know? We took that escort request from Count Von Debout of Matan as adventurers… We even have a record of taking requests from the Shitaifu class."
"Well, yes, but… Even so, knowing your status as Duke Rondo, they wouldn't give you an adventurer request. And even if they did, it wouldn't be an assassination request."
"I guess. But wouldn't 'The Assassin Duke' sound cool? I feel like there's a story in there somewhere."
For some reason, Ryo looked pleased with himself,
Muttering things like 'Assassinations involving dukes happen, but flip the words around and it sounds cool' and 'There might have been an Assassin Duke in history'…
Abel let out a small sigh and spoke heavily.
"A nation can't be sustained through assassination."
"Ugh…what a solid argument."
The reason they were staying in all day wasn't just because of Prince Ryun.
They were expecting something to arrive from the palace in the afternoon.
A reward from Emperor Tsuin for the capture of General Yun.
They had stayed home to receive it…
Though they had no idea what it would be.
"We've already received splendid Darwei clothes, after all."
The day after returning from the suppression, both Ryo and Abel had been gifted stylish Eastern-style attire.
"But apparently that wasn't nearly enough."
"Indeed. I'm curious."
They had forgotten about it while eating, but now that they remembered, Ryo began fidgeting in anticipation.
After a while…
"It's here!"
Before anyone could announce it, Ryo, having detected it with
"So unnecessarily quick."
Abel chuckled wryly as he walked toward the gate.
At the same moment Abel arrived, the imperial envoy arrived as well.
They recognized him— though they didn't know his name.
"Uh…you're the Chief Eunuch from the Shouhoukan, right?"
"Yes, Duke Rondo."
It was the Chief Eunuch of Shouhoukan, which oversaw Chouonkaku and other facilities.
He was the man who had once scolded Workshop Chief Ron.
Leading the way, the eunuch entered the mansion grounds with an enormous cart laden with an enormous crate.
And standing beside that cart were two familiar figures.
They knew their names.
"Ron-san?"
"Yes, Duke Rondo, Albert-san."
It was indeed Workshop Chief Ron.
"Wait…don't tell me, the thing we're receiving is…"
In the garden of the mansion, the imperial edict from Emperor Tsuin was read aloud.
"The grand piano, 'Shen-Lon' No. 1, shall be bestowed."
"I knew it… it's a piano…"
Ryo exclaimed in surprise.
After reading the edict, the eunuch handed it to Ryo.
Though surprised, Ryo received it properly.
Like receiving a certificate back in school…
But then, he snapped back to reality.
"'Shen-Lon' Grand Piano?"
"Yes. We have engraved its name: 'Shen-Lon'."
"That's wonderful!"
The engraving was essentially the brand name.
While it often included the maker's name, it could be slightly modified or presented under a different moniker…
As long as it could be distinguished from others.
'Shen-Lon'…now that he thought about it, Workshop Chief Ron's full name was Ron Shen.
And on Earth, there was a country that pronounced 'Shen-Lon' as 'Shenlong' for 'Divine Dragon'.
"But…is it really okay to keep such a marvelous instrument here at the mansion?"
"Yes. It was my wish, and His Majesty graciously permitted it."
"Um…we will eventually return to our country…"
"It's fine even if you leave it here. Of course, you're welcome to take it with you as well."
Ron replied with a warm smile to Ryo's concern.
"You hear that, Abel? If we end up having to transport it, I'll be counting on you."
"No way, that's impossible."
It seemed the piano would remain here.
But until then, Ryo would be free to play it as much as he wished.
"Ah, how wonderful… Ron-san, Chief Eunuch, thank you. Please tell His Majesty that I was overjoyed."
Ryo bowed with a radiant smile.
From that day onward, there was not a single day at Duke Rondo's mansion when the sound of the piano could not be heard…
-x-X-x-
The day after the piano arrived at the mansion.
The next-door neighbors came to visit Ryo and Abel's Residence.
Of course, it wasn't unusual for them to visit… it was just that the neighbor happened to be a prince.
"Welcome, Prince Ryun."
"Duke Rondo, my apologies for yesterday."
Ryo greeted him with a bright smile, while Prince Ryun apologized for not being able to visit the previous day.
"Please, think nothing of it. I heard you were summoned to the Palace."
Ryo said this while inviting him into the mansion.
Behind Prince Ryun, his usual attendants followed.
But what caught Ryo's attention was their attire, including Ryun's.
Their hair was neatly tied and fixed with a crown as usual, but the clothes they wore were the type worn when attending the imperial palace… no, it would not have been strange to wear them even before the Emperor himself, formal attire in every sense.
Ryo wore his usual robe, and Abel wore eastern-style attire, but it was closer to what a commoner would wear rather than something one would wear to the imperial palace.
His upper garment was short, down to the thighs, prioritizing ease of movement…
The contrast with the prince's party was striking.
Inside the residence, Ryo personally prepared tea, took a sip, and then asked:
"Your Highness, your attire today seems quite formal…"
"Yes. Today, I have come to request a favor from you, Duke Rondo."
"Sorry?"
Prince Ryun's tone was heavy. Or perhaps it should be called formally dignified.
"I have been officially sealed as an Imperial Prince."
"Congratulations, Your Highness."
"And in line with this, I would like to request your support."
"Support?"
Ryo tilted his head slightly.
And in the corner of his vision, he saw Abel behind him doing the same.
Prince Ryun looked Ryo squarely in the eyes and declared clearly:
"I intend to claim the Imperial Throne."
Ryo and Abel had expected this.
They had discussed it before.
But hearing it directly from him brought a certain weight to the air.
"I wish to ask for your support, Duke Rondo."
Prince Ryun's gaze did not waver as he faced Ryo directly.
It was the gaze of one who had thought deeply, consulted those around him, won their agreement, and decided to walk that path regardless of what awaited.
However…
"I see…"
That was Ryo's response.
Hearing this, Abel was surprised.
He thought Ryo would immediately say, 'Of course, leave it to me!' and accept without hesitation.
A heavy silence fell.
In this scene, the next to speak should be Ryo.
Whatever the response, it was Ryo's turn.
And Ryo knew it…
After a full five minutes of silence—
"Your Highness, please allow me some time to think."
After seeing off Prince Ryun and his party, Ryo and Abel returned to their room and poured themselves another cup of tea.
Ryo's face clearly showed discomfort.
Apparently, he had tried not to show it while Ryun was present.
"Knowing you, Ryo, I thought you'd immediately say 'Leave it to me!' or 'The throne is yours, Your Highness!' and accept it."
Abel said honestly.
Comfortable enough with Ryo to be blunt.
"Yes."
Ryo also understood that Abel would think this way.
"But… the more I thought about it, the less confident I became. Or perhaps, I couldn't feel the responsibility."
"Confidence? Responsibility?"
Abel tilted his head at Ryo's words.
"Confidence about whether I should truly support Prince Ryun."
"Are you saying he's unfit to be Emperor?"
"No, not at all… from what I know, I believe he is fit to be Emperor. But I'm not confident that he is the 'most fit to be Emperor'."
"Ah, because of the other Imperial Princes."
Abel gave a small nod to Ryo's words.
Indeed, the two of them knew almost nothing about the other Imperial Princes.
"I get the confidence part. What about responsibility…?"
"A responsibility toward the people of Darwei."
"A responsibility toward the people of Darwei?"
Abel tilted his head again.
"If this were the Republic of Mafalda in the Western Countries or the Free City of Kwebasa, I wouldn't need to think this far. They have systems to choose rulers through democratic procedures. But… the Kingdom of Knightley, and this Darwei as well, are not democracies. The King or Emperor is not chosen by the people… even if they get a terrible Emperor, the people can only accept it."
"Ah…"
"That's why I believe that the question of who becomes King or Emperor must be considered very carefully at the moment it is decided."
"So, you're saying that you, Ryo, must consider your responsibility to the people before lending your support."
"Yes."
Ryo nodded and took a sip of tea.
Under an absolute monarchy, the people bear no responsibility for the government.
Because sovereignty does not belong to the people.
No matter how wrong the country's path becomes, it is not the people's responsibility.
At least, history would not hold them accountable.
Though neighboring countries might criticize them contemporaneously.
However, under a democracy, the people themselves are responsible for the government.
Because sovereignty belongs to the people.
This does not change whether it is direct or representative democracy.
The actions of the country are the responsibility of the people…
To history.
"During the Kingdom Liberation War, you supported me, Ryo."
"Of course. At that time, I made that choice with confidence. I believed that if you were King, Abel, the people would be happy."
"I-I see."
Ryo stated this firmly, and Abel scratched his cheek, a bit embarrassed.
"At that time, there was no other realistic option besides you, Abel…even now, I can proudly claim that it was the right choice."
"And this time, you don't have that level of confidence yet."
"Sadly, yes."
Ryo let out a sigh.
Then, he continued:
"And this time, it isn't a decision I'm making as just Ryo."
"Hm?"
"It's as Duke Rondo."
"Ah, right. As the Premier Duke of the Kingdom of Knightley. Meaning…"
"I am choosing while carrying the name of the Kingdom."
"Yes, this means it will be seen as which Imperial Prince the Kingdom of Knightley supports."
Abel sighed as well.
Even if the two of them had no such intention, the three Imperial Princes not chosen would see it.
The shadow of the Kingdom of Knightley behind Ryo.
"No matter how much I might claim, 'This is a personal decision,' it would be meaningless. Such disclaimers never hold, no matter the situation. One's public position follows one until they step down from it—and sometimes even afterward."
"True."
"That's why I believe it is necessary to make this decision with great care."
That is something that does not change, no matter the era or the world.
"If, in the near future, technology advances and travel between the Central Countries and these Eastern Countries becomes easy… And if one of the Imperial Princes I did not choose becomes Emperor, this decision could cause the Kingdom to suffer disadvantages."
"Even though no one can know the future, the decisions we make now will affect our standing in the future."
When acting on behalf of a nation, decisions made as a nation must consider the future as well.
It truly was a troublesome matter.
Ryo drained the rest of his tea in one gulp.
"Therefore, let us go gain the confidence we need to make our choice."
"You mean, to investigate the other Imperial Princes."
"Exactly."
When Prince Ryun returned to his residence from Duke Rondo's mansion, he let out a deep sigh.
In front of him, Princess Shio Fen poured him tea.
"Here you are, Ryun-sama."
"Ah, thank you, Shio."
It was just a simple exchange, but there was no bitterness in the air.
After taking a sip, Prince Ryun spoke:
"Duke Rondo refused my request."
"Oh, is that so?"
"He said he needed some time to think."
"I see."
Princess Shio Fen smiled softly and nodded.
Seeing this, Prince Ryun tilted his head.
"Why are you smiling? He didn't agree, you know."
"He didn't say he wouldn't agree. He said he needed some time to think, didn't he? That means there's still a chance."
"Do you really think so?"
Prince Ryun frowned at Princess Shio Fen's words.
To him, it sounded like a polite way of distancing oneself to ultimately decline.
"If he said he needed time to think, then I believe that's exactly what he meant. He probably just wanted some time."
"Hm… But from what I've heard, Duke Rondo was informed of my appointment as Imperial Prince several days ago. If so, wouldn't he have anticipated this request from me? Especially someone as capable as Duke Rondo…"
"That may be true. But perhaps he was considering a different request?"
Princess Shio Fen's eyes glinted mischievously as she said this.
"A different request?"
"For example, requesting an assassination of the other three Imperial Princes as an adventurer."
"Hey…"
"Of course, that's impossible… but Duke Rondo… Ryo-sama—is an interesting person. He might have been thinking of something unexpected that we wouldn't consider."
Princess Shio Fen smiled brightly and continued:
"I believe it would be best to wait patiently for his answer."
-x-X-x-
Ryo and Abel left the mansion.
Their goal was to gather information on the three Imperial Princes who were rivals to Prince Ryun.
"The classic method for information gathering is to ask around in taverns!"
"It's still midday, you know…"
Indeed, it was exactly lunchtime.
Most taverns were not yet open, and even if they were, few people would be there.
While eateries would be crowded, it was difficult to gather information from people simply there to eat.
"Besides, information on Imperial Princes isn't something the average person would know accurately."
"Now that you mention it, that's true."
Ryo nodded honestly at Abel's reasonable point.
"In that case, we need to ask people who know the Princes directly. The Emperor would know all three, but…"
"He's bound to be busy, and if we go asking him, it'll look strange. Besides, the Princes would want to hide their worst sides from the Emperor the most…"
"That won't work then."
Ryo shook his head lightly.
Gathering accurate information was not easy.
"That means we need people who have worked with them or had some involvement."
"And it has to be someone you know, Ryo."
"Is there even such a person…?"
Ryo fell into thought.
But nothing came to mind easily.
"I don't even know that many people in this Imperial Capital."
"Wouldn't it be faster to just list out the people you do know?"
Ryo sighed, and in response, Abel suggested a different approach.
"First would be Workshop Chief Ron."
"We've been dealing with him the most recently. But he's basically always in Chouonkaku inside the palace, right?"
"Yes, and while he would probably tell us what he knows, he likely doesn't have much information on the Princes."
First candidate eliminated.
"Next would be… Count Matan, Von Debout?"
"He's part of the Shitaifu class. But like Count Bashu, Roche-Ten, he doesn't belong to any faction, right? That means he probably doesn't want to get involved in factional disputes."
Count Von Debout was someone Ryo and Abel had once accepted a bodyguard request from.
They had gotten caught up in the troubles before Prince Ryun and Princess Shio Fen's wedding, manipulated by bad actors, and ended up in a sword incident that led to an investigation.
No doubt, he would not want to get involved again.
Count Roche-Ten of Bashu had been attacked by the manipulated Von Debout…
He, too, was someone who had been hurt in the factional disputes surrounding Prince Ryun.
He would not want to get involved either.
Second and third candidates eliminated.
"Anyone else?"
"We still have someone, right? How about the captain of the White Flame Army?"
"Ah! Captain Li Chu! He's under the direct command of the Emperor, but he also moves within the palace, so he might be available. Let's try Captain Li Chu first. We should bring some sweets as a gift."
"…You're really diligent about these things, Ryo."
"If we're asking someone to take time to talk to us, the least we can do is bring sweets."
Fourth candidate secured.
They stopped by a confectionery shop and bought 150 baked sweets before heading to the White Flame Army outpost in the Ministry of War.
They arrived without incident, but…
"Captain Li Chu isn't here?"
"Yes, Lord Duke Rondo. The Captain is at the palace today."
Fourth candidate eliminated.
"We've run out of options."
"You're exaggerating."
Leaving the 150 sweets with the outpost staff, Ryo and Abel sighed heavily as they exited the Ministry of War.
"But it hurts that we can't catch Captain Li Chu, who seemed the most promising."
"There's still someone else."
"Huh? Who?"
Ryo was surprised by Abel's casual words.
"Someone who is close to Captain Li Chu and has a wealth of experience, an elder."
"Hmm…"
Ryo tilted his head at Abel's words.
But after a moment of thought, he brightened.
"Secretary Shau of the Imperial Censorate!"
"Correct."
Indeed, Captain Li Chu was close to Secretary Shau.
That was why Abel had remembered Shau.
The Censorate was adjacent to the Imperial Palace.
But its entrance faced the main road, and its gates were always open.
No guards were standing by.
And a massive, imposing drum was positioned there.
"No matter how many times I see it, this entrance is intimidating."
"It really is."
Abel nodded in agreement with Ryo's honest impression.
The drum was apparently for those with grievances to strike themselves to present their complaints.
Since Ryo and Abel were here to meet Secretary Shau, they should not strike it.
They had been told so on a previous visit.
"So if I ever want to sue you, Abel, I would strike this drum?"
"And I would strike it too, to countersue you."
Ryo and Abel's lawsuit battle…
However, the Imperial Censorate primarily handled criminal cases.
Not civil disputes like those they would have…
As usual, Ryo bought sake as a gift from a liquor store, entered without striking the drum, and called out:
"Excuse me~"
Two large men silently emerged from the back.
Looking intimidating.
But the moment they recognized who had called out, they visibly jumped.
"Duke Rondo!"
"Ah, sorry. We would like to see Secretary Shau, could you arrange that for us?"
"Y-Yes, please wait a moment!"
One of them practically ran back inside.
Leaving the other behind, whose face seemed to say, 'Don't leave me here alone'.
At least, that was how it looked to Abel.
After a while, they were shown into Secretary Shau's presence.
"Duke Rondo, thank you for coming."
"Sorry to trouble you while you're busy, Shau-san."
Secretary Shau greeted them with a smile, and Ryo and Abel bowed their heads.
After some small talk, Shau asked:
"So, what brings you here today?"
"Well… We would like to ask about the three Imperial Princes."
"Oh…?"
Ryo asked straightforwardly, and Secretary Shau widened his eyes slightly in surprise.
Before taking a slow sip of tea,
which Ryo mirrored.
"Does this mean Duke Rondo intends to take Prince Ryun's side?"
Without preamble, Secretary Shau cut straight to the heart of the matter.
Ignoring any mention of Prince Ryun's elevation or Ryo's relationship with him.
But Ryo was unfazed.
This question was within his expectations.
"I cannot move without knowing what kind of people the Princes are."
Ryo took another sip of tea.
Cleverly hiding and omitting the facts.
Letting Shau imagine the rest.
And yet, he was not lying.
"Hehehe…"
Understanding everything, Secretary Shau laughed.
Ryo, too, sipped his tea with a faint smile, saying nothing.
Negotiations find their essence in silence.
In that silence, their minds raced.
Both Ryo and Secretary Shau understood this.
Of course, the two parties were thinking about various things during this time, so they were not affected by the atmosphere of the room.
It was the onlookers who suffered in such tense silence.
(This oppressive atmosphere is unbearable…)
Abel did not voice it or show it on his face, but he was wincing inwardly.
As a former Second Prince, adventurer, and now a King for three years, Abel had experienced many negotiations.
Some of those negotiations were troublesome, to say the least.
But this was different.
He was not a party to the negotiations.
Merely an observer this time, unable to participate.
And he knew from experience that being in the position of an observer in negotiations was mentally draining…
(Honestly, I'd rather not go through this again.)
He shook his head internally.
"Well, very well. I will tell you what I know."
"Thank you, Shau-san."
"Not at all. Duke Rondo's influence is considerable. I, too, am interested in who you will support."
Secretary Shau poured fresh tea,
and then began.
"First, regarding the Fourth Prince, Imperial Prince Bin…"
"Ah, we don't need information on the Fourth Prince."
"I thought so."
Ryo said it with a pleasant smile, and Secretary Shau accepted it with a smile as well.
They both apparently recognized him as someone unworthy of attention…
Abel shook his head slightly.
"Aside from the Fourth Prince, the other two were already sealed as Imperial Princes five years ago when the Crown Prince passed away."
"I see."
Ryo had assumed they had been elevated after the Crown Prince's death, but it turned out to be different.
"Prince Bin was elevated two years ago, which indeed put him behind the others. This may be part of why he is in such a rush."
"I see."
Ryo could see how that would be the case.
"Now, regarding the Third Prince, Imperial Prince Churei. He is 24 years old, straightforward in character, and unusually for the Imperial Palace, excels in swordsmanship—a martial-leaning individual."
"Ohhh…"
Both Ryo and Abel were surprised by Shau's explanation.
They had heard that in Darwei, the arts were valued over martial pursuits.
And that even the current Emperor leaned that way.
"Because of this, he does not have much support within the Imperial Palace."
Because those involved in martial pursuits were not the mainstream there.
"He also has the typical rigidity of a martial artist… or rather, he is too straightforward…"
"Ah, I can imagine."
Shau explained with a wry smile, and Ryo nodded, picturing it.
He likely was not a bad person.
The word 'straightforward', which came up twice, said it all.
He was probably a respectable person.
From an outsider's perspective, he might even be considered an admirable individual.
But such a person, when in a leadership position… could create distortions throughout a large organization.
Leading to tension.
And exhaustion among those around and under them.
Human organizations were strange things.
As a person, he was not wrong.
It was the organization that was wrong.
However…
At that point, someone interjected.
"I have a question…"
It was Abel.
"I heard the previous Crown Prince, who passed away, was also a martial person… was he different from the current Third Prince?"
"Yes, he was."
Shau nodded deeply at Abel's question,
Before continuing.
"The late Crown Prince indeed had a martial spirit, valuing martial over the arts. But he was not overly rigid or difficult… Rather, he had a broad-minded personality."
"Hoho…"
"He interacted frequently with the people and often walked the streets from a young age. There was even a time when he helped me apprehend a villain."
Secretary Shau's eyes took on a nostalgic look,
clearly remembering that scene.
"Prince Churei… I'm sorry to say, but he lacks the breadth of the late Crown Prince…"
Realizing he might have gone too far.
Shau's words trailed off, and he took a sip of tea, wearing a wry smile.
"That leaves the Second Prince as the most interesting."
Ryo nodded emphatically.
"Oh? Duke Rondo is interested in Imperial Prince Kouri, the Second Prince?"
"Yes. I haven't even heard his voice yet, so I cannot judge."
"His voice? You can judge from that?"
"By seeing a face, hearing a voice, and talking for about ten seconds, you can tell most things."
Ryo smiled as he said it.
Of course, it did not mean he could know everything about a person.
But at least he could tell if someone was trustworthy, if they were someone to keep at a distance, and whether they were a good match for himself.
It was easy to tell if someone was wise just by looking at them, and that was enough information for Ryo.
Of course, he could not logically explain how he knew.
He just knew, somehow.
"As for his voice, I can't say…but Prince Kouri, who is 29 years old this year, excels in both the literary and martial arts, has strong political capabilities, and is excellent at foresight."
"Ohh, that's impressive."
Ryo was surprised at the stark difference from the assessment of the Third Prince.
This is…
"He's practically perfect."
"Indeed, you could say he is close to perfect."
Shau answered with a wry smile at Ryo's remark.
"But you don't like the Second Prince, do you, Shau-san?"
"No, no, that's not true."
Shau laughed and denied it as Ryo laughed while confirming.
But both Ryo and Abel understood that it was merely a formal denial.
Shau did not like the Second Prince.
And it was clear he would not say why…
"What I said is true. However…or rather, it is precisely because of that. That even after five years, the Emperor has not made Prince Kouri the Crown Prince."
"Now that you mention it…"
Ryo nodded at Shau's explanation.
Even though he excelled in both literary and martial arts, he had strong political and foresight capabilities…
And he was 29 years old, which was not too young to be Crown Prince.
In fact, it might even be considered late.
"Duke Rondo, that is all I can share."
With those words, Secretary Shau ended the conversation.
-x-X-x-
Ryo and Abel left the Censorate.
"Certainty is hard to come by, isn't it?"
"Ah, about the Second Prince."
Ryo shook his head as he spoke, and Abel let out a small sigh.
A highly capable candidate, yet unable to be established as Crown Prince.
A strong contender, yet not favored even by experienced Secretary Shau.
Those two points were unlikely to be mere coincidence.
"This is troublesome…"
"Yeah, it really is."
"The surest way would be to storm back into the Censorate and forcibly extract the information from Shau-san. You could handle that, Abel."
"Yeah, that last part was unnecessary."
In any era, in any world, intelligence gathering is never easy.
"As a next-best option, we could storm the Second Prince's royal residence, seize the prince if possible, and pry information out of him. If we fail to capture him, we can at least gauge his reaction and adjust accordingly. You could handle that, Abel."
"Once again, that last part was unnecessary."
Perhaps it was only natural that the perspectives of a magician and a swordsman rarely aligned.
"It's always 'No, no, no' with you, Abel. All you ever do is reject my plans."
"Obviously…"
"It's a problem if you don't propose alternatives, you know. I'm giving detailed suggestions, and all you do is shoot them down."
"Alright, fine, I'll give you an alternative."
Abel paused before continuing.
"How about this: Ryo, clad in ice armor, charges into the Second Prince's residence on an ice path, breaks in, and holds a sword to Prince Kouri's throat. See? It's even more specific than your plan."
"Rejected, since I could get captured."
"…So you're fine with me getting captured instead?"
"Naturally. My identity as Duke Rondo from the Kingdom of Knightley is widely known. If I were to get caught, it would endanger the Kingdom's standing."
"You realize…I'm the King of that Kingdom…"
"But since you forgot your identification, you're just my bodyguard right now."
Identification was very important.
"…Even so, if I get captured, wouldn't you be held responsible for supervising me? Wouldn't that also reflect badly on the Kingdom?"
"Ah, now that you mention it."
"Yeah, I'm sure you already knew that."
Ryo clapped his right fist into his left palm in an exaggerated gesture, while Abel sighed.
"I was hoping a good idea would come to us while we were talking, but…"
"In the end, nothing came to mind."
Both of them shook their heads simultaneously.
Suddenly, something caught Ryo's eye.
"Fish dishes…"
"You hungry or something?"
"No! Please don't make comments like some hungry swordsman."
"Why am I getting scolded here?"
"Speaking of fish, that means ships. And ships mean captains."
"Could it be… the Captain of the First Imperial Ship?"
"Yes, Captain Myun!"
Captain Myun had captained the first ship of the Imperial fleet that served as Princess Shio Fen's imperial escort from Bosuntar to the Imperial Capital.
And before becoming captain of that ship, he had apparently been an admiral in the Darwei Navy.
Because of that, he was said to be well-regarded by His Imperial Majesty.
Moreover, he once fought on the same battlefield as Prince Ryun and Prince Kouri, the Second Prince.
That was promising!
Later, the two arrived at the Imperial Vessel Office near the harbor.
Having first stopped at a liquor shop to buy a bottle of sake as a gift.
"Ryo, you're always so thoughtful", Abel's muttered comment didn't reach Ryo's ears.
But…
"What? Captain Myun isn't here?"
"My apologies, Your Grace. The Captain has been summoned to the Imperial Palace."
It seemed important figures often found themselves summoned to the Palace.
"We're out of options."
"You're being dramatic."
Leaving the sake as a gift, the two exited the office.
Ryo voiced his despair, and Abel offered a small comfort.
"Seriously, we have no one left who knows the Second Prince well."
"Yeah, I can't think of anyone either."
They concluded that, for today, it was best to give up.
Since they had left gifts for Captain Myun and Captain Li Chu, they might receive word in the coming days.
For now, they decided to return to the mansion.
When they arrived,
they found a man standing before the gate.
"This feels familiar."
"Last time, it was one of Prince Ryun's attendants who was stuck there."
"This one seems different. He's carrying something on his back… I feel like I've seen him before."
Ryo tilted his head.
The reason he was standing frozen there was likely the same.
The ice golem stationed at the gate.
But they did indeed recognize the man.
"That's the bard."
"Ah! Wang A-Shi-san!"
Perhaps hearing them.
The bard Wang A-Shi turned toward them.
He placed his hands together before his chest and bowed.
"It has been a while."
"Since we last met, I'd say."
"Since you sang your plum garden song at the Ryusen Residence, right?"
Abel and Ryo spoke as they recalled.
"After that, I was allowed to stay at the Ryusen Residence."
"Wasn't that quite expensive?"
Wang A-Shi smiled, while Ryo worried about the lodging costs.
The Ryusen Residence was an ultra-luxurious inn, with lodging fees that were no joke.
"I had a nightly singing contract that covered my stay. So it was effectively free."
"I see!"
Wang A-Shi explained with a wry smile, and Ryo nodded in understanding.
Having the most renowned bard in the Eastern Countries sing nightly would surely draw in wealthy guests, even just for dinner.
Making it well worth it for the inn.
"I was well cared for, but then the entire Ryusen Residence was rented out."
"Rented out?"
"Yes. By the Imperial Envoy from the Choouchi Empire. So I had to leave… Though I was very happy composing songs during the day…"
With a sigh, Wang A-Shi looked dejected.
Then, as if remembering something,
he raised his head sharply.
"More importantly! When I heard you were the Duke Rondo, Ryo, I was shocked! Why didn't you tell me?!"
"Ah, ahaha…"
They had told him they were adventurers from the Kingdom of Knightley, but never revealed their true identities.
It wasn't that they were hiding it.
They simply hadn't found the right timing…
"Also, while Duke Rondo's identity is public, Abel's is still hidden, isn't it?"
"M-me? What are you talking about…"
Abel was never good at bluffing.
"Someone who can interact so casually with Duke Rondo, like Abel-san here, can only be that person."
"No, I'm just an adventurer, Abel…"
"You're Abel I, the Liberator, King of Knightley, aren't you?"
Wang A-Shi stated it flatly, shaking his head.
"Abel The Liberator… that sounds pretty cool."
Ryo latched onto a completely different part of the statement.
As usual.
"W-Wang A-Shi, about that…"
"Don't worry. I don't know the reason, but you go by Albert-san at the imperial palace, right? I won't go around spreading that you're King Abel."
Abel tried to hush him in a panic, but Wang A-Shi had already stated it before he could.
"But it does make me wonder: why is it that Ryo-san's status as Duke Rondo is revealed, but Abel-san's status as King Abel is kept a secret?"
"Yeah, that's all on me…"
"It's because of this."
As Wang A-Shi voiced his question, Abel accepted all the blame, while Ryo showed him the reason.
The reason Ryo showed his was…
"An alchemical identification tool, is it?"
As expected of a bard.
Wang A-Shi instantly recognized what Ryo had shown him.
"Our Prime Minister told me to always keep it on my person, so I wear it at all times."
"Ah, I've heard about that. Foreign nobility…and the Shitaifu Class in Darwei, are also required to wear them at all times. In Darwei, I heard it's even the law…"
"But Abel wasn't wearing something that important."
"Well, it was inside my own country, and… I mean, I'm the king…"
"That was a massive blunder on Abel's part!"
"Yes…I'm sorry."
Abel accepted Ryo's denunciation honestly.
"That's not exactly a heroic story for King Abel, is it? I'll refrain from putting that in a song."
"Yes, please do."
Wang A-Shi frowned as he spoke, and Ryo requested it.
Abel simply shook his head silently.
Since it wasn't ideal to continue the conversation standing, Ryo led Wang A-Shi into the mansion.
It was inevitable that Wang A-Shi's gaze became fixed on the ice golem he saw on the way in.
Moreover, once he entered the courtyard, he saw multiple golems.
Wang A-Shi stood frozen, eyes wide open.
Finally rebooting, he entered the residence with the two.
"That's incredible…those are the golems, right?"
"Yes, I'm impressed you knew. Those are ice golems."
Ryo answered Wang A-Shi's question with visible delight.
Showing a trace of pride in both tone and demeanor.
"I'd heard golem technology was advanced in the Western Countries…"
"Recently, it's been spreading in the Central Countries too."
Ryo's pride was evident in his response.
Technically, this wasn't a lie.
But in reality, the only one creating truly practical golems in the Central Countries was Frank de Verde of the Union.
And Ryo's own ice golems were mainly used in rice fields rather than war.
Claiming it was 'spreading' was, frankly, an exaggeration.
The three sat drinking tea that Ryo had prepared.
After a pause, Abel asked:
"So, why did you come, Wang A-Shi?"
Indeed, while it was true they hadn't seen each other in a while, they hadn't told him they were living here.
And it wasn't as if they had made any prior plans.
"Ah, yes. After leaving the Ryusen Residence, I was invited to stay at the Imperial Palace."
"What!"
It seemed even a bard of his caliber could stay at the Palace.
"While there, I heard many things about Prince Ryun."
As he spoke, Wang A-Shi watched their expressions carefully.
Not so much to probe, but rather to gauge how much they already knew and how much he could safely share.
"We know a fair bit."
Ryo offered upfront disclosure.
Upon hearing this, the words that came from Wang A-Shi's mouth were…
"Even about Prince Ryun being sealed as an Imperial Prince?"
"Yes. Rather, I'm surprised you know about that, Wang A-Shi…"
"Hehe, I am a bard, after all. Many people within the palace quietly share things with me."
There will always be people who want to show off a little.
"With the emergence of a fourth Imperial Prince, things will become even more complicated. His Majesty understands this, yet still wishes to elevate Prince Ryun, indicating how highly he values him."
"However, in general, I've heard that while the people like Prince Ryun, he lacks the sharpness typically found in those who wield power…"
"That's the general opinion, yes. However, His Majesty… and particularly Prince Kouri, the Second Prince, are said to hold Prince Ryun in high regard."
Wang A-Shi took a sip of tea.
"Why does Prince Kouri value Prince Ryun so highly?"
"I heard that years ago, when Prince Kouri led the army, the young Prince Ryun, still in his early teens, led a charge that prevented the collapse of the front lines."
"Ah, yes, I've heard that story before."
Ryo nodded deeply.
Recalling that Captain Myun had told him this once.
It was clear that Wang A-Shi had considerable knowledge not just of palace affairs but also about each prince.
Perhaps he could serve as a replacement informant for Captain Myun or Captain Li Chu…
"Wang A-Shi, I have a request."
"Yes?"
"Please, tell us everything you know about Prince Kouri, the Second Prince."
Ryo decided to ask directly.
Abel glanced at Ryo upon hearing this.
But he remained silent.
Apparently agreeing with Ryo's initiative.
Wang A-Shi tilted his head slightly.
But only for a few seconds.
"Very well. But I have one condition."
"A condition?"
"In exchange, I'd like to hear your stories."
"Our…"
"Stories?"
Both Ryo and Abel tilted their heads this time at Wang A-Shi's proposal.
"I've been able to piece together and sing about your stories up to the Kingdom Liberation War from various sources. But nothing of what happened after. I don't know why you two are in these faraway Eastern Countries, so distant from the Central Countries."
"Ah…"
Ryo and Abel both uttered at the same time.
The two exchanged a look.
"Very well, we agree. Go on."
The information Wang A-Shi provided about Prince Kouri ranged from what they already knew to details only his closest aides would know.
Prince Kouri was skilled in both the military and literary arts, excelled in politics, and possessed keen foresight, as Secretary Shau had mentioned.
Many within the Shitaifu class aligned themselves with his faction.
Among the three princes, he was undoubtedly the closest to the Imperial Throne.
But…
"Some say he is too calculating."
Wang A-Shi's voice lowered as he shared this.
"But if he's to steer the vast Darwei, being calculating isn't necessarily a flaw, is it?"
Abel, who had steered a nation himself for three years as a king, tilted his head as he asked.
"You're right. But even in a vast empire like Darwei, the people are its foundation. And people are moved not by logic but by emotion. Being calculating is a strength for a supporter of the throne, but the emperor himself should possess warmth to allow the people to live in peace… At least, that's what someone told me."
"That may indeed be true."
Ryo nodded deeply in agreement.
"Abel is the prime example of that, after all."
"Me?"
Abel tilted his head again at Ryo's point.
Seemingly unaware of it himself.
"Abel is the epitome of a king who lacks calculation or logic but possesses warmth."
"Hey…"
Abel interjected at Ryo's harsh description.
"Even so, the Kingdom of Knightley runs fine because of calculating vassals like Marquis Heinlein supporting it, right? Being calculating may sound negative, but if you rephrase it as having sharp awareness or being merciless toward evil, it's fine."
"Well, I can't deny I'm blessed with capable retainers…"
Abel did not refute Ryo's words, though he frowned.
The qualities needed to lead and the skills to support a leader were entirely different.
This applied not only at the national level but also within companies and organizations.
Could excellent subordinates become excellent leaders?…99% of the time, they could not.
The skill sets required were different.
Of course, some rare individuals could do both.
But they were extremely rare.
Would you gamble on such miracles when choosing a leader? Would your employees accept that?
Besides, those truly exceptional people capable of doing both often establish their ventures early.
So, what should be done?
Unfortunately, so far, humanity has only found one answer.
That is to train individuals from a young age to become future leaders.
After all, it is easier to acquire skills when starting young.
Whether it be learning a foreign language or playing an instrument…
Everyone knows this.
The same applies to management. It's as simple as that.
That is why even globally dominant Western corporations like Walmart, BMW, Exxon, and Miele remain family-run.
Does being born into such a family guarantee glory?
Hardly.
One must first compete within the family.
Only those recognized as truly capable within the family can move up, but even then, without certain academic achievements, they couldn't even stand at the starting line.
The humiliation of being denied even the chance to compete…
With no choice in the matter, from the moment they are born, they are thrust into competition.
Even if they lose, the title of 'one of that family' follows them to their grave.
Even if they find normal employment, those around them will always mention it.
Of course, those people likely don't say it with any intent to insult.
And so…
In the end, many do not take regular employment but choose to start their ventures…
Perhaps this was not so different from certain royal families.
"Life never goes as planned."
Ryo muttered, letting out a small sigh.
"Abel, you should be grateful to Marquis Heinlein."
"Y-yeah…"
Ryo spoke solemnly, and Abel accepted it.
"Still, being an emperor sounds incredibly difficult."
"Hm?"
Ryo reacted to Abel's muttering.
"If a fool becomes emperor, it's a problem. But if someone too smart becomes emperor, it's also a problem. It's way too complicated."
"You're trying to say you're amazing for managing it so naturally, aren't you, Abel? So sly!"
"No, not at all! I never said that!"
"You won't say it yourself and make me say it instead. That's not smart, that's cunning."
"Ugh, that makes no sense…"
Ryo declared, while Abel voiced his dissatisfaction.
Wang A-Shi, listening beside them, only chuckled softly…
His silence displayed the tact of a bard.
After more conversation, Wang A-Shi finally took his leave, departing with a smile, saying:
I feel like I can compose a new song now.
-x-X-x-
"We've gathered quite a bit of information now."
Ryo nodded with a satisfied expression.
"True, compared to when Prince Ryun first dropped by, we've come a long way."
Abel agreed, nodding as well.
But for Ryo, he still wanted one final push.
"I want to get my hands on conclusive information."
"What do you mean, 'conclusive information'?"
"Information about Prince Kouri, the Second Prince, himself."
"Well, that would definitely be best if we could get it, but… we can't exactly charge in there. That's going to be difficult, isn't it?"
At Abel's words, Ryo's eyes gleamed.
"Yes, exactly that!"
"Exactly what?"
"Abel, you're going to launch a solo assault on Prince Kouri's headquarters! Then we'll see how they respond!"
"Uh-huh. We talked about that right after leaving the Censorate earlier, remember? And we concluded it was impossible, remember? Besides, if I did something like that, I'd get caught, and it would be a disaster."
"The conditions have changed since then, it can't be helped. Besides, sacrifices are inevitable when gathering valuable intelligence. Acceptable sacrifices, collateral damage, so to speak."
"I don't care about that 'collateral' whatever, it's rejected."
"Why?!"
"Because I care about my own life."
Abel made it clear, declaring openly that it was for self-preservation.
Most people would say Ryo was in the wrong for making such a suggestion.
"To think you'd be so blatantly self-preserving! That doesn't sound like the words of the great King Abel."
"Yeah, well, I'm not 'great' or anything. Ryo, why don't you demonstrate some self-sacrifice instead? You're Duke Rondo, so they wouldn't kill you so easily, would they?"
"You can't know that for sure! They might think it's a good opportunity and just finish me off…like, if they think I'd run to Prince Ryun anyway, they might want to eliminate the threat preemptively. They might think like that!"
"So you're fully aware that charging in could get you captured and executed. Yet you still wanted me to do it…"
"Ah—! Abel has seen through me."
Obtaining information by sacrificing your partner.
Even if it succeeded, it would interfere with everything thereafter.
It was not a sustainable approach and was best avoided…
"I will drop the idea of a direct strike on Prince Kouri."
"Yeah, that's for the best."
Talk things through properly, and you can understand each other.
"Then the showdown is tomorrow."
"Huh? Showdown?"
But apparently, if you don't talk things through properly, there's a lot you don't understand.
The following day. Just before noon.
Ryo and Abel were visiting their neighbors.
"Sorry for dropping by unannounced, Princess."
"Please, call me Shio."
"Ah, then please call me Ryo as well."
Like a scene from a foreign film, Ryo and Princess Shio Fen requested first-name terms.
"It's been a while, Mifa."
"Yes, Abel-sensei. It's been a long time."
This was a reunion between master and disciple.
Before long, it turned into a mock battle in the garden…
"Not just Abel, but even Mifa has turned into a muscle-head…"
Ryo's comment was audible to Princess Shio Fen beside him, making her smile.
It wasn't the people present who were flustered.
It was likely because the sound of clashing swords suddenly rang out from the training grounds behind the residence, that soldiers came running.
At their head was a tall woman clad in white armor.
It was Captain Bizis of the Princess's Guard.
Originally, she had been the commander of the escort unit during Princess Shio Fen's marriage arrangements, planning to return to Bosuntar once they reached Darwei.
She had intended to retire from her post and inherit her family's household, but…
Saying "just a little longer, just a little longer", she had continued to stay around the Princess as a guard.
Led by Captain Bizis, the soldiers burst into the garden and froze at the sight of Abel and Mifa's sword fight.
It was far too high-level a match to be called a simple spar.
The only two who did not freeze and continued to watch…
Were Ryo and Princess Shio Fen.
"Mifa, you've been training diligently. Your sword seems more refined than before."
"Yes. Every morning, noon, and evening on the ship, and every morning and evening since arriving in Darwei, she's been practicing without fail. She even gets up before sunrise to train…"
"My word…"
"But compared to before…it looks like she's enjoying herself when swinging her sword."
"Oh-ho?"
Ryo was slightly surprised at Princess Shio Fen's observation.
"Before, she was truly desperate. Of course, it was for my sake, and I was grateful for that… But ever since she began learning from Master Abel, I've seen her smiling as she practices."
"That's a good sign."
Doing something desperately is not necessarily bad.
Some might even say it's essential.
But there is nothing that surpasses the phrase, "Those who love something will excel at it".
Ryo firmly believed that.
It's the same with swordsmanship.
It's not that being stoic is wrong.
If one can even come to love that stoicism, then there is no problem.
Otherwise…
It is extremely difficult to defeat someone who thinks of nothing else day and night.
If you love something, you will think about it twenty-four hours a day.
That's normal.
And so, you naturally get better at it.
What those who teach must be most careful to consider—and, if possible, instill at the very beginning—is:
To make it enjoyable. To let them realize they love it.
It's the same for studying, sports, or anything.
Of course, it is extremely difficult.
But it seemed Mifa truly enjoyed swinging her sword.
Which perhaps meant Abel had done well as her teacher.
Hearing this made Ryo genuinely happy.
"All right, let's stop here."
Abel declared the end of the sparring match.
"Thank you very much!"
Mifa bowed her head.
She was slightly out of breath but did not seem to have reached her limit.
Compared to when she first crossed swords with Abel, her stamina had clearly improved.
"Mifa, you've been working hard. As your master, I'm proud of you."
"Y-yes!"
Abel praised the fruits of his disciple's hard work with a smile.
And Mifa, having been praised, looked delighted.
Acknowledging effort and giving praise.
It was something very important.
"Um!"
At that moment, a voice called out from the edge of the garden.
It was Guard Captain Bizis.
"Please, grant me a bout as well!"
She addressed Abel with a very serious expression.
"Very well. Come at me!"
And so, Abel ended up engaging in continuous sparring for nearly an hour…
While watching this scene, Ryo and Princess Shio Fen conversed.
"Prince Ryun has gone to the imperial palace, hasn't he?"
"Yes, I am sorry."
"No, no, it's my fault for dropping by unannounced."
Ryo said this, smiling as he sipped his tea.
"Actually, yesterday, Prince Ryun asked me for my support."
"Yes, I heard from Ryun-sama."
Princess Shio Fen replied with a smile to Ryo's smiling words.
"Of course, that was because, after becoming an Imperial Prince, he intends to aim for the Imperial Throne."
"Yes."
"Yesterday, I didn't have the confidence—or rather, the sense of responsibility—to fully support Prince Ryun."
"Responsibility?"
"Yes, responsibility to the people of Darwei."
"I see."
Princess Shio Fen nodded deeply at Ryo's words.
A nation exists because of its people.
A king exists because of the people.
As the Third Princess who had seen national governance up close, Princess Shio Fen fully understood what Ryo was trying to say.
And she found it favorable.
This foreign nation's Premier Duke before her truly understood the essence of a nation.
A legendary figure sung of by bards, yet one who never forgot to keep his eyes on the people…how reassuring it would be to have such a person by her husband's side.
Even if something unfortunate were to happen and her husband were to stray, she felt this man would surely pull him back onto the right path…
"And so, yesterday, I spent half a day running around talking to various people."
"Oh my."
It would have been easy just to refuse, yet he had instead run around gathering information and seriously considered the proposal.
It made her feel not only happy but also somewhat apologetic…
Just then, the herald arrived.
"Prince Ryun has returned."
"My apologies for keeping you waiting, Duke Rondo."
"Not at all, Prince Ryun. Princess Shio Fen has graciously welcomed me."
Ryo responded with a smile to Prince Ryun's words.
The only people present were Prince Ryun, Ryo, Abel, and one other.
Standing at Prince Ryun's right was Chief Attendant Lin Shun.
The eldest among Prince Ryun's close aides, Lin Shun was always calm and collected, and Ryo held him in high regard.
"The reason I came today was to deliver my answer regarding your request yesterday. But before that, there is one thing I would like to ask."
"…Please, go ahead."
Ryo adopted a serious tone, and Prince Ryun straightened his posture.
"Prince Ryun, for what reason do you seek the Imperial Throne?"
"To build a good nation, so that the people may live happily."
Prince Ryun responded immediately to Ryo's question.
As if he had anticipated the question.
No, he had anticipated it.
Not from Ryo specifically, but in the sense that it was something he constantly asked himself.
How is Darwei now?
How should it be in the future?
Why, and for whom?
Because he had constantly thought about these things, he could answer immediately.
Ryo was satisfied with the answer and its swiftness.
After a brief moment of silence,
"I, Ryo Mihara, Duke of Rondo, will lend you my support, Prince Ryun."
Ryo stated clearly and firmly.
In response, Prince Ryun's eyes widened, and he was momentarily at a loss for words.
It was a full minute before he could finally speak.
"Thank you."
He clasped his hands together in front of his chest and offered a bow in Darwei fashion.
"However, I will eventually return to the Central Countries, so my support will only be until then…is that acceptable?"
"Of course, I understand."
Prince Ryun replied and glanced at Chief Attendant Lin Shun at his side.
Receiving his gaze, Lin Shun nodded as well.
Though Lin Shun's expression rarely changed, even Ryo could see the smile on his face.
"Even so, I don't really know what exactly I can do, or what I should do."
"No, there is nothing in particular…nothing you need to actively do."
Prince Ryun gave a clear answer to Ryo's doubt.
"This is a battle for our own camp to fight. Duke Rondo, if the time comes and you can assist us, that will be more than enough. Furthermore, if you ever feel I am not worth helping, you may abandon me."
In a sense, it was a harsh proposal.
"So, a sort of friendly neutrality…no, like a close neighbor, then."
Ryo responded with a smile.
That made it clear enough for him.
…Which was, in truth, almost no different from how things had been until now.
"Yes. As a neighbor, I look forward to your continued support."
"And I as well."
Prince Ryun and Ryo exchanged smiles as they said this to each other.
-x-X-x-
"All unresolved issues have been resolved!"
"Were they really that 'unresolved'?"
Returning to their residence after visiting their neighbors, and taking a sip of tea, Ryo declared this loudly.
But once again, Abel's response was lukewarm.
"You're always so dismissive, Abel! This was a matter concerning the responsibility for the tens of billions of people in Darwei, you know! It wasn't something to be judged lightly. If this isn't what you call an unresolved issue, then what is?!"
"Ah, yes…"
Pressed by Ryo's intensity, Abel accepted it without much resistance.
For the record, whether Darwei actually has tens of billions of people is unknown.
It's highly unlikely…
"Well, it was a fulfilling neighborly visit."
"That's true. It was good to confirm that Mifa is growing steadily."
"Mifa is a hard worker, you know. Even without the terrifying master, she continues her daily training. Actually, not having that fearsome gaze upon her might be allowing her to train more freely."
"What's with this 'terrifying master'…"
Abel shook his head slightly at Ryo's usual nonsensical phrasing.
But then he seemed to remember something.
"About that Guard Captain of the Princess—Bizis, was it? Wouldn't it have been better if you had sparred with her instead of me?"
"I'm a magician, you know?"
"But it was her, wasn't it? The one who slashed at you on the ship before."
"Well, that's true…but that was an unfortunate accident. These things happen."
"They shouldn't happen often, though."
Ryo tried to play up his broad-mindedness, while Abel countered with a reasonable opinion.
"Even so, it can't be helped. If you waste time confirming every suspicious person, you'll miss the moment to strike. Preemptive attacks are the shortest path to victory."
"I'm saying that if you attack someone by mistake, it would be a huge problem…"
"That's why we need to become strong enough to defend ourselves against sudden attacks. The world isn't kind, you know."
"Yeah, I don't think that's really the world's problem…"
In any case, it was time to take the next step.
"Since we've decided to support Prince Ryun quietly, we need to do what must be done."
"Hm? And what's that?"
"Obviously, we need to strengthen our forces!"
Ryo replied with an 'obvious' look, raising his right fist in response to Abel's question.
Abel didn't quite understand why it was 'obvious'.
Still, there didn't seem to be anything wrong with strengthening their forces.
So Abel asked:
"How exactly?"
"Uh…well, concretely, I haven't quite…"
Ryo's reply was faltering.
Abel let out a small sigh,
which the faltering party criticized.
"Don't leave all the thinking to me, Abel! You always push everything onto me! "
"I mean, I train with my sword every day to get stronger, you know."
"What's with that tone! It sounds like I'm just playing around all day!"
"I didn't say that."
Abel skillfully deflected Ryo's accusation.
Ryo, grumbling like a small beast, suddenly seemed to come up with an idea, and said:
"I've thought of a concrete way to strengthen your combat power, Abel."
"…Fine, let's hear it. What is it?"
Abel's eyes and tone were filled with suspicion.
"This."
Ryo pointed to Abel's wrist.
"Hm? The Flight Ring?"
"If you can learn to use it freely and at higher speeds, it will enhance your combat power."
For Ryo, this was a relatively reasonable suggestion,
one even Abel couldn't deny.
However, Abel knew it wasn't that simple.
Having used it himself, he understood this well.
"This Flight Ring isn't that fast, you know? Well, I don't know what exactly you're imagining."
"Of course, it's to achieve complete three-dimensional combat, the ultimate form of individual combat!"
"…Huh?"
Abel couldn't grasp what Ryo meant,
so he spoke plainly:
"I don't get it."
Hearing this, the water-attribute magician puffed out his cheeks in dissatisfaction.
But water-attribute magicians have deep hearts,
deeper than the sea and calmer than ice, so he decided to explain.
"First, Abel, where is the blind spot for a fighter in combat?"
"That would be behind them."
"Correct. Anywhere else?"
"Else? Well…I guess above."
After some thought, Abel answered.
Generally, behind is the most dangerous blind spot.
So fighters take care not to get surrounded, keeping their backs to the wall to avoid being flanked.
However, attacks from above are even harder to react to.
While not common with physical attacks, it's possible with offensive magic…
"Exactly, above. What would you do if an opponent descended from above with their sword ready?"
"That normally wouldn't happen…"
"For example, in indoor combat, in a corridor with a high ceiling, an enemy could be hiding there before the battle starts. It's not impossible, right?"
"Well, I suppose it's possible…"
If the opponent was a scout-like fighter known for agility, it couldn't be ruled out.
"And that's what you will do, Abel!"
"Me?"
Ryo extended his right index finger toward Abel dramatically,
but Abel's reaction was still flat.
"You make it look like you're moving to their rear, but instead, you use the Flight Ring to ascend…and while your opponent is wondering where you went, you dive down from above and drive your magic sword through their skull!"
"I see. That does sound interesting."
Ryo's explanation finally allowed Abel to visualize it.
And while folding his arms, he didn't look displeased.
But after thinking a bit, he realized a major problem.
"But Ryo. As I said before, this Flight Ring isn't fast. Even if I manage to get behind them and vanish from sight for a moment…I wouldn't have time to gain altitude."
"Yes, that's the problem."
Ryo nodded, acknowledging Abel's point.
Of course, he already had a plan.
After all, Ryo dabbled in alchemy.
And he had bought two Flight Rings in case he needed to disassemble one!
The spirit of 'I thought this might happen!', so to speak.
"The Flight Rings we purchased probably have limiters installed."
"Limiters? What's that?"
"Ah… a restriction. To prevent the speed or output from becoming too high."
"Why would they put something like that on?"
Abel couldn't understand.
Obviously, it would be better without it.
"If it becomes too fast, normal people wouldn't be able to control it."
"What do you mean?"
"For example, if it suddenly allowed you to move ten times faster than now… You wouldn't be able to handle it immediately, right?"
"Yeah, probably."
"You might get used to it eventually, but what if you crash into a wall before that?"
"…I'd probably die."
"Exactly. That's what the limiter prevents. Ordinary users of these Flight Rings don't need more speed than they have now. If it becomes too fast, it becomes harder to use."
Not everything is better just because it's high-power or high-speed.
The best is just the right amount of power and speed.
Yeah, it's not very dreamy, though.
"But that's so boring!"
Here stood a water-attribute magician who chased dreams!
"We must challenge the limits of performance! Remove all restrictions and surpass human limits!"
"And if I do that… I won't crash into a wall, will I…?"
"If you fail, you'll crash."
"And if I crash, I'll die, right?"
"If you crash, you'll die."
"Hey…"
Abel let out a deep sigh at Ryo's completely matter-of-fact response.
"What's wrong with that?! A life or two is a small price to pay when challenging the limits! Don't worry, I'll watch over you carefully. Leave it to me."
"You'll just watch? You're not going to fly yourself…?"
"Of course not. It's dangerous."
"Why are you trying to make me do something dangerous…?"
Abel let out another deep sigh.
But that moment sparked another idea.
"I'll keep practicing with the Flight Ring, but… strengthening our forces doesn't necessarily mean we have to get stronger ourselves, does it?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Ryo asked, puzzled.
"We can just hire people."
Abel suggested.
"Absolutely not."
Ryo rejected it immediately.
"Don't be ridiculous. We are guests of His Majesty the Emperor, you know. We've been given this residence, and we were told we could use it freely…but still, we're guests. Imagine if guests you were hosting suddenly started hiring people on their own…even you would be shocked, right?"
"Well, true. But what if it's not about hiring them permanently, but only when necessary?"
"What is that? Is there even such a convenient system?"
"There is. And in fact, we're the same, aren't we?"
"Wait, could it be…?"
"Exactly, we can hire adventurers."
-x-X-x-