Chapter 0619 The Royal Residence Defense Part 3
-x-X-x-
"Flying Corps, annihilated!"
"Impossible!"
The report delivered to the command post sent shock through the staff officers.
"That fireball earlier…"
Only Lin Sui's voice remained calm—though in his heart, he was bitterly gnashing his teeth.
(That's why I wanted the adventurers to attack after we broke through the front gate! If we'd done that, even if the first few were shot down, we could've suppressed the towers firing those fireballs from within and reduced our losses! But instead…)
The front gate still hadn't fallen.
But Lin Sui had a plan to bring it down.
While the Second-Rank Adventurers were keeping the defenders busy, preparations in the rear were nearly complete.
"Lin Sui-sama, the 'Red Flame Needle' is ready."
The long-awaited report finally arrived.
But the words startled the officers present.
"Lin Sui-sama, are you truly going to use the 'Red Flame Needle'?"
"That is a treasure among treasures… If you use it within the capital, there'll be no excuse that could save you."
"Besides, in this situation, it would only fire once at most."
Even at this stage, the officers still hesitated.
Lin Sui cursed them inwardly, though his outward expression remained calm.
"The reason the front gate hasn't fallen is one person—Lu Yao. If there's anything else that can pierce through Lu Yao's Moonlight Causality—and Lu Yao herself—I'd like to hear it."
His voice was steady, yet the irritation bleeding through it could no longer be contained.
Naturally, none of the officers could answer him.
The 'Red Flame Needle' was an ancient secret treasure passed down in the Darwei Imperial Family.
Secret treasure, in this context, meant something that modern humans could neither recreate nor comprehend—an artifact capable of invoking incomprehensible phenomena.
The Red Flame Needle had been entrusted to Prince Bin when he was bestowed the title of Imperial Prince, by Prince Kouri, the Second Prince, who had originally been tasked with its custody.
Prince Kouri had been entrusted by the Crown Prince himself, back when the latter was still alive, with the care of three secret treasures.
Symbols of imperial authority.
Later, Prince Churei, the Third Prince, was granted one of these three treasures—not by the Crown Prince, but by order of Emperor Tsuin himself.
And when Prince Bin, the Fourth Prince, was bestowed the title of Imperial Prince, another of the three treasures—since the Crown Prince had already passed away—was given to him by imperial decree.
Thus, the treasure bestowed upon Prince Bin was the 'Red Flame Needle'.
However, it was only entrusted to his care— use of it was strictly forbidden.
The prohibition had been explicitly stated.
If he used the 'Red Flame Needle' now, even as its custodian… Emperor Tsuin's trust in Prince Bin would be completely lost.
He would undoubtedly be stripped of his title as imperial prince.
And likely… lose his life as well.
Was it worth going that far—just to destroy Prince Ryun's Royal Residence, or Captain Lu Yao?
Among the staff, there were still a few who retained some semblance of reason.
Of course, by participating in this assault, they had already crossed a line.
Whether they succeeded or failed in assassinating Princess Shio Fen, it made no difference.
They were attacking a Royal Residence.
Still, some believed they could at least claim they had no choice but to obey the prince's command… a faint defense at best.
They knew they would almost certainly be banished from the capital and stripped of all positions.
Yet even so, some thought that, with time, reinstatement might be possible.
Thanks to their networks and connections.
But… if they used the 'Red Flame Needle' and earned the emperor's wrath directly—that faint hope would vanish.
No one would ever dare employ a staff officer despised by the emperor himself.
That was why they desperately tried to stop Lin Sui from using it.
"Send every reserve soldier to the front line. Not just magicians and sorcerers—everyone!"
"L-Lin Sui-sama…?"
"Force Lu Yao to be too occupied to notice what's coming. We must not let her realize the 'Red Flame Needle' is being aimed at her."
"But if we do that, our soldiers will overlap in the firing line. It will be extremely difficult to avoid hitting our own…"
"Then let it pierce through them all."
"W–What…!?"
"The 'Red Flame Needle' pierces everything. It doesn't matter how many stand between."
He swept aside the officers' objections. Lin Sui's order was executed.
"The enemy pressure has increased!"
The shouted report from a magic artillery operator reached Captain Lu Yao's ears as well.
"Hold the line! The enemy knows they're running out of time! If we endure this, victory will be ours!"
Captain Lu Yao shouted.
She had already received the report that all aerial attackers had been repelled.
And that Princess Shio Fen and her entourage had been temporarily pinned down by assassins hiding within the Royal Residence.
However, those assassins were soon eliminated— almost simultaneously with the defeat of the aerial attackers—and both Princess Shio Fen and her maid Mifa had successfully entered the shelter.
Guard Captain Bijis and the others were reportedly securing the perimeter.
Now, all they needed to do was hold the front gate.
But the mounting pressure was severe.
Originally, they had planned to install automatic fire-type magical defenses on the gate, like those on the watchtowers.
If this attack had come just one week later, that would have been completed…
Lu Yao clenched her teeth in frustration.
But regret was useless now.
At present, not only the magic artillery unit but also elements of Prince Ryun's Yulin Guard were participating in the defense.
The enemy's attacks had grown fiercer—not just magical barrages, but intense close-quarters combat.
Between each wave of magic bombardments, melee clashes erupted on the approach.
Because of that, the enemy's rear lines were completely obscured.
At first, the Second Unit—led by Friendship Token No.2-kun—had charged directly at the enemy magicians, but now they too were locked in melee.
From time to time, they pulled back near the magic artillery line, cutting down enemy swordsmen who tried to break through.
Spears leveled—a single, simple motion.
Yet with remarkable efficiency, they inflicted serious damage.
"Even simple movements, used effectively, can yield tremendous results… As expected of Duke Rondo—he's experienced far more battlefields than I ever have."
Captain Lu Yao murmured, watching Friendship Token No.2-kun and its squad.
Of course, Captain Lu Yao knew of the songs spread by bards in the Kingdom of Knightley—the Ballad of Duke Rondo.
She understood that Duke Rondo was not only a magician and alchemist but also a man of war.
That same experience was clearly reflected in Friendhip Token No.2-kun and its unit's movements.
"I couldn't grasp the full logic behind No.2-kun's cognitive-type magic formula… Once Duke Rondo returns, I'll have to ask him to teach me properly."
Captain Lu Yao nodded once.
But this was the battlefield.
She needed focus.
She was the commander.
A single mistake could mean the gate's fall.
If she were taken down, the gate would fall regardless.
She knew she was being targeted.
Thanks to her deployed 'Moonlight Causality', all magical attacks were automatically intercepted.
But she had doubled the usual six 'moons' to twelve—the headache was excruciating.
She could barely stay upright, at times dropping to one knee…
That she could still command clearly under such strain was proof enough that Captain Lu Yao was far from ordinary.
However, not even someone like her could sense the threat aimed from over two hundred meters away—through layers of melee combat.
An attack that would pierce friend and foe alike…
A red beam tore across the battlefield.
In the next instant, Captain Lu Yao was thrown aside.
As she twisted midair, she saw who had pushed her.
But it wasn't a person…
"No.2-kun? Why—?"
Before her astonished eyes, the space where she had stood was pierced by a crimson light.
She instantly understood—that attack had been aimed at her.
And that Friendship Token No.2-kun, who had knocked her out of the way, had taken the blow through its chest.
"No.2-kun!!"
Time stopped on the battlefield.
When something truly shocking happens, all movement halts.
But not for everyone. Some did not stop.
Because they were not human.
They instantly detected who had shot their captain—and charged.
The Second Unit, whose captain had fallen.
Their charge struck directly at the enemy command post.
Their charge would determine the battle's outcome.
Their charge… was the strike that avenged their fallen commander.
When all the fighting was over, only one woman remained— beside a motionless golem, chest pierced through.
"No.2-kun…"
Captain Lu Yao could do nothing but repeat that name…
-x-X-x-
The day after the Royal Residence repelled the attackers.
Ryo and Abel, returned from the south, visited the Royal Residence.
The two had heard at the port that the Royal Residence had been attacked.
"Are you safe?"
"Duke Rondo, thank you. Yes, we are alright, but…"
"But…?"
Ryo tilted his head, unable to make sense of Princess Shio Fen's phrasing.
At that moment, others appeared.
At the head was Captain Lu Yao, and ten Ice Golems.
One of them was pulling a cart.
Something lay across the cart…
"Duke Rondo, I am sorry."
Captain Lu Yao bowed, her eyes reddened.
"Huh?"
Ryo did not understand.
But he noticed that Captain Lu Yao was trembling.
She was crying while still looking down.
Then Ryo realized.
The Second Unit of the Oniwaban stood beside Captain Lu Yao.
But the Second Unit's captain was missing.
"Oh? Where's Friendship Token No. 2-kun?"
When Ryo said that, realization struck him.
What lay on the cart was an Ice Golem.
Around the golem's neck lay a yellow scarf.
"Eh? This can't be…"
The information reaching his eyes was processed by his brain.
But his heart refused to accept it.
He took a step forward.
The images became clearer and his brain processed them —
But his heart resisted understanding even more fiercely.
When he took another step forward… at last his heart understood.
"Did Friendship Token No. 2-kun… help you?"
"Yes…"
Ryo asked very gently, and Captain Lu Yao answered through her tears.
"He saved my life…"
"In that case, that's good."
Ryo replied with a smile.
Surely Friendship Token No. 2-kun had thought it better that he be wounded than to see Captain Lu Yao hurt, and had offered himself.
Ryo bowed deeply to Captain Lu Yao and, leading the Second Unit that had pulled the cart, returned to Rondo Manor.
Back at Rondo Manor, the party was met by lined-up golems.
They were the Rondo Manor Oniwaban First Unit led by Advance-Notice Officer No.1-kun.
It was as if they were comrades holding back tears to welcome Friendship Token No. 2-kun, who had given his* life… (TLN: This took a lot of contemplating)
Ryo and the others entered the study.
"Hey, Ryo. Can that golem be restored…?"
"If it's only appearance, I can recreate the exact same one at once."
Ryo answered without stopping his work, in response to Abel's question.
"Right? Then why didn't you restore him immediately? Wouldn't that have given her some comfort?"
"That… that may be true, but… for Captain Lu Yao, that wouldn't be Friendship Token No. 2-kun. He wouldn't be the comrade she entrusted her back to and fought alongside. That would make it meaningless, wouldn't it?"
"Isn't that unavoidable?"
Abel understood that Ryo's words made sense, yet still felt uneasy.
"Abel, you know how my golems receive their mana, right?"
"Yeah, you taught me before. From those water magic stones over there, right?"
Ryo was working by connecting blocks of ice in front of the two water magic stones.
From those, the golems received their mana.
The coverage area included not only the Rondo Manor but also the Prince Ryun Royal Residence, surrounding it in a semi-circle.
That was why Friendship Token No. 2-kun and his Second Unit could fight even at the Royal Residence.
"These magic stones also record the golems' logs."
"Logs?"
"Yes… records. Everything: their past actions, interactions with people—all of it."
"That must be… quite a lot?"
"Yes. An enormous amount."
Abel spoke while imagining it a little, and Ryo nodded.
Even narrowing it down to a single unit yields a substantial log.
"However, Friendship Token No. 2-kun's log is, in essence, the memories of his life. Of course, it's constructed as a log, not as a backup designed to be restored to the exact pre-destruction state."
"Um…?"
"If I recompose the log into the form of 'memory' and make it restorable, then connect it to a newly created Friendship Token No. 2-kun…"
"So Friendship Token No. 2-kun would be completely restored?"
"That's the idea."
Ryo nodded happily.
Of course, he did not stop working while saying this.
Even now, Captain Lu Yao must be grieving.
He wanted to restore him as quickly as possible and let him be revived and returned to her…
"So Abel, I'll pull an all-nighter tonight. Please bring rice balls for a late-night snack."
"O–okay…"
That night, at Prince Ryun's Royal Residence.
"Lu Yao, can't sleep?"
"Ah, Your Highness…"
Princess Shio Fen called to Captain Lu Yao, who stood in the garden.
"You saved my life, Lu Yao, and Friendship Token No. 2-kun saved yours. As I said earlier, I am grateful."
"You flatter me."
"If there's anything I can do, please say so."
"Yes."
Those were all the words Princess Shio Fen offered.
Telling her to rest or not to worry would mean little here.
Captain Lu Yao understood that intellectually as well.
Everything is a matter of the heart.
"I don't want to trouble the Princess with this…"
Captain Lu Yao felt a strong responsibility.
She did not wish to cause concern even for her master's wife.
So she at least returned to her private room away from concerned eyes.
But she could not bring herself to sleep.
The final moments of Friendship Token No. 2-kun were burned into her sight…
Still, Captain Lu Yao was only human.
She had fought to the limit of her magic as a magician the previous night.
Even after the battle ended, she could not rest while the image of Friendship Token No. 2-kun collapsing remained before her.
Her heart mourned, but her body eventually cried out.
And she was forcibly drawn into sleep…
"Eh?"
Captain Lu Yao felt as if someone had called her name.
She woke up.
It was just before dawn.
The eastern sky was about to brighten, but mist hung over the garden.
Captain Lu Yao went out into the garden and headed to the main gate.
Without knowing why.
She had a vague feeling that going there was the right thing to do.
She opened the gate and stepped onto the road.
From a distance, someone was coming.
Three people?
The one in the middle was Duke Rondo.
To his left was the swordsman guard Albert.
To his right… slightly shorter than Duke Rondo?
Entirely blue in color?
A yellow scarf was wrapped around its neck…!
They must have recognized Captain Lu Yao too.
They began to run!
Captain Lu Yao understood.
Completely understood.
That it was Friendship Token No. 2-kun.
Not just an Ice Golem with the same appearance.
But the comrade who had backed her and fought through to the end.
"No. 2-kun!"
The two were reunited safely.
-x-X-x-
The report that Prince Ryun's Royal Residence had been attacked reached the expeditionary army led by Prince Ryun, which was currently on campaign.
The report had been rushed toward the expeditionary army as soon as the assault began, so at that time the outcome was unknown.
"I understand."
That was all Prince Ryun said.
He gave no order to turn the army back, nor to detach forces to send reinforcements to the Royal Residence.
"Your Highness, reinforcements to the Royal Residence…"
Chamberlain Wen Shu asked.
But—
"Unnecessary."
The answer was simply that.
Naturally, not only Chamberlain Wen Shu but those in the retinue could not accept it.
They all urged that they should return.
Prince Ryun answered without anger and in an emotionless tone.
"This expeditionary army operates under an imperial decree. We cannot simply return before fulfilling that edict."
Yes—the imperial decree.
An order from the Emperor.
Saying that, no one could argue.
Prince Ryun entered his own tent.
Only Chief Chamberlain Lin Shun entered with him.
Even after entering the tent, Ryun paced silently.
Yet his face was drawn.
"I… cannot be at Shio's side at the most important moment."
"Your Highness…"
"Do not call me 'Your Highness'. There is no one else."
"Yes… Prince Ryun."
Ryun spoke with frustrated irritation; in contrast, Chief Chamberlain Lin Shun answered in an intentionally calm, steady voice.
The one Ryun most wished to have returned to the Royal Residence was himself.
Chief Chamberlain Lin Shun understood that painfully well.
Though their marriage had originally been political, Ryun had come to love Princess Shio Fen.
Therefore, he wanted to throw everything away and return to the Royal Residence.
But…
"If I do that, Shio will be angry with me."
"…"
On the eve of their wedding, Prince Ryun had told Princess Shio Fen,
that he would strive for the throne.
He asked her to support him.
Princess Shio Fen answered that she would.
Because of that promise, he could not turn back.
If he returned now, it would give the other princes an opening for unwarranted attacks.
"Even if we march hard from here to the Royal Residence, we won't make it in time."
"Lin Shun?"
"Prince Ryun, we must press on."
Chief Chamberlain Lin Shun said this in a stern tone.
It was the truth.
Even if the army returned to the capital without rest, it would take a full day.
No matter how you calculated it, the fighting at the Royal Residence would already be over.
Whether the Royal Residence had fallen or held, that remained unknown.
"As Lin Shun says, we should at least have left the entire magic artillery corps at the Royal Residence."
"Prince Ryun…"
"With them there, Lu Yao would have surely held."
"If it were Lu Yao, she would fight to the end with the forces she had. And Princess Shio Fen's close attendants are there as well."
"Yes. They would manage."
Prince Ryun said this and exhaled deeply once.
In the next moment his expression changed.
It was a face full of resolve.
A face deciding not to look back.
"We will march north and utterly crush the Peiyu army. Leave them no opening whatsoever. With that merit, we shall triumphantly return to the capital!"
"Yes!"
Five days later, the ten thousand-strong expeditionary army led by Prince Ryun clashed with the southward-moving Peiyu forces.
On the plain, the two armies faced each other at a distance of five hundred meters.
Inside the expeditionary army's command tent.
"The enemy Peiyu force consists of five thousand cavalry only."
"A cavalry charge on open ground is troublesome."
"Nonsense! We have ten thousand Darwei Forbidden Army troops here."
Those in the retinue talked among themselves.
They also served as staff officers for the expeditionary army.
Only two remained silent.
Prince Ryun and Deputy Commander Yi-Shima of the Forbidden Army.
Deputy Commander Yi-Shima sat in his chair, eyes closed in silence.
The operation for the entire expedition had already been devised and the battle formation largely completed.
There was no need to give further orders at this point.
At that moment, a messenger arrived.
"Report!"
He said, handing a sheet of paper to Prince Ryun.
Prince Ryun read it and nodded.
He then spoke to the man seated.
"Deputy Commander, let us go."
"Understood!"
Yi-Shima's eyes widened and he answered in a deep voice.
Prince Ryun left the tent, followed by Yi-Shima and the retinue.
At that instant, the ten thousand Forbidden Army troops formed up and all turned to look at Prince Ryun.
By that movement alone, one could see that the Forbidden Army was truly elite.
"Warriors of Darwei! The time has come! Crush the invaders and show them our strength!"
"Hoo!"
At Prince Ryun's rallying cry, the ten thousand answered.
"Advance!"
At Yi-Shima's command, the Forbidden Army began to march in disciplined formation.
A Darwei military expert present might have been surprised.
Peiyu's cavalry units were devastatingly effective on flat ground.
Yet here, Darwei was advancing with an infantry-centered Forbidden Army straight at them.
Indeed, the Forbidden Army were elite— undefeated and majestic.
In strength and skill, they were incomparable to neighboring states' forces.
Even compared to other Darwei armies, such as the Black Banner Army, their might was overwhelming.
Still, to meet the northern equestrian tribe cavalry head-on on open plain…
Seeing the Forbidden Army advance, the Peiyu troops seemed to fly into a rage.
Naturally.
To see infantry advance straight at cavalry that excel on flat ground, without any scheme, read as nothing but an insult.
Peiyu and Darwei had fought many times before.
Darwei's higher win rate usually stemmed from tactics.
Using terrain or traps to their advantage.
But when clashing head-on on the plain, there was no reason Peiyu's cavalry should lose!
Not only ordinary soldiers but even some Peiyu commanders were enraged.
It ceased to be order and became a frenzy.
They threw themselves at the Darwei army in a cavalry charge.
If Ryo had been there, he might have said,
"Robbing the enemy of composure is the most basic of interpersonal combat".
Clang.
The two armies collided head-on.
Darwei infantry.
Peiyu cavalry.
In a head-on clash, the cavalry's momentum is overwhelmingly greater.
But…
"They stopped it?"
"We can't trample them?"
Peiyu's cavalry was halted.
What stopped them was the Forbidden Army's large shields.
Yet such a measure was within Peiyu's expectations.
They had driven such shields aside many times before.
This time, however, they were stopped.
The Forbidden Army braced each large shield with two men and supported them further with spears like props.
They arrayed those shields seamlessly on the front line and halted the cavalry's charge.
It was not a complex maneuver.
Still, it was not something anyone could do.
Receiving a cavalry charge is terrifying.
It is dreadful.
But the Forbidden Army did it.
Darwei's finest.
All ten thousand stood firm without flinching, building a wall of shields with united hearts and strength, and stopped the charge.
The greatest strength of cavalry is its charge. It's kinetic energy.
If you stop that charge—if you stop the motion—what then?
Cavalry cannot easily back away… they are forced to stand there.
"Archers, fire!"
At Yi-Shima's order, a thousand arrows were loosed from the Forbidden Army's rear ranks.
And then another volley.
All the while, the Forbidden Army front did not budge.
They did not hesitate that their comrades' arrows might strike their own ranks.
They were the elite.
Those loosing the arrows were also Forbidden Army troops.
Trust.
That was the bond of the whole army and the very pride of the Forbidden Army.
The continuous volleys threw the Peiyu forces into disarray.
While firing arrows, the Forbidden Army began advancing with both wings.
The center stayed firm as the wings moved forward.
Gradually encircling the immobilized Peiyu army.
A cavalry unit that cannot take a run-up cannot generate charge force.
They must either thrust from where they stand or dismount to fight…
Either choice gave the professional Darwei infantry the advantage.
Everyone in the Peiyu forces understood this.
"Retreat!"
"Fall back!"
Thus, such cries rose from the Peiyu ranks.
However…
"Magic artillery corps, four-shot salvos—fire!"
A voice came from the Peiyu rear.
One after another, fire-attribute offensive spells struck down.
"What is that?"
"Enemies in the rear?"
"Impossible!"
Darwei forces appeared behind the Peiyu rear—from the north.
That sight could be confirmed through telescopes by Darwei headquarters.
"Chief Chamberlain Lin Shun and Chamberlain Wen Shu, leading the Royal Residence forces, have succeeded in encircling from the north."
Prince Ryun nodded silently at the report.
Yes—Prince Ryun had entrusted two thousand of his own troops, including the magic artillery corps, to his most trusted men, Chief Chamberlain Lin Shun and the others, and had moved them behind the enemy before the battle began.
With the Forbidden Army's ten thousand forming an encirclement from the east, south, and west, and Prince Ryun's two thousand Royal Residence troops closing from the north, the Peiyu cavalry were enveloped.
Stripped of their charge momentum, the Peiyu were surrounded for annihilation… the plan had worked perfectly.
That day, over four thousand Peiyu riders were left as corpses on the plain.
As he had declared—to crush the Peiyu completely…Prince Ryun's expeditionary army achieved a total victory.
-x-X-x-
Volume 3, Final Part 6, Phantomkin Military Campaign
Chapter 0622 A Scary World
-x-X-x-
"Ah, the world is so peaceful and wonderful!"
Saying that as he ate with delight was a water-attribute magician.
"You only think that because you're eating, right?"
A swordsman who always argued with the magician's worldview responded.
In truth, Ryo and Abel were simply having lunch.
"Has it already been two months since the Royal Residence was attacked?"
"A lot has changed since then."
"The biggest change is Prince Ryun's increased influence."
"Indeed. He's attending the conference held in the Autonomous City of Kwebasa as Darwei's representative."
"They say representatives from every country will gather, and Darwei's representative… that is, the Emperor's relative by proxy, will attend. Without doubt, he's one of the candidates for the next emperor."
Both Abel and Ryo were backing Prince Ryun.
Naturally, they were pleased if Emperor Tsuin's evaluation of Prince Ryun had risen.
By the way, the meeting in the Autonomous City of Kwebasa was a conference against the Choouchi Empire.
Interestingly, the host is the Duchy of Atinjo, which governs Kwebasa.
The problem with the Choouchi Empire is the phantomkins.
And the Duke of Atinjo himself is a phantomkin, and his younger brother, Duke Helb, is also a phantomkin.
"They might gather everyone and massacre them all at once!"
"Atinjo would become an enemy of Darwei and all the eastern countries."
Though Ryo said it and Abel deflected it, both thought such a thing was unlikely.
They thought so, but…
"The world is full of things you never would have imagined."
"The world is scary."
In fact, unexpected things had indeed occurred in the capital.
"I thought Prince Bin, who attacked Prince Ryun's Royal Residence, would at least be stripped of his title if not executed…"
"Yeah, he's still an imperial prince."
Yes—they had not expected that outcome.
"But hasn't Prince Bin been under house arrest in the Bin Residence these past two months?"
"Of course. His troops were also returned to his domain… but they weren't disbanded. Who knows when they might bare their fangs again?"
"For the Emperor, he's still his son… They can't so easily strip him of his imperial prince rank."
"We really should have stormed the Bin Residence after that commotion and executed him."
"Don't say that even as a joke…"
Actually, after Ryo repaired Friendship Token No.2, he wanted to rush into the Bin Residence to take vengeance.
It was Abel, as always, who desperately stopped him.
Abel said that Prince Bin would surely be punished.
Indeed, he was punished and placed under house arrest in his residence…
Abel had thought that at least he might be demoted from imperial prince back to merely a prince.
But that did not happen either.
"Perhaps the real reason is the Emperor's poor health."
"He collapsed in the imperial palace after that commotion, right?"
"It's strange that he suddenly collapsed! Perhaps he was poisoned."
"It's possible… but there's nothing we can do about it."
Ryo and Abel both knit their brows.
In the Knightley Kingdom, Abel's father, Stafford IV, had been poisoned over a long period.
It had been the groundwork for Prince Raymond and the Empire's invasion of the Kingdom.
They had not forgotten that bitter memory.
Afterwards, they had visited the Emperor…
"As amateurs, there was nothing we could do."
"It can't be helped—of course. Court physicians were attending him; leaving it to them was best."
"They say he's better now…"
Although Ryo and Abel were basically unrelated to the Darwei imperial court, they still possessed some internal connections.
For example, Workshop Chief Ron Shen and Censorate official Secretary Shau.
Yet even they were unaware of some facts.
Almost at the same time Emperor Tsuin collapsed, Chancellor Byan-Byan had also fallen ill.
Prime Minister Byan was well over eighty, so at the time, many did not doubt his collapse.
Incidentally, the Prime Minister is comparable to the Prime Minister in the Knightley Kingdom.
The post held by Marquis Heinlein.
He is the top administrator of state affairs.
Prime Minister Byan seldom appeared in public due to his age.
He had not attended the recent Kyoonkai gathering.
So the two men barely knew him.
Shortly after Prime Minister Byan collapsed, Emperor Tsuin also fell ill.
Only then did some people begin to sense something strange.
The Emperor had collapsed; the Prime Minister could not attend to state matters.
Moreover, the Crown Prince who should assist them was not in place.
What happens in Darwei in such a case?
A prince acts as regent.
And among them, the one who has held the imperial prince title the longest.
This time, naturally, that was Prince Kouri, the Second Prince.
In fact, this is not strictly defined by law.
The law states only that the Crown Prince acts as regent.
But several generations ago, there had been an occasion when the Emperor, the Prime Minister, and the Crown Prince could not perform state duties.
At that time, the person who had been an imperial prince for the longest took over administration as regent.
It lasted only about ten days, and no particular problems arose.
From that precedent, Prince Kouri became acting regent this time as well.
Of course, heated debates were held in the Taiji Hall without the Emperor present.
Only Prince Kouri remained silent, arms folded and eyes closed.
He himself did not need to speak.
By that point, all arrangements were already in place.
The heated debates included high-ranking Shitaifu members such as the six ministers.
Third Prince Churei was present and participated in the discussion.
But Fourth Prince Bin was not there… he had been confined in his own residence after attacking Prince Ryun's Royal Residence.
And Sixth Prince Ryun was absent as well… He had not yet returned from the expedition against Peiyu.
Under those circumstances, no matter how much Third Prince Churei argued, it was obvious that Prince Kouri, who had the support of a majority of the Shitaifu class, would prevail.
In the end, within less than an hour, it was decided that Prince Kouri would act as regent.
They had expected the Emperor to recover enough to stand within a week or so, but his recovery took unexpectedly long—about thirty days.
During that time, Prince Kouri energetically pushed reforms, especially regarding the economy and military.
Some measures had immediate effects; others were still steadily producing results.
"Well, Prince Kouri wasn't bad."
"Why so condescending…?"
"I think we should just have every imperial prince run affairs for one month each and make them compete."
"That would throw the lower officials into chaos; that won't do."
"Serious citizens work day and night for the people. Compared to them, officials could still try harder!"
"What a prejudice…"
Ryo insisted strongly while Abel shook his head faintly.
"Of course, I know there are serious officials who work hard for the people… well, some… quite a few… I know that, right?"
As Ryo spoke, his words shifted because he remembered that Secretary Shau, Captain Li Chu of the White Flame Army, Captain La Wu, and Captain Myun were all 'officials'.
Everyone was earnest…
"…Because it would be troublesome if rulers changed so frequently, I'd like His Majesty the Emperor to continue to do his best."
"Why can't you just withdraw your proposal?"
Ryo forced that conclusion, and Abel complained.
Acknowledging many difficulties, Ryo and Abel finished a delicious lunch and left the eatery.
At Prince Ryun's Royal Residence.
The prince they supported had also finished lunch and was taking an after-tea.
Princess Shio Fen sat beside him.
"In these two months, the gap with Prince Kouri has widened."
Prince Ryun muttered a complaint.
There were only two people to whom he could complain.
Chief chamberlain Lin Shun, whom he trusted most, and his beloved wife, Princess Shio Fen.
He felt their love had deepened over the two months… but politically the results had not been satisfactory.
"Prince Ryun, do not be impatient."
Princess Shio Fen said this with a smile.
Of course, Prince Ryun did not shout, "You don't understand!".
Rather, he sometimes felt that she understood more than he did.
She was someone to vent to— and at the same time someone to seek advice from.
"First, we did manage to reduce Prince Bin's power—that is a result of these two months."
"That's true."
"And after the late Crown Prince's death five years ago, Prince Kouri had been inactive publicly; in these two months, he has actively and deliberately stepped into the spotlight. Why do you think that is?"
"…Because of me?"
"Yes."
At Prince Ryun's answer, Princess Shio Fen nodded with a smile.
"Your power has increased, and thus he was forced to act publicly. One cannot easily see whether one's own strength has grown. But you can judge by watching the opponent's actions. Your power has unquestionably increased."
"…As expected of Shio. When you say it, I really do feel that way."
At Princess Shio Fen's explanation, Prince Ryun finally smiled and nodded.
Two who trust and work hand in hand, aiming higher together…
In a different part of the Royal Residence training grounds, fierce swordplay was underway.
These mock battles had been held occasionally over the past two months.
On one side stood Princess Shio Fen's maid Mifa.
Opposing her was Chief Chamberlain Lin Shun.
Watching were Captain Lu Yao of Prince Ryun's Yulin Guard and Friendship Token No.2, the captain of the Rondo Manor Oniwaban Second Unit.
A few hundred Royal Residence troops watched from a distance.
Mifa and Lin Shun's mock duel had already lasted thirty minutes.
During that time, spectators led by Captain Lu Yao watched with bated breath.
Mifa lunged.
Partway through, she feinted with a shoulder move.
That made Lin Shun's sword waver slightly.
Mifa executed a rising cut from a lower stance.
Lin Shun inserted his sword to block… then deflected, changing the direction of Mifa's blade.
While deflecting, he spun and aimed from behind.
But that was within Mifa's reading.
She moved with precise steps to match Lin Shun's spin.
She slipped into his blind spot.
She thrust her sword out…
At that instant, Lin Shun disappeared.
"Huh?"
She realized he had crouched only after feeling a blade pressing under her throat from below.
"I yield."
Mifa declared it clearly.
"Whoa—! "
"As expected of the chief chamberlain."
"No, Mifa is amazing too!"
"She's only sixteen!"
"You two are incredible…"
Among the cheers, Lin Shun spoke to Mifa.
"As expected, Mifa. That final blind-spot move was dangerous."
"No, Lin Shun, you were amazing. That makes thirteen wins and fourteen losses—you've overtaken me."
"A sixteen-year-old with that swordsmanship… terrifying, or rather, I'm relieved she's by the Princess's side."
Lin Shun said with a laugh.
Such a swordswoman serving as a maid next to the Princess was astonishingly rare.
And not because of money or honor.
She stayed there out of a heartfelt desire to protect Princess Shio Fen.
Lin Shun also knew that Prince Ryun loved Princess Shio Fen deeply.
Having such a strong protector for the one he loved was truly reassuring.
"Let's spar again."
"Yes. I would be honored."
At Lin Shun's words, Mifa nodded with a smile.
And returned to the Princess.
"Lin Shun-dono, that was a fine display."
The speaker was Captain Lu Yao, who had come with Friendship Token No.2.
"Lu Yao. Mifa's sword is incredible—and she's only sixteen… honestly, it's frightening."
Lu Yao noticed Lin Shun's voice was slightly higher than his usual composed tone.
"Indeed, her sword is amazing… but Lin Shun-dono looks pleased."
"Huh?"
"Oh, never mind."
Lu Yao said and lightly patted Friendship Token No.2's head.
Friendship Token No.2 looked at the two with a penetrating gaze.
If he could speak… what might he have said?
At the same time, in a corner of Prince Kouri's mansion.
"As expected, Your Highness. In just one month, you have set Darwei on the path to regain strength."
The speaker was an old man over eighty.
Lord Rowon, said to be Darwei's foremost water-attribute magician and alchemist.
"But Lord Rowon, after seeing all the reports that came through administration, I realized how weakened Darwei had been."
Prince Kouri answered, shaking his head slightly.
He had suspected as much.
Even though he was not the Emperor, as a prince, his intelligence network brought him information from across Darwei.
He prided himself that the amount of information he received was not much different from the Emperor's.
Yet inconvenient truths were often suppressed at the local level before reaching the central government.
"In just five years, corruption advanced astonishingly."
Prince Kouri sighed.
"With respect, Your Highness, it is not only five years."
"Huh?"
"For a quarter century since His Majesty ascended twenty-five years ago, Darwei's strength has steadily declined."
"As expected of Lord Rowon, who has guarded the nation's front lines in military affairs for half a century—your words carry weight."
Lord Rowon spoke frankly, his face stern; Prince Kouri likewise frowned and conceded it might be true.
"But my father is the Emperor. We can only follow."
"…Indeed."
"There was only a month, but I hope the path I set is not undone by my father."
Prince Kouri said with a wry smile.
Afterward, Lord Rowon left Prince Kouri's chamber.
"With the Choouchi Empire on the rise, there is no time to spare. For the country, for the people… unavoidable measures must be taken."
His muttered words were soft and reached no one's ears.
-x-X-x-
In the Forbidden City within the Imperial Palace, on the plaza in front of the Taiji Hall.
There, led by Prince Ryun and Princess Shio Fen, their retinues and maids, together with Prince Ryun's Yulin Guard and supporting officials from the Ministry of Rites, two hundred people stood in formation.
A ceremony was held to see off Prince Ryun and his party, who were departing to attend the Eastern Countries Joint Conference, now that Emperor Tsuin's health had somewhat returned.
Incidentally, Ryo and Abel stood close to the Emperor as well.
They were participating as observers.
This was because they had received a formal invitation from the Grand Duchy of Atinjo, the conference host, independent of Darwei.
Of course, they would travel to the Autonomous City of Kwebasa by riding along with Prince Ryun's delegation.
"It's reassuring that Duke Rondo is accompanying them."
"Your Majesty, Prince Ryun's growth has been remarkable. He will surely return from the conference with excellent achievements."
Ryo replied with a smile to Emperor Tsuin's words.
Just as Prince Ryun and Princess Shio Fen were present at this ceremony as a couple, the pair would attend the conference together.
This was Emperor Tsuin's consideration for diplomatic optics, since Princess Shio Fen's homeland, the Bosuntar Kingdom, would also send representatives.
Prince Ryun himself welcomed that arrangement.
Frankly, he had not forgotten the attack on his Royal Residence two months earlier.
At that time, he had almost given up hope for Princess Shio Fen's safety as she had remained behind in the Residence…
Not because he didn't care.
But because he could not immediately return…
Thus, being able to attend the conference together removed that lingering worry.
Perhaps the Emperor had kept that in mind when making the arrangement.
This time, ten public vessels and twenty ships of the Darwei fleet would depart together for the joint conference.
Prince Ryun, Princess Shio Fen, their retinues, and maids would board the first public vessel.
Naturally, Captain Myun commanded the first ship.
From the first to the seventh ship rode Prince Ryun's retainers; the eighth to the tenth carried personnel from the Ministry of Rites.
Incidentally, Ryo and Abel were aboard the tenth ship.
Of course, Captain La Wu commanded the tenth ship.
When they boarded, the tenth ship's deputy captain, chief navigator, and the official vessel combat commander were introduced to the two.
Deputy Captain Sun Ma and Chief Navigator Mian Ma were people they had met during the princess's earlier escort.
Both were roughly Ryo's height, solidly built, and likely in their late twenties — perhaps brothers.
Their faces were very similar.
Sun Ma had his hair almost entirely shaven; Chief Navigator Mian had slightly longer hair.
But with the official vessel combat commander, Lin Shin, it was a first meeting.
Probably a woman in her late twenties, with short black hair and a kindly-looking face.
A kindly-looking woman as a combat commander?
Ryo did not fully understand the role of an official vessel combat commander in the first place…
"What does an official vessel combat commander actually do?"
Not knowing, Ryo asked straightforwardly.
Better to ask briefly and be ashamed once than remain ignorant forever.
"When an official vessel becomes engaged in combat, I take command."
Commander Lin Shin answered with a smile.
Even so, Ryo could not quite form an image, but Deputy Commander Lena of the Suje Kingdom navy's Lone Dark, who served as the female deputy commander, came to mind.
Looking sideways, Abel seemed to picture the same person.
Deputy Lena had been the sort to leap first onto an enemy ship in boarding actions, and her bearing conveyed a crisp, dignified beauty.
But Commander Lin Shin in front of them had a decidedly gentle air.
Still, Ryo and Abel both knew.
They knew better than to judge by appearances.
"Lin Shin is excellent. Even if this ship is drawn into battle, you may board with peace of mind."
Captain La Wu said with a smile.
Originally, Ryo and Abel had been invited to board the first ship by Prince Ryun and Princess Shio Fen, but they had politely declined.
They were observers separate from Darwei's official envoys, after all…
Besides, there were various things they wanted to try.
Ryo and Abel stood on the first deck of the tenth ship.
The sunlight pouring down was dazzling.
After leaving the capital and reaching offshore, Abel looked at his wrist and reported,
"It seems we've left the 'Chuo Chuang' region."
That was a new feature added to the Flight Ring they wore.
It let them know whether they were inside or outside 'Chuo Chuang'.
Why was such a feature added?
Of course, Ryo had added it.
"Then Abel, try it out."
"All right."
Abel touched the Flight Ring on his left arm with his right hand.
At that moment, a part of the ring flashed red for an instant.
"It flashed red. That means it switched for use outside 'Chuo Chuang', right?"
"Yes. Abel, slowly…"
"Okay."
Abel nodded with a serious expression.
He closed his eyes once.
Then, opening them wide… he floated.
"Oh…"
Ryo couldn't help but let out a sound.
Even if one expects it to work in theory, seeing it take shape is moving.
Abel did not merely hover; he began to fly slowly.
Across the deck from bow to stern, stern to bow.
He flew up toward the upper parts of the mast and leapt to another mast.
Compared to when they were in 'Chuo Chuang', his speed was slower, but the handling seemed unchanged.
"When you first asked for permission to fly over the deck, I wondered what you meant… But so you really can fly."
"Yeah, Captain La Wu. Thank you for granting flight permission."
Captain La Wu of the tenth ship came over, impressed as he watched Abel fly.
"I'd heard about rings that let you fly within 'Chuo Chuang'… but I never imagined one could be used outside of 'Chuo Chuang'. Did you remake it, Ryo-san?"
"I touched the internals a little, but the main body is basically unchanged."
Indeed, Ryo had only altered it slightly.
He had examined the Flight Ring's magical formula from corner to corner.
He could say he had thoroughly investigated it.
From the parts Ryo could understand, there was no restriction on allowing flight only within 'Chuo Chuang'.
That meant the restriction was located in the part Ryo could not understand.
There was only one such inscrutable part for Ryo.
The infamous 1024-character segment.
Like a sequence of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs suddenly appearing within a Japanese sentence—incomprehensible, meaningless—that 1024-character string.
That portion was the only part he couldn't grasp.
He understood that the 1024-character amplified magic power.
But it also apparently imposed a restriction that made the device work only in the 'Chuo Chuang' region.
Ryo discovered that the 1024-character string was used repeatedly as part of looping mechanisms within the alchemical constructs.
In other words, it was a very significant section.
Therefore, Ryo created a bypass that did not pass through that 1024-character segment.
From activation to termination, he made a magic formula route that avoided the 1024 characters.
The Flight Ring Abel now used was the result.
Of course, not using the 1024-character string likely had major drawbacks.
Those effects would show themselves soon enough.
After flying for about ten minutes, Abel descended.
"How was it, Abel?"
"Ah, speed drops considerably, but handling is the same. Still…"
Abel looked somewhat fatigued.
"I'm not a magician, so I can't say for sure, but I think the mana consumption increased. The fatigue is intense."
"As I thought…"
Yes—that was the concern when bypassing the 1024-character string.
Without the mana-amplifying sequence, the device would consume a great deal more mana…
"Abel, when you unleash martial techniques or sword arts, how would that compare?"
"Hm… about the same as one use of an advanced Sword Technique: Absolute Shadow."
Sword Technique: Absolute Shadow is a high-level skill that evades all long-range attacks, whether magical or physical.
Ryo considered martial contests and sword techniques to consume mana, so he asked Abel to convert it for him… and one use of such an advanced technique is considerable mana expenditure.
"The 1024-character string… it really is exceptional."
Ryo nodded repeatedly.
At that point, Abel seemed puzzled and asked Ryo something.
"The 1024-character string you mentioned increases mana and makes it usable only in 'Chuo Chuang', right?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Didn't you say the same string is used in Captain Lu Yao's gauntlets for the magic artillery corps? Does that mean those gauntlets can only be used within 'Chuo Chuang'?"
"Good question, Abel."
Ryo nodded several times at Abel's query.
"Actually, when I compared the strings in the Flight Ring and the gauntlets closely, there was one character that differed."
"For real?"
"And when I asked Captain Lu Yao, she said her master once told her: use the Flight Ring variant for things strictly for 'Chuo Chuang', and use the gauntlet variant for things that might be used elsewhere. That said, the mana-amplifying effect in the 'Chuo Chuang'-exclusive Flight Ring version is overwhelmingly greater."
Hearing that, Abel nodded repeatedly.
"So that's why. Ryo, you were asking around everywhere about the whereabouts of Luyao's master… Lord Rowon, right?"
"Yes. I wanted to ask many things. In the end, we couldn't find him. Captain Lu Yao said he belongs to Prince Kouri's faction, but he may not be in the capital."
Finding someone hiding from the world is apparently extremely difficult.
Even when you know what camp they belong to, you may still be unable to locate them.
"Captain! Flag signals from the first ship!"
"Hm? 'Can the two of you come over'?"
Captain La Wu read the semaphore and looked over at Ryo.
"Two, they mean me and Abel, right?"
"Yes, probably."
"Tell them we can make it."
"Should we launch the ship?"
"No, we'll fly over.
After that, Ryo and Abel flew through the air to the first ship.
-x-X-x-
"Calculating from the wind and currents, we'll arrive at the autonomous city of Kwebasa in ten days."
Captain Myun of the first ship explained this to Prince Ryun, Princess Shio Fen, and the negotiation delegation leaders, including Ryo and Abel, who had boarded the first ship.
"I'd heard the schedule was two weeks, so that's quicker than expected."
"Yes. The currents at this season are predictable, but the winds shift a great deal, so I gave a standard timetable."
Captain Myun answered Prince Ryun's confirmation.
Prince Ryun is an imperial prince and holds a considerably high rank.
Yet he addressed Captain Myun with very polite language.
Captain Myun himself was once an admiral who led the Darwei navy.
Because of that, he is well regarded by the Emperor.
Emperor Tsuin counts him among the most trusted men of the sea.
For that reason, no one would treat Captain Myun carelessly.
"Sea men and sea women—those kinds of people just seem cool, don't they?"
"Yeah, that's true."
With the schedule explanation finished, Ryo and Abel chatted idly.
"Abel, when you step down as king, why not become an admiral? Lead the Knightley royal navy and conquer the seven seas!"
"I don't get your meaning."
"A former adventurer and former king— Admiral Abel, commanding the strongest royal navy! Pretty cool, right?"
"Who would that strongest navy fight? The supposed enemy Debuhi Empire doesn't even have a navy."
"Then the enemy would be… the Kraken Legion!"
"Yeah, we'd lose."
Abel shook his head slightly.
"Fine, then I'll settle for a Sardine Fleet."
"What's that supposed to be…"
"Bait balls, you know… small fish swimming in a swarm?"
"You mean those seven little monsters we snagged after beating the Kraken?"
After defeating the Kraken, on the way back, they once grabbed seven sardine-like monsters with the Neil Andersen's 'arm' and brought them ashore.
Abel remembered that too.
"Setting aside the 'strongest navy' bit, I hope one day we can sail the southern seas of the kingdom."
"Right. When we return to the kingdom, we should inspect the Maritime Ministry."
"Inspect…"
"There must be corrupt nobles or ministers doing bad things. We'll confiscate their wealth and pocket it!"
"Well, confiscated goods go to the treasury, not to the premier duke's pocket or the king's."
"Grrr… First, we change the law before inspections. I'll take everything from the corrupt premier duke myself."
"Saying you're corrupt yourself isn't a great sales pitch."
Even far from their country, the king and the premier duke argued energetically about how to improve their homeland.
This surely is what those who govern a nation should be like.
…Yes, exactly that.
Captain Lu Yao and Friendship Token No.2 came into their view.
Seeing that, Abel asked,
"Hey, Ryo."
"What is it, Abel?"
"I always wondered about Friendship Token No.2… why is he able to move?"
"Hm?"
For a moment Ryo didn't grasp the meaning of Abel's question.
"Aren't your golems supposed to move only inside and around the Rondo Manor?"
Because they receive mana from the water magic stones installed in the Rondo Manor, they can only operate within that area… which is quite wide and fully includes Prince Ryun's Royal Residence.
But here they were on the sea.
This isn't even inside 'Chuo Chuang'.
"Oh, that's what you mean. Good memory, Abel."
Ryo was impressed by Abel's recall.
People often forget details they aren't especially interested in…
"Friendship Token No.2 has been switched to a stand-alone mode."
"Stan—what?"
"I mean autonomous. Actually, a water magic stone has been directly installed into him."
"Oh, the last one you had?"
Abel nodded at Ryo's explanation.
Of the magic stones Ryo had taken from the sardine-type monsters, he had kept three.
Two were used at the Rondo Manor—the remaining one was installed in No.2-kun.
"So Friendship Token No.2-kun can operate anywhere now."
"But it's a water magic stone, right? Captain Lu Yao is a fire-attribute magician."
"Yes, I set it up as a magic circle rather than a simple spell formula, so it can be filled with mana of any attribute, not just water."
"I see."
A magic formula tends to be attribute-specific, but a magic circle can, at the cost of efficiency, accept mana from magicians of any attribute.
"Duke Rondo."
Captain Lu Yao, leading Friendship Token No.2-kun, came over.
"Captain Lu Yao. Friendship Token No.2-kun has really taken to you, hasn't he?"
Ryo said, alternating his glance between No.2-kun and Captain Lu Yao.
"Yes… Um, Duke Rondo, are you really sure?"
"Huh?"
"You don't mind if I formally take No.2-kun as my own…?"
"Of course."
Since that day two months ago, Ryo had come to think that Friendship Token No.2-kun truly belonged with Captain Lu Yao.
Thereafter, he had left No.2-kun with her… and a week ago he formally handed him over.
At that time, Captain Lu Yao had been more bewildered than simply happy.
She wondered if she could really accept him.
Now, a week later, her affection for No. 2-kun seemed even deeper; she often patted his head.
It was enough to make one wonder if she could love anyone else.
Ryo understood that was intrusive to think, but he hadn't been able to help it.
"Friendship Token No. 2-kun should devote all his loyalty to Captain Lu Yao."
"Duke Rondo, I am grateful."
Captain Lu Yao said that and stroked No. 2-kun's head with a smile.
Truly joyful.
Human love for a golem.
It seemed plausible.
Yet there are swordsmen who do not understand such things.
"Captain Lu Yao must be popular with the Royal Residence troops. The magic artillery corps look at her with almost worshipful eyes."
"That's fine. People finding love and being united. That's true freedom."
"Well, that may be, but…"
"What, are you trying to set Captain Lu Yao up with someone, Abel?"
"Not that…."
Ryo and Abel had been whispering so quietly that they thought no one could hear…
But apparently Captain Lu Yao did.
She laughed and said,
"I'm sorry, but even if you introduced someone, I couldn't go out with them."
She said it plainly.
"See? Abel said something weird."
"No I didn't. Ryo brought it up on his own…"
They blamed each other.
Then Ryo seemed to recall something and asked,
"Captain Lu Yao, are you already seeing someone?"
"Seeing someone, or rather…"
Captain Lu Yao tilted her head and seemed to be thinking about how to answer.
"Hey, Ryo, aren't you prying too much?"
"Yeah. Sorry, forget I asked."
Abel reprimanded him, and Ryo accepted it.
This was a private matter.
Using the authority of Duke Rondo to force an answer would be improper.
"No, that's not it. Rather… it's already decided that I will marry."
"Oh? You mean you have an arranged fiancé. As a retainer to Prince Ryun, there must be family considerations."
Neither of them knew the details of Captain Lu Yao's family.
But having been raised with Prince Ryun from childhood suggested a good lineage.
"A fiancé, yes—I will become Prince Ryun's second consort."
"…Pardon?"
Ryo couldn't immediately process Captain Lu Yao's flat statement; Abel blinked repeatedly beside him.
Abel blinked repeatedly beside him.
Both were speechless.
Captain Lu Yao said nothing more.
She had conveyed everything she needed to.
She stroked No. 2-kun's head and adjusted his scarf.
"Excuse me, I may have misheard, but did you say Captain Lu Yao will become Prince Ryun's second consort?"
"Yes."
"Um… when was that decided?"
"When? Since childhood…"
"Second consort?"
"Yes. Darwei princes do not take primary wives from within the country; they always take them from foreign royal families."
"I see."
Indeed, in a superpower like Darwei, it is natural for princes to have several consorts.
"About Captain Lu Yao being a second consort… um… does Princess Shio Fen know?"
"Yes, of course."
"When…?"
"When I first met her, he introduced us."
"Ooh…"
A world Ryo did not know was unfolding.
Abel was likewise unfamiliar with it.
"What did Princess Shio Fen say then?"
"She said, 'Let us support him together.'"
"I see."
After that conversation, Captain Lu Yao left with Friendship Token No. 2-kun.
Left behind were the two of them.
"Wow… that's a lot to take in."
"Yes. I don't really understand it."
Apparently, it was a world neither the king nor the premier duke could easily comprehend…
"Abel, in Knightley, does the king also have a second consort…?"
"Yeah, would the premier duke like to propose that idea to Queen Rihya?"
"…Sorry, forget I asked that."
Knightley is a great power.
But with a small royal family.
More royal children might stabilize the succession.
Though it risks disputes.
Given the kingdom's scale, a king having multiple consorts would not be strange.
But recommending that to Queen Rihya felt… improper to Ryo…
There was no solid reason;
He simply didn't want to intervene…
Abel and Rihya loved each other.
That was enough.
Third parties should not meddle.
Love takes many forms.
Yes… that should be fine.
-x-X-x-
YUTA
why would Abel and Ryo be confused when concubines/consorts are a thing in history (in ryo's case) and already is a thing even in kingdom of knightly.. (what did the princess say?) bruh the "staying loyal to one lover" is only a thing in modern days when we talk about royalty, otherwise all around the world in history women don't usually have a say in that (again especially in royalties) all to say I'm just stating facts and not being misogynist
December 2, 2025
Reply
Elfridgordin
Remember that this world is only based in reality and not strictly bound to the history of our reality. Women in this world have a lot more power than women anywhere in our world in the period when this would have taken place, both physical and political. That means that women and men are generally more equal than our world during the same time. That means that they generally would have more power to fight back. This concept likely extends to the concept of consorts being a bit strange. It might not be the custom for princes and kings to take several consorts in the central countries, while it might be in the eastern countries. Of course, this is only speculation, and should therefore be taken with a grain of salt.
January 1, 2026
Reply
Ainu
Ryo himself comes from the modern era, so perhaps he is unconsciously bound to modern culture. It's probably more like something you've only heard about becoming real, that kind of strange feeling.
-x-X-x-
"Kwebasa, I have returned!"
It is said that a water-attribute magician standing at the bow of the tenth public vessel shouted this when the enormous bridge of the autonomous city Kwebasa came into view.
The Kingdom swordsman standing beside him shook his head, not understanding.
"It's probably one of those usual, 'iconic development' lines anyway."
He muttered.
There are many inconsistent versions, but hasn't it always been said like that?
If you care about it, you lose.
"If we sink about six to eight ships, we'll surely be called the 'Nightmare of Kwebasa'."
"You mean enemy ships, right? If you sink our allies, you'll get in trouble."
"Of course! They'd call it a nightmare too… but from the allies' point of view."
In Ryo's mind, he apparently wants to sink many enemy ships and, inspiring awe, be dubbed something like 'the Nightmare of ___.'
"We're not at war right now, so that's impossible."
Abel's reply was appropriately casual as ever.
But then he seemed to remember something.
"Hey, Ryo—you sank about five ships once when we went from the Komakyuta Principality to the Suje Kingdom, didn't you?"
"Oh, that happened, didn't it?"
Lord Protector Kabui Somar had come aboard the Rainshooter to bring Princess Iliaja, who had taken refuge in the Komakyuta Principality, back.
On the return trip to the Suje Kingdom, the Rainshooter was attacked.
"Wasn't that by the Duchy of Atinjo's Gawor vessels or something?"
"That's it."
Abel affirmed the answer Ryo remembered.
"No, that won't do."
"Why not?"
"That incident should be recorded as the Rainshooter's glory. As the queen of the ship's legend. It would be gauche for my name to appear in it."
"Is—Is that so…?"
Ryo nodded vigorously.
Seeing that, Abel gave a small shake of his head.
People's sensibilities are hard to understand.
"Amazing—we arrived four days early!"
"The winds were favorable."
When Ryo said this happily, Captain La Wu of the tenth ship laughed and replied.
Those four days would be precious to Ryo.
Because…
"We'll have time to tour Kwebasa again!"
"Isn't that 'tour' really just 'eat around'?"
"W-well, in a broad sense it's the same thing."
Abel said with a sidelong glance while Ryo protested.
If they had arrived on schedule, the conference would have started the next day, and they'd have been busy the whole time…
So it's a fact that they gained free time.
Of course, they were here for the conference, not for sightseeing!
The Darwei delegation arrived at the Free Port of Kwebasa and began disembarking.
"The port is really large."
"You can disembark all ten public vessels at once."
As Ryo and Abel prepared to disembark, Captain La Wu called to them from behind.
"Please follow the people ahead to the inn. Rooms have been prepared for both of you at the same inn."
"Thank you!"
With that, Ryo and Abel stepped off the ship.
Though both had a fair amount of luggage this time, everything would be unloaded from the public vessel and carried to the inn for them.
So, as usual, they were almost empty-handed.
They followed the Darwei delegation to the inn.
They arrived quickly;
It was apparently very close to the freeport.
A two-story wooden building, the inn's frontage facing the main street must have measured a hundred meters or so — a large inn indeed.
With two hundred members of the Darwei delegation staying there, its size was not surprising… yet the inn looked familiar.
"Huh? Didn't we stay here before…?"
"We did stay here."
"I think it was called the Freedom's Breeze Inn…"
The inn had a splendid yet elegant entrance, and the staff's manners were impeccable.
Undoubtedly one of Kwebasa's top inns.
"The food was delicious too."
"Right. It was Chef Susie of the Lone Dark, right? She said they often brought them here. The inn's reputation for great food goes way back."
Then Ryo remembered something.
"Wait, wasn't this inn backed by the Suje Kingdom capital?"
"Yes, that was mentioned."
"This conference will have a Suje delegation too, right? Won't they be staying here?"
"Now that you mention it. If there's an inn with national capital investment, it's natural they'd stay there."
Neither Ryo nor Abel could answer that,
So they asked someone who might know.
The inn staff's service was flawless.
Even with two hundred sudden guests, they handled everything with hardly any stress.
A staff member approached them.
To guide them to their rooms and hand them keys.
After giving their names, the two asked their question.
"Will the Suje Kingdom delegation not be staying at this inn?"
"No, they won't. The Suje delegation is scheduled to stay at the newly built 'Freedom Breeze Inn — Annex' facing the plaza."
"An annex!"
"A newly built annex? I see."
Ryo and Abel were surprised at the staff's answer.
They had not expected a new annex to have been built.
"The national-level economy seems to be functioning properly."
"Leaving Darwei aside, perhaps the Duchy of Atinjo decided to hold this conference here to show the surrounding island and southern continental states that Kwebasa would be fine even if Atinjo annexed them."
"I see. A showpiece on the national stage. That sounds plausible."
Abel's conjecture earned Ryo's nod.
Such publicity stunts are common even on Earth.
Summits, the Olympics, world expos… selecting host cities is diplomacy.
"One day our Knightley Kingdom should host something in the east as well…"
"Right. Maybe in the east or the north."
"We mustn't sweep up all the gathered Empire and Union leaders who showed up like sitting ducks!"
"No, absolutely not; that'd be terrible."
Acts that breach trust are bad.
The room assigned to the two of them, as before, was the finest suite.
Apparently, the top-level rooms were for Prince Ryun and Princess Shio Fen, the deputy minister representing the Ministry of Rites, and Ryo and Abel.
"Is it really all right to receive such lavish treatment?"
"Why not? Darwei decided it, didn't they?"
Ryo reacted with a citizen's astonishment, while Abel accepted it with a kingly nonchalance.
Perhaps that difference came from experience.
"Still, it's the same room we stayed in last time, right?"
"So the Suje Kingdom treated us as honored guests back then as well."
They had been honored guests of Queen Iliaja.
In one way or another, the two often ended up staying in high-class lodgings.
"Abel, if you keep staying in luxury inns you might forget the heart of an adventurer!"
"Huh?"
"We're adventurers. The basics are sleeping out under the stars, taking turns to stand watch, and trembling through the night, fearing monster attacks."
"That's generally true."
"I think you've been doing that less lately."
"Why do you think that?"
"Because you're being spoiled!"
Ryo pointed at Abel emphatically.
"Is that so, I'm being spoiled?"
"Yes, you are."
"All right then, Ryo, show me an example."
"Huh?"
"Camp out, stand watch, and tremble at monster attacks. I'll sleep here in the inn while you do it."
"That's unfair!"
"Show me the unspoilable adventurer."
"I want to be spoiled!"
"…How candid."
What a flip of the hand.
They put the luggage brought from the ship in their room and went down to the first floor.
"We've gained four days of freedom."
"Well, that's true… but first, lunch."
It was just about noon.
"By the way, Kwebasa has a lot of delicious restaurants, right?"
Ryo said happily.
"That's right. What do you want to do? How about 'Happy Eats' for old time's sake?"
Abel's suggestion went down smoothly.
At first, Ryo smiled…
But when he fully realized what Abel had proposed, his expression changed drastically.
It was the face of someone seeing something terrifying.
"What? Did I say something weird?"
"No… Abel, you remember what kind of place 'Happy Eats' is, right? You're suggesting that knowing full well…?"
"We ate there the first lunch when we arrived in Kwebasa, didn't we?"
"Yes. And the second day for lunch as well. Both times we were utterly overwhelmed."
"Overwhelmed…? Well, yes, we did eat so much we couldn't move."
Ryo said in despair; Abel answered with a wry smile.
Yeah— they had eaten too well, ordered too much, and afterward couldn't move.
They remembered waiting in a teahouse facing the square for their stomachs to recover.
"Recklessness spelled A-b-e-l…"
"I don't get that."
"To want to go again to such a terrifying place…"
"You don't want to go, Ryo?"
"…I do want to go."
"All right, let's go then."
Despite the warnings, delicious food is justice.
Almost no one can resist that temptation.
At least not here.
It's okay!
Just don't be careless.
Just be mindful not to overeat.
It's not that 'Happy Eats' is evil.
It's not that Abel is bad, nor is Ryo bad.
No one's to blame.
It's only carelessness that's wrong.
So, don't be careless!
With that, the two entered 'Happy Eats'.
After finishing their meal, they came out.
"We were careless…"
"That was reckless…"
Yes, the two had overeaten.
Yes, the two had eaten too much.
Yes, the two had… after all, overeaten.
The terror of delicious food.
Delicious food is justice.
Delicious food is also violence.
Even those who resolve not to be careless are felled by that violence.
Oh, dreadful thing, thy name is deliciousness.
Ryo, who can defeat Akumas and subdue Djinns, is powerless before good food.
Abel, who commands the people and enjoys overwhelming, fervent support, is powerless before good food.
The two, in a pitiable state, entered the cafe of the 'Freedom Breeze Inn' to rest their stomachs.