Water Magician

Editor: Tseirp

After the garden party at the Suje Kingdom’s embassy, Duke Helb returned to the Atinjo Grand Duchy’s embassy.

His first directive was clear…

“Gather information on Abel and Ryo from the Knightley Kingdom, both of whom attended the garden party.”

“Understood.”

Second Secretary Zlurma replied, bowing respectfully.

From his master’s tone, he sensed that the duke was particularly eager to obtain information about the two.

That was rare.

Duke Helb was not easily swayed by emotions.

As a sorcerer, that self-control was one of his most important abilities.

Unlike magicians, sorcerers use charms and talismans to ‘cast’ and manifest magical phenomena.

However, this process requires a calm and collected approach.

Any lapse in focus could cause the spell to spiral out of control.

In such cases, the spell could backfire on the practitioner.

That is why those who practice sorcerer are trained from a young age to keep their emotions in check.

Duke Helb was one of the most formidable sorcerers.

Notably, whether it is magic or spell, the phenomena produced are referred to as ‘magical phenomena’.

As to why they are not called ‘spell phenomena’.

Hardly anyone knows.

Abel and Ryo from the Knightley Kingdom… had managed to unsettle Duke Helb’s heart.

Naturally, Zlurma issued thorough instructions to his subordinates to collect detailed information on them.

Meanwhile, a new directive was about to be issued at the Suje Kingdom Embassy.

“Captain Gorick, take the Lone Dark and conduct an urgent investigation.”

“An investigation?”

Ambassador Randassa handed Captain Gorick a piece of paper.

“This is the sea area where the Free City Fleet is reportedly conducting large-scale exercises?”

“Yes, that’s right. We obtained this information before the exercises were scheduled to begin… I want you to verify whether the exercises are indeed taking place there.”

“Is this related to something Duke Helb reportedly mentioned?”

Captain Gorick, though out of earshot, had heard from Ambassador Randassa that Duke Helb said something like:

‘Blue Island’ and ‘the main fleet of the Free City has been decimated’.

The mention of Blue Island was intriguing, but it could wait.

However, he could not ignore the statement about the decimation of the main fleet.

“Two weeks ago, the fleet indeed departed from this free port. For what was described as a month-long exercise. Supported by a supply vessel. Yet, after hearing that statement, I’m beginning to question whether it was really just an exercise…”

“I see. So, you want us to check?”

“Honestly, we don’t know what to expect. There’s even a chance the Free City Fleet might attack us.”

“Hence, you want us to go in the warship, the Lone Dark?”

“Yes. The lives of embassy personnel and Suje Kingdom citizens in this Free City depend on this information. I’m counting on you.”

Saying that, Ambassador Randassa bowed his head.

In principle, the navy operates outside the embassy’s chain of command.

However, the Lone Dark, having delivered Ryo and Abel to the Free City, was under the embassy’s command.

The homeland made this arrangement based on the movements of the Grand Duchy.

Thus, Ambassador Randassa had the authority to ‘order’ Captain Gorick and his crew.

To conduct the investigation.

But he chose to bow and request it.

He was asking them to enter a dangerous zone.

If it turns out to be an exercise.

Having another nation’s warship appear might create a tense situation, but diplomacy should help smooth things over.

Suje Kingdom and the Free City maintain good relations, after all.

However, if it isn’t an exercise?

There could be a Grand Duchy fleet.

Or something even more troublesome.

Either way, he was asking them to go.

“Order to investigate acknowledged.”

Captain Gorick responded clearly, saluting.

Then, he changed his tone slightly and asked.

“Ambassador, the location is far to the east, not just north. It’ll take two days one way for the Lone Dark. Including half a day to investigate, it will be a four to five-day trip…”

“Understood.”

“But… hypothetically, if we returned to find the Free City already gone, where should we report?”

Captain Gorick asked a difficult question.

It was difficult but necessary for a captain to confirm.

“If the Free City embassy is closed or uncontactable, the closest embassy is in the capital of the Ghegish-Lu Federation, Moss.”

“However, the Ghegish-Lu Federation is currently in civil war…”

Randassa’s answer was as expected, prompting Captain Gorick to reply.

“Yes, though the capital remains stable. Moss, like the Free City, is a coastal city. Even if there’s a naval blockade, I believe the elite crew of the Lone Dark could still reach the embassy…”

“Understood. Leave that part to us.”

Ambassador Randassa smiled slightly, and Captain Gorick responded with a clear smile as well.

The two shook hands firmly and parted ways.

One stayed in the Free City to issue instructions for gathering information, especially from the Navy Ministry and Fleet Command.

The other set out to sea to the east, accompanied by his beloved ship and trusted crew.

In the carriage returning from the embassy, directives to gather more information were likely being issued as well.

Despite the deputy minister’s unease.

“The main fleet destroyed? Nonsense, nonsense…”

He kept muttering under his breath like a chant.

Aide Ronfan, sitting with him in the carriage, remained silent for a while but finally decided it was time to speak up.

“Deputy Minister Mishta”

“Huh? Ah, sorry. Yes, what was it again…”

“I was wondering if we should verify what Duke Helb mentioned earlier.”

“You’re right, we should. After all, it was only Duke Helb who claimed it. The idea of the main fleet being decimated is hard to believe. We need to confirm the information.”

Deputy Minister Mishta holds the Free City Fleet in high regard.

He believes that the powerful fleet is what has allowed them to maintain their independence.

“I’ll check with the other department aides, but the Navy Ministry will be difficult.”

Aide Ronfan said.

The aides in the various ministries are bureaucrats, but the aides in the Navy Ministry and even the smaller Army Ministry tend to be former military personnel.

This meant that Aide Ronfan didn’t have strong connections there.

“I’ll go directly to the Navy Ministry and the Fleet Command. It would be easier if the Minister of Ports would act, but that’s unlikely.”

Deputy Minister Mishta replied with a sigh.

Originally, the Minister of Ports was supposed to represent the ministry at today’s garden party.

However, he was reportedly suffering from a severe headache and couldn’t get out of bed in the medical office of the Ministry of Ports…

“What is this headache about… Ronfan, you mentioned that all ministers have the same symptoms, correct?”

“Yes. As far as we can confirm, everyone except the Prime Minister and the Navy Minister is affected.”

Aide Ronfan nodded in response to Mishta’s question.

“The Navy Minister… well, he is known for his secrecy, but the Prime Minister, huh…”

Deputy Minister Mishta recalled the face of the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister of the Free City of Kwebasa, Nosson.

Though he is the highest authority in national power, he does not hold supreme control.

The legislative body of the Free City is the Free Parliament.

With eighty members.

Elected by the citizens of the Free City.

From among these members, the Prime Minister is chosen, but it’s not the citizens or the members of the Free Parliament who decide who will be Prime Minister.

It’s decided by the people of the Supreme Council in the building next to the Free Parliament.

The Supreme Council, composed of eight influential figures in the Free City, is effectively the real authority.

And who are these influential figures?

Naturally, they are the great merchants.

Eight powerful merchant guilds, renowned across the southern continent.

Have their heads serve as members of the Supreme Council.

Every citizen of the Free City knows who these individuals are.

But no one knows what is discussed within the Supreme Council.

Nosson was chosen by this Supreme Council to be Prime Minister.

He is, of course, not incompetent, but neither is he exceptionally talented or vigorous.

Just over sixty years old, he strikes Deputy Minister Mishta as lacking any real drive in everything he does…

Giving the impression of being ‘worn out’.

It’s said that in his younger years, he was not like this.

At thirty, he was elected to the Free Parliament, proposed numerous bills beneficial to the Free City, held public debates with common citizens, and took their opinions into account.

He was regarded as a promising young politician.

But at some point…

“Deputy Minister?”

Aide Ronfan’s call pulled Deputy Minister Mishta out of his reverie.

“Ah, sorry. Yes, I’ll go meet the Prime Minister directly as well.”

Deputy Minister Mishta replied.

Then he muttered to himself.

“What… in the world is really happening.”

Some, however, were unaffected.

Inside the carriage returning from the embassy.

“The garden party this time… nothing happened.”

“What?”

Ryo’s muttering was loud enough for Abel to hear.

Well, it seemed a bit too loud to be called a muttering.

“No, to clarify, I just mean there wasn’t a typical event like an ‘attack on the garden party’ or ‘sudden battle with the opposing faction’.”

“Yeah, I have no idea what you mean as usual.”

Sharing information, it seems, is not always straightforward.

“Come on, garden parties are usually when external forces launch attacks, right?”

“I’m pretty sure that’s not typical.”

“Well, Abel, you’ve experienced it too, right? Like in Whitnash…”

“I’ve experienced it, yes… but that was abnormal. I’ve never heard of anyone attacking a garden party otherwise.”

“Or, perhaps, a sudden battle with members of the opposing camp.”

“That’s not going to happen. That’s just absurd.”

“Maybe not a full-on battle, but a quarrel or some kind of tense standoff…”

“It’s a diplomatic occasion, right? There’s no way anything like that would happen.”

Abel completely shut down Ryo’s ideas.

“Abel, you always start from a place of denial! At this rate, everyone around you will drift away.”

“I can’t help it. If Ryo keeps saying such ridiculous things.”

“Always blaming others…”

“I don’t need to hear that from you!”

Taking a breath, Abel steadied himself and continued.

“Even if nothing happened, we did hear some surprising information.”

“Indeed. Even though you provoked him so much, still nothing happened.”

Ryo nodded solemnly.

“Let’s drop that already. It was childish of me.”

“No, actually, I was saying that if you had used even more provocative language to insult Duke Helb face-to-face, it might have triggered an ‘unexpected battle with the enemy camp’…”

“Besides you, no one would be happy about that.”

“Oh, come off it. The battle-crazed Abel would have been thrilled.”

“Don’t lump me in with you!”

Battle maniac buddies.

“The main force of the Free City Fleet reportedly having been decimated.”

“Well, that’s pretty serious. I did think something was strange. When the Grand Duchy’s fleet docked, there were hardly any Free City warships around, right?”

“Yeah, there were only about a dozen at most. It was unusually few.”

They had seen the administrative port when they visited Administrative Island, but there were very few warships there.

“They weren’t conducting exercises, but actually wiped out, he claims…”

“Seems like a lot is happening behind the scenes.”

“So, what will you do? Will Abel the righteous swordsman swoop in and solve everything in one swift stroke?”

“What’s that supposed to mean…? It’s not going to be solved that easily.”

“It’s all right. Just wear black at midnight, sneak into the embassy of the Grand Duchy…”

“To cut down Duke Helb?”

“I wasn’t planning on that at all! Talk about extreme, Abel. I was only thinking of gathering information at the embassy.”

Ryo feigned surprise.

Abel shot him a sidelong glare.

“Duke Helb… that man, he’s strong, isn’t he?”

“So you think so too, Abel? I’ve heard he’s the head of the sorcerers, but he should be quite skilled with the sword as well.”

“Sword… I only thought he looked strong because of his aura.”

“I don’t know about aura. But that man’s footwork… it looked like someone who uses a sword. Just like you, Abel.”

“Like me?”

“Yes. From a young age, it seems like he’s trained in a traditional style, a refined and methodical swordsmanship… built from the ground up.”

“I see. That’s certainly true of me. Ah, but Duke Helb is also the Grand Duke’s younger brother… it’s a royal fate.”

“Indeed, it must be tough to be royalty.”

Abel commented with a faint smile, and Ryo shook his head slightly.

Living a life with too many ‘must-do’ things from a young age seems challenging.

If you choose to do what you want on your own, that’s one thing, but…

“Come to think of it, that man… somehow felt unbalanced, like there was something warped, lopsided about him.”

“Really? He doesn’t look bad, and he’s capable with both sorcery and the sword, so I’d say he’s balanced.”

“Hmm~, I can’t quite put my finger on why I felt that way…”

Ryo tilted his head repeatedly.

There was something odd about him, but he couldn’t figure out what or why.

It was a sense of discomfort, but…

“He’s strange as a person?”

“…That just sounds like you’re describing yourself, Ryo.”

“How rude! I’m completely normal!”

“Normal people don’t call themselves normal, you know?”

“Ugh… that was a trap; so unfair…”

Ryo had fallen into Abel’s trap.

“Perhaps he ended up that way because he was forced into so many things from a young age in the Grand Duke’s family?”

“That… could be a possibility, but…”

Ryo pondered, though he felt it might be something different.

Then, he realized something completely unrelated.

“Could it be… that Prince Noah might end up like that too?”

Ryo wondered if Noah, Abel and Rihya’s son, would also be trained in many things.

“Yes, he’ll likely go through a lot. Swordsmanship and magic are necessary for self-defense. A prince is often at risk. So it’s crucial for him to protect himself.”

“But, well, Crown Prince Cain wasn’t in the best health, right? He couldn’t wield a sword, could he?”

Ryo brought up Abel’s late brother, Crown Prince Cain.

Who had been frail.

“My brother was on a different level. Any situation where he might be endangered was carefully removed. Even when appearing in public, every potential ambush location and method would be anticipated and prevented in advance.”

“A strategist…”

Ryo was astonished.

That level of simulation requires an extraordinary intellect.

“He’s different from you, Abel. Completely different…”

“Hey, you’re definitely mocking me right now!”

“Not at all~. I think you’re fine as you are, Abel. Not everyone can be like Crown Prince Cain. All we can do is try our best with what we’re capable of.”

Although Ryo’s words sounded reasonable, his gaze toward Abel was one of sympathy.

Naturally, Abel noticed.

“I-I can think things through too, you know.”

“But, in the end, don’t you just believe everything can be solved with the sword?”

“Ugh… I can’t deny that. How did you know?”

“Because I’m the same way…”

They exchanged glances and sighed in unison.

“I admire the strategist type, but…”

“Yeah, it doesn’t seem to suit us.”

It seems everyone just has to do what they’re capable of.

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