Water Magician

Editor: Tseirp

The next morning.

The day in the Free City of Kwebasa dawned peacefully and calmly.

However, the peace lasted only until 10 a.m.

The commotion began spreading from the free port.

“What is that?”

“…A ship?”

“It’s a ship, all right. It’s getting closer.”

“No, wait. It’s still quite a distance away, but for it to cover such a vast area…”

Rumors of a fleet approaching from beyond the horizon quickly spread.

Of course, some rushed to the port authorities…

“It’s the ships from the Atinjo Grand Duchy. They’ve submitted the necessary papers.”

That was the bureaucratic response they received.

The officials couldn’t even begin to imagine the pressure exerted by the vast fleet that stretched across the entire horizon.

Thus, they couldn’t comprehend why the citizens were so panicked.

“Go outside and look at the horizon!”

Urged by the citizens, the officials were half-dragged outside to witness the scene.

And then, they understood.

The majestic appearance of the fleet.

The overwhelming power it exuded.

A feeling of despair…

“What in the world is that…?”

The words slipped from the official’s mouth.

A massive fleet filled the horizon.

And it wasn’t their own country’s fleet.

It was the powerful fleet of a neighboring nation…

And that was enough to instill a deep sense of despair.

“Is everything really… going to be okay?”

The citizen who had brought the official outside asked.

“I don’t know…”

“What do you mean you don’t know?”

“I don’t know! Ask someone higher up!”

Both the citizen and the official shared the same thought.

With something like that coming… can this free city really be safe?

“Quite the sight, isn’t it? A fleet filling the horizon. You don’t get to see something like this every day.”

“Indeed.”

In stark contrast to the panic of the officials and citizens, a magician and a swordsman exchanged words, showing no hint of despair.

Perhaps it was because it wasn’t their country.

“Our Knightley Kingdom could use a fleet like that!”

“We don’t need it. This is purely for intimidation, isn’t it?”

“This is what they call gunboat diplomacy.”

“Our country has no one to intimidate with a grand fleet.”

“That’s a shame…”

The Knightley Kingdom’s greatest rival is the Debuhi Empire.

But that empire is a completely landlocked nation with no sea.

Even if they built a grand fleet, it wouldn’t serve as intimidation.

Moreover, intimidation often backfires when dealing with a powerful nation…

However, Ryo suddenly seemed to have an idea.

“I’ve thought of something great!”

“I’m not expecting much, but go ahead.”

“Let’s rebuild the Golden Hind!”

“Huh?”

The Golden Hind was Knightley’s pride—a sky battleship equipped with the incredibly powerful main cannon, ‘Vaedra’.

However, it was sunk during the recent war against the djinn, brought down by the Djinn Garwin…

Rebuild it?

Though it had been sunk, repairing it should make it usable again.

“We should build 200 Golden Hinds! If we need wind magic stones, I can arrange for them to be supplied from Rondo Duchy!”

“That would mean… overharvesting from that mountain, wouldn’t it…”

“High-ranking officials shouldn’t concern themselves with the details. Just nod your head!”

For some reason, Ryo said this with a mischievous grin.

“Well, in any case, I can’t approve that.”

“Why not?!”

“Because it would cost too much, even besides the wind magic stones.”

“…Really?”

“Even with mass production, it would cost a trillion florins per ship.”

“A t-trillion florins…? A bowl of curry at the Kagutei costs 1,000 florins, so that’s… ten billion bowls? Yeah, that’s impossible…”

“I don’t know why you’re using curry as an example. But yes, it’s an incredibly expensive ship.”

Abel was baffled by Ryo’s comparison.

But Ryo realized something.

“If you know how much mass production would cost, that means someone has already calculated the cost of building a fleet of Golden Hinds before me!”

Exactly—knowing the cost per ship meant someone had ordered the estimate.

It was probably Abel who gave the order, but the fleet idea…

“Well… I was just curious about how much it would be…”

“Did you come up with the plan, Abel?!”

Ryo was surprised.

Of course.

Of course, it would be shocking if Abel, of all people, had come up with the idea of a fleet of sky battleships…

“If we can win without fighting… If we can make them submit, all the better. With that much power, they wouldn’t even think of attacking us, right?”

“No nation can expect to maintain independence or peace if it doesn’t have the will to protect itself with its strength…”

“Huh? Is that from ‘Sun Tzu’, or something?”

“Close. It’s from Machiavelli.”

“Oh, that one.”

Abel had apparently gotten used to Ryo’s frequent quoting of Sun Tzu and Machiavelli.

For a king, knowing such things could certainly be useful.

As they were talking, a familiar voice rang out from behind them.

“This is quite something.”

“The central navy has considered the possibility of the Grand Duchy annexing the Free City before… but they might be serious this time.”

When Ryo turned around, he saw a couple of familiar faces.

“Susie and Lena. Did you come out to see this too?”

It was Susie the cook and Lena the First Officer from the Lone Dark.

Both were staying at the same inn as Ryo and Abel, the ‘Freedom Breeze’.

“We were just heading out for lunch when we saw the citizens in a panic.”

“Seeing this, it’s understandable why they’d be upset. Captain and the rest might have a tough time soon.”

Both Susie and Lena shrugged.

Half of the crew of the Lone Dark, including Captain Gorick, were staying at the embassy and had been working hard.

Compared to them, the ‘Freedom Breeze’ group seemed to have it easier.

“Now that you mention it, I saw them yesterday.”

“Yeah. When we were at that tea shop in the square, Captain Gorick came in with Nan and Nin. Looks like they’re busy.”

“When you see a sight like this, you can’t help but feel things are getting tense in this free city.”

“Sooner or later, we might receive orders as well.”

Abel and Ryo shared their observations about the captain’s party, while Susie and Lena pondered the future of the Free City.

After parting ways with the female duo of Head Chef Susie and First Officer Lena, Ryo and Abel walked together.

“Do you know Abel? Wherever that swordsman goes, incidents always happen, and people lose their lives. People call him Abel, the Calamity Swordsman.”

“The first victim in the Free City might be some water-attribute magician.”

“Ugh… what a comeback… Abel’s skills are improving.”

“Why do I feel like I’ve voluntarily fallen into a trap…?”

Having a partner is always a tricky thing.

In the office of the Deputy Minister of the Port Authority.

“The flagship Franze of the Atinjo Grand Duchy has entered the port.”

Aide Ronfan reported to Deputy Minister Mishta. Mishta nodded silently once.

After a brief pause, Deputy Minister Mishta asked,

“The new ambassador is Lord Rokaku from the Ieba family, correct?”

This port entry was for the appointment of the new Atinjo Grand Duchy ambassador to Kwebasa.

There’s no way two hundred escort ships are necessary, though…

“No, actually…”

Ronfan hesitated to answer.

Mishta looked at him suspiciously.

“They say the new ambassador is Duke Helb.”

“What!”

Deputy Minister Mishta was shocked at Aide Ronfan’s report.

“Duke Helb… you mean that Duke Helb?”

“That one?”

Ronfan was unsure how to respond to Mishta’s panicked question.

“No, sorry. There’s no one else it could be.”

Mishta sighed once.

“Duke Helb… he’s the younger brother of the Grand Duke! Not only that, but one of the Ten Masters who oversee the Southern Church of Sorcery… What in the world is going on?”

That statement, too loud to be called a mutter, naturally reached the ears of Ronfan, but he remained silent.

It couldn’t be helped.

It was a question without an answer.

Deputy Minister Mishta was the Deputy Minister of the Port Authority.

It was likely that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been informed of the ambassador change in advance, but the Port Authority had not been notified.

They were only informed upon the ship’s arrival…

The Atinjo Grand Duchy, as its name suggests, is ruled by the Grand Duke.

The Grand Duke’s younger brother by fifteen years is Duke Helb. A large age gap between siblings.

Duke Helb is not only the Grand Duke’s biological younger brother but is also known to be an exceptional sorcerer.

Traditionally, the Atinjo Grand Duchy has produced many outstanding magicians and sorcerers.

Even among them, Duke Helb stands out, and just having him present makes other nations hesitate to act.

Such an influential figure.

It’s unthinkable that he would be appointed as an ambassador to another country.

Even someone like Deputy Minister Mishta couldn’t help but wonder, “What in the world is going on?”.

“What in the world is going on?”

Captain Gorick said nothing.

He understood that the question was not directed at him.

Even if it had been, he wouldn’t have had an answer.

This was the Suje Kingdom Embassy.

At least Captain Gorick understood the troubled expression on the face of Ambassador Randassa, who sat before him.

After all, an unexpectedly significant figure had arrived.

“Duke Helb…”

The name was forced out of Ambassador Randassa’s mouth.

Captain Gorick was a captain in the Central Navy of the Suje Kingdom.

Though he had received basic training, intelligence gathering was not his specialty, and he had never been stationed abroad.

But even he knew the name ‘Duke Helb’.

One of the Atinjo Grand Duke’s younger brothers. The only one born from the same mother.

One of the ten leaders of the ‘Southern Church of Sorcery’, which wields immense power in the southern continent.

He is twenty-eight years old.

Even though he’s still in his twenties, the fact that he’s this well-known speaks volumes about his abilities.

For more than a minute after muttering the name Duke Helb, Ambassador Randassa remained silent.

Finally, he spoke.

“The garden party in six days… We have to send an invitation to Duke Helb.”

“Shall I deliver it?”

“No, it’s not an official invitation… but we’ll send it through the normal diplomatic channels from the embassy. I hope he declines, but if he decides to attend…”

Ambassador Randassa sighed deeply.

Though technically of equal rank as an ambassador, Duke Helb is still the ‘Grand Duke’s brother’.

Among royalty, he’s in quite a high position.

Considering both his influence and renown, it could be said that his standing is second only to the Grand Duke himself.

It’s simply unheard of for such a person to be appointed as an ambassador, and no one has ever experienced anything like it.

Faced with such a situation, Ambassador Randassa had no idea how to respond and was at a complete loss.

Of course, this garden party has a purpose.

It’s being held for a reason… but Duke Helb’s appearance was completely unforeseen.

Ambassador Randassa sighed for what felt like the hundredth time.

Captain Gorick, unable to say anything or leave… sighed inwardly.

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