Water Magician

Vol 3. Chapter 682: Bonus Part: Ryo and Abel’s Journey Home (9)

0682 Detention

“No way... the Suje Kingdom destroyed Bol?”

If Bol had fallen and this land was now claiming to be part of the Suje Kingdom, then Abel’s conclusion was a perfectly natural one.

“No, that is not the case.”

But Commander Meberi shook his head.

“Abel, it was destroyed by a ghost ship. I’m sure the two Luris...”

“Wouldn’t that be a bit much?”

“I don’t want to think so either, but... when they failed to gather enough skeletons back then, they must have decided to attack the island directly.”

“Did they?”

“We’ll negotiate directly with the two Luris and have them release the people of Bol.”

Ryo said it with a look of firm resolve.

After listening to the two of them, Commander Meberi shook his head again.

“Bol sank in a single night when a volcano erupted.”

“So it was the Atlantis route after all.”

“A natural disaster, then. That is beyond human power.”

Ryo and Abel were both astonished.

“The capital was destroyed, and with it the royal family, the government, and even the center of the economy. After that, on our island—its name is Lulu Island—a vote of all the residents was held, and it was decided that we would enter under the umbrella of the Suje Kingdom.”

“So that’s why you’re the Northern Navy of the Suje Kingdom.”

At Commander Meberi’s explanation, Abel nodded.

But then someone tugged at his sleeve from the side.

Naturally, it was Ryo.

“Hey, Abel.”

In a voice even quieter than before, he leaned close to Abel’s ear and whispered.

“This is strange.”

“Hm?”

“Normally, even if a capital gets destroyed and so on, people don’t immediately decide to come under another country’s control.”

“Really?”

“Wouldn’t they usually think about rebuilding their own country themselves?”

“Ah... now that you mention it, maybe so.”

Prompted by Ryo, Abel also realized it might indeed be unnatural.

It was true—rather than immediately wanting to come under the control of some other country, they might first think of rebuilding their own country.

And the Suje Kingdom ought to be quite far from here.

If anything, the southern part of the continent was probably closer than the Archipelago Sea region where the Suje Kingdom lay.

Would an island in such a place really want to come under the rule of a very distant Suje Kingdom?

“I hope you won’t take offense at the question, but... did the people of Lulu Island never think about restoring fallen Bol?”

Abel decided to ask directly.

Behind him, Ryo, who had overheard the question, opened his eyes wide and seemed to be saying with his whole face, What kind of question is that? ...but Abel ignored it.

“They did not.”

And Commander Meberi answered clearly, without hesitation.

“Lulu Island was originally occupied by Bol thirty years ago.”

“Ah...”

If they had been occupied, then naturally they would not have warm feelings toward Bol.

“There were those who wanted to become independent again and stand on this island alone. But they feared being occupied once more by a country like Bol. The people of Lulu Island are by no means weak... but the war with Bol, and the occupation that followed, are not memories they look back on fondly.”

“I see.”

“There were also those who said we should come under some country on the continent... but we heard that the Grand Duchy of Atinjo, the great power of the southern continent, had lost its Grand Duke and was now caught in internal conflict.”

“Ah...”

Both Abel and Ryo let out the sound at the same time.

After all, the two of them had been there only the other day.

“And we also heard that the Gegish-Lu Federation, which lies under the Grand Duchy’s control, was becoming unstable again in turn. So the people of Lulu decided they wanted to come under the Suje Kingdom, a major power of the Archipelago Sea region, where the new queen has ascended the throne and the kingdom is rapidly growing in strength.”

“I understand.”

At Commander Meberi’s explanation, Abel nodded.

Behind him, Ryo was nodding repeatedly.

With his arms folded, he was muttering in a self-important tone things like, “The people of Lulu have good judgment,” and, “There can be no mistake with Queen Ilyaja.”

Abel ignored him and continued.

“I understand the situation much better now. Thank you.”

But Commander Meberi fell into thought.

“What’s wrong with him?”

“No idea.”

Ryo and Abel quietly watched him.

After thinking for a while, Commander Meberi finally spoke again, his expression still grim.

“As I said earlier, I have no way of judging whether the two of you are truly what you call adventurers. And even if you are adventurers, I cannot rule out the possibility that you are saboteurs.”

“Saboteurs?”

Abel tilted his head.

“The truth is that tomorrow, an envoy will arrive from the Suje Kingdom proper. They are bringing Her Majesty the Queen’s letter of investiture... the official document formally recognizing Lulu Island as territory of the Suje Kingdom.”

“Ohhh.”

“A ceremony will be held for that. But for the two of you to arrive here the day before it takes place... the timing is simply too convenient.”

“I see. So we might be saboteurs who came to interfere with that. I understand what you mean.”

Abel shrugged. Ryo nodded as well.

If the two of them had been in the commander’s position, they likely would have been suspicious too.

“For that reason, I am sorry, but I would like to have the two of you detained for a while.”

“I don’t mind.”

“Eh...”

At Commander Meberi’s request, Abel nodded without changing expression, and the other soldiers all looked startled.

“Until tomorrow, when that letter of investiture has been delivered, right? If it’s only that long, there’s no problem.”

“You have my gratitude.”

At Abel’s words, Commander Meberi nodded.

And so Ryo and Abel were taken into custody.

Neil Andersen Kai remained surfaced as it moved, surrounded by the three vessels of the Northern Navy of the Suje Kingdom.

Commander Meberi had said he would detain them, but he was not convinced the two were actually saboteurs.

If anything, he probably believed that, just as they had said, they had truly been chased here by Krakens.

That was why the formation surrounding them during the voyage was a loose one.

“This kind of lax surveillance is far too dangerous when dealing with the vicious swordsman Abel.”

“Is that so? What would you do if you were in charge, Ryo?”

“First, freezing Abel solid would be mandatory. And then his demonic sword and Feiwan would have to be separated from him as well. If something happens, the basics are to lower Abel’s combat power as much as possible.”

“...I see.”

Ryo explained while nodding, and Abel answered with a shrug.

“For now, I suppose that would do it.”

“What, that little would be enough?”

“Eh?”

“Wouldn’t you end up taking a painful counterattack with measures that weak?”

“For example?”

Ryo asked with a suspicious expression.

“If you thaw me out, I’ll feed you cake every day.”

“What?!”

“You’d undo the ice if I said that, wouldn’t you, Ryo?”

“T-that is a possibility...”

“And then I’d press a dagger to Andalusia.”

“That’s underhanded!”

“You’re the last person I want to hear that from.”

Ryo protested. Abel laughed.

While exchanging such silly conversation, Neil Andersen Kai entered Lulu Island’s harbor.

“Those two horses were Andalusia and Feiwan, correct? The Northern Navy will take responsibility for keeping them in the stables. Morning and evening, you will be permitted to come check on them, though only together with navy personnel.”

Commander Meberi told Ryo and Abel that.

After entrusting their two beloved horses to the stables, the two men were guided to the third floor of a fine stone building next door.

“It is a somewhat spacious officers’ room. I would like you to stay in this room. Tonight’s dinner and tomorrow morning’s meal will be {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} brought here. There are navy soldiers outside the door, so if you need anything, do not hesitate to ask. I would appreciate it if you did not cause any trouble.”

“Understood. I’ll make an effort.”

“Please take good care of Andalusia and the others.”

Abel nodded at Commander Meberi’s explanation, while Ryo asked after the horses.

And so the two were placed under house arrest in the officers’ room.

“I wasn’t expecting a dungeon or anything, but I did think they’d lock us up somewhere a bit more frightening.”

“The window opens normally too.”

Ryo was relieved that the room was more reasonable than he had expected, while Abel was surprised that, perhaps because it was on the third floor, the window opened normally and of course had no iron bars.

“They said the Suje Kingdom’s envoy will arrive tomorrow morning, so we only have to endure it until then.”

“And since you can see the harbor from the window, we might even get to see this envoy.”

That night, Ryo and Abel found nothing in particular to complain about in the meal delivered to them, naturally finished every bite, and slept soundly.

And then, the next day, at ten in the morning, the ship carrying the Suje Kingdom’s envoy came into view.