novelraw Vol 3. Chapter 709: Bonus Part: Ryo and Abel’s Journey Home (37)
Vol 3. Chapter 709: Bonus Part: Ryo and Abel’s Journey Home (37)
709. Abel the Captive IV
In front of the Federation government building, Lord Aubrey welcomed Abel.
“You certainly did quite a thing, Your Majesty King Abel.”
“Ah, Lord Aubrey. I made a few changes to the entry into the capital. I apologize for failing to notify you beforehand.”
Lord Aubrey spoke with sarcasm, and Abel answered with a smile.
“The ice podium surprised me as well, but even more than that...”
Lord Aubrey looked at the one hundred and one Ice Golems following behind Abel.
“Ice Golems proved useful during our journey, you see. Truly, water-attribute magicians are extraordinary.”
“It is not water-attribute magicians who are extraordinary. It is Duke Rondo, is it not?”
Lord Aubrey’s gaze pierced Ryo.
Ryo, who had been looked at, turned in a completely unrelated direction and pretended not to know anything.
He also seemed to be pretending to whistle.
Of course, Ryo could not whistle...
A little distance away from those three, an urgent report arrived for Aide Lamber.
“Th-this is...”
“Lamber, what is it?”
“No, Your Excellency...”
As Lamber approached Lord Aubrey, he glanced briefly toward Abel.
With that, Abel understood.
The move he had prepared through Ryo had taken effect.
“Could it be that the Knightley Kingdom’s welcoming party is requesting permission to cross the border?”
“Welcoming party? Cross the ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ border?”
Lord Aubrey asked suspiciously at Abel’s words.
“Yes. It would hardly do to continue troubling the Federation even after Jakeleah, so I called for an escort from the Knightley Kingdom to retrieve myself and the Premier Duke. I imagine they are now asking permission to enter Federation territory.”
“His Majesty is correct.”
Lamber nodded at Abel’s words.
But Lamber’s expression was grim.
“The Federation would have taken responsibility for escorting Your Majesty safely back to the Knightley Kingdom.”
“No, no, Lord Aubrey, please do not concern yourself. It seems our escort has already reached the border... They should arrive in Jakeleah in about two days. May I have permission for them to cross the border?”
“Of cour—”
Lord Aubrey was about to grant permission when Aide Lamber’s expression entered his field of view.
What he saw there was fear.
“Lamber, how many are in this escort?”
“...I am told there are ten thousand cavalry.”
“Wh—”
Lord Aubrey lost his words.
Even for a king’s escort, ten thousand cavalry was no ordinary number.
Granting permission for an army of that size to cross the border...
“That number is far too absurd...”
“Lord Aubrey brought ten thousand cavalry to Marquis Nyusha’s place to guard me, so I merely reported that fact. I never imagined the Knightley Kingdom would send ten thousand cavalry as well. I was surprised myself.”
Abel was smiling.
This was precisely what brazen meant.
Lamber continued with the report.
“And they are led by the Knightley Kingdom’s commander-in-chief of all knight orders and Premier Knight...”
“Sera, the elf of the western forest.”
Lord Aubrey had not forgotten that name either.
After all, a country that belonged to the Federation had been used as the unveiling of that position.
Immediately after Abel and Ryo had been sent to the Eastern Countries, the Marquisate of Stora, which belonged to the Federation and even held a seat at its core, the Council of Ten, had invaded the Knightley Kingdom.
Drawn in by Marquis Heinlein’s plan, the Marquisate of Stora had produced more than two thousand prisoners, and the Central Countries had been shown just how powerful a being Sera was.
“Oh, Sera is coming for us? That is good.”
The one who raised his voice happily was Ryo.
“Duke Rondo and Sera are extremely close, you see. That is likely why she volunteered.”
“Oh, it is not that much.”
Abel explained with a smile, and Ryo became bashful.
In contrast, Lord Aubrey and Aide Lamber looked utterly despairing.
“What kind of combination is that...?”
Aide Lamber’s far too honest words reached no one.
Lord Aubrey hesitated.
He was also irritated that the plan he had deployed himself had been so neatly turned against him.
Realistically, allowing ten thousand cavalry of the Knightley Kingdom army into his country was terrifying.
“Sera is the commander-in-chief of all knight orders and Premier Knight of the Knightley Kingdom. It is a position no one has held since King Richard, who is known as the founder of our Kingdom’s restoration. Are you aware of it?”
“No...”
“In military command authority, she surpasses even me, the king.”
“What did you say...?”
“She is the ‘commander-in-chief of all knight orders’ and the ‘Premier Knight,’ after all. In a sense, she stands at the top of all knights within the Kingdom.”
“...”
Lord Aubrey lost his words.
“And there is a troublesome person inside Federation territory as well, you know?”
Abel looked at Ryo as he laughed.
Ryo wore a prim, composed face.
“Sera from the outside, Ryo from the inside. If it were me, I would let them join up quickly and have them leave the country.”
Five seconds later.
“Lamber, grant permission for His Majesty King Abel’s escort to cross the border.”
Two days later.
“Ryo!”
“Oof!”
Sera dove in at godlike speed and hugged him. It had been so long that Ryo failed to catch her properly.
Of course, Abel and Lord Aubrey were there as well.
“U-um, Sera, Abel is here too, technically.”
“Let him wait.”
“R-right.”
Sera said that while still hugging Ryo, and Ryo accepted it.
Abel merely shook his head slightly in silence.
This was the large training ground beside the Federation government building.
It was the only place that could comfortably accommodate ten thousand cavalry of the Knightley Kingdom.
Just in case anything happened, the Federation army was on standby outside the large training ground.
They were on standby... but Lord Aubrey had given strict orders to interfere as little as possible.
Fighting ten thousand cavalry of the Knightley Kingdom army with both Ryo and Sera present was not an appealing prospect...
After a while, Sera separated from Ryo and stood before Abel.
“Your Majesty, I have come to receive you.”
As if absolutely nothing had happened.
“I see. That is the perfect composed face.”
There may or may not have been anyone who heard Ryo’s mutter.
“Good. Commander-in-Chief of all Knight Orders, well done.”
Abel addressed her.
Then he turned back.
“Well then, Lord Aubrey. Thank you for your hospitality.”
“No, Your Majesty King Abel, I apologize that we could not offer you any proper reception.”
“Next time, I would very much like to invite you to the royal capital.”
“...If the opportunity arises.”
And so Abel and Ryo departed Jakeleah under the escort of the ten thousand cavalry of the Knightley Kingdom army led by Sera, and made their way toward the Kingdom.