Water Magician

Vol 4. Chapter 717: King Abel’s Initiative

The morning after the day the Skidbladnir put into Witnash, Ryo and Abel departed for the royal capital.

“We really did only stay one night in Witnash...”

“I have all sorts of appointments waiting in the royal capital. It can’t be helped.”

“The Witnash whirlwind tour...”

Ryo shook his head slightly.

Even after welcoming the Skidbladnir, the two of them had somehow ended up with work to do and never had a chance to go out into town.

It was work, so it could not be helped, but still...

“Next time, I want to come without work involved.”

“I agree with that.”

“But I did manage to confirm the sea-monster repellent loaded on the Skidbladnir. The magic formulas had evolved beyond what was supposed to be installed when I revised the design back in the Republic.”

“Evolved?”

“Yes. I told you before, didn’t I, that the Western Countries’ sea-monster repellent is based on magic formulas?”

“Yes, you did.”

When the two of them had been sent to the Eastern Countries, Ryo had told Abel about that.

Compared to it, the Central Countries’ sea-monster repellent was behind the times.

Ryo had assumed that anything related to the sea, even alchemy, was controlled by the Ministry of Oceans, and that because the ministry was so large, its movements had become sluggish.

“Apparently, the new magic-formula monster repellent installed on the Skidbladnir makes it so even Kraken almost never come near.”

“That is incredible...”

Abel’s eyes widened in surprise.

Yes. There were many monsters in the sea, but the two of them had felt the greatest threat from the giant squids... the Kraken.

Ryo had been made to swallow bitter defeat so many times that he had repeatedly lamented, “Those things got us again!”

And now, even those Kraken would not come near...

Ryo already had knowledge of the “magic formulas for sea-monster repellent” used in the Western Countries.

He had once been shown the highest level of civilian technology at the Franzoni Shipping Company, one of the top shipping firms in the Republic of Mafalda, famous as a maritime nation.

That was why.

Later, after he obtained the Skidbladnir, he had also been told that the ship would be equipped with monster repellent using those magic formulas.

But the one installed this time had advanced even further than that.

However, the basics were the same.

It kept monsters from coming close by emitting vibrations that sea monsters disliked from the lower part of the hull.

Whale calls could travel five hundred kilometers... in other words, vibrations could travel five hundred kilometers underwater.

Of course, that was because they used “layers” within the water, moving far by reflecting inside those layers.

But even without that, “vibrations” could propagate underwater over a certain distance.

Above all, Ryo’s specialties, and , were also vibrations of water molecules.

So it was fair to say that vibrations were one of Ryo’s areas of expertise.

That said, he did not have data on what kinds of vibrations they disliked.

That had made reproducing it very difficult, but...

He had been allowed to examine the monster repellent installed on the Skidbladnir at length.

He had also copied all of its magic formulas onto an ice plate.

It seemed he would be able to study it carefully.

“Do you think the Skidbladnir’s monster repellent can be used on ships from the Central Countries too?”

“Let’s see... it might be difficult right away. I only took a brief look, but it seems it needs to be adjusted depending on the sea area.”

“Adjusted depending on the sea area? In other words, even Kraken differ depending on where they live?”

“Yes, yes. Humans have dishes they like or dislike depending on the region, don’t they? Some people are good with spicy food, and some aren’t. It seems Kraken come in all sorts too.”

“I see. That means we’ll need to investigate the seas of the Central Countries as well.”

“Exactly. Before leaving Witnash, I got permission from Goro for research and development ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ at the Royal Alchemy Workshop, so once we return to the royal capital, I’ll consult Kenneth.”

“...You work quickly.”

Abel was surprised by Ryo’s words.

Goro was the head of the Ministry of Oceans, the Lord of Oceans.

In the Kingdom, administration related to the sea fell under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Oceans.

So Ryo had thought he should at least follow the proper channels.

“From the royal capital... if I remember right, not only the royal castle but also the Royal Alchemy Workshop can contact the Ministry of Oceans in Witnash directly.”

“Is that the alchemy tool Kenneth developed before, the one that links towns together?”

“Yes, that one. Because we have it, I judged that there was no need to keep the Ministry of Oceans in the royal capital.”

“I see.”

As technology advanced, the shape of administration also changed.

That was only natural.

And the Knightley Kingdom seemed able to do that.

Just as on the outbound journey, it took two days for the king and Premier Duke’s party to return to the royal capital.

Ryo went straight to the Royal Alchemy Workshop.

Abel went into his office and got to work.

Those at the center of the state had no rest!

...Though sometimes one of them would sprawl limply across the sofa, that absolutely did not mean he was resting.

No, absolutely not... probably.

Ryo returned to the king’s office five days later.

Incidentally, during that time, Abel had apparently been engaged in heated discussions with all the relevant parties... but that is another story.

Only the conclusion was conveyed to Ryo.

“When the Skidbladnir heads for the Western Countries, I’m going aboard.”

“...Excuse me?”

Ryo failed to understand Abel’s words.

But people could recall memories and reinterpret them.

“You want to see the view from the deck or something? You should have just boarded it the other day.”

“No, I mean I’m going to the Western Countries on that ship.”

“...Excuse me?”

Ryo failed to understand Abel’s words once again.

But people could recall memories and reinterpret them... as many times as necessary.

“You’re going to put a statue of yourself or something on the ship and have it carried to the Western Countries? I’m not sure adding strange cargo is a good idea.”

“No. I myself will board the Skidbladnir and go to the Western Countries, and then to the Dark Continent.”

“There’s no way that can be allowed!”

At last, Ryo scolded him.

“You’re the king, Abel. You can’t just leave the country so easily.”

“But when we went to the Eastern Countries, I was away from the country.”

“That couldn’t be helped. It was because of a Demon Man.”

Garwin’s mana, or magic, or whatever it had been, had gone berserk and sent Ryo and Abel flying.

“Well, listen. As we discussed before, the Kingdom’s recovery is on track. But eventually, that recovery will end, and the manufacturing capacity of trading companies and workshops will exceed what can be absorbed. We will need markets for that, but seeking them within the Central Countries will be difficult.”

“Yes, I understand that.”

“At just that timing, the Western Countries... or rather, the Fandeby Holy State, is considering maritime trade between the Western Countries and the Central Countries. And in fact, the Skidbladnir connected the two regions. As the Kingdom that holds Witnash, I believe we should shoulder one side of that trade as its central hub.”

“Yes, I understand that too.”

“If the king of that country visits in person, the other governments will understand how serious we are about that trade. That is why I will go myself.”

“...”

Abel presented his case in a seemingly logical and orderly fashion, and Ryo could not talk back.

Of course, if he tried to object, there was any amount of room to do so.

Ryo understood that too.

But... more than that, he also understood how Abel felt.

“You’re armoring yourself with logic, but in the end, you just want to go, don’t you?”

“Well, yes.”

At Ryo’s point, Abel burst out laughing and admitted it.

Ryo had gone to the Western Countries and shown Abel the scenery through Soul Echo.

At the time, that had satisfied him, but... after he was sent to the Eastern Countries and walked there on his own two feet... he had realized he wanted to go after all.

Of course, if the Kingdom had been in no condition to permit such a thing, he would not have forced the issue.

But the Kingdom was in a condition where such a stretch was possible.

No—rather, it even seemed that this might be the best possible timing.

Excellent retainers.

Nobles working hand in hand with their people to enrich their domains.

An enterprising spirit brought by the momentum of recovery.

Those things now filled the Kingdom.

And there was even a substitute king... moreover, a proxy king who would absolutely never try to supplant Abel.

“If anything, I started thinking that this might be the only time.”

What rose in Abel’s mind was his father, Stafford the Fourth.

He was still in his fifties, and Abel had long wondered whether he might still have feelings of things left undone as king.

In the middle of the Kingdom Liberation War, Abel had been forced to ascend the throne.

After that, Stafford had remained bedridden, so Abel could not ask him how he felt, nor could Abel hand the throne back to him.

But now, he had recovered.

Abel’s popularity within the Kingdom was immense, so it was too late to return the throne to his father now.

His father likely did not want that either.

But if he did have lingering feelings of things left unfinished...

“I don’t think it would be bad to entrust things to Father for a while.”

Stafford had once been known as a wise and capable monarch alongside Rupert of the Empire.

Yet due to the Empire’s schemes, he had been drugged into ruin...

Would it not be more unreasonable to think he had no feelings left over at all?

“When it comes to you going west, what did your retainers... for instance, the chancellor, say?”

“Alexis... opposed it at first.”

“Of course he did.”

Ryo nodded repeatedly.

“But he approved it with conditions.”

“What...”

Ryo was shocked.

Of all people, Ryo had thought Marquis Alexis Heinlein, the chancellor, would be the one most likely to stop Abel from leaving the country... especially to go somewhere as absurdly far away as the Western Countries.

“Wh-what about Captain Dontan? He opposed it too, didn’t he?”

“Yes, at first. But he approved it with conditions.”

“R-Rihya? She must have rebuked you for leaving Prince Noah behind, didn’t she?”

“Yes, at first. But she approved it with conditions.”

Abel shrugged.

Ryo grimaced.

The people who absolutely ought to have opposed it... and apparently really had opposed it at first, had all approved it with conditions?

“And what are those conditions?”

“That Ryo goes with me as my bodyguard.”

“...Excuse me?”

“They said that if that can be done, then it’s fine. Well, it’s not as if I’ll be gone for years. Apparently, it isn’t a question of whether the country will function while I’m gone, but whether I’ll be safe over there.”

“So if I go with you as your bodyguard, that clears the issue... and those are the conditions?”

“Yes. What will you do, Ryo? Do you not want to go to the Western Countries, and then beyond them to the Dark Continent?”

Abel asked with a smile.

Just from that expression, it was clear he already knew Ryo’s answer.

Ryo certainly had things he wanted to say, but... his answer had already been decided.

“Of course I’m going too.”

There could be no other answer.

And so, King Abel the First of the Knightley Kingdom’s western foreign tour was decided.