Volume 4, Part 2, Westward
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Chapter 0720 The Skidbladnir
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One hour after departing Whitnash.
On the deck were the king, relaxing in what looked like adventurer's clothes, and the premier duke, relaxing in his usual robe.
As a matter of course, they were seated in ice chairs with ice cushions.
As a matter of course, cups of freshly brewed Kona coffee sat on the ice table in front of them.
"When I'm like this, it reminds me of the Archipelago Region and the Eastern Countries."
"Yeah. It does bring back memories."
At Ryo's words, Abel nodded.
Yes, back then Princess Iliaja had been there.
She would later become queen, but…
"Compared to that time, there are a few more guards."
"Yeah. Just a few."
In Ryo and Abel's line of sight were fifty Royal Knight Order members.
As expected, they were not wearing bulky armor, but light leather armor.
The ones called squires attached to knights would not be accompanying them on this trip.
The knights would handle putting on and removing their own armor, and they would take care of all their other duties themselves.
That Royal Knight Order seemed to be receiving either an admonition or a briefing on points of caution from their two company captains.
"Those two are Zack and Scotty, right?"
"That's right."
"They were your school friends, weren't they?"
"That's right."
"That's kind of sad, isn't it?"
"What is?"
"Just because they're Abel's school friends, they're being dragged all the way out to the Western Countries…"
"It can't be helped. That's part of the job."
"I think blaming everything on work is a little much."
Ryo shook his head slightly.
Then an elderly man in red clothing came over to them.
Of course, trailing behind him was a self-propelled coffin.
"That smells good."
"Please have some too, Merlin-san."
Saying that, Ryo created an ice chair with an ice cushion and an ice cup for Merlin as well, then poured in the coffee left in the French press.
"Hoh… this is… delicious, isn't it?"
"Right? It's the Kona coffee that the Knightley Kingdom is proud of. It comes from a place called Kona Village in the Kingdom."
Merlin praised it, and Ryo explained with obvious delight.
Ryo knew that Merlin loved coffee.
That was because, when he had visited Merlin's West Dungeon, he had been served magnificent Dark Continent coffee twice.
It was extremely good.
So Ryo was sure he would understand the value of Kona coffee too.
"I see. If you drink coffee like this all the time, then I can understand the appeal of the Dark Continent coffee I served in the dungeon."
"Yes, yes. That was a wonderful coffee too, wasn't it?"
As expected, Merlin seemed to have been thinking the same thing as Ryo.
Coffee lovers recognize good coffee no matter where it comes from.
And there was one more coffee lover here.
"Is Dark Continent coffee maybe coffee from the Dark Continent?"
"That's right. Even if you don't go all the way to the Dark Continent, my impression is that it's already spread fairly widely in the Western Countries."
"I definitely want Abel to try Dark Continent coffee too."
Abel asked, Ryo answered, and Merlin recommended.
Recommending something good to a fellow enthusiast… that is a common sight in any era, in any world.
It may be proof that human nature is the same regardless of time or place.
"There's one more thing to look forward to about going to the Western Countries, and then beyond to the Dark Continent."
Abel smiled happily.
Even if the trip is for official business, and even if he is visiting another country as the king, there should be room for anticipation.
So he can visit with a smile.
"Oh, that reminds me, can you speak the Dark Continent language, Ryo?"
"Huh? There's no way I can."
"I see. Then you'll be studying it while we're on the ship."
"Eh…"
"Of course, I'm not forcing you, but wouldn't it be better if you could speak it?"
"Well, yes, but…"
Ryo nodded at Abel's words.
When they had been blown to the Eastern Countries… more precisely, when they had been blown to the Archipelago Region, Ryo and Abel had studied the Eastern Countries' language aboard the ship traveling from there to the Eastern Countries.
Thanks to that, they had been able to live comfortably in places like Darwei.
He had personally experienced how important it was to learn the local language before traveling.
"I don't mind learning it, but who's going to teach us? I'm pretty sure the chief engineer taught us back then, but… someone among the crew?"
"All of the crew members apparently speak the Dark Continent language perfectly."
"What the…"
"But they're busy, so I haven't asked them to teach."
"Huh? So I'm self-studying?"
"No, the Royal Knight Order members who can't speak the Dark Continent language will be studying together too. It's not just you, Ryo, so relax."
"Even if you tell me to relax… who's the teacher?"
"I am."
Abel answered with a bright smile.
Thirty full seconds of silence from Ryo.
After a while, he finally spoke.
"Abel…you can understand the Dark Continent language?"
"Yeah, I can. సంపూర్ణంగా మాట్లాడగలడు."
"What does the second half mean…?"
"I said I can speak it perfectly."
"Mm…"
Abel showed off his skill, and Ryo was left speechless.
"Well, fine. I'm grateful that I can learn the language of the place we're going to in advance. Bring it on!"
"I like that enthusiasm. When I said I'd be teaching, Zack and Scotty said the Royal Knight Order guys were fired up too… Better to have enthusiasm than not, I suppose."
Abel nodded repeatedly.
"Oh, so Zack and Scotty will be taking Abel's classes too?"
"No, they won't. Those two can speak the Dark Continent language as well."
"What now…"
"It was a required subject at the Royal Higher Academy."
"Terrifying… elite education…"
Yes, the two of them were Abel's school friends.
"I was studying it at the royal castle even before I entered the Academy."
"Imperial education…"
"That's just how it is."
"No to educational inequality! Equal access to learning!"
Ryo raised a slogan… but no one followed him.
Of course, Abel only shrugged silently.
In any era, in any country, future rulers are absolutely required to learn foreign languages.
That seemed to be true in this world as well.
The Central Countries and the Western Countries speak the same language.
There are differences in dialect and degree, but the differences are barely noticeable.
In that case, the 'foreign language' would be the Dark Continent language.
There is no exchange at all with the Eastern Countries, after all.
"I seem to be late to the starting line, but… I'll do my best. I'll see this through!"
Ryo thrust up his fist and declared his resolve.
However…
"But I've got something even more immediate to look forward to."
Ryo said happily.
"An immediate thing to look forward to?"
"Yes. The food on this ship!"
Abel tilted his head, and Ryo answered.
Yes, this voyage was said to take more than twenty days.
It also served as a sea-route survey, but since the king himself was aboard, they would be retracing the route used when coming from the Western Countries this time.
It was originally a route with little information about the surrounding seas.
Passing through it repeatedly to improve the accuracy of that information was a necessary measure.
It had taken twenty-two days to reach the Central Countries from the Western Countries.
Of course, the return trip might take even longer.
And when it comes to something to enjoy on a long journey, food is the obvious answer.
But His Majesty the King was skeptical.
"Well, I'd be happy if they served good food, sure… but this is a ship, you know? If you include the crew and the accompanying personnel, including the knight order, there are well over a hundred people. Not just that much in ingredients, but even cooking it in the galley would be difficult. They might serve something decent now and then, but won't the basics be dried meat?"
"T-There is a possibility of that, yes… but in the Archipelago Region they did serve delicious food."
"Yeah… that was Chef Susie from the Lone Dark, right?"
"As expected of Abel… you remembered perfectly."
"You remember the names of people who've done you a kindness, don't you?"
"O-of course…"
Abel spoke as though it were obvious, and Ryo, who was not especially good at remembering names, agreed while stumbling over his words.
Of course, he did try to remember everyone he met.
He did try to. But…
He had remembered Chef Susie, but as for the other crew members… only about ten of them…
"Well, fine, the Lone Dark is one thing. But if we're going on a long journey like that ship, I want the food to be good!"
"You're free to hope for that."
"Hope is the energy that keeps people alive!"
"…"
Abel was rendered speechless by Ryo's fervent speech.
Incidentally, Merlin, who had been at the same table the whole time, said nothing while enjoying his coffee.
Regna, who wasn't even able to enjoy the coffee, said nothing either.
And in the meantime, the crew members working on deck said nothing…
Ryo's impassioned speech continued.
"I've become convinced after watching the Skidbladnir's crew continue to work so orderly."
"Hm?"
"This ship's food is delicious."
"…Is there any connection between those two?"
"Of course."
Ryo was brimming with confidence.
"There aren't any delicious street stalls out at sea. The crew's only outlet for stress is delicious meals made in the galley. In other words, if they're working with such good expressions, it must be because the food served on the ship is delicious."
A grand claim from Ryo.
"But… until yesterday, they were out in the town of Whitnash, weren't they? Maybe they were in a good mood because they were eating there?"
"Ah…"
Ryo fell silent at Abel's point.
It was true that the ship had been anchored in Whitnash for several weeks, so perhaps they had eaten in Whitnash.
Whitnash was a large port city, after all, so the food was delicious…
"E-even so. "E-even so. If the food on a ship isn't good, then thinking about meals for the dozens of days ahead should make the crew's faces even darker. But their expressions are bright."
"So you're saying that means this ship must serve good food."
"Yes, exactly."
"Well, I do hope that's the case too."
Ryo nodded with confidence again, and Abel accepted it since there was no reason to deny him.
They would find out by evening anyway.
The Skidbladnir was a trading ship.
It had been designed and built with trade between the Western Countries and the Dark Continent in mind.
Its speed was astonishingly fast.
Because of that, it had also been intended not only for pure commerce, but for government leaders and other high officials to travel between continents… that sort of use was also envisioned.
That was why there was a VIP cabin at the stern.
Separate from the captain's cabin.
That was extremely rare.
"Abel has occupied that precious VIP cabin as though it were his own."
"No, no matter how you look at it, if I'm the king, I'm the only one who can use it."
In that VIP cabin, the premier duke was pointing out the problem, and the king was insisting that the complaint itself was strange.
"On a ship, everyone is equal. His Majesty the King and an apprentice sailor are all equally just one human being!"
"…If I weren't using it, then who would use the VIP cabin?"
"Uhh… someone else important…"
"Then it would be Ryo, the premier duke."
"I-I don't need it!"
Ryo showed a strong rejection.
Ryo was bad with that kind of strange special treatment.
Even though he was the sort who would demand a once-a-month cake privilege.
"Besides, isn't it weird that you're talking about some other important person? On a ship, everyone is equal, right?"
"Grrr…"
Abel pushed back with common sense, and Ryo was overwhelmed.
From the start, it was an unreasonable line of argument.
"It can't be helped. I'll allow Abel to use it. But if you are going to use it, then do your work properly."
"Do you know, Ryo? It seems that special meals are sometimes served to me, you, and Captain Paulina at that table in the VIP cabin."
"Why didn't you say that sooner! Long live privileges! I, Duke Rondo, am King Abel's number one loyal vassal!"
Ryo instantly reversed himself.
He did not know what the 'special meal' was, nor how often it would be served, but there was no way kingly food would be bad.
Yes, being close to an important person means getting to eat good food… a common denominator that applies in many worlds, in many eras.
Sometimes there are important people who end up with bland meals because the tasting is taken too far, or because they are excessively worried about health… but that is not the case in the Knightley Kingdom.
While the two of them were having that conversation, Captain Paulina entered the VIP cabin with a man in tow.
"Excuse me, Your Majesty. Allow me to introduce Kobatch, the chef in charge aboard this ship."
The chef, Kobatch, introduced by Captain Paulina, bowed his head.
He had a large body and a round, plump face.
He seemed quite nervous, but also very good-natured.
"P-pleased to meet you."
"Chef, I'm counting on you to make something delicious."
"Yes, Your Majesty! Leave it to me!"
When Abel spoke to him, Kobatch's face lit up, and he answered energetically.
Saying that he would finish preparing the food and bring it over, Captain Paulina and Chef Kobatch withdrew for the moment.
And then came the conversation between the king and the premier duke, left alone together.
Of course, the topic was Kobatch.
Because the chef, at a glance…
"He looked like he could make good food."
"He somehow reminds me of the chef at the Rune Adventurer's Guild."
Abel and Ryo were in complete agreement.
The kitchen at the Rune Adventurer's Guild served food that was cheap, plentiful, and above all, delicious.
The chef who ran that kitchen was a large former adventurer, and he always seemed to be cooking with a smile on his face.
"He was nervous just now, but he had such a wonderful smile at the end."
"He's probably confident in his ability to make delicious food."
"This gives me high expectations."
"I couldn't agree more."
Both Ryo and Abel decided to look forward to the meal.
Ten minutes later.
Captain Paulina, who would be sitting with them, took her seat at the table, and soon Chef Kobatch came back in.
"Today, as the first day commemorating His Majesty's departure for the Western Countries, I would like to serve a traditional dish known to every person in the Western Countries… and said to be the most delicious of all, 'New-sama's dish'."
"Oh, that sounds promising."
"New-sama's dish?"
Chef Kobatch explained with a happy expression, Abel looked eager, and Ryo tilted his head.
Yes, the reason Ryo tilted his head was that it sounded familiar from somewhere.
And what came out was…
"Karaage!"
The correct answer burst from Ryo's mouth before he could stop it.
"Duke Rondo, you know karaage?"
Chef Kobatch beamed.
Ryo could only keep nodding over and over again without saying a word.
Yes, again and again and again.
Ryo had eaten it back in the city of Zephyros, west of the Holy Capital Marlomar.
He had ordered it because, if he remembered correctly, the menu board said 'Karaage Set Meal'…and then it had arrived.
It was unmistakably fried chicken.
And now, what was arranged on the table in front of him was… a mountain of fried chicken on a large platter!
"This looks delicious."
Abel nodded.
"Please, Your Majesty, help yourself."
"It is traditional to take as much karaage as you like from the large platter and eat it freely."
Chef Kobatch said, and Captain Paulina explained.
"Understood. Then just one…"
Saying that, Abel boldly speared one with a fork and brought it straight to his mouth.
He ate like an adventurer more than a king.
Once it was in his mouth, it must have been hot, because he was puffing and blowing, but his eyes widened at the burst of juices filling his mouth.
Even from the outside, it was obvious how delicious it was!
"This is delicious!"
After swallowing the karaage in his mouth, Abel praised it highly.
"Thank you very much!"
Chef Kobatch was all smiles.
Paulina said nothing, but she was smiling and nodding again and again.
As the captain, it would be a lie to say she had not been worried.
She was about to guide the king of the Knightley Kingdom, a great power among the Central Countries, into the Western Countries… the king who was even called the Hero King at such a young age.
Just being on a ship would already make things inconvenient for him.
Of course, she knew that people in high positions tended to get irritable in such environments.
But all of that could be shut down with, "We are on a ship".
On a ship, even a king obeys the captain's words… that is the tradition of the sea.
The most effective way to improve that kind of tension is with delicious food.
This is an unchanging truth from ancient times to the present, in every place: as long as one is human, it does not change.
But this time, there was a problem there.
A king of the Central Countries being hosted by people from the Western Countries…
The question of whether a king of the Central Countries would approve of the taste of the Western Countries.
That was not something they could know without trying.
Ever since the Skidbladnir's rigging had been completed and she had put to sea over the past half year or more, Chef Kobatch had been filling the crew's stomachs.
Even Captain Paulina, who prided herself on having tasted many of the Western Countries' delicacies, had to give his food the highest praise.
Yes, whatever he cooked was incredibly delicious!
That was why they had complete confidence in Chef Kobatch's skill.
And yet… whether he could satisfy the tongue of a king from the Central Countries was something they would only know by trying.
The result was… perfect.
"Oh, this really is delicious…"
And then the premier duke began eating as well.
His eyes were closed, and he really did look delighted.
Seeing that, Paulina became certain.
Chef Kobatch's skill was enough to satisfy even the kings and nobles of the Central Countries.
On the very first day of departure, Captain Paulina's great worry vanished.
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Chapter 0721 A Peaceful Voyage…?
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On the second day after the Skidbladnir departed Whitnash,
His Majesty the King could be seen on deck, swinging a sword from early morning.
A little distance away from there, the knights were also swinging their swords.
Not all of them.
Naturally, if everyone did it at once, they knew they would get in the way of the crew working on deck, so it seemed they were taking turns with about ten people at a time.
"Just seeing this scene makes it clear that Abel is flaunting his royal privileges."
"Yeah. I do feel glad I became king."
Abel laughed as he acknowledged Ryo's words.
"That's rare. You usually argue back."
"Do you remember what I said when we were coming back from the Eastern Countries, Ryo?"
"What did you say? I heard so many things that I'm not sure which one you mean…"
Ryo tilted his head.
It was not sarcasm; he really did not know which words Abel was referring to.
"That I wanted to become stronger."
"Oh, yes, I remember that."
Abel answered while continuing to swing his sword, and Ryo answered while sitting in an ice chair and looking at the magic formula written on an ice slab.
For both of them, it was not that important a conversation.
"If you want to become stronger, you have to train. To train, you need time. I have that time now."
"True. This trip to the Western Countries looks like it'll give you plenty of time to train."
"Yeah. We're apparently going to stop at a few maritime nations along the way, so I'll show my face there as king, but… other than that, it looks like I'll have time."
"Maritime nations exist?"
"Yeah. Apparently, there are a few island nations that even we in the Knightley Kingdom, and even the Western Countries, didn't know about."
"If sea routes open up, maybe we can resupply in places like that."
Ryo nodded at Abel's explanation.
Not every ship had the kind of speed that the Skidbladnir did.
Small ships probably could not manage it in the first place, but a large trade vessel of a certain size might be able to travel between the Central Countries and the Western Countries while linking up with those maritime nations.
Until now, no one had even attempted to connect the two regions by sea, so these countries had remained unknown to either side.
That said, the Skidbladnir had apparently made port stops on its way from the Western Countries to Whitnash.
"According to Captain Paulina, there are also some fairly large islands. Of course, they only stopped at ports that were on the sea route, so only a few of the crew went ashore on the islands."
"That reminds me of the Archipelago Region."
From Abel's explanation, Ryo remembered the Archipelago Region, where the two of them had been flung by the mana rampage of the djinn Garwin.
"King Abel's port calls may bring the clouds of war to a peaceful group of maritime nations."
"Don't say ominous things."
Abel frowned at Ryo's words.
If the Western Countries and the Central Countries were connected by sea, those nations might end up having long-term ties.
As a king, it would be natural to want to build peaceful relations.
"You only have fifty Royal Knight Order members as your military strength, you know? Don't go starting wars with some half-hearted idea like, 'Let's just occupy it a bit'."
"As if I would."
"And if it really comes to it, there is a chance you can gain the support of the premier duke by turning your once-a-month cake privilege into a once-a-week cake privilege."
"Yeah, I'm not planning to fight, so I don't need any support."
For some reason, Ryo tried to negotiate by provoking him, and Abel, looking exhausted, refused the negotiation.
"Why are you radiating danger before we even make port?"
"Because if we get caught up in trouble first, then we can't negotiate!"
"Don't drag a peaceful ship and nation into your desires…"
Abel sighed.
The Skidbladnir, moving steadily ahead, continued its peaceful voyage.
Delicious food and a disciplined daily routine.
A peaceful voyage is symbolized by those two things.
The cooks, led by Chef Kobatch, continued to provide delicious meals for more than a hundred crew members and passengers.
The crew, led by Captain Paulina, carried out their work flawlessly without anyone slacking off, and nothing went wrong.
However, there was one king who had questions about the food.
"Captain, I have a question."
"Yes, Your Majesty, what is it?"
At dinner one evening, Abel asked Captain Paulina, who was seated at the table in the VIP cabin.
"I don't mean this as a complaint, of course… but why hasn't there been any fish dish?"
Yes, the Skidbladnir was moving over the sea.
Everything around them was ocean.
There were fish in the sea.
If they fished or used nets, they should be able to get as many fish as they wanted.
And yet, not a single fish dish had appeared.
It was only natural that Abel would find that strange.
"If you strike a sea bream, the world turns upside down."
Before Captain Paulina could answer, Ryo muttered under his breath.
Ryo remembered it.
He remembered the first time he had dived into the sea near the Rondo Forest.
The moment he speared a fish like a sea bream… the sensation that the whole world had turned against him.
To touch the creatures of the sea meant that sort of thing.
Ryo had muttered before Captain Paulina answered, so Abel was the surprised one.
Rather, Captain Paulina looked at Ryo with a smile and asked,
"Could it be that you experienced that underwater, Your Grace?"
As if asking whether he had had an experience where the world turned against him.
"Yes. It was terrifying."
Ryo nodded honestly.
He had been ignorant.
Ignorance puts life in danger.
And there is still one ignorant person here.
"What happened underwater?"
Abel asked, tilting his head.
"If you mess with sea creatures, the sea monsters… no, not just monsters, but those things attack you."
"What?"
"So fishermen only fish in areas where there are no terrifying monsters. We don't have information on the sea monsters that live in the waters we're traveling through, so we avoid touching them."
"I see… the sea is frightening."
Abel nodded at Paulina's explanation.
"Unless it's a place without powerful monsters, or a place like an island rather than a ship, I don't recommend fishing."
"Ah, understood."
"Of course, this ship does have a ward against sea monsters, so monsters won't come near us…"
"No, there's no need to invite danger on purpose. Unlike some water-attribute magician I know."
"Abel, if you're looking for a fight, I'll take you on!"
Abel deliberately said something provocative, and Ryo answered in kind.
At that moment, Chef Kobatch came in.
"Your Majesty, I have brought the Rindo pie for dessert."
An apple pie that looked absolutely delicious!
"I'll forgive Abel on account of that delicious-looking pie."
"I'll throw that same line right back at Ryo."
Ryo and Abel were both saying bold things, but their eyes were already fixed on the Rindo pie.
It seemed that delicious food really must be the key to world peace.
Seven days after departing Whitnash, the Skidbladnir would call at its first maritime nation, the nation of Piskan.
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Chapter 0722 The Nation of Pishkan
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"Chief! That ship has returned!"
"That enormous one?!"
The one who came rushing into the Chief's office in the Nation of Pishkan was Harbor Minister Nonta.
The report instantly brought Chief Marta's nightmare back to life.
Yes, that ship had first arrived a month ago.
They had only just managed to calm the chaos among the people after it departed, and now, unbelievably, it had come back again!
Marta himself had endured no small amount of turmoil because of it.
"So you're telling me they actually sailed to some kingdom far to the east, beyond the eastern sea, and then came all the way back? There's a limit to how ridiculous a lie can be."
"They originally came from the western sea, though…"
"I thought they might have had something to do with the Banban Kingdom to the west… but there's no way those people could build a ship like that."
"They did say they came from someplace even farther west called the Western Countries."
"As if anyone could believe that!"
Minister Nonta spoke as he recalled the previous visit, while Chief Marta answered with an expression full of bitterness.
Marta didn't even need to remember.
Ever since then, he had been plagued by nightmares over and over.
"Last time, I admit I was overwhelmed by the sheer size of that ship. I'll grant them that. But this time will be different! Aside from the crew, there were only three people aboard who called themselves adventurers, weren't there? I'll never suffer such humiliation again!"
"Exactly, Chief!"
"Good. Nonta, gather the Chief's Guard immediately. And bring in the 'Freak' Mozzare as well. Have him stand behind me. Line him up alongside the guards. When that woman captain comes ashore, we'll intimidate her properly!"
The Nation of Pishkan consisted of a single island.
With a population of one hundred thousand, it was by no means a small nation for an island of its size.
Its leader bore the title of Chief, and the current Chief, Marta, was a man in his early forties.
The man recognized as Marta's right-hand was Harbor Minister Nonta.
He was also Marta's childhood friend, and the two were the same age.
Under their leadership, Pishkan had avoided any major policy failures, and Chief Marta enjoyed fairly strong support from the people.
A month earlier, an enormous ship had called at the nation after arriving from the west.
It introduced itself as the Skidbladnir, registered to the Kingdom of Knightley in the Central Countries.
Naturally, neither Marta nor Nonta had ever heard of it.
In fact, no one in the government had.
When they asked why the ship had docked there, they were told there was no particular reason.
They had simply seen a harbor and decided to stop.
From the Pishkan government's perspective, nothing about it made any sense.
To begin with, it had arrived from the western sea.
Beyond that sea lay the Banban Kingdom, Pishkan's longtime rival.
At first they suspected the visitors were somehow connected to Banban, but that didn't seem to be the case.
Even so, they remained suspicious… until Chief Marta met the captain of the Skidbladnir. The moment he saw her, he understood.
There was no woman that beautiful in the Banban Kingdom.
The next moment, he found himself saying,
"Become my wife."
Without missing a beat, she replied, "I must respectfully decline". He couldn't even process her answer.
In the past ten years, no one had ever rejected a demand made by Chief Marta.
Yet the woman captain simply returned to her ship, and the Skidbladnir departed the harbor.
She said they were heading for the Kingdom of Knightley, somewhere far to the east.
Afterward, Marta spent his days haunted by nightmares born of humiliation.
He would settle that score.
With that resolve burning in his heart, Chief Marta stood at the harbor.
Behind him stood the towering warrior known as the 'Freak' Mozzare, along with the Chief's Guard, all lined up to greet the woman captain as she disembarked.
The gangway was lowered from the ship.
The first person to descend the stairs was…
A tall man dressed in magnificent formal attire of crimson and white.
He wasn't doing anything in particular.
He was simply walking down the gangway.
And yet… no one could look away.
"What… is that…?"
The muttered words reached Marta's ears.
They came from Harbor Minister Nonta, standing beside him.
Marta said nothing.
If anything, he wanted to ask the same question… What is that?
No… He had a rough idea.
Marta had led this nation for well over a decade.
He had governed one hundred thousand people.
So he understood.
The man descending the gangway was someone who ruled a nation… or something of that stature.
Someone of extraordinarily high rank.
But that wasn't what troubled him.
That overwhelming… presence.
A presence so immense it felt as though it would crush him.
An indescribable… overwhelming force.
At last, the man in crimson and white stepped onto the ground.
Did anyone even notice the white-robed figure following closely behind him, carrying a sword as though presenting it in offering?
Marta swallowed hard.
Nonta trembled uncontrollably.
The guards remained standing perfectly straight, unable to move a single muscle.
Yet… among them was one man who reacted differently, acting on pure instinct.
The very 'Freak' Mozzare whom Marta had summoned to intimidate Captain Paulina.
The giant's face had turned deathly pale. Cold sweat poured from him. His eyes were stretched wide open…
Had anyone possessed even the slightest composure to look around, they would have realized that something was terribly wrong with Mozzare.
They would have removed him from the scene immediately.
But unfortunately, no one among Pishkan's leadership had such leeway.
"WOOOOOO!!"
With a deafening roar, the massively built man known as the 'Freak' Mozzare suddenly charged forward.
In his hands he carried a gigantic metal club.
His target was the man in crimson and white who had just stepped off the ship.
"Stop!"
Chief Marta alone managed to react.
Only with his voice. His body refused to move.
Mozzare rushed in at full speed, raised the massive club high overhead, and brought it crashing down toward the formally dressed man.
The man avoided it with a single step, then struck Mozzare across the jaw with the heel of his palm.
Mozzare collapsed, rendered helpless in a single blow.
Without a moment's delay, another voice rang out.
"
The next instant, Mozzare was sealed inside a coffin of ice.
Then another voice echoed across the harbor.
"Kneel! Do you know before whom you stand?! This is His Majesty Abel the First, the reigning King of the Kingdom of Knightley!"
The words spoken by the white-robed figure struck everyone present as though they carried physical force.
Minister Nonta and the guards instinctively dropped to both knees.
Only Chief Marta somehow remained standing.
Even so, his body continued to tremble.
Abel walked over to the lone man still on his feet and spoke to him.
"You appear to be the Chief of the Nation of Pishkan?"
It was a gentle voice.
Nothing like the man who had felled the 'Freak' Mozzare with a single strike. Nothing like the commanding presence that had captivated everyone simply by walking down the gangway.
It was gentle. A voice that made one believe him without question.
"Y-Yes. I am Marta, Chief of the Nation of Pishkan. I offer my deepest apologies for my subordinate's outrageous misconduct…"
As he spoke, Marta lowered his head.
Considering what the 'Freak' Mozzare had done, an apology was the bare minimum.
Of course, he also understood that an apology alone could never settle the matter.
The white-robed man had said it himself. The person before him was a king.
The highest authority of an entire nation.
"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Chief Marta. I am Abel the First, King of the Kingdom of Knightley of the Central Countries."
With that introduction, Abel extended his right hand.
Marta hesitated for a brief moment before extending his own.
The two men shook hands.
After the initial confusion subsided somewhat, King Abel and his entourage were escorted to a conference room in the Ministry of Harbors near the port.
As for the 'Freak' Mozzare, he was thawed out almost immediately and taken away by Pishkan's guards.
Chief Marta asked them to wait for a while, so the only people in the conference room were Abel, Ryo, ten escorting knights from the Royal Knight, and Captain Paulina, making thirteen people in total.
Naturally, Abel and Ryo immediately began quietly discussing what had happened.
"I'm certain that muscular fellow earlier was overwhelmed by the terrifying aura you were giving off, Abel, and completely lost control."
"Terrifying aura?"
"He got scared and decided he'd better strike before he got struck."
"Ah… I see. If that's what happened, then I can understand how he felt."
Abel had spent many years as an adventurer. So he understood that kind of mindset.
Even so, the man had still attacked the king of another nation without warning.
Under the laws of just about any country, that was a capital offense… in other words, punishable by death.
Yet Abel was lenient.
"I can't simply let it pass without comment, but if he truly didn't act out of malice, then there's no need to charge him with a crime. His chief can bear responsibility instead."
"Poor supervision…"
For anyone in a leadership position, those were the most terrifying words imaginable.
Abel was not lenient at all.
"So you're going to hold the chief responsible for his subordinate's actions and use that to strengthen your position in negotiations."
"What else can I do? They handed me a bargaining chip of their own accord."
Abel shrugged at Ryo's remark.
"'I'll forgive you, so make this country a vassal of the Kingdom of Knightley'. Abel, you truly are a terrifying king."
"Hm? I have no intention of making a demand like that."
"Don't tell me that was your plan from the beginning, and that's why you walked down the gangway while intimidating everyone… I suppose I really should start calling Scheming King Abel."
"Hey, you really ought to listen when people are talking. I have no intention of making them a vassal state, and I wasn't trying to intimidate anyone. Besides, nobody becomes a vassal over something like that."
Ryo deliberately looked at him as though he were something frightening, while Abel sighed in exasperation.
Naturally, the two were only fooling around.
But then a voice came from somewhere neither of them expected.
"My deepest apologies, Your Majesty."
It was Captain Paulina. She bowed her head.
"Captain? Why are you apologizing?"
Abel asked.
Ryo tilted his head as well, unable to understand.
"As I reported before, we stopped at the Nation of Pishkan while sailing here from the Western Countries. During that visit… Chief Marta proposed marriage to me."
"Eh?"
Paulina reported the matter in her usual calm, expressionless manner. Abel and Ryo exclaimed in perfect unison.
"I declined his proposal and departed immediately, so there was no real incident at the time… I never imagined it would lead to something like this. In hindsight, I should have reported it beforehand."
"Ah… well… I suppose that can't really be helped."
Certainly, Abel was surprised since he had never been informed… but he also understood why Paulina had found it difficult to report something like that.
This time, because trouble arose during their second visit, it seemed obvious in retrospect that she should have mentioned it… but had nothing happened, it would have been entirely reasonable to consider it a private matter.
The difficulty of separating work from one's private life… apparently, that remained the same in every era and every world.
Without saying a word, Ryo simply shook his head.
"When that man attacked earlier, you deliberately chose not to protect me, didn't you, Ryo?"
"I did. I could tell you had completely read his movements, Abel, so I figured it would be more effective to let you put him down yourself."
"But I hesitated. I couldn't decide whether I should draw my sword or just deal with him barehanded."
"Even if you'd misjudged things, I could have frozen both of you before you suffered any fatal injuries. There was never any real danger."
"So I'd end up frozen too?"
"Well… yes."
"I wouldn't exactly call that 'no real danger'."
Abel shook his head.
Even so, he did not attempt to criticize Ryo's judgment.
There was, however, someone else who was dissatisfied.
"That sort of thing is unacceptable."
It was Scotty Cobook, captain of one company of the Royal Knights.
The other company captain, Zack Cooler, had remained aboard the ship to oversee its security.
"Your Majesty Abel is a master swordsman, but there is always the possibility that something could go wrong."
"Y-You're right."
"That's true. I'll protect you next time."
Scolded by Scotty, Abel visibly wilted, while Ryo lowered his head in a small, apologetic bow.
From the perspective of the Royal Knights, whose duty was to protect him, King Abel was someone they were expected to shield even at the cost of their own lives.
When the muscular man launched his attack, only Abel and Ryo had been standing on the dock. The Royal Order of Knights, whose role was to protect the king, had remained aboard the ship.
That arrangement had been made to enhance King Abel's ceremonial appearance…but it seemed that from now on, they would insist on surrounding him with an ironclad security detail.
Imagining that future, Abel could only smile wryly.
-x-X-x-
Chapter 0723 Diplomacy
-x-X-x-
One floor above the conference room where Abel and the Knightley Kingdom delegation had been shown, Chief Marta and Port Minister Nonta were holding an emergency meeting in the minister's office.
In a sense, compared to the amicable atmosphere in the conference room, the air in this office was heavy.
Unbearably heavy.
"This has turned into something absolutely disastrous…"
Marta was trembling.
After showing the Knightley Kingdom delegation into the conference room and finally having a chance to think calmly, he fully understood just how disastrous the situation was.
They had attacked the king of a foreign nation who had come in friendship.
Such a thing was unprecedented.
And it had happened in full public view… right in front of him, the nation's chief himself.
If only it were some foreign country's conspiracy… or better yet, if all of it were just a dream.
Marta had led the country for more than a decade, but he could scarcely remember ever being driven into a corner this badly.
After all, he had generally enjoyed strong support from the people.
But this incident was bad.
"How is Mozzare doing?"
Marta asked about the man known as the 'Freak,' Mozzare.
"They say he's sitting in the corner of his room with his head in his hands."
"His fighting instincts are strong, but his ability to sense danger is even stronger. He must have perceived King Abel as a threat… and been driven by fear."
Rather than blaming Mozzare, Chief Marta regretted his own poor judgment for bringing him there in the first place.
It had all been because of that female captain… her presence had clouded his judgment.
"I want to apologize to King Abel…"
"Chief…"
Those were Marta's honest feelings. Nonta understood them completely.
But he also understood why that could not be done so easily.
A nation's leader could not casually bow their head before the leader of another nation.
That was for the sake of their people.
Because they stood as their people's representative.
If such a thing were done in front of everyone, it could become the spark that drove the more radical elements among their citizens into action.
To avoid that, an apology could be offered in a private meeting…
"Someone I only just met, someone I only just greeted and shook hands with… and whose subordinate attacked him… there's no way he'd agree to meet me one-on-one."
Even Marta understood that much.
For example, even the ruler of neighboring Banban Kingdom, whom he knew well, would probably refuse a private one-on-one meeting.
Unless two national leaders had formed an exceptionally strong personal bond of trust, such meetings were difficult.
"Chief, what if we limit the attendants… say, one subordinate each? We could meet in the small conference room next to the one they're using. If anything were to happen, they could judge that a single shout would immediately bring their allies running…"
"I see. They might accept that."
Thanks to Nonta's suggestion, some color finally returned to Marta's face.
Until now, he had been as pale as a corpse.
The pressure of the situation had left its mark on him.
In the small conference room beside the main one.
Representing Pishkan were Chief Marta and Port Minister Nonta.
Representing Knightley Kingdom were Abel and Ryo.
The four of them were to hold a meeting together.
Naturally, when the proposal came from the Pishkan side, Captain Scotty, who was effectively in charge of security, had expressed reservations.
It was only natural to be uneasy about allowing one's lord to meet in a small group, in a sealed room no less, with people who had not yet earned their trust.
But, equally naturally, Abel had said:
"Wouldn't it be fine if I brought Ryo as my guard? This time, he'll surely protect me before I get attacked."
"Of course. Leave it to me! Before the enemy's murderous blade can reach you, I'll protect you by freezing Abel solid in perfect ice!"
"If possible, I'd prefer to be protected without being frozen solid…"
It seemed that even Abel I, the Hero King renowned for his fearlessness, found the prospect of being frozen frightening.
"Then it can't be helped. I'll bring along the First Squad of the Oniwaban. Since they're not human, they won't count toward the 'one subordinate each' limit the other side proposed."
"Isn't that a bit unfair?"
"You're too earnest, Abel. A meeting between national leaders is, in a sense, warfare. It's a terrifying world where all manner of monsters and schemers run rampant. The threat of poisoning, traps hidden in hanging ceilings, assassins lurking in the shadows… countless plots await. And yet you're planning to walk into that with only the two of us. You may be so earnest that it borders on foolishness."
"Fine, call me earnest or foolish, just make sure you protect me properly."
Lightly brushing aside Ryo's fantasy-fueled imagination, Abel ended the discussion there.
And now.
They sat facing one another, two against two, in four chairs.
The first to speak was Chief Marta.
"King Abel, I am truly sorry about what my subordinate did."
As he said that, he lowered his head deeply, though remaining seated.
The sight surprised Ryo a little.
Even back on Earth, he had never seen a national leader bow that deeply.
But Abel, the one receiving the apology, smiled and said:
"Chief Marta, please raise your head. I was indeed attacked, but I wasn't injured. Please don't trouble yourself over it."
Of course, he wasn't saying that out of simple kindness.
Had he not been a king, perhaps… but this was already a diplomatic setting.
The other side's blunder was an opportunity for his side.
And this wasn't merely a matter of arriving slightly late to a meeting. The scale was entirely different.
That said, Abel personally didn't care much about anything else as long as his original request was accepted.
And that request wasn't something that benefited only Knightley Kingdom. It would likely benefit Pishkan as well… at least, he believed so.
"To begin with, the reason our Knightley Kingdom vessel, Skidbladnir, called at your country was not to make any difficult demands."
Abel began with a smile still on his face.
Marta raised his head and looked at him.
Abel could see a trace of caution in the depths of his eyes.
Naturally.
If someone suddenly appeared claiming to be a king and said they had no difficult demands, it wasn't easy to take them at their word.
"Our Knightley Kingdom lies among the Central Countries. It is about a week's voyage east of your country."
"A week…"
Marta was left speechless by the explanation.
Nonta could not find words either.
Pishkan was an island nation.
The two leaders had, naturally, lived their lives alongside the sea… it would not be an exaggeration to say so.
Which was why they understood the terror of spending an entire week sailing these monster-infested waters.
Or rather, to be precise, they had never experienced it, but they could imagine it.
The people of Pishkan only ventured out to sea for a single day.
Neighboring Banban Kingdom was only half a day to a day's sail away.
No one remained at sea longer than that.
And the same was true for Banban Kingdom.
That was simply common sense in these waters.
Yet the king before them claimed to have sailed for an entire week.
As far as Marta and Nonta knew, no nation existed nearby besides Banban Kingdom.
They had never even heard of one.
Still, all they had to do was look at the gigantic ship docked in the harbor.
It was obvious these people possessed shipbuilding technology superior to their own.
They had come from a distance beyond imagination… and there was no choice but to accept that fact.
"I understand. Though it is beyond anything we can imagine…"
"Our ship is called Skidbladnir, and its purpose is to reach the Western Countries by sea."
"I feel like I've heard that name before. The last time that giant ship… Skidbladnir visited, I was told it had come from the Western Countries."
"Yes, exactly."
Marta spoke while recalling the memory, and Abel nodded.
"We are currently attempting to open a sea route connecting the Western Countries and our kingdom."
"Open a sea route…"
"Not immediately, of course. We will be crossing seas that… as far as recorded history goes, no one has ever traversed before. As you know, terrifying monsters inhabit the ocean. We must further refine the technologies that prevent attacks from them… technologies that have only recently become practical. We have only just begun experimental voyages."
"Then… how far are these Western Countries from our country?"
"I hear it is more than two weeks away."
"That far…"
Marta was rendered speechless yet again by Abel's answer.
Abel had said more than two weeks, but in truth he had been told it would probably take even longer.
When Skidbladnir had traveled from the Western Countries to the Central Countries, the crew reported favorable winds.
On the open ocean, a clipper ship like Skidbladnir, with its many square sails, could reach remarkable speeds when blessed with good winds.
Conversely, headwinds reduced speed.
And against a direct headwind, a ship could not sail straight at all, forcing it to proceed in a zigzag pattern… not only would its speed drop, but the distance traveled would increase as well, requiring more time.
Thus, travel times were heavily dependent on wind direction.
Furthermore, once actual shipping routes were established, many of the vessels traveling them would not be clippers like Skidbladnir.
Their speed would undoubtedly be slower.
The estimate of two weeks assumed the most favorable conditions possible.
"If a route to those Western Countries can be established with Knightley Kingdom… even on a trial basis, then ships traveling that route may stop at our country."
At last, Marta was beginning to understand why Skidbladnir had called at their port.
"Exactly. When that time comes, if possible, we would like to receive supplies here and allow our sailors to rest on land. Naturally, we would pay appropriate compensation."
"I see."
Marta nodded deeply at Abel's proposal.
He understood the request.
He truly did… but he could not simply agree to it.
Not because of negotiation tactics. For a far more tangible reason.
"Our Pishkan Nation is an island country. Even in trade, our only experience is with our neighbor, Banban Kingdom. In other words, we do not possess vast production capacity for food or many other goods."
Marta stated the fact plainly.
Hearing that, Abel nodded.
Of course he understood.
For a single ship like Skidbladnir, it was manageable.
At most, food for around a hundred people.
For a nation of one hundred thousand citizens, that was not a significant amount.
But if a sea route were truly opened, the situation would change.
Certainly, most of Pishkan Island remained undeveloped, so expanding development would likely allow for a substantial increase in food production.
And therefore…
"What we've discussed today is not something for immediate implementation. We are still in the trial voyage stage, and trade has not yet been guaranteed. However, our kingdom very much hopes to establish trade with the Western Countries."
Abel clearly stated his country's policy.
"When that time comes, we hope not only to obtain supplies from Pishkan, but also to engage in trade with your nation and with neighboring Banban Kingdom, which we intend to visit next. The reason for my visit today… is that I would like you to consider it an inquiry in that regard."
"I understand."
Marta nodded at Abel's words.
It was certainly far easier to accept than having someone suddenly arrive and demand that they become a supply base.
Knowing the history of Japan at the end of the Edo period, when the Black Ships arrived and effectively said, "Become a supply base for our whaling fleets.", Ryo silently nodded to himself.
That's right. The reason the American Black Ships had appeared off Uraga in the first place was that the Industrial Revolution had driven Western Countries to seek whale oil.
They needed supply bases for whaling operations.
Eventually, they even established whaling bases as far away as Antarctica to secure whale oil…
History had that side to it as well.
"So, should we understand this visit as a notification that there exists a nation pursuing such a policy?"
"Precisely."
The moment Abel answered Marta's confirmation.
They realized that the room next door, the conference room, had suddenly become noisy.
Before Abel could say anything, Ryo, who had been sitting quietly and listening with perfect manners throughout the meeting, jumped to his feet and practically flew out of the room.
Abel followed after him.
Chief Marta and Port Minister Nonta hurried after them as well.
Inside the conference room stood a heavily muscled man who had forced his way in, while Pishkan soldiers struggled to hold him back.
The Royal Knight Order members serving as Abel's guards had their hands on their swords, but had not yet acted.
Remaining vigilant, they watched to see how events unfolded.
The loud voices had apparently come from the Pishkan soldiers.
"Scotty, what happened?"
Abel entered the room and asked.
"That man… the man who attacked Your Majesty is trying to enter the conference room. The soldiers of this country are attempting to stop him."
Scotty's explanation was exactly what they could already see.
But that was all that had happened, so there was little else to say.
Then a voice rang through the conference room.
"Mozzare!"
The heavily muscled man known as the 'Freak' Mozzare, flinched and froze.
Only his face turned toward the source of the voice.
The one who had called his name was Chief Marta.
Crossing the room, Marta walked toward him.
In response, Mozzare lowered his head.
The soldiers restraining him lowered theirs as well.
Marta was being shown respect as their chief.
Naturally.
Otherwise, he could never have led the nation for over ten years.
"What is it, Mozzare?"
This call was different from the first.
It was filled with kindness and affection.
"I… want to apologize…"
"Apologize? To whom?"
Without speaking, Mozzare raised a hand and pointed at Abel.
"You want to apologize to King Abel? For what happened at the harbor?"
At Marta's question, Mozzare nodded silently.
Their conversation took place in a conference room that had fallen completely silent.
Naturally, Abel heard every word.
"I will accept that apology."
With those words, Abel began walking toward Mozzare.
Naturally, Scotty moved to stop him, but Abel lightly extended an arm and restrained him.
This was, in its own way, a diplomatic stage.
A moment that should become a turning point. An opportunity for both nations to build friendship in the future.
Abel understood that instantly.
And so he slowly approached Mozzare.
Looking closely, he could see that Mozzare was trembling.
His instincts had identified Abel as someone possessing terrifying combat power.
Allowing such a person into his personal range… that was terrifying.
And so he trembled.
Even so, Mozzare endured it.
Because he understood that his actions at the harbor had worsened the position of the chief he admired and respected.
He had come here precisely because he wanted to somehow make up for that.
So although he was terrified… although the trembling would not stop… he endured.
Abel stopped before him.
"I… am very sorry."
Mozzare lowered his head.
"I accept your apology."
Abel told him so.
At first, he had thought about offering a handshake. But he could tell Mozzare's body was trembling.
And he understood that the trembling stemmed from fear of him.
Abel had once been an A-Rank swordsman.
And because he had spent so much time around Ryo, he had also interacted with beings beyond human understanding.
If such beings entered one's personal space… it truly was terrifying.
That was why he could understand Mozzare's trembling.
Abel turned toward Chief Marta and deliberately spoke in a cheerful tone.
"Chief Marta, as it happens, we have some delicious food. I would very much like this… Mozzare-dono to try it. I'm sure he'll like it."
"…Pardon?"
Marta tilted his head at Abel's sudden proposal.
Mozzare himself seemed equally confused.
After that, a message was sent from the conference room to Skidbladnir, which remained anchored in the harbor.
Fifteen minutes later, what they had requested arrived.
What Head Chef Kobatch and the others brought was… a large platter piled high with karaage.
An aroma drifted through the air, irresistibly appetizing.
Mozzare's eyes locked onto the mountain of fried chicken.
Abel was the first to reach for it.
He picked up a piece… not particularly elegant, perhaps, but he took it in hand and stuffed it into his mouth.
"Hoh-hoh…"
It looked hot.
But his expression conveyed everything necessary… it was delicious.
"Come now, Mozzare-dono, you should try some as well."
Abel called to him.
Mozzare reflexively reached out, but stopped midway.
Then he looked at Marta.
His instincts had driven him to reach for the food, but he apparently wanted confirmation that doing so was acceptable.
Marta silently nodded.
Mozzare reached out again, took a piece of karaage… and brought it to his mouth.
"Hoff-huff…"
Even a heavily muscled man apparently found hot food hot.
But…
"Delicious…"
The words escaped him without thinking.
"We had plenty made, so eat as much as you like."
Abel told him with a smile.
And Head Chef Kobatch nodded in agreement.
"King Abel."
"Ah, forgive me, Chief Marta. I acted on my own, but could you indulge this selfish whim of mine?"
"Of course… of course. It would be presumptuous of me to speak of forgiveness. If anything, I feel grateful…"
Abel smiled as he spoke, while Marta nodded repeatedly and watched Mozzare enthusiastically devouring the karaage.
Incidentally, beside Mozzare, a man in a white robe was eating just as enthusiastically.
The two exchanged smiles.
Naturally, that man was Ryo.
"The one who froze Mozzare…"
"Though he may not look it, he is the Premier Duke of our Knightley Kingdom."
"Eh?"
"He is also the greatest water-attribute magician in the Central Countries."
"…He certainly seems to be enjoying the food."
"Doesn't he? He's the sort of man who would boldly declare that delicious food is the key to world peace."
"World peace… that's quite a grand vision."
Despite smiling, Marta could not hide his surprise at Abel's words.
Indeed.
No one truly knew how vast the world was.
And yet, to speak of 'world peace'… one could only call it grand.
"Still, after seeing a sight like this, I can't help thinking it may not be entirely impossible."
"Exactly. Even chiefs and kings, who ought to understand better than anyone how difficult peace is… find themselves thinking so. It's rather fascinating."
Abel nodded at Marta's words.
And throughout the conference room, a peace brought about by food quietly spread.
-x-X-x-
Chapter 0724 Culinary Diplomacy
-x-X-x-
After spending the night in Pishkan Country, the Skidbladnir departed.
On its deck, the water-attribute magician was showering praise.
"As expected of Abel, even I was surprised by the 'Karaage Shower' trick!"
"Trick? Karaage shower?"
Ryo was offering praise, but Abel, who was being praised, had no idea what he was talking about.
"The move from yesterday, when you made the freak eat a huge amount of karaage. I never imagined you would overwhelm him with a tactic like that."
"Y-yeah…"
"It's true that the freak is massively built, so he'd probably be the type to eat a lot of meat. In fact, he ate it very deliciously. Of course, that was only possible thanks to Chef Kobatchi's wonderful cooking skill, though."
Ryo praised him, nodding again and again.
He seemed truly impressed from the bottom of his heart.
"You've been saying 'freak' this whole time, are you talking about Mozzare-dono, right?"
"Yes, exactly. I heard he has the nickname 'Freak,' so I decided to call him that."
"I see."
Abel had not known that Mozzare had the nickname 'Freak'.
He was curious how, and when, Ryo had found that out, though…
"Did you know there was a way like that, Abel? Did you learn it long ago?"
"A way like what?"
"Culinary diplomacy!"
"Culinary… diplomacy?"
Ryo answered, and Abel tilted his head.
Abel had never thought of using cooking as diplomacy.
In that case, this reaction was only natural.
"Using cooking for diplomacy?"
"Yes. Your reaction means you came up with that strange tactic without knowing about it, right? What incredible genius…"
Ryo was shocked.
Abel was still tilting his head.
But he was interested in Ryo's words.
"So there's a method like that, using cooking for diplomacy?"
"It was diplomacy carried out at the embassy of my hometown."
"At an embassy? You mean… the kind of embassy I know? The one set up in the capitals of various countries?"
Abel tilted his head even more.
"Yes, that one. There are embassies from all kinds of countries in the royal capital too, right? Or the Knightley Kingdom also has embassies in foreign capitals, right?"
"Yeah, it does."
"Most embassies have a chef, don't they? And not just that, they're surely all incredibly skilled cooks."
"Now that you mention it, that's true…"
Abel nodded as he recalled his memories.
Back when he was the second prince, he had visited several countries in the Central Countries as an envoy.
His lodging at the time was the kingdom's local embassy.
Now that it was mentioned, he did have the impression that the food at every embassy was delicious.
"They serve food to ambassadors from other countries and to local ministers and the like. Naturally, skilled people are dispatched for the job."
"Dispatched? You mean they aren't hired locally?"
"In my hometown, they were cooks dispatched from the sending country. That is the key to culinary diplomacy!"
To be honest, Abel had never really paid attention to who exactly had been cooking at the local embassies.
Even now… of course, he knew there were detailed records about the servants, including the cooks, at the kingdom's embassies in the Empire and the Union.
He also knew the cooks had been people from the kingdom.
But as for the kingdom's embassies in other countries… well, what had they been like?
"At the local site, you serve our country's food and have people eat it… and depending on the situation, you can even arrange it in a way that resembles local cuisine to create an atmosphere of goodwill."
"I see, culinary diplomacy…"
Now Abel could see what Ryo meant.
A country's claims and displays of goodwill, enacted on the tabletop.
The food served there was already part of diplomacy.
Naturally, the menu must reflect the ambassador's intentions.
"So feeding that 'Freak' karaage was also part of diplomacy, then. I did think it was a diplomatic setting, but… honestly, I wasn't conscious of the food itself."
"That is what makes Abel so terrifying."
Ryo nodded.
Yes, Ryo knew.
That Abel was a natural.
At the same time, that he was also, in a certain sense, a genius.
He understood things by instinct.
What should be done, right there and then.
What would be most effective.
And he could act on it, or give orders, without hesitation…
"Something I always think is that Abel is unfair."
"Why am I suddenly being subjected to such unreasonable criticism?"
"Everyone studies, gains experience, and thinks hard to come up with the right answer… but Abel just kind of wings it and still arrives at the answer!"
"So I'm not unfair, I'm pitiable, then."
Abel shrugged off Ryo's condemnation.
"Eventually, someone may become jealous of Abel's genius and scheme to do something awful to you."
"A scheme?"
"Yes. Among human emotions, jealousy is the most troublesome and the most ugly."
"Hm."
"Compared to jealousy, anger is much better."
"Is it?"
"Anger can turn into frustration and, in some cases, spur your own growth. 'Damn it! I'll show them!' and all that. But jealousy doesn't do that. It only brings people down. People trapped by jealousy look ugly from the outside, but for the people around them, they are nothing but harmful. Please be careful."
"R-right, I'll be careful."
Even while the Premier Duke was praising and speaking bluntly to His Majesty the King, the Skidbladnir continued running over the sea.
If everything went according to plan, it would arrive in Banban Kingdom by evening.
As usual, Abel was on deck, seated in an ice chair and reading documents at an ice table.
After finishing his praise, Ryo peered at the documents.
"Information about Banban Kingdom?"
"Yeah. It's information that was gathered when this Skidbladnir called at port while coming from the Western Countries."
"I see. …The population is pretty large, isn't it?"
"It says around three hundred thousand. The population of Pishkan Country this morning was said to be one hundred thousand, so that's about triple. There's quite a difference."
Abel nodded at Ryo's observation.
A population three times larger was a considerable gap.
Pishkan Country and Banban Kingdom were both island nations, maritime states.
They had apparently been competing fiercely for a very long time.
But when only two countries exist, far away from other nations, and there is such a huge difference in population… usually, the country with the smaller population ends up in a state close to being a vassal of the larger one.
In the worst case, it is annexed.
That is a scene often seen in history.
However, these two countries were rivals…
"Pishkan Country must have worked really hard."
"Or Banban Kingdom may be in a state where it cannot fully exert its national power."
Ryo and Abel exchanged possible explanations.
"Do you mean something like it's divided, or different regions are fighting each other?"
"Exactly. Compared with Pishkan Country, its population is three times larger, but its land area is also about three times larger. There are apparently three islands about the same size as Pishkan Country, and national politics are centered around them."
"…The investigative ability of the people on this Skidbladnir is amazing. To think they could gather even information like that just from a brief port call."
"Yeah, right? Maybe they've been trained up that way in their homeland?"
Abel also agreed with Ryo's point.
The crew of the Skidbladnir were citizens of the Goslon Duchy in the Western Countries.
The ship was registered under the Knightley Kingdom, but the home port was Goslon Port, and both maintenance and crew registration were also under citizens of the Goslon Duchy.
The Goslon Duchy had never gone to war with its neighbor, the Mafalda Republic, and had produced many popes throughout history. For that reason, it maintained friendly relations with both the Theocracy and the Republic.
What is more, it seemed that many duchy citizens had learned seafaring in the Mafalda Republic, the leading maritime nation in the Western Countries, and as a result, the duchy had produced many excellent crew members.
For that reason, the Franzoni Shipping Company, which had built the Skidbladnir, had also introduced Goslon citizens to them.
And yet they possessed such excellent information-gathering ability as well…
"There's a chance Abel's information will be stripped bare and leaked to the Western Countries!"
"My information? What is that supposed to mean?"
"The information that Abel is a battle-crazed, brutal, scheming king, and a terrifying person with ambitions to conquer the world."
"Wow, not a single thing in that is right."
"In that case, let's spread this information. If we spread false information, we can confuse the other side!"
"…That's likely to embarrass the kingdom's people, so I'm rejecting it."
Abel rejected Ryo's suggestion with a sigh.
Yes, having information taken away was unpleasant, but being misunderstood by false information was unpleasant too.
No, more than that…
"The crew of this ship are not enemies."
"Of course. It is one flesh and blood, and more like traveling together in the same boat—rather, they're allies."
"I do not know all those words, but yes, they are allies and companions. Very capable ones too."
"Exactly. As crew members who move the ship, I trust them completely. It's just that they might extract information…"
"Even if they do, it's fine."
"Huh? Really?"
"Just make Goslon Duchy an ally."
"I-I see…"
Indeed, the only problem was if information went to an 'enemy'.
There was no problem if it went to an ally.
Rather, it could even become a stronger force for keeping them in their own camp.
It could make them think, 'If we make a powerful presence like this our enemy, it will be a huge problem. Let's stay on their side'. Something like that.
Not a makeshift solution, but bringing the other country over wholesale.
A strategic solution in the largest sense.
"As expected of Abel… that's a solution on a grand scale."
"Is it?"
Ryo nodded in sincere admiration, and Abel looked a little embarrassed.
"Having more allies than enemies… from a big-picture perspective, that's wonderful too."
"The fewer enemies we make, the better."
While Ryo and Abel were having that conversation, the Skidbladnir sighted Banban Kingdom.
Three o'clock in the afternoon.
It would call at Ichiban Port on Ichiban Island.
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