Water Magician

Editor: Tseirp

A familiar face appeared at the front of the crowd where the two were watching.

With a body significantly smaller than theirs…

“Banhu, you came too?”

“Yes, Abel-sama. This is my first time experiencing an airship crash, after all…”

Banhu, a staff from the inn ‘Sogyokutei’… where the two were staying.

“My prediction of a pirate attack was off, but it was sky pirates that fell.”

“Sky pirates?”

“Yes. Like pirates, but in the sky.”

Banhu, who responded properly to Ryo’s words, would surely become a great merchant in the future… Ryo was convinced of that.

He was completely different from the former swordsman king next to him, who was looking at Ryo suspiciously!

“But Ryo-sama, I don’t think those are what you’d call pirates.”

“Huh? Banhu, do you know who they are?”

“Yes. That ship belongs to the neighboring Suje Kingdom. Moreover, the emblem of the ‘Burning Tree’ painted on it is the royal… no, the old royal family’s emblem. That ship is likely the royal family’s exclusive vessel.”

“A big shot indeed…”

Listening to Banhu’s explanation, Ryo crossed his arms and nodded proudly for some reason.

Abel, who couldn’t understand why Ryo was nodding so proudly, sighed softly.

Ryo noticed the sigh.

“Abel! If you have something to say, then out with it!”

“No, I was just thinking that such a big shot doesn’t concern us. That’s all, no other intentions.”

“Abel… that’s a flag.”

The Manyamya Administration.

There is no lord in the city of Manyamya, the third largest in the Komakyuta Principality.

Being a direct domain of the principality, an appointed administrator governs the city.

Usually, this administrator is not someone with no ties sent from the capital but someone from Manyamya who has also achieved results in the capital.

The current administrator, Remengesas, also comes from a well-known family in Manyamya, a family that has produced many influential figures in the navy and government.

Over sixty years old, he sees the position as the administrator of Manyamya as his final job.

Since it is also his hometown, he has dedicated his entire career to the role of administrator…

“Why did it have to fall in Manyamya…”

He repeatedly muttered and sighed.

Since receiving the report, he had lost count of how many times he had muttered that.

Of course, if it were an ordinary crash, there wouldn’t be a problem.

Though rare, it could be handled without issues.

Even if it were a ship from the neighboring Suje Kingdom, with whom they had fought numerous wars… some trouble would arise, but it would eventually be resolved without anyone getting hurt.

Even if it were a royal vessel… yeah, if it were six months ago, it wouldn’t have been such a problem.

But now…

Without knocking, Remengesas’ chief aide Nij entered the office.

Still in his late thirties, he was a man said to be the future leader of the country.

People like him, candidates for high-ranking positions, transfer every few years within the major cities of the kingdom to gain experience as administrators.

He was in his third year at Manyamya.

As the chief aide, he had been solving problems with Remengesas.

“Administrator. The people on board were as we feared.”

“As expected…”

Nij reported with a grim face.

Even though it was anticipated, Remengesas received the unpleasant news with the same grim expression.

“It’s the sixth princess of the old royal family, Princess Iliaja. She seeks asylum.”

“Yeah…”

Remengesas covered his face with both hands.

The neighboring country to the Komakyuta Principality, the Suje Kingdom.

Both the principality and the kingdom boast a long history, having fought wars large and small many times.

Both are maritime nations, known among the continental countries as ‘Suje of the East, Komakyuta of the West’.

Both are indispensable for trade in the archipelago.

Three months ago, a rebellion broke out in the Suje Kingdom.

It was led by Kabui Somar, the then First Sea Lord.

Supported by overwhelming military power centered around the navy, they took control of ninety percent of the kingdom, including the capital, within three days.

Most of the royal family members were captured, and it seemed the rebellion had succeeded.

However, one member of the royal family managed to escape.

The sixth princess, Iliaja. Just fifteen years old.

On the morning of the rebellion, she was urgently scheduled for an inspection trip to Tamako Province in the southern part of the kingdom.

It was quite demanding for a fifteen-year-old to conduct a domestic inspection.

But as a member of the royal family, she had different duties from commoners.

Just after arriving in Tamako Province on the royal family’s exclusive ship, Princess Iliaja and her party received reports of the rebellion led by First Sea Lord Kabui Somar.

However, there was nothing she could do.

Instead, it was the people around her who took action.

The governor of Tamako Province, the commander of the garrison in Tamako, and the Tamako magic army group, among others…

They resisted throughout Tamako Province with Princess Iliaja as their figurehead.

The rebellion, which quickly took control of ninety percent of the kingdom, faced difficulties in conquering Tamako.

Though not widely known, internal circumstances prevented the rebels from sending reinforcements to the southern Tamako Province.

As a result, resistance in Tamako Province continued for three months…

But recently, reports reached the city of Manyamya that the main force of the central navy had finally moved to subdue Tamako.

If the result was the escape of the princess and her party, it would mean that Tamako had fallen into the hands of the rebels.

“Tamako… it’s an interesting name.”

Ryo murmured, hearing Banhu’s explanation in the dining room of the ‘Sogyokutei’ inn.

Abel, listening beside him, didn’t fully comprehend Ryo’s comment but didn’t say anything and let it pass.

“They say all the former royal family members except for Princess Iliaja have been executed.”

“To go that far…”

Banhu said and Abel shook his head slightly as he spoke.

“Former royals can be a nuisance if used as figureheads for rebellions. Like the sixth princess. It’s not uncommon in history to exterminate them.”

“Even so…”

“As Machiavelli said: to rule a country that shares your language and customs, you must exterminate the previous ruling class. In this case, the ruler must pay attention to two points. First, to exterminate the bloodline of the former rulers. It’s a sad but necessary thing.”

“Conquest and rebellion seem different… but is it necessary? Wait, the first point is extermination, but what’s the second?”

“The second is not to interfere with the existing laws and tax systems. This is very important, so remember it, Abel.”

“Why should I?”

“I want you to remember it when you achieve your ambition of world conquest.”

“I’m not doing that.”

Banhu smiled as he listened to their conversation.

He probably thought Ryo was joking.

Abel seemed to think it was a joke, too.

…Of course, it was a joke.

Probably.

“By the way, Banhu, earlier at the port, you mentioned that the regular ship to the capital might be affected, right?”

Abel recalled.

“Yes, Abel-sama. The port will likely be closed for a while because of this incident. The regular ship will be affected too…”

Banhu’s voice trailed off.

He had noticed something outside the window, beyond the square.

Ryo and Abel followed his gaze.

“It looks quite serious over there beyond the square”

“Are those the city guards?”

Ryo and Abel wondered aloud.

“That building is the ‘Lovely Fountain Inn’. Like ours, it’s one of the most popular inns in Manyamya. The difference is that it’s larger. When a large fleet stays, they usually stay there…”

Banhu explained, tilting his head in confusion.

He couldn’t understand why the guards were in front of such an inn.

At that moment, a woman entered the dining hall.

She was the same woman who had been at the reception desk when Ryo and Abel were checking in.

She looked a little like Banhu, perhaps in her early twenties.

“Sister, what happened at the ‘Lovely Fountain Inn’?”

Banhu asked her.

“You know, the airship crashed, right? The princess and her entourage who were on it are supposed to be staying at the ‘Lovely Fountain Inn’. I heard there are nearly a hundred people.”

“So many…”

Hearing this conversation, Ryo and Abel exchanged glances.

“A hundred people. That’s fifty rooms if two people share each room.”

“Yeah, but… I don’t get what you’re getting at, Ryo.”

“Monitoring all fifty rooms must be quite a task…”

“There’s no helping it. They can’t very well stay at the castle or government offices.”

“Indeed… if there were spies among them, it would be a disaster. Confidential information could be stolen, sabotage could occur, or the top officials could be assassinated. That would be a huge problem.”

Typically, foreign envoys are not accommodated in government facilities.

In modern Japan, most state guests stay at the state guesthouse, but many U.S. Presidents stay at hotels like…

Hotel Okura, Imperial Hotel, or Palace Hotel Tokyo.

Knowing this, Ryo didn’t find it strange that the princess would stay at the inn across the street. However, having a hundred people suddenly arrive must be a challenge for the host.

“It’s a good thing we are at this inn, Abel.”

“Huh? Oh, you mean because we are not staying at the ‘Lovely Fountain Inn’.”

“Yeah. If we were there, it would have been quite a hassle.”

“Sure, having lots of guards around would be a hassle, but unless they kick us out, it should be fine, right?”

“What are you talking about! The food at the inn would be reduced!”

“Ah, I see… yeah. For you, Ryo, that would be a critical issue.”

Ryo pointed out sharply, and Abel sighed softly.

“How rude! Don’t make it sound like I’m some kind of starving magician. I’m different from a starving swordsman like you, Abel.”

“How am I a starving swordsman?”

“If you had a choice between a small piece of bread or a lot of delicious meat… for the same price. Which would you choose?”

“Of course, I’d choose a lot of delicious meat.”

“See, you’re a starving swordsman!”

“Come on, that’s too extreme!”

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