Chapter 0676 Visit to the Grand Duchy of Atinjo I
Translator: Jay_Forestieri
Editor: Tseirp
The following day.
The Tenth Ship entered the port town of Hoi An in the Grand Duchy of Atinjo.
This ti, through official diplomatic channels from Darwei, notice had already been given of the Tenth Ship’s port call and the visit of Ryo, the Duke of Rondo.
Because of that, everything proceeded smoothly.
“Captain La Wu, everyone, thank you very much.”
After disembarking, Ryo bowed politely at the port.
Abel did the sa, of course.
Their two beloved horses let out soft snorts as well.
Surely, they too were expressing their gratitude.
“No, Duke Rondo, please raise your head.”
The one who spoke in flustered haste was Captain La Wu.
Even the Emperor held Duke Rondo in high regard—being bowed to so deeply naturally made him uneasy.
“Though your journey will likely continue, all of us aboard the Tenth Ship pray for your safe return ho.”
As Captain La Wu said this, the lined-up crew mbers also bowed deeply.
The Tenth Ship would return to Darwei, but the journey of Ryo, Abel, and their two horses was far from over.
From the port town of Hoi An to the Grand Duchy’s capital, Cam Pho, they would travel together with a welcoming party.
It seed that the party had already arrived.
“We have been awaiting your arrival. Duke Rondo, and Abel-dono.”
The one who greeted them was a familiar face.
“It’s been a while, Zlurma-san.”
Ryo said with a friendly smile.
Zlurma was soone with whom the two had a history dating back to their ti in the Free City of Kwebasa.
More precisely, among those of the Grand Duchy of Atinjo, he was one of the individuals most closely connected to them.
For that reason, he had been chosen as the leader of this welcoming party.
Looking over the group, Abel muttered:
“Aren’t there too many soldiers?”
“Now that you ntion it...”
Ryo nodded.
There were perhaps a hundred cavalry and a thousand infantry.
Sure, they were receiving important figures from a foreign nation— and those figures were carrying a sword passed down through the royal family.
There could be no room for error.
That much was true.
But even so...
“For dostic travel, and from a major port to the capital— it should be a road with plenty of traffic, right?”
“Exactly. When we transported Duke Helb’s ice coffin before, we also went from this port to the capital, and there were lots of people along the way.”
Abel and Ryo spoke in hushed voices.
Behind Andalusia and Feiwan, the two horses they rode, the usual ice followed along.
“Hey... what’s in that again? Books and gold, right?”
“Yes. Bags filled with various books we received, and money given to us in Darwei. Within Darwei, we can withdraw money using our ‘bank’ cards, but for tis like this—outside the country—we’re carrying cash.”
With the two of them, their horses, and the at the center, the group began moving.
“It took two days from here to the capital, right?”
“Yes. Last ti it took two days.”
Ryo nodded at Abel’s question.
This ti as well, their speed would not differ much.
Though so—including Ryo and Abel—were mounted, most of the group consisted of infantry, so their pace could not be considered fast.
“Hmm.”
“What is it?”
Not long after leaving Hoi An, Ryo tilted his head, prompting Abel to ask.
“We’re being watched... but the number...”
“Is it a lot?”
“About fifty in total...”
“...What?”
Abel let out a bewildered cry at Ryo’s answer.
And rightly so.
Fifty people conducting surveillance was absurd.
Far too many.
If there are many watchers, it does reduce the chance of the target escaping.
But it also greatly increases the chance of being noticed.
To begin with, the target being watched was this welcoming party—there was no possibility of them escaping.
Unless sothing extraordinary happened, it would be impossible to lose track of a thousand people.
In that case, the number of watchers should be reduced.
No—reducing them would be the only logical choice.
And yet, fifty?
“Are you sure you didn’t miscount?”
Of course, Abel knew well the accuracy of Ryo’s detection ability.
His so-called ‘sonar’.
But even so... fifty was hard to believe.
“I’m certain there are around fifty. However, judging by their movents... so of them might be protecting this group from the shadows.”
“Ah, I see.”
Not just the thousand visible guards, but people protecting the group from the shadows... like ninjas in old Japan, perhaps.
Like how Sukesaku guards the Lord of Mito openly, while Yashichi protects him unseen...
“With such tight security, that’s reassuring.”
“Indeed. I don’t want Andalusia to go through anything frightening.”
As Ryo said that, Andalusia let out a gentle, pleased sound.
Ryo responded by stroking her head.
“Well, taking good care of your horse is a fine thing.”
At Abel’s remark, Feiwan also gave a small cry.
Just before three in the afternoon that day, the welcoming party entered a town.
“When we transported Duke Helb before, we passed through this town without stopping, didn’t we?”
“We did. We went a bit farther before making camp for the night.”
“It’s still only three. We could keep going if we wanted...”
“Are we stopping because of possible attacks?”
Their conversation was exchanged in extrely low voices.
They were surrounded on all sides by Atinjo cavalry.
“But why would anyone attack this group? The only valuable thing here is that sword Ryo is returning, right?”
As Abel said this, he glanced at the sword tied to Andalusia’s saddle.
“The Holy Sword Tatien, was it? It must be valuable, yes... but transporting it wasn’t ntioned through diplomatic channels in the first place.”
“Really?”
“Yes. It should have been phrased as ‘Abel and I will be bringing sothing to return’. So even if information leaked along the way, the sword itself shouldn’t have been ntioned.”
“That just makes it even harder to understand...”
Abel looked even more perplexed after Ryo’s explanation.
“If it’s so kind of anti-governnt group, they might attack without thinking too much—just to damage the governnt’s authority.”
“Well... I suppose that’s possible.”
If important figures from a foreign country were attacked within the nation, it would damage the governnt’s prestige.
Other countries might see it as a sign of weak governance.
Or the citizens themselves might think so.
Either way, it would not be good for the governnt.
“Maintaining public order is tough.”
“Yeah, it really is. You never know when or where an attack might co from.”
“Thinking about it that way, the Kingdom of Knightley—where you can travel safely within the country—is truly a remarkable nation.”
“I agree. We should be grateful to those who work tirelessly to maintain order every day.”
Neither Ryo nor Abel was an idealist.
They understood that in this world, there were people who committed acts of destruction for reasons incomprehensible to outsiders.
Those individuals might have sothing they absolutely refuse to compromise on... but to everyone else, they were nothing but a nuisance.
They didn’t want to be caught up in such things, nor did they want anyone important to them to be hurt because of it.
“I just hope they find happiness sowhere that has nothing to do with us.”
“Yeah.”
Ryo said this with a small shake of his head, and Abel agreed with a wry smile.
That evening, during dinner.
The inn had been fully reserved by the welcoming party, with no other guests present.
Zlurma sat across from the two of them.
“As you’ve likely noticed, the security situation is not very good.”
“So it seems,”
Abel nodded.
Ryo said nothing.
It was definitely not because he was happily eating a pineapple-like dessert refill.
Absolutely not!
“Is it fallout from Kwebasa’s independence, or the power struggle within the Ghegish-Lu Federation?”
Abel proposed a plausible hypothesis.
“No. This is an issue within the Grand Duchy itself.”
“Great nobles?”
“Yes.”
Zlurma nodded plainly.
“The recently enthroned Grand Duke Bash... he was urged by the previous Grand Duke to ascend imdiately, correct? That’s why the coronation was held so quickly. Is this related?”
“Exactly. In fact, because Bash-sama ascended imdiately and has the full support of the national army, things have been contained to this extent. If it had been delayed, our country might have split in two.”
Zlurma explained in response to Abel’s words.
“But Duke Helb’s ice has lted now, right? If he appears publicly, wouldn’t everything settle down?”
Ryo interjected after finishing his dessert refill.
“Yes. It is precisely because His Excellency has awakened that the enemy seems to have made their final gamble.”
“Ah...”
“Furthermore, although he has awakened, he is still unable to rise.”
“Is that due to being possessed by the Phantom King?”
“That appears to be the case. He is recovering day by day, but...”
Zlurma grimaced, clearly frustrated.
“In that case, if this group were to be attacked...”
“To undermine Bash-dono and the governnt’s authority,”
Ryo and Abel nodded in agreent.
However, Zlurma’s expression darkened.
“Zlurma-san?”
“Ah, my apologies. That may not be the only possibility.”
“Sorry?”
“As I am the one in charge... they may be targeting my life as well.”
“What?”
They were unable to get any further answers from Zlurma, and dinner ca to an end.
“It seems Zlurma-san has his own complications,”
“When your position rises, so do the problems.”
“Ugh, Abel is flaunting his status as a king!”
“That’s not what I ant.”
Ryo spoke in mock frustration, while Abel gave a wry smile.
And then, in the dead of night—
The inn was engulfed in flas.
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