Chapter 722 : The Nation of Pishkan

Chapter 0722 The Nation of Pishkan

Translator: ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Jay_Forestieri

Editor: ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Tseirp

“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.

“<Ice Coffin>”

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.

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