Chapter 728 : Raid

Chapter 0728 Raid

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

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

The ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Skidbladnir had departed the Banban Kingdom and, for a week now, continued its peaceful voyage.

“Peace ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍is wonderful, isn’t it?”

“Absolutely, ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍I agree.”

Both Ryo and Abel were people of the Knightley Kingdom who loved peace.

“This peace has been made possible by the sea monster repellent. And that, in turn, is nothing less than the greatness of alchemy.”

“Yeah, I won’t deny that.”

“I think our kingdom should foster even more alchemists.”

“Don’t we already foster enough of them?”

Ryo made his suggestion, and Abel tilted his head, as if to say that they were already doing plenty.

In fact, the Royal Alchemy Workshop’s budget was exceptionally abundant.

Since Abel became king and the liberation war ended, it had been granted a budget incomparable to what it had before.

Naturally, the Royal Alchemy Workshop was producing results worthy of that budget.

“About Kenneth and the others, yes, that’s true of the Royal Alchemy Workshop. They’re producing results worthy of it, too. But there are other alchemists as well.”

Ryo said this clearly.

Up to that point, it was a perfectly reasonable suggestion.

It could even be called a direct remark to the king, worthy of a premier duke.

But after saying it, he spread both arms wide and moved his body up and down, trying to make himself as conspicuous as possible within Abel’s field of vision.

Yes, as if to say, “Look, the person you should be talking about is right here”.

“Ryo is... a junior researcher at the Royal Alchemy Workshop, right?”

“Huh...? Y-yes, I am.”

“Then you’re one of the people covered by the budget for the Royal Alchemy Workshop.”

“Well, that’s... no, but I don’t really use much of the Royal Alchemy Workshop’s money...”

“You eat meals in the Royal Alchemy Workshop’s cafeteria, don’t you?”

“Well, when I’m holed up in the workshop doing research...”

“That’s enough. Give up.”

Abel said it flatly.

The Royal Alchemy Workshop had a dining hall for the people working there.

Of course, not only alchemists, but also guards and cleaning staff could use it, for example.

They could all use that dining hall for free.

After the liberation war, Ryo had been registered as a junior researcher at the Royal Alchemy Workshop.

Because of that, he was free to use the workshop’s facilities.

Of course, all of that was only because he had kept producing results.

The ‘Long-Range Diffusion Mercy of the Goddess’, deployed in the battle against the Djinn Garwin, was one such example.

As a junior researcher, a room for sleeping had also been prepared for him.

In principle, the alchemists of the Royal Alchemy Workshop had private rooms inside the workshop, and moved back and forth between those and their research rooms... yes, their lives were entirely self-contained within the workshop.

A place where they never had to think about anything other than research.

A place where they could immerse themselves completely in research.

That was an alchemist of the Royal Alchemy Workshop.

Ryo thought it only natural that alchemists from across the kingdom would aspire to it.

All they had to do was research... the country would provide everything else.

For someone who truly threw themselves into research, it was a dream environment.

If they did not think so?

Then perhaps they were not suited to being a researcher...

Perhaps they would be better off aiming for something else...

Still, in the end, there was no way to know until you tried.

Human life was never quite so simple.

Ryo, told to give up by the king responsible for the national budget, sank into gloom.

He fell deep into thought, trying to devise a new strategy.

Then a woman approached the two of them.

“Reporting, Your Majesty.”

It was Captain Paulina.

“We will soon be entering the ‘archipelago’ region.”

“Understood.”

Abel nodded at Paulina’s report.

Abel seemed to understand, but Ryo, listening beside him, did not.

“Archipelago?”

“It does not form anything quite large enough to be called a country, but it is a sea area with several dozen islands. Most of them appear to be uninhabited islands, though some are inhabited.”

“There’s a pretty large island to the north, and that’s supposed to have a country on it, right?”

“Yes. I only heard that from people in the ‘archipelago,’ so I do not know the distance or the country’s scale. So this time, we will not stop there and will head west instead.”

“Yeah, there’s no problem with that proposal. It’s not as though we must stop at every country. Reaching the Western Countries is our top priority.”

Abel’s thinking was clear.

By making it clear, everyone around him would not be left confused.

In any organization, regardless of size, those at the top must make priorities clear.

That was so their subordinates would not be left wavering.

Spending time on that sort of uncertainty would be a tremendous waste.

That time should be spent wavering over, and solving, more essential problems.

Abel had learned that during his time as the second prince.

If his late elder brother, Caindish, had inherited the throne, Abel had been slated to become supreme commander of the kingdom’s army.

As someone who would lead an organization.

He had thoroughly learned what not to do.

Especially on the battlefield, where a single order from a commander could cost many lives.

Thirty minutes after Abel received Paulina’s report.

Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang...

Bells rang out across the deck.

Ryo and Abel raised their heads from the books and reports they had been reading.

Both of them immediately understood what was happening.

The last time those bells had rung like this was outside the Banban Kingdom’s harbor.

It had been when a ship was approaching.

This time, too, most likely...

“Lookout! How many ships are there!”

“Five ships, Captain! ”

In response to Paulina’s sharp question, the lookout crew member shouted back from atop the mast.

Looking out beyond the ship, they could see vessels emerging from behind several islands.

Even without a spyglass, one could roughly tell their size.

“They’re smaller than the Skidbladnir, but...”

“They’re not small boats.”

“It feels like they’ve been modified from fairly large fishing boats.”

“But they don’t look like they’re out fishing.”

Ryo and Abel voiced their impressions as they watched the ships bearing down on them.

“The sea monster repellent keeps the sea monsters away, but...”

“Sea pirates are not affected by sea monster repellent.”

Yes, the threat at sea was not limited to monsters.

“Your Majesty, if you permit it, I would like to intercept them.”

“Intercept? That’s fine, but... wouldn’t it be easier to just outrun them?”

Abel tilted his head at Paulina’s words.

The Skidbladnir was quite fast.

The five ships closing in were not slow, but they should be easy enough to leave behind.

But...

“It will also be useful for future operations, and for gathering information.”

“Hmm.”

Hearing the exchange between the two, Ryo cut in.

“Um, if I help, I think we could get through this without a scratch...”

Yes, Ryo’s magic was powerful.

However, Captain Paulina...

“Thank you, Your Grace. However, if possible, we would like to handle this ourselves.”

“You mean you do not want the Royal Knights to get involved either.”

At Paulina’s words, Abel must have understood as well, and confirmed it.

“This time, Your Majesty and Your Grace are here with us, but you will not be here for future trial voyages. However, there is a high likelihood that we will have to pass through these archipelago waters. I would like to show you that we can handle it ourselves... that the Skidbladnir’s crew alone can resolve the situation safely and without trouble.”

“I see.”

“We’re the safety net...”

Paulina explained, Abel nodded, and Ryo murmured.

For this voyage, with the two of them and the knights present, even if something unexpected happened, it would still be fine.

With that kind of safety net in place, they would confirm the strength of the Skidbladnir’s crew.

They wanted their employer to see it.

That was what this was about.

“Understood. I’ll leave everything to you, captain. Me, Ryo, and the Royal Knights... and Merlin-dono and Coffin-dono as well, will watch from the deck.”

Abel gave his permission, and Paulina bowed deeply.

Abel informed the Royal Knights and Merlin, and even as he did so, preparations continued on the deck.

“Hey, Ryo.”

“What is it, Abel?”

“There’s something I’ve always wondered...”

“That’s unusual.”

“Why doesn’t this ship have any propulsion-type alchemy tool?”

“A propulsion-type alchemy tool?”

“You know, the ships in the Eastern Countries and the Archipelago Region had them, didn’t they? Some kind of mechanism?”

“Oh, the Wind Engine!”

Ryo remembered too.

Ships in the Eastern Countries and the Archipelago Region had such alchemy tools.

They were remarkable things that allowed a ship to keep moving even directly into a headwind.

But the Skidbladnir did not have one.

Ryo knew that because he had seen the design documents in the Republic. It had not been included.

No, to be precise, there had originally been a plan to install a ‘wind-attribute magic-based alchemy tool’.

Or rather, it would be more accurate to say that it had been possible as an option.

Neil Andersen’s design documents had carried a caveat.

“You may install it, but if sailing into the wind, it is only expected to improve speed by three to four percent. And in doing so, some functions will become unusable.”

Unusable functions... and because of that, it ultimately had not been installed.

“That is because of the mana stones used for the sea monster repellent.”

“Mana stones for sea monster repellent?”

“I mentioned before that, for the sea monster repellent on this ship and others in the Western Countries, a magic formula had been developed.”

“Yeah, I remember. And the one on the Skidbladnir is an improved magic formula, too.”

“To put it simply, because that magic formula is so powerful, no propulsion-type alchemy tool has been installed.”

“Hm? Sorry, I don’t really follow.”

In situations like this, Abel would honestly say he did not understand.

He would not pretend to understand.

“First... if you have two or more mana stones, they interfere with one another and do not function properly.”

“Ah, I’ve heard that before. Something about whether a golem can have multiple mana stones installed. I think Kenneth mentioned it.”

“Yes, yes. That is especially true for golems. What is amazing about the artificial golems made by Frank de Verde of the Union is precisely that. They have five mana stones installed, and they are arranged so they do not cause any strange interference... to be honest, I still cannot understand it.”

“Kenneth said the same thing with a wry smile...”

Frank de Verde’s artificial golem, to which he had devoted his life, was still not fully understood even by Kenneth Hayward, the genius alchemist.

“Well, that’s how it is. In principle, a single mana stone is best. And for the Skidbladnir, a mana stone is always running so that sea monsters do not approach.”

“I see. Indeed, in that state, even if a propulsion-type alchemy tool were installed, it would interfere with that mana stone and not work properly.”

“That’s right.”

Ryo nodded at Abel’s understanding.

Of course, the ships in the Eastern Countries and the Archipelago Region also had sea monster repellent installed.

However, it was very weak, and in fact, they switched it with the ‘Wind Engine’, with one mana stone supplying power to both.

That was why its sea monster repelling ability was not very strong... in fact, they had even been attacked by a kraken.

“As for the sea between the Western Countries and the Dark Continent, shipping-related trading companies have detailed information. Especially regarding the flow of wind and the tides. For the people of the Western Countries, when they ‘travel far by ship’, their destination is the Dark Continent, after all. When considering everything as a whole, perhaps something like the Wind Engine is unnecessary.”

“I see. But if, from here on, routes across this sea are opened... like a route connecting the western countries and the kingdom...”

“Yes, a ship equipped with something like the Eastern Countries’ Wind Engine might appear. In a form that can be switched with sea monster repellent. Or perhaps by building a new method that can run both at the same time.”

Ryo nodded happily.

New inventions were coming.

Even just watching that was exciting.

And if it was something related to alchemy that he himself was involved in... it went beyond excitement and started making him fidget.

“Maritime technology in the Central Countries is surely going to develop even further.”

“Yeah, I’m looking forward to it.”

Ryo and Abel let their thoughts wander to the age of great voyages that seemed about to begin.