Editor: Tseirp
“We’ve gathered quite a bit of information now.”
Ryo nodded with a satisfied expression.
“True, compared to when Prince Ryun first dropped by, we’ve come a long way.”
Abel agreed, nodding as well.
But for Ryo, he still wanted one final push.
“I want to get my hands on conclusive information.”
“What do you mean, ‘conclusive information’?”
“Information about Prince Kouri, the Second Prince, himself.”
“Well, that would definitely be best if we could get it, but… we can’t exactly charge in there. That’s going to be difficult, isn’t it?”At Abel’s words, Ryo’s eyes gleamed.
“Yes, exactly that!”
“Exactly what?”
“Abel, you’re going to launch a solo assault on Prince Kouri’s headquarters! Then we’ll see how they respond!”
“Uh-huh. We talked about that right after leaving the Censorate earlier, remember? And we concluded it was impossible, remember? Besides, if I did something like that, I’d get caught, and it would be a disaster.”
“The conditions have changed since then, it can’t be helped. Besides, sacrifices are inevitable when gathering valuable intelligence. Acceptable sacrifices, collateral damage, so to speak.”
“I don’t care about that ‘collateral’ whatever, it’s rejected.”
“Why?!”
“Because I care about my own life.”
Abel made it clear, declaring openly that it was for self-preservation.
Most people would say Ryo was in the wrong for making such a suggestion.
“To think you’d be so blatantly self-preserving! That doesn’t sound like the words of the great King Abel.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not ‘great’ or anything. Ryo, why don’t you demonstrate some self-sacrifice instead? You’re Duke Rondo, so they wouldn’t kill you so easily, would they?”
“You can’t know that for sure! They might think it’s a good opportunity and just finish me off…like, if they think I’d run to Prince Ryun anyway, they might want to eliminate the threat preemptively. They might think like that!”
“So you’re fully aware that charging in could get you captured and executed. Yet you still wanted me to do it…”
“Ah—! Abel has seen through me.”
Obtaining information by sacrificing your partner.
Even if it succeeded, it would interfere with everything thereafter.
It was not a sustainable approach and was best avoided…
“I will drop the idea of a direct strike on Prince Kouri.”
“Yeah, that’s for the best.”
Talk things through properly, and you can understand each other.
“Then the showdown is tomorrow.”
“Huh? Showdown?”
But apparently, if you don’t talk things through properly, there’s a lot you don’t understand.
The following day. Just before noon.
Ryo and Abel were visiting their neighbors.
“Sorry for dropping by unannounced, Princess.”
“Please, call me Shio.”
“Ah, then please call me Ryo as well.”
Like a scene from a foreign film, Ryo and Princess Shio Fen requested first-name terms.
“It’s been a while, Mifa.”
“Yes, Abel-sensei. It’s been a long time.”
This was a reunion between master and disciple.
Before long, it turned into a mock battle in the garden…
“Not just Abel, but even Mifa has turned into a muscle-head…”
Ryo’s comment was audible to Princess Shio Fen beside him, making her smile.
It wasn’t the people present who were flustered.
It was likely because the sound of clashing swords suddenly rang out from the training grounds behind the residence, that soldiers came running.
At their head was a tall woman clad in white armor.
It was Captain Bizis of the Princess’s Guard.
Originally, she had been the commander of the escort unit during Princess Shio Fen’s marriage arrangements, planning to return to Bosuntar once they reached Darwei.
She had intended to retire from her post and inherit her family’s household, but…
Saying “just a little longer, just a little longer”, she had continued to stay around the Princess as a guard.
Led by Captain Bizis, the soldiers burst into the garden and froze at the sight of Abel and Mifa’s sword fight.
It was far too high-level a match to be called a simple spar.
The only two who did not freeze and continued to watch…
Were Ryo and Princess Shio Fen.
“Mifa, you’ve been training diligently. Your sword seems more refined than before.”
“Yes. Every morning, noon, and evening on the ship, and every morning and evening since arriving in Darwei, she’s been practicing without fail. She even gets up before sunrise to train…”
“My word…”
“But compared to before…it looks like she’s enjoying herself when swinging her sword.”
“Oh-ho?”
Ryo was slightly surprised at Princess Shio Fen’s observation.
“Before, she was truly desperate. Of course, it was for my sake, and I was grateful for that… But ever since she began learning from Master Abel, I’ve seen her smiling as she practices.”
“That’s a good sign.”
Doing something desperately is not necessarily bad.
Some might even say it’s essential.
But there is nothing that surpasses the phrase, “Those who love something will excel at it”.
Ryo firmly believed that.
It’s the same with swordsmanship.
It’s not that being stoic is wrong.
If one can even come to love that stoicism, then there is no problem.
Otherwise…
It is extremely difficult to defeat someone who thinks of nothing else day and night.
If you love something, you will think about it twenty-four hours a day.
That’s normal.
And so, you naturally get better at it.
What those who teach must be most careful to consider—and, if possible, instill at the very beginning—is:
To make it enjoyable. To let them realize they love it.
It’s the same for studying, sports, or anything.
Of course, it is extremely difficult.
But it seemed Mifa truly enjoyed swinging her sword.
Which perhaps meant Abel had done well as her teacher.
Hearing this made Ryo genuinely happy.
“All right, let’s stop here.”
Abel declared the end of the sparring match.
“Thank you very much!”
Mifa bowed her head.
She was slightly out of breath but did not seem to have reached her limit.
Compared to when she first crossed swords with Abel, her stamina had clearly improved.
“Mifa, you’ve been working hard. As your master, I’m proud of you.”
“Y-yes!”
Abel praised the fruits of his disciple’s hard work with a smile.
And Mifa, having been praised, looked delighted.
Acknowledging effort and giving praise.
It was something very important.
“Um!”
At that moment, a voice called out from the edge of the garden.
It was Guard Captain Bizis.
“Please, grant me a bout as well!”
She addressed Abel with a very serious expression.
“Very well. Come at me!”
And so, Abel ended up engaging in continuous sparring for nearly an hour…
While watching this scene, Ryo and Princess Shio Fen conversed.
“Prince Ryun has gone to the imperial palace, hasn’t he?”
“Yes, I am sorry.”
“No, no, it’s my fault for dropping by unannounced.”
Ryo said this, smiling as he sipped his tea.
“Actually, yesterday, Prince Ryun asked me for my support.”
“Yes, I heard from Ryun-sama.”
Princess Shio Fen replied with a smile to Ryo’s smiling words.
“Of course, that was because, after becoming an Imperial Prince, he intends to aim for the Imperial Throne.”
“Yes.”
“Yesterday, I didn’t have the confidence—or rather, the sense of responsibility—to fully support Prince Ryun.”
“Responsibility?”
“Yes, responsibility to the people of Darwei.”
“I see.”
Princess Shio Fen nodded deeply at Ryo’s words.
A nation exists because of its people.
A king exists because of the people.
As the Third Princess who had seen national governance up close, Princess Shio Fen fully understood what Ryo was trying to say.
And she found it favorable.
This foreign nation’s Premier Duke before her truly understood the essence of a nation.
A legendary figure sung of by bards, yet one who never forgot to keep his eyes on the people…how reassuring it would be to have such a person by her husband’s side.
Even if something unfortunate were to happen and her husband were to stray, she felt this man would surely pull him back onto the right path…
“And so, yesterday, I spent half a day running around talking to various people.”
“Oh my.”
It would have been easy just to refuse, yet he had instead run around gathering information and seriously considered the proposal.
It made her feel not only happy but also somewhat apologetic…
Just then, the herald arrived.
“Prince Ryun has returned.”
“My apologies for keeping you waiting, Duke Rondo.”
“Not at all, Prince Ryun. Princess Shio Fen has graciously welcomed me.”
Ryo responded with a smile to Prince Ryun’s words.
The only people present were Prince Ryun, Ryo, Abel, and one other.
Standing at Prince Ryun’s right was Chief Attendant Lin Shun.
The eldest among Prince Ryun’s close aides, Lin Shun was always calm and collected, and Ryo held him in high regard.
“The reason I came today was to deliver my answer regarding your request yesterday. But before that, there is one thing I would like to ask.”
“…Please, go ahead.”
Ryo adopted a serious tone, and Prince Ryun straightened his posture.
“Prince Ryun, for what reason do you seek the Imperial Throne?”
“To build a good nation, so that the people may live happily.”
Prince Ryun responded immediately to Ryo’s question.
As if he had anticipated the question.
No, he had anticipated it.
Not from Ryo specifically, but in the sense that it was something he constantly asked himself.
How is Darwei now?
How should it be in the future?
Why, and for whom?
Because he had constantly thought about these things, he could answer immediately.
Ryo was satisfied with the answer and its swiftness.
After a brief moment of silence,
“I, Ryo Mihara, Duke of Rondo, will lend you my support, Prince Ryun.”
Ryo stated clearly and firmly.
In response, Prince Ryun’s eyes widened, and he was momentarily at a loss for words.
It was a full minute before he could finally speak.
“Thank you.”
He clasped his hands together in front of his chest and offered a bow in Darwei fashion.
“However, I will eventually return to the Central Countries, so my support will only be until then…is that acceptable?”
“Of course, I understand.”
Prince Ryun replied and glanced at Chief Attendant Lin Shun at his side.
Receiving his gaze, Lin Shun nodded as well.
Though Lin Shun’s expression rarely changed, even Ryo could see the smile on his face.
“Even so, I don’t really know what exactly I can do, or what I should do.”
“No, there is nothing in particular…nothing you need to actively do.”
Prince Ryun gave a clear answer to Ryo’s doubt.
“This is a battle for our own camp to fight. Duke Rondo, if the time comes and you can assist us, that will be more than enough. Furthermore, if you ever feel I am not worth helping, you may abandon me.”
In a sense, it was a harsh proposal.
“So, a sort of friendly neutrality…no, like a close neighbor, then.”
Ryo responded with a smile.
That made it clear enough for him.
…Which was, in truth, almost no different from how things had been until now.
“Yes. As a neighbor, I look forward to your continued support.”
“And I as well.”
Prince Ryun and Ryo exchanged smiles as they said this to each other.
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