Water Magician

Editor: Tseirp

“Wow, the last supper yesterday was incredibly delicious, wasn’t it?”

“I don’t quite understand why you called it the ‘last supper’…but yeah, it was definitely good.”

Both Ryo and Abel praised the dinner aboard the Lone Dark.

The dinner, prepared with the utmost care by head chef Susie and the other chefs of the Lone Dark, was a high-level meal.

Since it was their last dinner before landing, alcohol was also served, making for a lively meal with drinking and singing.

“The crew members, half of them, are staying at the same inn.”

“That’s what they said. Half of them, including the captain and officers, are staying on Diplomatic Island, right? That’s where the embassies are. Looks like they still have some work to do after we land.”

“Spies… intelligence work, no doubt. Like Marquis Heinlein. Oh, speaking of which, Kabui Somal does kind of resemble Marquis Heinlein, doesn’t he?”

“Now that you mention it, maybe. Neither of them seems to be bad at espionage or intrigue.”

Abel nodded in agreement with Ryo’s words.

Although Abel wasn’t skilled in that field, he understood the necessity of gathering intelligence to maintain a country.

“Espionage is a dirty job. That’s why only a gentleman can do it.”

Ryo said with a heavy tone.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Those are the words of a famous spy from the past. For Abel… it might be a bit too difficult.”

Ryo said, after giving Abel a mockingly exaggerated once-over, from head to toe.

“I admit it might be impossible for me, but it’s even more impossible for you, Ryo.”

“How rude! I am a gentleman, no matter how you look at me.”

“A true gentleman wouldn’t say they’re a gentleman.”

“Ugh… the spy has fallen into Abel’s trap…”

While they were having this conversation, the Lone Dark arrived at Kwebasa Freeport.

The immigration procedures for entering the Free City of Kwebasa were simple.

A port authority officer boarded the ship and cross-checked the names on the manifest with the crew one by one.

Of course, there were no photos or special identification methods, so it seemed easy to lie and get away with it.

Ryo and Abel, who had been listed as crew members, passed the immigration inspection without any issues.

“A dangerous swordsman like you got into the country without any problem. It’s no wonder saboteurs can easily enter too…”

“Hey, dangerous magician, did you say something?”

Ryo lamented the difficulties of border control, while Abel protested.

Despite their banter, the two put on their most dignified faces during the actual landing.

They appeared to be harmless—a swordsman and a magician.

However, it was only natural that the port authority officer did a double-take when they noticed a small cart made of ice trailing behind Ryo.

It was his usual spell.

This time, the refraction had been adjusted so that its contents were completely invisible.

By the way, the cart was carrying Ryo and Abel’s money…

Denari, the currency of Kwebasa, which had been exchanged for them by the Suje Kingdom.

“The inn prepared for the two of you is called ‘Freedom Breeze Inn’. Half of our crew will also be staying there. The officers are led by First Officer Lena. We’re heading to Diplomatic Island, so if you need to contact us, please speak with Lena.”

Captain Gorick said, before boarding a carriage to Diplomatic Island.

Ryo and Abel, along with fifty other crew members including First Officer Lena and Head Chef Susie, began walking toward the inn.

“Abel, the inn’s name is Freedom Breeze.”

“Come to think of it, didn’t you mention something yesterday about a wind of freedom blowing, or something like that?”

“You remembered! Indeed, in this city, the wind of freedom is blowing.”

“I still have no idea what that means.”

Abel, who hadn’t studied the history of liberalism on modern Earth, didn’t quite grasp the concept.

Ryo considered giving a five-hour lecture on the history and significance of liberalism but decided against it.

After all, Abel was a king.

A living embodiment of the absolute monarchy and the divine right of kings, which liberalism sought to transcend… trying to explain liberalism to him seemed pointless.

“It means you have the freedom to eat delicious food and make your own choices.”

“Now that’s easy to understand. I wholeheartedly agree.”

The ever-hungry swordsman Abel nodded happily.

No matter what ideology one holds, delicious food transcends everything!

If you want peace, feed people delicious food!

The inn, ‘Freedom Breeze Inn’, where the two of them and fifty others would be staying, was located close to the Freeport.

“I thought it would be big since fifty people are staying here, but…”

“It’s a two-story wooden building, but it’s enormous!”

The building was so large that its frontage alone seemed to stretch at least 100 meters.

“I’ve heard the Suje Kingdom invested in this place.”

“Yes, a few generations ago. The king’s sister invested in various places across the continent, including here.”

Lena and Head Chef Susie explained from behind as Ryo and Abel marveled at the inn.

“Crown Estate…”

Ryo muttered to himself, though no one heard him.

The ‘Freedom Breeze Inn’ had a grand yet elegant entrance.

Its exquisite balance of luxury and grace was completed by the flawless demeanor of the staff.

“In the Western Countries… I stayed at a marvelous inn in the Mafalda Republic, but this place seems just as splendid.”

Ryo recalled the ‘Doge Pietro’.

A place where both the facilities and the service were perfect. This place seemed to be just as excellent.

He could tell just from the way the staff moved.

All the procedures for the Lone Dark’s crew were carried out smoothly and without a hitch.

Every one of the fifty crew members.

No, with Ryo and Abel, it was fifty-two people, but the difference was so seamless it felt negligible…

“The service here is always amazing.”

Head Chef Susie said.

“Do you often stay here, Susie-san?”

Ryo asked.

The inn seemed quite expensive.

It felt like the kind of place that wouldn’t be easily accessible unless it was for ‘national business’ or if you were ‘guests of the state’, like Ryo and Abel…

“When I was young, my parents worked as chefs at the embassy here. They brought me to this inn a few times.”

“Hohooo.”

“The food here is fantastic. I heard the kingdom will cover your meal costs, so feel free to order whatever you want.”

“Oh! I can’t wait.”

Ryo said with a blooming smile, clearly delighted by Susie’s nostalgic and happy tone.

Deliciousness is justice!

Ryo and Abel entered their assigned room.

Which was much like a suite, with separate living and bedroom areas.

It was still before noon.

“The others seem to be in meetings.”

“Well, that’s work. We don’t have any, though…”

“Must be nice for you, Abel, being able to just relax without doing any work!”

“I could say the same about you.”

It seemed both Ryo and Abel were in enviable positions…

“We came to this free city to find a ship heading north across the continent.”

“Exactly. The Suje Kingdom’s embassy is also searching for one, but they probably have their work to handle, so we should do some searching ourselves. We have the funds for it, after all.”

Ryo glanced at the block of ice sitting in the corner of the room.

Though invisible from the outside, inside the ice was Denari currency.

Even if a thief broke in while they were gone, it would be safe.

This setup was secure, as the surface of the ice block was protected by a magic spell , which would freeze anyone who touched it.

Of course, there was a sign that said “Do Not Touch” on the ice, so the inn staff wouldn’t try to handle it….

“So… how am I supposed to take out money if I need it?”

Abel asked the obvious question.

“Abel, just walk up to the block and extend your hand.”

“Extend my hand?”

Abel did as instructed and held out his right hand toward the ice block.

Then… a part of the ice opened like a mouth, and a pouch of money emerged, settling into Abel’s hand.

“…Convenient, I guess.”

“Right?”

Abel praised with a subtle expression on his face, while Ryo looked smug and proud.

“Is this alchemy?”

“Hm? No, it’s my magic.”

“So, if you’re not around, I can’t get any money out?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Isn’t that… a little inconvenient?”

“It’s not like I’m holding your money hostage. You won’t be cut off from it if you ever mistreat me or anything like that. So it’s fine.”

“Yeah, I’m not feeling so fine about it right now.”

Even so, it was undeniably the safest method, and so Abel accepted the situation.

Adding,

“Well, if I run out of money, I’ll just have Ryo cover me.”

“Loans between friends are like poison—they destroy good relationships…”

Ryo muttered, shaking his head slightly.

Later, the two decided to take a walk through town.

“It’s nice that we could check into the inn so early in the day.”

“Hm?”

“In my hometown, most places don’t let you check in until the evening.”

In Japan, for instance, check-in times are usually around 3 p.m.

It’s rare to be able to enter in the morning like this.

As the staff uses the morning hours for cleaning and preparing rooms…

“It’s probably because we were originally supposed to arrive yesterday. I bet our rooms were ready by then.”

“Ah, I see. You’re pretty sharp, Abel!”

“R-really? It’s just common sense.”

Ryo praised Abel, and Abel blushed.

The king of the Knightley Kingdom wasn’t used to being praised.

While Ryo found it troubling when someone was surrounded by nothing but yes-men, he also thought that it wasn’t ideal for a king to be so unaccustomed to praise.

After all, as the nation’s leader, Abel needed to be able to discern between flattery and genuine praise.

This was something Ryo thought of as part of his duties as the kingdom’s premier duke.

“Ah, as expected of Abel! Former A-rank swordsman! The way you think is different—truly the King of Adventure! The people’s idol!”

“Yeah, now it just sounds fake.”

Ryo had overdone it.

He decided it was time for a change of subject.

Something had always piqued Ryo’s curiosity, so he asked.

“But Abel, weren’t you popular even when you were in Rune city? How come you’re not used to being praised?”

“What’s that supposed to mean? Just because you’re popular doesn’t mean you get praised all the time… praise usually comes from parents, superiors, or colleagues. People like that, right?”

“Ah, so you’re saying it usually comes from people of equal or higher status. That makes sense.”

Ryo nodded in agreement.

Compliments from subordinates or juniors… doesn’t feel quite the same.

Though, he did think that praise could come from anyone…

But for now, he was satisfied with successfully shifting the conversation.

Moreover…

“There’s a good aroma in the air.”

“Yeah. It’s coming from over there… maybe from the back alley?”

The two hungry adventurers had keen noses.

Drawn by the scent, they headed down the back alley.

Even though it was their first time in this town, that didn’t matter.

The pursuit of delicious food is a basic human instinct.

It wouldn’t have mattered even if the area was full of scary people.

After all, they had trained for this very moment!

Huh? That’s not the reason?

Well, let’s not get caught up in the details.

If we say that obtaining delicious food… is one of the reasons for their training, then it works.

Ryo thought to himself.

“Even if scary people show up, I can just offer Abel as a sacrifice, and we’ll be fine.”

“Hey, you’re saying your thoughts out loud.”

“Crap!”

It seemed the delicious aroma had loosened Ryo’s tongue.

The two continued down the alley until they reached a place no tourist would ever visit.

A shop clearly for locals only… though it wasn’t written anywhere, you could just feel it.

Of course, that didn’t matter to these two.

“This smell… it’s grilled meat.”

“Fish is good, but it’s been a while since I’ve had meat.”

They had been on a long voyage.

When they thought about it, they realized they hadn’t had much meat.

Susie, the ship’s head chef, was so skilled that they hadn’t even thought about it.

Her cooking was always amazing.

But now, the scent of grilled meat… was irresistible.

“Welcome!”

“For two.”

“Right this way, to that table.”

They were seated at a table.

Around them were only locals, regulars by the looks of it, but the stares from the other customers didn’t matter to the pair.

They were only there for one thing: good food.

The two began reading the menu.

“As expected! They have both beef and pork!”

“Ah, as expected of the continent. Wait a minute, how are we…”

“Yes! We can actually read the words! And we could talk to them earlier too!”

Abel and Ryo were trembling with a little bit of awe.

“That’s thanks to the grueling training we endured under Chief Engineer Gunno for over forty days.”

“No doubt, but I bet Gunno had it harder than we did.”

Chief engineer Gunno had taught them the Eastern language while also keeping up with his regular duties.

The two were deeply grateful to him.

“Beef and bell pepper stir-fried with spicy seasoning? Crushed meat and fermented soybeans stir-fry? Rice with sweet and spicy sauce?”

“Wheat noodles in a broth with Tonton pork? Stir-fried noodles with lots of spicy toppings? Let’s just go with that.”

“Thank you very much!”

With that, Ryo and Abel completed the big task of ordering.

There was a sense of satisfaction on their faces.

Truly.

That much was clear.

But…

“We could read it, but honestly, I have no idea what any of it means…”

“Yeah, no clue what kind of dishes are coming.”

Well, some things can’t be helped.

The world of food is vast and deep.

Just being able to read the menu doesn’t mean you understand it all!

But the two weren’t trembling with fear or uncertainty.

Because they still remembered the smell of that meat from outside the shop.

It was exquisite.

It was divine.

It was… utterly convincing.

‘This place will be good’, they felt, beyond any doubt.

Five minutes later.

Their food arrived.

And their hunch was confirmed.

“Ah, just from the smell, I can already tell.”

“Yeah, this looks great.”

But as the food was laid before them, Ryo noticed something odd.

“I get the spoon and fork, but what are these two sticks… chopsticks?”

Ryo was the only one surprised.

The ever-hungry swordsman Abel had already started eating with a fork.

“Delicious!”

That single word from Abel erased all of Ryo’s surprise.

Chopsticks didn’t matter.

Well, he would use them, of course.

“Mmm, this is really good!”

“See? No matter where you go, good food is always out there.”

“True. I must admit, Abel, you were right.”

“Yep, it’s good if you understand. That’s all that matters.”

Smiling brightly, the two dug in with enthusiasm.

Their hearty eating brought a smile to the regular customers as well.

Seeing unfamiliar guests come in… yet watching them enjoy the food they always ate… it brought joy to the locals too.

At least, no one seemed upset about it.

This place, ‘Happy Eats’, was a restaurant that brought happiness to everyone through food.

“I think I ate too much.”

“Well, Ryo, you did ask for a second helping of the spicy fried rice.”

“And Abel, didn’t you overdo it with that extra serving of noodles? You look just as full as I am.”

“…I won’t deny it.”

The two formerly hungry adventurers had successfully upgraded to full-bellied adventurers.

Being full makes people happy. And it makes them kind.

At this moment, the two were at peace with the world.

Perhaps they had transcended beyond mere fullness and glimpsed a new realm of creation.

“Abel…walking is a bit…”

“Don’t say it. Let’s find somewhere to rest.”

Yes, fullness brings happiness, but be careful not to overeat.

The two wandered into a cafe facing the town square… more like a tea house.

They ordered some green tea.

“This is refreshing, isn’t it?”

“Calling green tea ‘refreshing’ is a new one. Speaking of which, don’t the central countries usually drink black tea?”

“Yeah… tea made from fermented leaves. Lately, coffee has been gaining popularity though.”

Abel answered, but then his gaze shifted.

Noticing, Ryo followed Abel’s line of sight.

“Captain Gorik?”

“Yeah. And the two behind him are crewmembers from the Lone Dark.”

“Are they on a spy mission? But isn’t espionage a bit much for sailors?”

“It’s difficult for them, probably. They’re likely just a distraction… some kind of diversion.”

“Ah, I see. So while the Lone Dark crew draws attention, the real experts move in the background.”

“Exactly. It looks like they’ve got their hands full.”

“But not as full as us.”

“Yeah, our troubles are… totally self-inflicted.”

Watching the sailors engaged in espionage, the now-full swordsman and magician let their guilt and satisfaction wash down with the green tea they sipped…

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