Chapter 144: A Companion in Traveling

Chapter 144: A Companion in Traveling

Interlude, On the way back to Rune

Three weeks after the chaos in the Royal Capital.

The Royal Capital had finally regained its calm and was slowly on its path to recovery.

Two adventurers were walking on the Third Highway leading from the Royal Capital to the south.

The common combination of a Swordsman and a Magician.

Sera and the other Crimson Swords apart from Abel returned to the City of Rune with the Knights of Rune material transfer team.

Sera was reluctant to return at first but in the end, was convinced by Ryo that he would return soon.

It was Priest Rihya who was not convinced ... but because an urgent request from the Temple of Rune came to Rihya through the Royal Capital Sanctum, she had no choice but to return with the material transfer team in tears.

Abel was called by his brother, the Crown Prince, and had a lot of work to do so he couldn’t return ...

Even if she was with the Knights of Rune, they felt uneasy letting Rihya return on her own so Rin and Warren also returned to the City of Rune as Rihya’s escort.

Rihya forced Abel to promise to 『Return with Ryo』.

She felt that most problems could be solved if Ryo was with him.

Thus, a week after the party left, Abel and Ryo were finally leaving the Royal Capital and returning to the City of Rune.

“All things considered ... why didn’t it happen in the Royal Capital ...”

“......Ha?”

Ryo’s mutter was heard by Abel walking next to him.

And Abel was stunned.

From Abel’s reaction, Ryo realized that his mutter was louder than he had expected.

“No, just so you don’t misunderstand, I was referring to the lack of story-like developments like Fighting Tournaments or Schooling Arc which are the trademark developments for light novels, right?”

“Yeah, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Ryo explained it clearly but Abel couldn’t understand it at all.

“You see, usually, when it comes to the Royal Capital Arc, there would be times where you can jump on the chance to participate in a fighting tournament and become successful, or when you enter a school and everyone praises you ‘Ryo-san is strong~’. But that didn’t happen this time in the Royal Capital.”

“Oh, yeah ... Ryo sometimes says things that I don’t understand. No, not sometimes, all the time!”

“So harsh......”

Ryo pretended to be hurt by Abel’s rant.

“This is the scene of a hurt Ryo.”

“Somehow, I feel like I’m the bad guy here ...”

“Abel, don’t mind it~”

“No, it’s your fault!”

Before he knew it, Ryo switched positions to encourage the person he falsely accused and Abel snapped back.

“Haaa ... I mean, there’s never been a fighting tournament held in the Royal Capital. At least, not for the last 100 years.”

“Eh......”

“Speaking of fighting competitions, the one in the Imperial Capital is famous.”

Abel told a terrifying fact, Ryo fell into despair, and Abel illuminated a new hope once more.

“Debuhi Empire!”

“They hold it once every four or five years. I think it is somewhat like a commemoration tournament that which adventurers from other countries can also participate.”

“I see, and it’s coming soon, right!?”

“Nope, it was just held last year, so it won’t be held for a while.”

Ryo bet on a slim hope and Abel denied him head-on.

Ryo was depressed.

“What misfortune ...”

“You mentioned school but Ryo is already an adult? I don’t think you can enroll in school.”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s the default to enter school and be told that you’re strong~ or that’s impossible~!”

“Hmm, yeah, I don’t understand you after all.”

Abel shook him away with one hand.

Ryo was dejected because of his excessive response...

“By the way, Ryo, didn’t you hang out with Kenneth for the last week or so?”

Ignoring the dejected Ryo, Abel asked.

“Yes. I was taught from the basics of alchemy to the inner mysteries of it. We also made an incredible potion together. With this, I am also a full-fledged member of Alchemy!”

Ryo returned to normal in an instant and emphasized his achievements under Baron Kenneth Hayward, the genius Alchemist.

“Isn’t it impossible to reach the inner mysteries of a field in just a week?”

However, Abel denied Ryo’s achievements without hesitation.

If a third party was listening, they would fully agree with Abel’s opinion too.

“Well, maybe inner mysteries were an overstatement, but I have become an advanced user!”

“Isn’t that impossible too?”

“Impossible impossible impossible ... is Abel only capable of denying? You can’t nurture a disciple that way.”

“I don’t have disciples ... I don’t think Ryo does either, sheesh.”

When Abel said that, Ryo grinned.

“Abel ... your information is outdated! I already have five disciples!”

“Im-impossible ...”

Abel was stunned to hear Ryo say with pride.

Obviously. The fact that Ryo could have disciples was unbelievable.

“There were five children who were apprentice merchants in the Inbury Duchy ... and His Royal Highness Prince Willy. Oops, there were six instead of five. Huhuhu.”

Abel didn’t know why but he felt very irritated when he saw Ryo looking so proud of it.

“Are they ... magic disciples?”

“Of course. I’m a Magician. What were you thinking?”

“Magic ... Swordsmen?”

“Magic Swordsmen!? That sounds cool! Abel has good sense! I might start calling myself Magic Swordsman Ryo from now on.”

Abel called it something suitable and Ryo got hooked.

“Haa, but there’s the saying that he who chases after two rabbits will get none. I’ll focus on just magic after all ... I’ll give up on the path of the sword.”

“Yeah, I think you’re already pretty advanced on the path of the sword.”

“I won’t fall into your trap! You’ll let me do both and when I can’t master either, you would say ‘You’re in this state now because you got carried away.’ with a condescending attitude, right? Abel is so terrible.”

Abel pointed out that Ryo’s expression was a little off.

“Well, you know, it’s better they come and we defeat them than to wait without knowing when they would act. After all, it’s no good to attack just because they are watching us and they might be thieves ... right?”

“Yeah, of course.”

Day 4. On the South Highway.

“Here they come!”

Ryo whispered to Abel.

“What do we do?”

“Let’s just continue walking. It will take about five minutes before they reach. They are coming from all directions to surround us.”

“All directions ... how many people are there ...”

Abel said with a frown.

Ryo counted the number of people with <Passive Sonar>.

“Twenty people.”

“For thieves, that’s a pretty big gang.”

“I’ll secretly put on ice armor. <Ice Armor 2>”

When Ryo chanted, invisible ice armor was created on the surface of Abel and Ryo’s clothes.

“Numbers is power. Even though they are thieves, we might be injured if they push through with numbers.”

“Ryo is properly cautious in these situations.”

Abel said impressed.

“The great assassin and alchemist was also taken by surprise with numbers. I don’t want Abel to suffer from that.”

“I’m surprised you know an assassin, and an alchemist to boot.”

“People have history. I’ll tell Abel someday.”

Ryo, of course, was thinking about Hassan, the leader of the Order of Assassins.

Five minutes later.

After surrounding Abel and Ryo, three men appeared. The rest seemed to remain surrounding them from a distance.

“You’re finally out. It’s been a long time since Deopham. Good work.”

Abel provoked them.

What did he provoke them? There was no particular reason for it.

“So you noticed it after all?”

The man in the center replied.

He looked overbearing with his skinhead, but it felt like he was the intelligent one among the people surrounding them ... Ryo thought so.

“We have already surrounded you. It is useless to resist.”

The skinhead guy went on to say.

“Well, leaving aside whether it’s useless or not. What’s your purpose? I couldn’t think of a reason the entire time. Can you tell me?”

Abel replied normally.

He phrased it as though he just wanted information.

“What we want is the sword you have on your waist.”

“What?”

Abel instinctively looked at the sword he had on his waist in response to the surprising answer from the skinhead man.

“Is that a magic sword?”

The skinhead guy affirmed.

“No, you’re mistaken.”

“No way in hell we are.”

When Abel denied it, the man with undercut hair next to the skinhead barked.

The man with undercut hair didn’t give off the feeling of intelligence ... Ryo thought to himself.

“Well, I know it’s a magic sword, and I definitely want it. Of course, we can take it by force, but if you’re willing to negotiate, we can exchange it for gold, jewels, and more. How about it?”

A skinhead man suggested while controlling the undercut hair man with one hand.

“Not for sale.”

Abel denied it with a word.

“We’ll take out something that is not for sale too.”

The skinhead guy made further suggestions.

As expected, when he said that, they were interested.

Something not for sale?

Where were they keeping it, including the gold and gems?

Did they have a sponsor or were conducting negotiations on behalf of someone?

If so, who was backing them?

Both Ryo and Abel had such doubts.

Causing them to harbor those questions may be one of their negotiation techniques, but ... they couldn’t help to feel curious about it.

“Ryo, what do you think?”

“I’m kind of curious. I think they want to take us somewhere.”

The conversation between Abel and Ryo happened as very soft whispers.

“Honestly, I still don’t intend to sell it, but it’s also true that I’m interested in the ‘not for sale’ item that you want to bring out. What’s the plan now?”

Abel told the skinhead guy.

Everything he said was true.

When telling the facts, one’s persuasive power increases.

The reason is unknown.

Probably various factors are intertwined ...

If you want to persuade the other party or make the other party believe in you, it is best to tell the facts.

“Then I’ll take you to our village. There I’ll be able to answer your questions. Follow me.”

Then the skinhead guy started walking.

Ryo and Abel looked at each other, but neither thought of an option other than to follow.

Both of them followed the man.