Chapter 734 ·Vamos Island

Chapter 0734 Vamos Island

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

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

“We’ve ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍skipped the Western Countries and came straight to the Dark Continent.”

“Skipped?”

“Ah... ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍you mean without stopping by?”

“That’s right.”

“What should we do?”

“What else can we do? Well, we were planning to go to the Dark Continent eventually anyway... We can go to the Western Countries after the Dark Continent. It just means we’ll do it in the reverse order.”

“I can’t tell whether you’re broad-minded or simply haven’t thought things through at all. When the king is like this, the people around him have a hard time.”

“I feel like you, of all people, shouldn’t be saying that to me, Ryo.”

Ryo shook his head slightly with a troubled expression, while Abel shrugged with a look that seemed to say he was offended.

“Your Majesty, what would you like to do?”

Captain Paulina asked Abel for his decision.

Abel is not an adventurer.

He is in a position of responsibility for more than a hundred people.

Paulina, under him, is likewise in a position of responsibility for the crew.

“Captain, sorry about this, but we’ll stop at the Dark Continent first. After that, I want you to head for the Western Countries.”

“Understood.”

“I’ve heard that people only live along the coast in the Dark Continent?”

“Yes, that is correct. In particular, the only area that trades with the Western Countries is the northern coast of the continent. Vamos Island, which we should be able to see tomorrow, is an independent island nation, but beyond that, the Eastern Countries and the Western Countries Federation* govern much of the coastline. Apparently, if you travel a little inland, there are oasis cities, as well as towns and small nations that are not under the control of either great power, but... we people of the Western Countries know very little about them.” (TLN: This Eastern/Western Countries refers to counties within the Dark Continent and not the broader continents we know)

“I see. Then perhaps we should go from Vamos Island to the Eastern Countries and the Western Countries Federation, making our way along the coast from east to west. After that, we’ll head for the Western Countries. Is that possible?”

“Understood.”

Thus, King Abel’s journey to the west would be changed drastically from the very beginning.

After that decision had been made, a certain old man in red and a coffin came to Ryo and Abel.

“Fairy King’s favorite, and King Abel, I have come to take my leave.”

“Merlin-san?”

“Did you say you were taking your leave?”

Ryo and Abel asked again, unable to understand what Merlin meant.

“Yes. The ship is stopping at the Dark Continent, is it not?”

“Yeah, sorry, that’s how it turned out.”

“It is fine. I am only someone who was given a ride. I tried something a little while ago, and it seems I can teleport to my dungeon from here.”

“Oh...”

Ryo let out a surprised voice.

“And, actually, I do not want to set foot on the Dark Continent.”

“Why?”

“There is a troublesome fellow of golden color there. I do not even want to get close to him.”

Merlin gives a wry smile in response to Abel’s question.

Ryo took it to mean that there was a Djinn on the Dark Continent who did not get along with Merlin.

“So... I understand about you, Merlin-san, but...”

Ryo glanced at the coffin standing beside Merlin.

“I shall also teleport with Merlin.”

“Even though you do nothing but complain to me, you only say things like that at times like this...”

The coffin... or rather, Regna makes the declaration, and Merlin grumbles.

“After that, I think I will travel around the Western Countries.”

“I see.”

Ryo nodded at Regna’s words.

He nodded, but then a question occurred to him.

How is he going to travel around?

Surely he would not do it while remaining in the coffin?

No, there was no way he would actually do that...

“This box is comfortable.”

“W-what...”

Everyone had their own way of life.

“If you happen to stop by the West Dungeon, let me know. I will treat you to some delicious coffee.”

“I hope we can meet somewhere before I disappear.”

After saying that, Merlin and Regna left the Skidbladnir by teleportation.

The next morning.

Ryo and Abel stood at the bow of the Skidbladnir, peering through a spyglass.

“Indeed... I can faintly see land.”

“That must be Vamos Island.”

“Sailors really are amazing, aren’t they?”

“Hm?”

“They can determine where they are just from the positions of the stars out on the vast open sea, where there’s nothing around them to see, right? In a world without GPS.”

“JeePeeEs?”

It was a word Abel did not know.

Captain Paulina came over to the two of them.

“Your Majesty, in a little while, I believe a patrol ship will come and conduct an inspection. It’s a perfectly ordinary procedure along the coast of the Dark Continent...”

“Ok, I’ll leave that to you, Captain. If necessary, you can have them verify my identity or do whatever else is required.”

“Thank you.”

After Paulina left, Ryo spoke to Abel.

“This time, you actually remembered to wear your identification plate.”

“Well, yeah.”

Yes, when they had been sent flying to the Eastern Countries, Abel had not been wearing his plate... and Ryo had suffered because of it.

“That was a real ordeal...”

“Uh, yeah. Sorry about that.”

Abel sincerely apologized to Ryo’s complaint.

In fact, ever since returning from the Eastern Countries, Abel had always worn his plate.

“Because Abel wasn’t wearing his plate, I couldn’t do the Mito Komon role-play. That was a major loss.”

“Mito Komon role-play?”

“Since things seem fine this time, let’s do it somewhere.”

Ryo started working out the details of the idea in his head.

“What is this extremely ominous feeling I have?”

Seeing Ryo like that, Abel frowned.

He assumed that whatever it was, it must be something terrible.

Well, he was more or less right...

They had been informed about the patrol ship, but even as the Skidbladnir approached Vamos Island, no ship came.

“They’re not coming.”

“That’s strange.”

Ryo and Abel continued talking while peering through their spyglasses.

The port of Vamos Island seemed to be on the opposite side of the island, so the two of them couldn’t see it.

However...

“Doesn’t it look like smoke is rising from the other side of the island?”

“Yeah... now that you mention it. Maybe everyone is preparing breakfast?”

While Abel and Ryo were having this peaceful conversation...

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

A bell rang out across the deck.

“Huh?”

“An attack?”

Of course, neither Ryo nor Abel could see any hostile ship attacking them.

But the crew silently began furling the sails and placing shields and bows and arrows on the deck.

In response, the Royal Knights led by Zack and Scotty also began surrounding Abel with shields in hand.

Neither Zack nor Scotty knew exactly what was happening.

However, they could tell that something abnormal was about to happen, so they first ensured their lord’s safety.

While this was happening, Captain Paulina came over.

“Your Majesty, it appears that fighting is taking place at the port of Vamos Island.”

“That smoke is from that?”

“Yes. Rather than entering the port directly, we will circle to the waters offshore and assess the situation.”

“Understood. I support the Captain’s judgment.”

Abel immediately accepted Paulina’s explanation.

Abel quickly looked toward Vamos Island through his spyglass.

“There isn’t any smoke rising from anywhere else on the island, is there?”

“No, there isn’t.”

Ryo answered Abel.

Then Abel’s gaze turned upward and behind them.

In the direction he was looking was the mast of the Skidbladnir.

“They must have confirmed that there was fighting from the top of the mast.”

“Probably. Don’t go climbing up there and getting in the way, okay?”

“I won’t. Honestly, Abel, what do you think I am?”

“A selfish magician?”

“What an outrageous thing to say!”

Abel casually answered while continuing to look through his spyglass, and Ryo took offense.

The Skidbladnir continued moving as it attempted to circle to the port side of the island.

Meanwhile...

“Captain! Please come take a look! ”

A lookout called out from the mast.

As soon as Paulina heard him, she turned around and nimbly climbed the mast, landing at the lookout post and looking through the spyglass.

“She’s quite nimble.”

“As expected of the Captain.”

“But that expression...”

“Would you say she can’t quite decide what to make of it?”

Ryo and Abel tried to read Paulina’s expression from the deck.

Her expressions hardly changes, but the two of them had gradually become able to understand it somehow.

Her current expression would probably be ‘confusion’.

“Helmsman, circle while keeping your distance from the port. Do not approach under any circumstances!”

“Aye, sir!”

“Deck, watch out for arrows and long-range magic!”

“Understood!”

Paulina’s orders flew down from the mast.

“Long-range magic?”

“At this distance?”

Ryo and Abel tilted their heads in confusion.

“Could you make magic reach this distance, Ryo?”

“If all I have to do is make it reach, then yes, but... it would be difficult to see the target clearly, right? I think precise magic attacks would be difficult.”

Ryo answered honestly.

Even while maintaining a distance at which magic would be difficult even for Ryo, Paulina was ordering them to prepare for it.

Just what did she see from the mast?

“The Captain made that judgment. When she has some free time, she’ll come and report to us.”

“I honestly think that side of Abel shows how broad-minded you are.”

“Hm?”

“You know how sometimes there are bosses who say things like, ‘Report every little thing to me!’?”

“Ah... Well, I can understand that feeling to some extent... But to begin with, I’m not an expert in handling ships or naval combat. I can’t judge what is right, so I’m simply leaving it to someone more knowledgeable.”

“That’s what I mean when I say it’s impressive. Because even if things don’t go well after that, you wouldn’t blame the person you entrusted it to, right?”

“Of course not. I’m the one who made the decision to entrust it to them. If things don’t go well, shouldn’t I be the one to take responsibility? Being a king means taking responsibility for things... or so I’m told. My elder brother said that before.”

“As expected of Crown Prince Caindish.”

Ryo nodded as he praised Abel’s elder brother, the former Crown Prince Caindish, whom he had taken a very high opinion of on his own.

Easy to say, hard to do... Ryo thought this was the perfect example.

A superior taking responsibility for a subordinate’s failure... if it meant getting fired himself, he would be sacrificing his own family as well.

All because of a subordinate’s mistake.

When faced with a situation like that in reality, most people would be forced to make a difficult decision.

“Still, maybe Abel is simply abnormal.”

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

That was Ryo’s conclusion, and Abel’s complaint.

At last, Captain Paulina gave permission, and the Skidbladnir moved a little closer to the port.

By then, the two of them could see what was happening in the port even from the deck where they were standing.

“It’s certainly a fierce battle, but...”

“A few people are putting on quite a display against an entire army?”

“Looks like it. But those few people...”

“They’re not killing their opponents. They’re just rendering them incapable of fighting...”

Both Abel and Ryo had noticed it.

But there was something even more abnormal.

“Are they fighting bare-handed?”

“They aren’t carrying swords or anything... but they’re wearing gauntlets on their hands and something like greaves on their legs, and they’re punching and kicking.”

“Yeah... Somehow, their attacks look incredibly powerful.”

“Literally, the people they hit are being blown away.”

That’s right. They were being blown about three meters away.

Just like in an anime or manga.

It was a little hard to believe.

After watching closely for a while, Ryo figured it out.

“They’re enchanted.”

“Enchanted? That’s the magic unique to the Western Countries, right? Granting attributes to weapons, increasing attack power, increasing movement speed...”

“Yes, that’s it. So there’s an Enchanter among them.”

Ryo nodded in response to Abel’s confirmation.

The Enchanter Ryo knew was Ash Khan, who was part of the Hero’s Party.

Of course, she was not among those fighting.

“Are they deliberately striking the leather armor?”

“Yeah. That’s probably why they’re not dying even when they’re blown away.”

“Those people look like adventurers, don’t they?”

“Yeah, they do.”

The vibe given off by adventurers was different from that of regular soldiers or knights.

Completely different.

Of course, you could usually tell from their equipment and clothing as well, but Abel, who spent a long time as an adventurer, knew it well.

“But if that’s the case, it means adventurers and the army of a country are fighting each other.”

“Yeah. And it’s not something like a garrison... it’s a regular army. No, more like an elite unit such as the Imperial Guard, right?”

“Their equipment is impressive, too.”

“Why are they fighting, I wonder?”

Ryo and Abel both tilted their heads in confusion.

Captain Paulina came over to the two of them.

“Your Majesty, I believe we should remain here and wait.”

They were just barely outside the port.

Even if something happened, they could escape offshore immediately.

“Ah... Captain, there’s something I’d like to confirm.”

“Yes?”

“You ordered the entire ship to take defensive measures earlier. What did you see from the mast?”

“The magic cast by a blue-haired woman. Its range was astonishingly long... and she saved her allies.”

“Ooh?”

Paulina pointed to the blue-haired woman among those who looked like adventurers.

“She’s an Enchanter too, isn’t she?”

Ryo gave a small nod as he added that information.

“You can tell?”

“Somehow. She alone...is probably on a different level.”

“A different level?”

“The others are certainly strong too, but her strength is in a class of its own, so to speak.”

“You mean her magic?”

“Her magic too, I think.”

Ryo corrected Abel’s words precisely.

“She isn’t wearing gauntlets or anything, is she?”

“No, she isn’t. To begin with, though, the army hasn’t even managed to reach her...”

Ryo trails off, tilting his head.

“What is it?”

“I’ve been thinking this for a while... but I feel like I’ve met those people somewhere before...”

After a while, Ryo struck his clenched right fist against his open left palm.

Apparently, that was his way of expressing that he had an epiphany.

“I saw them at Cafe Roemer in the Holy Capital Marlomar.”

“The Holy Capital?”

“After that, they rescued a green-haired man and a pink-haired woman. I think the man was Patrice-san, and the woman was Guti-san.”

“Oh? You know them?”

“We only talked a little, but they weren’t bad people.”

Ryo answered with several emphatic nods.

Perhaps that information from Ryo was what made the difference.

“Captain, the battle looks like it’s about to end. Let’s enter the port.”

“But what about that long-range magic? Isn’t it dangerous?”

“It’s fine. Ryo will block it.”

Abel said it as though it were obvious.

Ryo struck his clenched right fist against his own chest this time.

Apparently, that was his way of saying, ‘Leave it to me’.

“Understood.”

Thus, the Skidbladnir entered the port of Vamos Island.