Chapter 735 ·Old Acquaintances

Chapter 0735 Old Acquaintances

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

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

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍group landed at the end of the harbor.

Only ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Ryo and Abel, along with Scotty and the twenty-five members of the Royal Knight Order under their command, disembarked.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍crew of the Skidbladnir, along with Zack and the rest of the Royal Knights, remained on board.

The five adventurer-like people who had been fighting noticed the group that had come down to the harbor.

They had noticed them, but they were still engaged in battle with the army.

And finally, they knocked out the last member of the army who had been standing in their way.

“Phew, phew...”

“Hah... hah...”

Even though the battle had been one-sided, they had been fighting continuously without a break.

The adventurer-like people were breathing heavily.

Among them, only one woman looked completely at ease.

A woman with light blue hair.

When she saw the Kingdom group that had landed, she smiled.

And then...

She slowly walked toward them.

As if time itself had stopped... as if she alone were able to move in this world...

No one got in her way, and no one asked who she was.

The light blue-haired woman approached Ryo with light, graceful steps.

She stopped... not in front of Ryo, but took one more step...

Entering Ryo’s personal space, she gently placed both hands on his cheeks.

Ryo was surprised, but he could not speak or move.

The woman smiled gently as she softly cupped both of Ryo’s cheeks in her hands.

“Thank you for coming.”

Her voice echoed in Ryo’s ears, astonishingly light and carefree.

That caused Abel to move.

“Ryo!”

“Ah...”

When Abel’s voice reached him, Ryo came to his senses.

At that very moment... the light blue-haired woman stepped back as if by teleportation.

Still smiling.

Abel stepped in front of Ryo.

As if to shield Ryo.

“Who are you?”

Abel asked who she was.

Even though Ryo had been momentarily dazed, Abel had never seen anyone enter his range while Ryo offered no resistance.

Someone capable of doing that could not possibly be an ordinary person... and that was precisely why he asked who she was.

“This is our first meeting, descendant of Richard.”

The light blue-haired woman answered with a smile still on her face.

“Kinme...”

A voice called out to the woman from farther behind.

It was the pink-haired woman who had been fighting until just moments ago.

“Kinme?”

Abel tilted his head.

Ryo also silently tilted his head, but... he felt as though he had met her somewhere before.

No, of course, he knew that he had seen her at Cafe Roemer in the Holy City of Marlomar.

That was not what he meant. It had been even earlier... somewhere...

Perhaps noticing the confusion on Ryo’s face.

Kinme brought the index and middle fingers of her right hand to her eye.

When she touched it lightly, something like a colored contact lens that had been clinging to the surface of her eye peeled away.

What appeared beneath it were golden eyes.

Ryo knew someone with golden eyes.

Djinn Merlin, Djinn Garwin... yes, both of them were Djinn...

And that was when he remembered.

“To the south...”

Just as Ryo muttered those words, Kinme smiled and raised the index finger of her left hand, gently bringing it to her lips.

As if to tell him not to say anything more.

Yes, she was the Djinn who had been sealed in the southern part of the Kingdom.

The Djinn whom Ryo had visited together with ‘Room 10’, Hugh McGrath, and the Hero Party, and whose seal happened to be broken at exactly that time.

The Djinn whom Ryo had identified as ‘anti-gravity’ from the way she had floated upward.

The Djinn who, after looking at Ryo with a gentle expression, had flown off to the west...

“You came to the Dark Continent.”

“Thank you for remembering me.”

Ryo spoke in a small voice, almost a mutter, and the Djinn Kinme answered in an equally soft whisper.

“Could it be that you’re called Kinme because of your golden eyes?”

“My true name is something else, but I hoped this name would reach you.”

Those golden eyes could be seen only from Ryo and Abel’s side.

Smiling, Kinme placed the object, like a colored contact lens she was holding on her finger, back over her eye.

In an instant, they turned black.

“I knew right away. I couldn’t possibly mistake those overflowing ‘droplets’.”

“Droplets? Could you be talking about the ‘Fairy Factor’? You can see them?”

“Yes, I can. They are very beautiful.”

Kinme smiled more brightly than ever.

“I thought Djinn... Spellno couldn’t see it.”

“Oh? You know a Spellno other than me?”

“Yes. Merlin-san, and... someone whose name starts with Gar and ends with win.”

“Garwin is, well, a fool. But I’m surprised you know the ‘Crimson Robe’. Did you perhaps fight the Demon Lord’s army?”

Djinn Merlin had always been at the side of successive Demon Lords as one of their strategists.

What he always wore was red clothing and a red hat...

“No... a lot happened. He even helped me. In fact, he was on the ship until yesterday.”

“Well... that’s surprising. Perhaps someday I should visit his dungeon with our party for a little outing.”

“Kinme-san, why are you with that party? That’s the party that came to the Pope’s inauguration ceremony a year ago, right? I saw them at Cafe Roemer, and I remember helping them afterward at the assembly hall. The green-haired Patrice-san and the pink-haired Guti-san.”

When Ryo said this, Kinme’s eyes widened dramatically.

She looked quite surprised.

“I heard the report afterward. So, you were the one who helped those two. Thank you.”

“No, it was just a coincidence.”

Kinme smiled again in gratitude, while Ryo grew embarrassed.

Just then...

“Um... Kinme?”

“Hm?”

“Sorry to interrupt while you’re having such a pleasant conversation...”

The one calling out to Kinme from behind was Guti, the pink-haired woman.

“Oh, Guti, don’t you recognize him?”

“Sorry?”

Kinme pointed at Ryo.

“A year ago, at the Pope’s inauguration ceremony...”

“Oh! You’re the one from the party that helped us back then!”

“Yes, it’s been a while.”

“Thank you very much for what you did back then.”

Guti bowed deeply.

Watching this from a distance, three people tilted their heads in confusion.

Patrice, the green-haired one, shook his head several times and walked toward the corner of the harbor.

There, a middle-aged man was sitting on the ground, trembling.

He was wearing extremely luxurious clothes.

Yes, clothes that looked almost like those of a king.

Patrice took a letter from inside his clothing and held it out to the man.

“Your Majesty, I hereby deliver this letter from Battuzon, Emir of the Bardael Emirate.”

“...”

“I trust you understand that refusing to accept a letter of state is not an option.”

“I-I understand... I accept it.”

The King took the letter Patrice held out.

He had accepted it, but he could not stand up.

“So they were fighting to force the King, who refused to accept the letter of state, to take it?”

“That must be it.”

“They’re even more muscle-headed than Abel.”

“They’re even more forceful than Ryo.”

Watching the scene, Ryo and Abel whispered to each other.

“The incident began because His Majesty the King of this country refused to accept the letter of state.”

Perhaps she had heard their conversation, because Guti began explaining quietly.

“We only came to deliver the letter under the formal orders of Battuzon, Emir of the Bardael Emirate. We were not told the details of its contents, but apparently it contains rather severe terms for Vamos. It seems His Majesty the King had been informed of that beforehand... and he refused to accept it...”

“Refusing to accept a letter of state...”

“I’ve never heard of such a thing in the Central Countries unless the countries are at war. No, even during a war, wouldn’t they still accept it?”

Ryo was astonished, and Abel shrugged.

In some regions, refusing to accept a letter of state sent from one head of state to another was considered one of the greatest diplomatic insults.

Apparently, that was the norm in the Central Countries.

“It is almost unheard of even on the Dark Continent. However, when His Excellency the Emir gave us the order to deliver it, he clearly said, ‘Make him accept it, no matter what. No matter what sacrifice it takes.’ So in the end, we had no choice but to fight...”

“Patrice was looking forward to it.”

Guti said this while shaking her head, and Kinme added it with a smile.

Patrice, having delivered the letter, came over to the four of them.

“Guti, Kinme, what are you doing?”

Patrice called out to the two who had gone over and had not returned.

“Patrice, look, this is the person who helped us when we were about to be attacked by the Knights Templar during the Pope’s inauguration ceremony.”

“The Pope’s inauguration ceremony...? Ah! I remember.”

Patrice said this and looked at Ryo.

Then he bowed as deeply as he could.

“Thank you very much for what you did back then!”

“No, it was nothing much.”

Ryo gave an awkward smile.

“So... why are you on this island? You were from the Central Countries, right? Wait, you can understand us even though we’re speaking the Dark Continent language?”

“Yeah, I studied it.”

Ryo gave a wry smile at Patrice’s confusion.

Abel smiled beside him.

Ryo’s acquisition of the Dark Continent language had progressed extremely smoothly, and he had reached a level where he could use it without any problems.

“I’m an adventurer from the Kingdom of Knightley in the Central Countries. I came ashore on this island for work.”

Ryo answered.

And that was not a lie.

He had not said anything false.

But it could not exactly be said that he had provided enough information.

Before Ryo could add anything, before Abel could say anything, another person spoke.

“I said it before, but you are a descendant of Richard, aren’t you?”

Kinme asked Abel.

“If you’re talking about King Richard, who was the King of the Kingdom of Knightley, then that’s right. Why did you think that?”

“Of course, it’s that sword. That’s his ‘Ex’, isn’t it? No one other than Richard could use it, but... it’s become quite attached to you. You must have worked pretty hard.”

“W-well...”

“So swords can get attached to people.”

“Don’t ask me. I wouldn’t know.”

Ryo looked at Abel’s sword with admiration... though Abel had no way of answering that.

“You were planning to request an audience with the King of this Vamos Island... or rather, the King of the Kingdom of Vamos, but as you can see, it’s going to be difficult.”

Kinme pointed toward the King, who remained sitting where he was.

Even after receiving the letter from Patrice, he still could not stand.

As for his army, none of them could stand either... because they had been thoroughly beaten down.

“So let’s go have some tea somewhere.”

“Huh?”

Ryo tilted his head at Kinme’s suggestion.

Abel also silently tilted his head.

The four members of Kinme’s party also tilted their heads.

“The King took quite a shock, so I don’t think he’ll be able to have a proper conversation. We should give him some time, don’t you think?”

“...That may be true.”

Abel nodded.

“There was a nice-looking cafe in the harbor plaza, wasn’t there? Let’s go there.”

As soon as Kinme said this, she promptly grabbed Ryo by the arm and started walking.

“Uh, um...” Ryo protested as he was pulled along.

Abel followed behind him.

The Royal Knights followed behind him as well.

“Kinme is being really proactive today.”

“That’s unusual.”

Both Guti, the pink-haired woman, and Patrice, the green-haired man, shrugged.

The members of Kinme’s party followed along with wry smiles.