Chapter 707 : Abel the Captive II
Water Magician · Chapter 809 of 810
Chapter 0707 Abel the Captive II
Translator: Jay_Forestieri
Editor: Tseirp
“P-please, do take a seat, Your Majesty Abel, Lord Duke Rondo.”
Marquis Nyusha, the owner of the place, guided Abel and Ryo to the sofa.
He was the master of the room, but he was sweating profusely.
“To be honest, I came here without informing Marquis Nyusha in advance.”
“I thought so.”
Lord Aubrey said this, and Abel nodded as if that was only natural.
From Marquis Nyusha’s point of view, he probably never imagined that Lord Aubrey, the Union’s highest authority, would come here.
Of course, the two countries were not at war.
The difference in national power was quite large, but they were still neighboring countries.
When the top official of one country visits a neighboring country, there is supposed to be a certain amount of prior negotiation.
Supposed to be...
“Well, I am just a governor. So I believe it is no problem to casually visit a neighboring country.”
“The people on the receiving end seem troubled, though?”
“Is that so?”
Abel expressed his doubt, and Lord Aubrey laughed while deliberately ignoring Marquis Nyusha’s expression.
By the way, while Abel and Lord Aubrey were engaged in a back-and-forth exchange of quick-fire remarks, Ryo was sitting quietly, dutifully, in Abel’s shadow.
And then, with a composed expression, he drank the coffee that was served.
“Even so, when I received the report, I thought it could not possibly be true.”
“Huh?”
“That King Abel had appeared at the negotiation venue at Zaarash Fortress.”
“You heard that report, all the way from the capital, Jayclaire?”
“Yes. If it were true, I thought escorting you while you passed through our Union territory would be proper hospitality for a state guest.”
“How thoughtful.”
Abel answered with a smile and continued speaking.
“I appreciate the consideration, but there is no need for an escort. Please do not mind us.”
“That would not do. If something were to happen to Your Majesty inside Union territory, it would be a major problem.”
“Are you saying something could happen?”
“Of course, our Union territory strives to maintain public order... but one cannot say there is no possibility that a third country would seize the chance to extend the hand of conspiracy.”
Lord Aubrey pointed out the possibility that the Empire might target Abel while he was within Union territory.
“I see, that is terrifying.”
“Wouldn’t you say so?”
Abel smiled again, and Lord Aubrey nodded.
(Roaring dragons and tigers striking one another... I can almost see the whirlpool of schemes and stratagems.)
Ryo was thinking this from the perspective of an outside observer.
The coffee he had been served was excellent, so with no concerns whatsoever, he was watching Abel and Lord Aubrey’s exchange as part of the entertainment.
But he could not remain a spectator forever.
“As you know, I have the premier duke at my side, so I don’t think I will be easily killed.”
Abel’s words drew Ryo into the matter.
“Oh, of course. Lord Duke Rondo, famed as the Silver Duke, or the Icefall... I had heard the rumors, but you really were the adventurer who faced us back then.”
What Lord Aubrey was referring to was probably the battle in the Inbury Duchy.
Ryo had confronted Lord Aubrey and the others there.
The fact that Lord Rondo = Ryo had not yet spread that widely.
Before the envoy was dispatched to the Western Countries, there had even been rumors that ‘there is no such person as Lord Rondo’.
Those who worked in the Knightley royal castle knew Ryo, who had walked around inside the castle, quite well... but the royal castle, which was protected perfectly by Marquis Heinlein’s counterintelligence, information apparently was not easily leaked.
“Lord Aubrey, it seems you brought around ten thousand knights with you.”
“Yes. They are for my protection.”
“That’s a lot for protection.”
“Is it?”
Lord Aubrey answered with a smile.
“Marquis Nyusha, did you not hesitate to let ten thousand elite Union knights cross the border?”
“I received no such report. I was only told that a diplomatic envoy was in a hurry to visit and would be crossing the border.”
Marquis Nyusha answered Abel’s question honestly.
“Yes, I came here for diplomatic reasons. I said I only needed a small escort, but after the people in charge added various things, it ended up like this. Did I perhaps bring a bit too many?”
This was exactly the sort of shamelessness that would describe Lord Aubrey.
“Even so, that’s an insufficient number.”
“Hmm?”
Lord Aubrey tilted his head at Abel’s words.
“A number that, if our premier duke got serious, would all be corpses in three seconds. It would not be enough to come see me, would it?”
“My, my. Your Majesty Abel says frightening things.”
“Of course, I am joking.”
“Yes, of course. I understand, you are joking.”
Abel and Lord Aubrey laughed cheerfully.
Watching this conversation unfold from the side, Ryo could see quite clearly that Marquis Nyusha was trembling.
Poor guy, he thought, holding a completely detached, third-party perspective as he quietly shook his head in his mind.
As long as it didn’t involve him personally, Ryo didn't really care one way or the other.
Rather, these days, one could almost say he’d gotten used to it.
He figured it was likely because, during his time with the diplomatic mission to the Western Countries, he had frequently crossed paths with the likes of the former Emperor Rupert of the Empire and the former King Roberto Pirlo of the Union.
In the midst of that, Lord Aubrey dropped a bombshell.
“In fact, I would like to invite Your Majesty to the capital.”
“...Pardon?”
Abel tilted his head.
To be honest, he did not understand Lord Aubrey’s aim.
“I would like Your Majesty Abel to come to Jayclaire, and use it to demonstrate to the other countries the friendship between the Kingdom and the Union.”
Lord Aubrey explained with a smile.
Hearing that much, Abel understood too.
<<He wants to show the Kingdom that he took me prisoner?>>
<<That possibility exists. It’s the kind of thing where they say, if you want your king back, hand over the ransom.>>
<<Whether it’s ransom or territory cession or whatever, if we go along with the demand, the Kingdom’s authority will fall to the ground, right?>>
<<Indeed.>>
Ryo nodded at Abel’s words.
This had happened several times in Earth’s history as well.
The most famous example would be Richard the Lionheart of England.
During the Third Crusade, the forces were led by people who would later be called heroes: Richard Lionheart of England, Philip Augustus of France, and Frederick I, the Holy Roman Emperor, commonly known as Barbarossa, the Red-Bearded Emperor.
It was, in a sense, Europe’s dream team.
On the Islamic side, waiting to receive them was the hero Saladin.
In world history as well, it could be called one of the most brilliant east-west confrontations in a certain sense.
In the end, the Crusaders were unable to capture their objective, Jerusalem, and withdrew.
The problem arose during that retreat.
Richard was captured by Leopold V of Austria while on his way back to England.
Leopold V had participated in the Third Crusade, but he had been humiliated by Richard at the Siege of Acre, and so he bore him a grudge... and as a result, he captured Richard on his way home.
In the end, England paid an enormous ransom to recover King Richard...
Furthermore, Philip Augustus of France and Henry VI, who succeeded Frederick of the Holy Roman Empire, incited Richard’s brother John and tried to have him usurp the English throne...
After that, Philip Augustus, from John, who became king of England, seized large swathes of England’s continental territories and strengthened royal power.
Inciting an incompetent neighboring royal family member to take the throne, then taking land from that incompetent new king.
An artistic conspiracy.
Such schemes and stratagems existed in that era.
Ryo thought about that Earth history in his mind.
But what must be judged now is the situation in this ‘Phi’ world.
<<Let us have them escort us.>>
<<Hm. So we accept the invitation?>>
<<Yes. We can move with an escort. At least as far as the Union capital. Even if we are attacked, I will protect us, so it will be fine.>>
<<The other side has ten thousand elite knights, you know?>>
<<No problem.>>
In chess and shogi, the strongest move is the one that accepts the opponent’s invitation.
If the opponent is poor, they will think, “Excellent, they took the bait”. But what if the opponent is a world champion, an eternal seven-crown, or an octuple crown?
They would think, “Even though they should know what our aim is, why did they take the bait?”
Naturally, they would end up thinking, “Is there some line of play I have not noticed? Is there a trap?”
Taking away the opponent’s composure is the very first step in one-on-one combat.
That is why the move that accepts the opponent’s invitation is the strongest.
And Lord Aubrey, the one making the move, highly valued Abel.
The proof was that he had come with ten thousand knights.
What if such an Abel took the bait of Lord Aubrey’s move?
Just that alone might succeed in robbing Lord Aubrey of some of his composure...
Abel also understood Ryo’s reasoning.
<<Let’s make this into a trip to Jayclaire.>>
<<That does sound interesting in its own way.>>
After agreeing through ‘Soul Resonance’, Abel opened his mouth.
“I shall respectfully accept your invitation to Jayclaire.”
“Eh...”
Even Lord Aubrey could not hide his surprise at Abel’s words.
He had thought Abel would refuse at all costs.
And yet, he accepted.
Why?
However, the surprised expression on Lord Aubrey’s face lasted only an instant.
There was no choice but to say the next words.
“Thank you for accepting.”