The Water Magician

The delegation consisted of the clerks and Ryo and Abel's a-rank party traveling by carriage.

The knight order rode horses, while the others traveled on foot.

As a result, the overall speed of the delegation was quite slow.

From the royal capital, the route was planned to go through the largest city in the south, Acre, to Twilight Land in the southwest of the kingdom, with an estimated one-month journey each way.

Starting from Deofarm, the city where they would stay on the first night, all accommodations on the Third Highway to Acre would be in towns.

Furthermore, there were no plans for camping until they reached the border.

This was due to the fact that camping would be harsh for the clerks, including negotiators, regardless of the adventurers and knight order.

In that respect, it was a relatively easy itinerary.

"Abel, it seems our first stop is Deofarm. Do you remember? The first place we stayed on that journey from the royal capital to the City of Run was also Deofarm. That was the trip where my left arm got cut off."

"How can you talk about losing your arm with such a smile... Ryo's mental strength is amazing."

Abel said, looking visibly distressed.

His distressed expression was not solely due to the content of Ryo's story.

"The materials you brought are quite a lot, aren't they?"

"Yeah, I have a mountain of homework assigned by Elder Brother..."

Indeed, while Abel was relieved from the intensive lectures given by his elder brother, the crown prince, he had boarded the carriage with a mountain of homework that he was tasked to solve during the journey.

That was likely occupying about ninety percent of the reason for his distressed state.

"...The scope of the punishment concerning the viscount family that violated the law... to what extent of the clan will be punished and in what manner... At the Royal Castle, drawing a sword and attacking the head of the ceremonial house, Count A... It seems like detailed settings are written here. It's almost like a case study of an actual incident."

"Well, it is an actual incident."

"I wonder if someone said 'This is the court!' and stopped it."

The story that came to Ryo's mind was that of Asano Nakanoshin and Kira Yoshinaka from Akō.

"I don't know what 'court' means, but the viscount family that attacked should have been dismantled. However, the circumstances leading up to that are also complex... Hah... difficult problems are piling up."

Abel sighed deeply, truly deeply.

"It feels like you're being made to study as if you were a real prince, doesn't it?"

"As if... Ryo, who still doesn't believe it, is... how should I put it, stubborn."

"Of course. Because if you somehow became the king..."

"If I became...?"

Abel prompted Ryo, wanting to hear the continuation of the answer.

"If you became... it would mean I could no longer casually treat you to meals!"

"Oh, yeah, I thought it might be something like that."

Abel leaned over the table inside the carriage.

"By the way..."

"What is it?"

Ryo suddenly remembered a question, and Abel asked without looking up.

"What is your elder brother, the crown prince's name?"

"My elder brother is Kaindish Besford Nightley."

"Ka-in..."

"Hm? Sure, I did call him Cain sometimes when we were young."

What Ryo had in mind was "Cain and Abel."

The perpetrator of the first murder in world history on Earth, the brother Cain and the victim, the brother Abel.

It was a story from the Old Testament.

(Could it be that Mr. Cain is plotting to crush Abel with studies...?)

Of course, that was not the case.

Abel, who was frowning deeply, was solving the homework assigned by the crown prince.

In contrast, Ryo was almost always smiling as he read the materials and occasionally scribbled something on the side.

While both were grappling with paperwork, the atmosphere in the carriage was completely different.

It was the difference between homework for becoming a king and data and materials related to golems.

The two were riding in a two-person carriage with a table.

Compared to the four-person carriage with a table that others were using, it was slightly smaller, but they could spend time without worrying about anyone else, allowing their studies to progress.