The Water Magician

Fai changed the name of Phelps's father from Marquis Arthur Heinlein to Marquis Alexis Heinlein.

Thinking it would be better to avoid overlapping names with Advisor Arthur Velasis, he decided on this change.

"From Acre onwards, there will be more forests scattered around."

After departing from Acre, Abel said this.

"In other words, this is where the real journey begins."

Ryo nodded seriously, wearing a look of resolute determination.

"No, not quite yet... It's after we pass Bardon Brain, our accommodation for tonight, that it truly begins."

"What? Then please tell me tomorrow."

"No, even now, this journey is already quite 'the real deal'..."

Ryo sighed and shook his head slightly in exasperation as he replied, and Abel, observing this, made a retort.

This was a familiar sight.

However, things were a bit different from the inside of the carriage they had shared up until yesterday.

Until yesterday, the inside of the carriage had resembled a moving study room, but today, the paperwork on the desk had decreased to less than half.

It was a result of not being fully secure as they were not on the third highway that led all the way to Acre, along with taking Phelps's warning into consideration.

"By the way, yesterday Phelps mentioned he caught someone from the assassination cult that was active in Acre and interrogated them..."

"Ah... he is quite adept at that sort of thing."

Abel nodded as he replied.

"To be caught so easily, those assassins from the cult aren't much to worry about, are they?"

"No... I don't think that's the case."

"What do you mean?"

As Abel denied it, Ryo tilted his head in confusion.

"The area of Acre, or rather, the Marquisate of Heinlein itself, has one of the best counterintelligence capabilities in the kingdom."

"Is it because Phelps is strong in that aspect?"

"That's part of it, but more than Phelps, his father is even stronger in that regard. He is Phelps's master after all."

Abel answered while picturing the face of Phelps's father, the current Marquis of Heinlein.

"He was the former commander of the Royal Knights, right?"

"Former commander of the Royal Knights."

This was because the previous commander, Bacala, had died during the royal capital turmoil.

"His father, Marquis Alexis Heinlein, was known as a 'demon' as a commander, but he also understood the importance of espionage and counterintelligence."

"That seems quite removed from the image associated with being a 'knight commander'..."

"Well, yes. However, because Alexis was the commander of the Royal Knights, the kingdom won a great victory in the 'Great War' ten years ago. Alexis himself said it was due to 'the power of information.'"

"Know your enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles without danger."

"Hm?"

Ryo muttered a line from Sun Tzu, and Abel asked back.

"No, it's a text that describes the importance of information in warfare passed down in my hometown."

"Oh. Ryo knows that quite well, doesn't he?"

Ryo had been a fan of strategy simulation games since he was little.

"It's common knowledge in my hometown."

"Oh, I see..."

In the office of the current Marquis of Heinlein, Alexis was handling daily paperwork.

He was turning fifty this year, yet still appeared youthful and physically fit without an ounce of excess fat.

At that moment, a man entered the office.

"Father, the delegation has left the city."

The report came from Phelps, Alexis's eldest son and a b-rank adventurer.

"Ah, good work. By the way, I was surprised to see that Dantan was leading the knights. He's now a squad captain, I hear. He was just a kid back then... It makes me feel the passage of time. Speaking of which, yesterday, I visited the inn next door..."

"Did you notice? Yes, I warned them about the situation. Abel was half-drunk, so I informed Ryo."

"About the water attribute mage?"

Alexis said this with a small sigh.

"Do you still not trust Ryo?"

This was not an interrogation or criticism, but rather a question from a concerned son to his father.

"No, I trust him. Not just Abel, but you as well. You are both reliable people, no doubt about that. It's not that; it's his overwhelmingly strong power..."