Published: July 5, 2025
The next day.
"The Duchy of Atinjo, the day of destiny."
"Isn't that a bit exaggerated?"
Ryo declared this with a determined expression for some reason, and Abel looked at him suspiciously.
Of course, Ryo had not been given any particular role... he was just making a determined expression on his own.
"It is not exaggerated. A civil war is about to break out in the capital, and that is a huge matter for the entire country."
"Lord Bash said he doesn't intend to turn the entire capital into a battlefield. He said he would stay in the royal palace for that reason. The battlefield is the royal palace and its surroundings."
"Then... let’s rephrase it as, the day of destiny for Duke Atinjo."
"O-Okay."
Abel reluctantly accepted Ryo's words.
Indeed, it might be a day of destiny for Duke Bash of the Duchy of Atinjo.
"Didn’t Darwei also experience a civil war?"
"Ah, the second prince Kouri."
"Once, there was a civil war in the Naitorei Kingdom as well, wasn't there?"
"Ah, Uncle Raymond."
"There's civil war everywhere, it seems."
"Isn't it said that wherever Ryo goes, civil wars occur?"
"Why is this my fault...?"
Ryo was taken aback by Abel's remark.
However, he quickly retorted.
"The idea that wherever a great detective goes, crimes will happen is just a story in novels."
"Yeah, I really don’t understand that."
Ryo was referring to the statistical fact that murders occur wherever the great detective Kindaichi Kosuke goes, but of course, Abel didn’t get it.
"Ryo, I’ll say this right from the start..."
"It’s okay, Abel. No need to say more."
"Is that so?"
"You might not be able to have lunch, so you should eat a good breakfast, right?"
"That's not it!"
Ryo's earnest reasoning was denied by Abel.
"This civil war is purely an internal matter of the Duchy of Atinjo..."
"Is that the principle of non-interference in domestic affairs?"
"That's what I mean."
Abel said firmly.
He understood that Ryo was dissatisfied.
"You think that if Ryo intervenes, the damage would be lessened, right?"
"Well, yeah..."
Ryo, being a generally empathetic person, dislikes seeing people get hurt right in front of him.
Especially if they are innocent civilians.
"I understand your feelings, but..."
"The people must seize their own fate."
"Ah."
"There shouldn't be many things more important than a person's life."
As Ryo said this, he shook his head lightly.
"What is important differs from person to person. I believe we should respect the existence of those differences."
"Diversity is difficult, isn't it?"
There might indeed be differences in perspective between Abel, who has learned to see the bigger picture as royalty since childhood, and Ryo, who has lived in a democracy and a free society.
Yet, people should be able to understand one another...
"Regardless of intervention, I will witness His Majesty Bash's determination."
Ryo clearly stated just that.
At 9 AM, the attack on the royal palace began at the South Gate.
"From this height, we still can't see beyond the castle walls."
"That's to be expected."
Ryo and Abel were on the rooftop of the detached building where they were staying.
Since it was a one-story structure, it was easy to climb up using the Ice Ladder.
However, the castle walls surrounding the royal palace were quite tall.
They must have been about five meters high from the ground.
From where they stood, they could somewhat overlook the inside of the castle walls, but they could not confirm how many troops the attackers were mobilizing on the other side of the walls.
"There's no helping it."
"Yeah?"
"＜Ice Bamboo Shoot＞."
As Ryo chanted, a thick ice stalactite, about four meters in diameter, emerged from the rooftop and lifted them up about ten meters high.
From that position, they could see beyond the castle walls.
"There are quite a few enemies."
"Just near the southern castle gate, there must be about two thousand? There are some beyond the eastern castle wall... Oh, and there are some beyond the western castle wall as well. All together, there must be around five thousand, right?"
"Indeed. The north side of the royal palace is a cliff, so a large army can't be deployed there, but attacks are coming from the other three directions. I don't know how much fighting power Duke Bash is using to defend, but it's certainly not going to be an easy battle."