The Water Magician

The group disembarks at the edge of the port.

Only Ryo, Abel, Scotty, and twenty-five members of the Royal Knight Order get off the ship.

The crew of Skizblaznil, along with Zack and the remaining Royal Knights, stay on the vessel.

Five adventurers engaged in battle notice the group that has landed at the port.

They are aware of it, but are still in combat with the army.

Finally, they knock out the last soldier standing in their way.

“Phew, phew…”

“Ha… ha…”

Even though it was one-sided, they had been fighting without rest.

The adventurers are breathing heavily.

Amidst them, there is one woman with a calm demeanor.

A blue-haired woman.

When she sees the kingdom's group, she smiles.

And then...

She walks over slowly.

As if time had stopped… as if she alone could move in this world...

No one obstructs her, and no one questions her.

The blue-haired woman approaches Ryo lightly.

In front of Ryo… without stopping, she takes another step…

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

Ryo is surprised, unable to make a sound or move.

The woman warmly smiles as she softly cradles Ryo’s cheeks with her hands.

“Thank you for coming.”

Her voice resonates in Ryo's ears, surprisingly light.

This prompts Abel to move.

“Ryo!”

“Ah…”

Abel’s voice reaches Ryo, making him aware.

At that moment… like a teleport, the blue-haired woman steps back.

Still smiling.

Abel steps in front of Ryo.

As if to protect Ryo.

“Who are you?”

Abel inquires.

Though Ryo was dazed, he had never seen Ryo enter someone’s personal space so defenselessly.

It was hard to believe someone capable of that was an ordinary opponent… hence the questioning.

“It’s my first time meeting you, descendant of Richard.”

The blue-haired woman replies, still wearing a smile.

“Kinme…”

A voice calls out to the woman from behind.

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

“Kinme?”

Abel tilts his head.

Ryo, silent, also tilts his head, feeling as if he had met her somewhere before.

No, he certainly remembers seeing her at the ‘Café Roma’ in the Holy Capital Marromar.

Not just that, but further back… somewhere…

Noticing Ryo's perplexed expression, Kinme brings her right hand's index and middle fingers to her eyes.

When she lightly touches them, something akin to a colored contact lens stuck to the surface of her eyes peels away.

What appears underneath are golden eyes.

Ryo knows someone with golden eyes.

The demon Marlin, the demon Garwin… yes, both are demons…

Thus, he remembers.

“To the south…”

Just as he mutters that, Kinme smiles and lifts her left index finger to her lips.

Signaling that he shouldn’t say more.

Yes, she is the demon sealed to the south of the kingdom.

Ryo had visited ‘Room 10’ with Hugh McGrath and the Hero Party, right at the moment her seal was released.

The demon he recognized as the ‘anti-gravity’ demon.

After looking at Ryo gently, she flew off in the direction of the west… a demon.

“You’ve come to the dark continent, haven’t you?”

“Thank you for remembering.”

Ryo whispers quietly, and Kinme responds in a similarly soft whisper.

“Is it perhaps because of your golden eyes that you are called Kinme?”

“My original name is different, but I hope this name reaches you.”

Those golden eyes are only visible from Ryo and Abel's vantage point.

Kinme smiles again and puts the colored contact back into her eye.

In an instant, her eyes are back to being black.

“I realized it right away. Those overflowing ‘droplets’ are unmistakable.”

“Droplets? Is it perhaps the ‘fairy factor’? Can you see it?”

“Yes, I can see it. It’s so beautiful.”

Kinme beams with a smile brighter than before.

“I thought demons… Spelno couldn’t see them.”

“Oh? Do you know of any Spelno aside from me?”

“Yes. Ms. Marlin and… someone whose name starts with Gar and ends with Win.”

“Garwin is… well, he’s a bit of a fool. But I’m surprised you know about ‘Red Clothes’. Did you fight against the demon king’s army or something?”