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The Water Magician

Chapter 809: Negotiator Graham 🤝

Published: July 5, 2025

The two watched as the Papal Barge Archangel departed.

"Ryo, you were just talking about the hegemonic nation's path, weren't you?"

"Oh, did you overhear? I just had a flash of inspiration about why the Fundebie Kingdom is leading the fleet to the Eastern Provinces."

"I think that's probably incorrect..."

Abel denied it, but Ryo didn't seem to hear him.

"The Fundebie Kingdom, which has conquered the Western Nations, is finally embarking on the conquest of the dark continent, right?"

Ryo confidently presented his theory for some reason.

"To obtain everything and ultimately achieve world peace. It’s a rather muscle-headed thought process, but it seems similar to Nobunaga's unification of the realm under military might."

"…"

"However, this will directly clash with your desire for world domination through military might, Abel... Well, this is troublesome."

"No, it's not troublesome."

"Are you perhaps planning to take action before a full-blown conflict? Ah, you're planning to crush them while they're in the dark continent. Graham is quite a troublesome opponent, and the power of the Western Church shouldn't be underestimated. Are you sure about this?"

Ryo directed a dubious glance at Abel.

In response, Abel sighed and shook his head slightly.

"I don't intend to clash with the Western Church. No, to begin with, Graham didn't come here with the goal of conquering the dark continent."

"There's that simple-minded thinking of yours again, Abel."

"No, I absolutely disagree with Ryo saying that."

Ryo shook his head slightly, and Abel did the same.

Though both of them were doing the same action, the reasons behind it and their conclusions were completely different, which was quite interesting.

"Certainly, Graham didn't explicitly state the reason for bringing an entire fleet...”

“See! It’s definitely a military invasion.”

“If that were really the case, he wouldn't have stopped by Jerdan; he would go directly to the target nation, right? By stopping here, information has leaked to the Bardale Principality, which isn’t a good thing.”

Reluctantly, Abel spoke under the assumption that it was a military invasion by the Fundebie Kingdom.

"I don’t know, but this Jerdan Kingdom, or the town itself, must be very important, right?"

"How is it important?"

"Who knows? I don’t. Rather, why doesn’t Abel know?"

Ryo retorted.

"I don't know. I only learned about this Jerdan town after I arrived."

“The prince’s education has failed!”

"What are you talking about?"

"Despite the perfect education of the Naitorei royal family, they failed to provide Abel with knowledge about Jerdan. This can’t be overstated as a significant flaw."

"Why is Ryo pointing that out so arrogantly?"

Abel sighed and brushed off Ryo’s indictment.

He seemed quite accustomed to it.

Three days later, in the Bardale Principality.

"The Pope, Graham the First, has arrived?"

"Yes. He’s outside the port with eighteen ships of the Fundebie Kingdom fleet."

"What does he want?"

Chief Battuzon pondered.

However, there was too little information to arrive at an accurate conclusion.

No matter the reason, they couldn’t refuse the visit.

"Show him to the foreign affairs conference room."

"Not the audience chamber?"

The Crown Prince Zorn tilted his head at Battuzon's instruction.

"It wouldn’t be proper to welcome the Pope from the stairs, would it?"

Battuzon answered with a grimace.

"Conversely, it would also be inappropriate to go down the stairs to welcome him. The vassals have never seen such a scene."

That was true.

The Bardale Principality had never welcomed anyone of equal or higher status than the chief.

Thus, there had never been a scenario where the chief would descend to the lower level to 'welcome on the same level' in the royal palace of Hosoiina.

However, the one they were about to welcome was the Pope of the Western Church.

While not explicitly of higher rank than the chief, considering the population he leads and the extent of his influence, he was not someone to treat as inferior.

Therefore, they would guide him to the foreign affairs conference room, where the eyes of the vassals would not reach.