Water Magician

Editor: Tseirp

“Today, at noon, Raymond’s accession to the throne was announced.”

Marquis Heinlein reported to Abel in his office in Rune.

Alexis Heinlein.

He was once the Knight-Commander of the Kingdom’s Knight Order and was nicknamed ‘The Demon’ for his stern nature.

However, he is said to excel in espionage and have a network of intelligence throughout the Kingdom.

His capital, Acre, is the largest in the south, and he is one of the leading nobles in the south, both in name and in reality.

His son, Phelps A. Heinlein, is a B-rank adventurer based in Rune city.

“Okay. Then, as planned, I will ascend to the throne in two days.”

Abel replied.

Not on the same day, but he deliberately waited two days.

In the meantime, they’ll wait for the information about Raymond’s accession to the throne to reach all the cities.

Abel will then ascend to the throne as well, overshadowing it.

Abel’s accession has already been arranged so that it will reach every city in the country on the same day.

Ryo was watching the top-level meeting in a well-behaved manner, sitting in a chair in the corner of the room instead of his usual sofa.

Alexis looked at Ryo and said, smiling.

“Still, having the infamous water-attribute magician, Ryo, as Master Abel’s bodyguard is very reassuring.”

“P-Please, you flatter me…”

Ryo was embarrassed to be praised to his face by the Marquis, another famous former Knight-Commander.

“He doesn’t do anything most times though.”

Abel commented.

“Right, you also think you ought to be protected regularly right? Not to worry, I just need to put you on ice and you’re good. I assure you, no matter what comes flying at you, you’ll still be kicking without feeling a thing.”

“Hey, cut it out, you blockhead.”

Ryo said while nodding his head, and Abel immediately refused.

“There’s no need to be shy, Abel.”

“Ryo, don’t you dare!”

Seeing the two of them, Alexis laughed out loud and said.

“When you say put him on ice, are you talking about the same threat you made toward Princess Fiona that caused the heated exchange between you and the Explosive Blaze Magician?”

“I’m amazed you even know about that.”

Abel was impressed with Heinlein’s information network, and Ryo could not say anything except to crack his mouth open in surprise.

Then Rin and Warren came in.

“Abel, we’re back…Marquis Heinlein? It’s been a while.”

Rin greeted him in surprise, and Warren bowed his head firmly.

“Oh. You must be Shook’s daughter. And Warren…well, long time no see.”

Warren smiled, which was unusual.

But the highlight of the day was yet to come.

The door slammed open.

“Abel, is Ryo here…”

A magician with an unkempt white beard and white hair came in without knocking.

“You could at least knock before coming in, gramps.”

“Well, that’s just like Lord Ilarion.”

Abel was exasperated and Alexis laughed sarcastically.

“Oh, so the Demon is here as well. No, more importantly…”

“Ryo, run—”

Ryo was in Ilarion’s sight, despite Rin’s heads up.

“You must be Ryo.”

“Yes, I am. Lord Ilarion.”

Ilarion confirmed, and Ryo nodded and waited for him to approach. Without running away.

Because Ryo also had many things he wanted to talk to Ilarion about.

“Listen Ryo, I have something I want to talk to you about. May I?”

“I, too, would like to ask Lord Ilarion some questions about magic and to confirm some things.”

“Pardon?”

Ilarion was a little surprised by Ryo’s reply.

Then he smiled happily.

Ilarion is a seeker of magic.

If so, there is nothing wrong with talking about magic.

“Absolutely. Let us talk a great deal. Abel, get us something to drink, will ya.”

“Oh Abel, I would like a cup of coffee.”

Ilarion demanded, and Ryo agreed.

“Uh, you realize, I’m the next king, right…”

“Looks like it’s going to take a while.”

Abel blurted out, followed by Alexis, with his mocking smile.

Rin watched from the side, a little shaken, hiding behind Warren.

“Ryo sacrificed himself to master…”

Muttering such words.

“Ryo, you said you had questions and something you wanted to confirm?”

“That’s right. Lord Ilarion was investigating the magic of the Majin, ah…”

After saying that much, he remembered that the subject was classified.

Back at the guild, Hugh practically chewed his ears off about it…but looking at the present members, he thought it unnecessary.

Abel, the next king, Marquis Heinlein, who collects intel from all over the country, Rin and Warren…both of whom accompanied him on the investigation….

“Mm-hmm, these are people we don’t need to hide it from.”

Ilarion must have grasped it too. As he smiled and said so.

“You’re right.  So, as I was saying about the Majin’s magic, she floated in the sky.”

“Apparently. I used a residual magic power detector to find out.”

It’s an alchemical tool used in the investigation of the Great Tidal Bore in Rune city.

“The magic power used wasn’t that of wind attribute.”

“No, it wasn’t wind-attribute.”

“So, a non-attribute then?”

Ilarion was surprised at Ryo’s conclusion.

Because none of his companions had been able to guess it, and no one but Ilarion had noticed it.

“Exactly, it’s non-attribute. Ryo, you have something in mind, don’t you?”

Ryo had no intention of hiding anything before Ilarion’s serious gaze, but that said…it was a little difficult to explain.

How does one explain ‘anti-gravity’.

First and foremost, most people would never think of the concept of ‘gravity’.

They don’t think that there is such a thing as ‘gravity’ just because an apple falls in front of their eyes.

“It’s hard to explain… but yes, there is a force at work on all things in the world… and it’s a magic based on that concept.”

“A force that works on all things in the world… hmm.”

Gravity is a force that works on everything on the planet…that is true.

Ryo created a ball of ice and demonstrated to the audience by dropping it.

“Everything in this world falls.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“That’s because there is a force that pulls it down. It is a force that acts on everything.”

“A force that pulls it down…”

Ilarion said this and went silent for a moment.

Abel and Alexis, who were listening at the side, also paused, tilting their heads.

They didn’t seem to understand at all.

“I see…”

Ilarion muttered softly.

“I get it now, a force that pulls things down. Indeed, everything falls. Everything that is not magically generated.”

“All that is not magically generated…”

After Ilarion had grasped something, this time, something came to Ryo’s mind.

Whether it’s about the ice spear that he used to generate that falls immediately afterward not long after he came to ‘Phi’, or that the same ice spear now flies as he wills it…or the water jet he generates in the air and moves in a random trajectory, or perhaps the ice wall that he generates high in the sky and then free-falls…

“H-Huh?”

They both sank into the depths of their respective thoughts.

Things inevitably progressed late into the night as a number of things were shelved, a number of things discussed, and an exchange of information that seemed to go on indefinitely.

Rin was already asleep in Warren’s arms, and Marquis Heinlein had long since left.

And Abel was doing paperwork as usual.

“Abel, is it true that the coronation ceremony will be held in the south square?”

“Yes.  I don’t have the three sacred items needed for the coronation anyway. Uncle Raymond has them. Since that’s the case, I see no reason to stay indoors. So I thought I might as well allow the people of the city to come and observe.”

“I see. Lord Ilarion, is there any kind of wind-attribute magic that can make a person’s voice reach far away?”

“Mm? Of course. It’ll be difficult to use in a messy place like a battlefield, but…in a place like, say a square, it can be used to get a voice from the square to reach every corner of the city.”

Ilarion seemed to understand what Ryo wanted and said with a grin.

And Abel, too.

“Oh I get it, that’s a good one. Not everyone will be able to make it to the square.”

“All that’s left now is Abel’s face. That face, projected in the sky…no wait, Abel, what do you say to just floating in the sky? Maybe we could float a platform with Abel on it in the sky, waving to all the people in the distance.”

“How is he going to pull that off when he’s not a wind-attribute magician?”

Naturally, Ilarion was surprised and asked.

“The Majin was hovering freely, but compared to that…it’s amazingly easy for a person to stay afloat.”

Abel, the day of the coronation ceremony.

The coronation ceremony was about to take place in the town square of Rune as planned.

The priest in charge was Rihya, dressed in the formal attire of a saint.

The people in the square couldn’t help but raise their voices at the sight of her graceful and elegant beauty.

A group of three D-rank adventurers standing near the front of the square were also admiring her figure.

In particular, a priest named Etho was reported to have repeatedly said, “Beautiful, O beautiful goddess”.

As the coronation ceremony reached its climax, the saint, Rihya made a proclamation.

“Prince Albert, by virtue of the authority vested in me as a saint, I acknowledge you as King Abel, the First.”

At that moment, the people in the square erupted in cheers.

The cheers, which could be described as roars, converged into one word.

“Abel! Abel! Abel! Abel! ”

In the city of Rune, the name ‘Abel’ is the name of an adventurer who is well-liked by all and admired by men and women alike.

That popular man was in fact the second prince, and he is on his way to take back the throne from the usurping king’s younger brother.

And then he is going to stand up to the usurper and the invading empire.

Everyone in Rune flared with energy!

Abel gazed at the cheering crowd from the stand.

He waited quietly for the cheers to subside.

Eventually, the people, too, noticed Abel’s appearance, and the cheers lessened…and finally quieted.

Abel held out his hands and called out to the people.

“People of Rune, I want you to listen to me for a moment.”

Abel said, looking over from right to left, and continued his words.

“At this moment, the kingdom is in peril. And this calamity will soon reach our beloved Rune city. But I promise you. I will not let the city of Rune fall victim to it. For this reason, I’ve taken up the mantle of king. I became king to unite all our forces. Knights, adventurers, as well as you common folks, I ask for your help. There will come a time when we will have to fight with everything on the line. When that time comes, I want you to give everything you’ve got. Lend me your strength to regain all that has been taken from us, to restore the peace that has been stolen from us! ”

A moment of silence.

“Oooooooh!!”

Cheers, which could be described as raging roars surpassing the previous one, arose.

Not only from the square.

From every corner of the city.

It was in response to Abel’s words, which were delivered to every corner of Rune city using Ilarion’s wind-attribute magic, <Amplification>.

Abel raised his hand to respond to the cheers.

At that moment, the platform on which Abel was standing rose.

It slowly moved, about five meters above the ground.

The people who saw him cheered even more.

In response, the platform Abel was on rose even higher.

The scene became the subject of many paintings and has been preserved for posterity.

As ‘King Abel’s Speech’.

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