Water Magician-Chapter 639: Midnight Conference
Editor: Tseirp
Present in the room were eight people: Prince Ryun, Princess Shio Fen, Chief Chamberlain Lin Shun, Chamberlain Wen Shu, Captain Lu Yao, Guard Captain Bizis, the chambermaid Mifa, and Imperial Guard Commander Tin Meu.
In addition, two golems stood in the corner of the room—No.1-kun, in charge of advance notice, and No.2-kun, the token of friendship.
Amidst all this, Mifa was brewing tea for everyone.
“Your Highness, thank you for sparing the time.”
Commander Tin said, bowing his head.
“No, Commander Tin. I wished to know myself what exactly happened.”
Prince Ryun replied, nodding with calm composure.
The incident had occurred three weeks earlier, when Emperor Tsuin visited Yos, near the imperial capital.
“Yos is a hot-spring resort. Ever since His Majesty collapsed, his condition had not fully recovered… so it was decided that he would undergo therapeutic bathing there, combined with an inspection.”
Commander Tin explained.
Yos was a well-known hot-spring area close to the imperial capital Hanlin.
It took about half a day by carriage, and there was an imperial villa there.
Emperor Tsuin had often visited the place before the death of the former Crown Prince; it was familiar ground to him.
However, trouble arose on the way there.
“We were attacked.”
Commander Tin said with a grim expression.
Tin himself had been leading a thousand Imperial Guards.
It was not a careless escort.
And yet…
“The attackers were not human.”
“Phantomkin…”
“The Imperial Guards were wiped out. I too was injured and burned.”
“Burned?”
“Yes. To be precise, the bodies of my subordinates covered me, and I survived… but I could only watch as His Majesty was taken away…”
Commander Tin lowered his head in frustration.
No one spoke.
“After you survived, why did you not report yourself immediately?”
It was Prince Ryun who asked quietly.
At those words, Commander Tin looked up sharply.
“I was rescued by fishermen living nearby. However, there was no healer, and it took time to recover. According to them, I did not wake for three days.”
“…”
“When I awoke, I headed straight for the capital. But on the way, I met an acquaintance, who told me that His Majesty had been abducted and that I was being named as the culprit…”
“An acquaintance? Who was it?”
“Li Wu, the Inspector of the Inspectorate.”
“I see.”
The Inspectorate was responsible for overseeing Darwei’s regions, and an Inspector was the official charged with that duty.
“Inspector Li Wu is a man of integrity, someone worthy of trust.”
“Yes, I have heard as much. Come to think of it, Duke Rondo often speaks with Inspector Li Wu and Secretary Shau of the Censorate.”
Prince Ryun said, glancing sideways as he searched his memory.
Princess Shio Fen, meeting his gaze, nodded lightly.
“Honestly, I did not know how I should act. So I told Inspector Li Wu exactly what had happened and what I thought. He consulted with Secretary Shau, and they advised that I should lie low for a while.”
“I see.”
“Then Secretary Shau brought me to the Rondo Manor. He asked the golems there to shelter me…”
“So you have been at the Rondo Manor until now?”
“Yes.”
Everyone’s gaze turned to No.1-kun and No.2-kun, standing quietly in the corner.
Naturally, they showed no reaction.
Simply returning the gazes of the eight with eyes that seemed utterly transparent and unfathomable…
“It is true that the Rondo Manor is likely the safest place in the capital right now… But the reason you came to the royal residence tonight is that His Highness has returned, correct?”
“Yes, that is part of it.”
Chamberlain Lin Shun asked, and Commander Tin replied with a nod.
“In fact, this began to move earlier today.”
As he spoke, Commander Tin took out a thin card about ten centimeters square.
“An alchemy device.”
Captain Lu Yao said at a glance, taking it.
“It’s a fairly old type, but… most likely made by Master Byun Yan. A device that detects magic power…yes, one used to track an individual.”
She continued, then suddenly realized something.
“An alchemy device to track His Majesty the Emperor?”
“Exactly as Captain Lu Yao says.”
Commander Tin nodded.
“It is said to be passed down from one Imperial Guard Commander to the next… this is only the third time I have seen it activate. There are apparently several conditions for it to do so, and this time they were met. More importantly… this device only functions if His Majesty the Emperor is still alive.”
“Then… His Majesty lives?”
“Brother Kouri said that His Majesty had passed away. That must be a mistake—or a lie.”
At Commander Tin’s explanation, Captain Lu Yao widened her eyes, while Prince Ryun nodded as he spoke.
“We must rescue him at once!”
Chamberlain Wen Shu cried out.
But Prince Ryun did not agree.
Nor did Princess Shio Fen or Chief Chamberlain Lin Shun.
They all understood: no help would come from the Imperial Palace.
“Most likely, my brother… Prince Kouri will not dispatch troops to rescue him. Nor will anyone else…”
“Why not?!”
“Because it is more convenient for Prince Kouri that way.”
When Prince Ryun stated this plainly, his face showed no emotion.
The thought that had flashed through his mind earlier returned.
Was everything proceeding according to Prince Kouri’s plan?
The imperial throne would fall into Prince Kouri’s hands.
That was probably inevitable.
If that happened… those connected to the Ryun Royal Residence, himself included, would not be able to continue as before.
Still, their lives would likely not be taken.
Prince Kouri would believe the overall trend had already been decided.
Killing capable people at this stage was not his way.
Rather, he preferred to bring even former enemies under his command.
But was that truly acceptable?
Commander Tin, standing before them now, would be executed if discovered.
He was a capable man—but one who had devoted everything to Emperor Tsuin.
He had waited for Ryun’s return to the capital before appearing at the residence because he suspected that Prince Kouri was behind the attack.
Secretary Shau likely suspected the same.
Should they risk everything to rescue the Emperor?
Reason told him it was difficult.
Perhaps not worth the risk.
But emotion screamed that they must save him.
“Ryun-sama, what will you do about your father’s safety?”
That single question from Princess Shio Fen struck directly at Ryun’s heart.
Yes—the captured Emperor was his father.
Abandon him?
Impossible!
“We will rescue him.”
That was the conclusion.
The problem was how.
Everyone present nodded at the decision.
But when it came to concrete methods…
The enemy was the Phantomkins.
They were strong enough to launch a solo assault on the Imperial Palace.
According to reports, there were as many as one hundred thousand of them.
“One hundred thousand…”
“That’s a massive army.”
Princess Shio Fen added to Prince Ryun’s murmured words.
At the same time, a single verse resurfaced in both their minds.
‘And with King Abel stands a lone magician. His magic erased the heavens, shattered the earth, and froze the world—a mighty water spell. That he annihilated a hundred thousand-strong army with a single strike was no dream. People praised him as Ice Fall, or sang of him as the Silver Duke.’
“We really… always end up relying on him.”
“I do feel sorry about it, but…”
Prince Ryun said, shaking his head slightly, and Princess Shio Fen replied, her expression tightening just a little.
Realistically, there was no other option.
The Ryun Royal Residence’s power was all but sealed.
The power of the Imperial Palace was firmly under Prince Kouri.
When examined one by one, there was astonishingly little they could use.
That was only natural.
If this had been orchestrated by Prince Kouri, the Second Prince.
His calculating ability allowed no rivals.
“We will ask Duke Rondo.”
Prince Ryun stated it clearly.
He felt hesitation.
He felt apologetic.
But he let none of it show.
“Lin Shun, is there any move I can make?”
“Your Highness, as a prince, you hold formal command authority over official ships, just as His Majesty the Emperor does.”
Chief Chamberlain Lin Shun replied.
His answer flowed smoothly, as if he had anticipated both the question and who they would rely upon.
“I see. Authority over the tenth ship that diverted to the port town of Hoi An in the Atinjo Grand Duchy.”
“Yes.”
“If Duke Rondo uses the tenth ship and proceeds north by sea, things should be somewhat easier.”
“At least compared to traveling overland through Darwei and the Peiyu state…”
“Very well. I will write the order.”
Prince Ryun nodded.
Then let out a small sigh.
There remained the biggest problem.
“The issue is how to get word to Duke Rondo. And how to deliver the order.”
He said, and many nodded.
Yes. How to contact Duke Rondo, who should be making his way back after leaving the residence and the capital.
And to do so without Prince Kouri’s faction discovering it.
“Your Highness, I have an idea.”
Captain Lu Yao spoke, her expression filled with resolve.
“Lu Yao? You have a plan?”
“Yes.”
At Prince Ryun’s question, Captain Lu Yao nodded.
She stood and walked over to one of the golems standing in the corner.
“No.2-kun, I have a request. I want you to find Duke Rondo and deliver His Highness’s letter. Can you do that?”
Her tone was gentle—perhaps even lonely.
Depending on circumstances, this could become a farewell in this lifetime.
Thus, it couldn’t be helped.
Yet Friendship Token No.2-kun said nothing.
It did not nod.
Instead,
It clenched its right hand into a fist and thrust it forward.
Captain Lu Yao touched that fist with her own right fist.
That was all.
But it was enough.
“Your Highness, let Friendship Token No.2-kun, deliver it.”
“Agreed.”
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