“There really is an island.”

“There’s one hill-like mountain... but it’s almost a perfectly flat island.”

Standing at the bow of the flagship, Abel and Ryo watched the horizon.

The island was already visible without needing binoculars.

“It’s clearly an island.” 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

“Yes... I can’t imagine a patrol boat would have missed an island of that size.”

“In other words, it must have appeared recently.”

“That’s what it looks like. However...”

“Ah, I can’t make it out clearly yet, but I can see green.”

“Probably some kind of forest or grove.”

Admiral Myun and Captain Jun-Ka peered through their binoculars and talked about the island coming into view on the horizon.

“Even if it formed recently, it must be by some magical or sorcerous means.”

“Or perhaps it’s been there all along but was concealed by some kind of <Concealment>.”

“I see. But to conceal an island of that size whole...”

“Even Darwei’s magicians or sorcerers couldn’t manage that.”

They didn’t reach a firm conclusion, but they discussed various possibilities.

When they returned to the Imperial Capital, they would have to report to the Emperor.

At that time, of course, the Emperor would ask,

“Why wasn’t this island discovered until now?”

They needed an answer prepared.

Someone who panics on the spot won’t rise to a high position in a vast power like Darwei...

“So, something non-human is involved, then.”

“There’s no doubt about that.”

That was Myun and Jun-Ka’s conclusion.

That conclusion would also affect the detachment fleet’s course of action.

“Duke Rondo, thinking of contingencies, only the flagship will approach that island. The other ships will remain offshore on standby.”

“All right. Leave it to you. Don’t worry about us—if it looks bad, withdraw. The two of us will manage somehow...”

Ryo accepted Admiral Myun’s proposal and told him to withdraw as needed.

They did not want the detachment fleet to suffer damage by being dragged into trouble.

As they neared the island, more details came into view.

“There are ships anchored on the far side of the island.”

“That’s the fleets of the Komakyuta Principality and the Suje Kingdom.”

“That’s good. Even if they release people, had their ships been sunk, we would have had to claim compensation for damages.”

“...From the Ruri’s two?”

“Yes. If you trouble others, I think it’s common sense for a civilized person to provide compensation.”

“Ah, yeah... that’s human common sense. But those two aren’t human, so I don’t think that sort of thing will register with them.”

“I see, true. Differing common sense is troublesome.”

Ryo accepted Abel’s point.

It would be hard to make beings like the two water-attribute creatures accept human common sense.

They were not human, after all.

“At least, they’ll keep the promise written in the ‘challenge letter’ they sent.”

“That’s true. The hostages’ release—and if we win, information that would be valuable to Darwei. I’m interested in that information.”

On the island, there was a fairly large pier where the detachment flagship, a large warship, could berth.

The flagship slowly moored.

From the deck, they could see two figures standing beyond the pier.

Further beyond, many more people seemed to be gathered.

People disembarked from the flagship with Ryo and Abel at the front.

Of course, not the entire crew.

Only Admiral Myun and about twenty men who appeared skilled at close combat.

The others watched from the flagship.

“The two aren’t blue.”

“Come to think of it, they were blue the last time we met.”

Ryo and Abel whispered.

This time, Ruri’s two had human-like skin... tanned, wheat-colored.

“Ah, Abel and Ryo... cough cough, good to have you... cough.”

Those who greeted them were the two from the ghost ship Ruri, Lau and Fan.

Fan, who appeared female, only waved silently.

But the male-looking Lau’s greeting...

“Lau, are you... all right?”

Abel involuntarily asked as Lau looked unwell.

He kept coughing.

And his left arm hung limply as if his shoulder joint were dislocated.

“Ah, actually, I failed an experiment. The cough will... ahem... be cured soon. The arm will probably heal in two months or so... but in this state, I can’t fight. So this time the opponent will be only Fan. In other words, Fan versus Ryo.”

“...So Fan’s opponent has been decided to be me?”

“Of course. Last time, my opponent was Abel, and Fan’s opponent was Ryo, right?”

“Ah, yes...”

Lau asserted it as if it were self-evident, and Ryo accepted it.

There was no point arguing.

The initiative was theirs.

But there was one king among them who would not accept that directly...

“Then I get a default victory.”

“What?”

“I came when called, but Lau isn’t fighting, right? Then you should give half of that valuable information to Darwei already, at this stage.”

“Hmm...”

Lau and Fan exchanged looks at Abel’s claim.

Fan looked slightly displeased.

Lau nodded once.

“Abel has a point. Fan succeeded in the experiment while I failed. Even if it was accidental, if you call it a forfeit, so be it.”

“But, Lau—”

“Fan can fight, so that’s fine, right?”

“That’s okay, but—”

At Lau’s words, Fan puckered her lips in dissatisfaction but ultimately nodded in acceptance.

“I’ll give half of the promised information. That information concerns the Choouchi Empire. You know what the Choouchi Empire is, so I don’t need to explain, right?”

When Lau unexpectedly named the Choouchi Empire, Ryo, Abel, and Admiral Myun froze in surprise.

None of them had expected that information to surface.

“You know that those living in the Choouchi Empire’s homeland are non-human, right? Darwei’s Imperial Palace was attacked, wasn’t it?”

“We know of the non-human beings belonging to the Choouchi Empire... the Phantomkin, yes. But we don’t know what proportion of the population they represent. We don’t even really know that empire’s population.”

Abel answered Lau’s question.

He felt briefly that Admiral Myun might have been a better person to answer,

So he turned the question to Myun.

“Admiral Myun, how much of this is recognized within Darwei’s core?”

“It’s almost exactly what Abel-dono just said. The only other thing I’ve heard is that they’ve been meddling with the Peiyu country between the Choouchi Empire and Darwei.”

Myun answered Abel’s question.

Lau quickly cut in.

“Their meddling in Peiyu is a prelude to moving further south to swallow Darwei.”

“...What?”

Admiral Myun let out a high, shocked cry at the words.

“Why would they swallow Darwei?”

“There are several reasons. But that’s information I’ll tell you if you beat Fan.”

“After revealing only that much...”

“Even if you say that...”

Abel frowned; Lau shrugged.

Fan, who had listened silently until then, spoke up.

“Lau, maybe you should tell them everything.”

“Huh? Even though we haven’t fought?”

“If Ryo rushes in crazily to try to get that information and self-destructs, that would be boring.”

Fan said calmly to Ryo without changing her expression.

Ryo didn’t know what face to make and went “ah—” and “uh—”.

She might have read their plan to attack early and break through at the outset.

“Then let the Suje Kingdom and the Komakyuta Principality folks hear it too.”

Thus, Kabui Somal, Lord Protector of the Suje Kingdom, and the Bandelsh Trading Company of the Komakyuta Principality were also summoned.

“Ryo-dono, Abel-dono, my apologies.”

Kabui Somal bowed as soon as he arrived.

“No, this is not the Lord Protector’s fault. These two captured you on their own.”

“Yeah, Ryo is right. Still, to achieve the goal of fighting them, it was unavoidable.”

“As another option, I suggested invading Darwei’s capital and razing the city halfway—then they might fight.”

“I thought this was the more restrained option.”

“Both are no good.”

Ryo denied both Fan’s suggestion and Lau’s counterproposal.

“Causing trouble for others is questionable socially and morally.”

“We’re not human.”

“Right. Then it can’t be helped.”

“Yeah, it can’t be helped.”

Is that really so?

Lau, Ryo, Fan... wasn’t something a bit off?

Only Abel shook his head slightly.

“To be blunt, the Choouchi Empire intends to swallow all the eastern countries.”

“That’s bold.”

“Ultimately, their aim is world conquest.”

“W-what a bold claim...”

Ryo reacted in astonishment to Lau’s explanation.

World conquest.

It was the dream of great rulers.

A dream one should aim for at least once after being born into this world!

“It seems there’s a leader as ambitious as Abel.”

“Yeah, let’s avoid misleading ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) expressions. There are heavyweights from many countries here.”

Ryo and Abel whispered very quietly to each other.

Presumably, Abel = Abel I, the Liberator, was not publicly known here.

But Abel noticed and asked,

“World conquest means not just the eastern countries?”

“Yes, the Central Countries as well.”

“No way...”

He quickly tried to bring his thoughts back.

“Lau, why do they want to conquer the eastern countries, or the world?”

“I don’t know the exact reasons.”

“What? And yet you assert their objective so definitively?”

“Yes.”

“Why can you say that?”

“Fan and I, while at sea, can learn much of what happens in the eastern countries.”

Lau answered Abel.

Fan nodded beside him.

The abilities of non-human beings are beyond human understanding...

“May I ask a blunt question?”

Kabui Somal turned to Lau.

“Ah, of course.”

Lau nodded.

“In reporting this matter to my queen when I return. I must reveal the source of the information... is it all right to say it came from the ghost ship Ruri?”

“That’s fine.”

“If so... I’ll have to explain that the ghost ship Ruri is completely different from other ghost ships. Frankly, I don’t know if my report will be accepted...”

“You are the Lord Protector, a very high-ranking figure, perhaps second only to the king. Even so, there’s a chance it might not be accepted?”

“There’s a possibility.”

Kabui Somal asked directly.

Fixing his gaze firmly on Lau.

“Sorry, but that’s something you’ll have to work on. The more troublesome the information, the more you must act.”

“Hmm.”

“Right... Lord Protector. The problem with the Choouchi Empire is due to the Phantomkins, yes?”

“Ah, they told me that while I was being held.”

Apparently, such a discussion had taken place.

“The number of Phantomkins the Choouchi Empire possesses is extraordinary. That’s why human resistance can be easily crushed.”

“Extraordinary in number?”

Ryo asked.

“Yes. On the order of a hundred thousand, I suppose.”

“Excuse me?”

A hundred thousand of those Phantomkins?

To Ryo, it was an unfathomable number.

Abel and Admiral Myun were also stunned.

“That’s why I’m telling you now. There are actually different types among the Phantomkin... but still, I thought you should know. Frankly, we don’t much care whether a human nation falls. Or whether Phantomkins conquer the world. But Ryo and Abel would be troubled, right? Your Darwei admiral would be troubled, right? That’s why I’m telling you.”

“You liar, Lau.”

Fan muttered softly at Lau’s explanation.

“Hey, Fan!”

“Lau hates Phantomkins. A lot happened in the past.”

“You hate Phantomkin too!”

“Yeah, I hate them too~”

It seemed the two of Ruri shared a personal grudge and that drove them to disclose this information.

Of course, that made the information more trustworthy.

“Even the great power Darwei cannot easily stop that southern advance on its own.”

“That’s right. The southward move won’t be immediate. But we don’t have many years.”

Myun’s words were met with Lau’s nod.

“Shouldn’t we inform the Atinjo Grand Duchy?”

“No, that’s unnecessary.”

“Why not?”

“Because those ‘two’ already know. They’ve been acting on that premise.”

Lau answered Ryo’s question.

Ryo and Abel exchanged a silent look.

And then nodded.

The ‘two’ Lau mentioned were the two Phantomkin of the Atinjo Grand Duchy.

The Grand Duke himself and his younger brother, Duke Helb.

They had known the northern Phantomkin were moving southward, so they annexed the Ghegish-Lu Federation and the Free City Kwebasa to consolidate power.

“We’ll need to return to our countries as quickly as possible.”

Bandelsh, chairman of the Blue Jade Trading Company, who had been silent, made that conclusion.

Lord Protector Kabui Somal nodded in response.

“The Suje Kingdom and Komakyuta Principality fleets may depart.”

Lau suddenly granted permission.

“...Is that okay?”

Abel asked suspiciously.

“You want to get back quickly and prepare countermeasures, right? Darwei’s fleet is fine with that?”

“I’ll report to the Imperial Capital with the fast ships. I’ll stay here and see it through to the end.”

Admiral Myun said, then began issuing orders to the subordinates waiting behind him.

“You were going to tell us if we won...”

“Fan said it was okay to tell.”

“If that’s the case, there’s no need to fight...”

“Yeah, if Ryo agrees to become a skeleton, we don’t need to fight.”

“No, I’ll fight to avoid becoming a skeleton.”

Yup—Fan wanted to turn Ryo into a skeleton.

She had wanted that since the battle aboard the ghost ship last time.

“By the way, this time it’s on an island, but where’s the ghost ship?”

“It’s underwater.”

“Uh... the people on it—do they breathe...?”

“Skeletons don’t breathe.”

“I see. Convenient.”

“Right? So Ryo too...”

“I’ll pass.”

They exchanged hurried farewells, and the Suje Kingdom and Komakyuta Principality fleets left the island.

Two fast Darwei ships also departed the detachment fleet and headed for the Imperial Capital.

Ryo could not have predicted these movements would lead to developments that the eastern countries had never seen before.

Remaining on the island were Lau and Fan, Ryo and Abel, Admiral Myun, and nine of his subordinates.

“Well then, with no more concerns behind us, you two can enjoy the fight.”

“I’ve never enjoyed fighting.”

“Ryo lies. He lies with a straight face.”

Lau laughed as he denied Ryo’s reply.

A confident denial.

“Abel, you tell them too. That Ryo is earnest and kind and a magician who hates fighting.”

“I’m not a liar like you, Ryo. I can’t say something like that.”

“Traitor...”

“Then, Ryo, shall we?”

“It can’t be helped. Let’s see how far a magician without magic can fight, once more.”

Fan said gleefully, and Ryo shrugged and accepted.

The two were about to open the curtain on their second battle.