Chapter 456: Politics

Editor: Tseirp

Admiral Rockday was returned to the hold.

As a prisoner, he could not spend as much time on the upper deck as he liked, like Ryo and the others.

The prisoners’ confinement area was not the second or third deck, but the hold…

It seemed that was not much different in any world.

Ryo and Abel were reading books on the ice table.

Ryo was reading one of the three books he purchased in the city of Manyamya.

Ryo glanced at Abel.

Abel had been a bookworm since his days in the city of Rune.

That much was certain, but…

The book Abel was reading… where on earth did it come from?

As you know, Abel is penniless.

And books are never cheap.

They shouldn’t be easy to obtain.

If that’s the case, how on earth…?

Of course, Ryo had a suspicion.

(He must have threatened the innocent sailors and extorted them from the unsuspecting citizens! How an unscrupulous and ruthless swordsman!)

“Ryo, did you just think of something strange?”

Abel asked without lifting his face from his book, in a voice devoid of emotion, surprising Ryo.

Of course, he denied it with all his might.

“W-What are you talking about, Abel? No one thinks you are a ruthless swordsman reading a book extorted from kind sailors! It’s not commendable to doubt a serious and kind magician without any basis.”

“I knew you were thinking something unnecessary…”

Abel shook his head slightly.

“This book is borrowed from Captain Dao.”

“Captain Dao?”

Captain Dao is the female captain of the Bashteek, on which the two were on board.

In the recent battle, she fought at the forefront with two large knives.

Ryo remembered that she was quite skilled.

Ryo looked at the cover of the book Abel was reading.

“‘Knife Fighting on Board’…what a straightforward title.”

“Monrashou, whom I fought, used a short straight sword that was longer than a knife but shorter than a sword. But reading this makes me understand that that man’s technique was also derived from knife combat.”

It seems Abel was trying to solve the parts he questioned during the battle.

That kind of thing was where Ryo honestly thought he was amazing.

He thinks it’s impressive not to leave questions vague while memories are still fresh.

“Abel, you’re admirable!”

“T-thanks.”

Ryo honestly praised, and Abel was slightly embarrassed.

Abel, who was a former A-rank swordsman and a king, was not very used to being praised.

Well, by praising him, Ryo managed to gloss over the issue of his unnecessary thoughts.

“So, this book wasn’t taken from the sailors.”

Abel didn’t let it go unmentioned…

Ryo looked around, desperately searching for a way to cover it up.

“Oh, by the way, Abel, did you know? Princess Iliaja was apparently quite popular among the citizens of Suje Kingdom?”

“Do you think you can gloss over it with that…?”

“I don’t understand what you mean by glossing over. I just think it’s better to have constructive discussions than barren arguments.”

Realizing that Ryo was desperately trying to cover it up, Abel sighed deeply, very deliberately.

Then, he decided to go along with the new topic.

“So? Princess Iliaja was popular in Suje Kingdom?”

Ryo was relieved that Abel went along with it and continued speaking.

“Yes, that’s right. The king apparently had five princes and six princesses. Ah, the second prince was reportedly adopted into the royal family of another country a few years ago.”

“Adopted into the royal family of another country? You don’t hear that in the central countries, but I guess it happens around here.”

“I don’t know the details. But it was a small kingdom on the continent or something… They say he was proficient in both the literary and martial arts and could even use earth-attribute magic. However, his mother was of very low status and passed away when the second prince was very young. Of course, the king reportedly adored him without discrimination… but he was removed from the line of succession for the Suje kingdom’s throne early on.”

“I see. If there’s no chance for succession in his homeland, it might not be a bad idea to go to another country if requested.”

Abel also understood Ryo’s explanation.

Choosing one’s path and carving out one’s destiny doesn’t seem like a bad thing.

“But after a while, the kingdom he was adopted into was reportedly swallowed up by a neighboring country. Since then, the prince’s whereabouts have been unknown…”

“I see…”

Ryo grimaced as he spoke, and Abel grimaced as he responded.

The rise and fall of fortunes are inevitable in this world, but the fall of a nation is a sad story.

“Well, putting aside the second prince. Princess Iliaja is apparently the youngest child.”

“Hmm. But if the youngest is fifteen, the oldest prince or princess must be quite old, right?”

“The first prince was reportedly made the crown prince. When the rebellion occurred, he was thirty-three. It was said he would ascend the throne in two or three years…”

Here, Ryo deliberately paused.

“Ryo… don’t be dramatic.”

“How rude! You need to create suspense for these things. It’s essential to have pacing when telling a story.”

Abel pointed out and Ryo rebutted.

It seems both make a valid point…

“Well, it’s fine. But it seems that the crown prince wasn’t very good… apparently, he used his position to do whatever he wanted.”

“Is that so?”

“He only gave government and kingdom jobs to merchants he favored, and shut down honest businesses that were working for the citizens on false charges…”

“Ah… that kind of thing happens often.”

Ryo explained, and Abel nodded.

In the stories Abel knows, such things are common.

“Moreover, the other princes and princesses were reportedly doing similar things. So none of the princes and princesses were popular… except for Princess Iliaja.”

“Maybe she just didn’t do such things because she’s still young?”

“What a mean thing to say! From now on, I’m going to call you Mean Abel!”

“What does Mean Abel even mean…?”

Ryo was driven by righteous indignation, and Abel shook his head slightly.

“Isn’t the biggest problem with the king and queens for allowing the princes and princesses to behave like that in the first place?”

Abel pointed out, as expected.

Abel couldn’t understand how the king could remain silent while the princes and princesses were causing the people to suffer.

“For Mean Abel, that’s a good perspective. The first queen, second queen, and even the third queen passed away six years ago, and the king was reportedly ill. The ministers were running the government, but I’m sure the crown prince had the ministers under his control too!”

“Well, that might be possible… but jumping to conclusions doesn’t seem right…”

“Don’t you feel sad for the oppressed citizens of the kingdom, Abel?! If that’s how you feel, the future of the Kingdom of Knightley is dark too.”

“Well, I understand I’m being accused unfairly.”

Ryo was somehow angry, and Abel was exasperated.

Ryo is very kind, so he hopes that the people of other countries can be happy too!

“The classic difficulty with a monarchy. The ideal is to entrust politics to capable kings and ministers, and princes and princesses trained to be rulers from a young age, govern so that the citizens can live happily without worrying about unnecessary things… But hearing cases like this…”

Ryo shook his head slightly.

He doesn’t think democracy is perfect, but there are times when he thinks that being able to oust politicians who have gone astray through elections is a good part of it.

However, if the core of the problem lies with the bureaucrats, they cannot be ousted democratically.

Therefore, historically, people have had no choice but to forcibly remove bureaucratic apparatuses through wars, civil wars, or revolutions…

No one chooses such methods willingly.

If there were a smarter way to oust bureaucrats and officials who have become disconnected from the people, they would choose that.

Because the unstable national governance that follows a revolution for twenty years means that… many citizens will have to live through an unhappy twenty years.

What a paradoxical situation.

“Central countries don’t have it, but there are countries in the western countries that take a republican form of government.”

“You remembered well! The Republic of Mafalda.”

Abel asked from his knowledge as a king, and Ryo answered.

“Because it’s the country that built the Skidbladnir that Ryo procured. Of course, I remember.”

“As expected of Abel.”

Through the ‘Soul Resonance’ that Ryo had attached, Abel had seen the Skidbladnir and was surprised by its size and elegance.

That’s why it was firmly etched in his memory.

“In a republic, there are no kings or emperors or people like that. People elected by the citizens conduct politics.”

“Elected by the citizens? That means it’s not aristocrats or anything like that, right?”

“No. There may be cases where aristocrats are elected, but it doesn’t matter in that sense.”

“Honestly, I can’t imagine it… How can a person who was suddenly elected one day handle something as monstrous as the politics of a country? I can’t understand it.”

At Ryo’s words, Abel frowned and tilted his head.

Having been at the center of national politics as a king for three years, Abel believes that it is only possible because he spent so much time studying since he was young.

Indeed, with careful and time-consuming study, it might be possible.

However, being responsible for making decisions that affect all current citizens and future citizens after studying for a few years is too harsh.

It affects not only one’s citizens but also the future of citizens in neighboring countries.

If someone has decent thinking skills and a certain amount of imagination… honestly, it might crush their spirit.

To govern a nation is such a thing… Abel thought so.

“Well, let’s leave the republic alone. No matter what foolish policy a politician implements, all the citizens who elected that person should just enjoy the result. It’s their responsibility. A republic can only exist when all the citizens understand national-level politics and national-level economics. That’s how it should be.”

“…”

“It is a political system where citizens cannot cut corners. It’s a terrifying thought, isn’t it?”

“Y-yeah.”

Ryo stated firmly, and Abel nodded.

“Well, anyway, about Princess Iliaja. Among the princes and princesses, she alone was popular not only among the people but also, surprisingly, with the navy.”

“Well, otherwise, they wouldn’t have rallied around her and resisted as an entire province, Tamako Province was it? And in the recent battle, without anyone telling her to, she exposed herself on the battlefield to raise morale.”

“Yeah, yeah. That’s something that’s not easily done. Especially knowing she was a target. It’s incredible that it boosted the morale of people from the Komakyuta Principality, who were supposed to be the enemy. It’s amazing.”

Ryo nodded happily.

A commander who exposes themselves on the front lines is admirable in its own right.

There is a king swordsman, the epitome of this, right in front of Ryo…

But he didn’t say that.

He can’t let him get carried away!

“Ryo, do you have something you want to say?”

“No, nothing at all! Oh, Abel, why would you ask that?”

Abel asked with suspicious eyes, and Ryo hurriedly denied it.

That sharpness is always perilous, Ryo thought.

“There was actually something I was curious about during that battle.”

“Hmm?”

Ryo spoke in a slightly serious tone, which Abel noticed.

“After Princess Iliaja stood at the bow, I surrounded her with , but there wasn’t a single attack aimed at her.”

“Didn’t they attack from ships deployed in the rear, flying in?”

“Yeah. There were such attacks… but for example, arrows aimed at her life or magic attacks, there were none at all.”

“Ah, I see.”

Ryo’s is astonishingly transparent.

Therefore, in many cases, ordinary people can’t recognize whether it’s there or not.

So if the aim was to take Princess Iliaja’s life, a sniper attack would be expected.

Sniping in naval battles.

In Earth’s history, it was common.

The most famous example… or rather, the most famous target would be Admiral Nelson of the British Navy.

The statue of Nelson stands in Trafalgar Square in London.

The name of the square, Trafalgar, is famous as the name of the sea battle that thwarted Napoleon’s invasion of England.

And it was Admiral Nelson who commanded the British Navy in that battle.

Before heading into the Battle of Trafalgar, Nelson was already a one-eyed, one-armed admiral.

And in the Battle of Trafalgar, he was also shot and killed.

Of course, considering the accuracy of the guns at the time and the fact that it was between moving ships, it’s generally difficult to believe that he was specifically targeted and hit… that’s the common view.

However, that’s irrelevant.

Nelson’s flagship, HMS Victory, was at the forefront of the charge, braving the concentrated cannon fire of the French-Spanish fleet, and Nelson stood on its deck throughout.

That fact is what’s important.

That’s why he is considered the greatest hero in British history.

But in this world of ‘Phi’, there is magic.

Magic boasts a remarkably high accuracy rate compared to the firearms of Earth at that time.

“If the goal was to take Princess Iliaja’s life, I think using magic to snipe her would have been the most certain method.”

“So the aim wasn’t to take Princess Iliaja’s life but to secure her.”

Ryo said, and Abel, finding much to agree with, nodded in response.

But if that’s the case, various things change.

“Does that mean the objective wasn’t to kill Princess Iliaja and eradicate the royal bloodline?”

“Or perhaps capture her alive and publicly execute her as a possibility.”

“I don’t like that idea…”

Abel frowned and shook his head slightly at Ryo’s speculation.

The King of the Knightley Kingdom doesn’t seem to like cruel things.

“A public execution is symbolic. It’s a straightforward action that shows the new government’s stance not only domestically but also internationally. Princess Iliaja is the last survivor, so foreign countries would be watching too.”

“When you say foreign countries… in the archipelago region, the only country with comparable power to the Suje Kingdom is the Komakyuta Principality, right?”

“Well, yes… But even small countries, if they form an alliance, could be troublesome, right?”

“That’s true. Countries with monarchies would be interested in the outcome…”

As the two conversed like that…

Twenty-one days after departing from Manyamya City, the transport fleet arrived at the capital of the Komakyuta Principality, Wannya.

Although they were a day behind schedule, there were no particular problems after the battle with the assault fleet.

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