The ship glided smoothly at a leisurely pace down the calm sea, entering the military port that was our destination.
The Roma military port was an artificial harbor base that felt somewhat out of place against the backdrop of an untouched natural coastline.
The bay, nestled within steep cliffs, was difficult to see from the outside, making it an ideal refuge from wind and waves. Various military ships were docked, the majority of which were galleys with oars protruding from their hulls.
In addition to standard port facilities, there were buildings that appeared to be barracks and arms factories bustling with activity as many people worked diligently.
The military base housed not only officers of the Kingdom's Knight Order but also a large number of ordinary sailors, contributing to its town-like atmosphere with restaurants and other amenities.
Truly, the port didn't betray its image as the first line of defense against the Rosemieur if the sparks between the two nations ever developed into war.
"Well then, I’ll take my leave here. I have a mountain of tasks to attend to. I might not be able to see you off, but I’m sure we’ll meet again at the Royal Capital. I look forward to it."
Glover-san said, flipping his cloak as he stepped off the ship.
The ordinary soldiers, caught off guard by his unexpected arrival, momentarily showed shocked expressions before hurriedly saluting with their right hands to their chests.
"Long time no see, Sir Caster."
As Glover-san walked away, a soldier adorned with numerous medals and insignias came to greet us while we were preparing to disembark.
He was a sunburned, stout man with a muscular build and sharp eyes, mirroring the relentless activity on the site.
"Been a while, Yakkul. Where's Revol-san?"
"Captain Revol’s in his office and will be organizing information with Commander Glover. Rosemieur seems to be equally preparing their navy, apparently, so the Captain’s on high alert."
"Can’t blame him for that. Ah, let me introduce you, Yakkul. You might have heard of them already, but these two are the key figures that made it possible to complete the emergency transport mission: Allen Rovenne and Daniel Serdos."
Yakkul nodded once and directed his sharp gaze toward me and Dan.
"I am Yakkul von Furstel, the deputy base commander here at Roma Military Port."
"I’m Allen Rovenne, a provisional member of the 3rd Legion."
"And I’m Daniel Serdos, also a provisional member of the 2nd Legion."
As I shook the offered hand, I was taken aback.
The thick calluses on his hand likely came from years of rowing in galleys. From the stable and unwavering strength of his grip, I could sense a level of physical enhancement magic that rivaled that of a Knight Order's knight.
But for some reason, he just held my hand tightly, showing no sign of letting go.
“...It’ll only be for a short time, but we’ll be disturbing you, Yakkul-san.”
“Oh? Regardless of your young age, you're still a member of the Knight Order, Sir Allen. It's surprising that you're sticking to formalities. I’m usually fussy about hierarchy myself, but you really have me stumped right now.
This is certainly not Sir Allen from the rumors who was said to have grown up with the famed mantra of «Unceasing Prudence». Please, feel free to drop any formalities with me."
What the hell did he mean by the famed mantra «Unceasing Prudence»?......
Aren't rumors spreading a bit too much?
“Speaking of which, could you show this poor, outdated old man some new theories on ship sailing? Ah, I'm not belittling you. I’m very much aware of your service in saving the nation through this mission.”
Yakkul-san spoke, further strengthening his hold on my hand.
“It's just... this senile mind of mine is finding it hard to comprehend how a mere sail ship outpaced a galley, more so when it's missing the magic engine that has seen a revolutionary breakthrough in recent times.
Including me, there are many stubborn people who won't believe in what happened unless they witnessed it themselves... Just a short demonstration is fine. Could you take me and a few young folks for a little ride?”
A smile tugged the corner of Yakkul's lip, but it certainly didn't reach his eyes.
I glanced at Cass, feeling bewildered, and saw him frowning as he stepped in.
“Allen has told us of his plan to spread the new theory, but now is not the right time. This technology will undoubtedly be integrated into the Royal Army and will eventually spread to the civilian sectors as well, but it must remain a revolutionary technique pioneered by the Kingdom. It’s not something to be carelessly flaunted. There's no problem showing it to you, but... do you believe you can keep it from spreading, Yakkul?”
Cass-san said as he directed his gaze beyond Yakkul.
I noticed that the sailors behind him were watching us with wary expressions.
…Ah, I see.
These men have dedicated their lives to galleys. And there should be many more like them in the army.
They are grappling with the fear and absurdity of watching everything they’ve built come crashing down.
The technological advancements that should have evolved steadily were now happening suddenly and unexpectedly. Such tension was bound to occur.
We could show them our navigation skills just as they wanted, but overflowing emotions could easily leave lasting consequences. We had no way of knowing how it would adversely affect them later. If things went poorly, it could significantly impact the development of sailing ships using wind magic.
But more importantly, the fact that this seemingly sensible person was insisting on confirming it in this situation showed that it would undoubtedly affect their morale.
…Well, that wasn’t my concern. As I pondered on what to do, Dan, who had been quietly observing Yakkul’s worn hands, stepped in calmly.
“I’m Daniel Serdos, the president of the Royal Academy's Sail Club. This might not be the best time, but how about a match with my sailing ship? We’ll race from this Roma Naval Port, through the Corrida Strait, and around Corrida Island, competing in speed.”
A skeptical expression flashed on Yakkul-san's face when Dan suggested that.
"Quite a gallant suggestion, as expected of one who bears the Knight Order’s mantle at such a young age. But the Corrida Strait... Do you know that it’s often called the ‘graveyard of sailing ships’? How do you intend to deal with the Sea Falcons?”
“Yes, I’m aware. Therefore, I’ll handle the navigation, and Allen will take care of the Sea Falcons with his bow. He's quite an impressive archer.”
Dan replied with a grin, further adding “There's no better playground for a sailor than the sea, right?”
Yakkul-san broke into a delighted smile when he heard Dan.
“You truly are a one-of-a-kind genius of Grauksh, Daniel Serdos! You have something that sets you apart from the other elite knights who graduated from the Royal Academy. That's very reassuring! You must still be tired for today, so let’s hold the contest at 1 PM tomorrow. The patrol ship is set to sail at around that time, so we can depart together. Many here, myself included, are from the Grauksh region. This is going to excite everyone for sure!”
Seeing Yakkul-san’s tense expression crack to reveal a bright smile, Dan accepted the suggestion with a wry expression.
◆◆◆
The dawn of the next day.
I visited Shalom Lake — located near the Roma port — along with Dan.
Cass-san seemed bothered by our decision, asking back, ‘Can't it be left for another occasion?' but I remained adamant about my stance.
It seemed Cass-san was worried about possible accidents, but I wouldn’t miss the chance to see the wild blue flamingos, an opportunity that might never come again, just because there was a 'what if' chance of some incident happening.
I would have endured if there were still pending tasks for me to undertake, but I had none. That was the entire reason why I detested being a man of rumors or status. Someone in a position of authority was severely restricted in their actions. They wouldn't be allowed to do anything even if they have a valid reason like 'I had nothing to do.’ But with me, I was a student first before a knight.
Cass-san showed his intention to accompany us as our guardian and protection, but I swiftly stated that it was unnecessary.
"You going out of the port area on your own would absolutely not be allowed. The typical procedure would be to send a few escorts along with you, but that would instead make you stand out more," Cass-san countered.
Cass-san should've had a multitude of things to do as well, but here he was, fretting over us due to our decisions.
I did feel a bit bad, but I couldn't back down here.
If I kept compromising in situations like this under the guise of cooperation, it would go against my motto of an unfettered life.
There was nothing more terrifying for me than that.
And so, here I was, enjoying the sights of Shalom Lake...
To put it plainly, I was glad I came here. One of the Kingdom's three great birds, the blue flamingo.
Their overlapping blue feathers ranged from pale sky blue to deep navy blue, and the depth of blue varied among individuals.
Moreover, depending on the angle of the light, the colors took on the hues of red or yellowish blue, creating an indescribable palette. I’ve been watching them for nearly two hours now, and I still haven't grown bored of them.
The high-pitched cries of "kawawa, kawawa" resonated across the tranquil morning lake from their uniquely curved beaks.
They were about the same size as earth flamingos, but some were more than twice as large— those must be the ones that have become monsters.
Given the current situation, there were fewer tourists than usual, but still, a few were scattered around.
As I stood there in casual clothes, trying to disguise my identity and staring intently at the lake, a local gramps called out to me from behind.
"You’re watching them quite ardently, kid. Is this your first time seeing the blue flamingos?"
Cass-san moved to wedge between us immediately, but I gestured for him not to.
"Yes, it’s my first time. The beauty of this scene is beyond words. It truly moves my heart, making me forget the passage of time."
When I replied like that, the man smiled happily.
“Haha! You’re quite the honest kid, aren’t you? I like you. I usually give tours around here, but due to that foul incident, there haven’t been many tourists despite the peak season. Would you like to try feeding the blue flamingos? It's just that—”
The man said this and grinned while offering me a fishing rod about 1.5 meters long.
“You’ll have to gather your own bait. Normally, it would be 30 rea an hour, but I’ll let you have it for half price!”
I was immediately caught by his words.
“For real?! Thank you very much! Hey, Dan, let’s have a competition to see who can catch more!”
“...I don’t mind, but remember, unlike you who grew up in the mountains, I grew up in a port town. Have you ever fished, Allen? If you haven’t, I honestly don’t think it’ll be much of a contest.”
Heh heh heh.
I may not look it, but I was actually quite fond of fishing myself.
It wasn't connected to my past life, but before my memories awakened, I often thought about what I would do after skipping my studies. Fishing was one of the things I was most hooked on back then.
Fishing at sea might not be comparable to my time at rivers, but judging from the shortness of the fishing rod, the thinness of the line, and the size of the hooks, fishing in the lake was definitely going to require delicateness.
If my guess wasn't wrong, then I should have a fair chance, having honed my skills in the stream confined within our walled city where the fish were already wary.
In fact, I could only see myself winning.
“Yeah, well, I’ve tried a bit in a stream near my house. Though I doubt it would be comparable to a sea guy like you, so go easy on me, alright?"
I said while trying to maintain a calm facade in an attempt to bait Dan into lowering his guard. Dan, however, narrowed his eyes and stared at me for a moment before addressing the man.
“...I want to examine the equipment. Please bring out all the rods, tackles, and bait. I’ll pay, of course… I’m going to take this seriously, Allen. No complaints, right?”
Wait, what?!
What the hell did he read from my expressionless face?! What was he, a long-time wife of mine or something?......
“...Do you both even know what the situation is right now?”
Cass-san's shoulders drooped feebly, seemingly feeling a wave of powerlessness, as he murmured so with a distant look in his eyes.