Volume 4 Chapter 6 Charm
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”I want to buy a Black Ship.”
What in the world is this beauty talking about?
We are currently in a hotel room in the capital of the Duke’s land. I am staying here with Kenze1 and Pamela. The woman who had barged in here with her subordinates was now sitting comfortably on the sofa.
This person is Nikaure Saba, the leader of the Amazoness. She does not have the lazy look of a woman who relies on her beauty. Her eyes are sharp and restless. They tell the story of a commander who has led her subordinates through many battlefields.
In the center of her forehead hangs a blue jewel on a thin golden chain. According to Kenze, the type and color of the jewel show the rank of those in the Amazoness lineage. Blue means royalty.
The Amazoness trade primarily as mercenaries. In the Kingdom of Schweilitz, that is not allowed. They do not have much work here. Because of this, I rarely see them. But sometimes, they hide their tribal origins and work as intelligence agents for the Turkic Empire.
However, intelligence work is low-level. A heavy hitter like her appearing means something massive is in motion. I have no idea what it is.
She wants to buy a Black Ship?
I do not think she is naive enough to believe she can easily buy a collection of state secrets.
”Why are you telling me this?” I asked, keeping my voice calm.
”Because you are the one who proposed it. The author of the ‘Seven Blueprints of the Prison.’”
Is the story of the blueprints I wrote before leaving for Rus really that famous, even among the Amazoness? This beauty, however, is forgetting the most important part.
”If you know about those blueprints, then you know that just having the designs does not mean a Black Ship can be built,” I replied firmly. “I may be the one who conceived it, but I am not the builder. The engineers of the Kingdom of Schweilitz are the ones making it. If you really want one, you should negotiate through official diplomatic channels with the Kingdom Office.”
”You are so serious,” she said, flashing a charming smile.
When this woman smiles, I feel like my heart is being snatched away. On top of that, she crosses her legs. For a fleeting moment, I thought I saw the base of her beautiful legs.
”I think it is a reasonable judgment,” I said, leaning back.
I shifted my posture on the sofa. I sat back deeply, leaning my body against the backrest.
”My, how come? I am offering to pay for it, am I not? Besides, it is not ready enough to hit the open seas yet, is it?”
How much does this beauty actually know?
”Be careful,” Pamela whispered. She placed a hand on my neck and spoke through telepathy.
I do not need to be told. I am watching the short-haired girl’s right foot. It has pulled back just a little. I grab the armrest and slowly lift my body up.
”Kenze, you must not move,” the beauty said with a smile. Her words were threatening. As she spoke, the short-haired girl slowly drew her rapier from its sheath. What are they trying to do with brute force?
”Come now, if you would just obey like Rosa-chan,” she said softly.
”What did you do to Rosa?” I demanded.
”Nothing, I just had a little talk with her.”
She is being suggestive. But a malicious color bleeds into the smile of the Amazoness leader.
”Did you kidnap her?” I asked.
”That is a terrible way to put it. I just told her the secret of her own birth. I only promised to return her to her grandfather’s country.”
Her real grandfather? Her personal file states that she is the daughter of a fishery magnate living in the Holstein territory. She is the same age as me. She is a genius who was not just overflowing with mana, but also brilliant enough to enter the Magic Academy directly. However, she has a dark streak. She did not hesitate to kill General Geklan during the Fifty-Three Station Defense Battle.
”Did you not notice? That child is a Dwarf half-breed.”
Indeed, her face is square and her body is also square. She has a physique that could be mistaken for a Dwarf.
”Her family home may be quietly doing fisheries now. But until a dozen years ago, they were a pirate clan that disguised their trade as shipping. Moreover, they went from the Saihites Sea to the Norden Sea. They went through the Western Ocean, and even reached the Inland Sea.”
If I were to relate this to Earth, it would mean they sailed from the east coast of Denmark through the Baltic and North Seas. Then they went into the Atlantic, and reached the Mediterranean to act as pirates. I vaguely remember from high school world history that Vikings reached the Mediterranean and founded a kingdom in Sicily.
”But I have never heard of cross-breeding between races,” I countered.
I have never heard of humans having children with Elf Mages or Dwarves.
”You are uneducated. Human and Dwarf hybrids are surprisingly common. Though, the mixed-blood children cannot have children of their own,” she explained.
I have heard that lions and tigers can mate. But the children cannot reproduce or do not thrive. I wonder if it is similar to that. But more than that…
”Then what about with an Elf Mage?” I asked. I could not stop myself. For a former Chuunibyou (a teen who believes they have dark powers) patient, a half-Elf Mage girl is the supreme existence.
”You are a thirsty student, are you not? But no, I have never heard of that. There is a story in Turku mythology about a girl born in the ancient times. According to that, the current Mages are her descendants.”
For some reason, Nikaure smiles at me.
”There is also a legend. It says there is a land in the North where that blood still runs thick. I wonder if that is true.”
I recall the mother and daughter from Rus I picked up in Larland.
Regardless. I have been teaching Rosa various things. Moreover, she is a genius child who understands ten things when taught one. If you combine that with Dwarf technology, you could build a Black Ship. But you need large facilities.
”Are you taking Rosa to Turku?” I asked.
The only place I can think of that has such facilities, besides Schweilitz, is the Turkic Empire.
”Of course not. I told you, I am returning her to her grandfather’s country.”
”Her grandfather’s country?”
”That is right. Kush, the Dwarf country south of our Nymphai Kingdom on the Southern Continent.”
A Dwarf country? And Kenze did not even know about this Nymphai Kingdom.
”I am sure even you would not know. But the Lemurian Sea, which spreads out to the east of the Southern Continent, is our sea. It is a vast ocean. It takes two weeks to reach our motherland, Oceanus, at the eastern end. And that is even if the wind is favorable.”
”So it is the lifeblood sea for transporting pepper, cotton, and silk?” I reasoned. I believe the Lemurian Sea is what is called the Indian Ocean on Earth.
On this planet, the Suez is a strait, not an isthmus. The Amazoness have monopolized maritime shipping without relying on horses or camels. They transport those items to Charle and Turku. It is certainly true that a Black Ship would be a threat to them.
”You are more knowledgeable than I thought. We also transport silk and ceramics by ship. We bring them from the eastern coast of the continent where The Boltechino landed.”
”Is that why you need the Black Ship?”
”Well, that is one reason. But we are also worried. We fear you lot might start doing as you please in our sea with that ship of yours.”
Their business, the transport industry, must be sailing vessels. If a Black Ship appeared, it is only natural to think that they cannot protect the sea lanes. The performance is too different. They cannot fight back even if they are looted by a Black Ship. So, they want a ship that can counter it.
”But you cannot build a ship without Core Basics technology,” I insisted.
”I know. That is why we are taking her to the Kingdom of Kush.”
In other words, they do not want to buy the Black Ship from me at all. They want to make Rosa and the Kingdom of Kush build one so they can acquire it. Then why did she say she wanted to buy a Black Ship from me? I need to ask more questions.
”Kingdom of Kush? Ah, you mean that Dwarf country you mentioned?”
”Exactly. The ball bearings you invented? That material was only possible because of the knowledge of Kush.”
I see. I have heard that Dwarves have the technology for everything from mining to metal processing. If it is that kingdom, then they do have the Core Basics technology to make a ship out of steel plate.
This is bad. I doubt they have the processing technology for titanium or aluminum. But if they make the exterior of the Black Ship out of stainless steel, and if they use composite alloys for the turbine material… this is going to be a troublesome situation. If they take Rosa and that technology is combined with the military power of the Amazoness, it will be bad.
”Do you understand now? Shall we calculate the price of your life?”
”My life? Is Rosa alone not enough?” I tried to play dumb, but the merchant would not let me off the hook. However, for me, this is the main subject.
”Rosa herself says that the knowledge of a former Associate Professor named Larry is a threat.”
”Does that mean…?”
”If you come with us, your life is worth ten billion Yen. If you refuse, it is zero.”
I thought as much. Rosa really told her something troublesome.
Ten billion Yen is attractive. But if I defected as a traitor, what would happen to Marie and the others in the Royal Capital? What about Strock Village? What about the Fee Grand Principality? If it comes to this, I have no choice.
I steeled my resolve. The Amazoness may be better at fighting. But I am a Mage. I have already survived through death-defying situations.
I made a long, thin Fireball in my right hand. I aimed it at the short-haired woman Soldier who was keeping an eye on me and Kenze. It happened in an instant. The woman Soldier crouched down quickly with an expressionless face. She kicked the floor to try and flank me on the right side of the table.
Seeing this, Pamela created a Fireball with both hands. She checked the movement of the woman Soldier.
Now, I can focus on Nikaure. I slid my body onto the table in front of me. I delivered a side kick to her.
As expected of an Amazoness. She rolled off the chair. But she was holding a karambit knife in both hands, and she flashed it. The knife, which imitated a tiger’s claw, sliced my shin. Blood sprayed out.
This is bad. But the distance to Nikaure is still close. I created a large, high-temperature Fireball in my left hand. I pointed it at Nikaure. Unable to endure the heat, she turned her back on me to move. She stopped her attack on me.
I slid off the table. I kicked the floor with my remaining right leg and tackled Nikaure’s waist. I clung to her. As we fell between the table and the sofa, I reached through the gap in her dress. I absorbed mana from her skin and cut off her consciousness.
I do not think it took even five seconds from when I started moving.
”Princess!” the woman Soldier shouted. She was facing Pamela, but it was already too late. I grabbed Nikaure’s breasts from behind. I lifted her body with a heave and used her as a shield against the woman Soldier.
”You should not, you know—wearing clothes so revealing when you are picking a fight with a Mage,” I said.
As I said that, I kneaded her breasts with all my might. They were a bit firm and well-shaped. It feels good, this.
It feels good, but something is strange. The strength is draining from my body. No, my mana is being taken.
”You idiot. Finally, the poison is taking effect,” the woman Soldier said. She looked at me with a triumphant look.
”Poison?” I managed to ask.
”That is right. The secretion from a mature Toad-Salamander. It drains the mana of a Mage like you and cuts off your consciousness. You idiot.”
The cut from the knife… the poison was on that knife.
* * *
”HEY, HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO GROPE HER BREASTS?”
When I noticed, Kenze was shaking my body. But I was still hugging the beauty from behind.
”What happened?” I asked.
”Pamela knocked the woman Soldier unconscious,” she replied.
Pamela was unexpectedly amazing. The short-haired girl showed an opening when I was losing my consciousness while using Nikaure as a shield. Apparently, Pamela did not miss it.
”So, it seems I managed to survive that Amazoness encounter after all,” I remarked.
”DA KARA, WHY ARE YOU STILL SQUEEZING MY BREASTS?” she shouted.
”Nah, I was just thinking that it is nice to be alive. Good thing that poison did not take hold,” I replied.
”Did you not expel the poisoned blood yourself? For now, let us have you sit on the sofa and put your feet on the table. I will cast [Heal],” she commanded.
Expel it? I do not recall doing anything of the sort. I suppose, given the volume of blood lost, the poison was flushed out along with it.
”THAT ASIDE, WHAT NOW? YOU HAVE BEEN CHASED BY THE AMAZONESSES TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH,” she warned.
Is that so? I only squeezed a breast or two. No, wait, I was just preventing a kidnapping.
”Well then, it would be a waste not to do it once, would it not?” I muttered.
For some reason, I found myself on the receiving end of intense glares from Kenze and Pamela.
”Is that strange?” I asked.
”IDIOT!” they scolded in unison.
”Hey, you. Have you not been charmed?” she asked.
”No way,” I denied.
”AND YET, YOU PERSISTENTLY SQUEEZE BREASTS. AND YOU EVEN SAID YOU WOULD DO IT WITH HER WHILE WE WERE RIGHT THERE,” she added.
That is perfectly normal, is it not? She is an Amazoness in a revealing dress. Although, now that you mention it, when I was talking to that beauty earlier, I might have been a bit distracted.
”But still, ‘Charm’ is something that only happens in stories. I have never heard of it being real,” I reasoned.
If such a thing existed, Professor Lizabel2 (from the Academy’s Simple Magic Investigation Department) would have been the first to use it.
”Amazonesses cannot use Mana, right?” I wondered.
”They say magic is not just about using Mana,” she countered.
Is that so.
”I have heard only Androgynos use spirit magic. But I do not know the details,” she stated.
Could this beauty be an Androgynos? To confirm, I hiked up the hem of her dress. But there were no such organs to be found.
”No male equipment between the legs, so no spirit magic,” I concluded.
”THEN, DID YOU TRULY FALL FOR HER?” she asked.
”It is not like that. I just had a surge of libido, that is all,” I explained.
”I do not like it,” she grumbled.
Kenze was in a foul mood. But really, I do not think a spell like “Charm” actually exists.
Moving on from that, we have no choice but to hand these two Amazonesses over to the Duke. But the real problem is what happened to Rosa. Rosa was with us from the Duke’s Viscount’s Palace until the hotel. Even if they had encountered the Amazonesses and decided to leave immediately, not even five hours had passed. It is more realistic to assume she is still somewhere in this city than to think she has already left.
”Kenze, is your child okay?” I asked.
When the beauty told Kenze not to move earlier, I assume she meant that she had the hostage. That is why I think Kenze stayed put. But now that things have turned out this way, that child…
”I DO NOT KNOW. BUT, BECAUSE THE LAW IS AL, IT IS OKAY. PROBABLY,” she sighed.
The law: children born to those of common status are raised by the entire group.
”If Kenze delivers these two to the Fabric shop, would that not improve the chances of a rescue?” I suggested.
”IT DOES NOT MATTER. DO NOT WORRY,” she dismissed.
Professor Alan returned past midnight, and a series of chaotic events followed. A search party for Rosa was immediately organized. By dawn, the Duke’s Town Guards raided the Fabric shop, but she was not there.
The two Amazonesses who had visited my room were to be sent to the Royal Capital. I was tied up with the aftermath. It was not until the morning of the third day after arriving here that we left the Duke’s territorial capital. Rosa had not been found by then.
The ship leaving the territorial capital headed north up a canal for one day. Then it reached a calm, inland sea. This inland sea was separated from the Norden Sea by a barrier of islands. These islands were formed by dirt from ocean currents.
We navigated this corridor-like sea. We exited into the Norden Sea and entered a large bay. Deep within that bay lay the Kure military port.
The first things to catch my eye from a distance were the massive structures. Next came the “black ships”—Mutsuki, Kisaragi, and Tsukushi.
As we entered the narrow bay, several cargo ships were heading out.
The place was vibrant. The sound of metal being struck echoed everywhere. Black smoke billowed into the sky, and people were constantly on the move.
As I watched, our ship docked at the same pier as one of the newly constructed black ships.
”Professors!” she called out.
A young girl was waving from the deck of the new ship. It was Tura, the loli Elf Mage I knew so well. She should be over twenty, but because she is an Elf Mage, she looks like a child. Yet, she is a professor at the Military Academy.
As our ship docked, she hopped off the new vessel and ran toward us. I was touched by such a friendly welcome. This girl was my assistant because she wanted to absorb my knowledge. I was glad she looked up to me.
However.
”Long time no see, Pamela-san, Kenze-san,” she greeted.
Saying only that, Tura dashed past me toward Professor Alan. He was standing behind me. I could hear the two of them behind me stifling their laughter.
”Hey, did you bring it?” she asked.
”Yes, I received it from Professor Marie as promised. Should we unload it immediately?” he replied.
”Of course,” she insisted.
We were supposed to talk about Rosa. But for some reason, the construction of the ship took priority. We had brought three alternators and a new type of steam turbine. People quickly gathered around. Once the equipment was unpacked, some began inspecting the blades of the steam turbine one by one. Others checked the shaft holes for distortion or damage.
Once the inspection was complete, Golems arrived and threaded the shaft through the one-meter-diameter turbine and the alternator. They were immediately installed on the ship. They said they would finish the installation check and conduct the operational test as early as tomorrow.
When the work was finished, Professor Alan stood on the deck of the new ship.
”Everyone, we are having an operational meeting in an hour. Tell all professors and military officers of rank or above to gather in the main conference hall of the university. Of course, Larry-sensei should come too,” he directed.
Bad premonitions, as it happens, are usually correct. That day, I became a visiting professor at the Naval Academy.
—
Summary:
Nikaure Saba, the leader of the Amazoness, infiltrates the protagonist’s hotel room to demand the purchase of a ‘Black Ship’ and an alliance with the protagonist, whom she identifies as the author of the ‘Seven Blueprints of the Prison’. The confrontation escalates into a violent struggle as the protagonist, having been poisoned by a hidden blade, manages to subdue Nikaure while sustaining mana drain. With his consciousness fading, he learns that Nikaure intended to use the protagonist’s knowledge alongside Rosa’s potential to bridge the technological gap for the Amazoness.
The protagonist survives an encounter with two Amazonesses and attempts to navigate the aftermath of a botched kidnapping plot. They travel to the Kure military port, where they reunite with their assistant Tura and deliver critical ship components. The chapter concludes with the protagonist being unexpectedly appointed as a visiting professor at the Naval Academy.
—
Trivia:
- The blue jewel on Nikaure’s forehead is a specific indicator of royal rank within the Amazoness hierarchy.
- Rosa was once a member of a pirate family that disguised its operations as a shipping business.
- Dwarf and human cross-breeding results in infertile offspring.
- The Lemurian Sea is the lifeblood for transporting goods to the Turkic Empire and beyond, making the Black Ship a major strategic threat to the Amazoness.
- The poison used by the short-haired soldier is derived from the secretions of a mature Toad-Salamander.
- The Amazonesses’ use of all-caps dialogue reflects their non-native or stylized speech pattern.
- The law mentioned by Kenze regarding communal child-rearing is known as “Al”.
- The “black ships” refer to Mutsuki, Kisaragi, and Tsukushi.
- Tura is physically young due to her species, despite being over twenty and a professor.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• Pia – A busty, naive Nurnhügel mage in a hooded robe, she is heavily pregnant with the protagonist’s child. Under military protection while undergoing legal emancipation from past slavery, this submissive yet cynical level-3 healer’s assistant pilots golems and drones. She speaks with archaic authority but constantly fears arrest for her previous Haritz escape.
• Al – Alberto (Al), a massive red‑haired man recently wed to Mary, lives near the Dish Basin. He’s a companion of Hans, helping intimidate and rally elders as a villager and leader.
• Ed – A lanky refugee youth in simple farmer’s garb, Larry’s close friend and fierce protector is now a Military Academy student making claims about the Poll Tax and mortality. Formerly an associate of Captain Bours, he witnessed the Mauer Village skirmish, fled to Strock Village, and joined the militia to train spear-walls and ambush mercenaries, remembered for his quiet resolve to survive.
• Ho – Ho, a comrade of the protagonist. A member of the military unit that defended Garao Village and was slaughtered alongside Marx-san.
• Pamela – A petite, sharp-tongued Elf mage, maid, and possessive logistics chief married to the protagonist Larry. Clad in cloaked white Gothic Lolita attire hiding a slave crest, this independent Amazoness provides telepathic protection and healing. Formerly Earnest’s slave, she joins Larry, Katri, Kenze, and Thomas’s party on a naval assignment, though currently exhausted from hunger and custody.
• Kenze – A dark-skinned Amazoness with short black hair, a niqab, and slave attire. A stoic former Takshurgan intelligence agent under state surveillance, this subordinate of protagonist Larry is his loyal guard and tactical commander. Rejecting typical slave treatment, she protects her children, like daughter Zaboo, using blinding speed to shield allies Pamela, Marie, Thomas, and Teressa.
• Pam – An escort to the protagonist who is observant and loyal.
• Nikaure – A beautiful, pale Amazoness leader and tribe ambassador with sharp, restless eyes from countless battlefields. She wears a blue gemstone on a thin golden chain against her forehead as a mark of her noble, royal rank. On behalf of her people, she is currently seeking to purchase a Black Ship.
• Nika – A fourteen-year-old personal maid to Teressa. Freckled, has wavy bronze hair, flat chest, and prone to mocking Larry. Lady’s maid and cousin to Terese. Educated free person with a prickly personality. Terese’s lady’s maid and cousin. Known for being sharp-tongued toward Larry.
• Saba – A surname belonging to Nikaure.
• Schweilitz – The kingdom to which the protagonist is forced to return boasts towering academy spires and a full military arsenal—Royal Army troops and elite officers. Its ruler holds a captive the protagonist fears will be executed.
• Rus – A neighboring power deeply involved in regional politics and mediation, best known for annexing the Kingdom of Larland.
• Rosa – A 14-year-old, square-built Sabaski shipyard professor of noble half-Dwarf descent, this cynical genius has immense mana and psychopathic tendencies. A drone pilot and wealthy Kure-region associate, she designed propulsion using Bohemian plate glass. After profiting from the protagonist’s blueprints, she was abducted, deemed dangerous by state management, and targeted for assassination.
• Geklan – A renowned enemy general and mercenary commander who relied on feigned retreats, only to be defeated and killed by Rosa during the Fifty-Three Station Defense Battle.
• Larland – A fallen kingdom, marked by its royal lineage of eight distinct princesses, has reemerged as a ruthless invading force. Driven by the loss of their homeland, these royal heirs now lead an aggressive campaign that threatens the entire region, turning former neighbors into desperate targets as they fight to reclaim power.
• Boltechino – An entity that departed from Rus, this explorer traveled to discover a continent that became the birthplace of shipping trade.
• Larry – Sammy I (Larry-sama) is a 16-year-old, dark-haired Grand Duke, mage, and reincarnated engineering professor. Facing a death penalty and unbathed from solitary, he uses mana control, telepathy, and past-life tech to design ships and develop dynamite. He maintains heavy influence through his four wives, kids, and inventions while struggling with boundaries in a morally broken world.
• Principal – The mother of Line and the administrative head of the institution. She exercises authoritative control over research assignments and seeks to trade Larry for Ilse Klein due to interpersonal conflicts in her laboratories. The mother of Sabrina and Rhein who intervenes during Rhein’s violent corridor assault to break up the confrontation.
• Marie – Larry, an authoritative Kiridal professor with a mage’s build, manages the protagonist’s home economics in the Royal Capital, where her potential defection is noted. From Strock Village and Isabella’s niece, she runs a large lab, works with the Arsenal Bureau, and sent items to the Kure military port via Alan. A former Weasels leader and peer to Darina, she warmly loves her husband Kenze.
• Fee – Larry Fee Getys is a 15-year-old reincarnated youth and titular Duke. Pragmatic and telepathic, this sharp-eyed young man leads the Getys household and rules Strock Village alongside Hans, Iffens, Teressa, and their maid Nico. While building a new nation, he enjoys prime whale meat and maintains crucial connections to Adolf and various underground networks.
• Mar – A battle‑hardened veteran, clad in worn armor, uses door panels as shields and captures enemy crossbows; Larry’s comrade who teases him about his sister‑in‑law’s pampering, known as Martin to his companion Edmond.
• Poi – A Dwarf welder and former carriage maker who applied his knowledge of mechanical stress to ship construction.
• Lizabel – Lizabel (Liza), a dignified, flirtatious Academy professor in her late thirties with a striking physique, researches at the Simple Magic Investigation Department. Lysan’s sister, Doris’s mother, and Josef von Möller’s side wife, her scandalous private life causes the protagonist discomfort. She lives next door to investigate the protagonist, who previously escaped her household.
• Liza – Lizabel is a dignified, flirtatious Academy professor in her late thirties with a striking physique and scandalous private life. Also known as Liza, her name causes discomfort for the protagonist during a comedy performance. The sister of Lysan, mother of Doris, and side wife to Josef von Möller, she lives next door to investigate the protagonist, who previously escaped her household.
• Mana – A non-commissioned officer and liaison who previously had their mana drained by Larry.
• Viscount – A noble of the Rus who insisted on bringing reinforcements to the defense of the city.
• Alan – A handsome, pragmatic Naval Academy professor and Dean of Shipbuilding who is involved in the protagonist’s current situation and technological developments. A superior to Rosa and Tura, he possesses telepathy and mana-draining abilities. While detached from daily concerns, he is a master of political maneuvering. Well-connected and wary of Baron Wilson, he assigns the protagonist as a visiting professor.
• Tura – A 19-year-old Elf Mage with a child’s appearance, this emotional Military Academy professor and researcher from a Kure mining family designs advanced power, boiler, and flight technology. Serving under Alan alongside Rosa, she acts as Earnest’s field assistant with Katarina to operate drones. Despite her heavy past sacrifices and being over twenty, she engineers ships and was escorted to safety.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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