Volume 4 Chapter 95 The Fall of a Nation
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The trade ship that broke with convention and slipped into Mumbai harbor under cover of night bore news of Daqin’s destruction.
Daqin, already stripped of its northern territories by the Jurchen Kingdom, now found its southern half conquered by The Boltechino—the very force that had annihilated the Jurchen themselves. That said, the Daqin nobles and royalty, having foreseen their nation’s fate, had already organized Seeding Fleets to claim overseas territories, causing no small amount of trouble across various regions. Their nation’s fall was simply proceeding as expected.
We’d already clashed with one of those Seeding Fleets off the eastern coast of the Southern Continent—Earth’s Africa—and at Pamela’s request, we’d sunk several large junks in Tasman Sea and Takere Harbor.
So the news of Daqin’s fall came as little surprise.
When people start abandoning their nation like rats fleeing a sinking ship, you know the end is near.
The problem was…
This man.
”Get this ship underway. Now.”
Hojo the Berserker gave me an order.
I couldn’t exactly blame him for his urgency.
The continent where Daqin once stood wasn’t far from Luzon’s island. Refugees terrified of falling under The Boltechino’s notoriously brutal rule had taken to the sea in droves, seeking escape—they’d be washing ashore in droves, causing absolute chaos.
Word had it a hundred warriors from the Land of Shura were stationed there.
Hojo was no doubt worried about them, desperate to set out at once.
But as acting captain, I couldn’t just weigh anchor and sail “Izumo” out of port immediately.
Two reasons.
First, we hadn’t gathered enough intelligence. Times like this demanded a cool head and careful assessment—you couldn’t afford to act rashly.
Second, even if those hundred warriors couldn’t make it back from Luzon, we couldn’t pick them up. Board a hundred dangerous men onto the Izumo and we’d risk losing the ship to them. I needed to confirm what the Berserker and his men intended to do once they regrouped at Luzon. There was no way I could simply trust that less than a hundred men could conquer an entire kingdom.
”No. We need to verify the situation first.”
I refused Hojo’s demand—which had been less a request and more an order.
After refusing him, I shouted for Ms. Leakle and Kamea, calling across the Izumo at the top of my lungs. We needed detailed intelligence from the ship that had brought this news.
”I said, get this ship underway. Now.”
Hojo fixed me with those unsettling eyes, drawing a small blade.
The distance between us was less than a meter.
I leaped back, but the Berserker closed the gap in an instant. I formed a high-temperature Fireball in my left hand, aiming it at his face—the real plan being to drive him low. Any skilled martial artist would know better than to jump over it.
I immediately fired another Fireball with my right hand, aiming beneath where he’d have to be. As I backpedaled, trying to keep my palms trained on him, the Berserker circled to my right.
That caught me off guard—I’d made the Fireball in my left hand large and hot specifically to prevent that maneuver. Had he slipped diagonally beneath it first?
I scattered the Fireball from my left hand, feinting a body shift toward it—then dropped lower, intending to blast Hojo’s body aside with mana as he came around my right side.
That’s when the impact hit my head.
My strength gave out and I crumpled, collapsing from the waist down.
Even as I fell, I twisted to see what had struck me—and caught a glimpse of Hojo’s attendant, Aoi, before consciousness faded.
When I came to, I was in my room, bound with chains behind my back, lying on the bed.
I tried to sit up—and was shoved back down by a pole.
The tall attendant, Tomoe, pointed the butt of her naginata at me.
Ah, right. I’d been taken out at the harbor.
So close. So damn close.
I listened closely and heard the whir of turbines.
The ship’s motion wasn’t that of sailing, either.
”Can’t you learn to use your head a little?”
Pamela’s voice.
I rolled over to find the loli elf mage sitting in a chair.
”What’s happening?”
”Took you hostage, they did. Acting captain duties passed to squad leader Fredys—she’s got us heading for Luzon now.”
Well, the turbines turning told me that much.
Pamela said the lump on my head was my only injury.
Sunlight streamed in through the window—I must have been out all night.
”Hey, I’m chained up here. How am I supposed to use the bathroom?”
”Don’t ask me. You can speak their language, can’t you?”
Right. No choice. I started rattling off words to the tall attendant Tomoe—unko, kuso, daiben, benjo, kawaya, setchin. Every word I knew for the chamber pot.
She brought one over, set it on the floor, and pointed at it.
”You’re gonna watch?”
I asked in Japanese. She said yes, and I could swear a faint blush crept across her cheeks.
Surprisingly innocent?
”You gonna wipe me too?”
”Your care is that elf mage’s responsibility.”
Huh.
I relayed that to Pamela. She made a face like she’d bitten something sour.
”C’mon, I’m chained up here. Please?”
I swallowed my pride—as her slave.
”Fine. Have it your way.”
Pamela pulled down my pants and underwear. Naturally, certain things were exposed. Tomoe barely glanced, then immediately averted her eyes.
Seriously? She’s actually innocent?
I mean, I couldn’t exactly picture that Berserker type bedding a woman.
I stood up and straddled the chamber pot—and she was watching.
Fine then.
”Elephant, elephant, your nose is so long~”1
I sang in Japanese, spinning around—
And the thoroughly offended innocent attendant whacked me with the shaft of her naginata.
Unfortunately, it hit the lump on my head directly. Hurt like hell. And bled like crazy.
”Head wounds bleed more than you’d think, got it? Use your brain!”
I complained in Japanese. She backed off, pointing the blade my way.
Looked like she was about to cry.
”Quit your nonsense.”
Pamela scolded me.
She draped a towel over my head and treated the gash—but she seemed annoyed.
”You’ve been lacking judgment lately, you know? Acting on emotion rather than reason.”
”What’s that supposed to mean?”
The words hit closer to home than I’d like, which made me angrier than necessary.
”Did getting involved with the Queen send you over to the dark side?”
”I’m not on the dark side!”
I shot back, practically shouting.
”Then it’s just disdain for your own kind.”
Couldn’t argue with that.
Hojo’s words and actions did get under my skin. What he said wasn’t unreasonable, and even the boy’s death during the festival—by this world’s standards—couldn’t be outright condemned. But as a fellow Japanese, I wanted him to understand how I felt. Maybe that was part of it.
Even though this was another world, and the gap between it and the Japan I’d known was vast.
”I know.”
I couldn’t win against Pamela.
Last night, if I’d told Hojo, “I want to verify the intel—just hold on a moment,” instead of flat-out refusing to leave immediately, he probably wouldn’t have resorted to force.
Pamela told me Hojo had sent his attendant Higuchi to the ship that brought news of Daqin’s fall, gathering the details afterward.
So even that bastard—I felt the irritation rising again.
”You’re both as bad as each other.”
Pamela scolded me again.
’Captain Tatyana’s keeping things under control for now, but there are elements among the deck crew and artillery department plotting rebellion against Hojo. If you don’t handle this, the Izumo will sink.’
Pamela telepathied something alarming.
’What about Kenze?’
’She’s the ringleader of the rebellion.’
This was bad. That one would absolutely follow through.
What do I do?
’You’ll have to speak with Hojo. Face to face.’
I knew that. But could I do it without losing my temper?
”Here. I’ll clean you up when you’re done.”
I finished my business while she’d been applying pressure to the wound. The moment Pamela pressed a damp cloth to—there—I felt a shock run straight through my skull.
The idiot elf mage had fired mana into me—not channeling it, but launching it straight into there like a shot.
Yes. Just like how she’d once repelled Brother Hans. That technique where you release a burst of compressed mana between your palm and the target, the rapid expansion sending the object flying.
She’d aimed it at my anus.
You idiot. People die jumping from heights because water rushes up into their rectum and ruptures it, you know.
’You need a good lashing. Don’t worry—I held back enough to keep your organs intact.’
Damn it.
I endured the pain until it subsided, then stood up.
”Tomoe-san. I’d like to speak with Hojo-sama. Would you convey my request?”
That Tomoe-san was still blushing furiously, her eyes locked on my crotch.
”You want to see the elephant again?”
I started to wiggle my hips—
’Care to try that again?’
Pamela grabbed my rear and threatened me.
For the record: Larry is uncircumcised.
About an hour later, Earnest and Hojo were seated across from each other in the dining hall.
My hands were still bound behind my back, though I’d been allowed to put my pants and underwear back on. Tomoe stood behind me; Aoi stood behind Hojo. At a nearby table sat Kenze, Captain Tatyana, and Ms. Leakle serving as interpreter.
The room had been cleared of everyone else.
Even the torpedo department crew on rear watch were absent. Hojo’s attendants Higuchi and Imai were apparently on the bridge with squad leaders Fredys and Roland.
”So. What do you want?”
Hojo’s unsettling face twisted into an imperious sneer.
I bit back my first response.
”What do you plan to do once we reach Luzon?”
I couldn’t hold it in.
”What concern is that of yours?”
Hojo thrust his chin out, looking down at me with a sneer.
Provoking me. Deliberately.
”Say something stupid and I’ll start a mutiny here and now.”
I shouted.
Tomoe sprang back instantly. Aoi passed her sword to Hojo. Kenze and Captain Tatyana sensed the danger and rose to their feet.
”Before you manage that, you’ll be dead.”
Hojo slowly drew his blade, pointing the tip at me.
”Maybe. But you shouldn’t underestimate a mage.”
Of course, I was bluffing. My lower body was trembling so badly I felt like I’d piss myself.
”Interesting. Before that fleeting life of yours ends, I’ll tell you.”
The Boltechino, who had established control over the lands north of the Yangtze, began their conquest of Daqin with a naval blockade of the coastal capital. Once they’d built a vast fleet and completed the blockade, the Great Khan Ögedei’s third son, Kuchu, crossed the Yangtze and advanced overland toward the capital. Daqin surrendered without resistance—no real battle to speak of. The Daqin Emperor was captured and sent north along with enslaved palace women and his clan’s womenfolk. The men of the clan and high officials were beheaded.
The enslaved women numbered over ten thousand, the executed men over ten thousand as well. The capital was looted and set ablaze. Those who fled were hunted down and killed.
Horrified by The Boltechino’s actions—and with the sea still blockaded—people fled south overland, leaving chaos in their wake. They scattered upon reaching Guangzhou, once part of old Daqin’s southern territory. Some went inland, some further south to Hainan or the Chen Dynasty in Dai Viet, and some took to ships to flee overseas.
The trade ship that brought this news, they said, had sailed into Mumbai twenty days after hearing of Daqin’s fall at the port of Saba, north of Borneo.
”This time of year, the currents and winds along the continental coast run from north to south. Making for Luzon to the east won’t be easy. Most of the refugee ships are small to mid-sized vessels—they’ll be swept southward, sunk by the season’s waves, or fall prey to pirates.”
”In other words, Luzon is largely unaffected.”
Hojo nodded, satisfied. Not what I’d expected.
”So what do you intend to do in Luzon?”
”Weren’t you listening? We’re searching for the bastard son of the previous dynasty before the current Luzon Kingdom. We’ll put him on the throne and build a new state.”
Look, building a nation isn’t that easy. I’m speaking from experience, believe me.
And seriously—was he not even worried about those hundred warriors?
”What’s the goal of building this state?”
”To form a naval blockade against The Boltechino.”
The current Luzon Kingdom was likely pro-Boltechino. They wanted to establish a new dynasty and make it the linchpin of their blockade.
Come to think of it, I’d heard the Land of Shura was also proposing that Schweilitz join their blockade network.
”The Land of Shura has been invaded by The Boltechino twice. Both times we repelled them. But we can’t afford to pay the retainers who were conscripted for the campaigns.”
”That’s why you invaded the peninsula.”
”Except the peninsula had already been thoroughly pillaged by The Boltechino. Low population to begin with—and we couldn’t even forage for supplies locally; everything had to be shipped from home. So we decided to shift our focus to the southern coastal regions.”
Were they about to become the wokou I remembered from world history—the pirates who raided the Mongol coast?2
”Eventually, we’ll establish a bridgehead and invade The Boltechino’s homeland!”
Classic Land of Shura. Always thinking at least a step more violent.
”So you’ll supply us with provisions in Luzon?”
I asked Hojo, who seemed to be getting drunk on his own words.
”Yes. A warrior’s word is absolute.”3
Hearing that old phrase after so long—it was a problem.
This bastard had said he’d kill me.
That was one thing I had to make him take back.
—
Summary:
News of Daqin’s total collapse arrives by night, triggering a confrontation between Earnest and the increasingly frantic Hojo. After Earnest refuses to immediately sail for Luzon, Hojo’s attendant knocks him unconscious, and he wakes bound and humiliated. During his captivity, he learns of a brewing mutiny against Hojo, forcing him to set aside his pride and negotiate with the man who just tried to kill him.
—
Trivia:
The Jurchen Kingdom took Daqin’s northern half; The Boltechino took the south after destroying the Jurchen—a complete domino collapse.
The Seeding Fleets were established by Daqin nobles who foresaw the fall, and Earnest has already fought them off Africa’s coast.
Hojo has a hundred Shura warriors stationed in Luzon—but his urgency seems more strategic than personal.
Pamela is Earnest’s master; the “loli elf mage” uses telepathy and aggressive mana techniques, including a brutal “cleaning” method.
Kenze is the ringleader of a planned rebellion against Hojo—a threat Earnest must neutralize alongside Hojo’s demands.
The Shura plan to install a puppet ruler in Luzon and build a naval blockade against The Boltechino—parallel to historical Mongol-containment strategies.
The “wokou” reference connects Shura’s expansion to historical Japanese pirates who raided the Mongol coast.
Hojo’s final promise—”A warrior’s word is absolute”—becomes an immediate threat, as he’s already sworn to kill Earnest.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• The Boltechino – Military force that conquered Takshurgan. The main antagonist faction referenced throughout the chapter.
• Boltechino – An entity that departed from Rus, this explorer traveled to discover a continent that became the birthplace of shipping trade.
• Pamela – A loli elf mage and the protagonist’s companion. Uses pseudo-archaic Japanese with playful undertones. Acts as the protagonist’s lover and telepathic partner. Mischievous and quick to play along with schemes. Carries magical abilities. Loli elf mage and Earnest’s master. Sharp-tongued and practical. Uses telepathy and mana techniques. Acts as Earnest’s caretaker and disciplinarian. Observes the provisions gathered. Reacts with disappointment to the estimated duration. Knows the protagonist’s usual cautious nature and expresses surprise at his boldness.
• Pam – An escort to the protagonist who is observant and loyal.
• Hojo – An unsettling, aggressive male warrior from a fallen clan and ambassador/lord of the Land of Shura, this “Berserker” commands Imai and the Izumo. Dressed in sumo referee-inspired garb with a gauntlet, knee guards, and hip-mounted longsword, he has an intense, unblinking gaze. Linked to the Hojo clan, he speaks in imperious, clipped Kamakura-period Japanese. Driven by honor and trauma from his family’s slaughter, he views lethal violence as jest, yet shows restraint before outbursts.
• Ho – Ho is the family name of Oliver, a 17-year-old deck crew member and comrade of the protagonist. As a member of the military unit that defended Garao Village, the young man was ultimately murdered during a night watch, slaughtered alongside Marx-san.
• Izumo – The iron-hulled primary vessel, named and personified as a character herself, who loyally carries the protagonist and his crew throughout their journey.
• Tim – Jarek Dvorak, 14, the village’s eldest son and recent graduate, has short dark hair, a lean build and thoughtful eyes. He arrived in Obernbach with his father, watches the Golem’s arrival with trepidation, and, as a sugar‑beet cultivator from a family that refines sugar, boasts of pleasures in the district. A carefree, slightly reckless friend of Larry’s.
• Ti – A component of the name of the Port Administrator.
• Leakle – An Amazoness official at the Viscount’s Palace in Oceanus who serves as the professional interpreter and primary intermediary for the Acting Captain’s crew. Fluent in Schweilitz, she maintains a diplomatic, respectful register, often softening others’ words. She reacts with visible alarm and concern regarding reports of Hole-Eaters and promptly mobilizes to handle affairs for Larry-san and the group.
• Kamea – An Amazoness crew member and former acting captain of a trading vessel, she is Larry’s physical partner and a knowledgeable navigator of local waters. Known for bringing rice to the city, she recommends green fruits for provisions and communicates via interpreter Leakle. Though she called for intelligence gathering, she is unrelated to the origin of the local syphilis outbreak.
• Aoi – Hōjō’s quiet female attendant and Kenma’s grieving mother on the Izumo, who watched over the protagonist and shared details of Hōjō’s past. Known for sewing children’s clothes, she was emotionally shattered by a dead child before perishing in a pirate attack. Serving silently, she handed Hōjō the Red Flame Ball on command and delivered the physical blow that knocked Earnest unconscious.
• Tomoe – A tall, strong, and sincere warrior woman serving Hojo as an attendant and watchman. The daughter of Higuchi, she is skilled with a naginata, a heavy bow, and crafts, yet maintains a blank expression in battle. Easily flustered by nudity and naive around men, she has grown close to the other women, aids the protagonist with language, and holds deep emotional ties to the deceased Children.
• Fredys – A battle-hardened former slave and Izumo’s deck crew foreman, she serves as a pragmatic, sharp-witted squad leader. Related to the Ullmans and living with Roland, she acts as a loyal voice of reason to the Acting Captain. After Earnest’s capture, she assumed command, now focused on navigating the Izumo toward Luzon and overseeing critical rescue operations following the devastating Whale Eater attack.
• Higuchi – Hojo’s attendant. Sent to gather details from the ship that brought news of Daqin’s fall. Social member of the group. Helps the protagonist understand the Berserker’s language through gestures.
• Captain – The middle-aged commanding officer of the Izumo is outwardly calm, experienced, and traditional, masking a ruthless, pragmatic leader who prioritizes vessel survival over subordinates and civilians. While rarely reprimanding his men, he will execute deserters. Bebel reports directly to him, holding orders to return to Kure should the protagonist fail to return from their mission.
• Tatyana – Tatyana, 31, is a pragmatically blunt divorced mother, Magic Academy Assistant Professor, and former Golems Battalion mage. As the Izumo’s Torpedo Department Section Chief, she manages drones and flight crews. Loyal to her Captain and linked to Nikole, she acts on Katarina’s recon. She currently accompanies the protagonist, managing ship stability while implicated in the rebellion plot against Hojo.
• Kenze – Kenze is a muscular, brown-skinned Amazoness and former Tashkurgan operative turned research student. An observant, teasing guardian with dragon tattoos, she wears gauntlet-like armor and fights with formal precision. Formerly bonded with Earnest and now a rebel leader on the Izumo, she works with Tatyana, rooms with Larry—whom she prioritizes above all—and is currently nursing an egg while declining in health.
• Hans – Rugged 2m, 100kg Obernbach ruffian, Kessler heir, and harsh Strock Village Head. Charismatic but hot-tempered, he protects the narrator’s family and deeply cares for his subordinates despite past clashes with Niko. He is Ursula Ullman’s husband, a new father to twin girls, and Larry’s devoted brother-in-law (Hans-niisan), whom he aggressively grabs upon his return.
• Larry – Larry is a dark-haired, weary 16-year-old reincarnated Second Lieutenant, cynical Acting Captain of the Izumo, and Associate Professor. A pragmatic, sardonic narrator and Mana user, he founded the Fee Grand Principality, carries Philip IV’s sword, and seeks to protect his companions. Haunted by past trauma and complicated relationships, he struggles with moral conflicts while awaiting his next assignment.
• Earnest – Reincarnated as a young, high-Mana militia soldier, a 40-year-old professor serves as the pragmatic acting captain of the Izumo. Hiding a compassionate core behind a dry, cynical guise, this magic-tech expert balances tactical decisions with moral weight. He uses authoritative speech to lead his unit of slaves and war orphans, while sharing a telepathic link with Katarina.
• Roland – Roland is a dwarf bridge squad leader, former ship captain, and expert navigator for the crew. Practical, cautious, and authoritative, he uses telepathy and favors tactical caution. A man of precision known for his masterful ship docking, he lives with Fredys and a young boy. Implied to be gay, he remains famously unmoved by the allure of others, serving as an essential, steady pillar for his team.
• Imai – Hojo’s attendant and group member who remains on the bridge with Fredys and Roland. Previously scolded by Hojo and having threatened seppuku, he speaks with frustration about the Luzon fugitives. A dagger-wielding warrior of cold, methodical brutality, he operates with clinical efficiency and no emotion, interrogating a pirate by severing his ankles and calf before beheading him.
• Yan – Once a respected Larland General who dismantled its knighthood, this influential warlord now leads a powerful southern bandit army while besieging Trabius. Balancing a ruthless identity with restoration efforts, they navigate complex relationships with former allies, remaining a key political player.
• Saba – A surname belonging to Nikaure.
• Schweilitz – This kingdom, featuring towering academy spires and a full military arsenal of Royal Army troops, forces the protagonist to return. Ruled by a king involved in a hostage exchange, this political power holds a captive feared for execution. It also ordered the confirmation of Princess Rosa’s corpse, driving a scheme that the Queen has caught onto.
• 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.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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