Volume 4 Chapter 100 Daily Life
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”What did you do?”
The Berserker who’d knocked me down loomed over me, demanding answers.
”I avenged your brother.”
Well, technically, Brother Iffens’s death was the Marquess of Haritz’s fault. But the arrowhead that killed him matched the one that pierced Ms. Aoi’s child. Can’t say there’s no connection there.
”The arrows that killed your brother – they were the same ones used to kill Ms. Aoi’s kid and others. No doubt about it – the Boltechino were the ones behind it. I destroyed every last one of their white tents in the plaza in front of the castle. And while I was at it, their allies’ castle too – you could see it from here.”
I said this as I got back to my feet.
The four armored figures were all staring at me now.
I’d taken their chance to die fighting, sure, but we weren’t enemies. And I had just cause on my side.
”Sir – there’s what looks like a military force approaching from the south.”
Katarina was piloting the reconnaissance fixed-wing drone, reporting in. Higuchi relayed the information to Hojo after processing it.
”I see… they’re flying red banners,” she added.
Hojo, having heard this from Higuchi, let out a heavy sigh through his nose.
”An acquaintance of yours?”
I asked. He closed his eyes for a moment before looking at me.
”I mentioned this before – the illegitimate child of the previous dynasty’s former king.”
The current Luzon Kingdom – what’s left of it, anyway – was founded by the First Seeding Fleet when it landed on these shores. They’d made prior arrangements with the northern noble coalition, who’d been warring with the previous dynasty for years, and seized the capital, Tondo, in one swift strike. The previous dynasty had been hit hard by a series of typhoons ravaging the south, leaving them in the grip of famine. Without the food aid they’d relied on from the northern nobles – who had now turned against them – they were conquered without putting up much of a fight.
The newly established Luzon Kingdom had supposedly wiped out the previous dynasty’s bloodline to leave no lingering grudges. But before the king who’d been on the throne at the time of the fall, there was a former king. His illegitimate child had been living with his mother in a village by a caldera lake in the south, making a living through fishing.
A military officer from the previous dynasty had discovered them. In secret, he approached Hojo and his people, seeking aid to restore the old house. Hojo had answered that call, growing their numbers.
The second ruler of Luzon Kingdom proved mediocre, losing the people’s trust. Uprisings broke out across the land, and the new King turned to the Boltechino, who had been making overtures. When Hojo and his people learned of this, they realized the enemy was too big. So they went looking for nations or organizations that would serve as their backers should they restore the previous dynasty. They were setting up a forward base in Oceanus when they met us.
”Are you planning to join forces with them?”
I asked Hojo. He shook his head left and right.
”If the villagers were still alive, perhaps we would. But the village is destroyed.”
On top of that, the volcano’s eruption had destroyed countless villages and farmland. The common people would face famine soon. He was furious – raising an army at a time like this was unthinkable. He spat out that he could never build a nation alongside such people.
It had been six days since the eruption, after all. I figured they’d been preparing to rise up before the volcano went off, but Hojo’s logic seemed to be that if a natural disaster struck, you called off the war. The man didn’t hesitate to kill people, yet he was strangely principled.
”If we bring down Luzon Kingdom, there won’t be any fighting. You could build a new nation without bloodshed. Won’t you join us? If you become leaders of the new country, you could rebuild your village.”
I’d been planning to send Hojo and his people back to the Land of Shura and broker a deal with the powers that be, but Hojo’s relentless seriousness was starting to worry me.
”Right – and if we get the kidnapped children back, you could rebuild the village too.”
Behind Hojo, Higuchi shook her head left and right. I understood what she was getting at. In the middle of this disaster, there was no way they could keep prisoners all in one place. They’d be scattered, sold off overseas even. And even if we managed to recover some, the predicted food shortages would make it extremely difficult to support them.
”I’m sorry to impose, but could you sail us to the Land of Shura – after we anchor here for three days?”
The same Hojo was bowing his head, asking me directly. I couldn’t help worrying – he wasn’t planning to commit seppuku in three days, was he? That thought crossed my mind.
”Also – if it’s possible, could we stop at a river-mouth town called Bauang? There are some people there who’d like to take in the children we’ve rescued.”
I naturally agreed. With that, my fear of him committing seppuku in three days vanished. Bauang was apparently somewhere in the north-central part of this island.
The purpose of the three-day anchorage became clear once we went through with it.
Because we were here, the old powers had fled – boarding merchant ships and fishing boats to escape.
I didn’t know where they’d gone, but at least they’d left the capital, Tondo, behind. That meant even more unnecessary conflicts could be avoided.
Then came the final night.
A medium-sized dhow approached Izumo, accompanied by several small boats.
We were told it was the general of the new nation’s military. He’d come to speak with our representative.
Well, of course – a fearsome black ship anchored near the capital, and no one setting foot on land? Anyone would find that unsettling.
I had Leakle handle it.
From the general’s ship, which had drawn close to Izumo, a voice called out loudly.
”Where do you come from?”
”Far away.”
”What brings you here?”
”Sightseeing.”
”How long will you stay?”
”Until we feel like leaving.”
I felt bad making Leakle interpret. The general must have realized he wasn’t being taken seriously. He said nothing more and departed.
”Was that okay?”
I asked Hojo, who was hiding in the back of the bridge.
”Yes. They have nothing to do with us anymore.”
”Won’t the Land of Shura be their backer? You know, export those… what was it, the Rampage Eggplant variant or something?”
Hojo shot me a look that clearly said are you an idiot?
”This country won’t last long. There’s no need to support it.”
Then:
”There’s no way we’d share our classified plants with people we can’t trust.”
Come to think of it, they’d given us their Red Flame Ball, but we’d never received any seeds or seedlings. All they’d told us was the name of the base plant.
”Hey – out of those seven hundred people who were taken, is there anyone who knows how to make Red Flame Ball from Rampage Eggplant?”
”You think we’re that stupid?”
I mean, I don’t know. You guys do have your dumb moments – but I sure as hell wasn’t going to say that out loud. Might get myself killed.
The next afternoon, as we raised anchor as scheduled, a small boat approached to deliver a letter. Addressed to Hojo Takachika. From the taKing – probably the new King of their new nation.
I handed it to Hojo. He broke the seal, read the contents, then crumpled it and tossed it into the sea. The paper floated nearby for a while, but as Izumo began moving, it eventually disappeared into the waves.
That night, Izumo caught the southern wind and sailed out of the great bay into the rough open sea.
”Feels like we can finally breathe a little now that we’re out of Oceanus,”
Tatyana, the Torpedo Department chief, said, placing her tray down across from me in the dining hall after finishing her logbook. It had been a while since we’d eaten together.
”Well, Hojo-san and the others seem to have settled down too.”
On the tray in front of me was a plate with brown rice and dried mahi-mahi. As I ate using chopsticks, Tatyana praised my dexterity. She, of course, was using a knife and fork.
”I never imagined we’d come this far when we left Kure.”
Kure, of course, wasn’t the Japanese naval port – it was the military harbor in Schweilitz facing the Norden Sea.
”When I was with the 101st Golems Battalion, I was amazed at how the military took you everywhere – holding the Larland and Kiridal border lines, shuttling along the Western Front. But never in my wildest dreams did I think we’d travel more than half a world away.”
She said this with a smile. Tatyana-san had started as a second lieutenant in Major Sonya’s undefeated 101st Golems Battalion, though later she’d been an assistant professor at the Royal Capital’s Magic Academy.
”Sorry for dragging you all the way out here.”
I meant it, more or less.
”Really – I’m sure Major Sonya never imagined her acting captain would turn out to be someone this extraordinary.”
She replied, half-jokingly.
”Now, if I might ask you something – “
Her expression turned slightly serious.
”Is there really no way to resupply our coal?”
Ah. That.
Our coal reserves were below a third now. As for the Land of Shura – well, Japan – the famous coal-producing regions were Hokkaido and Kyushu. And I’d never heard of open-pit mining there.
Tatyana explained, carefully, that without the alternator running, the Torpedo Department had to handle the ship’s emergency lighting and charging the reconnaissance fixed-wing drone’s amber power cells – and it was proving more difficult than expected. The alternator was a device that used turbine rotation to generate mana from monomers.
Well, if their ironworking technology was advanced enough to produce swords, they might be mining coal. If they were relying solely on charcoal for smelting, many forests would have turned into bare hills – but in Japanese history, I’d never seen any records of that happening outside of Izumo. I’d have to ask Hojo when he was in a good mood.
The next morning, before sunrise, I went up to the deck and found Pole and Higuchi fishing.
”Must be the volcano’s doing – not a single bite,”
Pole grumbled.
Higuchi murmured in Japanese that this season, bonito should have been biting.
In the end, Pole caught nothing until his shift started. After he left, Higuchi pulled up several bonito.
After breakfast, I headed to the bridge. I was the only section chief or above there, which felt a bit awkward.
A little later, Kamea came up. She seemed to have an incredibly precise internal clock – or maybe she just read the sun and stars, because she could pinpoint Izumo’s location with uncanny accuracy. She gave us our position much faster and more precisely than Roland, who calculated using Romy’s clock.
”Acting captain – are we really going to the Land of Shura?”
She asked in Schweilitz language, which she’d gotten quite fluent in.
”Yeah – we’re taking Hojo and his people. Have you ever been?”
”Never. But I know – Boltechino, pushed back twice. Strong country.”
Apparently, down in the southern archipelago, that was the image the Land of Shura had. She’d been acting captain of a trading vessel that sailed those waters.
”So what about us?”
”Black ship – creepy. Acting captain – pervert.”
E-excuse me?!
What’s with the provocation?
”An Amazoness is the last person who should be calling anyone a pervert!”
”No – from Amazoness perspective – you’re – plenty pervert.”
Kenze had come up to the bridge without my noticing.
But what was this?
Izumo’s daily rhythm was back.
Kenze, who’d been unwell before, had told me she’d been recovering steadily since purchasing a nursemaid from the Androgynos Group, and her weight had returned to normal.
According to Kamea’s report, we were riding the southern wind and making good progress north. By tomorrow evening, we should reach the port of Bauang that Hojo had mentioned.
That night, for some reason, Kenze and Kamea both showed up in my quarters.
When it came to these two, I felt less like I was doing something to them and more like they were doing something to me.
Well – Amazonesses lay eggs instead of bearing live children, and their v**inas remained virginal-tight, which was… nice, I suppose.
The evening of the day when even Pole’s hook finally caught bonito.
We arrived at Bauang, just as we’d been told.
The town was a little ways upriver from the mouth. According to Hojo, this was within the sphere of influence of the militaristic Bagio tribe.
They’d clashed several times in past wars, and Hojo said they were enemies you could trust.
As the ship approached the floating pier, several men came pouring out of a dilapidated guard shack – armed with arrows and spears.
Hojo spoke to them. One of the men ran off toward the town.
After a while, a man emerged. He was getting on in years, but his physique was still powerfully built.
The man and Hojo, who’d gone ashore, stood facing each other in silence for a long time.
It was the Bagio man who spoke first. I could guess what he said – “What are you here for?”
Hojo told him he wanted them to take in the three children his village had rescued. The Bagio man nodded without a word, and that was apparently that.
The three children brought down from the ship – Higuchi must have explained the situation to them – the two younger ones started crying and clung to Tomoe’s leg, who’d accompanied them. The slightly older boy approached, gently trying to calm them.
Once he’d finished speaking, the two who’d been crying sniffled and, still holding hands, walked over to the Bagio man. They gave a small bow, and the fearsome man welcomed them with a forced smile.
Hojo told me they’d only ever met on the battlefield before. This was the first time they’d actually spoken.
What is it with these people?
—
Summary:
The Izumo prepares to depart after three days anchored near Luzon Kingdom’s former capital, allowing the old powers to flee and avoiding further conflict. A new nation’s general approaches but leaves after receiving evasive answers about the ship’s purpose. Hojo requests passage to the Land of Shura and a stop at Bauang to deliver rescued children, though his underlying intentions remain guarded and the future of his faction uncertain.
—
Trivia:
The protagonist destroyed the Boltechino’s white tents and allied castle during his revenge.
The Boltechino used the same arrows to kill Brother Iffens and Ms. Aoi’s child.
Luzon Kingdom was founded by the First Seeding Fleet after seizing Tondo from the previous dynasty.
The previous dynasty fell due to typhoon-induced famine and betrayal by northern nobles.
Hojo’s group was searching for backers in Oceanus when they met the protagonist’s crew.
The volcano erupted six days before the current events, destroying farmland.
The new nation’s general approached Izumo but received only cryptic answers.
Hojo’s village was destroyed, and 700 of its people were taken captive.
The alternator generates mana from turbine rotation using monomers.
Coal reserves on Izumo are below one-third, with no clear resupply options.
Hokkaido and Kyushu are famous coal-producing regions in Japan.
Open-pit mining is unknown in the historical context mentioned.
The Amazoness species lays eggs rather than bearing live children.
Kenze recovered her health after purchasing a nursemaid from the Androgynos Group.
Kamea navigates using celestial observations with extraordinary accuracy.
The Bagio tribe is militaristic and considered trustworthy enemies by Hojo.
Bauang is located upstream from the river mouth in Bagio territory.
The rescued children were delivered to the Bagio tribe leader.
Hojo and the Bagio leader had only met on battlefields before this conversation.
The previous dynasty’s illegitimate child was discovered in a caldera lake village.
The Luzon Kingdom’s second ruler was mediocre, leading to widespread uprisings.
The Boltechino backed the new King during the unrest.
The protagonist considered Hojo’s logic contradictory – hesitant to kill but principled about war.
The Red Flame Ball recipe is kept secret; only the base plant name was shared.
There is concern that some captives might know how to make the Red Flame Ball.
Notes:
• Haritz – A fortified town famed for iron-clad guard Golems and a past rebellion whose lingering forces targeted the Cain estate. Nearby, a Marquis hid his grandson—a figure who participated in a duel trial against the protagonist before being surrendered to authorities.
• Iffens – Eldest Fee son, older brother to Larry and the protagonist, and an older brother figure who left the main house with his family. As the solemn, battle-scarred head of Strock Village, he fell in combat. His death casts a heavy emotional shadow over the household and fuels Yutia’s fear.
• Marque – Manuela’s ex‑husband, once a feared criminal imprisoned in Cain, now roams as a figurehead leader and pawn, carried like a portable shrine; he is the fearful, easily intimidated grandson of the rebellious Marquis Haritz, stirring fresh trouble among his former supporters.
• 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.
• 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.
• Boltechino – An entity that departed from Rus, this explorer traveled to discover a continent that became the birthplace of shipping trade.
• Katarina – Katarina, a voluptuous 30-year-old Izumo flight squad leader and volatile telepathic mage, is a complex handful who enjoys teasing protagonist Earnest by listing his exes. An older former Magic School student, she pressures subordinates while advocating for Gida. Often the target of Eida’s frustrations, she is known for being after Larry and refusing orders unless they involve a rescue.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Izumo – The iron-hulled primary vessel, named and personified as a character herself, who loyally carries the protagonist and his crew throughout their journey.
• 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.
• Sig – A student and friend of Marie characterized by a casual and uninhibited personality, often seen yawning during academic discussions. Has short brown hair from the Holstein territory. She is blunt, realistic about the nature of war, and failed the entrance exam at the Sabaski Magic School.
• Ram – Mentioned in context of the Amazoness Royal Capital and male-bride encounters.
• Takachika – Hojo’s family name.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Kiridal – A female soldier mentioned as a point of reference for the demographics of the warlord’s army.
• 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.
• Major – A commanding military officer with a sadistic inclination toward interrogation. She orchestrates the sessions and utilizes Telepathy to coordinate with her subordinates.
• Sonya – A Magic Armored Division Major, ruthless pragmatist, and strategist, she commands Golems and the Black Ship while teaching Mana control. Her cautious, contingency-based military planning repeatedly endangers Larry, whom she previously commanded. She is also in a relationship with Louise, which serves as an example of the military’s mandatory “lily” relationships.
• Pole – An orphaned Celt soldier and anxious Izumo sail-handler, this youthful, enthusiastic deck crew member guides Earnest and the protagonist. Proficient in Turku, he is a loyal, gossipy aide who rows the landing boat, leads marlin hunts, and once brought a large, same-sized eel to the Dining Hall. A former gambler seeking his first love’s freedom, he counts Rafaela as his childhood friend.
• 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.
• 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.
• Romy – An Academy assistant professor from Baron Wilson’s territory, this sea-loving crew member arrived in Cain on a black ship. Though a struggling troublemaker, she built a graphite timepiece that caught the Dwarves’ attention. Saved from slavery by Larry, she shares a deep bond with him and works with Marie. She is frequently discussed despite her absence in recent events.
• 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.
• Bagio – Elderly but powerfully built warrior from the Bagio tribe. Has a reputation as a trustworthy enemy. Accepts the rescued children with a forced smile. Speaks briefly and with restraint.
• 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.
• The Boltechino – Military force that conquered Takshurgan. The main antagonist faction referenced throughout the chapter.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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