Volume 4 Chapter 28 The Spring Tide
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Did you come here to kill the Dwarf girl the Amazonesses had with them?”
Francis — a shady guy who boarded as our pilot — asked me straight out, his voice full of street slang.
By “Dwarf girl,” he meant my student, Rosa. She was actually half-elf, half-human.
She was a genius who took the warships I designed — using knowledge from my scientifically advanced past life — and made them even better, nearly broken in their effectiveness.
The Amazonesses had kidnapped her, and she might have agreed to go with them.
Fearing her talent would help another nation, the Kingdom of Schweilitz ordered her execution.
How much did this shady guy know?
Division Chief Roland — from the bridge crew — reached for his dagger behind the man.
Of all times, both the Captain and the Foreman had gone down to the dining hall.
”What are you talking about? That girl is my student,” I shouted.
It wasn’t a lie. And from the bottom of my heart, I really didn’t want her to die.
If possible, I wanted to bring her back alive.
Francis just smirked at me. “Aren’t you the one who looks like the student? She’s far more mature than you, pal.”
”Have you seen her?” My body was the same age as Rosa. Girls usually looked older, but she had a total baby face — no one could call her a mature woman.
”Hah, I piloted the Amazoness ship. In Suez — where that ship is anchored right now — a really suspicious caravan from Schweilitz is staying. And right on cue, a general from Turku entered the town too.”
So the Major Sonya group — who went to Suez by land — had arrived before us.
If Francis’s story was true, Turku — acting as the aid mediator — sent a general.
”Then a warship sinks two of Barbarossa’s triremes and destroys the Viscount’s Palace in Palermo, then enters the strait. A show of force for negotiations, right? The Amazonesses said that Dwarf designed this ship. So your only goal is to kill her — stopping a brain drain.”
”Ever think we came to rescue her?”
”Warship designers get killed all the time.”
Huh?
He meant even normal warship designers were killed regularly. In this world, any edge in warship design could change the balance of power — even for pirates — and they’d go that far. Rosa’s design was a cheat warship for this world, so it wouldn’t be strange if we came to kill her to stop the tech from leaking.
”Thanks to you, Suez is in uproar. Everyone’s scared the town will burn like Palermo — all to kill one Dwarf.”
Rumors of Palermo had spread fast. That was port-town speed.
While I was impressed, Francis kept going.
”When I left, the town’s Elders’ Council shut down the Amazoness trading post. No one wants to get caught in the crossfire. You guys are completely reckless.”
The closure was probably true, which meant Francis wasn’t the only one who guessed the assassination plot. Division Chief Roland — who had been gripping his dagger — slowly let go.
”Course correction, one o’clock.”
Francis suddenly snapped back into pilot mode, his tone clipped and sharp.
Division Chief Roland — ready to kill the man moments ago — calmly ordered the engine room to turn the rudder, using formal military speech. He ordered the engine room because he didn’t want the pilot learning our capabilities, and through the speaking tube, Janet’s annoyed, neutral voice echoed back.
”When will we reach Suez?”
I asked Francis.
”At this speed, tomorrow around noon.”
He spoke like it wasn’t his problem.
”Meaning the Amazonesses passed through here more than five days ago.”
When I muttered that, he glared at me.
Then, after checking the path ahead, he approached Katarina.
”Hey there.”
”What do you want? Just asking for a name, isn’t it? Not when she’s such a fine piece of work.”
Katarina must be sick of flattery. Still, she looked a little pleased.
”Introduce us, will you? She’s your subordinate, right?”
Tch. So he’d noticed.
”Because she’s my subordinate, I can’t tell you.”
”I don’t get your logic. Ah, right — you’re just a kid. You only know how to do a rushed, mindless job in bed, so you’re scared someone will steal your girl.”
What a thoroughly unpleasant bastard.
He assumed Katarina and I had a physical relationship — and he wasn’t wrong, which made it more annoying.
He shifted his gaze to Katarina and stepped closer.
”You can manipulate Mana — you can read this ship’s secrets with telepathy just by touching a crew member’s skin. Try touching her. The instant you do, I’ll kill you.”
”Kill me? Don’t make me laugh.” He knew I was bluffing, and knowing that, Francis slowly stepped forward — testing me.
I’m going to punch him. I clenched my fists and glared.
”Cut it out.”
A heavy, low roar vibrated through my stomach — Division Chief Roland, the Dwarf who had been gripping his dagger, using formal military speech.
”Are you two messing around?”
The pressure of his angry voice was staggering — no human could beat a heavily muscled Dwarf soldier in a fight. Cowed by the raw intimidation, both Francis and I froze.
”Tch.”
We clicked our tongues and retreated.
Just then, the Captain and the Foreman returned, and it was treated as if nothing happened. Neither of us said a word, and the naturally taciturn Roland kept his mouth shut too. When I glanced at Katarina, she was smirking with an amused grin.
* * *
Later, during the bridge watch change, I approached her and grasped her hand.
’Were you jealous?’1
Jealous? Me?
She was asking ridiculous things via telepathy.
’Do you actually like guys like that?’
’Well, he is handsome. And while he’s a total player, he seems to understand a woman’s heart.’
Idiot.
’You really are jealous. So cute.’
Shut up.
’Setting that aside — once we anchor, can you fly a fixed-wing drone out of sight to check the surroundings? Scout the waterway.’
’At night? Outside working hours? Why don’t you do it yourself?’
’I have to keep acting as that piece of shit’s Talisman. I don’t want him seeing the drone.’
’Then next time, you better hold me properly.’
She was still holding a grudge over that?
’Yeah, I promise.’
’Then kiss me.’
Sigh.
’Do it right now.’
It was a hassle, but since it was a small favor, I leaned in and gave her a light kiss.
I caught a glimpse of Francis staring at us with a disgusted look.
Suck it.
Then the Captain hit me with a glaring, icy look.
* * *
Today was June 1st.
As the full moon began to drift away from the horizon, we dropped anchor inside a bay formed by the ocean currents.
A small cargo sailboat and a fishing boat with a cabin were moored in the same bay.
”So where am I supposed to sleep tonight?”
The Captain told Francis he’d set up a hammock on the bridge.
Unfortunate for him — the bridge crew and two watchmen from my department would be permanently stationed here. The deck crew would come by on regular patrols.
He wouldn’t get a peaceful night’s rest.
”Section Chief Larry, you’re sleeping here tonight too.”
”Why? We already have watchmen on duty.”
”You manage him. Stay close and do your job.”
The Captain leaned in and whispered to be on guard since the shore was close, then left the bridge. What a slave driver.
* * *
Katarina reported to me afterward — once you cleared the bay, a narrow but deep waterway stretched south.
With that in mind, I called out to our pilot.
”Hey, Francis Teach. Let’s get some food.”
”Hah? Why do I get addressed without honorifics by a brat younger than me? Unpleasant mood.”
”Fine. Means you don’t need dinner until tomorrow morning? Suits me.”
When I pushed back, he reluctantly followed.
Since the Captain warned me about the shore, I led him through the interior to the dining hall.
”Heh, you guys have slaves too.”
In the livestock area — fitted with a roof — young girl children were sleeping rough.
No chains, but he immediately recognized them as slaves.
”Hey, those slave girls are pretty high-tier. Let me try one later.”
He was getting too excited.
”Are you insane? Want to sleep with a woman on the bridge? You get off on being watched? You freak.”
”This is why kids are hopeless. Even the Amazonesses came for night-visits.”2
What a massive chore. I ignored him entirely.
”Won’t let me touch the slave girls, alcohol is watered-down ale, and the food tastes like garbage.”
He kept whining, so I ignored him completely. The girls in the dining hall looked happy to see him, and to stop them getting cozy, I dragged him back to the bridge as fast as possible.
We hung a hammock, I told him to sleep, then lay down in my own. After a short while, Francis breathed heavily in his sleep. I tried to sleep too — but with scheduled check-ins from the crow’s nest, patrols, and the poop deck combined with the dim glow of the economy lamps, sleep eluded me.
Just as I started to drift off, a scraping sound — Zaaaa-gaga — echoed from below. I thought I misheard and closed my eyes, but then it happened again.
I opened my eyes slightly. The full moon was setting.
Once more, a harsh Zaaaa-gaga grated through the ship.
No way.
I leaped out of the hammock and ordered the young bridge crew member on watch to measure the water depth immediately.
I opened the speaking tube to the engine room and shouted for them to light all three boilers.
”Reason?”
A voice came through, irritated — the watch had rotated to our shut-in Elf Mage. Her neutral tone showed clear annoyance.
”The tide is low! We’re about to run aground on a shoal!”
The moment I screamed that, a heavy blow struck the back of my head. I crashed to the floor.
My consciousness began to fade.
”I really hate sharp brats like you.”
Francis sneered, looking down at me as he delivered a brutal kick straight into my stomach.
It hurt — so intensely the agony dragged my fading consciousness back. The bridge watchman had gone to the deck to measure depth, leaving only one young girl from my department on the bridge. Leaving one person on duty because I was present had backfired.
She was slumped on the floor — knocked out from drained Mana or a direct blow.
”Too bad. No matter how much iron this ship is made of, it can’t move once stuck on land.”
”We haven’t completely run aground yet!”
”Hah, the hull is already scraping the seabed. Tonight is the spring tide — dead low. No way you’re moving this thing.”
While he gloated, I recovered a little.
”I see — your plan from the beginning was to ambush us here.”
”Yeah. If we hijack this ship, we’ll be the strongest in the Inland Sea. No need for Turku’s help. We’ll run completely wild. And you — I’ll torture you until you spit out every secret about this ship.”
”Interrogation. Torture.”
”Because I hate you.”
As Francis brought his foot down for another kick, I used my Mana to deflect his leg violently.
He fell. I threw myself on top of him, grabbed his throat, and unleashed a Mana Draining counterattack.
’Like I’d lose to a brat like you!’
He shouted via telepathy and tried to drain my Mana in return.
His Mana was massive — nearly rivaling mine. Draining him fought back hard, but I was throttling his throat.
I pressed directly on his carotid artery and choked him out, independent of the Mana struggle.
To make sure he wouldn’t wake up soon, I kept draining his Mana even after he went limp.
I popped open every speaking tube and roared, “Prepare for enemy attack!” I had the returning bridge watchman ring the emergency alarm, then rushed to help the girl from my department sit up.
”Are you alright?”
I injected Mana to bring her around. She scrambled backward in terror.
”Section Chief, I didn’t…!”
”Didn’t what?”
”Nothing was done to me, right?!”
Huh?
For some reason, she was fiercely crossing her arms over her chest.
Even if it was a misunderstanding — rude to a superior officer.
”I didn’t touch you, dummy. More importantly — go tell anyone from the aviation squad to get a reconnaissance plane in the air!”
Maybe she thought my shouting was workplace harassment. She fled the bridge in tears.
I really don’t understand how a woman’s mind works.
”Port side, ten o’clock! A cargo ship is heading our way!”
A report from the crow’s nest — precise formal military speech.
”Is the fishing boat moving?!”
I shouted back through the speaking tube. They said it wasn’t in sight.
”More importantly — three small boats — no, five — heading toward us from the waterway!”
Their plan was to swarm and capture this warship the moment it became immobilized.
They really had thought this through.
”Engine Department! Are the boilers lit?!”
”You noisy brat! We just started! The turbines haven’t turned yet!”
The shut-in Elf Mage’s annoyed voice echoed back.
Nothing could be done.
”Weigh anchor!”
We needed the ship capable of moving.
The deck crew on duty began manually cranking the winch.
While they were at it, I needed to secure this bastard Francis.
With the bridge watchman, we wrapped him in thick, heavy chains.
Bound like this — even if he tried to melt them with a Fireball — the heat would scorch him before the metal broke.
By then, crew members who had been resting were sprinting across the deck.
”This is the poop deck! A single rowboat is approaching from directly astern! Distance: fifty meters!”
”Authorization to use Golems granted! If they try to draw alongside, sink them! If they try to climb aboard — use the Coilgun!”
A thrilled voice shouted through the tube: “We get to use the Golems!”
They sounded too excited — maintaining formal military speech while clearly eager.
Was it fun because they rarely used them? This was a literal battle — trading lives.
”Watch out for ranged weapons!”
I emphasized that warning. Just then, the Captain made his way up to the bridge.
”Report.”
I quickly brought him up to speed: the hull was contacting the seabed, I’d ordered three boilers fired up, got assaulted by Francis, and secured him. A small cargo ship approaching from port side, a fishing boat from the rear, and five small rowboats from the waterway. Right in the middle of my report, dense white steam mixed into the thick black smoke from the funnel.
”Looks like the boilers are finally spinning up.”
I pointed toward the funnel. The Captain nodded and flipped open the speaking tube to the Engine Department.
”Full speed ahead!”
The shut-in Elf Mage shouted something incoherent, but the Captain unhesitantly threw the control panel switches. The high-pitched whine of turbines and alternators reverberated through the ship as churning water erupted from both sides of the hull. The harsh, grinding vibration of the hull scraping the seabed shook our bodies as the warship forged ahead.
—
Summary:
Francis boards the modern warship as a pilot and immediately interrogates Larry regarding a secret assassination directive targeting his student, Rosa. As tactical tensions escalate on the bridge under the threat of data leaks and physical confrontation, Francis springs a carefully planned trap by ambushing Larry during a low spring tide that grounds the vessel. Larry manages to choke out the traitor and rouse the crew to mobilize defenses against incoming enemy boats while the engine room struggles to spin up the steam turbines to break free from the shoal.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• Francis – A dangerous prisoner with immense mana, this heavily tanned, red-bearded Suez Canal harbor pilot from the Barbadia Pirates wears filthy attire and speaks many dialects. Appearing calculating and familiar to others, he secretly plots to hijack the Izumo.
• Rosa – A square-built, 14-year-old half-Dwarf noble and cynical genius with immense mana and an unpredictable, psychopathic nature. This wealthy Kure associate and shipyard professor profited from the protagonist’s blueprints to design ship piping and Bohemian glass propulsion. Deemed a state danger, she was kidnapped by the Amazoness and is now the target of an assassination mission.
• 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.
• 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.
• Roland – Heir to the Canaria throne and Queen Cecile’s younger brother, this quiet dwarf is an Izumo bridge supervisor and former Tsukushi captain. Wearing boy’s formal wear, his golden-blonde hair and beautiful face are easily mistaken for a girl. He carries a dagger, shares quarters with Fredys, and directs helm operations and combat rescues, retrieving injured comrades like Bebel and Katarina.
• Major – A commanding military officer with a sadistic inclination toward interrogation. She orchestrates the sessions and utilizes Telepathy to coordinate with her subordinates.
• Sonya – Sonya is a petite, sharp-eared elf orphan, Major, and commander of the Magic Armored Division. Feared as the cold, sadistic “Witch of the Black Forest,” she has piercing eyes and immense authority. She pilots via telepathic mana, oversees military operations and hostage exchanges, guards Maria, trains Louise, and faced the protagonist in a duel trial amid rumors about their relationship.
• Barbarossa – A naval combatant engaged by the ship.
• Viscount – A noble of the Rus who insisted on bringing reinforcements to the defense of the city.
• Palermo – A target location where a battle and reparations negotiation took place.
• Janet – An unstable 22-year-old Mage, Camillo’s pupil, and former Bizan Academy researcher. Now the protagonist’s gossipy former subordinate, she works in the destroyer Mutsuki’s Engine Department, managing maintenance via speaking tube, joining betting pools, and relaying messages about Kai. While constantly prying into the protagonist’s life, she battles severe seasickness and wants to leave.
• Katarina – Larry’s 30-year-old subordinate, a tall, voluptuous mana-user in a sailor uniform, is a Flight Section leader and Chief Researcher. This volatile, lecherous comrade wields telepathy, a coilgun, and drones. The protagonist’s protective mistress, she shares a strained bond and punched them near death. Recovering from combat lung and bolt wounds, Kenze labels her a professor’s sex toy.
• Mana – A non-commissioned officer and liaison who previously had their mana drained by Larry.
• Igor – A composed, multilingual Duke of the Bryachislavichi line and former imperial hostage, this Minister of Justice rules Polotsk with keen political acumen. The son of the Frontier Count, he mentors the protagonist—who had a child with his daughter Ellie—and plans their future with his butler. He is also father to Sergei, remains wary of Schweilitz, and is acquainted with Georg von Bergmann.
• Efa – An assistant professor in Lizabel’s lab.
• Iri – A thirteen-year-old Yoghess girl with soft, innocent features and high Mana potential, she was once a captive turned golem operator, now fiercely attached to the protagonist. Formerly a fisherman’s daughter and steward’s helper, she pilots Type 20 and 98 Golems with manic ecstasy, masking a detached cruelty beneath her childlike exterior—reluctantly joining mapping expeditions alongside Larry, and previously encountered by Earnest, her loyalty now fixed solely on the one who freed her.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Larry – Sammy I (Larry-sama), a 16-year-old bald, dark-haired reincarnated professor, Grand Duke, and technical officer, is the narrator and ‘owner of the right-hand blade.’ Serving as the Fee Getys Torpedo Department Chief, he designs ships using tech and mana. A serious family man with four wives, he faces romantic confusion, bad luck, conflicting orders, and his subordinates’ schemes.
• Teach – Francis’s family name.
• Mage – Elf mage and shut-in engineer who stands watch and manages the ship’s boilers.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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