Volume 4 Chapter 3 The Duke
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
I finally woke up in the ship’s cabin. The gentle, rhythmic swaying meant river travel, I supposed.
”Up at last, are we?”
Pamela was peering down at me. I realized with a jolt that I was using her lap as a pillow. It was a lovely, happy feeling.
But then, the memory of what happened came rushing back.
”That piece of shit. When I get back, I’m gonna beat that bastard Karl to a pulp.”
”And what exactly did this ‘Karl’ do?”
A shudder ran down my spine at the man’s voice. I sat up quickly. A smug, annoying pretty boy named Alan was climbing down into the cabin.
”He was a total jerk with your face. He blabs other people’s secrets right away. And he acts like he knows everything.”
”Oh, really? So he is a handsome man like me?”
He wore a face of absolute, unearned pride.
”Exactly. He is the kind of guy who would call himself handsome without any shame.”
”Might you be taking your frustration out on me, then?”
”You bet your ass I am.”
”Y-O-U-R-A-S-S.”
You bastards—my [Slave]—could you at least take my side once in a while? I was here because I was kidnapped!
”We are approaching the territorial capital of the former Harritz territory. I believe you will not be needing the [Sedation] (a spell that puts people to sleep) anymore.”
He changed the subject. They say it takes a full day to get from the Royal Capital to the Harritz capital by horse. People usually stay the night at the Baron Ahrens capital.
”So, I have been under [Sedation] for a full day and night?”
”Indeed. We did not want to wake you mid-transit. So, we even had to take care of your personal needs.”
Wait.
No wonder my lower half felt so breezy. They had at least covered me with a towel.
”It was a difficult mountain pass. Then we transferred to the ship. It could not be helped.”
Apparently, they decided it was too dangerous to let me relieve myself while half-conscious. I wanted to tell them that if that was the case, they shouldn’t have used [Sedation] at all.
I straightened my clothes and stepped out onto the deck. It was a bit chilly. But on both sides of the narrow river, spring flowers were blooming here and there.
The river was only wide enough for two boats carrying carriages to pass each other with difficulty. A small triangular sail caught the wind. A sun-bronzed man at the bow was using a pole to guide our course.
”You guys borrowed a civilian ship? And you are in the Navy?”
”The Army holds jurisdiction over the rivers,” replied Alan. He was the Naval Academy professor who had followed me out.
”A military that uses ships, yet this? It is a strange setup.”
”The Navy was only just established. Frankly, the ship designs for the sea and rivers are entirely different.”
The [Fourth Sage] had split the Royal Army two years ago. Or, more accurately, founded the Navy. Still, it should have taken years of preparation to build a military force this quickly. What an exhausting effort.
Just then, a passing boat drifted by. It was equipped with a magic-powered [Outboard motor] (a device that pushes a boat).
”That magic device… it was invented by [Larry-sensei], wasn’t it?”
Well, I supposed that was true. But the power for civilian use1 seemed to be heavily restricted. At the stern, a Mage was feeding mana directly into the motor.
”Even those with level 1 Mana can operate these magic motors to an extent. So, river transport has really picked up, and job openings are increasing. With this, canal construction should progress much faster as well.”
Boats going upstream usually have to wait for the wind, use oars, or push off the riverbed with poles. If the river was this narrow, they could have oxen, horses, or people pull them from the bank. But that was a huge hassle. If the user had enough mana to create a [Fireball], they could move a boat carrying a carriage with ease. If this becomes widespread, maybe transport will improve, just like this pretty boy says.
”The efficiency of the screw propeller [Professors] invented is truly remarkable. We want to use it at sea, but it seems quite difficult.”
I didn’t invent it, though.
More than that, the energy efficiency of mana itself is incredible. Creating a [Fireball] with mana causes the living body to undergo a thermal reaction of several hundred degrees. The ability to transfer that energy to a motor with so little loss is why it works.
According to Alan, the efficiency of changing mana energy into spinning movement is also improving. When I asked for details, it was clear this was only possible because of better material knowledge and processing technology for bearings and shafts. This is exactly why the development of [Core Basics] technology is so essential.
”I assume you have been [Mind-reading] (a spell to see thoughts) me to see everything, haven’t you? Like the fact that we lack proper waterproofing and anti-rust technology?”
In this world, those with a certain level of mana can understand what another is thinking simply by touching skin.
For seafaring, our waterproofing and anti-rust tech is still young. In rough seas, a single-shaft [Outboard motor] makes it difficult to keep the screw rotating steadily underwater. Because of this, we are currently forced to use the [Ma-Craft Phenomenon] (a phenomenon that uses electric magic discharge to generate water flow). If you use the [Ma-Craft Phenomenon] on a wooden boat, the mana dissipates into the wood. So, you can only use it on ships with steel-clad hulls. I had thought about this so many times, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they had read it all.
”Even with [Mind-reading], [Larry-sama]’s knowledge is too vast. I can only pick up the knowledge that surfaces when you are thinking about it. Besides, a thick layer of desire—the ‘AV video’—blocks the way. I cannot reach the deeper layers.”
So, those videos I used to use for… personal time… in my past life were actually blocking [Mind-reading] from reaching my deep thoughts. Still, there was no privacy in this life at all.
Back to the point: rubber was necessary for waterproofing the propeller shaft. But I couldn’t get natural latex unless I went to the [New Continent]. Even if I tried to make it, I was missing the essential crude oil. There were no oil wells here. I had heard rumors of naturally occurring “burning water,” and there seemed to be some minor cleaning tech. But who knows how many years it will take to establish proper separation and cleaning.
As for rust prevention, they seemed to have zinc processing technology. There was mining next to the silver mines. But the cleaning tech to isolate the mineral was still at a mediocre stage. Because of this, we were stuck painting things with coal tar.
I made sure to write in the design documents to be careful of cancer-causing materials. But I doubted anyone in this world was actually listening.
The next problem was the [Steam turbine] (a device that uses steam to make power). It uses fresh water, which is a precious thing on the open sea. If we were sailing the [Saihites Sea] (the inland sea surrounded by the Fee Grand Principality, the Kingdom of Larland, and the Kingdom of Schweilitz), there were ports to resupply. But it was not that simple if we were crossing the ocean to the [New Continent]. Fresh water turned to steam must be cooled, recovered, and used with great care.
However, steam leaks from the bearings that lack proper packing.
In my design, I tried to fix this by piercing a triple wall that cools the spinning shaft. But I only thought about it in my head and never ran any experiments.
Marie said she worked on it with the people from the [Arsenal Bureau] (a military weapons factory). So, they had likely built something useable. But honestly, the problems just never ended.
And that was not the only issue.
”Does the [Norden Sea] in April really get that rough?”
”It is the change of seasons. Warm air meets cold wind from the Arctic. This causes sudden, violent storms. Storms and calm weather alternate in quick succession. It is the perfect climate for test voyages.”
However, [Birger-professor] did mention that there are storms that are truly beyond a joke. Waves nearing twenty meters, he said. [Birger-professor] is a Major in the Celt Kingdom. He served as the admiral of the fleet that came to [Cain] in the Grand Principality. He knows the [Norden Sea] well. I got seasick easily, so I would rather just stop and go home.
Whether he knew how I felt or not, the civilian riverboat continued on, day and night. During that time, from afternoon until late at night, I was forced to sit through lectures on magic-electric circuits by the genius, Rosa.
”So, is using alternating current more efficient for sending mana current? But then we would need a circuit to change AC to DC wherever we use it, wouldn’t we? Which one is better?”
Or things like:
”I thought the thread of a [Man-Eating Spider] wouldn’t generate heat. But I see now—a magnetic flux was made, and the wood caught fire.”
As expected of a genius, she understood and reacted perfectly. Well, she seemed to be struggling with something. So, at first, I taught her about mana-current transmission and electric magic-cooking stoves. But after three days, I was running out of topics.
”Come to think of it, Rosa, you are a professor. You are busy. Why were you at the [Royal Capital]?”
”I came to pick up the turbine and the new [Alternator] (a device that makes electric power). I built them with [Marie-san] at the [Arsenal Bureau]. I wanted to hear the explanations directly. And then I heard [Larry-sensei] had returned.”
”So you kidnapped me?”
She stuck her tongue out like a mischievous little girl.
”Well, the ships for the inland sea and the open ocean are completely different. Also, once the turbine and [Alternator] are installed, the test ship will be complete. And I keep thinking that if [Larry-sensei] were involved, you could make it even better. Like [Professors] Alan said, if the test voyage is a success in the April seas, we can finally reach the starting line.”
So she was the mastermind. After that, Rosa suddenly started scribbling on some design blueprints. I was left with nothing to do.
Five days after the [Sedation] wore off, we entered the main stream of the [Border River].
Compared to the [Danube River], it didn’t feel like a massive waterway. But it was a reasonably large river with plenty of traffic. Eventually, cargo ships loaded with coal joined us from a smaller river. The number of ships increased sharply.
”We are almost at [Lime-Land], the industrial zone of the [Duke’s estate].”
I stepped out onto the deck to watch the passing ships. Alan stood beside me. In the distance, I could see high structures.
”Is that… a blast furnace (a tall structure for making iron)?”
”Yes. It is state-of-the-art. You are very knowledgeable, as always.”
I see. My knowledge of steelmaking must have been buried right underneath the porn videos.
As we got closer, the factory was right on the riverbank. But it was blocked by walls, so I couldn’t see inside. According to Alan, inside there were converters, factories for rolling steel plates, and furnaces for coking coal.
”There is even a mana-power plant. The generated heat drives a [Steam turbine] to create mana-current from the magic [Alternator].”
”Is it big?”
”Of course. They say the turbine even uses the same precious material as the balls in [ball bearings]. Moving the iron [Golems] (large moving machines) inside the factory consumes a massive amount of mana. The Duke gave instructions that money should be no object.”
That meant Marie must have received a massive licensing fee for those blueprints. She was either incredibly lucky or just set for life now.
”Those are the iron [Golems].”
Where the wall broke off, I saw a line of iron [Golems]. They were clearly different from the [Type 98] or [Type 95]. They were about four meters tall. They looked close to the shape of the [Golems] I saw at the old hag Maya’s place in Larland. Both legs were thick. From the knee down, they flared out into a cone shape. This type could stand on its own without help, even without a Mage operating it.
”How does it get its power?”
”I do not know the exact details,” Birger-professor replied. His voice was short and military. “But it does not use Orc tendons or other monster parts. It runs on gears. It uses a huge amount of Mana. So, they say it is powered directly from an Alternator (a magic power generator) using Ice-snow spider silk.”
I see. If you power a steelworks, it gets very hot. That sounds like a real headache.
”Well then, we shall head from here to the Duke’s territorial capital.”
Huh?
The river suddenly got wider.
This area used to be a slow, winding river. But people changed it with river engineering. I heard they dug out part of the Border River to make a lake. Then, they dug a canal from there to the capital.
”If we could just get a canal that reaches the Danube River, imagine how much easier things would be.”
”No, no, Alan-san,” I said, keeping my voice calm. “Aren’t we supposed to be going to Kure from here?”
”We are taking Birger-professor to meet the Duke,” Alan replied. He sounded very professional.
If that is true, why did we go all the way to the Royal Capital?
”Not so much to see His Majesty. We are having an audience with the Second Queen, Giselle Mac=Morrow Lothringen.”
The ship swung around. It turned into the waterway.
”The Second Queen is a Celt Kingdom princess. And Birger-professor was a Major in the Celt Kingdom, correct?”
Dealing with one country is already a pain. I should stay far away from affairs between countries.
I stopped asking questions there.
The canal was man-made. But it was quite wide and deep. We often passed cargo ships loaded with heavy goods.
Half a day after entering the canal, we arrived at the Duke’s territorial capital.
Like Venice in my past life, it was a city of waterways. Roads were less important here. The ship pulled up to the Duke’s Viscount’s Palace.
”Welcome. I am glad you could come,” the butler said. He gave a deep, respectful bow.
The butler must have seen us coming. He came down to the quay to greet us.
He seemed to know Birger-professor, Alan, and Rosa. He bowed politely to them.
He didn’t seem to know me. I stayed back, thinking I would just wait on the boat. But Rosa grabbed my arm.
”You need to pay your respects properly. I think you’ll owe them eventually, former Associate Professor,” she insisted. She sounded breezy and professional.
No, I don’t think I’ll get that close to the Duke.
The only person I know in his family is the eldest son, Onhart. I went to the Empire of Rus with him. But I heard he was demoted from Lieutenant Colonel to Major. Now, he is under house arrest.
He is likely out of the inheritance race. So, I probably won’t run into him at the Viscount’s Palace.
”Let’s go. You’re a famous person. If I leave you behind, I’ll be scolded.”
I don’t care if Alan gets scolded. But since she is pushing this hard, I decided to go ashore.
Pamela and Kenze looked unhappy. But the Duke is the King’s deeply trusted uncle. It would be rude to bring bodyguards. So, I promised to take them out to play later. Then, I followed the three VIPs.
We climbed a set of stairs. A carriage was waiting for us. It took us to a detached residence of the Viscount’s Palace.
Inside, it was lit by Luminous Magic Iron (a magic light source). On a chair at the very back sat an even bigger shot with a beard.
Civil and military officials stood on both sides of him.
”Naval Academy Professor Alan and party have arrived.”
We were left waiting at the entrance. The butler ran up to the big shot to announce us.
”Please, everyone, come this way.”
It is a chore, but we were finally allowed to approach.
The four of us knelt before the dais.
”Professor Alan, it has been a long time.”
”Your words are too kind.”
Alan stood stiffly. The big shot looked toward Rosa as if he knew her, too.
Birger-professor was introduced. For some reason, the Duke seemed interested in me.
”I must have a word with you… Alan, who is that young man? Hmph, I feel like I’ve met him before.”
When he said that, I looked at the big shot. Sure enough, I had met him.
He was the bearded middle-aged man at Vod Fortress. He had stepped out of the same carriage as His Majesty.
I mean, the military official standing next to him…
Why is Onhart here? Wasn’t he under house arrest?
”I remember now. You’re the young man who was talking with His Majesty at Vod Fortress.”
”Yes, it has been a long time.”
I was distracted by Onhart. So, my response was a bit delayed, but I managed to answer.
”What are you doing now?”
What am I doing, he asks…
”I am unemployed.”
I won’t become an Honorary Professor until after the break.
Should I have answered as a Yeoman (a land-owning citizen) instead?
”Ho. Even though it was your words that secured us the Straba territory, what a waste.”
About two years ago, the Lord of Straba went mad. He attacked one of our trade cities in the Kingdom of Kiridal.
The mercenary group “Weasels of Bohemia” had been guiding them. But they had left the Lord of Straba behind by chance. I found this out and informed His Majesty.
His Majesty heard this. He took the leaderless Straba territory very fast. He turned it into our country’s land.
Nostalgic.
”If you are unemployed, why not work under me?”
The other three hurriedly whispered into the Duke’s ear. The middle-aged man, Onhart, did too.
”What? Tina’s husband?”
Well, even if he is His Majesty, he is just a nephew to the Duke. It is natural to call his daughter by her first name.
He is looking at me like he wants to eat me up.
”Did Sig really decide on this one?”
”Sig” is apparently His Majesty the King’s childhood name.
He is listening to the details from the middle-aged man, Onhart.
”That upstart, from the Fee Grand Principality, of all places…”
After a while, the Duke looked up at the ceiling. Then he returned his gaze to me.
”Birger-professor… or would Birger-Major be better?”
”Yes, whichever is easier for you to call me is fine,” the red-headed middle-aged man answered. He had the body of a pro wrestler.
”It is not yet set in stone. But the first princess of the Celt Kingdom is reportedly renouncing her right to the throne. And the current King’s condition is not good. In other words, Tina will likely become the Queen of the Celt Kingdom.”
In fact, Tina is currently in Celt. She is visiting the King.
”If Tina were to become Queen, do you think the royal succession in the Celt Kingdom will go smoothly?”
Birger, who was asked, stayed silent without blinking.
Wait a minute. Tina went to the Celt Kingdom as a proxy for the Second Queen. The Second Queen is the Celt King’s daughter. Tina must have gone to show her face to their vassals. This would make the change of power go as smoothly as possible.
Certainly, His Majesty’s health wasn’t great. But it didn’t seem bad enough that the Second Queen couldn’t go visit her father, the King of Celt.
As for our His Majesty, he would probably be fine if he just took it easy.
Besides, I talked to Karl. He is a professor of Medical Magic at the Academy. The other Medical Magic professors were only talking about moving the Academy after the capital transfer.
If His Majesty had actually collapsed, it surely would have come up in conversation.
”Won’t you let me hear your candid opinion?”
”Yes.”
I answered, but Major Birger still kept quiet.
However, no one urged him to speak.
”As you know,” the quiet man finally opened his mouth.
”Our country, thanks to the Tyrant King of the previous generation, has defined its national borders. Though there have been some minor incidents, we have stayed away from taking more land. And the current King has continued that policy.”
”You mean to say… that the restraints (taga) will come off?”
It is said the Celt Kingdom used to be a pirate nation. They and our Kingdom of Schweilitz often fought wars.
Especially after our country took over part of the Great Norden Island, we had some very large battles. Once the current borders were set, we formed a friendship with the Tyrant King. The royal families deepened their ties.
However, we still have small fights with the Albyon Kingdom. They share the same ethnicity.
The ones carrying out these fights are people like the “Mercenaries” we have here.
They are soldiers during wartime. Otherwise, they are dangerous groups. They make their living by piracy.
It is said that ambitious nobles sometimes pull the strings. They aim to expand their territory.
The Major’s opinion was clear. If the King’s authority vanishes, these mercenaries might run wild. He had been suppressing them, after all.
Moreover, he said that tendency is already starting to appear.
”Have you told His Majesty about this?”
”I have.”
”And what did he say?”
The Major thought for a moment. Then he opened his mouth.
”He asked one thing. The Nitrol region, facing the Norden Sea, has many friendly countries. Is there a way to stop acts of plunder by out-of-control mercenaries? I answered that the only way to stop it is through force.”
”Anything else?”
”He asked if there was a chance. Could the Albyon Kingdom join hands with the Empire of Charle to repel the pirates?”
”And how did you answer?”
”I said there is a chance.”
The air became heavy.
The people of the Albyon Kingdom are almost entirely of the same ethnicity as the Celt Kingdom.
However, their royal family is made up of former nobles from the Empire of Charle.
Naturally, the Empire of Charle looks down on them. But the Albyon Kingdom is independent. So, they find it irritating.
Because of this, they have been involved in wars. They took over noble territories in the northwestern part of Charle. They had blood ties to these lands. It currently remains in a state of ceasefire after the Fourth Martyr Army’s expedition.
If piracy gets worse in both lands, they might settle their war. They could join forces to repel the pirates.
As an aside, if the Empire of Charle no longer has a front with Albion, something else might happen. The chance increases that they will break the ceasefire on the other problem front. That is the Western Front with Schweilitz.
But the Duke seems to have a different way of thinking.
”The risk of our own coastlines being raided will also increase. Like the Jutland region and the Sabaski territory.”
Speaking of the Jutland region, that is where Lieutenant Louise is from. She is carrying my child.
”Professor Alan.”
”Yes?”
”Can you build a black ship that can circle the Norden Sea?”
”If I have the materials and the money.”
The handsome man is smirking.
He’s a bad guy.
”Money is no object. I will divert as many materials as possible, too. Can you do it?”
”With pleasure.”
It’s not like we’re at a cheap tavern.
”Birger-Major, can you strike down your own kin, even if they are pirates?”
”No problem.”
”Rosa-professor, how soon can it be done?”
”We can manage with the ship we are currently building. So, by the middle of this month.”
”That is reliable. If we strike before the real succession happens, it will serve as a deterrent.”
”Yes. And for the black ship, my master has come to help.”
”There is a person so great that even the genius Rosa-professor calls them master?”
He points to me, saying, “Right here.”
For some reason, Alan points to me, too.
Wait a minute. The ship Rosa said they were building… that’s the one for test voyages, right?
And it’s for cruising the open ocean.
I never heard anything about a warship.
—
Summary:
The protagonist wakes up after being kidnapped and placed under sedation on a river boat. He engages in a sharp, witty, and technical dialogue with his captors, Alan and Rosa, while observing the industrialization of the Duke’s estate. The scene ends as he witnesses the advanced iron golems powering the industrial zone, highlighting the technological progress being made in the world.
The protagonist arrives at the Duke’s estate with his companions, Birger, Alan, and Rosa, where they are granted an audience. The Duke expresses concern over the upcoming royal succession in the Celt Kingdom and the potential for increased piracy as a result. The chapter concludes with the Duke commissioning a “black ship” for naval defense, unexpectedly implicating the protagonist as the mastermind behind the project.
—
Trivia:
The protagonist’s past life knowledge is stored underneath his memories of adult videos, which ironically acts as a cognitive block to mind-reading.
Mana energy conversion into thermal reactions (like Fireball) is highly efficient, which is why it is effective for driving magic motors.
The Duke’s industrial zone, Lime-Land, is powered by mana-current produced by steam turbines.
Iron golems with conical leg shapes are a significant upgrade from the humanoid types found in Larland, as they can stand without magical assistance.
The Norden Sea in April is notoriously dangerous, characterized by erratic storms and massive waves.
The protagonist is technically “unemployed” until the upcoming term at the Academy.
Onhart is currently demoted and under house arrest, contradicting expectations for him to appear at the palace.
The “black ship” project was originally intended for cruising, not warfare.
The Duke is the uncle of His Majesty, the King (Sig).
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• Pamela – Petite Elf mage, maid, and possessive logistics chief serving her husband/protagonist Larry. Cloaked and capable of independent action, this sharp-tongued Amazoness hides a chosen slave crest beneath her white Gothic Lolita attire. Formerly Earnest’s slave, she now travels with Larry, Katri, Kenze, and Thomas’s party. She provides telepathic protection, minor healing, and intimate companionship, though currently exhausted from hunger and custody.
• Pam – An escort to the protagonist who is observant and loyal.
• Karl – A handsome, sharp-witted Academy professor of Medical Magic at the Third Laboratory, known for his cynical, talkative nature and tendency to spread secrets, earning the protagonist’s spite. An acquaintance of Larry for academic guidance, he serves as an informal informant on royal movements and the canal project. He missed the celebration and shares info about the protagonist with his partner, Darina.
• 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.
• 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.
• Harritz – A former territory associated with the protagonist’s classmates, which also serves as the family name linked to the region.
• Ahrens – The family name associated with the barony where the group usually stops for rest.
• Fourth Sage – The Fourth Sage of Schweilitz is a wise, enigmatic, and manipulative elderly authority figure. As a highly perceptive political and magical advisor, they orchestrate the protagonist’s life, manage household affairs, and direct bondservant logistics. While actively seeking advice from Larry, they insist on his crucial role in the New Continent mission and control his residential arrangements.
• Fourth – An enigmatic and cunning figure also known as the Fourth Sage. This mysterious entity actively seeks advice from Larry while simultaneously insisting on Larry’s crucial participation in the upcoming New Continent mission.
• Sage – An elderly instructor and mentor who acts as a schemer behind the scenes. He is responsible for recommending Larry for various academic and safety-related positions.
• Larry – Sammy I (Larry-sama) is a 16-year-old dark-haired Grand Duke, mage, and yeoman with Schweilitz naming rights, an apple orchard, and connections to the Duke’s estate. A reincarnated engineering professor, former corporate slave, and Fifty-three Post Station Defense War veteran, he faces a death penalty. Unbathed after solitary confinement, he has four wives and kids. He manages ship design and a guest professorship in Kure amid political threats.
• Mana – A non-commissioned officer and liaison who previously had their mana drained by Larry.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Ho – Ho, a comrade of the protagonist. A member of the military unit that defended Garao Village and was slaughtered alongside Marx-san.
• 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.
• 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.
• Birger – A middle-aged, red-haired former Celt Major with a pro wrestler’s physique, he is a Royal Capital native now serving as an Admiral and guest navigation professor at the Naval Academy. An expert in naval tactics, masts, steering, and Celt culture, this rugged officer is a trusted advisor who led the black ship fleet during the Grand Principality’s founding and knows the Norden Sea deeply.
• Major – A commanding military officer with a sadistic inclination toward interrogation. She orchestrates the sessions and utilizes Telepathy to coordinate with her subordinates.
• Cain – A remote town and former Marque stronghold, enemy hub, and mapping center, this location is now a crucial Grand Principality base linked to a fleet. Centered around Grand Duke Thiele’s estate, it hosts the Duke, his loyal Minister of State (a revered former guard commander), and the traveling Village Head of Trabius amid intense political negotiations, making it a target for Thomas’s weapon-seeking forces.
• Celt – In his twenties, this former tenant farmer and 303rd Unit militia leader is now a pragmatic, calculating Deputy Commander of the Town Guards—equivalent to a sergeant or officer—overseeing Strock Village’s fortifications. Dressed in simple work clothes, he quietly admires Teressa-san’s skill and serves as the village’s trusted gossip source, having earned his land with reward money. Once a sandal-maker and translator of Bours’s jargon, he maintains a careful working relationship with Larry while balancing political interests, embodying calm kindness beneath his disciplined exterior.
• Rosa – A 14-year-old Sabaski shipyard professor and half-Dwarf of noble descent, this cynical genius has a square build, immense mana, and psychopathic tendencies. A war survivor and drone pilot, she designs ironclad propulsion and magic-electric circuits. Now missing after being abducted, this wealthy Kure-region associate profited from the protagonist’s blueprints and actively sought their technical input.
• Maya – Elderly, ruthless Marshal Yan of Larland commands knights and golems in full plate armor. Dubbed a “hag,” this salt-and-pepper haired warlord orchestrates regional conflicts, burns civilians, and feuds fiercely with the Fee Grand Principality. Driven by ambition, she once attempted to hijack the Provisional Kingdom and crown herself queen, maintaining a brutal grip on power and her enemies.
• His Majesty – The King of the realm possesses an expressionless, Noh mask-like face, rarely showing emotion except for brief amusement during trials. He holds absolute authority over the kingdom, presiding over high-level deliberations, giving the final word on legal transitions like duels, and maintaining supreme command over all military missions and strategic troop deployments.
• Lothringen – A noble house name associated with Queen Giselle and Princess Tina.
• Giselle – The Second Queen of the kingdom, a red-haired princess who carries the blood of the Mac-Morrow Celt King family.
• Morrow – A component of the royal lineage, Mac-Morrow.
• Mac – A component of the royal lineage, Mac-Morrow.
• Viscount – A noble of the Rus who insisted on bringing reinforcements to the defense of the city.
• Onhart – Tall, stern, and pragmatic, the Duke’s eldest son is a demoted Major under house arrest following a Rus expedition, now posing as caravan leader Roberto de Caliman. A father figure to the protagonist (separated from Larry by a bridge collapse), he handles logistics. Recently, Larry met him during a secret theater outing where he was infatuated with a mature woman, making him a primary target for contact.
• Rus – A neighboring power deeply involved in regional politics and mediation, best known for annexing the Kingdom of Larland.
• Kenze – A dark-skinned Amazoness with short black hair, a niqab, and slave attire. This stoic former Takshurgan operative and intelligence expert is now Larry’s fiercely loyal guard and tactical commander. Rejecting typical slave treatment, she is deeply protective of her daughter Zaboo and uses blinding speed to shield allies like Pamela, Marie, Thomas, and Teressa.
• Kiridal – A female soldier mentioned as a point of reference for the demographics of the warlord’s army.
• Tina – Twelve-year-old Second Princess of Schweilitz, born to the King and Second Queen, is the wild-red-haired, sharp-eyed first in line to the throne. Cheerful yet arrogant to hide her desire for parental approval, she is currently visiting the Celt Kingdom as her mother’s proxy. At the Academy, she seeks a suitor despite being engaged to an alternate protagonist whom she openly scorns as a pervert.
• 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.
• Sabaski – A family name associated with the Dean of the Simple-type faculty.
• Saba – A surname belonging to Nikaure.
• Louise – A Jutland-born female Lieutenant and Magic Armored Division veteran who retired to become Kure’s school principal. Resembling Elga with a guard-like build, she taught the protagonist a military salute, gave poll-tax details, and pilots a Type 95 Golem. Currently pregnant with the protagonist’s child, she is also the mother of his son and previously suffered a miscarriage.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply