Volume 4 Chapter 36 The Market
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Following the fleet of junks into the bay, a big port came into view.
It was not only trading ships. There were also many medium-sized fishing boats. Behind the harbor buildings, there was a district with five- and six-story buildings in close rows. For this time, those buildings could be called skyscrapers. Their walls were different earth colors and white. Some had beautiful carved window frames.
Near the docks, most buildings had one floor. Sometimes there were two or three floor buildings. There were four mosques—what the locals call the [Scripture Church]1—but their tops did not have that clear blue shine I had seen before. They were plain white. This made them look less impressive.
”That’s one hell of a port.”
”Think we’ll get to go ashore?”
Their casual talk came down from the main mast’s lookout through the speaking tube. When you live in the small space of a ship, you want to stretch your legs on land when you reach a port.
But.
”Lookout! Focus on your job.”
The Captain must have heard the idle talk. He spoke directly into the speaking tube.
As for the fleet of junks we had been following, the largest mothership and four medium-sized ships dropped anchor near the center of the bay. Only one ship went toward the pier.
”What shall we do?”
Fredys, the deck crew foreman, asked the Captain. He said we had no choice. We must go to land and make contact.
”A boat is coming out from the port. One is heading for the junk ships as well,” the lookout reported.
”That’s probably the port’s official reception. Drop anchor and heave to. Once they board, bring them here to the bridge.”
Following the Captain’s order, Foreman Fredys went down from the bridge. On the deck, crew members were already coming out of their rooms. They wanted to see their first big port.
The boat that came next to our ship carried a man with dark skin, like Kenze’s. He wore white robes and a dirty turban. He had his helpers with him.
I leaned out from the bridge window and watched Foreman Fredys talk to them. As the men came on board, they met the Captain’s salute with proud, chest-out attitude. They said something in what sounded like the Turku language.
”He says he is Mr. Shan-Mar Yarush-something-Hassad, the deputy administrator of Hodayn Port,” Foreman Fredys translated. “The main administrator is apparently the great-grandson of the Himyar Kingdom’s king-before-last, a Mr. Zul-something-Ti…Amul. He is asking where we came from.”
Fredys acted as our interpreter. Gida, the section chief, then arrived. She carried a case filled with gold. But for some reason, she had a fresh black eye.
”Tell him we’re from the Kingdom of Schweilitz.”
It seemed we were not trying to hide where we came from. After hearing the answer from Fredys, the deputy administrator nodded strongly and asked our business. I found it hard to believe he would know the Kingdom of Schweilitz. We were very far away.
”Tell him we’ve come to resupply water and food, and to buy local specialties.”
After hearing this, the deputy administrator talked with Fredys for a moment. Then he made a proud question to the Captain with his chin up.
”He wants to know where we are going and why.”
”Tell him we’re heading to the Kingdom of Kush, the land of the Dwarves. Tell him the purpose is a royal order and cannot be disclosed.”
It seemed we were keeping the Amazoness matter secret. But from Maria’s information, we were steering the ship toward the Nymphai Kingdom anyway. So it would not look like a lie.
The deputy administrator’s face changed from surprise to a serious, careful look. Then he became proud again and spoke. From his tone, he was reading rules. He finished with a small, mocking smile.
”He says landing is permitted, but any trouble will be judged and punished under the laws of the Himyar Kingdom. Women must keep all skin, except for their faces, covered when ashore. People who break this rule will be hit on the spot. Also, we must pay a harbor fee. Fifteen Turku gold coins. Or if it’s pure gold, eight… I’m not sure of the unit. Paying this allows us to stay for five days.”
Schweilitz gold coins were trusted enough to be used even in parts of the Turkic Empire.
”Ask him if he accepts Schweilitz gold coins.”
Fredys asked, but the deputy administrator shook his head.
”Gida, give five of the small gold nuggets to Foreman Fredys.”
Section Chief Gida took five nuggets, each the size of a fava bean, from her case and gave them to him. She started negotiations with the proud official. At the same time, she gave one silver Schweilitz coin to each of the two soldiers who were his bodyguards. Seeing this, the deputy administrator became very angry at his men. But Gida quickly put another five silver coins in his hand. He became quiet. The negotiation was done.
After that, he asked many questions—why the ship was made of iron, and so on. But Foreman Fredys did not give him answers. As he was leaving, we gave him a box with a “poor man’s lamp.” He was so happy that he insisted on taking the Captain to meet the administrator himself.
We politely said no. But he would not accept our refusal. Still, we somehow managed to send him off.
”Lookout! Any changes with the junk ships?”
”One of the mid-sized vessels is pulling up to the pier.”
”We’re mooring at the far right pier. Do not use the craft engines. We’ll do it on wind power alone. Guide us.”
It was the first time this trip we were told to moor using only the sails. The deck crew ran to their places. It seemed they did not want people to know about how our ship moved.
They raised the anchor. They changed the sails to control speed. The bridge crew steered the ship. As we moved toward the pier using our speed, several deck crewmen jumped onto the dock. They pulled the ropes to bring us in perfectly. I was surprised. They were better than I thought.
”Captain, five women are getting off the junk ship.”
The voice came through the speaking tube.
”Have Kenze verify if they are Amazonesses. Do not lose sight of them!”
The Captain’s command came through.
So we were making our move. This port was full of dhows of all sizes with short masts. It was very possible that the Amazonesses’ ship was among them. Or they could move to another trading or pirate ship to go to Nymphai. The junk ship reminded me of the pictures in my world history books from my past life—the Chinese ships. This fleet was going to the east coast of the Central Continent. So it would not be strange if the Amazonesses were planning to move soon.
”They’re keeping their faces hidden, but their walk… there’s no mistake, four of them are ‘Amazonesses.’ I can’t tell if the fifth one is ‘Rosa’ or not.” Kenze said, her voice coming through the tube.
Already? She had reached the lookout point? That was fast.
”Good. Pole is there with you, right? Bring him and come to the bridge.”
The Captain replied. Then he turned his eyes toward me.
”Section Chief Larry, you’re to take Kenze and Pole, head ashore, and track the Amazonesses.”
Huh?
Kenze was fluent in the Turku language. Pole could speak it well enough. So I understood why they were going. But me? I could not speak a word of it. Why?
”You are the Section Chief, are you not?”
The Captain said to me. He saw the unhappiness on my face. I wanted to say—you are just making me the one to blame if things go wrong. But I could not say it.
I had no choice.
A short time later, Kenze and Pole arrived at the bridge. We were ordered to search for the woman who might be Rosa.
”Listen, find out where they’re staying tonight. Don’t assume the three of you can just snatch them up by force.”
After he said that strongly, he told us to change out of our sailor suits. They stood out too much. I did not have the clothes I was wearing when I was taken from the Royal Capital. So I had to use the pants and shirt I was wearing when I worked on the dynamite. They were thick. I was worried about whether I could survive the heat in them. Pole had brought some loose summer clothes. I found this very enviable and it made me angry. As for Kenze, she was wearing a niqab2—a covering mentioned in the Scripture Church doctrines that she had worn in Rus. Only her eyes could be seen.
”It brings back memories, doesn’t it?”
Kenze said, looking happy. It was nostalgic. But considering what lay ahead, I could not share her happiness.
As our money for the mission, Section Chief Gida gave us one gold nugget and a few Turku silver coins. The silver coins were fine. But I did not think the gold nugget would be easy to spend as it was. So we needed to find a money changer.
When we were ready, we got off the ship.
”The lookout reported that they went into the market near the fishing boat harbor and haven’t come back out,” Kenze said.
The port was divided into parts for fishing and trading. The fishing docks were full of mastless dhows. The trading docks had medium-sized ships with cabins.
We hurried toward the town. Before we entered the common trading square, we passed a guard station where soldiers were on duty. But they did not stop us.
In the square, goods were piled high. Groups of hard men who had spent time at sea guarded them. The three of us moved through the busy crowd toward the market.
”Kenze-san, that bruise on the Maintenance Department chief… was that, uh…”
Pole asked Kenze while we were walking. For some reason, the deck crew called her “San.”
”She said she would ‘sell me off’ if I didn’t listen.”
I thought she was joking. But it turned out to be true. When Section Chief Gida had come up to the bridge, we had guests. Then we immediately got into the Amazoness and Rosa tracking. So I had not had a chance to ask about her bruise. I still needed to say sorry for the lie I told about selling Kenze. As for the bruise, I should probably say sorry for that too.
Just before we entered the market from the square, there were vendors selling jewelry on the street. Inside the market, maybe because it was midday, not many people were there. But shops lined both sides of the road for a long distance. They sold grain, spices, vegetables, meat, and what looked like the day’s catch of fish. Of course, there were also food stalls. Small crowds of people stood around them.
We were supposed to be looking for Amazonesses. But Pole kept stopping—first at a stall selling cut watermelon. Then again at a fish seller’s.
It reminded me of the fish markets in Okinawa from my past life. There were colorful fish on display. Big ones that looked like yellowfin tuna and giant trevally.
”Pole, save that for later. Search for the Amazonesses right now!”
I felt anger rise and snapped at him.
”What, you know what kind of fish that is, or something?”
He gave me a surprisingly casual, rude reply.
”Right, let me clue you in. That big one over there is a yellowfin tuna—a relative of the tuna Pole caught in the Western Ocean, lives in warmer waters. That flat, large one to the side is a giant trevally. See those ‘scutes’ along the side? It’s a member of the jack family. But you’d best not eat the large ones; they carry toxins.”
”Oi, ya really know your stuff, don’t ya. Well then—”
He points at other fish. Even though I tell him, ‘This isn’t really the time,’ he sticks around like a brat.
”Hey, I found them.”
Kenze, her head fully covered by a Niqab with only her eyes showing, came near and whispered.
I followed where she was looking. I saw the market turn right at the end of the street. It changed into a clothing district. A few stalls down, I could see women with their faces hidden by shawls. They stood in front of a Fabric shop.
”Are those definitely the Amazoness who came out of the junk ship?”
”Yeah. The same ones I saw earlier. Likely the Fabric shop is also an Amazoness front. Same as what they were selling in Schweilitz.”
I first met Kenze at the territorial capital of Viscount Bizan. She had been sent to a Turku intelligence hub—a Fabric shop—that had opened there. She had been working there as a salesclerk.
”It really is them.”
Just as Kenze had said, the women we were tracking followed a woman who came out from inside into the shop. Among them, I saw a short woman whose face was half-exposed.
”It’s definitely Rosa.”
The realization came out with certainty.
”What now?”
Grocery stores were mostly stalls. But the clothing shops had proper buildings with specific storefronts.
”Let’s check the back of the shop first.”
If the opponents were normal women, I could probably force my way in and take Rosa. But they were Amazonesses, a warrior race. The three of us would be helpless against them. Also, the Captain had only ordered us to find where they were staying.
When we went around to the back, it seemed that deliveries were made from the rear. The road was wide. Camels and donkeys were tied up. Several carriages were parked.
”Wait.”
As I was about to enter the alley, Kenze stopped me.
We hid in the shadow of a camel sitting in the ‘Sphinx’ pose nearby. A carriage sat a little further ahead. Women began to come out of the shop and climb onto the flatbed.
”Amazoness.”
Kenze whispered in my ear. And then, there was a small body—it looked like a chain was extending from her neck.
”Rosa!”
At my shout, the small woman turned toward us.
Without even realizing it, I had started running. The other women pulled the chain. They hugged Rosa from behind. They pushed her onto the carriage, and the carriage began to move.
Five meters away, the women who had come out of the shop blocked my path.
We had orders from above to kill Rosa. But if I could get her now and watch her closely until we returned home, she might be spared.
Three stood in my way.
I could not stop quickly. And the opponents were not carrying knives or anything like that. We hit each other before either side could do anything. Because of that, I managed to blow them away with Mana. One problem gone, I ran toward the carriage. But I tripped and fell forward. Still, using the forward-rolling breakfall taught to me in my mentor’s village, I stood up without touching the ground.
The distance to the carriage had grown. But I did not want to give up. So, I ran.
If it had been a carriage with bearings, I would never have caught up. But the distance became smaller little by little—
I got hit on the head.
For a moment, the world went dark. But I woke up immediately. I found myself on the ground. Next to me, a bundle of fabric lay on the ground. I think that was what had been thrown at me.
It was good that it was not a rock or something like that. But the carriage was already far ahead.
I looked back. Kenze was staring angrily at the women from the shop. The woman I had blown away with Mana was among them. So I think the injuries were not serious.
”Kenze, let’s go back.”
If I caught these women and questioned them, I might learn something. But I could not just take women away in a strange land. As we left the shop, the women did not follow us. They just stood there, watching.
We returned to the market. But because I let Rosa get away, Pole did not bother asking about the fish.
There was a shop where a Granny with her head covered in a shawl was watching. She was selling two large, airship-shaped watermelons. Besides the watermelons, she was selling things that looked like dried fruit.
When I showed her a Turku silver coin and moved my hands to show I wanted to buy the two watermelons, she held up two fingers. Was she saying they would not sell for one silver coin?
”Kenze, can you try to see if Turku language is understood?”
Unexpectedly, Turku language was understood. After Kenze bargained, we managed to buy the two watermelons for one silver coin.
”Can you ask if there’s a place to exchange money?”
According to the Granny, “I don’t know nothin’ ’bout no money exchanges, sugar, but folks what come to trade mostly head for that white, Third Floor building over yonder on the east side of the square.” When we went there, we found men who appeared to be traders inside. In the center of the floor, a group of Oriental-looking people were shouting at each other. I think they were from the junk ship.
There was something like a reception counter. I had Kenze ask if they could exchange money there.
”They say they will do it at the counter on the far end. Also, they say they can introduce us to an Interpreter who can speak both the local language and ‘Turku language’.”
And so, I returned with one piece of “mame-kin” (bean gold) exchanged for eight Turku Gold coins. Thinking I might try, I asked if I could exchange a Schweilitz Gold coin. They said yes, of course. The rate was one Schweilitz Gold coin for one Turku Gold coin and one silver coin. Schweilitz Gold coins are worth a lot.
That shop had a map of the port of Hodine. It showed where things were with pictures. According to it, there seemed to be a bar district—likely a place for fun—on the street one block east of the market.
We returned to the ship and told the main members the whole story. About the Fabric shop. About being taken somewhere by carriage from behind the Fabric shop. And about the shop that handled our exchange.
It was decided, for now, that since Rosa would have gone somewhere by carriage anyway, failing to catch her could not be helped. In other words, no one asked questions. We also decided to stay in this port a little longer to gather information. Also, it seems slaves are sold here too.
That night, I went out to the street one block east of the market with the Captain and the other men. I relaxed a little bit.
”My, aren’t you in a good mood, tipsy as you are.”
When I returned to my room, Katarina was there, smiling.
—
Summary:
The crew arrives at the busy Hodayn Port. They go through complex diplomatic rules to get landing rights. Tensions rise as the group prepares to hunt for Amazonesses. The protagonist struggles to find his place as a Section Chief. The party gets off the ship and enters the market. They must balance their secret mission against the distractions of the environment and internal crew problems.
The protagonist and his allies track suspected Amazoness operatives to a fabric shop in the port market. A rescue attempt for the captive Rosa fails. The protagonist gets hurt and the trail is lost. The group successfully exchanges money and learns about the port’s layout. They return to the ship to regroup before a night out in the city.
—
Trivia:
The port’s buildings, with many stone floors, suggest a high level of growth for this time.
Schweilitz gold coins have a high level of trust and value even in faraway lands like the Turkic Empire.
The “poor man’s lamp” was a good gift that made the local deputy administrator very happy.
The crew is trying to keep the nature of their ship’s iron build and movement secret from the port authorities.
The Amazonesses are using disguises to travel. This makes finding and following them harder for the crew.
The protagonist uses a forward-rolling breakfall technique learned in his mentor’s village to get up after falling during the chase.
The fabric shop works as a front for intelligence operations, specifically linked to the Amazoness.
Schweilitz Gold coins are shown to be very valuable, with a good exchange rate against local Turku money.
The port of Hodine has a map showing the layout, including a bar district, which the crew later visits.
Rosa, the main target, was seen being led into a carriage while held by a chain.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• Captain – The officer in command of the vessel who facilitates communications with local officials.
• Fredys – Izumo’s female Engine, deck, and section chief manages logistics, captives, negotiations, briefings, and crew order. A forceful yet pragmatic professional anchor and Inland Sea expert, she interprets Turku, leads female forces, runs betting pools, and fiercely defends her subordinates. She works closely with Roland, adopts refined manners around Francis, and is rumored to be a shotacon.
• Kenze – A muscular, dark brown-skinned Amazoness captive with short hair, a niqab, and slave attire. This bisexual, dangerous former Takshurgan operative turned crew member caused a violent ship incident. Known for lethal prowess and artificial speech, she is Larry’s bodyguard alongside the Major, protecting her daughter Zaboo and allies Earnest, Pamela, Marie, Thomas, and Teressa.
• Shan – The arrogant deputy administrator of Hodayn Port.
• 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.
• Zul – The chief administrator of Hodayn Port and a direct descendant of the second previous king of the Himyar Kingdom.
• 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.
• Ti – A component of the name of the Port Administrator.
• Gida – A female human and former kingdom finance bureaucrat serving as the disciplined Maintenance Department chief on the ship Izumo. Meticulous and pragmatic, she manages logistics, ship funds, gold reserves, and slave trade negotiations. She maintains strict control over her team’s operations and expresses immediate concern and frustration regarding the protagonist’s decisions.
• 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.
• Maria – Thomas’s strikingly beautiful wife, the second daughter of Ifens and Therese, is a Universal Church believer and bridge mage with exceptional mana, lethal combat skills, and gorilla-like strength. Forced into the Magic Armored Division after her father’s failed plot, she bears a grudge against Larry and provides mission intel on travel times to Nyunpai and Kush using Princess Nikaure’s memories.
• 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.
• Rosa – A gifted student of Larry and a genius whose immense technological knowledge and potential collaboration with the Kingdom of Kush pose a massive threat. Currently believed to be traveling with the Amazonesses, her abduction from the Duke’s estate in Suez triggers a diplomatic crisis, making her the central focus of Larry and the Major’s urgent search efforts amid rising political tensions.
• Pole – An orphaned Celt Royal Army soldier and mid-level Izumo deck crewman who knows the island’s terrain and speaks Turku. Traveling with Larry and Kenze as Earnest’s associate, he enjoys gossip and betting on romances, yet struggles with a severe gambling addiction and the threat of slavery. Once hostile, he now respects the protagonist, serving as a rescue guide while seeking freedom for his first love.
• Larry – A sixteen-year-old eccentric, the Izumo’s engineer, department head, and founder of the Fee Grand Principality. Pragmatic and emotionally detached, he manages crew struggles while serving as a key mediator caught between subordinates and local authorities. He navigates complex diplomatic, logistical, and military challenges, using advanced drone tech to track Amazonesses.
• Rus – A neighboring power deeply involved in regional politics and mediation, best known for annexing the Kingdom of Larland.
• Viscount – A noble of the Rus who insisted on bringing reinforcements to the defense of the city.
• Bizan – The Viscount of the Bizan family is the lord of a unique castle built within the Danube River, governing a territory that encompasses a capital city, a popular local fabric shop, and the location where Larry first met Kenze. His noble identity is deeply defined by his residence and his relationships with his subjects, for whom he serves as a distinct and central ruler.
• Efa – An assistant professor in Lizabel’s lab.
• Elf – A reclusive mage who resides on the ship and expresses interest in the properties of asphalt as a fuel source.
• 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.
• Mac – A component of the royal lineage, Mac-Morrow.
• Max – Uncle Klaus’s second son and Larry’s cousin is a skilled Golem User and former magic school assistant professor who orchestrated a prison break. Having returned to his home country, he now serves as a body double for the protagonist—his other cousin, Grand Duke Earnest—and has taken custody of certain women previously under Thomas’s care.
• Poi – A Dwarf welder and former carriage maker who applied his knowledge of mechanical stress to ship construction.
• Suu – Secretary for the Royal Capital Beast-person Mutual Aid Association and a cat beast-person. Sample No. 19 in Kento’s report. She steps up as the first witness for the defense.
• 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.
• Mana – A non-commissioned officer and liaison who previously had their mana drained by Larry.
• Katarina – A tall, voluptuous 30-year-old Izumo flight squad leader and Chief Researcher in a sailor uniform. Larry’s subordinate returned from severe wounds, this volatile, jealous, and perverse Mage wields telepathy, a coilgun, and drones. The protagonist’s protective mistress and rival for attention, she shares a strained bond, once punching them near death. Kenze calls her a professor’s sex toy.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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