Volume 4 Chapter 40 Intimidation
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
I interrogated Alyona, a slave of Rus origin whom I had received from the Hodayn Port Administrator, with Pamela’s assistance.
There are many ways to conduct an interrogation. The basics always start by injecting the subject with enough Dimer’s Mana to reach a Level 3 Mana user. If the target has only a small amount of Mana (Level 2 or below), the observer cannot match their Mana with the target’s to read their thoughts. Injecting a large amount of Mana lets one read the opponent’s mind.
Generally, this is done by tying the subject to a chair or something similar, but since the target was a female slave this time, I carried it out while having her do things that would make her feel good.
By the way, the consciousness one can read varies; sometimes it’s images, other times thoughts, or even simple emotions and desires. However, extracting specific, intended information requires highly advanced techniques.
Since thoughts are closely linked to language, one must understand the language the subject uses when interrogating them.
Fortunately, the language Alyona uses primarily is Rus. A language Pamela speaks natively. I can also speak it to some extent, so I asked questions first, but I lack the necessary proficiency.
Through Pamela’s efforts, we learned that the Hodayn Port Administrator is planning to pull something on us.
I went up to the bridge to report this.
I aimed for the bridge, which was dimly lit with only a single Poor Man’s Lamp. It wasn’t for dramatic effect; it was simply because the sea surface is easier to observe in the dark.
As I climbed the stairs one by one, Katarina began to come into view beyond the railing. When she spotted me, she narrowed her eyes.
She was likely angry that I had brought Alyona along, but it wasn’t as if I had requested her because I liked her. The Captain, who was standing behind Katarina, had said something about taking responsibility. Besides, I hadn’t come to make excuses about that right now.
I finished climbing the stairs and saluted the Captain and the three crew members on duty, led by Katarina.
”Good work.”
When I spoke, the Captain smiled. I walked past Katarina and stood next to the chart table. A newly purchased sea chart lay on top of it.
”Good work, Section Chief Larry. How did you persuade Pole? He says he’s going to stop gambling.”
”Is that so.”
I replied shortly, as that wasn’t the reason I had come to speak with him.
”Also, Section Chief Gida was reluctant, but we’ve decided to keep Raphael.”
I don’t care about that story. He is such an unaware middle-aged man.
”And, I’ve also ensured that the beautiful slave you received from the Port Administrator stays with us, Section Chief Larry.”
Haaaah, that’s because you were the one who said to take her, isn’t it?
”Um, I believe Alyona was told to be accepted by the Captain.”
I raised my voice slightly, conscious of Katarina, who was in the same environment.
”Did I say that? I think I only said I would handle Section Chief Gida. Besides, even though the Administrator asked if you’d prefer a younger girl, it was you, Section Chief Larry, who chose this one.”
This shitty tanuki.1
A strange wave of energy seemed to be radiating from Katarina behind me.
”Anyway, I interrogated the Alyona who was forced upon us with Pamela.”
I changed the subject. I had no choice but to get to the main point. The Captain made a slightly displeased face.
”It feels like that Administrator is trying to pull something on us. At first, he acted like he was begging us to take Alyona, but she remembers him saying at the very end that he would take her back soon.”
”Is that all?”
The Captain seemed skeptical of my deduction that “he is planning something.”
”Based on information from Suez, the Administrators seemed afraid of us. In particular, they thought our townfixed-wing dronetown suicide attacks were Indra’s Arrow or some weapon of the Eastern gods. That is probably why they wanted us to leave quickly without trouble. They offered us twice the Asphalt we asked for and gave us his favorite, Alyona. At that time, the Administrator looked bewildered.”
I said it all at once and took a breath. Having heard that much, the Captain looked at me and urged me to continue.
”And you see, his expression when we arrived at that house and his expression when he sent Alyona away were clearly different. What kind of talk did you have with them at that house, Captain?”
When pressed, the Captain frowned slightly.
”Did you talk about me or the ship toward the end?”
When I pushed further, he said it was only about taking the Administrator on the ship for a tour around the bay. That was the same promise I had made when negotiating for the Asphalt.
”However,”
The Captain’s speech became hesitant.
”They did ask about you.”
About me?
”Yeah, at that banquet hall, you barely spoke to anyone and just kept looking around nervously, so they probably thought you looked suspicious. They asked if you were all right.”
Eh, was I being seen like that?
Admittedly, there were many rare things, especially those Aladdin-like magic lamps in the room; I was curious why they kept glowing, so I was looking around, but…
”And what did you say?”
”I answered that, as you can see, he is still young, so I am thinking of training him from here on.”
Hmm, if it’s just that…
I looked at the Captain to see if that alone would cause the Administrator to change so drastically, but he looked away.
”Captain, really, is that all?”
”Hmm, well, they asked if Section Chief Larry was the strongest Mana user.”
”And?”
”I replied that if it’s about Mana strength, there is a mage named Maria.”
That’s not a mistake.
When I asked if there was anything else.
”They asked if it was only Section Chief Larry who fires the Indra’s Arrow (townfixed-wing dronetown for suicide), and I told them that the mage who fired the most was your subordinate, Katarina. Oh, and they also asked who is strong in close-quarters combat, and I just answered Kenze.”
Well, that’s not a mistake either.
It is not a mistake, but my stock must have dropped quite a bit.
However, I think it’s weak to assume they would have a change of heart to the point of thinking they could take this ship, given how they feared us.
”Just in case, I’ll ask—that really is all, right?”
”That’s right. They asked how you became a Forefather of the Fee Grand Principality at such a young age.”
That much had been conveyed during Alyona’s interrogation as well.
”And, what did you say?”
”I told them it might be because Section Chief Larry had a General named Thomas, who had been acting with you since Schweilitz, and a staff officer named Pamela.”
Certainly, I wouldn’t have become a Forefather without Thomas and Pamela, but I don’t think that’s something the Captain should be saying. Or rather, I was a little surprised that the Captain knew about me before I came to Kure.
”And did the Administrator say anything?”
”No, nothing in particular.”
Perhaps, even though they feared me as a demon king or some sort of monster, after talking with the Captain, they must have concluded that I am just a normal human.
Once I stop being a symbol of terror, they might try to come and seize this ship with realistic means.
No, they probably will.
But, didn’t the Administrator realize there are people on this ship much more dangerous than me?
When I kept watch, it seemed the negotiations had finished, and the Captain led a total of ten people onto the ship.
The Captain guided them while skillfully avoiding the most critical areas, finally leading them to the bridge. When the boiler was fired up, black smoke and excess white steam puffed out from the funnel, and the blowing of the steam whistle left them looking unusually startled. I couldn’t help but feel that this alone was enough to fully crush any lingering urge they might have had to try something.
Although all the sails were furled, the guests seemed more excited than surprised as the ship began to move slowly. Since there was no wind, almost no other vessels were out in the harbor during the day.
Amidst that, I imagine everyone in the harbor who stopped their work was watching the “Izumo” as she forged ahead, spitting black smoke.
After circling the inlet, we anchored toward the rear—in a position visible from the poop deck where the Administrator was located—at the spot where the junk ship had been moored until this morning. We had parked a five-meter-long town艀 (haji)town2 there, which we bought from a fisherman this morning.
We served them a meal there, but whether out of fear or otherwise, they didn’t touch a thing.
I could have rammed a self-destruct townfixed-wing dronetown into the town艀 (haji)town right away. But that did not seem polite after they came to inspect the ship. So we did the planned demonstration of the artificial shishi-odoshi (deer scare)3.
It was a little piece of sideshow entertainment: five deck crewmen and Staff Sergeant Bebel boarded a contact boat, shot arrows toward the ship from there, and used the artificial shishi-odoshi (deer scare) to shoot them down.
I think Team Leader Fredys was telling them, “It will make a very loud noise, so cover your ears and open your mouths to protect your eardrums.” The Administrator must have translated it into the local language for his men. Everyone was covering their ears and opening their mouths. I do not think the artificial shishi-odoshi (deer scare) would rupture an eardrum unless aimed directly at them. So this was just an intimidation tactic.
Of course, we did the same—opening our mouths and covering our ears. When Staff Sergeant Bebel gave the signal by striking a Banzai pose4 on the boat and forming a Fireball, they shot arrows toward us.
Seeing that, the youngest kid from the Artillery Department fed his own Fireball into the artificial shishi-odoshi (deer scare). With a “pop” that resonated in one’s gut, the Air cannon fired, and the incoming arrows lost their trajectory and fell clattering into the sea.
Team Leader Fredys must have told them, “We’ll make it a bit louder this time,” because the guests opened their mouths even wider and covered their ears tighter. There was a louder “pop” than before, and the incoming arrows were struck down even more violently.
When we showed it to them one more time, they seemed quite shocked. I suspect that since their carriages were loaded with bows and arrows, they had likely intended to suppress the “Izumo” using archery.
However, many of the soldiers were on the guest ship, and the demonstration only reached a portion of them. Even so, once they had been shown the power of the artificial shishi-odoshi (deer scare), I don’t think it matters whether or not the Administrator’s subordinates understood the original plan for using those bows.
Then came the main event: the dynamite explosion using a townfixed-wing dronetown.
Once we finished recovering Staff Sergeant Bebel and the others, I figured there was no need for secrecy, so I flew the townfixed-wing dronetown right in front of the Administrator. Because the distance was short, I wasn’t using any communication or amplification equipment, limiting the operation range to fifty meters, but that wasn’t an issue.
I climbed the townfixed-wing dronetown as high as I could before sending it into a steep dive. I didn’t hit the town艀 (haji)town itself, but rather plunged it into the water at an angle just in front of the port side to detonate.
White bubbles instantly spread across the surface, and the resulting water column sent the town艀 (haji)town flying higher than the main mast before it was destroyed. Since it was underwater, it wasn’t so much a sound as a vibration that traveled through the hull, followed by the waves rushing in, causing every ship in the harbor to sway for a while.
After that, the Administrator and the Captain spoke for a time. Judging by the Administrator’s expression, I don’t think he has any intention of trying to do anything to this ship anymore. He was casting a pleading glance toward the Captain.
At this rate, I don’t think we’ll be treated with anything but respect if we stop by this port on our way back from the Amazoness country. However, if we stayed docked like this, the people might fall into a panic, potentially causing the collapse of social order.
The plan had been to depart the ship as soon as we dropped off the guests.
But before that could happen, Section Chief Gida made a move. She had brought along the slaves we intended to sell. Using Team Leader Fredys as an interpreter, she insisted they were a thank-you gift for the asphalt. She forced them onto the Administrator. He refused at first. But when Section Chief Gida pressured the Deputy Administrator instead, he must have felt bad for his men. He accepted them reluctantly.
We used one precious stick of dynamite, leaving us with forty-five, but that couldn’t be helped. As soon as the ship dropped them off, it left Hodayn Port behind.
—
Summary:
Larry interrogates his slave, Alyona, and discovers that the local Port Administrator is plotting against them. He reports this suspicion to the Captain on the bridge, but the Captain remains skeptical, believing the Administrator simply views Larry as a normal, albeit young, man rather than a threat. Larry remains convinced that their change in attitude signals a planned attempt to seize the ship.
The Izumo intimidates local leadership at Hodayn Port through a demonstration of superior technology, including an artificial projectile defense system and a controlled underwater explosion. Negotiations conclude with the forced acceptance of slave gifts by the Administrator, securing safe passage for future visits. The vessel finally departs the harbor, leaving the populace in a state of shock.
—
Trivia:
Interrogations in this world require injecting Dimer’s Mana to resonate consciousness.
The crew refers to suicide drones as Indra’s Arrow, which the locals mistake for divine weapons.
The Captain previously promised the Administrator a ship tour in exchange for Asphalt.
Larry gained his title as a Forefather of the Fee Grand Principality due to the support of Thomas and Pamela.
The harbor was calm and windless during the demonstration, magnifying the impact of the ship’s mechanical noise and smoke.
The artificial shishi-odoshi system relies on localized, high-pressure air bursts to deflect incoming projectiles.
The Administrator’s initial refusal of the slave gift was bypassed by pressuring his subordinate, the Deputy Administrator.
The ship retains forty-five sticks of dynamite after the demonstration.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• Administrator – The official of Hodayn Port who previously held Alyona as a slave and refused to return her.
• Alyona – A devout Jesus Orthodox follower of Rus origin, this crew interpreter was a happily married woman before being broken by slavery under the Hodayn Port Administrator. Retained by Rhein, she appears timid and flustered by the Captain’s orders. However, beneath her submissive exterior lies a latent sadistic streak, capable of clinical cruelty and an easy transition into dominance over others.
• Pamela – An elderly Elf Mage from the Great Forest and flirtatious medic clad in sheer negligee robes and black undergarments. Head of the Engine Department, she struggles with the open sea’s heat. An authoritative mentor, she shares Larry’s quarters, joins expeditions, works with Kenze in Rhein’s rotation, and uses her native Rus for strategic planning, managing Aljona, and interrogations.
• Pam – An escort to the protagonist who is observant and loyal.
• Rus – A neighboring power deeply involved in regional politics and mediation, best known for annexing the Kingdom of Larland.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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. Serving under Larry, this volatile Mage pilots, configures drones, and uses telepathy. While protective of her crew, she pressures Rhein and is the protagonist’s jealous, abusive mistress. She is currently the narrator’s captive—bound, blindfolded, and subjected to humiliating treatment.
• Captain – The middle-aged commanding officer of the Izumo directs personnel, diplomacy, tactical maneuvers, and engine output. Outwardly calm, experienced, and seemingly disengaged, he holds traditional beliefs about sea creatures. Beneath this oblivious facade, he is a ruthless, manipulative leader who prioritizes the mission and tactical objectives over the safety of subordinates and civilians.
• Larry – An eccentric 16-year-old Mana user and Fee Grand Principality founder, the Izumo’s chief engineer handles drones, explosives, and combat coordination while suffering from past-life neurological trauma. Pragmatic but stressed by military leadership, he mediates intense crew drama—from hammock disputes to tracking Amazonesses—and maintains a cynical view of Maria and the ship’s Captain.
• Pole – An orphaned Celt soldier and Izumo deck crewman who knows the terrain and speaks Turku. Traveling with Larry and Kenze as Earnest’s associate, he enjoys gossip and romance betting, though he was recently convinced to stop gambling to escape the threat of slavery. Once hostile, he now respects the protagonist, serving as a rescue guide while seeking freedom for his first love.
• Raphael – An individual currently under the care or supervision of Pole, whose retention on the crew was negotiated despite initial resistance.
• Gida – A disciplined female human and former finance bureaucrat serving as the meticulous Maintenance Department Chief on the ship Izumo. Pragmatic and persistent, she manages logistics, funds, and crew/slave negotiations, pushing for the impossible to ensure crew well-being. She strictly controls her team, was initially reluctant to retain Raphael, and is frequently frustrated by the protagonist’s decisions.
• Maria – Thomas’s strikingly beautiful widow, daughter of Ifens and Therese, is a Universal Church bridge mage with massive mana rivaling a Major. Gifted with lethal combat skills and gorilla strength, this Suez crew member in the Magic Armored Division is skilled in interrogation, coilguns, and Amazoness politics. She bears a grudge against Larry and uses Princess Nikaure’s memories for intel.
• 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.
• Kenze – A muscular, dark-skinned Amazoness with short hair, a niqab, and artificial speech. This lethal, bisexual former Takshurgan operative serves as Larry’s bodyguard. Rough yet highly observant, she reads Rhein and protects her daughter Zaboo and allies. Pragmatic yet intense regarding her physiology, this ship crew member can lay eggs in ceramic jars but fears potential capture.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Thomas – Thomas Bauer is a hulking, middle-aged General with a muscular build, reddened face, and scalp burns. Larry’s comrade-in-arms and tactical advisor since Schweilitz, he commands 100 Twanste troops alongside Fee and Earnest. He married Maria, the widow of his comrade Rhein who reports to him. After training local farmers, he vanished in a bridge collapse, prompting Kenze to retrieve him.
• Izumo – The iron-hulled ship serving as the primary vessel for the protagonist and his crew.
• Bebel – Sergeant Major Hagen is a rigid, strict Chief aboard the Izumo and NCO in the protagonist’s Magic Armored Division. A veteran who survived the Larland Independence War alongside the protagonist, this aggressive, coilgun-wielding combatant is highly capable yet difficult to manage. He leads five subordinates, previously cared for a sedated Larry, and was rescued by Roland after a battle injury.
• Fredys – Izumo’s female deck foreman and section chief monitors encroaching fleets from the bridge while managing logistics, captives, and crew discipline. Forceful and pragmatic, this Inland Sea expert interprets Turku, works closely with Roland, and acts refined around Francis. She fiercely defends subordinates like Kenze, runs betting pools, and is rumored to be a shotacon.
• Deputy Administrator – An official from the port who brought asphalt for the ship and likely conducts reconnaissance.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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