Volume 4 Chapter 88 The Powered Suit
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
We’d checked out of our inn in the capital and were heading to the station that held the Transfer Gate—our ticket to the trading city of Takere. On the way, we passed people in nothing but the clothes on their backs, others holding bundles of belongings. Everyone wore expressions of grim hopelessness. Refugees, by the look of it. Some kind folk tried to warn us or give directions as we came near the station, but we couldn’t understand a word they said. The whole feel was so disturbing that Lamu and Tete—whom I’d bought as wet nurses—were shaking in fear.
This island had plenty of hot springs and volcanoes. So it’s either an eruption, an earthquake, or a tsunami. Whatever it was, I needed to get a handle on the situation before “Izumo” arrived.
We had no choice. We had to keep going.
When we reached the station, people were pouring out of the Transfer Gate like a flood. The ticket gate that checked payments had been smashed to pieces, and the whole place was packed wall-to-wall with bodies.
”Reckon we got no choice but to wait a spell,” Pamela said, her voice calm.
I agreed. We moved closer to the Transfer Gate, trying not to get in anyone’s way, and waited for the crowd to thin.
After a few minutes, the flow began to ease. We slipped through the Transfer Gate at the edge of the rush. On the other side, we found ourselves on a low hill with a full view of the harbor town below.
”That’s the lot, then.”
The cause was clear at once. Not an eruption, not an earthquake, not a tsunami.
Three large junk ships.
”The first ships of the Seeding Fleet, I’d guess. What a bother.”
So what did I do about it? One of the three ships had already stopped at the pier, and soldiers were starting to get off. Facing them, Amazoness fighters had formed ranks and were getting ready to fight back.
”This is bad—they’re going to burn the town.”
Large rocket fireworks were launched from the two ships in the rear. The powder containers were about thirty centimeters across and one point five meters long—a bit shorter than a grown man. At the tip, there was a barrel of oil. These things were made to set enemy ships on fire in sea fighting. In this case, the target was the town itself.
The huge rockets shot flames and smoke typical of black powder as they flew, and when they hit the town, orange fire exploded. Range was about fifty meters. Height maybe thirty meters at best. But the impact sound was loud enough to shake the air.
The ignition rate wasn’t great—only one of the first two rounds actually started a fire. Maybe setting the town on fire wasn’t the real goal. Maybe it was just to scare the residents.
Down in the harbor, the Amazoness fighters and the soldiers from the junk ships had started shooting arrows at each other.
”What say you, then?” Pamela asked, her voice totally calm.
”Those fireworks are a real pain, and they’ve got us outnumbered. One guy can’t change much, can he? If only we had some Golems. Let’s head back.”
The buildings in the Land of the Fire Ring—the nation ruled by the Androgynos Group—were weak. There were no roads linking the key points, only Transfer Gates powered by Spirit Magic. Even the private Colonies were linked the same way. So if you took out the central Hub Tower, the whole country would fall apart. If I were the top commander of this nation, I’d shut down this Transfer Gate right away to block any advance on the capital.
But the only defense force here was a handful of Amazoness fighters. They might be a warrior race, but they couldn’t beat sheer numbers. The town of Takere was already finished. I thought our safest bet was to get back to the capital before it fell.
”What’s that?” the Loli Elf Mage said, pointing.
”Good eye.”
She was pointing toward a storage yard for wood and building materials. Peeking out from a simple hangar was what looked like a Golem’s leg.
”What’s your plan, then?” Pamela asked.
”Can’t be helped. The Amazoness have treated me well enough. I’d feel bad watching them all get wiped out. But before that—I’m sending Tete and Lamu back to the inn.”
I handed the two of them some money and tried to show that they should return to the inn. They shook their heads.
No choice. I flagged down a passing Dwarf, gave him money, and asked him to take the two of them to the Research Institute. Between broken words and hand gestures, I think I got the message across. But Tete and Lamu looked sad, and eventually I gave up. They followed me like baby birds that had learned to follow the first thing they saw. Probably a learned behavior, but I didn’t want to drag them into a battlefield.
”Pamela, take them back to the inn.”
No promise they’d listen, but I thought maybe after spending so much time with them, Pamela could get through where I couldn’t. Instead, the woman herself shook her head.
Fine. We headed down the slope that everyone else was climbing, hurrying toward the storage yard. A single work-use Golem wouldn’t do much, but it might buy the Amazoness time to escape. The way things stood, they were going to be wiped out.
When we reached the storage yard and I got a good look at the thing that looked like a Golem, my jaw dropped.
”What in the blazes is this machine?” Pamela shouted.
No wonder she was shocked. It was made of iron—a mecha suit with a seat for a pilot. Barely four meters tall. A small unit.
I moved closer for a better look. Schweilitz’s Golems used raw wood cut to shape for their limbs and frame, focusing on sturdiness. This thing used iron for strength and a truss structure to keep it light. The joints were metal too—probably because they couldn’t get monster parts—though the muscles and nerves were still taken from monsters.
And where the Golems would have an amber core, there was a space clearly meant for a person.
”Gonna try to move it,” I said.
I climbed the ladder into the back hatch, which opened like double doors. Inside, when I bent my arm, my hand found a lever at the perfect height. I gripped it firmly. The texture of the grip felt like it could guide mana, so I tried sending it from left to right.
Warning tone. A system alert.
Okay, right to left.
Mana Control.
The Golem started running startup checks.
Ride comfort: absolutely terrible.
After a moment, there was a feeling of syncing—just like with regular Golems. I linked my nervous system with the unit’s. I could feel its arms and legs, and I could see through its eyes.
Then I tried to lift my foot and step forward—
And right away fell flat on my back.
That hurt. So much.
The only thing holding me in place was that lever. When I fell, I was thrown clear out of the seat.
”You all right?” Pamela rushed over, fussing and poking at me.
”Fine, I’m fine. Nothin’ broken. I can still fight.”
Could I, though?
Biting back the pain of my bruises, I got up and checked the suit for damage. It seemed okay. The cause of the fall was a set of rollers attached to the bottom of its feet. Whoever built this thing must have been a big mecha anime fan in their past life.
I climbed back into the seat and this time made sure to close the rear hatch so I wouldn’t get thrown out again. Restarted the system. Before standing, I touched one foot to the ground and worked out how to lock the rollers. Bending the toes seemed to put on the brakes.
Using my hands, I pushed myself up. Upsy-daisy.
A warning buzzer sounded, and the suit’s motion cut out.
”What the hell happened?”
”Upsy-daisy” must’ve caused a code problem. I cut the mana and tried again—this time it worked.
Great. And we were in a hurry.
”Pamela, seriously—take Tete and the others back to the capital.”
The suit rose on its own and began its post-startup checks. In the gap, I yelled at Pamela to leave. The suit’s body was a truss structure, full of gaps. She must’ve heard me.
”We’ll wait for you here.”
That woman sure is stubborn.
At that moment, I heard a rocket firework land nearby.
”I told you. At least get to the Transfer Gate.”
I yelled again. She said something back, but I couldn’t make it out. Through the suit’s video feed, I saw Pamela moving deeper into the hangar with Tete and Lamu. They were probably heading around to the road and up the slope.
Once the check finished, I poured mana into the suit and tried to hurry. But the warning buzzer went off again and the Golem stopped.
Maybe it couldn’t handle more than a certain amount of mana?
I started over from the beginning. This time I increased the mana slowly, and at a certain point, a beep-beep-beep warning sounded. When I lowered the mana flow, the noise stopped.
You’ve got to be kidding me.
I had to manually control my mana output while flying this thing? What a pain.
But I couldn’t afford to be picky. I left the storage yard, hit the road, and used the rollers to speed up toward the harbor.
When I arrived, the Amazonesses were about to be destroyed. About forty or fifty of them had formed a half-circle with their backs to a stone warehouse, surrounded by ten times their number of enemies. They should have given up, but they stubbornly kept their swords and spears raised.
Their commander—or someone like it—was yelling and moving with her sword. I couldn’t understand a word. But the tip of that sword was pointing at the station on the hill.
”Help?”
From inside the station, soldiers carrying spears walked out in formation. So there was no choice but to help keep the Amazonesses alive, as many of them as I could.
And no, the fighters weren’t wearing bikini armor. Disappointing.
I didn’t know much about roller skating, but I’d tried ice skating before—back when I was trying to impress a girl and kept going to the rink. The results were a disaster, but at least that practice was paying off now.
I pushed mana into the suit to the limit and built up as much speed as I could. The soldiers who spotted me started to scatter.
The suit was just under four meters tall and made of iron, truss or not. It must’ve weighed a ton. And it was charging at thirty to forty kilometers an hour.
Could I just plow right through them?
Turns out, after sending about ten men flying, the suit’s power gave out. So I swung my arms and ran straight through, pulling back to gain distance before charging in again.
After three runs, the soldiers’ formation broke, and they began pulling back in confusion. The Amazonesses, who’d been about to be destroyed, switched to the attack. As expected of a warrior race.
By then, I’d expected the help from the station to be coming toward me, but they’d changed direction and were heading toward the sea instead. I looked that way and saw the other two junk ships coming near the harbor, trying to stop at a different pier.
Even worse, the soldiers on this junk ship were shooting heavy crossbows—even with their own allies nearby. Iron bolts longer than a person came flying. If one hit my arms or legs, the iron grid would stop it—movement would be a problem, but I’d live. If it hit me directly, though? This suit wouldn’t offer any protection. One shot and I’d be dead.
Shit, shit, shit.
Distracted by everything going on around me, I didn’t notice the spear-wielding soldiers getting close.
They’d already seen through this suit’s weakness.
An arrow in the leg—if it stays stuck, movement’s gone. Hit me center mass, and I’m dead.
I ran away from there. I looked around for something to use as a shield, but there was nothing.
Fwoosh. BAM.
A rocket firework hit the house right in front of me. The impact broke the front barrel, sending oil spraying everywhere. Then it caught fire.
Shit. A direct hit? The suit might survive, but I sure wouldn’t.
The house destroyed by the direct hit was a sake shop. Barrels, jars, bottles—more than enough to go around. The fire didn’t seem to be spreading, so I grabbed a big clay jar, wound up, and threw it. My aim wasn’t great, but it landed dead center among the enemy soldiers regrouping about fifty meters away.
Cocky now, I kept throwing.
The Amazoness, who’d been in chaotic fighting, started pulling back from the Seeding Fleet soldiers. Then about a hundred Amazoness help joined the fight. The numbers still weren’t equal, but the Amazoness were better fighters one-on-one. This should be fine. I’d done what I set out to do.
I pulled back from the line and returned to the supply depot.
I climbed out of the powered suit and yelled, “Pamela!” No answer.
I went to the back of the hangar where I last saw her. The house next door had burned down. No way.
I walked through the still-smoking grounds. No burned people. No bones. Slightly relieved, I came out onto the main road and headed for the station.
In the empty lot behind the station, families had gathered together in what looked like a shelter. I checked—Pamela and the others weren’t there. Of all the times, I couldn’t find a single familiar face.
I decided to give up and stepped through the Transfer Gate.
On the capital side, several officials—Amazoness, by the look of them—asked me to register. They seemed to be asking for ID. I showed the travel permit from Professor Lilith and they let me through.
I ran to the inn from there. Crowded with refugees. I asked merchant’s workers I knew if they’d seen Pamela, but they shook their heads. The room I’d been in that morning was already taken. I got yelled at. I checked the bathhouse. Pamela wasn’t there. Neither were Tete and the others.
The only other place I could think of was the Research Institute. I ran desperately. The front desk didn’t know. I asked anyone who looked familiar—no one knew.
At the inn, I hadn’t checked the dining hall. I ran back. I checked the dining hall. Pamela and the others weren’t there. My legs were swollen. The worry grew.
I checked the bathhouse again. I went around the whole inn. Pamela and the others weren’t there.
No way—were they still in Takere? I ran to the station, but I was blocked from passing through the Transfer Gate.
”Takere is in a state of war. Normal people are forbidden from entering.”
At least, that’s what I think they were saying. I tried to push through, but three staff came out and blocked me. I couldn’t use mana on these people.
But I was out of my mind. They couldn’t be dead. Not after Ms. Henrietta had finally come back.
I remembered the first time I met Ms. Henrietta and Pamela at the Bizan Magic School. Ms. Henrietta wore a black Gothic Lolita dress. Pamela wore a white one.
During the founding of the Fee Grand Principality, Pamela was always by my side. Without her pushing me forward, I wouldn’t have become Grand Duke. She had a sharp tongue, but she was reliable.
Remembering that, my panic peaked.
”Please. I have to go find Pamela and the others.”
I shouted it in the Schweilitz language and tried to push past the officials. Tears were streaming down my face for some reason.
”Pamela—you mean the Elf Mage you were with?”
I looked at the speaker. It was Elder Rocani. He must have decided this national crisis wasn’t the time to stay out of respect for the Amazoness. The man who looked like an old woman on the outside but was a middle-aged man on the inside stared at me.
”She’s a friend. Let him through.”
I never expected those words from him. The officials backed away. I hurried through the Transfer Gate.
When I came out of the Takere station, a third of the harbor was ash, and a sixth was still burning. Two of the three Seeding Fleet ships seemed to have given up on stopping, careful of the waiting Amazoness. They were moving away from the pier. Even so, they kept shooting arrows, heavy crossbows, and fireworks at the Amazoness.
A battlefield. Both sides giving everything they had.
Then, for a moment, the air seemed to freeze. A waterspout rose from one ship in silence. Right at the waterline in the middle of the ship, as if aimed. A split second later, a delayed KABOOM reached me, snapping me back. The same thing happened to the second and third ships.
”Mission complete.”
I turned toward the voice. Katarina was taking off a remote-control helmet. Behind her, two flight squad female mages. In front, Kenze, looking healthier than before.
”What are you doing here?”
Those words brought more tears.
”What’s wrong?”
I hugged her without thinking.
”Pamela’s missing. What if she’s dead?”
My voice cracked. Even I could hear how pathetic it sounded.
”What are you talking about? Pamela and the two slaves were already taken.”
Wait. Really? For real? Oh god.
Relief hit me and my knees gave out.
—
Summary:
The main character leaves from the capital toward Takere only to find the Seeding Fleet attacking the harbor town, forcing a tactical retreat that becomes a fight after finding a sample powered suit in a storage yard. After a funny struggle to fly the broken mecha, he charges into battle to save the outnumbered Amazoness fighters, scattering the enemy soldiers only to face help and heavy crossbow fire. As he realizes the suit offers no protection against direct hits, spear-wielding soldiers close in around him.
The main character pulls back from a battlefield after getting Amazoness help, then starts a desperate search for his missing friends Pamela and Henrietta, checking the hangar, station, inn, and research institute. His panic grows as each place gives no sign of them, ending in a tearful plea at the Transfer Gate where Elder Rocani surprisingly steps in to let him through. The chapter ends with Katarina showing she has already taken Pamela and the two slaves, causing the main character to fall down in relief—but the story leaves unsaid what happened to Henrietta.
—
Trivia:
The main character mentions “Izumo” as someone or something that will arrive, making him need to know the situation before then.
Tete and Lamu were bought as wet nurses and show learned behavior, following the main character despite danger.
The powered suit is a sample built with iron truss building, metal joints, and roller skates on its feet.
Pamela speaks with a Kansai-ben same Southern US dialect, using “ja” and “nou” words in the source.
The suit’s mana control system needs careful manual control—too much mana triggers warning buzzers and shutdowns.
Schweilitz is a golem maker mentioned for comparison; his designs use wood building while this suit uses iron.
The Land of the Fire Ring has no roads—only Transfer Gates powered by Spirit Magic connect its areas.
The main character’s inside voice includes dry humor and self-making fun throughout the action.
The Amazoness fighters are a warrior race fighting at 10:1 odds but refuse to give up.
The main character was once an ice skater who tried to impress a girl, and that failed practice now helps him fly the suit.
The main character was formerly the Grand Duke of the Fee Grand Principality, a position he thanks Pamela for making possible.
Rocani is an older politician who appears as an older woman on the outside but sees himself as a middle-aged man inside.
The Amazoness are a race of warrior women with high personal fighting ability.
The Seeding Fleet seems to be an invading navy, with at least three ships in the harbor.
Katarina has a remote-control helmet and is working with a flight squad of female mages.
Professor Lilith gave the travel permit that let the main character pass through the Transfer Gate.
The Transfer Gate connects Takere (the war zone) to the capital side.
Pamela wears a white Gothic Lolita outfit; Henrietta wears a black one.
The Bizan Magic School is where the main character first met Henrietta and Pamela.
Fireworks are used as war weapons in this world (rocket fireworks).
The fight involves heavy crossbows, oil barrels, and thrown jars found nearby.
The inn and dining hall were filled with refugees, suggesting wide evacuation.
Kenze is present with Katarina and has gotten back color in her face, meaning she was previously unwell.
The main character’s powered suit protects him from direct hits, but the pilot inside remains open to danger.
Notes:
• Lamu – Bought wet nurse who shows learned loyalty behavior. Looks young and shy. Follows the main character like a baby bird. Not a fighter. Body look not described.
• Tete – Bought wet nurse who shows learned loyalty behavior. Looks young and shy. Follows the main character like a baby bird. Not a fighter. Body look not described. Mentioned as being with Pamela. Likely a slave or friend.
• Izumo – The iron-hulled primary vessel, named and personified as a character herself, who loyally carries the protagonist and his crew throughout their journey.
• Pamela – Pamela is a blunt, sharp-tongued older mage who balances archaic speech with a rural Southern American dialect. Petite and telepathic, this scholarly mentor to the protagonist and Earnest acts as an affectionate, no-nonsense romantic partner to Larry. Whether offering unsentimental strategic assessments or assisting with rituals, she pairs old-fashioned warmth with a confident, authoritative presence.
• Pam – An escort to the protagonist who is observant and loyal.
• Elf Mage – Elf mage and shut-in engineer who stands watch in the engine department, managing the ship’s boilers. They are highly reclusive, irritable, and fiercely resistant to any orders coming from the Torpedo Department.
• Mage – Elf mage and shut-in engineer who stands watch in the engine department, managing the ship’s boilers. They are highly reclusive, irritable, and fiercely resistant to any orders coming from the Torpedo Department.
• Elf – A reclusive, middle-aged mage who lives as a shut-in aboard the ship, where he tends to the boilers. He uses his own conjured fireballs to generate heat for the vessel and maintains a keen interest in studying the properties of asphalt as a potential fuel source.
• Schweilitz – This kingdom, featuring towering academy spires and a full military arsenal of Royal Army troops, forces the protagonist to return. Ruled by a king involved in a hostage exchange, this political power holds a captive feared for execution. It also ordered the confirmation of Princess Rosa’s corpse, driving a scheme that the Queen has caught onto.
• Mana – A non-commissioned officer and liaison who previously had their mana drained by Larry.
• Lilith – Professor and summoning magic authority from the Research Institute in the Land of the Fire Ring. Holds the title “River White, Tenth Generation.” Greets Larry upon his arrival at the Hub Tower. Rushes him through the summoning process.
• Lili – An older, slightly plump maid with exceptionally large breasts, she is an associate and quiet bondservant to the protagonist and the Getys household. Handling most of the housework, she maintains close, supportive relationships with those she serves, joining the family to inspect new land and accompanying Monica to see the narrator off at Obernbach Station.
• Henrietta – Earnest’s fourth wife, Henrietta, is a muscular, busty orphan, mage, and Royal Magic Academy researcher who served as a royal guard until her assassination during the Haritz Rebellion. Now parasitizing Larry’s daughter—identified by Pamela via scent—her telepathic link persists. Larry must contact her inside the Mother Mushroom to test his observation device and considers summoning her via their bond.
• 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.
• 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.
• Rocani – An Elder of Oceanus and calculating leader of the Androgynos Group, this figure appears as a beautiful old woman but is male inside. Emotionally performative yet casual compared to the Regent, they wield significant authority, welcoming the Acting Captain, hosting Larry’s party at the Transfer Gate, interpreting during the Hole-Eater meeting, and remaining ambivalent about the handmaid trade.
• Katarina – Katarina, a voluptuous 30-year-old Izumo flight squad leader and volatile telepathic mage, is a complex handful who enjoys teasing protagonist Earnest by listing his exes. An older former Magic School student, she pressures subordinates while advocating for Gida. Often the target of Eida’s frustrations, she is known for being after Larry and refusing orders unless they involve a rescue.
• Kenze – Kenze is a muscular, brown-skinned Amazoness and former Takshurgan operative turned research student. A dragon-tattooed guardian and crew member, she rooms with Larry, whom she would prioritize over any mission. Once deeply bonded with Earnest, she is now quietly wasting away while nursing her egg and larva. Despite declining health and a rural background, she remains a strong, warm, and sea-wary presence.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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