Volume 4 Chapter 93 Friction
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Hojo’s words—”A samurai never goes back on his word[1]“—it’d been a while since I’d heard that one. But that was… going to be an issue.
After all, this guy had just said he was going to kill me. If he never went back on his word, then I was as good as dead.
I absolutely had to get him to take it back.
Though, for a Berserker, he was unusually chatty today. Maybe I could keep him talking and coax him into a contradiction.
”You’ve secured food supplies, I trust?”
”Naturally. We have our own shōen[2] estate.”
A shōen? So they owned farmland and produced their own food? I’d assumed they lived in some mansion in the Royal Capital, subsisting on support from their homeland.
”The land we received from the King of the previous dynasty—the kingdom before the Luzon Kingdom—was cultivated and recognized as a shōen.”
Hojo spoke proudly and sheathed his sword.
That aside—cultivation? Did they actually practice garrison farming or something? And wasn’t a shōen private land? Did he become a land steward or something?
”What do you mean, ‘recognized as a shōen’? So the Hojo family now holds private land?”
”Indeed. A shōen receives more favorable treatment than ordinary holdings. My clan’s one hundred and eight samurai and their retainers spent sixty years cultivating a land surrounded by mountains on three sides and facing the sea—a place with many monsters and no human inhabitants. Naturally, we receive tax exemptions.”
Whoa. That was a lot of information at once.
One hundred and eight samurai and their retainers—that meant about a thousand people living there? When I asked, it turned out that now they had over two thousand, with intermarriage with locals progressing.
They spent sixty years cultivating it—so how long had they been living in Luzon?
Over a hundred years, apparently.
Long ago, there was a war between the Genji and Heike[3]. The Hojo clan was on the losing Heike side, originally from Izu Province[4]. But a faction that refused to submit to the Genji drifted south via Hachijō Island[5] and other islands, eventually washing up in Luzon.
There, they taught rice cultivation and proved valuable, and after achieving remarkable military success against the northern noble coalition, they were granted land.
Incidentally, they maintained regular contact with the Land of Shura[6], and after the Hojo clan became the Shogunate regents[7], the ties strengthened through marriage alliances. The current head of the Luzon Hojo clan, the Berserker Hojo Takachika, is the nephew of the current regent and apparently spent his childhood in Kamakura[8].
So that’s why he has such a strong attachment to the Land of Shura.
Also—monsters?
”The most common are goblins[9], three-eyed bearded boars[10], giant vampire bats[11], and demon rats[12].”
Goblins, apparently. If there were man-eating spiders, I could think of plenty of uses, but apparently none existed here.
”Beware the giant vampire bats. They fly in silently while you’re sleeping, and when they bite, you don’t even feel pain—they just lap up your blood. The real problem is the high fever that can follow.”
How the hell was I supposed to protect myself from that in this tropical climate? Was I supposed to sleep in full clothing?
”Sleep under a mosquito net at night.”
They had mosquito nets here.
”Why take such a dangerous monster-infested place? Weren’t there better lands available?”
I thought I saw the Berserker’s mouth curl upward.
”Aoi, bring it out.”
At his command, Aoi, standing beside him, pulled something from a pouch at her waist and handed it to Hojo.
”Do you know what this is?”
The ball placed before me was slightly larger than a ping-pong ball and looked like a small ball of twine wrapped with thin thread. I’d seen something similar before—much larger.
”Red Flame Ball.”
The words slipped from my mouth. It looked very similar to the Red Flame Ball I’d seen in the underground chamber of the Norman Viscount’s palace on the Island of Sicilia in the Inland Sea, though the size was different.
”You know it well.”
The Berserker looked at me with an uncharacteristically satisfied expression.
”I saw it on the other side of the continent. It’s a weapon used by the Boltechino. Don’t tell me you’re connected to them?”
”Don’t insult me. The first to create the Red Flame Ball was the Fujiwara clan of Oshu[13]. The first to use it in battle was Lord Taira no Masakado[14]. Though you probably wouldn’t know that.”
Actually, I’d heard of him. A Heian period figure.
”Then why do the Boltechino have it?”
”I don’t know. When those bastards first attacked Hakata[15], we repelled them with Red Flame Balls. We fired these small ones by attaching them to signal arrows[16].”
The arrowhead was split in two, and the ball was wedged between them. By the time the arrow reached the enemy, the ball would expand to about one fathom[17], killing on direct hit or damaging the nervous system of those nearby.
”However, when they came a second time, those bastards had large Red Flame Balls. They launched them with catapults, and we received reports that by the time they reached us, they’d expanded to about five ken[18] in diameter. Whether they had some of that technology on their side or stole it from us is unclear.”
The Red Flame Ball Hojo mentioned matched the size inferred from traces of use in Rus.
”Incidentally, do you know what the materials are?”
”Materials?”
It was mana pentamer and tetramer—linear mana formations—but I didn’t think that was what he was asking. As I hesitated, his mouth curled up again.
”Avarenasubi leaves[19].”
”Rampant Nightshade[20]?”
”Also called branching runner bane. Haven’t you read the Demon Farmer’s Materia Medica[21]?”
Marie’s book. The one I couldn’t decipher with my knowledge.
”There are several groves of its subspecies near the shōen.”
”So you chose that inconvenient land to manufacture Red Flame Balls.”
”Yes. We now export them to the Land of Shura. We’d consider selling to trustworthy Amazoness clans as well.”
I see. That explained why they’d chosen that location.
But I couldn’t just accept that and move on. I had to make sure a samurai did go back on his word.
”You said you had it with you now—did you show it to the Queen of the Amazons or the Regent?”
”Hmph. If you lot hadn’t come, we’d have had a new sales channel.”
Had I poked a hornet’s nest? This was getting uncomfortable.
”Show me what you’re hiding.”
We’d been having a decent conversation, but things were suddenly taking a dangerous turn. I couldn’t answer.
”You were just saying not to underestimate mages earlier. What would happen if I pulled this thread attached to the Red Flame Ball right now?”
He was threatening me. If he did that, the mana pentamer and tetramer would pierce through our bodies—I’d die or end up crippled, and so would the mages—me and Section Chief Tatyana.
”Just escape from this room within five seconds and you’ll be fine.”
Of course, that was a bluff. The only real escape would be to jump from the open window into the sea. There were no ships running alongside us, so the chances of survival were hopelessly slim. The Berserker seemed to realize this as he took the Red Flame Ball and pinched the thread between his fingers.
”Fine. I’ll show you. But only after we reach your shōen.”
I shouted the minimum condition for my survival.
But the Berserker didn’t stop. If he took a direct hit, he’d die too.
But the thread was pulled from the Red Flame Ball.
”Kenze—take Tatyana and run. Now!”
Bound as I was, I couldn’t jump into the sea. I rose from my chair, trying to stop Hojo from throwing the Red Flame Ball at Kenze or Tatyana. Leakle-san was an outsider, so I judged she’d be safe.
But nothing happened to the Red Flame Ball whose thread had been pulled. It just dropped from Hojo’s hand onto the table, still a ball of twine.
Was it going to glow now?
I could hear my own heartbeat.
Seconds passed—seconds where fear threatened to shatter my mind.
”That wasn’t entertaining. I’d have laughed if you’d made a fool of yourself trying to run.”
Wait. What?
”It’s not a fake.”
Hojo said this, grabbed the ball that had fallen on the table, and quickly threw it toward the open window in the dining hall. As it passed through the window, it flared yellow, swelling larger until it vanished from sight. A pop echoed from below, and a red flash flickered for just an instant.
This bastard. He wasn’t joking. What if it had bounced off the window frame? One wrong move and I’d be dead.
I genuinely wondered if this guy was insane.
”In respect of your actions earlier, I won’t kill you now. But remember—we all carry Red Flame Balls.”
According to what he’d said earlier, being within 1.5 meters meant instant death. They’d brought some troublesome gear.
Well, if they didn’t know about the other things I had, I could always take them out one by one. Coilguns with red cartridges might work too. But that was too risky—I’d only take action as a last resort.
”Since I can’t do anything anyway, can you take these chains off?”
”No. Until we reach the Hojo village, you’re forbidden from leaving your cabin or removing your chains.”
In the end, I couldn’t do anything, and the conversation ended. Actually, no—now they’d seen our weapons, so it ended on a worse note.
I really hate these guys.
Haaah…
What now?
Back in my room, Pamela was waiting for me.
”What’s with that glum face?”
”I’d love to hear something cheerful.”
Just then, that Tomoe walked in.
”Are you still going to be my watchman?”
I asked in Japanese. She slammed the butt of her naginata[22] against the floor and stood glaring at me like a guardian deity.
Hmph.
”Pamela, I’ve had nothing but crap today. Wanna help me blow off some steam?”
”There are observers present. Are you sure?”
”She looks like a newbie. I want to show off and see her reaction.”
My little elf mage was quick to catch on to my scheme.
”Then first, with your mouth—”
”You haven’t bathed in a while, have you. Let me wipe you down first. You definitely smell.”
…Fair point.
Pamela stripped me down to nothing, then wiped me down with a damp towel in a stroking motion before, as requested, taking me in her mouth.
Tomoe, still standing like a stone guardian, watched with a bright red face—then turned away.
She might be a virgin, I thought.
But wasn’t she supposed to be a servant who provided sexual services[23]?
Well, her reaction suggested otherwise. I reached out to Pamela via telepathy, sending her my visual feed.
She seems interested—she keeps peeking over here, Pamela observed.
Pamela was always a bit mischievous at heart.
Let’s change positions, I suggested.
The classic sixty-nine. Me on the bottom, of course.
Pamela pressed her crotch against my face, so I extended my tongue to her clitoris while channeling a massive amount of mana from the p**is she was still sucking into that very spot.
”Hold on—too much—” Pamela scolded, though she wasn’t really angry. I didn’t need mind-reading to know she was enjoying it.
And as we gradually escalated our act, pointedly ignoring Tomoe, she seemed increasingly fascinated—she’d started watching us with open curiosity.
Next, I took the top position, kissing her, latching onto her n**ples, trailing my tongue along her armpit…
The heat built. When Pamela straddled me for what you’d call the cowgirl position, she began to rock her hips, half-lidded eyes showing her pleasure. I wasn’t faking mine, either.
Through narrowed eyes, I glanced at Tomoe—she was straddling her naginata, rocking back and forth.
Looks like she couldn’t hold back anymore, I sent to Pamela via telepathy with the visual feed. She scolded me for interrupting her concentration, but I found the whole thing amusing—Tomoe’s embarrassing display and the extra length it added.
Tomoe seemed like the earnest type—teasing her was going to be entertaining.
The next day, she was still on watch duty. So I decided to tease her.
”You were masturbating while watching us yesterday, weren’t you?”
She’d probably thought she hadn’t been caught. In an instant, she turned red as a boiled octopus.
This was going to be fun.
—
Summary:
Hojo demonstrated the Red Flame Ball’s deadly power by throwing it out the window, nearly killing the protagonist through psychological terror. The protagonist learned the Hojo clan’s history of exile from Japan and their establishment of a shōen in Luzon specifically for Red Flame Ball production. Later, the protagonist and Pamela engaged in explicit sexual activity to relieve tension while teasing their earnest watchman Tomoe, who revealed herself as a virgin through her flustered reactions.
—
Trivia:
The Hojo clan were on the losing Heike side in the Genpei War
The clan drifted through Hachijō Island before reaching Luzon
One hundred and eight samurai originally cultivated the land
The current population is over two thousand with local intermarriage
Hojo Takachika is the nephew of the current Shogunate regent
He spent his childhood in Kamakura
The Red Flame Ball was invented by the Fujiwara clan of Oshu
Taira no Masakado was the first to use it in battle
The Boltechino had Red Flame Balls by their second attack on Hakata
The balls expand from ping-pong size to 1.5 meters in diameter
Red Flame Balls are made from Avarenasubi leaves
The shōen was chosen specifically for Red Flame Ball production
The protagonist previously saw a Red Flame Ball in the Norman Viscount’s palace
Pamela and the protagonist share telepathic visual feeds
Tomoe carries a naginata and serves as a watchman
Tomoe is implied to be a servant who also provides sexual services despite being a virgin
The protagonist has access to Coilguns and red cartridges as weapons
Mosquito nets exist in this fantasy setting
The Boltechino attacked Hakata twice
The Hojo clan exports Red Flame Balls to the Land of Shura
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• Hojo – Ambassador from the Land of Shura and leader of the Shura warriors, this “Berserker” is an unsettling, aggressive figure with an intense, unblinking gaze. Dressed in sumo referee-inspired garb with a gauntlet, knee guards, and a hip-mounted sword, he speaks in imperious Kamakura-period Japanese. Linked to the Hojo clan, he commands Imai and views lethal violence as mere jest while pursuing his goal.
• 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.
• Takachika – Hojo’s family name.
• 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.
• Aoi – A character standing beside Hōjō. Handed the Red Flame Ball to Hōjō when requested. No dialogue, only physical action. Hojo’s attendant. Delivered the blow that knocked Earnest unconscious. Minimal presence otherwise.
• Viscount – A noble of the Rus who insisted on bringing reinforcements to the defense of the city.
• Norman – A family name of the local rulers on the Island of Sicilia. A young man who serves as the lord of the Viscount’s Palace. He is an aspiring founder of a Principality and holds authority over the Town Guards.
• Boltechino – An entity that departed from Rus, this explorer traveled to discover a continent that became the birthplace of shipping trade.
• Rus – A neighboring power deeply involved in regional politics and mediation, best known for annexing the Kingdom of Larland.
• Ram – Mentioned in context of the Amazoness Royal Capital and male-bride encounters.
• Marie – Marie is an authoritative Kiridal professor and former Weasels leader who manages the protagonist’s home in the Capital. A sharp-tongued, pregnant mother to Anjelica and niece to Isabella, she balances academic work with a rustic demeanor. Despite her love for husband Kenze, she harbors abandonment issues regarding Larry. She once owned the “Mānō Honzō Kei,” a book the protagonist could not read.
• 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.
• Tatyana – Tatyana, 31, is a pragmatically blunt divorced mother, Magic Academy Assistant Professor, and former Golems Battalion mage. As the Izumo’s Torpedo Department Section Chief, she manages drones and flight crews. Loyal to her Captain and linked to Nikole, she acts on Katarina’s recon. She currently accompanies the protagonist, managing ship stability while implicated in the rebellion plot against Hojo.
• Kenze – Kenze is a muscular, brown-skinned Amazoness and former Tashkurgan operative turned research student. An observant, teasing guardian with dragon tattoos, she wears gauntlet-like armor and fights with formal precision. Formerly bonded with Earnest and now a rebel leader on the Izumo, she works with Tatyana, rooms with Larry—whom she prioritizes above all—and is currently nursing an egg while declining in health.
• Leakle – An Amazoness official at the Viscount’s Palace in Oceanus who serves as the professional interpreter and primary intermediary for the Acting Captain’s crew. Fluent in Schweilitz, she maintains a diplomatic, respectful register, often softening others’ words. She reacts with visible alarm and concern regarding reports of Hole-Eaters and promptly mobilizes to handle affairs for Larry-san and the group.
• Pamela – A loli elf mage and the protagonist’s companion. Uses pseudo-archaic Japanese with playful undertones. Acts as the protagonist’s lover and telepathic partner. Mischievous and quick to play along with schemes. Carries magical abilities. Loli elf mage and Earnest’s master. Sharp-tongued and practical. Uses telepathy and mana techniques. Acts as Earnest’s caretaker and disciplinarian. Observes the provisions gathered. Reacts with disappointment to the estimated duration. Knows the protagonist’s usual cautious nature and expresses surprise at his boldness.
• Pam – An escort to the protagonist who is observant and loyal.
• Tomoe – A warrior woman assigned as the protagonist’s watchman. Carries a naginata (long polearm). Shows signs of being a virgin based on her flustered reactions. Serious and sincere in demeanor, easily embarrassed. Appears to be a servant who also provides sexual services. Female member who has grown close with the other women. Helps the protagonist understand the language. Tall attendant serving Hojo. Skilled with the naginata. Surprisingly modest and easily flustered by nudity. Blushes when exposed to Earnest’s antics.
• The Boltechino – Military force that conquered Takshurgan. The main antagonist faction referenced throughout the chapter.
• 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.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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