Nihonkoku Shoukan Volume 1 Chapter 2 Part1

Minasan Oidemasu! This is Yukkuri demasu!

As always,

DISCLAIMER: There is no guarantee that my translation is 100% correct. Please correct me if I was wrong.

Plus, if you want to thank someone go to the guys at Ainus.h.i.+ Translation who give me the RAW for this LN. They’re the real MVPs.

Author:

みのろう (Minorou)

Translator:

Yukkuri Oniisan!

Editor:

Online Grammar Editor!

Chapter 2

The Kingdom’s Miscalculation

Part 1

Central Calendar Year 1639, Month 4, Day 30.

Qua-Toyne Princ.i.p.ality - Government Council

Several days ago on the 26th day of this month, the event of the battle when j.a.pan repulsed Lourian Kingdom Navy was reported by the military observer officer Bruay as he was asked to give his testimony.

It was previously unprecedented for a mere military observer officer to testify in the Government Council, but as it was a battle report that determined the fate and survival of this country, the country’s representatives were seriously listening.

「――, that is the battle report of the Grand Battle of the Rodenius Sea.」

The reports were distributed to the members of the Government Council.

「…… What is this? Just with 8 s.h.i.+ps, j.a.pan challenged a Lourian Fleet of 4,400 s.h.i.+ps and destroyed their morale by sinking 1,400 s.h.i.+ps. In addition, they shot down an air support of more than 200 Wyverns, furthermore, the 8 s.h.i.+ps didn’t receive any damage?」

「When the j.a.panese Navy wars.h.i.+p was issuing a warning, it received a flame arrow. Hence, just like what is stated, the damage is not zero, the s.h.i.+p received a scratch on its hull paint.」

「This can’t be considered as a damage at all.」

It was a subdued retort, but Bruay made a troubled expression. He had thought that it would be unbelievable if he didn’t write any damage, but even if he had that paint-damage written on the report, Bruay himself could agree that this line could be seen as a poor joke no matter what. Besides, just how should he wrote it so it will be acceptable?

「The record state that there is no damage on j.a.panese personnel. So that means, no casualties? Our country navy doesn’t even have a part to play? Even if this is a fairytale, it’s too preposterous. I don’t think that you are deliberately lying in this place, but this report is too unreal that it is unbelievable.」

The remark made by the greatly perplexed Foreign Minister Linsui, represented the thoughts of the other council members.

「Foreign Minister, Sir! In the first place, doesn’t the report say that j.a.pan 『only have the minimum military power necessary for self-defense』?」

A mock flew from a corner of the Council Room.

By all rights, they should be rejoicing since the Louria’s invasion was prevented, but since the result from the first battle was too out of bounds, the Government Council had fear of some sort to j.a.pan.

「In the report from the diplomatic delegation dispatched to j.a.pan, they heard that j.a.panese people can’t use magic. But in your report, 『The Louria Kingdom Navy’s wars.h.i.+ps were pulverized into fragments by something similar to a ma.s.sive explosion magic.』 So which one is the truth?」

Bruay answered Linsui’s question.

「The attack done by j.a.pan is, to put it in simpler words: 『something similar to a ma.s.sive explosion magic』. It can’t be concluded whether or not it was magic, but since it exhibited such tremendous power and the closest similar thing that came to my mind is only the explosion magic, I used that expression in the record.」

「Then, so that means j.a.pan repeatedly launched large explosion attacks without magic, which destroyed the Louria Kingdom’s wars.h.i.+p? That is absolutely impossible.」

A mockery flew again, Bruay thought that it will be a waste a time to explain more than this and so he became a bit sullen.

Prime Minister Kanata, who was silently watching the situation, carefully began to talk.

「At any rate, the sea invasion this time has been prevented. Though Louria still should have about 3,000 s.h.i.+ps remaining, if they were beaten up this much by just 8 s.h.i.+ps, they would be on guard and it will take times before they able to launch another invasion. Military Minister, what about the situation in the land-side?」

「Currently the Louria Army units had fortified themselves on encampments surrounding Gim. It seems that since the sea invasion strategy has failed, after they solidified Gim’s defense, they will launch another invasion. It seems that they had abandoned their rapid push strategy.」

The Military Minister answered while reading the reports from the Intelligence Section and the Western Defense Corps in his hand.

「About j.a.pan’s movement, they have asked a permission to borrow 3 kilometers square of land on Daital Plain, 5 kilometers east of the Fortress City Ejei.」

The Military Minister pa.s.sed an application written in the Continental Common Language to Kanata. The Foreign Minister and the Military Minister had already given their sign, it only lacked a sign from the Prime Minister.

「Behind Ejei……? Are they planning to construct an encampment there?」

「Looks like it.」

「There is nothing important on that plain…… No problem. Foreign Minister, when you return this application, issue a permit for encampment construction. Let them use it indefinitely.」

There was some opposition to Kanata's order, but everyone understood that it is impossible to defend against Louria without j.a.pan's power. In addition, it was obvious that in the unlikely event of j.a.pan bared their fangs at Qua-Toyne, at that point, the country’s destruction is inevitable.

In the future, j.a.pan will construct an airfield on the same location.

✦✧✦✧✦

Louria Kingdom. Capital City: Jin-Haag, Haag Castle.

Louria Kingdom’s 34th King, Haag Louria x.x.xIV, was exasperated when he hear the after battle report from General Patagene. Just a few days ago, a new emerging nation named j.a.pan, partic.i.p.ate in the war against the Louria Kingdom, and in the Grand Battle of the Rodenius Sea, they annihilated 250 wyverns. Furthermore, it was an unprecedented catastrophe, 1400 wars.h.i.+ps were sunk, about one-third of the fleet,.

Moreover, there were no confirmed military gain of this battle at all. It was indeed a completely unexpected defeat.

「Why did we lose to j.a.pan in this naval battle?」

「Because the content of the report from the Navy is too absurd, we are currently in the process of re-investigating the cause and verifying the credibility of the report, Your Majesty.」

According to the report, the j.a.panese attacked the wyvern squadron with 「a light arrow that continued to pursue its target even after avoiding them」 and practically annihilated the wyvern squadron. The evidence for this were the mid-battle manacom messages from the wyverns and the discovery of huge amount of wyvern corpses floating in the ocean by the retreating navy. They conjectured this to be the result of some kind of new magic weapon.

However, even when they were 4 km away from the battlefield, they were felled by something.

(What the heck is ‘something’?)

Patagene had been racking his brain at this vaguely worded report. However, the report also stated that the wyvern bodies were torn into pieces. That something had a power to destroy a wars.h.i.+p with a single hit, furthermore, it could be launched in succession. He couldn’t imagine, just how much magic power it needed.

Had the ancient Magic Empire of the legends revived? He didn’t know what kind of opponent they went to war against.

For ages, Louria Kingdom only has a large population, but the individual quality wasn’t that good. In order to unify Rodenius, for the last 6 years, they had educated as much as possible and able to gather an overwhelming number of decent talented people. However, given the situation, they were fearful that they could be annihilated without able to do anything.

「Either way, the damage is a reality. It will be troubling if something like this happened in the future.」

「Yes, Your Majesty!! Until we identified the cause of our defeat in the naval battle,  we will refrain from aggressively advancing our Navy. However, in the land, the number is everything. Currently, Gim had already fallen. After we absolutely reviewed our future war strategy, it will be easy to conquer the Princ.i.p.ality with only our ground forces. Your Majesty could expect to hear a victory report.」

「Patagene, I entrust the war this time to you. I ask you not to betray my expectation.」

「Yes, Your Majesty‼ It’s my humble pleasure‼」

In the sea and the sky, the quality reigns. However, in the land, the numbers reigns. In a land battle, Louria might be able to triumph one way or another.

On that day, the King was tormented by the unexpected defeat and had a sleepless night.

✦✧✦✧✦

Third Civilized Land. Papardia Empire.

The dim room was illuminated by a faint orange light. Its light source was a gla.s.s ball that was brightened with light spirit’s power, and under that light, there were two shadows.

The two men who cast that shadows had a conversation that will influence the fate of the country.

「... ... j.a.pan? It's a name that I have never heard before……」

「It’s an island country that it is located northeast of the Rodenius continent」

「If so then I will recognize it when reading the report…… But, has a country like that ever existed before? To begin with, if that country is located about 1,000 kilometers from Rodenius, then it will be unthinkable that it had never been mentioned in our history until now.」

「Because of the chaotic ocean currents and winds in that ocean area, it is a perilous route. Since we tried to avoid that area as much as possible, we hadn’t sent any investigation to that place.」

「However, even for the decidedly uncivilized naval battle in the Frontier that is far away from the Civilized Lands, that Louria Kingdom lost 1,400 s.h.i.+ps against 8 enemy s.h.i.+ps, is rather… too unreal?」

「『An Always Accurate Cannon』 is ludicrous. Perhaps he had mental illness due to the long duty as military attaché in the barbaric Frontier. Let’s subst.i.tute him soon. However, Your Excellency, if Lourian Navy’s wars.h.i.+ps, for argument’s sake, clashed with our 100-Cannons s.h.i.+p-of-the-Line 『Fishernus』, the outcome might be similar.」

「Your point?」

「With height and armor thickness, there is no chance for Fishernus to be sunk by those mobs. As long as they continue to shot cannon sh.e.l.ls from a distance of 2 kilometers, they could attack one-sidedly. At any rate, for it to be 8 s.h.i.+ps, there must be a mistake. It is unknown if j.a.pan attacked Lourian Navy with hundreds of s.h.i.+ps, but seeing the wars.h.i.+p destruction description, we should conclude that they have reached the technological level for cannon building.」

「A cannon built by a bunch of uncivilized savages? …… Until now, the reason why the nations in Rodenius and the surrounding area never try to invade us might be because they realized just how puny their power is. But, now that they finally able to build cannons, they judge that this is the right time to show their face, huh? By the way, to think that Louria could lose, is this possible?  This will interfere with our national strategy.」

「A land battle is different from the sea ones, the number decide everything. In any case, Louria has a large population, so they wouldn’t possibly lose to a country that had just begun to possess a cannon.」

「This naval battle report had no credibility. Until we could verify it, postpone reporting this to His Majesty. You understand?」

「As you wish.」

✦✧✦✧✦

Central Calendar Year 1639, Month 5, Day 21.

Near Qua-Toyne Princ.i.p.ality,  Near the Border

「Hah…….! Hah……! Hah……!」

The villagers were gasping their breath while heading east. It was to escape from the Lourian invading army.

About 20 kilometers east from Gim, there was a small nameless elven village. They had little interaction with the outside world, and so seldom obtain new information, so they were late to receive the news about Gim Ma.s.sacre.

The entire village started to evacuate, but there was no Qua-Toynese army left in the vicinity, and so, they decided to wager their life and evacuate with their own power from the area controlled by Louria.

Currently, the villagers had moved 10 kilometers east from the village. Their number was 200 people.

The area they pa.s.sed through was nothing but short-gra.s.s covered open plains. The sky was clear and the blowing wind was comfortable. The birds were singing, while the wild cows were eating the gra.s.s in bliss. This was a tranquil scenery through and through, but for the villagers, they were traveling on the shadow valley of death. It was easy to travel through this place, but there were few covers and so it was easy for them to get discovered.

A young boy was walking hand in hand with his imouto(little sis).

The boy’s name is Parun. His mother had pa.s.sed away early from sickness and so he lived only with his father and imouto. However, his father received a call to service in the army when Louria was gathering its force to invade, and the left the home that morning.

His father's smile burned inside Parun’s mind.

『Palun, I entrust you with Asha. You are the onii-chan(big bro) after all.』

He had been entrusted with everything and so he vowed to absolutely protect his imouto, Asha.

Their travel speed wasn’t that fast, and so Parun’s uneasiness became worse.

On the rear group, there were youngsters standing guard – what’s remained after the army’s call for service – but their numbers was only 10 people, considerably few.

(25 kilometers ahead... If we go for another 25 kilometers, there is a base of Qua-Toyne Princ.i.p.ality Army)

Suddenly, screams raised from the rear group.

「It’s Lourian Cavalry!!」

When Parun looked back, there were 100 Lourian Cavalry approaching, 3 kilometers behind their group.

It was the army from Louria Kingdom, a country that devoted to annihilate the demi-humans.

The villagers began to scream and ran away. However, they couldn’t escape from the cavalry's speed, and the looming threats gradually closing in.

☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽

NEXT CHAPTER:

*CLIFF*