Nihonkoku Shoukan. Volume 1. Prologue Part 6.

Translator Corner

Minasan Oidemasu! This is Yukkuri demasu!

New Chapter! Sorry for being late. Blame Nepu-Nepu for this! Tomorrow will be a release day!

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 Ainushi 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 Checker!

Prologue

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Part 6

One week later,

Central Calendar Year 1639, Month 2, Day 3.

Port Maihark

It was a fine weather.

The cloud was high, a beautiful blue sky spread out widely, and it was a bit cool.

The diplomatic mission delegation had gathered in Port Maihark.

In front the office of the Foreign Affairs Ministry which became the rendezvous point, a sharp clothed man was talking with them.

「Gentlemen who are gathered in this place, it is my utmost pleasure to receive the mission delegation to Japan today. I am sent to go with your visit this time in order to make it comfortable even for a bit. I am Tanaka from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If there is anything that inconveniencing you, please inform me without any reservation.」

Everyone from the delegation was a bit taken aback at Tanaka who was smiling refreshingly.

Amongst them, there was a member of the delegation who had depressed expression.

「A boat trip……」

「General Hanki, your expression isn’t good. Did something happened?」

「Ah, Yagou-dono…… I am temporarily transferred to the Foreign Affairs Ministry. Please stop adding general to my name.」

「I understand. Then, does something weighing your mind?」

「No, it’s just that when I thought that we will travel by boat, it makes me depressed…… A boat trip is not something nice. We don’t know when it will capsize, it’s dark since light doesn’t reach inside the ship, it’s damp and smelly, then there will be many people sick from long ship journey, the food is salty since there only preserved food. Above all else, it’s difficult to secure water. Even if you are thirsty, you need to save it no matter what…….」

Matching Hanki’s sigh, Yagou also hung his head gloomily.

As a foreign affairs official, he often took a boat trip. He had terrible experience every time, and this time too, he already resolved that it would be less than pleasant.

「Well, they did say that this travel will arrive in Japan in 2 days. If it’s just for 2 days, then if I endured, it will be over quickly…… Honestly for it to be only 2 days, I think there is some kind of miscommunication between the Foreign Affairs Ministry and Japan. To travel in that ocean in just that amount of days is impossible.」

「I also think that the timetable is strange. But, Japan can launch that steel dragon, so perhaps they can travel at a speed that beyond our common sense.」

Before long it was the departure time.

They moved from the rendezvous point to the port, and from a silhouette of an island, a large white ship as large as an island appeared.

「Wh-…… What is that‼」

「Huge! Furthermore, there are no sails‼」

The large ship stopped offshore.

Taking a sidelong glance at the dumbfounded delegation member, Tanaka began explaining.

「This time we will board that ship to head to Japan. Actually we want to dock at the harbor of this port, but unfortunately, the water depth is too shallow, so we will move to that ship by boarding a smaller ship.」

From the shadow of the offshore ship, there were 3 small ships appeared, this also was heading towards the port with an unbelievable speed.

Those ships also didn’t have any sails.

At such incomprehensible scene, Hanki was throwing questions one after another.

「Tanaka-dono, Tanaka-dono. Those…… That ship, there is no sail can be seen, but how can it move? Where does the small ships appear from……? It doesn’t have any oar, but how could they travel at that speed? C-can it be, they are something like the magic ship of the First Civilized Land?」

「I am uninformed about what kind of ship is the magic ship of the First Civilized Land, but that ship is moved by a diesel engine.」

「Disel enjin?」

「Yes, it’s what is called as an engine. To put in simple terms, it uses the power of air from burning oil to rotate turbine blades, which through several shafts, rotates a screw to propel the ship.」

「Hmm…… I don’t really understand, but it sounds amazing.」

The small ships docked at the pier and the party board each ship and then headed towards the large passenger ship.

When they were onboard the large passenger ship and went inside, the mission delegation members were so surprised that they became speechless.

It was bright. Perhaps Japan had even raised their own light spirits.

「Th-…… This ship, is made from metal…… Just how in the world it stays floating……? Furthermore inside is bright and wide. Isn’t this already like a palace?」

Each members were then guided to their allocated room, and the party passed their time in comfort.

✦✧✦✧✦

From Yagou’s Diary. That day’s entry.

How should I put this? I can’t hide my surprise.

I have never seen or heard a ship this big, I also never read something like this in any books.

Furthermore, the ship’s interior is pleasantly bright, and the rooms are also unbelievably maintained at a fixed temperature.

Despite the ship is large, it traveled through the ocean like an arrow. It seems that they are not necessarily lying when they say that we can travel 1,000 km in 2 days.

Just what kind country is Japan that can build something like this?

In the Foreign Affairs Ministry, there were people who say that, 「There is no mistake that a newly emerging nation is a barbarous country」, but right now ── though I don’t want to say it and also don’t want to accept it ── from their point of view, we are the one who looks like a barbarous country.

Perhaps, Japan might possess power that even equal to the major power countries of the Civilized Lands.

✦✧✦✧✦

Two days later,

Central Calendar Year 1639, Month 2, Day 4.

「Everyone, Fukuoka City is in sight. Fukuoka City is the largest city in the Kyuushu, Chuugoku and Shikoku Region. If you in front of us, you can see the Hakata Port. We will ride a shuttle bus ── large automobile from Hakata Port to Shinnikko Hotel[1] where you will learn basic knowledge about Japan.」

Due to the excitement, Yagou and the others had woke up early and stood on the deck, where they watch the course of the ship.

Then Tanaka arrived and once again explained about the schedule for today.

Just when they thought that the land could be seen dimly on the horizon, in the blink of an eye, they could clearly see the silhouette of a city. In the front, there was Hakata Port that Tanaka had said, but beside it they could see the sight of ash, white, beige, or red buildings lined up. Furthermore when they approached, they could see huge bridges spanned over the water, and two or three covered walkways piled up atop another.

After they reached the shore of Hakata Port, just like Tanaka had explained before, they board the shuttle bus and traveled to Shinniko Hotel.

They had heard that automobile is a vehicle that moved by 『Internal Combustion Engine』, but they never imagined that there will be so many automobiles went back and forth on the road. From the explanation they received, the citizens roughly possessed one vehicle per household and even a 20 year old day laborer could purchase a vehicle to a varying degree.

The level of affluence was really astonishing.

They arrived at the Hotel, and the study group to learn basic knowledge about Japan.

Traffic signals system, vending machine, ticket gate, railway system.

There were many mysterious objects in Tanaka’s explanation, but they seemed to be objects that were produced from science. If you understand their mechanism, then anyone could build it, or so he said.

Additionally, they were explained about a law called Road Traffic Act[2] and the delegation member could understand that without the traffic signals, with that amount of vehicles moved as their likes, the transport network could be ended up paralyzed.

In addition, they even taught common sense about crime, like if you found something and then make it as your own, then you could be accused for fraudulent appropriation of lost articles and other offenses.

「Tanaka-dono, Tanaka-dono.」

Hanki called him.

「What is it, Hanki-sama?」

「This city is considerably developed, so does the capital city more developed than this city?」

「Yes. First, the population couldn’t be compared with this city, so apartments, in other words, a high residential building, are built close to each other. The multistory buildings are also higher than the ones in Fukuoka City, and to utilize the road and railway more efficiently, they spread out like webs. However, I personally feel that Fukuoka City’s townscape is more beautiful. This might be shameful to say, but arriving at Tokyo from Fukuoka City give me impression 『It’s feel unorganized mess like always』……」

「Hmm…… So, it’s even more developed than Fukuoka City.」

It was an answer he had expected, but Hanki seemed like he wanted to groan. He then asked again.

「Tanaka-dono, I want to observe Japanese’s military, will this be impossible?」

「Our country doesn’t have a military. Instead, we have what is called Self-Defense Force…… That’s right, please wait a moment.

Tanaka took out a small board that was shining on one side and began to talk by himself. Perhaps it could do mana communication? But the size is too small……

「Please excuse myself just now. We are just in time, tomorrow the Air Self-Defense Force’s Tsuiki Airbase will host an air festival. Though it is aimed at the common citizen and something like an exchange meeting between citizen and self-defense force, if you like to then we can arrange for it.」

「Oh, I really apologize for this, but please do so.」

Hanki mood was raised as he was granted the chance to observe the military…… the Self-Defense Force that Japanese possessed.

「Is there anyone else wants to join?」

「I want to participate.」

Yagou raised his hand. Since the other 3 members of efe delegation said that they will go to inspect the city, only Hanki and Yagou who will go to the air festival.

☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽

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Next part. It’s a Bird! It’s a Dragon! No, it’s F-15J!

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[1] A spoof based on real Nikko Hotel chains.

[2] Read this if you want to know. http://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/law/detail_main?re=&vm=2&id=2724