Wortenia Senki (LN) - Volume 29 - Chapter Pr

Prologue

Around the time when the sun reached its zenith, the sky was a flawless blue, without a single cloud in sight—the perfect day. Amid such conditions, a single ship sailed northward off the eastern coast of the western continent. The ship was truly enormous, with a length that must have been close to two hundred meters. Considering that the typical galleon used on Earth measured around fifty meters in length, this ship was nearly four times as large. Its size rivaled even that of the sea dragon species, known to rule the oceans of this world.

Moreover, the ship’s design was different from that of a galleon. Its hull was sleeker and more elongated, with a sharp form, and it had a significantly greater number of sails. Rather than being built primarily to carry large quantities of trade goods, its design clearly prioritized speed. It resembled what was commonly known on Rearth as a clipper ship. The ship’s sails billowed, capturing the wind and imparting to the vessel a speed akin to a full-fledged sprint. This result was logical because it strongly resembled the swift sailing vessels known as clippers.

If the ship’s name, Boreas, engraved on its stern, was indeed taken from one of the wind gods of Greek mythology, one could say that the name perfectly embodied its nature. Should an outsider lay eyes on this vessel, they would undoubtedly question their own vision, perhaps even pinch their cheek in disbelief. Once they grasped what they were witnessing, they would surely offer a prayer to the gods of the sea. Although the wind was blowing from the north to the south, the ship was traveling northward. In other words, this ship was sailing against the wind. Despite that, it continued cutting through the waves at a speed resembling an arrow in flight. This phenomenon defied the very laws of physics, but sailing against the wind was not entirely impossible. In such cases, a ship needed to tack at an angle of roughly forty-five degrees, zigzagging back and forth to progress against the wind. At the very least, no sailing vessel could travel in a straight line directly into a headwind. The only ships capable of such a feat were steam-powered vessels, unaffected by wind direction.

On top of that, the speed of this ship was extraordinary by Earth’s standards. Clipper ships were designed with speed in mind, living up to their reputation as swift sailing vessels. Their sleek, elongated hulls were specifically shaped to reduce wind and wave resistance as much as possible. Clearly, this ship modeled after the clipper design had been built with the same emphasis on speed.

The ship also carried more sails than the galleons commonly used on Earth. Because the speed of a sailing vessel depended heavily on the wind, a ship equipped with more sails to catch that wind could naturally achieve greater speeds. Even so, there were limits. The speed of a sailing ship was influenced primarily by the number of sails and the strength of the wind, so it was difficult to determine an average speed. But for the sailing vessels commonly used on Earth, the average speed was likely around four to five knots. One knot was equivalent to 1.852 kilometers per hour, meaning that five knots would translate to roughly 9 kilometers per hour.

However, this ship was far beyond five knots. The exact figure was unknown, but it had to exceed thirty knots. When converted to land speed, that was over sixty kilometers per hour and was a speed no sailing vessel could ever hope to reach. Even high-speed ferries were said to travel at around thirty-five knots. If a sailing ship could match such a ferry in speed, it would undoubtedly be considered an anomaly. For the superstitious people of Earth, witnessing such a sight would likely lead them to believe either that the ship was possessed by demons or that it was a ghost ship from beyond this world.

The ones aboard this so-called anomaly showed no recognition of the absurdity of their situation. Instead, they understood everything perfectly and still chose to sail on this ship. From the crew working on deck to the captain stationed in the wheelhouse, they all appeared to be seasoned sailors. They had likely endured countless trials and navigated through many perilous seas, yet their movements were swift and efficient. That said, judging from the expressions of these skilled sailors, it wasn’t as though they were entirely free of tension. The real issue lay in the reason these seasoned seafarers felt uneasy.

“No abnormalities in our course! The wind is a bit strong, but there’s no problem!” The voice of the lookout stationed atop the mast echoed through the speaking tube. Upon hearing those words, Johan Sturm, who had been studying nautical charts in the wheelhouse, breathed a sigh of relief.

Such a reaction was natural for someone who bore the responsibility of a captain. Ultimately, a voyage was always fraught with danger. If a storm struck in the middle of the vast ocean, there was little a human could do aside from praying to the gods. The situation was a matter of doing everything within human capability and leaving the rest to fate. And that reality had not changed much, even in the modern world, where science and technology had advanced significantly. Even massive tankers, stretching hundreds of meters in length, could still succumb to bad weather and sink. This situation proved that even the greatest ships built by human hands were insignificant before the overwhelming power of nature. That truth remained unchanged, even for the Organization’s latest state-of-the-art vessel that combined the technologies of both Rearth and Earth. The difference in navigational difficulty between modern Rearth, where real-time satellite data was available, and the Earth was like night and day.

Without satellite data, deep-sea voyages rely entirely on astronomy and meteorology. I’m not unfamiliar with those fields, and I wouldn’t say I lack confidence. But it’s undeniable that this is an entirely different challenge, Captain Sturm mused.

Captain Sturm was a veteran sailor who had once been entrusted with operating massive oil tankers for a Norwegian shipping company. Throughout his long career, he had faced countless challenges. He encountered equipment failures amid harsh weather conditions. Yet, he had always overcome them with his keen instincts and decisive judgment. His skills as a sailor were nothing short of exceptional.

Even for a captain as skilled as Sturm, navigating the seas of Earth was no easy task. His experiences sailing without modern technology had only occurred due to unexpected accidents piling up. It wasn’t as if he had ever set out on a voyage knowing that his equipment would be unusable from the start. Those situations had simply been a matter of misfortune. Had he detected a critical equipment failure during a predeparture inspection, no matter what the shipping company executives said, Captain Sturm would have postponed the voyage until the issue was fully resolved.

If a convenient and safe method exists, there’s no reason to deliberately avoid using it.

Sailing had always been a life-and-death endeavor, regardless of the era. In the modern world, personal smartphones and satellite phones made it easy to determine one’s location at any time. Almost no one relied on celestial navigation and paper charts alone anymore. That was why sailing on Earth, where modern technological conveniences were unavailable, was so perilous.

And the weather isn’t the only thing to be wary of. There are creatures larger than whales. Pirates who raid ships for cargo and slaves. This world’s seas are filled with dangers.

Piracy still existed in the modern world, particularly in regions like Southeast Asia and the east coast of Africa, occasionally making headlines. However, the frequency of such incidents on Earth was incomparable. If modern-world piracy were rated at a one on a scale of one to a hundred, the threat on Earth would be no less than a hundred. There were no statistics here to make an exact comparison, but based on Captain Sturm’s personal experience, it would be more accurate to say that piracy in this world occurred at rates hundreds of times higher.

I had hoped we could at least complete the development of sonar and fish-finders before embarking on our maiden voyage. Considering the burden on the development team, that was probably asking for too much...

Captain Sturm was well aware that the engineers in the development department worked tirelessly through the night to re-create modern technology. The idea of “reproducing modern technology on Earth” was conceptually straightforward. At a glance, it even seemed like an easy task because they already knew exactly what the finished product should look like. Compared to developing something entirely from scratch, it was natural to assume the process would be easier. Imagination and reality were two very different things. In practice, re-creating modern technology required an immense amount of effort and time. Most critically, there was a severe lack of human resources.

Well, it’s not like only those with engineering backgrounds were selectively summoned to Earth. In hindsight, this was inevitable.

With enough effort, even a complete novice could become a capable warrior if they were young and physically fit. But turning someone without any aptitude into a functional engineer was far more difficult. As a result, the Organization’s so-called Development Department was constantly understaffed. Under the Organization’s guiding principle of “creating a better tomorrow,” the engineers devoted themselves to their work, sacrificing their own well-being for the cause. It all had one purpose—to reduce the number of people forcibly summoned to this nightmarish world and minimize the suffering of those who had already been brought here. As a senior member of the Organization, Captain Sturm found it difficult to make unreasonable demands.

We could easily wipe out a horde of pirates with this ship if they were to swarm us. After all, “Boreas” not only refers to the god of the wind but also carries the meaning of “the devourer.”

The Boreas was neither a cargo ship nor a pleasure vessel. At its core, it was a battleship. It was the first of its kind, developed to enhance naval combat capabilities in preparation for the Organization’s full-scale expansion into maritime operations. Naturally, the massive hull of the Boreas was equipped with numerous concealed weapons inspired by modern technology, all waiting for the day they could demonstrate their overwhelming power and crush the people of Earth. If one looked across the entire world, no vessel could compare to the Boreas in terms of performance.

The only real downside is the astronomical cost of construction.

After all, a single Boreas-class ship required an investment of no less than a million gold coins. That was, quite literally, the equivalent of a small nation’s annual budget.

Given that the Organization holds influence over the entire western continent, its economic power is immense. If the question is whether we can afford to fund the construction of these ships, the answer is undoubtedly yes.

Still, there was no denying that such a sum was enough to cause hesitation before committing to building a sister ship. The approval of the elders would be required to authorize a project of this magnitude, at the very least. But setting aside the matter of the high cost, the simple fact was that the Boreas was Earth’s strongest and most advanced ship.

A single Boreas might very well be able to go toe-to-toe with the Kingdom of Myest, the most powerful naval force on the western continent, Captain Sturm thought. There was absolutely no reason to deliberately seek out danger when it could be avoided. Recklessly throwing oneself into danger just because of a ship’s capabilities is nothing short of foolishness. No matter how advanced a vessel may be, there is no such thing as absolute safety.

Even the Titanic—the most luxurious passenger liner of its time and hailed as an “unsinkable” ship—had met its end after colliding with an iceberg. Despite its exceptional safety standards, even by modern-day engineering assessments, it had still sunk due to human error. Keeping that in mind, Captain Sturm raised his voice toward the speaking tube.

“Good work, but stay on alert. You already know this, but he is aboard for this voyage.”

“Understood! You got it, sir!” a sailor said. With that firm and energetic reply, the communication fell silent.

The sailor had likely returned to his watch duty, following orders without question. To the crew, this was simply routine discipline. After all, acknowledging an order and carrying it out was the natural duty of a sailor. Despite his crew’s usual confident and energetic response, Captain Sturm couldn’t help but feel that their voices sounded strangely superficial. That, more than anything, was proof that he himself was not in his usual state of mind.

It seems I am not as calm as I’d like to believe. With a deep sigh, Captain Sturm reflected on the weight on his shoulders. After all, the fate of this ship and everyone aboard rested entirely on his decisions. That’s right... I cannot afford to make a mistake. Not while he is on board.

If anything unexpected were to happen, it wouldn’t just shake the foundation of their Organization—it could very well tear it apart entirely.

We’d be lucky if a mere tremor were all we had to worry about. In the worst case, it could lead to total collapse. 

After all, he was the very linchpin that held the elders together. Their Organization spanned the entire western continent, yet that vast scale came with countless internal struggles. At the center of it all was the man standing outside the window. It was debatable whether the term “elderly man” truly suited him. Visibly, he appeared to be in his mid-to-late sixties. Some might even guess he was only in his fifties. Of course, his white hair and matching beard gave him the look of an older man. And the cane in his right hand certainly hinted at his age.

The prana radiating from the elderly man’s body completely contradicted the visual information.

At the very least, no one would guess he’s nearly a centenarian, thought Captain Sturm. Individual differences alone could not explain this miracle. It’s not entirely impossible to fake an appearance...

In the modern world, cosmetic surgery had advanced remarkably. Additionally, with special makeup techniques used in movies, a young person could disguise themselves as someone over a hundred years old. But that was only about appearance. No matter how much one might disguise their looks, the spark of life that belonged to youth inevitably faded over time, and it was nearly impossible to completely hide that. The inevitable truth of aging would emerge if the facade ever faltered. Humankind had yet to escape the grasp of aging. But this elderly man existed outside that natural law. While his appearance was that of an old man, the air emanating from his body remained full of the vitality of youth.

That appearance was an extreme contradiction and a miracle that modern technology could never accomplish. However, in this world, such miracles could become reality. Just the fact of this would make many feel envious.

Of course, not everyone will have the privilege of experiencing it.

Perhaps privilege wasn’t quite the right word. To properly describe the situation, it might have been more accurate to call it a curse rather than anything else. The source of the radiance of life emanating from the elderly man was the undeniable proof that he had killed countless creatures with his own hands.

If he weren’t such a person, he could never have risen to become one of the highest-ranking officials in the massive Organization that spanned across the entire western continent.

As one of the elders of the Organization, his position and power were immense. The Organization itself was a covert entity, hidden from the eyes of ordinary people. In terms of influence, it could have surpassed the kings of the independent nations scattered across the western continent. Moreover, the elderly man before him was exceptional even among the elders. He was a particularly revered figure within the Organization, known as Lord Liu, a person to be respected.

The issue was the fact that such a powerful figure was aboard the Boreas. Lord Liu, who was supposed to oversee the southwest of the western continent, was extremely busy. On top of that, Lord Liu had the added responsibility of monitoring the activities of the Church of Meneos, which was considered the Organization’s archenemy.

I wonder why suddenly he decided to head to Pherzaad... Knowing him, it’s unlikely it’s just a whim.

Originally, the Boreas’s maiden voyage was supposed to occur somewhere closer to her home port. Following an order from Lord Liu, the plan was suddenly changed to a long-distance voyage all the way to the trading city of Pherzaad in the eastern part of the western continent. In terms of gaining experience, the journey to Pherzaad was not a bad idea at all. However, they would be taking on great risks. Regardless of Lord Liu’s reasoning, Captain Sturm’s responsibility remained unchanged.

Well, it doesn’t matter. Two-thirds of the journey is already over. In three days, we’ll be near the waters of Pherzaad. All I have to do is hand over Lord Liu to the person sent from the Pherzaad branch at the rendezvous point, and my mission will be complete. Just a few more days, and if nothing happens, it’ll be over.

Captain Sturm once again turned his gaze back to the sea chart and prayed to the god he believed in for this voyage to safely come to an end. He tightly gripped the cross pendant hanging from his neck. Even if that god was a lazy one who hadn’t stopped him from being summoned to this hellish world, there was no one else to rely on. 

While Captain Sturm was lost in such thoughts, the elderly man stood at the bow of the ship, his heart elated by the salty wind brushing against his skin.

A sea voyage isn’t so bad, mused Lord Liu Daijin.

He was usually confined to one of the Organization’s secret hideouts set up in the city of Lentencia. Of course, his daily life was unaffected. But at the same time, he wasn’t free to feel the wind on his skin directly. Given his position as one of the Organization’s elders, that was to be expected. Still, it was a natural feeling for a person to occasionally yearn for freedom. It was likely because he usually had little freedom that those fleeting moments he could occasionally seize felt like treasures.

“Even so, the sun is a bit too strong today. A little shade wouldn’t be bad. On days like this, I wish I had an air conditioner,” Lord Liu muttered, looking at the sun shining brilliantly in the sky through his round glasses that acted as sunglasses. “Shall I order the development of one next time?”

However, Lord Liu quickly discarded such a thought.

Developing air-conditioning equipment would by no means be a difficult task for the Organization. They employed engineers who had managed to build an information network in this land where scientific technology did not exist. While it was an information network, it was certainly a small-scale network compared to the modern-day internet. In terms of image, it resembled directly connecting terminals with LAN cables for communication.

Considering that the internet was a global information network, the scale of their network was so modest that comparing the two would be rather presumptuous. However, the fact remained that this modest information network brought about dramatic changes in the operations of adventurer guilds and banks. As a result, the advantages it created greatly increased the power of the Organization. In a world where only means like smoke signals or carrier pigeons existed for communication, one could consider the network a technology beyond human wisdom. Moreover, the research handled by the Organization’s development department was not limited to the field of information communications but extended into various areas such as pharmacology and engineering.

It is thanks to the engineers’ efforts and dedication that this ship was successfully constructed.

At first glance, this ship appeared to be nothing more than a sailing ship. Though it differed slightly in shape from the typical galleon ships commonly seen on Earth, it was ultimately still just that. The ship’s enormous size made it stand out, but that was merely a judgment based on its sheer scale. Even when it docked at a port in the western continent, it was virtually impossible to deduce its secrets from its outward appearance, as it was intentionally built that way. Unlike its outward appearance, its interior was something far removed from the common sense of Earth. This ship was the first in this world to be equipped with an internal combustion engine. More precisely, it was a hybrid ship equipped with sails and steam power.

To ensure it could sail against the wind, it also carried personnel to use wind thaumaturgy to send wind to the sails. That was why it could achieve speeds that were impossible for a regular sailing ship. Currently, the crew members who had mastered wind thaumaturgy were not only sending wind to the sails but also supplying prana to activate the screw mounted beneath the stern. This was a testament to how they had successfully applied Rearth’s knowledge and elevated it to a practical level in this land, which only possessed the level of medieval European science and technology. The elderly man understood that, given the proper funding and time, it would be entirely possible for them to develop air-conditioning equipment. However, the question of priorities was more important than whether something could be created. When he thought about it, there was little reason to prioritize the development of air-conditioning.

After all, it is possible to live without air-conditioning...

Of course, developing it would undoubtedly be better in terms of comfort. However, in this world, the value of weapons that could efficiently kill people far outweighed the need for convenience goods that would raise living standards. It was certainly not a desirable situation.

That said, it’s an undeniable fact that the advancement of humanity has always been intertwined with war. Ultimately, humans are only human. We live by hating and fighting one another. It’s a foolish and tragic reality...

While it would be wonderful if there were another path, Liu Daijin was convinced that such an option didn’t exist. This conclusion was drawn from nearly a century of life experience.

But perhaps that’s why, at times, I long to see a different path. Even I think it’s contradictory.

In the end, human beings were pitiful creatures who could not abandon their ideals no matter how old they got. It seemed that even someone at the pinnacle of their kind, like Liu Daijin, remained unchanged by such things.

At that moment, a presence appeared behind Liu Daijin. Perhaps the presence had been hiding so as not to disturb Liu Daijin as he enjoyed the sea breeze. The stealth thaumaturgy used was remarkably skillful and precise, so it almost felt as if the person had materialized out of thin air.

“The sea breeze may be harmful to your health. It would be better to return to your cabin soon.”

The voice was beautiful, like the chime of a delicate bell. Was she an excellent bodyguard, or perhaps someone trained as an assassin? In either case, the owner of this voice could undoubtedly be called highly skilled. Most people would be startled if suddenly addressed from behind, even if the person were their bodyguard.

However, Liu Daijin’s voice held no hint of surprise when he responded. This meant that he was either already aware of her presence or fully trusted her.

“Ruqaiya... I ordered you not to treat me like an old man, did I not?”

As he turned around, Liu Daijin’s gaze landed on Ruqaiya Redouane, his bodyguard and secretary. She was a beautiful woman who looked like she was of Arabian descent, with chiseled features and slightly curly chestnut hair. She appeared to be in her mid-thirties. At first glance, she could easily be mistaken for someone in her twenties, thanks to her youthful and radiant complexion. However, only someone who had reached a certain level of maturity could exude the seductive aura that she did.

“I have certainly received your orders... However...” Ruqaiya bowed deeply, though it seemed she did not intend to meekly accept Liu Dajin’s objections.

Although her expression was hidden by the bow, Liu Daijin could still sense the firmness of her will, likely due to the seriousness Ruqaiya Redouane possessed. And that seriousness was evident in her attitude toward Liu Daijin as well. One could easily guess this just by looking at her attire. Despite the strong sunlight, Ruqaiya was wearing extremely formal butler’s attire, complete with a tailcoat. If asked whether this formal wear was suitable for a sea voyage, one could raise some doubts. Of course, it was not that she did not look good in her tailcoat. Most people would likely offer positive evaluations; she truly gave off the air of a beautiful woman in men’s clothing. That didn’t change the fact that the outfit looked somewhat stuffy.

It’s because of the strong sunlight. Liu Daijin felt that she could have dressed more casually, and he had told Ruqaiya as much. A tank top and jeans wouldn’t do, but...

There should have been plenty of other options. Nevertheless, Ruqaiya stubbornly continued to wear the tailcoat.

She has no need to imitate Zheng to that extent. Well, it might be unavoidable, given Ruqaiya’s position.

Liu Daijin honestly wished Ruqaiya would relax a bit more, although that was merely his desire. Ruqaiya had been appointed as his bodyguard and secretary by the manager who ruled over the underworld of the city of Lentencia, a change in status comparable to a convenience store manager being promoted to a CEO’s secretary. From her perspective, it was nothing less than a huge promotion. No matter how much her superior, Liu Daijin, urged her to relax, she simply couldn’t help but be rigid.

Additionally, the fact that her predecessor, Zheng Motoku, had been one of the most brilliant minds in the Organization was certainly not irrelevant. For Ruqaiya, she simply couldn’t allow Zheng to see her as inferior to him. As a result, she focused on safety, leading to a more rigid approach.

“Do I need to say it?”

“As long as I serve you... I’ve been instructed by Master Zheng to make sure nothing is overlooked.”

Upon hearing those words, Liu Daijin smirked. “Zheng is a capable and trustworthy man, but he’s painfully cautious. Also, he’s a bit too rigid, which is a problem... I’ll have to say something to him the next time we meet.”

A person who had reached the limit of their kind, like Liu Daijin, would enter a realm where their body was enhanced to a level far beyond that of ordinary humans. This enhancement was not limited to just muscle strength or bone density; it extended to the internal organs and each individual cell. In fact, they could ingest a small amount of poison and not die. Their liver and kidneys were enhanced to such an extreme degree that they neutralized the poison. If someone were to attempt to poison such an individual, they would need something powerful enough to affect even a dragon, or they would have to force-feed the poison in large quantities. The same applied to the immune system, which could defend against bacteria and viruses. While things like biological weapons that had artificially enhanced potency might pose a problem, Liu Daijin’s body would have no trouble with diseases that arose naturally.

There’s no way I, as an Attainer, would fall ill just from exposure to the sea breeze. Nevertheless, Liu Daijin understood his position and knew better than to push himself too far. He could impose his will and take command of the ship, but he also grasped that doing so would inconvenience many people. He was not foolish enough to act just for the sake of his own desires. Also, if I force my way, I’ll have to pay the price somewhere.

What mattered was whether the need to push forward justified the cost that had to be paid.

With that understanding, Liu Daijin only said, “I see... Let’s return to the wardroom, then. But in exchange, make sure to brew some delicious tea.”

“Yes, it has already been prepared. I’ve made some Fuyukiran tea for today.”

Lord Liu laughed at those words.

“Just as expected... Hmm. Well then, let’s taste the tea that Ruqaiya has chosen for me,” he said, glancing over his shoulder and confirming the blue sky before him. “Hmm... As expected, the weather is good. We should arrive in Pherzaad as scheduled. From there, the next thing to do will be to wait for a response to the letter I sent and see how Koichiro’s grandson acts.”

If Koichiro and Ryoma were to ignore Lord Liu’s suggestion, he could accept it without much trouble. It had been a long time since he had breathed in the outside air, so he wasn’t angry about Koichiro and Ryoma ignoring his suggestion in the letter.

On the other hand, Ryoma Mikoshiba agreeing to a discussion wouldn’t have been such a bad outcome either. At the very least, it would be a blessing to see the face of an old friend’s grandson in person.

“It’s up to him to choose either option. Still, I would prefer if he agreed to a discussion. I certainly don’t want to kill the grandson of an old friend, after all.”

Subsequently, Lord Liu followed Ruqaiya toward the stairs that led to his cabin. As he did so, he wished that this journey would bring new vitality to the Organization.