The Duel Was Just an Opening Act
There wasn't even a fight worth having? While the ones who were supposed to come didn't come, one problem did rear its head. Wood.
"Wow... so this is what a difference it makes when there are no trees?"
The firewood around us was visibly thinning out. At this rate, there wouldn't even be enough left for people to build their houses with.
"What should we do? The settlement outposts are worried too — they say wood is getting harder and harder to find."
I'd bought the land from the villagers, and the supply had dried up almost overnight.
"Is there anyone around here who knows anything about a black stone that burns?"
"No, my lord. They all say they've never seen such a thing."
"No choice, then. We'll have to ship it in from the mainland by the boatload."
"We'll keep asking around in the meantime."
"Mm."
It would've been lovely if Japan had a coal mine somewhere we could just buy from, but judging by the fact that nobody had even heard of it, they probably hadn't discovered it yet.
Even if they had, there'd be no roads to haul it over. Why bother building roads and laying railway lines when it's easier to just load it up back home and ship it over?
So that's why they laid rails and built roads during the colonial occupation — to strip the place dry. Huh. History repeats itself.
"Tell them to make absolutely sure they find some coal deposits."
"But we still have plenty left. Is it that urgent?"
"I don't really know myself, to be honest. But you never know what might happen, right?"
Should we develop a Hashima of our own or something? Then again, why go through all that trouble when shipping it from the mainland might be easier?
"Have the locals spread the word — tell them we're going to buy up firewood here in enormous quantities."
"Give people a little money and there are plenty who'd sell you their very souls."
"Exactly. So pay them in coin, then sell it all back to them as food and recoup the cash."
Being out in the middle of nowhere, there wasn't a single noble in sight — the only ones we'd seen were the bunch that had come and gone a while back.
In other words, nobody here could afford anything expensive.
"And as the ships pass by, spread the word up in northern Joseon Territory too — tell them we're buying this burning black stone."
Hashima would be too far to develop, but there's a big port in northern Joseon Territory. If they've got coal up there, great; if not, oh well.
So we asked around, and it turns out northern Kyushu is loaded with coal? The Joseon settlers had apparently been mining it and using it there since early on.
So we decided to buy it from them. We handed over a little silver and they went absolutely insane for it.
"Seemed like they were doing well?"
"Hard to say. Their clothes were ragged, and they didn't exactly look comfortable."
"See, that's why you don't go declaring independence in someone else's land."
Of all places, in a land with barely any resources. Then again, they do have a Hashima of their own, so maybe coal is plentiful?
In that case, they'll get their moment! Sparkle and prosper from the Middle Ages through early industrialization, then cash out and invest elsewhere. What else can you do?
They're practically my little siblings, so I can't be too ruthless about it. Aigoo. Freeloaders, the lot of them.
「Boom... boom... boom...」
"If anyone needs anything, feel free to sell it to us."
"Yes, my lady."
Coal supply secured. Now I just need to get busy mining and hauling silver.
「Boom. Boom. Boom.」
"Is today some kind of holiday? I think I hear instruments."
"Do you? I can barely hear anything."
Ever since we arrived and life got easier for the locals, even the kids had filled out, with a healthy sheen on their faces.
They were playing instruments and dancing and having a grand old time — honestly lovely to watch.
「BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!」
That's awfully loud today, though?
"MILADY—!"
Someone was shouting from far off,
"Do you think I can hear you answering me from all the way over there?"
"MILADY—!"
I can hear you just fine, but apparently you can't hear me?
"AN ARMY HAS COME—!"
Northeastern gate! Oh, we have guests!
I sprinted along the top of the wall straight to the north gate! Let's see how close they've gotten.
"Huh? Is that all of them?"
"What should we do? Just flatten them?"
"Hold on — look, something's coming with a white flag raised."
"I'll go see to it."
「Whoosh」
Wait, this guy? He's just jumping down? Hey, that's got to be more than five meters, you know?
「THUD」
Wow. Listen to that sound. Are his knees even intact?
「Tumble tumble tumble」
Right, you're supposed to roll! See, even for you people, you can't just leap onto bare ground and walk away without a broken bone.
Then he exchanged some words with a man on horseback — a letter?
Then he sprinted like mad back to the gate, stuffed the letter in a bucket, and someone up top hauled it up. Hey? If that's the plan, why not just have the guy already at the gate fetch it?
"Report complete!"
If you're going to beat the letter up the wall anyway, just carry it up yourself, you idiot? Honestly, have you ever seen such inefficient creatures...
"Son of a f—ing, XXXxx Xxx. !#$!#)!#("
"Whoa? What's wrong with him? What kind of vicious cursing is that? Quick, go to your commander — what happened?"
Truly, nothing beats Daehan's language for profanity. Every word lands like a written slap, sharp enough to crack the other side's jaw wide open.
"@!#%!#$"
"AAAAARGH! !#$!#"
What, why are they cursing in stereo now? Voices that loud, there's no keeping anything secret.
Since the scout they'd sent to investigate was cursing his head off too, I suppose I have to go look myself. Aigo, this is elder abuse, honestly!
「Snort— snort—」
Oof. I think our oxen grazing in the fields have more delicate nostrils than this guy.
He was so busy cursing up at the wall that he didn't even notice me coming, so I took a peek at the letter.
Well, well? This is basically erotica disguised as a romance letter? Something about how once I surrender, they'll take me away and do this and that to me.
"You absolute sons of—"
"Milady!"
"You saw it, my lady!?"
Yep, sure did.
"So basically — pick representatives and settle it with a one-on-one duel, right?"
"Let's just kill them all!"
"Just leave it to us!"
Ai~ now, that's a bit much.
"Killing isn't the be-all and end-all."
"It isn't!?"
"Come on! I'll show you how it's done."
"You're going yourself, my lady?"
"Someone's got to teach them the bitter taste of messing with the organization, no?"
"Ohh! The organization!"
Hm? Organization? Was that not a word before? I'm getting the feeling somebody's been poisoning the well again.
Maybe it's just my imagination, but I keep feeling like I'm the one corrupting these kids.
What they wanted was ten representatives stepping out for a duel.
And when they came out — why on earth are they wearing such clunky armor? Isn't that more of a hindrance than anything?
It hangs down to their shins like a skirt. Wouldn't that make moving a nightmare?
"Nyahaha. Daehan must be short on men, sending out a woman."
"Seems they've no honor as warriors at all."
"She's a pretty little thing, though. Perhaps we should spare her and set her aside to dance for us."
What did you say? These are men who'll only come to their senses once a lead ball flies through their skulls.
"Let's hurry this up. Who's coming out first?"
"A woman stepping forward first?"
"Send your highest-ranking man or your commander."
So much for arguing with your mouths instead of your blades.
"I'll go."
"Young master? Will you be alright?"
"How could I possibly lose to a mere woman?"
He looks familiar somehow, but I can't quite place it...
"We meet again."
"Who are you?"
"Kgh..."
No, I'm sorry, I really, genuinely don't remember.
"It's Fujiwara. From the last visit."
"Oh? The one who ran away?"
"I did NOT!"
Didn't you, though? You totally did, right? Getting all huffy about it just makes it funnier.
「CLANG」
"Today shall not go easily for you!"
"You're really no match for me, you know?"
"I carry a sword and armor forged by the greatest master smith of our land — this shall be no easy fight!"
No, that stuff's weak. Look at that blade — it's all floppy and bendy. One little tap and it'd curl up like a leaf. So the wimp finally put on armor, but doesn't it look heavy on you?
I doubt you can even run in it.
"Fine. Whatever happens is your own fate, so don't go blaming me."
"Understood. And you must not blame me either, I pray."
"I look stronger, so you attack first."
"Then I shall not refuse!"
「Ta-ta-ta-DUM, whoosh」
No, look at him — the armor's so heavy the man can barely pick up his feet. And the sword swings have no power behind them at all.
「CLANG」
He slides his blade along the flat of mine to deflect it, then catches the edge with his crossguard. A technique, huh.
「WHAM」
"Oof."
It's a sword fight and he just KICKED me?
"Since when is kicking allowed?"
"What does that matter?"
You're dead. Oh, so kicking's on the table, is it? Good thing I had steel plates built into my shoes, just in case.
"Here I come!"
「CLANG—kakakak」
He's got some technique after all — angling his blade to catch mine diagonally and roll it off toward the crossguard.
I eased off a little power for a different purpose. Didn't want his crossguard getting sliced clean off just yet.
「WHAM」
"GWOHWK!"
Because my actual goal was unmanning him! I gave him a good solid kick too. From below, driving upward with everything I had!
"Gah! That's cowardly!"
"You kicked me too, didn't you? Can't you see my footprint right there?"
He kicked me square in the solar plexus, mind you? The solar plexus is a vital point! Hit it wrong and you can die, you know?
"Ghh-huk!"
「Tremble tremble」
Still, the man's got guts — veins bulging in his eyes, he forces himself back to his feet.
"I see. Well, surviving like that isn't really living, is it?"
"Heheh. That's our lady for you."
"So she CAN throw down when she wants to!"
The men on their side had no idea what was going on, but ours were absolutely thrilled. They'd gotten a front-row view from behind, after all.
「Tremble tremble」
"Seriously, you can barely stand and you're STILL being stubborn? You lost. It's over."
"NEVER!"
Alright, alright! Then allow me to put you out of your misery, mercifully and comfortably.
「BANG BANG BANG」
There's a reason I made the grip extra long — I swung harder and split his sword into three neat pieces,
「WHAM」
"KUHEHK!"
Axe kick! And one more for good measure!
"..."
「Crash」
Why is it that every single blow lands somewhere unspeakable? He was wearing something down there — honestly, shouldn't a man like that be traveling in steel underwear?
"Ohh!"
"Whoa!"
"Milady won!"
He was dragged off unconscious, twitching all the while. There was quite a lot of something red soaking through his trousers, but he'll live, won't he?
Though given this era's medical skills... hmm. He might never stand up again.
"Avenge the young master!"
"RAAAAGH!"
Wait, what? This wasn't the end of the duel?
"PROTECT MILADY!"
"CHAAARGE!"
Even running side by side, our kids are faster. And nine against nine? Our kids would win this fight with one hand tied behind their backs.
All ten men on the other side went down in the grass with their crotches stained bright red, and it didn't take long at all.
「BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!」
"Huh? What now?"
"What are they doing?"
"Hey! Something's wrong! RUN!"
So the duel wasn't the end of the battle after all? I guess it was just the opening act. So that's why they rode in on horses — because they'd need to flee?
「Rat-ta-ta-tat」
"Guhk!"
"If you're not going to die, RUN!"
「BANG! BA-BANG! BANG!」
Our soldiers watching from the wall started firing too. What a clusterf—. Honestly?
The next time these bastards propose a duel, I'm putting a hole in the proposer's head on the spot. Doesn't basic decency say you should at least give people a fair chance to go home alive?
Vile, filthy bastards.
「THWACK」
"Ugh!"
"Milady!"
Why are you trying to shield me? I'm the one who's supposed to be shielding you.
"I'm fine — you're the ones who need to run, now!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
One did smack into my back, and it does sting. But their aim is dreadful, so I don't think they're actually targeting anyone.
And way off in the distance, Japanese soldiers keep dropping one by one. Those muskets of theirs don't have rifling yet, so the accuracy is hopeless — that's why they have to close to such short range. But if one of those balls does hit you? No discounts, none at all.
"Ow, ow, ow."
"God, that hurts."
"Could be worse. At least it's just arrows."
The squad of ten made it back safely, pulling arrows out of each other — one or two hits apiece — and getting treated.
"From now on, if they ask for a duel, don't accept. What's even the point if this is what happens?"
"Cowardly bastards, all of them."
"What have I been telling you all along? Those people cannot be trusted."
Even Admiral Yi Sun-sin said it! 'The Japanese are treacherous beyond measure — I have never once heard of them honoring a pledge!'
These are the kind of people you suck dry to the marrow and then throw away. Just you wait! You're all going to become Daehan's mineral warehouse and breakwater, whether you like it or not.
"Go get treated. I'll head up first and take a look."
"Yes, ma'am!"
And from the top of the wall — what a sight. The enemy is sitting far beyond even their own musket range, getting picked off for nothing.
Shouldn't they at least grab shields or something and close the distance if they're going to fight?
I watched to see what they were up to, and then a whole crowd of them mounted up and rode out — to collect the fallen from the field and carry them home?
"What the hell is that circus?"
"Should we keep firing?"
"Looks like hundreds have already been hit and dropped?"
Not many of the archers who'd stepped up front earlier were still standing.
"Shall we wait for now?"
"Yes. Honestly, though... it feels like we're just bullying children, doesn't it?"
"They're hardly innocent. They're the ones who put arrows in our backs first. I got hit too — it hurts, you know."
"Enough! Look at these miserable bastards! Boys! FIRE AT WILL!"
So much for holding fire, huh?