CHAPTER 6: THE NEW CONTINENT

――3000 km south of the mainland of the Yamato Empire. 

A steel warship sailing across the ocean. 

It has a full load capacity of 3,300 tons and an overall length of approximately 100 meters. With shining golden “Sakura Crest” on the bow of the ship. 

The name of the ship is “Izumi” it’s a protected cruiser belonging to the Yamato Imperial Navy and is the nameship of the Izumi-class protected cruiser. 

“Today marks a week since the transition, and the sea is as peaceful and quiet as ever… It’s about time that we found something” 

On the bridge of the Izumi, Wakabayashi, the captain of the ship and a man with the appearance of an elite soldier, was looking through binoculars with a grim expression. 

For a week after the transition, Izumi was one of the few Imperial Navy operational ships surveying in the nearby sea area. 

However, no results have been reported to date. And all the crew could do was stare at the wide open ocean for a long period of time. 

“3,000 kilometers south of the mainland. If there is no result even after we make this much progress… I’m worried about the soldiers’ morale” 

The vice-captain also looks anxious and looking through binoculars, just like the captain. 

After a week at sea, nothing has been achieved. Not a single good report from contact radio with the other ships and home country. 

It is as if there is nothing but the sea in this world. 

A sense of dread and anxiety that grows day by day. What if, by some chance, there was no land in this world other than the Yamato mainland?… 

Many starvations will occur in the country. The worst-case scenario crossed Wakabayashi’s mind. 

Besides… 

“Navigator, how much fuel do we have left on the ship?” 

“If we don’t turn back tomorrow, we won’t be able to return to the mainland.” 

The captain took his eyes off the binoculars and asked the navigator. The limit of their cruising range was approaching. 

Izumi cruising range is 4,000 nautical miles with a speed of 10 knots. In kilometers, that’s about 7,500 km. 

And the distance traveled so far is 3,000 kilometers. Including the return trip, there is little room left in the remaining coal. 

One more day, or two if you push it. If they sail any further, they will not be able to return to the mainland. 

However, the only thing he can do is to return home without getting any results… 

Should we call in the Coal Tanker now to resupply and investigate further? however, there are not many coal tankers that are operational. 

We can’t call the coal tanker while it was in use by the other ship. 

Should we give up and return? but… 

Captain Wakabayashi, is lost in a sea of thoughts, swallowed by the burden of responsibility to the nation and its people. 

“Captain! do you hear me, Captain! ” 

“Oops, I’m sorry. I’ve been thinking. So, what happened?” 

What brought Wakabayashi’s consciousness up was the joyful voice of the vice-captain. 

“Please look at this! It’s land! Look, on the horizon ahead!” 

“Land?… Is that true!?” 

“Land”, the object that we had been desperately searching for the past week, and I hurriedly looked through my binoculars at the point vice-captain was pointing at. 

And the next moment, I feel so relieved. 

“It’s a land. Moreover, it’s quite large… somehow I managed to fulfill my military duty.” 

An unknown continent stretched beyond the horizon. 

The land is lush with greenery and is large enough. At least it’s not a small island. 

Perhaps this could save the empire. 

Wakabayashi immediately instructed his comm operator to send a radio call to the home country. 

Yamato Calendar 20 March, Year 304. 

It has been a week since I became an Eryutheia. 

It’s been a stressful week, you know. Big politicians, military commanders, business leaders, and other bigwigs from all over the country come to see me every day to curry favor with me. 

Moreover, everyone treats me like a princess. 

They kissed the back of my hand and bought me cute clothes and stuff… well, I am glad that you respect me, but as a former high school boy, I have mixed feelings. 

Oh, by the way, the Yamato calendar is a calendar that indicates how many years have passed since the founding of this country. 

There is no such thing as a calendar within Rasbata, there was a notation of in-game time since the founding of the country or something like that, well, I guess that’s the way it is. 

So now it’s been a little over 304 years since the founding of the Yamato Empire. 

Well, I don’t care about the calendar about my life. More importantly, I have a good news. 

“A report from the Navy! the protected cruiser Izumi, sailing 3,000 kilometers south of our mainland has discovered an unknown continent” 

While I was doing some simple paperwork in my office, the crewcut uncle from the navy came over and reported to me with a happy look on his face. 

This old man is a high-ranking officer of the navy who was present at the Imperial Conference. Probably, he has a thigh fetish. He has been glancing at my thighs since a while ago. 

Do you think I don’t notice the gazes?… well, I was doing something similar in my previous life, so I can’t speak too strongly about it. 

That’s right, and we finally found it. 

The New Continent. 

I have no idea what kind of continent it is, but anyway, we finally discovered land outside of our mainland. 

“Izumi is continuing to investigate while calling in the coal tanker and has reported that the continent is most likely uninhabited.” 

“Thank you for the report, Mr. Crewcut. I would like to dispatch a survey team immediately…” 

“Yes, then, let’s pick out the ship from the main fleet and organize them” 

Very well. 

　……Ah, That’s right. 

“I will also be accompanying the survey fleet. Please have the ship ready” 

“Your Excellency, too? However, this investigation is dangerous…” 

“It’s a matter of national importance. It is natural for the leaders themselves to command on the front line. I’ll leave the domestic affairs to you, you have no complaints, do you?” 

Of course, I am going to investigate as well. 

There are two reasons. 

For one thing, life here is simply stressful. As an ordinary person, I can’t stand the life of a dictator, like having daily meetings with a stranger and a high-ranking official. 

That’s why I want to go out for a reason. 

And the other reason is the ability of Eryutheia. She has “Charismatic” leadership traits. 

In the game, each player was given a leadership trait, or simply put, a skill, that could give them an advantage in the game. 

Eryutheia’s “Charismatic” leadership trait is a cheat skill that can boost the morale and combat power of soldiers in the field if the leader themselves stand on the front lines. 

In the game, in order to use this skill, I used to put Eryutheia on the fleet to fight. 

It may seem strange from a modern perspective that Eryutheia, the head of state, the dictator, the führer, would be on the front lines. 

But if you think about it, even in reality, until about the time of Napoleon, the country’s leaders used to lead their armies to fight on the front lines. 

It is not at all strange for a dictator to be on the front lines. 

……Probably. 

I don’t know how much game skill will work in this world, but… the “Perversion” of the national trait has been perfectly demonstrated, so maybe I could expect a little bit of it. 

Rather, what do you mean, the majority of government officials have a thigh fetish. There is definitely something wrong with people in this country. 

“Understood. If Your Excellency wishes to do so, the Navy will follow the orders” 

“Very well” 

Mr. Crewcut salutes and leaves the room. 

Ayame-san enters the room with a teapot in her hand, replacing Mr. Crewcut, with tea. I’ve been waiting for it. 

“Oh, are you going to the front? honestly, please put yourself in the shoes of your personal guard” 

Ayame-san shrugs as she pours tea into a teacup. 

Uuu…That’s right. 

I said I was going out, but if I, the Fuhrer, was going to the front lines, I needed someone to protect me… Ayame-san, the adjutant, is in charge of these things, and that means more work… 

“I’m sorry, Ayame-san. but…” 

“Haa, well, it’s fine. Besides, an occasional boat trip isn’t such a bad idea” 

I’ll enjoy it as much as you make me work for it. Ayame-san continued. 

What do you mean, “I’m going to be entertained”?　

“Um, Ayame-san, we’re not going out to play, okay?” 

“Yeah, I know. Then, I will go to the Imperial Guards Headquarters and organize an escort unit for Eryu-san” 

“Ah…..” 

She’s already gone. Well, if you’re busy, it can’t be help. 

Well, then I… 

“Now I just have to contact the Army. I have to dispatch the Marine Corps….” 

Let’s send the marine corps for now, to investigate what kind of place the new continent is. 

This is when the army comes in handy. 

It’s about army self-sufficiency. The army can function by itself. 

Living quarters, infrastructure, everything. You can provide yourself with all kinds of functions necessary for daily life. 

That’s the Army. 

This is not the case with other organizations, such as fire departments or the police. 

The police can’t build roads, they can’t build bridges, they don’t have trucks for transportation, nor can they provide power generation facilities. 

Because they don’t have to do that. 

If you need a road, if you need a bridge, if you need transport, you can call a specialist. 

Organizations such as the police whose main base of operations is in their home country don’t need to be self-sufficient. 

But the army cannot rely on contractors. 

Neither couriers nor builders come to the battlefield. 

Then only the army, which has the harsh battlefield as its field of operations, has the ability to operate in any location. 

No other organization is better suited to investigate new continents. 

And… 

Aside from self-sufficiency, I believe that macho marines would be able to manage on their own, even if we send them into uncharted territory. 

In the worst case, even if they run out of food, they seem to be able to survive by eating snakes and frogs, and even if they eat poison, they will be able to do something with their muscles. 

=====

General Weaponry Introduction

Izumi-class Protected Cruiser Edition

Specifications

Displacement: 3,300 tons

Speed: 20 knots.

Cruising range: 4000 nautical miles

Crew: 320

Armament

6 x (15cm) Quick-firing gun

10 x (8cm) Quick-firing gun

4 x surface torpedo tubes

Other firearms

The most common protected cruiser in the Yamato Empire. Although its name is “Izumi-class”, it has little to do with the real Izumi class protected cruiser. If anything, it closely resembles a Niitaka-class protected cruiser. 

As inexpensive and highly productive small cruisers, they are used for reconnaissance missions, sabotage of trades, and escorting merchant ships.