The Master of Ragnarok & Blesser of Einherjar: Volume 20 E-Book

Seiichi Takayama

• Herausgeber: J-Novel Club
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Serie: The Master of Ragnarok & Blesser of Einherjar
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 210

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

The Master of Ragnarok & Blesser of Einherjar: Volume 20

Leseprobe

PROLOGUE

The evening before the Second Battle of Glaðsheimr, Nobunaga and Ran were enjoying tea in Nobunaga’s tent.

“Here you are, My Lord.”

“Excellent. By the gods, there surely is nothing better than a good cup of tea after a spot of work.”

Nobunaga drank down the barley tea served by Ran in a single gulp and let out a sigh of enjoyment. While he had been forced to withdraw in the spring in response to Yuuto’s surprise tactics, he had now returned to Glaðsheimr. Having brought down Gjallarbrú Fortress and positioned his forces around the Holy Capital, his planned conquest of Yggdrasil was now within reach.

“If only we could get our hands on some real tea, it would be perfect,” Nobunaga remarked as he held the teacup in his hand, gazing off into the distance, recalling the flavor of the green tea he had once enjoyed when he’d resided in Japan.

The tea plants necessary to make green tea didn’t exist in Yggdrasil. Fortunately, barley existed to provide an alternative, but now that autumn was ending, the barley was past its prime, and the tea was a sad substitute in terms of flavor and aroma. Given that he had overcome numerous obstacles to get here, he longed for the sharp bitterness of green tea.

“Indeed. If we defeat the Steel Clan and invade the lands of the padres, no doubt we will acquire that as well.”

“One would hope,” Nobunaga replied to Ran’s comment with a dismissive snort. While Ran’s observation might have been true had they still found themselves in 16th century Japan, tea plants had yet to make their way to Europe in this era. That said, it wasn’t as though Nobunaga himself knew that piece of historical trivia. What had prompted his reaction was whether or not his own body would last that long.

There was a constant discomfort in his chest, and lately, he had been prone to fits of bloody coughing. Although his beloved daughter Homura’s seiðr kept the disease’s progression at bay, even that would only buy him a few more years. He still had to rebuild after the recent disastrous earthquake. The time he had left wasn’t enough to plan and execute a massive campaign into lands beyond the sea. The most he would be able to do in that remaining time would be to properly hand off the reins of the Flame Clan to Homura, stamp out any potential challengers, and make certain her rule would be a peaceful one.

“My Great Lord, does something trouble your thoughts...?” Ran asked, his brow furrowed in concern. Nobunaga was continually impressed by Ran’s ability to read a room. Perhaps he was the one best suited for the role.

“Indeed it does. You recall that I asked you to care for Homura when I was gone, yes? I was thinking on that matter,” Nobunaga replied.

“Yes, My Lord. It’s a great responsibility, but rest assured that I will do everything in my power to make good on that trust.”

“I expect you shall. So, Ran, have you considered who you will take as a new spouse?”

“A new spouse, My Lord?” Ran blinked in surprise at Nobunaga’s question. It seemed the sudden shift in subject had caught him flat-footed.

“If I recall, your late wife died in the summer two years ago, yes? You’re out of mourning now,” Nobunaga responded flatly.

“I am. I believe there would be no issue. Whose daughter am I to marry, then?”

Ran spoke of his marriage prospects as though it were just another task set out for him by Nobunaga. To him, marriage was simply another part of governing. Nobunaga curled his lips into a teasing smile before he continued.

“Mine.”

“Pardon...? W-Wait, you don’t mean Lady Homura?!”

The comment had caught Ran completely by surprise. Given his usual ability to read the flow of a conversation, perhaps it should have been obvious, but it seemed the proposal had been completely beyond anything he had dared imagine. Nobunaga nodded with smug satisfaction.

“That is exactly who I mean.”

“B-But there is far too great a gulf in our ages!” Ran said with a faint note of panic present in his voice. It was true. Ran was now over thirty, while Homura had just turned ten. Ran was literally old enough to be Homura’s father.

“I know full well. Homura’s a tricky girl to deal with. I can’t think of any other man who could possibly handle her.”

“Y-You trust me that much...?” Ran replied, tearing up as he spoke. It seemed he was intensely moved by Nobunaga’s remark.

“Precisely that.”

“Precisely what, My Lord?”

“Well, Ran, there are many who follow me, but only a handful who have given me their absolute loyalty,” Nobunaga said objectively with a tone of self-deprecation.

A part of him knew that such a circumstance was unavoidable. In order to conquer all under the heavens, Nobunaga had prioritized ability over all else in his retainers. However, those with the suitable level of ability to measure up to his standards had their own personality quirks, and almost all of them had hidden ambitions of their own. It was fine so long as Nobunaga himself held tightly onto their reins, but it was likely that they would begin acting in their own self-interests once he was out of the picture. He couldn’t leave his beloved daughter to men like that.

“More than anything, Ran, I think of you as my own son.”

“Ah?!”

“Not just you, but all of Yoshinari’s sons.”

“Y-You speak much too greatly of us, My Lord...”

“For such a son to marry my daughter—there is nothing more gratifying for a father.” Nobunaga allowed his usual facade to drop and smiled. It was a rare, gentle smile that he seldom showed, even in private.

“My Great Lord... There’s no way I can decline given how much trust you’ve shown me. While I have many failings, I will become Lady Homura’s husband and do my best to support her!”

“Good, I’m relying on you.”

“Yes, with all of my body and soul!”

“Don’t overthink it. Homura hasn’t come of age as a woman just yet. That’s still many years in the future.” Nobunaga briefly laughed in amusement, then the smile faded from his face and he took on an expression befitting of a conqueror. With the sentimentalities over, Nobunaga returned to the more pressing matter. “Before that can happen though, we first need to finish off the Steel Clan, or rather, we must deal with Suoh Yuuto.”

Yuuto’s very existence was the greatest threat to the future of the Flame Clan. He was too much of a monster for the young Homura. In fact, even if she were fully grown, she would likely struggle to put up a fight against him.

“I hear he’s still in his teens. Meaning that he’s only going to get better from here on out,” Nobunaga remarked.

“You believe he will continue to grow?” Ran said with a skeptical grimace.

“There’s the possibility that he simply peaked early, but I feel that he’s still a bit too forgiving. He certainly has room to grow in that regard. If he continues to hone his skills, he might very well become too much for even me to handle. Though that would be entertaining in and of itself.” Nobunaga chuckled softly at the thought.

He had spent his entire life engaged in war. At some point, a demon that yearned for bloodshed and conflict had made its home in his heart. That demon kept egging him on—it wanted to fight stronger enemies and needed greater challenges. That thirst for a challenge was the reason he had agreed to a nonaggression pact with Suoh Yuuto during their meeting in Stórk. He wanted to give the cub a chance to grow into a lion. However, Nobunaga was practically out of time.

“My Great Lord...” Ran furrowed his brow, his expression conflicted.

He had been Nobunaga’s subordinate for well over ten years. He knew Nobunaga’s eccentricities, and his need to indulge in them.

“Hah! I kid, I kid. I’m not so patient that I’d toy with my prey while the prospect of the total conquest of these lands is in plain sight. I fully intend to finish things with this battle,” Nobunaga replied, baring his fangs in a predatory grin.

What Ran didn’t hear, however, was the follow-up to that statement; something Nobunaga thought to himself and knew better than to say out loud. “After all, if I let him go now, the chance to conquer these lands disappears with him...”

PROLOGUE II

A year ago, the patriarch of the Armor Clan had come to pledge his loyalty to Suoh-Yuuto, the newly crowned þjóðann of the Holy Ásgarðr Empire.

“Allow me to inspect your goods,” Sigrún demanded.

“Oh, a moment!” the Armor Clan patriarch pleaded.

Sigrún ignored the pleas of the Armor Clan patriarch and uncorked the bottle. The smell that wafted out of the bottle forced her to recoil, covering her mouth with disgust.

“Urgh! What is this?!” Sigrún asked, glaring suspiciously at the Armor Clan patriarch. “You dared bring something like this as an offering to Father? Are you declaring war upon us?!”

“N-No, no! That’s not it all, Lady Sigrún!” The Armor Clan patriarch said in a panic, wildly shaking his head from side to side.

The patriarch’s panic was understandable. Even at this point, the Steel Clan already held control over the entirety of the Bifröst and Álfheimr regions, as well as northern Ásgarðr. By comparison, the Armor Clan, though one of the prestigious Arms and Armor Clans, was medium-sized and not even counted among the Ten Great Clans. There was no way that it would win a war with the Steel Clan.

“This is a very strange and rather interesting item that exists in our lands. I only brought it so that His Majesty could enjoy its unique properties.”

“Enjoy it, you say? Rún, bring that here,” Yuuto said, his curiosity piqued.

“Huh? But to bring you such a...”

“It’s fine. It’s not like it’s poison or anything,” Yuuto interjected. If that had been the case, they would have simply placed it into food, rather than bothering with such an elaborate and circuitous ploy.

“Very well,” Sigrún replied.

She made her distrust and hesitation clear as she brought the bottle to Yuuto. Taking the bottle from her hands, Yuuto opened it. An intense scent wafted out of the bottle. He understood why Sigrún had recoiled at it. It was certainly an unpleasant odor for people who weren’t used to it, but to Yuuto, it brought back memories of home.

“This is known as rock water and...” the Armor Clan patriarch began to explain.

“No, you need not explain, I know of it.”

“Indeed?! I’m impressed, Your Majesty! You truly are a font of knowledge.”

“It’s a smell that was pretty common back in my homeland,” Yuuto said, chuckling softly as he did. Yes, it was a smell that was common in the modern world, and it wafted from a substance that he had been looking for but had given up on locating as he hadn’t found any in his territories.

“Can you obtain a fair amount of this?”

“Huh? Well, yes. It bubbles out of the ground, so with enough time, we can procure quite a lot.”

“I see. Then bring as much as you can gather. I’ll trade you silver for it.”

“T-Truly?!”

The Armor Clan patriarch’s eyes went wide in surprise. To him, the rock water was probably just meant as a little curiosity, particularly as the Armor Clan, with abundant forests, had no particular use for it.

“Father, what are you going to use this for?!” Sigrún asked, clearly confused.

“Hm? Well, something to have just in case.”

Yuuto let out a dry, self-deprecating laugh. A particular tactic had come to mind, one that, if executed, would create hell on earth. It would be best if he never had to actually use it, but he had no intention of hesitating if it ended up being necessary.

ACT 1

“Sieg Iárn!”

“Sieg Reginarch!”

“Sieg Þjóðann!”

“Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah!”

Roars of victory rang out from a section of the Holy Capital of Glaðsheimr. The cheers were contagious, quickly spreading from unit to unit, growing in volume until they engulfed the entire city, and they echoed so loudly that they managed to reach the very walls of the Valaskjálf Palace at the center of the city.

“Phew, so far so good.” Yuuto let out a long breath and slumped in his seat as he heard the sheer joy in the cheers ringing out throughout the city. He had already received word from Kristina via radio that the first wave of the Flame Clan Army had retreated. Despite knowing everything was fine for now, he felt a surge of relief wash over him as he listened to the cheers.

“Indeed. Our victory in this first battle was completely decisive. Impressive as always, Big Brother.”

“Yeah, I’m glad it worked.” Yuuto returned the words of his adjutant, Felicia, with a tired note of relief.

He had held a powerful conviction that he could win the first battle. He had even stated as much to his subordinates. And in reality, the first wave of the Flame Clan Army, Vassarfall’s Third Division, had been dancing on Yuuto’s palm for the entirety of the engagement. In the end, the Steel Clan forces had completely overwhelmed their opponents in this initial battle. That said, it wasn’t going to get any easier from here.

Prior to this engagement, the Steel Clan Army had suffered two straight defeats against the Flame Clan Army in major battles, and the army hadn’t had time to recover from the shock of defeat. The soldiers had all been demoralized, and a general gloom had permeated their ranks. He had temporarily invigorated the army’s morale using Fagrahvél’s rune Gjallarhorn, the Call to War, but using that ability was extremely draining to Fagrahvél, so she couldn’t maintain it for long. If the battle had dragged on and the effects of the rune had worn off, the army’s morale would have quickly collapsed, with soldiers deserting en masse, and the Steel Clan Army itself could have collapsed into chaos. The battle had been a race against time to secure victory before that could happen.

“Well, this gives us a fighting chance,” Yuuto said and tightly gripped his hand into a fist. Victory was the quickest way to remove uncertainty and doubt in people. That was doubly true for such a clear-cut and overwhelming victory. The victory against the Flame Clan’s vanguard had provided a huge boost to the morale of his army. No matter how clever his tactics and strategies were, without a motivated army, there was no way he could defeat Nobunaga. He had needed to win this first engagement at all costs, and he was relieved to have done this well.

“A fighting chaaaance? From myyyy vantaaage point, you conducted the forces with suuuch skill that I couldn’t help but staaare in admiration,” Bára, the Sword Clan’s tactician, said with her usual languid tone of voice. Yuuto chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.

“Heh, well, I’m glad to hear that sort of flattery from you, Bára, given your reputation as one of the three greatest tacticians in Yggdrasil.”

“Noooo, no flattery at aaall. I meaaant every word. But really, even with a fooorce like thiiiis, you think that we only staaaand a chaaance of successsss?”

“Precisely. We’re facing Nobunaga, after all. I’m sure he’s going to come up with something.”

Yuuto looked off toward the main body of Nobunaga’s forces in the distance, his expression taut with tension. Yuuto was confident that the formation and tactics he had readied for the defense of Glaðsheimr were the best he was capable of producing. However, his opponent was a man who would find a way to overcome that. He had no idea what form Nobunaga’s eventual victory would take, but he was certain that the man would come out on top in the end.

“Even so, I’ve still got plenty of cards up my sleeve,” Yuuto claimed confidently and gripped his hand into a tight fist.

Yuuto’s objective was to move all of his people to a new land. To accomplish that goal, he needed to land a heavy blow against the Flame Clan Army and stop their advance. If he lost here, the Steel Clan Army’s morale would be completely broken, and they certainly wouldn’t be able to bring themselves to resist against the Flame Clan. His back was against the wall. The battle that would decide the fate of Yggdrasil had now started in earnest.

“I see. The lad is as impressive as always, it would seem.” Having heard Vassarfall’s report, Nobunaga nodded and furrowed his brow in thought. Nobunaga had been convinced that Suoh Yuuto had something up his sleeve, but he had exceeded his expectations.

“Yes, he completely outclassed me. The fact that he was able to accurately track the positions of several dozens of his units spread out through this maze of a city and command them so precisely wasn’t the work of a man—it was almost divine. Furthermore, based on what I was able to gather from the sounds, there seem to be a number of underground tunnels as well. An enemy attack could come out of nowhere at any moment. I admit it sounds like an excuse on my part, My Lord, but I believed retreat was the best option...” Vassarfall said tensely as he lay prostrated before Nobunaga, and it was clear the man was nervous. Nobunaga was unforgiving when it came to failure. Even in the last ten years, numerous high-ranking retainers had been punished for failing to live up to his expectations. No matter how well that individual may have performed in the past, Nobunaga would mercilessly strip them of rank and wealth if he determined them to no longer be of use, and his vassals all feared his wrath for that reason. Vassarfall was no exception, and it seemed he was dreading the punishment that awaited him.

“No, I recognize what you did was for the best.” Nobunaga waved his hand casually and cut off the apologetic Vassarfall mid-sentence.

While his subordinates believed that Nobunaga’s trigger points for his rage were difficult to read, Nobunaga had clear standards in judging his subordinates. Did the subordinate in question avoid overconfidence, avoid cutting corners, and put all of their effort into the endeavor? At the very least, so far as Nobunaga could tell, Vassarfall had made extensive preparations, put in all of his effort to accomplish his mission, and when he determined that accomplishing his mission was impossible, he had immediately made the decision to retreat, minimizing his losses and returning with a report on the enemy’s tactics. He hadn’t done anything worthy of punishment. If anything...

“You did lose, but winning and losing are simply a part of war. You understood your mission correctly and fulfilled the role you were given. While you weren’t able to secure Suoh Yuuto’s head, you still did well! You’ve served me well today!”

As he listened to Nobunaga’s litany of praise, Vassarfall raised his head. Though, yes, he had fulfilled his role as the vanguard of the army, he had still been thoroughly routed. He certainly hadn’t been expecting to be praised for that result.

“As a reward, you may have the Glass Goblet crafted by the Great Artisan Ingrid!”

“Wha?!”

Vassarfall’s jaw fell open in shock. The other generals also began murmuring amongst themselves. The Flame Clan was a mighty clan that controlled half of Yggdrasil. It, of course, had countless treasures in its possession, but the Glass Goblet crafted by the Steel Clan’s Great Artisan Ingrid was known as one of Nobunaga’s favorite items. For him to give such an item to a losing general as a reward was unprecedented.

“T-Truly, my lord?!”

Even Vassarfall, the recipient, seemed unable to believe the news.

“Of course! I never go back on my word!” Nobunaga said confidently, without the slightest hesitation, and then glared at the other assembled generals.

“Listen well, you lot!” The sheer volume of his shout and the presence behind his voice sent a jolt through the air. The murmuring stopped in an instant, and silence engulfed the space. After making certain everyone had fallen silent, Nobunaga continued in a softer voice. “This battle is the pivotal engagement which will determine whether it is us, the Flame Clan, or the Steel Clan that controls all of Yggdrasil!”

Upon hearing what Nobunaga had to say, the various generals all nodded in agreement. They were all in their positions because of their ability—they all understood what was at stake in this battle.

“So, for precisely that reason. I have no intention of stinting when it comes to rewards. Any who produce meaningful results shall get whatever they wish for! Land, titles, treasures, anything! I shall give it to you in my name!”

At Nobunaga’s declaration, the generals all sucked in a breath and stared wide-eyed. The fact that he had given his favorite Glass Goblet to Vassarfall provided ample evidence that Nobunaga meant every word. Even a loss could yield a great treasure. Then what lay waiting for those who contributed to the victory? Their expectations swelled.

“Make certain that every soldier in our army is aware of this! I look forward to watching you fight! This battle will be ours!”

“Yes, My Lord!”

The generals answered in unison with a predatory hunger in their eyes. The fact that Vassarfall, one of the greatest generals in the Flame Clan Army, had suffered an overwhelming defeat seemed like a minor, inconsequential result to those assembled before Nobunaga. His declaration had completely driven the shock of Vassarfall’s defeat from their minds.

“Heh, that didn’t cost much.”

Nobunaga smiled smugly at the reaction of his subordinates. The truth was that Nobunaga wasn’t particularly attached to the Glass Goblet. Of course, it was a wonderful piece of artistry; a goblet that was a level, no, two or three levels above other glass objects, but that was only among the glass objects of Yggdrasil. Compared to the treasures that had been given to him by the western merchants during his time in Japan, it was still unrefined and raw. Based upon the katana that he had given to Shiba, it was clear that this Ingrid was an artisan of remarkable skill, but no matter how great of a talent she was, she wasn’t able to match three thousand years of evolution and refinement in glassware.

Then why had he praised the goblet and displayed it to his subordinates as though it were his most treasured item? The answer was simple: he had simply adapted the method he had used to educate and retain his vassals in Japan. He had spread tea ceremonies among the high-ranking samurai; he had emphasized the importance of cultural items and made possession of teaware masterpieces a mark of status and trust.

That had transformed the ceramic masterpieces into treasures that were valued as highly as land and precious metals. Further, by having them learn the practices of the tea ceremonies, he had managed to educate his vassals, who were all unrefined rural samurai from Owari, in the finer points of etiquette and manners. It had allowed him to kill two birds with one stone.

While Nobunaga himself had never put a name to this policy, his successor Toyotomi Hideyoshi had continued the policy and called it Ochanoyu Goseido. This time, Nobunaga had simply used Ingrid’s glass goblet instead of a teacup. The goblet had originally been a gift from the Steel Clan, meaning it had effectively been free. If that was all it cost him to remove the shock of defeat from his generals, while giving him a visible carrot to dangle in front of all of his men and raise their morale, then it was a cheap price to pay indeed.

The reason he had made a show of valuing it so much to this point had all been to set it up as a piece to use in a situation of this sort. Nobunaga always made certain he had countless contingencies for emergencies. Just being a good warlord wasn’t enough to win and survive during the Warring States Period. This ability to prepare and be ready for any unexpected development was what had made Nobunaga a victor and conqueror in that unpredictable world.

“What do you intend to do, My Great Lord? Based on the information Vassarfall has shared with us, it would seem the enemy’s scheme will be quite bothersome to deal with,” Ran asked Nobunaga once the council of war had completed and no one else was left in earshot.

Nobunaga, as patriarch, would determine the overall strategy of the Flame Clan Army, along with his preferred tactics and policies, but it was Ran, the Second, who was responsible for communicating those orders to the commanders of each unit and ensuring that Nobunaga’s plan was executed as intended. It was a relatively straightforward role if the enemy was one that could be easily dispatched, but the enemy’s response had easily overwhelmed even Vassarfall, Master of Advance and Retreat.