Chapter 131 – Return to Japan

The year Showa 5 (1930) began, and after the first three days of the New Year passed, my onii-sama returned to his studies in Germany, while we headed to Marseille in southern France.

That’s because a Japanese shipping company had opened a regular route between Japan and Europe, and Marseille was the first European port of arrival from Japan.

The ships on this European route eventually went all the way to London in England and Antwerp in Belgium. Before long, it might become the route for participants traveling from Japan to London for the Naval Disarmament Conference.
Well, if you don’t mind the trouble of the North Pacific, the transcontinental railway, and the North Atlantic, would be faster than the European route. 

Which way to take, I don’t know.

As for us, we were boarding midway at Marseille on the Mediterranean.

The ship was the Harunamaru, a cargo-passenger ship built for the European route. It had a black hull, white superstructure, and a single funnel — the standard style of ships built in the Taisho era.
Since it was a cargo-passenger ship with few passengers, the passenger-area superstructure also looked small. The ship itself was just over 10,000 tons.

It had a slightly old-fashioned feel, with rumors that the next generation of ships would soon be built.

“Kind of an ordinary ship, isn’t it?”

“If they put a large passenger liner on the European route, there wouldn’t be that many people riding it. It’s the North Atlantic route’s luxury liners that are a bit abnormal. But still, the interior is quite splendid, even if it can’t compare to the Olympic. It may not look all that impressive from the outside, but it still represents Japan, after all.”

“Hee, you sure know a lot. Have you ridden one before?”

“A few years back, when I gave a presentation at a conference in Europe, I boarded a similar ship. Next time, I’d like to take one when I go from Japan to Sweden.”

“You’ll be able to. Without a doubt.”

“You mean that as the ‘Dreaming Miko’?”

“Nope. There’s no way I’d dream about something like that. But still, it’s certain.”

“I really hope that’s the case. Well then, shall we board?”

“Yeah. Let’s go, everyone.”

After that short exchange with Kouryuu-sensei, we boarded Harunamaru. The ship was owned by Nippon Yusen.
The European route run by Japan was essentially the exclusive domain of Nippon Yusen. 

To put it another way, it was like the Japan Airlines of my previous life.

In Japan, there were also other companies, like Osaka Shosen, Kokusai Kisen (with Ootori as a major shareholder), and Toyo Kisen of the Yasuda zaibatsu.
But none of them came close to Nippon Yusen in scale. 

Even so, Osaka Shosen, the second-largest in Japan, did operate the North America route, as well as the South America route mainly for emigrants.

Toyo Kisen had once been a prestigious passenger ship company, but due to financial difficulties, it had sold off its passenger division to Nippon Yusen.

The third-ranking Kokusai Kisen was a newcomer that had grown rapidly during the previous world war, so its fleet was basically nothing but cargo ships.
Ootori Shipping had merged into it as well, but Ootori’s side was made up almost entirely of tankers. 

Even now, they were in the middle of mass-producing large tankers. Thanks to that, Kokusai Kisen’s total tonnage alone was quite large.

“I want a passenger ship too.”

As Kouryuu-sensei had said, once we had settled into the most luxurious room among the lavishly decorated passenger quarters, the thought slipped right out of my mouth.
At my side, Shizu stood as always, while across from me sat Kouryuu-sensei. The guards were in another room, though half of them were currently patrolling the ship just in case.

“Kokusai Kisen, owning one? Impossible. Even if they built one, where would they open a route? Didn’t Nippon Yusen just put a brand-new large vessel into service for the North America route? It would definitely run at a loss. For a latecomer like Kokusai Kisen, that burden would be far too heavy.”

I had muttered it without much thought, but as expected, Kouryuu-sensei—who was unexpectedly well-versed in the matter—was absolutely correct.

In my previous life, the Hikawamaru in Yokohama was, if I recall correctly, supposed to be completed this very year, at least according to what I’d heard here.
But even that was a cargo-passenger ship, and in this era, there were hardly any pure passenger liners for overseas routes. 

So even if you had the money, there were things you simply wouldn’t do.

If this were one of those alternate history war novels, they’d be building high-speed luxury passenger liners like the Junyou and her sisters, ships that could be refitted into aircraft carriers in a short time during an emergency.
But in reality, Japan right now doesn’t even have the routes to operate such extravagant ships.

Even if someone built one out of half-hobby, half-indulgence with unlimited money, it would just bleed losses, compete with Nippon Yusen for passengers, and end up resented by Nippon Yusen, the Navy, and all of Japan’s shipping industry.

So all I can do is sigh.

“Don’t tease me. Still, you want some ‘glamour,’ don’t you?”

“I don’t entirely disagree, but Ootori as a zaibatsu is far too austere. That hotel you spearheaded in Sannou stands out so much it’s practically gaudy.”

“I know that. I was just saying it. But I really am thinking of building high-speed ships like the ones we used for the Persian Gulf trip.”

“High-speed ships, huh. Those would be useful.”

“Right? It’ll only be a stopgap until passenger planes develop further, but unless travel gets a little more convenient, going abroad from Japan is far too much trouble. This trip really drove that home for me.”

“Well, don’t overdo it. Still, passenger planes, huh… Reiko, you’re always thinking too far ahead.”

“That’s not true. In just four or five years, they’ll be flying more and more in America. We can just buy them when that happens.”

“How will it be run?”

“The government will probably set up a state policy company. We’ll load it up with plenty of operating funds and donations, and have them prepare aircraft that Ootori gets priority use of.”

“You’ve already thought that far ahead? You’re as frightening as ever.”

It was Kouryuu-sensei who made the jab, but then he said that with a sigh of exasperation.

Still, even if he’s exasperated, ships and railroads take far too much time. Cars are still slow.
I asked Torasaburou about it before, but aside from sports cars and racing machines, even in America only a handful of luxury cars can keep up 100 kilometers per hour over a long time.

Come to think of it, I also heard Torasaburou bought several of those luxury cars, so I’ll probably get a chance to ride one of them sooner or later.

And what I kept thinking during the last stretch in Europe was how hard traveling is in this era.
But when I thought about it again, even in the 21st century, going around the world is still considerably tough. 

Realizing that oddly made me feel deflated.

With me still feeling deflated, the ship pressed on, crossed the Mediterranean, and arrived at Port Said before the Suez Canal.
There we properly waited our turn before passing through the canal, then went on through the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, out into the Indian Ocean.

Instead of heading into the Persian Gulf, we arrived at Colombo, the only port of call in the Indian Ocean. 

There, Sebastian was waiting.

“Happy New Year, milady.”

“Happy New Year, Sebastian. And thank you for your hard work.”

“Your words are too kind. More importantly, I have a message from Mr. Idemitsu.”

“Mr. Idemitsu? Did he say something?”

As I asked, I was already thinking, (Ah—this is definitely going to be a complaint or a grumble).

With the Texas affair and now this Persian Gulf business, the one who got dragged around the most was Mr. Idemitsu, who oversees Ootori’s oil operations.

“He said, ‘I cannot express enough gratitude for being entrusted with such rewarding work.’”

“Uh… is that for real? I can’t help but think there are all sorts of different feelings hiding between the lines of those words.”

I asked with a very guilty tone, but Sebastian raised both hands in front of his chest in a gesture of denial.

“No, he truly had a wonderful smile. And he seemed to be happily muttering to himself, ‘Of all things, the world’s largest oil field—she really did it.’”

(That’s one seriously positive person. A Named historical figure really isn’t just for show.)

“I—I see. That’s good. We’ll still be relying on Mr. Idemitsu for a long time, so it’s a relief he’s taking it positively.”

“For a long time, milady?”

“Yes, that’s right. Texas is someone else’s wallet. The Persian Gulf is savings for the future. Which means we still need some pocket money to keep on hand right now, don’t we?”

When I teased him like that, Sebastian thought for a moment before speaking.

“In other words, there’s an oil field larger than the Liaohe field within Japan’s sphere of influence. …Truly, milady, you never cease to amaze me. I suspected it wasn’t only about stocks, but honestly, I never imagined it was to this extent. To have had the honor of serving you—this is the greatest fortune of my life.”

“You’re exaggerating. Well, I’ll do my best not to disappoint you. Now then, let’s return to Japan.”

“Yes, milady.”

With that, I welcomed Sebastian and the others aboard the ship for our return, but it seems Mr. Idemitsu, struggling in the Persian Gulf, really had a hard time.
What was secretly decided afterward regarding the oil fields in the Persian Gulf was the announcement of a small-scale discovery, limited oil production in places like Kuwait, and complete concealment of all other information.

As for the concessions, locally only scraps were paid out—fees for mining rights, land costs, and taxes related to oil production.

The split of mining rights was 4:3:3 among the American group, the British group, and Ootori.
For Ootori, despite being the discoverer, it was still a generous share.

But this was only a provisional decision for the time being, not a final one. After all, the real surveys and test drilling were yet to come.
As for actual extraction and production, that was at least ten years away, at most a quarter century.

And moreover, Ootori would soon have to report this matter to someone in the very core of Japan’s leadership.

After all, I had pushed almost everything forward on a whim and on my own authority. Even my grandfather only knew of it through letters.

And for the enormous American and British conglomerates, they must certainly want to drive Ootori out.
But the fact that I was the one who discovered it has been recorded in multiple layers. Documents were exchanged. And I wrote piles of letters to all sorts of places. 

And while Britain is one thing, America in particular cannot afford to risk offending me right now, so for the time being they’re putting on a friendly face.

Besides, since we—or rather I—hold the most information, they should understand what would happen if they tried to cut us out by force.
Most likely, the only time we would be excluded from the Gulf’s oil concessions would be after Japan goes to total war with America and Britain and suffers defeat.

On the other hand, through this journey I have managed to earn a fair amount of goodwill with America’s business world.
So even if Japan does end up in an all-out war with the United States, I expect they’ll at least make sure that I and the Ootori family can live comfortably enough.

As long as Ootori doesn’t give them some grave reason to hate us.

“Is something the matter, milady?”

As I sat absentmindedly thinking on a wooden deck chair like those you’d find at a hotel, Shizu, who had been standing nearby, leaned over to look into my face. It was a little unusual.

“Nothing. But what about you, Shizu? Isn’t it rare for you to lean in close and peer at my face like that?”

“No, it’s just that you were furrowing your brow so much.”

Since it was Shizu, who is always by my side, saying that, I must have been making a pretty terrible face. Reflexively, my face twisted in another way altogether.

“Geh—seriously? If I keep wrinkling my brow, I’ll start looking old right away. I have to be careful.”

“Yes, please do take care. And also, please try not to think so deeply on things.”

“Thinking about it a little should be fine, shouldn’t it?”

“Yes. But milady, you are still only nine years old. As I have said many times, it would be better if you acted a little more like a child.”

With those words, she ended with her usual quiet bow.
Seeing that gesture from Shizu always makes me feel a little relieved. It makes me think that, as her lady, I’ve passed her evaluation.

“You’re right about that. And you know, Shizu, I used to think that once I succeeded in this stock trading, I would start living a life more suited to my age.”

“You won’t be doing that, then?”

Shizu lifted her head and gave me a calm look.
That was her mode of just confirming things.

“Once you spread out the furoshiki, you have to fold it back up properly, or it’s disgraceful, right?”

“Yes. I have never thought of you as someone who would leave things lying about without tidying them away, milady.”

“Wow, still as strict as ever. Then help me, okay?”

“I will take charge of your daily needs and your personal protection.”

“Exactly. That’s your job, Shizu. I’ll work hard too once we get back home.”

At those words, Shizu gave another bow.
Her bow, always performed with perfect posture, struck me as beautiful every time I saw it.

As I looked at her with satisfaction, a sailor came to inform us that the Japanese archipelago had come into view.

Since we had left Colombo, stopped over in Singapore, then Hong Kong and Shanghai, what we were seeing now was probably Kyushu.
After that, we would stop in Kobe, and then finally Yokohama, the terminus.

“Come on, Shizu, let’s go look at our homeland!”

“Yes, milady.”

The long journey was finally drawing to its close.

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European routes and Japanese passenger ships:
Before the war, Japan’s European routes had so few users that passenger ships of the sort we imagine today were not in operation. Cargo-passenger ships like the Hikawa Maru in Yokohama were the best Japan had.

The large Nitta Maru-class ships, later converted into aircraft carriers during World War II, were built for the European route, but even those were classified as cargo-passenger ships, not luxury liners.

Even the Asama Maru-class—often called luxury liners for the North American route—and the Kashihara Maru-class, which was converted into a carrier while under construction, were still classified as cargo-passenger ships in Japan. (Although Nippon Yusen Kaisha designated them as “passenger ships.”)

In prewar Japan, purely passenger ships existed only in medium or smaller sizes for domestic services. To be profitable, a ship had to carry a certain amount of cargo, and ships that carried a certain level of cargo were classified as cargo-passenger ships.