By Kisetsu Morita and Kaito Shibano. Released in Japan as “Oda Nobunaga to Iu Nazo no Shokugyou ga Mahou Kenshi Yori Cheat Datta Node, Oukoku o Tsukuru Koto ni Shimashita” by GA Novels. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Noboru Akimoto.
When I reviewed the first volume in this series, I mentioned that it was by the same author of I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years, but was its polar opposite. After finishing the series, I’ve realized that may not be entirely true. The books are both written for male audiences, but very different kinds of audience. One emphasizes masculinity, the glory of battle and the constant conquest of women. The other barely has any men in it at all, is relaxed and laid-back, and very deliberately has its heroine trying not to work hard at anything. But they are both, in the end, stories about ridiculously powerful people, who we do not really see lose a fight over the course of their series, amassing a string of young women who adore them. They’re found family in the case of Azusa, and concubines/wives/lovers in the case of Alsrod, but really, all Azusa needs now is a massive fortress to defend.
If you are here for surprising twists late in the narrative, I advise you to find some other series, as you could have predicted every single plot beat in this book before you picked it up. Alsrod puts down a rebellion against him – composed of his brother in law and his father in law – and rewards them as traitors deserve. He then pauses, as the king has decided that it’s now time for him to do the fighting, and spends time on his own demesne waiting for the inevitable failure of the royal army to do anything and their pathetic call for help. When this occurs, he is quick to fight, breezing along towards the enemy and having so few issues that his fellow soldiers remark on how easy this is. Inevitably, the king grows terrified of his power and brands him a traitor. But that’s OK, because he has a badass group of women he’s bedded, who are ready to fight wars, argue politics, and even become queen for him. (And then abdicate, because let’s face it, one can only go so far.)
I will mention to horny readers looking for sex that, while there are at least a dozen if not more scenes mentioning Alsrod getting it on with his many women, there are precisely zero that go into the act beyond “and then we did it. Afterwards, in bed, we discussed…” etc. This book is not here to arouse it is here to show you what an awesome, virile man Alsrod is. And oh yes, there’s also Oda Nobunaga. He still offers the occasional bit of advice, mostly on how to build a really good castle. But, as Nobunaga himself admits, he was murdered before he could get to the “conquer the kingdom” part, so Alsrod has gone further than him. Indeed, that might be the purpose of this book. Look, here’s our hero, and he did what Oda Nobunaga could not. And they all lived happily ever after.
The author admits that, while there might be more tales to tell, he’s not going to be doing it, so this is the last book. Which is a very good thing, as I think the book wears out its welcome exactly at this point. It is absolutely the perfect length for what it is. I recommend it to fans of Oda Nobunaga… well, OK, maybe for those who play the Nobunaga’s Ambition game.
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