"Flesh&Blood" Vol. 14 - Pirate Series Reading Club 🏴‍☠ ⛵

[NicoleIsEnough]

“Flesh&Blood” series home thread

Welcome to the “Flesh&Blood” Vol. 14 Reading Club!

Back to Vol. 13
Forward to Vol. 15

Participants

• I am planning to read this book
• I am currently reading this book
• I have finished this book
• I am taking a break and will return
• I have dropped the book and will not return
• I don’t plan to read this book

Please update your status accordingly whenever it changes.

Chapters

Chapter	eBook %	Physical
Chapter 1	3 %	p. 7
Chapter 2	12 %	p. 30
Chapter 3	20 %	p. 50
Chapter 4	29 %	p. 72
Chapter 5	37 %	p. 92
Chapter 6	45 %	p. 113
Chapter 7	53 %	p. 135
Chapter 8	63 %	p. 159
Chapter 9	75 %	p. 191
Chapter 10	89 %	p. 227
あとがき	98 %	p. 252-253

Discussion Rules

Discussing anything is fine, be it about language questions, about the contents or about real historic events! Please state clearly which chapter (or roughly which percentage) you’re referring to, and please hide spoilers. Also, don’t forget the forum etiquette, of course.

Buying the Book

If you’re planning to buy the book on Bookwalker or Amazon and if you’re outside of Japan, you will need a VPN to buy them. Afterwards, you can download it to the app without the need for a VPN. I think you cannot read it in the browser without VPN, though.

Vol. 14 on Bookwalker
Vol. 14 on Amazon

Vocab sheet

FLESH & BLOOD ~ Volume 14 ~ Vocab list

Artwork from volume 14

Full color extras

Summary

Vol 14, ch 1, p 19

Vol 14, ch 6, p 123

Vol 14, ch 8, p 169

Vol 14, ch 9, p 225

Vol 14, ch 10, p 251

あとがき, p 252-253

Historical Figures, Events and Places

The book mentions a lot of real (as far as we know ) historical figures and events. Here are some information resources on them. (Please be aware that if you want to go in 100% blind, these lists will contain some spoilers for you)

Please add Chapter, Page, if possible, when something is mentioned in the story.

Historical Figures and Groups

Martin Frobisher (Ch 7, p 141) Martin Frobisher - Wikipedia
Effingham, Earl of (Ch 9, p 199) Earl of Effingham - Wikipedia

The Royal Diagram

Places and Rivers

Canterbury (Ch 10, p 229) Canterbury - Wikipedia

Historical Events, Things etc

Beltane (ベルティネ) (Ch 8, p 178) Beltane - Wikipedia
MHS Beagle, Charles Darwin’s ship (Ch 8, p 184) HMS Beagle - Wikipedia

Historical, geographical and other inaccuracies

[ekg]

Chapter 1 thoughts

Well, this is a quite surprising chapter. The POV is actually that of…Jan! And we’re getting a glimpse of the whereabouts of both him and Raul! I guess, Matsuoka felt we needed something to keep the fire going literally. Dang, I bet you all didn’t see that one coming!

spoilers
The amount of pure hatred from Jan is refreshing and then Raul’s playful and flirtatious replies! XD Ngl, I kind of like these two, as much as they clearly hate each other. Well, Raul loves to torment Jan, so maybe that’s love. But, well, that was a nice lime for the road!

nice chapter art as well! captures that animosity well I think!

Chapter 2, thoughts

I was also not expecting this time jump, but here we are in Kaito’s POV and apparently it’s now winter. He’s still having trouble eating, though Joan is doing her best to accommodate him. We also learn more about Lily as Kaito and she grows closer. I feel like, they’re real BF:s at this point, having really found comfort about being able to talk about the future they both know and everything they’ve experienced.

But, just because things have calmed down from the end of last volume, doesn’t mean those issues have been dropped, it’s just a bit slow going to get the pot boiling again? XD And on that note, there’s more talk about food, Kaito’s dislike of meat and love of veggies. Seems like the kitchen’s well-stocked, but Kaito is just incredibly hard to please no matter what.

[ekg]

Chapter 3 thoughts

Major spoilers below
Jeoffrey is understandably very frustrated by things, not being able to do more. Lily comes rushing in as Kaito can’t breathe. Jeoffre¨sy smart thinking is what saves Kaito from suffocating from blood clotting in his throat. This is all too scary! It’s clear, Kaito might not have all that long left.

I just noticed this, not sure if this is a first, but Nigel address Jeoffrey with あんた here. Feels, very close.

Anyway, Nigel knows how to chew someone out if he’s set on it. His suspicious nature is showing for sure and it’s all aimed at Lily not being able to do more for Kaito. Which is understandable as he cares deeply for Kaito. And asking Thomas the town doctor, he’s also being fed hope about a cure being developed in London by an acquaintance of Thomas. Being told no by Jeoffrey clearly doesn’t sit well with Nigel, who really wants to bring Kaito to London.

I like this frank and open chat between Jeoffrey and Kit. I feel, like they might have some things in common actually. Suddenly, Nigel is the hot-headed one. XD Well, Kit, being the natural spy he is, has also spotted Sam on the Hoe, searching for something. It brings further mystery to the whole episode in last volume for sure. Just what is is about that place?? And it turns the question back to kaito’s and lily’s strange “closeness”, why she’s sharing in the secret. Also, it seems there’s a mystery around Lily as a person with seemingly no past. Detective Kit is on the case! *dun dun dun

[ekg]

Chapter 4 thoughts

We start off with Jeoffrey leaving for Buckland Abbey and meeting with Drake. Kaito is still wondering about the whole thing of him dreaming about Kazuya, with Lily having suggested it might have just been that: dreams. But, Kaito is clearly struggling to accept that.

major spoilers
Well, this evening is spent with Nigel who makes sure Joan makes Kaito his favorite pie. Lily is out getting herbs. it’s just them. dun dun dun…well turns out Nigel is indeed willing to do anything to help Kaito. He’s decided to take Kaito to London, no matter what, and so has given him a sleeping medicine, knowing full he he’s going against Kaito’s own wishes here. Kaito is at least determined to fight this choice, even if he hurts Nigel in the process. More than anything, he just want to be at Jeoffrey’s side. But, Kaito can’t do much but succumb to the drug…

Chapter 5 thoughts
I just had to read a bit more to see where things go. Basically, we move back to Jeoffrey’s POV. He’s on horseback with Rufus ahead of him with a torch lighting the way, but also getting his beard singed. XD I think this story needs more Rufus in general!

I was a bit confused as to whether we would get a scene with Drake here, but nope, this is Rufus and Jeoffrey returning from Backend Abbey finding the mansion dark, seemingly everyone being a sleep already. Jeoffrey realize how strange that no-one would still be up, immediately thinking the mansion has been raided by Walshingham’s men!

Well, Jeoffrey arrives at the truth of Nigel’s betrayal soon enough as one of the sailors left behind to guard the place is woken from his drugged sleep by Jeoffrey and tells him he at of Joan’s pie brought by Nigel. The culprit and reasoning is pretty obvious by then.

Since it would be dangerous to get the crew to pursue Nigel and Kaito, causing a ruckus and more easily make Kaito detected by Walshingham, in the end they decide to wait and believe in Nigel seeing sense - he’s not out to hurt Kaito in the end.

Once Kit and Lily are back at the mansion with Jeoffrey, he sees a timing to ask the question he’s been dying to ask: why is she getting her man Sam to go to the Hoe every evening and what are they searching for? Will she finally spill the beans…?.. dun dun dun

[ekg]

Chapter 6 thoughts

Kaito wakes up to a truly frightening experience that most people would find completely nightmarish, being in a wooden box while hearing sounds of digging. O_O Matsuoka-sensei is bringing them horror vibes here!

Turns out things aren’t as horrendous as first presumed, but he’s faced with Nigel still set on bringing him to London. Kaito is not impressed! He recognize the depth of Nigel’s fears of loss since his sister died, how traumatic that was for him, but it changes nothing - there will be no cure to tuberculosis in this age of human history. All he wants it so return to Jeoffrey and spend as much time with him (and Nigel) as is afforded him.

In the end, just as Jeoffrey predicted, Nigel is chance-less once Kaito is awake again. He just can’t deny him what he wants and Nigel’s lacking conviction for his own side of the arguments is showing, he needed Kaito’s okay to continue on to London. And when he didn’t get that, he folds and so he and Kaito returns back to Jeoffrey’s mansion finally.

Edit:
So, Nigel arrives back with Kaito in tow. Kaito is well taken cared of again, but Nigel has hardly endeared himself to any of the others with this antics. Jeoffrey greets him with a well deserved Well, that could have gone so much worse for sure. The chapter ends on a note of relief but also of unresolved tension from Nigel’s actions.
But for Kaito, he knows he belongs with Jeoffrey and there’s no where else he wants to be.

[ekg]

Chapter 7 thoughts
Kaito and Jeoffrey are talking politics and England’s war efforts and preparations and the dangers of not fully preparing not only weapon supply lines but rather food and provisions for the ships. I though this convo very interesting about the harsh and hidden pitfalls of waging war. In the end, politics creates enemies both outside of a country but also inside of it in times of war. But that’s not the only interesting thing happening in this convo. It’s really Kaito showing his love and dedication to Jeoffrey, to them all on Gloria, wanting and wishing them to win the upcoming war, even if he’s not there to see it. )

Jeofrey is busy writing down what Kaito’s been telling him, so he won’t forget all the helpful facts about the Spanish armada’s fighting power. Kaito is clearly going all out in telling Jeoffrey everything he knows! Makes me wonder how he’s telling Jeoffrey this, since he has only predicted stuff after doing his uranai-role-playing with Jeoffrey, unlike with Vincente.

Language confusion on p 145
According to Jisho 嘲弄 is read ちょうろう meaning scorn, mockery, ridicule. But the furigana spellsout ちょうしょう which should be written 嘲笑 meaning scornful laughter; ridicule; derision; sneer​ according to Jisho. I guess it could be one of those “alterantive readings” uses of furigana, but the slight difference in meaning here and what the purpose of this change is - eludes me.

Kit arrives with some disturbing news. He’s spotted some new guy at the local pub asking questions it seems, which means Walshingham is closing in on them again. It’s decided they need to get out of the mansion, since it’s just a matter of time before it will be found. Kit is to return to town and do some spying on his own.

Major spoilers
Apparently, Jeoffrey is willing to do literally anything to make sure Kaito is kept away from Walshingham’s cutches, and so, he transfer rights to the mansion onto Nigel along with Gloria! o_o His reason is undeniable in its logic: if he’s arrested there is little chance of him being let go/survive the imprisonment with the brand of prior sins on him. He’s planning for what happens after his own death as much as Kaito has been doing. Obviously, this plan of leaving Nigel behind to tend to Gloria and her crew, while Jeoffrey is likely to be imprisoned and tortured, isn’t something he’ll accept. So, Jeoffrey involved Joan here to make sure Nigel can’t put a stop to it, using any means she sees fit to bring Nigel away from here so no blame can fall on him as well. Go Joan! Save Maito!

[ekg]

Chapter 8 thoughts

They make use of the hidden passageway and escape the mansion undetected, though it’s a hurdle for Kaito who’s considerably weak and need of constant support.

ngl, I thought it OC for Lily to get all prudish about Jeoffrey’s chat with Kaito.

Well, they set up camp in the small cottage. Sam has gotten a fire going so it’s warm and cozy.

New vocab learnt: 臀部 ~ でんぶ ~ buttocks​! XD

臀 #kanji - Jisho.org

I guess it has a more scientific/anatomy feel compared to using 尻.

Big spoilers ahead
Kaito has another close call with bloody phlegm obstructing his breathing. Lovely chapter art even if it’s of sad events. After resting, Kaito talks a bit with Lily and they come back to Kazuya never appearing on the Hoe as they thought he would. Lily talked with Kit about the history of the Celts and now she’s putting together a new interpretation about the time-tunnel, that perhaps the 2 different dates might involve either entrance/exit-timings. not sure I understood it all, tbh, but it boils down to the likely date for a time-slip would be Beltane, 1st of May, which is midway between the summer and winter solstices and a Gaelic celebration day.

Fun fact, even today May 1st is a public holiday in Sweden. Though the reason for that is less to do with ancient customs. That would be the night before, Valborgsmässoafton which is celebrated much like Beltane is, with bonefires and food and drink. As for May 1st it’s been a day of political marches and rallying, allowing people to take part in political life regardless of their affiliations, though historically centered on Arbetarrörelsen, Worker’s rights/labor. Första maj – Wikipedia

More big spoilers
Well, with all that theorizing out of the day, it seems we’re one step closer to unraveling the mystery behind the time slips so far. Now for how to make good use of this information! Which brings us back to Lily’s idea that Kaito should try to get back to the 20 Century and that Kaito will be able to get back to Jeoffrey after fully recovering from Tuberculosis. it’s as good a plan as anything, since there is no help to be had in the 16th Century. Finally, Kaito is thinking about coming clean to Jeoffrey about the truth about himself! he just needs to prove it!

Chapter 9 thoughts

Big spoilers
Well, it’s finally time for the big reveal. I can’t even begin to imagine what sort of reaction I’d have if someone laid down this sort of story in my lap. ^^; Well, Kaito starts off with apologizing for lying to Jeoffrey all this time. Then continues with the truth about how he arrived on the Hoe, from the 21th Century. He’s also goes through the “proof” he’s gathered from his belongings, which involves explaining the actual meaning of the contents of his wallet.

Jeoffrey is having a hard time believing in things. But asking Lily about who commanded the English fleet during the fight against the Spanish Armada, she correctly names the Earl of Effingham as commander-in-chief, that Drake would board the Revenge for the final fight as well as the royal lineage of England.

In the end, what brings Jeoffrey over is the sincerity he sees in Kaito’s eyes, his fear of rejection and not being believed.

With that long and difficult chat done, it’s time for the main point: getting Kaito back to the future where modern medical science has a cure for Tuberculosis. Jeoffrey, takes it in like a champ! Kaito is simply not aware how dire Jeoffrey’s position is now that he’s fled his own home. Suspicion is quite enough for Walshingham to have him imprisoned, whether Kaito can be found in this world or not. Still, Jeoffrey being the lovable man he is, decides to make sure Kaito is saved not matter what, including hiding what might happen to him once Kaito has left (since knowing that might make Kaito stay until certain death).

Language musing
Interesting to see 疑わしきは罰せず twisted around to 疑わしきは罪する

Final spoilers for chapter
As much as this chapter is an emotional roller-coaster, it ends with soft-loving notes as Kaito insists on them finally consuming their love for each other (he’s consulted Lily about how to decrease risk of transferal. let’s just say, whether this is realistic or not, I’m not saying no to a lemon! …(but, obviously, the slow burn must continue for a while yet, bitter-sweet kisses are on offer at least.

Chapter 10 thoughts
This chapter is rounding off some intense highs and lows in this volume. What will happen next is an open question for both Kaito and Jeoffrey, though they’re bound to continue loving each other I feel. ^>^

Spoilers, and more spoilers
But, it wouldn’t be like Matsuoka-sensei if this farwell didn’t also happen under duress, and so, Walshingham’s subordinates make their move and have already started searching through the mansion, which Kit brings news about. They need to make a move, and quick! And of course, the won’t get a quiet moment on the Hoe either, as Joan intercepts them with news after being told by Lily to find them there. Warden and his men are on their way! O_O

I love Jeoffrey’s and Kaito’s, finally honest conversation here, it’s like a huge burden has been lifted even as things look even more dire than ever for both of them. At least they know where they have each other. Jeoffrey is trying to make his way through the snow and darkness, searching blindly, guided by Kaito’s guesses of where the time-tunnel might appear.

And just as last time, they stumble upon it, only to also be found out by Warden and his men. In the end, Kaito realize that Jeoffrey knew this is how it would end for him - caught by Walshingham. Regardless, he has to go through with things and so, as Kaito disappears into the light, Jeoffrey gives up and allows himself to be taken into custody…

Matsuoka-sensei: you’re killing my heart here! and that stunning chapter art at the very end.