Aww the thread from the previously posted chapter is now lost, save this link
PREVIOUS CH.20 DISCUSSION THREAD
Thus begins the rolf stomp of the second nation.
1st - Medieval
2nd - Pre-Industrial (early to mid 1800s)
3rd - WWII
4th - Foreshadowed to be near peer and magic based
The Palpardian Empire (the guys in 1800s western sailing outfits) is not evil for evil's sake. They're making a logical choice to rule by terror, and given that they seriously outclass every other nation in their sphere there's no downside. It's really Japan's fault for failing to impress their military superiority to the other nations. There existence in this world is outside believability, so it falls on them to prove they really are more advance than any other civ in the world. But then you wouldn't get the wars, so the story demands they don't.