The expression "pave the way" (道を敷く) is a literal translation. When translating material that takes place in a historical setting, anachronisms are always a concern. But according to Google's Ngram viewer, "pave the way" dates to the 17th century, while "stand in the vanguard," which sounds more Shakespearean, appears in regular usage only in the 19th century (though the word "vanguard" had entered the English language by the late 15th century).

Labels: 12 kingdoms, black moon, fantasy, japanese, translations