Translator: Skythewood
Editor: N/A
「─ Damn it!」
Matthew who was still furious charged up to the deck, and stamped his feet and kicked the base of the main mast. Torway who followed soothed him in a calm tone.
「Ma-chan, the ship is innocent.」
「Yes, that’s true! But we didn’t do anything wrong that deserved punishment of eating fish that is on the verge of rotting too!」
As he was yelling, his stomach rumbled loudly. Matthew immediately turned deflated, and he laid down in frustration. Torway didn’t say anything under the dark sky that was gradually engulfing the ocean, and simply sat down beside his friend.
「… Hey, why does that woman hate us so much?」
「Hmm～ just having a member of the army boarding the same ship as her was enough to piss her off…」
「If it’s such a trivial reason, will she kept harassing and abusing us? Seeing how much work needs to be done on the ship, they aren’t that free either. Is the dissatisfaction amongst the crew so bad that they had to resort seeking entertainment through bullying… If that is so, then the ship is in a bad spot right from the start.」
Matthew knew what he was saying wasn’t the correct answer. He didn’t want to admit it, but the crew of the 「Tyrannosaur」 were very united under Lieutenant Jurgus. They were a group that didn’t need to vent their stress by sacrificing the well being of outsiders.
「Then, is that woman just a sadist…? If that is true, then we are done for, damn it!」
Matthew’s punch landed weakly on the deck. Torway didn’t know what to say to his depressed friend. After failing to find a solution, he decided to change the topic to prep themselves up.
「Hey Ma-chan, can I ask something?」
「What?」
「It’s embarrassing to say, but I don’t understand the structure of a sail ship at all. This might sound stupid… But the wind blowing at the ship should be horizontal to our bearing right? How are we still able to move forward?」
Torwaygazed out into the dark sea beyond the railing as he tilted his head confusedly. After a while Matthew who was stil laying sprawled on the deck said:
「… This is an important part when explaining the functionality of the sails. Roughly speaking, the water resistance against the keel will keep the ship from losing its bearing, and the sails will only draw out the force moving forward from the wind blowing at an angle… something like that.」
「Uggh～ That’s difficult to understand. It’s easy to imagine being pushed from behind by the wind…」
「Yes, it is difficult. The sail ship in the past can only move forward with a tailwind, so during that era, they could only set sail when the wind was in their favour. That was why the navigating technique of adjusting the sails to travel against the wind was a revolutionary discovery for seafarers─」
「Oh～ you are really knowledgeable for a land dweller, impressive.」
At this moment, a hoarse voice interrupted them. Matthew propped himself up in surprise, and saw an elderly man with a snow white beard had appeared before them with a walking stick in hand.
「However, you won’t understand seafaring if you don’t try it yourself… This might sound condescending, but this logic will apply in any other fields.」
「… Grandpa, who might you be?」
「Hmm? Me? I’m just the captain of this ship.」
Despite what he said, Matthew and Torway couldn’t take these words at face value… His wrinkled pants that had been rolled up to his knees looked somewhat like a navy uniform, but they couldn’t find any rank insignia on the sleeveless shirt hanging on his skinny torso.
For a military vessel of this size, the Ship Captain should be a high ranking sailor equivalent to an army field grade officer. However, they couldn’t feel the authority befitting such a rank from the sloppily dressed old man before them. On the other hand, it was unlikely that he would lie under such circumstances, so Matthew and Torway stood up and saluted with some doubts in their mind.
「P-Pardon me, Sir Captain. I’m Second Lieutenant, Matthew Tetzirich from the army.」
「Also from the Army, First Lieutenant Torway Remeon reporting. Erm… my apologies, but may I have your name, Sir Captain…」
「I’m Naval Commander Ragieshī Kutsuchi. Just call me Captain. Pommy ask others to call her Boss Jurgus too right? This ship isn’t that calculative about such matters.」
「Sorry for greeting you so late. Lieutenant Jurgus didn’t mention anything, and we didn’t meet you until today, so we thought you would only be boarding at the next harbour…」
Seeing the two of them lower their heads in a panic, Naval Commander Kutsuchi simply shook his head with a smile.
「Don’t worry about it. As you can see, I’m actually half retired. I might still retain my title as captain, but I had handed the de facto command to Pommy. I’m no different from a decoration now.」
「We are aware of that after these few days… But compared to Sir Captain, Lieutenant Jurgus seemed very young. Isn’t it too early to hand the reins over to her now?」
「Age isn’t a problem. The navy is a meritocracy, and demands the ability to handle adverse situations..」
「… Is she really that good? I can’t believe it. She had no intentions of working with us seriously just because she thinks land dwellers are an eyesore.」
Matthew couldn’t help stating what he really felt, and the old man laughed.
「Well… She is outstanding in terms of seafaring abilities. There are probably just five people in the entire navy who are better in navigating a mid sized vessel than her.」
The slightly pudgy youth looked unhappy when he heard the person he detest being held in such high regard. Naval Commander Kutsuchi who was amused by this reaction continued:
「However, I have my reservation on whether she qualifies in other aspects. For example, the way she interacts with you two brings out these worrying factors.」
「… I’m curious about this part. Why does she hate us so much? It might be unpleasant for outsiders to board her ship, but I don’t think that is the entire story.」
「… Hmm, youngest son of house Remeon, you seem to be a talented student. I can sense kindness from your demeanour, that is wonderful.」
「Huh…?」
「However, it’s hard for you to understand how Pommy feels with such wholesome thinking─ so that’s where you come in, boy from house Tetzirich.」
「Me...? What’s this all about?」
「You just need to think from a different perspective. Alright, you are now Pommy, a new naval officer that had been trained by the Katjvarna navy. You are also a member of house Jurgus, one of 『The Three Loyal House』, a girl of noble bloodline. You are conscious of your standings and family history, and on top of that, you are young and your pride knows no bounds— however, you have a weak point. You have never been through live combat.」
The elderly man explained smoothly, and Matthew was completely captivated.
「Since you have never been on a battlefield, you won’t have the chance to achieve any war merits. Hence, no matter how capable you might be, you won’t be hailed as a hero. This is only natural but─ just went you were feeling anxious about this situation, a small incident happened. Without any warning to brace yourself mentally, a group younger than you with the titles of Imperial Knights and revered as heroes appeared before you. How would you feel if that happens?」
At this point, the youth looked at Naval Commander Kutsuchi with an enlightened attitude.
.
「… Jealousy, anxious, competitiveness… This sort of emotions? Is that why she is so hostile?」
「So you reached that conclusion easily. Yes, that’s how it is. Pommy is jealous of you, that’s why she despise you to the point of not even wanting to work together with you.」
The Naval Commander sighed as he spoke, and Matthew scratched his head with his right hand.
「Jealousy…? A member of house Jurgus is jealous of me…? How is that possible…」
「You finally realized that you are now on the side that is being envied? But, there is nothing to be embarrassed about. The fact that you only realized this fact now is proof that your eyes are set on higher heights─ you are not satisfied with how things are right now, and has set your sights on an incredibly lofty goal, correct?」
Matthew was rendered speechless by the such an astute observation, and the old man laughed cheerfully in a croaking voice.
「Anyway, that’s how things stands. So what will you do? If what I said left you completely disappointed about Pommy, I will use my authority to send you back to the flagship. You will be able to enjoy the privileges accorded to esteemed guests there.」
When Torway was offered the chance to flee which he had been craving for, he turned to his friend on reflex. However, the mildly fat youth fell into deep thoughts with furrowed brows, and shook his head after a short moment:
「… I’m grateful for the offer, but I will have to turn you down. That will be no different from running away.」
「Ma-chan……」
「Go back to the flagship, Torway. You don’t need to accommodate my stubborness.」
Torway immediately shook his head and rejected this kind offer. Matthew smiled wryly at this expected reaction. Because if their positions were reversed, he would have done the same.
「So you won’t run? You two have some backbones.」
「I’m just pissed off about being on the receiving end with no avenue of retaliating. I’m not such a merciful guy.」
Matthew smiled boldly. Torway was relieved that his friend had gotten his spirit back, and started thinking with a hand on his chin.
「… But what should we do, specifically? It’s no easy task to make Lieutenant Jurgus see us in a new light…」
「To be honest, I haven’t thought of a plan yet─ But there’s hope too. Because the atmosphere in this ship will change drastically tomorrow.」
Matthew said with certainty. The other youth looked troubled as he didn’t understand why he thought that way, and Matthew raised the corners of his lips maliciously.
「Haven’t you been keeping count of the days? If we are going according to schedule, then this ship will reached the last resupply port tomorrow.」
「… Ahh!」
「That’s right. The drawn out battle will end today. Let’s prepare for the counteroffensive with our reinforcements, Torway.」
The next morning. Including the 「Tyrannosaur」, the Katjvarna First Fleet called at port Tatsuku located in the southeast of the Empire just as Matthew predicted. The twelve military vessels standing by here would also join the fleet. After setting sail from this port, the Kioka sea would just be a short hop away.
「Okay! Stop slacking off! Load up the ship quickly!」
Lieutenant Jurgus who was standing on deck directed the seamen transporting the goods. And of course Matthew’s group was amongst them, carrying the seemingly never ending crates and barrels. They started at 10 in the morning, but there was no sign of stopping even when noon passes.
「… Too slow! What is he doing…!」
Matthew who was drenched in sweat carried a barrel as he kept grumbled in a way no different from cursing. Even though the ship had just reached the port, the key person he had been waiting for still wasn’t here. And with the excuse of carrying cargo, the Naval Lieutenant started getting cocky.
「Hey, fatty and beanpole! Why are you two so slow!? We can’t finish by nightfall if you keep this up!」
「… Ughh! In that case, come down and help too! Being a naval officer sure is an easy job huh, just stand around and yell at others all day!」
「Huh～? Is that a pig snorting? I can’t understand that at all!」
「Damn it…!」
The loading of the goods will being yelled at continued for three more hours, and it was almost evening. Most of the cargo has been loaded up, but the reinforcement they were waiting for was still not here.
「Ughh…!」
Matthew and Torway worked together to carry the last barrel that was incredibly heavy up onto the deck. As the two of them leaned against the railing to catch their breath after performing such harsh labor, the Naval Lieutenant issued an harsh order
「Okay! The resupply is finally finished! You lot, pull up the gangway!」
「… Ughh! W-Wait─」「「「「「「「「Yes! Boss Jurgus!」」」」」」」」
The seamen pull up the only path connecting the ship to the harbour after receiving their orders. They were so swift that Matthew and Torway could only stand at the side and stare blankly.
「Seems like the person you are waiting for didn’t make it? Such a shame～」
Seeing that their hopes had been dashed, Lieutenant Jurgus sneered. The two of them were too shocked to speak.
「How can that be… Are you serious… He didn’t come…」
The slightly pudgey youth couldn’t even muster the strength to stand, and fell on his knees. But before their spirits were completely crushed, the barrel they just carried up started shaking behind them.
「─ No, I’m already here.」
「……!」
「The star of the show will always make his appearance late. Here I come~! Someone called for me!? Dang dang dang!」
The lid on the barrel flew off with that familiar voice. Matthew and Torway turned around in surprise, and saw their sorely missed raven hair friend whose lower body was still inside the barrel.
「Ik…Ik-kun!」「Ikuta!」
Light returned to their solemn faces. Ikuta who was satisfied that his sneak attack work stepped out of the barrel and puffed his chest out arrogantly.
「My friend Matthew and ikeman, it’s been a while. I’m really touched by your welcome, hiding inside the barrel and enduring the moldy smell is worth it after all.」
「I… I was wondering why that barrel was so heavy, so it’s because you…! Just report here normally, damn it!」
「We have been waiting for you, Ik-kun…! I thought we can’t link up with you back then…!」
Their relief was evident in their voices. Ikuta noticed from their attitudes that something happened before he was here.
「It hasn’t been long since we last met, and you two look really thin. What happened? Is the food portions in the navy really stingy?」
「No, we can’t even spare the effort to worry about that─ uwah!」
While the three of them were talking, a sabre suddenly thrust in. Lieutenant Jurgus looked at the stowaway unhappily.
「Is this the third person? You are acting all cocky despite being late, what’s with that?」
She said angrily. From the gloom on Matthew and Torway’s faces, Ikuta could guess what happened on this ship.
「─ My deep apologies! I’m Army First Lieutenant, Ikuta Solork. Please call me Ik-kun intimately.」
「Who will call you that, retard! Just barrel-boy will do for you!」
「Then please call me barrel-boy intimately. Fufu, she gave me a nickname already, that means I have a chance right, Matthew!?」
Despite Jurgus’ intimidating tone, Ikuta was still carefree and relaxed. This was the first time the Naval Lieutenant met an opponent like this. She didn’t know what to say, and Ikuta seized the initiative and asked:
「Well then, dear onee-san, can you tell me your name?」
「…I’m First Grade Lieutenant Polminue Jurgus, the one in charge of this ship. Let me make this clear, you will address me as Boss Jurgus.」
「Okay, got it! By the way, how old are you, Pol-chan?」
In this instance, everyone except Ikuta froze. Lieutenant Jurgus’ face grew incredibly tense.
「… Hey, wait. What did you just say? What did you call me?」
「Hmm～ I think you are twenty… Am I right?」
「Listen properly! What did you just call me? Say it!」
The agitated Naval Lieutenant placed her blade on Ikuta’s chest. Ikuta cast a casual glance at the saber that reflected the glaring light of the sun, and tilted his head puzzledly.
「It’s dangerous to treat weapons like a toy, Pol-chan. You might cut your finger. Look, just like this.」
After saying that, the youth waved his left hand that was missing its pinkie. Lieutenant Jurgus was shocked by the sight of that, but tried to act calm as her subordinates were present too. She yelled fiercely:
「D-Does this look like a toy to you! What do you mean by Pol-chan!? If you look down on me, I will cut you into two!」
「Hufufu, it’s futile if you are trying to scare me. Come on then.」
「Huh…!」
Ikuta wasn’t fazed by the blade pointing at his chest, and tried to go near Lieutenant Jurgus. When the tip was about to pierce through his skin, Jurgus pulled her saber back in a panic.
「U-Uwah…!」
「Ahaha, there’s no killing intent behind your blade at all, Pol-chan. And you have never cut anyone down before, right? If you have experience, you will break the skin a little without killing me at this juncture. But you couldn’t do it, because you don’t know how deep you can stab without killing me.」
Ikuta gently pushed away the blade with his palm and approached her. Sensing danger, the Naval Lieutenant backed away, but it was too late. The next moment, Ikuta was already before her with his hands around her back.
「No matter what, let’s have a hug to commemorate our first meeting. Hug──」
「Huh? Uwahhh!」
The shock of being hugged by a man for the first time made the descendent of Jurgus scream. Under the watchful eyes of the crew, she fell into a panic and kept hitting the back of her assailant with the hilt of her saber.
「That hurts, you are really pure. But thanks, I haven’t had so much fun in a long time.」
After enjoying the soft sensation through the sleeveless vest, Ikuta let go of the Naval Lieutenant with a satisfied face. The youth then paused for a moment, then lift up the thing in his right hand towards the girl panting and glaring at him.
「By the way, Pol-chan, I just happened to pick something up…」
At a glance, it was a long strip of cloth with two half sphere attached to it. Lieutenant Jurgus realized what that was a short moment later, and reached for her breasts even though she thought it was impossible─ when she didn’t touch the material she was expecting to be there, her face turned green.
「W-When did you…!」
「Hmm～ whose is this? The clue is that the owner has a bust size of 78cm.」
「Don’t say out the number! G-Give it back!」
She tried to take back her undergarment with a murderous face, but Ikuta dodged the Naval Lieutenant’s hand while humming, then ran away. Lieutenant Jurgus was very unfortunate, and learned how horrible Ikuta was at running away after meeting him for the first time.
「The one who got tagged come this way~ where the clapping sound is～♪」
「Stay right there～～!」
He dashed from the front of the ship right to the end, then reached for the rope ladder at the rear mast and scaled it at a speed comparable to a cockroach. His climbing abilities had been honed by his frequent tree climbing, and even Lieutenant Jurgus couldn’t match him.
「Hey～! Did anyone in the harbour drop this bra～!」
「Uwah～! Stop! Stop that ahhh!」
The bra held up high at the top of the mast fluttered in the sea breeze. In the face of this embarrassing sight, the crew just stood dumbfoundedly, while Matthew and Torway looked on with their hands on their stomachs.
「Fuhahaha…! L-Look, Torway! All our suffering got paid back with interest!」
「Ahahaha…! As… As expected of Ik-kun, he might not act as predicted, but he would never betray our expectations!」
A fight for the bra broke out at 15m above sea level. It was a rarely seen low level fight in recent years, which made the two of them forget all the frustrations they had for the past few days, and laughed so hard they couldn’t even breath.
The tide had turned. With the arrival of their reinforcement, the defensive battle had ended─ and the counteroffensive began.
The arrival of Ikuta changed the environment of the 「Tyrannosaur」 more drastically than Matthew expected. Lieutenant Jurgus had marked him as a target and set her sights completely on him.
「─ Hmmp! You can’t even tie a quick knot!? You landlubbers are really useless!」
The day after leaving port, the Naval Lieutenant summoned Matthew’s group to the deck at noon, and started her abuse while using training as an excuse.
This time, she demanded the group to practice knot tying. Different knots would need to be tied depending on the situation, and differs from the knots used on land, so even Torway who had nimble hands had a tough time.
「It’s impossible for us to know if we never learned it before! Can you clean an Air Shooter out of the blue!?」
「Shut up, fatty! Respect my authoritah! Just shut your mouth and move your hands as instructed!」
Unable to withstand her harsh lecture, Matthew gritted his teeth. At this moment, he noticed something from the corner of his eye. Behind the Naval Lieutenant who was puffing her chest out arrogantly was a wobbly figure.
「… That’s right, studies of rope usage is deep and had no boundaries. I feel bad about letting you teach us one sidedly, so let me reciprocate your kindness─ take this!」
「─ Uwah!」
The ropes criss crossed in a complicated manner on his target. The youth moved so swiftly that there were after images as he tied the knots in various places, and ended by pulling the ropes in his hands hard.
「「「「「「「「Woooahhh!」」」」」」」」
A miracle happened which made everyone watching open their eyes wide. The incredible thing was, the ropes on the Naval Lieutenant formed two perfectly matching hexagon around her breasts.
「Tortoise Shell Bondage… This is the art of rope tying. Using bondage to bring out the beauty of a woman’s body!」
<TL: Kikkou shibari >
「Hyaaa!」
The tight ropes made her breasts even more prominent, and the embarrassed Lieutenant Jurgus squatted down. She wanted to cover her chest with her arms, but she couldn’t move them as they had been tied up too. In the end, she looked even more erotic than when she was standing up.
「U-Untie me! Untie me right now!」
「Ara, don’t say that, Pol-chan, this really suits you.」
「Are you kidding me…! You… you lot, what are you just standing around for! Hurry up and untie this!」
The immobile Naval Lieutenant seeked help from her subordinates. The seamen hurried over, but hesitated. Because no one knew how to undo the bindings.
「Boss, we have never seen this knot before…」
「Then cut it! Are those things on your waist just decorations!?」
There were no other way since she said so. Her subordinates were still hesitant, but they still drew out their blades and cut off the ropes one by one. After getting liberated from the ropes, the Naval Lieutenant glared at the youth who created all this trouble with furious eyes.
「You jerk, how dare you mock me by doing that…! Don’t think you can get away scot free!」
The Naval Lieutenant signaled her subordinates to surround him with her gaze. However Matthew and Torway acted without hesitation when they realized what she was trying to do. They led their eight subordinates and stood before Ikuta.
「… Hey hey, I think it’s unlikely, but are you trying to gang up on him with so many people?」
「Out of the way! You want me to beat you up too!?」
「If you want a fight, I will gladly give you one. But cool your head and look at yourself. Ikuta only teased you, and you are the only one who got humiliated. In other words, this is a personal matter between Ikuta and you, right? There are crews are not involved in this.」
「…… Ugh!」
「I heard that 『The humiliation one suffered has to be redeemed by your own strength』, which is the spirit expected of a warrior of the sea. Is the leader of this ship a useless bum who can’t clean up after herself without relying on her subordinate’s strength?」
With this ideal being used as a shield, the Naval Lieutenant could only grit her teeth in rage. If she gang up on Ikuta like this, that would be lowering herself to that of a fool, like what Matthew said. It might led to her losing her subordinate’s trust.
「If you want to fight, then do it yourself. Capture Ikuta with your own strength, then you can kick him or beat him up however you want. If you follow this rule, we won’t get in your way.」
Matthew said with a fearless smile. The defiance of someone she had looked down all this while made Lieutenant Jurgus’ face turned beet red. Ikuta waved at her with a casual smile.
「Are you done chatting? Alright then, come, Pol-chan, try and catch me!」
This taunt was the final blow, and something snapped in Lieutenant Jurgus’ mind. She drew her saber with quivering hands, and charged at the raven haired youth at full speed.
「Very well! I will cut you down ahhhh!」
What happened next was a repeat of yesterday. Even in an enclosed space like a ship, capturing Ikuta who was running with all his might was nigh impossible. They ran thirteen rounds clockwise around the deck, eight rounds counterclockwise, then climbed up and down the fore, aft, and main mast four times each. After chasing him around the ship for so long, the exhausted Lieutenant Jurgus finally collapsed onto her knees.
「… Are… Are you a monster…?」
She looked up the mast as she panted, and found the youth waving with ease at her up there… She kept yelling after getting taunted; making unnecessary movements in her pursuit; while Ikuta moved efficiently with his calm understanding of the ship’s structure— the combination of all these resulted in the gulf in the stamina they used.
「I win today. Let’s play again tomorrow, Pol-chan.」
Ikuta climbed down the rope ladder to an adequate height before jumping down to the deck. He then walked pass the dumbfounded crew, and went below deck casually.
Maybe she was afraid that things would turn out the same if she took action while she was tired? Lieutenant Jurgus held back on her usual abuse on the next day, and focus on the ship’s operation together with her crew… However, when she was heading towards the lowest rung of the foremast to retract the sail, the person she had been avoiding suddenly poked his head out.
「Fufufu, Pol-chan.」 「Uwahhh!」
She was so surprised that she let go of the sail, and her feet slip off the ropes she was standing on. Oh no, I will fall— as the Naval Lieutenant was thinking about that with her eyes shut tightly, ropes weaved into a complicated manner stopped her fall.
「… Huh…?」
「Alright! I caught one Pol-chan!」
Ikuta lifted his hands and cheered after the Naval Lieutenant fell into the trap hanging below the mast. She realized this situation a step slower than the others, and couldn’t move since she was all tied up.
「R-Release me! Release me right now!」
「Alright alright, no need to panic. Ehh… Move this here, shift this there…」
Ikuta brushed off the Naval Lieutenant’s scream with a nonchalant smile, then adjusted the ropes binding her.When the crew gathered after noticing the commotion, Ikuta was already done.
「Okay, it’s finished... Suspended bondage-‧菱绳绑法! It’s the simplified version that forego the groin part, but... Yes! As expected of me, well done!」
Ikuta crossed his arms and smiled casually. As for the Naval Lieutenant with her limbs tied behind her and her body suspended in mid air facing downwards, the only means of retaliation available to her was to lash out in anger.
「Damn it! Damn it! You are not reflecting on your actions at all, how dare you do the same thing you did yesterday…!」
「… Huh? Same thing? You said same thing? No! Absolutely not! Look carefully, today is 菱绳绑法 that binds the entire body! Yesterday was the tortoise shell bondage that emphasize the breasts! The scale and the artistic sense are completely different!」
「Who cares about your perverted insistence! Hey, don’t just stand there! Help me get these ropes off!」
The crew wanted to rush to the Naval Lieutenant’s side on hearing her orders, but Ikuta stopped them adamantly.
「Wait! It’s too early to do that now! You have not enjoyed the climax of this bondage show yet!」
After forcing the crew back with his strangely passionate gaze, Ikuta turned towards his suspended prey, then pulled out the long and narrow stick that was on his belt.
「Please enjoy─ Hee! Poke!」
「… Hyaaa! Ermm! Ughh! Hyaaa!」
Lieutenant Jurgus screamed shrilly after her flank was poked. Her scream was so different from the image she usually has, and the crew were mesmerized.
「Yes! That’s it! There are few things more enjoyable than the reaction of a girl who is poked in such a situation! Poke poke!」
「Ahh! Hyaa! Stop! Stop it! Please stop～!」
The youth then spent the next three minutes poking his prey before sighing with satisfaction.
「… Good, I had my fill. That’s enough for me─ Hey you.」
Ikuta turned around and handed the stick he was using to one of the crew standing dumbfoundedly at the side. The youth then showed a brilliant smile, and said to the crew who was staring blankly at the stick in his hand:
「Muster your courage and try it. Don’t worry, you will definitely experience a new world.」
「… Erm… Huh?」
Without giving him time to think, Ikuta went around his back and shoved him hard. Before Lieutenant Jurgus could speak, Ikuta grabbed his right wrist and thrust forth.
「Hyaa!」
「…… Ughh!」
Lieutenant Jurgus’ cry caused a sweet numbing sensation to flash across the crew’s minds. Feeling that the time was right, Ikuta let go of the seaman’s hand. Without needing anyone to push him, the seaman raised his trembling hand and poked the stick.
「Ugh! Erm! ─Ummm… Hanji! You asshole! What are you… Ahh mmm!」
「… Ah! W-What did I do!?」
Hanji snapped out of it and let go of the stick. The other crew also returned to their senses and rescued their superior officer who was suspended in mid air.
After the ropes were cut and she was freed, Lieutenant Jurgus punched Hanji right on the bridge of his nose, then started searching the ship with tears in her eyes. But she couldn’t find Ikuta after sweeping through every nook and cranny.
The same commotion and the pursuit after the commotion happened four times. But there wasn’t any pursuit by the fifth time. By the sixth time, Lieutenant Jurgus’ broke down mentally.
「Boss! Please come out! Please, Boss Jurgus!」
The crew knocked on the door where their supervising officer was hiding in, and their painful wails could be heard on the entire ship.
In another room, Torway and his comrade looked at the culprit with a stiff face as they listened to these screams.
「… I learn how terrifying Ik-kun is once again…」
「… Huh? Hey, what are you saying, ikeman. The show is just getting started, I haven’t used even a tenth of my rope tying techniques yet!」
Speaking of Ikuta, he was lying in one of the hammocks in the room, and playing around with the ropes in his hands.
On the other hand, Matthew who was sitting with his back to the wall near the window shook his head with a sigh.
「No, please stop… you did get back at her for us, but this doesn’t feel right… Or rather, you are mixing up your goal with your means…」
The slightly pudgy youth closed his eyes troubledly─ their goal wasn’t to push Lieutenant Jurgus to the brink of insanity with these perverted assaults. Matthew had to steer the situation into a peaceful resolution, and let both sides acknowledge each other as a comrades on the same ship.
「Ughh… What should I do to achieve this goal…」
Matthew’s thoughts were stuck in a loop, and Torway looked at him worriedly─ at this moment, Torway noticed a strange shadow flashed past the window above his friend.
「… That is…」
「What’s the matter, Torway?」
The mildly plump youth was momentarily stunned to see Torway rushing to the window. But before Torway could speak, the noise informed them of the sudden emergency.
「Unidentified vessel sighted to the starboard side! All hands enter class 2 alert!」
The lazy atmosphere in the room changed. Ikuta was the first to slide off the hammock and charged for the crossbow leaning against the wall. Matthew and Torway followed his lead and slung their Air Shooter onto their shoulders.
「─ Boss! Did you hear that!? It’s class 2… Uwahh!」
After the scream of the seaman came the sound of something crashing onto the floor. The seaman was probably sent flying by the door that was opened suddenly. Matthew grunted softly when he heard someone dashing across the corridor.
「How’s the situation with the unknown vessel?」
After charging out of the officer quarters Lieutenant Jurgus had shut herself in, she rushed up to the deck and asked the lookout keeping watch at the crow’s nest. The seaman replied with his eyes still glued to his binoculars:
「Direction, Northwest West, about 3 nautical miles from us. There’s heavy fog over the waters, I can’t tell anything more than that!」
「Priority is to confirm if that is a war vessel, next is to check if it is part of a fleet─ Signalman, have you contacted the flagship?」
「We already sent light signals! Currently awaiting reply!」
Instructions and responses kept ranging out. The air was tense in a completely different way than before. At this moment, Matthew’s trio and their subordinate also came on deck.
「Hey! What’s the situation? Should we get armed and standby in the middle of the deck?」
「Shut up! I didn’t ask for you! Just stay in your cabin!」
She replied icily. Matthew clicked his tongue, he was hoping that they would work together naturally when things get tense, but it wouldn’t be so easy.
「Matthew, Torway, get your guys to lock and load. Do so for your Air Shooter too. Use this chance to look for cover on the deck, and be ready to engage in a shootout at any time.」
Ikuta gave his instructions in a quiet voice, and his comrades took action immediately. Compared to the other crew, their heart entered the battlefield one step ahead of them.
「Alright, what should we do about this?」
At the same time in another place. On the deck of the flagship 「Yellow Dragon」 that was in the center of the fleet, fleet commander Admiral Erynphin Jurgus received the report that an unidentified vessel was sighted, and seemed to be troubled as he crossed his arms.
「We encountered an incident earlier than expected. This is the territorial waters of the Empire, so if those are really Kioka warships, that is really a bold move.」
The admiral’s deputy Commander Danmier Kanron analyzed the situation calmly, and the commander-in-chief with thick make up grunted.
「… Never mind that, the important thing is their numbers. If it is one to three ships, they should be out here on reconnaissance. We will need to pursue and capture them, take the good men prisoners and throw the rest overboard…」
「Admiral, I’m really troubled right now. The thought of throwing a tranny who can’t restrain itself into the ocean is really tempting right now. Doing so can prevent the violation of wartime treaty, and save the lives of many prisoners, I really...」
「Put down your hands and your squirming fingers, Danmier! That was just a joke!」
While the two of them were kidding around, Yatori, Haro and Princess Chamille made their way past the bustling seamen and ran towards them. The flame haired girl stopped before them and saluted.
「Pardon my intrusion, Admiral Jurgus─ I heard the 『Tyrannosaur』 detected an unidentified vessel?」
「Ara, you are really well informed. But that make sense, your comrades are on that ship too.」
「May I ask how you plan to handle this?」
「You are asking with the assumption that the 『unknown vessel is a Kioka warship』, right? Well, there are generally two ways of doing this. If the enemy is few, they will flee once they spotted us. We will just need to order the vessels at the fringe of the fleet formation to pursue and capture them. If they have substantial numbers, I will order the entire fleet to engage in naval warfare on the spot. In either case, we have to wait for the follow up report from Pommy.」
「What would the 『Tyrannosaur』 assignment be for these two situations?」
「As the 『Tyrannosaur』 is the closest to the enemy’s position, it will have the honor of being the first to engage the foe in both cases─ ah, don’t worry about those boys. I will inform the 『Tyrannosaur』 in the next light signal message to send them back to the flagship with small boats before the fight begins.」
So don’t worry… The commander-in-chief smiled gently to everyone. It was a considerate move for the sake of their guest, but Yatori turned him down with a shake of her head,
「Our first request is for you to not send such a message.」
「Okay, don’t hold back, you can ask anything─ Huh? What did you say?」
「It’s exactly what you heard. Please don’t recall the three of them from the 『Tyrannosaur』, and let them take part in direct battle. If the opponent is the Kioka fleet, I think they will be able to help.」
Yatori explained with a determined tone and took a step forward with her crimson hair swaying behind her. Admiral Jurgus was confused by her intimidating aura.
「…I… I don’t think really think your group can be of any assistance. As you know, letting guests like you stand on the frontlines─」
「It would be a disgrace to the navy if reinforcements like us died in battle. However, compared to the crew of the 『Tyrannosaur』, including your niece, is that really important?」
「What─?」
Admiral Jurgus never thought about weighing their importance in such a way, as he didn’t considered the Kioka fleet to be a threat on such a level. Before he could grasp what her true intention was, Commander Kanron who was observing from the side spoke:
「…Admiral. It seemed that she judge the threat of the Kioka fleet to be far greater than what we expect. Since this is the judgement of someone who had fought with the Kioka army in the northern territories, I think we should give it adequate consideration.」
The support from an unexpected person made Yatori look at the Naval Commander in surprise. On the other hand, Admiral Jurgus can’t ignore what his deputy just said, and fell into deep thought with his arms crossed.
「─Admiral, follow up report from the 『Tyrannosaur』! The vessel has been identified as a Kioka warship. But it’s just a single ship without any other support vessels! It is a mid sized three mast ship!」
The new information interrupted his train of thought. After considering it briefly, the commander-in-chief made a compromise.
「… I will still give them permission to return to the flagship. But only if they wish to. First Lieutenant Yatori Shino, will that be fine by you?」
「Yes! I’m grateful for this order, thank you for taking my opinion into consideration.」
Yatori straighten her body and saluted, then cast her gaze to the fog towards the starboard side of the deck, and the seemingly endless sea. She endured the frustration of not being able to take part in battle, and believed firmly that she had supported her comrades in the best way possible.
「─ Orders from the flagship! This vessel will pursue and capture the enemy ship, with support from the 『Spearfish』 and 『Bright Stone』! Also, permission has been granted for First Lieutenant Ikuta Solork, First Lieutenant Torway Remeon and Second Lieutenant Matthew Tetzirich to move to the flagship! If they want to, send them back on a boat! End transmission!」
The signalman shouted loud enough for the entire deck to hear. Only then did Lieutenant Jurgus turn towards the army personnel behind her who was already armed and ready.
「… Like what you heard, I will lower a boat, so prepare to leave the ship.」
「I refuse. The message said 『If they want to』, correct? But we don’t want to leave.」
Matthew answered immediately on everyone’s behalf. The next instance, the Naval Lieutenant drew her saber and closed in on the three of them.
「Stop messing around… this is a real battle, you will just get in the way if you stay, don’t you even understand that? Don’t look down on the ocean!」
The Naval Lieutenant threatened sternly with her blade pointed their way. But Matthew showed no fear, and grab her collar instead.
「… You are the one who is looking down at war, Lieutenant Jurgus.」
「W-Why you…!」
「You say this is a real battle? Then it’s funny why you are reducing your combat forces right before the battle. If we go back to the flagship, then there will be that much less combatants on this ship! Don’t you even understand this logic?」
「I-I don’t need to borrow the strength of people like you…!」
「That’s why I say you are looking down on war! Listen carefully! There is no telling what will happen on the battlefield! Even if it looks like an easy victory on paper, you should keep as much men on hand as possible to deal with unexpected events! Do you know what will happen if the commander forget this principle? You don’t right!? Let me tell you! The number of people who will die will increase ten times!」
The yell from close distance suppressed the Lieutenant Jurgus, and she was momentarily dumbfounded. Both the volume and the heavy experience behind Matthew’s word led to this result.
A few seconds later, the Naval Lieutenant snapped back to her senses. She slapped away the hand on her collar, and took a few steps back as if she was trying to flee.
「… I… I don’t care! If you want to ignore the warnings and stay here, then so be it! I don’t have time for this!」
Lieutenant Jurgus spat out these words before running to the aft of the ship. She took a few breaths to calm herself before shouting at the crew waiting for her over there:
「Increase the alert level to class 1! We need to catch the enemy vessel that is upwind from us! Prepare for tacking!」
「「「「「「「Yes! Boss Jurgus!」」」」」」」
「Charge! You lots! In terms of speed while sailing into the wind, the 『Tyrannosaur』 is the fastest in history! The slow Kioka ships are no match for us! Let them see what we are made of!」
The crew was reunited after the encouraging speech, and rushed to their stations to standby for the next instructions. The Naval Lieutenant issued her first orders.
「Right full rudder!」「Yes!」
The helmsman turned the steering wheel clockwise until the very end. A few seconds later, the ship started changing its bearings.
「Main mast, mizzen mast, turn your yards!」「「「「「Yes!」」」」」
The crew standing by at the middle and rear masts pulled their ropes and turned the sails. The sails were positioned to take in the wind coming from the starboard side, but it was gradually shifted to face the headwind.
「Now! Left rudder!」「Yes!」
Seeing from the drop in speed that they had reached the limit of their turn, Lieutenant Jurgus ordered the helmsman to turn the wheel in the other direction. And so, the sail on the fore mast that wasn’t shifted caught the wind that was coming straight at the ship, which pushed the ship backwards. As the rudder was being turned to the left during this time, the ship slowly backed away as it angled itself to take in wind from its port side.
「… Good! Fore mast, turn your yard!」
Judging that the bow of the ship was now 45 degrees away from the headwind, the Naval Lieutenant ordered the sails on the fore mast to be turned like the other two masts. With the wind blowing from the port side, the ship regained its speed and the Tyrannosaur started sailing into the wind splendidly.
「Wah! Ughh…!」
As the wind was coming from the port side instead of the starboard side, the ship was slanting the other way too. Torway was unsteady on his feet, while the unaffected Matthew supported him from the back.
「Be careful, the ship rocks most violently when it is tacking… But I didn’t know it could be done so smoothly.」
「T-Thank you, Ma-chan… By the way, what does tacking mean?」
「It is a method of sailing against the wind. As the bearing of the ship is changing, the position of the sail is adjusted too, so the vessel will advance in a ‘<’ shape . No ships can sail directly against the wind, but by using this method, it is possible to sail at an angle against the headwind. By repeating this method, the ship can move against the wind in a zigzag manner.」
Matthew explained in a fluent manner, and had an impressed expression.
「This is definitely not simple. The first requirement are well trained crew working together. Next, if the timing in turning the rudder or sail was off by just a little, the ship would stall at an awkward angle. The responsibility for this rest squarely on the person directing the maneuver.」
The slightly pudgey youth stared at the Naval Lieutenant standing at the stern of the ship. Her back seemed bigger than usual.
「… Another way of sailing against the wind is called wearing, which is easier to perform. However, the trade off is that longer time and distance needed to perform it, which would take too much time when pursuing another ship. Since the enemy vessel is in the upwind, then we can only chase it by tacking.」
「We are three nautical miles from them, correct? Can we catch them…?」
「I don’t know. But the enemy is a three mast ship with two square rigged sail and one Fore-and-aft rigged sail. In comparison, our 『Tyrannosaur』 has one square rigged sail and two Fore-and-aft rigged sails. Normally, the Fore-and-aft rigged sails are better suited for tacking. Since we our ship has the advantage, the rest will depend on the skill of the crew.」
They could vaguely see the enemy vessel on the other end of the heavy fog. Ikuta looked at it as he tightened the drawstring of his crossbow.
「Let’s leave the ship handling to the professionals… But the problem is, this isn’t a sailing race, but a war. And it seems that Pol-chan still isn’t aware of that.」
「─ Alright! We are on their tail!」
About four hours after their pursuit began, thanks to the disciplined effort of the crew in performing numerous tacking, they managed to close the distance between the Tyrannosaur and the enemy vessel into shooting range.
The other two ships pursuing alongside them was about half a nautical mile behind, probably due to the difference in skill, which was a cause of alarm for Matthew and the others. Being fast was great, but it would be hard to use their advantage of numbers during a fight.
「… We are almost in Air Rifle range… Ik-kun, what do you make of this situation?」
「… The Empire has started mass production, so the Marine Air Shooter troops has also been issued with Air Rifles. With you and Matthew here, we won’t be at a disadvantage when it comes to a shootout. We just need to buy some time for our friendly crafts to support us… However…」
Ikuta narrowed his eyes to observe the enemy ship. Matthew could tell that he was concerned about something and asked:
「─ You are worried about Blast cannons, right?」
「That’s correct, Matthew. There hasn’t been reports of Kioka using Blast cannons in naval battles, but if I get my hands on that weapon, the first thing I would do is put it on a ship.」
「But if that is true, then we are already in their range. But they didn’t fire on us, which means…」
「There is also the possibility that the enemy vessels don’t have Blast cannons. But we can’t let our guard down. It might be hard to imagine without seeing the damage first hand, but it would be too late when we do see it. After all, it would make a world of difference, depending on whether the enemy possess that weapon or not.」
Having first hand experience of the Blast cannons made Ikuta more wary than the others. Affected by his tension, Matthew and Torway looked forward with bated breath, and before them were the enemy vessel they were gaining on.
「Sail parallel to the enemy on our portside! Crossbows and guns form up!」
Under the instruction of Lieutenant Jurgus, the seamen holding Air Rifles and crossbows formed up on the portside of the deck. Torway’s face scrowled at the sight of their tight formation.
「This is bad… they had switched to Air Rifles, but they are using them in the same way as Air Shooters. That tight formation is a ripe target for the enemy.」
「It can’t be helped, not much time had passed since the last war, they probably didn’t have time to implement the changes in tactics to complement the increase in range to the entire military. Even the army is like this, much lest the navy that switched to Air Rifles even later.」
However… Ikuta raised another point. The same should apply to the Kioka. Unless there were enemies on the level of the Phantom unit on the opponent’s ship, the proficiency between the riflemen on both sides should be roughly the same.
「Boss! The enemy ship is coming closer to us on their own!」
A seaman reported loudly as the two ships that were about to run parallel to each other got even closer. Lieutenant Jurgus was a little surprised, she thought the enemy would keep their distance and engage in a shootout.
「… So they are not interested in a shootout? Very well then! Helmsman, hard left!」
「Yes!」
Agitated by this, she ordered the rudder to be turned left, closing the distance with the enemy vessel even further. The shootout begun with the crew on both ships in plain sight to each other. The bullets from the enemy vessel flew over the heads of the crew and tore into the sail and wooden masts.
「We will be engaging the enemy! Fix bayonets! Prepare for hand to hand combat─!」
Lieutenant Jurgus’ shout predicted that the battle would be over swiftly. To prepare for the enemy boarding, the seamen fixed on their bayonets and spear heads. Matthew and Torway were about to order their subordinates to do the same thing when Ikuta held out a hand to stop them.
「Wait, it’s not time yet! Torway! Look at the side of the enemy ship! Not the deck, but the body of the ship! Doesn’t it look weird?」
When he heard this question, Torway shifted down his gaze from the top of the ship. The side of the ship was just thick wood from the water up until the deck, and he couldn’t see what Ikuta meant by it looking weird.
「No, I don’t see anything— Ah!」
His jade-coloured eyes widen. While Torway was looking at the smooth ship’s body, squarish opening suddenly appeared all over it. They appeared to be windows that open outwards, and steel cannons with dark glint appeared at these windows in the very next moment.
「─ It’s cannons! Ik-kun! Seven… No, eight of them! They are lined up across the ship’s body…!」
「Everyone hit the deck! Incoming!」
When his ominous feeling turned true, Ikuta started shouting before he thought any further. However, only his comrades from the army reacted after hearing this warning. Most of the seamen paid no heed to the words from the army personnel, and that moment heed them while their guard were down.
A thunder-like clap shook everyone’s ears, and the entire 「Tyrannosaur」 rocked at the same time. Some of the seamen who formed ranks at the portside of the ship exploded into pieces and flew into the sea on the starboard side of the ship. Those who weren’t hit directly fell onto the deck, the sea or onto the sails. More than 10 men died from this hit alone.
「Ughh…!」
Ikuta groaned in pain. He didn’t escape unscathed although he knew the impact was coming, and his waist was bruised after hitting some ropes. The unharmed Matthew and Torway stood up. They were heading Ikuta’s way to help their injured comrade, but was rejected sternly by the subject himself.
「Don’t mind me, run to the stern of the ship! She’s going to fall!」
The two of them turned their head to the aft of the vessel in surprise, and found the upper body of Lieutenant Jurgus who got blown away earlier hanging over the railings. She seemed to have lost conscious, and was gradually slipping into the sea.
「Damn it! Please let me be in time…!」
Matthew who was closer sprinted off the deck. When he reached the aft, Lieutenant Jurgus’ body slipped off the railing entirely. Matthew’s right hand grabbed her ankle at the nick of time.
「Ughh…! W-Wake up! Idiot! This is no time to be knocked out!」
「… Huh…?」
The upside down Lieutenant Jurgus regained consciousness. She saw the waters below her, then looked up and found Matthew grabbing her ankles, and understood how perlicious the situation was.
「What… Ahhh! Uwah! Hyaaa…!」
「Stop panicking! I can’t hang on…! I’m betting it all on pulling you up in one shot!」
After saying that, Matthew grabbed the railing firmly with his left hand, then pulled the Naval Lieutenant up by her ankle with his right hand. When her upper body got high enough, Lieutenant Jurgus stretched her arms to grab the lower half of the railings. Matthew took a breath at this point, then pulled again and finally brought her safely back to the deck.
「Huff… Puff─」「Don’t rest here, moron!」
The shock of her close brush with death left the Naval Lieutenant deflated on the floor. Matthew stood up, unwilling to waste time catching his breath, and dragged her behind a mast. After taking cover from gunfire, Matthew grabbed the shoulders of the stunned Lieutenant Jurgus and shook her hard.
「Hey! Get a grip! The battle is not over yet!」
「Ah… Ughh… What… What happened…?」
「It’s cannon fire from the Kioka vessel! And it is so strong that we might sink if we are unlucky! I had mentioned about Blast cannons plenty of times in the past, remember!?」
「I… I don’t understand… I don’t… know what that is…!」
She complained with a crying face, and looked so frail that it was hard to imagine her acting like a pirate in the past. Matthew clicked his tongue and let go of her shoulders— it was impossible for her to recover and resume her post as commander.
「… I get it, just stay here and take a breather. Calm down, and take back command when you have composed yourself, understand?」
Matthew instructed without any expectations, then dashed out from the back of the mast with his back bent, and hurried back to his comrades. Torway had gathered Matthew’s subordinates along with his, and was directing them to engage the enemy.
「Keep firing! Target the gunners at the flank of the ship, stop them from firing again!」
「You two at the top of the mast! Snipe the high ranking crew on the enemy’s ship! Hit them where it hurts!」
Ikuta gave instructions through the pain on his waist, but the situation remained dire. The crew of the 「Tyrannosaur」 had yet to recover from their confusion, so they were effectively outnumbered. And the ship was still maintaining an approach towards the enemy ship before the cannon barrage, so the two vessels would cross paths again soon. Not only would they be hit from close range, the enemy might even board and attack directly.
「This is bad…!」
When Torway muttered that anxiously, a sharp gong rang out on the 「Tyrannosaur」 that had fallen into despair. That sound seemed to chase all the fear from the crew, and was followed by the strong hoarse voice of an old man that boomed across the deck.
「Hey! Get a hold of yourself, you scums!」
The voice came from the aft of the deck— besides the steering wheel which had lost its helmsman from the earlier attack. It was the captain of the 「Tyrannosaur」 who had been recusing himself all this while, Ragieshī Naval Commander Kutsuchi. Seeing the ship falling into despair, the veteran sailor cast aside his image of an elderly, and his body was full of youthful vigour.
「Turn the yard of the foremast to the left! Let the sail catch the headwind!」
The Naval Commander instructed without any hesitation. He tossed the gong he was beating just now aside, and grabbed the steering wheel himself. The old man then encouraged the confused crew loudly again.
「Why are you lot just standing around!? And you call yourselves seamen of the Katjvarna navy!? Those who can stand get back to your post! Can’t you follow the lead of our army allies!?」
The crew regained their discipline the moment they heard this shout. Remembering their duties, they moved hurriedly on the ship and back to their posts. Naval Commander Kutsuchi who turned the steering wheel to the right repeating the order he gave earlier.
「Like I said, turn the yard of the foremast to the left! Quickly, before the enemy fire again!」
With the impact from just now still fresh on their minds, the crew carried out the order with frantic haste. With the wheel and yard turned, the wind that was coming at them at an angle was coming directly against them, and the sails caught the headwind fully. This was like applying emergency brakes to the ship, reducing its speed drastically─ a short moment later, another lightning clap came from the Kioka vessel that had moved on ahead.
「That… was close…!」
Matthew felt a chill down his spine as he watch the cannon fire flew narrowly pass the bow of the ship. If Naval Commander Kutsuchi intervene any later, the 「Tyrannosaur」 would suffer crippling damage from extremely close distance.
「Turn the ship into the tailwind! We are sailing back to the fleet at top speed. Landlubbers brat, any objections about that!?」
「We agree completely…! But the body of the ship is damaged from the first cannon volley, and their sails are bigger than ours too! Can we really escape?」
「It would be tough for this ship alone, but we have support vessels on our side! I’m old friends with the captain of the 『Spearfish』, and he will take the appropriate actions to keep the enemy at bay!」
Naval Commander Kutsuchi answered confidently. Ikuta, Matthew and Torway believed the bold smile of this old sailor who had returned to the frontlines, and started moving on the 「Tyrannosaur」 once again.
On the same evening, the jaws of the other members of the Katjvarna navy almost drop when they saw the terrible state of the ship that barely manage to escape the enemy.
「W-What’s going on…?」
There were two large holes on the flank of the ship, and the sail on the main mast was all torn up. The equipment on the ship looked as if it had been ravaged by a giant. It was a miracle that it was still afloat.
「There is only one enemy ship, correct? We pursued them with supporting vessels too, how did this happen…? A-Anyway, send the wounded to the infirmary!」
After the two vessels linked out, the casualties who were on death’s door were transported to the flagship via the gangway of the 「Tyrannosaur」. The crew of the 「Yellow Dragon」 watched this procession with bated breath. This was followed by the injured who could still walk by themselves. Matthew led the way, followed by Ikuta who was leaning on Torway’s shoulder.
「Solork, you are hurt…!」 「Let… Let me see the wound!」
Princess Chamille, Haro and Yatori ran out of the crowd and to the side of the three of them. Ikuta turned towards them, and cried in pain.
「… It hurts~ my back hurts~... Haro, I’m dying~ Save me～」
「Pull yourself together! I will save you! You got hit by an arrow? Or a rifle?」
「No, he just took a hard bump… I get it now. This theory only applies to Ikuta, when he emphasize how much something hurts, that is a sign his injury is trivial.」
Haro sighed in relief after pulling Ikuta’s shirt open, as if she was confirming Matthew’s analysis. Princess Chamille also patted her chest in relief, while Yatori walked up to the youth.
「… Just the damage to the ship alone shows how intense a battle it was. Was fighting this battle the right call for you all?」
「The ship barely making it back without sinking is the answer. Thank you for convincing Admiral Jurgus, that is a wonderful assist.」
Ikuta gave a thumbs up, and the vermillion haired girl responded with a smile. At this moment, Commander Kanron walked past them with a stern face, then stopped.
「Naval Commander Kutsuchi, Lieutenant Jurgus, please report to the Admiral’s office. Admiral Jurgus is waiting for your report.」
The shoulders of the sullen Naval Lieutenant jumped. Naval Commander Kutsuchi who was beside her nodded and pushed the seemingly frozen Naval Lieutenant’s back lightly. The two of them then started walking.
After they left, Commander Kanron turned to Yatori’s group.
「I don’t need everyone to be there, but the admiral requested for your presence. Especially the group from the 『Tyrannosaur』, please send at least one representative.」
「Understood─ Haro, can we leave Ikuta to you? He is still a casualty after all.」
「Leave him to me!」 Haro replied energetically when she heard that. After getting an answer, Yatori shifted her gaze to the Princess.
「Your Highness, if it is not too much trouble, please stay with Haro.」
「Yes, understood. I will tie up Solork tightly… I mean let him rest properly.」
Yatori bowed towards the Princess who acceded to her request readily, nodded at Matthew and Torway, then replied to Commander Kanron quietly:
「The three of us will go. May I trouble you to lead us to the Admiral’s Office?」
The Admiral’s office was traditionally located at the very tail end of a military vessel in the Katjvarna Navy.
The size of the 「Yellow Dragon」 was the largest in the entire fleet. In the deepest end of this large room was Admiral Erynphin Jurgus, who was waiting at a huge table with his chin resting on his hands.
「I saw the state of the ship. It was a terrible defeat.」
His tone wasn’t accusatory, and was calm instead. Yatori’s trio stood at attention behind, and Lieutenant Jurgus hung her head low as usual. The Naval Commander Kutsuchi nodded seriously.
「This is my responsibility. As the captain, it is my fault for underestimating the threat posed by the Kioka ship.」
「Hmmp, Gramps Kutsuchi, that might sound like humble and apologetic, but you are actually using this to Admonish me instead, right? Because I’m the first one who misjudge their threat.」
Admiral Jurgus said with a sigh as he leaned back on his chair. Matthew and Torway were a little moved. The person before them was unlike their previous superior officers, and wouldn’t scream agitatedly when unexpected things happens.
「Be it admonishing or reflecting, I want to hear the report. Tell me what happened in chronological order after you caught up with the Kioka vessel.」
Urged by the Admiral, Naval Commander Kutsuchi slowly recounted the event─ the 「Tyrannosaur」 sailed against the wind in pursuit of the enemy ship, and attempted to engage in a shootout after catching up. But they were hit by an extraordinary fierce attack. He added that when the crew of the 「Tyrannosaur」 was in confusion because of that, and asked Matthew and Torway who engaged the enemy during that time to state their report.
「… Oh I see. Simply put, after getting hit by that Blast cannon, the crew got so spooked that they can’t even put up a proper fight?」
「That’s right. After the cannon barrage, only these kids and their subordinates manage to respond calmly. It’s a shame, but even I needed some time to understand what actually happened.」
Naval Commander Kutsuchi said without hiding anything. After hearing that, Admiral Jurgus turned his gaze to his niece who had remained silent this entire time.
「Pommy, what are you views on this?」
「…………!」
「Don’t stay quiet like a statue, state your opinion on how it was like to get hit so hard. Even though you were knocked out after the barrage, you still witness the scene after that, correct? How was it?」
Admiral Jurgus’ tone wasn’t accusatory, and he probably wasn’t trying to admonish her either. However, the mental state of his subject had been forced into a corner, and she couldn’t even judge this properly.
「… I … didn’t know…」
「Huh?」
「… I didn’t know that thing exist! I have never seen such a powerful cannon…! T-That’s why I followed my training and sailed alongside the enemy vessel… in an attempt to dwindle down the enemy’s numbers with Air Shooters and arrows, before commencing boarding actions… I thought we can win if we did that! I was thought that we can win if we did that, but… but…!」
What she was saying was no longer a report. Admiral Jurgus’ brows furrowed as he listened.
「Things… Things were going well until we caught up! We didn’t fail a single tacking! It was our complete victory in terms of seafaring techniques! But… t-that cannon is too despicable…! If not for that cannon, we would have won! That’s right! Isn’t that so? Don’t you think so, Grandpa Kutsuchi?」
When he heard the Naval Lieutenant pleading for him to go along with her, Naval Commander Kutsuchi remained silent with a painful expression. Lieutenant Jurgus wanted to continue protesting, but Admiral Jurgus couldn’t stand her unsightly behaviour any longer and said sternly:
「… Enough! Pommy, leave. Get out of this room this instant.」
「W-Wait, uncle, I…!」
「Enough, I can’t listen any more. Don’t you now how unsightly you are acting right now? I want you to review the reason for losing the battle, not for you to make excuses.」
「… Ughh!」
「All this talk of smooth sailing in the middle and how you can win if not for that… No matter what you say, the results remains the same. Rambling on like this is a disgrace. Are you going to call yourself a descendent of Jurgus with an attitude like that?」
The last words stabbed deep into her heart, and robbed her of all her excuses. Large tear drops kept rolling out of the Naval Lieutenant’s eyes, as if a dam had been broken.
「I was the one who misjudged you. Pommy, I am relieving you of your assignment on the 『Tyrannosaur』, and I won’t let you return to that ship. Just stay in some corner on this ship until you receive further orders!」
This decision by her uncle destroyed the last bastion of hope in the Naval Lieutenant’s heart.
「Ah─ Hey!」
Lieutenant Jurgus covered her crying face with one hand and finally charge out of the Admiral’s office.Matthew listened to the footsteps from the corridor that was getting further away, and could only stand there stiffly, unable to even put them his outreached right hand.
「Leave her be. The important thing is the after action report─ But let me be clear, after this incident, you will no longer be 『honored guests』. You can be happy, sad or whatever, but the first thing is to accept this fact.」
Admiral Jurgus announced in a heavy tone, while his deputy sighed. After learning that their group was finally being treated as reinforcements, Yatori and Torway looked at their superior officer with renewed eyes.
Only Matthew was still concerned about Lieutenant Jurgus who had bolted out of the door behind them.
「Hmm… In other words, we got lucky because of this misfortune?」
Haro summarized the important point─ after the debriefing in the Admiral’s office, the five members of the Knight Corps and the Princess headed to the room assigned to the girls, and gathered for the first time in a while.
「Yes, that’s the gist of it. Our side is now on guard against the threat of the Kioka, and also prove the effectiveness of our experience in a fight. The lost of lives is a tragedy… but compared to being guests being protected, this is a big improvement.」
Yatori nodded. At this moment, a youth whose bare upper body was covered in bandages crawled out from his bed. Haro pressed his shoulders down frantically.
「No you can’t, Mr Ikuta. You need to rest! There isn’t any bone fractures, but it is still a serious contusion…!」
「L-Let me go…! Pol-chan… Pol-chan is waiting for me…」
Ikuta kept mumbling while Haro and Princess Chamille pushed him back onto bed forcefully. The slightly plump youth sitting opposite the bed watched this scene with a serious face.
「… Just leave that girl be, she got her just desserts. If she worked together with us right from the start, she could have minimized the casualties by a lot…」
After Matthew said that in a deep voice, Ikuta replied with a groan with his back on the bed.
「That hurts… You might be right. But Matthew, she is still young…」
「She’s older than us. And this isn’t a matter that can be excused with age, correct?」
「Is that really true… Then, did we never thought it strange how young we were during the war in the northern territories…? We had to shoulder immense pressure of the lives of so many people at the very fore of the frontlines. And that was before we were twenty, had the thought of 『why the hell are brats like us doing this』 never crossed your mind…?」
「… Even if it did, no one will listen.」
「Yes, that’s true… It was one of the serious mistakes in that battlefield, so we had to figure a way out without depending on anyone. Before linking up with Major Sazarf, we had no other choice but to rely on ourselves…」
「……」
「But Matthew… Do you think everyone can overcome that obstacle by themselves…?」
Matthew couldn’t find the words to answer, and couldn’t nod without hesitation either. Because he couldn’t say he survived that swamp-like battlefield in the northern territories by his own strength. Even during the civil war against the Shinaak, he was always relying on his excellent comrades─ Ikuta, Yatori and Torway.
「Even if you research the history of the navy, you would be hard pressed to find someone as young as Pol-chan with the de facto responsibilities of a captain… She must have made it through her exemplary skills and other factors helping her. The most crucial one being 『a descendent of Jurgus』, so she was definitely being forced into the role of hero from birth. At the same time, she must have worked extremely hard to meet this expectation…」
Having experienced the same thing, the two people who also hailed from the 「Three Loyal Houses」 lowered their gaze. Ikuta cast a sideway glance their way, then sighed.
「Not everyone can live like Yatori and Torway… for most of them, a life spent meeting the expectations set by others is too heavy. And today, Pol-chan fell because of this enormous pressure… and she isn’t the only one at fault. The people around her who turned a blind eye to her immature personality and pushed her to such a high position shares most of the blame too… Hence, before we blame her for anything, we should reprimand the environment of the navy that didn’t provide her with the chance to develop properly…」
「… If the environment one grows up in can be an excuse, then the same applies to everyone who had failed… That Lieutenant General Safida might say the same thing!」
「Yes… If you put it this way, it is too late for Lieutenant General Safida. There is no other way for him to take responsibility aside from being executed as an example to others. But Matthew… Even with that in mind, I still have to say this. Pol-chan is still young. And she isn’t our superior officer. In terms of battle experience, she is our junior instead. I don’t want to ditch her like this.」
Matthew bit his lips and remained silent. Ikuta’s face was twisted from the pain.
「As for reprimanding a junior sternly for their mistakes… yelling and encouraging them are just the means, but in the end, cautioning them and guiding them is the one true way. Even more so for kids, it is not effective to point out their mistakes directly… Because that is the wrong way of educating them, which is in turn the result of the wrong method of raising them. If we don’t go in depth and look closely at the source, we can’t change anything no matter how much we admonish them…」
His words had wandered off the matter of Lieutenant Jurgus. But his monologue hit Princess Chamille harder than Matthew. Just how that youth thought about her─ the young girl finally understood a little better, and clenched her fists.
「… Damn it…!」
Matthew cursed under his breath and got up from the bed, then head for the exit Torway said immediately:
「─ Wait, Ma-chan. Are you going to see the Naval Lieutenant now?」
「……」
「I think that’s good. On that ship, you are the one who treat the Naval Lieutenant more seriously than anyone else… So I think you can find the words to say to her right now.」
The youth seemed proud to say that about his friend. With the encouragement from his friend, Matthew took a deep breath and walk out of the room with determination.
The 「Yellow Dragon」 was the biggest of its kind, which made finding one person on this ship that much harder. It would be a waste of time to search mindlessly, so Matthew decided to emulate Ikuta, and thought in a 「scientific」 way.
「First of all… she wants to be alone.」
Just this condition eliminated the number of places he needed to search drastically. Lieutenant Jurgus who wasn’t a crew on this ship didn’t have her own quarters, and there was barely any places in the ship that would allow someone to stay in it indefinitely. A toilet would be the only exception, but it was hard to imagine her choosing such a place when there were other options. So Matthew decided to check that place last.
「In that case, the most possible answer is…」
Matthew who already had an idea walked briskly through the corridor, and headed up the stairs and onto the deck. Under the night sky filled with sparkling stars, the First Naval Fleet that was forced to review their strategy after their first defeat had set anchor in the middle of the sea.
As the sail retraction had been done, only a few crew were still working on the ship. Although the starboard side was still connected to the 「Tyrannosaur」 that was under repairs─ Lieutenant Jurgus was probably not permitted to return to that ship. Hence, Matthew filtered the 「Tyrannosaur」 from his mind, and move his gaze around the deck of the flagship. He started inspecting possible hiding spots that was inconspicuous, and…
「… Tch! She is in such a place…」
Fortunately, the moon was bright. In the middle of the main mast─ more than 20 meters above sea level, there was a crow nest. Matthew could barely made out the figure of someone slouching in it.
Lieutenant Jurgus noticed the noise of someone climbing the rope ladder, and started shrinking away.
She continued hugging her knees and turned just her head back. At this moment, the one climbing reached the bottom of the crow nest. The Naval Lieutenant watched with bated breath as the familiar face of the slightly pudgey youth poked out.
「… Hi.」
「……」
「There’s space for me here, so… pardon my intrusion.」
After climbing into the crow nest and not looking down, Matthew leaned against the mast and sat down beside Lieutenant Jurgus. The next moment, the dark seas filled his entire field of vision, and the youth felt an indescribable fear, which made him gulped.
「You are really something, you can actually feel depressed in a place like this… I’m so scared that I don’t care about anything else.」
「… W-What are you doing here…」
「Erm, well… What is it again? What did I come here to do?」
Matthew looked as if he didn’t understand himself, and tilted his head. Lieutenant Jurgus buried her face between her knees in an attempt to get away from him.
「G-Go away…! Just leave me alone here…!」
「No, even if you say that, I need to stay a bit longer before I can muster my courage to go down… Hey, the way you’re talking feels different than before? Or rather, your personality is different?」
The surprised Matthew carefully observed the person before him. She was just like a rabbit drenched by the rain, and the sight of her tightly withdrawn body made the youth realize the truth.
「… Hey… Are you the type of person who is only arrogant in your own home? And is very extreme about it.」
「…… Ughh!」
「I had been wondering about how docile you were pretending to be when I first met you together with Admiral Jurgus, and you only revealed your true nature when we boarded the Tyrannosaur… But seeing how you are right now, that is probably wrong. The you right now is your true self. So you can only become a female pirate who swings her saber around on your own ship, right?」
「D-Don’t say something so conceited! I’m always acting true to myself!」
「The cat is out of the bag now, so don’t say anymore… I would prefer you to stay like this though. Instead of being called a fatty or a pig, I will have an easier time.」
Matthew concluded with a sigh, and the Naval Lieutenant who was crushed by her shame buried her face between her knees again. The crow’s nest twenty metres above sea level was shrouded in silence. Matthew who was extremely troubled as he didn’t know what to say thought about it for a while, and decided to tell her what he had been bothering him from the beginning.
「Hey… I’m sorry if I got it wrong, but that scar on your right cheek…」
After a moment’s hesitation, Matthew continued:
「… Did you scar it yourself?」
Lieutenant Jurgus’ shriveled shoulders shook, and she lifted her head with a quiver.
「… W-Why…?」
「Erm, don’t worry, I’m not looking down on you. I have the same wound.」
After Matthew said that, he touched the lower part of his right cheek. It was hard to see under the moonlight, but there was a thin and long scar he inflicted on himself there. It looked small and trivial compared to the Naval Lieutenant. But the 「origin」 of their scars were the same.
「Idolizing Captain Garciev is something anyone who like ships would experienced, and furthermore, he is your ancestor… But I’m impressed that you made such a big wound. I started crying after cutting lessing than 3 cm, and my Mom lectured me when she found out.」
Matthew’s face was heating up from embarrassment. He suddenly realized… that Lieutenant Jurgus was staring at him and listening attentively.
「……Garciev Jurgus. He was a hero who raised a fleet with the sea as his base during the turbulent era, and a great sailor who was the first to invent the technique of sailing against the wind. Most importantly, he was an adventurer who was always sailing out into the ocean in search of uncharted lands.」
Matthew closed his eyes, and could see in his mind the tales of adventure that led to his yearning for the sea when he was young. It started with the bedtime story that his mother Hanna Tetzirich told him. Captain Garciev’s tale was filled with twists and turns, and the exaggerated tales with bits of historical facts mixed in amused Matthew so much that he would not want to sleep.
「He was best known as the 『Hero of an adventure tale』, but his achievement in the military was astounding too. He founded the organization that later become the Katjvarna Navy, and the way he organized the Naval roles and positions was also revolutionary. Boatswain, Chief Navigator, Marine commander… These appointments we took for granted didn’t exist before Captain Garciev showed up. Because of his bold and rugged personality, he was the one responsible for the infamous name of the Katjvarna Pirate Navy… But contrary to his reputation, there was no doubt that he was the one who laid the foundation that transformed the unruly pirates fleet into the orderly Navy.」
His passionate tone could only be heard from someone talking about something they truly love. Lieutenant Jurgus was completely engrossed, but the slightly plump youth sighed.
「The skills and spirit of that Captain Garciev is inherited by house Jurgus, where you came from. After all, house Jurgus is also a part of the 『The Three Loyal House』, and their historical standing rivals that of house Igsem and Remeon… I think only the descendants themselves would know how it is to shoulder the pressure of such a heritage.」
「……」
「But Lieutenant Jurgus. During my journey on the 『Tyrannosaur』, we had never thought of you as a member of house Jurgus. We simply think of you as our colleague in the armed forces, a comrade on equal standing. I hope you can understand that.」
Matthew scratched his head as he said that while Lieutenant Jurgus rubbed her eyes that were swollen from crying with the back of her palms.
「Don’t keep looking to the top, try looking back at your real self. Stop thinking of propping yourself up by bullying others… A commander would want to look good in front of her subordinates, but if you get tricked by such an illusion, that would be putting the cart before the horse.」
「… Ughh…!」
「When the battle deteriorates, a paper tiger would be the first to get blown away, I had suffered a lot because of that in the northern territories… I’m not telling you to stop putting up a front, since that is necessary. But in a battle field with nowhere to go, even a paper tiger needs to be top class.」
When Matthew was smiling awkwardly because of what he said, he heard a voice say in a sobbing tone:
「… Denshishi, Makuni, Yauza, Yondorke…」
「?」
「They are crew members of the 『Tyrannosaur』. But they are gone now. Because I’m a paper tiger, they are all dead... I heard they were blown to bits by cannon fire and I didn’t even realize it…! They fell into the waters, even… even their corpses are gone…!」
「… Yes…」
Matthew looked sideways at the sobbing Naval Lieutenant, and sighed… He had experienced this pain before, and many faces flashed before his eyes. Towards the end of the northern territories war, many lives were lost in the retreating battle against the Aldera holy army. They were his first subordinates… that he trained himself.
「…… This is really painful…」
「…… Don’t say this so casually…! As if you understand very well…!」
「But I do know… I really do.」
Matthew could feel the same pain as he kept nodding… Lieutenant Jurgus’ sobbing continued under the star filled sky, with no telling when it would end. However, he was fine with waiting as long as she takes. The slightly plump youth decided to stay here as if it was only natural, until she stopped crying.
Further to the east of the eastern territorial waters of the Empire, which the Katjvarna First Naval Fleet was sailing on. This was the waters controlled by Kioka. And several sail ships were on the ocean that was ushering the dawn.
「No resting! Listen up! A hundred times more!」
「「「「「「「Sir, yes, sir!」」」」」」」
Marines could be seen practising their sword swings on the front deck of one of these ships. Their weapons weren’t much different from the Katjvarna navy. On the unsteady ship, compared to crossbows or Air Shooters, shorter and easy to wield sabers were preferred.
「What’s with your weak stances!? You think you are chopping vegetables in a kitchen! Another hundred!」
「「「「「「「Sir, yes, sir!」」」」」」」
The burly man who seemed to be the marine commander ordered his men drenched in sweat to continue. Since the marines don’t have a chance to perform unless there was a battle, and spending long periods of time on standby would dull their bodies, so this wasn’t meaningless abuse like what happened on the 「Tyrannosaur」. However─ leaving that aside, there were two prominent things about the man barking out orders.
First was the large and long weapon in his hand. It was a war axe with a hook on it, and no one else was holding such an incredible weapon. Second─ there was a wound on the right side of the man’s face. It reached right to the base of his ears, with his teeth visible through his cut on his cheeks that had turned purple.
Bang! The blunt end of the war axe knocked the deck heavily. Seeing the soldiers flinched at this noise, the man sighed and walked over in huge strides.
「That won’t do… You lot are all wimps.」
The man slowly walked between his subordinates who were closing their mouth shut with a their faces green, and glared at each of them. This was enough to strike fear into their hearts. He finally stopped before a soldier.
「Especially you, Kuranga. What’s with that swing? You think we are playing?」
「N-No… I’m not…」
「I already told you, unleash your killing intent. Swing your blade with the thought of killing the enemy before you… I already told you so many times, but you seemed to have forgotten on this long and leisure journey.」
The man scratched the back of his head impatiently, then smirked his mouth that had splitted open.
「Don’t worry, I will make you remember right now.」
「… Huh─!」
The next moment, the man swung the war axe with his right hand nimbly. The marine who thought his head would be lopped off blocked with his saber and flinched. But contrary to what he expected, the murderous weapon stopped right before it reached.
「Fuu─」
However, that wasn’t the end of it. The hook on the other side of the axe caught onto the marine’s collar, and that man lifted the marine off his feet with brute force alone.
「U-Uwah…!」 「Don’t move.」
The man held the man that was hooking his subordinate with one hand, and headed to the edge of the deck. Under the gaze of the marines watching with bated breath, he used his war axe like a fishing rod and lowered the suspended marine towards the sea.
「Hyee…! C-Commander! Please spare me! Commander Greg…!」
The marine screamed when he saw the raging ocean right below him… It didn’t rain today, but the wind was howling, so the waves were strong. He understood how dangerous it was to fall into the sea since he was a marine.
「Stop talking, bait. You will spook the fishes. I will let you off if I catch a big one.」
The man called Greg answered calmly. This was no joke, using human as bait would only draw sharks or the likes. The marine would be in mortal danger if he got bit… He probably didn’t need to wait that long anyway. The sound of the marine’s uniform ripping was akin to a countdown to him falling into the water.
The marine was in despair, but Greg just picked his nose as he rocked the war axe back and forth. At this moment─ a bird flew across their sights. When the bird that was diving at high speed touched the sea, its claw reached for the fish under the water surface; when it took flight once again, it had gotten hold of a fish that was about 50 cm long.
The bird was pleased with its prey circled around before gliding above the heads of the marines and landing on the front of the deck. However, it didn’t land directly on the deck, but on the shoulder of a certain person.
「Well done, Misai.」
After catching the fish that was tossed to her from the air nimbly, she complimented her beloved pet bird. At first glance, her attire was strange. The Kioka navy uniform worn her on her thicc body was still passable, but the round, wide brim triangular hat, and her white jacket made from feathers had an exotic feel about it. Her dark amber eyes gave the impression of wisdom, akin to that of an old owl.
The bird that landed on that person’s shoulder cawed loudly. The bird named Misai had a white body and black wings─ an osprey. It is also called a sea hawk because of how good it was at fishing. This osprey that was almost 70 cm long was large even among its kind.
「Will this do, Greg?」
She walked towards the marine commander with the prey of her pet bird in hand. She was tall for a woman, but compared to the burly Greg, their difference in height was like that of father and daughter.
「Thank you very much, Mdm Rear Admiral.」
Greg pulled back his war axe and set his suspended subordinate down on the deck when he heard what the woman’s words. He then stood at attention and saluted before receiving that fish respectfully.
「── A mahi-mahi, huh? Misai sure is an excellent partner to catch such a big fish.」
<TL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahi-mahi>
「Yes, isn’t that right? I hope you can share a slice with this child.」
「I will send over the largest slice─ got that, Kuranga?」
Greg smiled at his subordinate that was panting with his butt on the deck. Kuranga got up hastily and took the fish, and charged down the stairs at the front of the deck to send it to the kitchen. The lady watched him go and said softly:
「─ My apologies for letting you bear with boredom for so long.」
「It can’t be helped. It is our duty to wait, even if it is for a century.」
「I didn’t expect the wait to be so long too… Or rather, I’m surprised that we still need to wait for the enemy right now. Because I firmly believe that the next time our orders come, it would be for an all out attack that heralds the demise of the Empire.」
「If we took down the northern territories as planned, it would be a matter of time before things ended up that way─ are we expecting too much from that brat?」
Greg thought back to the white-haired officer he met in the past and complained. The woman shook her head slowly.
「Jean worked hard on it. He incited a civil war with the Shinaak tribe, and convinced Aldera to invade while the Northern stronghold were exhausted─ He formulated such a grandiose plan by himself and executed it perfectly. How many Major Generals in Kioka can accomplish the same thing?」
<TL: The Japanese term for Generals and Admirals are both 将, so she isn’t referring specifically to the army.>
「That’s true. But it’s a fact that he messed up the last crucial strike. That’s why we are so bored right now.」
「I know what you mean, but you are too harsh towards Jean, Greg. Do you still hold a grudge because of that scar?」
When he heard what the woman said, Greg touched the large crack in his right cheek.
「Well… I’m fine with that brat, but I will definitely get back at that guy with a manly face.」
「The one who fought with you is Captain Harrah, correct? However, if Jean didn’t interfere back down, you would have died in battle or be executed…」
「Yes, I’m in his debt, but my honour is a different matter.」
「Hmm～ maybe it’s because I’m a woman, I don’t understand you sometimes…」
The lady shook her head with a sigh, and her pet bird cawed at this moment. Sensing its intentions, the lady shifted his head towards the wind.
「─ The wind seemed to be picking up, it will be prudent to let the crew prepare to retract the sails.」
「Misai’s forecast can’t go wrong. If only the winds would bring the battle to us too.」
「The vessel that had infiltrated the Empire’s waters would bring back news soon… But Greg, our mission right now is to protect this ocean, so isn’t it for the best if we maintain the status quo without any battles?」
「Yes, I know that. But Rear Admiral, both you and I aren’t so old that we will willingly accept boredom.」
「I don’t think that way. If the peace that inevitably come one day means an eternity of boredom, I am willing to accept that.」
「In that case, it would be a pity if we don’t wreck havoc before that day comes, ayy?」
Greg said half-jokingly, then turned and left after saluting her. The woman watched him leave with a fearless smile, then cast her gaze towards the horizon.
「… Yes, he has a point. Jean and I knows better than anyone else how futile war is─ but that’s why we have to proactively guide the war quickly to its end.」
Misai cawed in response, and the corner of her lips raised as she felt her fighting spirit soar.
「Come at me any time, Imperial army. When this boredom ends, I will transform into an falcon and take flight to end your lives.」
She declared her inevitable victory to the sea… Rear Admiral of the Kioka navy, the commander of the Fourth Fleet Elulufay Tenerexilla. A small nation in the east, Laoh, fought with Jean Arkinex’s former home country, Bayushie, in the past, and destroyed each other─ and she was a descendent of the 「Falconer Tribe」 from Laoh. The only female admiral in the Kioka navy.
End of Volume 4
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