52 favorites!? Thank you everyone! This motivates me... I'll do my best to keep writing!
Once again, I'd like to reiterate that I have only seen the WN version. Therefore, those of you who are reading the LN or manga may feel some discrepancies, but please understand.
In this chapter, there will be no action.
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Day 21 Month 4 Year 1639 Central Calendar, 08:00
Wyvern Operations Headquarters, Kingdom of Louria
"This is Wyvern Unit! We've lost allies, not even 10 mounts remain! What kind of enemy attack was that!? Ah, AAAAH—"
With a cry of terror, the magical transmission abruptly ceased, leaving nothing but silence. The operators and the commander of the Wyvern Operations Unit, all turned pale upon hearing it.
The Wyvern Unit, consisting of 350 mounts, had been dispatched with absolute confidence in their victory, outnumbering the Qua-Toynian wyverns, if not in quality then certainly in quantity. The commander had ordered a full-force attack with all 350 mounts. Thus, the Wyvern Unit set out, expected to achieve glorious victories to be remembered in history upon their return.
However, awaiting them on the battlefield was a fate more horrible than anyone could have anticipated. Within two minutes of the transmission reporting an encounter with 30 enemy wyverns and engagement in combat, another transmission arrived bearing unthinkable news: "Loss of over 60 mounts from the Wyvern Unit, no damage to the enemy. Enemy wyverns' capabilities surpass ours." Following that was the message, "Enemy fleet spotted, presumed main force. Remaining Wyvern Unit of 120 mounts, preparing for assault." And then, the initial distress call.
Before the silent manacomm, everyone stood mute. The worst-case scenarios flashed through their minds.
Could it be... total annihilation?
In the history of Rodenius, wyverns were the mightiest creatures. Yet, their rarity made them precious, difficult to amass in numbers, and costly to obtain. Out of the 500 wyverns prepared for this occasion, around 150 were gathered by the Kingdom of Louria on its own, while the remaining 350 were acquired through military assistance from the Parpaldia Empire. Even so, it took six years to assemble this number. With overwhelming firepower, victory should have been assured.
Yet, given the transmissions received, the Wyvern Unit must have faced attacks beyond imagination, possibly... though they dreaded to think it... leading to total annihilation. They mentioned not even 10 mounts remaining. How should they report this to the King? They were at a loss.
'Even if it's just one mount. Please, come back...!'
The unit commander, clinging to hope like a drowning man to a straw, continued to pray for the Wyvern Unit's return.
...But reality was merciless, and as the sun set, not a single wyvern returned. With a heavy heart like never before, the Wyvern Operations Unit commander would have to report to the King of Louria.
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Day 23 Month 4 Year 1639 Central Calendar, 09:00
Qua-Toyne, capital of the Principality of Qua-Toyne
In the usual conference room for political councils, the usual members along with Sakai gathered and took their seats. Standing before them as a special witness, Brueye delivered his report. Documents detailing the results of the naval battle two days ago, Brueye's observations, the current situation of the Lourian forces, and future enemy projections and strategic plans were distributed to the seated members.
"...That concludes everything I witnessed."
Brueye finished his report.
"Well then, anything to add? The fleet from the State of Japan challenged a fleet of 4.400 enemy ships with just 20 vessels, sinking around 3.000 ships single-handedly. Additionally, they managed to fend off an aerial assault of over 300 wyverns with just around 30 air support units and even shot down all enemy Wyverns? And without suffering any casualties?"
War Minister Yavin shook his head in disbelief.
"Yes, sir. From what I saw, that's correct."
"The report states no casualties. Not a single person lost their life!? And the Second Fleet of our navy had no role to play!?"
"That's correct. At least, not from what I observed. If anything, there might not even be any injuries. And as for the Second Fleet, they were practically idle."
"What!? Sir Sakai, is this true? He's a military observer; it's hard to believe he'd lie here. But the magnitude of the achievement is so enormous, it's hard to grasp the reality."
Turning to Sakai as prompted by Lord Yavin, Sakai responded as if it were a matter of course, "Of course, he's correct. In compiling this report, I've heard accounts from all the captains. Their testimonies align with Brueye-dono's report, so there's no reason to doubt. Indeed, there were no casualties from our forces in that naval battle."
In fact, after receiving the mission completion report from Ooyodo, Sakai immediately dispatched reconnaissance planes to track the enemy fleet. The reconnaissance flight reported back that there were approximately 1.000 to 1.200 remaining enemy ships, without any aerial support for the enemy fleet. In other words, in the Naval Battle of Rodenius, the Tawi-Tawi Fleet led by Ooyodo had indeed sunk over 3.000 enemy ships. The losses suffered by the Lourian forces would be around 120.000 casualties, over 3.000 ships sunk, and the loss of over 300 wyverns.
On the other hand, there were no casualties among the Tawi-Tawi Fleet and its air group. Not a single ship was hit. Zero casualties with such significant achievements. The Tawi-Tawi Fleet was truly overwhelming. But to Sakai, it unfolded exactly as planned.
"So... it's all really true?"
"You can say with 100 percent certainty that it's true," Sakai asserted firmly.
"This is ridiculous... I can't believe... this..."
Yavin was speechless. Well, considering the standards on Rodenius, it's quite unreasonable to consider this as truth. So, his reaction is understandable.
"Well, for now, let's chalk this up as a victory," Prime Minister Kanata spoke to wrap up the discussion. "We managed to prevent an invasion from the sea. It seems the enemy still has around 1.000 ships left, but they've been dealt a heavy blow. It won't be easy for them to attempt another naval attack so soon. Isn't that right, Sir Sakai?"
"Yes. Even if they were to come again, our forces have at least 180 ships with the same or even greater firepower than the vessels we fought against this time. The Lourian fleet won't stand a chance of getting through. Furthermore, if they dare to come again, we'll pursue them all the way to Louria's territorial waters and obliterate every last ship. We're fully capable of doing that."
Even Kanata was taken aback by Sakai's statement.
"I-I see... that's reassuring. Well then, Lord Yavin, what about the movements of the enemy's land forces?"
Although Yavin seemed completely demoralized earlier, upon hearing Kanata's words, he quickly regained his composure.
"According to reports from reconnaissance by wyvern riders and spies, the Lourian army is currently fortifying positions and procuring supplies around the city of Gim. Since their seaborne attack failed, they seem to be exercising caution. Therefore, the military department has determined that the possibility of a lightning-fast invasion by the Lourian army is almost nonexistent."
"I see. That buys us some time to gather our forces. So, Sir Sakai, what's the plan next?"
"Yes. First of all, regarding the base we've been constructing in the Dytal Plain with your permission, it's nearly complete. By the end of today, all construction should be finished. Our forces are also almost fully assembled. As for what comes next, in essence, we'll coordinate with the Qua-Toynian Western Division stationed in Ejei. We'll intentionally allow the enemy to advance towards Ejei, striking down any vanguard units they send forth. Later, we'll launch aerial attacks on the enemy's main force, shattering them along with their positions. Then, we'll advance our infantry along with tanks to liberate Gim. After that, we'll drive out any remaining Lourians from the border. Of course, assuming there are any remaining forces left."
In Sakai's mind, the vision of victory was already vividly painted.
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14 hours later
Day 23 Month 4 Year 1639 Central Calendar, 23:00
Jin-Hark Castle, Kingdom of Louria
Hark Louria XXXIV, the 34th Great King of the Louria, trembled in his bed. The cause of his trembling lay in the reports received from the navy and the Wyvern Operations Unit. In the Naval Battle of Rodenius two days ago, the Lourian forces suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the Qua-Toynians and lost 3.400 warships. Simultaneously, the elite Wyvern Unit of 350 mounts failed to return, with not a single mount making it back. Moreover, there were no confirmed casualties inflicted on the enemy. It seemed they had sustained minimal, if any, damage.
The reports, however, contained many absurd elements.
Firstly, there were the enemy wyverns. They were described as larger than theirs, yet possessing speeds and maneuverability surpassing the Lourians. They were said to unleash rapid-fire attacks with invisible projectiles, or drop something from above to split their ships in half with a single blow, or drop black masses to set their ships ablaze and sink them outright. What exactly were these "somethings"? Weren't they supposed to be fireballs? And could they really unleash rapid-fire attacks at such unseen speeds?
Next were their ships. From a distance, they appeared to be made of iron. Iron is heavy and sinks in water. How could they float it?
Despite being extremely large, with some ships four times the size of theirs and over 15 smaller ones, they were reported to be even faster than their ships despite lacking sails, speeding across the sea. This is absurd! If they're large, their movement should naturally be slower. How could they achieve such speeds without sails? Did they use magic? Even if they did, it should be difficult to achieve such high speeds.
Furthermore, it was reported that these ships had "castles" built in the middle of their hulls. Putting a castle on a ship!? That's dumb and impossible!
To top it off, their method of attack. It was said to emit tremendous noise, smoke, and light, obliterating our ships in a single blow, possibly burying several ships at once. What in the world was that!?
If these were indeed magical attacks, one couldn't even fathom the amount of mana required. Were all their members exceptionally powerful mages?
Come to think of it, the Ancient Sorcerous Empire mentioned in myths was said to have possessed immense magical power that no one could replicate. Could it be that it has revived in these nearby waters, and they're now fighting their military?
The Kingdom of Louria had always boasted a large population (38 million people. Among the three nations on Rodenius, it held the undisputed top position in terms of population, and its population alone was said to rival that of the great powers) but the quality of its equipment had never been particularly high. However, with the assistance of the Parpaldia Empire, although it took six years, they managed to amass a quantity of weapons and equipment, albeit of moderate quality. But now, it seemed that their weapons might not be effective. Of course, naval and aerial battles often depend on the "quality" of equipment, but it's not always the case with pure "quantity" in land battles... perhaps...
Various thoughts swirled in his mind, and the king spent a sleepless night that day.
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Day 24 Month 4 Year 1639 Central Calendar, 10:00
Philades Continent
National Strategy Bureau, Parpaldia Empire, Third Civilization Area
Despite it being daytime, the room was lit as if the lights had been dimmed. In the dimness, glass orbs glowed orange, powered by the spirits of light contained within. Two men were huddled together, their figures cast in shadow by the glowing orbs.
"Have you read this report? It's a compilation of observation reports sent by Valhall."
The tone of one suggested he held a decent position.
"No, not yet. I'll take a look," a younger man responded.
Across the orange glow, documents were passed from hand to hand.
"Speaking of Valhall, isn't he the military officer stationed in Louria? What's... What is this!?"
"Have you read it? Yes, it seems that the fleet belonging to Louria after six years of our support was quickly crushed. By none other than the Principality of Qua-Toyne."
"How is that possible!? How could a fleet supported by our nation lose to a country of that caliber...! Even though Louria may be savages in its combat methods, to think that just 20 ships could deal such a massive crushing against 4.400... This is like something out of a fairy tale."
"Indeed. Furthermore, it's reported that they had cannons larger than ours, capable of utterly obliterating our warships with a single shot. And their accuracy was quite remarkable."
"Cannons!? ...Valhall, you've been living there for quite some time, haven't you? Could it be that you've gone mad and started seeing hallucinations?"
"That might be so. Let's arrange for a replacement next time. But cannons... their accuracy shouldn't be that high."
"Yes. And even if the Lourians have managed to produce cannons, if our 100-gun warship Ficianus were to engage them, there's no way it would be sunk. With a firing range of 2 kilometers, as long as it has ammunition, it could sink Lourian ships without opposition. Perhaps we should consider that the so-called barbaric nation of Qua-Toyne has finally managed to produce cannons."
If the fairies of the Japanese military heard that cannons with a firing range of 2 kilometers were considered common, they would scoff. Their own outdated towed field guns, the Type 88 75 mm field gun and the Type 94 37 mm rapid-fire gun, had longer effective ranges.
"By the way, do you think the Lourians will lose? It would disrupt our country's strategy of resource acquisition."
In fact, the reason why the National Strategic Bureau of the Parpaldia Empire supported the Kingdom of Louria had a reason behind it. That reason was the abundant Lourian population (from the Empire's perspective, it was useful because it could build a mountain of slaves) and the land of Qua-Toyne (which, of course, would be used for securing food production). In exchange for supporting Louria, and essentially making it a vassal state to acquire labor (of course, treating them as slaves) and further subjugating Qua-Toyne through Louria, they would indirectly obtain human resources and a food production zone. That was what the National Strategic Bureau of the Parpaldia Empire had in mind. However, the fact that the National Strategic Bureau was acting without the Emperor's permission was a flaw. It had already cost a huge amount of money, and if Louria were to lose, it would come to light. Naturally, heads would roll.
"I believe everything will be fine. While naval and aerial battles are one thing, manpower is the decisive factor in land battles. Since Louria has an abundance of population, there's no way a group of savages that has just started producing cannons could defeat them."
"We'll treat this matter as top secret for now and keep it to ourselves. The report is too absurd to be taken at face value. Until we verify its authenticity, we won't report it to His Majesty the Emperor. And, prepare for evidence destruction, just in case of an emergency. Is that clear?"
"Crystal."
Thus, the men's clandestine conversation came to an end.
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Meanwhile, a similar scene was unfolding in Mu, the great power of the Second Civilization Area.
"What!? Qua-Toyne deploying aircraft, and monoplane ones at that!?"
Yelling into a wireless telephone, Myrus, a technical officer and information analyst serving in the Information and Communications Department of the Muish General Armed Forces, was furious.
"But those were indeed aircraft, monoplane ones!"
His counterpart on the line, Rias, a military observer stationed in the Kingdom of Louria, was yelling back just as vehemently.
"And the Qua-Toynian warships?"
"Yes. Well, those warships had larger hulls and cannons than La Kasami, and they seemed to be faster as well! And they have rotating turrets!"
"That can't be true! Are you sure you didn't imagine it!?"
"You can't imagine seeing over ten illusions!"
Rias was desperate too. If he couldn't get them to believe him here, this wonder would never be conveyed in the future... Thinking so, he was trying desperately to make them understand.
"Well... It might not be something we can put in the report, but I understand. But I can't believe it easily either. Do you have a camera there?"
"No, I didn't bring it."
"Even though you were told to bring it... Oh, whatever. I'll have one sent from headquarters immediately. Get any kind of photo you can. Clear ones would be appreciated if possible."
"Understood, I'll take them. Goodbye."
The call ended.
"A small country at the eastern edge, with battleships equipped with rotating turrets? ...Is it really true?" Myrus muttered to himself.
Logically, this would be impossible. However, the desperation in the military observer's (Rias) voice hinted that this wasn't just an ordinary matter.
'Principality of Qua-Toyne, huh. Maybe I need to see this with my own eyes at least once.'
Myrus decided to shelve this matter for now and move on to his next task.
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Almost 3.000 words, about half the length of the previous chapter... Did everyone find it difficult to read? If you found it hard to read, please feel free to leave a comment in the feedback section.
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Next Chapter Preview:
As the naval battle comes to an end, there is a group of elves desperately moving through the western region of Qua-Toyne. They are suddenly attacked by a detachment of Lourian cavalry. And at that moment, that sound echoes...
Next Chapter: "Elves, Cavalry, and the Devil's Siren"