Soudouki Vol 8 Chapter 3 (Patreon)

Chapter 3 – Fierce Battle of South Seas

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Part 1

The armada of maritime guild ruled over Trystovy’s South Seas.

The commander of its eight fleet Borsalino captured the fleeing  merchant ships of the dukedom one after another and looted their items.

「Don’t let them get away! Their fat wallet is ours!」

Strictly speaking the guild’s armada wasn’t a military navy. Many of them thought of battle as a type of trade.

Borsalino was also one of those people.

Rather than sinking the enemy ship, it would be better to loot them to fill his own pocket.

He was working hard in looting like usual without feeling any guilt.

It was then, a black island made it appearance from its hiding place behind a cape.

──No, it wasn’t anything like an island.

「W-what the hell is that……」

A giant ship that could be mistaken as an island fired the ballistas  that were loaded in it and rained arrow at them. Borsalino didn’t even  have any time to return to his senses before his consciousness fell into  deep darkness.

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「So they got away.」

It was great that they were able to sink the flagship with the first  attack, but seventy percent of the eighth fleet succeeded in running  away after realizing that they had no chance of winning.

The man gulped down dark rum in dissatisfaction.

This alcohol had unique flavor from burning the interior of a barrel  of fermented rum. It was an excellent article that was popular among the  man of sea of Trystovy.

This man wasn’t someone especially frivolous despite drinking on the job like this.

Water could easily turn bad and gave diarrhea if kept too long, so it  was extremely common to supply a ship with rum in exchange of water  because rum could be preserved for long.

「It couldn’t be helped. The slow speed of this ship is the only thing that we can’t do anything about.」

「Hmph, it’s not amusing.」

The man had long black hair and red bandana on his head with stubbles  covering the area around his mouth, but his looks gave off a feeling of  refinement somehow.

His name was Federigo Romano(フェデリーゴ・ロマーノ). The commander of the first fleet of Trystovy navy.

He was the second son of Romano House that had produced navy officer  for many generations. His house was a noted family that quickly switched  side to the dukedom when the coup d‘etat started.

「Despite everything I intend to stay as a proud sailor though……」

「It can’t be helped. A decent human absolutely won’t even think to create this kind of monster.」

Federigo and his vice commander both sighed when they looked at the absurdly spacious deck.

The ship they were boarding had a total length of 300 meters and total width of 70 meters.

The image of this ship was like an average carrack getting enlarged to be five times bigger.

However because of its huge size, it maintained its shape without  using keel but bulky oak woods that were structured into box shape.

The bottom of the ship was deeply submerged into the water and its  speed was slow. Rather than calling this thing a ship it was more of a  fortress floating on sea.

The ship’s sides were covered with thin iron planks to defend against  fire. This ship’s defensive strength was unmatched, but because of that  it slowed down the ship’s speed that was already slow from the start  even more.

Battle in sea was fundamentally done by coming alongside the enemy  ship and then launching a boarding action or by a ramming attack using  the ship’s front part. There was also indirect attack method using magic  or fire arrow.

But this huge ship’s sides were really high because of its huge size,  so it was practically impossible for enemy to board this ship.

Also ramming attack would be unable to break through this ship’s thick armor unless the enemy’s ship rammed with great speed.

But if a ship rammed another ship with great speed, that ship would also be unable to endure that ramming’s impact.

There was no way to do such thing unless that ship was resolved to sink together with the enemy.

And last was indirect attack. This huge ship was equipped with  ballistas that could fire eight arrows that were huge like spear. Each  side of the ship was installed with ten such ballista that would shower  the approaching enemy with eighty huge arrows.

The ballista’s might far surpassed human strength. Its arrows could easily pierce the side of a normal warship.

This was also what attacked the flagship of maritime guild’s fleet just now.

There was no warship in existence that would get away safely after  having holes opened in it and its sails torn apart by the huge arrows.

Then what about magic? The huge ship always had one platoon of  magicians stationed permanently in it as befitting its large size. They  had plenty of hands to dispel the enemy’s magic.

This ship was the worst fortress above sea in every meaning.

「And its name is also GiganteGiant. It’s really lonely for a sailor to not have any chance to show his skill above this ship.」

Federigo laughed in self-derision.

To be honest, he didn’t want to board this kind of object.

This Gigante was lent to Trystovy from Answerer Kingdom. The  situation where it could be used was considerably limited. So to speak  it was a locally specialized weapon.

It couldn’t be used in large scale sea battle because it was just too  slow. And yet it also wasn’t that sturdy that it could directly assault  a harbor.

As long as it was floating on sea, it would be helpless when facing heavy weapon like the catapult on land.

In other words Gigante was a specialized weapon for blockading  Mulberry and severing the maritime guild’s sea route that connected them  to outside world.

「This ship also can’t sail out to the open sea. This monster really was made just to take down Mulberry……」

「They aren’t introducing themselves as the successor of the unification dynasty just for show.」

As expected Answerer Kingdom was a level higher than others when it  came to economic strength, manufacturing capability, and manpower.

In the end it was completely the fault of Trystovy navy for being  inferior to the battle strength of the maritime guild that the situation  became like this.

They couldn’t even maintain the control of the sea around Riga which  was their naval base without the assistance of Answerer Kingdom, so it  was only natural that the political influence of the navy was declining.

「Tsk, it’s not amusing at all to obey that guy’s order but, we’ll go along with it for a while.」

Federigo imagined the face of the navy minister Tommaso who most  likely was making a triumphant look right now and clicked his tongue  sharply.

That man didn’t have any ability to steer a ship and climbed up until  the top of the organization with only his talent on desk job. Federigo  hated him so much he wanted to vomit.

Tommaso was a fragile looking man with fair white skin that never  even got hit by salty sea breeze. Frederigo always took offense when  such man acted as his superior and ordering him around.

That guy didn’t understand at all about the spirit of the navy!

Even so Federigo also wasn’t so disloyal that he could just idly watch his homeland getting destroyed.

「Port! We’re going back for a moment to resupply!」

「Aye aye sir!」

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Part 2

The effect that Gigante’s existence brought to the maritime guild was severe.

As the name maritime guild implied, the source of their power came from their influence on the sea.

If they were put into inferiority on the sea, then the maritime  guild’s stronghold Mulberry was already like a rat trapped in a bag.

Mulberry’s greatest defense wasn’t the tall rampart surrounding the  city but their navy power that guaranteed their abundant supply.

「This is why I kept telling you all! But now it’s already too late to choose to surrender unconditionally!」

The leader of the submission faction Gastone was steadily obtaining  support from the merchants who felt anxious due to Gigante blockading  the sea.

The maritime guild had been at war many times with the dukedom in the  past, but they never lost their control of the sea near Mulberry even  once.

In a sense it was only natural for the merchants in Mulberry to be  agitated in fear of being left to dry due to the sea blockade.

「Do you think that we will get through this safely if we surrender unconditionally to them at this point?」

「I have connection with the dukedom. I won’t let them do anything bad to us!」

「We won’t have it this hard from the start if we can trust the dukedom with just your words as guarantee.」

Piaggio curtly rejected Gastone’s proposal.

Gigante’s existence was certainly a threat, but it wasn’t lethal to them by any means.

Fortunately Gigante was too slow, so high speed ship could still transport emergency supply to Mulberry without problem.

「Don

T you understand that the situation will keep worsening for us as  time pass? Now that beastman brat can’t enter this country this is our  last chance to surrender!]

「If you are saying that you’re going to oppose the decision of the elders conference then I too won’t stay quiet you know?」

Piaggio’s gaze became an invisible blade that pierced Gastone’s heart.

The pressure that was radiated from Piaggion that had ruled over the maritime guild for many years made Gastone gasped in pain.

The number of carnage that both of them had struggled through was too different from each other.

Gastone reluctantly gave up on persuading Piaggio.

「I shall follow the decision of this body. However never forget. The  guild member has the right to prioritize their own wellbeing.」

The guild was only an organization of mutual aid for merchants in the  end. None of them had the duty to share the fate of the organization.

The members were always left with the right to quit the guild anytime.

They wouldn’t be able to do business in Trystovy anymore if they  carelessly used that right, but if the guild’s defeat became clear, all  the members would naturally quit the guild.

「Of course──I won’t ask you to die for the sake of the guild.」

Piaggio smiled aloofly. Gastone realized that even his last threat didn’t work.

──Well, it can’t be helped.

There was still hope remaining for the guild right now.

But if this disadvantage continued for a bit more, the number of merchants who wished to surrender would double.

When that time came it would be too late for them even if they lost the color of their face and panicked unsightly.

This wasn’t the era of old man like them anymore.

Gastone suppressed the seething fury inside him and left.

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「──Good grief, those damn fools from Answerer Kingdom. They just keep making troubles.」

Piaggio’s dignity had won over Gastone, but he wasn’t actually as composed as he looked.

Even for Piaggio this was his first time experiencing Mulberry losing its control of the sea.

Piaggio was also feeling anxious in front of this unprecedented event.

「Just how extravagant they could be to make such a giant ship that look like castle.」

「This isn’t the time for joke! Presently the logistic capability of Mulberry has been halved!」

「The companies without much stamina will start to go bankrupt if this situation continue for half a month more.」

Even if they were unable to sell the commodity they were stocking up,  they naturally couldn’t stop paying the price and maintenance cost.

That was what it meant for the logistic to stop working.

It was clear that the company that didn’t have much fund in reserve  wouldn’t have enough money to pay their expense and went bankrupt sooner  or later.

The guild didn’t have any way to stop that.

This situation had to be resolved no matter what before those merchants hit their limit.

「Barbarino, what do you think?」

Piaggio looked for salvation by asking the veteran admiral who controlled the maritime guild’s armada Barbarino.

「That thing isn’t a ship but a castle. We will look like an idiot if  we face it head on. From time immemorial the conventional measure to  take down a castle is to siege it and cut off its supply but……」

Trystovy Dukedom’s navy was superior in number now with the aid from  Answerer Kingdom. The guild’s armada didn’t have the leeway to fight a  siege battle.

With their current battle strength they had their hands full with guarding their merchant ship convoy.

「Furthermore we can’t even get closer to it because it’s equipped  with weapons that will turn our ships into porcupine. We have tried  luring it so it ran aground on reefs, but for Federigo this area is like  his own garden. He won’t get lured into a trap.」

Federigo was someone with skill that could contest for the first or second place as fleet commander in the dukedom.

It was the height of difficulty to outwit someone so thoroughly  knowledgeable about sea battle even with Barbarino’s skill. If only it  was a different admiral commanding Gigante then there might be another  way.

「Then what are we going to do? Can we only remain idle like this until we are completely dried up?」

「We can’t possibly commit suicide like that! In the worst case we  will ignore Gigante and challenge the dukedom navy to a decisive  battle.」

If they could annihilate the main force of the dukedom’s fleet, they would obtain enough leeway to besiege Gigante.

However the chance of the guild’s armada winning such battle couldn’t be said as high even as a flattery.

With the dukedom planning to have a protracted battle, it was possible that they would avoid having a decisive battle.

It was the common sense of military studies that decisive battle  between two armadas wouldn’t occur unless both sides wished for it.

「──It’s really annoying to admit but, it’s regretful that brat Garibaldi is absent at this time.」

The youngest among the Seven Elders Augusto was considered as a  cheeky youngster by Piaggio and others, but at the same time they also  considered him as a man who was strangely sharp-nosed.

They wanted an unexpected factor like him in a deadlocked situation like this.

「We never thought that things will turn out like this after all.」

The mission that was given to Augusto was to be the guide for Antrim army that Baldr would be leading to here.

Augusto couldn’t possibly leave Baldr behind and returned here on his own.

Based on the common sense, Margrave Antrim should need at least half a  year or more for him to form his army with all his strength.

「It seems that Nordland’s beastman race will also send thousands of soldiers. If we can endure until Margrave Antrim arrive──」

「He won’t make it in time. Mulberry will go bankrupt if we just wait around doing nothing for half a year.」

The reality was it would be difficult for them to endure for even half a month.

It would be great if they could at least work together with Sanjuan  and Majorca’s navy, but maritime guild didn’t have any connection with  them.

Urraca was taking action purely because of Baldr’s request. In the  first place Trystovy and those two countries were in hostile  relationship before the civil war broke out, so it couldn’t be helped.

If the fleet that was led by the Tormenta Negra Urraca de Parma  joined them, they would be able to fight evenly or perhaps even  dominantly against Trystovy Dukedom’s fleet that was in disadvantage  right now but…….

「I have grown senile. I of all people am unable to do anything except grumbling like this.」

While Piaggio sighed, his secretary who was wearing a monocle came  toward him with loud footsteps. He was looking unusually flustered.

「What happened?」

Piaggio frowned with a bad premonition.

「There is an urgent message from Augusto-sama. It said that the  advance party of Margrave Antrim will enter Mulberry in five more days.」

「──What did you say?」

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Part 3

There were three sea routes that extended from Mulberry.

First was a sea route that extended to the east through Marmara Sea toward Sanjuan Kingdom.

If a ship sailed northeast from Mulberry, they would find Tyron ocean  current that was flowing along the coast heading to east. Riding this  ocean current was the common route that became the main trade route with  Sanjuan Kingdom.

The other route was going south through Marmara Sea and then using  Medina ocean current, a dark blue colored warm current that was flowing  from the southern ocean to head to Majorca Kingdom.

This ocean current that was also called as the black tide had few  plankton within it so the transparency of the water was high. In  addition the speed of the ocean current was fast that it reached 4 knot,  so this sea route was really popular for the trade at South Seas.

By the way Federigo crushed the guild’s eighth fleet at this sea route.

The last route was Makkara ocean current that was flowing from  southwest of Mulberry along the coast of Trystovy Dukedom until Answerer  Kingdom.

Because Mulberry was located at the center of ocean currents that  were flowing to the east and west like this that those in shipping  industry coveted this location.

It wasn’t just for show that praises were sung for this city’s glory  as the biggest trade city in the continent under the protection of  Trystovy Kingdom.

Before the civil war it was heavily talked that in ten more years the  economic power of Trystovy Kingdom would surpass Answerer Kingdom.

Even if the current economic strength of the dukedom was combined  with the strength of Mulberry’s maritime guild, it couldn’t even match  half of Trystovy Kingdom’s economy at its heyday.

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「Now then, I will pay to be able to watch the pale face of those guild bunches right now.」

A man at the prime of his life was laughing joyfully while holding his stomach.

「Setting aside the guild, we can’t underestimate Sanjuan Kingdom and Majorca Kingdom you know?」

Please don’t let your guard down, the vice commander sent  the man a harsh glare that was telling him that, but the man only  slapped the vice commander’s back energetically.

「You mean that Tormenta Negra or something? Who do you think I am?  There is no way a little girl like that can bring down this Gerard  Salvatore!」

Gerald laughed so hard that his fat round stomach was shaking. His vice commander stared at him with a cold gaze.

The vice commander had no intention to cut corners because this was  his duty, but there were many people like him who held Gerald in  contempt.

The reason was because Gerald once betrayed the maritime guild in the  past. But he didn’t stop there. He even betrayed his country and sought  asylum at Answerer Kingdom.

This Gerald was only the first of the many people who did that. The  number of merchants who gave up on Trystovy and sought asylum at  Answerer Kingdom was around twenty percent of the whole.

But Gerald was standing out even among all of those merchants. At  that time he was one of the Seven Elders and his action brought  extremely great impact to the surrounding.

If the current predicament was excepted, then the greatest danger to  the maritime guild’s continuation was exactly when Gerald broke away  from the guild.

If the guild’s armada commander Barbarino learned of Gerald’s  presence here, there was no doubt that he would personally sail here to  take Gerald’s head.

「It won’t take long until the maritime guild is dried up as long as  we blockade this Tyron current. There won’t even any need to especially  dispatch 50000 troops to there. I’m sorry for all the trouble they are  going through for nothing.」

Gerard chuckled while holding his stomach.

In the first place Gerald found it absurd that the dukedom was  choosing to do decisive battle on land even though they were fighting  the maritime guild.

The source of the guild’s power was in their sea power. As long as  the guild had inexhaustible fund and supply, it was nearly impossible to  take down Mulberry.

Although the Trystovy officers here could understand that opinion  logically, they still glared at Gerald with killing intent in their eyes  because he was making fun of their fellow soldiers in Trystovy  Dukedom’s army.

However Gerald wasn’t someone who would pay any mind to such gazes.

Rather such animosity and jealousy felt pleasant to him.

Currently he was a wealthy merchant who obtained the position of  admiral from Answerer Kingdom. He was also the commander who was  entrusted with this second Gigante.

His standing was different from minor country like Trystovy Dukedom  or the maritime guild that was like a candle fire in front of wind right  now.

He would snatch away the rights over the economy in Trystovy with the backing of Answerer Kingdom’s influence.

And then he would settle down in the position of the head of Trystovy  commerce guild that would be even larger than the like of maritime  guild. That was Gerald’s plan.

As long as the civil war was concluded, Trystovy’s economic strength would grow rapidly.

Even if Trystovy ended up into a state of half vassal state, its geostrategic advantage wouldn’t be gone that easily.

That was why Gerald volunteered to come to the front line although it was accompanied by some dangers.

He needed to obtain a clear achievement even if it was just a posing  so that a refugee like him could climb up the rank in Answerer Kingdom.

A huge nation like Answerer Kingdom had many wealthy merchants at Gerald’s level and more, but Gerald grasped this chance.

Answerer Kingdom too needed someone who was familiar with the lay of  the land if they wanted to be in control of Trystovy Dukedom. Gerald  knew from his experience that this kind of chance wouldn’t come to him  the second time.

「Not a single ship of the guild will pass through as long as this Gigante is here.」

Unlike warship, merchant ship that was fully loaded with commodities was slow.

In reality Gigante was even slower than such merchant ship, but it  could be left to the fleet that was guarding Gigante to take care of  that.

And then if the guild’s armada came out to have a decisive battle, he  would only need to use this Gigante as shield while exterminating the  enemy.

The fate of the maritime guild had been decided whether they chose to run away or do a decisive battle.

Gerald whistled in a good mood.

「ForeFold the sail! Let go anchor, fortify the scouting!」

What was left was to wait here while spreading the net to capture their prey.

Of course there was also a way of going out of the sea route and took  roundabout path, but even if a ship sailed through a sea route that  didn’t have the assistance of ocean current and also bad wind flow, they  would spend a lot more time and effort and ended up obtained a  dramatically reduced profit.

There was naturally a reason why this route was used by everyone.

Which meant, an incredible pressure was applied on Mulberry just because Gerald was staying in this route.

──But Gerald didn’t notice.

It wouldn’t be just prey that got caught in the net.

He was resolved of getting attacked by the guild’s fleet.

But even in the case that happened, Gerald didn’t have the slightest thought that Gigante would be defeated.

The problem was the fact that in this world existed monsters who kept  forgetting to take out their common sense from the back of their drawer  chest.

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Part 4

Baldr and others moved fast after they decided to depart.

Their speed was such that it even astonished Augusto who had  confidence of on his own speed when taking action. And so Margrave  Antrim’s troops finished the departure preparation and began taking  action at the next morning just like Ramillies said.

「……This will be nightmare for the other side.」

Both enemies and allies all believed that it would be one more month or more until Baldr departed.

No, the military common sense for this would say that it should take more than two months until Baldr was ready.

Unlike a defensive battle, the burden for supplying a military expedition was astronomically different.

There were some incompetent kings in history that made light of such  undertaking thinking that they could solve the problem by procuring  supply on the site, but anyone who underestimated the problem of supply  like that would definitely fail.

Therefore the more intelligent someone was the more they would put importance on supply.

「Have you sent out a fast horse?」

「The fast horse already departed last night.」

Ramillies gave an immediate reply to Baldr’s question.

Although Baldr had received permission from the king for his  expedition to Trystovy, it was the common practice to give advance  notice to the nobles whose territory they would cross.

The preparation for that had been finished, so what was important in  this situation was the method to enter Mulberry with the shortest sea  route.

Specifically they would have to procure ships from Sanjuan Kingdom to head to Mulberry.

Mulberry was isolated at the tip of a peninsula. It could only come into contact with other country through sea route.

「──I’m already itching to move my body. I’ll have them take responsibility for picking a fight with me.」

Maggot was clearly looking excited while placing her favorite spear  on her shoulder. A mysterious feeling of lethargy filled Baldr’s whole  body when he saw his mother like that.

「As I thought, you’re going to come together with us then, Kaa-san.」

「I’m coming along no matter what you say so give it up! (Recently  Nigel and Marguerite will look happier when it’s Tyros who take care of  them. I’m not needed here anyway……)」

「Just now it feels like Kaa-san is driven by a really unacceptable feeling though?」

「It’s fine! A tiny insignificant army like this should be grateful  for my assistance! (I’m really lonely! Baldr too should pay attention  more to your mommyy!)」

As always she was a fatally awkward woman.

「Just what did Dahlia teach this girl I wonder……」

Gina rubbed her forehead and sighed, but she too was fully intending to come along.

She was here as the representative of the beastman race of Nordland,  so she had no option of staying behind and simply seeing off Baldr’s  departure.

Gartlake’s shrine maiden princess was going to risk her life fighting, so Nordland have to send someone along to fight too.

And most of all, Gina was prepared to die anytime if it was for the sake of her cute great grandson Baldr.

「Muh……I don’t want to be told that from an old hag fawning on her great grandson like an idiot!」

「Hohou, you’re talking big for a little girl who still can’t let go  of your son despite your age. You don’t actually need to come along, you  can just leave Baldr to me while taking care of Nigel and Marguerite  you know?」

Maggot was fundamentally an overprotective woman.

It was only the way she directed her feeling that was mistaken, but  there was no doubt that she was a deeply compassionate woman.

「T-t-t-that’s, even I want to have a fight sometimes! That’s why it’s fine like this!」

「Well, I don’t mind if you’re alright with that.」

「DON’T LOOK SMUG LIKE THAT IN FRONT OF MEEEEE!」

Satsuki watched Maggot and Gina doing comedy skit in front of her with a conflicted gaze.

「……She is not only holding her ground but even leading around that  mother by the nose. Her fame as the Thunder of Helsing isn’t just for  show nya……」

Gina had become her comrade-in-arms under Baldr that she would fight  together with, but Gina could be said as the bitter enemy of the  cat-eared tribe.

Satsuki had no intention to hate Gina more than necessary or to take  her down, but she was unable to suppress her feeling of not wanting to  lose against Gina.

Most likely there would be no more battle between the dog-eared tribe and the cat-eared tribe.

Satsuki had such premonition.

However she swore that cat-eared tribe would be the beastman race that was the most useful for Baldr.

「I’ll do it nya……I’ll stake the name of the shrine maiden princess of Gartlake on it!」

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Part 5

Margrave Antrim army was crossing south through Sanjuan Kingdom under the command of Baldr with an absurd speed.

To tell the truth, what consumed the most time during an army’s movement was the meal time and camping time.

The troops were still human despite being soldiers. Taking rest was  absolutely necessary in order to maintain their battle strength.

However an army would consume more calorie than the average people.  Cooking meals and preparing sleeping place for them were extremely  difficult.

It was necessary to cook the meals of thousands of people at morning  and evening, then erecting tents for thousands of people while also  forming rotation schedule for night watch.

If war horses were also added to this, the army would also need to carry fodder and water for the horses.

Even before the fighting, advance management ability was necessary to manage the army’s movement to reach the battlefield.

The secret of the menacing speed of Baldr’s troops was their small  size that was only 400 men. Because of that he could send fast horse  ahead of the troops to ask the feudal lords along the way to prepare  meals and lodgings before their arrival.

As expected it would be impossible to house thousands of troops, but  if it was just 400 then it was possible to accommodate them if the  troops were divided to the feudal lord’s mansion and the inns.

Of course it also greatly helped that Sanjuan Kingdom had given the  order to the feudal lords along the path Baldr’s troops traveled to  accommodate their need as much as possible.

It also had to be mentioned how the 400 soldiers were all elites with solid unity.

The marching speed of an army was set by using the speed of the  slowest soldier as the standard. The army was forced to do that in order  to keep moving while maintaining order and not letting any soldier  dropped out.

Because of that the small elite force of Margrave Antrim army that  received the assistances along the way safely arrived at the port city  Abukir that was located fifty kilometers east from Sanjuan Kingdom’s  royal capital Cadiz.

But──.

「I’ve been waiting Baldr! I’ll be yours for sure this time……!」

「Damn it, I’m really an idiot that I forgot to consider this possibility!」

Baldr wondered where did she obtain the information from.

Over there Urraca was waiting for him with a wide smile even though  she should be destroying the commerce of Trystovy Kingdom at Marmara  Sea.

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Baldr had grown taller and manlier since the last time they parted.  Urraca sported a fierce grin like a predator that had found its prey.

「You have grown bigger even though it hasn’t been that long since last time we met. You have even completely passed my height.」

The first time they met Baldr was still a young boy whose height was still around Urraca’s shoulder.

The growth of a boy at his puberty was shockingly fast.

At present the crown prince of Sanjuan Kingdom Franco was growing up  from completely taking over the rudder of the kingdom as the replacement  of his father who was on sickbed.

There was no more trace of the past pretty boy with thin presence Franco that could be found there.

Right now he was a dignified leader of the country.

But in front of her Baldr looked like someone indomitable who had a growth that surpassed even that Franco.

From the start Urraca was a woman who was classified as someone  having a large build, but looking up at Baldr’s face from below like  this was a very fresh experience that lit fire to her maiden heart.

「Now, today for sure……!」

Silk was about to dash forward with a face that was dyed red from  wrath, but before she could do so a chill ran through Urraca’s spine and  she reflexively leaped backward.

It was an indescribable chill that caressed her fair skin like a blade that was made from ice.

Urraca didn’t need any time to find what was the true identity of the chill.

Magnificent silver hair that was completely similar to Baldr,  intelligent eyes with long slits, a sharp cutting aura that was only  possessed by first class warrior radiating from her whole body.

Even Urrace knew who this person was.

「Please pardon my rudeness. It’s truly an honor to be at your presence, Silver Light Maggot-dono.」

「It’s fine. I too don’t hate a girl like you. It’s just it looks like I’ll need to ask my son about a lot of things.」

Maggot and Silk’s gazes of killing intent snapped toward Baldr. Baldr  couldn’t help but yelling even though he knew that it was pointless.

「I’M INNOCEEEENTT!」

「It’s a great mistake if you think that you can be forgiven just because you did it unconsciously!」

「That’s right! You are always like this Baldr!」

From the start Silk never suspected that Baldr had made any advances toward Urraca or anything.

Baldr must have done something that tickled the maiden heart of Urraca unconsciously like usual anyway.

Silk had never exchanged words directly with Urraca before, but she  had already heard at the victory celebration party how Urraca was  infatuated with Baldr.

It might be her bias as someone in love, but as far as Silk knew Baldr was the best man there was.

Furthermore he was the man who would become the king of Trystovy at the dawn of their victory against the dukedom.

It was only natural that women would swarm at Baldr. She had resolved  herself for that, but Silk had gotten a headache despite that when  accepting Rachel just the other day. Urraca was also a troubling  existence for her.

「Even I have heard the name of Tormenta Negra before. But, do you really have the resolve to become Baldr’s wife?」(Maggot)

Urraca was the navy minister of Majorca Kingdom. She was the head of Parma House that was also related to the royal family.

She had a status that was balanced with Baldr, but the position of  navy minister wasn’t so light that she could easily leave her country  behind and come along with Baldr.

「That won’t be bad but, I love my country even though I act like this. What I want is only Baldr’s heart and seed!」

*BUFUUUUUUUUUUUUUH!*

Hearing this, not just Baldr and Silk, as expected even Maggot went bright red and coughed hard in shock.

Or rather, Maggot was unexpectedly not accustomed to this kind of topic.

「Amazing nya……woman of the sea is really bold nya.」

Satsuki covered her flushed cheeks with both her hands while muttering dizzily.

「I’m begging you don’t use Urraca as your basis when talking about woman of the sea!」

Baldr could only hold his head at his wits’ end.

Silk finally pulled herself together and flared up at Urraca with the corner of her eyes lifted up angrily.

「D-d-d-d-d-d-do you know what in the world are you talking about?」

Urraca too was a maiden.

She sensitively sensed that something had happened between Baldr and  Silk that connected their heart together while she wasn’t there.

(……So this girl is Baldr’s woman.)

Her well-ordered looks that was like a white porcelain doll and her  eyes that were radiating a strong will were leaving a strong impression.

Besides she had small build but her body was well trained.

Urraca didn’t feel like she would lose if they fought on the sea, but  it would be fifty-fifty if they fought on land, and if it was a formal  match then Urraca might end up the loser.

Urraca accepted that Silk wasn’t just a pretty doll at the very least.

「Is my wish that strange?」

「Obviously! You made it look like Baldr is just a studhorse……if you  are also a noble of Majorca Kingdom, you should have a bit more  modesty……」

Silk’s complaint was very natural based on the common sense of noble.

However both Urraca and Baldr were very far away from the definition of normal human in every sense.

「Unfortunately I also can’t possibly abandon my country to become a  wife in other country. Even Baldr isn’t in the position that can come to  my place as a husband. So is it that strange for me to at least want to  have Baldr’s child?」

Of course it was strange. If based on the way of thinking of normal noble that was.

However for Silk who had the experience of worrying herself to death  between her love and position as the survivor of a destroyed country,  Urraca’s words weren’t something that she could just dismiss lightly.

「Hou? It looks like you have an idea of what I’m talking about.」

Urraca wasn’t looking for any understanding from the start, but she  was surprised that Silk was interpreting her intention accurately.

She revised her opinion of Silk even more that Silk wasn’t just a noble’s daughter with only pretty look.

「Well, it helps if you get what I’m talking about. I have no  intention of giving birth to the child of other man than Baldr. I won’t  ask you to let me marry him, so I’ll be grateful if you just overlook  this one thing.」

「I-I understand your feeling but, there’s no wife that won’t stop his  husband from cheating just because the other woman proclaim it honestly  like that!」

Being able to understand Urraca’s feeling and accepting the relationship were two different problems.

Silk had no intention of allowing Baldr to cheat with a woman from  other country even though she herself hadn’t held her own marriage  ceremony.

「──It have been bothering me from some time ago but──」

Maggot raised her hand and interrupted the talk at that timing.

「Shouldn’t you say that to Baldr first? It’s not like you need to expressly get permission from Silk.」

「Fuah?」

Urraca’s uplifted mood got brought down to earth and then her gaze  met with Baldr. It was then she finally realized what she had been  talking about while in front of Baldr.

「No, this is that……you see」

It seemed she was embarrassed to say it in front of the person himself.

Urraca was someone who acted boldly, but unexpectedly she would become a very shy person instead when she was conscious of it.

Her face became bright red in her flustered state. Then she finally turned around and ran away.

「DON’T THINK THAT YOU HAVE WON WITH THIIIIIIISS!」

「What the hell」

「──Amazing nya. So this is the tactic of the woman of the sea nya.」

Satsuki looked understanding for some reason. She kept nodding to herself while going ‘uh-huh’ repeatedly.

.

Part 6

「That thing is really strange.」

It was Urraca’s arena when they all were aboard the ship.

She had completely forgotten the disgraceful behavior that she displayed before this and scowled in disgust.

「It seemed that a big thing that was never seen before beat up the  guild’s fleet pretty badly. Right now the dukedom’s fleet is going  around Marmara Sea arrogantly like they’re the boss.」

「The guild’s fleet was defeated-?」

「Hm, who are you?」

「My apologize, I’m the representative for the maritime guild’s Seven Elders, Augusto of Garibaldi Company.」

「I see, you’re from the guild. You must be feeling bad then.」

Urraca’s tone was dispassionate. It made Augusto realized that the defeat of the guild’s fleet was really the truth.

This was an alarming situation.

The maritime guild had never been cornered into disadvantageous position on the sea until now.

Augusto was thinking that there would still be some more time until  the guild lost their control of the sea even with Answerer Kingdom  aiding the dukedom.

Barbarino who was entrusted with the guild’s armada was a reliable comrade and also a rival in Augusto’s opinion.

Augusto’s surprise was even bigger because he knew very well just how capable Barbarino was.

「By the way what is this big thing that you mentioned?」

「I heard that it’s a stupidly big ship that look like an island. That  thing can’t even move around decently, I’m amazed that they could think  to make something like that.」

Urraca shrugged in exasperation.

For a sailor, a ship that they couldn’t move around freely had no worth.

Reading the weather and steering the ship freely were what it meant for Urraca and others to be a proud sailor.

A slow ship that moved like a sea turtle that came up on land could never be called a ship at all.

「In other words it’s a sea fortress……」

Augusto groaned.

Only Answerer Kingdom could spend this much money extravagantly like it was only natural.

It should take a lot of money just to construct the giant ship and hire the manpower to maintain its operation.

And yet this ship’s utility was extremely limited.

──In other words, this could be said as the sea version of attachment castle tactic for siege battle.

Attachment castle meant to build a simple castle at an important  position when surrounding a castle. This attachment castle would  function to sever the counterattack method of the defending side and  also to cut off their supply route.

Fundamentally the defender side would be in the overwhelming advantage in a siege battle until the early modern period.

But then famous castles that were called impregnable were taken down  one after another by Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi who were well  known even by Sanai. This feat was enabled by their ability in  fortifying open field and constructing attachment castle, as well as  their vast ability to prepare extensive logistics that enabled them to  carry out a drawn-out battle.

No matter how much the defender protected their castle, they wouldn’t  obtain victory as long as the enemy’s logistics was continuing.

In addition with the construction of attachment castle by the  attacker, it also became difficult for the defender to counter attack.

The have mercilessly exterminated the have not with the brutality of  overwhelming funds and supplies. That was the kind of battle that  Nobunaga and Hideyoshi aimed for.

Since then in Japan holing up in a castle when there wasn’t any hope for reinforcement rapidly became obsolete.

The tactic that the dukedom applied against Mulberry was also that kind of tactic.

「They got us. Sea traffic route is the lifeline of Mulberry. If that  route is blocked then even Mulberry won’t be able to hold out.」

Augusto felt a freezing chill crawling up until his neck.

But that chill didn’t just come from his worry toward the risk of Mulberry falling against the enemy.

Augusto feared Baldr’s instinct that made him decisively decided to immediately send out soldiers to save Mulberry from danger.

(So this is the hero that is chosen by this era……)

Augusto who knew about the military strength and past track record of  Mulberry felt offended by Baldr’s estimation that Mulberry might be  taken down within a month.

The abundant fund of maritime guild and their navy power that had  many experienced and skilled men had repelled the dukedom’s invasions  many times until now.

In addition the commander of the armada Barbarino was a veteran  admiral who even Augusto would find it hard to win against in sea  battle.

It was impossible for them to be defeated even if they were in disadvantage. But that belief of Augusto was easily betrayed.

「Well, the main force of the guild’s armada is still in good  condition, and even the blockade of the southern sea route by that big  thing’s appearance also isn’t perfect. So don’t feel that down!」

Urraca slapped Augusto’s shoulder heartily. Augusto could only smile bitterly.

Certainly Mulberry could still receive aid from Sanjuan Kingdom and  Majorca Kingdom like this if the eastern sea route was still open.

The damage to the companies that used the southern sea route as their  main trade route would be great, but as expected it was unthinkable  that they would betray their comrades just because of that.

(The problem is how far Gastone’s influence has reached……)

But even that would only last until Baldr arrived at Mulberry.

Even though Baldr was only bringing a small force with him, Augusto  was utterly convinced that their strength would surpass a reinforcement  of ten thousands troops.

That was what it meant when there were four King’s Gate owners gathered in one place.

But──.

「Ma’am!」

「What’s the matter Kluge?」

The crew who was taking position at the top of the main mast as the lookout shouted at Urraca.

「It’s biig……there’s something really big at ten o’clock……there are  also ships that seem to guard it, one two……eight ships, they have  noticed us! They’re coming!」

.

「Four combat ships, while the rest are just transport ships. Most likely they are reinforcement for the maritime guild.」

「Looks like it. How foolish. It doesn’t matter how many soldiers and  supplies they received, there is no way for Mulberry to survive with its  sea-lane blockaded like this.」

Gahaha, Gerald laughed with shaking stomach.

The opponent was lacking as a prey, but he could still get some money if he took the transport ships.

Half of the supplies and prisoners from the looting would enter Gerald’s pocket.

Of course Gerald had no intention at all to satisfy himself with just half.

A fleet commander had tremendous authority. Gerald intended to use that authority effectively for the sake of his own benefit.

(Hmph, the guild’s fleet should come here too to save me the time.  I’ll make all of them cry bitterly even if it’s Barbarino who come  here!)

The vice commander pretended to not see the wicked smile and low-life  thought of Gerald and glared at the enemy ships in order to accomplish  his duty.

──He was feeling something that felt like uneasiness in his chest.

A ship captained by someone capable in reading the wind and manned by  skilled sailors would leave a deep impression even just from the  slightest movement.

The enemy ships didn’t show any sign of running away at all even though their warships were approaching them.

And yet the enemy ships also weren’t charging forward. They  maintained a delicate distance from here while forming a wall to protect  the transport ships behind them.

There was no doubt that the enemies were skilled and familiar with guarding a ship convoy.

「The transport ships will get away at this rate. Split into two groups and circle around them from both flanks.」

The priority was to capture the transport ships rather than facing the warships.

Gerald’s instruction was certainly not mistaken as the ironclad regulation for destroying enemy’s trade.

But was it really alright to split their own fleet into two groups?

The vice commander felt an unpleasant premonition, but he obeyed Gerald’s instruction.

The superior’s order was absolute. There was no way he could oppose Gerald who was affiliated with Answerer Kingdom.

「──The enemy lifted up their battle flag! That flag……it’s Majorca Kingdom! That’s the Tormenta Negra!」

A dragon that was coiling around the sun that was shining brilliantly above the deep sea of Marmara.

That flag could only be possessed by the king. It meant that the  fleet with that flag was representing the will of Majorca Kingdom.

And then the crest of moon and owl showed that the opponent was the  matchless fleet commander and the navy minister of Majorca Kingdom,  Urraca de Parma.

Majorca Kingdom that was only moving below the surface until now was publicly displaying hostility toward Trystovy Dukedom.

「N-no good! Call back the fleet immediately!」

「No good! They are already gathering speed! They won’t be able to  avoid the clash with enemy ships even if they perform tacking right  now!」

.

「Hahn! They’re trying to take me on with just one hand?」

Urraca smiled predatorily seeing that the fleet that was intercepting them was splitting into two groups.

It offended her, but she wasn’t so kind that she would overlook this blunder that the enemy committed.

「Signal the second ship!」

「Yes ma’am!」

「I’ll leave the fleet that split up over there to them. Beat them  bloody and don’t let them tacking. I’ll toss them to the sea to be shark  feed if they show me shoddy work.」

「Aye aye ma’am!」

Kailas received the signal and he grinned widely at Urraca’s words that were harsh like usual.

Kailas disposition was rapidly turning masochistic. His comrades  since Sanpaniradeon were creeped out by it, but they were still cheering  at his unrewarded love.

「I still don’t want to be turned into shark feed anytime soon yet!」

Even if the opponent was four ships, harassing them while avoiding  getting sunk down was nothing more than a child’s play for Kailas.

「……Our boss is working real hard……」

「That’s because when he got kicked the other day it seemed he was  able to see her underwear, but then he became useless for half a day  just from that……」

「When he started talking that being treated like that is a reward for  him instead, I thought that his brain really had gotten busted yeah.」

「Put your spirit into it you bastards! I’ll throw the guys who keep complaining into the sea!」

「Aye sir!」

.

Gerald laughed when he saw there was only one ship heading toward the fleet that was circling around to the rear of the enemy.

「How noble. Is that ship planning to sacrifice itself to buy some time?」

「……I hope that’s really the case.」

The vice commander nodded half in praying.

Sacrificing one ship to buy time while the remaining three ships were  taking on four ships. Tactically it was a very rational decision. He  too would make the same decision at their place to protect the allied  warship and the transport ship convoy.

However the opponent was that Tormenta Negra.

The vice commander couldn’t believe that great woman would fight within his expectation.

「Bring the Gigante forward……good grief, I can’t grow to like this slow speed no matter how much time passed.」

Any sailor couldn’t possibly like this ship. The vice commander swallowed those words and recited his order.

「Starboard easy, our target is the fleet of the hostile Majorca Kingdom.」

「Roger.」

「E-enemy ships are accelerating! Entering battle!」

.

Urraca that had been upwind from the start was seizing the initiative of the battle right away.

「We’re ending this before that big thing arrive.」

「Aye ma’am.」

Urraca’s La Mancha caught the wind and rapidly closed the distance. The four dukedom’s ships shuddered seeing such speed.

Unlike Gerald, they were thoroughly knowledgeable about how dangerous the navy minister of Majorca Kingdom was.

「Don’t let your guard down! We’ll stop that witch here at all cost!」

It was fortunate that La Mancha was charging forward alone.

It was fine even if they crashed. Even if sacrifice had to be made, defeating Urraca was something necessary for the dukedom.

That was the conclusion of Martini who was commanding this part of the fleet.

His brain still had the nightmarish memory that he couldn’t forget even now.

Originally a sailing ship had to fold its sail and stopped moving  within a storm. But the silhouette of La Mancha was approaching within  such heavy storm as though the divine protection of the wind was at its  side.

Since that day where his colleagues who graduated the military  academy together with him were turned into scraps in the sea, Martini  had been waiting all this time for the chance to take revenge to come.

.

「……I’ll at least respect that spirit. But you can’t ask a woman out when you’re too enthusiastic like that.」

Urraca could clearly see how one of the four ships was approaching with the preparedness to die.

It seemed the enemy ship harbored a special attachment to her the  Tormenta Negra. Well, she remembered a lot of events that could make  someone held a grudge toward her so she didn’t even have the slightest  idea who this enemy could be.

「Match the trim.」

「Aye ma’am.」

The crews accurately matched the sail with the wind’s flow. La Mancha’s speed increased powerfully.

.

「F-fast!」

The reaction of the dukedom’s fleet was late because they were downwind.

In the first place the speed of La Mancha was just too fast.

At this time Martini seriously believed the stupid gossip that Tormenta Negra had the divine protection of wind god with her.

「……Damn monster-! Don’t underestimate me!」

However if he changed his perspective, he could see that La Mancha was sticking out too much.

His ship would be able to capture La Mancha faster than the other two ships could catch up to La Mancha.

「Tell the second ship to follow the first ship! Third ship, fourth  ship, drop your speed in case the enemy try to break through!」

「Sir!」

If the first ship and the second ship charged forward without any  care of ship crashing, as expected even Urraca should hesitate of how to  react.

If she made her ship took a large detour to avoid crashing, the two  ships following behind her would get into danger instead. The one ship  that headed to the other part of the fleet as bait also would be unable  to hold out.

Above all else, Martini believed that La Mancha wouldn’t run away knowing Urraca’s aggressive personality.

「Don’t be scared to die! Even if we end up sinking each other down, those guys don’t have anyone to rescue them while we have!」

Yes. The dukedom had superior number here. In addition they also had the invincible Gigante behind them.

That was why Martini was able to fight without fearing any damage to his ship.

.

「──They’re coming! Don’t be slow!」

「Gotcha, you can give the order anytime ma’am!」

「Port! Open the jive and change!」

The direction of the wind changed at that instant.

The wind that was flowing from the west to the east turned from north to south as though in a whim.

La Mancha smoothly squeezed itself between the dukedom’s first and second ship as though it was gliding above the water.

The two ships that were downwind didn’t have that many ways to prevent this.

「Hard starboard! Mizzen spanker whole out! I don’t care, crash them!」

Martini yelled.

La Mancha would attack the third and fourth ship if he allowed it to pass through here.

In the meanwhile he and the second ship would be held back by the  following Majorca Kingdom’s ships. The possibility was high that they  wouldn’t be able to turn around to give chase in such situation.

*Gigigi*……the first ship changed course toward La Mancha.

The helmsman didn’t hesitate to turn the rudder even knowing that  they would crash. It was the proof that Martine had seized the heart of  his subordinates as a sailor.

But that fast reaction speed backfired.

「Now! Fore top through a back! Spanker boom out!」

The wind returned back to blow from the west to east again.

It was as though the wind until now was the sigh of the wind goddess.

La Mancha rotated like a spinning top in front of Martini.

It might be possible for a yacht, but La Mancha was a large battleship.

The way it rotated like a living whale made Martini stared in wonder.

「I-impossible!」

「Second ship cannot veer in time!」

There weren’t that many captains who could resolve themselves to crash their ship without hesitation.

An instant of hesitation made the route of the first ship and second ship to cross.

「No good, we’re going to crash!」

「All hands, prepare for impaaaaact!」

With a cracking impact sound that was like woods cracking, the  dukedom’s first ship crashed at the second ship’s flank with its prow.

.

「──Great show you put on there.」

The violet colored eyes found their prey. Maggot grinned predatorily.

There was no other word to describe Urraca’s ship handling other than  splendid. It made Maggot unable to suppress her warrior blood from  boiling.

「Good grief, you are still quick to brawl even after giving birth to your children.」

「Old hag, don’t talk like you’re any different.」

*Hyoi* Maggot swung her spear. She brushed up her silver hair that was tied into ponytail and told Gina.

「──I’ll give you a great show next.」

.

Part 7

The common way of fighting on sea was to ram the enemy ship with naval ram and by boarding the enemy ship.

Sometimes fire arrow would also be used from close range, but this  method wasn’t preferred by sailors because it tended to become a battle  of attrition unless the gap of skill between two sides was great and it  also took much time.

Besides no matter what anyone said, boarding enemy ship was the  highlight of naval battle. It was common for a first class battleship to  be carrying first class marines. Of course La Mancha’s marines were  also a gathering of first class.

Battle on ship had unstable foothold and it was hard to work with  each other. Heavy armored infantry would be useless there. Marines were  only using minimal equipment because there was great risk of falling  into sea.

That was why it was hard to raise highly skilled marine. They were considered the treasure of battleship.

The marines of Trystovy Dukedom also weren’t an exception to that.

「……It should be like that isn’t it?」

「Y-yeah……we’re the strongest marines on Marmara Sea!」

「E-even if the enemy’s number are many times more than us, it’s nothing before our might……」

However──.

「Uhyaaaaaaaaaaaaah!」

「I’m flying!」

「I’m flying!」

「I’m flying!」

「Why the hell are people flying in the airrrrrr!」

People were flying in the air one after another before they made showy splashes on the sea.

They were unharmed because of Maggot’s small mercy.

It was the accepted practice for sailors to pick up the sailors who  fell into sea. It was the unwritten law for marine to surrender when  they were saved by enemy.

The marines that were sent flying by Maggot could even be said as fortunate in a sense.

「Since when did you learn the custom of ship battle?」

Gina who was fighting together with Maggot asked. She too was displaying an astounding physical ability.

Maggot answered with a laugh.

「I learned a bit when I worked as mercenary at Sanjuan before.」

Sailor who fell into the sea would definitely die unless they were saved by someone.

The water temperature at this area wasn’t that cold, but the time human could float in water was limited.

Besides this area of the sea was also inhabited by sharks and orcas.  It was difficult for human to survive to see the tomorrow morning sun  here.

That was why the sailors who fell into the sea would immediately stop fighting.

That way gave them far higher chance of survival rather than facing living monster like Maggot or Gina.

.

「──What in the world is that?」

Martini shrieked.

It was a scene that made him doubted his own sanity.

He accepted that his ship handling skill was inferior. However the  two women who boarded his ship right after that were just too powerful.

.

「……Uu……it’s scary to jump around above the sea nya.」

「You’re really like a cat at that kind of aspect huh.」

As befitting of cat-eared tribe who was traditionally not good at  swimming, Satsuki was only observing quietly from Baldr’s side.

She was getting agitated seeing the marines that had been flying in the air since some time ago like human cannon.

「It’s frustrating nya. Even though I would also be able to fight if only we are on ground nya……」

「Well, it doesn’t look like they will need any reinforcement though.」

「Hyahhhaaaaaaaaa!」

「Hyohouuuuuu!」

Did those two need any help──nope, not at all.

Baldr decided to watch the trampling that his mother Maggot and his great grandmother Gina carried out with a deep resignation.

.

「Don’t face them alone! Group up and close any path of escape!」

「Impossible! The men are defeated first before they can close the path!」

「They’re too fast! I can’t aim with my bow!」

「Shit! Is this the curse of the witch’s hag!?」

The majority of the crews were already thrown into the sea. Martini  and his subordinates only barely survived by hiding behind a barricade.

No one would ever imagine that a ship could be suppressed with just  two people. However such stupid thing would soon become a reality.

「Who the hell can accept this!」

Unfortunately a man of the sea like Martini never learned about Maggot’s existence.

He thought that it would be an eternal disgrace for the dukedom navy if his ship was taken down by only two women.

「They really don’t know when to give up.」

「Well, it’s not like I can’t understand how they feel.」

Gina said that while feeling awe at Maggot’s combat sense.

Maggot must have experience of fighting on sea in the past.

But even if that experience wasn’t taken into account, the difference  of battle strength between her and Maggot was overwhelming.

Most likely even Gina in her heyday would be far below Maggot’s level.

She could just claim that it was the difference in talent between  them, but Gina still had some pride remaining that made her frustrated  by this difference.

「──Perhaps I should rejoice for this but, I really can’t believe that she is Dahlia’s daughter. Good grief.」

Looking at her bloodline, Maggot’s strength was definitely inherited from Gina.

In that case, the only difference that she could think of was in the depth of their feeling toward fighting.

She wondered just how much love and hatred Maggot had harbored while continuing to fight until now.

Gina thought of that as pitiful even though it was already too late.

「Good grief, I really don’t want to grow old.」

She didn’t want to fall behind other people in the battlefield as a  warrior and as the representative of the beastman race. But she felt  excessively frustrated of herself who was unable to compete against  Maggot in the same level.

.

Maggot herself was focused on taking down Martini’s subordinates at this time.

「──Won’t you surrender? Even you don’t want to see your subordinates getting killed meaninglessly right?」

The crews would continue fighting to the last man as long as Martini still hadn’t lost his fighting spirit.

A commander who was looked up at by his subordinates was troublesome.

When Maggot looked further behind, the enemy’s third and fourth ship had closed the distance a lot.

It was Maggot’s wish to quickly end the battle in this ship.

「I refuse. I’ll choose death rather than surrendering to you!」

Martini thought that it was fine even if he and his men were annihilated.

It would be easy to buy time until the third and fourth ship arrived if he was prepared for total annihilation.

The third and fourth ships would take down La Mancha no matter the  cost while the enemies were taking their time to suppress the first and  second ships.

To make that came true, he wouldn’t even hesitate to sacrifice the third ship by ordering it to ram itself to La Mancha.

The opponent was that Tormenta Negra whose name had thundered through  Marmara Sea. Such sacrifice was worth it to take down such renowned  opponent.

「──That’s too bad. Surrendering against an opponent that you can’t win against isn’t really a disgrace you know?」

「You yourself, do you really have the leeway to be that relaxed? You will lose the ship that you were boarding you know?」

「Unfortunately that woman isn’t someone who can be taken down that easily.」

A master could recognize another master. Maggot had put his complete  faith on Urraca’s skill when it came to handling ship. That girl wasn’t  someone who would allow her beloved ship to become enemy’s prey  helplessly.

The dukedom’s third ship rode on the wind and approached even closer even while they were having such talk.

The third ship’s captain was Morris.

He was a daring and resolute man who was Martini’s junior in the officer academy.

「We’re going to spank the butt of that Tormenta Negra with everything we got! All hands, brace for impaaaaaact!」

「So you came. I’ll leave it to you guys to pick up your own men!」

「Wait! Don’t run away!」

「We can’t carry prisoners around with us on the sea after all. Be thankful cause I’m not gonna sink down you guys!」

Maggot’s body lightly floated in the air.

She looked like she was floating because that jump was accomplished  by a tough lower body that showed no preliminary motion at all before  the jump.

At the same time Maggot’s spear reflected the sunlight and glinted.

Martini saw that dazzling light, but he was unable to even imagine why it shined like that.

「──Bye.」

Maggot twirled around.

Looking at that direction, La Mancha had raised its anchor and slowly started to move.

「Shit! Don’t run! Wait!」

Maggot turned her back on Martini’s curses and fluttered in the air.

Gina also performed a splendid jump behind her and landed on La Mancha.

.

「Match the trim!」

「We’re gaining speed!」

「Starboard easy!」

.

Originally it took time for a sail warship to speed up from its state of standstill.

However due to the crews’ skill and Urraca’s accurate wind reading,  La Mancha was able to separate itself from the enemy’s first ship even  if it was slowly.

「Don’t let them get away! Chase them! MidshipRudder at the center, we’re ramming them!」

Morris yelled with a rough voice.

La Mancha still hadn’t sped up completely. If it was now it should be possible to ram his ship at the rear of that ship.

.

「──It’s nice that an idiot is so simple.」

Urraca laughed in ridicule.

「Did you understand what I did?」

Maggot asked that. Urraca shrugged and shook her head.

「As expected I couldn’t understand it. It was thanks to Baldr that I realized.」

「……A son who only laze around while making her mother fight all alone need to be punished.」

This mother was unreasonable like usual.

「Kaa-san said that, but you would also be angry if you haven’t rampaged enough!」

「That is that, this is this.」

「Wha-, wai-, getting Umeboshi at this age is harsh……!」

「I’m amazed that my great grandson can grow up without straying from the right path like this……」

Gina smiled in exasperation seeing Maggot playfully toying around with Baldr.

It was extremely awkward, but this must be the way these two communicating with each other.

「Now then, it’ll be the time soon.」

Maggot who had finished her parent-child skinship (?) with Baldr lifted up her face with a bold smile. It happened then.

.

「──What?」

Martini’s expression clouded hearing the sound of wood creaking.

As an excellent sailor, he realized that this was the sound of wood when nearing destruction.

The damage from the impact of crashing on the second ship should be  minimal. There wasn’t even any water leakage, but could it be that the  keel got cracked?

The wind blew stronger than before.

*Gigigigi…….*

「From above?」

Martini realized that the sound came from above his head. He hurriedly looked up behind him.

There were three masts on the ship. The center main mast was starting to tilt audibly.

「T-that’s impossible!」

The height of the main mast was ten meters. In addition it was made toughly to catch the wind using many layers of sail.

The diameter of the pillar was nearly two meters. It could be said as the firmest part of the ship.

Martini suddenly recalled the glint that Maggot left behind when she jumped away. He became dumbfounded.

「Don’t tell me at that time……!」

No no, impossible. Martini rethought himself.

It might be possible to use axe and spent half a day to chop down the  mast, but if the main mast could be cut down with just a single slash  of spear, there was no way it would be able to endure the rough wind in  stormy weather.

「Get away from the main mast! It’s falling!」

The main mast was clearly tilting to the left. When it had tilted until five degree, the time of catastrophe finally arrived.

*Ki—-n* The main mast snapped from around the height of Martini’s eye  with a sound that was like hitting metal. It was falling toward the  third ship that was charging toward La Mancha.

「Hard port!」

「No good! We won’t make it!」

Morris felt like he was watching nightmare.

Even though La Mancha was right there, his path was blocked by a main mast that fell from an allied ship of all places.

His decision to crash his ship on the enemy ship backfired on him.

「Shit-! How can something absurd like this happen-!」

Just a bit more, just a bit more and he would be able to catch up to that La Mancha that was highly famous in Marmara Sea.

And yet…….

In a stroke of bad luck, the main mast directly hit the flank of the  third ship that was turning its rudder to the left. It ripped up that  part vertically.

Water immediately began to enter the third ship. It was clear that it wouldn’t be able to keep floating for that long.

「……So there is only one ship remaining. Boys! Next it will be your turn to show off!」

「Aye aye ma’am!」

.

Part 8

「Oi, you bastards! You aren’t thinking to let the boss lady to do all the works while enjoying the leftovers aren’t you?」

「There isn’t even a single ballless bastard like that among the rowdy bunch of Sanpaniradeon!」

「Let’s teach those dukedom bastards! The sea isn’t the place for little chick like them to strut around!」

「──Good answer-!」

Kailas was dragging around the other half of the dukedom’s fleet by  their nose with just a single ship. He laughed heartily at the reliable  reply of his subordinates.

This was why he never got tired of battle no matter how many times he did it.

This was the stage where the men of the sea truly shined.

.

On the contrary the feeling of the dukedom’s fleet was completely the opposite of the exhilaration that Kailas and his men felt.

「──We still can’t catch up to them!?」

「It’s no good! That ship is faster!」

「Don’t just complain! Their ship is the same schooner like us!」

Girolamo who was entrusted with half the fleet had no intention to  acknowledge the difference of ship handling skill between the two sides.

The opponent was Majorca Kingdom’s fleet that could be said as their bitter enemy for many years.

The time both sides were in hostility with each other was far surpassing the hostility with the maritime guild.

Majorca Kingdom was finally picking a fight with Trystovy Dukedom head-on.

There was no way he could easily accept defeat at that opening battle.

「Enemy ship, port!」

「Shit! Again!」

Each time they adjusted the sail and sped up to catch the enemy, the  enemy ship would smoothly obtain wind and slip out from the  encirclement.

It had been a continuous repeat of that since some time ago.

──The Clairvoyance Kailas.

He was a bitter enemy who had dealt great damage to the dukedom’s fleet as the leader of Sanpaniradeon pirate.

Even Urraca still had to admit a slight inferiority against him in regard to reading wind.

「──The distance is increasing!」

Kailas immediately caught the wind and his ship accelerated to escape.

Girolamo was confused seeing that movement.

Originally Girolamo’s objective wasn’t Kailas, but the transport ship convoy behind him.

If Kailas escaped, he could just ignore him and attacked the transport ship convoy.

「Enemy ship starboard……n-no! Tacking! It’s turning around!」

「Tacking you said?」

Tacking was a technique for sailing ship to sail up facing the upwind.

Sailing ship was using wind as propulsive power, so it was impossible  for a ship to advance straight facing upwind, but it was possible to  sail diagonally to the upwind direction and cut through.

Of course doing that wouldn’t just make the ship’s speed dropped,  there was also a risk of messing up the tacking maneuver and the ship  would come to a halt.

Tacking was advancing in the direction of upwind. If the ship  handling was unskillful, the sail would catch the wind right from the  front and the sail would be blown to the opposite direction.

If that happened then a sailing ship would temporarily be unable to move. Tacking was a maneuver with great risk.

Girolamo was so infuriated it felt like his chest was burning seeing  his enemy dared to perform such maneuver right before his eye.

(If that’s how you want to play it, then we also won’t chicken out!)

The enemy ship had greatly decelerated after performing tacking.

The enemy ship had been running away until now, but now it was approaching closer by its own volition.

It was on a route for both ships to pass each other.

It would be easy to touch the enemy ship like this, but if it still  got away even then, they would have to turn around too and that would  make it almost impossible to chase after the enemy ship.

「Listen you all! We’re going to crash that ship! It will be the  disgrace of the dukedom navy for a hundred years if we let it get away  here!」

「Aye sir!」

An escaping ship performing tacking in front of its pursuer could only be taken as insult for a navy officer.

Girolamo’s anger was also the anger of the whole fleet there.

.

「Ou ou, their blood is rushing to their head there.」

「Well of course. Even us will get angry if an enemy is doing tacking right in front of us.」

「Well, this difference in skill can’t be closed even if they’re angry like that.」

Kailas watched the rapidly approaching dukedom fleet and snorted.

He respected the enemy’s spirit that wouldn’t hesitate even if both  sides sank into the sea, but unlike battle using spear or sword, the  difference in skill of ship handling couldn’t be closed using anger.

「Port easy.」

「Aye sir.」

The distance was rapidly closing.

If both ships kept accelerating like this, it should become extremely difficult for Giloramo to capture Kailas.

.

「Tell the sixth ship and seventh ship to go to left and right to block its path. The eighth ship is to follow us!」

If the right and left paths were blocked and the middle ship charged  with the intention of ramming itself, even Kailas would surely be  helpless.

However it was unfortunate for Girolamo because ship wasn’t a vehicle with response that was as good as human.

「E-enemy ship accelerating! This is……too fast!」

「Impossible! Don’t tell me they hadn’t been serious until now?」

Of course a ship’s speed wasn’t decided solely by wind direction,  even so being upwind or downwind would display a clear difference in  speed.

In other words the speed of Kailas’s ship was clear to see to anyone  who watched. The difference in skill as a sailor was thrust right before  Girolamo’s face.

「Bullshit! I absolutely won’t acknowledge this!」

Even the Clairvoyance Kailas was just a pirate in the end.

They were the regular navy of the dukedom. They couldn’t possibly be inferior against mere pirate.

「──Enemy ship is speeding up even more! At this rate it will be able to slip out between us and the eighth ship!」

「It’s going to disgrace even more at this late in the game! Don’t let it pass no matter what!」

「S-sir!」

The helm officer accurately guessed the meaning of Giloramo’s words of not letting it pass.

Crash the ship on it rather than letting it got away. That was what Giloramo ordered.

──You ran out of luck the moment you showed off by  turning around. If only you continued to run away like that while  keeping just the right distance, you might be able to buy time until  your comrades arrive.

At this time Giloramo couldn’t even imagine that the fleet under  Martini’s command was being trounced by Maggot and Gina and became  unable to continue fighting without even being able to take a single  payback.

Also it wouldn’t be that bad of an exchange if he could get the Clairvoyance Kailas in exchange of his fifth ship.

Both sides would lose one ship each, but his side had three more  ships, while the enemy would lose their only ship that was protecting  the transport ship convoy.

He should have chosen this method from the start if he could just accept the loss incurred.

He thought that there wasn’t any need to adopt a tactic that would  increase the damage to this side seeing as they had the overwhelming  advantage of four ships facing a single ship, but now he would stake  everything and stab the enemy even if it cost him his own life!

「──The enemy ship is coming!」

「Hard starboard! All hands brace for impact! Smash his flank to pieces!」

It looked like the enemy had successfully rushed right between the fifth ship and eighth ship.

With this timing, that ship would be able to get away if the other  side feared collision. But it was a big mistake if they thought that he  would just let them pass while biting his finger!

「──Too bad that I’m not a honest guy like that yeah?」

Kailas had no intention of quietly allowing Giloramo to crash his ship.

No, rather it was within his calculation that Girolamo would try to ram his ship.

「Fore, main top through a back!」

「Sir!」

「Hard starboard! Mizzen spanker whole out!」

「Sir!」

「Jive, open and change!」

「Sir!」

Kailas’s ship turned the rudder later than Girolamo, and yet it  brilliantly drew a small arc and dodged GIloramo’s sure kill ramming  attack.

「Shit! Don’t let it get away! Open all the sails!」

Giloramo who was convinced of his victory until just some moments ago  grinded his teeth and yelled because his ramming attack was splendidly  dodged.

Turning the ship in such sharp angle was an impossible feat for Giloramo.

Giloramo lost his composure in front of that fact.

「Hard port!」

The eighth ship turned its rudder to chase after Kailas that was changing direction toward its starboard.

Kailas narrowed his eyes and laughed boldly as though he had predicted it right from the start.

「You guys are really honest……learn to doubt the enemy for a little……hard port.」

The wind strengthened for a moment in a whim. Kailas caught that wind  and changed direction to the left once more and slipped through under  the nose of the eighth ship.

And then ahead of the eighth ship that had lost its target was the  fifth ship that was speeding up with all its sails opened to chase after  Kailas.

「Hard starboard!」

「N-no good! We won’t make it!」

「We can’t even land a single blow……that guy……is Clairvoyance Kailas a monster-!」

「UWAAAAAAAH! WE’RE GOING TO CRASH–!」

An impact sound that pierced the ears roared. The two ships crashed  and a lot of sea water flooded into the largely opened holes.

The sinking of the two ships was already unavoidable.

Kailas succeeded in consigning two ships to oblivion with only his ship handling without even any real battle.

Kailas listened to the collision sound behind him while turning the  rudder in search of a new prey toward the sixth ship that was  approaching from the right.

「You bastards! How about a bet of how many ships we can sink until the boss lady return?」

「Three ships!」

「No, four ships!」

「Let’s devour them all boss!」

「Yoosh! I’ll let you guys sleep with as many woman as you want at land if we can devour them all!」

「That’s real generous!」

The rowdy bunch all raised jovial cheers.

Perhaps it only sounded like the devil’s laughter for the sixth ship  and seventh ship that witnessed their allies sank down with ship  handling that could be said as godly.

「There is no way we can take on that kind of monster! We’re joining back with Gigante!」

「Oi oi, don’t just turn tail like that yeah?」

Kailas captured the desperately escaping sixth ship and boarded it with his comrades like hungry wolves.

The seventh ship didn’t even try to help its ally and left it behind  to survive, but it got surrounded instead by Urraca that had turned  around.

「Hiih! Surrender! Raise the white flag!」

In the end the dukedom’s fleet that consisted of eight ships was turned into scraps in sea except for one ship.