Chapter 121: Battleship
After watching the play, Second Princess Emma and I went directly to the harbor where the ship bound for Wa was moored.
“That’s quite an impressive ship.”
Second Princess Emma looked up admiringly at the battleship in the harbor.
“It’s the ship going to Wa. Apparently, they insisted it had to be finer than the black ships that country first saw, so they prepared an excellent one.”
There was no Britain in this world.
War was centered on land. The Lunoa Kingdom had naturally worked on shipbuilding during the Age of Exploration, but it had never devoted itself fully to naval power.
The sight of two of the Lunoa Kingdom’s few battleships lined up together was impressive.
“Doesn’t it look a little threatening?”
“It’ll carry a royal and a general. Considering the need for protection, it isn’t unnatural, though it may still be excessive.”
Our fleet for Wa consisted of two battleships, two cruisers, and five destroyers.
It was a grand formation capable of fighting a naval battle.
“It looks as though we could fight a naval battle off Wa.”
“They may have considered that. We could also be attacked by the Friez Kingdom on the way.”
“True. The Austin Empire’s influence covers little of the sea.”
“Yes.”
We were standing at a port of the Austin Empire.
After yesterday’s ceremony appointing me major general, I had flown here while teaching Second Princess Emma flight magic.
In other words, the play about our first meeting had been performed not in the Lunoa Kingdom, but in the Austin Empire—the nation of the arts.
It gave me chills to discover that a play spreading the story of our first meeting had become popular without my knowledge. I had spoken casually to her back then, too. Seeing that recreated made me fear it could be treated as lèse-majesté, though the play was supposedly fiction.
“Still, the Mediterranean is the territory of the religious Ilhan Kingdom. I doubt they’ll help the Friez Kingdom. The Suzha Canal is controlled by the Orline Empire, the dominant power of the Middle East, so we should have no trouble until then.”
The Suzha Canal was this world’s equivalent of the Suez Canal.
In a world without Britain, control of this vital passage belonged to the Orline Empire, a near ally of the Lunoa Kingdom.
“The trouble comes afterward.”
Passing through the Muur Ocean, surrounding the Muur Empire—the equivalent of India—would be dangerous. Friez ships operated there.
“There’s no point worrying now. We have to trust that things will work out. The fleet is strong enough to break through by force if necessary. The Orline Empire has promised us supplies, and Wa will escort us once we reach Asia. We can only proceed with confidence.”
“That’s true.”
“Then let’s board! We’ll be on the same ship, so hurry!”
“Yes, I know.”
Our luggage was already aboard. I followed Second Princess Emma as she strode eagerly toward the battleship.
■■■■■
Around the time Noah and Emma boarded the ship for Wa, someone visited Noah’s sister, Shia.
“So you’re Major General Willard’s elder sister?”
“…And you are?”
“I’m Hera Newsbeck. I suppose I’m his superior. Please, just call me Hera.”