Chapter 137: Sale

“Please raise your head.”

As the junior officer, there were things I had to say regardless of how I felt.

“No. I can’t.”

“General Tokel, an apology means little until I know what happened. Please sit down and explain.”

After a pause, he finally raised his head. We took seats across from one another.

“Let us put the apology aside for now,” I said. “Why did you ask to meet me?”

“The Orline Empire would like to purchase the two surviving battleships.”

“I see.”

“Our navy is undergoing major reform, and modern battleships are extremely valuable to us. The Lunoa Kingdom can’t safely send only two battleships back across the sea. I believe the sale would benefit both countries.”

General Tokel slid a prepared contract across the table.

The terms covered the transfer date, repairs, jurisdiction, and the treatment of the crews. The proposed price immediately caught my attention.

“This is far more than the ships are worth.”

The payment was enough to replace the two battleships, add two cruisers and five destroyers, and still leave money remaining.

“Those are the best terms our Empire can offer.”

His apology and the extraordinary price confirmed the information gathered by my trading company.

The Orline Empire had been the source of the leak.

As an allied nation on our planned route, it had known where our fleet would sail. Someone inside the Empire had sold that information to the Friez Kingdom.

That was also why the Orline fleet had reached the battle so quickly. They had known where the Friez navy would be waiting.

“There’s one clause I want clarified,” I said. “The crews will retain Lunoa citizenship and continue serving aboard the ships after the sale?”

“Correct. We want our sailors to learn how the Lunoa navy operates.”

“And the ships will then participate in exercises near the Rosha Empire.”

“That’s the plan.”

I closed the contract.

“Military exercises sometimes produce unfortunate accidents.”

“That possibility can never be eliminated,” General Tokel replied calmly.

“Then I want the right to select the Lunoa personnel assigned to those exercises.”

“Of course.”

He nodded without hesitation.

The meaning was obvious.

The Orline Empire wasn’t merely buying two battleships. General Tokel was offering me the tools to help drag his country into the war.