Chapter 144: Military Exercise
The fleet advanced across the White Sea in formation.
“The exercise is proceeding smoothly.”
“Yes.”
I stood aboard one of the two battleships I had repaired, with Captain Yurick beside me. The Orline Imperial fleet sailed alongside us under the empire’s flags.
“The Orline Navy is performing better than I expected,” I said. “They should be useful.”
“Are you truly going through with this?”
“Of course. That’s why the exercise was arranged here, in waters shared with the Rosha Empire.”
This had never been an ordinary training exercise.
“I’m surprised authorization came through so quickly,” Captain Yurick said. “The neutral faction should have opposed anything that might escalate tensions.”
“Some tried. We completed the approvals before their leaders could organize a response.”
The speed of the battleship repairs had also caught them unprepared. They had assumed the ships would remain unusable for much longer.
“Captain—ah, Major General Willard!”
A naval officer hurried toward us. He had begun addressing Captain Yurick before noticing me and immediately saluted.
“You don’t need to be so tense. What’s your report?”
“Lieutenant Reich reporting, sir. The Rosha Imperial naval base designated as our exercise objective is now within visual range.”
“Good. We have arrived.”
“We’ll advance a little farther, make the scheduled turn, and return to the Orline naval base. Shall we proceed as planned?”
“No.”
The lieutenant stared at me.
“Transmit new orders to the entire fleet. Maintain battle formation and continue toward the Rosha naval base.”
“Sir…?”
“Enter Rosha territorial waters. Destroy the Rosha Imperial Navy anchored at the base. Don’t allow a single ship to escape.”
“Are you certain? That would mean attacking the Rosha Empire without a declaration of war!”
“Lieutenant Reich,” Captain Yurick said. “Carry out Major General Willard’s orders exactly as given.”
“Yes, sir.”
The ordinary sailors hadn’t been told the exercise’s real purpose. To them, a training voyage had suddenly become the opening attack of a war.
They were shocked, but they obeyed. The fleet maintained formation and continued toward the Rosha coast.