Chapter 120: A Brief Interlude (A Certain Maritime Nation 3)
“……”
“……”
Silence reigned in the conference room.
For the time being, they had received a verbal report from Ambassador Deck Estainka, but everyone remained silent.
“…I can understand your feelings. However, we must consider our response moving forward.”
Deck Estainka felt this more acutely than anyone else present.
They could not afford to make a mistake in their response.
How they navigated this crisis would determine the future trajectory of the Kingdom. It was an issue of utmost importance.
“…Alright. First, let’s clarify our understanding. We need to confirm whether we share the same recognition of the situation here.”
The Grand Admiral of the Kingdom of Repuitari Navy, Alban Breias, spoke up.
“First, the capabilities of the warships of the
“Not to the extent that we stand no chance… If we can land a direct hit with our shells, even their ships…”
“That’s not the point. The question is whether we have any hope of defeating their fleet of nine ships with our nine newly commissioned vessels.”
Simply put, they were already at a disadvantage in terms of size. And the main guns they had observed up close were unlike anything they had ever seen.
“Even just looking at the main guns, they are far superior to ours. Their technological level is not just a few generations ahead; it could be considered a dozen generations beyond ours.”
The gun barrels allowed for no distortion whatsoever. If a shell were to catch on a slight imperfection during its rapid launch, it could lead to catastrophic failure within the barrel. Even without that, any deviation in the shell’s trajectory after firing would worsen accuracy. Thus, the barrels currently used by the Kingdom of Repuitari Navy remained short, and efforts to extend their length were ongoing day and night.
“Moreover, the precision of their rifles is on another level. While we haven’t confirmed their firing conditions, their design suggests they are undoubtedly machine guns. They are likely the pinnacle of infantry firearms. Even within the Army’s concepts, such equipment is still considered a dream.”
No matter what aspect they considered or what they heard, the technology was superior on their side. This was a shared understanding among everyone present.
“Above all, we are communicating directly with them. That is terrifying. An entirely unknown force, one that is technologically advanced far beyond us, is fluently speaking our Repuitari Language. Is there any greater problem than this?”
Indeed, the
In fact, the most widely spoken language in the region was likely the Sacred Language, a kind of unifying language used by the divine nations in the west.
“A force we have never encountered before is perfectly mastering our language. How is that even possible? I cannot comprehend it at all.”
“…Could it be some kind of magical effect…?”
“Magic, huh? A convenient power that we cannot utilize.”
Alban Breias chuckled wryly.
“If this phenomenon is indeed due to magic, then it is beyond our understanding. We may have no choice but to accept that.”
“And the fact that they are using magic adds another layer of complexity to our situation.”
One of the deputy ministers echoed his words.
“The pure white thread and fabric that Deck brought back. They are terrifyingly intricate and finely crafted. The thread’s thickness is uniform, and the fabric is the same. There is no color variation, and it is impossible to replicate such quality with our current technology. Moreover, from their tone, it seems they can produce this fabric in unlimited quantities.”
“If we let them circulate it carelessly, our domestic industry could be devastated…”
“For the time being, we might be able to release it as luxury textiles, but…”
These products boasted overwhelming quality compared to their own. They were well aware of the potential impact this could have. After all, it was merely a rehash of what they had done to various small nations in the past.
“The glasses and tableware used during the meeting were also of exceptionally high quality. The very idea of handling such fragile items on an ocean vessel is beyond our customs…”
“Using metal is more common. If there are concerns about dignity, we could simply unify them in silver. Of course, ceramic or glass would look more appealing.”
It was likely that they were merely kept for special occasions, but still…
“The fact that they went out of their way to show them means we must consider the possibility of them being trade goods.”
“If those are brought in large quantities, our domestic industry could be on the brink of collapse.”
The glasses appeared almost colorless, with high transparency. Above all, they were incredibly thin and uniformly shaped. The ceramic tableware was no less impressive. Even a single pristine white plate would be difficult to produce within the Kingdom of Repuitari. If they were supplied in large quantities, the local potters would be left with no choice but to go out of business.
“Their ships themselves are terrifyingly large and beautiful. And they have eight identical vessels. This means they can mass-produce warships. Mass-producing warships of such size. We have only just begun to embark on the project of mass-producing warships ourselves.”
Grand Admiral Alban Breias had lived alongside the Kingdom of Repuitari Navy. The advent of cannons, the construction of line ships, and the invention of rotating turrets. The transition from sailing ships to paddle steamers, and then to screw ships.
In his understanding, the Kingdom of Repuitari Navy had been enhancing its warships at an unbelievable pace.
With this, they might be able to seize the surrounding nations, the continent, and even the world.
Such was the magnitude of their military enhancement.
“Listen carefully. We must not oppose them. It is precisely because I have been on the front lines of the Navy that I feel this acutely. And I am confident that this sentiment is shared among you all. There is a generational gap of several decades between the warships of
That is why this contact must be approached with caution.
“We have established our dominance with our naval power. We have intimidated rebellious nations, forced unequal treaties, and plundered local wealth. And now, we are about to receive the same gunboat diplomacy that we have practiced from
The highest authority of the military was making this statement. It was, in effect, a declaration of defeat. Normally, such statements would not be permitted. In the worst-case scenario, he could be accused of cowardice as the Grand Admiral and be dragged down from his position.
Yet, everyone in the conference room recognized the situation correctly.
“We absolutely must not make a mistake in our response. We must remember how we behaved towards the foreign nation that mismanaged their response. If we approach this with the same attitude as before, our glorious capital will be reduced to ashes.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
“There are no fools among us here.”
“Let us respond with all our might.”
Fortunately, the Kingdom of Repuitari Navy, being a rising power, had not yet become a breeding ground for corruption.
As a vanguard, they were filled with realists.
Had this been the traditional Kingdom Army, with its complex and bizarre power structures and entrenched interests, they might have already triggered the worst-case scenario from the outset.
“I will not allow those pompous old foxes to take part in these negotiations. We must not let those senile fools, who cannot even grasp the current situation, get wind of this. I will handle all negotiations with the upper echelons. You all must keep this in mind.”
“Understood!!”
The Kingdom Navy, along with its most astute leadership, unified their will and vowed to confront this national crisis together. They resolved to utilize the power and wealth they had built up until now, allowing for no failures, and to execute everything flawlessly.
The problem lay with the monstrous entity of entrenched interests that plagued their nation.
A festering sore that had continued to reign for ages, still not fully eradicated.
The name of that organization was the Legendary Senate.
Directly under the king, it was a commercial guild that sometimes even influenced the king’s will.