Chapter 114: A Brief Interlude (A Certain Maritime Nation 2)
The report was nothing short of shocking.
“An unidentified fleet is approaching the port!”
It all began with an emergency signal from the Mora Grand Lighthouse. This was a communication that was never supposed to be used under normal circumstances. The officer who noticed the signal initially had no idea what it meant. He had been taught about it on his first day of assignment years ago, but it had never been used since.
“Hey, that’s a fleet approach warning!! A fleet of more than five ships, and their affiliation is unknown!!”
A certain officer, notorious in the department for his obsession with manuals, shouted upon seeing the signal. No one doubted his knowledge, and immediately, the communications officer rushed to contact the port security division. Meanwhile, the mysterious fleet continued its approach. Noticing this, merchant ships hurriedly unfurled their sails and began to steer clear of the path. If they obstructed a warship, they could be sunk without question.
The right of passage for warships takes precedence, and merchant vessels are at the bottom of the hierarchy. However, the warships of the Kingdom of Repuitari are known for their strict discipline and politeness.
“This is bad, we won’t make it in time!”
“Hurry up!! Raise the sails!!”
However, ships that had dropped anchor and were docked could not move so easily. They desperately tried to raise their sails, but most of the crew had already disembarked. It was no wonder that some ships struggled to maneuver.
“They’re coming this way!!”
“…What? They turned…? Hey, they turned, they turned! You, drop the anchor, run, run, run!!”
The approaching warship slowly changed its course to the left, likely trying to avoid the stationary merchant vessels. Realizing this, the ships frantically began to lower their sails. If they caught the wind improperly, they could end up on a collision course. If the warship was going to avoid them, it was safer to remain still.
“Whoa…! What a size!!”
“Which country does that ship belong to!?”
“They’re not raising sails, and there’s no paddle wheel! Is it the latest ship from Repuitari!?”
The warship had a hull painted pure white. With no sails raised and only a single mast, it was clear it was a powered vessel. Despite being comparable in size to the main ships of the Kingdom of Repuitari, its speed was astonishingly fast. In the blink of an eye, it was upon them after the lookout had spotted it.
“Watch out for the waves!!”
“It’s going to rock! Hold on tight!!”
The wake created by the white warship caused the merchant vessels to sway violently. Crew members clinging to the railings and masts looked up in awe at the massive ship passing by. Normally, warships do not come this close. Their routes are announced in advance, and very few warships dock at the port of the capital, Moar.
As a result, Moar Port was thrown into a mild panic. While it wasn’t complete chaos, rumors of a new ship’s unveiling or an enemy attack spread, drawing onlookers to the port and docks. Naturally, with so many people gathering, the navy’s response was delayed. A few coastal patrol boats managed to set out, but their numbers were clearly insufficient.
Amidst the confusion, the fleet slowly came to a halt. One ship, particularly massive and presumed to be the flagship, was surrounded by eight warships maintaining a tight formation. Despite not having dropped anchor, they held their positions with remarkable precision. Anyone with a discerning eye would recognize the high level of skill involved.
“Captain, what should we do? Should we conduct an inspection!?”
“Are you an idiot? You can’t inspect a foreign warship!! You’ll get us killed!”
The patrol boats could not approach carelessly. Attempting to inspect a warship would be seen as an act of aggression, and they could be sunk without complaint. While the nation might lodge a formal protest, the lives of the captain and crew would be lost. Unless there were official orders, no one would dare to approach.
Fortunately, the white warship remained stationary, showing no signs of aggression. It seemed they would have to stay there under the pretense of surveillance until orders came from the command center. The captain made that judgment and ordered the anchor to be dropped.
“I haven’t heard anything. What was the coastal patrol doing!?”
“They might have slipped into the Lafret Sea under the cover of night.”
“Of course! Do you think I sent ships to the Kalmora Strait for no reason!?”
The Grand Admiral, Alban Breias, shouted at the subordinate who had come to report. The Lafret Sea, despite being a bay, was vast, and monitoring it entirely was impossible due to its borders with other nations. Therefore, he had ordered an increase in patrol boats in the Kalmora Strait, mandating that at least three vessels be on guard, especially at night. To let nine ships pass without notice was utterly incompetent.
“Lord Alban! An urgent letter has arrived from Kalmora Port!”
“…Read it.”
“Yes, sir. From Colonel Claude Moar, Commander of Kalmora Port. To the Foreign Affairs Division of the Navy Command. On the 32nd day of the 10th month of the New Calendar, at 08:16, an unidentified fleet was sighted passing through the Kalmora Strait. Six ships confirmed. Estimated eight or nine ships. All vessels are powered. Contact with the patrol boats was unsuccessful. Exercise caution. That is all!”
“…This morning at 08:00, you say?”
It was now 16:00 on the 32nd day of the 10th month. This meant that the fleet had reached the capital, Moar, in just eight hours after passing through the Kalmora Strait. Of course, this was assuming the report was accurate.
“Lord Alban! An urgent letter has arrived from Braoritter Port!”
Alban Breias silently urged the messenger to continue.
“Excuse me! From Colonel Belias Grand, Commander of Braoritter Port. To the Foreign Affairs Division of the Navy Command. On the 32nd day of the 10th month of the New Calendar, at 12:36, a report was received of an unidentified fleet entering Kalmora Port. At 12:51, a patrol boat confirmed the silhouette of what appeared to be an unidentified fleet. One ship confirmed. Due to the lack of sails, it is presumed to be powered. Contact with the patrol boats was unsuccessful. Exercise caution. That is all!”
This confirmed that the report from Kalmora Port was accurate. Receiving nearly identical communications from another port suggested that the information was reliable unless there was collusion. It was hard to believe that naval commanders from the Kingdom of Repuitari would conspire to provide false information.
Following this, similar reports and updates began to pour in from various ports and patrol boats. At this point, there was no denying it. The fleet that was currently halted at the port of the capital, Moar, had reached this location from the Kalmora Strait in just about eight hours. This was a speed that even the latest warships of the Kingdom of Repuitari had not achieved. Externally, it would take over 20 hours for the latest steam-powered screw ships to cover that distance, and unofficial speed measurements never dropped below 15 hours.
“This is bad…”
The Grand Admiral muttered, almost unconsciously. Fortunately, it seemed that no one heard his whisper. The top brass of the navy could not afford to show weakness. Taking a deep breath, Grand Admiral Alban Breias issued his orders.
“Do not take any action from our side. Issue strict orders down to the lowest ranks. Then, prepare a messenger immediately. Put the fleets stationed at Braoritter Port, Weisritter Port, and Varzila Port on high alert. I will report to the royal palace; send a forewarning. After that, I want to see it with my own eyes. Assign someone knowledgeable about armaments to accompany me. We leave at once.”
“Understood!”
At the Grand Admiral’s command, the surroundings began to bustle with activity. There was an underground passage connecting to the port’s watchtower, allowing for quick verification. An unidentified warship was invading right in front of the port. In the worst-case scenario, they could even bombard the royal palace.
There was no time to waste.
And all of this was being silently observed by a Spy Bot, hidden away in the corner of the ceiling.