“Titan, Oceanus, Coeus, permission to take off.”
“Permission confirmed. Titan, commencing takeoff.”
From the open-air runway of Fortress Two (Black Iron), three giant birds take flight.
Using 28 engines, they lifted their massive bodies into the air from the 10,000m-long runway.
“Unit 1 (Titan), exceeding altitude of 2,000m.”
“Unit 2 (Oceanus), exceeding altitude of 1,000m.”
“Unit 3 (Coeus), landing gear retraction complete.”
“All units have successfully taken off.”
Cameras installed at Fortress Two (Black Iron) are sending footage of three boomerang-shaped aircraft gently circling and gaining altitude.
Watching the footage, Commander (Eve) sighed in admiration.
“They don’t look that big in the video, huh?”
“Yes, Ma’am. There are no objects nearby for comparison. They will rendezvous with the Airspace Control fighters shortly, so you will be able to confirm then.”
The Aerial Escort Ship (Titan) series is a massive aircraft developed for the direct defense of the Aerial Carrier (Gigantia).
With a total length of 180m and a wingspan of 393m, it is less than a third the size of the Aerial Carrier (Gigantia), but the difference in size is obvious when compared to a normal 20m fighter.
Powered by plasma jet engines that utilize the vast heat and electricity generated by the Fusion Reactor, it is a knight of the sky capable of staying aloft for 3,000 hours without refueling.
“Once refueling of the three Aerial Escort Ship (Titan)-class vessels is complete, the Aerial Carrier (Gigantia) will take off. The scheduled time is 8 hours from now, around 23:00 local time.”
“No problem with nighttime takeoff, then.”
“Yes, Ma’am. The use of the Global Positioning System is now possible, so we can operate safely without being affected by visible light. We will continue to conduct takeoffs and landings in cloudy or nighttime conditions with poor visibility, so we also need to accumulate operational experience.”
“Is that for concealment from other forces?”
“Yes, Ma’am. There is no threat even if we are exposed in the current situation, but it is better to hide if we can. Our basic policy is to keep our bases hidden.”
Not only Fortress ＜The Tree＞, but also Fortress Two (Black Iron), the base of operations in the Northern Continent, should be concealed as much as possible.
It is desirable to keep information about this Fortress, which is a collection point for supplies and military strength, as well as a production base, hidden from all forces until the very end.
“Once the base in the Flattala City outskirts is complete, we will move each fighting force there. The timing should be simultaneous with the Royal Capital invasion.”
“Increasing our bases as we advance, it’s starting to feel like a strategy game…”
By the way, the development around Iron Town, where the Lode was exposed, is also being carried out without hesitation. Since it was confirmed that the entire area is a mineral deposit, automated machines are diligently digging it up.
In addition, the residents who were originally miners have changed their jobs to Burnstone mining, which ＜Paraiso＞ arranges. Burnstone mining does not require that much volume, so it is carried out by the locals as much as possible as a local employment measure.
Of course, they are not digging by hand, but are provided with specially developed excavators.
“In the long run, implement employment measures and education. If the basic abilities of the local residents improve, we can leave the management of the conquered bases to them. It’ll be a plan spanning years, though.”
“We can manage everything ourselves, but let them do what they can. There is no merit in us keeping them on the payroll, with nothing to contribute.”
“That’s right. Whether it’s keeping them on the payroll or abandoning them, neither feels good. We need them to do their best in order to continue trade with the Repuytari Kingdom.”
For that reason, each conquered town will eventually need to be self-sufficient with only minimal management.
Management could be done using Doll Machines (Communicators), but since that would be a waste, an idea to use Monoliths is under consideration.
After all, the existence that bestows wisdom should be a Monolith. I don’t know.
“Take over the lord’s Mansion and rebuild it into a temple of wisdom. Prepare hidden mining and manufacturing facilities underground to make it a materially independent base of control. Issue instructions to the ruling class via Monolith. Hmm, very mystic!”
“I am proud to say that this is a very fantastic policy full of playfulness.”
“But it’s totally scientific!”
In a few decades, it will be reborn as an advanced and mystical city controlled by a mysterious Monolith.
Imagining the cityscape, she (Eve) cheerfully pressed the policy approval button.
Recently, applications for these playful policies have been coming in from time to time.
It seems that ＜Ringo＞’s flexibility has improved.
“Now then. I wonder if the Aerial Escort Ships (Titan) are doing well.”
The three Titan-class vessels, which had entered a circling flight at an altitude of about 6,000m, were flying stably at a speed of about 800km/h.
From here, various ammunition, missiles, and fuel for Carrier-based Aircraft will be loaded using cargo planes. This work is expected to take about 8 hours.
“Yes, Ma’am. The first wave of cargo planes is currently docking.”
The projected image shows cargo planes clinging to the underside of the Titan like remoras.
“Hmm… yeah, they’re still big.”
The total length of the cargo plane is about 70m. The Titan-class is 2.5 times that length. The wingspan is more than 6 times as long.
It should be a fairly large cargo plane, but it looks like a miniature.
“I feel sorry for the people in the Royal Capital. And the Aerial Carrier (Gigantia) is even bigger than this.”
“Yes, Ma’am. Within the Afrasia United Kingdom, we have determined that there is no anti-air attack capability. Therefore, we will conduct troop landings from an altitude of about 1,000m. The sense of oppression felt by the people on the ground is expected to be considerable.”
A giant structure with a total length of 520m and a wingspan of 870m flying 1,000m above.
And three giant birds accompanying it.
It is easy to imagine what the residents of the Royal Capital will think.
“After the Aerial Carrier (Gigantia) completes its resupply, it will conduct adjustment flights at sea for several days. Let’s have it advance over ＜The Tree＞ as well.”
“So, the Royal Capital invasion is after that?”
“Yes, Ma’am. The operation plan is here.
The first phase of整備 of the Flattala City outskirts base will be completed in four days. We will transfer forces from Fortress Two (Black Iron) by air, and at the same time, advance an aerial fighting force group towards the Royal Capital.”
This marks the start of the long-awaited operation to conquer the Afrasia United Kingdom.
With the Gigantia at its core, Airspace Control will be secured. The encircling forces will be dropped from the Gigantia, and additional forces will be added from the following cargo planes.
The plan is to conquer all major cities, including the Royal Capital, in a matter of hours.
It is a shocking blitzkrieg operation.
However, if successful, the Afrasia United Kingdom will be completely under the control of ＜Paraiso＞.
“The infiltration of Spybots is also going smoothly, so there are no particular concerns.”
If anything, it’s that the information coming from the Royal Capital is too miserable, and that North End City, the northernmost city, has strangely strong military power.
By the way, the Royal Capital seems to have become a slum with the worst治安 in some areas due to the influx of refugees. The rulers basically turn a blind eye and are engaged in power struggles, and it has become a hellish melting pot that extracts the worst aspects of humanity.
“The Royal Capital… just the written information is enough to make you not want to see it…”
Perhaps it is not good that wealth is concentrated there.
There is enough logistics left for the upper class to live comfortably, and demand is completed between the surrounding cities. And thanks to the leftovers, the slums are somehow surviving without collapsing.
North End City is the northernmost frontier city, beyond which lies the giant North Wall mountain range, and the forest zone spreading at the foot of the mountains is said to be a nest of Monsters.
“It seems that they have prepared defense forces to defend against the threat of Monsters. There also seem to be many people with occupations such as wizards. They mainly hunt Monsters and make a living by consuming and trading their materials. They do not have problems with food, and metal resources are also supplied by Monsters.”
“… …Huh? What?”
“Metal resources are also supplied by Monsters.”
According to information from Spybots, Monsters that wear metal as shells live there, and that is the source of supply.
“Metal that can be peeled off and used?”
“Yes, Ma’am. That seems to be the case.”
“How unreasonable (fantasy-like)…”