Captured Battleship, An Unexpected Situation.

“Heh, I don’t even know how to process this.”

The one letting out a hollow laugh was none other than Admiral Nudelria. The reason was simple—overnight, the situation had completely reversed.

An explosion had occurred within the colonial fleet of the Doicheun Empire. And with time, it became clear that the ship was indeed a Doicheun battleship. With only three in their fleet, the loss of one was undeniably a critical blow.

But the twist didn’t stop there—a single enemy battleship suddenly charged forward. It happened so quickly that there wasn’t enough time to respond, and it made it into friendly waters. And then, the insane part happened.

‘Prince Ian moved swiftly and intercepted the charging battleship—and even managed to capture it.’

It was a reckless action and an equally unbelievable result. Though there were sacrifices, they gained a battleship in return. Not just any ship, but one of the Doicheun Empire’s prized Pullea-class battleships. The name inscribed on it was Mythos (as the languages and characters of the Polia Kingdom and the Doicheun Empire are quite similar).

‘The Mythos, the twelfth ship launched of the Pullea-class, is considered one of their newer vessels. For such a ship to fall into our hands… If used wisely, it could turn the tide against their colonial fleet.’

Though it had taken a hit during the charge, its heavy armor meant there was no critical damage. Of course, some repairs were needed, but temporary patchwork would suffice. Even his flagship was operating with similar makeshift fixes.

‘It’s a tempting prize.’

Compared to his own flagship, this battleship was equipped with far more advanced technology and superior firepower. He was greatly tempted to make it his new flagship. However, the rightful captor was none other than Prince Ian.

‘By naval tradition, whoever captures a ship at sea becomes its legal owner.’

It was a long-standing custom, and even codified in law—though this applied strictly to enemy ships. Honestly, one could say no one really performed ship captures in modern times anymore.

Back in the days of sail ships, maybe—but nowadays, seizing a ship like that was virtually unheard of.

‘Of course, sometimes derelicts with broken engines are found and captured, but this time the ship was fully functional.’

Even the ammunition storage was full. It must have crossed over after full resupply. Regardless, the ship was now in their possession. That gave them more battleships than the Doicheun colonial fleet. As a result, the enemy’s forces now appeared skewed toward cruisers and destroyers.

‘Heh, what a situation. Perhaps this is the moment for a counterattack.’

Of course, the battleship would only be useful until its ammunition was spent. Since they lacked the right shell calibers for resupply, it might only get one or two proper engagements. But even one new battleship joining the fleet brought massive strategic advantage.

‘On top of that, Major Derian Zeco, the deputy captain, has proven to be remarkably competent.’

Before, it was hard to judge his abilities under the rank of deputy, but now that he’s been granted command authority, his performance showed exceptional leadership. And all of this was only possible because Prince Ian had taken a step back.

‘Perhaps it’s fortunate that Prince Ian holds ownership of the ship.’

Considering he was engaged to his youngest daughter and had achieved a major victory, this could turn out well. There would be even more accomplishments gained from using the ship in future battles. But that thought also sparked some concern.

‘If he stands out too much for the future, it could be problematic…’

Now that he thought about it, he was curious how the royal palace would react to the news. With one enemy battleship self-destructed and another captured, wouldn’t they be quite shocked?

And as Admiral Nudelria expected, the capital of the Polia Kingdom—Pullea—was in complete uproar. Everyone was bewildered by the sudden and unbelievable report.

Polia Kingdom Capital, Pullea Royal Palace Conference Room.

The conference room was nothing short of luxurious. And those gathered inside wore ambiguous expressions after hearing the report from the colonial city of Beyru. It was certainly good news. One enemy battleship had self-destructed, and another had been captured.

In truth, the current state of the capital, Pullea, could be considered neither good nor bad. For one, the enemy’s landing operation had been completely thwarted, and the powerful coastal artillery had prevented any proper invasion attempts.

However, a recent reckless operation had cost them a battleship and brought serious damage. As a result, the home defense fleet of the Polia Kingdom was now left with just two battleships.

Of course, if they included the one flagship left in the colonial fleet, that made three. And with the newly captured battleship, the count would rise to four.

‘Prince Ian, sent to the remote battlefield, went as far as capturing a battleship… This isn’t good.’

‘First, he invented trench warfare, and now he’s seized a battleship. He’s achieving too many accomplishments.’

‘From the reports, he seems quite lucky, though.’

‘Could we not bring the battleship here? If we transfer ownership and assign it to the homeland fleet, it would be quite reassuring.’

While the ministers were deep in thought, the king brought up a topic that could determine the outcome of the war.

“So does this mean the colonial fleet now has a chance to launch a counterattack?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. With this, the colonial fleet will now possess two battleships. With three cruisers and the remaining destroyers, the total will be seventeen ships.”

“Can such a force really mount a counterattack?”

“With the addition of the new battleship, we believe they can achieve decisive victories. If all goes well, they might even take down the enemy flagship. However… there is one concern.”

“A concern?”

The king’s expression seemed to ask, “Is there some other issue?” In response, Duke Gwens—who had raised the concern—spoke again to clarify.

“It’s that the ownership of the battleship lies with Prince Ian.”

“Hmm, so the battleship belongs to my son, Prince Ian?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Both international and domestic law recognize the captor as the legal owner.”

“Can’t we just take the ship?”

The king’s expression seemed to say such legal matters were trivial. Being the monarch, he believed that a royal command would override ownership laws.

“Well… there’s also the matter of international law.”

“Can’t we just ignore international law?”

“…If we did that, no one would ever trust our kingdom again. If we’re seen as the kind of nation that disregards international law, no one will even sign treaties with us.”

“Hmm… then what should we do?”

“If Prince Ian willingly yields ownership, there would be no issue. A proper reward in exchange should be enough.”

“Then let’s go with that.”

From the way the king spoke as if it were no big deal, it was clear he believed Prince Ian would obey him without question. But in the midst of this conversation, a voice suddenly rang through the chamber.

“Your Majesty, you must not proceed in that way. No one will believe such a backdoor tactic.”

“Count Dimentis?”

It was Count Rodry von Dimentis, commander of the Capital Defense Command, voicing strong opposition. Everyone was surprised. He had never taken sides in any matter, except for the king.

Given that he played the largest role in defending the capital since the start of the war, his words carried weight. His forces had grown to five times their original size, making his influence significant.

“Why do you think it is called international law, Your Majesty? It is because it must be upheld that so many nations gathered to formalize it. Even if Your Majesty were to command Prince Ian to relinquish ownership in exchange for compensation, many countries would see it as extortion. That would be a great blow to both Your Majesty’s and the royal family’s honor.”

His words were framed as concern for the monarchy, but there was also deep loyalty to Prince Ian.

‘I cannot allow what is rightfully his to be taken away.’

That loyalty might have been instilled, but to Count Dimentis, it was genuine. That’s why he firmly believed that no matter what, Prince Ian must retain ownership of the captured battleship. Though others might not understand his thoughts, his reasoning was sound enough to win nods of agreement.

To take the battleship’s ownership with mere compensation? It sounded reasonable at a glance, but realistically, preparing adequate compensation would be difficult. Moreover, the king likely had no intention of paying full value. He would simply offer a token amount and seize ownership.

In the eyes of other nations, this would look like the king forcefully taking what belonged to the prince. Only after hearing Count Dimentis’s reasoning did they realize they had taken the issue too lightly. For people who live and die by honor, being shamed in the international arena was a deep humiliation.

“Ahem, but wouldn’t letting that young boy handle something as valuable as a battleship hinder our ability to begin a counterattack?”

At the king’s concern, Count Dimentis calmly revealed what he knew.

“There’s no need for worry. He has already achieved considerable success in battle using a cruiser. Some even call the ship Prince Ian commands ‘the miracle vessel,’ as it has yet to be hit in combat. And the deputy captain, Major Derian Zeco, is said to be exceptionally capable. With such support behind him, he will certainly be able to fulfill his duties.”

Hearing this, the king hesitated. No matter how he thought about it, the ninth prince did not seem suited to such responsibility. But the circumstances left him with little choice. Eventually, the king gave in and said,

“Very well. Let us leave ownership as it is.”

“A truly wise decision, Your Majesty. And, may I suggest assigning him a special rank for future purposes?”

“A special rank?”

“If the war ends, there may be issues with the battleship’s continued use. But if Prince Ian remains in military service, the battleship will remain part of the navy.”

“Ho! That makes sense. A fine idea.”

Seeing the suggestion extend to postwar plans, the king felt that Count Dimentis held the royal family in deep regard. Although he had been irritated at first when contradicted, he now saw that everything was about preserving royal dignity and honor.

It was even a sound decision to tie Prince Ian to the navy. That way, the battleship would remain with the fleet. Considering how much money it took to build a battleship, acquiring one for free made awarding a title a small price to pay.

As the king nodded in satisfaction, the eyes of Duke Gwens and other nobles turned cautious. They did not want any prince besides their own to gain too much prestige.

Prince Ian had already developed trench warfare and barbed wire, which had proven highly effective in real battle. Naturally, they had been paying close attention.

To be honest, none of them had paid any mind to the Ninth Prince before. But given his growing achievements, it was clear they couldn’t leave him unchecked.

‘With the homeland surrounded, we can’t interfere in the colonies.’

‘Had he been assigned to the homeland instead, none of this would’ve happened.’

‘Now that he’s leading a battleship, he’ll stand out too much. And with a special rank, what title will he even receive?’

‘We must at least try to downplay Prince Ian’s role…’

Just as the nobles were deep in thought, Count Dimentis spoke again.

“Moreover, I believe we must make Prince Ian’s accomplishments known throughout the kingdom.”

“Count, what are you saying!”

“What do you mean by Prince Ian’s accomplishments? What are you trying to announce?!”

“This is outrageous! What are your intentions with such a statement?!”

Outcries erupted from the nobles the moment he spoke. But Count Dimentis calmly turned to the king and explained his reasoning.

“Your Majesty is surely aware that the kingdom’s people are weary from the continued siege by the Doicheun Empire. At such a time, news that Prince Ian captured an enemy battleship will surely boost morale. And of course, his achievements are Your Majesty’s achievements too—so the praise will also reflect on you.”

“Oh-ho!”

“Your Majesty!”

“You mustn’t!”

As the king reacted positively, many nobles immediately voiced their objections. But Count Dimentis met their resistance with a cold gaze and said,

“Then are you saying we should hide this great deed? That you would stop the people from hearing something that could give them hope? If not this, what will you offer them in its place?”

No one could respond. His logic was flawless, and they had no alternative. Watching them fall silent, the king slapped both thighs and said decisively,

“Let the news about Prince Ian be shared as it is. Yes, combining this with the stories about trenches and barbed wire will make for excellent propaganda.”

The king smiled with satisfaction at his own judgment, while the nobles’ expressions hardened. Count Dimentis, meanwhile, wore a pleased smile of his own.

Naturally, Ian himself had no idea any of this was happening.

Even loyalty too strong could be a problem.