Victory In The Surprise Attack, And The End Of The War

They had already been preparing for a counterattack, so the success rate of the surprise operation seemed high. But Ian couldn’t help but wonder—would such a tactic really be accepted?

‘In this era where nobles live and die by honor, would they really recognize the results of a surprise attack?’

That was a concern. But since the operation had originally been proposed by Admiral Nudelria, Ian figured the man had his reasons.

And indeed, soon enough, the Doicheun Empire’s colonial fleet began a full retreat.

As their ships vanished over the horizon, the Polia Kingdom’s colonial fleet quickly began moving away from the coast. Two battleships, three cruisers, and twelve destroyers joined in, sailing farther into open waters.

They didn’t immediately pursue the fleeing enemy. Instead, Admiral Nudelria led the fleet on a flanking route, anticipating where the enemy fleet would go. Since they knew the enemy’s destination, they could act accordingly.

It was likely the Doicheun fleet was heading back toward their colonial territory, which meant they had to travel across the deep ocean. During the journey, they didn’t encounter any other ships. Though the wisps of dark smoke worried them slightly, they were fortunate—there were few clear days, so the smoke wasn’t visible from afar.

After roughly ten days of sailing, they finally arrived at their destination. Thankfully, it appeared the enemy fleet hadn’t arrived yet.

It made sense. The Polian fleet had moved quickly, while the enemy took a slower, more measured pace. Two days later, they finally made contact with the Doicheun fleet.

It was the dead of night, and Ian’s fleet was running in complete blackout. The enemy, on the other hand, traveled brightly lit, making them easy to spot.

It was the perfect setup for an ambush.

They approached silently, inching within range. Any stray light could have ruined the surprise, but they maintained silence and reached optimal firing distance.

The first ship to open fire was Ian’s own battleship, Mythos. Per Admiral Nudelria’s prior arrangement, Ian was to fire the opening salvo. The target: the enemy flagship, a massive battleship.

“Fire!”

At Ian’s command, four 305mm twin-mounted guns roared in unison. The enemy flagship, caught completely off guard, took several direct hits before it could respond. That marked the beginning of the Polian colonial fleet’s bombardment.

The enemy was utterly unprepared. Their guard was down, and their morale had plummeted during the retreat. While they did attempt a counterattack, by then they had already taken heavy losses.

Relentless bombardment at close range had devastated them. Led by their flagship, the enemy’s cruisers and destroyers began sinking one after another.

The Mythos, with its overwhelming firepower, dealt the most damage. The bombardment continued for quite some time, and in the end, the victor was clear: the Polia Kingdom’s colonial fleet.

Some enemy cruisers and destroyers tried to flee, but the Polians did not pursue. Their goal had already been achieved.

As the cheers echoed across the bridge, Ian exhaled deeply.

‘Not a single hit landed.’

Toward the end, the enemy fired some shells in retaliation—but Ian had avoided every one with telekinetic deflections. The ship remained completely unharmed.

In fact, this battle had been easier than the previous direct confrontation.

Thanks to the darkness, Ian could freely use his psychic abilities without drawing attention. While the others were celebrating, Ian couldn’t help but wonder how the homeland would react to the victory.

‘Sure, we won, but it was still a sneak attack. Won’t the nobles foam at the mouth, saying it was dishonorable?’

This “gentleman’s war” etiquette had only emerged in the last hundred years. Honor dictated that battles be fought head-on, making victory purely a matter of superior strength.

Without a surprise attack, winning so easily would’ve been impossible.

‘The enemy’s counterattack was slow and weak, while our assault was bold and decisive.’

Ian found himself admiring Admiral Nudelria’s grit and decisiveness. Whether it was “gentlemanly” or not, the result was undeniable—this was a significant victory.

And now, it was time for rescue operations. The war was over, and rescuing enemies lost at sea was their moral obligation.

They used the burning wreckage of the enemy ships to light the night as rescue operations continued. Amid the chaos, they also received word that Admiral Dimitria had survived.

Soaked like a drowned rat, Admiral Dimitria was pulled from the water and brought aboard. Only after verifying his identity was he transferred to the flagship to face Admiral Nudelria.

Naturally, his face was twisted in fury. He spoke with a voice full of rage.

“What is the meaning of this! A surprise attack?! You think you can preserve your honor after pulling something like this?!”

“We’re at war, Admiral. Surprise attack or not, victory is all that matters.”

Nudelria could say this because the situation no longer required them to stick to gentlemanly conventions. He had always questioned the value of fighting honorably at sea when superior tactics could bring a swifter victory.

This ambush had been born from that belief. And he was fully aware that not everyone would praise him for it.

‘But the people of our kingdom are desperate for a victory.’

When the capital was surrounded, the people of the kingdom were gripped by fear. But Ian’s past exploits—like the trench systems and barbed wire—had given them hope. Now, his popularity had grown even further.

‘They’re starved for victory. And now, the entire colonial fleet will be celebrated.’

Nudelria believed the noble backlash was worth enduring. In the past, such tactics might’ve been unacceptable—but in the kingdom’s current state, public praise would drown out any complaints.

He could already imagine the entire nation erupting in celebration when they heard the news.

‘And Prince Ian’s popularity will skyrocket.’

After all, it was Prince Ian’s Mythos that had led the charge. Without its devastating firepower, such a swift victory would’ve been impossible.

It was yet more proof that a powerful battleship was essential for victory.

‘And the Doicheun Empire can no longer sustain this war.’

This retreat proved it. They had the power to defeat Polia, but not the freedom to use it. With the other two empires pressuring them, Doicheun had no choice but to pull back.

“You think this will stand?! Our emperor will never overlook this disgrace!”

“Is that really what you believe?”

“What did you say?!”

“I’m more worried about the punishment you’ll face after this defeat, Admiral Dimitria.”

The Doicheun Empire, already seeking to end the war, had its pride trampled completely after losing its colonial fleet. Normally, they would have mobilized a massive fleet to restore their honor—but at present, that was virtually impossible.

‘Maybe last year… but not this year.’

The two empires that had previously stood idle were now actively intervening. In such circumstances, the Doicheun Empire had no choice but to reluctantly enter ceasefire negotiations. Technically, no side had truly won the war, but the fame that the Polia Kingdom would gain from this outcome was enormous.

Until now, no kingdom had been able to withstand the assault of the empires—this would be remembered as a precedent that proved it could be done. In the long run, it meant that few nations would dare to wage war against the Polia Kingdom again.

“Please stay here and rest for a while. If the prisoner negotiations with the Doicheun Empire go well, you’ll be able to return home soon.”

Upon hearing Admiral Nudelria’s words, Admiral Dimitria was forced to recall that he was, in fact, now a prisoner. Though still furious and baffled by the situation, it didn’t change the fact that he had been captured.

It was a stark contrast to when he had so confidently invited Admiral Nudelria and Prince Ian aboard his flagship.

As Admiral Nudelria had expected, the moment news of the Doicheun Empire’s colonial fleet being annihilated reached the Polia Kingdom, criticism erupted. Nobles were outraged that the enemy had been defeated through such an ungentlemanly sneak attack.

But unlike the nobles, the people of the kingdom erupted in joyous celebration. The empire’s blockade had lasted over a year, and the constant threat of landings had filled people with dread.

Now that the enemy fleet had been wiped out, the fear in people’s hearts vanished. The streets filled with cheering citizens, and the nobles, too, found themselves unable to continue criticizing Admiral Nudelria.

Public opinion quickly turned favorable. Newspapers sold out with every edition, and every issue featured glowing reports of Admiral Nudelria’s victory. Of course, Prince Ian was prominently mentioned as well.

It was reported that he personally boarded a battleship and led the assault that sank the enemy’s battleship—and several cruisers as well. Interest in Prince Ian, which had already been growing, skyrocketed.

Before the war, many hadn’t even known of his existence. Now, it would be strange not to know who he was. The ninth prince, a seventeen-year-old boy, had become a household name.

Everyone saw his miraculous achievements as extraordinary. In the hearts of the people, Prince Ian was now firmly established as a hero. The king couldn’t help but feel troubled by the situation.

He had planned to use his son to boost national morale, but the public response had grown far beyond what he anticipated. Meanwhile, in the Doicheun Empire, outrage was spreading over the recent events.

The destruction of their colonial fleet had been a tremendous blow to their national honor. Voices in the navy cried for revenge. But just as Admiral Nudelria predicted, the empire could no longer mobilize its fleet.

The fleets of the Moria and Noma Empires had approached the Doicheun maritime borders in protest. At this point, fifteen ships from the two nations had gathered—an undeniable show of force.

With the Doicheun Empire already weakened from its losses in the war against Polia, the pressure from two powerful empires was too great. Ultimately, the Doicheun Emperor was forced to send envoys to Polia to negotiate peace.

The ceasefire declaration took place at the royal palace of the Polia Kingdom. Over a hundred journalists from various nations had gathered to capture the historic moment with their cameras. Nobles filled the palace as well, making the interior noisy and chaotic like a bustling marketplace.

But soon, silence fell.

The Duke of Gwens, representing Polia, and the ambassador from the Doicheun Empire stood face to face and officially declared an end to the war. At this, everyone from the Polian side burst into cheers.

“Waaahhh—!”

“The war is over!”

“Peace has finally returned!”

“Long live His Majesty the King—!”

“Long live the Polia Kingdom—!”

Everyone was celebrating the end of the war, while the expressions on the Doicheun delegation were less than pleasant. The war had ended in a completely unexpected way for them, and their feelings were clearly bitter.

Since neither side could claim victory, no reparations were discussed. In the end, it was a war where neither side had gained what they wanted.

Both sides had suffered significant losses. Looking ahead, the future remained uncertain. But for now, the only thing that mattered was that the war had ended. In that spirit, the Polia Kingdom celebrated the conclusion of the conflict.

By this time, it was September, and the moment finally came for Ian to return to the homeland. Unlike when he had left on a transport ship, this time, he returned aboard the battleship Mythos.