Return, Sharing A Drink

At last, the rebel forces had been completely eradicated. With the landing of a second wave of 10,000 troops, the suppression force brought the matter to a definite close. It ended in just over ten days, which made it feel a bit anticlimactic, but it was never meant to be a prolonged battle to begin with.

‘Of course, there were still quite a few casualties.’

In the end, the death toll reached 3,600. There were many more wounded, and seeing that, it became clear just how deadly machine guns could be in war. In any case, now that the rebel suppression was over, it was time to return.

The return journey would be made only with the battleship Mythos and two accompanying destroyers. The cruisers and remaining destroyers that had come with them were anchored separately at the island, awaiting further orders.

Thus, they began the journey back to the mainland. The trip was tiring, as they had to remain alert for any unidentified submarine attacks along the way. Fortunately, nothing happened, and after about ten days, they reached the mainland and proceeded directly to the capital, Pullea.

As they neared, the signs of the recent war with the Doicheun Empire were still evident—fortresses stationed on islands surrounding the capital were undergoing major restoration efforts. Even at a glance, one could see the holes punched through walls and artillery emplacements from the heavy shelling.

‘A few more years, and it’ll all be restored.’

With this thought, they gradually approached the capital’s port, when a message came instructing them to dock at a civilian harbor instead of the naval base. It was puzzling, but an order was an order, so they followed it.

As they neared Dock No. 2, they saw a massive crowd. It wasn’t as large as the crowd that had gathered after the previous war, but still numbered in the tens of thousands. These people were welcoming the return of the Mythos with great enthusiasm. Of course, Prince Ian didn’t feel entirely at ease witnessing the spectacle.

‘This isn’t good.’

Even if they had suppressed the rebels, there was no reason for such an extravagant welcome. Everyone on the bridge looked equally bewildered. As they docked completely, Ian finally understood why they had gathered.

“To think it’s Prince Ian who captured the Sea Assassins—perhaps the capture of the submarines caused a far greater stir in the kingdom than we had imagined.”

Ian finally understood what was going on after hearing the deputy captain speak while lowering his binoculars. They weren’t welcoming the victory over the rebels—they were cheering for Ian, who had captured submarines, strange and threatening weapons that stirred fear and curiosity.

Looking closely, it was clear that reporters were also present in droves. This had all been carefully orchestrated. The attention made Ian feel both uncomfortable and anxious. He had only just managed to quiet the public’s interest in him while at school, and now the submarine incident was reigniting it.

‘Still, I can’t just erase what happened. Sigh—what now?’

No doubt, the nobles supporting the other princes would be displeased by Ian’s rising stature. They might even be beginning to view him as a threat. Ian couldn’t help but feel unfairly caught in all this—he never wanted such attention in the first place.

‘I was planning to quietly build merit, but now my popularity’s rising too fast.’

There was a proper order to things—just gaining merit would have been enough, but his fame was growing alongside it. Then again, merit naturally led to honor, and that inevitably drew public attention.

‘Still, this is a bit much.’

As the crowd cheered enthusiastically, the Mythos finished docking. Ian, unable to avoid it, stepped out onto the side platform by the bridge. With tens of thousands gathered, the place was packed. He raised a hand and waved toward the crowd.

“Wooooaaaah! Long live Prince Ian! Welcome back, Prince Ian!”

The cheers grew even louder. From this, Ian became certain—he would be under many uncomfortable gazes from now on. As he disembarked with the deputy captain and other officers, they were immediately swarmed by reporters with cameras.

It was easy to imagine their faces plastered across the newspapers tomorrow. Public interest would only grow stronger. Eventually breaking free from the crowd, Ian boarded a military car prepared by the navy and headed to the Naval Command.

He first needed to report his return to Duke Brudwar, admiral of the 1st Fleet. While traveling, he soon arrived at the Navy Ministry building. After confirming his identity at the gate, he proceeded inside, receiving stares along the way. Before long, he was face to face with Admiral Brudwar.

Ian saluted and immediately delivered his report.

“Reporting in. Captain of the battleship Mythos, Ian Mustaq. I carried out the mission to suppress the rebellion in the Marin Archipelago and have returned safely.”

“Hoho, welcome back. I only sent you out lightly, but it seems you encountered something quite unexpected.”

“It was sudden, but we managed to handle it, thankfully.”

“You always seem to have good luck. Then again, luck is an essential trait for a man of the sea.”

Accidents were common in naval work. Of course, safety procedures were vital, but luck played a significant role as well. Listening to Admiral Brudwar, Ian thought to himself that it wasn’t luck but skill—but he appreciated the compliment nonetheless.

“Indeed. It seems I’m truly lucky.”

“Well, you’ve worked hard these past days. Take a good rest for now. We’ll contact you when the next mission is decided.”

“Understood.”

As Ian was about to salute and leave, the admiral suddenly raised his hand as if remembering something.

“Ah, now that I think of it—you agreed to transfer the ownership of the submarines to the kingdom, didn’t you?”

“Yes. I thought it would be best.”

“You made the right decision. Now that the submarines are state property, we can study and perhaps build our own.”

“That would certainly benefit the kingdom. The real question is whether we can use them.”

“True. Officially using them may be difficult. But we could always use them discreetly. And if someone else has them, we must too.”

Ian nodded in full agreement. If someone else had such weapons, they had to have them as well. With that understanding, Ian saluted and left the admiral’s office.

Outside the office stood his deputy, Derian Zeco (Commander), and his aide, Mardin Gaso (Lieutenant). Ian informed them that the report was complete.

“The report’s done. We’ve been given some time to rest.”

“Is that so? I suppose I’ll get to spend some time at home then.”

“I’ll have to go back to caring for my daughter. Haha.”

Hearing the slightly wistful tone in their voices, Ian suddenly had the urge to share a drink with them.

“Say, you two—do you feel like having a drink?”

“A drink? With you, Captain?”

“What, don’t want to drink with me?”

“No, not at all! It’d be an honor.”

“Then tonight, let’s gather the officers and have a round. Some place you usually drink at would be ideal.”

“Our usual place? Are you sure that’s okay?”

“Why not? I’m a navy man just like you.”

“Well, that’s true.”

“You’re always welcome. We’ll make the arrangements.”

At the deputy’s response, Ian smiled and nodded. Of course, they would drink together in the evening. But first, he planned to visit the palace to see his mother and little sister. He didn’t need to report to the King directly.

Since he was already acting independently and had carried out orders from the 1st Fleet, it was enough to report to Admiral Brudwar. Leaving the Navy Ministry, Ian hailed a taxi and headed for the palace. Thinking about it, he realized he really needed his own car and chauffeur.

‘I’ll have to leave the dorm soon anyway, so it’s about time I buy a house, a car, and hire a driver.’

With the money he earned from selling the submarines, he would have enough to afford it. Arriving at the palace gate, Ian showed his ID and entered. Heading straight for the consorts’ quarters, he was able to reunite with his mother, his little sister, and the maid Leni.

They welcomed him warmly. Ian felt the joy of reunion. It had been a long time since he spent time with his family, and fortunately, it was around lunchtime, so they ate together. While having tea after the meal, he mentioned he planned to buy a house and a car after leaving the dormitory.

“Oh my, that’s wonderful. I was a bit worried when I heard you came in a taxi.”

“Taxis are pretty convenient these days.”

“Still, considering your status, it doesn’t look proper to others.”

“That’s why I’m planning to buy a modest house and a car. With some staff, it’ll look more fitting.”

“Yes, do that. Are you sure you have enough money?”

“I already have the money you gave me before, Mother, and I’ll also receive the payment for selling the submarines.”

“Oh, right. You mentioned capturing those submarines, didn’t you?”

“Brother, do submarines really move underwater?”

“Of course they do. I’ve seen it myself.”

“Wow, that’s amazing. How can people ride them and move around underwater?”

“That’s the power of technology. You’ll probably see even more incredible things in the future.”

Ian replied with a soft smile, and Charlotte nodded eagerly, her eyes sparkling. Watching her, Ian was reminded just how full of curiosity children her age could be. Come to think of it, she had turned nine this year and must have started second grade. She was attending Traveler School, the same school Ian had graduated from.

“Come to think of it, you must have just started second grade now?”

“Yes! I started two days ago.”

“Is school fun?”

“It’s so much fun! I’ve made lots of friends. Everyone’s really nice to me.”

“Oh, really?”

Ian felt pleasantly surprised. Normally, that wouldn’t have been the case. As a lower-ranking princess, nobles wouldn’t have paid her much attention. But with Ian’s rising fame and his achievements as a war hero, her treatment had likely changed drastically.

‘I guess I’m becoming pretty influential.’

That’s probably why people were trying to get closer to her. Everyone might have their own motives, but Ian thought it was still a good thing that Charlotte was making friends and enjoying school life. Anything was better than being ignored and isolated. Ian hoped his sister would never experience that kind of loneliness.

Besides, among those friends, she might find someone who truly becomes close. Their mother likely realized this too, which is why she was nodding gently at Ian. Ian returned the nod and continued listening to Charlotte’s cheerful stories.

He spent the rest of the day with his family, and by evening, he arrived at the address his deputy had given him before parting.

‘House of the Rolling Waves, huh.’

Since it was near the harbor, it made sense that the establishment had a sea-themed name. The exterior was rather upscale, and as he stepped inside, he was greeted by soft music and the murmur of conversation. At that moment, a staff member approached.

“Welcome. May I—huh!? A-Aren’t you Prince Ian?!”

“That’s right.”

“I-It’s an honor to have you here!”

The staff’s stunned reaction made Ian feel a bit awkward. Glancing around, he noticed several men who appeared to be officers staring at him with wide eyes. As soon as their eyes met, they stood up and saluted.

“Honored to see you, Ian Mustaq!”

Indeed, the special rank of “Mustaq” had become widely known. Since it was higher than the navy’s standard Colonel, most officers had to salute him. It was a rank he had earned due to his unique status and prior accomplishments.

As Ian made his way in, he noticed more and more people saluting him as they recognized him. This made him think that he should probably avoid drinking in public establishments in the future.

‘Better to invite them over after I get my mansion.’

With that in mind, he followed the staff upstairs and was shown into a large private room. Inside were his deputy, officers, and crew members from the ship. About a dozen people in total. As soon as they saw him, they all stood and saluted sharply.

“No need to be so formal. A place like this should be relaxed.”

Only then did they lower their hands and smile. It was the first time Ian had joined them in a setting like this. Though there had been a party on board to celebrate New Year’s before, he had still been a minor back then and wasn’t allowed to drink.

“Let’s start by ordering something.”

After Ian took a seat, the group called over the staff and placed their orders. Instead of wine, they went for stronger drinks like whiskey and a variety of light snacks. Soon, glasses were filled, and the deputy raised his to Ian.

“Captain, a word from you, if you please.”

“Ahem, I’m not much of a speaker, so I’ll keep it brief. I’m glad we all made it back alive. Let’s make sure we survive again next time, so we can share drinks like this again.”

“Ooooh! Let’s drink!”

Everyone raised their glasses and downed them. Ian followed suit, but the moment he drank, the strong burn made him wince. It was powerful—at least 40% alcohol, he thought. As he lowered the glass, the others laughed and commented.

“Looks like our captain can drink!”

“Hahaha! You might end up being a heavier drinker than us!”

“You all seem unfazed by this?”

“We drink this stuff all the time.”

“This isn’t even real alcohol, to be honest. Pahaha!”

They were clearly proud of their drinking prowess. Ian refilled his glass and looked at them with a playful grin.

“Let’s see who stays standing the longest.”

“I’m in!”

“Alright. Let’s begin!”

With alcohol flowing, everyone’s mood lifted as they continued drinking. Ian emptied his glass again, feeling a warm burn filling his stomach. It had been a while since he felt that way, and he kept drinking. As he did, the intoxication steadily crept in.

To sum it up—despite the heavy drinking, Ian, who was mentally resilient, didn’t make a single mistake. If he had, everything in the room would’ve flown around under the influence of his psychic power. Genetically, it seemed he had a strong liver and was able to endure the alcohol.

Naturally, the last one standing after everyone else was thoroughly drunk… was Ian.