Gresia Island

“So this is the bridge.”

Ian had invited Prince Alexei to the bridge. Alexei looked around constantly, nodding in approval. Since the ship was originally a Doicheun Empire battleship, there was no better place to examine its structure.

“What do you think?”

“Spacious and well-arranged. Even the captain’s seat is positioned perfectly for issuing commands. The Doicheun bastards really know how to build ships.”

“I feel the same. Standing up here to give orders always lifts my spirits.”

The captain’s seat was slightly raised and positioned toward the back of the center of the bridge. Standing there gave the impression of overseeing the entire command deck.

“Hahaha, no doubt. By the way, I’d like to speak with you about something—can we step outside for a moment?”

“Of course.”

With that, Ian moved toward the lookout point. Opening the steel door beside the bridge led to an observation deck where the entire ship could be surveyed. He turned to the lookout and asked him to head back inside temporarily.

Once the door shut behind them, it was just the two of them, standing at a high vantage point with the whole ship in view. In the distance, the silhouette of the Noma Empire’s Bolanus-class battleship was visible.

“Do you smoke cigars?”

“No, it’s not really my thing.”

“Is that so? I’ll go ahead, then.”

“Feel free.”

Alexei pulled out a metal case from his coat, opened it, and took out a cigar. He cut the tip, lit it, and puffed deeply. As white smoke spread into the air, he turned toward Ian.

“Every now and then, it feels good to smoke one of these. You should try it sometime.”

“I’ll give it a try one day.”

“Then I’ll send you some of the finest from my collection. But first, I’ve got something to discuss with you.”

“I was waiting to hear what that might be.”

Alexei had mentioned wanting to talk when he first boarded, but the drinking last night had prevented it. Now seemed like the right time. Ian watched as Alexei gazed at the sea and then began speaking.

“Right now, ships from all nations are gathering in the Abyssal Sea. Honestly, it was pure luck running into you.”

“I agree. The timing was remarkable.”

“Exactly! Doesn’t it feel like fate? Hahaha!”

Fate, huh? Ian wasn’t sure about that, but it was true they were lucky to meet. Still, Alexei seemed to be building up to something. Then, shaking his head, Alexei continued.

“I’m not one for subtlety, so I’ll get straight to the point—how about we move together in these waters?”

“Together?”

“As you know, this sea is extremely remote from any civilized nation. It’s hard to maintain contact and very dangerous.”

Frankly, if something went wrong out here, there’d be no witnesses. It would be all too easy for an incident to be swept under the rug. Acting alone in such a place was risky. Depending on diplomatic tensions, other nations could be hostile—or peaceful.

“It’s not a bad offer, honestly.”

Ian found it to be a reasonable suggestion. What if they’d run into a Doicheun Empire battleship instead? With the recent submarine incident, a conflict might’ve been inevitable. True, maybe not. But given they’d just finished a brutal war, running into such a foe in this remote sea was more than unsettling.

“So, will you join us?”

“Let’s do it. It’s safer that way.”

“Excellent decision! Hahaha!”

“There’s no reason for us to refuse, after all.”

The Polia Kingdom and the Noma Empire had never clashed politically or economically. Their relationship had remained neutral due to the Doicheun Empire acting as a massive buffer between them. There was no reason for hostility.

“It’s reassuring to travel alongside a Noma Empire battleship.”

“We’re the ones reassured! This ship of yours packs a hell of a punch. Wahaha!”

“Let’s get along, then.”

Ian extended his hand. Alexei, clearly pleased, took it and shook firmly. For now, the Polia Kingdom and the Noma Empire had formed a temporary alliance of sorts. As they let go, Ian asked with curiosity:

“By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask—how is it that you speak our language so well?”

“Oh, I studied the Doicheun Empire’s language. The Noma Empire has much to learn from its enemy, the Doicheun Empire. That’s how I can talk with you now.”

“That explains it. I did wonder why we communicated so easily.”

Two battleships cruised at normal speed. Their destination was the only island in the Abyssal Sea that offered fuel and supply replenishment. Though isolated from civilization, people still lived there.

It was a kind of fishing hub. The island processed seafood caught in the Abyssal Sea and exported it around the world. It would take another three days to reach it.

Of course, they hadn’t forgotten their original mission. As they sailed, they continued scanning for signs of the sea monster. Unfortunately, they’d yet to find even a trace. Then, in the stillness of the open sea, something began to appear.

It was a medium-sized fishing boat. Upon seeing the two massive battleships approach, the small crew became visibly agitated. The captain of the vessel picked up his binoculars to identify the ships.

Seeing the flags, he instantly recognized their origins.

“Well now, a Noma Empire battleship and one from the Polia Kingdom?”

“Captain, what should we do?”

“What do you think? We just keep fishing. Everyone, stay calm and keep working!”

At the captain’s command, the navigator stepped outside and relayed the message to the crew. Meanwhile, the two battleships passed by at a fair distance. Watching them go, the captain took a drag from his cigarette and shook his head.

“This damn sea monster rumor’s stirring up a storm.”

The captain had heard the stories too. When he first did, he’d thought it was utter nonsense. He’d been fishing in the Abyssal Sea for over a decade—it sounded like a joke. But with the constant buzz about it, even he began to wonder if it was real.

Still, it’d be foolish to stop fishing because of rumors.

Even when idle, a boat costs money.

Berthing fees alone were a burden, and with the fishing boat bought on bank loans, not going out to sea meant missing interest payments—and possibly getting repossessed. That’s why the captain, unlike others paralyzed by fear, kept going out to fish.

In reality, he wasn’t alone in doing this. Many others were in the same boat—forced to head out to sea because of debt and the pressure to repay loans. Naturally, the crew had their own reasons to earn money and thus boarded boats to work on the ocean.

“Two battleships from different countries sailing together? That’s a rare sight.”

He had seen warships come through these waters before, but they always traveled alone—never together. Still, since they were passing peacefully without causing trouble, he returned to his fishing.

Roughly two hours after the battleships passed, the crew had stored a sizable amount of fish. With fewer boats going out to sea recently, competition had dropped, allowing for a more abundant catch than usual.

“Nice. Looks like we’ll do well for a while.”

The captain thought that taking risks others avoided brought higher returns. As he considered ending the fishing trip and heading back to the island, he had the crew stow the gear.

“I should treat the crew to drinks when we get back.”

When earnings were low, maybe not, but now that they’d had a good haul, generosity would boost morale. Just as he set his course for Gresia—the only island in the Abyssal Sea—a sudden thud struck the vessel. The boat rocked violently, and the captain struggled to maintain his balance.

“What the—? Did we hit something?”

That couldn’t be. He knew these waters well from years of fishing. There were no reefs or obstructions in this area, and the water was deep. The sudden shock was utterly inexplicable. He rushed out from the cabin.

“Hey, what’s going o—”

KUAHHHH—!

Something massive struck the boat. The captain saw a pillar-like structure rising from the sea and coiling around the vessel. It began pulling the boat downward. Under immense pressure, the vessel’s structure began to crack and tear apart from where it was gripped.

CRAAAACK—!

Unable to withstand the pressure, the medium-sized fishing boat split into two. More pillar-like appendages burst from the sea, grabbing at the wreckage.

It all happened so fast—neither the captain nor his crew had any chance to react. Naturally, there were no witnesses.

Gresia Island

An island came into view. For Ian, it was the first sight of land since arriving in the Abyssal Sea, and the sight was welcome. Finally, there was a place touched by civilization—a place to set foot on solid ground.

“We’re not the only ones here, it seems. Other ships arrived first.”

“Yes, judging by the flags, cruisers from various kingdoms have already docked.”

Other kingdoms’ cruisers had clearly beaten them to the island. Among the vessels was a battleship as well. In total, there appeared to be about five ships already docked. With Ian’s fleet included, that brought the total to seven.

“So the Doicheun Empire hasn’t arrived yet?”

The only battleship present bore the flag of the Magnia Empire. That in itself suggested the port might see some tension. Still, there was an unspoken rule about the island—an unofficial peace zone, agreed upon after past clashes among the fishermen.

Back when ships from all over the world came here to fish, fights broke out often. Eventually, the fishermen agreed on a mutual understanding: no conflict while on the island.

It was unclear whether the same could apply to soldiers, but to some extent, the agreement still held. Any open conflict would only create problems for everyone. As they neared Gresia, a new problem presented itself—there was no room to dock.

Sure enough, the Magnia Empire’s battleship had dropped anchor just off the harbor. Ian’s ship would have to do the same.

“We’ll need to anchor offshore as well.”

“It appears so.”

As they discussed, Ian’s ship slowed down, and the anchor was dropped. Prince Alexei’s ship followed suit, anchoring nearby.

“That Magnia Empire battleship looks impressive.”

“Indeed. I’ve heard of the Promise-class battleship, but this is my first time seeing one. Captain, look at that—it’s equipped with triple gun turrets.”

“Triple turrets, huh?”

Looking through binoculars, Ian could confirm it. The barrels were indeed grouped in threes, and larger than usual. A truly fearsome display worthy of a major empire. Ian wondered when they had even developed and deployed such weapons.

After all, the Magnia Empire was the first to develop steam engines and complete an industrial revolution. Technologically, they were the most advanced.

“So this is the Magnia Empire.”

Ian had already seen their airships when the Third Prince, Jedic, had visited. Clearly, in terms of technology, they were far ahead of the world. After observing the battleship for a while, they began preparations to go ashore.

The landing party was set at 12 members—Ian, his aide Mardin, and a group of selected crew members for escort. A boat was lowered and headed toward the port facilities.

As Ian’s team moved, so did the Noma side. They deployed three boats with far more personnel, as if proudly showcasing their imperial might. As both groups rowed toward the harbor, they finally arrived at the dock.

Around them, many eyes turned their way—mostly fishermen who lived and worked on the island. But among them were a few people dressed in clothes that clearly marked them as outsiders.

They appeared to be foreign officers and soldiers.