第８２３堀：海を征く (Part1)
Chapter 823: Conquering the Seas
Side: Yuki
"Alright, time for an inspection... though, I suppose that’s impossible."
"It certainly is. A Nimitz-class carrier is supposed to have a crew of about 4,000, isn't it? We can't possibly conduct a proper check without Steve and his team."
"Fair point."
I said as much while stepping onto the deck of the aircraft carrier.
"...The ship, it’s flying in the sky."
"...This is a truly terrifying vessel."
Prime Minister Aquamarine and General Lake stood there, frozen in astonishment.
Honestly, calling it "flying" is a bit of an exaggeration. Since I didn't have a recovery crew, I simply used magic to keep it hovering in the air. I suppose to them, it does look like the ship is soaring. But judging by their reactions, a vessel of this magnitude simply didn't exist in Sea-Cypho.
Well, if they weren't shocked by an aircraft carrier, I’d be the one worried. It would imply that monsters in this world were already sinking ships of this size. In that sense, our safety margin has just increased significantly.
"Let's head to the CDC first."
"Agreed. If we get there, we should be able to diagnose any abnormalities in the hull."
With that, we made our way through the carrier’s interior until we reached the Combat Direction Center.
"..."
The Sea-Cypho delegation stood paralyzed, overwhelmed by the unfamiliar equipment of the CDC, but I ignored them for now. Checking the ship was the priority. I prepared to issue orders, but then—
"Dressa."
"Hm? What is it?"
"I’m placing you in charge of this second ship, the *Lilishe*. Take command."
"...But there’s no crew."
"We’re your subordinates for now. I’ll bring reinforcements later. For now, show me how you handle orders in a situation like this."
This ship is the second hull, the *Lilishe*. It is intended for coastal patrol and security, and Dressa will be the one in command as the highest authority on board. From here on out, she needs to act as the captain.
If she backs down now, I’d have no choice but to appoint one of my wives, like Deryu, to the role. But if that happened, Dressa would likely never be given a position of responsibility in this territory again. She knew that as well as I did.
"...Understood. From this moment on, I, Dressa, shall serve as the captain of the *Lilishe*, the second ship of the Luna-class carriers!"
"Huh? What are you..."
Prime Minister Aquamarine looked utterly bewildered.
Well, there’s no need for him to understand. The goal is to use the Sea-Cypho delegation’s shock to cement Dressa’s position.
"First, we check for any damage sustained while being pulled from the Item Box! Vilia, Hiiro, check the hull condition!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Yuki, Taiki, check the radar and fire control systems for errors!"
"Understood!"
"Deryu and the others, please contact the mainland using the *Lilishe*’s communication system."
"Very well. Leave it to us."
"Aslin, perform a physical inspection of the ship’s interior. Report any anomalies."
"You got it!"
The start was smooth. I fired off orders to everyone appropriately. It might look a bit sparse without the full crew, but with this group, it’s the best we can do. We’re short on numbers, but that’s beside the point. I need to check the fire control system myself. I can’t tell Dressa to work hard and then slack off myself; that wouldn't be very becoming of a leader.
"...Alright, no errors in the fire control system. Taiki, how’s your end?"
"No errors in the radar system, either. But what about the weapons and ammunition? We’ll need to check those, too, right?"
"I’m planning to bring those in separately. I’ll have Steve and the crew board first, then supply only the necessary materials. Otherwise, the shock of pulling it all out of the Item Box at once might wreck the place. Especially the fighter jets."
"Ah, if those broke, it would be a disaster."
"It would be beyond saving."
Even though I got it for free, the scale of the damage would be far beyond a simple "oops."
With that, we reported back to Dressa, and the others followed suit.
"The preliminary checks show no abnormalities. The rest will have to wait until we gather the crew. Yuki-sama, is that acceptable?"
"Understood. Anything else?"
"The current depth of the anchorage is dangerous. If possible, I’d like to move to a location with sufficient depth. I’d like to ask Sheila and her team to guide us."
"Understood. But we’ll have to consult with Prime Minister Aquamarine for that."
Now, it was finally time for the Prime Minister to play his part.
"Prime Minister Aquamarine, we would like to bring in more personnel to operate this ship. Would that be acceptable?"
"People? Are there some waiting nearby? I haven't heard anything about..."
"No, we’ll be using a Gate. I believe General Lake has mentioned it to you?"
"You don't mean... truly? My apologies, I was skeptical. If you can bring people from Weed to operate it, that would be a great relief, as we wouldn't have to spare our own men. And if I may, I would very much like to see this 'Gate' for myself."
"Thank you for your permission. Then, let us activate the Gate installed on this carrier."
"Eh?"
The Sea-Cypho delegation looked even more confused, but that’s fine. If they stay calm, I lose.
"Deryu, notify Steve and the others. Tell them the *Lilishe*’s Gate will be operational at 1100, and we’ll begin the ship’s inspection."
"Understood. This is carrier *Lilishe*. Commander’s orders: the Gate on the second ship will open at 1100. We are commencing boarding and ship inspection. Steve’s unit is to..."
As I relayed the message, Deryu used the ship’s communication device to contact Weed. A standard radio wouldn't work at this distance, but by integrating magic-based communication, we can transmit regardless of range. I was worried about whether the signal would reach, but now that Hiren’s magic interference is gone, the connection is crystal clear.
"Now, let us show you the Gate. Please, this way."
We led Prime Minister Aquamarine back to the hangar where we first arrived.
"At first, I was worried if it would really work, but it’s surprisingly capable."
"It’s amazing, isn't it? Connecting a Gate to an aircraft carrier. It’s a true mobile fortress now. Being able to resupply personnel and materials at will is incredible."
As Kirue and Sasari said from behind us, most people initially thought it was impossible to install a Gate on something as large as a moving ship. But the carrier’s size is off the charts. Because of that, there was no issue installing the Gate. Or rather, since you can choose the size of the Gate—it being a type of transfer trap—it was simple. Once we placed a Gate of the appropriate size, it worked without a hitch, and the connection remained stable even when the carrier moved.
Well, if it can connect to a dungeon on a distant continent, connecting to a ship isn't exactly a miracle. Taizou-san and Zargis seemed endlessly fascinated, but I couldn't let them experiment forever, so I brought it here.
"Alright, we still have time before activation. Let’s run a final check on the Gate’s operation."
"Yes!"