第８２９堀：海の夜 (Part2)
"Indeed. I find it impossible to believe that an aircraft carrier manned by Master, his wives, and the likes of Steve could ever fall to ships from centuries past."
I state this without a shred of hesitation. It is simply inconceivable that an aircraft carrier would be outmatched by the vessels of Seasypho. If they were truly stronger, Seasypho would not have suffered repeated defeats at the hands of sea monsters, nor would they have been so visibly shaken or threatened by the sight of our ship. Given the circumstances, there is no scenario in which Master would be forced to yield.
"I don't wish to look down on the Kingdom of Seasypho, but logically speaking, Kirika is right. Well, I understand the situation. Let's hear what the people here have to say."
At his words, we turn toward Kagura and the others.
"Eh? What do you want to ask us?"
"I'm wondering if we should accept the challenge to a mock battle."
Master always gathers information with such meticulous care before making a decision. Since these people, if not exactly 'locals,' are at least residents of this land, he is likely gauging their perspective or looking for any hidden insight. It is often the case that the most trivial detail becomes the most vital intelligence.
"Hmm, I think it's a 'yes' from me, Mikos-chan. There are still quite a few military men who doubt the power of Weed. Convincing them of our strength might actually be for Dressa's benefit, don't you think?"
"I agree. As Mikos-senpai said, it would be a good way to ensure Dressa doesn't run into trouble with the people of the Seasypho Kingdom."
"I concur with both of them. It’s for Dressa’s sake, of course, but demonstrating our power will ensure their cooperation moving forward. When undertaking such a large-scale operation, one must be more mindful of their allies than their enemies. Besides, this doesn't deviate from Seasypho's common sense, so there shouldn't be any issues regarding their customs."
It seems Kagura and the others have a firm grasp of the situation. If we strike hard here, it will make things much easier for everyone, including Dressa, in the long run.
"What about Princess Stacia and Bishop Enora?"
"We share the same opinion. Beyond measuring the strength of our allies, such mock battles foster a sense of solidarity."
"Well, I agree as well, though I think we should avoid any fatalities. It would be best to refrain from using firearms."
"True. There's no need to earn the resentment of our allies by killing them during training. Then, it's settled—we participate in the mock battle."
With the strategy for tomorrow decided, Enora adds one final point.
"By the way, what is the status of the Seasypho-made firearms?"
Ah, yes. She brings up the other reason for her visit to Seasypho.
"Right, I’d been so distracted by everything else since we arrived that I’d forgotten. Kirika, how is that coming along?"
"Yes. I have been gathering intelligence on that front, but I have yet to reach the manufacturer."
"Well, we’ve only been here two days. And you’ve only been on the ground for half of that. I suppose information doesn't come that easily."
"My apologies for my lack of progress. However, my subordinates have confirmed that these firearms are already being loaded onto Seasypho warships. I have personally verified their presence in the armory."
The existence of these firearms is precisely why Master has been maintaining maximum vigilance toward Seasypho. It was inevitable that he would prioritize investigating them, if only for the safety of our party. That said, what we have discovered so far matches the weapons used by General Lake’s forces—nothing capable of harming Master, so we can rest easy. While I was lost in these thoughts, Master seemed to be looking even further ahead...
"So, they are fully mass-producing them. We knew that from the army General Lake led, but... the ships are galleons, right? Do they not have cannons?"
"No, cannons do not exist here. You saw the galleons sailing alongside us; they lack even the gun ports required for such weaponry."
"Now that you mention it, that’s true. Taiki, did you see anything of the sort?"
"No... I didn't see anything like that. I wonder why?"
Taiki-sama tilts his head in confusion. I, too, had assumed that given their firearm technology and shipbuilding prowess, the development of cannons would be a natural progression. Yet, unexpectedly, they do not exist.
"Strange. Did they never have the idea to build cannons?"
"Perhaps there was some technical hurdle?"
"Well, we might find out the reason after the mock battle. Kirika, I leave the rest to you while we are occupied."
"Understood, Master. I shall gather as much intelligence as possible while you hold their attention."
And so, I set off once more to dash through the night sea, preparing for tomorrow's espionage.
"Kirika-chan, you're all sticky from the sea breeze. You need a bath."
"Um, Aslin-onesama... that can wait until later..."
"No excuses. Come now, let's wash your hair and your body."
"That is right. You must be clean."
The rewards for my hard work at night are not merely Master's praise, but also these moments of kindness. In that sense, Seasypho is a decent country.
For Kirika, the things of true value are Yuki and the likes of Aslin. That aside, the people of Seasypho seem satisfied for now. But the issue of the firearms remains. What exactly is going on there?
Let us look forward to Kirika's success.