Chapter 7
“Objected”
“I shall object that . ”
We were tricked . At the moment I thought of that, Kaguya-sama and Sophia on my left and right made such statements . Just that, with that, they will drag the conversation further . At this rate, we might end up making a big promise we have to commit later .
Though that said, it’s difficult to stop both of them who are furious from that joking request . Both of them have lost their composure in an instant . It’s going to take some time to have them calm down or to calm them down . During this period, Admiral Arnold will definitely make the next move .
But, I wonder if it’s okay for them even if it end up in war . As long as Sophia and Kaguya-sama are here, it’s not difficult to defeat the Empire’s navy with the current military strength . Of course, though it will make the fight with the waiting Dominion difficult, I do not think the Empire’s 1st Fleet have any reason to sacrifice themselves to support the Dominion .
Admiral Arnold smiled and replied Sophia and Kaguya-sama .
“Then War?”
“Of course . ”
“War is impossible . ”
As Kaguya-sama was about to nod to Admiral Arnold’s words on impulse, I interrupted her at the best timing as silently as I can .
Though it’s fine for Veris to fight the Empire, it’s the Empire that can’t have that happen . That’s what I thought but I might have to re-think that . From the conversation till now, Admiral Arnold doesn’t seem to show any hesitations on going to war .
Though it might be a bluff, I do not have the means to expose that . I have not learnt how to read the thoughts of the other party from their faces yet .
Since I can’t predict, I can only try to anticipate in my own way with the information I can acquire . For that, in the current situation I will need to sort out the information but I wasn’t given the leisure to do that .
“Then you will accept the hostage demand?”
“Please don’t joke around . Even though the hostage is your Excellency’s daughter, Liasha-denka, Liasha-denka does not hold an important position as the Empire’s pivot . I do not hold one as well but, I am currently sitting here, negotiating with you . Though it’s weird to say it myself, I am quite an important existence in the country . ”
“That’s true . However, Liasha is also considered one of the indispensable person in the country . She’s the captain of the newly released warship model that just commissioned the other day . She’s also entrusted with the independent fleet’s command . Is that insufficient nonetheless?”
How shameless . It’s fine for her to leave the country so she was sent as an envoy, isn’t she? Even if you gave her a forced post, that fact would never change .
Liasha had already left the country for a month after all . And from seeing how easily he can nominate her as a hostage, I can understand slightly how Admiral Arnold evaluate Liasha-denka .
“I apologize but it’s not enough . ”
“Fumu . In that case, is this the breakdown of the negotiations as expected?”
As expected, he’s trying to go to war . Why . Even though it’s their side that’s going to take the largest casualties . Is there any plan to this? No, if they have a counter for Sophia’s wind magic arts, they should have invaded at once . WIth just that, they would have routed us who are using Sophia’s magic arts as the key point of the defence .
Are they stalling for time? Are they preparing something? Or are they waiting for something . Nah, in that case, they should have waited in the ocean . The other side has the initiative of attack . They should have no reason to stall for time .
I don’t know . Why is this person trying to go to war? Could it be that he has no aim and just a battle junkie?
“Donahugh-denka . Since a while ago, you seems to have been speaking like you wanted war? Could it be that you wish to create unnecessary sacrifices?”
Maybe she’s angry, Sophia made such a statement . Since the talk about hostages, her anger has been accumulating considerably, and I guess it’s reaching its limits . Nominating his daughter easily might have also spurred on her anger as well .
“I do not wish to create sacrifices . But, if necessary, I will have to . Of course, with the smallest amount . ”
Saying that, the expression of Admiral Arnold looking at Sophia overlapped with Dio-sama’s expression .
I guess saying that is overlapped is wrong . It should be it looks similar . When Dio-sama wants to do something, he would not waver when it’s necessary . And after deciding it, he would give a expression showing his resolve . That’s the same expression Admiral Arnold is showing .
That statement is likely his true thoughts . And if we use this to think about it, it would contradict with his actions all this while .
The sacrifice of the 1st Fleet is not the smallest amount of sacrifice . And it’s not something necessary . Then, why is he trying to bring war with the 1st Fleet that is supposed to be unnecessary .
Having reached that thought process, I recalled the conversation I had with Liasha-denka . At that time, under the presumption that she couldn’t investigate due to her disadvantageous position, I stalled for time and made her think that Sophia is in her room . With that assumption, it led to her defeat .
If I were the one being done in, how would it be? The fact that I was already trapped before the negotiations .
Right now, there’s a chance where I am standing at the edge of the cliff without knowing it . I might have been looking at only Admiral Arnold and not anything else .
I didn’t doubt what I should have doubted . It’s Liasha-denka’s words . I wonder if Admiral Arnold really told Liasha-denka the truth . If he provided her with fake news, obviously, I, who thought it was true, were deceived .
Then, taking that what Liasha told me was a lie, then what’s the lie? Though I can’t deny that Liasha-denka is inexperienced, she is smart according to her status . It’s going to take a bit to deceive her . Even if it’s her father .
Also, after listening to it myself, I do not think Liasha-denka was lying . At the very least, Liasha-denka felt that it was the truth . That’s why what she said were all true . And it was changed after that .
Peeking a look at Admiral Arnold, he’s sitting with an air of composure . His smile is to prevent people from sensing his true intention . His words is to confuse and prevent analysis . And his provocative actions were to attract attention to himself .
So he doesn’t want us to take notice of something? That’s simple . It’s the 1st Fleet . Nah, either it’s a fleet that raised the flag of the 1st Fleet and decorated itself as one or a fleet where only the ship themselves comes from the 1st Fleet but everything inside it including the sailors were changed and different . Well, no matter which, Admiral Arnold doesn’t want us to take notice of the 1st Fleet that we thought it was in Veris’s sea .
Telling Liasha-denka the truth and changing it afterwards . In that case, Liasha-denka would confess that information to Veris without suspecting it . And Veris that was under the impression that it was the truth, would request for negotiations, thinking that the fleet in the sea was the 1st Fleet . In actual fact, it ended up that way .
Towards Veris that thought that the Empire wouldn’t want to hurt the 1st Fleet, Admiral Arnold would bring the situation to a fight and lose . Admiral Arnold can only make such moves in the case of a war . And Veris, having the trump card of Sophia expending her magic power would allow the invasion of the Dominion . Taking advantage of that, the Empire would either also attacked Veris or actually attacked the Dominion and save Veris, turning into a situation where the alliance would be made with them in the superior position . I believe that there are many other alternatives . After all, even if it ends up in war, the Empire’s losses wouldn’t be great this time . It was planned this way . By Admiral Arnold .
It’s a plan that make used of Sophia’s wind magic and also having the confidence to have the chance of escaping certainly . That’s probably correct . If you know it’s coming, you should be able to run away .
If we wanted to preserve Sophia’s magic arts, they would attack and if Sophia’s going to use her powers, he can escape even if he sacrificed the main fleet . There wouldn’t be a problem if we can pinpoint the ship Admiral Arnold boarded, but I doubt he would allow us to detect him that easily .
Even if we use a large-scale magic and cause a storm, they should be capable of sense it beforehand . If not, he wouldn’t be able to stay so calm . This person knows what is going to happen to his life that he can compose himself . And he has the confidence that as long as his life is fine, the Empire would be as well .
If he’s assassinated, it would be taken as Veris assassinating the negotiation envoy and result in no other countries willing to entitle a negotiation front with Veris anymore . And Veris would be taken down by the other alliance . From Veris’s perspective, we definitely can’t do that .
But, if we allow him to just go, no matter what methods we use, he should be able to escape . The ocean is like their backyard . Even if we give chase with our navy, we can’t catch up with them .
In the end, whether the negotiation breaks down or was a success, it doesn’t matter for Admiral Arnold . It’s fine as it is if in the superior position, Dio-sama or I are being taken as hostage . If it doesn’t work, we go to war and lose one of our trump card . While their side take minimum loss .
No matter which, it would only be the Empire’s gain . And Veris’s loss .
If it continues like this, that is .
“How about we end this facade? Your Excellency”
The talk about hostage was suggested by Admiral Arnold . And from then on, the initiative has been in Admiral Arnold’s hand all this time . We have to move from now on to take it back .
“Facade…what a fitting phrase? ”
“Totally . Though I totally didn’t realize it until a while ago . ”
The instant I said it with a meaning that goes “You have been seen through”, Admiral Arnold’s slightly opened his eyes . Though it went back quickly, he is definitely surprised .
“I see . No wonder Lia wasn’t a match for you . ”
His atmosphere changed . Lia should refer to Liasha-denka . The words now felt close and with love .
His provocative smile turned into a gentle one and Kaguya-sam and Sophia who were tensed up from the change also changed their demeanor . Most likely they felt lost at the sudden change .
Though I thought some form of acting was included, it seems to have been quite the serious act .
“Honestly, I am also tired . So let’s end this here for now . ”
Saying that, Admiral Arnold rotated her shoulders tiringly and also supported his weight with the chair’s back slovenly .
“… . if it continues like this, your Excellency would have won? Why did you react to my words and stopping lying to us?”
“That’s simple . You realized that you were deceived . Likely you wouldn’t be in line for the next negotiations . If you release some form of information to the Dominion, the Empire wouldn’t be able to create obligations from Veris . And the Empire would be on its path to ruin . ”
“That’s what Veris could do at most . ”
“Even that is a problem for the Empire . From the start, the Empire has no approach for survival, other than allying with the Veris . But without needing to ally with the Empire, Veris has the power to take on Dominion and Albion . A power the Empire doesn’t have . Before the start, the dominant position has been set . Any more tricks will only create a more inferior image, right?”
I can no longer see the previous appearance of Admiral Arnold who smiled powerlessly . I can’t think of them as the same person . It’s as if he aged for another 5 years .
But what he said was true . If it continued like this and acquired the displeasure of Kaguya-sama and Sophia, even if it’s okay now, it won’t go the same way the next time .
“Yukito . Would you explain this to me?”
If you looked at Kaguya-sama from the side, she’s making a frowning expression . On the opposite, Sophia was making a puzzled expression . They are likely unable to understand the situation .
“Kaguya-heika . We, the Empire, have lead a fleet pretending to be the 1st Fleet to Veris . And even if this fleet is being annihilated by Veris, it would not become a big loss . After all, we have chosen personnels that would not be regrettable, even if lost . ”
Admiral Arnold’s back left the chair and started talking . But, maybe being a hunchback, his back has a slight bent to it .
“What!? Then are you saying that we have been under a misconception since the start…?”
“That’s correct . So if they can negotiate to ally as a dominated side, then the alliance would be form . If not, initiate the war and reduce the numbers of Veris . Veris, having their numbers reduced would have a hard fight with the Dominion . At that point, the real 1st Fleet would ambushed and destroyed the Dominion attack, and bring the negotiations to a situation where Veris is obligated to the Dominion in the dominant position . That’s the plan I have crafted . ”
“Then in the form of having the dominant position . In the case we decide to agree to the matter of the hostage, what do you plan to do? Were you thinking of fighting the Dominion fleet with a incomplete fleet?”
“It’s not necessary to win . Once we can form the alliance with dominance, there’s no problem even if we were defeated against the Dominion’s fleet . The 1st Fleet will soon arrive in Veris and attack the Dominion from the rear while they were preparing their land assault . ”
No matter what situation it turned to, it doesn’t matter even if we lose . The plan was made under such thoughts .
In Admiral Arnold’s plan, victory is not important . And there’s only one thing that has to be done no matter what . That is the safety of Admiral Arnold . If he can protect that, he can bring the result into a more favourable one .
From the appearance of answering Kaguya-sama’s and Sophia’s question, he seems undependable but what’s changed is only the outside . He has not changed . A smart person is always a smart person . (TL: Makes me think of “People died when they are killed” meme)
“Strategist-dono . The facade is over . Where do you think this negotiations can be agreed upon?”
“Let’s see . The Empire and Veris shall form an alliance upon a non-aggression pact and a promise of reinforcements when required . Towards the public, it will be that the negotiations have broke off and the Empire has retreated . That would be the best, I believe . ”
“And then the approaching Dominion fleet would be attacked from the rear by the 1st fleet, I see . If Sophia-sama create a storm, the Dominion fleet would be in great chaos . Annihilating them is easy . However, the Empire would be at risk . ”
If the Empire opposes Albion and the Dominion, obviously, they will be targetted . Ablion have not make their move yet . Their invasion is most likely definite .
“Yes . Towards preparation against Albion, allow Veris to assist . And in addition, we shall include the provision of techniques in that as well . ”
“In that case, the 1st Fleet shall be sent to include Veris in its defence space at all times . However, doesn’t Veris have little leeway for military strength as well? Thinking of dealing with Albion, isn’t it meaningless to send out a lesser group of units too?”
If we allow the attack on the Empire by Albion, Veris’s coastals that will be protected by the Empire’s navy would retreat to its defence . In that case, Veris will be again taking a pincer attack and this time, for sure, it will be taking it singlehandedly .
To prevent that from happening, we have to send quite a powerful unit to the Empire . And the Veris right now is in no condition to send any reinforcements to fight Albion . In the main army that is .
There’s one unit that is being taken charged by Dio-sama as the supreme commander . And there’s few people who would question their abilities .
“Let’s see Nox as the reinforcements . Doing that, Albion wouldn’t be able to cut down the Empire’s strength and Veris’s wouldn’t be so pressurised . ”
Just a problem though .
“Yukito . Who would take the command then?”
“You wouldn’t say yourself, would you?”
The problem of persuading the 2 person on my left and right .
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