The first to sink was the Discovery. With an enormous whale lashed to its side,
its center of gravity had been thrown off, and the moment a massive wave struck it broadside,
the Discovery capsized. Because of the gale and the waves, the remaining ships could not even dare approach.
The wind was so fierce that if they tried to get near the overturned Discovery, the ships that remained
would not have come away safely either.
In the end, the three ships could not save a single sailor, and could only watch indifferently
as the Discovery vanished beneath the sea.
Swallowing their tears, they turned their bows toward the harbor. But the storm did not
leave even them in peace. It was impossible to head for port, and they had already been
battered by the storm for half a day. Raymond fixed himself to the gunwale and peered intently
into the tempest.
“Will the other ships really be safe?”
The sailors of the Resolution and the Avenger, which had set sail with them, were no less
experienced than the crew of the Princeton. But in such a powerful storm, no one dared
guarantee life or death. As ocean-going vessels, they were all large ships
with double-decked structures, but they were still far too lacking to overcome the power of nature.
Raymond’s face darkened as he searched desperately between the waves.
“In the end……”
A massive wooden pillar appeared between the waves. Judging by its size and shape, it was unmistakably
the mainmast of a sailing ship. Most likely from the Resolution or the Avenger……
A ship that had lost its mainmast could not withstand a storm. Having lost the ability to steer,
it would fail to maintain its direction, spin round and round, take a wave to its side,
and capsize just like that. Of course, none of that ship’s sailors would survive. Just then, the sound of something snapping
rang out from right nearby.
Crack.
In an instant, Raymond’s face turned deathly pale. The mainmast supporting the ship was visibly
bending, and at last it was about to break. It was a sturdy mast made of high-quality cedar,
but the wind was so strong that it seemed unable to endure.
“N-no.”
Despite Raymond’s agonized cry, the mast snapped feebly in the middle, and together with the sail,
was blown away by the wind without a trace. Having lost its ability to steer, the Princeton
began to spin in place. Then a wave large enough to overtop three ships
slammed straight into the Princeton’s gunwale.
Kwa-rurur.
The Princeton’s massive hull, for all its weight, flipped over helplessly. The sailors who had been holding on
with their lives on the line were, in the end, unable to avoid being plunged into the sea. Perhaps out of attachment to life,
a few sailors swam desperately, but it was futile. The whirlpool created as the Princeton sank
would drag every last one of them underwater…… Raymond, sinking beneath the surface,
suddenly smiled.
“Though we die, since the Princeton is lost, that damned shipowner
will certainly go bankrupt.”
With that final thought, Raymond’s body sank into the cold sea.
“It’s blinding.”
Damon frowned as he looked up at the sky. Because he was shut away inside the memorial hall,
he had to grimace every time he went outside, which did not please him much. But since he lived
inside the memorial hall, where sunlight did not reach, it was something he had no choice but to endure.
In order to take care of food and clothing, Damon had to come outside once a day.
Ordinarily, he only needed to receive the food and clothes prepared by the soldiers and go back in,
but today was a little different. Theodore had been waiting for him since morning. Damon
smiled faintly as he looked at Theodore.
“So, what brings you looking for me today?”
Seeing Theodore’s somewhat haggard appearance, it seemed he was greatly exhausted from repeated overwork.
Theodore smiled bitterly.
“How far has the restoration of the Bone Dragon progressed?”
“It’s almost finished. Enough to be fully deployed in actual combat……”
“That is welcome news.”
Theodore suddenly turned serious.
“Please come with me to the palace today. An unexpected situation has arisen, and I believe
you will have to attend the meeting, Lord Damon.”
“An unexpected matter……”
“Duke Perstein will explain the details.”
Damon deliberately frowned.
“Must I pretend to be an idiot again?”
“No. Marquis Williams has not yet returned from Tezeros.”
Damon let out a sigh of relief. Judging by that, pretending to be an idiot
must have been quite an ordeal for him.
“Then that’s a relief. Shall we go, then?”
The two slowly set off toward the palace.
“Are the preparations for the expedition going well? Judging by your face, you must have a lot of work.”
Theodore smiled bitterly.
“To be honest, yes. There truly is a great deal to handle. So much that even ten bodies
would not be enough……”
“Is that fellow Perstein just as busy?”
“He is busy in his own way as well. Not long ago, he came to ask for help regarding the supply issue,
but after seeing the state I was in, he simply left.”
“The supply issue……”
“There is no suitable person to manage the supplies that will be used in the invasion of Truvenia.
Since they are supplies for an army of over one million, the volume is immense,
and it seems there is no fitting candidate. As you know, smooth supply
is one of the most important matters in waging war, so it cannot be neglected, can it?”
At those words, an ambiguous light rose in Damon’s eyes.
“If it is that problem, I can solve it for you.”
Theodore asked back with a bewildered expression.
“Pardon? What do you mean……”
“I know a suitable person. If it is him, no matter how vast the supplies,
he will be able to manage them without difficulty.”
But Theodore could not readily agree.
“However, supply management is an extremely important matter. If supplies are not delivered
systematically and accurately, the conduct of the war will be severely burdened.”
Damon smiled faintly and shook his head.
“Then what sort of person would do?”
After thinking for a moment, Theodore answered.
“He would need to be at least the manager of a large merchant company. Only then could
such vast supplies be provided without trouble, would he not?”
“Have you perhaps heard of Baron Romain?”
Theodore’s eyes widened. Of course, there was no way he would not know
the head of the greatest merchant company on the continent.
“Do you mean Baron Romain of Lorvain?”
Damon silently nodded.
“That’s right. He is precisely the man I am referring to.”
Theodore nodded frantically.
“He would be sufficient. More than sufficient. But would a man with that much wealth and honor
really be willing to take charge of supplies for an expeditionary army, which is nothing if not dangerous?”
“At a single word from me, he will come running at once. Let us discuss the details
during the meeting.”
Having finished speaking, Damon took the lead and strode off. Theodore, who had been tilting his head,
soon came to his senses and followed after him.
“Welcome.”
As they entered the office, Duke Perstein warmly greeted Damon. Damon also responded
with a slight smile.
“I hear you have been working very hard.”
“Not at all…… In any case, thank you truly for giving me two members of your mercenary corps
under my command. I promise I will raise them well.”
“There is no need for thanks. Considering their future, there was no other choice.”
After replying briefly, Damon looked around the room. Inside, several unfamiliar figures were seated
in chairs. Beside them, Shrekheimer stood silently, but for some reason,
Krovitz was nowhere to be seen.
“Who are they?”
When Damon’s gaze reached them, Duke Perstein began the introductions.
“First, these are key figures of the intelligence department I command. A startling fact has come to light,
so I was compelled to ask you to come. Please understand……”
“What is there to understand?”
Once Damon and Theodore sat down, the meeting began. Theodore looked at Damon and Duke Perstein
with a grave expression.
“The matter of receiving military support is proceeding without much difficulty. First, Rosimus I of Terbia
has promised to dispatch three hundred thousand troops, more than expected.”
Duke Perstein’s face brightened.
“That is good news. Marquis Williams has performed his role better than expected.
As expected, threats work better on Rosimus I than persuasion.”
Theodore nodded and continued his explanation.
“Rosimus I promised ten knight orders, including the royal guard knights, as well as supplies.
And Penslot has also notified us that they will dispatch two hundred fifty thousand elite troops.
They, too, promised ten knight orders and supplies.”
“What happened with Tezeros?”
“When we revealed the scale of Terbia’s troop dispatch, Tezeros likewise promised
to send sufficient forces. They said they would send two hundred twenty thousand elite division troops,
eight knight orders, and supplies in sequence. If we add the forces promised by the other minor kingdoms,
the expeditionary army’s size will likely exceed at least one and a half million.”
“That is truly welcome news.”
But for some reason, Duke Perstein’s voice lacked strength. Theodore tilted his head
and looked at Damon.
“And Lord Damon said he would find someone to manage the supplies. He said Baron Romain
of Lorvain could help……”
At those words, Duke Perstein’s ears perked up. The issue that had troubled him the most until now
was precisely the matter of appointing someone in charge of supplies. Only by appointing a capable supply officer
could the war be conducted without difficulty.
Until now, he had dispatched people to several merchant companies to seek out a suitable person. But what merchants
valued most was safety, and there was no way such people would volunteer to take part
in a dangerous war. Because of that, Duke Perstein had suffered considerable headaches.
Under such circumstances, if the head of the greatest merchant company on the continent,
not merely a manager, took charge of supplies…… Baron Romain’s abilities would be more than enough.
He certainly had the ability to distribute and provide supplies for an army of one and a half million
to the right places at the right time. But Duke Perstein was still cautious.
“It is good news, but would he truly be willing to take responsibility for the expeditionary army’s supplies?
I hear the wealth he possesses is already astronomical. Would he have any need to participate in a dangerous war?”
Damon waved his hand as if telling him not to worry.
“Do not worry. He is from Truvenia. He cannot refuse to step forward to reclaim his homeland.”
“Pardon? This is the first I have heard that Baron Romain is from Truvenia……”
“Do not try too hard to learn about it. He has already expressed his intention
to lend a hand in conquering Truvenia. I do not know for certain, but he has probably prepared
a considerable amount of military funds.”
“That is welcome news indeed. If he joins us, the issue of appointing a supply officer
and the problem of insufficient military funds will be cleanly resolved. However……”
Duke Perstein’s face suddenly darkened. Judging by that, it seemed he was about to get to the main point.