Oukoku e Tsuzuku Michi

Chapter 299: Federation Reinforcements ? Decisive Naval Battle

Third Person POV–

Imperial Fleet: Flagship Leviathan – Admiral’s Room.

「The enemy’s landing army has abandoned Zabrela. We are continuing to blockade the city.」

「Mm.」

Sekrit responds to her subordinate’s report with only a slight nod, not glancing in his direction at all as she re-crosses her legs.

「The enemy headquarters on the north coast is trying to communicate with the enemy landing army. We’re sinking the ferries on sight, but since they’re small boats, it’s unknown whether we completely blocked them or not. They may have already made contact.」

「No matter. The enemy will eventually send their fleet to break the blockade. Devote your all to detect that.」

The subordinate looks at Sekrit as she is seated on a chair with her legs folded while also peeking occasionally at her bed.

Sekrit is focusing purely on the bed.

「What’s wrong? Who told you to stop moving your hips?」

「My apologies! Your Honorable Excellency!」

「Agh!」

Flesh slapping noises resume echoing in the room as if answering her coldhearted question before her subordinate awkwardly salutes and leaves the room.

On top of the bed is a female laying face down with both hands tied up with a man pressing up against the woman’s hole from behind.

The man grabs the woman’s hips and thrusts his own hips in a daze.

「Fiend...... someday I’ll definitely get revenge...... aggh!」

「I’m impressed you can still bark like that when you’re looking a bitch in heat. This one still has luxury to snap back. Do it harder.」

「Y-yes ma’am!」

The man furiously swings his hips and the woman lets out a scream like she’s suffering.

It looks like the man is raping the woman, but he is by no means enjoying himself. He is only looking at Sekrit and desperately ramming his dick into the woman under him. The man is Sekrit’s sex slave and has no choice but to obey her.

「How unsightly for a noble of the Federation. What would your subordinates who sank to the bottom of the river think if they saw you like this? Kuku, they might unexpectedly get aroused and become erect. ―― Admiral Ivanna.」

Ivanna bares her teeth and glares daggers at Sekrit when her dead subordinates were brought up, but then collapses back on the bed when the man delivers a deep thrust into her vagina.

Her pussy is already foaming from receiving multiple ejaculations and the large amount of semen is making sticky sounds with every move the man makes.

「Using the fog to launch an assault is a foolish plan any idiot would think of. Besides, I also know about the Federation’s climate.」

Sekrit urges the man to go harder.

The man goes as fast as he can, turning all sounds made by Ivanna into screams.

「Crying out like that in front of an enemy general when pounded by a man...... you should be letting men ride you in the city rather than be on a ship. Then again, you won’t be able to do that if you conceive my slave’s child.」

Light returns to Ivanna’s eyes from that verbal abuse.

「If you didn’t do this, I would just kill all your subordinates―― but I won’t pardon you anymore!」

Ivanna pushes free of the man and pounces at Sekrit.

「Hmph.」

Sekrit grabs an arm, using the naked Ivanna’s momentum to throw her to the ground.

Weight is applied to the arm Sekrit grabbed and it gets dislocated with a dull crunch.

「Hiiiiiiiiiiiih!!」

As Ivanna screams and holds her arm in pain, she gets a kick to the stomach.

Heavy coughing replaces her screaming.

「Sekrit-sama......」

The man who was pushed away timidly looks at Sekrit, only to get his meat rod kicked.

Another scream was added to the mix.

「You can’t even make a single woman yield with that crude thing of yours. Useless.」

Sekrit takes out an abnormally large and thick dildo from the shelf.

She then proceeds to forcefully shove it into the agonizing Ivanna’s pussy.

「Aaghaaa!」

The sound of flesh being spread apart inside Ivanna’s genitals can be heard as the large and thick dildo incomparable with the man’s member is screwed into her hole.

「Let me hear you scream. Let me hear your agonizing cries.」

Sekrit grabs Ivanna by the hair and lifts her face up.

Her face is wet with tears and snot and she’s letting out small gasping shrieks.

She no longer looks like she can resist.

「Hmph. Broken already?」

Sekrit pulls out the dildo forcefully and tosses it into the corner of the room.

「Hurry up and stand, you trash.」

Sekrit makes the man who was holding his crotch in agony after being kicked in the genitals stand, then claps her hands to summon another male slave.

「I’m going out to the deck. You two fuck that woman together. I don’t care if she dies, continue until I come back.」

No talkback is allowed.

The two men carries the exhausted Ivanna back to bed and insert themselves in her asshole and vagina simultaneously. Sekrit turns her back to the dull scream and heads to the deck.

「What’s the enemy position?」

All crewmembers salute when Sekrit makes her appearance.

「Someone resembling an enemy observer was spotted in the city earlier. I had several cannons fired every time.」

「Six small ships coming from the north coast were also sunk today.」

Sekrit ignores her subordinates’ reports. It’s because she didn’t think either was important.

「The enemy on land can’t do anything to us. The problem is the enemy fleet’s ――――」

The shout which can be heard from the lookout high on top of the Leviathan quieted everyone.

「Fleet spotted upstream! Multiple large ships, number―― lots! They’re moving in two columns!」

The corners of Sekrit’s mouth lifts up.

「I can―― once again dye the river red with the Federation’s blood.」

–Aegir POV–

Hill Near Zabrela – Landing Army Camp.

「It’s finally starting.」

The corps commanders and I are hiding on a hill after anchoring near the city of Zabrela with our eyes focused on the Imperial fleet.

We will be shot at if the enemy finds us, so we’re hiding on top of a hill where the view is great.

This is the best spot for spectating.

「The fog has cleared so visibility is good. Uneasily so.」

Hiding beside me is the commander who replaced commander Wolnasky and was given control over the army.

He reprimanded me after I left the army without permission, but now he seems to be focusing on the fight in front of us and doesn’t look like he has anything to say about that.

「Is it fine for you to come all the way here? The enemy army might come from the south.」

「It’s alright. Scouts have confirmed that the enemy’s eastern army has retreated to Kalinin. I am not sure of the reason, but it appears they are in great turmoil and can’t head north. I don’t know if we are lucky or unlucky.」

It’s mysterious how they’re all in chaos without us doing anything.

Be that as it may, we don’t have any cards to play if they were to chase us now. We should be happy about the situation.

「That’s why the most important thing to me is the fight which will start now. Please......」

I clasp my hands together and close my eyes as if praying.

The other commanders can’t seem to calm down either when I look.

A win would call for great celebrations, whereas a loss would mean I have to secure an escape route for Celia and the others.

I have the option of putting them in barrels and having Mirumi and her children carry them. As long as the girls are safe, everything else will work itself out somehow.

「I don’t like that.」

Sensing something off, Celia clings to my waist. I’ll put her in against her will if I have to.

「Pipi and Natia are here too? Oh, Yakov is free from his house arrest.」

「Aye, Pipi has good eyesight, so leave that to me!」

「What a tense atmosphere. Is a fight between ships going to be the same as the pirate fight we had earlier?」

The curious Natia seems to be highly interested in naval battles.

「General...... I followed the general’s orders, but didn’t end up getting saved.」

「Sorry. I had an important strategy meeting to attend.」

Actually, I was so busy fiddling with Sofia’s breasts that I forgot.

No man can win against a set of large breasts. Forgive me.

「Is Brynhildr still not feeling well?」

Brynhildr seems to have gotten sick after being in the sun for several days.

It’s hard for her to even stand so she’s resting in my tent.

「They’re here!」

All eyes focus upstream when somebody shouts out the arrival of ships.

Multiple ships come into view in two orderly columns, heading towards us with considerable speed.

I can see the same flag fluttering on the mast of the ships even with my comparatively poor eyesight.

「That’s the flag of the Federation’s navy! The navy didn’t die!」

「Look! That large battleship is the new class! It was the one being built in the eastern harbor!」

「That is...... a battleship! A battleship has come!」

The commanders and soldiers get excited.

I’m not too familiar with battleships, but I can tell they’re not an insignificant military power.

The Federation is not simply planning to use the ships in a disturbance strategy or a diversion, they’re seriously planning to conduct battle.

「There are certainly lots of them―――― Pipi.」

「Aye! The number of enemy ships and ally ships......」

Celia does the calculation for Pipi who isn’t really good with numbers.

「It’s five to three in favor of the Empire. The enemy has us beat in terms of ship size too...... an undeniable disadvantage.」

「Well, that sounds about right.」

If they were superior to begin with, a decisive battle would have been fought by now.

The fact that the Federation preserved forces until now means they knew their fleet would be in an unfavorable position.

If we weren’t isolated, I’m sure they would have gathered more military power before fighting.

While thinking of such things, the distance between both fleets close.

The Federation fleet chooses to go wide with their large ships on the outside and their relatively smaller but quicker ships closer to the middle.

「They’re going have the battleships exchange fire while the medium to small ships charge at the enemy. The cannons on the small ships can’t make a dent on the battleships unless they are at close range after all.」

The substitute army commander explains the situation beside me.

The Empire’s fleet also makes its move. The ships anchored around Zabrela start moving and head towards the Federation fleet from the side to intercept. So they won’t turn the head.

「The cannons of a battleship, especially the large cannons, are all on the side so when they’re having an all-out firefight, they will keep the side of their ships facing the enemy.」

The substitute commander explains again. What a great help.

Celia is taking notes. It’s wonderful that she’s so eager to learn.

「Have the entire army draw close to the city. The enemy fleet should not have time to pay us any attention. If the fight proceeds smoothly, the transport vessels can breakthrough forcefully and come pick us up.」

Once both fleets reach a certain distance apart, cannons start firing all at once.

The thunderous booming sends vibrations throughout our bodies.

「Hyan!」

Natia shrieks and clings to me on reaction, though bonks me on the head before quickly separating from me.

I’m not sure why she hit me, but I’ll forgive her since she’s cute.

Smoke shrouds the vessels on both sides and wood splinters scatter everywhere from the impact of cannonballs, with pillars of fire erupting from some ships.

Not long after immersing in the lingering rumblings from the initial volley, cannon smoke rises once again.

「The first volley was from the broadside cannons, the ones just now were from the cannons on deck. The broadside cannons are larger and more numerous so they are aimed directly at the ships to destroy them. The aim cannot be adjusted much, restricting the timing when they can be fired. The cannons on deck, while small, have relatively more freedom to move around and many more chances to be fired.」

These explanations have been really helpful.

Celia, it’s fine to take notes but it’s more important to pay attention to the battle unfolding before our eyes.

In order to aim as accurately as possible, the ships on both sides move slowly while continuing to shoot their cannons.

One moment we see our ally side fire, the next moment we see the enemy side fire. There’s no way they had an agreement beforehand to do so, it just feels like they’re taking turns.

Both sides are highly skilled as battleships get destroyed one after the other and fall out of line, although that doesn’t mess up the rest of the formation.

It was like multiple dragons fighting each other, exchanging roars and breathing fire.

「Amazing...... so this is a human’s battle......」

Natia was initially also surprised, now her eyes are glued to the spectacle.

I know the feeling. It’s like you’re watching a legendary battle and it feels surreal.

Our fate depends on the outcome of this fight so I can’t really enjoy the show though.

The battleships continue bombarding each other for a while after that, eventually producing burning ships, sinking ships, and ravaged ships floating on the water surface. The ships on both sides seem to be coated in steel so every shot that hit its mark made a high-pitched metallic clunk on impact. However, because the cannons are large, the cannonballs don’t get deflected by the hulls and end up destroying each other’s ships.

「One ship is down! Damn, the mast broke!」

「It took one down! Ooh, the ammunition exploded! The whole thing is going to blow up!!」

The soldiers shout rowdily. The perpetual booms of the cannons reach all the way up here so it’s hard to hear anybody speak unless they yell loudly.

Both sides suffered casualties, though it appears the enemy is better off if I had to choose one.

The formation of our ally ships are starting to become disorganized and the interval between their shots is slowly starting to fall behind in the alternating cannonfire.

「Shit, so it’s not enough!? The crushing defeat we suffered at the outset had such a lasting effect!」

「Not yet! The high-speed ships are heading straight for the enemy fleet!」

To save the battleships from their predicament, the mid to small sized ships advance towards the enemy in a line formation.

Of course the enemy tries to prevent that by firing their cannons, however the ally ships are a smaller target than the battleships and furthermore are using the river current to sail at high speeds, making it hard for the enemy to hit them.

Nevertheless a few ships took direct hits, resulting in the horrible destruction of the superstructure, loss of their mast and a drop in speed, leaving them vulnerable for a showering of cannonballs.

Everytime an ally ship was sunk, I could hear someone nearby sigh in disappointment.

A large portion of the ships remained undamaged and successfully closed the distance.

Once they reached a sufficient point, the ships began to launch their volley.

The enemy ships seem to falter after taking the bombardment.

「Nice! They slipped past the enemy ship line. The enemy can’t shoot back so easily now or risk friendly fire!」

The ally ships adjust their rudders carefully to maneuver in between enemy ships, unleashing a barrage of cannonfire.

It can be considered point-blank range so the enemy fleet has started to suffer casualties too.

「The cannonfire won’t do much damage to the hulls, but it’s probably annoying for the enemy.」

No matter how close the ships get, those small cannons can’t take down large battleships.

Still, they can destroy masts and the on-deck cannons, plus more importantly distract the enemy’s attention and make it hard to concentrate on what’s in front of them.

The state of battle, which was slightly tilted in favor of the Empire, is now closer to being level.

「Not yet, if that’s the new class of battleship that I know, then......」

As if finishing the man’s sentence, fire spewed from the bow of a single battleship.

The cannonball landed right in the middle of an enemy battleship, breaking it in half.

It also set the ship on fire, so that enemy battleship has stopped firing and the crew is starting to prepare for evacuation instead.

「I thought so! That ship has two large cannons mounted in the bow. It specializes in shooting after charging in.」

The substitute commander shouts happily. If you’re so excited about boats, you should have joined the navy then.

He was helpful with all the explanations though.

Amongst all of that, a single allied battleship runs straight towards an enemy ship without slowing down.

「Ooh! It’s going in.」

「Don’t tell me, it’s going to use a naval ram!?」

As one of the soldiers predicted, the ship collides with an enemy ship and drives the naval ram into the enemy ship’s hull. It doesn’t end there.

While still stuck in the enemy ship, the ally vessel fires off its bow cannons.

Even a battleship coated with an iron plate cannot endure cannonfire from such close range.

The side of the enemy battleship was utterly destroyed and it sinks slowly into the river together with the attached ally ship.

The efforts of the ramming group starts to tilt the state of battle in our favor.

Seemingly more spirited as a result, the ally ships begin to unleash a relentless barrage of cannonfire, which appears to make the enemy recoil.

――――However, as if mocking the hope that is starting to appear, a monster begins to make a move.

「Alright, just like this...... uwah!」

「The ally battleship took down another enemy ship...... eeeh!?」

The soldiers joyously reporting their allies’ fruits of battle were stunned into silence.

It wasn’t surprising, since two bravely fighting battleships were reduced to scrap in an instant.

The superstructure of one ship was blown apart so much that the ship looked more like a floating raft, while the other one sinks in a flash after being split in half directly in the center.

The monster appeared while tearing through another ship trying to desperately change course.

「T-the Leviathan......」

「It’s here! The Empire’s monster that crushed our navy in the first battle!」

The gigantic hull of the ship which appeared towards the back of the enemy formation is close to twice as big compared to other battleships.

I can tell this ship moving forward as if pushing its own allies aside is the enemy’s general without any explanation.

「T-the ally ships are challenging it!」

「G-go for it!」

Two ally ships sandwich the ship which slowly protrudes out from the center of the enemy formation, trying to attack simultaneously.

The bow cannons fire away and the projectiles seem to hit their target from both sides.

「...... it’s not effective.」

「It didn’t break!」

The impact created a loud metallic clunk, but no sounds of destruction followed. Pipi said she only saw sparks.

In the next moment, the monster―― the Leviathan fired the cannons on both sides of the ship and sinks the two ships at the same time.

The ship was closely packed with other enemy ships so naturally its allies were also mercilessly hit by the cannons, though that didn’t seem to matter to them.

Their own allies opened up a path for the Leviathan and seem to want to continue fighting after separating themselves a certain distance.

The brave fighting atmosphere changed. Our allies are now being cornered after charging in.

「The Leviathan is being added to the enemy’s ship line!」

「No matter how big it may be, adding one ship wouldn’t......」

I’m sorry Celia, but I have to disagree.

A single person with the power of a hundred people can be added to the fight and change the state of battle.

「The Leviathan is beginning its bombardment...... t-this is!?」

「Another ally ship was sunk! Ah, another one! ......unbelievable, the other battleships are like toys to it!」

How many cannons are mounted on this thing?

Everytime the Leviathan fires off its cannons, there is enough smoke to shroud the entire ship and then countless columns of water would burst up around the targeted allies. Amongst those, dozens of cannonballs would hit their mark. A single volley would completely destroy any ship or sink it immediately, making the ship disappear under the water’s surface.

Our ally battleships try desperately to shoot back, except either the armor is too thick or the ship is too large that a little bit of damage here and there don’t matter, making it seem like their attacks have no effect.

The Leviathan’s broadside cannons fire at any ally ships trying to get closer.

A single roar was let out and it took only a single shot to blast a large hole right in the middle of the approaching ship, causing it to lose speed and sink.

「One shot...... what kind of cannons does it have!!?」

「Monster! What should we do!?」

As the Leviathan rampages, the other enemy battleships also start firing their cannons more actively.

With the enemy general’s appearance, the morale of the other enemy soldiers will rise inevitably.

The masts of fellow battleships snap one after the other, their broadsides are destroyed, flames engulf the decks, and water starts flooding the insides of the ships.

The situation has flipped and the smaller enemy ships are invading our ship line instead.

「Is this the end......?」

Someone makes the comment with a dejected slump of their shoulders.

Naturally, the ally ships couldn’t hear but more and more of them are starting to change course.

Their bow are directed upstream, facing the opposite direction of the enemy.

「The stern is the place where the least cannons are mounted. Turning their stern to the enemy means...... they don’t intend to fight......」

The substitute commander frustratingly bites his lip.

Seeing this as a chance to thoroughly crush our allies, the enemy ships break formation to give chase.

「Move the army back in land.」

It happened right as I gave the order to Yakov.

「Chief! Something strange is coming!」

Pipi points to a spot upstream.

At the end of her small finger is something that drives everything in the area away.

Appearing there are ten large yet sluggish-looking ships, most likely transport vessels.

Everyone’s faces was filled with expectations for an instant, but then quickly dyed with disappointment. They didn’t look capable of taking on the enemy ship at all.

「Not that, behind them!」

I strain my eyes again and see a black ship moving as if it was getting pulled along by the large ships.

It was definitely not a big ship. It seemed slightly smaller than the normal ally battleships.

But it had a very strange shape.

「What is that......?」

Even the substitute commander could not explain and was left speechless.

That ship―――― no, that black thing which looks like a ship ignores the retreating ally ships and slowly heads toward the battlefield.

Federation VS. Empire – Comparison of Military Forces (Current + Losses = Max Mobilization. In the case where numbers don’t match, it means there are spare forces.)

Olga Federation 「Zabrela Naval Battle」

Military Strength – Current: 1 110 000, Max Mobilization: 2 550 000, Losses: 1 440 000, Civilian Victims: 980 000

Garland Empire

Military Strength – Current: 1 410 000 (460 000 of which are military slaves), Max Mobilization: 3 100 000, Losses: 2 150 000 (Military slaves not included)

Protagonist: Aegir Hardlett. 24 years old. Early Spring.

Status: Goldonia Kingdom Margrave. Great Feudal Lord of Eastern Area. Mountain Legend. Friend of the Dwarves. Friend of the King of Aless. Dragon Slayer Hero.

Elf Mediator.

Army under command: 105th Division Provisional Army: 5000 men

Accompanying: Celia (studying the navy), Natia (spectating), Leah (with Marta), Marta (with Leah)

Brynhildr (in poor physical health), Pipi (spectating), Sofia (big-breasted)

Messerschmitt (crusty), Schwartz (horse), Mirumi (emergency evacuation), Yakov (spectating)

Assets: 13,000 gold

Sexual Partners: 450, children who have been born: 55 + 555 fish