Chapter 70

Previously, I had hastily investigated it after being warned.

I included it because while tactics and strategy are often seen in novels, I rarely see novels that properly explain them, so I added it here m(_ _)m

While absentmindedly looking at Kō’s status with the Divine Eye, I received a message that 200 transport ships had set sail from the empire.

“...? What do you mean?”

By checking Kō’s status movement with the Divine Eye and comparing it with the code table in my hand, that’s what was sent.

By the way, the code table is arbitrary.

Prepare two sheets of paper and then encode everything you can imagine.

For example, if STR3 and VIT3 are moved, it indicates enemy reinforcements, and the second digit of AGI is the hundreds place, and the first digit is the tens place, indicating the number of ships, like that.

There is no pattern to it.

I just wrote various status movement codes and handed them over.

“What’s the matter?”

Kō asked.

“Hmm, there was a status movement just now, right?”

“Yes. I can feel it, but I don’t know the exact numbers...”

“The content that was sent is a bit serious.”

“Hmm... What was sent?”

“The empire has sent out another 200 transport ships.”

“Eh?! This is a major event!

We need to inform them quickly.”

“Calm down.

For now, check the table and ask them to send it again.”

“Understood.”

After a while, a reply came back.

While looking at the table, it seemed that it was indeed correct.

“It seems to be correct. I’ll inform the captain.”

“Understood.”

Then the two of them went to the captain’s room and discussed the third wave.

“Transport ships...”

He was speechless, wondering if there was still such leeway.

Not only the number, but the possibility that the second wave was a trained navy also emerged.

Rain remembered that the second wave was not referred to as transport ships.

In naval battles, where every second counts, there is a difference in movement between a navy trained for sea battles and an army trained for land battles.

Of course, the land troops are also elite.

If told to do something, their bodies would move on their own.

However, in the unpredictable sea where emergencies can easily occur, the difference in response speed between land troops who can only move when told and naval troops whose bodies move on their own in emergencies is as vast as the difference between heaven and earth.

Even if all of them were naval troops, with Rain, they wouldn’t lose. But the damage would be significant.

“This is bad...” Liberto muttered.

“So? What about the plan?” the captain asked calmly.

“Continue, it seems.”

“Understood.”

In fact, he also knew that there was no other choice.

Currently, Pornezia has two factions: the royalists and the nobles.

The royalists are overwhelmingly stronger, but that doesn’t mean the nobles can be ignored.

Rain doesn’t know, but to send out the navy this time, the royalists, mainly the king and Rondo, have pushed quite hard.

Especially the special task force Rain is on, if they don’t achieve significant results, the nobles will blame the royalists.

The captain knew this.

Deep down, he still had doubts about this operation. If the prediction was wrong, should they return? Or should they turn around and ambush the navy near Pornezia? He had these thoughts.

But he was a noble and a soldier.

His family was on the side of the royalists.

As a noble, he fully understood how important this operation was and how much they couldn’t afford to lose.

He was the fleet commander of this navy but a tactician, not a strategist.

A strategist is someone who considers the overall war and makes the best choice for their country.

On the other hand, a tactician is someone who leads each battle to victory.

A tactical victory in a battle is just that, and by accumulating tactical victories, a strategic victory is ultimately achieved.

For example, in a battle of 100,000 against 30,000, if the 30,000 troops defeat the enemy’s 50,000 troops, but a separate task force of 50,000 troops captures the enemy’s capital and destroys the 30,000 troops’ country, this would be a tactical victory for the defeated side and a strategic defeat.

Unfortunately, he was not a commander capable of influencing the overall situation.

As a soldier, if the country orders him to do something, he has no choice but to follow.

One of his duties is to trust his superiors, so the captain could only move forward with the operation, believing it would succeed.

“Please take care.”

He said only that.

Rain, who had just realized that talking to a determined person was like stirring a hornet’s nest, spoke briefly.

“Shall we discuss the enemy’s intentions a bit among ourselves?”

Liberto asked.

“Yes, please.”

Just as he was about to speak, a faint flapping sound came from outside, and the winged scout returned.

The unexpected return made everyone in the room tense.

As expected, one of the winged scouts entered the room.

“Excuse me! Captain! I have something to report!”

“Did you find the enemy!?”

“Yes! About 60 nautical miles northwest of here, we discovered 300 ships of the imperial fleet!”

(60 nautical miles... about 108 kilometers away...)

“What kind of troops were on board?”

“I apologize. It was already dark, and even with the Dark Vision spell, I could only confirm a few flags. However, there were moving figures, and they don’t seem to have noticed our approach.”

“I see... Then, as planned, we will create a fog on their course.

Lord Rain, please prepare.”

“Understood.”

Even though his MP was almost full, and his body showed no abnormalities, the fact that a battle was about to start in front of him made Rain tremble.

(This is a warrior’s tremble, a warrior’s tremble)

He told himself.

Until now, he had tried not to think about it and had averted his eyes, but he couldn’t avoid thinking about it anymore.

The plan had already been decided before they arrived, and Rain himself wasn’t going to fight.

“Lord Rain, you’re trembling.”

Kō pointed out, oblivious to the atmosphere.

“Please don’t point that out.”

“I understand your feelings, but...”

Upon closer inspection, Kō was also trembling.

“I’m trembling even though I’m not doing anything, so it’s fine.”

“...You don’t have to be so considerate.”

“Is that so?”

The two fell silent.

After a while, they were called.

“Lord Rain, it’s time.”

“Understood.”

He left the room and created a dense fog on the sea route where the imperial ships were expected to pass.

If the second wave of the empire was as they predicted, they didn’t need to rush.

While the number of troops was indeed less than expected, it was still far more than the Pornezia navy.

If the ships were of equal performance, the difference in numbers could not be ignored.

Moreover, the small country of Pornezia would never imagine attacking the great empire.

Using more MP than usual, he created a dense fog.

Ultimately, all plans involve an element of luck.

This operation also relied on luck to some extent.

If the empire were to overly guard against this fog, it would ultimately come down to a brute force battle.

“Then, we’ll wait for the enemy.”

After creating the fog, he recovered his MP, put on his cloak, and entered the fog.