novelzi Chapter Vol. 1 Ch. 13
Chapter Vol. 1 Ch. 13
Chapter 13: Observing a Military Invasion
“Whoa...”
The northern islands were under military invasion.
Watching from 20 kilometers above, she couldn’t hide her disgust.
“Eight ships of the line. Two main battleships with rotating turrets. Additionally, five support ships. On the northern islands’ side, their main force consists of large ballistae, and they only have a single battleship equipped with cannons,” reported Ringo.
“It’s overwhelming.”
“Yes, Commander Ma’am. Overwhelming indeed.”
A little over a month had passed since the transfer. While monitoring the northern islands and the surrounding waters, there had been a major development. A fleet dispatched from the mainland had just launched an attack on the northern islands. It was clearly an invasion. And the disparity in power was so great that the northern islands stood no chance. Nearly an hour had passed since the assault began, and the main island’s port was almost entirely destroyed. Support ships were advancing toward the port, seemingly to initiate a landing.
“Hmm... I had hoped they’d become good trade partners...”
The northern islands seemed lightly fortified and had a peaceful atmosphere. Thanks to abundant fish stocks and a warm, mild climate, the people seemed cheerful. She’d even observed frequent evening feasts.
“It’s unfortunate, Commander Ma’am. The northern continent appears to be highly expansionist and rather volatile, making significant trade unlikely,” replied Ringo.
“Yeah... I suppose that’s true.”
From her observations, the northern islands seemed to focus on exporting preserved seafood. They appeared to trade in large quantities with various countries that had ports along the northern continent’s southern coast. She’d thought that maybe they maintained their independence by leveraging their food exports.
“If only we could build a fleet of our own, then we could negotiate.”
“We currently lack the resources to produce combat ships.”
Indeed.
They had begun extracting cellulose from seaweed, allowing them to design ships with cellulose structures. But combat ships required durability above all else. High-speed vessels could do without heavy armor to some extent, but to hold weapons and reduce wave resistance, a structure with iron was essential. Disassembling large aircraft yielded mostly duralumin, a precious and limited resource that they preferred to reserve for aviation. Furthermore, iron was also needed for various machining tools, so they required a considerable quantity.
“If seabed mining becomes feasible, that will alleviate a lot of these issues,” Ringo suggested.
“Please do. As for the flagship... let’s try putting something together for now...”
“Yes, Commander Ma’am. I will devise a method for modular construction that allows assembly at sea.”
Approving Ringo’s proposal, she exhaled. The integrated AI was so capable that events were progressing rapidly. For now, she needed to keep an eye on the northern islands and northern continent. Ringo had assured her that they couldn’t reach the fortress at its current technological level, but there was always the risk of accidental discovery. Given that there were no islands nearby, it seemed unlikely anyone would approach except by shipwreck.
“If possible, I would have liked to initiate negotiations sooner, but given the situation, that seems impossible.”
In the footage captured by the Swift planes, she could see the town burning. It appeared the soldiers who had landed had set the fires.
“Invasion... even so, they’re ruthless. Is this how it usually goes?”
“Yes, Commander Ma’am. There are a few possibilities given the situation. Normally, an occupying force wouldn’t destroy a town like this, so it seems likely they intend to level it entirely.”
“Hmm... what could it mean?”
The homes flattened by shells suggested they were using explosive rounds. Ringo commented that their technological levels were inconsistent. The soldiers were also wielding staff-like weapons from which flames burst, setting fires everywhere.
“Could a flamethrower even be made like that?”
“No. Normally, you would need a pump mechanism and fuel tank to emit a combustible liquid. It seems impossible to contain all that within such a staff-like weapon.”
“Hmm. It seems there’s a technology framework here that we’re unfamiliar with.”
While she had intended to observe before negotiating, it seemed the knowledge level here differed more than anticipated. What she took for common sense might not apply. Meticulous investigation would be necessary.
“Yes, Commander Ma’am. Based on the video analysis, it could be a highly advanced scientific civilization or an entirely unknown technological framework.”
“‘Highly advanced’... meaning they might possess science and technology that surpass ours? I doubt we need to worry about that.”
“In that case, I will proceed with the perspective of unknown technology.”
She chuckled at the term “unknown technology.” At the very least, the game this fortress originated from had a hard sci-fi setting, containing numerous scientific theories in its library. Based on these, the only plausible alternative seemed to be something outside of science—fantasy technology, perhaps magic.
Who had summoned her to this world, and for what purpose? Or perhaps, who had sent her here?
Pondering the current technology tree, she let out another sigh.