Bonus Short Stories

In Lagoon City, Before the Dispatch of Troops

With the Kingdom of Friedonia about to dispatch their fleet to the NineHeaded Dragon Archipelago Union, Juna departed to Lagoon City, ruled by

her grandmother and Commander-in-Chief of the fleet, Excel, to assist her

and represent King Souma. It was the first major fleet mobilization in a

decade, and Excel had a mountain of related paperwork to handle.

"Ugh, this is such a drag... I got all excited when I heard it was going to

be an operation unlike any before it, but I'm sick of all this red tape."

As Excel grumbled at her desk, Juna, who was standing next to her said,

"Stow the complaints and stamp those forms, Grandmother."

With that, she dramatically dropped a fresh bundle of papers in front of

Excel, who picked up the top page and held it up to inspect it.

"Sealed orders for each captain... Do I really need to sign off on all of

this? Isn't stamping them enough? If we both work on this paperwork,

then..."

"That's obviously not allowed. These are important documents which

carry a heavy penalty for unsealing them before the designated time."

For this operation, captains had public orders that they were to give their

crew until just before arriving, and then real orders which would be

unsealed upon reaching the site. Right now, only the higher-ups knew the

true outline of the mission.

"The real reason for this dispatch can't get out." Juna laid her hand on

top of the documents. "Not to the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Union,

and not to our own troops, either. That's why we're having you sign these

here, where you're the only one present."

"...I know," Excel grumbled before signing the paper she was holding,

then stamped it. Juna took the completed document and carefully sealed it.

They kept doing this over and over for the next hour or so. Eventually, with

the last orders signed, Excel let out a big yawn.

"...Whew, that's all of them."

"Good work."

"You, too. Let's take a little break."

Excel and Juna sat down on the office couch for tea. After relaxing with

a cup of sweet black tea with milk, Excel broached the issue.

"So, have you told His Majesty yet?"

"Hm? About what?"

"The baby in your belly. What else?"

"Bwuh!" Juna spewed her tea. "G-Grandmother?! How did you know?! I

only found out myself the other day."

"Hee hee, you shouldn't underestimate the Commander-in-Chief of the

National Defense Force's ability to gather intelligence," Excel said with a

smile. "You told your parents as soon as you found out, didn't you? By

then, I already knew."

"Wow, you're fast..."

"I expected to get a message of my own, but... nothing. You haven't

shown any indication of bringing up the subject since you came here to help

me, either. Am I being snubbed? I'm sad my own granddaughter would

keep this a secret from me." Excel rubbed her eyes with her sleeve in an

exaggerated display of grief. Blatant crocodile tears.

Juna pressed on her temples, shook her head, then sighed. "I didn't tell

you because I knew you'd play around like this."

"Oh, play around? I'm genuinely concerned for you," Excel replied,

turning her frown into a smile.

"I can't trust you when you say that with a grin."

Excel chuckled as Juna's shoulders slumped.

"So? Have you informed His Majesty? He must have been delighted."

Souma was more emotionally attached to his family than most people. If

he heard that a new member was on the way, he was sure to be absolutely

giddy. Excel assumed that to be the case, but Juna turned and averted her

eyes. Excel was nonplussed.

"Huh? Don't tell me you haven't told him?"

"...Yeah."

"Why not? His Majesty will be thrilled."

"I know... But now isn't the time," Juna said, her face darkening a little.

"The mission to the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Union is drawing

closer. This is going to be his first battle at sea. I expect he'll be relying on

me having trained in the Navy and being your granddaughter. He should ask

me to join him. I know the sea better than any of his other queens. I'm

confident of that."

"Yes... I'm sure you do."

Liscia was trained in the Army, Aisha had only just recently left the

God-Protected Forest, and Naden was strong individually, but lacked a

military background. There was no question that Juna was the one Souma

would turn to for help in naval combat.

"If he knew that I'm with child, he could never ask me to come to the

battlefield with him. Fortunately, I've been told my condition is stable. If I

have the opportunity to help him, I don't want to let it slip away."

"I understand how you feel, but..." Excel looked at her granddaughter's

face which was filled with determination. "...You're not going to listen.

Maybe you get that from me."

"Grandmother."

"I know. I'll keep quiet about it for now." Excel shifted in her seat,

putting a gentle arm around Juna's shoulders. "But you mustn't strain

yourself. His Majesty would be devastated if anything were to happen."

"...Of course."

"Don't worry. I'll always protect my grandchildren and greatgrandchildren." Excel gave Juna a soft smile, placing a hand on her belly.

"So, when the child is born, let me hold it."

"Huh? Erm..."

"Wait, why do you seem so troubled by that?"

"Oh, no... Um..."

I hope the baby doesn't take after her too much... Juna thought. When

she imagined how her father, Excel's son, must have felt the same way

when she was born, Juna couldn't help but smile wryly.

A Certain Father and Daughter's Reunion

"Father! It's been too long!"

"Carla! It has!"

On this day, Castor and Carla were seeing each other again for the first

time since the day they were tried for treason. With the decision to dispatch

the fleet to the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Union made, Castor

would be departing for the archipelago. He had been called to Parnam to

prepare, and been allowed to visit his daughter Carla, who worked as a

servant in the palace.

Overcome with emotion, Carla threw herself into her father's arms.

"I'm just... so glad to see you alive and well."

"I'm the one who should be saying that," Castor said as he hugged

Carla. "I'd heard from Accela that you were doing well, but I'm still

relieved now that I can see so for myself. I got you caught up in my

stubborn foolishness... I'm so sorry."

"No... I was also blinded by my own stubbornness."

Carla drew away from Castor, taking a close look at him. Today he was

dressed in his naval officer's uniform.

"That Navy uniform really suits you."

"Ha ha ha, thanks. That, um... servant outfit looks surprisingly good on

you, too."

"Ah ha ha... Thanks."

Carla, meanwhile, was wearing her usual frilly maid dress. She had

gotten pretty used to it by this point, but wearing it in front of her own

father was still embarrassing. Blushing, she squirmed and fidgeted with the

hem of her skirt.

Castor smiled at his daughter, then, suddenly shook his head.

"But why was I suddenly allowed to see you, I wonder?"

"His Majesty and Liscia must have arranged it," Carla said with a wry

smile. "Now that Duke Carmine's daughter Mio returned and the truth

behind his rebellion was made public, it's created sympathy for you since

you only participated out of loyalty to your friendship with him. In fact, His

Majesty even told me, 'Taking the circumstances into consideration, there's

room for me to liberate you from your status as a slave now.'"

"He did? Then you can come back to the House of Vargas?"

"No, I refused."

"Huh?! Why?!"

"I know he said he'd liberate me, but I'm not being treated like a slave

to begin with, and what I did hasn't changed. In order to repay his kindness,

I want to continue serving the royal family a little longer. I've gotten quite

used to my duties as a servant, too."

"...I see. Well, if that's what you want, then the decision is yours to

make."

"Right!"

Sensing his daughter's determination, Castor decided to respect her

choice.

"Besides, the twins Liscia gave birth to—that's Prince Cian and Princess

Kazuha—they're absolutely adorable. They look at me with cherubic

smiles, and reach out with their little hands..."

"Uh... huh?"

"I could just stare at the little darlings all day."

Seeing the goofy grin on his daughter's face, Castor wondered, Could it

be that she rejected freedom because she doesn't want to be separated from

the royal twins? But, well, if she was happy with her situation, he wasn't

going to press the issue.

"Anyway, that's enough about me," Carla said, coming back to her

senses. "You're going to the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago, right?"

"Yeah, as Captain of the carrier Hiryuu."

"...I'm a servant now, so I don't get told about military things, but I can

tell from the looks on everyone's faces that it's going to be a difficult

battle."

"Yeah. I'd say so..."

Castor could feel it in the air as well. The island-type carrier Hiryuu

with its ability to deploy Dratroopers was a revolutionary new weapon that

would change everything people thought they knew about naval warfare. If

the conflict were limited to battles at sea, Castor believed the Kingdom's

fleet was now stronger than any other country's. And yet, for this

engagement, Souma and the higher-ups were being beyond cautious with

how they prepared. That likely meant they anticipated a difficult battle.

"But... we won't lose."

"Father?"

"I believe in my ship and in my crew. I've seen the shipbuilders who

worked on the Hiryuu, the crew that mans her, and the Dratroopers training

to deploy from the ship. Effort doesn't always pay off, I know, but if there's

one thing that helps bring victory at the end of the day, I believe it's that."

"...Yes, sir!" Carla gave Castor a military-style salute. "Good luck out

there."

Castor returned the salute.

"I'll be back."

Harmony in the House of Magna

The fleet would soon be dispatched to the Nine-Headed Dragon

Archipelago Union. Hal and Ruby weren't at the Magna's domain, but at

their mansion in the capital, Parnam.

"...Have I made myself clear, Hal? Ruby?"

"Y-Yeah. I get it, I think..."

"I do, too. Somewhat."

In the living room, Kaede, her belly swollen with child, was sitting

across from her husband, Halbert; and his second wife, Ruby. She was

teaching them about the history of the Archipelago Union, and points of

note about that country's fleet. There was a pile of relevant books and maps

on the table.

They were a part of the air force that would be boarding the islandcarrier Hiryuu as it headed to the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Union.

Kaede was on maternity leave and couldn't join them, but she was at least

going to drill into them the information they'd need to minimize the risk to

themselves.

"Sigh... Anyway, you need to remember that the place you're fighting is

effectively the enemy's backyard," Kaede explained to the two, who didn't

really seem to get it. "The currents and terrain will be their ally. They're

experts at naval combat, too. There's no telling what islands they may have

troops lurking on, where they may be hiding ships, and how quickly they

could close in. It's true, the Hiryuu overturns all established logic when it

comes to battles at sea, but you still can't afford to underestimate the

Archipelago Union's fleet."

"So, basically, don't let our guards down, right? I get it."

"I'll stop Hal if he decides to do anything too crazy. Count on it."

Kaede nodded with satisfaction as the two finally seemed to clue in.

Meanwhile, she had a sneaking suspicion that just not letting their guards

down wasn't going to help a lot on this mission. There's just so much about

all of this that feels off to me...

Being on maternity leave, Kaede didn't know the outline of the

Kingdom's operation. However, for someone as skilled as she, who had

been the right hand of Ludwin, the National Defense Force's second-incommand, it was easy to sense something was unnatural about the way the

military forces were acting.

Though Souma is more of a bureaucrat, depending on the situation, he

can make decisions involving war, too, she contemplated. He's incredibly

averse to conflict, but the Kingdom's forces seem excessively bellicose this

time. It's as if they have no intention of avoiding war. There's something to

it... Something big that's not been made public at work here... That's what it

feels like.

"What's wrong, Kaede? You seem lost in thought."

"...Oh. It's nothing, you know, Hal."

However, she didn't tell Halbert and Ruby about her misgivings. They

were no more than speculation, and if something was going on behind the

scenes, and Halbert's tongue slipped, it could jeopardize the plan. I'll have

to keep it to myself for now. Knowing His Majesty, it's nothing to worry

about.

While Kaede was thinking this, there was a knock at the door.

"You can come in, you know," Kaede responded.

"Excuse me," Velza, the dark elf girl, said as she entered with the

servants. They were carrying a tea tray.

"Lord Hal, Lady Kaede, Lady Ruby, why don't you take a short break?"

"Oh! Nice. I was just thinking we could use a rest."

"Agreed. I've been thinking too much, and I'm all tired out."

"Good grief, you two..."

Kaede took a teacup with a wry smile at her husband and fellow wife.

"Here, Lady Kaede."

"Thank you, Velza," Kaede said as Velza poured her a cup of tea.

Velza was staying in the dorms at the Royal Academy, but made

frequent visits to the Magnas' mansion. They adored her like a little sister,

and she had been learning to cook from the servants. Halbert was about the

only one who hadn't figured out that it was so she could serve him better

when she became his wife one day.

Once everyone had relaxed a bit, Velza joined them at the table.

"I won't be seeing you for a while, will I? I'm sad."

Halbert certainly minded hearing that from a girl he thought of like a

little sister, and he gave her a pat on the head.

"I'll go distinguish myself and come back. Look after Kaede and the

baby she's carrying while we're away, will you, Velza?"

"Lord Hal... Yes! Leave it to me!"

Velza's reply was brimming with energy. Kaede and Ruby smiled as

they imagined a dog's tail wagging furiously on her butt.

Kaede turned to Ruby and said, "Ruby, you take care of Hal for me."

"I give you my word. I'll do it even if it kills me," Ruby said, thumping

her chest with one hand, but Kaede shook her head.

"No, you're not allowed to let it kill you. Come home safe. I'm sure the

baby will want to see you, too."

Kaede placed a hand over her belly. Ruby was shocked for a moment,

then nodded.

"You're right! I want to meet the baby, too!"

"Hee hee, I'll be waiting, you know. With this child."

They smiled at each other. It was another harmonious day in the House

of Magna.

Testing the Lion-Dog Cannon

While we were at Kishun's mansion on reconnaissance...

Feeling a little tired from the constant work, we decided to take a little

break to enjoy a spot of tea with biscuits. The tea in question was a bit like

roasted green tea, and it brought back memories for me. It would have been

great to drink it on the veranda in summer, but sadly it was winter now, so

we enjoyed it while looking out into the garden from a room with a brazier.

During that break, we got talking about the lion-dog cannon—which

consisted of a small, iron cannon modeled on a crouching animal that

looked kind of like a wolf on top of a slanted platform—that Tomoe and her

friends had found.

"That lion-dog cannon is fascinating. Are they commonly used in the

archipelago?" I asked Kishun, who groaned as he thought about it.

"If you are asking whether every island has them, that might be the case.

However, if we consider their range and power, they do not have an

advantage over magical attacks, so they are not our primary weapons of

war. I suppose they see sporadic use at sea, where it is difficult to use

magic."

"Hrm... I'd think they'd be pretty powerful if you fired a bunch of them

in a synchronized volley."

I had considered in the past that the wealth of options for magical

attacks and the ability to reinforce armor with enchantment magic had made

the development of the gun largely irrelevant in this world. However,

cannons, which could fire much greater mass, saw use even on land. This

lion-dog cannon was a little under halfway between the two, so I thought

maybe an attack in unison would be powerful, but Kishun shook his head.

"It would be cheaper and more powerful to gather a number of mages to

attack instead."

"But at sea? Magic is weaker there, right?"

"It is a matter of how many you can load on a ship. One large cannon is

more likely to sink an enemy vessel than even ten lion-dog cannons.

"Is that so..."

It didn't change the fact that there had to be certain circumstances at

play before they could be used, but... on the other hand, if those

circumstances could be arranged, it seemed like they could be a viable

weapon.

"...Kishun, why not fire it for them?" Shabon, who had been listening to

us, suggested while I was staring intently at the lion-dog cannon. "Sir

Souma seems quite interested in it," she added with a chuckle.

Was I that obvious?

"They're going to fire the iron wolf? I want to see it, too, Big Brother!"

"I'd be interested as well."

Tomoe and Yuriga, who had also been listening, leaned in

enthusiastically. Behind them, Ichiha was watching apologetically, but

seemed just as intrigued. If the kids' eyes were sparkling like that, I wasn't

about to disappoint them.

"Kishun, would you mind giving us a demonstration? Just one shot is

fine."

"Of course. It will be done."

Kishun stepped out into the yard and set to work. He placed straw

training dummies in front of a white wall, then planted the lion-dog cannon

across from them.

"The cannon is placed at an angle to extend its range, but I worry that a

stray shot might leave the mansion's grounds, so I will put rocks under it for

support instead, and fire it horizontally. The aim can be quite erratic."

"Hmm..."

"I should mention, sometimes it fires a projectile a little smaller than a

child's fist, while other times we load it with small marbles that scatter over

a wider range."

"I see."

Armor-piercing rounds or grapeshot, huh? In the case of the latter, if the

enemy was wearing enchanted armor, it seemed unlikely to cause a fatal

wound, but might be useful to intimidate them. As I was considering the

possibilities, Kishun loaded gunpowder into the lion-dog cannon, put in a

bead the size of Tomoe's fist, and prepared a fuse.

"Okay... Here goes."

With that declaration, he placed the fuse in the back of the lion-dog

cannon, and...

Pom!

...It made a kind of silly noise, followed by a much louder crash.

Looking over, the projectile had torn through a straw doll and buried itself

in the wall behind it. The louder noise must have been the impact. The

children were staring, wide-eyed.

"That surprised me! It seems pretty strong."

"The sound when it fired was goofy, though."

Once Tomoe and Yuriga each gave their opinions, Kishun smiled wryly.

"It gets its other name, the Pom-Pom, from that sound."

"Huh?! The Pom-Pom?!" I cried out in surprise, and Shabon cocked her

head at me in confusion.

"Is something the matter?"

"Uh...! Um, nah... Forget it."

The Pom-Pom. I know there was a British autocannon that was called

that, but as a Japanese person, the Pom-Pom I immediately thought of the

24 Twin Rocket Car from Godzilla Raids Again.

"Do you think this weapon could be useful in the battle against

Ooyamizuchi?"

"...I did until I heard its nickname."

The 24 Twin Rocket Car in Toho's kaiju movies was a combat vehicle

that shot fireworks at the kaiju to minimal effect. If this thing had the same

name... I couldn't help but feel uneasy about using it