7. Expedition

-Strandburg, a Week Later-Strandburg was a coastal city located north of Eisenland, situated only 112 km southwest ofHimmelshafen. It was home to the Wellenblick Naval Base. While not the biggest naval base in Eisenland, it was big enough to accommodate up to six battleships and several other smaller ships, including cruisers, destroyers, and submarines. The Eisenland Navy's capital ships were mostly battleships; they had aircraft carriers, but only two at the moment. This was because 70% of Eisenland's border was land, leaving only 30% as coastline. Moreover, the Singlesh Strait, the only sea Eisenland had access to, was crowded with other countries, making it hard for Eisenland to develop its navy due to its cramped sea territory."It's been a long time since I've seen so many ships crowding the base," said a male human with peach-colored hair and amber eyes, wearing a high-ranking navy uniform. He approached a woman leaning on the rail guard of one of the battleships. The woman noticed him and replied."Indeed, the last time was almost seven years ago during the Singlesh Strait War. Glad to see the navy doing just fine," she said. The woman had amethyst hair and eyes, with the distinguishing feature of two animal ears on top of her head and two tails on her back resembling that of a cat. She also wore a high-ranking uniform. Despite their ranks, there was no formality in their conversation."Congratulations on your new assignment as a Rear Admiral, Ma'am~" the man said."Come on, stop it already, Johann! I've had enough," she responded."Oh, Greta, my friend... You can hide your facial expression but not your tail.""Ughh..."Johann and Greta had known each other since their academy days. While they acted professionally in front of others, when alone, they were just two friends talking about life and love. They were aware of each other's feelings but decided to keep them down as they prioritized their duties."Anyway, how do you feel about this expedition? It's going to be the first time you command a fleet, isn't it?" Johann asked."I've been trained for this, and I'm confident in my ability," Greta replied."Always serious, as usual. You better get ready; they are going to sail in an hour. May the Kaiserin's will guide your path.""Until we meet again.""Until we meet again."Aghbad, Presian Empire CapitalEmperor Ankhid Sakhir stood at the edge of the palace balcony, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. The sun dipped below the mountains, casting long shadows across the courtyard. The air smelled of jasmine and uncertainty.His troops had left weeks ago, their banners fluttering in the wind as they marched toward the eastern sea. The expedition was meant to secure new land mentioned in a prophecy and to make it part of the Empire. But now, silence hung heavy in the air, and Ankhid wondered if he had sent them to their doom."Why haven't they returned?" he whispered, his voice swallowed by the vastness of the landscape. The once-confident ruler now grappled with doubt. His advisors had assured him that victory was certain, that the enemy was no match for their disciplined legions. Yet, the absence of any word gnawed at his soul.He remembered the faces of the soldiers—their youth, their determination. They had marched out with pride. Ankhid had clasped each one's hand, promising their safe return. Now, he wondered if he had lied to them."Perhaps they are delayed," he mused aloud, gripping the marble railing. "Bad weather, perhaps." But deep down, he knew it was more than that. The silence was a void, an emptiness that threatened to consume him.The courtiers whispered behind his back, their eyes darting nervously. They sensed his unease, the tremor in his voice when he addressed them. "Patience," he told them, though his own patience wore thin. "We must wait."Ankhid turned away from the balcony, retreating into the dimly lit chamber. The maps on the walls mocked him—their inked lines tracing the path his troops had taken. He traced a finger along the eastern sea, as if he could will them back with that simple gesture."What if they are lost?" he wondered. "What if they didn't make it to the new land?" The thought chilled him. He had sent sons, brothers, fathers—men who had sworn loyalty to him. And now, their fate hung in the balance.He sank onto the throne, its cold metal biting into his flesh. The weight of the crown pressed down on his brow. "I am responsible," he admitted. "Their lives are my burden."Outside, the stars began to emerge, pinpricks of light against the indigo sky. Ankhid closed his eyes, seeking solace in their distant glow. "Guide them home," he whispered. "Bring them back to me."For an emperor, even the stars held no answers. Only time would reveal their fate, and Ankhid could only hope that it would be merciful. Deciding not to dwell on it further, he went to sleep.KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK"Hnnghh... Is it morning already?""Ankhid, are you awake? This is me, Maria.""Yes, yes. I am! Come in."The woman named Maria entered the room; she was Ankhid's wife."Maria? You're back already?""I arrived last night, but the guard told me you were already asleep.""I see... So what's the matter?""Someone rushed to the throne room searching for you; he said the expedition fleet has come back.""They did? Finally! I'll get prepared, then.""His Majesty is here!"Ankhid arrived at the throne room and took a seat on his throne, with his wife sitting on the next throne. Below the stairs, a man was kneeling on the ground."So, I heard the expedition fleet has come back?" Ankhid asked."Yes, Your Majesty. B-but—""What's the problem?""T-the fleet... it's in a devastating state. Of over a thousand ships we sent off, only 42 made it back to Presia.""What?! How is that possible?! Did they encounter a giant sea monster on the way?""I'm sorry, Your Majesty, I don't have any information regarding the matter. However, Vice Admiral Loka, a survivor from the expedition fleet, is here to explain.""Very well, let him come in! I want to know what happened to my fleet."A man entered the throne room; it was Vice Admiral Loka. He was among the very few to escape the slaughter after the failed attempt to storm the beach, and now he was here, kneeling on the ground with his pride shattered."Your Majesty..." Loka began."So... you are Vice Admiral Loka?" Ankhid asked."Yes, Your Majesty.""Tell me, what happened to the fleet?""Your Majesty, apparently, the landmass we were supposed to land on is already occupied by an unknown faction.""What?! HOW?! Is it the Turgans?""N-no, Your Majesty. It wasn't the Turgans. They are much more powerful than us. They have big cannons planted on their shore, and each of their soldiers carries a repeating rifle like those from western civilizations but with a much higher rate of fire!""What?! Is it truly a country from the west? No, that's impossible! They have no interest in the east, and we are among the few who believe in the prophecy.""Your Majesty, I visited a country in the west a few years ago. While both have similar landscapes in their cities, the landmass in the southeast is more advanced. I swear in the name of Agria.""..... Continue.""Yes. After a failed attempt to storm the beach, I gathered as many men as I could to evacuate. In the end, I successfully brought around 200 ships away from the shore, b-but—""But what?""We were intercepted by an enemy fleet."Grim memories stormed his mind as he tried to recall what happened to the 200 ships.~^~^~^~^~^~-The Sea 130 KM Northeast of Himmelshafen-"I think we are safe, for now.""Vice Admiral, there are only about 200 ships left. What should we do?""We are heading home. There is no point in continuing. We are sending our men to their deaths.""....."Their condition is awful. The ships are full of the wounded, leaving only a few available to operate the vessel. They redirected their course back home and prayed to God they would return safely, but God was not on their side."Contact! Port side!"Loka watched in horror through his spyglass as he saw a fleet of giant ships. He was aware that he had more ships under his command, but fighting in this condition was not the best option."Maintain our course! All men to your battlestations!"The crew did as they were told and rushed to load the cannons, preparing for the inevitable combat. Loka watched as the unknown fleet drew closer with each passing minute.*GULP*==========-IMS[1] Bräm, Second Steinmark-class[2] Battleship-Named after a state in Eisenland, the Steinmark-class was built not long before the Singlesh Strait War to counter the King Eleanor-class battleships from the player-made country just across the strait, the Kingdom of Briston. The two countries are always pointing guns at each other as they are the two most advanced in the region, both integrating magical knowledge into science, thus starting an arms race between them.Steinmark-class battleship specifications:- Length: 180 meters- Draft: 9.39 meters- Beam: 30 meters- Propulsion: 3x steam turbines, 3x screw propellers- Speed: 28 knots- Range: 12,000 km- Complement: 1,187 – 1,271- Armament: - 8x 380mm main guns (4x2) - 12x 150mm secondary guns - 14x 105mm AA guns - 18x 37mm AA guns - 16x 20mm AA gunsFor some people, the ship may look familiar to the German Empire's Bayern-class battleship from The Great War. They are not completely wrong; this ship was based on it. The Steinmark-class used to look similar to its real-life counterpart, but two of them, IMS Steinmark and IMS Bräm, have been retrofitted to survive in the new era of naval warfare.The Presians don't know what's about to hit them.================================================================================[1]: IMS(Ihrer Majestät Schiff/Her Majesty's Ship)[2]: Steinmark-class = Bayern-class(German Origin) Battleship