Giuoco Piano

While Mika and Airi are resting in the hostel, suddenly there's a knock on the door.

"Excuse me, I have a message for Mika delivered here." The customer service of the hostel said.

"I'm getting it for you!" Airi said as she opened the door.

"Message for Mika." he said while Airi replied simultaneously "A rabbit? Oh, there's something on top of it. Thank you."

"Mika, there's a rabbit for you," Airi said.

"A rabbit? Let me see." Mika said as he take the letter from the rabbit.

"Dear Master,

I have just finished the archery test, and I have some news that I would like to discuss with you. During the test, I used my bow to its full potential and caused quite a bit of destruction. The instructor has requested to speak with me privately, and he has offered to train me personally to master the full potential of my bow. He suggested that I stay here for three months to train, and if that is not possible, he is willing to travel with us to continue my training.

I am not sure what to do. On the one hand, I do not want to delay our journey or burden you. On the other hand, I feel that this training could be extremely valuable, and it would be a shame to pass up such an opportunity.

Please let me know your thoughts on this matter. I will wait for your response before making any decisions.

Sincerely,

Eiko," the message read.

"I see, it's from Eiko," Mika said.

Mika carefully read through Eiko's message, considering the options.

He took a deep breath before starting to write a response to Eiko's message. He wanted to make sure he conveyed his thoughts.

"Dear Eiko,

Thank you for your message. I am glad to hear that you performed well in your archery test and have been offered personal training by the instructor.

However, I must inform you that I cannot cover the cost of your stay in the hostel for three months. As an adventurer, it is important to be financially responsible and make wise decisions. Therefore, I suggest that you reach out to the Adventurer's Guild and see if they can cover the expenses for your stay.

I understand that this training opportunity is valuable, and I support your decision to take it. However, it is important to consider the financial implications and find a solution that works for everyone.

Please keep me updated on your plans, and I wish you all the best in your training.

Sincerely,

Mika"

Mika folded the letter and handed it back to the messenger rabbit, thanking it for its delivery.

"What was it about?" Airi asked.

Mika turned to face her friend. "Eiko wanted to stay at the adventurers' guild longer to train with her bow," she replied.

"Oh ho," Airi said. "She could do that while we're on the quest."

...

...

...

It has been a month since the last strategy meeting.

Lee Virtus, the chief strategist, called for a meeting with the vice-captain, the lead of the protestors, and the captain to discuss the latest developments in the strategy while Mika and Airi took a moment to develop a new weapon.

The objective of the meeting was to devise a comprehensive strategy to neutralize the enemy's bases and disrupt their supply lines.

The chief strategist began the meeting by summarizing the situation. "As you are all aware, the enemy has established several bases in key locations around the city. Our mission is to neutralize these bases and disrupt their supply lines. We must develop a coordinated strategy to achieve this objective."

The vice-captain was the first to speak, "As per our latest intelligence, the enemy has fortified their bases and increased their defenses. We need to devise a plan that can effectively penetrate their defenses."

The lead of the protestors added, "Our movement has grown stronger, and we have the support of the people. We can use this to our advantage and create a distraction for the enemy forces."

The captain concurred, "We need to launch a series of surprise attacks to catch the enemy off guard. However, we must also be mindful of the civilian population and avoid collateral damage."

The chief strategist listened carefully to all their ideas and weighed the pros and cons. "These are all valid points. We must devise a multi-pronged approach that can effectively neutralize the enemy's bases and weaken their hold on our land."

The vice-captain suggested, "We can launch a series of diversionary attacks on their weaker bases to create a distraction. This will enable our guerrilla forces to launch surprise attacks on their stronger bases."

The lead of the protestors added, "We can also organize another series of protests and demonstrations to raise awareness of our cause and create public pressure on the government to change their strategy."

The captain had a different perspective. "We must prioritize the targets that are critical to the enemy's supply chain. By disrupting their supply lines, we can weaken their hold on the city."

The chief strategist listened to all their suggestions and concluded, "All these approaches have merit. However, we must also be mindful of the risks involved. We cannot afford to lose our guerrilla forces, and we must minimize the risk of civilian casualties."

He continued, "I propose that we launch a series of diversionary attacks on their weaker bases. This will create a distraction and draw their forces away from their stronger bases. We will then launch a series of surprise attacks on their supply lines and critical bases."

The vice-captain added, "We can set up a network of safe houses and supply routes for our fighters to minimize their exposure to the enemy."

The captain concluded, "We must also train our forces for urban combat, as the enemy has fortified their bases and increased their defenses. We must also prioritize the bases in the North and East as they are closer to our stronghold."

The chief strategist thanked everyone for their insights and began to assign roles. "The vice-captain will be responsible for setting up the safe houses and supply routes. Captain Astraia will handle the logistics of the attacks, and the lead of the protesters will organize the protests and demonstrations."

He continued, "We must also prioritize our communication channels and set up a secure network to coordinate our actions. We will reconvene in two weeks to finalize the plan. Let us remain focused and committed to our objectives."

The team members nodded in agreement, and the strategy meeting ended.

...

...

...

Two weeks later, the team gathered again, with Mika and Airi joining this time.

...

As the Vice-Captain waited outside the meeting room, Mika approached her with something in his hand.

"Vice-captain, may I show you something new?" Mika asked, brandishing the firearm.

"This is the latest innovation in infantry weapons – the flintlock musket."

The vice-captain looked up, intrigued. "Please do," she said.

Mika proceeded to explain the mechanics of the weapon.

"It's a muzzle-loading firearm. First, you load gunpowder down the barrel, followed by a lead ball. The musket is then primed by pouring a small amount of gunpowder into the pan. When you pull the trigger, the flint strikes the steel frizzen, creating a spark that ignites the powder in the pan and propels the ball out of the barrel."

The vice-captain examined the musket closely. "Interesting," she said. "What are the advantages of this weapon over our current ones?"

Mika smiled confidently. "It's more reliable and easier to use than earlier firearms," he said.

"It also has rifling grooves in the barrel, which makes it more accurate. And since it uses a flintlock mechanism, it eliminates the need for matchlocks or wheel locks, which can be quite cumbersome in battle. Of course, it still requires regular cleaning and maintenance, but I believe it's the best infantry weapon we have at the moment."

The vice-captain nodded thoughtfully. "I see. Can you show me how to use it?"

Mika loaded the musket with gunpowder and a lead ball, primed it, and handed it to the vice-captain.

She aimed at a nearby tree and pulled the trigger.

The musket let out a loud bang, and a puff of smoke rose from the barrel.

The shot hit the tree with a satisfying thud.

"Remarkable," the vice-captain said, impressed. "I think our soldiers will find this very useful in battle. I believe it can make a significant difference on the battlefield. How many of these muskets can you produce?"

Mika took a moment to consider before replying, "With the proper resources and manpower, I can produce five hundred of them within six months."

The vice-captain nodded. "I want you to start mass-producing them immediately after the meeting. We need to get these into the hands of our soldiers as soon as possible."

"Alright," Mika said as other members started to show up and entered the meeting.

"You're enjoying your time with her so much lately," Airi said with a hint of jealousy.

And so the third strategy meeting began.