Episode 209 Crusade of the Abyss – Strait Breakthrough (4)
Brest, a military port in western France.
A miracle that overwhelms even the sun, even though it is bright daylight.
A dazzling curtain of light covered the sky.
“Oh oh oh…!”
“This is it…”
As the gathered sailors praise, rain like a waterfall pours down and covers their bodies.
I quietly raised my hand, clenched and unclenched my fist, and felt the divine power flowing through my body and the overflowing power.
“Wow, I’ve only heard about it, but it’s amazing.”
I asked Ludovic Duhong, the captain of the flagship Libre, muttering with a puzzled look on his face.
“Isn’t it amazing?”
“yes. “Honestly, I’m jealous that only the Army has seen things like this.”
Seeing that Duheng couldn’t take his eyes off me, I smiled and looked away.
Everyone here is staring at the beam of light, mesmerized.
To be exact, in the middle of it all, Eris is performing miracles with her robe and silver hair flowing.
The image of our queen.
As the swirling beam of light slowly faded, Eris, holding the crystal in her hand, tidied up her robe and hair that had become a mess from the fluttering, and put her hood back on.
Then, when Eris raised her gaze again, everyone kneeled down to her without anyone telling them to do so.
Unlike before, I don’t panic or feel embarrassed.
Instead, Eris responded by putting her hands together as if praying, and then opened her mouth in a clear voice that seemed to reassure them all.
“Please come back victorious. “God bless you all.”
“Long live Your Majesty the Queen of Saints!”
“Victory to Franzia!”
The sailors, who just moments ago had been weighed down by the pressure of having to face the strongest enemy called the Abyss Corporation, at this moment their morale immediately jumped to its peak.
I smiled and asked Christine, who naturally turned her gaze to the side and looked at me.
“Are you jealous, Admiral?”
Christine rolled her eyes and smiled.
“I will bear with you, Pierre, since you are looking at me.”
“Hahaha that’s a good thing.”
“Wow, I can’t believe I have to see a scene like this even though I’m going to a battlefield where I might die…”
Ludovic Duheng openly lamented, but Christine didn’t pay any attention to him and stretched out her hand to hold my hand and asked.
“But are you sure you’ll be okay, Pierre? Of course I know you’re strong, but on the boat…”
…I can’t move.
“I took Magic Tower’s special motion sickness medicine, so I’ll be fine.”
…maybe.
Christine slowly rolled her eyes and smiled.
“I don’t think the Commander-in-Chief of the Army will have much to do on the ship anyway.”
“Because there is what if. Anyway, there is nothing to do until the naval battle is concluded, so please let me follow you. “Admiral.”
Although I am a risk taker, I could not stop Christine from becoming an admiral just because it was dangerous.
But even so, I don’t want to send her alone in a life-threatening battle like this.
…If that were to happen and something went wrong for her somewhere I wasn’t looking at, I wouldn’t be able to bear it.
“Just as you assisted me with all your might in your territory when I was fighting on the battlefield, I would like to provide whatever help I can.”
I slowly got down on one knee and held out my hand, asking for her permission.
Christine looked at me with a slightly red face and offered her hand.
“…I really don’t think you can win.”
Before I could stand up, sighing in relief.
“W-wow-really. “You’re so shameless even when everyone else is watching.”
Words that were half teasing and half disgusted that did not fit the pure voice flew out.
“Your Majesty the Queen.”
I immediately bowed my head politely to Eris.
Eris didn’t say anything, but her mouth could be seen twitching even through the veil, as if she was itching.
Why?
I am confident.
What’s the problem with a knight protecting my lady?
Eris looked dumbfounded as if she read the answer on my face, and then turned her gaze to Christine.
“Your Majesty the Queen.”
Christine, dressed in an admiral’s uniform, places her hand on her chest and bows politely, her long black hair swaying accordingly.
…I’m worried that if my wife is this cool, the sailors might have ulterior motives.
“I believe you will come back victorious and safe, Admiral.”
Christine smiled brightly and responded to Eris’ worried words.
“I will not disappoint Her Majesty the Queen.”
…
_
_
The wind felt from the bow of a ship moving forward through the sea breeze, and the salty smell mixed with it.
And much, much darker than that.
The smell of bloodshed and smoke to come from now on.
The feeling of the Great Devil, who had lived only with a desire for anger and the feast of death, was indescribably good.
“Admiral. “This is a reconnaissance report from the ‘Scouter.’”
“Huh~?”
Barbatos stabbed the dual pistols he had been rotating with both hands into his waistband, enjoying the pleasure of the clanging sound, and accepted the chart handed to him by the captain.
“Aha aha ahaha-”
There were about 50 enemy ships of the line.
What appears to be a small ship in the rear row is probably a rocket ship from the Eastern Empire.
It was a new weapon that surprised even the demons when they first saw it, so they immediately introduced it and tried to use it in Iberica, but it was destroyed before they could even use it properly.
It’s threatening, but not so much that you can’t respond.
This side also has 55 ‘class’ ships of the line, so the number is similar, but…
“This is a formation of people who think they are weak. ‘Las’ Company highly values the intelligence of its enemies.”
The enemy’s formation is a typical Danjong formation.
The fleet is stretched out and deployed in an elongated position.
Basically, a ship of the line is a ship with many cannons installed on the sides rather than the bow or stern, assuming side bombardment.
Therefore, a single formation in which all ships are lined up in a long line with their sides exposed is the most common formation for a gunfire battle.
Above all, since it is a joint fleet, it is not easy to link up, and even less skilled ships can at least fire cannons at approaching ships once they expose their flanks.
“But even if you are smart, if you are weak, you die in war.”
Barbatos grinned, revealing his sharp fangs.
However, that position is basically only effective when both sides are engaged in a barrage of artillery fire.
The longer the line is, the more difficult it will be to move organically, and if they are caught off guard by a formation other than what they expected, it will become more difficult to respond.
“What will you do, Admiral?”
“The enemy’s main force, the capital ship of the Eastern Empire, will be at the beginning and end of the formation. The ships that could respond in case of an emergency were probably deployed that way…”
Barbatos felt the wind blowing as he held his stylish admiral hat in his hand.
The wind direction is also good.
Barbatos drew a line on the chart.
Divide the Abyss Corporation’s fleet in two and create a line to penetrate the enemy’s most vulnerable center.
If you charge in at high speed with a favorable wind, it is quicker for the enemies to break through and turn into a melee than to adjust their long lines and fight back.
“We will break through one point, divide the enemy fleet and annihilate it with individual attacks.”
And in such a situation, the ‘Ras’ fleet will never be defeated.
“Old Admiral! “I give you an order!”
Barbatos lifted his telescope and smiled as he looked at the tip of the enemy’s mast that was slowly beginning to appear at the end of the distant horizon.
“Happy war, war~♪ Grabbing Bael’s hand was the best choice for Barbatos!”
* * *
The endless grand march of dozens of ships of the line lasted only a few hours at most.
“Enemy fleet approaching!”
“Port side gun deck open!”
“The gun deck is open~!”
“Hurry up and prepare for bombardment!”
The heat and tension of the battle quickly heated up and enveloped the flagship ‘Libre’.
“Open the warehouse! Take out your weapons in advance and make sure you can pay them at any time! Prepare for emergencies!”
“Old Captain!”
The sailors run around frantically to the sound of Ludovic Duheng’s shouts.
I swallowed dryly as I saw the endless line of enemy ships rapidly approaching along the distant horizon.
At times like this, I feel somewhat resentful of the driver’s accurate vision. How far does that line go?
I glanced at Christine, who was examining the enemy ranks through a telescope.
Her expression was very calm even in this situation, but I couldn’t hide my anxiety.
“Are you okay Christine? If things continue like this, we will really be caught off guard.”
The wind blowing towards me from the direction of the enemy ship is harsh.
So, they are riding the tailwind and rushing towards us, located exactly in the center of the formation, at high speed.
If you do this wrong, won’t you get your back cut off and each of your body destroyed?
But Christine lowered the telescope and answered in an extremely calm tone.
“It’s no problem Pierre.”
The enemy’s fleet reached us like the tip of a spear. The bombardment will begin a little later.
The situation is clearly not good.
Nevertheless, her calm voice somehow seems to calm me down.
The fact that she is so unwavering means that there are countermeasures.
“It looks like you have a plan. But I didn’t hear anything like that at the meeting.”
“Oh, that’s right…”
Christine replied indifferently.
“If we let them know in advance that we are a bait station, there is a risk that they will show that we are bait and that they will somehow protect their ship.”
“ah.”
I thought of Admiral Svensson of the Northern United Kingdom and smiled bitterly.
They certainly don’t have the loyalty to risk their lives to fight for us.
Crocs… I’m a friend who will understand as long as I explain it later.
“If you want to deceive the enemy, you must first deceive your allies… Ah, there you are.”
Christine looked up at the sky and I followed her gaze.
And just moments ago, I could see clouds gathering in the clear sky and rapidly darkening.
And after a while, the wind direction changed.
The wind that was blowing from behind the enemy just a moment ago, allowing them to advance rapidly, turns into a counterwind and begins to push the enemy away.
“her.”
“Oh oh….”
“What on earth is going on….”
Is this the power of Admiral Lindsay’s heavenly magic?
“Manage Duheng’s subordinates. Come to your senses and prepare to fire. “Because we’re about to fight.”
“Yes old! “Your Excellency Admiral!”
While Ludovic Duheng ran and yelled at the sailors who were staring blankly at the sky, Christine looked at both wings with a telescope.
While the enemy fleet, which was approaching at high speed just a moment ago, has slowed down, our wings, which were lined up in a long line, are changing direction.
The fleets of Admiral Lindsay, who was at the front of the line, and Admiral Lee, who was at the back of the line, skillfully turned to the port side.
Like a bird wrapping its wings around the enemy fleet, which is digging into the center.
While I was admiring the picturesque sight, Ludovic Duheng shouted.
“Prepare for flanking bombardment!”
“Prepare for flanking bombardment!”
At that time, while slowed down by a headwind, the encirclement formation narrowed, and the leader of the enemy ships, which seemed to pause for a moment, began to charge rapidly.
“…That’s no ordinary sailing ship.”
Christine spoke softly while holding a telescope.
The main mast, which is only in the way due to the headwind, has been lowered and it is racing towards something I have never seen before, spewing out white smoke!
“Wait, wait!”
The ship visible in the distance is getting bigger and bigger at a fast pace –
“Start shelling.”
“All guns begin shelling!”
The moment he got close enough, Christine let out a soft sigh and Duhun immediately shouted at the top of his voice.
Soon, 86 cannons are firing at the same time, causing the ship to shake from the maddening roar.
The ships of the line in front and behind suddenly made a series of explosions, and a deafening roar covered the entire sea.
And –
the enemy ship that was rapidly approaching this way had all of its shells deflected by the purple magic barrier.
“Hurry up and reload!”
“Reload! “I can see your hands, you guys!”
“Opening gun ports on the bow of the enemy ship!”
An urgent cry rang out as people moved around frantically, clamoring to reload.
And soon the enemy ship’s cannon burst into flames and ominous purple bullets flew out.
Empty!
The cannonball that flew into Libre was blocked by the magic barrier and fell into the air with an ominous flame.
But-
“Colbert fire!”
The battleship following behind us was hit by artillery fire and immediately lit up with purple fire.
“Is it some kind of magical… incendiary bomb? “I need to be careful about that…”
The moment Christine muttered softly, Duhun shouted urgently.
“Admiral! Enemy ships do not slow down! “I’m rushing straight to the main ship!”
Is that really trying to hit me with a toothbrush?
“My eyes are fine too.”
Christine answered calmly, then narrowed her eyes and added:
“Cancel all reloads.”
“yes?”
Duheng was embarrassed, but Christine remained calm and quickly gave instructions.
“Replace all bullets with magic bullets and fire all at once just before impact.”
“Ah yes old! All right!”
Even as Christine spoke, the fleets of Admiral Lee and Admiral Lindsay, who narrowed both wings and began to surround the enemy fleet, opened fire in succession, and the enemy ships also began firing.
Dozens of rockets making strange noises fly into the enemy fleet, followed by explosions and the sight of the enemy ship catching fire.
“Fortunately, it seems that not all enemy ships are monsters like that. “Is it a novelty?”
Meanwhile, I was a little appalled by Christine, who was coldly evaluating her, so I silently held my sword and stood next to her as if to protect her.
Even at this very moment, the enemy ship is rapidly approaching, firing courtesy purple shells…
“Weapons provided to all crew members on deck and prepared for hand-to-hand combat on board.”
Christine gives necessary instructions even as she watches the incoming cannonballs being blocked by Libre’s magic barrier, burning and flowing down.
“ancient! Arm yourself! hurry! Gunner Mastro!”
With the ship approaching so close, I, as an engineer, can now clearly see the enemy ship’s crew.
Demons…!
“Christine they have a lot of sailors on deck! “I plan to send almost the entire crew into close combat!”
“…!”
Christine flinched for a moment when she heard what I said, but immediately shouted.
“All guns fired! Fire and go straight to the upper deck! “Get the gunners ready for close combat!”
“ancient! “All guns fired!”
The roar of 86 cannons firing in unison erupted again, the ship shook, and the effect of the magical bullets fired from close range and emitting blue light was clear.
The sight of the purple magic barrier blocking all artillery fire being torn apart and the enemy ship’s hull being struck and penetrated by shells being torn to pieces is clearly visible.
The enemy sailors also fell under the ship screaming from the impact.
But still.
The enemy ship doesn’t stop –
and
the magic barrier that protected Libre’s hull from artillery fire collapses, making a noise like breaking glass.
And at that moment, a red-haired devil wearing an admiral’s hat and pointing a long gun appeared on the mast.
“Christine!”
I ran over Christine, knocking her down, and as soon as I did that, a bullet was fired and passed right next to us.
“Prepare for impact!”
“Hold on to something! Crash!”
I immediately hugged Christine and leaned down, holding on to the railing.
Soon, the ship shook with a roar that seemed to shake the heavens and earth.
“Aaaahhh!”
A few unlucky sailors, unable to withstand the massive weight of the huge ship’s hull hitting with all their might, fall into the sea and scream.
“Are you okay Christine?”
“…It’s okay. Thank you.”
But there is no time to relax and catch your breath-
“Aaah!”
“It’s hand-to-hand combat!”
The sounds of gunfire and clashing steel began to erupt from all directions.
I got up right away and cut the rope coming in front of me with my sword.
“Wow!”
The stupid devil who was holding it and falling into the sea screamed and reached out his hand to help Christine up.
“I did well to follow you, right?”
Christine laughed and responded by pulling out a pistol.
“Thank you, my knight.”
