Chapter 51

"Is there anyone here?"

To rest their bodies weary from the long voyage, Yaan and his group were granted a full day's leave.

In his assigned room, Yaan was sipping coffee when he nodded at the unfamiliar voice outside the door.

"What can I do for you?"

Perhaps because the etiquette Cain had drummed into her for a day was effective, the four Belkuth knights who looked at Irene-now starting her duties as a page-showed no change in expression as they stated their business.

"We have a message for Lord Yan Verkut."

"This way."

Eyes lowered, Irene guided them; and Cain, wearing only a shirt, appeared.

"I heard you were looking for me."

The sudden visit left Yaan puzzled as well.

Yet the knights of Belkuth, faces resolute, approached Yaan in unison and bowed their heads.

"...?"

"Lord Yan Verkut, we humbly apologize in this place for Randel Belkuth's discourtesy!"

At the abrupt apology of the Belkuth knights, Yaan's eyes went round.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Head Hiram bade us say: Repay you in full for the efforts you made for Belkuth's honor!"

"If there is anything you need, speak without reserve!"

Hiram Belkuth.

Hearing that name even here drew a bitter smile from Yaan.

'Just as they say-Belkuth knights can be found anywhere in the Empire.'

They could deliver such a message simply by showing themselves.

Such was the depth of Belkuth. Was this the might of the clan that commanded the Empire's largest knightly order?

'They call it justice, yet I am the very man who killed one of their own. Such effort for one like me...'

There is no kindness without a price, no meeting without intent.

Recalling the maxim that held true among Empire nobles-at least-Yaan finished his thoughts.

'Recruitment... or restraint. Either way, their motives are hardly kind.'

"I only did what any comrade would. Raise your heads."

Speaking thus, Yaan raised the knights and faced them with a smiling countenance.

As ever, it was a mask as if stamped from a mold.

"For a knight raised from the commons, indebted even to rival Lorenz, to be treated so-your lord's generosity leaves me at a loss."

The flawless flattery tripped so easily from his tongue that even Yaan nearly startled himself.

'Well, most of it is true.'

Even flattery has its roots in fact.

Those who rose from commoner stock to nobility through merit were called the new aristocracy.

When the old nobility were purged wholesale by imperial decree, these newcomers filled the vacancies.

Thus they were fanatical imperialists, bound by fierce loyalty to the Emperor.

Ironically, not one among them had ever faced the Emperor in private audience.

What sorrow compares to loyalty that goes unrewarded?

To overcome the complex of never beholding the Emperor, they began to chase success in every field like madmen, and this became the Empire's competitive edge.

The Belkuth clan led the entire new aristocracy.

In wartime, the Belkuth family-steadily supplying the Empire's most vital knightly resource-had grown to rival even the supreme ducal house of Lorenz and Duinua.

'And yet the honorable Belkuth clan researches, behind closed doors, a device to mingle the blood of the Ancients...'

Recalling the evidence secured through the Rael incident, Yaan gave them a sly smile.

'I'll expose that famous clan's true colors and scatter them to the winds. Along with your corpse, Hiram.'

"Our head rose from the commons as well; thus I'm sure he and Lord Verkut can build a fine rapport."

"Even the words are an honor."

At Yaan's positive response the knights' faces brightened.

'Thought a Penal Corps man would be colder...'

'Truly, one mustn't judge by birth alone.'

Having achieved their aim, the knights bade Yaan a cheerful farewell and left the room.

Some had invited him to dine, but they accepted his excuse of needing to train the page and departed.

"Lieutenant Yaan. I'm coming in."

Moments later Cain's voice rang out and the door burst open.

"...I never said I was okay with that."

"A fellow knight surrounded by Belkuth scoundrels-couldn't stay away."

"Since when am I some damsel in distress?"

Returning Cain's banter, Yaan waved a hand and asked,

"So, what's your business?"

At that Cain's face hardened and he spoke.

"Just as you predicted. The second White Shark has appeared."

***

Wheeeeee-!

"Battle stations! Battle stations!"

"Knights, secure the outer harbor! What's Veloster's status?"

"Still loading ammunition!"

"Then launch the destroyers and flagship! Highest alert!"

At Count Zeke's command the warships left port in perfect order.

Already beyond the horizon the destroyers were locked in desperate combat to bring down the White Shark.

"Count! Look at the sky!"

"Hm!?"

At the sentry sailor's shout Count Zeke looked up.

"D-damn it!"

Dozens of fleet missiles streaked the heavens.

Each bore power no ordinary shell could match.

"Do they mean to avenge their fallen comrades?"

Recalling the first White Shark's hauled-up hull, Count Zeke muttered as he watched the missiles plunge-

Brrrraaaah-!

Thousands of machine-gun rounds from somewhere began to blast the missiles out of the sky.

"What the-!?"

As if foreknowing the missiles' flight paths, two streams of tracer fire traced precise arcs of interception.

Count Zeke's eyes widened as he stared toward the source of the gunfire.

"That's Lord Verkut's...!"

Glaepnir, six machine guns on each arm, was spitting a storm of rounds skyward.

[Aegis system, nominal. 80% interception rate projected.]

Red squares framed every missile in Yaan's HUD as Nill calculated their trajectories by priority.

"It's a rush job-full of flaws. You'll have to correct the rest."

[Negative. Pilot assistance unnecessary. System can resolve using onboard assets.]

"Pointless pride."

"Just keep firing, that's enough."

Before Ren and Nill's quarrel could ignite, Yaan focused his mind on the neural-linked Glaepnir.

Boom! Cr-crack-!

With the last inbound missile shot down over the harbor, Glaepnir completed its interception mission.

"Whew!"

Drenched in sweat, heedless of fatigue, Glaepnir instantly jettisoned the six guns from each arm.

Thud! Thunk!

The discarded guns clattered away as Glaepnir seized steel rebar, uncaring.

[Initiating aim correction.]

"Three shots, right?"

So saying, Glaepnir lifted a steel rod from the transport like a javelin. Tipped like a harpoon with a destroyer's torpedo.

Whoosh-!

The rebar flew in a perfect arc.

Soon a corner of Yaan's visor flashed red, and Nill's voice came through.

[Impact confirmed. Vertical click adjustment within error margin.]

"Good. Going again."

At Yaan's order, Glaepnir reached both arms behind its back.

The carbon-fiber artificial muscles of the right arm swelled as if about to burst, adding force to the hand gripping the rebar.

Wooong-!

When the second rebar was thrown, a distant boom! sounded-the explosion of a torpedo.

[Impact confirmed. Direct hit on target. Error margin recalculated.]

Trying to evade Glaepnir, which had now launched torpedoes one after another, the White Shark dived beneath the waves.

But unable to outrun the torpedoes even in the deep, it finally gave up and had no choice but to turn its bow away.

"Confirmed-White Shark is withdrawing!"

"Do not pursue! All ships report damage and return to port!"

Thanks to the White Shark's retreat, the Empire's forces emerged as the victors of this battle.

"Hah."

Inside the Frame, Yaan exhaled quietly, feeling the trembling in his body subside as he guided Glaepnir back to the hangar.

[Question for the pilot.]

"What is it?"

On the way back to the hangar, Nill spoke to Yaan as he surveyed the frontline base shown on the screen.

[During anti-air fire, the pilot refused to intercept missiles on a set trajectory. As a result, three allied Frames were destroyed-confirmed.]

As he spoke, Nill displayed the image of shattered colossi in one corner of the screen.

Belkuth knights crawled out of the wreckage, legs already mangled beyond use.

"Pity I didn't kill a single one... but except for two, their lives as knights are over."

With those words, Yaan gave the broken knights being lifted from their crushed cockpits a cold sneer and quickened his pace toward the hangar.

"H-how could this..."

"He never moved a step from the frontline base and still forced the White Shark to withdraw?"

Meanwhile, knights who knew nothing of the truth watched Glaepnir's battle from the outskirts of the port and couldn't help but shudder.

Shooting down incoming shells, hurling torpedoes to drive off the distant White Shark-

a feat no ordinary colossus could ever achieve.

"S-sir Veric!"

"I know. Having seen that battle with my own eyes, we have no time to grieve...!"

Yaan and Ren disembarked from Glaepnir and were seen off by Irene.

The Belkuth knights watching the pair quietly gleamed with resolve.

"Whether rank or riches, prepare whatever Belkuth can offer. And if that still fails to win him..."

Breaking off, the knight called Veric finished in a firm tone, as if to steady the others.

"If he cannot stand with us, we have no choice but to eliminate him."

***

"The situation is worse than I thought."

Strategy conference room. Four Belkuth knights, Yaan, Cain, and the fleet captains gathered here to discuss countermeasures for the second White Shark.

"Most importantly, while we waste our strength here, the main Alfraian fleet will finish regrouping and sail out again."

"We can't delay any longer. If we lose command of the sea, shipments from Rubra-Vailsar will suffer as well."

Count Zeke's words prompted Cain to tap his chin thoughtfully.

"If that happens, the central front-Prince Gard's armored division-will starve in place."

The central front, the very spine of the Imperial Army, would be in peril.

Understanding the implication, the captains' expressions darkened.

"Fortunately, we are not without options."

The speaker was Kail, captain of the Veloster.

"Admiral Kail. Do you have a plan?"

At Count Zeke's question, Kail nodded and addressed the other captains.

"A pirate who served as vice-captain on the first White Shark talked. We obtained intel on their submarine doctrine and tactics."

With that, Kail spread a prepared map on the table.

"Their base is on an uninhabited island in Janskarl waters. Legally it lies within Janskarl's territorial sea, but it's outside the Wall of Light."

The Wall of Light-the name of the Creator's legacy that allowed the technological powerhouse Janskarl to exist today.

"From that island they're building second and third White Sharks to strike the Imperial Army."

"Have you identified who's behind them?"

"No. He killed himself first."

Several admirals clicked their tongues at the news.

Watching the scene, Yaan studied Kail's expression and swallowed a bitter smile.

'He's lying.'

A quick glance showed Count Zeke and a few other captains had apparently noticed Kail's lie as well.

'If Alfraia were behind it, there'd be no reason to hide it. The backer is Janskarl. But with the Empire already at war with Alfraia, we can't open another front.'

Midway between the Empire and Alfraia lay the neutral nation of Janskarl, controlling the whole south-central continent.

By acting as middleman in trade between the Empire and Alfraia, Janskarl reaped enormous profits.

'If the Empire secures command of the sea like this, the balance of power tips-Empire victory.'

A result Janskarl, profiting from both sides, would hardly welcome.

"So. How do you intend to wipe out those hiding in Janskarl's waters?"

At Count Zeke's question, Kail smiled and looked toward Yaan.

"We plan to deploy an infiltration unit centered on Sir Yaan Verkut here."

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