So-called Victory
Sisi’s most formidable military consisted primarily of infantry and cavalry. The military in the North were experts at fighting on flat land. Fighting out on the waters was foreign territory for them, on the contrary. Queen Sisi knew the function of battlefields. If she wanted to go far, she needed warships that were powerful enough. The newly formed navy was responsible for their training, not her.
The soldiers and officers in Sisi’s navy were Southerners, so they interacted with the ocean from a tender age. In saying that, they never imagined they’d be fighting others on warships and most certainly didn’t think a newly established navy, with a meagre number of warships that just passed the test as warships, would be sent out to battle with less than a month of training. Based off the military standard, the new navy would be classified as stragglers on a battlefield. Their officers had yet to receive their certification, and their generals were appointed by the majority of members, not Queen Sisi. The South’s generals didn’t even spare them a look from the beginning of the war. Nevertheless after having received an endless number of ships to transport soldiers and supplies, the navy decided that they couldn’t continue being idle.
Though summer had bid farewell, the limpid ocean was as still vibrant as the blue dome overhead. The seven robust ships resembling cruise ships tore the ocean asunder when it sailed. If one were to watch the moving ship, they’d also see fish escape and scales come off. The general quietly peered at the empty ocean from the deck, lamenting it would be a waste to die fighting in such beautiful weather.
The seven warships calmly and arrogantly sailed toward the dark fleets resembling a colony of ants parked at the enemy’s supplies transportation route. There had yet been anybody who attacked them out on the ocean, their favoured terrain, since the war commenced.
“Send the signal. Say, ‘Queen Sisi hopes every man will do his duty.’”
(Author note: I would like to salute England’s General Nelson for saying to his entire fleet, “England expects that every man will do his duty,” in The Battle of Trafalgar.)
The soldiers had nothing else to add despite their lack of training, arms and heavy cannons for their courage didn’t waver as the fish did.
***
“Today, we will counterattack! Yes, I have already heard the rumours. You’re right; our reinforcements will need time to arrive. In other words, we won’t have backup. Though we have enough supplies and ammunition, I don’t want to be caught on my last leg against those barbarians! We are soldiers! We’ve slain the demon army! Our team was the first to attack the Demon King’s castle! That is our glory!” shouted the general on his battle steed, facing his orderly lined up infantry and cavalry.
As a consequence of coming to the unfamiliar South, dealing with a plague, harsh weather and violent enemy, the soldiers from the North had a dip in morale. They had been exposed to the cold for too long. Some of the dangers were in peril. Their commander decided that they’d launch a counterattack alongside the navy at long last.
The infantry gripped their firearms that had just arrived. Their firearms weren’t too much different to bows and arrows, except that they were more lethal. However, they didn’t need to know more than they needed to light the gunpowder. Accordingly, only a small number of soldiers selected guns.
“We don’t need to fear the enemy. They’re human. They can’t be more fearsome than demons. This is our territory! Everything here belongs to us! We must take back what’s ours! In today’s battle, there will be no retreating! When I fall, our vice-commander will take the reins. When our vice-commander falls, pass the rein to the next highest ranked soldier, and repeat until you’re the last man standing! Gentlemen, Queen Sisi is looking forward to a victory, so let’s give Her Majesty a resounding victory! Now, march! Bring our Queen victory!”
“Roger!”
Rather than sit there and rot, the soldiers would rather risk it all. The enemy hadn’t occupied much territory on their continent yet. The more they delayed their attack on the enemy, the smaller their chances of victory. Hence, they reasoned that they might as well strike sooner, catching the enemy who was also still gathering their strength.
***
“Count Lin, you have a letter from the imperial palace.”
Ross excitedly came to me with a letter in the morning one week after the navy sortied. The old envelope wasn’t even sealed. Sisi didn’t even have time to wait for her stamp to melt, apparently. It wasn’t a new envelope. It was obvious that it wasn’t her envelope.
The letter dropped out when I opened the envelope. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t a letter but a sheet of paper, one that the writer grabbed without a second thought and scribbled on. There content was simple and concise: we’ve defeated the enemy and driven them back to the South.
Finally. The military finally brought me the victory I wanted. I passed Veirya the sheet of paper. It was a victory notice, yet Veirya put her fork down in a somewhat mellow manner manner. She then placed the sheet of paper down and sighed.
If Veirya would put her fork down for something, it had to be important. And important it was. It was Sisi’s victory, and the victory I needed. The victory meant that I had to go to the South. With the victory seized, I could win the negotiation.
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