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Chapter Text

Prologue

???

“Have you taken out the target?” Asked the ever-calm voice that came out of my radio.

“Yes.” I replied seriously as I engaged full throttle. “What’s our next operation?”

“Hmm? You seem very motivated lately, Swordfish,” said the voice. “How are you feeling?”

“How are you feeling?”

...I’ve been hearing this question repeatedly over the course of the past weeks. That blasted Ash… Her betrayal has caused distrust amongst our ranks.

“Swordfish? Do you copy?” She asked once more with concern. “Hang on. I’ll send the Dragons over to you if you—”

“There’s no need. I’m fine.” I replied. “Where’s our next target?”

“We have none. You and those two did a superb job,” she said. “Empress wants us to come back to the base for resupply and re-evaluation.”

“Again? That’s the third time this quarter,” I asked. Tsk… Now even Empress doubts us…

“We’ve no choice… I’ll need time to plan out the next phase anyway,” she said with a somber tone. “Hang tight, Ark.”

I’ve been fighting for so long… I just killed a man who practically begged Bismarck to protect his daughter… If he’d ask me instead, I’d probably done it without question… Why did he have to approach that unawakened battleship instead? Guh…

“...Lotus,” I called the operator. “Are we doing the right thing? Roon escaped. Bismarck refused to join us. Ash abandoned us…”

The battlecruiser on line went silent.

“It’s been so long… We’ve been fighting for so long and yet—”

“Stay on course for resupply and re-evaluation,” She said coldly. “Over and out.”

...How long do we need to continue fighting? You of all people should have an answer for that question…

Amagi.

Amagi

People aren’t created equal. Some are smarter, some are stronger, some are swifter, and some live longer. Because of that inequality, it is common sense that some were born duller, weaker, slower, and frailer. I myself was given the fortune to have been cleverer than most and yet…

COUGH COUGH

Hmm… I still have time… I hope it’s enough…

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

I put my tea down and glanced at the wall clock. It’s half past ten.

“Please come in, Daisa.”

After Vestal and Akashi found out that my lungs had gotten weaker three months ago, I noticed the Captain became a lot more… concerned for me. He and Lady Eugen, often with their daughter, visited me daily at around this time.

The door swung open as the Captain respectfully entered my chamber.

“Ohayo-gozaimasu, Amagi,” he cordially greeted me while removing his footwear. Hmm… dark circles under his eyes and Lady Eugen is missing… It appears little Amy had caused a bit of a ruckus last night. “How do you feel today?”

Before I could stand up to accept the Captain into my chambers, he scrambled to stop my advancement with a worried face.

“Please don’t force yourself,” he said with concern.

“I understand your concern, Daisa but I am not made of glass,” I said after chuckling. I should try my best to alleviate his concerns… It would haunt me forever in my grave if my condition became a burden to the Captain.

The Captain stared at me for quite some time as if he was trying to decipher what was on my mind.

“So, what brings you here today?” I asked, knowing that he’d brush off my question by asking me how I felt today again…

“You’re helpful as is, Amagi… You don’t have to keep on forcing yourself, alright? How are you feeling?” ...As I thought.

“I’m fine, Daisa… Thank you for your concern,” I said. I should ask him why he visited me again today, though. “Hmm… So what brings you here?”

“Ah… I wanted to check on you today,” he said. “But then I got a message from Bismarck. She and Hood are coming back with the last of the four commanders.”

It took a long time for them to come home… I wonder what happened in the Ironblood homeland that extended their trip for over seven months?

“So I’d like to invite you to come and see them with us,” he said.

“Wouldn’t it be more prudent to ask the faction leaders, Daisa?”

“I already did,” he said. “Still… There’s no one else I would trust with evaluating these four but you, Amagi.”

M-Me? Surely Lady Eugen would have the insight to have a fruitful first impression of the four commanders… Of course, Nagato-sama or even Elizabeth-jousama would have the wisdom required to evaluate these four from a political standpoint.

“...Really? Then I won’t betray your expectations, Daisa,” I replied solemnly. I mustn’t betray the Captain’s trust. If he believes that my acumen is required, then I must muster up all my strength to accomplish the task he offers.

After all, it’s the only thing I can do in my state…

Captain

10:23 AM. I rubbed my eyes before the shoji leading to Amagi’s doors. Amy’s a tender girl but… her endless cries will be the death of me and Eugen. I barely had any sleep…

“Hmm? Daisa-dono,” a small yet regal voice came from across the hall. I turned to see a petite woman wearing a Sakura Empire ceremonial garb twitching her fox ears and tails in curiosity. “I thought you said you’d be meeting us at the port?”

“Ahh… Ohayo-gozaimasu, Nagato-sama,” I addressed the flagship of the Sakura Empire’s Navy with reverence while tilting my head slightly. “I forgot to invite Amagi to join us today… I’d like her input regarding the new commanders…”

Nagato’s ears twitched again.

“I see… Very well but I have to ask: why not simply call us on the radio like you always do?”

“I’d like to escort Amagi there myself,” I replied.

Nagato nodded.

“I understand. Very well then; I’ll be off,” she said with utmost respect to me.

“Please do, Nagato-sama,” I said as the kitsune before me began marching away.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

10:31 AM. “Ohayo-gozaimasu, Amagi.”

10:42 AM. Amagi and I finally arrived at the port where there were figures waiting for us.

The first was a woman with hair white as snow. Her hair which was tied in twintails fluttered about in the crisp salty sea breeze as she confidently flicked her head toward my general direction. Her crimson amber eyes flickered in the sun as her lips curved. Dark circles around her eyes told me that she’s fighting the same grogginess I was feeling as I approached her. She pecked my cheeks and giggled to herself.

“Guten Tag, Liebling,” she greeted me before turning to greet Amagi. “Ohayo, Amagi-san. How are you?”

Amagi simply smiled and nodded before making her way towards Nagato who stood alone at the edge of the port.

“Hey… Shouldn’t you be resting? Have you eaten yet? Ah! Who’s watching Amy?” I asked my wife a barrage of questions before she could answer. In response, Eugen put her left index finger on my lips and winked.

“Calm down… I’m fine, Liebling. A few hours of sleep should be enough to keep me up for the rest of the day. Also, ja. Dido made a very nice Bratwürst for me,” she said with her usual sultry tone. “I put Amy to sleep after you left and had Sirius watch her. Don’t worry too much, ja?”

I see… Perhaps it’s the lack of sleep or the fact that the Sirens are being too quiet but I've been a bit on edge recently…

I looked around to observe the others waiting on the port with me.

Nagato and Amagi were both standing at the edge of the pier talking about something in private. By the look of things, Nagato seems to be reprimanding Amagi for something… If I had to guess, Amagi may have gone on one of her morning walks earlier today and the head of the Imperial Japanese Navy may have had to tell her to go back to her room to rest herself.

Meanwhile, a bone-chilling presence filled the air as a woman with silver hair stood under one of the lamp posts at the edge of the pier. She stared out into the ocean patiently; her lips pursed in excitement at the thought of seeing her elder sister again.

“Guten Tag, Tirpitz,” I greeted the sister of the flagship of the Iron Blood.

“Guten Tag, Kapitan,” she replied stoically. Tirpitz was never much of a conversationalist but I suspect that she’s only trying to hide her excitement from me right now.

“It’s been a while,” another woman with silver hair approached me, Tirpitz, and Eugen. She held a bow on her left hand and allowed her long, grey, flowing hair to dangle as she walked towards us confidently. She wore her naval jacket pretty sloppily; as if she grabbed it as soon as she got up from bed in a rush to come here upon my orders. Her striking lilac eyes got softer as she got closer to us. “Good morning, Captain.”

“Good morning, Enterprise,” I greeted the most renowned Union carrier. “So, you’re representing the Union today?”

Unlike the other factions, the Eagle Union stands on the idea of equality: there is not a single ship that holds more formal political power over any other ship in their faction. Their leader in any situation, including on the battlefield, is decided by who has the most on-hand experience on the matter. Either that, or they vote amongst themselves who they will consider their flagship for that occasion. It appears that Enterprise, being one of the ships with the most ceremonial significance in the Union, was chosen to represent their faction today.

“Yes, Captain. The last of the four new commanding officers is arriving today but…”

“But?”

“I have to ask: why didn’t you begin training the other three while they were here on the island?”

“It’s a matter of fairness,” I told Enterprise. “I don’t want any of the four commanders to have any sort of advantage over the others.”

Satisfied, Enterprise nodded and fixed her naval cap.

“Commoner!” A petite woman with golden hair and a crown followed by a seemingly-identical servant bellowed as she approached me.

I respectfully bowed before the Queen of the Royal Navy before speaking.

“Good morning, Your Majesty,” I greeted Queen Elizabeth of the Royal Navy. “How may I be of service?”

“Hmph! Prince John arrived earlier this week, yes?” She asked while puffing her chest out. Warspite, Liz’s most trusted companion, began scratching her head because of the Queen’s behavior.

“Er… Yes…”

“Why then haven’t you sent him over to our residence?” Liz put her hands on her hips and began tapping her toes while demanding an answer.

“Well… I wanted to observe the three new commanders at the administration building first,” I reasoned. “I wouldn’t be able to monitor them if I had sent them to their respective dormitories earlier, Your Highness.”

And I have another reason aside from that, too.

“I think that is a wise decision,” Richelieu, the exalted Bishop of the Iris Libre, commented. “If we are to be commanded by these four, we must be sure that they are not poor ruffians ill-suited before the eyes of God.”

“Sister I don’t think that is of our concern,” Jean Bart flipped her mahogany hair as she turned. Apparently, she was sitting at the edge of the port this whole time. She was merely listening in on our conversation silently until her sister came and added to the conversation. “All that matters is that they give us the results we need.”

Richelieu rolled her eyes.

“Whatever you say, Jean. Let’s agree to disagree.”

These two still haven’t completely mended their relationship, I see… I might have to schedule another session with Bremerton for them.

“Ahh all that matters is that they’ll be our comrades,” a shipgirl covered in all white said with a thick Russian accent. “Isn’t that right, Comrade Captain?”

I nodded.

“How’s Lützow doing?” Eugen asked Sovetskaya Rossiya. “I haven’t been seeing her as of late because of how busy I was with my daughter…”

“Oh, Petropavlovsk is on a mission today,” she replied. “I believe it’s a tour around Alaska. Am I wrong, Comrade Captain?”

“You’re right,” I replied.

The Sirens haven’t been very active lately so I’m afraid they might be planning something somewhere… Nobody can fight a war with no information. All warface is based on deception, after all. 

In order to gain more information I created special tour squads amongst the shipgirls we have here on the base over the past months. Their mission is two-fold: first, they are to tour the area they are assigned to and perform reconnaissance in search of any connection to Siren activity; the second is to scout a suitable area where new bases can be erected.

If the Council was going to give me new commanders to deploy, I might as well have outposts ready for them and the shipgirls they will be working with in the future.

...That is if any of these four are competent enough for the job.

I sent Eugen’s sister on one of these tours about a week earlier. As I recall, Eugen was asleep for most of the daytime when she left with Bunker Hill and the Cleveland Sisters so she wasn’t able to say goodbye to her.

Over the horizon, a visage of a massive battleship came into view.

“They’re here.”

Amagi

The mighty Bismarck came to a halt at the dock as a platform descended from its bridge. Alighting from the great ship are a pair of maids; one with her blonde hair tied in a neat bun and the other with her gray hair flowing down her back. The maid with gray hair fixed her glasses as she and the other maid carried luggages off the ship. Upon arriving before their queen, Edinburgh and Sheffield bowed reverently before being dismissed.

Following the two maids were another pair of shipgirls. While they both had golden hair, there is a distinct difference in the atmosphere they exude. The first wore a black Iron Blood uniform and stared directly into the Captain’s eyes without fear; the other wore a navy blue attire reminiscent of the Royal Navy’s flag but her smile only further brightens the already-excruciatingly bright day.

Lady Hood conversed with Bismarck about something I couldn’t quite make out before Nagato-sama and I got closer. By then, Bismarck and Hood had finished their private conversation.

Seeing Bismarck this serious is common. To see Hood seem this distressed? Something’s amiss…

“Guten tag, Captain,” Bismarck greeted our commanding officer while saluting. Hood saluted the Captain all and greeted him with a smile.

“Good day to you two,” the Captain replied as he saluted back. Bismarck and Hood simultaneously put their hands down. “How is the affairs in the Fatherland?”

Bismarck and Hood gave each other charged looks.

“About that…”

The Captain raised his eyebrows for a second before realizing that the head of the Iron Blood Navy would probably prefer discussing their national affairs in private.

“I see. Then we’ll discuss it over lunch.”

Come to think about it, I don’t think the Captain has ever mentioned his nationality to anyone. I’m sure Lady Eugen probably knows where he hails from but considering the fact that he’s a little more involved in the affairs within the Iron Blood homeland, I think it’s safe to conclude that he’s at least partially affiliated with the Iron Blood. That said, he seemed especially worried about how the Union saw the Iron Blood almost a year ago so… which is it? Is he from the Union or from the Iron Blood?

Ah… I guess it doesn’t matter, does it?

I turned to see a scrawny boy in the same naval outfit the Captain is wearing descending the ramp. He dragged his luggage along with much effort as the sweat accumulating on his fine pointed nose made his eyeglasses slip. He quietly and bashfully corrected his glasses’ placement on his face before wiping with his white handkerchief. Hmm… The last commander: Michel Deutscher. He’s nothing impressive to look at… Still, one cannot judge a book by its cover.

Not a single person turned to welcome the new commander. Well, except the Captain himself, that is.

“Welcome to the Island Base, Michel,” he said as he shook the boy’s right hand. What happened next surprised all of us including the Captain.

A young girl with brown hair and purple eyes stepped out from behind Michel. She bashfully peeked from behind the new commander’s luggage as if trying to inspect all of us at once. I could faintly feel Nagato-sama’s tails wriggle to my right as an audible gasp was heard from the Queen of the Royal Navy.

“What’s the meaning of this, Michel?” The Captain asked. “I thought I made myself perfectly clear: no civilians on the Island Base.”

“T-That—” The new commander tried to defend himself but the Captain cut him off.

“I won’t tolerate such wanton disregard for our rules. You haven’t even spent a day here and you’re already causing trouble!”

The Captain wasn’t known for his temper but when he blew his top, he exploded like a teapot left unattended for a day. Always calm and collected, he often wore a soft and approachable expression for us shipgirls. The same couldn’t be said for humans, however. Rumor has it that the Captain lost his temper with a group of engineers and construction workers last year when Lady Eugen was hospitalized. Apparently, he heard them mocking and objectifying a few shipgirls amongst themselves. Those engineers and workers were then promptly fired for inappropriate on-site behavior upon the Captain’s demand.

“Hmm… She looks cute, doesn’t she, Liebling?” Lady Eugen stepped forward to placate the Captain’s nerves as she knelt in front of the already-terrified young lady. “What’s your name, kleine Mädchen?”

The young lady seems to have understood Lady Eugen’s words but preferred to remain silent nonetheless.

“Captain,” Hood stepped in. “Please, Commander Michel is not to blame for this. This is the deceased ex-Prime Minister’s request. There are… peculiar circumstances surrounding young Galatea’s existence.”

What does she mean by peculiar ?

“Is this true, Bismarck?” The Captain asked the Pride of the Iron Blood. “This is the one rule nobody is allowed to break: no unplanned visitors, civilians or otherwise, on this base especially now that the Sirens are coiling like a spring ready to strike at any moment.”

“Ja, Captain,” she said. “I’ll discuss why I brought her here with you later. We have a good reason why we brought Stefan’s daughter with us, I assure you.”

The Captain looks unconvinced. He sighed and softened up his expression before looking at the young lady.

“I’m sorry but… this is no place for a child,” he said. “I already have children here… I can’t accept another…”

Actually, the Captain refused to send destroyers who resembled children below fifteen or so to battle despite the higher ups berating him over it years ago. Whether it’s a matter of pride or a matter of moral conscience, I may never know. All I know is that the children are far happier on this base simply running errands and learning from Nimi-san and the other professors at the Academy.

That said, Lady Hood and Bismarck wouldn’t simply agree to bring a child here without any good reason. Therefore…

“If it pleases you, Captain,” I spoke up after gathering my thoughts. “I would be glad to take the child under my supervision.”

“Amagi? There’s no need,” Nagato-sama said in a chastising tone. “Forgive her, Daisa-dono. Our battlecruiser simply wanted to be of assistance.”

“Forgive me for speaking out of turn, Nagato-sama,” I said calmly. I had expected her to chastise me anyway. “But I have the least amount of tasks in the base by far. Vestal-dono and Akashi told me that I must keep a balanced lifestyle to extend my lifespan. While I am grateful to Daisa-dono for reducing my role in the base for my sake, it is not healthy for me to live such a sedentary lifestyle.”

I gulped before continuing my reasons.

“Furthermore, I believe Bismarck-san and Lady Hood would be very much full for a while,” I glanced at Bismarck, giving her a meaningful stare.

“J-Ja,” she said. “I’ll be reviewing the documents Tirpitz compiled for me. There’s a lot I need to get done…”

“And there’s nobody else who has free time to deal with our guest,” I said. “Unless we want to send another ship off-base to send the little one back to the Iron Blood homeland, I believe this is the best course of action.”

Lady Eugen stood up and giggled as she and the Captain exchanged worried looks. A few minutes passed.

“My my,” she said with a resigned look while chuckling to herself. “Who can argue with you, Amagi-san?”

The Captain got down to the child’s level.

“Welcome to the Island Base, Galatea,” he said while smiling warmly at the little girl. He removed his naval cap and put it on her head. “You’ll be under Amagi’s care from now on. Please be good. Alright?”

The girl recoiled behind Michel again. She seems… terrified. Of the Captain? Ie… She’s looking at Bismarck. She’s scared of Bismarck.

“Anyway,” the Captain stood back up. “Welcome to the Island Base, Michel. I apologize for my outburst earlier.”

“It’s alright,” he mumbled.

“Right. Meet the faction leaders,” he said, turning and pointing at every faction leader present. “Queen Elizabeth of the Royal Navy, Nagato-sama of the Sakura Empire, Richelieu of the Iris Libre, Jean Bart of the Vichya Dominion, Sovetskaya Rossiya of the Northern Parliament, and representing the Eagle Union, Enterprise of the Eagle Union.”

Each of the leaders greeted Michel in a formal manner—of course, aside from Bismarck who already knew him. From the corner of my eye, I thought I saw Lady Hood wearing her smile as the young commander met the leaders.

“Guten Mor—I mean, ohayo, Amagi-san,” he greeted me after he finished speaking with the others. The little girl the Captain called “Galatea” followed him as if they were tied together with a string.

“It seems you’ve earned Bismarck-san and Lady Hood’s favor,” I told Michel.

“Really? H-Have I?” He said. “Well… I’m glad I could earn their trust…”

“Then I suppose you already know who I am,” I said. “I am the nameship of the Amagi-class battlecruisers. Gaining Bismarck and Hood’s favor is not a small feat so I’ll be expecting a lot from you, hai?”

“Hai!” He replied with pep. Youth…

“Now then,” the Captain said. “Please return to your duties today—except for Michel and Amagi. Oh! And uh Edinburgh?”

“Yes Captain?” The absentminded Royal Maid turned.

“Your Highness,” he addressed the Queen of the Royal Navy. “Would you be so kind as to lend Edinburgh’s services for the rest of the day to me? I promise she’ll be at the Royal Navy residence by…”

He glanced at his pocket watch again.

“...3 pm.”

Queen Elizabeth smiled and puffed out an audible “harumph”.

“You may keep Edinburgh for the rest of the day should you need her, Commoner,” she said. “Use her as you see fit, so I decree!”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” he said as he turned to Edinburgh. “Please help the young lady settle in Amagi’s room, Edinburgh. Take her luggage and accompany her while Amagi is away, alright?”

“Yes, Captain!” Edinburgh said while smugly turning to Galatea. “Come little one! Let big sis Edinburgh take care of you!”

“Lady Nagato,” Queen Elizabeth turned to our flagship. “Would you care for a cup of tea over at our residence then? Of course, only if you had nothing on your plate.”

I nodded as Nagato-sama left with the little Queen.

I used to think the Queen was simply a buffoon who had nothing to offer but her energy and confidence but… she proved me wrong last year. Since then, I understood why the Captain trusted her judgement so much to the point of appointing her the head of the Island Base when he was away on the Battle of Hamburg. Despite being inept at planning, she has a knack at sniffing political sensibilities. No doubt, she wants to further solidify her faction’s standing with ours… Why she would do so is beyond me. I’m a general, not a politician.

“What did you require my help for, Captain?”

The Captain took me and the new commander to his residence but as soon as we got there, I noticed Michel lagging behind.

“Hmm, sightseeing are we?” I asked him. “You’ll have plenty of time to take in the scenery. For now, obey Daisa-dono’s orders.”

“Oh! I was just surprised…” He said in response.

“Surprised?”

“I thought the Captain’s residence would be… larger? But the Administration building is dwarfed by all the other buildings we passed.”

Ahh… Observant, aren’t we?

“The Captain is a practical person. He doesn’t need more than a few rooms in the Administration building since he’s really the only person administering the island base,” I explained. “For that reason, there’s only three floors: the first is where he accepts his guests, the second is where his office is located and where the maids are found, and the third is where he had his own room and a few others made for you new commanders.”

“Ah… I understand, Frau Amagi,” he said. The boy already appears to be adjusting to his new environment. “The Captain must be waiting for us…”

I nodded as the two of us entered the Administration Building.

Arriving on the second floor, I noticed a heavy cruiser with a bob cut speaking with the Captain on the corridors. Lady Eugen must have already entered the office, then.

“Roon!” Michel excitedly exclaimed as he began running towards the office. In response, the Iron Blood heavy cruiser’s amber eyes lit up with embarrassment.

Hmm? Now what have we here?

“How… How are you? You just left Hamburg with the others without even… without even saying goodbye…” Michel panted as he stopped before Roon. It seems he’s the second least fit commander.

“Kommandant?” Roon is usually so forward and straight-talking; bordering on rude. He already addresses the boy as her commander… And what’s with her putting her hands behind her back and shuffling like…? Ohhh! Hmm… The new commander moves quite fast, doesn’t he? Hehe…

Although I assume that both haven’t talked about what they’re feeling yet if this awkward silence means anything.

“Ehem,” the Captain cleared his throat with a visible grin on smug face. He’s been learning much from Lady Eugen, I see.

The two instantly snapped out of their tranced state as Michel dropped his luggage to the floor.

“I’ll see you inside, Michel. Good job!” The Captain said as he bent over to whisper this to Michel very audibly. As he stood back up, he winked at Roon and signalled for me to come inside.

“Dummkopf!” Roon said, her face red all over, as she helped Michel gather his stuff scattered all over the floor.

...Roon has changed, hasn’t she?

As I entered the Captain’s office, I looked around to see Lady Eugen sitting on his chair while going through some documents. She immediately stood and gave the Captain his seat as he approached.

...There are only two commanders here just silently waiting.

The first one was blonde. He had a fantastic build and a disciplined air about him… As expected from an actual soldier. His vacant expression rested on the window, implying he would rather be somewhere else. The ace pilot, Commander Samuel.

The second was also silent but this one had a more regal feel to her. She immediately stood as a sign of respect as soon as I entered the room. Hmm… a stickler for formalities, I see. As my eyes rested on this commander, I felt the same thing I feel whenever I look at Nagato-sama. The princess of the Sakura Empire, Reina-hime.

The door swung open revealing a tall young lad with a tepid expression on his face. He grinned a smile that did not reach his eyes as he said:

“Good morning, Captain. Was I late?”

Chapter Text

Captain

A few weeks ago

“What are you doing, Liebling?” Eugen curled her hair as she carried Amy on one arm.

She stood right next to the windowsill at Vestal’s behest, believing the repair ship’s advice that ample sunlight would be healthy for newborns.

“Looking up the files the Council gave me,” I answered as I encoded the details on the commanders to my computer.

Eugen stood behind me and watched.

“What do you think about them?” I asked her.

“Me? Well, I don’t know,” she said. “I haven’t even spoken to them at all so…”

“Really? But you have read their files, right?”

“Ja, but there’s so much more to people than what’s written on paper,” she said. “If you relied on your files on me, we wouldn’t have been married, have we?~”

Touche. I suppose I shouldn’t judge people too quickly based on what is written on an A4 file…

That said…

“I think I can work with most of these but this one,” I picked out the file on Prince John XI of the Royal Navy.

Eugen reached to read the file and as she did, I took Amy in my arms and observed my beautiful daughter coo and giggled as she babbled. Her eyes glinted in the warm sunlight as I felt my energy completely recover.

Oh, my daughter… 

“This one? I see…” My wife remarked. “He seems capable but his attitude…”

I raised Amy high and smiled as she giggled oh so happily.

...Back to my problems.

Present day

“Good morning, Captain. Was I late?”

The young prince of England, John XI, is a well-known scoundrel. His displaying this blatant disrespect is a behavior I already expected.

“Very,” I said. “I told you all to wait here until I arrive, didn’t I?”

The prince sat on a sofa and began reading a pocketbook, disregarding my words.

This little…!

“E-Excuse me,” Michel finally entered my office while dragging his luggage. Roon no longer with him. “Guten tag…”

I sighed and took a look at all of them and remembered: they’re just kids… And I am here to teach them. I cleared my throat and began speaking again but this time, louder.

“Alright, settle down,” I said. Eugen giggled as she took a seat on my chair. “I’m sure you’re all well-aware of why you’re all here.”

All of the kids, save for John, nodded. Amagi simply observed the scene silently. Her eyes focused on the newly-arrived John before shifting her vision to Michel.

“You’re here to learn. You’ve been chosen by the Council to possibly lead a part of the Anti-Siren Task Force under my direct command,” I explained. “I will now set our house rules. Listen carefully.”

The four commanders focused their attention on me. Even the hard-headed prince took a break from his reading.

“First, we shall follow a strict chain-of-command,” I said. “I am the highest commanding officer present here. Therefore, what I say goes.”

“Sir!” The blonde ace, Sam, respectfully raised his hand.

“What is it?”

“If, say, there are situations on the battlefield where we cannot contact you for orders,” he said while shooting his eyes on the ceiling in deep thought. “Then are we allowed to do what we please?”

Good question.

“In such a situation, you are fully authorized to take command and lead whatever forces you have at your disposal.”

“Great! Thanks—”

“Is what you wanted to hear,” I interrupted him. “But no. For one month, you will all be under strict supervision by the shipgirl sitting over here.”

I motioned to Amagi who merely smiled at the four commanders.

“That invalid?”

What?

“Excuse me?” Amagi asked the Prince who wore a smug grin on his face.

“You expect an invalid like Amagi to watch us? Ha! She’ll probably have her hands full babysitting that kid at the—”

SLAP!

“I don’t know how you found out about Galatea but here is rule number two,” I said as the prince was reeling from my corporal punishment. “Not a single one of you are allowed to disrespect any of the shipgirls. Any more smart talk like that and I’ll consider it direct insubordination and inappropriate behavior.”

“Y-You…!” The prince growled.

“I don’t know how badly Her Majesty spoiled you, boy,” I growled back, making him squirm in his seat. “But I am not your mother or your father. I will NOT tolerate such disrespect from you again.”

An awkward silence ensued as John caressed his left cheek which was now a mix of red and purple.

“...Fine,” he begrudgingly said.

I straightened myself and returned to my desk.

“Third rule,” I continued. “No electronic communication devices will be allowed.”

“What?” The Union Ace and Royal Navy Prince answered in unison.

“I thought you took our cellphones earlier so we won’t be distracted,” Sam said. “But phones aren’t allowed here permanently?”

“Where did you hide my phone!?” John demanded an answer.

Eugen opened the drawer.

“Oh? You mean this~?” She asked as she handled the broken pieces of electronics playfully.

All the four commanders stared in pure shock.

“Michel,” I said. “Your phone.”

Michel reached into his pocket and reluctantly surrendered his mobile device. I received it, dropped it to the floor, and…

CRACK!

...I stepped on it with my heel.

“Is this necessary, Daisa-dono?” The princess of the Sakura Empire asked.

“It is. The Sirens could hack our phones remotely,” I said. “It is the main reason why we use secure radio lines here instead. My colleagues didn’t know that… They sacrificed their lives for this knowledge. I won’t waste that.”

The princess nodded while maintaining her poise.

“Sou ka… Domo arigatou,” she said, remaining completely formal in front of me.

Meanwhile, the other three seemed completely heartbroken.

“Fourth rule,” I said while still grinding the phone beneath my foot. “No one is allowed to leave the island without my supervision and permission.”

Nobody said anything this time, possibly because their spirits were crushed by my execution of their beloved devices.

“And final rule,” I said. “I temporarily forbid any of you from having any relationships with any of the shipgirls outside work.”

“Any shipgirls?” Michel asked.

I glanced at him: “Yes. Any.”

This is for both their protection and the shipgirls’ protection. I’m not sure if I’ll keep any of these kids along for the long run so I can’t have them or any of the shipgirls having any emotional attachment to each other… I’ll lift this rule once I accept them as real commanders but, right now, my priority is the emotional well-being of the shipgirls.

“Alright, now that we seem to have had an understanding,” I said. “It’s time for the first test.”

“What!?” The four said in unison.

Amagi

A test, hmm? What sort of test do you have in mind, Captain?

“Amagi isn’t here just to observe you,” the Captain said as he put his hand on my shoulder. “She’s also your first test.”

“What are we supposed to outrun her?” Asked John.

This boy is starting to get on my nerves but I maintained a serene expression on my face. There’s no point gracing a fool like this one with a response.

“No, John,” the Captain replied with a terrifying expression on his face. “You four are to play a little chess tournament with each other.”

Ah… The same stunt we pulled last year, I see. He wants to see how good these four could be at planning and strategies. I would have challenged them anyway on my own but the Captain beat me to the punch… Hehe as expected of you, Captain.

“Hmm? A chess tournament… Now things are getting interesting,” the prince said with a monstrous smile on his face.

“Are you ready, Amagi?” The Captain asked me.

“Hai, Daisa,” I replied. “Are we to play here in private?”

The Captain nodded. Hmm… Iie. That won’t do.

“How about this, Daisa,” I said respectfully. “What if we publicize our games like my game with you last year?”

The Captain showed me his puzzled face, asking me to explain further.

“I meant no disrespect, Daisa,” I said. “But wouldn’t it be unfair for the others to not know the full extent of our new commanders’ mental capacities?”

“Now she wants to turn us into circus monkeys,” the prince scoffed. “What a rabble. Heh, I suppose I’ll humor the lady for a bit.”

...Now that does it.

“Very well, Ouji-sama,” I said mockingly before the Captain or Lady Eugen could defend me. “How about this: if you win the tournament, you get to play a game with me.”

“And what do I get, milady,” he replied while mockingly pronouncing “milady” as “malady”, “when I win?”

I cracked a smile.

“Anything. You get to do anything to me and you get to go home,” I replied. This swineherd needs a lesson in humility.

“Ha! Well then, milady, I suppose we’ll have lots of fun,” he said mockingly. “When I win—”

“IF you win,” I said, raising my voice ever so slightly. “I’m no pushover, Ouji-sama.”

“You’re no different from the others I’ve beaten at the London chess club,” he chuckled.

The Captain who believes in my abilities wholeheartedly merely snickered at the young prince.

“Aren’t we forgetting something, Ouji-sama?” I asked.

“Hmm?”

“If I win, you, in turn,  will become my personal servant,” I said. “No more insults, no more cockiness.”

“Ha! That will never happen—”

“Ufufu… We’ll see,” I replied swiftly.

This boy’s arrogance will be the death of us all. The sooner I cut his horns, the better. The Captain knew this: that’s why he chose me to be the first test. He really truly believes in me and my abilities… I only hope I can offer more...

“Alright now that’s out of the way,” the Captain said. “We’ll meet at the Academy at 1300 hours. I’ll explain more about the rules there.”

Captain

11:31 AM. “Right. Thank you, Nimi…” After giving instructions to Z23 about the upcoming event, I put my radio down and glanced over Eugen who was laying on the couch. Ah… She’s fallen asleep.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

That must be Sirius. I opened the door expecting Sirius but instead…

“Guten tag, Captain,” Bismarck’s voice shocked me awake. “Hmm… The two of you seem exhausted. Did Bremen make a fuss last night?”

Bismarck’s presence was so strong that it roused even Eugen from her light sleep…

“Good morning, Captain!” Hood greeted me from behind the Iron Blood battleship. “Are we interrupting anything?”

Ah… I forgot we were going to discuss the matters in the Fatherland over lunch.

“Come in, come in,” I told Bismarck and Hood as Eugen scrambled to get up from the couch. I offered the two of them the seats in front of my desk but Bismarck stopped my wife from getting up.

“Don’t bother,” Bismarck told Eugen. “You’re a mother now… You should be taking better care of yourself.”

“Oh?” Uh-oh, here we go… “Don’t worry, Bismarck. I’ll take good care of myself in the same way Hood takes good care of you~”

“W-Why you!”

“Ehem, Bismarck,” Hood cleared her throat as she motioned for Bismarck to sit with her. As if a tamed lion, Bismarck merely smirked and glared at Eugen who stuck her tongue out like a petulant child after winning an argument.

“First thing’s first,” I began as the three shipgirls finally settled in. “Why did you bring a child here? You know that’s one of the most outrageously reckless things you can do…”

“The girl is… special, Captain,” Hood said using her usual mild-mannered way of speaking. “You see, she’s been on the receiving end of a terrible prank.”

“Prank?”

“A prank called a ‘Siren beam’,” she finished.

“A Siren beam? The same that created Graffy, Little Bel, and Little Illustrious?” I asked.

“That we aren’t sure of,” Bismarck replied. “But what is sure is this: the girl’s been displaying some symptoms that are awfully familiar.”

“Coughing, weakness, sometimes even nausea and severe migraines,” Hood continued. “Young Lady Galatea’s been displaying the very same symptoms Lady Amagi has been experiencing ever since she was reborn as a shipgirl.”

“Let’s not jump into conclusions. What if this is just a disease humans get?” That’s so weird… Do Siren beams do that? “How are you two sure this has anything to do with Amagi’s sickness?”

“Stefan had the best doctors in all of the Fatherland take a look,” Bismarck replied. “Even they were baffled… When I found her, Galatea’s inside a stasis chamber the Sirens built for Stefan…”

I see… Then there can be no other explanation...
“We brought her here not only to honor Stefan’s last wish but also to understand more about what Siren beams do to humans,” Bismarck explained. “...And also, it might be possible to find a cure for Amagi of the Sakura Empire..."

“Before the untimely death of the late ex-Prime Minister Stefan of Iron Blood, he shared some startling information with Bismarck.”

Hmm… Not Lady Bismarck? I guess the rumors are true about these two. More important matters are at hand, though.

“Care to share, Bismarck?” I asked her.

“...To put it simply,” Bismarck said. “Stefan claimed that Sirens have already infiltrated the Union.”

What!?

“The Union!?” I flabbergasted. “That’s impossible!”

“Captain, if they could infiltrate the Iron Blood, why couldn’t they do the same with the other factions?” Hood reasoned. “It doesn’t help that the Union’s ambassador to the Iron Blood was also conspiring with the Sirens.”

“Do you have conclusive proof of that?” Eugen chimed in. “Don’t get me wrong: I believe you… After what happened last year… I’d believe anything…”

Last year… Yes. The Sirens almost tore our base from within and they almost won Bismarck and Roon over… We were lucky then. Luck won’t always save us.

“Very well,” I said. “Then I’ll have a talk with Enterprise and the other senior shipgirls in the Union.”

“Yes, I think that would be most appropriate,” Hood concurred. “If you require our assistance on this matter, please do not hesitate to come to us, Captain.”

“Ja. It’s the least we, nein. It’s the least I can do for Enterprise and her sisters…”

Even now, Bismarck’s relationship with the Union remains strained, I see…

“Alright… Anything else?” I asked. “Ah! Who won the elections?”

Bismarck smiled.

“Bundesminister Karl won. He’s now the new Bundesprasident.”

“I see… Then all that remains is for him to name the new Chancellor?” I asked.

Bismarck nodded. Hmm… I suppose that’s why they were able to finally leave. Peace has returned to the Fatherland at long last…

“There’s one last thing you need to know,” Bismarck said with a grimmer tone than usual. She reached into her pocket and unfurled her fist to reveal a single dented bullet.

“What’s this?” I asked as I accepted the bullet. I inspected it and found something inscribed into it…

“ARK-SF-Fairey,” I read the inscription aloud. “Ark? As in…”

“Ark Royal,” Bismarck finished my sentence.

“That’s impossible,” Eugen protested. “Enterprise has been keeping Ark Royal away from Amy for weeks now~”

Ah… There it is. There’s the Ark Royal joke I had the feeling she’d spout.

“This is serious, Eugen,” Bismarck reprimanded the heavy cruiser. “And nein. I am not accusing Ark Royal of anything… At least, not our Ark Royal.”

“You think it’s one of them ?” Eugen asked. “Like that Alternate Enterprise Friedrich and Warspite fought?”

Bismarck nodded.

“Just one of them could stand up to two of our most powerful ships…” I mumbled. “So there are more of them now, huh?”

...I knew the Sirens were up to something—and I’m stuck here teaching children how to fight a war!

“Captain? What do we do?” Asked Hood with a worried face.

“...After this event this afternoon, I’ll have thought of something,” I replied. “We may have to go to another war, you three.”

At the mention of the word “war”, I could see Hood visibly shaken. The last great war wasn’t too nice to her or her men…

KNOCK KNOCK

“Thanks for the information, Bismarck, Hood,” I said. That must be Sirius now. “Please, stay over for lunch. I’ll have Sirius and Dido cook more for us.”

“Danke, Captain but Hood and I have plans already,” Bismarck respectfully rejected my invitation.

“Ho ho? Und what might that be?” Eugen grinned as her eyebrows moved up and down mockingly. “Tell me, will the head maid cook for you? Oh! Even better… will Bismarck cook for Hood? Or will Hood cook for you? Who’s the top in this relationship anyway—”

“THAT’S IT! GET BACK HERE AND EAT MY SHELLS!”

12:42 PM. After informing the others about the upcoming tournament, eating our lunch… and dodging the rain of AP shells from Bismarck, Eugen and I made our way to the Academy while carrying our baby. Dido followed not far behind carrying the baby bag while Sirius stayed behind to clean up.

“Hmm, is it really a good idea to play games like this?” Asked Eugen as she carried Amy carefully in her arms.

“How do I know how much I need to teach them if I have no idea how skilled they are?” I asked her with a chuckle. Then, I turned to my daughter and began kissing her cheeks. In response, Eugen gave me a light slap on my own cheeks.

“Ow…”

“Vestal said a baby’s skin is sensitive!” She reprimanded me. “If there’s a need for you to kiss someone…”

Oh, here it comes…

“...then you can do that to me instead, later~”

I slapped her cheek this time.

“What was that for?”

“Vestal also said you have to recover,” I replied with a huff. “You’re breastfeeding our baby and spending the nights mostly awake, after all…”

“Aww… how sweet, Liebling,” she replied as we got to the Academy.

“Kapitan!” A girl wearing a beret and spats greeted me as she ran out of the academy.

“Oh? Nimi~” Eugen greeted Z23 with a cheerful smile.

“Guten tag, Frau Eugen,” she respectfully greeted my wife as her attention flipped towards my daughter. Nimi’s eyes were practically shining as she marveled at my daughter’s cuteness.

“Hey, Nimi?” I had to call her to snap her out of her trance.

“J-Ja, Kapitan?” She asked. “Oh! If it’s about the venue, Frau Langley helped me and the others prepare the venue. Frau Girdley is already here preparing her camera, too.”

“Good job,” I told Nimi as I gave her a head pat.

“K-Kapitan! Please, not in front of the baby!”

“Hmm? Und what are you implying, Nimi~?”

Eugen’s teasing combined with my head pats made Nimi burn red as she frantically tried to continue her sentences.

“A-Anyway! Laffey and the others are waiting at the Academy grounds!” She was finally able to finish her statement… Haha… Oh, Nimi… You were the very first friend I made on this base… I’m so glad you agreed to be one of the godmothers.

...Out of the long list of godmothers Amy already has where most of them actually volunteered. My daughter’s in for an… exciting childhood if she’s to grow up with a literal queen as one of her godmothers… If only my crew was still around. You’d have godfathers, too.

“Liebling? Aren’t you coming?”

Eh? T-They’ve already gone in without waiting for me!

Chapter Text

Turn 3: The First Test

Amagi

KNOCK KNOCK… KNOCK

I stood up and approached the shoji but before I could, it already slid open.

“Onee-sama,” a fox girl wearing a red-themed kimono greeted me. She wore a warm smile on her face as she removed her slippers before coming into my room. Behind her is another fox girl. This one was wearing a white-themed kimono and kept a stern look on her face.

“Ohayo, Akagi, Kaga,” I greeted them. Kaga quietly sat down next to me and placed three wooden boxes on my table.

“Eat.” She said as she opened her box. A crisp, fish-like smell engulfed in the scent of spring oil wafted around my room as Akagi frowned on her sister.

“Kaga?” She called the white-haired foxgirl as she sat next to me. “How many times have I told you: don’t be too casual with onee-sama?”

Kaga tossed a sharp look at Akagi before turning to me.

“Gomen,” she told me while bowing her head.

“Iie. Think nothing of it,” I replied as I opened my bento . Grasping my food with my waribashi , I sunk my teeth into the crisp, brown delicacy. Immediately, my tongue exploded with the perfect mixture of saltiness and umami as the fried shrimp melted in my saliva.

“Do you like it, onee-sama?” Akagi asked, wagging her tail briskly. “I cooked it myself.”

“Hai… Domo, Akagi,” I told my beloved younger sister as I raised the box near the level of my mouth. I placed the box just a few centimeters away from my lips as I used my waribashi to guide the rice topped to my mouth carefully.

Satisfied with my reply, Akagi began eating her own bento.

“...Bootlicker,” Kaga raised her brow as she continued biting down on her own tempura .

SNAP!

I turned to see Akagi gripping four separate pieces of her wooden chopsticks. Sigh… Here we go again.

“What’d you say!?” Akagi shouted at Kaga as she got up. Kaga merely took the teapot in front of us, poured herself a cup of chamomile, and drank as if she hadn’t heard her sister bellowing like a wild monkey.

I wonder why Kaga feels like starting a fight this time? It’s usually Akagi picking the fights, not Kaga.

“What do you have to say for yourself?”

Kaga stood up and produced paper planes in her right hand.

“You… You stole my prey yesterday,” she’s still on about that? “I told you I’ll be the one to sink Yorktown and yet—”

“What? We won anyway, didn’t we?” Akagi said, referring to the result of the fleet exercise yesterday. “Besides, you’re not the only one who wanted to fight the Grey Ghost!”

“Tsk! I was going to settle with sinking her sisters since she isn’t allowed to participate,” Kaga explained. “But then you had to go and sink both of them yourself! Sister, this I cannot allow!”

“Hah! Then why don’t we take this outside?”

...And I thought you two had matured a little.

“My thoughts exact—AH!”

BONK! BONK!

The foolish sisters kneeled in front of me while caressing their swollen foreheads.

“What did I say about in-fighting?” I asked them sternly.

“G-Gomenasai,” Akagi was the first to apologize. Kaga looked at me sorrowfully before doing the same.

“You two… You shouldn’t fight like that,” I reprimanded them.

I turned to Akagi.

“Akagi. Trying to impress Daisa-dono won’t do you any good,” I told her bluntly. “He’s… He’s already promised another woman. He explicitly told you to halt your advances last Valentine’s Day already, hai?”

Akagi’s ears dropped as her eyes fell on the floor.

“...Hai.”

“And Kaga,” I turned to the other aircraft carrier. “It won’t help Daisa-dono if you two keep on bickering like children… You two were able to lead the fleet yesterday to victory without Nagato-sama’s help. Why don’t you celebrate it with Tosa instead?”

“...I didn’t get to prove my strength yesterday, onee-sama,” she replied. “I felt frustrated… I trained so hard for yesterday’s match and yet…”

“Yet?” I crossed my arms. “You won. You two were able to command our fleet with enough skill to finesse the Eagle Union.”

“I still don’t understand,” Kaga mumbled. “No matter how hard I train, I don’t see myself matching up to… her .”

And I thought Zuikaku is the only one who feels she must defeat Enterprise.

“These feelings of yours,” I told Kaga. “They’re powerful: they compel you to get stronger. Therefore, I shall tolerate it.”

“T-Then could you arrange—”

“But,” I interrupted Kaga. “Your irrational need to prove yourself superior is counterintuitive to our missions. Beware, Kaga. Seeking personal glory might be your undoing.”

Upon hearing my advice, Kaga fell silent.

“...I understand, onee-sama.”

“Now then,” I sat across the table before them, clapped my hands together, and smiled. “Shall we continue eating?”

“H-Hai!”

...Still, it concerns me. The Grey Ghost’s powers continue to grow. If we can find out what the Sirens actually did to modify her strength so dramatically, then maybe...

Four Months Ago

“Come in,” I heard the Captain’s voice from inside his office. As I opened the door, I was greeted by the sight of the Captain sitting on his office chair, Lady Eugen who was standing to his right behind him, and two other ships sitting on his office couch.

“Good morning, Amagi!” Enterprise greeted me as the tall, dark figure wearing an all-black skin-tight attire averted her lascivious gaze directed at the Captain.

I nodded at the aircraft carrier and took a seat in front of the Captain’s desk upon his instruction.

“So why did you call us three here, Kapitan?” Asked Friedrich der Groꞵe.

The Captain looked at his secretary and turned back to us.

“I called you three here to discuss what happened while I was gone,” he said in a matter-of-factly tone. “I know we’ve spoken about it before but… After careful consideration, I have finally come up with a plan to deal with our current situation…”

...Current situation? I see… It’s about the Ashes and the Sirens.

“I couldn’t ask Queen Elizabeth or Warspite to come today,” he explained. “They’re dealing with enough with all the reports Hood sent them from Berlin. So instead, I asked you three to come.”

“Is there a problem, Captain?” Asked Enterprise.

The Captain opened his table drawer and pulled out a folder. He opened the folder and revealed its contents to us.

“Where was this?” I asked. The photo contained hundreds of floating Siren ships. Or rather, what’s left of them, anyway.

“I have a theory,” he said. “The same Ash that attacked you… The other Enterprise? She was the one who helped us.”

The Captain looked at the photograph he held in his right hand.

“Look at how much destructive force she has… I’d bet there isn’t a single ship in our navy that has the same firepower as she does,” he said. “Even with their enhancements, I doubt even Bismarck and Roon could stand up to this kind of power… If she chooses, that Alternate Enterprise could come in the dead of the night and drop a bomb of this magnitude on us, and… we wouldn’t have an answer to it.”

“We can always plan for that,” I assured him. “Even with all her power, that other Enterprise is but one ship. Friedrich and Warspite have proven that they could at least fight her to a stalemate even if they were unprepared.”

The Captain cleared his throat.

“That’s true. But what if more of them came,” he raises a valid point… “What if she wasn’t alone? We can’t rely on Friedrich and Warspite’s combined firepower anymore.”

“I see…”

“That’s why I called Enterprise here,” he said, turning to the Eagle Union aircraft carrier. “You received the same enhancements from the Sirens. So I suggest this…”

The Captain brought out a map and pointed his finger at a designated location.

“I want you and Friedrich to hone your skills at using your new abilities here,” the Captain instructed while encircling the outline of an island about 20 nautical miles away from the base. “If we’re ever going to stand a chance, we can’t be so severely outgunned.”

“If that’s what you think is best,” Enterprise commented. “Then perhaps I will have to start getting used to my new weapons…”

Friedrich remained silent as she glanced at me.

“I understand, my child but why ask Amagi to come?”

The Captain turned his attention to me.

“This plan involves me taking two of my heaviest artillery out there… I want Amagi-san’s opinion on this,” he explained. “We’d be very vulnerable without a plan should anything happen without the two of you here so I’d like to hear her opinion on this idea.”

“Me? I see…” I said as I began pondering on the possibilities at hand…

Should go through with this, there’s a chance that Enterprise would be able to rival her doppelganger… However, the issue is this: how long would it take her to be adequately skilled with her new weapons? Is it worth the risk of potentially not having both Friedrich and her on standby should something happen?

Say we do the opposite… Should we refuse to allow Enterprise and Friedrich to go, what are the risks? Alright… Alright… Think, Amagi…

“Why can’t we allow them to simply train here or somewhere nearby?” I asked the Captain.

“That’s not an option… We don’t know the full extent of her newfound abilities,” he justified. “Testing it here would be a bit too risky if she lost control…”

Understandable… We can’t just leave this new weapon unused, though. Very well then…

“I think the rewards more than makeup for the risks involved,” I concluded. “However, I believe this is a better test area.”

I approached the map and pointed at an island about fifteen nautical miles away from our own.

“That way, it would be easier for us to call them back should there be issues,” I said. “It would be best to have them come to this island once or twice a week only so that we don’t suffer too much loss in firepower.”

The Captain, who was listening to me so earnestly, nodded.

“Hmm… I agree,” he declared. “So then, do you all agree with this plan?”

Enterprise didn’t even take a second before agreeing. Friedrich studied the situation a little bit more before subsequently giving her approval.

“Then it’s settled. Be careful out there, you two. You’ll leave tomorrow at 400 hours and be back two days later at the same time. You will return there every week and resume where you left off. That is all.”

Present

“Still, don’t you think it’s strange, onee-sama?” Asked Akagi. “Enterprise would usually be the first to volunteer herself to compete but she hadn’t been attending any exercises at all ever since she came back.”

“...I haven’t the slightest clue why,” It pains me to have to lie to all of you like this… “All I can say is it’s best to master oneself first. A wise man once said: know thyself is the beginning of wis—”

COUGH COUGH

Ah… Why now?

“O-Onee-sama!” Both of them knelt to catch my fall.

“Perhaps you shouldn’t come to the Captain’s event… He’s plenty good enough to—”

“Urusai.” I interrupted Kaga. I… I still have time. I’m NOT out yet so, don’t treat me like I’m a helpless child—is what I’d like to say.

But how could I?

“Arigatou,” I said as I regained my composure. They carefully helped me get back on their feet, Kaga with a sullen look on her face. “Gomen… I—”

“I understand, onee-sama,” she replied before I could finish. “Please, take care of yourself. Akagi and I are here for you.”

I nodded.

“Well, if we’re done eating, shall we?” I said with a grin to hide the burning sensation in my chest.

It’s been getting worse lately…

“Amagi!” The Captain greeted me as I approached him. He was standing on a makeshift stage I presume Nimi-chan built with the others at the very last minute. Behind him were his personal maids and Lady Eugen who was carrying their child. At the far side of the stage sat the head of all the factions. Nagato-sama turned her head and waved towards me as I approached.

“How are you feeling?” he asked me as my sisters made their way to the Sakura Empire’s box. The entire Academy grounds had been transformed into some sort of an arena containing boxes for each of the factions. The center of attraction, of course, had the four commanders all seated in pairs with chess boards and chess clocks all set up for them in advance.

“Have you announced the rules, Daisa-dono?” I asked the Captain.

“Ah, no no,” he replied while compulsively glancing at his watch again. “We were waiting for you.”

I see… I was a bit late because of what happened earlier…

“Very well, Daisa. Let’s hear what kind of tournament they’ll play…”

As I took my seat beside Nagato-sama, the Captain took his place in front and began:

“The rules of our tournament will be simple. Each of the four commanders will play each other in a Round Robin tournament.”

“What does Daisa-dono mean?” Nagato-sama pulled on my kimono and whispered to my ears.

“Hmm? Oh… A round-robin tournament is where everyone plays each other,” I explained. “So, for example, Reine-himesama will have to play at least three matches. The same is true for every other commander.”

“So there’ll be a total of…” Nagato-sama began thinking silently. “Twelve matches?”

“Iie. Only six, Nagato-sama,” I replied. “There are only six possible pairings from four people, after all.”

“I see…”

“Each match will be composed of two games which are to be played in a 15-minute 10-sec increment Rapid format,” the Captain continued. “Should a draw occur, the players will play a five-minute Blitz Armageddon match with the following rules: first, the player who previously played White continues to play White. The difference is that he will have all five minutes to play while Black only has four. However, should the Armageddon game end in a draw, it will be counted as a win for Black. The participant with more points moves onto the next round.”

Nagato-sama began freezing as her tails got in a twist. She’s confused.

“Daisa-dono was only explaining that the commanders will get to play two chess games with each other with fifteen minutes on their clock,” I began. “Every move they make, however, will award them ten more seconds to work with.”

“...But why would Black be considered a winner if their Armageddon game ends in a draw?”

“That is to compensate for the fact that White already begins with a significant time advantage,” I explained to Nagato-sama. “This way, the games will be decisive and conclusive.”

Nagato-sama nodded as if she had understood everything.

“I will watch the games along with Amagi-san to ensure the fairness of the games,” he added. “Now, for our first round, I have already decided the matchups: Prince John of the Royal Navy shall face Michel of the Iron Blood. Meanwhile, Sam of the Eagle Union shall face off against Reine-himesama from the Sakura Empire.”

As the Captain finished, I got up from my chair and approached him. He then whispered: “Please observe the prince’s game.”

The young prince and engineer sat before each other.

“So… How do we decide who’s white?” Michel asked me.

The arrogant prince snickered as he grabbed a pawn from each color. He placed one in each of his palms and shuffled them behind his back before presenting his knuckles to his opponent. “Choose.”

Reluctantly, Michel raised his right arm and tapped John’s left. In response, the prince opened his palm.

“I see… You get to play White, then,” he said as Michel retrieved the white pawn from his palm and replaced it on its home square.

“You may begin your opponent’s clock,” I told John who unhesitantly tapped the button that started Michel’s clock.

Michel’s right hand hovered over the d pawn as he looked repeatedly at John and the board. Back and forth, he went on like this on the first move for the first thirty seconds, going over the d pawn, the e pawn, the King’s Knight, and the Queen’s Knight in that order at least three times. Finally, his hand touched the d pawn and he thrust it forward.

1. d4

...Wanting to open up attacking chances for his queen as early as possible, I see.

As soon as Michel’s fingers tapped the button to start John’s time, the prince immediately and unhesitantly grabbed his e pawn and thrust it forward.

1. d4 e5

The Englund Gambit? He’s really a cocky one, isn’t he? Let’s see if Michel bites.

Michel got into deep thought again… He’s down two minutes already and it’s only the second move…

1. dxe5 Nc6

As if assured of his victory, John hastily put his knight on the offensive, threatening to win the gambit pawn back.

1. Nf3

Defending the pawn…

3. Nf3 Qe7

Hmm… John’s been playing really quickly. Michel’s struggling to keep up… The bait has been set… Will Michel—Nani!?

1. Bf4

That’s just a pawn! Wanting to defend it will cost you so much!

“Ha!” John chuckled audibly. “I knew you’re—”

“No insults allowed,” I interrupted him. “I’m sure you’re aware of the proper tournament etiquettes, hai?”

John grumbled as he shoved his queen to threaten Michel’s king.

5. Bf4 Qb4+

In a panic of losing his bishop to a careless move, Michel makes another huge mistake…

1. Qd2 Qxb2

...This is a mismatch. Michel is a complete novice… Regardless, the already panicking Michel hastily grabbed his queen and offered an ill-advised queen trade...

1. Qc3 Bb4

Not skipping a beat, John pins his opponent’s queen to Michel’s king.

“It’s over.” John declared. I hate to admit it but… Yes. It truly is over.

“I-I won’t give up!” Michel declared, grabbing his dark-square bishop and placing it between his queen and his king.

“Alright. The game won’t be long now, anyway,” the prince mercilessly chops the queen out of the board.

1. Bd2 Bxc3
2. Bc3

“Your queen cannot capture my—”

“Checkmate.”

8. ...Qc1#

Michel couldn’t believe it. Not only did he lose his queen but he also got checkmated within eight moves… And John’s clock even had more time than he had started with.

“Good game… I guess?” He sheepishly said, offering his hand to John but the prince had already stood up. He made his way to Michel’s seat and said with a bored face:

“Get up. I play White next.”

There’s something different in the prince’s tone… It seems oddly familiar to me but I can’t quite place why…

“Next game won’t be so easy,” Michel said as he stood up and took the black pieces.

That wasn’t a game. It was a slaughter… Only one of them knew what they were doing.

“Are both players ready?” I asked as they both settled in.

The two of them nodded. John’s shoulders crumpled like a forlorn rag on his chair’s back. Paying no mind to this, I declared: “Then you may now start your opponent’s clock.”

And Michel did…

…

…..

……

It’s been over five minutes!

“What are you doing?” I asked the prince who played with his necklace without a care in the world.

“I have one question for you, Amagi.”

“I believe I am the arbiter here,” I protested, garnering a mere scoff from the prince.

“Sure but humor me for a second,” he replied. He has only three minutes now…

“Fine. What’s your question?”

“Do adults use their full strength when beating their kids?” He asked as relaxed as a person could be. Two minutes…

“Iie. No adult should even beat a child,” I replied.

“Then there’s your answer. Compared to me, my opponent is a child. Therefore, I have nothing to gain by fighting him at full strength,” he said. With that, he grabbed his king’s pawn and thrust it forward.

Unbelievable! He sat there for fourteen minutes just to belittle his opponent!

“Surely, you have had enough time to think about your entire strategy, yes?” John said while crossing his legs.

Michel’s eyes wandered to the Iron Blood box where he stared for a minute at a certain shipgirl.

“I won’t lose this time,” he whispered to himself as he picked up his own king’s pawn and thrust it forward.

1. e4 e5

As soon as Black’s king’s pawn came face-to-face with the e4 pawn, John took his king’s knight and began attacking the pawn Michel just pushed.

In response, Michel immediately defended his pawn. Hmm… Perhaps he wants to capitalize on John’s one remaining minute.

1. Nf3 d6

Hmm, the Philidor’s Defense is on the board… 

John’s hand immediately hovered over his other knight, placing it on c3 to defend his e4 pawn and gaining control of the d5 square.

Michel’s eyes sparked with annoyance with how fast John was still playing. He picked up his light square bishop and furiously attacked the king’s knight with it.

1. Nc3 Bg4

Paying no mind to the attack, John calmly placed his own light square bishop on the offensive, targeting the black king’s weak f pawn.

“Heh. Looks like I’ll get all my time back at this rate,” John mocked Michel who began sweating even more than he already was.

His hand hovered over his light square bishop but he pulled back before touching it. He glanced at me and then at John as he reluctantly picked up his queen’s knight and mirrored John’s own queen’s knight.

1. Bc4 Nc6

“Hmph. A spineless lot,” John said, challenging the lone bishop on g4. Hmm… Exchanging that bishop for that knight might be in Michel’s best interest…

“I won’t fall for your traps again!” The commander from the Iron Blood declared as he moved his bishop backward.

Oh no.

1. h3 Bh5

“Heh. Let’s see how you handle this,” John said as he picked up his king’s knight.

“What? You’re moving that?” Asked Michel. “But—”

“I don’t need a queen to defeat someone like you!”

John boldly captured Michel’s king pawn, baiting his enemy into capturing his queen. Don’t do it you fool…

“You’d throw away your most valuable piece just like that!?” Michel asked in a raised tone.

“All that matters in battle is the results. How it is achieved is irrelevant,” John justified. “So. Which piece would you prefer? My queen? Or my knight? Choose!”

There’s a way to salvage this position for Black but even then White will be a pawn up…

Michel frowned and picked up his bishop. He slammed it against John’s queen, placing his bishop next to the White King.

1. Nxe5 Bxd1

“You lose.” John declared as he captured the now-insufficiently-defended f pawn.

That’s right… The queen was merely baiting for the bishop to abandon the defense of the king’s f pawn. As soon as Michel captured the queen, there was no escaping checkmate in two moves…

...But he hadn’t even realized it yet.

“You just lost your most valuable piece,” he replied. “It is you who lose.”

1. Bxf7+ Ke7

John picked up his other knight—his queen’s knight and placed it on d5 quietly. The Legal Trap.

1. Nd5#

“Checkmate.”

In this same fashion, Prince John of the Royal Navy continued defeating every opponent with ease. In each one of them, he often used daring and confusing tactics that led to heavy material loss on his opponent’s end or just straight-out checkmate.

...Finally, the time came for him to face me, as he promised.

“Hmph. You have the advantage,” he grumbled.

“Pardon?” I asked as I reached the table where we were to play.

“You’ve been watching all my games. You know my tricks,” he said. “Hmm that’s a bit unfair, right?”

I chuckled.

“I’m sure you weren’t actually playing into any of your preparation, Prince John. After all, you referred to your opponents as children earlier, hai?” I replied, biting into his taunts. “Or do you mean to say you would use your best weapons against inferior enemies?”

Not taking my response in stride, John simply picked two pawns from each color. He shuffled it behind him and asked me to pick.

I shook my head.

“Oh? Scared already, are we?” He asked, thinking I’m refusing to play.

“Daisa-dono. I’d like to have your microphone,” I told the Captain who was standing behind me. He smiled and handed it over to me. Hmm… Does he already know what I want to do?

I cleared my throat before speaking into the mic:

“I, Amagi, have decided to play Black. Moreover, I am also going to play under the following stipulations: If the game ends in a draw, I immediately lose, and whatever the result of this game will be the result of the entire match!”

John’s eyes widened.

“You do realize of course that means all I have to do is force a draw, yes?” He asked. “And then I win the entire match?”

“Sure. But will an incomplete victory really satisfy you, Ojii-sama?” I taunted him as I returned the mic to the Captain. I sat behind the black pieces and smiled. “We’ll begin whenever you’re ready. Or are you implying that you cannot win against me?”

The prince’s left eyebrow twitched as he took his seat behind the white pieces. The Captain walked in between us and declared: “You may now begin your opponent’s clock.”

As I clicked the button that started his clock, John wasted no time to shove his queen’s pawn in the middle of the board.

1. d4

Hehe… Just as I expected. An arrogant person like you would never even attempt to draw me, a person you view as inherently inferior. If we happened to play a drawing line like, say, the Spanish Game’s Berlin Defense, we may have had to settle for a draw—but because you like to prove you’re better than everyone else, you refused the win I basically gifted you.

Calmly, I replied by pushing my own queen’s pawn. Now, if my research is correct, you have two primary responses…

1. ...d5
2. c4

...that's right. You’re a very aggressive player. Most of your d4 games involve you playing the Queen’s Gambit or the London System. Now, I could just accept your gambit but… hehe let’s have some fun, shall we?

2. ...e6

“Pfft. How boring,” he replied. “You know I already know you don’t play against d4 very well, right?”

“Whatever could you mean?” I asked.

“You really didn’t think I didn’t ask around about your previous games, right?” He taunted. “Only a fool thinks they can win without information.”

I smiled. I wonder who allowed Tirpitz and Friedrich to tattle about that little tidbit of information should anyone ask? Hehe…

“Well, prove your theory then. Let’s play chess,” I replied calmly.

1. Nc3 c5
2. cxd5 exd5

Just playing by theory… Not doing anything crazy. White still has a bit of an edge as he has kept both central pawns. He’s only better by a bit, though…

1. Nf3 Nc6
2. g3 Be6
3. Bg2 Be7
4. O-O

And he castles… Hmm, he’s lined up the sniper in its nest. I have to be careful about that light square bishop…

8. ...Nf6

1. Bg5

“Tsk… Not even doing anything yet, are you?” He asked.

“I’m not a novice, Ojii-sama. I know my way around the board,” I replied. “But since you want action so much… Here. Try this.”

9. ...Ne4

...Forking his bishop and knight. However, only one of them is actually under attack. The knight is more than sufficiently defended. The bishop, however…

1. Bxe7 Qxe7

He chose to capture my bishop. Still, leaving my knight there might be a bit too lenient of him.

1. Ne5 Nxd4

John froze his hand as soon as he saw me capture his central pawn.

“What? You’re really going to—”

“Hand a free pawn over to you?” I finished his sentence. “Hai. Dozo.”

“O...kay?” He said as he captured my knight on e4.

1. Nxe4 dxe4
2. e3 Nf3+
3. Nxf3 exf3

A gigantic capture in the center… Right now, White is still probably better but again, only by just a bit. By one pawn, exactly. However, what I do have is a three-on-one pawn majority on my queen’s side. I’ll be taking advantage of that very, very soon.

1. Qxf3 O-O

I finally castled. The two of us continued shuffling our pieces, trading our queens in the center, exchanging our rooks as I pushed my queenside pawns forward.

31. Be2

Attacking my c pawn. Hmm… That’s fine. If he takes it with his bishop, I’ll just trade my own to capture that b pawn to create a passed pawn.

31. ...b3

“You’re so annoying,” he whispered. “This isn’t what you play like…”

“Hehe… Watch your clock, Ojii-sama. It’s getting pretty low.”

I have about eight minutes on my clock. He only has five. Suddenly, I have the advantage because of these two pawns that have made it so far up the board.

“Tsk… What else can I do, you annoying vixen?” He grumbled as he pulled his rook aside.

32. Rd2   Rc1

Time to keep pushing my pawns.

33. Bd1

...Doing basically nothing. He has no moves.

33. ...c3

Hehe… Let’s tickle that rook again, shall we? Well, you can just capture that with your pawn but then if you do…

34. bxc3

There we go. You fell for it.

34. ...b2

John’s eyes widened.

“How are we feeling?” I asked him. “That’s not a very good look for the world’s second-best player.”

“W-What did you say!?” He flabbergasted.

“Hehe… You’re not the only one who did their research,” I said. “Prince John XI. Elo rating of 2672. Most of your games playing as white began with e4. About 52%, actually. You also play d4 systems and have a fairly good win rate with the Queen’s Gambit Declined and the London System. Not bad but not great either. As black, you play all Sicilian lines but you most famously prefer the Najdorf.”

“What the hell!?”

“Oh. And by the way,” I chuckled. “Most of my wins against the Captain were played in the Queen’s Gambit. I wonder who fed you that information?”

“Y-You deceitful little—!”

“Calm yourself, Ojii-sama. Information is everything in war, hai?” I taunted him further. “A wise man once said: ‘All warfare is based on deception.’ Do you not agree?”

The prince ground his teeth. He was absolutely fuming. Hehe… Sun Tzu said it best: “If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.”

“Fine!”

35. Rxb2

“You’ve lost your queening chances!”

“True. But you’ve lost something so much more important,” I replied as I captured his now-unprotected bishop.

35. ...Rxd1

“Why y-you…!”

“And with that, I am up a piece. Well, in terms of points, I’m just up one since you grabbed two pawns for your bishop so you may have a chance to still draw this game.”

“You tricked me!”

“As you tricked Michel earlier,” I replied, referencing his tactic to lure Michel’s bishop away from protecting an important square. “As you said: ‘All that matters in battle is the results. How it is achieved is irrelevant.’ Hai?”

That final word from me made John sink back into his seat. His eyes wandered the board as he began wasting more and more time with each passing move. Eventually…

“I surrender…”

“Hmm? Nani?” I asked him, tormenting the already-beaten prince who had but a minute left on his clock. I still have four minutes on mine.

“...You win,” John said as he slumped up his chair like a worn-out rag. “I resign…”

“Very well,” I replied as I stood up. I offered my hand out to John who reluctantly and defeatedly accepted it.

“The winner is Amagi!” Announced the Captain who simply watched our entire match.

“Now then, Ojii-sama. What shall I do with my new servant?”

Chapter Text

Captain

“Now then, Ojii-sama. What shall I do with my new servant?” Amagi chuckled to herself while flashing a harmless smile at the prince who refused to meet her eyes. He uninterestedly sighed and banged his head on the table, knocking a few chess pieces off the board.

Well, that’s one good thing that came out of this afternoon.

5:21 PM. “...Then I’ll see you later, Captain?” Nimi said as her students began leaving the Academy grounds. She put her cute hands behind her back and waddled a bit like a cute German penguin waiting for my answer.

“Yes, Nimi,” I replied. “I think I’ll go pay a visit to the dorms tomorrow. I have something to discuss with you and the others, after all.”

“Hmm… It’s not about becoming secretaries again, is it?” She asked while pouting her lips and puffing up her face.

“Hmm… Are you opposed to the idea?” Eugen asked while cradling our daughter. “Nimi, if you hadn’t been the Captain’s first secretary, I don’t know if he would have become the man that he is today.”

Because of Eugen’s usual demeanor, I sometimes forget she could actually be as serious as she is right now. Even Amagi’s staring at her unusual display of straightforwardness.

“J-Ja, I suppose…” Nimi replied while trying to hide her reddened face from me. “S-Still, I like my job here at the Academy…”

“I see… And the others?” I asked. “Do Ayanami, Javelin, and Laffey feel the same?”

“I can’t speak for them so you might have to talk about it with them first, Herr Kapitan,” she replied. “Oh! Forgive me but today’s excitement made me forget about my lesson plan for tomorrow!”

5:26 PM. “...Your workday is over, Nimi.” I commented after checking my watch.

“Ja, true,” she replied. “Still, a teacher’s job doesn’t end when her students leave the classroom… I hope you can understand.”

I sighed before giving Nimi my permission to leave.

Oh, where has time gone? When I was new here, I’d speak to nobody else but Nimi. She’d introduce me to the new ships, instructing me about their historical significance and their battle record.

She’s my first friend here… I hope I can reconnect with her soon.

“It seems you want the new commanders to have the same experience as you eh, Liebling?” Eugen asked, snapping me out of my own thoughts.

“Y-Yes. You know, I took the early days of the war for granted,” I said. “Back when I had my colleagues… Back when I was only getting to know you all…”

“But it was those experiences that led you here,” Amagi commented. “Do you regret any of those?”

Do I regret anything? That’s a tough question to answer…

I stood there pondering Amagi’s question for a while…

WAAAH!!!

I chuckled as Eugen began hushing our baby as lovingly but vigorously as she could, trying to calm her down.

I turned to Amagi.

“Well… I have just one.”

“One?” She probed.

I nodded.

“And what might that be?”

“...I regret not having my friends here to spoil my daughter.”

5:41 PM. Only me, Amagi, and the four commanders remained at the school grounds. I told Eugen and the maids to go ahead without me for a bit since I still had to explain myself to the rookies. But first…

“Michel,” I called the commander from the Iron Blood. “You lost both your games against Prince John. You made horrible use of your time in both games: either playing too slowly or too quickly. Your play had absolutely not a single inkling of strategy in it. You won your match against Sam but lost again to Reine-himesama.”

As if in shame, Michel didn’t even meet my eyes.

“...But I am proud to say you passed the test, nonetheless.”

“Huh?” Michel’s eyes lit up. “Y-You mean?”

“Yes. You’re not going home yet,” I replied. Michel rocked his fist in celebration but immediately recomposed himself.

The other three began murmuring amongst themselves. “Reine-himesama.”

“Hai!” She immediately replied.

“...You won two out of three matches, losing only to John,” I said, reading her results. “You won by forcing draws and winning Armageddon by trying to force draws as Black… I can’t say that’s how I would have played but you made use of the rules I placed to win.”

The young lady looked at me expectantly but she only leaned forward while seated. From where I stood, she looked like a little girl wanting her father to praise her more while also trying to remain as silent as she could.

“...You show promise. Still, don’t get complacent: the battlefield won’t always have well-defined winning conditions,” I told her. “That said, you passed.”

The princess merely sighed as if a gigantic burden was raised from her shoulders.

“Sam.”

“Sir!” He replied as if I called him at a roll call.

“At ease,” I told him in surprise. The guy literally stood up, saluted me, and froze in place.

After Sam had taken his seat, I continued.

“I’m not impressed at your performance,” I told him bluntly. “You didn’t win any matches… You tried the same plan over and over again despite it failing you every single time.”

“I-I’ll try better next—”

“You’d better,” I replied. “You failed this test.”

Sam’s face froze.

“I-I failed?” He asked as if in denial. “Please… I’ll learn. I can learn, Captain! Please teach me…”

I smiled.

“...But you’re not going home yet, either,” I continued. “I will give you a second chance. Know this, however: this is the only chance you’ll ever be given.”

“Y-Yes! Thank you, Captain!” He said on the verge of tears before taking his seat.

That leaves…

“John,” I called him. “You won all your matches but lost against Amagi. You won your games by employing common traps and using your expansive knowledge of the game to your advantage. You even went the extra mile and tried to gain strategic advantage over your enemies by gaining information on their playing style beforehand and preparing for it.”

The prince smiled.

“...But you lost the game to Amagi because you took too long to realize your plan was no longer working,” I said bluntly. “Amagi offered you a win. I know you could have easily drawn the game against her, taken the win, and come out victorious. However, because of your pride, you refused the victory being handed to you—”

“You suggest I take a victory I didn’t deserve?” He protested.

“No. I suggest being practical,” I instantly replied. “There is no instance of any faction, or nation, that benefited from prolonged warfare.”

“The Art of War,” he replied. “I am well-aware of what you’re saying. Don’t quote Sun Tzu to me like Amagi.”

“Oh? So why didn’t you take the win?”

“And have Amagi complain that I only won by a draw ?” He scoffed.

“I’m here to prove I’m a competent commander. To that end, I should prove my intellectual capacity. How am I to do that if I just draw my opponent? Amagi put me in a no-win situation: if I take the win-by-drawing, I set myself up to being a laughingstock; if I refuse it, I risk losing the entire match. I simply took the choice that allows me to save face and possibly win at the same time.”

“Fair enough,” I replied. “That doesn’t change the fact that it took you almost the entire game to realize you’ve been had.”

“That’s far better than all the others who didn’t even realize I’ve won moves ahead,” he justified.

“That’s because you’re the far more experienced player,” I countered. “Against weaker players, yes. You can win without any problem. Maybe you can even win against Amagi under better circumstances. Still, that doesn’t change the fact that you were so arrogant and you were so confident that you can’t possibly lose against Amagi that you allowed the game to proceed in such a manner.”

“That’s—”

“Even now , you refuse to accept you were in the wrong,” I said conclusively. “So pack your bags, John! You’re going home tonight!”

“W-WHAT!?” The prince shouted. “You can’t do that! I won all the games! In what world is the winner the one getting sent packing!?”

“I don’t need an arrogant monarch who can’t admit they’re wrong in my base,” I said. “How can I teach you if you won’t even admit your mistakes?”

“Y-You… You only wanted me gone!”

“I gave all of you a chance,” I said. “I would have given you another, too. The problem is you’re too proud to even ask for that chance.”

“I don’t need your blasted chance! I. WON!”

That’s it! I’m going to call Liz to have her deport this little—

“Daisa-dono,” Amagi’s gentle and soft hands stopped mine from reaching my radio. “Onegai. Calm yourself. He is but a child.”

I raised my brow.

“Do you have a suggestion, Amagi-san?” I asked as my blood started to cool. This had better be good.

“I do,” she replied. “I made a deal with the Prince, hai?”

Where are you going with this?

“Please, leave the Prince to me,” she said. “Although I agree that the prince is a piece of trash that must be cleansed—”

“I’m RIGHT here!”

Amagi coughed a little…

“Don’t force yourself…” I told Amagi who wiped her lips with her silk handkerchief.

“Iie. I’m fine, Daisa,” she replied. “Anyway, back to what I was saying. I agree that Prince John is a piece of trash. However, I cannot deny that his mind is truly brilliant.”

“Brilliant, you say?” I asked.

“Hai. In fact, I’ve never seen a sharper intuition my entire life,” ...that’s high praise coming from you, Amagi. Does this little piece of shit even deserve it? “Now his behavior is… coarse but I believe if we can correct his spoiled ways, he’ll be a great asset to the navy.”

I glanced at the four commanders before replying.

“The point of this exam was to see if these four can learn from their mistakes,” I explained. “Michel has shown to me that he’s the most capable of them all when it comes to this. His games were each progressively better than the last, after all... Reine-himesama shows the intuition to adapt herself to the situation she finds herself in by finding the path of least resistance. Sam, although the least capable strategically, has shown to be humble enough to learn. But this…”

I stared at the piece of reeking garbage that happened to be the Queen of England’s favorite son.

“He’s beyond rotten,” I finished. “And the way he spoke to me just now just proved that he cannot learn from me.”

Amagi, using her usual serene tone, replied: “On the contrary, Daisa-dono, I’d argue that while Prince John failed to reassess himself, he’s more than capable of learning nonetheless.”

“...And what’s your basis for saying that?” I asked.

“The game we played,” Amagi said. “I’m positive that Prince John was within preparation for about forty percent of the moves. Am I correct in saying so, Ojii-sama?”

“...You can think what you want,” this little shit!

“...I’ll take that as a yes then,” Amagi continued, trying her hardest to stop her left eyebrow from twitching. She’s pissed off. “The Prince has shown that he has the initiative to learn even before being prompted to do so. He researched my playstyle even without knowing if we’ll even play chess together. For all we know, he could have also asked around the Sakura Empire dorms for my shogi strategies.”

John’s eyes lit up, implying that yes, he did ask around.

“See? The Prince has shown that he is the most interested  to learn among these four. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that he’s the most resourceful out of them as well,” Amagi said, vouching for the Prince. “As for who’ll discipline him… Please leave that to me, Daisa-dono.”

“Can you handle him?” I asked Amagi. “Your hands will be full with what I have in mind in the future… Oh! And you have Galatea to look after, too… Plus there’s the issue with your health…”

“Please, Daisa,” Amagi persuaded. “I can handle it… Yakusoku da.”

This woman… Sigh… How can I refuse if she says it like that?

“Very well,” I said, giving into Amagi’s reasoning.

I hope she doesn’t regret this… No… I hope I don’t regret this… I still have to think about what Bismarck told me earlier, after all...

Amagi

“That was a wonderful game, Onee-sama!” Akagi praised me as she and Kaga accompanied me on the way home. “That new commander didn’t even stand a chance. I knew none of them could ever be as good as the Captain!”

“I believe Daisa-dono was mistaken in keeping him here,” Kaga added. “...In fact, none of them seem capable of doing anything…”

“Akagi… Do you know why I vouched for the prince?” I asked her as we passed the Administration Building. I could see the Captain speaking with Heinrich and Peter Strasser off at the entrance to the Administration Building… Hmm…

Ever since those new Iron Blood girls arrived, he’s been sending them off patrolling the surrounding waters. I wonder what came up?

“Onee-sama?” Kaga interrupted my thoughts.

“Eh?”

“You were asking us if we knew why you vouched for that pompous windbag,” Kaga said.

“Ah! Sumimasen… I was...distracted. Anyway, I see potential in the prince,” I reasoned, tearing my eyes away from the Captain’s residence. “I’m willing to bet that if he could be polished, he might turn out to be a fine commander for us all.”

“And that would benefit the Sakura Empire,” Kaga probed. “...In what way?”

“Kaga’s right, Onee-sama,” Akagi added. “If you take the young prince under your wing, that may only strengthen the Royal Navy.”

These are valid concerns. I therefore allowed the two of them to continue speaking their minds until we reached our residence.

“Wouldn’t it be more beneficial for us if you asked Daisa-dono to train Reine-himesama personally instead?” Akagi asked. “...And there’s still that lady she came with.”

“Nagato-sama won’t tell us who she is,” Kaga said. “All she does is sleep in her room… What’s the deal with her anyway?”

“I don’t know…” I replied. Nagato-sama won’t tell me anything about that white-haired aloof lady that came as an escort to Reine-himesama. Not even the Captain knows who she is but Nagato-sama took full custody of her when she arrived.

I feel like we should already know who she is…

“Anyway, staying on topic,” I backtracked. “You are both correct. Aiding our princess is definitely advantageous for us. However, wouldn’t it be more advantageous if we gained the Commander of the Royal Navy’s favor, too?”

“Do we really need it?” Asked Kaga. “He’ll get thrown out of the base soon enough anyway.”

“Patience, my sisters,” I said. “A seed doesn’t blossom into a flower overnight. I believe forging bonds with the other factions is imperative for the success of our own in the future.”

“So that’s why you’ll help him along?” Kaga asked. “What a roundabout way of dealing with him…”

I chuckled.

“Kaga… You must understand this very simple truth: to win a hundred battles is not the acme of skill,” I said.

“I… I don’t understand, Onee-sama,” she mumbled as we stopped in the garden.

I smiled and strolled towards the bridge. The two of them exchanged glances before following me.

“Observe, my sisters,” I said, pointing at a set of granite boulders directly below us. “Humor me for a minute.”

Both Kaga and Akagi looked downwards at the boulders I pointed my finger at.

“Do you know why the water stream doesn’t end here where the rocks impede the water?” I asked.

Kaga raised her brow.

“The water goes in between the rocks,” she replied. “That’s common sense, Onee-sama.”

“Hai. Now suppose the water just refused to go around the rocks,” I asked. “Do you think it could still pass?”

“Iie. The steam ends right here if that were the case,” Akagi replied.

“Very true,” I smiled. “If the water suddenly becomes stubborn and rigid, it will find no greater adversary than itself; it will fail to pass the rocks because of that very rigidity it imposes upon itself.”

The two of them nodded.

“Just like water, the true sign of a wise leader is not in their ability to fight battles: but rather in their ability to win battles without even firing a single shot,” I explained. “The water stream continues because it doesn’t try to force its way through the boulders. So then, must we too, when dealing with our enemies. That is, we must be capable of subduing our enemies—conquering them, without fighting.”

The two of them continued observing the pond for a bit.

“Do you two understand? You are the future of our Sakura Empire,” I continued. “Warmongering is not the path forward. Our path forward is in diplomacy and in cooperation… Just as Daisa-dono taught us one year ago.”

“I understand,” Akagi replied. Kaga, meanwhile, simply remained silent. She sighed and pulled her katana from its sheath.

SLASH… SLASH SLASH!

“...I can cut a path forward with my blade.”

Kaga concluded as she put her sword back in its scabbard. The rocks I referred to earlier, on the other hand, were reduced to tiny pebbles that washed away amidst the torrents.

“There is still merit in growing our strength, Onee-sama,” Kaga argued.

“I understand your sentiment… You see things the way Daisa-dono sees it. But please, keep in mind: it was the Royal Navy and the Union’s combined might that hampered our progress in the previous war. While we are at an agreement that they are useful to us for now, that may change very soon after the Sirens are gone.”

I nodded. Kaga presents a valid point, after all. Who knows? Will we go back to being enemies after the war? Or will we remain united under one banner?

“So I hope your emotions don’t blind you from this truth, Onee-sama,” Kaga finished. “Your admiration of the Captain may be blinding you to what is truly beneficial for our faction… I hope you reconsider. Konbanwa.”

Keeping what Kaga said earlier in mind, I made my way to my room.

Is it really possible that my opinion on the Captain is affecting my decisions?

...No. I cannot allow this… It is unacceptable. I must recompose myself.

Clearing my thoughts, I opened the door to my room and found a young lady laying on her belly on the floor.

“Konbanwa, Galatea-san,” I said. “Am I allowed to call you that?”

No response.

“Hmm… I suppose you’re wondering why you’re here,” I said as I knelt next to her. “But, you know—”

COUGH COUGH

...That wasn’t me?

“A-Are you alright?” I asked in a panic. I-It’s the first time I heard someone wheezing like this…

The little girl started sweating profusely. N-Nani!?

“You’re blazing hot!” I exclaimed. Not knowing what to do, I briskly made my way to my cabinet and pulled the second drawer from the top. I snatched my medicine bottle from there and quickly retrieved a cup of water for the girl.

“Drink it please!” I said as I popped a single capsule into Galatea’s mouth. The girl, wanting nothing more than relief from her condition, did not protest and accepted the medicine. She took the cup from my sweaty left hand and ingested the medicine.

“Breathe… Breathe…” I told her as I hoped that the medication Vestal gave me would have the same effect on her… Oh! Baka… She’s human! The same medicine wouldn’t—

WHEEZE… WHEEZE… SIGH…

H-Huh? I turned to see the young lady falling fast asleep. Still sweating bullets, I decided to bring her to Akashi tomorrow morning as I tucked her into my futon.

...Why did my medication work on her? I-I should probably drink one, too now that my heart’s racing faster than it’s ever had to in a while…

I should probably discuss this with Nagato-sama.

“Hmm… So such a thing exists?” Who could be with Nagato-sama at this hour of the night?

“Hai… Hasn’t the Captain informed you yet?” The voice slowly asked. “...I suppose he may not know about it himself…”

“Are you certain?” Nagato-sama asked. “That the Iron Blood has created such weapons?”

“Not just the Iron Blood…”

“Not just them?” Nagato-sama probed. “Then you mean the Royal Navy may know about these new weapons, too?”

“...Weapons that resonate with the soul…” I recognize this voice now… It’s the woman that came with Reine-himesama. “Hai… The stronger the emotion… The stronger the power… The stronger the passion… The stronger the—”

Hmm? She suddenly stopped speaking…

“...We are being watched…”

“Nandato?” H-How did she—!? “I thought I told Kawakaze to NOT let anyone in? Who dares intrude on my chambers!?”

“Oh…?”

“What is it?” Nagato-sama asked her guest. I should probably go…

“...This one has determined that our eavesdropper is an ally,” she said. “Am I… wrong? Amagi...san?”

“You should be resting now, Amagi,” Nagato-sama reprimanded me while waving her tails in fury. “Today’s activities must have surely exhausted you.”

“...Hai, Nagato-sama.”

How could she tell it was me? Could she see through walls? No… That doesn’t explain why this woman could tell Nagato-sama information that even the Captain doesn’t know yet. Perhaps she has a network of spies in the Iron Blood or the Royal Navy. Hmm… If this is the case, this woman may be part of the intelligence agency Tenno Heika spoke to us before… Or maybe she’s—

“...This one means no harm, Amagi-san,” she said. “...You must be wondering who I am. This one is an ally, I assure you…”

So she’s a citizen of the Sakura Empire, at the very least? That narrows down her family to a few dozen… I could ask Akagi to perform a background check on her later… The Captain should probably know about her existence, too.

“But it’s not like you to be snooping around like a child,” she continued while caressing her chin. Her guest seems to have fallen asleep, on the other hand. “What is it that you had to come to me instead of Mikasa?”

“Am I permitted to speak, Nagato-sama?” I asked.

“Hai. Dozo.”

I carefully picked my words before speaking. Nagato-sama’s wrath is not to be trifled with, after all…

This woman’s identity can wait. The child’s health must come first.

“The young lady I volunteered to watch,” I began. “Nagato-sama… She’s experiencing severe fevers, coughing spells, and wheezing.”

“Sou ka. And why should this warrant my attention?” She asked. “A human child you volunteered to watch is your sole responsibility, Amagi. I thought you understood that.”

I nodded.

“Then what’s the problem?”

“Nagato-sama… The medication Vestal-dono and Akashi gave me,” I said. “They worked on Galatea-san, too.”

The head of our faction’s eyes widened.

“That shouldn’t be possible,” she replied. “Those pills were designed specifically for you. Even if another shipgirl took those pills, they wouldn’t have been affected let alone if a human took them.”

I allowed Nagato-sama to think on her own for a bit.

“...Is there a chance that Daisa-dono already knows about this?” She asked.

“There is a possibility Bismarck and Hood may have spoken to him about it,” I replied.

“Shikataganai ne… You will cooperate with Daisa-dono and keep a close watch on this young one,” she decreed. “This may be what we need to find a cure for you…”

...That would be nice but…

“What do you think?” She turned to her visitor who seemed to have risen from her shallow slumber. “Do you have anything for us on this?”

The white-haired lady went completely silent as she closed her eyes and assumed a praying position… She wore a white and blue kimono that revealed just enough of her supple and large breasts. She wore a silver hood over her head, covering her from the forehead above. All I could see under the hood was that she had white hair and royal blue eyes… Aside from that, I couldn’t say anything more.

“...Sumimasen…” She replied. “This one… cannot say anything… more…”

Wait… Nagato-sama just asked her like that? There’s no way she would have had information on this so why would Nagato-sama ask her in the first place? No… This woman is no ordinary lady.

...Is she even human, then?

“Sou ka…” Nagato-sama replied with a disappointed voice.

“Nagato-sama?” I called her attention. She turned to face me as her ears began twitching with an alerted tempo. “If I may… Could I ask who she is?”

Nagato-sama raised her brow.

“Our guest’s identity is information I cannot reveal to anyone as per Tenno Heika’s orders,” she declared. “Not even Daisa-dono is permitted to know.”

“...It is… alright, Nagato-sama,” she mumbled with her half-asleep voice. “...This one… already knows… Amagi-san…”

“...Gomen but… I don’t think we’ve ever met?” Confused, I tilted my head trying to inspect the lady in a white and blue kimono.

“Hai… But I’ve met others like you…” She replied as she raised her fair, slender arms. She touched her hood and gently tapped it, shedding the white cloak I didn’t even notice she was wearing earlier. Upon removing her veil, I could now clearly see it: she’s like me, Nagato-sama, and my sisters. Yes… She has fox ears the same color as her hair that twitched around slowly. Her tails—all nine of them, began appearing one by one as she opened her eyes.

“I am called Shinano, an aircraft carrier of the Sakura Empire. I was to stand beside Yamato during that war, yet in the end… Alas, there is impermanence in all things, and nothing became of this one’s life,” she introduced herself.

“...I am sure… you know how that feels, ne? Amagi-san…”

Roon

“I’m happy to see you.”

“...That is why we are deciding to keep this a secret from—Roon!”

...I’ve never had anyone tell me that before. Not even the Captain...

“Roon!” Bismarck boomed as she slammed her table again. “Are you listening!?”

“Es tut mir Leid,” I replied as I snapped myself back to reality. “What were you saying, Bismarck?”

Bismarck palmed her forehead while letting out an exasperated sigh.

“I’ve been talking for a good five minutes,” she said with a dead-serious tone. “I would appreciate it if you paid attention.”

“J-Ja. I will,” I wonder what he’s doing now? The Captain must have chewed him out for performing terribly earlier… That Prince John is something else but I doubt he’s a match for the Captain.

...And what the heck does that stare during his game mean?

“ROON!”

“Read this,” Bismarck unfolded an envelope containing plans or blueprints of some sort… Hmm. I think Michel told me about these plans before…

“I think I’ve seen them before,” I replied. “Back at Hamburg after our raid there. Why are you showing me these now?”

Bismarck sat back down on her office chair and put her hands together on her table.

“...A few days earlier, Michel and the other engineers at the Fatherland had finally finished the first few sets of the Muse System,” she said with a hush in her voice.

“Already?” I asked. “How many units?”

“Right now, we have only four,” Bismarck replied. “They’re planning on mass producing them later if the initial results are satisfactory.”

I see… With these weapons, we might be able to finally match the Sirens one-on-one. Theoretically, even Arbiter classes wouldn’t be an issue anymore with these things on our side. That is if sufficient combat data could be retrieved on them for fine-tuning and mass production.

...Michel’s words; not mine.

That said, who could Bismarck have in mind to test these things out?

“So? Who are the unlucky guinea pigs?” I asked hoping Bismarck wouldn’t—

“You’re one of them.”

“...Come again?”

“Hood and I intend to keep this a secret from the Captain for now,” she explained. “We can’t hand him such an unpolished and experimental piece of equipment yet since we’ve only completed the preliminary checks.”

“So you and your girlfriend thought I should be the sacrificial pawn?” I asked, much to Bismarck’s annoyance. “Bismarck. I don’t think I’m the best candidate for this.”

“You won’t be the only candidate,” she replied with a scoff. “Sheffield already agreed. I’ll be asking Hipper tomorrow about this, too. We'll be looking for more candidates soon.”

“Wait. Why is Sheffield one of the candidates?” According to Michel, the Muse System’s power scales directly with its user’s emotions. Sheffield doesn’t look like the most emotive girl out there, now is she?

“We need data,” Bismarck reasoned. “That means testing the units’ upper and lower bounds.”

“So what you’re saying is you want to see the lowest possible output from Sheffield,” I clarified. “And higher outputs from either me or Hipper?”

“Hipper is the middle ground,” Bismarck answered. “You, Roon. We’re expecting the most from you.”

...Me?

“So do you agree?” Bismarck asked. “You should know that these attachments are permanent. Although you can switch freely between your base weaponry and the weapons that come with the Muse System, there won’t be any turning back. You can’t remove it once it’s been incorporated into your rigging.”

In other words, if I fail, my performance will plummet.

“This is not something I expect you to—”

“Nein.” I flatly said. “I refuse.”

“What?”

“Nein Bismarck. I refuse.”

With that, I got up and took my leave, slamming the door behind me.

...My only use is out on the battlefield. I can’t do anything better than fighting. How will I be of any use if I risk that , too?

How can I continue being of use to me?

...To him?

Chapter Text

Amagi

“I am called Shinano, an aircraft carrier of the Sakura Empire.”

Nagato-sama’s guest referred to herself. She’s the legendary Shinano, rumored to be the most powerful carrier that existed… And yet I’ve never even heard about her being constructed recently.

Why is she being kept secret from everyone? From me? ...and even the Captain?

Surely, her abilities would be a huge help towards our war efforts against the Sirens and yet...

I wonder what the Emperor is planning. Hmm… was he perhaps displeased with the Captain taking so long developing Ibuki and Izumo that he went ahead and had Shinano constructed without our knowledge? If this was the case, was he displeased with our faction’s efforts, too?

What did I expect? This is the man who had his own daughter bear the responsibility of possibly leading his navy against the mysterious Sirens. Reine-himesama is not even old enough to drink yet… That’s the sort of person our emperor is.

Tsk. With everything going on, this is no time for blind nationalism. I thought last year’s event already taught us that lesson and yet that old man still…!

...

No… Stop right there, Amagi. He’s your emperor. Nagato-sama trusts his judgment and so must I. For the sake of our faction and for your sisters, broaden your understanding.

On that note… There’s still the matter of that young girl in my room.

How could the Sirens involve a child in their war? I knew they were savages but this… I don’t think even the evilest mononoke would ever do such a thing.

I didn’t even notice myself reaching my room as I forcibly stopped myself from entertaining more stressful thinking. I pulled the sliding door to my room slowly to not rouse the sleeping girl.

Enough thoughts for tonight, Amagi…

I made my way to my bedroom which was left open. I approached the closet and brought out another futon. I set it beside my other futon and prepared to rest but…

“Hmm… Someone’s awake,” I said as I saw my reflection on an eyeball peeking from under the futon. “Are you having trouble sleeping, Galatea-chan?”

No response. Not that I expected her to reply…

“Hmm… Shall I tell you a story then?” I asked.

The silent girl’s singular peeking eyeball began glistening from under the futon. I could see the sheets getting damper and damper as tears continued streaming from her eyes. Suddenly, she was no longer silent: she had come out of her futon, bawling her eyes out.

...Her father must have read a lot of stories to her, I see.

I took Galatea into my arms and caressed her hair. I must get her to rest, at least… It is detrimental for one’s health to stay up so late.

I breathed in and out, preparing and relaxing my throat and diaphragm as I continued patting the little girl’s head in my arms.

She must be missing her father but that is how life goes… In that case...

I opened my lips and began:

“Maware maware maware… mizu kuruma maware
Mawatte ohi-san yonde koi
Mawatte ohi-san yonde koi
Tori, mushi, kemono, kusa, ki, hana
Haru natsu aki fuyu tsurete koi
Haru natsu aki fuyu tsurete koi”

Hmm… she seemed to have calmed down. Very well… I’ll continue singing.

“Maware maware maware… mizu kuruma maware
Mawatte ohi-san yonde koi
Mawatte ohi-san yonde koi
Tori, mushi, kemono, kusa, ki, hana
Saite minotte chittatote
Umarete sodatta shin datote
Kaze ga fuki ame ga furi mizu kuruma mawari
Tenguri inochi ga yomigaeru
Tenguri inochi ga yomigaeru...”

Galatea, tired from all the crying she’s been doing, dropped her head like hanging clothes on my arms. What a beautiful young girl… Why would fate pull such a terrible prank on you like this? You haven’t done anything to deserve this…

No… There are others just like you out there; the difference is that I’m not there to comfort them all. None of you deserve this; that’s why we must end this war as soon as possible.

...And I believe the Captain is right. We cannot continue acting divisively like the Emperor…

I’ve decided. Nagato-sama, please forgive me for what I will do tomorrow...

“Ohayo-gozaimasu, Galatea-chan,” I greeted the young lady who was currently rubbing her eyeballs as she sat up from my futon. Upon seeing me, she looked around.

“...H-Hello,” she squeaked while fidgeting with her pretty brown hair. “Sorry…”

I caressed her oval-shaped face and observed her lilac eyes.

What a pretty young girl…

We ended up sleeping in the same futon after I fell asleep watching her last night… Sigh… Is this how Lady Eugen feels when she spends her nights sleepless to watch her daughter? To think she does this and more almost every night… She’s won more of my respect.

GROAN...

“Hehe… Would you like anything for breakfast?” I asked her while chuckling to myself.

“Nein…” She replied as she curled up into the futon once more. She turned her back to me as she continued mumbling something under her breath gloomily.

“Is there anything you’d like?” I asked her again.

“Nein… Danke,” she said.

“I see…” I replied as I got up from the futon. What time is it? Hmm… Judging from the light level, the sun hasn’t even risen yet.

“Why are you trying?” Galatea asked as she hid under the futon. “...Please just leave me alone. I want to be with Papa…”

Wallowing in your grief won’t do… Waddling towards the drawer, I wondered what to do… Ah!

I pulled the lowermost drawer, revealing several sheets of square colored paper of the same size. I snatched two sheets—one colored red and the other colored pink, before turning towards the table outside my bedroom. I crawled there and turned on the lights before closing the sliding door leading to my bedroom. Or rather, before I left just a gap in the door to allow Galatea to peek.

“Hmm… I suppose I should get started. My wish won’t get itself granted if I don’t continue, after all,” I said with a moderately loud voice in order to let myself be heard by the child who was feigning sleep in my futon.

I carefully but deftly folded the red colored paper diagonally twice, creating an “X” shape separating the entire sheet into four parts.

I could hear a slight creaking on the sliding door… Hehe… Someone’s curious.

“Hmm now to fold it again…” I flipped the paper, making sure the pure white side faced me, and folded the red paper with an “X” on it lengthwise and then crosswise. Now the paper looks like it had a plus and an “X” symbol on it.

I turned to see a pair of eyes in the darkness of my bedroom spying on me.

“Would you like to fold some origami with me?”

Galatea made herself comfortable next to me as she reluctantly agreed to do some origami with me.

“...You said your wish won’t be granted if you don’t continue,” she shyly said, referring to what I said earlier. “What do you mean by that?”

I smiled warmly at the grieving young girl as I took her hands. She observed my face as I handed her the pink-colored paper.

“Do you believe in kami-sama , Galatea-chan?” I asked.

The young girl scratched her head as she put the pink paper down.

“Oh… Hmm, how do I put this,” I wondered to myself as there is really no easy way to explain what a kami is…

“...Hmm do you believe in good spirits? Divine spirits or maybe even gods?” I asked, trying to approximate the concept of a kami to its closest Western equivalent.

“Uh… No,” she replied quietly. “I don’t think so…”

“Hmm? Why not?” I asked.

“...Gods are supposed to protect good people, right?” She asked. “Papa was good… Despite what people say he did… What Frau Bismarck said he did… He was so good to me… And yet…”

Tears started streaming down her cheeks as her face began turning red. I took my white handkerchief and caressed her soft cheeks with it, wiping the tears away gently.

“Shh…” I whispered as I took the mourning youth into my arms. “There there… You can let it all out…”

“Will they grant my wish?” She asked while sobbing profusely. “Will the kami grant my one wish?”

I gently ran my hand through her hair in an attempt to console her.

“Would you like to try?” I answered her question with my own question. Whether they do or not is not the point. It’s whether you can move forward or not— that is what’s important.

After Galatea calmed down, I continued work on the paper I folded earlier. Where was I… Oh yes, yes.

I turned the white side of the colored paper to me.

“Did you see what I did earlier?” I asked her. “If you didn’t, I’d be happy to repeat for you.”

Galatea nodded her head.

“I saw. Danke…”

“Very well,” I said. “After the previous steps, here’s what you do. Observe.”

I turned the square colored paper towards me such that one corner pointed at me, making sure that the white side was turned up. I took the two opposite corners and brought them in to meet the one corner pointed at me. After that, I took the hanging corner and folded it down, making a smaller square than the one I had earlier.

“You take these two corners and fold them on top of the one pointed at you,” I instructed her as I saw her finish folding her own pink paper with a cross and a plus sign. She quickly caught up and finished folding.

“Good, good… Here’s what you do next,” I said, moving on to the next step. While speaking, I continued working on my paper crane to demonstrate. “With the flap corners still facing us, we’re going to fold the top right-hand corner and the top left-hand corner of our square and fold them inward—towards the centerfold.”

I waited for Galatea to finish.

“Good. Now take the uppermost corner and fold it down like this,” I said while demonstrating the act.

Galatea followed.

“Look at this,” I said while chuckling. “What does this look like?”

“Uhh…” Galatea looked back and forth between her folded paper and mine as I allowed the paper to slowly unfold back into a small diamond. I took the top flap and opened began playing with it while making the sound:

“KERO KERO!” I said while giggling. “KERO KERO!”

“Uh… A kero?” She guessed.

“Hehe… Maybe this will be more familiar,” I said, remembering that “kero-kero” is not how frogs sound to Western people. “RIBBIT! RIBBIT!”

“Ah!”

For the first time, I saw a smile on Galatea’s face as she laughed at my frog impression. She began snorting like a pig as she tried holding back her cute laugh. Try as she might though, she had already turned red out of laughing.

...If my completely unfunny and terrible frog impression could make her laugh, how long has it been since she last smiled?

“...And that’s how you make it,” I said after the two of us finished making our orizuru .

“What… What is it? It looks like a goose?” Galatea asked with genuine curiosity in her voice.

“It’s an origami paper crane,” I replied with a smile on my lips. “In Japanese, we refer to this as orizuru which literally means ‘folded crane’.”

“Ah… But does this mean my wish is going to come true?” She asked with a childish grin on her face.

I shook my head.

“Haha… Not quite,” I replied. “Not yet, at least.”

“B-But you said…!”

I stood up and retrieved a pack of colored paper from the drawer earlier. I returned to Galatea as swiftly as I could to not keep her waiting.

“Legend has it, Galatea-chan,” I explained. “That if you can fold one thousand paper cranes like these we made today and string them together, the kami will grant you one wish.”

“O-One thousand!?” She yelled. Haha… As expected from a child. “That’s… That’s too many… It’s impossible...”

“If it is a wish your heart truly desires,” I replied while holding her hands firmly in mine. “Then there is no such thing as ‘impossible'.”

Galatea’s eyes sank as her shoulders dropped.

“Do you love your father?” I asked her.

“J-Ja!”

As expected, she must think the kami will give her father back to her… No. That is not what she needs. People are born, grow up, and die. It’s just the way things are and the gods won’t violate that natural order—not even after you’ve folded a thousand paper cranes.

However, if I can teach this little girl that her wish can change, then I suppose it’s still worth the endeavor.

“I know your father must have loved you too,” I said. “So if there’s a wish your heart desires, why not take a chance? Your father must want your wish—your heart’s true wish, granted. Kitto.”

Galatea immediately perked up as life returned to her beautiful lilac eyes.

“D-Do you think so?”

I nodded.

“Hai. But before you get back to your origami,” I said. “We must have breakfast first. I need to take you with me somewhere, after all.”

After finishing the meal I asked Akagi to cook for me and Galatea, the two of us left the dorms and headed to the repair docks where a particular money-driven cat might be of help. As for Akagi, well… She’s off with Kaga on a scheduled commission trip later today.

“W-What are those!?” Galatea asked as plump, yellow birds no taller than half my knee-height ran frantically around carrying who-knows-what in boxes that should be heavier than them.

“Those are manjuus,” I replied. “They help Akashi and Yuubari with their research here at the docks. Sometimes, they help around Akashi and Shiranui’s shop, too.”

Galatea ran towards one and began squeezing the life out of its cheeks in amusement.

GWAK!

The manjuu she harassed started squawking in pain as it slapped her hand off its cheek. Galatea was surprised—but the child merely laughed it off as the manjuu picked the box it dropped back up and went on with its day.

Haha… such a cute sight. You’ve been through much and yet you can still smile. Don’t ever lose that… And I wish I could be of help to you. This is all I can offer you, after all…

CLANG! CLANG!

“What’s going on here?” I asked a certain light cruiser who was wearing a lime green kimono. She had black and grey hair and stood no taller than my chest-height. “Yuubari?”

“Hmm? Oh. It’s you Amagi-san,” she said as she recognized me with her crimson eyes. She turned to find Galatea playing with one of the displayed torpedoes. “Those are blanks but I’d appreciate it if you didn’t touch them, please…”

“E-Es tut mir Leid!” Galatea apologized as she returned the model torpedo back to its mounting stand on a glass table.

“German? Ah. You’re the kid Bismarck-san brought here with her. So what brings you two here today?” Yuubari asked. “Master didn’t say you were coming…”

“I’m here on a personal visit,” I replied as Galatea hid behind me. Hmm… Funny. She and Yuubari are close in height with Yuubari being barely a few centimeters taller than her. “Please, say hello to my companion.”

I turned to the shy young girl.

“Go on. Don’t be shy.”

The girl hiding behind me slowly crept from under one of my tails as Yuubari smiled at her.

“Konnichiwa. I am Yuubari, Sakura Empire Yuubari-class light cruiser—is what I’d usually say but you’re not really interested in my introduction, are you?” She joked. “If you’d like to look around my workshop more, feel free to do so! Hehe… But please don’t break anything. They’re all prototypes, after all.”

Yuubari extended her hand to Galatea as a friendly gesture. The shy young girl tried to extend hers in response but… Ah well. It was a good try.

She pulled her hand back and continued hiding under my tails.

“Gomen, Yuubari-chan,” I apologized on Galatea’s behalf. “I’m sure our shoujo didn’t mean anything rude.”

“No offense taken,” Yuubari replied. “Want a tour of the place?”

Quietly, Galatea nodded after glancing back and forth between me and Yuubari. In response, the light cruiser took the girl in my care and began explaining how Type 93 torpedoes worked, why they were so revolutionary during the past war, and why they were developed. Something about their propulsion systems allows the torps to travel farther.

Good job, Yuubari.

“Akashi?” I said as I entered Akashi’s workshop which was deeper into the shop she owned with Shiranui than Yuubari’s workshop.

CLANG! CLANG!

So this was where that annoying banging was coming from…

Akashi appeared to be working on what appears to be a raygun… A beam?

Shimatta!

“A-Amagi-san! Nya! Watch out!” The beam darted towards me but, luckily, it missed me very narrowly. It went over my head as I hurriedly ducked.

“...I see your careless safety procedures haven’t changed,” I reprimanded the catgirl with green ears and hair in front of me. Akashi apologetically turned the Siren beam off and pushed a button on a control panel on the table where it was being held. After a few mechanical noises, some whirring and grinding, a hole that swallowed the Siren beam opened from under the table.

“Nya… S-Sumimasen, Amagi-san,” she apologized again. “Please knock next time…”

I raised my brow.

“The last time you and Yuubari were fiddling with that thing, we got Graffy-chan,” I reprimanded her. “Lock the door next time. Daisa-dono spares no expense in making sure you have the latest and safest equipment for your research. I suggest putting those funds to good use. Get a good lock on the door, alright?”

“N-Nyai…” Akashi replied. “S-So what can I do for you? Here for a new dress, maybe?”

...And as soon as I finish scolding her, she’s back to scam me. Luckily, I’m not as easily swayed as the Captain. That poor man’s wallet… I wonder how much Akashi ripped him off with the promise rings he bought for his wedding with Lady Eugen?

“Hmm… Maybe next time,” I replied.

COUGH COUGH…

Ah…

“Nya-amagi-san?” Akashi easily caught me with her face as she was exactly half my height… I can’t say she was very comfortable breaking my fall, though… “Have you taken your medication today?”

Akashi swiftly got out from under me and ran towards her medicine box. She snatched a transparent bottle no bigger than her palms and popped a single pill from it.

“Please drink!”

I couldn’t even reply… My chest felt like it was on fire and my entire body felt like it was being crushed by an immense weight. My back and legs trembled as if they were being shaken by the earth itself; I am reminded yet again of my grim history...

GULP

Vestal and Akashi synthesized this medicine for me and me only…

After taking the pill, the chest pains and my body weakness began to wane. In exchange, I felt extremely drowsy… So much that Akashi had to get a chair from Shiranui’s shop to help me.

“Arigatou…” I told Akashi as soon as I was able to. Akashi made sure I was sitting comfortably on one of the chairs she and Shiranui were selling for the dorms. “I ruined your ware’s value by sitting on it… Gomennasai…”

“D-Don’t be ridiculous!”

“Hai. It’s just a chair,” Shiranui added, her blank and dark stare unchanging. “Amagi-san please don’t overexert yourself so early in the morning. Anyway, don’t worry about the chair.”

“Hai, Amagi-san! Moreover, nyou can buy the chair for 10% off now!” ...Really not missing a beat, are you, Akashi?

“...You really are the worst,” Shiranui told Akashi bluntly. “You’d sell coffins if they made you more gems.”

“Nyat’s a good idea!”

“I was joking.”

“Hey, that’s enough, you two!” Yuubari said as she came in with Galatea.

“Are you ok?” Asked Galatea. She held my right hand with her cold ones and immersed her eyes into my own. Teary-eyed, she tried keeping her head held high in an attempt to not let herself be seen sobbing.

“Don’t worry about me… I’m fine.” I reassured her. “Have you met Akashi and Shiranui?”

Galatea, still on the verge of tears, hid behind me once more. Still, she nodded her head furiously behind my tails.

“I see… Well, Akashi,” I turned to the greedy cat. “I came here with this young one because I need to inform you about something…”

“Something? I wonder what nyat would be?” She asked.

“Hmm…” I doubt this young one would be ready to hear it…

“Hey. Galatea-chan,” Shiranui, upon noticing my dilemma, appeared beside the disturbed girl. “Want to play?”

“P-Play?”

“Hai. Do you know kagome kagome ?” She asked.

“Er… No, not really,” she replied.

“I see. I’ll teach you. Come with me, alright?” Shiranui grabbed the little girl’s right hand and dragged her along. Reluctantly, Galatea followed.

I wonder who’s going to play with them… That game needs at least five people, I think? Anyway, Shiranui has my thanks.

“I’ll go back to my workshop,” Yuubari said before leaving Akashi’s lab.

“So what was nyat about?” Akashi asked as she reorganized the medicine box at the far right corner of the lab.

“You and Vestal made the medicine I’m taking, hai?” I asked.

“Hai. Nyat is right,” she replied as she continued.

“...How did you make it?”

“Hmm? By analyzing your wisdom cube nya~” She replied. “I think we explained this to you before, nya?”

“In other words,” I probed. “No one else should be affected by my pills.”

“Nyat would be correct!”

“...Not even humans?” I asked.

“Hehe… Hai!” Akashi replied happily. “Humans don’t even have wisdom cubes, Amagi-nyan!”

“Then how come Galatea-chan, who is experiencing the same symptoms I am experiencing,” I continued. “Was affected by the medicine that was only supposed to work for me?”

“Nya? Nyani!?”

Akashi fell off her chair…

“Nyani!? That little girl… She’s not only experiencing the same symptoms, the medicine you’re drinking worked for her?”

“That’s right,” I replied. “Any ideas why this would be?”

Akashi paced back and forth before me for a few minutes with a visible scrunched forehead.

“Nyo idea… For that to be possible, she would need to have a wisdom cube first,” Akashi rationalized. “And humans have no such thing…”

Hmm… That’s true unless… Wait.

“Akashi, is there a way for us to detect if a human has a wisdom cube?” I asked.

“Nya? Nyaze?”

“I want to confirm something,” I replied. “So, is there a way?”

“Nya… Hai. The same way we check your wisdom cube,” she replied. “That would be the only way.”

The same way they check mine? They mean…

“...By deconstructing her body!”

“Iie!”

There’s no way I’ll allow such a thing! For ships, that’s not a problem since we can project the ship version of ourselves. It can then be deconstructed and analyzed in our place but a human has no such thing!

“Eh? What do you mean no?” Akashi flabbergasted. “Nyat’s the only way to check a person’s wisdom cube!”

“For all we know, she might not have one!” I retorted. “I’m not risking that child’s life!”

“T-Then what do you suggest, Amagi-san?”

“Didn’t you and Vestal find out which ship Amy-chan represented?” I asked, referring to the time they were able to tell that Amy-chan was going to be the embodiment of the German frigate Bremen. “Can’t you do the same?”

“Iie… Nyat was only possible because the baby in Eugen-san’s belly then was still undeveloped,” she reasoned. “...Her wisdom cube formed first. That is why we could take a look normally with just an ultrasound… Galatea-chan is nyot a fetus anymore… She’s fully formed like us. So to check her wisdom cube, we have to deconstruct her first.”

...Deconstructing a human child? What sort of a person would I be if I allowed such a thing…?

Isn’t there another way?

“Amagi-san,” Akashi called my attention. “I’ll talk to Vestal nyabout this… We’ll try to come up with a better way, nya?”

For now, I suppose this is the only option…

“Hai… Domo arigatou, Akashi,” I replied as I slowly got up from the stool. “De wa… Mata ne?”

“Ja nye, Amagi-san!” Akashi replied with a smile.

“Ka-gome kagome…” I heard Shiranui’s voice and… huh? Those are…!

“Shiranui, what do you think you’re doing!?” I asked Shiranui as I saw four, blue flame spirits floating around the blindfolded child. I snatched Galatea away from the destroyer and the onibi surrounding her. As soon as she was out of the circle, an audible sigh came out of the three spirits before they dissipated around Shiranui who summoned them.

“Hmm… You’re no fun,” Shiranui said. “My friends and I were just having fun…”

“Summoning ghosts to play kagome kagome isn’t fun!”

“Where are we going now, Amagi?” Galatea asked as we strolled past our dorm. “Can’t I go back to folding paper cranes?”

“Hmm… You may do that later, Galatea-chan,” I said. “For now, please follow me.”

The two of us continued walking. The sun had just risen so there’s a cool breeze carrying the salty taste of the sea with it caressing our faces. Normally, I’d bring my parasol for a lovely morning walk along the shore or I’d go for a leisurely stroll under the Sakura trees at the dorm on days like this... I suppose I have something better to do every day now.

“T-This…”

The little girl reflexively hid under my tails once more as our destination came into view.

“Hmm? Is there a problem, little one?” I asked with a smile. How adorable… She looks like Akagi after she messed up and just before I was about to scold her...

“Y-You’re taking me…”

Hehe…

“...To school!”

???

“Lotus,” One of the dragons called. I have time, I think.

“What?” I asked. “Have you finished your assignment yet?”

“You bet!” The more… lively of the two replied. “Odd. There’s a ship here we haven’t seen in the other timelines.”

A different ship?

“Which one?”

“This one. ‘Says her name is Petropavlovsk,” Hiryuu said.

“...From our records, she should have been a ship named ‘Tallinn’ instead,” she wondered aloud. “...Is the presence of four other keys in this world affecting its variables? Maybe we need to inform Observer…”

“Observer already knows about this one,” I replied. “She’s already participated in a few major battles in this world already but she’s nothing special. Just make sure you capture every shipgirl there in Alaska.”

The Empress should have called us in earlier… Leaving things to Ash made things messier. She relied on her power too much and now we have too many variables to deal with… This operation would have been so much cleaner if she just allowed me to plan ahead.

Honestly, she and the others love to play around too much.

“Anyway, is our next mission ready for us yet?”

BEEP! BEEP!

Hmm? Their sensors are reacting to something? Masaka… It’s her!

“Hiryuu!” Souryuu exclaimed. “Watch out! Ah!”

KABOOOM! FSS…

Hmm… no more signal. The explosion must have cut the comms out.

Ash… Just what do you hope to accomplish alone? That’s it… Keep taking my bait. I’ll be sure to catch you soon.

I deftly moved my finger to the control panel on my right.

“Did you see that?”

“Of course. We have her sister with us as you planned… It’s all going according to plan.”

Heh. She’s gained much confidence after joining us. I suppose even I’ve changed quite a bit...

“Very well. Proceed to operation point beta. Where was the exact epicenter of that explosion?”

“...Exactly 23 and a half klicks 23 degrees northwest from operation point alpha,” she replied. “The bomb detonated with about 1 megaton with devastating effects up to 80 square miles from its epicenter.”

I see… She took the most direct route as expected.

“Typical. Tell Yorktown to go forty klicks westward and launch four of her planes there. Have that first squadron of planes fly at exactly 22,000 feet with their stealth mode activated. Await for further instructions. You are to immediately proceed to operation point beta for stage two code G1.”

“Huh? Forty klicks due west from our position…” Helena paused for a second. “There’s nothing there…”

“Trust me. There will be something there. Our enemy is as slippery as an eel,” I reasoned. “To catch it, we must cut off all avenues of escape. Otherwise, it will slip right through our fingers.”

“But…”

“Let’s do as she says,” a more mature voice replied. “...It has to be done.”

“...Very well. Over and out.”

Your simplistic urges are your weakness, Enterprise. It’s always been your flaw. You think yourself invincible. Well, let’s see how you deal with Helena’s improved radar systems… and your sister!

“When your army has crossed the border, you should burn your boats and bridges,” I mumbled to myself as soon as communications were cut. “Classical strategies remain the most effective, don’t they Shikikan…? Hehe… Oh well...”

...It’s not like you’re still around to see any of this.

Chapter Text

Amagi

I never thought a child could ever outrun me like that… And she’s suffering from the same disease I am, too. I guess there really is nothing impossible if you love—or hate something that much…

“Amagi!” ...And the one help I could find to catch Galatea was this… destroyer-lover.

“Galatea is so cute, isn’t she?” She giggled. “She looks just like my destroyer sisters… Hehehe… Hee hee hee!”

...Saite.

“W-Why aren’t you replying?”

“...If Enterprise was here, you’d be thrown into the Union holding cell again,” I told the overly-excited Ark Royal. “Besides, I thought you said before that your only preference is destroyers?”

“W-Well as long as something needs protecting,” Ark Royal spawned a sniper rifle taller than me… It’s as tall as her but considering her impressive height, the sniper rifle towers over even me. Ark Royal flourished her rifle as if it was a baton, tossed it in the air, and caught it in a perfect kneeling sniper position. “I’d be sure to protect them with all my strength!”

...Now I know why you’re not allowed near the Captain’s residence anymore.

“Anyway, thanks for helping me bring that child to the Academy… Hontouni arigatou,” I told Ark Royal.

“Don’t mention it, Amagi,” she said. “Besides… I have to get stronger if I’m to protect anyone… I can’t let everyone do their part and lag behind.”

Suddenly, her tune began changing; her normally lascivious eyes became similar to that of Warspite’s: cold, calculating, and dangerous.

“Hmm? Could you please elaborate?” I probed. “Is there anything you’d like to get off your chest?”

“...Nothing in particular,” Ark Royal brushed off my question as she marched away, rifle on her shoulders. “We should all prepare. For the worst.”

Prepare for the worst. Not something someone like Ark Royal says every day…

Hmm… strange. First, Prinz Eugen became closer to the Captain when she seemed alarmingly uninterested in anything years ago. Then, Bismarck began showing compassion towards people from outside her faction. She even ended up falling for Hood… Then there’s Roon who no longer chases the Captain vying for his attention. Even when she appears… infatuated, she no longer resorts to her violent outbursts like my sister. And then there’s Enterprise who always had the confidence to face anything and the control to match it suddenly going on weeks away with Friedrich to train...

And now the usually-aloof Ark Royal talking about preparing for the worst.

...Something’s triggering all of these changes. It’s not just you, Captain. There must be some—

“Konnichiwa, Amagi.”

Eh?

I turned around to find—eek!

PANT PANT…

W-What is this situation? M-My breath and yet… I-I don’t feel pain...

“G-Gomen!” The Captain’s arms wrapped tightly around my waist as I felt his warm breath tickling my chest… His beautiful eyes are something I cannot begin to describe as they locked firmly on mine… So full of worry… Sincerity…

I could feel the Captain’s gentle warmth overcoming my weak body as my legs began to give out… Suddenly, I lost track of what I was thinking about as I get sucked into the world inside the Captain’s—

“H-How are you feeling?”

The sweet concern in his voice… The sun behind his head… Captain… I can’t—

“Amagi?” He sternly asked, snapping me out of the world of dreams I was lost in for who-knows-how-long. “How are you feeling?”

“H-Huh?” I dumbly replied as I found myself sitting on one of the benches outside the Academy. How long have I been sitting here with him?

“I’ll call Vestal—”

“Onegai, Daisa…” I grabbed his right arm in haste. “Please… I’m fine. There’s no need for concern…”

“Are you really fine?” He asked as his left palm made its way to my forehead. His gentle touch felt like the warm summer breeze caressing my face… No… It felt way better than that… I-I… You’ll turn me into a dumb animal like—

No stop.

I forced the Captain’s gentle touch away from my face.

“I told you I’m fine,” I forced myself to retain my wits. I cannot allow this… base emotion to take over me. “Is there anything you’d like to talk about?”

“W-Well, I was making my rounds and I saw you walking around here,” he explained. “I thought of visiting you later at around ten but I was surprised to see you here so early in the morning, Amagi. Did something happen?”

“Oh… Ah that,” chikusho… My head isn’t cooperating with me… My chest… Feels strangely nice but at the same time this… it scares me.

“Hmm… You’re red,” urusai… You’re only— “...I might need to call Vestal after all… I told you not to keep overexerting yourself, Amagi… Please…”

Don’t make me feel this way, Captain… Please… I can’t… My body can’t…

“Kapitaaaan!~” A distant white-haired heavy cruiser yelled, tearing the Captain’s attention away from me—and calling my soul back into my body.

...Arigatou, kami-sama.

“Heinrich?” The Captain asked as he stood back up to greet her. “Is there anything that came up? You’re back early from your patrols…”

Prinz Heinrich of Iron Blood raised her right brow.

“Huh? What patrol?”

...You’re kidding.

The Captain’s jaw dropped as his hand reached his forehead.

“Didn’t I send you and Peter on a patrol? W-Who’s with Peter now ?”

“Don’t worry! Hehe~ Leipzig volunteered to cover for me today, right Eisen?” Heinrich’s pet rigging growled and shook its iron head.

“H-Hey! Traitor! Bad Eisen!”

The Captain grabbed Heinrich’s left arm and pinched it slightly.

“O-Ow—!”

“Patrols aren’t a joke, Heinrich!” He scolded her while dragging her away.

“K-Kapitan!”

“You, Bismarck, and I are going to have a talk about this!” He declared while stowing the mischievous and playful shipgirl away. “This is the third time this month…”

The Captain suddenly stopped in his tracks. He turned to me and smiled.

“Oh! Amagi I’d like to talk to you later,” he said. “I’ve thought about what to do with some… pressing matters. Can we discuss it over tea?”

Over tea… Well, I can’t refuse that offer, can I?

“What time, Daisa-dono?” I replied as I perked up.

“Ah…” He checked his watch again. “10:30 AM?”

Hmm… I suppose—no, no. I have matters to attend to first.

“Hmm… perhaps we should speak in the afternoon,” I suggested. “13:30 would be fine for me if it is with you.”

The Captain flashed that smile of his and nodded as he returned to taking the unruly cruiser away.

...Never change, Captain. Never change…

...I’ve walked more today than I had in the past months.

“Hmm? Oh?” A lovely woman in a pure satin white dress gave me a welcoming smile. “Lady Amagi! To what do we of the Royal Navy owe this pleasure?”

“Good morning, Lady Illustrious,” I smiled. “I would like to ask if the young rascal—I mean Prince is in.”

This is the only other place he could be. I asked around the Captain’s residence, around my dorm, everywhere ! That brat is avoiding me like the plague!

Illustrious covered her lips with her white gloves as she chuckled soundlessly.

“There’s no need to censor yourself,” she said with a gentle chuckle, her magnificent chest swaying with every little movement she makes. “...Everyone here shares that sentiment. There is one among us, in particular, who would practically go over the moon at the thought of whipping that boy into shape!”

“Hmm… So he is inside?” I asked.

“That he is, Lady Amagi,” she replied. “...And causing quite a ruckus among the maids, too.”

The maids… Ah! I know who would love to beat this pup into submission.

“Is Belfast alright with it?”

“Oh but of course not!” Illustrious giggled. “I was referring to her earlier! I’ve never seen the Head Maid so distressed over anything!”

...I knew it.

“Anyway, I’ll be off. My vacation here has expired, you see,” Illustrious said.

“Ah! Oh yes, I forgot,” I laughed. “Her Majesty, the Queen of England still requires your efforts as her envoy to our faction?”

“Mm.” She nodded in agreement. “Tenno Heika refused to see me when I was in Tokyo months back so I’ll try to do better this time.”

Hmm… The Emperor probably refused to see you because he’s hiding something.

“If I can’t forge good bonds with the Emperor like Wales bonded with the President of the Union,” Illustrious mumbled. “Or like how Hood made friends with the new Bundespresidant, I’m afraid things won’t go smoothly between the Royal Navy and the Sakura Empire…”

That old man is really going to put a wrench in the Captain’s plans…

“...if that happens, how will we ever sit around the same garden enjoying a lovely pot of tea together again?” She asked.

“Haha… We can always do that, Lady Illustrious,” I replied.

“Yes but how wonderful would it be if we could have tea parties like that even after the war,” she said. “My sisters in particular enjoy the company you and Yorktown offer. Even Graffy lightens up with us around her!”

“Graffy doesn’t even drink any tea!” I chuckled. “Ah… Remember when she drank black tea for the first time?”

“Scalded her tongue, didn’t she?”

“Hahaha!” Both of us laughed. Ah… How I wish we could continue to laugh like this after the war…

“Very well. Good luck to the both of us, Amagi-san,” Illustrious said. “I must be off.”

“Good luck to you. I pray your efforts bear fruit,” I told my friend who then began walking past me.

“...Illustrious?” I called her.

“Hmm?”

“...If the Emperor gives you any more trouble,” I turned. “Tell him ‘Amagi knows about your little secret at the island base’.”

Illustrious gave me another puzzled look.

“Secret?” She asked. “What sort?”

“Haha… Trust me, my friend,” I told her. “The Emperor already knows what this means—and he wouldn’t dare share that secret with anyone.”

Shinano. Your existence must remain a secret for whatever Tenno Heika’s plan to come to fruition. Therefore, any risk of his ace card being revealed and that man… He might just give Illustrious just the audience she needs to start the talks.

Illustrious cast her doubts away as soon as she saw my smirk.

“Understood, Amagi. After all, who can outsmart you?”

“More!”

SMASH!

Hmm… It’s worse than I thought.

“Kyaaa! Y-Your Highness!” The voice of the Head Maid’s elder sister echoed through the magnificent marble halls that led to the Royal Kitchen.

“What the devil—!?” King George V, who was accompanying me to the kitchen, muttered to herself. “Please wait here, Amagi-san.”

She hurriedly sprinted towards the kitchen doors but as soon as the door swung open, a champagne glass began flying straight for—

SLASH!

Hmm… As always, George’s reflexes are impressive.

“Alright. Who’s the fool who’s causing all this!?”

“Pah! Don’t feel superior just because you have one of my ancestor’s names!” Hmm… I smell a dog that has to be tamed. “You and that pretend-Queen think you’re so great. If you’re so great, how come you all depend on my mother for everything !?”

“W-Why you—!”

George was about to bring her rapier down on the—what the hell!?

“Ah! First time seeing a naked man, Amagi—KUH!”

CRACK!

The maids who were already being overwhelmed by the sheer audacity of their prince all focused their eyes on the maid that just made her entrance behind the prince by cracking his… unmentionables.

“A dog like you should be crawling on the floor,” Sheffield said. She turned to George who was being stopped by Howe behind me. “...I’ll accept my punishment from you, Her Majesty, or the Head Maid later.”

...I don’t think there will be any punishment for kicking this vulgar bastard right where it hurts.

“So, you thought you could hide from me,” I told the tied-up prince. Thankfully, Edinburgh still had the patience to dress him back up after he got naked earlier. “Unfortunately for you, your attitude is just an obstacle that will need some… fine adjustments.”

“Heh. My mother won’t stand for—”

“Your mother handed you over to the Captain of the Anti-Siren Task Force, Prince John, if I may remind you,” I interrupted him. “Your title holds no bearing here. You’re lucky it was I who found you and not Daisa-dono. Had it been him, you’d be on a boat homebound by now.”

“Good! I don’t even want to be here!”

I smiled.

“And that is why you’re not going home,” I chuckled. “I’m just like you, Ojii-sama.”

The prince lost his nerve as I got closer.

“Hmm? Too much to handle?” I chuckled. “I don’t like losing, Ojii-sama. You’ll find there is no worse loser here on this island than me—and it so happens that Daisa-dono allowed me to do whatever I see fit with you if it makes you a better commander.”

“Kuh… Do your worst!”

“Hehe… Oh, I intend to,” I replied. “And it’s not just me… right?”

From behind me appeared an even more terrifying figure: a maid whose kitchen has been absolutely devastated. The Head Maid was smiling but that was only skin deep. I wouldn’t dare mess with Belfast now… and I doubt even a person with skin as thick as Prince John would either.

“Shall we begin your rehabilitation?” Belfast asked with an ominous smile. “Master John?”

“HELP MEEEEE!!!”

Captain

1:28 PM. I made my way towards Amagi’s room quietly while pondering on what Bismarck and Hood told me yesterday…

Right now, only the four of us: Bismarck, Hood, Eugen, and me, know about the Siren presence in the Union. That said, I need an outside opinion on this matter…

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

“Please come in, Daisa,” I heard Amagi’s voice from inside her room. I slid the door open and accepted her invitation; removing my shoes to not soil her flooring. “Tea?”

I nodded as Amagi poured me a cup of chamomile.

“So, what did you want to talk about today, Daisa?” Amagi asked. “I presume it’s urgent if you chose to adjust your schedule just for this.”

“Unfortunately, yes… I’m coming to you with urgent news,” I said, causing Amagi to pause. “Bismarck and Hood have strong evidence that Sirens may have infiltrated the Union.”

“...The Union?” She asked as she put her teacup down. “That’s some serious allegation, Daisa. Do they have sufficient evidence?”

“...It’s enough for me.”

“But would the Council agree?” She asked immediately. “Evidence for you might not be just enough for them unless it’s concrete…”

“...The testimony of a dead ex-prime minister who was found guilty of treason,” I replied.

“That’s… That’s not enough,” Amagi replied. “We can’t possibly hope for any of the Council members to believe this story…”

“You don’t either, do you?” I asked Amagi who pondered on the situation for a few minutes.

“Not with the current evidence you have,” she replied. “But what do you intend to do with this information?”

Always straight to planning with her… That’s why I like discussing these things with you, Amagi.

“I believe that our priority is the affairs in the Union,” I reasoned. “The Council may not like me abandoning the training of the four new commanders but I see no alternative. I’ll send all of them home and  focus all our efforts into liberating the Union for now.”

Amagi nodded.

“That’s a good plan,” she said.

“But?”

“Am I allowed to speak honestly?” She asked.

“Of course, Amagi. Please.”

Amagi cleared her throat and drank water.

“The source of our problem is that our forces take too long to reach anywhere,” she reasoned. “We’re always steps behind the Sirens. It happened with the Iron Blood homeland and now, it’s even happened to the Union, should Bismarck and Hood be telling the truth.”

I continued listening.

“You’re simply one man, Daisa,” she said. “I don’t say that with any hint of disrespect… But that’s the fact. You cannot defend every faction, every island, every port all on your own. The Sirens know they can’t beat you in open combat. So, instead of attacking where you can defend, they attack where you are defenseless. It’s a basic tactic I assume you’re aware of, Daisa.”

“Attack only where there is no defense and you win every time,” I replied. “...The Sirens are getting even more devious.”

Amagi nodded.

“But that is why I sent shipgirls to establish outposts all over the world recently,” I reasoned. “To prevent Hamburg from happening again…”

“...Except I think we were too slow again, Daisa-dono,” she replied. “The Sirens beat us to the Union just like they beat us to the Iron Blood. At this rate, the tragedy of Hamburg will keep on repeating itself over and over again until something new happens.”

“So what do you suggest?”

“For now, Daisa,” Amagi said. “We must continue training those four until they can be ready to stand on their own. When they are ready, they can take control of the outposts you prepared. That will give us the footing we need to fight against the Sirens evenly.”

“And what if they take too long?” I asked.

“Daisa,” Amagi smiled. “You believe in us shipgirls… Why does it take so much for you to believe in your fellow humans?”

What? I thought that would be obvious for her…

“Believe in them, Daisa,” Amagi said as she smiled. “Only one of them requires heavy rehabilitation. The rest is up for molding. With you as their teacher, I have no doubts they’ll become excellent commanders.”

“You overestimate my ability, Amagi,” I mumbled. “...And you overestimate us humans’ ability to cooperate.”

“Iie. I believe in you,” Amagi replied. “You’ll find a way. You always do. In the meantime, you can try to contact the Alaskan team to get more intel about the occurrences within the Union. Perhaps, Lady Eugen’s friend can help?”

I nodded.

“You’re right, Amagi…” I replied. “I don’t think I can train those kids on my own… It’s taking my all to just manage the base, provide support for the tour teams, and take care of my family… You’ll help me, right?”

“Of course, Daisa. That is all I can offer you, after all…”

Amagi turned to retrieve a glass of water. She drank one and sat back down next to me, her tails softly caressing the tatami floor.

“I have something to tell you, Daisa,” she said.

“Hmm? What is it?” I asked. “Is it about Akagi?”

“Hmm? Oh, iie. Akagi and Kaga left early today as per the commission plan you laid out for them,” she said. “...It’s about the Sakura Empire.”

Her faction?

“What’s wrong?”

Amagi stood up and quietly strolled towards her door. She slid it open silently and poked her head out, turning it left and right as if she was looking around. Satisfied, the foxgirl returned to my side and breathed in and out deeply.

“Nagato-sama’s guest,” she began. “She’s the aircraft carrier Shinano.”

“Hmm… I haven’t received any word from Tenno Heika about that,” I replied.

I thought she was simply a servant of the princess who came to accompany her? All she does is sleep though… Is that really the legendary Shinano?

“Why did Nagato-sama hide it from me?” I asked.

“I… I don’t know, Daisa,” Amagi replied. “Tenno Heika might have his reasons but I would watch my back if I were you. I’ll always look out for you and inform you if anything goes wrong.”

Hiding a powerful ship like that right under my nose… What is the Emperor thinking? Actually, isn’t it odd that he sent his only daughter to lead his navy? They’re a proud bloodline but I doubt he’s foolish enough to just throw his daughter into the line of fire without any good justification…

“Daisa?”

“Arigatou, Amagi…” I am indebted to her yet again… “You’re always looking out for me.”

Amagi grinned but hid it under her palm.

“Of course, Daisa,” she said with a slightly muffled voice. “That's all I can offer you…”

...Ever since Amagi first arrived on the base, she’s always helped me plan out my moves. If only I can do more about her condition… Oh!

“Hmm, I don’t see the little girl anywhere?” I asked. I thought Amagi was going to watch her?

“Ah… She’s in school,” Amagi nonchalantly replied before she sipped some more tea.

“School?” Ah! So, the academy has an additional student now, eh? “Did she consent to this? That girl might still be grieving, you know… Plus there’s her condition. Do you know about it? What if she gets in trouble? Gets sick? Amagi… You shouldn’t have made her go to school. She shouldn’t be—”

W-What the? Did Amagi just… slam her teacup on the table? What for? It won’t do Galatea well to forget everything. She has to take time to process her grief and mourn properly… And I’m not wrong she is suffering a deadly and unknown disease...

“Daisa-dono, please,” Amagi’s usual serene tone became a bit more oppressive as she began raising her tone. “We aren’t as fragile as you think.”

“I was just—”

“Onegai, Daisa-dono. I understand your concerns but I’m really just fine.” H-Huh? Did I say anything wrong?

An awkward silence…

“H-Hey… Gomen,” I told Amagi shyly. It’s been a while since we disagreed on anything… “I just wanted to make sure you were alright…”

“...Iie sumimasen, Daisa-dono,” Amagi cast her eyes on her tea, focusing her entire gaze on it with such intent she could melt the cup. “I was out of line…”

“N-Not at all—”

“Please. Please leave…”

W-What?

Amagi turned and flashed a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

“I’m fine… I just want to be alone right now…”

Prince of Wales

“Good evening, Lady Wales?” I momentarily halted my report to Her Majesty as the door to my office creaked open. A man with fair skin and a bald head poked his head through the small opening he made and called my attention.

“Hmm?” I turned my attention to him and pushed the power button on my working computer’s monitor. “Please come in. What is it, Levy?”

“The madame president would like to speak to you,” he announced with his head still poking out of the doorway. “She says it’s urgent.”

“Urgent?” I asked my personal assistant. I grabbed the cup of tea next to the pile of paperwork on my desk and took a sip. “Very well. Please inform her I’ll pay a visit to the White House shortly.”

“Er… You don’t understand, milady,” he said. “She’s here .”

KNOCK KNOCK

A woman with short, black hair a little smaller in stature than the Captain pushed the door open without a word. She was wearing a simple blue blouse paired with a pencil skirt of the same color.

“Miss President!” I greeted her as I quickly got up. “To what do I owe this visit’s pleasure?”

“Oh, no need to be so formal, Prince of Wales,” she said as she approached. I signaled Levy to leave the two of us alone as the president of the Union reached my desk. “Please be seated. After all, I am walking on Royal Navy territory, am I not?”

...She does have a point. I obeyed her and had a seat as she made herself comfortable on one of the seats before my desk.

“Firstly, how are you?” Eh? Did she come all this way to the embassy to just… chat with me? “I hope you’re not feeling homesick. Living here at the Capitol can be tiring but the work we do is rewarding. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Yes, Miss President. Don’t worry I’ve grown accustomed to life here in the Embassy,” I replied.

“Hmm… How many hours did you sleep?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Your eyebags have eyebags, Lady Wales,” Huh? D-Do I have—good grief… I do have eyebags.

“...I haven’t slept for days,” I replied. “But please don't worry yourself. I’m perfectly fine.”

The president shook her head.

“That won’t do. A public servant should also take care of themself,” she reasoned. “How will you continue serving your faction if your health deteriorates?”

“Ah but… Shipgirls like me only need a few hours of rest to recuperate,” I replied. “Please… It’s not a big deal.”

“Ah…” The president nodded. “Yes yes, I forgot… Forgive my ignorance.”

“N-No offense taken, Miss President,” I said.

“That said, I’m telling my agents to organize their work more,” she said. “It’s such a shame to see a beauty such as yourself suffering like this… Have you even gone sightseeing? America is such a wonderful country with so many places to explore… I hope you get to at least go on an excursion before Her Majesty sends her new ambassador…”

“Er… I haven’t had the chance to do that,” I replied while chuckling to myself. “I’ll be sure to visit each state soon, Miss President. Still, work comes first.”

“For sure, for sure,” she immediately fired back. “Anyway, you girls are so lucky…”

Hmm? Whatever does she mean?

“Oh, don’t give me that look!” She giggled. “You know what I mean!”

“I beg your pardon but…”

“Ahh… I suppose the blessed don’t really think about what they have too much, do they?” She mumbled.

“Blessed?” ...The past me would have disagreed but… Hehe, Eugen. You wouldn’t be thrilled if I argued against that, now would you, my friend? “Well, I can’t say I disagree.”

“Yes!” She enthusiastically smiled. “You girls… You never age, never tire, never get sick. You inspire us humans to reach for the ideals you stand for.”

I nodded as I continued listening.

“You and the other shipgirls are the picture of my ideal humanity,” she said as she swung the briefcase she was carrying with her left hand to her lap. “...Which is why it saddens me…”

“Saddens you? Whatever do you mean, Miss President?” I probed.

The president took a folder from within her briefcase. She opened it, revealing a pile of black-and-white pictures. She placed the pictures on my desk and invited me to come take a gander at them.

Wait… These are…!

“Please do not look so shocked,” she said. “I… I apologize in advance.”

I grabbed the neatly-arranged pile of photos and tore through them like a madman. My fingers trembled as I dropped a few photos, prompting the president to hand them back to me.

A smoking crater in the middle of the ocean… Debris floating around a caved-in structure the size of our embassy… A single shipgirl standing amidst the flames facing hundreds of—

“M-Miss President,” this can’t be real… Monarch is…! Monarch is there! “Where did these photos come from?”

“... Thirty-five nautical miles off the western coast of Alaska.”

“N-No. That can’t be… Monarch couldn’t have—!”

“Twenty-eight hours ago, our drones picked up two strange ID signatures. My men followed those and they ended up right on top of the new outpost your friends were trying to establish. We provided support planes to help them defend but our best pilots simply were no match for these two unknowns… They fought for almost an entire day but then another unknown appeared… Its arrival swiftly brought an end to the entire battle.”

N-No… How could they? D-Damn it!

“I’m sorry to inform you, Lady Wales… The Alaskan Outpost has fallen… We’re organizing a search and rescue operation for survivors but… Well, I pray to lord there’s even someone to rescue. Here is the list of shipgirls who are, as of now, considered MIA.”

What have I been doing all this time? H-How could I not… again. I’m useless… again!

“USS Bunker Hill, USS Cleveland, USS Biloxi, USS Denver, SN Petropavlovsk, SN Avrora… and HMS Monarch.”

I slammed the photos on my table, rushed up, reached for my closet, and put on my navy uniform swiftly and wordlessly. I won’t let you die, Monarch. I won’t fail… Not again! I’m NOT letting another one of you fall right under my nose!

This radio… I never thought I’d have to call you so early, Captain...

“Lady Wales?”

“I’ll personally lead those search and rescue operations, Miss President. Please tell your men and have them cooperate under my command. I’ll call the Captain and inform him... Thank you for this information!”

Ash

D-Dammit… I got careless… There were stealth planes hiding there, after all. Lotus outdid herself this time… She completely fooled me…

I need to hide out for now until my wounds heal… Who’d have thought they’d actually call her in? I suppose I should have expected them to use my sister. That’s what I would do if I wanted to catch me, too.

“Sister? You’re not thinking straight… Come. Big sister will make it all better…”

DRIP… DRIP…

...Heh. It’s ironic. I sunk so many ships and it seems that this underwater cave will become my watery grave. The debris of the sunken Siren ships around this area makes a lot of lingering electronic interference on sensors; the marine life here in the trench also produces a strong enough bioelectric signal that should keep Helena from spotting me for a while. Although that means they can’t see me, that also means I can’t see them.

DRIP…

The water from the sharp rocks on the cave ceiling splashed my exposed right arm as I laid my back against a stalagmite. I left a jet at the entrance with its guns pointed at the watery chamber below. As far as I know, swimming up that pool of water should be the only way in here. So, should anyone come in, I’ll see them. And when they do, I’ll end them right here.

I just don’t know if this cave’s structural integrity could withstand my gun’s output. I don’t have the luxury of testing it out, either since emitting too much energy and noise will immediately alert Helena’s sensors. That and I don’t want to die just yet.

Tsk… Do I even have enough oil and food to go on for a week? Not to mention my water problem and my wounds…

Hum… Hum…

This accursed thing…! A symbol of my slavery and a symbol of the mistakes I made… I HATE that I’ve turned into this! I HATE that I have to fight like this! I HATE… I hate…

...

"It will be alright, Enty. As long as I'm here!"

What is the Other Me doing right now, I wonder?

Chapter Text

Captain

3:12 PM. “Are you alright, Liebling?” Eugen asked as she entered my office. She fell with a thud on the couch as she released a relieved sigh. Eugen stretched out her legs and put them on the couch’s right arm as she laid her head on the left. “You should have seen Amy. She’s already babbling! Liebling?”

Was it something I said?

“Hmm… Hello?~”

Did I really say something wrong?

“Earth to Liebling~!” She called me. “Are you listening? You haven’t spoken a word since you came back…”

“...Amagi and I argued,” I said as I wondered if it was an argument or simply a spat?

Eugen raised her eyes as if she heard an insult. What now ?

“About what?” She asked after yawning, returning to her neutral mood. “You didn’t tell her to stay home again, did you?”

“I questioned her decision to make that little girl attend school,” I told my wife. “With her condition, she might strain herself. I can’t let that happen…”

“Hmm?” Eugen slouched on the couch. “Then what would you have her do instead?”

That’s a stupid question.

“I’d rather she and Amagi rest instead,” I replied with a nonchalant tone. “The reason why I allowed Amagi to take care of her is that I thought having a child to look after will make her more conscious of her own health…”

Eugen nodded.

“Und what about the part where you let her take charge of the prince of Britain?” She asked. “Was that part of your plan too?”

“...No. I was going to send him home soon anyway,” I replied. “With Amagi defending him like that though, I couldn’t just do it.”

“And why?”

“Eugen. Don’t start.”

“Come on. What is it?”

I swear to God.

“Captain, you can’t control everything,” she chuckled. “You can’t control how Amagi will raise the child. You can’t control how she’ll deal with her disease. You can’t control how the Prince will act.”

“I can because this is MY base!”

“I didn’t say it wasn’t,” she quickly fired back as she got up. She stretched her arms and tapped her lips as she yawned and made her way to the door. “You’re acting like a child. Talk to me when your head is clear, Liebling.”

SLAM!

Eugen

Dummkopf.

“Hmm? Lady Eugen?” Sirius greeted me while carrying a basket of laundry. “Weren’t you going to join Master?”

“Hmph! Tell him he can drown in his work if he loves it so much!” I grumbled. “He can even get Amagi to do my duties if he wants her approval so much…”

Sirius put the basket down.

“Do you really want me to say that?” Mein Gott. Really? “If that’s what you want…”

“Of course not!”

“F-Forgive me, Lady Eugen,” Sirius said while bowing. Now I’m acting like a child… Sigh…

“Hey it’s fine,” I said. “Es tut mir Leid, Sirius. I’m just a little tired… I haven’t slept or eaten yet…”

“I see… By the way,” she said as she picked up the basket again. “Was there anything wrong with your food, Lady Eugen?”

“Huh? Nein. Why do you think so?”

“Dido’s feeling a bit alarmed that you haven’t touched your lunch yet,” Sirius explained as the two of us strolled down the stairs. “Actually, neither has the Master so she’s feeling extra down today…”

“I see… I’ll speak to your sister later,” I told the Royal Maid.

“But is there any particular reason why both of you haven’t had any lunch?” She asked. “Usually, the Master would be setting aside time for lunch with you…”

“...Oh, don’t mind that idiot,” I told Sirius. “He’s just busy… and tired. Humans make terrible life choices when sleep-deprived. We probably shouldn’t judge him too harshly.”

“I see… Well, I’ll get to the laundry, Lady Eugen,” Sirius said as she realigned her grip on the basket. “They’ve been piling up lately so…”

I nodded, giving the light cruiser my permission to go.

...Dummkopf. If you have problems, Liebling, you should be speaking to me, not keeping it all to yourself. You can’t control everything—and neither should you control everything. You of all people know this and often talk about it…

Come to think of it, he’s been sending out more and more patrols lately. He’s even trying to set up outposts elsewhere…

You’re scared, Liebling… What are you so scared of?

Huh? I thought I saw Roon sneaking at the entrance? Wait, is that Michel?

“Hmm? And I thought the Captain was clear about this sort of thing?”

“Eugen? What are you doing here!?” Roon immediately answered as she glanced behind her back. Her eyes focused on me as Michel began walking away from the scene.

“I’m not done talking,” I told the retreating commander as Roon stepped in between us. Meanwhile, Michel froze where he stood as he made a full turn to face me and Roon.

“Herr Kommandant and I were just having a conversation,” she explained as a drop of sweat traced her right cheek. “Ja. Nothing out of the ordinary.”

“Ehhh? Is that so~?” I raised my brow as I chuckled. I see what’s going on.

“It’s nothing like that, you!” Roon protested as she produced Shrimpy behind her.

“Hmm… No need to explain. I didn’t even see anyone just now!~”

“Wha—! Frau Eugen… I—”

“Hehe… Did you see anyone just now, Roon?” I winked at our faction’s new commander. “I think you and your imaginary ‘ friend ’ should take this imaginary conversation elsewhere. Maybe someplace where the Captain won’t catch you so easily?”

“Y-You…! There’s really nothing—”

“Oh? I thought you and your ghost hubby were leaving?” I giggled.

“Grr… We’re not done here!” Roon growled as I turned back and paced towards the entrance of the administration building.

“M-Maybe we should take Frau Eugen’s advice and leave?” Michel suggested. I half expected Roon to protest and fire a shell at me but… nothing? Huh. How boring… I guess this kid earned her respect while she was away, eh? Oh well...

Without Wales, Hood, or Bismarck here for so long, there wasn’t anyone I could annoy on a daily basis aside from my elder sister and my husband. And when they are here, they’re almost always absorbed in their work or I’d be knocked out cold due to lack of sleep. It’s rare for me to find people to actually interact with lately so I won’t spoil it by having Liebling banish this one from the island.

“Eugen? What are you doing here?”

“Hmm… No reason,” I replied to the newcomer as I laid on the grass under the acacia tree outside the administration building. I raised my head slightly to make out Liebling’s visitor.

Hmm… It must have been a few hours now since we had that argument… Maybe I should speak to him?

“I thought he called me in for something urgent?” She said while caressing her chin. “...Any idea what it might be?”

“Hmm?” Urgent? What could have possibly happened? I sat up straight after I heard that from Enterprise. He didn’t even call me back inside… Tsk! “No idea. Ask him yourself.”

“Did you two fight?” She probed while sighing. “Come. I’ll talk to him for you.”

“Don’t you need to meet him in that stuffy office of his?” I replied with an annoyed tone. “I’m certainly not in the mood, Enterprise. Don’t patronize me.”

“I wasn’t… I was just trying to help,” she replied before sighing. “Fine. I’ll be going in now, alright?”

“Suit yourself.”

“Enterprise,” I laid back down as Wales’ sister, King George, greeted Enterprise. The two of them exchanged pleasantries and made their way into the administration building.

Oh good. This time, he called in the leader of the Royal Knights.

Hmm? Oh? Now isn’t this a rare sight?

“Guten Tag,” I greeted the stone-faced woman who looked almost identical to the Grey Ghost. “What brings you here, Rossiya?”

“Good day, Comrade Eugen,” she greeted me flatly. “The Captain called me in today. Says it’s urgent.”

Odd. He’s not only calling in the de facto leader of the Union and the head of the Royal Knights, but he’s also calling in the flagship of the Northern Parliament? What’s going on?

“...If there’s nothing more, I’ll get going now, Comrade,” Rossiya said with a nod before leaving.

...The Union, the Royal Navy, and the Parliament were all called in. What affair could the three of them have in common, I wonder? Hmm… 

Fleet exercises? Nein nein… If there was an issue with the next fleet exercises, Liebling would have come to their dorms personally.

Issues with the commissions? Nein… I handle those personally and we’ve been receiving more than enough oil and gold to continue operations.

What about their patrols? Nein. Enterprise isn’t allowed to join missions like that until she has mastered her new skills. Liebling wouldn’t call her in for something as simple as patrol issues.

Nothing comes to mind except that outpost in—

Scheisse.

Enterprise

“ You still rely on your eyes too much… ”

HISSSSSSSSSSS

“Almost,” Friedrich commented through the radio as she observed my arrows intercept her barrage. Two got through… “You’re getting better, Fraulein. My child will be pleased.”

“ The next time we meet, it’ll be on opposite sides of the battlefield. ”

“Almost isn’t good enough, Friedrich,” I replied as I pulled my bowstring to my cheek. “Again!”

I heard Friedrich sigh audibly before she cut her communique. As soon as the communications were cut, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

Focus… You don’t need your eyes… The Captain needs your new strength…

“You best master your new strength. You’ll need it.”

...And she needs you, too.

HISSSSSSSSSSSS!

KABOOM!

“Hmm… Again, almost,” Friedrich commented as I reopened my eyes. “You intercepted all but one. Still, you’re making good progress. At this rate, I believe you’ll be as good as that other Enterprise in about a month.”

“A month is too long!” Frustrated, I pulled my bowstring again. “Again!”

“Hmm… There’s no need to rush, Fraulein,” Friedrich casually replied as she began floating towards me. “There’s still time. My child is clever: even with half your firepower, he can still fight.”

“You don’t understand, Friedrich!” I growled. “They are beyond our current level… If they decide to swarm us right here, right now, there’s nothing we can do! THAT is why I need to get stronger. Much stronger than you, than the Sirens, than her!”

“And yet they have not. And you are much stronger than me already ,” Friedrich said in the calmest tone I've ever heard. Her voice sent chills down my spine as her enormous rigging disappeared. Friedrich stopped before me and fixed the only strand that was out of line with my hairline. “It will be alright, Fraulein.”

...Why are these new weapons so hard to control!? What am I doing wrong?

BEEP BEEP! BEEP BEEP!

“Hello?” I answered my radio as Friedrich made her rigging reappear. She crossed her legs and sat on her pet iron leviathan’s back as she picked up a piece of scrap metal floating on the surface. She reached under her right elbow with her left hand as her pet eagerly and greedily chomped on its snack.

“Enterprise?” It’s the Captain. “Come to my office. Now!”

“Hmm? But Friedrich and I aren’t due to come back to the base until tomo—”

Huh? The radio cut out… What’s going on?

“What’s the matter, Fraulein?” Friedrich pensively asked as she began floating on the surface with her own two feet again, her rigging disappearing from behind her. “Is my child asking us to come home early?”

I nodded. Something’s off… The Captain just putting down the line like that? Something must be very wrong.

“We’re going back, Friedrich!” I told the German battleship who merely smiled as I conjured up a jet to take us home.

“Why did you call us today, Comrade Captain?” Rossiya asked as she, George, and I stood in a single file in that order before the Captain.

I forced myself to stay composed and restrained with these two around but it’s taking my entire willpower to just prevent myself from squirming around… What’s this I’m feeling? Excitement? Anger? No this is something else… I don’t like this—whatever I’m feeling.

“I won’t beat around the bush: Wales just called me earlier,” he said. “...George. Rossiya. You better brace yourself…”

“For what exactly, Captain?” Asked George. “Is Wales causing trouble in the Union?”

The Captain reached into his drawer where he pulled out a pile of pictures printed on typewriting paper. I went forward and retrieved them. Hmm… They’re still warm. He must have printed it out just recently. On top of the pile is a prominent Royal Navy battleship standing in the middle of gunfire. Alone. Bravely facing the rising current against her…

Where is everyone else? No… If Monarch is fighting alone then that means…!

“...Around 30 hours ago, the Alaskan Outpost was attacked by eight waves of Siren Pawns and Bishops each containing more than fifty ships each accompanied by two unknown ID signatures.”

“What did you say!?” George flabbergasted as she snatched the photos from my hands. As I thought… Something sinister is definitely going on. “Monarch! Monarch is over there! What happened to her!?”

“Petropavlovsk and Avrora are also there!” Rossiya added.

“...The ships establishing the new outpost: USS Bunker Hill, USS Cleveland, USS Biloxi, USS Denver, SN Petropavlovsk, SN Avrora, and HMS Monarch were reported missing in action,” the Captain almost whispered in shame.

“WHAT!?” George boomed. “That’s impossible! You planned this tour, Captain! How the hell did you not foresee—”

“It’s them ,” I interrupted George as I felt my hands tremble. “They’re here.”

The two other ships in the room turned to me.

“Who?” Rossiya asked.

“The ones the Sirens corrupted,” I replied. “The Ashes… They’re on the move.”

“Then let’s turn them into literal piles of ashes!” George declared as she turned to leave as she tossed aside the photos.

“George, no!” The Captain got up from his chair and grabbed the enraged battleship’s right hand, stopping her in her tracks.

“What do you mean ‘no’!?” She replied as she slapped the Captain’s hand away. “ This was your fault, to begin with! And now, Monarch is…”

“She’s safe,” I told George. “The Sirens won’t harm her. At least… Not fatally.”

“Excuse me?” The battleship turned to me while carrying the full brunt of her rage on the tip of her rapier. “You had better explain yourself or I’ll run you through where you stand!”

“Comrade!” Rossiya protested as she slapped the sword blade away. “We’re all worried here. There’s no need to fight amongst ourselves!”

The Russian battleship fixed her sight on me.

“Explain, Comrade Enterprise,” she demanded. “And please make it quick. While we talk, the lives of our friends hang in balance.”

“Right. Well, it’s just like what happened last year,” I explained. “The Sirens will take the shipgirls they captured for reconditioning. It’s the same trick they used on Roon and Bismarck. We can still save them!”

“Enterprise is right,” the Captain affirmed my statement. “For now, we should carefully plan out our next course of action. I’ll speak with—”

Hmm? He… Stopped mid-sentence?

“I-I’ll speak with Amagi now,” he turned pale… “Please excuse me. There’s something I need to attend to.”

What the!? Did he just run out the door just now?

“The hell was that!?”

I paced to the door and peeked. What I found outside was…

“If he won’t act, I will!” George said as she began marching to the door. I stopped her by restraining her by the shoulders.

“What? Not you too, Enterprise!” She shouted in surprise. “Your friends are also in danger and the coward is doing nothing!”

“Please, calm yourself, George,” I said, further tightening my grip on her shoulder blades. “...Let’s be a little more understanding of the Captain’s position right now…”

Captain

“Eugen!” No… She heard! “Wait!”

“Let go of me!” She demanded as she effortlessly broke out of my grip on her left wrist. “I’m going to save my sister!”

“No! Please,” I pounced on her and locked her inside my arms. Eugen struggled to break free—in an effort to not injure me, probably, as she finally broke out in tears. “Please… You can’t go alone.”

“I know how they operate…” She grabbed my collar and squeezed. “I know what they’ll do to her… I can’t… I can’t be the survivor again… I can’t just do nothing while my sister… again!”

“Let’s be reasonable here,” I said as I caressed her back to comfort her. “It will be alright… Trust me. We’ll save Lützow… But you need to wait for me and Amagi to come up with a plan.”

“But… Liebling…”

There won’t be any stopping her from sneaking out… Eugen’s always been too independent and self-assured for her own good. If I don’t suggest something she’ll be satisfied with, she won’t ever just sit idly by!

“...You can come with us,” I reluctantly said. “I’ll think of a way but for now… Please be with our daughter.”

“...I will never forgive myself if anything happens to her again…”

Amagi

“This is… uhh…” Galatea counted her orizuru. “The… fifth?”

The Captain wants me to keep a child like her cooped up in here with me… like a prisoner? No. If there's anything this child does not need, it’s more self-isolation.

“Is this right, Amagi?” She raised a blue on to my eye level, asking me to judge her sixth paper crane.

“Hai,” I replied with a smile. “How’s school?”

“Uhh it’s… different,” she mumbled as she sank in front of the pile of papers before her. “My teacher was almost just as small as me but she seems a lot smarter than me…”

“Which one?”

“Uh… The one with glasses? With green hair,” she said, describing Langley. “She was strict but I enjoyed listening to her go on and on about how things fly…”

I smiled.

“Do you want to fly?”

“Mhm,” she nodded. “Maybe I’ll see Papa up there…”

“Ah… I see.”

I opened the door to my bedroom carefully.

“Are you sick?” Galatea asked.

“Ah… Iie—I mean, no,” I told her as I laid down on my futon. “Just tired.”

Silence. The girl is a bit too preoccupied making paper cranes so I had some time to myself and my thoughts.

I know he probably didn’t mean to offend me but… Ugh. Whatever. I should be more practical. Maybe Kaga was right. I am being a bit too emotional as of late.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

...A bit too late to be giving me any more pity visits, Captain.

I heard rumbling noises as the little girl who was folding paper cranes dashed into my room.

“That’s just the Captain,” I told her as she hid under the sheets. “You need not be afraid of him…”

No response. I suppose it’s a bit too presumptuous of me to expect her to adjust to life here is merely a day…

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

...I’m not opening the door unless you speak, Captain.

“I-Isn’t he going to be mad you’re not opening up?” Galatea asked from under my futon sheet. “He owns this base… Right?”

“Iie. He doesn’t,” I replied with a flat tone. Hmph… I’m not so frail as to just let you walk all over me, Captain. If you want my help, you better apologize.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

...But what if it’s urgent? It’s past six already… Normally, he would already be dining with his wife at this hour. That or he’d be buried in a mountain of reports. He is fond of cramming his work, after all. It was only after he chose Eugen as his secretary that the Captain began planning his submissions ahead on account of an er… less than optimal aide-de-camp.

“Amagi!” In the end, I couldn’t just ignore him after all. “Thanks for opening the door.”

I’m not letting you in, though.

“Please… Can we discuss this?” He said holding a long folder in his left hand. “Please… It’s important.”

“...What is it?”

“Er… Can we speak inside?”

“I don’t know. Can we?”

Taken aback by my sudden sarcasm, the Captain stared at my peeking violet eyes for a few seconds dumbfoundedly.

“Hey… I didn’t mean to offend you,” he said. “I… I just want you and the kid to be safe. I’m the Captain of this base: you are all my responsibility and I just want what I think is best for all of us…”

His eyes… Tch. You really know how to…

“This is a matter of life and death. Please—” I interrupted his words with the opening of my sliding door.

“Get in, Daisa…” I said as I sat behind my table. “Let’s discuss the issue.”

Before speaking with the Captain, I had Tosa take Galatea out for a meal so she wouldn’t overhear. That turned out to be the correct choice...

A single ship facing insurmountable odds… To challenge the current is something only a battleship like Lady Monarch of the Royal Navy has the gall and the guts to do. Hmm... Judging by the huge smoking crater behind her, the Sirens must have launched a surprise attack on the Alaskan Outpost. The other shipgirls who were not as robust as Monarch must have been defeated already before this picture was taken.

“I see… This is alarming news,” I told the Captain. “Have you told anyone else?”

“I’ve told Enterprise, Rossiya, and George,” he replied candidly. “George, in particular, didn’t take the news so lightly…”

“I can imagine,” George considers Monarch as one of her sisters, after all. There’s no way a battleship as proud as her is going to take this lying down. Someone will have to pay for this—and George won’t stop until she makes them. “So what are your plans, Daisa?”

“Before coming here, I contacted the other outposts,” he said. “I put them on high alert so that they won’t be as surprised when Sirens attack them. Here.”

“Hmm? What’s this?” I asked him as I flipped through three pages listing groups of shipgirls.

The first page lists the following… Huh. They all seem to be from our faction: Mikasa, Zuikaku, Shoukaku, Noshiro, Yukikaze, and Jinstuu.

The second page lists: Richelieu, Jean Bart, USS Essex, Le Malin, IJN Atago and Takao.

“Those are reinforcements,” he told me. “We need to defend those outposts at all costs. We can’t allow the Sirens to gain ground anywhere now that they’re becoming more active again.”

He pointed at the first page.

“These shipgirls. I plan to deploy them to the outpost we are establishing near Yokohama. They’ll support Suruga and the others there…”

I see… Suruga, Ryuuhou, Fusou, Yuudachi, Shigure, and Naganami definitely could use the extra help.

“Hmm, what about these ones?” I asked about the second page. I haven’t looked at the last page yet.

“To the outpost, we’re establishing in Brest,” he replied. “We need that outpost to defend the English Channel and patrol the Atlantic.”

I see…

“And this last list?” I asked as I read the names in my head. Hmm… So he’s sending Tosa, Hiryuu, and Souryuu along with Z1, Portland, and Indianapolis. “To our outpost in Cochin, India I suppose?”

He nodded.

“That outpost is by far the most important out of all of the others,” he explained. “We cannot afford to lose it.”

“And why is that?” I asked. What makes this new outpost far more valuable than the others, I wonder?

“Ever wondered how exactly the Sirens got in and out of Germany without us detecting anything?” He asked. “The Royal Navy has their own patrols on their side of the Atlantic while the Union keeps a huge network of drones constantly patrolling their airspace.”

“The Iron Blood, still trying to keep their end of the bargain with their treaty obviously wouldn’t have the same resources,” I continued. “But what you’re really trying to say is that the umbrella of protection the other two large factions provide for them should have kept the Sirens out, hai?”

“Exactly.” The Captain affirmed. “That means they didn’t pass through the Atlantic. They passed somewhere else.”

“Where else…?” India is quite a distance away from Germany. What routes could they possibly have taken, I wonder?

The Captain pulled a small world map from the folder and laid it on my table.

“My theory,” he began. “Is that they were using this route…”

Hmm? Ah!

“The Suez Canal!” That makes a lot of sense! If the Sirens were somehow using the Suez Canal, they’d be able to use the Mediterranean to escape through so many avenues. They may have even established a base there without our knowledge.

Now the layout of the outposts makes sense to me.

“This one,” I said while pointing at the area near Brest, “is supposed to discourage Siren entry at the British side of the Atlantic while still patrolling the entrance to the Mediterranean at Gibraltar over here…”

The Captain nodded as I pointed at the Strait of Gibraltar.

“We are sure no Sirens are roaming around that area so that’s where the outpost in India comes in: it’s supposed to monitor the entrance to Suez!” I finished.

“Exactly right,” he agreed. “The other reason why I chose India is that it’s still fairly close to the Asian sphere.”

The Captain traced the Asian area of the map with his index finger.

“Their job is two-fold: defend Suez and support the fleet at Yokohama should there be an attack in Southeast Asia,” he explained. “The main key locations the fleet at Yokohama will monitor include the Philippines, East Timor, and north Australia.”

“Where we will be able to provide support from here,” I continued his statement.

“Correct. The Alaskan outpost was to be the muster point where we would have sent our forces in cooperation with the Eagle Union,” he explained further. “The idea is that with the Union’s support, we could potentially simply use their bases to continually patrol, well, basically, everyone .”

I chuckled.

“What’s funny?”

“You’re really going to take advantage of the fact that the Union has bases everywhere , aren’t you, Captain?” I asked. “Not that I’m complaining. The Union did leave a bad taste in our mouths in the previous war so exploiting them a little just simply amuses me.”

The Captain didn’t chuckle.

“...With the Alaskan outpost gone, the three others just wouldn’t have enough to continue operating,” I said. “As good as their strategic locations are, each of these outposts is codependent on how well they can communicate and support each other. If one goes down before the others are ready…”

“...Then we’re only risking wasting our resources and manpower,” I finished.

“So, will you help me?” The Captain asked.

“Of course, Daisa,” I replied. “I agree with your deployment plans. I think your choice of ships is… appropriate. But what about finding those who went MIA?”

The Captain scratched his head and handed me another paper from the folder.

“KMS Friedrich der Grosse, USS Enterprise, HMS King George V, SN Sovetskaya Rossiya, IJN Akagi, IJN Kaga,” I read. “KMS Prinz Eugen, KMS Admiral Hipper, KMS Z23, USS Montpelier, USS Baltimore, USS Laffey, and IJN Ayanami…”

That’s a lot of ships… Not as many as our all-out assault on Hamburg but putting Friedrich and Enterprise in the same fleet… The Captain is deadly serious. One selection bothers me, however…

“You’re sending your wife?” I asked. “Wait… Iie… You’re not sending Lady Eugen, Daisa. Y-You’re—”

“Yes, Amagi,” he interrupted. “Things are going on in the Union that I have to confirm for myself. Eugen will never let me leave without coming along especially since her sister is missing so there’s that… I’ll simply have to make her pump enough milk for our daughter while we’re gone… I’ve already spoken with Liz. She’ll take her place as the head of the base while I’m away again… That said...”

The Captain’s face grew sour. His forehead distorted as sweat began dripping from his face. He reverently prostrated himself before me with both his hands touching the floor on opposite ends of his forehead.

“I already ask so much of you, Amagi but please once again… I ask you both as the captain of this base and a father: protect this base… And please, do not let anyone here…”

I smiled as I raised his face off the floor. I already knew what you wanted, Captain…

“I am to not let anyone get injured, hai?”

“I know I ask too much but—”

“That’s quite a tall order, but I’m up for the challenge,” I reassured him.

“...Please don’t push yourself too hard, alright?”

I nodded.

“Daisa… If you truly care about me…”

COUGH COUGH COUGH

“Amagi!” The Captain ran straight for my drawer where he frantically went through my belongings in search of my medicine.

“I-I’m fine, Daisa…” I said, forcing myself to recover from the floor. The Captain, failing to find my pills, immediately rushed to my side and supported me.

“I should reconsider my operation. I can’t continue expediting your health like—”

I caressed the Captain’s face and made him turn towards me. I…

Mm…

“A-Amagi…”

I-I shouldn’t have—ugh… I will have to apologize to Lady Eugen… This is where I draw the line.

“Daisa… If you truly care about me…”

COUGH

“...Then please: keep moving forward with all your might. Your gallant victories…”

I caressed his flustered and reddened cheeks once more… This is the face of the man I desire but can never have… Yes. I will not be an obstacle to your path to glory… I shall be a sacrificial pawn—one whose life is meaningless but whose death will be most empowering. Yes… Like a lotus. I will become that for you…

“...and this smiling face is the best medicine for me.”

???

“Is there a point to you keeping them?” The dumb battleship Siren asked. “Wouldn’t it make more sense to just get rid of them here??”

“Purifier,” I called the overly enthusiastic Siren, making her turn her head towards me in response. “You will not touch our captives.”

“But what if they escape!?”

“...Like Test Subject E did when you were watching her?” Honestly, how could a depowered shipgirl break out like that under your watch? It was irresponsible of you and the Empress to allow such a horrible blunder.

Purifier grit her teeth as she produced her rigging behind her.

“You ungrateful, disease-laden invalid!” She roared with all her guns pointed right at me. “How dare you speak to me like that!? I AM your superior!”

“I didn’t say otherwise,” I replied calmly. “The Empress and Zero had already approved of my plans. While you are my superior, I would suggest keeping me around for now. That is unless you can plan for our next steps.”

“Urk…” Purifier’s pep seemed to have dissolved. Her rigging vanished with a blinding golden gleam. “Could you at least tell me why we aren’t reconditioning any of these except that redhead?”

I chuckled.

“Why waste resources on useless garbage?” I asked. “There’s no point doing that especially since the Arbiters are away right now.”

“Pfft. Progress in that other dimension is going very well, huh?” Purifier grimaced. “She couldn't leave us even one Executioner class?”

“Hmm? Is taking on the shipgirls too much for you now, dear Purifier?” Urgh… I always hated tentacles… “What do you think… Lotus? Maybe we should recommission a new Purifier.”

“Ha. Ha. Very funny, Observer,” the already-annoyed Purifier commented as the ever-as-creepy Observer Alpha floated behind me, her tentacles caressing both my hair and Purifier’s. “And could you stop doing that!? Where's our Testers anyway?”

“Which group?” Alpha asked. “You’ll have to be more specific. We’re already having trouble with the increased number of datapoint influx from all the nodes…”

“...Where is our largest group?” I asked.

“That’s not for you to know,” Observer snarled as her slimy tentacle slapped my cheek gently. “Your job is to help us win battles: to plan our supposed war against the humans. Not to question things above your access level.”

“...My apologies.”

“And you,” Observer pointed at Purifier. “Be careful about asking those things in front of this… aberration next time. If she could betray her world to save one man, she can definitely betray us all.”

“I know THAT!”

“Sure you do…”

“Please,” I broke their fight up. “Please there’s no need to worry about me. Unlike the others… I agree with what we’re doing.”

“Oh?” Observer raised her brow and crossed her legs. “Really now? Hehe… I suppose as long as he’s alive, you won’t have the gall to question us.”

…

“Do your job Lotus. And maybe—just maybe, I’ll let you have your precious Commander—or Captain. I don’t care. So long as our interests align in capturing the Keys, I won’t have a problem with you.”

“Same here.”

The two of them looked at each other and headed for the exit at the other side of the holding chamber.

“By the way, why are you giving that Russian er… German cruiser special treatment?” Observer stopped and asked as I oversaw Petropavlovsk’s chamber being filled with gas. “You’re not touching anyone but this girl.”

“Oh, this? I’m just preparing the bait for our worm… The Captain here is formidable but now, he has a weakness—it so happens I have the key to exploiting that weakness right. Here.”

Your move, Captain.

Chapter Text

Captain

8:04 PM. “Thanks for coming on such short notice,” I said as four ships gathered around my office table. “...I have a huge favor to ask all of you.”

“What that might be, Captain?” Asked Yorktown. “By the way… How’s your wife and daughter?”

“...Thanks for the concern, Yorktown,” I said. “But please… I need your full attention.”

“My apologies.”

“Right… I will be leaving with a huge fleet,” I explained. “The mission we’re leaving for is extremely important… To summarize: our Alaskan outpost has been taken. We need to recapture it and rescue the missing ships…”

Bismarck frowned.

“You don’t wish to bring me along, Captain?” She asked. “The Iron Blood will be sure to provide additional support if you need it.”

“No no, Bismarck,” I replied. “This time, I need all you four here in the base… Your job here will be extremely important.”

“...Proceed.”

“Firstly, as I won’t be around,” I said. “The head of the base operations will, again, be Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth of the Royal Navy.”

“Humph! That much is obvious, Commoner!” The little Queen chuckled. The other three looked at her and simply ignored her bragging. “So, will Lady Amagi join us again as our tactician?”

“Yes, Your Highness,” I replied. “But right now, there is something I need you four to do in addition to assuming command of the remaining ships.”

“...Please continue, Daisa-dono,” Nagato said. “We can handle it.”

“Alright… As you know, there are four potential new commanders here,” I said. “I already prepared a curriculum for them. Please make sure they attend their classes at the Academy. I already instructed Langley and the others about this.”

“Easy enough,” Bismarck said.

“Right. And then here is where I will really need your help,” I said. “The fleet exercises. We need to continue them at the end of this week. What I want you four to do is help the potential commanders establish the fleets they will use then.”

“Are they ready for that, Commoner?” Liz asked while rocking her chair. “Are you sure? They’re really inexperienced.”

“Desperate times call for desperate measures,” I replied. “They have to be ready… That’s why I am asking you for your help. You lead your factions every day… You inspire them to be better… So I hope you can do the same for these four as you once did for me.”

“...Very well,” Bismarck said. “I will cooperate. Michel’s pretty easy to handle so that won’t be an issue.”

“About that,” I said. “I plan to shuffle them around. For week one, they will stay with their own faction. Week two, the Union commander will trade places with the Sakura Empire and the Royal Navy commander will do the same with the Iron Blood. You four can decide then where they will stay: the important thing is that they get to experience life with every faction.”

“To prevent bias and favoritism,” Yorktown nodded. “I like it, Captain.”

“Are you all up to the challenge?” I asked.

The four looked at each other and smiled at me.

“Yes!”

9:12 PM. “I apologize for rounding you all up for a mission so late at night…” I said as I looked upon the teams I assembled earlier. “Some of you have just gotten home from commissions…”

I turned to Akagi and Kaga who had just come home not an hour earlier… Essex and Yukikaze had just arrived.

Still, our mission cannot be delayed. The more we delay, the more we risk our companions’ lives.

“But I hope you all understand how dire our situation is,” I said, readying my explanation. “More than a day ago, the Alaskan outpost we were planning to establish fell to a Siren attack.”

A large sum of indistinct murmuring filled the air as I felt the shipgirls grow anxious about the implications.

“My sisters are over there!” I heard Montpelier exclaim at Baltimore who buried her in an embrace. “No… This can’t happen!”

“What does that mean about our other new outposts?” I heard Jean Bart ask her sister. “Will Algerie be fine?”

“If God wills it,” the Bishop of the Iris Libre replied, trying to reassure her pirate sister about their friend stationed near Brest. “...Justice will prevail, Jean.”

I turned to my right to see Eugen silent, her eyes focused solely on the ocean in front of her. Hipper, her elder sister, stood next to her as they whispered to each other something in German… They were speaking too fast for me to understand so…

“Daisa?” Amagi, who was standing to my left, tore my attention away from my distraught wife. “Are you ready to leave?”

“...I have no choice, Amagi. I can’t delay any further,” I told her.

“ENOUGH!” From the back of the crowd, King George V yelled as her eyes burned in anger. “How much longer are we going to stand here talking!?”

“George…” Enterprise tried stepping in but the Royal Navy battleship walked right past her. She got right in front of me and huffed.

“We’ll be leaving soon. I want to brief everyone first…”

“And while you do that, who knows what unspeakable horrors they’re unleashing on Monarch!?” She bellowed. “I am bringing the Royal Knights. ALL of them. Don’t you stop—”

Amagi grabbed Monarch’s right arm which was about to reach for her rapier.

“Let me go you…!”

“You’re not the only one who has something at stake here!” Amagi said. “George-san. You’re a king, are you not? You always lectured Prince of Wales about keeping the Royal Navy’s honor. Stop acting like a child. Onegai.”

“This is personal, Amagi!” George replied. “You wouldn’t understand since it wasn’t one of your sisters who are in jeopardy.”

George swatted Amagi’s hand off her hilt.

“Observe Montpelier!” Amagi yelled at George. “Observe the Hipper class. Do you see any of them complaining? Iie. They are here to save their sisters. You all are here to do that.”

“And what if this plan fails? The longer we take, the less chance we have at succeeding!”

“...I understand, George,” I said.

“Daisa!”

“Amagi. Let’s just understand her position right now,” I said. It is my fault this happened: I should have seen this coming. “Still, please understand that we need the Royal Knights here right now. With much of our firepower away from the base, we can’t neglect our own defenses.”

George looked at me with contempt.

“I don’t expect you to like me after this,” I told her as I turned to the other shipgirls who all went silent while watching the drama unfolding. “I don’t expect any of you to like me after this. I am the leader of this base: your commanding officer. Whatever mishap happens, it’s my fault. There’s nobody else to blame for any of the damages done but me. My leadership. So don’t fight amongst one another. Don’t blame each other. Blame me.”

...I promised a world where something like this won’t happen. If I really want that, I must be ready to accept the full weight of my own actions and words.

Huh? Eugen… held my hands. I turned to see her gloomy face light up. Wordlessly, she nodded. I see… Do you still believe in me?

I turned to my left. There was Amagi who just now defended me from George… It was my mistake and she would have been fully in the right to jump right in and criticize me especially after I offended her earlier today. Instead, she is on my side. Always has been. And I hope she’ll continue to do so in the near future…

Right. I can’t give up now!

“...But right now,” I continued after clearing my thoughts. “Our friends are in danger. Everyone: lend me your strength once more. I will do everything in my power to rescue them… I swear!”

I bowed before them, prostrating myself in shame and humility. These are my subordinates but in my fear of the future, I failed to realize something I already knew before: they’re my allies and friends. I should have treated them as equals as I did before… If I’m like this, how can I deliver on my promise? How can we defeat our enemies if I myself perpetrated an inequality of statuses in my very own base?

I treated Amagi like she was my prisoner… I pushed the shipgirls too hard by sending them on too many patrols and commissions… I lost faith in them because of my fear of failing my wife, my daughter… and myself. I’m such a selfish idiot!

“...Let’s do it!” I heard a confident, unwavering voice rallying the other shipgirls. “We lost one battle: we’ve lost so much more before! We have a chance to recover. Are we going to chicken out right now!?”

It was Enterprise. She still…!

“Pfft… This isn’t the five minutes of fate,” Akagi chuckled. “Why are we even having this melodramatic exchange? Come on, Daisa… You don’t honestly believe that Akagi is going to abandon you now, do you?”

“Onee-sama…”

“You behave yourself,” She said as she turned to Kaga. “Inside, you were thinking the same thing, aren’t you?”

“But that’s… Hai,” Kaga said as she closed her eyes. “...You know, I was getting pretty bored of being sent out to commissions all the time and facing cheap foes during exercises. This will be fun…!”

I felt a familiar grip on my shoulders. The woman who was seething in anger before: George, had knelt before me, holding my shoulders.

“Get up. A leader doesn’t belong on his knees,” she said as she helped me up. “...I apologize for my unsavory behavior. Bismarck can attest to the limits of my anger…”

Even George… Yes. We can still recover.

“...Thank you,” I sincerely said as I bowed again. “Thank you, all of you… Now, let’s go rescue our friends!”

Amagi

...And he’s gone. I tried to stop him from leaving tonight but the man just can’t stop…

You are like the waves we float on, Captain… The more I marvel in your beauty, the farther you withdraw from me. The more I recoil from your strength, the more you come crashing into me. The more I hold you in my hands, the more I realize how truly impossible it is to keep you within my grasp.

I will manage the base with Her Majesty well for you… Your child, the four commanders, this base…

Your legacy…

It’s safe with me. I will lay down my life to protect it.

There is no moon out tonight.

“Hmm… Konbanwa…” What the!? Who? Oh… “Amagi-san…”

I turned to see the usually-aloof Shinano standing beneath the light of a lamppost behind me. How long has she been standing here, I wonder?

“It’s you, Shinano-sama,” I said. “What brings you here at the docks so late in the evening?”

“...I watched Daisa-dono,” she said slowly; as if fighting the drowsiness constantly plaguing her existence. “Have you said… your goodbyes?”

“Goodbyes?” I raised my brow as a chill ran down my spine. “What do you—”

“I’ve seen this… over… and… over again,” Shinano mumbled as she laid on the grass. “Shikikan… He leaves… He returns… Going away for one last time… Never came back… There is nothing I can do… Nothing you can do… Hai… If there was anything I could do… I would…”

“N-Nandato!?” N-No… It can’t! She doesn’t mean…!

“Explain yourself!”

COUGH COUGH!

“K-Kuso…” My lungs… ugh…

“...You’ll be fine, Amagi-san,” Shinano said calmly. “...A new one will come soon… Iie. Reine-hime… Hai. She’s qualified to lead… That… is what I can see… tonight...”

S-So that’s your endgame, Heika!? To replace the Captain with your offspring?

“So you and Reine-hime were sent here to replace Daisa-dono!?”

“Iie, Amagi-san,” Shinano said as a tear rolled down her cheeks. The nerve of this…! “I… tried… changing his fate countless times… It only worsens everything...”

“Explain yourself… What do you mean?”

“His death… Iie… His capture,” Shinano mumbled. “It’s meant to happen… Changing it… muddles our future… Instead, we should look forward…”

“But he’s our best chance at winning!”

“The Sirens… Daisa… Shikikan… Their fates are intertwined…” She explained. “There are… too many unknowns… too many factors now…”

“Stop speaking in riddles!”

“...The strongest Iron Blood battleship… the newly-awakened Enterprise… The awakened Eugen… The leader of the Royal Knights… And Daisa… Hai,” she’s not even paying attention to me. It’s like she’s dreaming awake! “...All unnecessary factors… Tenno Heika… Your prediction matches mine… This… may be his last—”

BANG!

I mustered all my strength to produce my rigging but… all I could manage was one shot!? I-Is my body really in that bad a shape…?

COUGH!

“Amagi-san… We…” Shinano simply caught the salvo with one of her planes… I-Is this the power of the strongest carrier? “...are not enemies. You… are my ally. You always have been…”

“And so is the Captain!” I yelled. “Shinano-sama… Onegai… L-Let us help—”

“Iie… This is the best way… to save… more,” N-No… “Otherwise… Tenno Heika…”

“Daisa…” My haggard breath kept getting in the way of my speech… I can barely form sentences…

“...is going to help him,” Did she just finish my— “Hai. I finished your sentence for you… Amagi-san…”

“Then you know…”

“...Hai.” Shinano produced her rigging behind her. The majestic white fox had more swords than I can count and a flight deck larger and more robust than any I’ve ever seen… She floated elegantly in the yellow light of the lamppost as I laid on the ground on the verge of fainting… Such a divine figure and yet… Kami-sama… please help us! “I will… help ease your pain… I know… how it is to lose your beloved… Amagi-san… Perhaps this is… fate.”

“Sayonara.”

BOOM!

John

Making me clean the entire kitchen, all of the loos, and even designating me to cooking duty… Pah! I’ve NEVER been more ashamed in my entire life! That head maid will surely get what is coming to her… and so is that Amagi! Don’t get me started on that upstart of a Captain. Who do they think they are treating royalty like this!?

“Why hello there, Your Highness—or is it, lowness right now?”

A woman about a head shorter than the head maid approached me with her hands on her hips and face. She smirked smugly while emphasizing her red eyes as her white hair flowed menacingly in the dining hall. She stepped on the rag I was using to scrape off the bark I made today when Belfast made me run with the mop in hand to clean… Tsk. I’m not a masochist, woman. Keep your filthy stockings away from my face!

“Shut up, Ajax!” I boomed as I stood up. This woman hasn’t been the least bit useful to me despite the stories I heard about her efficiency and ruthlessness. “Your information hasn’t been giving me any results. This is the last time I will speak to you.”

“Hehe… You Majesty wouldn’t you like to hear—”

“Enough schemes out of you!” I said. None of her ideas work . Amagi being an offensive chess player? Bah! The Captain appreciating decisiveness? All lies! “I’ve had enough of your lies.”

“But I wasn’t lying,” she said as she put her hands behind her back. “I really was trying to help you, Your Highness.”

“...Then why?”

“Well… I can’t help it if Lady Amagi just outthought the both of us,” she giggled. “Besides. You got the cleanup duty because of your own actions. Not mine.”

...Tsk. Who designed these girls to be so human-like anyway? It doesn’t help that she looks like my…

Nevermind.

“So what other clever tricks do you have?” I asked sarcastically. “Oh, I can’t wait to clean the harbor next!”

“Funny you should mention that,” now what is she up to? “You asked me to tell you everything that’s going on here, yes?”

I nodded. Now what? Ajax pulled my collar to make me bend over to her level. She then approached my left ear and whispered:

“The Captain gathered some of the top players in our base at the harbor,” she murmured with a hush while looking around. “He seems… unhinged. It might be something Your Majesty would be interested in looking into.”

Unhinged? This is the man who faced the Sirens hundreds of times. What on Earth could have happened?

“H-Hey!” Ajax exclaimed as I tossed the rag to her. I ran to the exit of the dining hall before turning to her:

“Clean everything else up! I’ll be back!”

Hehe… As my accomplice, it’s not fair that I’m the only one getting punished, eh?

“I don’t expect you to like me after this,” the Captain said with a trembling voice as he got on the ground, kneeling and bowing before the shipgirls. Hmm… He messed up, I think. Good! You deserve a thousand deaths for the humiliation you bestowed upon me!

Hmm… Interesting. Better keep hiding in this bush—I don’t want to clean the harbor, after all.

“But right now, our friends are in danger!” Some sort of operation must have gone terribly wrong elsewhere. “Everyone: lend me your strength once more. I will do everything in my power to rescue them… I swear!”

You messed up, Captain. You’re not qualified for your position. Tch. You’re all high and mighty with me when Amagi ran circles around my head yesterday when the Sirens actually outplayed you without your knowledge. I don’t care how. I don’t care where. You messed up. That’s all that matters. I don’t think you should be given another chance and King George should—

“Let’s do it! We lost one battle: we’ve lost so much more before! We have a chance to recover. Are we going to chicken out right now!?” Who said that? Oh. It’s the Eagle Union’s Enterprise. Keh. She’s as dumb as I thought she was. There’s no way—

“Pfft… This isn’t the five minutes of fate. Why are we even having this melodramatic exchange? Come on, Daisa… You don’t honestly believe that Akagi is going to abandon you now, do you?”

Akagi—one of the top carriers of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Does she still want to serve under this captain? I don’t understand… Wait. Kaga too? Are these shipgirls out of their minds!? He’s just going to lead them to their doom!

“Get up. A leader doesn’t belong on his knees,” George said as she helped the Captain up. “...I apologize for my unsavory behavior. Bismarck can attest to the limits of my anger…”

...How could he still command their respect even in failure? I don’t understand… He failed. Why should he be given a second chance while I was sent away by my mother for failing her once?

As I watched the fleet split up into three as they disappeared into the darkness of the night, a single shipgirl remained standing at the edge of the harbor. Her tails fluttered aimlessly in the dead of the night as her visage illuminated the darkness: it was Amagi.

“...Sayonara… Daisa,” Huh? Who’s that? A woman with white hair wearing an azure-colored kimono suddenly floated like a butterfly beneath the lamppost right in front of the bush I was hiding in.

Goodbye? I guess she was late to the party but… why mumble like this alone?

Amagi still hadn’t noticed me or the newcomer as she stared out into the sea for what feels like forever… I can’t leave now or Amagi might notice me snooping around the base at such an hour. I don’t want to get in any more unnecessary trouble or else my mother...

“Konbanwa… Amagi-san,” The white-haired woman was the first to break the silence. The surprised foxgirl quickly turned her head to the right and spotted her under the night light.

“It’s you, Shinano-sama,” Amagi greeted her as she approached us, her slippers making a clunking sound on the concrete ground. 

The woman Amagi referred to as “Shinano” yawned and tapped her lips with her right hand. H-Huh? One… Two… Three… No. Nine tails just sprouted from her backside!? Is she a shipgirl like Amagi?

“Shikikan…” That’s all I could get… They’re speaking Japanese too quickly—not that I could have understood them if they spoke slower than a rock.

“Nandato!?” Amagi said as her tails sprung to life. The soft brown hair that usually flowed gracefully with her every step and movement began standing up on end like needles as Amagi’s eyebrows furrowed. What the hell is going on!?

COUGH COUGH!

What in God’s good name are these two talking about!? If only they could speak English, then maybe I could at least tell why Amagi is raising her voice! All I can say is this: whatever they’re arguing over, it’s enough to stress out this disease-stricken foxgirl this much.

“Reine-hime…” Why are they bringing Reine into this? Hmm… I may need to look into the other three a bit more—Woah woah woah! They’re bringing their rigging out!

I don’t think I want to be around two shipgirls when they’re preparing to fire right at each other right in front of me! A-Amagi’s about to fire…!

Diane…!

BANG!

...Huh? No explosion… Not even… Am I dead? N-No. Amagi fired the shot but she ended up on the ground. Is her stamina really that bad? Shinano’s just… standing there menacingly as if she wasn’t at the receiving end of a gunshot from a battlecruiser. Wait… She has a launchpad… That must mean she’s an aircraft carrier or a light carrier… Still, her rigging is HUGE even for an aircraft carrier…

“...Daisa…” What is Amagi going on about now? She calls the Captain that so I assume they’re talking about him?

Oh, God. Shinano’s rigging… Are those miniature bombers? They’re getting ready to launch!

“Sayonara,” she told Amagi with a tinge of sadness in her voice. Suddenly, a single plane flew right out of her rigging, grew more than ten times in size, and dropped a single bomb on the struggling Amagi! D-Damn it I have to—!

BOOM!

“W-What the hell was that!? A-Am I…?”

“Not yet, Your Highness.”

“Ajax! I-I thought I left you behind at the dorms…”

“It’s a good thing I followed you,” she replied. Ajax made it in time… She dragged me out of the bush and hid the both of us behind a building just in time before that explosion.

“What happened to—”

“Shh!” Did she just shush me!?

“Now see here! I—”

“Shut it!” Ajax said with a hushed voice as she forced my mouth shut with her gloves. She grabbed my face by the chin and forced me to look up. What’s that…? A plane flying away?

Oh.

“Honestly, you should apply your intellect a bit more, Your Highness,” she said with a sigh. “I’ve never seen a carrier from the Sakura Empire like that…

“What do you mean?” I asked. “She doesn’t seem special.”

RUMBLE

“Get away!” Ajax said as she carried me away. T-The building we hid in…!

“...She wasn’t even using her full power,” Ajax said as she caressed her chin. “Shinano… I’ve heard of her. The supposed hidden supercarrier… They didn’t even tell the Captain about her existence? And what the hell was going on when she attacked Amagi?”

“...And when Amagi attacked her,” I said. Shit! That reminds me…! “Where’s Amagi!?”

“Is that our problem?” Ajax asked. “We don’t need her. In fact, your stay here will be easier without her—”

“Ajax. I’m not kidding around. Look for Amagi!”

“...You’re serious!?”

???

Hmm… Knocked out? Wow, you’re amazingly stupid in this world… I expected more. Oh well…

Now, onto the prisoner we’re converting...

“You look terrible.”

Chained to the walls, restrained by hard, cold steel, and kept barely alive: that is what the Sirens did to Monarch.

“...Do your worst!”

And yet her spirit hasn’t been shaken one bit.

“I haven’t been alive before anyway… If I can use this life of mine to protect the Royal Navy, then so be it!”

CLANG!

Impressive… She still has enough strength to move her bounds.

“It’s difficult to recondition someone like you,” I said.

“What do you mean?” She asked as she raised her head. “Show yourself! Stop hiding in the shadows like a cowardly wraith!”

Ignoring what she said, I continued: “You have no precious memories. No regrets. No tangible bonds. Nothing.”

“And what do you have, huh?”

“Continue screaming into the darkness, Monarch,” I taunted her. “Just as you did before your existence. That is your sole regret: that you were denied the curse of existence. That you remained simply a plan. You rejoiced upon seeing the Captain use you: you jump at the prospect of proving you are the best.”

“Don’t you psychoanalyze me!”

CLANG! CREAAAK!

Hmm… could she actually break out of her chains? In this state? Extraordinary… Priority ships can be amazing, after all. Roon didn’t put up this much fight according to the footage I watched… neither did Bismarck. Honestly, the shipgirls of this timeline are truly extraordinary. It excites me to think what kind of a wonderful person their Commander is!

...Or was it Captain? Ah… It doesn’t matter. If he could strengthen his fleet to this extent, I look forward to matching wits with him!

Hehe… his plan wasn’t bad, either. Trying to flush the Sirens out by blocking all avenues of attack and escape is honestly pretty clever of him. Most commanders would have settled with beating the Sirens the moment they appeared anywhere on the globe. This one… well, he reminds me of mine…

“You’ll never control me!”

“If that’s the case, then I suppose we’re just wasting resources on you,” I said coldly. “Don’t worry. You’ll come around. We always do. I just have to find that which is most precious to you. If there is none, then…”

“Then?”

“Then you are of no worth to us and we’ll terminate you. Permanently.”

“I won’t…”

CREAAAAK!

Mazui! T-This is!

CRASH!

S-She broke—AH!

“I got you!” T-This woman…! M-My neck… “You’re not as strong as them! Heh… Then I guess I’ll just have to—”

She stopped…

“Amagi? I thought… You knew me so well I thought…”

Monarch dropped me as I coughed harder than I had in ages… She walked backward while grabbing her head as if in confusion. She thought I was… who exactly?

Ah… Hehe… So that’s how it is.

“Well… I can’t say I’m surprised,” I said. “...Another you have fallen to us, after all. And this is exactly how she fell.”

“W-What are you—!?”

Exactly. Found it. Your greatest fear: becoming something you weren’t meant to be. You take pride in yourself and your abilities the most. Of course, you’d fear becoming the opposite of what you wanted to be!

BANG!

“Ugh…”

Monarch fell unconscious at the edge of the iron walls after taking my salvo. She’s still breathing but that should put her out for a while. Enough time to repair her holding cell. Hehe…

How convenient. You thought I was you ? I’m afraid we’re not the same, Monarch. The only similarity between us is our voice. You fought to the end for your ideals; that is why no matter how hard the Sirens tried, they never succeeded in converting any version of you. Me on the other hand, my ideals?

I threw mine away.

Chapter Text

Amagi

...The docks. When was the last time I floated like this?

...Ah… Ages ago.

I was to be the lead ship of the new battlecruisers designed to supplement the existing battleships of the navy. Four of us were designed: Akagi, Atago, Takao, and me. Er… Was she supposed to be named Takao or… Ashitaka? I digress. It doesn’t matter.

Yes… Akagi was laid down first in the naval yard of Kure. I soon followed; construction began ten days later at Yokosuka. Atago was laid down at Kawasaki and Takao soon followed at the Mitsubishi shipyard.

Ah… To have three sisters to look after. I couldn’t be happier. If I could serve our country and save lives, there is nothing more I could ask for. I had a dream. A purpose. A life.

...But all of that was too good to be true.

RUMBLE RUMBLE

Yes… I remember this.

September 1923. A mighty earthquake struck Kanto at Honshu. I remember every part of my hull trying its best to withstand the unrelenting fury of the earth as the waters beneath me roared louder… and louder… and louder… and louder still!

CREAAAAK! SNAP!

…

The cursed earthquake struck during lunchtime when most of my countrymen were at home cooking. This unfortunate coincidence caused fires… What’s worse, a powerful typhoon off the coast of Ishikawa further fanned the flames, turning what could have been a small fire into an unstoppable firestorm. It was as if we were being assaulted by kami-gami themselves. The massive fire engulfed whole cities; more than 38000 living Japanese were incinerated in Rikugun Honjo Hifukusho alone. I dare not think how many more were lost elsewhere... Water systems, plumbing, infrastructure, and everything else in between—all destroyed within a matter of minutes.

...And it took two full days to put out the flames searing our land.

The catastrophic damage did not end there. Tokyo, Chiba, Kanagawa, Shizuoka: four prefectures fell to the unforgiving wrath of the earth. Landslides buried entire towns in Kanagawa while a collapsing mountain literally pushed a train of people into their deaths at Nebukawa.

It did not stop there.

In the aftermath of the earthquake, a great tsunami loomed over our land. With heights of around ten meters, the torrential punishment that came after wiped out Sagami Bay, the Boso Peninsula, Izu Islands and Peninsula within minutes.

I wish I could say that it was all that happened but… it didn’t end there. The tremors continued, and continued, and continued… Like a merciless butcher repeatedly bringing down his thunderous knife upon livestock. 57 times did the earth shake after the disastrous calamity, causing damage throughout Japan.

...It was just the beginning.

Civil unrest—and fear of the annexed Koreans fighting for their independence, led my countrymen to violent ways. Some of them massacred native Koreans living in urban Tokyo and Yokohama while our nation was still reeling from the catastrophe. A number between six to ten thousand innocent lives were lost as the Army struggled to contain the anger of the masses.

The loss of infrastructure led to talks of moving the capital. People began to believe that the tremor was divine punishment from our kami-gami for our selfish and lavish lifestyle. Meanwhile, typhoid fever became more and more common despite the disease’s decline in other places of the world. My countrymen experienced the same pain I endure every day even when it wasn’t their fault...

And me? ...What happened to me was of little consequence. I was merely a ship that was too damaged to be of use to the navy. No… To anyone.

The Washington Treaty dictated that I was to be remodeled into a carrier like my sister. However, I was… in too much of a sorry state to be used anymore. The cost of my reconstruction was the least of our emperor’s worries. And so, the most practical decision was made: I was disassembled.

Honestly, if I were put in the same position, I would have made the same decision without a thought. Building a new ship from the ground up is a luxury we did not have at the moment…

Besides, in the wake of my death, another would take up my place. Yes… The unfinished battleship of the Tosa class: Kaga. In my place, she was converted to an aircraft carrier alongside my sister, Akagi. This is why I consider the Tosa class my unofficial sisters…

As for the other two under construction, progress was slow. Delays and financial instability in the system would ultimately cause the cancellation of Atago and Takao’s construction. They were promptly disassembled on their slipway…

I was satisfied having been denied my existence if it meant my sisters could live on in my place. In that sense, I am indeed much like a lotus flower: whose death allows new seeds to take root and develop. I was satisfied… Yes… If it meant a better future for all of Japan, I’d allow the same fate to occur once more to me. I will gladly take on the full force of nature’s forces like that once more if I could save more lives in the process…

Embarking on a mission for our country, Akagi and Kaga participated in the attack of Pearl Harbor. Equipped with the 21st model of the Mitsubishi A6M2, they laid waste to a large part of America’s Pacific Fleet. Our fleet would gain the reputation of being untouchable, unbeatable, unmatched, uncontested.

...And yet, looking back, it was but a fool’s war. The Attack on Pearl Harbor itself was a grand strategic mistake. Declaring war on the economic giant that was the Union—the United States, at the time, was nothing short of a farce. We had no resources. The Americans had all the resources. In war, the side with the most logistical capability would invariably and inevitably win. Not only that, but the Rengou Kantai’s attack on Pearl Harbor did not manage to find and sink the then not-present Yorktown class… a massive oversight that will eventually come to haunt me and my sisters… like a Ghost. A Grey Ghost that just refuses to sleep permanently.

We won many battles later but, as I feared…

The worst had finally occurred.

The five minutes of fate… on that fateful day at Midway, my sisters joined me in the afterlife. The carriers Hornet and Enterprise—in the process of losing their elder sister Yorktown, had proven their mettle. Our superiority in the Pacific was no longer unquestionable…

Whether we deserved what came next, I cannot say. It wasn’t as if our own soldiers were saints… They committed so many atrocities during the war, as well. Among the greatest victims of our conquest was the Philippines. Corregidor… The Death March… Stories of women and children being used by soldiers for ‘comfort’... The Rape of Manila… massacres everywhere in the archipelago during the warring years still haunts that country to this day… or does it? I have no clue. It is easy for young generations to forget about the atrocities committed in the past especially when everything seems not so clear-cut.

...and for years following that event, our people paid the price for our audacity. The menace of the sun that lit up the night sky in both Hiroshima and Nagasaki still haunts us to this very day, after all…

When all of this is over—if I will be given the chance, I would like to spend my remaining days visiting China, Korea, the Philippines; all the places we scorched with the flames of war. Japan is a victim and an abuser at the same time… we may regret our actions but that does not change the fact that we did commit these horrible crimes. In a way, we deserved the divine punishment the kami-gami brought upon us.

And yet after all those years, I am here: with a warmth I did not feel when I was made of steel. Now, more alive than I had ever been, I awakened and opened my eyes to see…

You… Captain.

“I am the nameship of the Amagi-class battlecruisers, Amagi. Along with Akagi, I was originally supposed to be converted into an aircraft carrier, but that plan was scrapped after a certain natural disaster,” I said as I smiled at you—my very first smile after coming into existence. As I looked around, a sense of jubilant glee took over my body.

Beside you are Akagi and Kaga: my two sisters, alive and well. Akagi had become a beauty in the midst of the ink-stained Sakura Empire while Kaga had become the feared and powerful kitsune at our base. Overcome with so much emotion, I ran towards the two, only to...

COUGH COUGH!

...I see. I am cursed with a handicap even in this form, aren’t I, kami-sama?

But instead of discarding me and disassembling me for scraps, you, Captain, caught me in your arms. You smiled at me and asked with a voice so gentle and tender—despite the panicked expression on your face: “Are you alright? How are you feeling?”

My body filled with a new emotion then. It was unlike anything I ever felt before… for the first time, I felt my chest pounding and my mind went completely blank. However, as it stands, I am still the head of the Amagi class. I must act the part...

 “As you can see, my body is not in a great condition, but please do not worry about me too much,” I told you as you helped me up.

Back then, I was determined to change the Sakura Empire. Heavy anti-war sentiments have already been ingrained in our culture and political systems—the Union made sure of that and yet the pride of the Crown still bears weight. Nationalism is at the heart of the issue, after all—having none of it is no good and yet having it in excess leads to our people’s own ruin. The more I learned about Tenno Heika, his spawns, and his foreign policy, the more I realized that we might be re-treading the same path as we did during the olden days. How his plan escaped me, I’ll never know… and I’ll forever regret.

So many things have occurred since our first meeting, Captain. Back then, you were still a Commander—just one among the group of excellent naval officers that joined the Anti-Siren task force. As your numbers dwindled, you grew in strength and intellect. You became the star player—the key to solving our problems against the menace of the Sirens. You were imperfect yet capable. You were firm but kind. You were objective yet reasonable. You treated us shipgirls as if we were actually humans… You loved us all so much that you actually married one of us yourself…

Shinano… You and Reine-himesama are treading the path of destruction. I pray you don’t stray too far off—the consequences are too dire for both our nation and our victims.

Gomennasai… Captain… This is the extent of my…

No… I promised you I’ll protect your daughter, your base, and your legacy. This is not the time. I still have things I must do!

BEEP… BEEP…

Huh? Where… Tubes? In my nose… my right wrist… Who?

“Onee-sama! Y-You’re awake!” Huh? Akagi… I thought I was?

Akagi held my left hand and pressed it against her tearful face. She had dark swollen circles around her eyes, indicating that she had been hard at work waiting for me to reawaken.

Ugh…

“Don’t get up,” Kaga? But… I remember. “Please, rest your body, Onee-sama.”

Kaga caught me in her two arms and gently laid me back on the bed.

“It was John who saved you… He was saying something about a carrier?” Kaga said in her usual deadpan tone. “...We looked all over the island but there’s no carrier matching that description but from what we can tell, it’s the guest Nagato-sama was keeping in her quarters… Still, she isn’t even a shipgirl so that’s ridiculous... What happened to you?”

“What… happened?” I asked them, ignoring their initial question. “Didn’t you two… leave with Daisa for the Alaskan outpost? What happened? Did you—”

Akagi and Kaga both didn’t meet my eyes as they threw their sight at my feet. Kaga grit her teeth and closed her eyes, tears welling up within as Akagi completely broke down.

“Iie… No… That’s not possible… Daisa, he—”

“We… tried to stop him,” Kaga said as she fought back her tears. “Daisa fought valiantly. He… almost won against…”

“Against? Against what?” I asked, trying to maintain my composure for my sisters. But how could I? I felt my heart throbbing as the pain continued to increase… I refuse to believe it…! No! Shinano’s prediction isn’t right! It can’t be right!

The suspense is killing me.

“Spit it out, Kaga!” I exclaimed as I pulled the tubes entangling my body out. “TALK!”

“Onee-sama… He was fighting,” Kaga sniffed. “Against… you.”

“What? Th-That’s impossible!” I laughed. “Iie… I was bedridden. I was unconscious for—”

“It was… you, Onee-sama,” Akagi said as she tried calming down. “It was… another you… one of them… She knew Daisa’s entire plan… He almost caught her but… she used Eugen-san’s sister as bait… and then…”

“And then?”

“...The Captain surrendered to the Sirens and Ashes in exchange for our lives,” Kaga said. “The battle went on for two weeks before he surrendered...We barely made it out… If Friedrich and Enterprise weren’t there and Daisa’s escape plan wasn’t sound, we wouldn’t be here…”

I began shaking my head…

No… It can’t be… Another me? How’s that possible? Why? How could I…? There must be some kind of mistake…

“You’re joking, right? Joudan darou?”

“Onee-sama…”

“Akagi? Tell me Kaga is simply making a joke… When I get out of here,” I said as I chuckled. Tears… No… I won’t cry…! “When I get out, please say he’ll be there to tell me to take care of myself… To tell me to stay home… To tell me to take care of Galatea… To tell me… To ask me… how I am feeling…”

No response. Both of these two can’t look me in the eye.

I grabbed Akagi by her kimono.

“TELL ME!”

COUGH COUGH…

This accursed body…!

“Onee-sama!”

“Don’t touch me!”

I… I’ll find you, Captain! Even if it kills me, I will get you back! I don’t believe for a second you’re gone… I’ll save you! No matter what the cost...

Lotus

“How are you feeling, Shikikan?” At last… I finally caught you. “Is there anything you’d like? Food? Bath? Water?”

In the iron cage sat the Captain of the Anti-Siren Task Force. I had him chained to a steel chair with one table to his right. I giddily approached him and placed the food tray I brought with me on that table.

“...Amagi,” he mumbled. Look at him… so emancipated… reduced to this slovenly form; a far cry from the proud captain who sank both Hiryuu and Souryuu a week ago. Hehe… Even with Helena’s intel on my side, he inflicted so much damage on our fleet that I will have to drastically adjust our timeline and move back our schedule by about three months.

No matter… I get three months with you then…

“Hmm? Maybe you want—”

“What happened… to you?”

Eh?

“You’re… not the Amagi… I know…”

“Of course not!” I scoffed. “ Your Amagi is currently taking her sweet time lying in a hospital bed while you’re here suffering. Meanwhile, I just defeated your formidable fleet. With much damage to mine, of course, but that’s just testament to your skill.”

“No… that’s not what I mean…”

“Hmm… and what do you mean?” I asked. “Don’t even think about trying to win me over. You don’t understand anything: humans need the Sirens.”

“...What about the innocent lives?” He asked. Even in this state, he still puts others above him? “The children… the women… the elderly… the men… who all lost their lives? Don’t they mean… anything?”

“There was a time when I believed that,” I told him. “...There was a time when others meant more to me than my own life. But that mindset…”

I turned my back on him.

“Cost me you,” I said. “The humans will learn that war is a fool’s game. There is no glory in subjugation, no honor in dominance, and no pride in violence. They will learn that bitter lesson even if it takes the Siren’s arsenal to do it. Nobody learns by reading things up from a book or a website—or by listening to a commander who was practically begging them to get their act together.”

I’m becoming far too emotional. Peace, Amagi...

“They have to experience pain—the pain we felt, the pain I feel.”

The Captain went silent. No rebuttals?

“You cannot refute me and yet,” I grit my teeth. “And yet you refuse to see it my way… Don’t you understand? The humans need the Sirens. It’s the only way… If you cooperate with me, you and I both get what we want in the end. You want a world where your child won’t ever be a weapon?”

I knelt to his level. The Captain tried avoiding my eyes as his chains clanged against the chair he was tied on.

“You can make that world. Right now,” I told him. “...And I get to experience life with you again. Help the Sirens and they will help you. You can’t beat them: nobody can. Why not join them? There is no instance of any warfare where either side benefited from prolonged battles, after all. Don’t you care about innocent lives? The longer you refuse, the more you sacrifice.”

He didn’t reply.

“I’m offering you a way out, Shikikan-sama…” Please don’t make it any harder… “Help the Sirens and we’ll help you. That is all you have to do.”

“...That’s not who I am.”

You stubborn—!

“Keh! You placed your wife’s safety above your own!” I mocked him after finally having enough of his foolish idealism. “That’s what lost you the battle. You found where I was hiding. Enterprise’s bomber jet was in position. Yorktown was preoccupied with Friedrich. Helena was too far away to help me. One order and I would have been reduced to atoms! If you had just sacrificed her like what an ordinary commander would, you would have WON!”

“...And live a life in regret?” He chuckled. “Amagi… you were so much wiser before…”

I knocked the food off the side table. How dare he mock me!?

“You’re not making this any easier on yourself! Or on me… I can’t do anything for you unless you cooperate, Shikikan!”

He looked me straight in the eye… No… This is like that time…!

“I am not your Commander… and I will not betray anyone. There’s still good in you. I can see it… Amagi…”

“URUSAI!”

Chapter Text

Amagi

Where… is that woman!?

KNOCK KNOCK

“Amagi? What’s gotten into you!?” Nagato-sama asked as she stood up. I didn’t even wait for her to acknowledge my presence. She was playing Go with her sister, Mutsu when I arrived. “Burei-domo ga!”

“Where is Shinano!?” I asked, trying to mask the rage in my voice. “Nagato-sama. If you want me to continue respecting you, you WILL cooperate.”

I produced my rigging and aimed at the head of our faction. In response, Nagato merely frowned and sat back down.

I don’t care about politics right now. I will use Shinano’s abilities to find you, Captain. I don’t care if I have to shoot my way through hell: I will find you!

“Come in,” she said as she sipped from her teacup. “Mutsu. We’ll continue this later.”

The little Nagato-class ship scurried under my rigging as she retreated.

“Onee-sama!” Kaga came up from behind me and grabbed my rigging as I was entering Nagato-sama’s chambers. “Onegai. Calm yourself… We can—”

“Damare!” I have no time for debates.

“Kaga,” Akagi removed Kaga’s hands from my rigging. “...Let’s trust Onee-sama.”

“Akagi! Not you too!?” Kaga responded as her eyes widened. She grit her teeth and produced her rigging as her tails began rising in anger. “This is treason! You can’t just—”

“Kaga I will remind you I am your senior!” Akagi’s own rigging appeared behind her as both took their stances. “You WILL heed our sister’s wishes!”

“Bootlicker!”

“Insufferable muscle-head!”

As my two foolish sisters took their dispute to the skies, I sat before Nagato-sama—with my guns still aiming right at her head.

“Doko?” I asked. “Where is that woman!?”

“Shinano is no longer here,” Nagato replied. “She’s gone back to the Capital upon my suggestion. I know how you’re feeling… I’m not pleased with how things are, either but—”

SLAM!

I slammed my fist on the table, ruining the game of Go Nagato was playing with Mutsu.

“Don’t give me that!” I said, trying so hard to contain my anger. “Shinano knew what would happen and she didn’t warn Daisa! The way she and Tenno Heika are doing things, we’re going to—”

“DO YOU THINK I’M HAPPY ABOUT THIS!?” Nagato’s nine tails all sprang up, hair standing on end as tears welled up in her eyes. “NO ONE is happy about it, Amagi! Not you, not Akagi, not his family, and DEFINITELY, not me!”

“Then why did you help her escape!?”

“Because it’s the only thing I can do!” She slammed her fist on the floor. “If I could have stopped the Captain, I would have! If I could trade my life for his, I would ! And if I could have surrendered Shinano, I would have!”

“YOU COULD!”

“And sacrifice our own faction!?” Nagato barked. “You KNOW that isn’t possible! I am loyal to Daisa-dono but I am the head of the Sakura Empire FIRST—and you are a tactician of the Empire first before you are the Captain’s aide, Amagi. You WILL remember your place!”

“If this is how the Sakura Empire will operate,” I growled. “Then I don’t want any part of it!”

Nagato’s eyes burned red as her rigging appeared behind her. The visage of a little miko was completely overtaken by the sheer size of her guns—as expected of one of the Big Seven.

“Do you understand what you’re saying!?” Nagato roared. “That is high treason, Amagi! The punishment for it is—”

“Death.” I said as I stood up. “Iie, Nagato. I am not going to betray the Sakura Empire.”

Having calmed down a little, Nagato’s rigging disappeared as she became more relaxed in her posture.

“Then what do you suggest?”

“Nothing,” there is nothing to suggest. There is only one thing to do, however.

“But as of today, I, Amagi of the Sakura Empire, hereby proclaim this: I am abandoning my post in the navy. From today onwards, I am no longer a ship of the Sakura Empire.”

“Abandonment!?” Nagato asked. “What you’re saying can get you exiled!”

I made my rigging disappear as I felt my body’s strength leave me. The Sakura Empire I love… The people I want to serve… and the emperor I wanted to support have all turned their back on reason and peace in favor of its selfish desires. Nagato can’t do anything about it but I can.

I will not cause a coup within our faction… I don’t want my sisters to lose the only thing they love. If there’s anything we need less of right now, it’s in-fighting. That said, I can no longer stand this old-fashioned way of thinking our Emperor enforces.

If I cause a scandal and make our faction split off from the base, I ruin everything you worked hard for… I cannot—and will not destroy everything you worked hard to create, Captain.

“Then exile me, Nagato-sama,” as I said that, I felt as if my body could collapse at any moment. The Sakura Empire is everything to me but it has turned its back on me… If serving it is going to cost me my sanity and him… Then… “Do your duty and I will do mine.”

“Your duty is to serve the Empire!”

“My duty is to serve Daisa!” I rebutted. “I am a shipgirl of the Anti-Siren Task Force. My job is to rescue my commanding officer using every ounce of my energy and every fiber of my being. The Sakura Empire has abandoned its sacred duty… it is, therefore, no longer aligned with my own duty.”

“...You realize that doing this won’t change a thing between you and Daisa-dono,” Nagato said with sorrowful eyes. “This changes nothing between you two… He will always belong to someone and you will always fall short in his eyes… Even then, you still want to dedicate your life to him? Is this truly the choice you’re making, Amagi?”

I paced to the door.

“...There is no choice to be made. My life belongs to Daisa from the very moment I laid my eyes on him,” I said as I opened the door. I raised my eyes to the beautiful Sakura in Nagato-sama’s garden… “How beautiful… And yet, you scatter no matter how much you bloom. Is this the destiny of our—iie… The Sakura Empire?”

“...Very well, Amagi,” Nagato stood up as I turned my back on her. She raised her outspread hand and commanded: “As the head of the Sakura Empire, I find IJN Amagi guilty of abandonment. Here my decree: she is hereby forbidden to set foot on the sacred grounds of our beloved nation. Every record of her actions in our faction will be struck and burned. We WILL rid ourselves of the disgrace and shame she caused to us!”

“Arigatou, Nagato-sama…” I murmured.

“...Iie, gomennasai, Amagi,” Nagato-sama said with a tear in her eye. “If I was a better leader, I could have done something more for you and Daisa-dono… Like before, I couldn’t steer our faction correctly…”

“Iie, Nagato-sama,” I replied as I continued walking out of her room. “...You did a splendid job. We are only shipgirls—our duty, after all, is to obey and enforce the will of our human masters.”

“You’re truly superior…” Nagato-sama replied. “So superior to me that it pains me to let you go…”

“I’m happy you think of me so highly,” I told my ex-leader. “...Please take care of yourself and our faction. Protect my sisters…”

“I will,” Nagato sniffed as she wiped her tears away.

“Nagato-sama, please reconsider!” Kaga implored Nagato-sama as she prostrated herself before her. Akagi did the same. The two of them stopped their foolish dogfight the moment they saw me step out into the corridor.

“Onee-sama must not be feeling well… There’s no way she can do this!” Akagi added. “Onegai… Nagato-sama! Banish me instead!”

“Shiremono!” Nagato admonished both of them. “Your sister is doing everything in her power to steer her own destiny. Do not get in her way.”

“D-Demo!”

“Fulfill your duties and do not bring more shame to her name,” Nagato-sama advised my sisters. “I command you two: escort IJN Amagi out of the premises of our residence. You will aid her in gathering all her belongings and moving out.”

“...Hai, Nagato-sama,” the two of them replied as they stood back up.

“Amagi!” Galatea hugged me as she welcomed me back. “I thought you’d never come back…”

“Ohayo, Galatea-chan,” I smiled. “How have you been? Who took care of you while I was gone?”

“...Ohayo, Onee-sama,” I heard a serene voice as I turned my attention to what used to be my table. It’s Kaga’s sister.

“Arigatou, Tosa-chan,” I said as I bowed. “...I’m afraid our reunion will be a bit cut short though. I need to gather my items.”

“Hmm? What for?” She asked. “Are you going somewhere?”

“Ah… In a way,” I replied. “For a very long time. You see, I abandoned my post. So Nagato-sama banished me.”

“Hmph. You always were more loyal to Daisa than our faction,” she said as she closed her eyes. Tosa stood up and reached into my closet—or what used to be my closet, anyway. She retrieved my kimonos and carefully stuffed them in the luggage right beside my dresser. “Be well, Onee-sama.”

“Arigatou,” I said as I received my luggage. Hai… The other items here can be burnt. I don’t need anything more…

“Does that mean Tea-chan is coming with you?” She asked. Tosa’s become fond of her, eh?

“...If she wants,” I said as I turned to Galatea. Hmm… It seems they’ve gotten close in my absence. She even has a cute nickname for the child now. I turned to the little girl and asked her: “Would you like to come with me?”

The child looked back and forth between me and Tosa but she ended up hugging me anyway.

“Uhm… I don’t understand what’s going on but we’ll visit Tosa sometimes, right?” She asked.

I looked at Tosa. I can’t really visit the residence anymore after this so…

“I’ll come visit you, Tea-chan,” she smiled. “Then I’ll help you fold your orizuru and you’ll help me paint!”

The child ran to Tosa and gave her a hug before coming with me.

“Can I call you ‘Tea-chan’ too?” I asked Galatea.

“Y-Yes!”

Hmm… Galatea-chan seems to be a bit more lively? I wonder what happened. At least she’s moving on a bit now…

“Allow me, Onee-sama,” Akagi said as she carried my luggage. “You’re only taking your clothes? Are you sure?”

“Hai,” I replied. “Everything else is disposable. I don’t want to bother Lady Eugen too much when I visit her…”

“Hmm? So you’ll be staying at the Administration Building then?” Asked Kaga as she crossed her arms. “...I still don’t approve of you leaving, Onee-sama.”

“I know… But know this: you two,” I took their hands and joined them together. “You two are now the future of the Sakura Empire. I… I wish I could help you two but my duty is to Daisa-dono…”

“...Akagi and I disagree on most everything,” Kaga mumbled with sorrowful eyes. “I’m not sure if we’re ready… Neither of us are as good as you when it comes to strategic planning…”

“You will be when the time comes,” I replied with a smile as the two continued escorting me and Tea-chan out of the dormitories. “Besides: you are you. I am me. Now, you two will shape the path Japan will walk in along with Nagato-sama and the new shikikan.”

Suddenly, I felt a blade pressed against my throat. W-What the!? I didn’t even—

“Amagi-san. I thought you were our ally,” this voice… Reine-himesama? “Shinano tried to talk me out of it but now I am sure: you are an enemy of the Empire. You will be eliminated here and now!”

“Onee-sama!” W-What technique… She was able to hide her presence from not only me but also Akagi and Kaga at the same time!? “Let her GO!”

The two fox sisters produced their rigging as tongues of flame began floating around them. Reine-himesama did not relent, however, as she only tightened her grip on her katana.

“Akagi-san, Kaga-san,” her black eyes stared at them coldly as she began digging her cutting edge at my throat. Luckily, I’m a shipgirl so she won’t pierce my skin so easily. “Do not forget yourselves. I am the will of the Emperor. Any threat to our empire WILL be eliminated!”

“...August 6, 1945.” I said.

“What are you—”

“Upon refusing to surrender, the Union decided to unleash their new superweapon of devastating proportions upon the proud Japanese,” I told the princess. “Do you understand, Reine-hime?”

“I understand,” she said as she dug her sword even deeper. My neck is starting to bleed ever so slightly… If a human was caught in this, she would have been able to take off their head right now. “To prevent such an event from recurring, I have to eliminate all threats.”

“...The higher ups in the last great war refused to see reason: that is what led to the bombings,” I corrected her. “And now, you and your father want to repeat history once more. It’s this kind of backwards thinking that holds us back. Why can’t you see that!?”

“Because we won’t tolerate weaknesses anymore,” Reine-himesama replied without a second thought.

“Reine-hime!” Nagato-sama’s voice rang from under the gate at the entrance of the dorm. The clunking of her slippers stopped the princess in her tracks. “I already banished Amagi. There is no need for you to take action.”

The princess growled as she swiped the air to my right and put away her sword.

“...What in the world are you scheming, Amagi-san?” She asked. “Chichiue always spoke highly of you and your abilities. Why are you doing this?”

“Because there is so much more to leadership than dominating others,” I replied. “You and your father should know—you came from a long line of leaders.”

“We aren’t going to war, Amagi-san,” she said. “Chichiue’s plan is not to conquer the other nations. It is—”

“It is to replace Daisa with you,” I finished her statement. “Isn’t it?”

“Is it wrong to desire a better position for our faction?” She asked. “If I become the head of the Anti-Siren Task Force, I can use that position to leverage more support for Japan: to accomplish more than what the previous emperors combined could in their lifetimes.”

“Do you think the Union and the other factions will simply let it come to pass?” I asked as I scoffed.

“And do we just let them walk all over us again ?” She countered. “Our nation’s own armed forces are in shambles. I look around Japan and all I see is a country that cannot defend itself.”

She grit her teeth.

“We were once known as the Terror of the Pacific,” she cast her glance on the ground. “We used to command almost the entire Asian region. Even the Union was shaken with our presence before and now… We can’t even defend ourselves without first consulting the Council!”

“So to gain more control, you decide to hijack it from a competent commander!?” I laughed. “And who’s going to support us once they find out that you and Shinano did this? Do you think the divine winds will blow in our favor once again? Amai na!”

“You’re the naive one, Amagi-san!” She argued. “You don’t know what it’s like to watch your countrymen have to beg and squirm underneath the Union’s thumb just to fight back! You don’t know what it’s like to be powerless! You don’t know what it’s like to lose—”

The princess calmed herself and stopped herself from saying more.

“...I WILL become worthy of leading,” she said. “I don’t need your approval. I just need the approval of the major faction leaders.”

“Which won’t happen if the Captain is alive,” I said. “Which is why you and Shinano allowed him to go on a suicide mission. What else did you do?”

I approached her.

“Not even I knew where exactly the new outposts were. That is top secret information only Daisa and the four faction leaders knew about,” I squinted my eyes. “...Tell me, Reine-hime. Is there something else you would like to confess?”

“Hmph! I don’t know how the Sirens found the new outposts,” she scoffed. “Chichiue never told either me or Shinano.”

Hmm…

“I’ll be taking my leave now,” I said as I glared at the princess. I held Tea-chan’s hand and made my final word: “I will be watching you. Very. Carefully.”

Chapter Text

Amagi

“Are we going to stay here?” Tea-chan asked. Akagi, Kaga, and I stopped in front of the Administration Building as I knelt to her level.

“Hai, Tea-chan… But I will have to speak to the mistress of the house first,” I said, glancing at my sisters who nodded.

I need Lady Eugen’s permission first.

“Lady Amagi?” One of the Captain’s maids, Dido, dropped her jaw as she saw me going up the stairs. “Y-You’re alright now!”

“Hai… How is your lady?” I asked the Royal Maid. “Is she here?”

“Er… No,” Dido replied as she put the basket of laundry down. “Lady Eugen and the Master’s daughter are away on a trip to the Iron Blood with Lady Bismarck and Lady Wales right now…”

Wales? She came home? Hmm… Considering it’s her job to intervene for the Royal Navy to the Union, I suppose this is part of her purview…

“I see… When will she be back?” I asked her.

“I-I don’t know,” the Royal Maid replied as she stammered through her sentence. “B-But if you want, you could ask Her Majesty at the Command Center…”

Ah… That’s right. The Command Center at the Academy was to be established as soon as the Captain leaves.

“Arigatou, Dido-san,” I said with a bow before leaving.

“Nonsense!” The little queen of the Royal Navy scoffed. “Lady Amagi, if you and the little one need a place to stay, you are more than welcome to stay at our lovely residence!”

Er… She’s taking my request a bit too well, isn’t she? I didn’t even ask to stay at the Royal Navy dormitories; my request was to use the Command Center as a temporary shelter…

“Is that so? Then I’m sure Onee-sama will consider your generous offer!” Akagi gladly replied. “Arigatou, Joou-sama!”

“Hmph! Then it’s settled! You and the little one will use a room at our beloved home until this crisis blows over,” ...there she goes deciding for herself again. Still, a room anywhere other than a classroom would do very nicely for Tea-chan’s health. If it’s a quarters in the Royal Navy’s extravagant home, then I can rest easy knowing she will be well taken-care of.

“Very well, Your Majesty,” I said while bowing slightly to the little queen. Meanwhile, her aide, Warspite, quietly whispered something to her left ear as she sifted through some papers.

“Ah! It seems you’re in luck, Lady Amagi,” She exclaimed as she threw herself off her lavish, maroon couch sitting behind the tower of paperwork over the teacher’s table. “The Captain’s wife has returned with her superior and our Prince of Wales. Let us be off to—”

COUGH

That wasn’t me.

“Are you well, Tea-chan?” I asked. “Maybe you should rest…”

Still, I would like to discuss our future plans with the Captain’s secretary as soon as possible…

“I-I’m fine…”

“Hmph!” Queen Elizabeth, who was no taller than Tea-chan, quickly approached the little girl. “Young lady, you must know the limits of your body.”

The little queen turned to Warspite, who just put on her glasses after grabbing a document off the tower twice her own height from the desk.

“Warspite!” Queen Elizabeth barked. “Come! You must guide our Sakura Empire friends. Tell Belfast to prepare a room for our guests!”

Warspite sighed as she resigned herself to the task given to her by her queen. She removed her reading glasses and returned the document to the top of the pile as she stood back up straight.

“Right away, Your Majesty,” she said as she took Tea-chan’s luggage. “Come. Right this way.”

“B-But!”

“I’ll be right with you,” I reassured the little girl who was clinging to one of my tails. “Tea-chan the Queen and her subjects are good people. You can trust them.”

Galatea shifted her gaze between me and Warspite before reluctantly releasing my fur. Warspite then carefully held her now-free left hand, making Galatea squeal softly.

“I promise I’ll be right there,” I told her as the Queen’s right hand strutted off with her.

“Onee-sama…” Kaga called my attention. “Will you be alright?”

“Daijoubu-desu,” I replied. “You two take care of each other.”

“We’ll visit you daily, ne?” Akagi said in a tone that expected a reply from me. “Ne?”

“Hai,” I took the two of them in for a hug. “You two be strong. For the Sakura Empire.”

The mighty battleship parked itself at the edge of the southern harbor as a ramp descended from its deck. A woman with golden hair and a black uniform marched down its slope as a woman with silver hair followed. The second woman, Eugen, carried the Captain’s child who was asleep at the time. As they descended, Eugen was followed by another woman with silver hair; this one, however, was wearing a maid’s outfit but had short hair in place of Dido’s long flowing hair. Sirius.

“Wales,” Bismarck boomed as she stopped before me and Queen Elizabeth. “Come. We’ve much to discuss. Your Queen came to greet you, too.”

Wales sighed as she paced down the ramp after Sirius. She was carrying luggage that appeared… stuffed to the brim. Yes. It looked like it’s about to burst at the seams with how much it contained.

“Wasteful as ever, aren’t we Wales?” The little queen teased the battleship, referencing Wales’ notorious spending habits. I believe there was a time when she came over the Iron Blood residence almost every night to test out clothes she just bought with Eugen.

“Er… These are documents, Your Majesty,” she respectfully rebutted while blushing. “A-Anyway, good morning…”

“How are things at the Union?” Asked the little monarch. “I believe you have much to report?”

“That I do, Your Majesty,” she replied happily. Wales, however, went silent as soon as she saw me.

“Ohayo-gozaimasu,” I greeted the three who looked like they were ignoring me deliberately. “I’d like to speak to you regarding our plans…”

“Plans?” Asked Bismarck. “What plans ?”

“...To rescue Daisa-dono?”

“Rescue?” Bismarck’s temper is acting up again… “You mean you want to rescue him? After—”

“Bismarck,” Eugen quietly interrupted. “...Amagi-san isn’t to blame. Don’t wake Amy up. Bitte…”

Eugen… She’s not taking this very well, is she? Of course, who else would take it worse than his wife? I didn’t expect it to be this bad, though…

She looks like she hasn't slept for days… That or she’s been crying the entire trip. No. I can’t picture the Prinz Eugen bawling her eyes out… It just doesn’t match her image. Nevertheless, she’s a wreck. Her usual flirty aura is gone; in its place is a lonely and quiet shell of what had been the happiest woman in the entire base.

“...Right. What do you want to do?” Bismarck, in her usual straight-talking tone, asked the Captain’s secretary. “Maybe we should rest for now…”

“Nein. I won’t rest until we get him back,” Eugen declared, putting on a brave face despite her tired demeanor. She turned to Sirius and said: “Sirius… If you don’t mind please take my daughter home… I’ll be with her after we talk.”

Dido’s sister unquestioningly received the Captain’s daughter from her mother and went straight towards the Administration Building. After that, Eugen turned to me with the same eyes she had before she fell for the Captain…

“Amagi-san,” she greeted me as she turned to the Queen of the Royal Navy, “Your Majesty, let’s take this to the Command Center… We’ve a lot to discuss…”

“What do you want to discuss, Lady Eugen?” Queen Elizabeth asked, being all too careful with her tone to not accidentally offend the Captain’s wife. “Please… Do tell us.”

“...Call in the other faction leaders… and the other new Commanders, too,” she said with a defeated tone. “Bitte…”

“R-Right,” Warspite, who just got back, immediately went for the radio. She began calling each faction leader and every commander available via radio to come and attend the meeting.

Half an hour. This is the longest half hour of my entire life… Bismarck and Wales gave me cold stares while Eugen stared at the classroom floor blankly without a word. Queen Elizabeth and Warspite kept to themselves as they argued what to write on their report as one-by-one, the faction leaders arrived.

The four commanders immediately arrived not ten minutes after the call but not one of them spoke to me. Reine-hime gave me a sharp look while Prince John kept giving me short glances. The other two… well, they acted as if they were in a world of their own.

“Thank you for attending,” Queen Elizabeth said, acknowledging the arrival of every faction leader—or, their deputy, at least.

Nagato-sama, Dunkerque, Le Triomphant, Gangut, and Enterprise all took their seats around the round table prepared at the center of the classroom. Before the round table was the teacher’s desk—now cleared of all documents by Warspite. Queen Elizabeth took her seat there with Lady Eugen sitting beside her on her left. Warspite, on the other hand, took the right seat.

The four commanders sat outside of the circle at the other edge of the room where wooden chairs were arranged neatly in rows and columns. As I expected, nobody recognizes their authority in the base outside their own faction yet. At least, that’s what I think; if John’s words against Shinano were overlooked, then there’s no other explanation other than they still haven’t earned the trust of the majority of the shipgirls here.

“Amagi-san,” Eugen called me as she offered the seat next to her.

...How can I sit right next to you when…

“Bitte…”

...And how can I refuse? I shamefully took the seat to Eugen’s left and sighed. If only it wasn’t another me…

“So what did you want to discuss, Your Majesty?” Le Triomphant asked. However, it soon became apparent—with the grim look on everyone’s faces, that they already knew the topic of the meeting.

“I will allow Lady Eugen to explain,” the Queen respectfully said as the Captain’s secretary stood up.

“As you all know,” she began. “Our Captain was captured a week ago by Siren forces we weren’t aware of. In response to this, Bismarck, Prince of Wales, and I all ventured to Berlin where we held an emergency conference with the Council.”

Eugen sighed.

“The topic: a search and rescue operation over the entire Mediterranean where the Captain believes a large Siren headquarters may be hiding,” she said.

“And what is their response?” Asked Dunkerque.

“...Herr Bundespräsident Karl, in the absence of a new Prime Minister, consented and supported our plans,” she declared. “Her Majesty, the Queen of England also unilaterally supported our cause. However, the Emperor of the Sakura Empire… and the President of the Union… Both of them declined support.”

An audible gasp.

“Miss President!?” Enterprise could no longer hold herself. “Why the heck would she… No… Then that means…!”

“Since we did not have more than fifty percent votes in our favor,” Eugen sighed again. “We will not receive logistical support from the Council.”

“Wait a moment,” Dunkerque interrupted. “Miss Eugen… In the event of a tie like that, aren’t the minor faction leaders going to be called in to cast their vote?”

“We already had that vote, too,” Bismarck replied in place of Eugen. “The united Vichya Dominion and Iris Libre both consented. Meanwhile, upon seeing the damage on their ships and citing the fact that they’re also fighting Sirens on their side, the Northern Parliament declined.”

“And what about the other factions?” Asked Enterprise. “Those without shipgirls to offer us right now?”

“...The Sardegna Empire agreed but the Dragon Empery refused,” Eugen answered. “Because the Vichya Dominion and the Iris Libre are now being reunited, their vote was counted as a single vote.”

“So it’s again, a tie,” Queen Elizabeth murmured.

“...Thus, we will not receive support from the Council,” Eugen concluded. “If we will conduct this operation, we will have to do it with what resources we have.”

That’s not an easy task. The Mediterranean is a large body of water… Scouting it does not only cost us time and money, but also oil. Without the support of the Council—most especially the Union which supplies us with about 30% of our oil income, conducting this operation is nothing short of recklessness…

“The Iron Blood has offered to shoulder some of our logistical problems,” Bismarck declared. “I’m not sure how much we can actually shoulder with our own nation being in crisis but… our Bundespräsident has pledged to try and help us as much as he can.”

If the Iron Blood wasn’t sucked dry by the Sirens the past year, this might have actually solved our problem but I doubt they can actually do much in their situation.

“Your Majesty?” Wales whispered to Queen Elizabeth’s ear, asking for her permission to speak. The Queen just nodded as Wales marched forward.

“Her Majesty, the Queen of England has also sworn to shoulder some of our financial issues in the future. Should we need repairs, we can use our shipyards to recover.”

That’s quite a generous offer… But England is quite a ways from the Mediterranean. If it was the French who offered, this would have been a god-send. Alas, beggars can’t be choosers…

“The only question remaining now,” Eugen said, “is if you are all willing to participate in our operation.”

“What operation?” It’s that prince again! “I’m quite certain we haven’t said a word about any sort of operation as of late.”

“Your Highness,” Queen Elizabeth stood up, trying to pacify the prince. “Please… Behave yourself. We are trying to deal with a problem at hand.”

“And get yourselves sunk out there?” He scoffed. “Look. Whatever beat the Captain is still out there! You are all just going to get yourself killed if you go out without a plan!”

“That is why we’re conducting this meeting…” Eugen countered. “So that the same won’t happen.”

“Oh yeah? Do you even know what is out there!?” He boomed. “Because we would love to know.”

...So nobody even filled the four in on the details?

“Sit. Down.” Bismarck…! “We have no time to deal with the incessant ravings of spoiled trainees right now.”

Still utterly shocked at the sword that darted past his face, John gulped and continued: “This is the reason you’re all going to fail! You don’t listen! Ever!”

“Nein, YOU listen!” Bismarck yelled. “As far as everyone is concerned here, not one of you is ready. You want us to trust any of you? Prove to us that you are mature enough to lead.”

The prince threw his gaze at me.

“I saved your life!” He shouted. “You know that, Amagi. If you are all going to face threats out there powerful enough to overpower the firepower the Captain brought with him, then you’re better off facing it with another powerful ship.”

“That’s enough out of you!”

“Wait, Bismarck-san!” I said. “Let us allow the prince to have his say.”

Bismarck threw her sharp glance at me.

“What was that!?”

“Onegai. I think the prince is onto something,” I said. “Didn’t he report seeing a supercarrier attacking me on the night he brought me to Vestal’s infirmary?”

The Iron Blood battleship went silent as all eyes landed on John. Seeing this as his chance, he stood up and approached the circle.

“Yes. That I did,” he said with a notable confidence as he puffed his chest out. “Can you confirm that it was a silver-haired woman from the Sakura Empire?”

I see… So he merely described her.

“Hai. It was,” I said, backing him up. “However, I checked earlier: Shinano—the carrier you speak of, has already fled the island base.”

“So what use is there to bring this up?” Suddenly, the princess began speaking. “Besides, are we really going to believe the words of a traitor and an idiot who would sacrifice his own people just to win?”

What? What in the world does Reine-hime mean? I can understand the insult flinged at me but… when did John get the chance to even do that?

“...It was an exercise, Reine,” John rebutted. “I knew no harm would befall Belfast.”

“You set her up as bait during our match!” Reine boomed. “Are we really going to believe this lying snake?”

“Amagi confirmed my report. That should be—”

“ENOUGH!” The Grey Ghost yelled. “We’re getting nowhere quick. Both of you: OUT!”

“But—”

“Enough bickering,” The head of the Royal Navy added. “Warspite. Please, escort the two commanders out.”

The queen’s right hand wordlessly approached them and pushed the two out of the room.

...My word wasn’t enough to convince anyone to believe in John’s statement.

“I believe you, Amagi-san,” Eugen said as she sat down next to me. “But… Finding that carrier is the least of our concerns. For now, what we have to do is find—”

PII POO… PII POO...

“Your Majesty!” Warspite shouted as soon she heard the sirens wailing. Without a second thought, Queen Elizabeth reached under the teacher’s desk and turned it on.

“Lady Strasser,” she said, addressing the Iron Blood carrier the Captain put on patrol around the island some few weeks ago. “Report!”

“Siren forces incoming!” She yelled as her voice reverberated through the classroom. I see… So they connected her radio to the speakers. “Fifty energy signatures located thirty clicks southwest of the southern port. Weser and I will hold them off for now. Get everyone ready!”

Attacking while the Captain is gone… The Sirens mean to end our resistance here and now!

“Understood. Alert the others on patrol. Over and out!” Elizabeth commanded as she turned to me.

“Thank god you’re awake now. With our other commanding officers still not capable of leading properly, I will have to rely on your abilities, Lady Amagi!”

I steeled myself for what’s coming as I stood up. Queen Elizabeth stepped aside as I took the teacher’s table. The other faction leaders stood up in anticipation of my orders as the other two commanders left in the room followed.

“Enterprise: defend the northern side of the island with your faction. Be prepared for anti-sub and anti-air combat. I want Helena on-line constantly scanning the area for any hidden enemies.”

“But there’s…” Enterprise thought for a moment. “Amagi… Strasser said the enemies are at the southern tip of the island. Why are you—”

“Trust me. There will be something there!” I said. Attacking your enemies where they are least defended is a common strategy. “And if there’s nothing there eventually, I’ll be using your superior air mobility to provide long-range support. Am I understood?”

Enterprise nodded as she ran out of the room.

“Your Majesty,” I addressed the Queen. “Are the Royal Knights prepared?”

“With the exception of George and Monarch who are in the infirmary, yes!”

I see… So that’s why the Captain surrendered… He not only did it to save the fleet he went out with, he also did it to swap places with the captured ship… and the other me accepted that bargain.

“Then please immediately send them to aid Strasser-san’s defense of the southern tip. Please send the Royal Maids—whoever is available, to help them. Be careful of subs and incoming airstrikes.”

“Y-Yes!”

“Bismarck-san,” I turned to the Iron Blood flagship. “Have your U-boats create a perimeter about twenty clicks off the shore. Is Friedrich ready for battle?”

Bismarck shook her head.

“She took too much damage when she covered for the retreating fleet last time,” she said. “Vestal says she won’t be able to fight for a while.”

“Then you go out to the west side of the island with your faction members,” I said. “Cooperate with the Royal Knights and conduct a pincer attack on the incoming Siren fleet. Await further instructions.”

“Ja! Alles klar,” Bismarck said as she picked up her sword. She ran straight for the door and disappeared.

“Nagato-sama,” I turned to my former superior… I hope she’ll cooperate. “Will you cooperate?”

“...Hai, Amagi,” she replied. “What should we do?”

I nodded.

“Have whoever is left of the Rengou Kantai sortie out east. They are to meet up with Enterprise’s fleet and bolster our northern defense. Meanwhile, have our submarines support the Iron Blood’s U-boat. Fan them out evenly so that the entire island is defended by a pack of submarines,” I said. “If you don’t mind, I would also like you to defend the east coast. Is that fine?”

“Hai,” she said as she ran out of the door. I turned to Prinz Eugen.

“Lady Eugen,” I said. “Tell Dido and her sister to come here to the Academy for the time being with your daughter.”

She nodded as she reached for her radio.

“Everyone else,” I said, referring to the other representatives. “I want you all to provide support fire and anti-air defense for the island base from the coast. Turn any plane, shell, bomb, or ship that manages to break through our defense lines into ash. Am I understood?”

“Yes!”

“Everyone! Level three battle stations. Prepare for anti-ship, anti-air, and anti-submarine warfare. We won’t let our base fall so easily!”

Lotus

“Aren’t you participating in the operation today, Lotus?” Helena’s voice rang in my ear as I strolled out of the containment chamber. “Swordfish wanted to ask.”

“For the last time, Helena,” I grumbled. “NO. I’ve done my job: I captured Shikikan successfully. I’ll let the Sirens do whatever the hell they want.”

“Hehe… My thoughts exactly,” she said. “But aren’t you being a bit too… attached to him? He is our prisoner. Once we wipe out the remaining resistance, our task here is done.”

“Iie. That reckless pitiful attack Observer and her lackeys launched won’t succeed,” I said. “I’m sure of it.”

“Hmm? Speaking from experience?” She chuckled. “Maybe you are as sentimental as I thought.”

“Masaka,” I scoffed. “Still… It would be easier if we can just…”

“Recondition him?” She finished my sentence. “Like us? No… We want the Captain in perfect health. How can he help us if he’s all ruined on the inside? Hehe… Anyway, the more of Keys we collect, the better, right?”

“Pfft. Four more Keys… They’re all hardly worth our time,” I scoffed. How the hell were kids like that even assigned to the navy?

I placed my hand on the scanner before my iron door. Green lights blinked on and off before the iron panel before me was raised, revealing a small chamber with a single cotton bed.

I entered my room as the door behind me shut itself with a soft wail.

“I guess you deserve some rest,” Helena said. “You did a good job.”

“I know,” I replied as I laid down on my soft bed… Shikikan… There’s only one solution to this… You will have to help us. If you don’t, the world the Sirens came from will—

RUMBLE RUMBLE!

What was that?

“Lotus!” Helena’s voice began cutting out. “She—bzzt… A—bzzt… How did—bzzt…”

“Helena!” I sprung from my bed and ran out to the corridor. There’s only one person with enough power to shake our fortress like that! “Report! Tell me where she is! Damage report!”

I shouldn’t have left her in charge of the command center!

“Shikikan!”

...Nothing. A hole where Shikikan’s holding cell used to be greeted me as I entered the containment facility. I grit my teeth as I watch the mist surrounding our fortress whirl and make its way in. Ash… You just refuse to give up…! How the hell did you even find where our moving fortress is!? I made sure to relocate as soon as we confirmed your betrayal…!

“Ash… You shouldn’t have the energy to keep fighting like this!” I mumbled. She was on the verge of death the last time we saw her. She took a dive in a deadzone and we lost her signal but I was sure she couldn't survive for long.

“Someone is helping you… When I find out who, I’ll end them. And then… I’ll take my Shikikan back from you!”

Chapter Text

Bismarck

“Where should we position ourselves?” Asked U-556 as she began submerging. “I’d like to support you from below, Lord Bismarck!”

I turned to the little submarine.

“Support the Royal Knights. They are without their commander right now so they might be a little disorganized,” I said. “With Monarch temporarily out of commission, they only have Wales, Hood, Howe, Duke of York, Victorious, and Formidable.”

Even with Victorious and Formidable with them this time, I’m not sure the Royal Knights can function as well without George. Repulse, Renown, and the others are competent but they aren’t really up to par with the others… I can only hope sending our subs to them will patch up their missing firepower.

“Understood. The Wolf Pack will support the Royal Knights as per your command, Lord Bismarck!”

“Stay guarding the perimeter as Amagi instructed,” I told her. “I don’t want any U-boats getting ensnared in any sort of trap. Alles klar?”

“Ja! Alles klar,” she replied as the waves swallowed her whole. From underneath me, I saw the faint silhouettes of U-556 and her friends dispersing and fanning out. They are being joined by some other submarines… most likely from the Sakura Empire.

“Heh… Just like before,” I chuckled to myself.

“Meine ältere Schwester,” Tirpitz approached me. “What formation should we take?”

“The usual,” I replied. “Graf!”

The white-haired carrier focused her attention on me.

“If you’re ready, send out your planes to support your sister,” I commanded. “Go on. Don’t wait for us!”

Wordlessly, Graf produced her rigging and out flew her fighters. She jumped on one of them and disappeared from our field of view.

“She’s tense,” Hipper commented. “I can understand why.”

“Weser’s out there, too,” I told Hipper. “Aren’t you worried?”

“Of that dork? Pfft. She’s tougher than either me or Eugen,” Hipper replied as we approached the battlefield. “Anyway, so? What do you want me and the other vanguard ships to do?”

“You and Roon should go out front. Have the Z-ships cover your back and provide anti-sub support for you two. Meanwhile, leave the anti-air to the Royal Maids later.”

“I’ll get them for sure this time!” Roon boomed as she darted past me. She’s using the plasma gun she got from the Sirens—in conjunction with the new weapons we got from the Fatherland.

“H-Hey! Wait for me!” Hipper exclaimed as her rigging transformed.

What used to be her short sword lost its edge; in its place, an instrument she knows by heart was formed. Strings sprung from the edges of that blade as the metal frame became the frets of her beloved electric guitar. Meanwhile, the two iron sharks she cares for grew iron frames in the shape of what appears to be headphones over their “heads” as Hipper’s entire outfit changed. In place of her black blouse came a white top and black skirt with a single white stripe. She wore black and white armbands that were flimsy enough to allow one to see her soft white skin. Meanwhile, she wore a black necktie on top of her white blouse, making her appear like a guitar player in an idol music band.

“...Who designed these new weapons?” My younger sister asked. “I wouldn’t be caught dead in one of those…”

“Ah… the scientists in the Fatherland did. Apparently, Commander Michel was one of those who created these so…”

“...I completely understand the cheesiness of the outfits now,” my sister chuckled.

“Hmm… How nice,” I said.

“Nice?”

“To see you smiling again, Tirpitz,” I left her behind as I splashed her in the face. “Come! Our enemies await our shells.”

“You’ve been hanging around Frau Hood too much!”

As we approached the battlefield, tens—no. Hundreds of dots filled my radar! What the hell!? I thought we were just facing a few dozen… Where the hell are they coming from?

Hood

“Frau Hood!” A little submarine resurfaced next to me. “Lord Bismarck sent us to support you and your comrades. Please stay in contact with us and stay within the range of our torpedoes.”

Aww… How sweet of her… Ah well, I suppose it would be rude to refuse such a generous and thoughtful favor.

“Very well, Lady U-556,” I said with a smile. “Please remain at the back so we and the Royal Maids can protect you, too.”

“Alles klar,” she replied as she submerged. As I am the most senior member of the Royal Knights after George and Monarch, the role of the field commander falls unto me. I turned to my compatriots and declared:

“We’ll be arriving on the battlefield soon. Keep your wits about you! May glory be with us today!”

“Lady Strasser!” I greeted her as she stood manipulating dozens of planes in the air. “The Royal Knights will support your advancement.”

“Danke!” She replied as three ships about a hundred meters from us began exploding. “You guys take care of the right flank. Let’s not waste our time here; let’s finish this quickly!”

As Strasser said that, five more ships exploded but they continued their advancement towards us!

“Tsk… There’s just too many… We’ll be receiving heavy fire now!”

“Heavy…?” A tall, normally-quiet goth-like woman stepped forward, making Strasser grumble.

Hmm… Her choice of words seemed to have roused the fighting spirit of one of Illustrious’s sisters.

“Heavy, you say?” Formidable’s twin tails swirled in the wind as her Fairey fighters flew out. Suddenly, the first line of ships that were making their approach stopped dead in their tracks. It was as if time stood still for them as her planes made quick work of them.

Formidable stopped their approach!

“Hehe… I see I am not the only one who has time on her hands,” Strasser chuckled. “Well, this should make things easier on me…”

“Hmph! This is child's play… The Captain really should bring me along more,” Formidable grumbled. “Oh well… I’ll have a tale to tell my elder sister when she gets back, at least.”

KABOOM!

What the!? Both Strasser and Formi were almost hit by two AP shells! Where did that fighter come from?

“Peter!” Ah… It’s her. Strasser’s sister. “You should focus on the battle. Your abilities don’t excuse your carelessness!”

“Es tut mir Leid, Schwester,” she replied as Graf Zeppelin landed in between her and Formidable. The three of them together launched more aircrafts than I could count. Meanwhile, at the back, was Victorious who was also helping out to maintain air superiority.

“Lady Hood!” Wales approached me. “Shall we?”

“Yes,” I replied as I raised my arms. My guns all aimed at the incoming Pawns, ready for indiscriminate firing. “On my count, fire your volley at our trespassers.”

The Royal Knights all lined up beside me, readying their barrage aimed right at the incoming foes. The Royal Maids, on the other hand, immediately took the vanguard position to prevent the suicide boats from making it to us.

“Hehe… These uncouth riff-raffs will know,” I said to myself. “That elegance is not just for show…”

I turned to see my comrades, all with eyes firmly on-target, completely focused on the unfortunate recipient of their wrath. They have harmed King George V and Monarch. They should know that the Royal Navy does not take kindly to such grievances. To that end…!

“Fire!”

Enterprise

“Nothing yet, sis!” Hornet replied as her planes got back.

“Big sister, how ‘bout you?” I asked Yorktown as we waited at the northern edge of the island. She shook her head.

Strange… Nothing at all? Maybe Amagi is mistaken?

“Helena?”

“I’m sorry Miss Enterprise…” She bashfully said with her eyes glued to her radar. “...Nothing on my—huh?”

“What is it?” I asked her as I rushed to her side.

“Two large energy signatures about twenty nautical miles from here!” She exclaimed. “Matching ID’s… Unknowns!”

Unknowns? Then that must mean…!

ZOOM!

A plane just darted past us!

“Go, Enterprise!” Washington exclaimed. “Chase that plane down! Only your planes can have a chance of catching something that fast!

I-I would but the last time… I just…!

“Enterprise, go!” Yorktown urged me as everyone produced their riggings.

...I have no choice then.

That is no ordinary plane! It’s fast! But… I’m faster—I think!

Suddenly, a voice began to speak out of my radio. It seems familiar but… I can’t quite place it…

“...Sister,” it said. “It’s me.”

...No way. It’s not… They can’t…!

“It’s me… Yorktown!” No… Y-You’re Ash’s sister! My sister! “Please, let’s talk. Big sister will make it all better…”

“Sister! Do you read me?” I responded to her message as we flew above the clouds, her plane now barely in front of my own. “Listen to me! The Sirens are deceiving you! You need to—”

KABOOM!

W-What the hell!? Where did that other plane come from?

“We got her now!” That voice… Hiryuu? “Liberte! Hurry up and catch her!”

I-I’m going down!? No! I won’t get caught!

I pushed the stick and made my plane take an early dive, evading Yorktown’s plane.

If I jump out now, Yorktown will simply pull back on her stick and catch me! I can’t let that happen…!

“No use trying to escape us, Enterprise!” Hiryuu’s voice declared as she chased me. D-Damn it!

I can see the island now…! I can see… Yes! Dunkerque and the others are covering this area with anti-air fire! If I try to land as close to the shore as possible, she won’t be able to follow me.

“Dunkerque!” I screamed into my radio in an attempt to reach the French ship. “It’s me, Enterprise! I’m hit… I need your help shaking this one off!”

A few seconds later, I got a response as I made some evasive maneuvers to dodge Hiryuu’s guns. D-Damn it… If I eject, I get hit with those! She’s preventing me from ejecting!

“Understood. Wilco.”

As my plane approached the shore, I accelerated as fast as I could to gain more distance between me and Hiryuu.

“Now!” I declared as I passed the ground forces. From below me, I saw Dunkerque, Le Triomphant, and Le Malin firing a barrage of anti-air which managed to hit Hiryuu’s plane!

With this, the plane made its retreat as I landed on the shore—crash landed would be the more… appropriate term, I suppose…

“That was horrible…” Huh? Who? “Is it your first time piloting a jet?”

Sam? What the hell is he doing here?

He approached my plane as I ejected and caressed it as if it was his child.

“Poor you… You did your job well, didn’t you? Yes… You protected your pilot the best you could…”

“Excuse me,” I said, trying to stop myself from making a weird face. “Commander, you should go back to the Command Center. What the hell are you doing out here?”

“Watching the dogfight. You’re terrible at it… How did you not see the other jet behind you?” He asked. “Give me a plane.”

...Is he serious?

He jumped into the cockpit of my wrecked plane and smiled.

“Great! Your planes have modern, standard cockpits!” He exclaimed excitedly. “I’m not much for planning… But I’m definitely up for a bit of a fight!”

He jumped out of the cockpit and chuckled like an idiot.

“Come on, Enterprise!” He said. “I said give me a jet!”

“...No thanks,” I replied as I shot an arrow into the sky. The arrow I fired became a plane which descended to pick me—huh?

“W-What are you doing here!?” Did this idiot really just hop in the cockpit with me?? “Get out! This isn’t a joyride!”

“Hey! You’re still at the helm, aren’t you?”

Y-You say that when I’m here sitting on your lap… What an embarrassing situation… Y-You won’t get away with this…!

“Look, I don’t care if you’re a commander. Get out of my plane or—”

“Look out!” He shouted in my ear as he grabbed my right hand and pulled on the stick to the left. W-What the? Gunfire!? “Pay attention! The enemy is hiding in the clouds above us!”

“H-How did you know? The radar doesn’t say…”

“Don’t just rely on the radar!” He boomed. “Think about where your enemies could hide. The clouds make very convenient hiding spots, you know!”

I see…

“Hmm… They’re conducting a pincer attack. We’re going to do a barrel roll, alright?” W-What does he mean!? A barrel roll at this height? We’re barely above a thousand meters in the sky!

Sam took control of the stick and pulled to one direction hard, making my jet roll in response.

“W-We’re going to crash!”

“No. They are!” H-He isn’t even fazed by this as he pulled the trigger. Suddenly, my machine guns roared to life, scoring a hit on what appeared to be Hiryuu’s plane which was below mine, detonating it! “Wooh hooh! Hell yeah!”

Sam gently repositioned the stick and smoothened the plane as he descended, reducing the amount of potential energy we had. This plane can handle a barrel roll at that height and I didn’t even know...

He just outmaneuvered someone who out-piloted  me a few minutes ago…

“What are you doing?” I asked as the jet went on a steady, upwards path.

“...The other one won’t just give up hiding. If I can’t see it, It’ll be hard to fight it. We can’t get a lock if he—”

“She,” I corrected him. “It’s my sister…”

“Sister? Right. Don’t let things like that distract you in a fight,” he said as our jet continued climbing in altitude. “That’s going to get you shot for sure!”

“C-Can we even go up this high!?”

He’s just continuing his altitude climb!

“Yes! Most modern jets can make it to these heights… Yours can make it about a thousand more in altitude, I think!” He chuckled. “Where did you get this baby anyway? What a souped up beefy sweet machine!!”

“I-I thought you should focus on the fight?”

“Don’t worry about it! I got this...”

I looked back and saw Yorktown’s plane chasing us. But that means… We still can’t fire back at her since she’s behind us; and we’re open to attacks!

“You think we can’t fire right?” He chuckled. “She thinks that, too. Well… Get a load of this!”

H-He pulled so hard on the stick that the plane started climbing vertically!

“She’s locked onto us!”

Sam went silent as he methodically stepped on the left rudder, making our plan pivot towards our left… and then he began pushing the stick forward and to the right gently and carefully, making sure that we didn't lose control as he conducted the most perfect hammerhead I’ve ever seen.

In a matter of seconds, we are suddenly facing Yorktown’s plane; this time, however, we have the sun directly behind us as Sam hit the speed on my jet. Bullets came flying out of our machine guns as Sam perfectly intercepted the incoming missiles. He continued his push against Yorktown, scoring a clean hit on the lower part of her fuselage close to her tail.

“Now!” Sam said as he pulled the stick to the right, using the momentum he released earlier to pivot the plane to an even greater altitude as before. As our nose aligned with Yorktown’s already-damaged plane, he smiled as he pursued his prey.

“Fire!” Our machine guns flared up again, scoring multiple hits on Yorktown’s wings.

“We got her now!” He said  as he got a lock on the damaged plane. He fired a single rocket which landed cleanly on our foe, making the opposing jet explode.

I saw Yorktown eject as she produced another plane… She quickly got on but just before Sam could do anything, her voice came out of our radio.

“...Well done, sister,” she said. “It seems you’re stronger than I thought. Hanami-zake and I underestimated your skills. I’ll be leaving now. Follow me at your own risk.”

And with that, Yorktown made her retreat.

“Hmm… She’s wise,” Sam said with a tinge of respect in his tone. “It’s not smart to waste more time fighting a better pilot. She should just regroup and try again later… I wonder what happened to the other one?”

“She probably left,” I said. “The radar isn’t picking anything up anymore, after all.”

“I see… Well, we should get back then,” he said. “Right?”

...I knew Sam was an ace pilot in the Air Force but I didn’t know he was this good. He made both my sister and Hiryuu look like total amateurs with the moves he pulled…

I need to get better… and I think this commander might be able to help me with that.

BEEP BEEP

This frequency… It’s Amagi.

“It’s Enterprise. What’s up?”

“Enterprise-san! Support the West side of the island,” she said. “Akagi and the others are under heavy attack from a group of Explorers and Tracers.”

“I see… What’s going on at the northern tip?” I asked since I couldn’t see anything under the clouds right now.

“Yorktown, Hornet, and Essex are holding the northern side with everything they have,” she replied. “I asked Ark Royal to help them out. She’ll be there shortly.”

“But Ark Royal is on the other side of the island!” I said. “Can’t I—”

“Onegai, Enterprise-san,” she said. “Your sisters will be fine. Ark Royal will make it.”

“Hello? Miss Amagi?” Sam interrupted.

“Shikikan! What are you—? Enterprise-san!? What is the commander doing in there with you!?” Asked Amagi.

“This jet is capable of more things than Enterprise thinks,” he said. “If I may, I can use one of hers to help the Japanese. I’m sure I can help them even if I’m alone.”

“That’s just…!”

“Amagi,” I said. “I think Sam will be fine. He just beat two of the Ashes in a dogfight basically by himself. He can handle himself.”

...I can’t let my sisters down anymore. Otherwise, we’ll end up like you, Ash…

Amagi went silent for a few seconds, possibly deep in thought.

“...Ryokai. But be as quick as possible,” she said. “Over and out.”

“Thanks for the backup,” Sam smiled. “I needed that.”

“...No thank you, Commander,” I replied. “I couldn’t have beaten those two alone. Also…”

“Also?”

“C-Can you… calm down?”

“Calm down?”

“I-I can…”

H-His thing is bumping up my…

“A-Ah! S-Sorry!” Woah!

“Keep the plane steady, idiot!”

Amagi

“Miss Amagi,” Helena said over the communications. “Four new fleets detected over southwest. The Iron Blood and Royal Navy fleets are dealing with them as of now… By the way…”

“Nani?”

“Admiral Hipper, Roon, and Sheffield are exhibiting strange energy signatures again,” she said. “They seem to have heightened combat prowess right now…”

...These must be the new weapons Shinano told Nagato-sama about. The Muse System, was it? I wonder if the Captain is aware of it. And did she say: “again”? So it’s not the first time they used these new equipment...

“Leave Admiral Hipper and Sheffield to their devices,” I said as I looked out the window. “Is Roon’s line open?”

“...I think so?” Helena mumbled. “I’m sorry, could you please check? I’m detecting new energy signatures over east.”

East…

“How big?” I asked.

“Just a moment,” Helena said as sounds of exploding planes slightly muffled her voice. “Three large ones… Confirming ID’s… These are not mass produced Sirens!”

“Alright, arigatou, Helena-san!” I said as I reached for my radio. I contacted Roon as quickly as I could as I quickly scanned the area outside the Academy.

...Odd. Lady Eugen and her maids still haven’t made it here…

Wait a second… The Sirens are sending waves after wave of enemies… for what purpose exactly? Aren’t they wasting their Pawns a little too carelessly? No no there must be a different angle to this… This battle seems so familiar…

...Yes! It’s the same as last year! Their objective last year was to capture the Captain… But now that they’ve captured him, what else could they want?

Oh no. Could they be…!?

“What is it, Amagi!?” Roon’s voice burst out of the communicator. “I’m busy. Make it quick!”

BOOM!

“Roon! I want you to look for the Captain’s daughter. NOW!” I exclaimed. They’ve begun using that long-range bombardment again! They’re going to fill this island with toxic gas and try to wear the unprotected Eugen and maids to capture the child!

“What!? Where—”

“Follow the rising toxic fumes,” I commanded Roon. “They should be there!”

“Alles klar, danke!” Roon said as she cut the communications.

“Lady Amagi!” Warspite yelled from the other side of the room. “Look!”

“More gas!?” I raised my eyebrow as Warspite pointed in the direction of the shipyard. “What could—shimatta!”

“W-What is it!?” Elizabeth flabbergasted. How could I be so careless!?

I scrambled to contact the ground forces and shouted this into the lines:

“Protect the new commanders! The Sirens are after them!”

“Miss Amagi!” Helena’s voice rang again. “Three large energy signatures—two of which are near the Administration Building and the other near the shipyard!”

Quickly, I took one radio communicator with me and ran out of the room.

“Your Majesty, Warspite-san! Please come with me… Time is of the essence!”

Roon

I won’t let them get your daughter! I won’t…!

Two tall gas fumes in sight… One of them is near the Administration Building and the other is near the shipyard… Fine!

To the Administration Building first!

I aimed my plasma gun behind me and fired, greatly increasing my speed. Within a few minutes, I made it to the Administration Building where a pair of scum were waiting to be killed.

Gut. I thought Eugen and her maids were idiots who forgot to wear the mask the Captain spent so much money on. Even the baby has one… Danke. With this much gas here, you’d have to be a total dimwit to walk without proper protection!

“Targets sighted. Commencing capture,” the one holding a gun with twin-coils said as she glowed a purple light. The other one remained silent as it surrounded Eugen and the two maids. This one had a small center rigging on its back with eight cylindrical guns pointed right at its prey. Two larger guns fired beams of light, stopping Dido and Sirius from flanking it.

“You’re in a tight spot,” I said as I kicked the Breaker in front of me, sending it flying towards Intruder.

“Pfft… Show off. Here to strut that fancy new gear your Kommandant gave you, eh?” Eugen chuckled as she cradled Amy. “Danke…”

“I wasn’t talking to you,” I told Eugen as Sirius and Dido stood behind me. I charged my plasma beam cannon and had Shrimpy aim his own speaker-like emitter at the two deadbeats in front of us. “Stay behind me! I don’t want to have to explain how I needed to scrape your worthless piece of scrap metal off the floor when Kapitan gets home.”

“Hehe… I suppose these two have much to deal with,” she said as deafening sonic booms fired out of Shrimpy’s mouth.

“Get out of my way!!!”

Intruder was able to evade but Breaker was unable to. The acoustic energy Shrimpy fired made such a terrible ringing in Breaker’s ear that it left the Siren no choice but to freeze and cover her ears.

“HAAH!” I yelled as I unloaded as much rounds as I could on the immobilized Breaker, completely collapsing its rigging behind it.

“As the Master’s maid, I shall not be defeated!” Sirius said as she whipped out a silver sword with a gold and red hilt. “Even though Intruder managed to deactivate our guns… I have this. My honourable Master, please grant me strength!”

Sirius swung her long sword and managed to cleave off several guns off of Breaker.

BOOM!

Hehe... Miss!

Intruder tried to sneak up and use her beams to deactivate our guns but, this time, we were able to evade.

“You’ll pay for that!” I yelled as I finally fired my plasma cannon, disintegrating Intruder in one shot. 

“I won’t give up so easily…!” Dido had brought out her buster sword and impaled Breaker who was trying to escape.

Hehe… Yes… It’s this feeling!

“Oooh… This feeling,” I laughed as I marvelled at my increased power… With power like this… Hehehe… Hahaha… HAHAHAHA!!! “This feeling when I tear them to pieces… HAHAHA!!!!”

BOOM!

Hmm… What was… Wait. Didn’t Michel tell me he’d be at the shipyard with that cat today after the emergency meeting…? That explosion…

“Tsk… Can you handle yourself from here?” I asked Eugen.

“Vielen dank,” she replied. “We’ll make our way to the Command Center now. Go.”

You don’t have to tell me twice!

“Target sighted,” another Intruder?? How the hell did these get here? What, did someone just drop them here in the middle of all the chaos? “Matching… You’re the Iron Blood Commander. Prepare to be captured…”

You’re targeting… him !? Oh no you don’t…!

“HAAAH!” I released another sonic boom, freezing the Siren in place as it was distracted. Michel fell on the floor, covering his ears, as I approached.

“You dare attack here!? YOU WILL PAY!” I exclaimed as I tore Intruder piece-by-piece, limb-by-limb, with my iron claws. Shrimpy took further pleasure from the carnage as she began chomping down on the scrap metal that went flying as I continued relishing in the screams of agony Intruder was playing for me~

“R-Roon…”

Ahh… Yes… I missed this… I missed being able to let loose like this! And my newfound power is all thanks… to you, Michel! Hahaha… HAHAHA!!! Now nothing can stop me!

“Impressive,” Tsk… This voice… Amagi. “Looks like we rushed all the way here for nothing… Oh well. Arigatou, Roon-san.”

“...You’re lucky I got stronger,” I said proudly. “It’s thanks to this guy here.”

“Really?” Amagi asked as she turned to Michel. “I see… Shikikan? If you can, I’d like to have a look at those new equipment myself. It could be useful for the operation I have in mind to retrieve Daisa-dono.”

“Back off,” I said as I got in between them. The little Queen and her midget lackey followed Amagi.

Amagi smiled.

“By the way, if you can make something like that,” the vixen said. “Then please make use of Akashi and Yuubari. Perhaps you three can make something to help us fight now…”

“W-What might that be, Frau Amagi?”

“...A way to make an unfair battle fair,” she said. “I want you to build a machine that could communicate with allied ships inside the Mirror Sea… We don’t have time. Can you do it?”

“I… I’ve started work on it earlier but when I was about to tell you, that Siren showed up and—”

“Arigatou,” she interrupted him as she turned to a bush. “You can come out now, Ouji-sama.”

“H-How did you—” The prince was hiding in that bush? Hehe… What a coward.

“You were observing with Ajax, weren’t you?” Amagi asked. “I expected as much.”

“Oh? Then that makes capturing these two all the easier… Hahaha~”

That tone… That stingray-like rigging. Only one Siren it could be!

“Mind if I play with you guys? Hehehe… I brought some friends with me! Souryuu! Drop them in!”

From the sky fell four more Intruder-class Sirens! They stood there with purple glow as Purifier began charging up her guns.

“Hehe… Let’s have some fun, fools!”

Bismarck

“Roon left the battlefield?” I asked Tirpitz who just finished firing her torpedoes at incoming enemy cruisers. “Did she say why?”

Meanwhile, Hipper and Sheffield stood side-by-side far away from us near the Royal Maid Corps. With blasts of energy waves, both of them had varying success at blowing away their target; with Hipper doing more damage than Sheffield.

Although their attacks are uncoordinated, the two of them are doing very well. Hipper, I think, has managed to sink about twenty cruisers on her own while Sheffield sank fourteen.

“An order from Amagi,” my sister replied. “Apparently, the Sirens aren’t just doing this for fun. They’re attacking to capture something else…”

Something else… I could only think of one thing…!

Wait… What’s this? Mist? Scheisse… They’re doing it again!

“Bismarck!” Hood shouted as she stood back-to-back with me as soon as she realized what we’re dealing with.

“We will hold our position and prevent any more Siren forces from punching through!” I commanded as my golden eyes began illuminating the fog. “Stay together! We won’t let this Mirror Sea confuse us!”

“Tirpitz, watch out!” I yelled as I pushed my sister away from the incoming purple laser.

“Schwester!?” Tirpitz screamed into the void as she disappeared into the mist. D-Damn it… Where is she? I can’t see anyone on my radar…

“Bismarck,” Hood called me as she stood next to me. “Don’t get lost. We don’t know where our enemies are now…”

“Right,” I said. “Verdammt… They lured us in to trap us all in this Mirror Sea. How are we going to defend our position now?”

“Don’t worry. I’m sure Lady Amagi has a plan,” Hood replied. “She had ground forces stationed at the beaches. I doubt anything can get past them.”

“...Hopefully,” I replied as I continued searching the mists for my sister. Verdammt… This is getting tiring!

KABOOM!

Tsk… That’s the thirtieth ship… My ammo reserves are getting pretty low… I might have to resort to melee combat soon.

“Out of ammo?” Hood asked.

“...You wish,” I chuckled. “Just about.”

“Same here… How long have we been fighting?” She asked as she wiped sweat off her forehead. “Seems like forever…”

...Just thirteen rounds left.

I reached into my rigging and retrieved half of what I have left and offered them to Hood.

“Here,” I said with my right hand outstretched bearing seven rounds of AP. “Use these sparingly…”

“What about you, Bismarck?” Hood asked. “You’re running out, too, aren’t you?”

I pulled out my sword and smiled.

“I still have this,” I replied. “Even without ammo, I can keep fighting. You need ammo to go on.”

Hood blushed as she accepted.

“...You and George need to teach me swordsmanship after this,” she said as she loaded the rounds to her guns. “It’s annoying to have to keep relying on you and the others so much… How disgraceful.”

“Hmph! You’re a quick shot,” I giggled. “Always was. You have terrible eyesight to make matters worse!”

“Hmm? Really? I don’t think I’m the quickshot between us two,” ...seriously? Right now? “Hehe… Just lightening up the mood, is all.”

“...Understood,” I replied as I hid my face from the battlecruiser.

BZZT…

Hmm? Was that?

“BZZT… Hood—La—”

It’s Hood’s radio!

“This is Hood!” Hood quickly picked up her communicator and replied. How on earth did she get any signal in here? “Please, respond. Who is this!?”

“La-La-Lady…” The signal’s getting stronger! “Lady Hood! It’s Ajax.”

Ajax? The cruiser hanging around that spoiled prince?

“Please listen carefully. The Iron Blood Commander just made this equipment with Akashi and Yuubari right now upon La-Lady A-A-A-bzzt-Amagi’s orders so I’m not sure if—bzzt—can hear me…”

“We hear you loud and clear!” I said. Michel worked on a Mirror Sea Generator before… It’s not far-fetched that he could make equipment we can use to communicate inside a Mirror Sea.

“Good job, Ajax,” This voice… It’s that prince! “Now contact everyone else.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” she replied.

“Please hold on!” Hood said. “Is Lady Amagi with you right now?”

“No. It’s just me and Michel here,” John said. “By the way, how are you two doing on ammo?”

“Not good. I have seven rounds left and Bismarck has six,” Hood replied. “Bismarck can engage in melee combat, however.”

“I am well-aware. She threw that sword at me earlier, after all,” T-This little…! “Roon is outside protecting the shipyard with Warspite. Amagi and Elizabeth’s gone back to the Command Center to continue monitoring the situation. Don’t worry about us here. We’re as safe as can be. Can everyone...bzzt...”

Disconnected… Hmm… It’s still buggy, I see.

“Adjust the gain a little…” That’s Michel’s voice… I see. The two commanders are working together to help us out.

“Michel, fix your machine,” John demanded. “Can we contact everyone else?”

“Unfortunately, nein,” Michel said. “We only have enough power to communicate with two ships right now… If I had more time, then maybe I can—”

“No need. That’s enough,” he said as he cleared his throat. “With Lady Hood and Bismarck, I can easily clear the conditions of this task.”

“T-That’s just reckless! Do you even know how many enemies they’ll be facing out there!? T-This isn’t some game, John...”

As much as I hate it… I need to cooperate with this guy. With Amagi and the Queen busy and with us stuck in the Mirror Sea, I have no other options.

“We don’t have time. You two,” he said, referring to me and Hood. “If you want to live, you will obey my every command!”

Sister… Wait for me. I’ll save you!

Bluebird

...So she was successful? Hmm… That’s good. I can’t let him be with Lotus for much longer.

“Helena,” Oh? I didn’t expect to be receiving calls from you of all people. “What happened at the fortress? How did Ash find it?”

“Beats me,” I never liked you, Ash, or Lotus. You three always loved calling us by our former names instead of our code names just because you’re our seniors. I can forgive Liberte for that but… “The better question is what are you doing?”

“Nandato!?”

“You’re supposed to be attacking the outpost near Yokohama, right?” I asked. “Don’t tell me you’re conspiring with Ash. Are you, Ember?”

“My loyalty is to the plan,” she quickly replied. “Ash can be replaced anytime. Have you confirmed that the accursed stone really is here?”

“As far as our intelligence goes, yes,” I replied. “Watatsumi is being protected at Yokohama by whatever’s left of the Sakura Empire’s armed forces… Or should I call it the SDF?”

“Not funny coming from you,” aww… Can’t I make a joke once in a while? “You should be careful there, though. That abomination is nearby protecting that stone.”

“Abomination? Ah… Shinano,” Ember chuckled. “She’s foreseen my arrival.”

“Like always. Still, you should know by now how flawed her dreams are,” I giggled. “Especially with so many errant factors present. Her predictions shouldn’t be absolute.”

“They never are,” Ember replied. “Never will be.”

“Yes… So, Ember,” I said.

“Don’t you dare try to help Ash. Lotus—and the Sirens, won’t be very pleased if you start acting up as well.”

???

“...Target locked. Providing cover fire. Get out of the way,” I informed Purifier as I pulled the trigger on my super-long ranged anti-personnel sniper rifle. A single salvo—armed with toxic mental gas darted across the war-torn landscape as I loaded the next round… To be reduced to sniper duty doing this dirty trick… It didn’t work last year, why would it work this time?

Huh? What? What is a Swordfish doing all the way out here?

“...It’s you.”

How the hell did you find me here!? And what is the other me doing here!? She’s supposed to be helping the Sakura Empire defend the east coast!

“Shinano already foresaw this attack,” this kid…! “Ark Royal. I’ve found you!”

The Princess of the Sakura Empire held her katana’s cutting edge at my neck, digging it deeper and deeper into my skin.

“You’ll pay for your betrayal!” The other me said as she aimed her own sniper rifle at me. Tsk… She’s already been retrofitted, too!?

Tsk… This plan is not as foolproof as Observer said…!

Chapter Text

Akagi

Tsk… Pesky little…!

“Onee-sama, watch out!” Kaga yelled as she used one of her fighters to block an incoming Siren beam.

“Suman,” I said as I sent out another bomber squadron after retrieving the previous one for refueling. “...Aren’t they going at it too much?”

Kaga raised her brow.

“This is nothing, Onee-sama,” she said. “You’re a bit too distracted lately… You aren’t still thinking about him, are you?”

Tsk…

“Kaga, how can I not?” I asked as I fired a red onibi at an approaching Queen Siren. “We don’t know what’s happening to him… and I failed.”

“Please. We all failed,” Kaga said as she closed her eyes. Her blue spirits circled her, defending her from enemy fire as Maya stood before her.

“You two shouldn’t be speaking like that,” Maya said as Chikuma joined her. “Daisa-dono will be fine. I’m sure the faction leaders are already thinking of ways to rescue him.”

...Are they though? I swear if anything happens…

“Tsk… More importantly,” Maya said as she repositioned her katana in front of her. “Where the hell is our backup? Amagi-san sure is taking her time…”

“Akagi, Kaga,” Nagato-sama called the two of us as she stepped between us. “Don’t wait for backup. Use it.”

Use it? She doesn’t mean...? That seems a bit too reckless, isn’t it? There are so many Sirens right now so even our kitsune form won’t be able to stand for long…

Without a word, Nagato-sama stood before the vanguard and raised her hand. Without any warning, her massive guns fired like a symphony of deadly notes, peppering the first line of suicide boats before us with a lethal barrage. Even with that… the enemy won’t stop advancing! She did this four times before pausing.

“...It has come to this, hasn’t it?” She mumbled to herself. “Very well. Remember this: I am called Nagato... Nagato of the Sakura Empire!”

Her guns roared once more, showering the battlefield with countless bullets that were too fast for my eyes to follow. However, this time, it’s different.

Along with the thunderous banging of her turrets roared to life the largest, great, white fox I’ve ever seen in my life! With golden energy floating around the nine-tailed glory before us, Nagato-sama sat on her rigging, allowing her spirit projection to wreak havoc on the Siren fleet as it charged towards the enemy.

The Great Fox slammed its mighty paws on the horizon, sinking them immediately. The humanoid Sirens surrounded her but her thundering roar sent them all hurtling towards each other! The Sirens focused fire on her but the Great Fox merely shrugged off their attacks while countering with her divine flame.

“Sugoi…” was all I could hear from Maya as we observed the Great Fox obliterating countless Sirens—mass-produced or not.

I, however, see that this isn’t enough… The Sirens, upon realizing that beating the Great Fox was impossible for them, began maneuvering around it. They’re going for Nagato-sama! It’s taking all her focus and energy to keep up this form… She’s defenseless in this state!

Kaga began laughing as she took out her kabuki mask. She wore it on the left side of her head as she stepped in front of our vanguard.

“I have been waiting for this, Nagato-sama! Arigatou gozaimasu! Truly, only the strong may survive on the battlefield!”

Kaga’s body began glowing bright blue as a spectral fox silhouette began forming around her.

“HAAAA!” She yelled as the great white fox with blue eyes began growing… and growing… and growing! Soon, her fox form was much, much larger than her very own ship form. Why… that thing is almost as big as Nagato-sama’s very own divine fox form!

Kaga stood right next to Nagato-sama but unlike our leader, she’s also able to maintain control of her own body, rigging, and planes in this form. You’ve grown this powerful, haven’t you Kaga? Haha… It seems you have surpassed me. Now then. It would bring shame to my sister’s name if I didn’t join the fray, yes?

“Onee-sama?” She asked as I stood to her right. “Why are you—”

“Hehe… how can I let you be the only one to demonstrate your strength?” I asked as I felt all my energy gathering, forming an aura of bewitching red light around me. My eyes glowed as I raised my hand.

Captain… This is for you!

“My love is invincible!” I laughed as I released all my planes and energy at once. Fighters, bombers, torpedo bombers alike roared to life with a brown-furred divine fox that sprung to life. I used what remained of my energy to continue growing the fox to barely the same size as Kaga’s.

“Hahaha… HAHAHA! Hai!” I couldn’t control my laughter as my fox began ravishing the battlefield with its elegant and enchanting fire. “Take it all… My love! My anger! And all of my sorrow!”

Only a few of us can release our spirit forms like this and there is only one ship that has ever overcome my sister and me in this state!

Yes… Only Kaga, Amagi-oneesama, Nagato-sama, and I possess the power of the fox gods!

Enterprise, witness the power of the Sakura Empire! The power of the gods themselves!

“The decisive battle is upon us! Together!” Nagato-sama declared as her Great Fox smirked. She must be enjoying herself… It isn’t every day that she gets to let herself go berserk like this!

Hehe… Captain, are you watching? We can’t maintain this form for long but… we will drain every ounce of our strength to protect the base you love so much!

Nagato-sama’s fox took in a breath so great that the waves began tossing the Pawns and Bishops towards each other, damaging them. Kaga and I followed suit as we prepared ourselves for one final blast.

“We have only one shot… Don’t waste it, Onee-sama!” Kaga said, sweat dripping all over her body as both of our flame sprites dissipated into the air. We don’t need them right now… With all our strength, we will turn this battle around with one shot!

“HAAAA!”

Amagi

“Miss Amagi!” I’m a little busy…!

BOOM!

I may not be as strong as my sisters or Nagato-sama but… I can still help out!

“Miss Amagi!”

“Hai? What is it, Helena?” I asked as Warspite stepped in front of me, deflecting Purifier’s beam with her sword.

“Get on with it!” She exclaimed in pain as a shot from one Tester grazed her left leg. Warspite dropped her sword and brought out her gun, scoring a decisive one-shot on the Tester that fired on her. Amazing… So this is the strength of the Grand Old Lady?

“Three giant energy signatures out east!” She cried, “Visual confirmation from Miss Yorktown’s plane says it’s three foxes!”

Three foxes… Wait no! T-That’s too risky! Akagi… Kaga… You two aren’t ready yet!

“Arigatou, Helena,” I thanked the light cruiser as I frantically tried contacting Enterprise.

“Enterprise-san! Where is that backup I asked for!?”

“Sam is on his way,” she replied. “He’ll be there soon.”

He better be…

“Arigatou,” I replied. “How are things going up north?”

“Fine,” Enterprise replied. “Hang on. I’ll report back after this… Over and out!”

Huh? What’s going on up there!?

“Helena!” I contacted the light cruiser as Roon used her plasma beam to vaporize four Testers before me. Warspite is currently chasing down Purifier as the Queen backed her up from behind. “Report. What’s going on up north?”

“Miss Enterprise and Miss Essex are currently engaged in a dogfight with Siren air squadrons,” she reported. “Meanwhile, Miss Yorktown and Miss Hornet are providing them with more planes to fight with.”

They’re being too passive…

“Helena relay this to Yorktown: you are to push forward against the Sirens right now,” I commanded.

“R-Right now, Miss Amagi?” Asked Helena. “T-There’s so many…”

“Don’t be scared! Have Enterprise-san drop bombs to clear waves of enemies with her planes. The momentum of the battle has switched to our favor,” I said. “Push for the win!”

“R-Right!”

“After that, I want Yorktown and Hornet to continue monitoring that area with the Essex class. Enterprise is to rendezvous with the Union Commander after picking up Roon here,” I said.

“Understood!”

“Over and out,” I finished as I turned to see Purifier and Warspite engaging in an exchange of gunfire. Roon is currently preoccupied with the group of Testers that just dropped… Where are they coming from?

...I see now. Above!

“Ark Royal!”

BZZT… BZZT…

She can’t be reached!? Where is she?

“A-A…”

Hmm… Is she trying to connect?

“Amagi!” Finally...

“Where are you? I need you here at the base right now!” I commanded.

“...One of the commanders is injured!” She reported with urgency. “She told me she knew where the long-range bombardment was coming from so I went there with her but…”

“But?”

“I-It was me… No no! It was another me!” Another one? “She was too much… She used the Commander as hostage to stop me and—”

“But is she with you?”

“Yes! But the other Ark Royal is chasing us now…!”

“Descend to about 1000 meters altitude and fly towards the base as fast as you can!” I commanded. “Once there, don’t stop and go straight to the infirmary! I’ll contact the ground forces to give you cover fire. Admit Reine-hime there and come to the shipyard as fast as you can. Understood?”

“Y-Yes…!” and she disconnected. Michel and John are working together… Sam is helping his faction… While Reine-hime is off doing her own thing. Three of the four of the new ones are actually helping me while one of them is actively challenging me… We can’t work like this. She’s lucky Ark Royal was there so she wasn’t captured!

That said… I have to improvise a new strategy to get rid of the air drops without another sniper.

“Warspite-san!” I cried to the elite marksman of the Royal Navy. She turned her head as she locked her blade with Purifier’s grip.

“I want you to aim at the sky! There should be air carriers there dropping these things here… I want you to shoot them down!”

“Easier said than done!” Warspite said as Purifier finally managed to break out of her hold.

“HAHAHA! You’ll never shoot Hanafuda down!” Hanafuda… There’s only one ship I know who makes a big deal of that card game!

It’s Souryuu! At least, another version of her... If she’s around, then her sister should be nearby… Anyway, I’ll deal with Hiryuu later if she shows up but right now, shooting down those planes is top priority!

Warspite jumped to the highest point but as soon as she got there, Purifier got in her face, stopping her from aiming her rifle.

“I won’t let you!” Purifier exclaimed.

Tsk… This is why I would have preferred it if Ark Royal was here…!

“Roon!” I called the heavy cruiser. “Help Warspite. We need to shoot Souryuu down or else we’ll never stop seeing these Sirens!”

“Tch… I’m busy!” Roon said as she used her sonic boom to incapacitate one Tester before obliterating it with a barrage from her guns.

“I’ll deal with them…”

“YOU!?” Roon shouted. “You can’t even run around! Don’t make me laugh!”

“I’ll hold them off for as long as I can…”

BOOM!

“Y-Your Majesty?” The little Queen stood in front of me.

“Obey Lady Amagi for now, Lady Roon!” She commanded. “Maybe she can’t handle these Sirens on her own but with me? It’s going to be easy!”

“Hmph… Don’t blame me for what might happen!” Roon exclaimed as she jumped to Warspite’s rescue, blocking Purifier’s shot with her shields. “Now, let’s dance, Purifier!”

“Hehehe… You IDIOT! You can’t win!”

Roon chased Purifier away while Warspite began aiming at the sky.

“...Aiming and shooting!” Warspite declared. “ Belli dura despicio !”

BOOM!

She shot one down!

COUGH COUGH…

“Lady Amagi!” Queen Elizabeth turned with a worried face to me. “Are you well?”

B-Blood… No… I can still…!

“I-I’m fine…” I said as I provided cover fire for Her Majesty.

I-I need to finish this quickly...

Sam

“Remember: come back when I tell you to,” Miss Enterprise said as we landed. She produced another plane from her rigging as she took off without another word. “There’s no telling when those guys will come back if ever. I might need your backup…”

...She’s in a hurry. I don’t get it. This plane should be fast enough to fly from here to New York in like a few hours. Maybe eight hours tops. Surely, she knows that?

Anyway… Haha! Nice. I finally get to pilot another plane… Ever since I’ve been on this island, everyone seems to be using planes from over a century ago so I have absolutely no idea how to pilot them but this baby? This is as modern as it gets!

“Sam Yank. Heading out!”

We’re approaching the coordinates fast… Just as I thought. WOOHOO!!! This is really fast!

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Ho ho… Here we go. Siren planes detected. Three… No, four of them are in a box formation. Hmm… How to go about this? I know!

I pulled on the stick and raised my altitude. That’s it… Now gently loop around… and dive!

My guns roared to life as I peppered the Siren planes with a round of bullets. Nice! Three out of four of them got their wings clipped while one was hit at the fuselage. Now let’s use this momentum to get back up… There!

I pivoted my plane again with the sun behind me and went for another raid, destroying the last plane without any resistance at all.

“Alright… Who’s next?” I chuckled as I made it to the rendezvous point Miss Amagi assigned to me.

Huh? What the… What was that?

The sound of lightning, fire, and explosions filled the air as I tilted my plane slightly towards its left wing to get a better visual of what’s going on…

HOLY SHIT!? WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!?

Why are there THREE giant nine-tailed foxes firing absolutely MASSIVE energy beams from their mouths in unison at a Siren fleet!?

I-Is this the true power of the Sakura Empire!? Why do they even need me here then?? Those things can wipe out even our 8th Fleet without any resistance at all!

The sheer amount of energy and heat made the ocean under the foxes boil, causing a fogging effect on the battlefield as the unfortunate planes who flew a little too close to the furnace of light began exploding. That’s insane… T-They’re not even within a mile of that beam and it was enough to blow them up!? I-I better stay as far away from that shit as possible or I’m toast… Literally!

The Siren fleet was left devastated after that attack as the three beams of light gradually petered out. One by one, the massive foxes collapsed and disappeared; the brown one first, followed shortly by the white and blue one. The largest one of them all continued pressing its blast for a good minute after the two others collapsed but soon, it too fell and vanished into the sea.

What the fuck did I just see? H-How the heck is this normal? And we’re calling the Sirens monsters when the Sakura Empire literally has three Godzilla-sized monsters of their own? Jesus…

As far as I can see and detect, that one strike wiped out about… 80% of the Siren fleet but even after such an attack, there are still dozens of humanoid Sirens roaming around.

“This is Sam. Can anyone from the Sakura Empire read me? Over,” I said into the radio as I contacted everyone on the list Enterprise gave me. “I repeat: this is Commander Sam. Can anybody read me? Over!”

“Hai!” A quiet voice replied. “Ayanami-desu. Shikikan, do you copy?”

“Yes!” I exclaimed. “That attack was crazy… How is everyone doing? Over.”

“Nagato-sama, Akagi-sama, and Kaga-sama are unable to continue,” she said with a whispery voice. “Fubuki and I are currently towing them back to the base. Command has been turned over to Taihou-san for now.”

“Taihou? If I recall correctly, she’s a carrier, right?” I asked as I descended.

“...Hai,” Ayanami replied.

Hmm… Alright, I can now see her carrying an unconscious foxgirl wearing what appeared to be a shrine maiden’s ceremonial garb… I believe that is Nagato. She is being followed by another destroyer with blue fox ears… Fubuki, I assume. This one is carrying two foxgirls; one with brown hair and the other with white hair. Akagi and Kaga.

“Ok,” I said. “Get them safely to the infirmary. I’ll contact Miss Taihou to coordinate, ok?”

“Ok-desu,” Ayanami said as she and Fubuki made it to the shore. She was immediately greeted by… uh… Dammit, I forgot who those are. There are so many shipgirls here that I can’t remember all their names! How the heck does the Captain remember and distinguish them from each other!?

“This is Commander Sam,” I said after reaching Taihou. “Miss Taihou, what's our status? I can provide air support.”

“Tsk… Just one backup?” She grumbled. “Amagi-san can be very cruel… If it was Daisa, he would have come to rescue Taihou himself…”

Er… Is she alright?

“Er… I know I’m not the Captain but I’ll do my best to help out!” I said. “Just tell me what to do and I’ll deliver!”

Taihou went silent.

“Shikikan… but aren’t you the commanding officer?” She asked with a genuinely puzzled voice. “Daisa would know what to do… Shouldn’t you be giving out orders?”

...D-Dammit I forgot about that. I’m a commanding officer so I should be able to give out competent and sound orders.

“O-Oh! Yeah hahaha!” I chuckled. “A-Alright. Launch your planes, Miss Taihou. Do you have anyone else with you?”

“...Touzen darou?” Uh… What does that mean?

“C-Can you tell me who’s left?”

I heard Taihou sigh. A-Am I doing something wrong?

“Can’t you tell with your radar?” She asked with a slightly disappointed tone. Er… Oh yeah, I can match their IDs… “I have a few destroyers here, two of the Atago-class heavy cruisers, a few submarines, Shoukaku, Fusou, and Yamashiro.”

O-Only that many against what the Sirens have left? How the heck are we going to win?

“Shikikan?”

Uh… What the heck do I do?

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

“Who’s this?”

“Sam. It’s me,” dammit it’s that pompous prince! “What are you doing? Amagi is a bit preoccupied right now commanding the north side. Everyone else is busy. Get over here at the shipyard. I’ve something for you.”

“A bit busy, Your Highness,” I grumbled. “Besides, shouldn’t you and the princess be bickering right now?”

“Funny. I can see you’re having trouble there yourself,” he said with that usual airy tone he usually uses. Grr…

“Shikikan? What do we do?” Taihou asked as I looked back and forth from the radar and the battlefield. S-So they’re up against… carriers… uh… heavy—no light cruisers. No no no… Subs!

“Climb four kilometers,” what the hell? “Do it Sam. Then, have Taihou launch her planes to serve as your meatshield. Get in an offensive box formation and take out as many planes as you can.”

“Hold on! I’m in charge here—”

“According to Amagi earlier, you’re using one of Enterprise’s planes… If that’s the case, you should have the firepower to deliver the final blow,” T-This guy…! “Get as far into the enemy lines as you can, descend two kilometers, and drop your bomb there. Before doing that, signal Taihou to make sure everyone is at least four klicks away from your position so they won’t be caught in the explosion radius and the aftereffects.”

“Wait!”

H-How the hell is he issuing these orders? He isn’t even here!

I began relaying his instructions to Taihou who silently listened. D-Dammit… I thought I could finally…!

“Have the remaining operable submarines maintain their perimeter. Taihou and other backline ships should stand behind them now and provide long-range support. Meanwhile, all vanguard ships should stand directly above the submarines right now and perform ASW and AA duties.”

John barked orders out of the radio as if he was simply reading a book… I looked below my plane and saw the shipgirls obey without question… Even with his terrible reputation, how can they obey him so easily?

If only I knew how to be like that…!

Taihou’s fighters began flying around me as they encased me in a protective formation. We flew right into enemy lines as one by one, her fighters began dropping like flies. D-Damn your plan sounds easier said than done, you asshole! You’re trying to get me killed!

The anti-air fire from the mass-produced Sirens filled the sky as I maneuvered like crazy to not get hit. Meanwhile, I intercepted the incoming air squadrons… There! I took out two of ‘em!

Fuck. The humanoid ones noticed me!

“That’s far enough,” John’s annoying British voice rang in my ears. “Drop the payload and get back here. Taihou and the others can surely handle the mop-up by themselves!”

D-Damn it I’ll kill you if I die, John! Here goes nothing!

KABOOM!!!

John

Hmph. That idiot can’t even handle one side of the battle on his own. Why was he ever chosen by the president to be a commander in the first place?

“Your Highness?” Hood’s voice said. “What are we going to do?”

“Listen carefully,” I said as I had Ajax step outside to look for Sam’s plane.

Michel and Akashi worked together to maintain our contact with Bismarck and Hood. Tsk. This would be easier if I can just contact everyone else. I suppose there’s a limit to German engineering…

Still, this is child’s play.

“I want you to take all the remaining rounds, Bismarck,” I commanded. “Hood should act as a lookout for now. Try to warn Bismarck if any Sirens get too close for comfort.”

“...Was zur hölle!?” Shouted Bismarck. “You want Hood to try and defend without any weapons? Dummkopf—”

“Bismarck, here,” Hmm… Hood seems to be obeying as the proud Iron Blood battleship went silent.

“You better make sure we get out of this alive, John,” Bismarck warned me. “What do I do with these?”

I turned to Michel.

“I read your papers. According to your research, physics inside and outside of Mirror Seas more or less function the same—the difference is that some dimensions are extended or shortened, causing errors in navigation and precision, am I correct?” I asked the engineer. “Of course, there are other phenomena you can’t explain but that is the most important thing right now.”

“That’s right,” he replied. “We still don’t know the specifics of the dimension change but… ja. That’s more or less the gist of it.”

Hmph. Then this is simple.

“I’m here!” Ah. The simpleton has arrived.

“Good. And the plane?”

“A little roughed up from all the sharp turns but… I can still use it,” he replied. I turned to Akashi.

“Cat. Give Sam eighty rounds each of HE and AP shells and four canisters of oil,” I commanded. “Load them up and await my instruction.”

Akashi nodded as she left Michel alone to deal with the machine.

“What am I going to do?” Asked Sam.

“You wait,” I replied as I turned to the communicator again. “Bismarck, I want you to fire a single shot directly upwards. After that, use your enhanced abilities to make the salvo erupt into that weird black hole of yours,” I said.

“You’re asking me to waste precious ammo?”

“No. I’m asking you to help me locate you,” I replied. “Await further instructions.”

“Tsk… You little… Fine!” She said begrudgingly. I ran to the window and used a pair of binoculars to try and spot Bismarck’s signal...

BOOM!

…

“Did you—”

“Ja. I did. Did you see anything?”

“No,” I replied. “Next, I want you to jump as high as you can and do the same.”

“Alright,” she said.

BOOM!

Still nothing.

“That’s enough! We’re wasting ammo!” Bismarck yelled as another explosion rang through the communications. They must be under attack… “We have one shot left. I won’t waste it on your stupid tricks!”

“Fine. Then I suppose you’ll have to die there,” I replied bluntly.

“John!” Michel boomed. “You don’t mean—”

“You bastard!” Sam screamed into my ear as he lifted me off the ground by the collar.

“I mean exactly that. If we can’t locate them, then I’m sorry but we can’t do anything for them,” I said frankly.

Silence. Sam let go of me and strutted outside waiting for the signal.

They have no choice but to obey if they want to live. The Sirens won’t stop coming and until we can locate them, they’re sitting ducks.

“...Fine,” Bismarck said. “I’ll do it one last time. But I’m not just going to fire blindly into the air… Think of something quickly!”

That said, I’m at my wit’s end. Unfortunately, the Mirror Sea seems to have extended the vertical direction this time, too, so just shooting blindly like that won’t help…

“What if Frau Hood throws Frau Bismarck as well?” Asked Michel.

“There’s no way that will work,” I replied but… Actually, that might be enough. “Nevermind. Can you two do that?”

“On it!” Hood cried.

...As ridiculous as it sounds, war is still a human affair. What was it you always told me, Mother? That these shipgirls aren’t just weapons, but humans too?

Heh… I suppose you’re partially right. After all, your arrogance would not allow you to just let your daughter rest in peace, would it?

BOOM!

There!

“Sam, go!” I exclaimed as the plane outside roared to life and began flying towards the black hole in the sky.

Chapter Text

Bismarck

“Sam, go!” I heard the prince yell through the communicator as I landed next to Hood again.

“It seems he succeeded,” Hood said as I recovered. “We’re out of ammo.”

“I know. Get behind me, Hood!” I told her as I saw a suicide boat running right at us!

Hood stood behind me as I brandished my sword. I can’t touch that thing and risk losing my weapon. This will do!

SLASH!

I swung my sword with all my might upwards, catching a wave with it in the process. This sent a splash of water so quick at the boat that it split it right in half.

“Now you’re just showing off,” Hood snarkily remarked as she chuckled.

“You’re having a bit too much fun, Hood,” I replied as I tried contacting the Command Center.

BZZT… BZZT…

I can’t reach Amagi… Alright, then John will do.

“What do we do?” I asked. “More and more boats are coming for us… Respond!”

“Just wait where you are. DON’T move an inch or you’ll miss the supply drop,” he said.

What supply—

SPLASH!

Hood and I turned to see a wooden crate floating on the surface. We approached it and carefully opened the parcel to find plenty of AP and HE ammo in it. That’s not all: there are also four canisters of oil!

“A present from me to you for listening,” he said. Smoothtalker. Akashi gave you these supplies and Sam probably dropped that for us. All you did was give out orders. “I want you and Hood to take twenty-five of each ammo type present there each. How are you on oil?”

“I’m low on oil,” I replied.

“Me too,” Hood added as she sifted through the crate. She began reloading her guns according to John’s instructions. Hmm… I better do the same.

“Then refuel. From now on, I will not be accepting any more communique from you Bismarck,” he said. “I’ll communicate with Lady Hood instead unless one of you gets separated from each other.”

“What for?” Hood asked as she finished reloading.

“We can only contact two shipgirls right now. You two are right next to each other so there’s no need to contact both of you,” he replied. “Alright. I want you two to go exactly in the direction I tell you to go. Prepare your guns in case you meet someone.”

“Roger that,” Hood replied.

“Good… I want you to look at the sides of the crate,” he said. We obeyed and… what? On one side, it says “NORTH”, on the opposite, it says “SOUTH”, on one it says “EAST” and on the other side it says “WEST”.

“I instructed Akashi earlier to note the cardinal directions and load the crate onto the plane appropriately. If Sam didn’t mess it up and dropped it exactly as I instructed him earlier, you can use that crate to recalibrate your navigation system.”

Alright… I will have to admit that was resourceful of him…

Now to recalibrate…

Done!

“If you two are done resetting, I want you two to sail directly 32 degrees east of north. Again: prepare your guns. You might run into trouble,” he said.

“What’s over there?” Hood asked as we began sailing in that direction as fast as we could.

“Just keep going,” he said. “You will meet a shipgirl there.”

Who…? We’ve been sailing for what feels like an hour already!

“Halt!” That voice…! “Who’s there!?”

From the mist, a shape, a ship, is taking form… Yes… I recognize it! It’s my silhouette but it’s a different voice. It sounds like Hood… Then that means!

“Tirpitz! It’s me!” I yelled. “Schwester!”

“Ah… So you found her? Or is it her?” Asked John. “Confirm her identity first while I try to contact two other ships… I’ll contact you again when I have something for you.”

I ignored his order and dashed towards my sister.

“Bismarck?” She asked as her ship disappeared from under her. She skated on the surface to greet me and Hood. “It’s been so long…”

“How long has it been for you?” I asked. “It’s been about half a day for us…”

“Half a day?” Tirpitz asked. “I’ve been sailing for what seems like a few days already…”

“Wait a moment, Bismarck,” Hood raised her brow. “How do we know this is actually Lady Tirpitz?”

“...She’s my sister, Hood,” I said. “I’d know if it was her.”

But… just to be safe.

“Erm… Tell me something only my sister would know,” I told her as I waited in anticipation for her response.

Tirpitz raised her brow and crossed her arms.

“On your last birthday, I sent you a letter and a package,” she said. “I sent you a set of casual clothes but Graf and Eugen had very different ideas for their present. While I still consider Graf’s present subtle, Eugen’s is a bit too… out there.”

S-She can’t mean that…

“She sent you a book about—”

“Alright! Halt!” I yelled as I covered my sister’s mouth.

“Bismarck? What did Lady Eugen send you?” Asked Hood.

“I-It’s my sister, alright!?”

“I see… So it really is Tirpitz,” John commented. “Alright. I received word that Amagi’s finished up the northern side. She’s sending Enterprise to help with Sam’s reconnaissance.”

I see… So that is how he was finding us. He’s probably making the other shipgirls fire upwards as well to help Sam find them. Perhaps the distortion is not the same everywhere? I don’t know. I’ll have Michel explain it to me later.

“...Alright. Go 44 degrees east of south,” he said. “And prepare yourselves. Admiral Hipper and Sheffield have reported that there is a particularly powerful humanoid Siren over there.”

A humanoid Siren? It must be in charge of this Mirror Sea. Then defeating it will lift it!

“Full speed ahead!” I commanded as Hood and Tirpitz followed me into the mist.

Sheffield

Tch…! This little—

“Hipper. Don’t get too close,” I commanded Hipper as a blast of sonic waves coming out of her shark-like rigging pulverized two Bishops surrounding Omitter. In response, the humanoid Siren simply cackled and fired a beam at her.

KABOOM!

“Danke…” Hipper said as I carried her to safety. I was close enough then but if she tries to get too out of line, I won’t be able to save her next time.

I put her back on her feet as we took formation again… Damn these new attachments! I don’t know how to use these optimally yet…

“Hipper. We aren’t used to our rigging. Let’s think logically and not try anything too crazy,” I told the heavy cruiser who was taking the vanguard position. She smirked and held her guitar-like gun in front defensively. “And let’s try to muster up some semblance of teamwork.”

“Agreed. Now can you please keep up? Your performance is dropping!” She complained with that annoying high-pitched voice of hers. “You'd better not drag me down!”

Observing my rigging, I seem to be equipped with… a pair of keyboards, and… what the heck am I supposed to do with this… microphone?

“Alright let’s try something new…” I don’t know how to sing just yet… I think I need to have Lady Illustrious teach me some time but as for the keyboard? I’m thankful I sneaked in playing that grand piano at the ballroom last cleaning day!

As I began playing a soft tune I played with before on my keyboard, my rigging began glowing bright blue… Yes… I can feel it. Even without ammo… I can fight with this!

“Art thou seriously going to—H-Hey! Let me finish my line first, at the very least!” Omitter evaded the sonic blast that fired out of my rigging’s new speaker guns with an annoyed face.

Hehe… At least I get to annoy you with these right now!

“Not bad,” Hipper complimented me as she began strumming her electric guitar vigorously to my melody.

“Are you two seriously playing music as we fight!?” Omitter never looked as insulted before as she does now. She began charging her laser again. “Die in despair! You will sink to the depths in which no man in the present, past, or future will ever find your mangled corpses! Take this! Supercharged mega-death Siren Omitter Beam!!!”

A purple beam larger than our ships themselves began flying towards us! Shit… We don’t have enough energy to counter that!

“Hipper. Evade that!” I commanded.

...It missed us. Thank god…

“Could you at least try to play along!?” Omitter grumbled as she stomped her feet. She began recharging…

Now’s my chance!

Hipper and I still need to fine-tune our rigging… but this? A knife doesn’t need any fine-tuning!

SLASH! STAB!

W-What the!? How is she so agile!?

“HAHAHA! You really thought I’d fall for your atrociously abhorrent tactics, Sheffield?” She laughed as I jumped and slashed again. “Hahaha! As if I’d—w-what the hell!? Y-You uncouth little—d-did you just flash—”

STAB!

“GUH! Y-You little… You tricked me!” Omitter yelled in pain as I managed to stick a knife into her left leg.

...I suppose there’s a benefit to wearing a skirt this skimpy.

I was about to stick another in her stomach but she swung her tail at me, sending me flying at Hipper.

SMACK!

“Get off me!” Hipper yelled as we recovered… I was so close to ending this, too…

Hipper and I tidied ourselves up as we prepared our weapons again.

“...Did you just flash her?” Hipper looked at me judgingly. “Are you always… going full comma—”

“The methods don’t matter. We have her pinned down now. Let’s not waste it!”

Hipper ignored what I said earlier and focused on her guitar. I followed suit and prepared my piano…

The sweet melody of our two instruments harmonizing filled the Mirror Sea as I felt strange, warm energy filling my rigging… Odd… I-I suddenly feel like singing…

...That would be embarrassing though… It’s ready.

A quick succession of powerful sonic boom barrages flew at Omitter, hitting her directly from multiple directions. Suddenly, the end of Hipper’s guitar began glowing red as she unconsciously fired a burning red beam at Omitter, making her shriek in pain.

As soon as we finished, we observed our enemy who has gone completely silent…

Did we beat her?

BOOM!

N-No… She played dead? Damn... We didn’t expect that last shot… My rigging’s damaged…

“Hipper? How are you?” I asked as I turned to the heavy cruiser… Oh no. Her electric guitar snapped in two while her two sharks weren't even moving… She’s in better shape than me but she’s also not combat-ready...

“My guitar’s broken… We’ll need to get resupplied and repaired first before we can continue fighting…” She replied with a slightly disappointed tone.

...I thought we had her. Is our firepower not enough? Or is our song just wasn’t complete?

“Hehe… Drown in despair!” Omitter laughed. “And be mesmerized by the shower of destruction! Take this! All of my passion and power; sink beneath the waves! And—Oh what’s next…”

...Really? She’s reading from a notebook now while she has a Siren beam charged and primed at us? If only we can move…!

Tsk… His Highness won’t make it in time, will he?

KABOOM!

That sound! Battleship fire!? Omitter’s giant gun began smoking as it began exploding and spitting fire everywhere!

“What the!? Where did that come from?” Admiral Hipper cried as she looked around.

“Backup is here,” that voice… Lady Hood! “You two did very well. Now allow us to do the rest.”

“Y-You… Why couldn’t you girls just let me have my FUN!?” Omitter roared. “Fine! You win this time… Dammit… My rigging…”

“You won’t escape!” Bismarck and Tirpitz dashed at Omitter but before they could reach her, she’s already disappeared into the mists…

Wait… The fog isn’t disappearing?

“She must have transferred control of the Mirror Sea to someone else,” Lady Hood concluded.

“Right. We’ve found the other one!” His Highness’s voice rang out of Lady Hood’s communicator as Tirpitz and Bismarck helped me and Hipper up. “Sail east full-speed ahead! No time to lose!”

“Calm down, Commander!” Lady Hood replied as His Highness’s panicked voice boomed again.

“Don’t question my orders! You are to rescue Unicorn. Nothing else matters! Top priority!”

...Lady Unicorn? Why is he so panicked about this so suddenly?

Prince of Wales

“Hmm… Is this all you can do?”

Damn… This one’s annoying!

“I want to see… how powerful the King George V class truly is,” the girl in the fog said as blue energy shields floated above her head. 

The little girl with a snow-white complexion laid in the middle of two black, metallic domes as her yellow eyes pierced the mist. She shuffled about her crib-like rigging as her guns continued bombarding me, Unicorn, and Belfast.

“Thank you, Lady Wales,” Belfast said as I sliced an incoming salvo headed towards her with my rapier. “I’m afraid we don’t have the firepower to break through her defenses…”

My salvos have very little effect… With His Highness scrambling to get Lady Hood and Bismarck here, I have no choice but to stay on the defensive…!

“We have to make do, Belfast,” I told the Head Maid who was trying to set the new Siren on fire with her HE barrage. She has to be running low on ammo now, too…

“Easier said than done but not to worry,” even in a hopeless situation, she can still reassure me… “The cavalry’s coming. Our Lady Hood is on her way.”

“How sure are we that that drunkard prince can get anything done?” I asked as the Siren made her approach. Here she comes…!

“How boring… I thought you’d entertain me more!” She said as a helix-shaped beam flew out of one of her cannons! W-What? No… We can’t evade!

BOOM!

A plane intercepted the beam?

“I won’t let you hurt them!” the purple-haired light carrier cried as she fired out more planes. She rode on her friend Yuni. The little unicorn spread out its wings and bared its horn as its eyes glowed bright green. “Yuni! Engage Destroy Mode!”

...She used to insist there is no such thing. I suppose she has been spending too much time watching that anime with Long Island, hasn’t she?

Unicorn launched with Yuni in the air as she began peppering fighters at the young Siren who responded by shooting down her planes one by one.

“Unicorn… will do her best!” Illustrious’s sister said as she flew past the Siren, dropping a single bomb on her.

BOOM!

A hit!?

“Good work!” Belfast commended the light carrier as she nodded at me.

“It’s a showdown… Let’s show them the power of the Royal Navy!” I cried as my battery unloaded its entire stock at the opening Unicorn made. Meanwhile, Belfast got closer and smiled at the now-panicking Siren.

“W-What the heck are you!?” It asked.

“Just a maid passing by,” Belfast grinned as she unloaded heavy HE damage on the Siren’s rigging.

Silence…

The explosion made by our last combined assault on the Siren had created more mist due to the increase in heat in the environment… Did we win?

“Don’t get cocky!” The young Siren said as she floated out of the fog to reveal her wounds and rigging slowly regenerating. She was healing herself!? “My rigging… it’s based on the ancient trilobite. You cannot possibly break through my defenses with such pesky attacks.”

“Let’s try again—”

BANG!

“Ngh…!”

“Unicorn!” I yelled as I ran to catch the falling little girl. N-No…

“My name is Compiler. I’m quite new but don’t take me lightly!” The new Siren declared as she aimed at the falling Unicorn. Goodness gracious she’s lost her consciousness!

T-This is why I didn’t ask her to help…

SPLASH!

I caught her in time but… w-what!?

Blood... 

It’s just like that time… with Lady Hood… and last time… with the Captain… c-can’t I save one of you at least!?

“Lady Wales!”

I-I have to stop the bleeding at least... She was struck with an armor-piercing salvo at her right side… T-There’s so much blood! No… I won’t let it happen again!

“Lady Wales!”

I ripped off my right sleeve and fashioned it into a makeshift bandage around Unicorn’s waist to apply pressure on her open wound. It’s not wise to remove the salvo as it will just worsen her condition…

I have to get her out of here fast!

“Lady Wales!”

I turned to see Belfast evading heavy fire from Compiler who seemed only mildly entertained by the Head Maid running around frantically to stay alive.

I have no more ammo… I don’t think Bel has any left, either. Then it has come to this…!

I brandished my sword and prepared myself for a melee fight after I produced my ship and laid Unicorn on the deck. I jumped at Compiler, rapier in hand, and went for a direct thrust to her head!

“En garde!” I yelled as Compiler’s shields clamped at me from both sides!

Grrr…! My sword tip is barely an inch from her face…! Let it hit! Let it hit!

“Have you become this desperate, Prince of Wales?” She chuckled. “Does seeing another one of your comrade fall to us piss you off?”

“You bet it does!” I yelled as I kicked the shield pressing me on my right away. My sword blade came down at Compiler swiftly but she was able to evade.

“You missed!”

“I wasn’t aiming at your head!” I smiled as I continued bringing down my sword.

CRACK… SSSST…

“What? What did you do!?” Compiler growled as I pulled my sword back for another swing. She turned to see a live wire flopping around behind her rigging. Suddenly, her energy shields vanished: she was completely open for another attack!

“I cut off your wires!” I yelled as I prepared to swing again. “DIE!”

BANG!

Tch… I had to evade or I’ll be hit by her guns. Even at this state, is she still capable of fighting?

“Impressive… But it’s all in vain,” Compiler said. “I still outgun you two. Even with my defensive systems out, there’s no way for you to—”

BOOM!

Her rigging’s getting blown apart!

“Sorry for our tardiness,” it’s Lady Hood! “We’re here… And we have extra ammo!”

Bismarck, Tirpitz, Sheffield, and Admiral Hipper stood in front of me and Belfast as their guns all aimed at Compiler.

“What was that you were saying about outgunning someone?” Asked Admiral Hipper proudly as Compiler grit her teeth.

SPLASH!

“Count me in the fun, too~!” Roon!?

“Where’d you come from?” Asked Bismarck.

“Amagi finished up the northern front and cleaned up the island with me and Warspite. After that, she asked Enterprise to pick me up and drop me where the other commander is hovering,” she explained. “And did I miss such a fun bash… A new Siren ready to be ripped to shreds!”

“Tch… This is… too much for me,” Compiler said as she began drifting into the mist. “You win this time… Enjoy it. We’ll be back…!”

She’s gone.

“We need to take—”

“Where’s Unicorn!?” His Highness’s voice boomed at my communicator. “Wales! Your orders were to keep an eye on her. Where is she!?”

“We’ll be taking her to the infirmary—”

“Infirmary!? You let something happen to her!? Wales you incompetent little—”

“Lady Wales did a job well done protecting Lady Unicorn, Your Highness,” Belfast interrupted. “Battles are like this. People get hurt. I’ve seen other shipgirls survive tougher situations… Get a grip!”

“And you! You were supposed to—”

Bel turned off my radio...

“You did very well, Lady Wales,” Belfast commended me as she cupped her arms. It appears she also got wounded in that scuffle, too…

“Thank you…”

What was wrong with His Highness back there?

Chapter Text

Amagi

I’ve never seen our infirmary this full of people before...

As I paced down the tiled hallway on the second floor of the infirmary, I passed Bismarck who had just come out of U-556’s room. The little submarine pushed herself too hard when she got separated from her lord in the previous battle and got hit with a depth charge… Luckily, Howe and Duke of York were there with her so they got away safely.

On the other side of the hallway, I peeked into the window to find both Prinz Eugen and Admiral Hipper tending to their still-unconscious sister. Although she didn’t participate in the last battle, Petropavlovsk was still under intensive care when the attack happened. Her room was then struck with a stray AP round that further endangered her life. She was lucky Vestal was there to conduct emergency repairs for her…

Further down the hallway, I stopped in front of a pearl-white door with a single glass panel. The inside view was being obstructed by blinds but I already knew who was inside.

As I gently and softly pushed the door open, I saw Tosa sitting next to Kaga’s bed. Alongside them was Nagato-sama who had already recovered two days earlier.

I always thought I’d be the one getting sent to a hospital on a stretcher, the living lights knocked out of me either by an enemy or by my very own disease. I never thought I’d be visiting you here, of all people…

Akagi… Why did you have to push yourself that far?

“How is she?” I never thought I’d be the one asking this… Is this how you feel, Captain?

“Kaga’s recovering pretty well,” Tosa replied with her eyes cast out into the afternoon sky. “She didn’t take much damage during the last fight. Akagi on the other hand…”

Baka… You didn’t have to shield Kaga with your very own astral form… Nagato-sama was there. She could have…

“Akagi was very brave, Amagi,” Nagato-sama, who was covered in bandages, told me. As the Great Fox stood up, I could see her slightly flinch in pain with every step she took towards me. “They demonstrated unparalleled powers on the battlefield. You should be proud.”

“And I am, Nagato-sama,” What else can I do? What else can I say?

Nothing.

Nothing but wait. And wait… until my two sisters wake up.

“...That battle was a disaster,” Nagato-sama said as she caressed Akagi’s cold right hand beneath the hospital sheets. “We survived somehow but we suffered major losses. The Council won’t be pleased…”

“I agree. Still, we did what we had to do to survive,” I must find at least a silver lining in this situation. I can’t have everyone fighting on such low morale.

“I never thought about it much but the victories Daisa-dono brought us,” Nagato-sama stared me right in the eye. “They’ve made everyone used to fighting under his command.”

I remained silent as Nagato-sama continued.

“They say we take things we have for granted until we lose them,” she said. “I guess it’s the same with people… I don’t think anyone here ever thought of how much we needed him until we lost him…”

I nodded. There was nothing else I could add… and there’s no way to sugarcoat it. Even with me making the tough decisions on the field, the shipgirls just trust the Captain more–thus, they function better under his command. In time, maybe they will come to trust the other Commanders and me but as we stand right now, there won’t be a next time if the Sirens decide to attack us now.

“I am planning a search and rescue operation, Nagato-sama,” I said. “I understand that the Sakura Empire’s policy right now prioritizes its own survival and we are very low on resources. Still, we can’t just sit here and do nothing. We cannot win if we’re this disorganized.”

Nagato-sama and Tosa both glanced at each other. The head of our–no, of the Sakura Empire’s faction took a seat next to Akagi and pondered for a bit.

“Reine-himesama is currently bedridden,” the Great Fox said as she turned her attention back to me. “Do what you will, Amagi. I will bear full responsibility.”

“Then the Sakura Empire will participate?”

“Under the grounds that we will face complete annihilation if not,” Tosa remarked. “I think we have no choice in the matter. Do we, Nagato-sama?”

“Iie. The last battle demonstrated just how incapable and impotent our strength is without a unifying force,” Nagato-sama deduced as she struggled to get back on her feet.

“Go and save Daisa-dono. The divine wind will definitely blow for you!”

Before leaving the infirmary, there is one other stop I have to make. Further in the hallway at the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of Peter Strasser with Formidable as they stood before a door. It seems they’re about to leave.

“The new Kommandant is really worried about your sister, hmm?” Strasser said as the two time-stoppers engaged in a conversation that seemed oblivious to everything else going on.

“I don’t know why though… My sisters, Illustrious and Victorious have no idea what’s going on but,” Formidable paused mid-sentence as the two of them made way for me. They simply ignored me and went through their conversation as normal. “At least we know he cares for us at least partially.”

…Why is John fixated with Illustrious’s adopted sister?

“How is–”...I think I bit my tongue. I can never get used to asking that question. Ever. “How is she?”

John, who seemed to have lost all hours of nighttime sleep, groggily turned to face me. He quite literally had to tear his gaze away from the slumbering light carrier before he successfully met my eyes.

“What do you want?” He asked.

“You were too hard on Prince of Wales,” I told him. “You performed splendidly last time. I’d hate for the other shipgirls to actually hate you because you were worried about–”

“Be silent.”

Hmm? I’m not even trying to antagonize him. It might be the lack of sleep.

“Gomennasai. I don’t know why you’re acting this way but… do try to be more approachable to others. Although I am relieved to see that you actually do care about us, after all.”

“I don’t need your advice. Now leave. I have to take care of Unicorn,” how curious… Was I incorrect in my assumption that the prince has at least some semblance of concern for his subordinates? Or is he simply playing favorites?

…I have to know, at least.

“Hmm if you don’t mind me asking,” I started probing. “Why are you so worried about Unicorn?”

“None of your business,” Hmm? What’s that in his palm? That thing… looks like a… photo?

“May I see that?”

The prince swiftly tucked the photo no larger than his palm into his coat pocket as he stood up.

“I doubt you’re here to just inquire about my interest in Unicorn. You’re already thinking of a plan to counterattack, aren’t you?” He correctly deduced as he dragged himself off the stool he was sitting on. “If you can promise that Unicorn will not take part in any further operations and will receive the best security and care on the island, I’ll help you.”

“Even without my word, Vestal will ensure every last injured shipgirl is well-taken care of,” I told the prince who impatiently ushered me out of the room. He wistfully fiddled with the photo in his pocket as he stepped out of Unicorn’s room quietly.

“Is that so?” He chuckled. “How silly of me. Anyway, do we have any clue where the Sirens even are?”

“Iie… Not right now, I’m afraid,” I replied as the two of us began making our way out of the infirmary. John nodded at Formidable who was now alone.

The aircraft carrier nodded back at him, seemingly understanding that he wanted her to replace him as Unicorn’s caretaker for the moment. Formidable unhurriedly scurried past me and John as we finally reached the stairs.

“Then how are we going to shoot back?” Asked John. “I’d thought the Captain would have had some areas under surveillance already. How badly were you understaffed that you guys had no idea where to look?”

“Daisa was the only commanding officer remaining,” I told John as we stepped out of the hospital. “There was no one else helping him maintain the base and respond to all the demands from the HQ.”

“Until now, you mean?”

“Until now, I was the only one privy to almost all his plans,” the wind made my hair flutter as we walked briskly towards the Academy. “Although he doesn’t have tangible surveillance information, Daisa-dono does have an area of suspicion.”

“And where might that be?”

I glanced at the prince who was eagerly engaging me in a conversation. It’s the first time we actually spoke to each other without slinging insults at each other…

That look in his eyes… What is it? Anger? Determination? Maybe both. Whatever motivated him to step up the plate–it doesn’t matter. What matters is I finally have someone to lighten the load. His motivations are questionable at best but it’s what I have to work with. Desperate times call for desperate measures; you will have to do.

John went silent as he was greeted by a Royal Navy shipgirl.

“Hmm? Looks like Miss Amagi is with you,” Ajax said with a dry smile. “You’re already replacing me as soon as possible, eh, Your Highness?”

John flashed a grin as he replied with a dry tone: “Of course. The sooner I’m rid of a woman as selfish as you, the better.”

Instead of expressing anger or annoyance, Ajax merely smirked and smiled flirtily as she continued on her path.

“Hmm… I’m curious what’s going on between you and that girl though, Ouji-sama.”

“Pay no mind to Ajax. She’s nothing but my…” The prince paused slightly as if searching for the correct term to use for Ajax. “Hmm… She’s simply my accomplice. Yes. I believe that describes our relationship the best.”

“You called us here?” Asked Bismarck as she took her seat around the round table.

She sat right next to my good friend Yorktown who was representing the Eagle Union in Enterprise’s stead today. Next to her was an empty seat where Nagato-sama would usually be seated. In her current condition, Nagato-sama would usually send either Akagi or me to represent her but, well, that isn’t possible either. Next to the empty seat is another where the Queen of the Royal Navy used to sit but since she was presiding over this meeting, she took the podium instead. Following each other in order are Richelieu, Jean Bart, and Sovetskaya Rossiya–just recently recovered from their wounds.

Behind the round table are four seats–with only one seat filled in. Prince John sat alone quietly as he observed the available heads of each faction. Michel was tinkering with machinery alongside Yuubari and Akashi under my instructions so he couldn't make it. Enterprise borrowed Sam for a few days to ask for his help. Meanwhile, Reine-hime was bedridden because of the stab wound she suffered during the battle.

Ironically, the person you thought would have been the most likely to be of help is the one being least helpful today, Captain. You were wrong on that end… I hope you’re not mistaken anywhere else.

“We all suffered some heavy damages during the last battle,” not beating around the bush, Queen Elizabeth put on a serious face–something I rarely see her do. Warspite stood behind her as I listened on my seat on the sideline. “So I want to know the extent of damages. Lady Bismarck, you go first.”

Surprised at the Queen’s more direct tone, Bismarck swiftly stood up and delivered her report.

“Our submarine fleet took heavy damage. Of the sixteen U-boats we have, only six are currently battle-ready. While none of the Iron Blood surface fleet actually took serious damage, the earlier battle pushed our riggings to their absolute limit. Aside from a few destroyers and some heavy cruisers, we don’t have much to offer right now…”

Bismarck, the proud battleship is currently bearing forth all of her faction’s current weaknesses. If she can’t even hide that fact, then it must be really bad…

“I see… Thank you, Lady Bismarck.” Queen Elizabeth closed her eyes as if someone had given her a headache. She winced before opening her eyes, locking her sight on Yorktown. “Lady Yorktown, if you will…”

The eldest of the Yorktown class stood up and faced us.

“The Eagle Union Residence has been heavily damaged. Most of our members are currently staying over at their friends,” she said. “While we are lucky that no one got injured, the previous battle pushed us really hard, too. Oil and repair costs for the carriers are nothing to joke about, after all. Still, I promise you all that we will be present and we will participate in any future operations.”

Why is it that whenever the Sirens attack, the Union base gets the wrecked the most? Do they have it out for the Union specifically ? Or is it merely a coincidence?

No… In my experience, things are rarely just a coincidence.

“How much of the carrier strike group can participate?” Asked Prince John from his seat.

Yorktown turned her attention to the Commander and smiled.