Author’s Note: 

Discord: https://discord.gg/ymbTbNw

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/drdoritosmd 

I post extra free chapters for every $50 in total donations. Check out my Patreon for more details!

——

HMS Galatine

En Route to Leiforia

Embarking on a naval voyage from the Holy Mirishial Empire to Mykal, a port city in Mu, Minister Siwalf watched the light above swing around as he reviewed documents pertaining to the Gra Valkas Empire. Seated across from him was Zammas, an intelligence officer from the Mirishial Bureau of Information. He shook his head in disbelief as he continued to read the documents. 

“Heavens…” he said with a tired voice. “Minister, what do you think of this,” Zammas put his finger on one of the documents, turning it sideways so both of them could read. “It says here, under military capability, that ‘The Gra Valkas Empire is known to have ships similar to Holy Mirishial Empire Mithril-class battleships.’ Furthermore,” he continued, moving his finger down toward a section dedicated to Gra Valkas aerial capabilities, “It says here that my department has discovered mechanical aircraft with much greater performance than those of Mu’s Marin. I don’t quite agree with the following analysis, but it is an opinion that some of my colleagues share. Apparently, they believe that these Gra Valkan aircraft can outperform even our Alpha-3 fighters!”

As Zammas spoke, Siwalf followed closely, rubbing his chin as he took in the words spoken by the proud Mirishial across from him. A brief pause preceded Siwalf’s reply. “Hmm,” he finally began, “Our Mithril-class ships are fairly new… Would this mean then that the Gra Valkas Empire has a similar technological level as us? At least in terms of their Navy.”

Zammas shrugged. “It may appear to be the case. Although they seem to have amassed quite a number of these Mithril-class equivalents. We haven’t amassed such a great number due to the relative peace of our time, but given our preparations for the return of the Ancient Sorcerous Empire, I believe that we can easily match their number of Mithril equivalents within three years.”

Siwalf spoke hesitantly, thinking of a reasonable estimate for the Gra Valkan Navy’s total ship count. “That assumes their entire Navy is about twice the size of the fleets we see at Leifor’s harbors.”

“Yes.”

“Then, we must conclude that the Gra Valkans are a potential threat, at least until we build our military sufficiently. Hmm, is Pasha cleared to review this information with us?”

“Yes, he is.”

“Excellent. I think an additional perspective may prove enlightening,” Siwalf said. 

After a couple minutes, a young Elven man arrived, giving a slight bow to his superiors. “Mister Zammas. Minister Siwalf,” he greeted them. 

“Pasha, please have a seat. Zammas, show him the alleged capabilities of the Gra Valkan military.”

Zammas complied, reciting the same key points that he had shown to Siwalf. Pasha frowned, his eyes widening in surprise. He quickly returned to a neutral expression, refraining from allowing emotions to cloud his judgement. 

“If this information is true,” Pasha said, “Then we find ourselves with a serious predicament to our west. A nation with their attitude likely would have been emboldened by Leifor’s quick surrender…”

Siwalf nodded, “That is a most unfortunate truth, and I must navigate carefully. Bringing the Galatine as a show of strength is a good idea, but I fear it may not be enough to deter them.” Siwalf began to tap his finger on the table, a habit of his which signified anxiety. “Of course, it’s impossible for them to defeat us, but we can take some losses from them. Additionally, their proximity to Mu is a heavy risk. It is possible that they mount a ground invasion faster than we can send our fleets to provide support.”

Zammas and Pasha nodded in silence. 

Siwalf continued, “What do we know about the Gra Valkan Army’s capabilities?”

“That is unfortunately something that the Information Bureau has yet to disclose… or discover. We do have some hypotheses though, based on the development of Mu. Using Mu as a baseline and projecting the Gra Valkas Empire to be at least ten years more advanced than Mu, we predict that their ground forces are primarily equipped with firearms. Their possession of repeating firearms is a possibility, but not expected. They likely also have access to powerful long-range artillery and fast reconnaissance units operating with motorcycles and vehicles — better than what Mu currently has.”

“I see…” Siwalf checked his watch. “It seems that we’re almost here. Let’s go above decks, I am quite curious to see what the Gra Valkas Empire has in store for us.”

The three men exited their guest quarters and eagerly made their way out of the ship, glad to breathe some fresh air and excited to see land again. The scene that greeted them contrasted greatly with what they had expected. They knew that Leiforia had been ravaged and they knew that the Gra Valkas Empire had set up camp in the region, moving their troops in the region. However, they did not anticipate the level of destruction against the city to be this extensive, nor did they anticipate the level of military buildup in the region. 

Dark smoke still clouded the air above Leiforia as buildings continued to burn, serving as a warning sign to the remaining resistance forces still fighting against Gra Valkan dominance. The harbor had been cleaned up in order to make room for Gra Valkan ships and supplies, but the surrounding commercial districts remained desolate, ruined and scattered with debris and bodies. The harbor itself was teeming with warships, from destroyers to battleships and aircraft carriers. Dwarfing the Galatine in size, many of these ships imparted an imposing and threatening aura, making the visiting Mirishials seem insignificant. 

“Good heavens…” Zammas muttered. He and Pasha were flabbergasted by the dystopian atmosphere that now shrouded the once glistening city of Leiforia. 

Siwalf stood silent, his brain trying to process the vast change that had occurred since the last time he visited the city. He looked to his right. Under the shadow of the Galatine’s magical cannons, he saw Zammas and Pasha staring at the weaponry aboard a passing Gra Valkan battleship, jaws dropped. Siwalf traced the path of their sight, his eyes eventually landing on the gargantuan sailing beside them. The two ships traveled in opposite, but parallel directions, nearly brushing aside each other. As the massive Gra Valkan vessel edged closer, its shadow slowly engulfed the seemingly miniature Galatine. 

“How large are those cannons?” Siwalf thought aloud, eliciting a response from his colleagues. 

“I…” Pasha muttered. He staggered backward, seemingly caught off guard by the Gra Valkan flex. Initial fear and shock quickly subsided as he regained composure, determination now filling his demeanor. “This ship and its weaponry is beyond our expectations, but that should only serve as a sign for us to pick up the pace. Zammas,” he said. 

Zammas looked over. 

“Quickly, we need to document what we see here. Anything that can help our artificers improve our weapons, from barrel design to materials.” He then produced two notebooks from his satchel — recent imports from the Americans. 

Zammas accepted one and pulled a pen from his pocket, immediately working on a sketch of the monstrous ship that had generously flashed itself for him. His mind glossed over the fact that the ship boasted cannons with larger caliber than any Mirishial artificer had even considered, focusing on the task at hand. Not even the sheer size of the ship fazed him, although he made sure to document estimates for its tonnage and the amount of power required to move such a large vessel. 

Pasha performed a similar analysis, focusing instead on specific design components of the ship, from angle of the ship’s hull and armor to the placement of weapons. He specifically took note of the excessive number of anti-aircraft systems on the ship — at least, he assumed they were anti-air weapons based on how the guns were angled toward the sky and were of lower caliber. Adding the fact that numerous aircraft carriers were scattered throughout the Gra Valkan fleet formations, he deduced that air power was of significant importance to these strange otherworlders. He spent extra care with identifying any and all peculiarities, most particularly the grated metal construct mounted atop the ship. 

While the two military information officers worked on analyzing the behemoth beside them, Siwalf pondered on the words that he can bring to the Gra Valkan embassy later. His mind ran wild through simulated conversations as he leaned on the railing of the Galatine, staring at the fleet of hundreds of steel fortresses swarming the Leiforian harbor. 

At the top of his priority list was confidence. Above all, he couldn’t falter in the face of his diplomatic counterpart, even if images of their naval firepower plagued his mind. Eventually, the monstrous dreadnought left the vicinity of the Galatine and his eyes were opened to the totality of Gra Valkan might. He sighed as his eyes surveyed the scene before him. “I suppose I’ll settle with our standard greetings,” he said, watching monoplanes fly over him. 

The three men waited for their ship to dock, with a fourth man eventually joining them. 

“Technical Officer Gorms,” Zammas greeted him. 

“Officers,” he replied. 

“I would have called for you to view the harbor, but I got caught up with the massive ship.”

“Oh, yes I’ve heard about it. I hurried to the upper decks as soon as word reached my ear,” he nodded. “I took as many notes as I could before it departed, then I worked on analysis of their aircraft.”

Zammas nodded. 

Pasha chimed in, “The Gra Valkans are shaping up to be a potential threat…”

“Indeed,” Siwalf replied. “Which is why I intend on caution during our proceedings. I am not certain if it is customary to take notes during such meetings — for the Gra Valkans at least — so be sure to remember any information you hear so you may write it down later.”

The four men departed from their ship, entering a dark-colored vehicle. Attentive to any piece of information that came across them, the men noted the design of the car and the overall performance of the machine in comparison to the vehicles present within the Holy Mirishial Empire. Although relatively the same in all aspects, the Gra Valkan vehicle appeared to be more reliable in terms of range and speed. Predictions of a speedy scout or cavalry unit came to mind, striking fears of superior maneuverability on the side of this hegemonic mechanical civilization. 

The speed at which they arrived at the embassy was surprising, adding to prior fears. The Mirishial envoys exited their vehicle, analyzing their surroundings for a quick moment before entering the blocky-looking structure. A receptionist led them to a small meeting room, which looked more acceptable in terms of aesthetics, especially in comparison to the harsh edges that dominated the building’s exterior. With hushed voices, they discussed trivial matters amongst themselves, stopping when the door opened. 

A disorderly looking man with unkempt hair strolled into the room casually, bearing no semblance of proper diplomatic etiquette. The only thing upright about him was his posture, but even then it was only out of a sense of superiority, rather than proper manners. Despite the man’s unprofessional character, Siwalf greeted him like he would any other respectable diplomat. 

“It is a pleasure to meet you,” he said, offering his hand. 

The Gra Valkan diplomat stared at the open hand and crossed his arms before looking right back at Siwalf with a somewhat annoyed expression. 

Siwalf felt slightly offended by this action, but calmed himself down by reasoning that perhaps these otherworlders were unfamiliar with the gesture. He withdrew his hand and continued, “I am Minister Siwalf of the Holy Mirishial Empire’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I personally oversee all relations of countries to our relative west. We have learned of your exploits against Leifor, and have come from the Central World to both establish relations and to formally invite you to the World Leadership Conference, which consists of the eleven most important countries in the world.”

“You can refer to me as ‘Lord Dallas’ or ‘Sir Dallas’”, he said with a mischievous smile. 

Siwalf gave the man the benefit of the doubt, despite his awful attitude. “Very well, Sir Dallas.”

Dallas nodded patronizingly before continuing, “That’s right.”

Siwalf felt his face twitch, but held his tongue and maintained a neutral expression. 

“So then,” Dallas said, plopping down on a chair and putting his legs up on a nearby table. “It must have been quite the hassle to come here, huh?”

“Pardon? I don’t quite understand what you mean,” Siwalf said. 

“Hmph, of course, I am referring to your technology! It must have been such a tedious journey at sea just to get here. I’ll be honest, I can respect your efforts — going out of the way, understandably, for us.”

Siwalf stared Dallas in the eyes, wondering if this is all he had to say. 

“Traveled all the way from the ‘Central World’, huh. I wonder how that name came about. Arrogance?” 

Siwalf was baffled and infuriated by Dallas’ disrespect. The irony of his statement served as salt in the wound, but Siwalf continued to remain professional. “No, it simply came about due to its geographical location in relation to the other continents, which are surrounded by endless oceans. This is a topic you may review from the libraries of Leifor. What I hope to discuss today is a communications channel between our nations, and to invite you to the World Leadership Conference. Since the superpower Leifor no longer exists, we found it suitable that you, their conquerors, take their place.”

Dallas touched his heart with his hand. “Aww, how thoughtful! It’s nice to see that nations already know our place in this world. Then again, it’s not that surprising considering a nation like Leifor was a ‘superpower’. How ridiculous!” He laughed, gesturing at the scene of desolation outside the embassy windows. “My, how low your standards must be!”

Siwalf was quick to correct him, “I’ll have you know, this perception of us will lead you nowhere. It is true that Leifor was weak, but they were still strong in comparison to their neighbors, most of which have not even developed a simple firearm. I understand where you’re coming from. In fact, many primitive countries tend to boast proudly whenever they come into contact with a civilized nation. However, you must keep in mind that discrepancies such as the one between Leifor and her neighbors also exist elsewhere. The Holy Mirishial Empire is leagues above Leifor, and so is Mu. I suggest you refrain from viewing us on the same level as the former superpower, for you shall be… gravely mistaken,” Siwalf added emphasis on the final two words, intending to impart the message that the Holy Mirishial Empire was not a force to boss around. 

“Hmm. Well then, I’ll have one of the Leiforians set up a manacomm system eventually, and I shall convey your invitation to our glorious Emperor.”

Siwalf nodded, internally sighing in relief now that Dallas corrected his attitude slightly. “As a formality, I’d like to ask about some general information about the Gra Valkas Empire, such as the location of your homeland and capital.”

Dallas chuckled. “That, I’m afraid, is information that is not available to outsiders. If you wish to contact us or conduct trade, you may do so here or one of our other Leiforian ports.”

“I see. Again, it’s a pleasure to meet you. If your emperor wishes to participate in the World Leadership Conference, we recommend that you come to the city of Cartalpas within the Holy Mirishial Empire.”

Dallas nodded, breaking into a sly smile as the Mirishial envoys turned their backs. He waved his hand goodbye. “Fuckin pathetic,” he muttered as they closed the door.