Having sailed out of Rezad, the fleet led by Alexios was circling the coast of Trisichellia.
　At the same time as aiming to join the Roseward around the west, it was to show the Cilician cities in the coastal region the fleet of the Kingdom of Romalia and to let them know that the waters around Trisichellia Island were already not the sea of Pophenia.

　''Well there's going to be a storm coming.

　Alexios stared at the suddenly changed sky.
　Black clouds swirled around the blue sky where the sun had shone earlier.

　'Bring me a map, Melia,'
　Yeah, go ahead.

　Alexios unfolds the map his wife Melia had brought him.
　There are enough ports nearby to escape to....
　Nothing.

　I'm in trouble. I hope we can have it for a while.

　We still have a long way to go to a port big enough for the fleet to dock.
　Until then, well, weather be patient with me.

　And Alexios prays to the heavens that....






　It's a disaster.

　Alexios cowered his shoulders.
　Lightning ran across the sky, rain poured down, the wind blew and the waves swelled and shook the ship.

　The ship, unbalanced by the 'crow device', shook more and more.

　'Announce to the entire fleet. We're going offshore now.
　Yes, I understand.

　The soldiers wave their flags and inform the entire fleet of Alexios' intentions.

　They head out to sea in a stormy sea.
　At first glance it looks like a suicide mission but this decision is the right one.

　Because......
　In coastal areas, this is because the shore could slam into the reef and cause it to sink.

　Also, because the waves bounce off the shore....
　It's even rougher than offshore.

　Falling into the ocean in a storm, whether offshore or inshore, will kill you.
　Then it's wise to go offshore where the waves are relatively calm.

　But.....

　Hey, wait!　Why is that ship headed for shore!　Let me back in!

　Some of the ships ignore Alexios' orders and head for the shore.
　The number of them.....
　One hundred ships in total.

　A third of them.

　'I'm sorry ... but the soldiers of the Federation ...'
　Shit.....

　Of the heavily armed infantry aboard the ship, about half of them are soldiers from outside the Kingdom of Romalia ... the Federation.

　The soldiers from the kingdom follow Alexios' orders........
　Some of the Federation's soldiers do not trust Alexios so much.

　Of course, the ship is accompanied by a group of Cilician sailors...
　He is threatening them and heading for the shore.

　A clear violation of orders.
　But ... you can't blame them.

　They have never even seen the sea until not long ago.
　Alexios' decision........
　We left the shore and went out to sea.

　It was so horrible that I was afraid to do so.

　'.........tasteless.

　Alexios frowns.
　But .....
　It was too late.









　It's finally stopped.

　A few hours later, the storm stopped.
　Alexios ordered his soldiers to investigate the loss of the ship.

　The ship sank........
　Twenty ships in total.

　Twenty out of one hundred and sixty ships. There are one hundred and forty ships left.
　That's a little over 10% of the total loss.

　That's enough to prevent them.

　Alexios is first of all relieved.
　But it's still too early to be relieved.

　We have yet to confirm the safety of the hundred ships that violated our orders and headed to shore on their way.

　''........I hope at least a third of them survive.





　Later, ten ships were found to have managed to float along the coast...
　The remaining ninety ships were not found.

　In this storm, the Kingdom of Romalia lost one hundred and ten ships and over ten thousand soldiers and sailors.

　There are one hundred and fifty ships left.
　Combined with the losses from the war....

　About half the ships were lost.







　''Well, thank you for the report.

　My shoulders slumped as I heard the report from Alexios, who had returned home on furlough.
　Even the senators of the Senate were dark-faced.

　Three hundred ships that cost the government money.
　Half of those ships had already been lost, reduced to seaweed.

　I got my head in my hands.
　But.....

　'Thanks to Alexios, that's half of it. Or so I thought.




　''I knew I should have said no, didn't I?　At night?
　'Don't tell me, Julia I feel the same way.

　Julia, Tetra, and Alice were encouraging me as I slumped my shoulders in the royal palace and felt depressed.

　I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight...

　If you can't sleep, you can sleep with me.

　With that, Tetra presses her own lips to mine.
　Tetra's tongue enters my mouth.

　'Alms,'　
　Thank you for that, I feel better.

　Tetra hugs me to my chest, pressing her own chest against mine.
　I hug Tetra tightly, too.

　It's so soft.

　'Well there's nothing we can do about it. There's no way to get the sinking ship or the dead people back so let's figure out what to do first, okay?　Right?

　Julia also hugs my right hand.
　My arm digs into Julia's chest.

　'Well I don't know much about politics but good luck with that!

　Alice also pressed her breasts against my left hand.

　........Do these guys think I'm a simple guy who gets better with just my breasts?
　That's the height of rudeness.

　''Alright, we'll just rebuild the ships for now. At any rate, with our earlier victory, we have the advantage on land and we still have a hundred and fifty ships left!
　Oh, I feel better.
　Simple.
　Do you like the breasts that much?

　Yeah, May!





　First, I told Alexios to proceed with his mission.
　There were very few ships left in Pophenia, and a hundred and fifty would be enough to blockade the sea.
　A hundred and fifty ships would be enough to blockade the sea.

　It would be a burden on Alexios to command the navy while also fighting on land, but....　
　Well, Alexios will be able to handle it.

　Besides, having seized most of the coastal area, it's easier to send supplies from here, and it's easier to get in touch with them.

　It seems that Bartolo and his men are also winning a lot of victories.

　Though it seems that they are troubled by the enemy's guerrilla attacks in the inland areas...
　If you hold all the coastal ports over there too, the supply will stop.
　Then we can dry them out in the sun.

　The problem is....





　Pofenia has started building ships...

　It will soon be winter and a natural truce.
　Pofenia will probably take the time from winter to summer to reorganize its navy.

　In fact, with Pofenia's financial resources, it is possible.

　And then there would be a race to build a new ship with our country.
　The problem is, we don't have the resources to build any more ships.

　''We're in trouble Your Majesty. That's why I suggested that we don't do this...
　'I'm sorry I can't say anything back. But now....
　'I know, Your Majesty. Please forgive my rudeness. .... certainly Pofenia cannot be trusted. If we win, we'll get reparations, and we'll get territory. Above all, the southern border will be stable. I don't disagree with you on that. ........Since it has already begun, there can be nothing but victory. That too is a decisive victory.

　Raimondo said that....

　I have a plan to raise the money. Would you like to hear about it?
　What?　I could sell my soul to the devil right now.
　...No, there's no need to sell it, but...

　The measure that Raimondo spoke of, it was an amazing one.

　'....Is it good?
　Good, because what better way to win than by doing so?
　Thank you.
　What are you saying, Your Majesty? I'm your vassal, then I'll only do what I can to help you win.