Ch.264Raid Preparations Done Right (5)

# Chapter 264: Thorough Raid Preparations (5)

How on earth do they maintain and manage over 10,000 ships?

Although, due to not being a formal fleet, they don’t possess battleship-class or larger vessels.

Even cruiser-class ships only account for about 20% of the total number.

The majority aren’t even destroyers, but rather hastily modified civilian vessels…

In my Diplomatic Enforcement Ministry, managing just 20-30 stealth destroyers used by the purge units is enough to turn my financial managers’ mental state into crumbling cookies.

Yet somehow they’re operating over 10,000 ships, even if most are civilian vessels.

“Amazing, having to split operations into two groups because there are so many.”

“Indeed.”

I wanted to learn from their remarkable management skills.

“But that’s too many.”

“Could this be another one of their bad habits showing up?”

Suspecting the Papal Office might be up to something sneaky again, I decided to contact Emilia, who currently serves as the acting Pope, to ask…

-“Of course, it’s the power of devotees who voluntarily gathered for the great Saint.”

“Huh?”

-“When the Saint announced the fleet gathering, exceptional devotees liquidated their assets to participate in this holy war.”

“…”

-“For the holy war proclaimed by the Saint, our Papal Office and hundreds of thousands of the Saint’s fanatics are ready to take to the battlefield at any time.”

“…Then what about the maintenance costs for those ships?”

-“Paying maintenance costs is also a tithe of life, and since it serves the Saint, how could they not pay?”

In summary, a fleet created by hundreds of thousands of Saint-obsessed fanatics not only doesn’t cost anything to maintain, but they’re actually donating that much money on top of it.

‘Wow.’

Seeing this reality that defied gaming common sense, I finally understood why the old Minister of Defense said there was no need to increase our fleet power all this time.

Even I would reduce the peacetime fleet numbers and use that money for fleet upgrades if a Pope or equivalent figure could summon 10,000 ships with a single command.

And regarding these fanatics, Maria, the “Saint” of Eternia, said:

“Hohoho, child, your fame truly reaches the heavens.”

“…”

“No need to be embarrassed. A leader who rules a country needs a ‘group of fanatics’ like that.”

She spoke as if trying to comfort me.

But shortly after…

-“Not bad for fanatics of inferior species, but they’re still inferior species!”

“…”

-“They cannot compare to Eternia’s time-honored traditions and technology!”

Admiral Lüchou and the Annihilation Fleet, who had been listening to the Papal Judgment Fleet’s frenzied hymns.

Declaring that the Pioneer Empire would never lose, they used Maria’s giant holographic 3D model and various holographic projections.

-“Watch carefully! And tell everyone in this world!”

Using 10,000 ships, excluding those dispatched for survivor rescue, they held a massive holographic concert.

Watching this in real-time, Maria…

-“Kyung♡ in your heart!”

-“Long live the Saint!!!”

“Child, I have never once in my life performed such actions, dances, expressions, or words.”

“Yes.”

“Therefore, unlike your case, don’t you think it’s entirely justified for me to punish Admiral Lüchou?”

“…Yes.”

“So I’m sorry, but you should go now. It seems I have something to attend to immediately.”

Since she looked like an Asura who had just crawled out of hell,

I quietly left and decided to return to my home-sweet-home, the Diplomatic Enforcement Ministry.

—————————————-

Anyway, perhaps because we secured an additional force of about 15,000 ships…

[Quest: Thorough Preparation is the Key to Victory]

[No amount of preparation may be enough to face the Sun Emperor.]

[But any preparation is better than none.]

[Solve each step thoroughly to achieve victory in the war against the Sun Emperor.]

[Goal 1: Fortify 5 major planetary systems in the warp gate network (currently 1 completed)]

[Goal 2: Recruit at least 2 additional fleets of regular fleet size by Holy Seveli Empire standards (total 3 fleets, about 15,000 ships)]

[Goal 3: Install large-scale minefields in expected arrival star systems]

[Reward: ???]

The quest window I checked immediately upon returning to my office at the Diplomatic Enforcement Ministry confirmed that I had achieved successful results.

The fortification of a major planetary system connected to the warp gate was already completed.

The old Defense Minister might complain about wanting to rest, but he was clearly working hard enough to grind his bones to dust.

And apart from the quest, I coordinated operation plans to deploy regular fleets stationed in each region whenever necessary for additional force reinforcement.

I could confidently say I had made thorough preparations, but…

“It’s not enough.”

“What’s not enough? Sugar?”

“No, our forces.”

Despite everything, I still felt our current forces were insufficient to face the Sun Emperor and the Scourge.

“But we already have over 60,000 ships that can be mobilized immediately?”

“…”

“Plus, if we request support, Prosnack and ISTO will send 60,000 and 50,000 ships respectively.”

I shook my head at Riel’s words and said:

“I know that, but the important thing is that the Sun Emperor’s goal isn’t conquest but Artraia’s crown.”

“Ah.”

“Will such enemies advance normally? Or will they disregard losses and push straight to the capital?”

“Ahhh.”

My concern wasn’t anything else.

What if our capital falls before our carefully arranged “reinforcements” even arrive?

“Minister, even with fortifications and fleet mobilization, shouldn’t we be able to buy some time?”

“Remember how long the Fuchsviet held out against ordinary space monsters with their defense line, not even the Scourge?”

“But our fleet structure isn’t as deformed as the Federation’s.”

Riel wasn’t wrong.

Our fortification work wasn’t plagued by the corruption, shoddy work, armchair theories, and time constraints that the Federation suffered.

Being a transportation hub, it already had decent defenses in place.

Moreover, half of the Annihilation Fleet would be stationed in the capital star system until Eternia establishes its government-in-exile.

The Capital Defense Fleet.

And with two “Ether Dragons,” it should normally be impenetrable.

But that was only when facing “normal” alien nations.

Given that the Sun Emperor’s Kirsanid Scourge numbers at least hundreds of thousands,

I strongly felt that our current defensive force of “merely” 60,000 ships at maximum would be insufficient.

Yet I couldn’t find an answer as to where we could get more troops.

“Minister, being cautious isn’t bad, but do we actually have a solution?”

“Hmm.”

“It might be more dangerous if you worry about something we can’t solve and end up with a nervous breakdown at a critical moment.”

Seeing Riel speak to me like that, I nodded and decided to accept reality.

‘Right, honestly, we don’t have the capacity to extract more forces from anywhere.’

——————————————–

But the day after accepting reality…

“Minister, have you heard about that?”

“About what?”

I responded curtly to Riel, who entered while I was in the middle of washing my face in the morning. She shrugged and began:

“About the ISTO Treaty Force fleet. I heard they’re about to lose their station?”

“…What?”

The moment I heard those words, I forgot I was still dripping with water and immediately approached Riel.

“What exactly do you mean, Riel?”

“Um… exactly what I said? Last night, the ISTO Internal Treaty Committee announced that Kar-Du is canceling the treaty force temporary station contract.”

Finding this situation absurd, I wondered if this was another of the Sun Emperor’s dirty tricks.

Shortly after, I quickly changed clothes and began gathering information to assess the situation.

Before long, I realized the truth and couldn’t help but let out a sigh filled with frustration.