episode_0302

Battle of Miliones (3)

The Balkan Navy rowed quickly to pursue the Kingdom of Leon’s navy, taking advantage of the strong tailwind blowing from behind and the fast-flowing ocean current. However, the conditions applied to the battleships of the Kingdom of Leon as well, and the mobility of Leon’s light ships was much faster, making it difficult to close the distance. Didn’t lose.

“We have reached the center of the Miliones Strait. I can see the lights of Polygal Island near the horizon in the distance. If we keep going like this, I think we will be able to push the enemies into their home port by the time the sun rises tomorrow morning”

Count Leverkin nodded with a confident expression at the words of the delighted staff.

“Hmm! The Kingdom of Leon’s ships are clearly superior in mobility, making it difficult for us to chase them down, but if we enter a narrow port and engage in an all-out war, we will have an overwhelming advantage”

Even though it was entangled between the burning fleets, the Balkan fleet displayed overwhelming combat power if it could approach successfully, so Count Leverkin and the captains following his flagship began to feel confident of victory.

“How about it? Teach. Stop being anxious now. You’re not a pirate anymore, are you? All you have to do is fight proudly as a member of the Imperial Navy”

“Keu… I’m not like that…”

“Look over there. Can’t you see the full moon rising brightly in the sky? Thanks to the beautifully shining full moon, our soldiers will be able to fight more easily. It’s clear that heaven is also hoping for our victory”

“Full moon… Full moon?!!”

At the tip of Count Leverkin’s finger was a shining full moon, and upon seeing it, Teach was able to recognize the identity of the anxiety that had been plaguing him until now.

“Your Excellency!! You must retreat now!!”

“Hmm? What does that mean? Retreat? Don’t you know that if you push just a little harder, you can drive them into their home port and annihilate them, or even if you fail to annihilate them, you can occupy the enemy port and cut off their supply?”

“It’s a trap!! This means that the Leon Kingdom Navy pushed us into a trap!! Even the clumsy ship at the entrance to the strait! The fact that you ran away without fighting properly was all bait to bring us here!!”

Hearing Teach’s voice claiming that it was a trap, Count Leverkin and his staff looked at him blankly.

“Hey! Teach me an explanation! If you say it’s a trap all by yourself, we won’t understand. I’m telling you to calm down and calmly persuade us”

In response to Teach’s incomprehensible sounds, Count Leverkin asked him for an explanation.

However, Teach ignored his superior’s request, turned his back, climbed up the mast, waved the flag high, and at the same time blew the horn of retreat.

Puuu~~ Puuu~

Flap! Flap~!

“Retreat!! The entire fleet escapes from the Miliones Strait!!”

When Teach’s signal to retreat was sent, the Balkan Empire’s 1st Fleet slowly slowed down as ordered, without even knowing what was going on.

However, because the Navy of the Kingdom of Leon had been pushed forward without any damage so far, and the flagship ship that had been in the lead was still stationary, the 1st Fleet only stopped moving forward and put its retreat movement on hold for a while.

Teach, who was biting his lips as he watched the fleet move, had to be grabbed by the collar by Count Leverkin, who followed him up the mast.

“What is this? Teach!! You raised a signal to retreat to the fleet without an order from me, the Commander-in-Chief!! This is a crime of defiance and a crime of insulting superiors!”

“Your Excellency! Please issue an official retreat order immediately!! I will explain it slowly”

As Teach continued to insist on retreat, several staff members angrily requested that he be punished.

“His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief. This guy is a former pirate captain! There is no doubt that he is being paid by the Kingdom of Leon to spread false information to our allies!”

“That’s right! Otherwise, there is no way he could have thrown the fleet into chaos by insisting on a retreat and waving the commander’s flag at will, now that victory is completely certain!! You need to cut that guy’s head off right now!!”

The staff, who had been concerned that Teach, a former pirate captain and not a member of the official navy, was favored as Count Leverkin’s lieutenant, took this opportunity to unanimously demand that Teach be punished.

“I don’t mind if you cut my head off!! So please punish me right now and order the entire fleet to retreat as soon as possible. Excellency!!”

However, Teach insisted on retreating after punishing himself as if it had nothing to do with it, and when Count Leverkin made eye contact with Teach, he could read the strong conviction in his eyes.

‘Hmm… Teach. He’s a guy with a light temperament and likes drinking and women. He is also the one who dragged me into a place called Changgwan and caused me and Alvida to split up. But… I’m not the type of person to talk nonsense even in such an important situation. And above all, he’s not the kind of guy who would betray me on purpose.’

Count Leverkin, who was lost in thought for a moment, decided to believe the words of his favorite lieutenant.

“The entire fleet. retreat. Raise the retreat signal!”

“Your Excellency!! Now…”

When Count Leverkin officially gave the order to retreat, the staff all protested.

“The commander-in-chief has now issued an order. What right do you have to refuse military orders? So, are you ready to risk your life like that person? Then, let Eliza Leonhart von Balkan try to persuade the Commander-in-Chief”

Before they knew it, the blades of Eliza and the Knights of the Guard were pointed at the staff’s necks, so they had to keep their mouths shut in an instant.

“Hwa, Empress Mama. Thank you for your help”

“No. Deputy Steve Teach. You made a great decision. It’s been so long that I forgot about it… but I was able to remember it only after hearing your resolution. The curse of the Strait of Miliones!”

“If it is the curse of the Strait of Miliones…”

Count Leverkin tilted his head at the incomprehensible words that came out of Eliza’s mouth and asked what they were.

“There is no time to explain. Commander-in-Chief, you need to get out of here quickly. It might already be late…”

“Ah, I understand. The entire fleet retreats quickly! Turn the nose back and get out of the strait right now… Ugh!”

Count Leverkin, who was about to order a general retreat, felt his body tilt strangely and had to hastily regain his balance.

“W-what is this… my stomach suddenly feels…”

“Your Excellency the Commander-in-Chief!! The ocean currents begin to flow strangely!! The ship is tilting!”

“Fold the sails now and raise the triangular sails! Ride the headwind and escape the ocean current!”

At Count Leverkin’s order, Balkan ships began to lower their square sails and replace them with triangular sails to take advantage of headwinds. However, the ships were still unable to escape the increasingly strong ocean currents.

“No!! The wind has completely stopped!!”

“Tell the paddlers to row at full speed!! The ocean currents are getting stronger!”

“Impossible! The fighters’ stamina was completely depleted while chasing the enemy!! It’s impossible to stir any faster!!”

Kwaaang~ Kwaaang!!

The ocean current became stronger, and the Balkan Empire’s Corvus ships started to crash into each other and get damaged little by little.

A huge crash sound occurred, and several legionnaires on board the ship fell into the sea.

“Damn… what should I do with this…. What is that again!!”

As Count Leverkin gritted his teeth and thought of a way to save the fleet, something flashed in his eyes, and he had to admit that he had been completely defeated.

“Your Excellency! A Mongchung ship full of fire is approaching the fleet!! Since it follows the ocean current, avoidance is impossible!!”

There were large iron stakes lined up at the front of the Mongchong ship, which was approaching at extremely high speed, so it seemed almost impossible to remove it if the collision was allowed.

“Battleship evasion maneuver!! Marines, prepare for the battleship to catch fire!! Wet the underside of the deck with seawater in advance!!”

Kwaang~!! Grumbling

However, despite Count Leverkin’s orders, numerous bomb ships began to collide with the Corvus, and the oil drums inside them exploded on impact, causing the flames to burn with tremendous force and begin to spread to the Balkan battleship.

“Push with a stick to remove the crashed Mongchung ship!! Pour seawater and put out the fire!!”

“No!! The iron stakes are so strong that you have to break the deck to remove them!”

“Then destroy the deck!! If we continue like this, we will burn to death before the water fills up and we sink!”

The marines of Corvus, who allowed the collision of the Mongchung ship, made every effort to minimize the damage from the flames according to the captain’s instructions.

However, the chains connected to each other to minimize shaking at sea were enough to spread the flames, and the entire 1st Fleet of the Balkan Navy immediately began to be engulfed in flames.

If illustration. What if Yuria did not marry the emperor and remained in the Windrage domain to command the navy?