On a deep night thick with stars, I was waiting for someone.
"You were already here waiting for me."
"No, I just got here too."
I crushed out the cigarette I’d been smoking and walked over to Amagi.
"Cough, cough..."
"Oh, sorry. Does it smell that bad?"
"Cough... N-no, that’s not it. I’m just a little weak, so the night air made me cough a bit."
It felt like she was trying to cover for me so I wouldn’t be embarrassed, which made me a little awkward.
"Then please follow me."
Amagi took my wrist and led me along.
Before long, we reached our destination, and I waited in the room Amagi had guided me to.
"Commander, I’m coming in."
Amagi set a teacup in front of herself and me, then brewed tea over the brazier in front of us.
"So, what’s this secret thing you wanted to talk about?"
"Commander, from here on, please listen closely to what I have to say."
Amagi put on a solemn expression and began.
"Right now, our Sakura Empire is on the verge of losing the balance it has maintained until now."
"Balance?"
"You’ve heard that there are three factions competing within the Sakura Empire, haven’t you?"
"I know that much."
Amagi took a sip of tea to wet her throat, then continued.
"Commander, what do you think is the price of peace?"
The price of peace.
When the Sirens appeared, sea routes across the world were sealed off, and countries that had once been advanced were driven to the brink of starvation.
Then, almost like a miracle, the shipgirls appeared as a countermeasure, and peace was restored to the world.
But that peace did not last long. Each faction soon began turning the blades they had once aimed at a common enemy toward one another, all for their own interests and hegemony.
So my answer was this.
"Blood and bloodshed."
"Blood and... blood...? May I ask why there are two answers?"
"Because the blood spilled to protect peace is blood, and the blood spilled as the price of being drunk on peace is also blood."
Amagi let out a small gasp.
Then a faint smile appeared on her face.
"Commander... you truly are an extraordinary person."
"I’m only saying what came to mind because I’m the Commander and I stand on the front line of the battlefield. You don’t need to praise me."
Amagi set her teacup down, then suddenly bowed her head deeply and said,
"Commander... please save our Sakura Empire, which now stands on the edge of a candle flame."
"W-what...?"
I went blank for a moment at Amagi’s sudden change in attitude, trying to make sense of the situation.
"Our Sakura Empire... is ruled by politicians so drunk on peace that they can’t see what’s right in front of them, and I cannot foresee what lies ahead... Please, Commander... I know this is a difficult and selfish request... Please, this Amagi...!"
As Amagi’s tone grew more fervent, she broke into a violent coughing fit.
"Cough, cough! Hkgh...!"
"Amagi! Are you all right?!"
"Commander... as you can see, this Amagi has an inborn illness, so it is difficult for me to act directly... Please... save our Sakura Empire..."
But no matter how desperately someone clings to emotion, there are things that still can’t be done.
Still... given the situation, I had no choice but to take a step back this time too.
"...Amagi. I’m sorry, but I have my own position too.
If you were in my place, could you betray the people who accepted me after I was betrayed and ran away? I understand the situation in the Sakura Empire. I’ll do my best to... meet your request as much as I can. But not now."
"Commander....!"
"...Can you trust me and wait a little longer?"
Amagi’s eyes widened.
"Then that means...!"
"Interpret it however you like. But not now."
"That is enough... that is more than enough..."
Amagi gave a thin smile.
...
I smoked a cigarette before going back in so Tirpitz wouldn’t suspect anything.
Just as expected, Tirpitz asked me where I had been.
"Where have you been at this late hour?"
"Ah, I just went out for a little walk while smoking. Dinner wasn’t sitting well."
"...I see. Are you feeling better now?"
"Yeah, a little. I bought some Sakura Empire ramune on the way back. Want one?"
Tirpitz obediently took the ramune I offered and drank it.
"Commander, a communication has come in from headquarters."
Tirpitz said, handing me the communicator.
"Headquarters?"
When I pressed the receive button, Bismarck’s image appeared as a hologram.
"Commander, how is your detached duty going?"
"Ah, yeah. I’ve already obtained the new technology you said would be passed on, and I’ve done plenty of socializing too."
"Socializing?"
Bismarck’s gaze shifted slightly as she questioned me.
"...I just meant drinking. Don’t misunderstand."
"...Sardegna has requested a visit. Since your schedule is nearly over anyway, return quickly."
"Sardegna?"
Sardegna was surely busy dealing with the Royal Navy at Gibraltar... just how far had the Royal Navy’s standing fallen?
"Yes. Littorio, the Duke of Abruzzi, and Aquila will come as envoys."
"That’s a pretty lavish lineup. What’s going on?"
"Come back and hear it in person."
With that, Bismarck cut the communication off.
"Tch... why is Bismarck being difficult again?"
I muttered to myself, spread out my bedding, and went to sleep.
...
The final day in the Sakura Empire.
Several of the Sakura Empire’s staff were seeing me off.
"Commander, please come visit the Sakura Empire again soon..."
"Commander, never forget that our Sakura Empire and Iron Blood are first-rate allies."
And then...
Far away, Amagi was waving with a parasol in hand.
I waved back and boarded the ship.
"Then see you again!"
I set off for Iron Blood with the Sakura Empire escort fleet.
This time, the Sakura Empire would escort me partway, and then Iron Blood’s escorts would guide me the rest of the way.
"By the way, Kawakaze. Were there any light cruisers among us who wore shrine maiden outfits and fox masks?"
"That is..."
Kawakaze hesitated.
She had seen the three of them in the market not long ago, but there were so many people dressed like that in the Sakura Empire that even Kawakaze had started to get confused.
"I’ll look into it right away."
...
Essex was sitting in her room with her knees pulled up to her chest.
Lately, Essex had been feeling terribly down.
The Commander who had acknowledged her, the Commander who had been her ideal, and Enterprise, her senior.
She had lost both of them at once because of her own mistake, and she couldn’t escape the guilt.
She was drowning in gloom when someone knocked on her door.
"Y-yes..."
Essex dragged herself to the door and opened it.
"Who...?"
"Essex, you look awful."
"E... ah...? Uh...?"
Essex looked at the person standing before her and kept repeating broken sounds like her language function had short-circuited.
"Essex. I’m sorry. You’ve had a hard time, haven’t you?"
Enterprise hugged Essex.
Essex couldn’t stop the tears from spilling out of her eyes.
"E... ah... th-the tears... keep..."
"It’s okay. It’s okay."
At Enterprise’s gentle comfort, Essex poured out all the misery she had been holding in.
"I’m sorry...! I’m so sorry... hic...!"
Holding the sobbing Essex in her arms, Enterprise thought to herself.
If it were the Commander, he would have done this.
It was a warmth she wanted to feel again.
Once Essex had calmed down a little, she said,
"Hic...! E-Enterprise senior... I was so scared...! Hic...! Th-that you and the Commander... both...! Hic...! W-would never come back...!"
"Now that you’ve gotten me back, all that’s left is to get the Commander back."
"Is... is there a way...?"
Enterprise got two canned drinks from a vending machine and handed one to Essex.
"...I saw the Commander."
"What?!"
Essex stared at Enterprise in shock, then quickly dropped her gaze to the floor.
"But... if you came back alone... then you failed, didn’t you..."
"Yeah. I lost him right in front of me."
"Could you tell me... what happened?"
"...The Commander’s flagship was flying the Iron Blood flag. I got pretty close, but then I was pulled into the Mirror Sea."
"What...?"
Essex doubted her own ears.
Iron Blood?
"Th-then... the Commander was kidnapped...?"
"No, I don’t think so. It seems he’s there of his own will."
Essex buried her face in her hands.
"I’m sorry... It’s all my fault. I should have convinced everyone to vote against it back then..."
"It’s in the past now, so don’t worry about it. The past doesn’t come back."
"Yes..."
"So don’t just keep moping around like this. Figure out a way to get the Commander back."
Enterprise crushed the empty can and tossed it into the trash before standing up.
Next, Enterprise headed to the central hospital ward.
"Cleveland and the others... are they in the same room...?"
Enterprise opened the ward door.
The sharp smell of alcohol disinfectant stabbed at her nose.
"Enterprise...?"
Montpelier, who had been nursing Cleveland, stood up and deployed her rigging.
"And you have the nerve to come here."
"...I’m sorry. Won’t you give me a chance to atone?"
"...Montpelier. Put the rigging away."
Cleveland said in a strained voice.
"But...! You were hurt because of her...!"
"I’m fine. Hurry up."
Montpelier glared at Enterprise, then dismissed her rigging and sat down.
Enterprise knelt.
"I’m truly sorry...! I’ll spend my whole life paying for the mistake that hurt you all... so please, forgive me...!"
Baltimore struggled to sit up.
"...So, did you find the Commander?"
"...I lost him right in front of me."
"Oh dear..."
Baltimore let out a sigh.
"Enterprise. Lift your head and get up. You’re making us uncomfortable like that."
"But..."
"If I’d been in your place, I can’t say I’d have done any better."
Enterprise shed hot tears.
Cleveland and Helena also smiled and said,
"Yeah, what matters is that you came back. Seeing the Union’s hero like this is enough. Now get up."
"Thank you... I’ll spend my whole life repaying this mistake..."
"So can you tell us about the situation when you lost the Commander earlier?"
Helena asked.
Knowing how huge the Commander’s existence was to her, Enterprise found it even harder to speak.
"The Commander... seems to be in Iron Blood of his own will."
"What?!""What?!""What?!"
Everyone was stunned.
"Ha... haha... what in the world is this..."
"I saw the Commander’s flagship flying the Iron Blood flag... Then he was pulled into the Mirror Sea."
"Then we don’t have time to lie around here."
Baltimore’s expression hardened.
"Right. Hurry up and get back on your feet so we can go ask the Commander about this ourselves!"
Even in such a hopeless situation, the three of them did not lose their energy, and Enterprise also steeled her resolve in her heart.
...
Bang
"Nagato-sama!"
"What is it, Kawakaze?"
"After asking the shrine maidens of the shrine, including Fusou and Yamashiro, it turns out there are no shrine maidens who wear masks!"
"What?! Then those people were...!"
"Yes, they were probably spies sent by an enemy nation."
"This is bad! Our escort fleet must already be in the radio dead zone...!"
"We must send a telegraph to Iron Blood immediately!"
"Mm! Send it at once!"
...
Open sea near the Indian Ocean.
The contact point with Iron Blood’s escort fleet was drawing near.
"Commander, I’ll leave the radio dead zone and go guide the Iron Blood fleet in."
Tirpitz deployed her rigging and leaped into the sea.
"All right, be careful on your way."
I sat back down and let out a long yawn.
"I’m sleepy... maybe I should close my eyes for a bit..."
I lay my head on the desk and tried to nap for a moment.
How long had it been?
The noise outside woke me up.
"Hmm... what’s going on to make so much racket... Did a school of dolphins show up or something...?"
I peered outside.
And then I saw something unbelievable.
Three light cruisers wearing shrine maiden outfits were attacking the destroyers of the same escort fleet.
I hurried onto the deck and shouted,
"W-what the hell are you doing!!!"
The three, who were already grabbing the necks of the destroyers they had subdued, all looked at me at once.
"Fuck... we’re screwed, aren’t we...?"
I quickly hit the button to send a distress signal and locked the door.
It was a futile resistance, but I did it while clinging to the thinnest shred of hope.
A moment later, footsteps began to sound in front of the door.
I raised a .50-caliber pistol.
It was the closest thing I had to a weapon that could actually put up resistance.
Before long, the door began to buckle, then flew off.
Bang!
Through the thick smoke, three silhouettes appeared.
"Don’t move! Move and I’ll shoot!"
The one in the center of the three masked figures slowly walked forward.
"Stop. Take one more step and I really will pull the trigger."
"You’re holding an interesting little thing."
Wait... the voice was distorted, but there was something familiar about the way she spoke and the sound of it.
Very familiar.
"...Who are you?"
The two behind her began to shift.
"I said don’t move!"
They froze at once.
The one in the center slowly took off her mask.
"It’s been a long time, Master."
"What...?"
While I was still dazed, the other two had already moved behind me.
"Damn it... these bastards...!"
"Please rest for a while, my proud Master."
Thud—!
"Bel... fast..."
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