The Divine Throne of Shipgirls

[Bonus Chapter]

Shun's mind spun rapidly, just as he was about to volunteer to accompany Hikaru, Wakayama Shogo beat him to it.

"Fleet Admiral," Wakayama said, "Commander Kuramoto might be young and impetuous, and could handle things with excessive force. I'm willing to go with him to prevent any errors."

Fleet Admiral Gorou shook his head at first, but then something seemed to occur to him. He waved a hand and slumped back, sighing, "Go. Let's see what kind of headline he can make this time."

Shun decided now wasn't the time to push for involvement. For now, he restrained his urge to probe Hikaru further—but his curiosity and wariness of the young officer grew exponentially.

He had pursued Yamato for years. Yet truthfully, if Yamato had asked him to take on this task, he wouldn't have been able to do it. Offending too many influential figures would be political suicide.

But the fact that Yamato's first choice for help in a crisis was that Commander? That stung.

Yamato was proud and aloof. If she didn't truly trust Hikaru, she would never have asked him to take on such a thankless task.

In all the decades Shun had known Yamato, she'd never once asked him for help. Never even given him the chance.

Could that mere Commander have won her heart? Tch, not a chance.

…

Leaving Shun's indignation behind, Hikaru walked out of the conference room and asked Fletcher to wake up the still-sleeping Tirpitz.

Cumberland and Lexington were already waiting outside. Hikaru gave a quick summary of the mission and then sent Cumberland to find them a speedboat.

Wakayama came up to him. "I'll be going with you."

Beside Wakayama stood a red-clad woman with a longsword bearing a cross-shaped guard. Catching Hikaru's glance, Wakayama made introductions.

"My married ship, HMS King George V. She prefers to be called Josephine. She's been deployed with the First Battleship Squadron until recently, so I haven't had a chance to introduce her."

The First Battleship Squadron was responsible for the campaign against Abyssal Barbarossa. To be selected for that unit, Josephine had to be a fully trained top-tier battleship.

"I've heard your wife inherited the soul of the battleship Tirpitz. I hope she's a capable warrior." Josephine lifted her chin proudly and tapped the sheath of her sword. "I heard Tirpitz once bore the title of Northern Queen. But the world of true monarchs isn't something for brawlers to understand."

Wakayama looked a little embarrassed. "Don't mind her. Josephine is proud—she doesn't even hold Yamato in particularly high regard—but she's actually a kind person deep down."

Josephine immediately exposed that bluff. "I heard your Tirpitz once pointed her cannons at her own Commander's head. I'd be delighted to discuss that with her—in a training exercise, of course. I won't make her lose too badly."

Ah, so she came to defend Wakayama's pride. Hikaru maintained a polite smile. "Then you'll have to ask for her permission yourself."

Wakayama quickly changed the subject and moved on to the current mission.

The Senior Marshal Kazeharu had acted inappropriately, which had led to a fellow Commander's death during a confrontation. One of the Commander's three shipgirls had dissolved into seafoam; the other two fell to the Abyss and were corrupted. In the process of sinking them, several more shipgirls were badly damaged, and the entire unit's morale collapsed.

Still, claiming that Kazeharu had acted out of malice would be going too far. It was more a case of using the wrong method to achieve a noble goal. The command believed he could redeem himself through service, but Shipgirl Headquarters was firm: he must be tried according to regulations.

That thorny task was now dumped on Hikaru's shoulders. Dealing with a Senior Marshal who had served seventy years in the navy—someone with a long list of merits, and powerful friends—would be a political minefield.

And yet, before they could even begin to confront Kazeharu, Hikaru ran into an unexpected obstacle.

Cumberland returned empty-handed. "I asked around. No one's willing to provide us a speedboat. Word is, someone up top gave the order."

Hikaru chuckled darkly. "What difference does it make? It's only two or three hundred nautical miles. We can sail it ourselves. What—are they trying to buy Kazeharu time to escape out of guilt?"

Wakayama offered a wry smile. Hikaru's words were cutting. Kazeharu was a full Senior Marshal—someone with a lifetime of service and honor. Fleeing now would only ruin everything. And even if he tried to escape… where would he run?

[End of Chapter]

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