Summoning Japan: Flights of the Fancy

Part 2: Civilization in the Wake of War | Chapter 1

The Man Who Made a Legend

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The commander of the Gra Valkas Imperial Navy Eastern Fleet, Caesar, has been very busy lately. The position of the fleet commander is already demanding, but it has become even more intense. Therefore, the fact that he was in the naval headquarters' office on that particular day and time was not a coincidence; he had deliberately adjusted his schedule to meet with a certain individual.

There was a knock on the door of the office. Looking at the wall clock, Caesar confirmed that it was the appointed time.

'He's a meticulous man,' he thought as he called out. "Who is it?"

"It's Luxtal, sir."

"Alright, come in."

Luxtal opened the door himself and entered the office. Being the fleet commander is a high-ranking position. Normally, sentinels would be standing on both sides of the office door, and the adjutant would handle any matters. The reason this is not the case seems to be "I don't want to become a prisoner of my own forces."

Luxtal saluted, and Caesar also stood up and returned the salute.

"I have returned as of today."

"Good to see you're in good health."

"And you seem to be in good spirits, sir."

"Nonsense."

Caesar made a chopping motion with his right hand raised in salute, bringing it to his neck.

"Thanks to His Majesty's mercy, my life hangs by a thread. It could snap at any moment."

"If His Majesty believes you are irreplaceable, that must be why you were retained."

"Don't praise me to my face. It's just right for a commander to be moderately disliked."

Caesar offered a chair to Luxtal, and they both sat down.

"Must have been boring in the hospital."

"No, I had time for reading and spent it meaningfully. Today, I brought these as a token of gratitude."

Luxtal opened a trunk he held in his left hand and took out several magazines.

"You could have entrusted them to a messenger..."

"Sir."

Luxtal's expression, which had been gentle until now, suddenly tensed.

"These are classified documents of the state."

'He's a serious man.'

Thinking so, Caesar responded. "Indeed, in this country. But in Mu, anyone can buy them."

As Luxtal remained silent, Caesar continued. "The essence of intelligence is to secretly uncover what the enemy is hiding. But hiding what the enemy is not trying to hide is suppression."

"I somewhat understand what you are trying to say," Luxtal responded cautiously. "I was hoping to hear today why a low-ranking officer was transferred from the Judgment Force to the Navy."

"I'm sure you don't have time to stay in the Judgment Force. The repair of the Grade Atlastar is estimated to take one and a half to two years, even if rushed. Our homeland can't afford to let capable men idle away their time."

"Do you believe the low-ranking officer is as competent as expected? Even when the repair of the Grade Atlastar is complete, I do not expect the officer to be appointed as a captain again."

'Is he the kind to drag things out unexpectedly?'

Caesar carefully chose his next words.

"That is not your responsibility. It falls on the negligence of the Intelligence Bureau which failed to gather information from Japan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that recklessly declared war. The bill has simply come due for you, who was on the front lines."

"I am trying to think that way as well, but... What is the new mission of the low-ranking officer in the Navy?"

'It's okay. If I give him work and keep him busy, he'll recover.'

Caesar brought up the main topic.

"I want you to become an instructor at the Naval Academy. Many new captains will be emerging soon. I want you to guide them so that as many ships commanded by novice captains as possible can survive."

"Are you talking about wartime mass-produced destroyers?"

"Do you know about it?"

"I don't know the details. I heard it as a rumor."

Caesar sighed.

"Have you heard rumors like this? ...Our homeland's location has been exposed to major powers."

Luxtal looked surprised for the first time. "Is that true?"

"It is. When the Foreign Ministry demanded the return of the captured ships from Japan, the Japanese took out the map of our country and threatened that they could attack anywhere."

Wrinkles appear on Luxtal's forehead.

"For the defense of sea lanes with destroyers?"

"Yes. If they engage in commerce raiding, our homeland will dry up. And even the Holy Mirishial Empire and Mu can conduct commerce raiding."

"It's not a bright future, isn't it?"

"It's not bright, but it's not pitch black either. Japan has the same weakness. The main battlefield in the future will take place in the Second Civilization Area, but the distance between Japan and the Mu Continent is 20.000 kilometers. Four times more than here."

Luxtal's mind spun.

"Are you planning to use Leifor as a base to launch commerce raiding?"

Caesar was impressed by the speed of his thoughts.

"That's right. It's a large-scale operation using the Cetus-class submarines, which have a track record even in the old world."

Luxtal looked thoughtful.

"I don't want to say ominous things before it starts, but—"

"I don't mind. Say it."

"The reason the Cetus-class submarines have been invincible so far is that our country was the only one that owned submarines. But Japan also owns submarines and should have a reasonable anti-submarine warfare capability."

Caesar sighed again.

"It seems it was the right decision to recruit you," he said and took out a magazine. "I bought the latest issue of Treasure Continent in Mu. According to this, the Japanese military sank an unidentified submarine. And the submarine Mira which was dispatched to intimidate Japan, has gone missing."

Luxtal's expression turned grim.

"Until now, the seas of the world were like His Majesty's bathtub. But the seas of the Second Civilization Area in the future will become a sea of blood."

"It probably will."

"To prevent the blood of our allies from flowing, I will do what I can."

Saying so, Luxtal stood up and saluted. Caesar also stood up and returned the salute. He came up with an idea.

"Let's have the Intelligence Bureau check."

"What would you like them to check?"

"Whether the Muish bookstores have the manual for handling women."

Seeing Luxtal's expression, resembling a pigeon hit by a pellet gun, Caesar looked on in satisfaction.

"Because of recruiting you, Mirkennes is in a bad mood. The headwinds are strong, and I can't stand it."

"...She's like a hurricane, after all."

"A hurricane is better. It will pass if you endure it."