Chapter 491: Ship Maneuvering

Editor: Tseirp

Ryo and Abel returned to the ‘Freedom Breeze Inn’, which was unusually bustling despite the late hour.

The reason seemed to be the crew of the Lone Dark.

“Why the rush?”

“The decision for an emergency departure has been made. The Lone Dark will sail tonight.”

Ryo asked, and First Officer Lena, issuing orders at the entrance, answered.

Though polite in her response, she immediately moved about, helping crew members prepare.

“Abel, can a warship really depart on such short notice?”

“No, it usually takes at least half a day to load supplies and provisions…”

“We’ve prepared for emergencies by loading mostly dried foods in advance.”

Ryo asked, Abel answered, and Susie, the head chef, appeared from behind.

“Susie-san, welcome back! The food at the embassy was amazing!”

“Of course! The embassy’s chef is truly skilled.”

Susie beamed, pleased by Ryo’s praise.

“They say that even food is part of diplomacy at the embassy.”

“Makes sense.”

She added, and Ryo nodded in agreement.

Recalling similar ideas from manga he’d read back in Japan.

“Is this sudden departure because of that…?”

Abel asked in a low voice.

“Well… since I’m technically part of the military, I can’t say much… it falls under military secrecy.”

“Come on, Abel, think a bit more before asking questions!”

“R-Right, sorry.”

Susie responded with a faint smile, Ryo admonished, and Abel accepted his mistake with an apologetic nod.

It was certainly a question she couldn’t answer.

“In terms of what I can share, it’s likely related to the remarks made by Duke Helb.”

“That’s enough for me.”

Susie clarified, to which Abel nodded, content with that.

As they spoke, First Officer Lena returned.

“Preparations are complete. It’s time to depart.”

Lena said to Susie, and then turned to Abel and Ryo.

“Things may change quickly in the Free City over the next few days. Be careful, both of you.”

“You too.”

“Good luck.”

Lena wished them well, and they returned the sentiment.

With that, Lena, Susie, and the rest of the crew returned to their beloved ship.

The Lone Dark anchored at the Free Port.

While Captain Gorick and Chief Engineer Gunno were stationed at the embassy, First Officer Lena and Head Chef Susie stayed at the Freedom Breeze Inn to help with embassy affairs.

Of course, the Lone Dark was never left entirely unmanned.

Being a warship.

According to military regulations, at least one officer must remain onboard unless the ship itself is undergoing maintenance in a dry dock.

In this case, Chief Officer Mostara was aboard.

A disciplined and respected officer known for his kindness and steadfastness.

Yet in close-combat boarding situations, he was always one of the first to leap aboard enemy ships, right after First Officer Lena.

As one of the officers leading the crew, he believes he should be at the head of the assault… so, in that sense, he may be steadfast after all.

“Are the ports clear of blockades?”

“Yes, no blockades! The Grand Duchy’s fleet shows no movement.”

Mostara asked, and a crew member answered.

“They’re here! On the ferry from Diplomatic Island! I see Captain Gorick on board.”

“Excellent.”

The fifty people from Diplomatic Island arrived directly at the free port on a ship owned by the embassy.

It was faster than crossing the Diplomatic Bridge.

“From land! First Officer Lena’s leading the way!”

“Good.”

After confirming both groups, Mostara nodded several times.

“Let’s get this ship ready to sail!”

“Aye, sir!”

An hour later, the Lone Dark departed Free Port.

“I guess they couldn’t fully block the port.”

“Likely just offshore.”

Captain Gorick remarked, and Chief Officer Mostara replied, checking the chart.

“We’ll have favorable westerly winds until dawn. With this tailwind… we should achieve adequate speed despite the northern current.”

Weather forecasting was another important job for the Chief Officer.

“Westerly winds, huh…?”

Captain Gorick muttered, glancing up at the mast.

“Anything ahead?”

“Nothing in sight!”

“And astern?”

“A few ships from the Grand Duchy are mobilizing!”

Nan checking forward from the foremast.

And Nin checking the rear from the main mast in the center.

Captain Gorick, expecting this, had assigned two lookouts from the start.

“Forward! We’ve spotted a patrolling fleet! Between five and ten ships.”

“Identity and type?”

“Still unknown!”

Nan reported, shouting.

“Aft! Six Grand Duchy vessels. Masrija-class ships!”

“A fast type. So they mean to chase us.”

Nin shouted and reported, and Captain Gorick muttered.

“Forward! Grand Duchy vessels. Eight Buna-class ocean-going assault ships!”

“The ones with magic cannons. They’ve deployed their most troublesome ships.”

“Each ship typically carries twenty magicians.”

Captain Gorick grumbled, and First Officer Lena added.

“That’s 160 magic bombardments. Our ship’s magic barrier won’t hold against that.”

“We could possibly handle up to fifty rounds with a coordinated volley…”

Captain Gorick grimaced, and First Officer Lena supplemented the information.

“Engaging in close combat is out of the question, and magic cannon fire is too much. Our only option is to evade, and they know it too…”

Captain Gorick, muttering aloud, thought through their options.

First Officer Lena remained silent.

While Chief Officer Mostara was checking the charts and wind directions over and over again.

After twenty seconds, Captain Gorick raised his head.

“Mostara, is the wind and current still the same?”

“Still blowing from the west. The current from the north is weak.”

“Alright. All hands, set the fore-and-aft sails!”

“Aye, sir!”

The Lone Dark has three large masts.

A mast is a huge pillar where sails are hung, and midway up, a crew member with a telescope can survey the surroundings.

The foremost mast is the foremast.

In the center, standing tallest, is the mainmast.

At the rear, the shortest mast is the mizzenmast.

The first two masts, the foremast and the mainmast, generally have square sails attached to them.

Square sails… the kind typically associated with ‘sailing ships’, are the large, rectangular sails strung across the masts.

They’re ideal for catching wind from behind, or what’s called a tailwind.

However, the wind doesn’t always blow conveniently from behind.

Sometimes a ship must head into the wind.

Naturally, a sailing ship cannot move directly upwind.

Not without a ‘Wind Engine’. (TLN: Also called ‘Wind Generator’)

But even in times when alchemy was less advanced, sailing ships still needed to navigate upwind.

Since they couldn’t sail directly into the wind, they zigzagged their way upwind instead…

The fore-and-aft sail is set to catch winds not coming from behind, like side winds or even slightly forward winds.

Like square sails, they can catch a tailwind too and are versatile…

Though square sails are faster in a direct tailwind.

On the Lone Dark, the fore-and-aft sail can be set on the rear mizzenmast.

Thanks to a special modification as a warship, it can change between square and fore-and-aft sails even while in motion…

But right now, with the Lone Dark heading east under a westerly wind, setting the fore-and-aft sail isn’t useful.

It would only obstruct the wind for the square sail on the lower mainmast.

Yet, Captain Gorick ordered the fore-and-aft sail set.

Naturally, his orders are carried out.

No one may understand the reason, but it doesn’t matter.

The captain gives the command, and the crew executes it.

That’s how they’ve survived.

Captain Gorick issued another command.

“Alright. Helmsman! Port rudder!”

“Pooort ruuuudder!”

Following Captain Gorick’s command, the helmsman responded in a distinctive tone and turned the rudder to the left.

The Lone Dark shifted fifteen degrees to port.

“Hold the port rudder until the ship faces northeast.”

“Aye, sir.”

Captain Gorick then opened one of the voice tubes beside him.

The voice tube is used to communicate verbally from the bridge to various parts of the ship.

“Chief Engineer Gunno.”

“This is Gunno. Go ahead, Captain.”

“Reverse the engine. Generate a quarter headwind. When I give the signal, shift the engine to full forward rotation!”

“Understood, quarter headwind in reverse!”

Through alchemy, the Lone Dark can create wind and sail using that wind.

It’s equipped with an alchemy device called a ‘wind engine’.

Currently, with the west wind behind them, the wind engine is inactive.

The engine is powered by magic stones, and once the stored magic is depleted, the engine stops.

Some crew members can use magic, so they can replenish the magic stones in rotation.

As a sailing ship, the Lone Dark doesn’t need to use the engine if there’s a tailwind.

But Captain Gorick’s command was to create a ‘headwind’.

Naturally, this slows the ship.

Since only a quarter power is used, the distant assault ship hasn’t noticed the Lone Dark’s deceleration.

However, it seems that Lone Dark’s course change hasn’t gone unnoticed.

The enemy ship has begun moving north to intercept it.

Given the distance and each ship’s speed, the slower Buna-class ocean-going assault ship will likely succeed in cutting off the Lone Dark.

“In five minutes, we’ll enter the enemy’s cannon range.”

Chief Officer Mostara reported after calculating.

That was the signal.

“Alright! Helmsman, hard to starboard, full turn!”

“Haaaard-to-Staaarboard!”

The Lone Dark made a sharp right turn, listing heavily to the right.

Clinging to the voice tube, Captain Gorick shouted his orders.

“Engine room, deploy the on the port side, full power!”

“Aye. Deploying on the port side at full power!”

“Now, set the engine to full forward rotation!”

“Roger that! Engaging full engine power!”

The voice of Chief Engineer Gunno echoed from the voice tube.

Immediately after, Captain Gorick shouted on the spot.

“Everyone, hold on tight!”

Those who had grabbed onto something secure during the sharp starboard turn tightened their grips once again.

The ship accelerated.

With the engine at full power.

And the west wind now blowing from the right rear quarter.

Both forces combined.

In a sailing ship, the highest speed is achieved not with a direct tailwind.

But with a wind from the rear quarter.

That’s because, with a direct tailwind, the mainmast’s square sail catches the wind.

Blocking it from reaching the foremast’s sail.

But with a rear-quarter wind, both the mainmast’s and the foremast’s square sails catch the wind.

Additionally, the mizzenmast’s fore-and-aft sail also picks up the wind.

The Lone Dark, now harnessing the right rear-quarter westerly wind with all its sails and the engine at full power, achieved its highest speed since it was built.

It was a ship of the maritime Kingdom of Suje.

You bet it would be fast.

The speed exceeded the enemy’s expectations.

The ocean-going assault ships of the Grand Duchy, which had anticipated capturing the Lone Dark within its firing range soon, was thrown into confusion.

The Lone Dark had pivoted sharply at the edge of the firing range and then, unbelievably, accelerated.

Now, with its course shifted southeast, the ocean-going assault ships would be unable to pursue.

Since it had been maneuvering northward to block the Lone Dark’s path.

It would need to make a full 180-degree turn on the spot.

Or perhaps follow a wide arc to realign to the southeast in an attempt to give chase.

Either way, this maneuver would slow the Grand Duchy’s ship significantly.

Meanwhile, the Lone Dark, having accelerated to an astounding speed, was rapidly leaving the battlefield.

They fired sporadic magic cannon shots, but most of them fell short.

The few that did reach were deflected by the Lone Dark’s .

Even the Masrija-class vessel, which had pursued from the Free Port, was soon outpaced… and the Lone Dark vanished over the horizon.

Embassy of the Atinjo Grand Duchy, Ambassador’s Office.

“Your Excellency, the Lone Dark of the Suje Kingdom’s Navy has broken through the blockade and moved into the eastern seas.”

“As expected of a maritime powerhouse rivaling the Principality. It seems we are no match for them at sea.”

Duke Helb said with a wry smile.

Though he had issued orders to obstruct them, he hadn’t truly expected much success.

Sailors from the archipelago regions are renowned for their maritime skills.

Among them, the Suje Kingdom’s navy, known as a maritime nation, and especially its Central Navy, famed as its most elite unit…

Would not be easily captured.

And so it had come to pass.

“Ah yes, it was Captain Gorick and First Officer Lena.”

Duke Helb recalled, clearly remembering the faces and names of the two whom he had met at the garden party.

“Now then… once they learn the truth, how will they report it? Or will they even return alive?”

The murmured words didn’t reach the ears of Second Secretary Zlurma standing beside him.

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