NOVEL NEXT Chapter 211
[ The Imperial Scribe Records. ]
[ This is a tale of a great individual who attempted to obscure his own contributions. ]
[ I know well that it meant, ‘Let all honors go to those present at the scene.’ ]
[ However, being forgotten is something that should never happen to those who record history. ]
[ From now on, I would like to speak of the hidden story regarding the pirate disturbances in the southern part of the continent. ]
*
“Um, Chief of Staff.”
“What is it, Aide?”
“Didn’t you tell me something similar last time? If you engage in reckless actions again, Your Highness the Princess, I mean, the Duchess might chase you out.”
“Indeed, I did.”
“But….”
“But then I thought it was frustrating to just stand by and watch again.”
No! This doesn’t make any sense! What on earth is going on!!
The aide barely resisted the urge to grab Kael by the collar and shake him senseless.
The truth was, they were currently aboard a ship along a certain coastline in the southern sea of the continent.
In fact, they had even spread rumors that ‘the Chief of Staff of the Empire is aboard this ship!’
From the pirates’ perspective, this must sound like complete nonsense.
Why would the Chief of Staff of the Empire come all the way down to the south, and why is he on that ship?
Not to mention, he isn’t leading a grand fleet but merely three medium battleships.
“The news of our Imperial Navy’s arrival made those scoundrels tuck their tails and run.”
“That’s right.”
“Some even surrendered, claiming their routes were all revealed, and then they hid away.”
“That’s also correct.”
“That’s why this is necessary.”
At Kael’s words, the aide facepalmed. To others, this might seem egregious.
But since they had been together for several years, they had come to accept such behavior.
“Look, how pretty is this picture?”
“Picture?”
“From the pirates’ point of view, the Empire’s brats must be feeling overconfident. They probably think they’ve crushed the spirit of their opponents before even fighting. They’d be seeing it like this.”
“….”
“And amidst that, the Chief of Staff of the Empire is coming? Someone who knows nothing about naval battles? And the escort is merely three battleships?”
At this point, the aide understood exactly what his superior was aiming for.
This guy is throwing a bait that the enemies cannot refuse to deceive them.
And the most tempting bait is none other than himself!
From the pirates’ perspective, the Chief of Staff of the Empire is a card that could instantly turn this unfavorable war situation around.
A top figure of the Imperial Army. Moreover, he is also the Princess’s companion and the Emperor’s son-in-law.
If they could just capture him, they’d gain a significant advantage in no time, so it’s worth a shot.
“But they might not believe it and not come.”
“Aide, why are pirates pirates? Because they roam the seas! These are the scoundrels that used to threaten even the navies of the Southern Kingdoms. And there are surely spies they’ve set up in surrounding ports. Naturally, all news coming into this sea will reach their ears.”
“And so….”
“If I only intended to deceive with mere words, there’d be no need for me to come here. The operation can only be executed because I’m actually aboard. The remaining factors require courage and decisiveness, and this seems to be the best course of action.”
Seeing that cleaning up the southern sea might take longer, Kael proposed a strategy to lure the enemies in.
And since he had proposed this strategy, he would also take responsibility for it.
Thus unfolded the situation where the Chief of Staff of the Empire and the Emperor’s son-in-law was stepping out boldly.
“By the way, I just can’t seem to get used to this seasickness.”
“At least it’s the coastline, not the open sea, so thank goodness for that.”
“Pirates would see this as more likely. They’d think that the Chief of Staff of the Empire being unaccustomed to the sea would logically move along the coastline.”
The aide looked at Kael in silence for a moment.
The Chief of Staff of the Empire. Arguably one of the greatest strategists in imperial history.
The Emperor’s son-in-law and the only Duke of the Empire. More importantly, a giant who is expected to do even greater things in the future.
That’s his direct superior, Kael Clausewitz von Neomes.
So, a person like him wouldn’t need to go this far.
He had already proven himself. His loyalty and capability are no longer in question.
No one would say anything if he simply remained behind and commanded at a reasonable distance.
Yet, Kael was still determined to throw himself into the fray if possible.
And he was indeed doing just that. All of this was for the Empire’s victory and to minimize damage.
While others sought to achieve greater glory, he was pursuing something different.
“Hmm. They’re coming.”
“Excuse me?”
At Kael’s words, the aide hurriedly ran to the ship’s bow and peered at the horizon.
Indeed, there were several pirate ships blocking the way from afar.
Looking at the numbers, it seemed they had made a deliberate decision. They were clearly targeting an important figure of the Empire.
Kael’s prediction was correct. This was their territory, so they’d quickly gain access to information.
Though there had been no secret leaks, their certainty was assured since they would come here directly.
Hence they must have been coming here with all the hidden forces they had tucked away.
“Chief of Staff!”
“I know. Captain? Let’s move according to plan.”
“Understood. Chief of Staff! Inform the crew! Turn the ship around immediately!”
Upon seeing the pirates appear ahead, the ship Kael was aboard, along with the escort vessels, made an immediate turn.
It looked as though they had been caught off guard and were fleeing swiftly.
Naturally, they were significantly outnumbered. No one could possibly withstand against overwhelming numbers.
Even if they were regular troops and not pirates. Anyone would be caught off guard.
The situation was as such. Once again, Kael used the enemies’ impatience as his weapon.
Throwing out an irresistible bait. Making them think that all they needed to do was hook the line.
If everything played out as he wished, all that would remain is to reel in the line.
“The pirates are in pursuit! Their speed is incredible. They seem to have steeled themselves.”
“Very well. Let’s continue to withdraw. Until they walk into the shark’s mouth. Keep going.”
The pirates approaching had no idea, but the Empire did know the truth.
The Chief of Staff, Kael, was indeed present here, and the escort forces were simply a few combat ships.
Yet that was not all. As mentioned earlier, all of this was bait and luring.
They had insisted on the coastline instead of the open sea precisely for this purpose.
Beyond this point. For the enemies, it would merely seem surprising. The Imperial Navy lay in ambush.
When they circled back through the narrow waters and came upon an open space, it would become the enemies’ grave.
Something they desperately wished to capture. Once captured, they believed the situation could turn around.
They’d never let go of that hope, only to drown together when they clung to it.
“Chief of Staff. Shouldn’t we give a signal to the main force soon?”
“No, Captain. Wait. It’s still the distance where the enemies might notice something strange and withdraw. If we exert ourselves prematurely before lifting the caught bait, my insides would burst!.”
“Oh, understood.”
It truly made one wonder if there was another person with such a strong heart. Even the seasoned captain was nervous.
Though so far from the sea, Kael focused solely on the pirates beyond.
His resolve to never tolerate the Empire’s enemies. Sometimes it could be intimidating.
“Chief of Staff! The pirates’ main fleet has just entered the targeted waters!”
“That’s enough. Signal the waiting main force at once.”
As the order was given, the accompanying wizard shot a signal spell high into the sky.
And soon after, the Imperial fleet that had been waiting in the waters revealed itself.
―Vroooom!
“Full speed ahead! Bring all the crew to battle stations!”
“Let’s sink all these damned pirates. Raise the flag! Beat the drums!!”
The first to appear was the Imperial fleet behind the retreating Kael.
The pirates also sensed something was amiss. Suddenly, enemies sprang up from the rear.
It was a trap. No doubt about it, this was clearly a trap to annihilate them.
Yet even as they realized it, they couldn’t reduce their speed or turn their ships around.
Naturally, the distance between them and the Imperial fleet was still quite far.
If anything, if they sped up, they might reach their destination first.
Such thoughts. That ‘perhaps’ or ‘could it be’ could drive a person mad.
It was the same everywhere. Everyone was like that. And Kael always took advantage of it.
From the very beginning until now. Even at this moment, everything was right within his grasp.
―Boom! Boom! Boom!
As they transitioned from a narrow waterway to a relatively wide area, another Imperial fleet appeared from the side.
Not just one trap had been laid. They had even turned another trap into a bait to provoke hastiness.
While they were focused solely on what lay ahead and hurriedly increasing their speed, their flanks lay completely unprotected.
Before long, the lookout reports came in, but most of the pirate ships had already entered.
From prey to predator. From predator to prey.
The great battle of the Imperial Navy’s so-called southern sea cleanup began just like that.
And that beginning would soon turn into a monumental cheer of victory.
*
After everything concluded, Kael thoroughly concealed his contributions.
He wished for this lure operation to not be officially acknowledged as much as possible.
Thanks to that, it remained a secret for a while until, eventually, the Imperial scribe recorded it.
So then, why. Why did Kael hide his share in this victory?
Clearly, his bait. His strategy had worked perfectly. Yet why would he claim it was nothing?
“Hey, Kael! Seriously! I told you not to go to dangerous places like that!”
“Bel! Wait! Calm down! Our kid will be scared!”
“Scared, you say! That human called Dad suddenly says he’s going on a business trip, and what? He turned himself into bait?!”
“Calm down! That thing you’re holding is a plate! A plate! Aaaargh!!”