152. Kidnapping 5

(Narrator's POV)

"Well, following the previous message, this time I will send this text to all countries including that country" (Mitsuha)

Said Mitsuha while giving the memory card to the Captain

"Give that from the beginning!!" (Captain-san)

Upon receiving the Memory Stick while complaining, the Captain immediately inserts it into the PC.

"This is…" (Captain-san)

Right, the message states

 [The next time there is hostile or preparatory action against the Viscount, a full-scale retaliatory attack will be carried out without mercy. The contents of military ammunition, missiles silos, etc. may suddenly appear above the capital, military bases, and the location where the leaders lives. And even if there is any party that decided to attack here, it will be difficult for those who do not have magic power to break through the detection barrier and automatic defense. Furthermore, If something should happen to certain party in this world in the next few years, it is a circ.u.mstance where the involved party should realize that [a certain information flowing to a certain direction]. And it shall be clearly stated that the Viscount who consumed a great amount of vitality this time was quite displeased.]

"…can you do something like that?" (Captain-san)

"Eheheh…" (Mitsuha)

The transfer itself could be carried out with the help of the [doc.u.ment from a certain country], which even have the satellite photograph of the military bases attached. However, since the fuse is attached to the sh.e.l.l, which is stored in the ammunition storage, it seems that the safety device will not be triggered, and it will only fall without being detonated. The same goes for the missile warheads. But there is no need to explain that. In Mitsuha's defense, it's a completely bluff. However, since it's a confident declaration after demonstrating her supernatural powers, there is no basis to conclude that she is bluffing. And even if there's a.s.sa.s.sination attempt, supposing it fails, just by thinking about it, it will have a strong deterrent effect.

“But I can't go to that town anymore huh…” (Mitsuha)

Indeed, that would be too dangerous. From now on, the only way to go to play is to go to a distant city, just as a trio of little girls.

Well, thus far, they're always pa.s.sing themselves as [ordinary trio of little girls], and even in a distant city, there is no travel time or transportation expenses, so it is not a big problem in that regard. In addition, Sabine-chan and Colette-chan have the same language proficiency in English and j.a.panese. It's a bit disappointing that they lose some of their regular stores…

That's why, she directs all of her wrath to that country.

Right, occasionally, some expensive wines are missing from the leader's wine cellar or the dishes that the chef prepared for him disappeared entirely.

It is a matter of course to cut off supplies of the enemy during the war, there's nothing wrong with that.

And then.

Occasionally, apology and complaint mails and letters seem to come to the Captain's place, but Mitsuha ignored them brilliantly.

(Mitsuha's POV)

"Huh? Somehow the situation is…" (Mitsuha)

When the trouble on the earth have settled down, I went to the new continent, the port city of Vanel, after a long time, but the naval port is somewhat bustling.

Did something happen?

Right now information gathering is… well, impossible huh. In this situation, there's no way the lower sailor of the main s.h.i.+p would be allowed to go… tte, there's one!

"Haa~ haa~ (Panting SFX), Mitsuhchan, it's been a long time…" (Soldier-kun)

I just came at most several tens of seconds ago, he doesn't have to sprint like that…

Well, if he's already here, there's no problem. Then, let's go to the usual café…

"Eh? A wars.h.i.+p was involved in accident?" (Mitsuha)

"Yeah. The mast broke off and washed away during a storm. The hull is also severely damaged, rendering them impossible to sail. They seem to be drifting along with ocean current and surface wind current right now. Oh, does Mitsuha know that the world is actually round? Surface wind current is affected by the turning force of the rotation of this world, and the angle is…" (Soldier-kun)

"Stop! Stooooopp!!" (Mitsuha)

I'm not going to start studying oceanography right now.

"Only the conclusion, please" (Mitsuha)

"… there's one s.h.i.+p drifting at the sea" (Soldier-kun)

"…" (Mitsuha)

"……" (Soldier-kun)

"… I'm sorry. Please a little more detailed…" (Mitsuha)

In the end, what he knew was that [One s.h.i.+p is drifting at the sea].

And, as for how they learned the situation this far is that it seems there's only one lifeboat survived from the suicide corps that has embarked on the rough seas. The wind is still high, there's no sign that the swell is going to subside at all, and there are dangerous triangular waves rolls into the dangerous sea.

Then, after receiving the news from the crew who managed to miraculously reach the coast, they're preparing several rescue feel during the past several days…

"It's severely unfavorable…" (Mitsuha)

"Yeah. The wind direction had changed due to the storm, and even the crews in the lifeboat didn't know how long they were swept away before reaching the sh.o.r.e. In the first place, shortly after the lifeboat was dropped, the position of the main s.h.i.+p was already as good as missing. Well, they've been tossed for a long time in the storm and drifting for many days thereafter. Moreover, with all of the navigation instruments blown off, the error in the estimated position will be much larger. It's not that easy to conduct a search. In addition…" (Soldier-kun)

"In addition?" (Mitsuha)

"Only three s.h.i.+ps are to be dispatched for the search" (Soldier-kun)

"……" (Mitsuha)

Well, it can't be helped.

Aside from powered s.h.i.+p, I don't think sailing s.h.i.+p can easily do long-distance voyage while towing a heavily damaged s.h.i.+p that is about to sink. Even if it could be towed, it was so tattered that building a new one would be faster…

The loss of personnel may hurt, but human life is cheap in this world. Forcibly recruiting troops around the city, such as the number of lower-cla.s.s sailors for an old 40-guns s.h.i.+p, can be easily done. Aside from wartime, during peacetime, they probably won't be understaffed.

It may be regrettable to lose officers and some of the skilled sailors, but they may have decided that there is no merit to dispatch many s.h.i.+ps to do the searching. Although, I don't know if it's politically, profitably, and humanely correct…

 And even if they dispatched a lot of s.h.i.+ps, there's no guarantee that they can find the missing s.h.i.+p. And the top, too, doesn't decide to abandon them because they like… tte, no, they're not abandoning them, thus they sending 3 s.h.i.+ps, aren't they?

I guess that was the best decision…

If they decide to abandon the s.h.i.+p without even sending a search party, it will affect the morale of the rest of the sailors. I wonder if it was a senior commander who insisted on sending the search party.

"But leviathan, the s.h.i.+p I am on, doesn't depart. The size of the hull and the fighting power aren't related to the search. Speed and efficiency are more important. …Well, we do have an advantage, that our lookout stand is much higher, but it doesn't make much difference…" (Soldier-kun)

Well, of course. No one will send a state-of-the-art battles.h.i.+p in rescue operations. The high-speed destroyer is enough.

Soldier-kun is talking plainly, but his expression is a bit dark. Well, no matter how different the s.h.i.+ps are, they are all members of the same navy….

"It's the s.h.i.+p where my friends and my old instructors were on…" (Soldier-kun)

Ah.

That's right, they're soldiers, so they have relocations and rea.s.signments.

Muku! (SFX)

Muk.u.muku!! (SFX)

Umu, this feeling that springs from the depths of my heart.

That's right. It's the cream soda from earlier.

Anyway, I felt the same feeling at that time too.

Right, it was when I first met Marcel-san… (Note: which Marcel is this? sure enough it's not Mitch.e.l.l. either it was typo or I'm missing something)

"Say, which s.h.i.+p is going to search? And when is the departure schedule? How far away is the last know location of the missing s.h.i.+p?" (Mitsuha)