Guad was looking into the distance with an empty stare. Four days ago, they officially created the North Aderon Treaty Organisation and, since then, he had acquired a lot of work. Far more than he anticipated. The administration of the Empire was relocated to the Sleeping Dungeon under the excuse that Matilda would need them for the duration of her regency. A move that, in hindsight, turned out to be a lifesaver for him and his sister. Guad was so tired that he was, actually, too tired to simply fall asleep so he was sitting on his bed and looking into the darkness. Other than that, everything was going smoothly. The Gods of Arcadia agreed to protect Metaka as long as the people of Metaka remained allied. After that, they discussed the military alliance and that was the first time Guad hit the proverbial wall.

It quickly became obvious that the skills and training of the forces of Metaka and Iceleon were nowhere near the prowess of Arcadia. It wasn't just about drills and equipment but the most important difference was their mindset. The difference between the ground forces of the respective countries was staggering. While Metakans had Archers and Mages, the core of their army was mostly composed of Heavy Spearmen. They were skilled in using the phalanx formation that gave the Metakans a reputation as fearless warriors. The remaining warriors were a mix of very specialised classes which were rarely useful. Iceleon was rebuilding the military so they were out of the picture for some time. However, the pride of Metaka would be wiped out by a single Arcadian Legion.

The phalanx, as powerful as it was in face-to-face combat, fared poorly against the attacks that hit its flanks. That wasn't a big issue until Guad was shown the Arcadian Cavalry. In growing awe and panic, Guad watched the Winged Hussars carried by their war beasts dominate anything in their path. They lightly changed their direction and Guad could only imagine how devastating their attack would be if they managed to turn and hit a phalanx on its side. The Arcadian Legion had its dedicated archers but the legionnaires themselves doubled as archers, so the number of arrows that could be sent towards their enemies tripled in comparison to what his army was capable of in a volley. Guad always thought that Metakans were clever for using magi-cannons on the battlefield until he saw the towed artillery used by the Arcadians. At first, he was amused by its cumbersome thickness and size until it started firing. The fire rate was so fast that, if shot the same, the thin barrel of Metakan magi-cannons would melt. He wasn't even going to waste his time to compare the hit effects between the cannons.

If that wasn't enough, the front-line soldiers of Arcadia were another shock. In their history, the long spears of the Metakan phalanx gave them an advantage against enemy formations. The short spears, glaives, and halberds of the Arcadian legionnaires quickly proved him wrong. In a mock battle, the large shields of Arcadians effortlessly pushed aside the Metakan attacks. Later, it was only worse. The short spears, combined with the impossibly effective protection of their shield, proved superior over the century-proven battle tactics of the Empire of Metaka. The last blow came from learning that the Immortal Legions of Arcadia were just the tip of the iceberg. Arcadia had a dedicated garrison force that doubled as policing forces they called the Guardsmen Corps and the Inquisition. The Royal Navy of Arcadia had its own soldiers called Marines and, on top of that, Arcadia had something called Mobile Infantry. The name of the last formation made zero sense but, he had to agree, calling them a very heavily armed and armoured quick-response unit seemed even worse, so Mobile Infantry it was. It was left unsaid that all those formations excelled in warfare and mastered their respective roles.

The icing on the cake was a tour of the Arcadian flagship. His first two visits did not expose its true grandeur. Now, it was painfully obvious how enormously huge the gap was between Arcadia and, presumably, the rest of the world. Dauntless was not only a magnificent warship but also a work of art. You simply couldn’t say any louder how rich your country was when your warships look like that. But aesthetics aside, the dreadnought was filled to the brim with weapons Guad had never dreamt of. In theory, it had just a few guns. In practice, there were more than enough to dispatch the entirety of the First Fleet of Metaka without needing a support fleet. The most terrifying weapon wasn't the main cannons or even the more numerous secondary batteries. Not even the rumoured weapon that, though Arcadians kept secret, he knew they used to save Kornal city. It was the smallest of the guns in comparison on board called CIWS Phalanx. That multi-barreled cannon was so unassuming that many of Guad's advisors passed it without giving it much thought. But he moved closer just to touch the cold metal chassis of the sleeping monster. Instead of silently walking away he, humbly, asked for a demonstration.

After the tour moved to a safe distance, the gun targeted a barrel launched from the nearby destroyer and spewed a single shot that cracked it instantly. Upon seeing that, Guad felt cold sweat trickling down his spine and, yet, the idiots who somehow were the greatest military minds of Metaka were unimpressed. The distance between the gun and its target was close to two hundred metres and it was destroyed with a single shot in two seconds once it touched the water. If that gun was able to hit such a small target, he could only imagine the bloodbath it would be for a tall ship to be hit by this gun. But then, the Arcadians launched about fifty barrels into the water and they bobbed gently on the waves. The gun awoke once more and showed its true capabilities. With a short, ear-tearing "brrrrrrrr" all targets were destroyed almost in an instant. The weapon's fire rate was so high that its Arcane Bullets formed a beam. That finally silenced all of his advisors who, somehow, still believed that Dauntless wasn't as impressive as it seemed.

After the tour came the sitting and talking he expected to be a formality but it, still, took them multiple days. Three days of gruelling negotiations and discussions about trade regulations, border controls, customs policy, education programmes, agriculture, and so much more. He could not help but wonder how wise that man was. What a terrifying mind Theon Avalon had... Guad almost committed an unforgivable mistake of thinking that the Empresses of Arcadia were simply beautiful women who didn't have much to say about politics. Oh, how woefully wrong he was but, fortunately, he kept his thoughts to himself. Each one of the Empresses of Arcadia was, in fact, a head of one of various Governmental Agencies or Departments with Empress Amber being Prime Minister. Each one of them had impressive and extensive knowledge in their areas of responsibility as well as full authority to make decisions. He wasn't prepared for the exhausting negotiations that began after Theon left the room. Guad consoled himself with the fact that Vettalia and Theresa Iceleon were as overwhelmed as he was.

Guad woke up the next morning sleeping sideways in his comfortable bed still wearing yesterday’s clothes. With sore legs and a dry throat, he forced himself to stand up and pretend he slept well. Breakfast was already waiting for him and his sister was sitting meekly at the table. She looked terrible; with her uncombed hair, dark circles under her eyes, and unfocused gaze that begged for just a few more moments of sleep. He suspected he wasn't looking any better as he waddled towards the table. He wasn't very interested in solid food because his body craved one thing: coffee. The dark, steaming liquid was waiting for him and he grabbed it greedily and gulped it down in one go.

"Good morning, brother." Vettalia groaned painfully. "I hope that you are in better shape than me because I think I'm dying..."

"Damn... I hoped that I could die first. We can't both die now." He dropped into the chair and looked at the full plates on the table that started slowly resembling food. "What is the agenda for today?"

"I don't know. I am fretting to learn it." Vettalia trembled and took a much more distinguished sip of her coffee than his barbaric display a moment earlier. "Gods, I'm so happy we have access to coffee! Guad?"

He was looking at the day’s plan in silence and then started laughing. It was hysterical laughter and Vettalia made a worried face. "What happened, brother?"

"It's a free day! A break!" He slowly stood up and turned towards his bedroom. "Don't wake me!"

•••

Two hours later, Guad was slowly walking down the halls of Matilda's palace. Coffee was a blessing but, in times like this, it was a curse. He couldn't return to sleep. How he envied his sister who had just a few sips and was now sleeping easily. He checked on his people, who had dutifully rewritten the new edicts and prepared massive legislation necessary to implement the new Imperial policies. After ensuring himself everything was in order, he left them. Seemingly ignored by guards and others, he walked down another corridor until he heard a discussion from a half-closed door. Curious, he peeked inside and saw Theresa discussing something with Victor.

"Guad! Do you have a moment?" She noticed him before he managed to retreat.

"Oh, good morning..." He mumbled. "I didn't mean to interrupt you."

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

"It's fortunate that you stumbled in, Guad." Victor inclined his head with a tired smile. "We wanted to discuss something with you."

"Sure! What would that be?" He entered the room with a smile and took an empty seat near their table.

"I won't beat around the bush." Theresa's voice trembled in a strange mix of irritation and resignation. "We won't be able to catch Arcadia on our own. That's why I would like to invite you to a joint development program. I believe that if we join forces we will be able to gradually develop a new type of airship."

"Hmmm... It would be a lie if I told you that Metaka was not interested in a similar development programme." Guad nodded. "But, after our trip to Dauntless, I began to doubt we had any chance of catching up."

"Nonetheless, we need to start somewhere." Theresa shrugged, as always, full of energy and enthusiasm.

"I suppose you are right..." Guad scratched the back of his head. "But I have no clue where we could even start."

"Don't worry. We have Victor!" Theresa smiled at her beloved man.

"Ummm?" Guad blinked a few times in surprise.

"Until we officially marry, I'm the Captain of HMS Scimitar." The Marquis explained and raised his hand calmingly. "Before you jump to the wrong conclusions, I won't betray any secrets of Arcadia. However, I was gifted a special book from my Emperor. It's more or less a guidebook of what I'm free to share and what secrets I must take to my grave."

"So, by having that book you are capable of... What exactly?"

"To push our research forward some two hundred years." He calmly explained. "But those are the Emperor's estimates and he never liked to underestimate anyone. So, I guess in reality, we will have, more like, five hundred years of a headstart over anyone else on the continent who just began this research."

"That's incredible!" Guad's eyes went wide in shock. "Why the long face then?"

"If, or when, we succeed, it would allow us to build a ship that is still inferior to a ship like Scimitar. But we will be 'almost there'. Just a few more decades, or a century, before we develop what Arcadia has right now." Victor sighed.

"Yes, but we will have far superior ships to anyone else!" Theresa pointed out with a contagious optimism. "We can easily protect our knowledge from our enemies. Also, I believe that once we reach the appropriate level of technology, we will be allowed to consult with the Arcadian craft masters. But that is still a far cry. Let's focus on things we can achieve! What do you think, Guad? Isn't there a better way to show our people that our nations became allies over working together on a generational project?"

"Your optimism is exceptional, Theresa." Guad smiled warmly. "I think you are right... One question though."

"Yes?"

"Please tell me that we can figure out how to build CIWS Phalanx cannons."

"Kinda?" Victor shrugged and looked at Theresa who nodded encouragingly. "We can easily build a system with a fraction of the fire rate that the Arcadian system has."

"A fraction?" Guad asked inquisitively.

"I think we can get it around two hundred shots per minute, maybe four hundred," Victor replied as he thoughtfully rubbed his chin. "The accuracy would probably be not as good as Arcadian CIWS as well but not that bad as the fire rate."

"Two hundred?" Guad paled and took in a deep breath in shock. "What's the fire rate of the Arcadian one if you sound this disappointed?!"

"After the improved control and redesigned aim assists it is four thousand Arcane Bullets per minute." Victor shrugged. "It's not exactly classified information but I would be glad if you keep it to yourself."

"Victor... I think you have become detached from normal expectations, you know?" Guad rested in the chair and took an incredulous gaze at the man. "Let me emphasize with capital letters for you. TWO HUNDRED ARCANE BULLETS PER MINUTE. The fastest magi-cannons we can build can shoot twice per minute! I don't give a shit that CIWS operate at far lower power per shot than even the worst of our guns. The shots add so quickly that it won't make any difference!"

"Maybe." Victor shrugged. "But we can easily build 155mm cannons."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." Guad waved his hand dismissively. "Shelve away the intimidation doctrine Arcadia can afford. Do you have any idea how incredibly useful and devastating CIWS is? Do you have any idea how many lives it could save once we equip our cities and ships with it? The monster tides won't be so destructive anymore. An enemy Navy would have to pass a hail of bullets before they could even enter their effective range."

"The problem about them, you see, is the amount of magic they consume. Arcadia has the means of providing those guns with-"

"Metaka has a solution." Guad interrupted him. "My guess is that Arcadians have something that replaced the sails as the main source of mana gathering for their ships. If they managed to do it, we can do it as well. But I think we can use an... intermediate solution. It's one of our state secrets so I would like you to keep it secret." He took a deep breath after Theresa and Victor promised to keep it secret. "Metaka is capable of building mana storage devices."

He sounded rather dramatic, and while Theresa seemed impressed, Victor took in the information calmly.

"That will certainly make the CIWS systems more viable," Victor said as he leaned back. "However, recharging mana storages takes a lot of time."

"You really can't even pretend to be surprised, can you?" Guad shook his head.

"I could do that if it would make you feel better..." Victor rubbed his neck and smiled a bit.

"No, it won't." Guad sighed. "Still, Metaka can throw this into the mix which will give us another development edge."

"All right! I believe that I can put together at least one hundred scholars, mages, and craftsmen to work on that project." Theresa clapped her hands.

"I'm going to write down what we expect them to develop and build with every direction and clue I can disclose." Victor nodded.

The door to the room abruptly opened without the customary knock and a group of Dwarves, closely followed by Metakan and Iceleonian craft masters, entered.

"We need to talk." Ragnar was angry.

"I see that you are angry..." Guad started but then took a look at the rest of the people. "What happened?"

"Look, I know that you are one of the Crown Inheritors, Lord Guad-"

"Actually, I'm the Emperor now. I'm surprised the news hadn't reached you already."

"Is that so? Then this will be a lot easier." The Dwarf crossed his arms. "We were making the sample drilling in the area and taking cross-sections of the ground structure on the planned site. Everything was going smoothly until we were attacked."

Guad paled as a boiling fury filled his veins. "Who fucking dared it?! GUARDS!"

Two Metakan soldiers barraged into the room with swords in their hands but Guad just looked at them coldly. "Hide those toys this instant. I want you to fetch me Admiral Tu'sarr and General Ulker at once. Lord Ragnar, how bad was it? How many people died?"

"Whoever did this were fully aware of what they were doing. Two ships of your First Fleet were hit and destroyed. We lost everyone on those ships. Lieutenant Commander Sara Nin'talii of HMS Falcata responded with full force but we were not expecting an ambush. We had many good people on the ground when the enemy mages turned the site into hell."

"Gods..." Theresa covered her lips while Victor's face darkened.

"I am going to find everyone responsible for this..." Guad was fuming. "I don't fucking care who they are. I want their heads. I don't know what to say, Master Ragnar..."

"I lost my apprentice, and seventeen talented craftsmen, Ian and Verni, are injured. Bjorn went to report that incident to Emperor Theon."

Guad lowered his head and powerlessly clenched his hands. Why? Why now? When everything started going so well... "Who could have done that?"

Guad's voice depressed. His mind raced through the possible explanations for this senseless attack but he couldn't find one.

"We are going to learn." The calm voice of Theon Avalon came for the room's door. "Lieutenant Commander Sara Nin'talii took eight prisoners and they are being interrogated as we speak."

"I swear I didn't know a thing..." Guad looked at Theon.

"That's obvious." Theon shrugged. "But whoever did this, had means and information. I think their prime objective was to break our organisation."

"I want their heads, Theon." Guad looked at Ragnar. "I won't let the death of our people go unpunished. Whoever did it, committed high treason."

"So let the hunt begin."