The Castle in the middle of nowhere.

Lady Janet A'net Sparrow read the secret documents she had received directly from the King and laughed. His sarcastic yet factual way of conveying information was inimitable. However, the letter proved something previously unthinkable: small countries could join their forces to defeat much bigger enemies. Her fleet surged toward Avalon at maximum speed, and knowing the gravity of the situation, she was surprised they hadn’t been ordered to jump using the nearest Dungeon. It had been a long week, with the last three days full of extensive, constant work that passed so quickly that she barely managed to sleep. The flagship's communication section constantly exchanged information with the capital as she received updates, data packages, and an overwhelming amount of reports the King believed would be crucial for her mission. Janet paled when she saw the requisition lists of the supplies they would need to obtain for the duration of the mission in Hilgvar. Only ten percent of the supplies were classified as relief for the people of Hilgvar. Everything else was supplies meant to rearm and train Hilgvarian soldiers.

Janet held her breath. According to the King's own words, Hilgvar's future was uncertain. If the plans to stop the war against the Union succeeded, Mia and Tia Francesca would become Queens of Arcadia, and Hilgvar would cease to exist as an independent kingdom. However, if the Union remained determined to execute its plans, the future of Hilgvar and its twin queens would be open to debate... Yeah, right.

With a sigh, Janet stopped reading King Theon's letter and started looking for the light green envelope. King Theon was an unbelievably powerful king who was beloved by most of his subjects and soldiers, if not them all. But his private life? Janet was more than sure that she shouldn't believe in such nonsense. From her experience, no woman would refuse to become his wife, which was absolutely understandable. Any woman who became one of the Queens of Arcadia became breathtakingly and unfairly beautiful overnight. It was also evident to everyone that the King loved them and showered them with gifts literally worthy of a country. Thanks to her close friendship with Queen Aoi, Janet knew for a fact that these women also remained eternally youthful. So, who in their right mind would resign from something like that? Being forever young, being loved by a man like King Theon, and having the wealth and power of Dungeons at their disposal... Janet was sure she wouldn't, if not for being forever bound to one place. Her heart belonged to the skies and oceans of Nilmerthis, so she couldn't forsake them for the blissful and sweet golden cage of Avalon.

There it was. She nodded in amusement as she found the secret letter from Queen Amber. Janet may be the Admiral in the service of the King, but as Queen Amber put it, girls have to have their secrets. Not to mention that only a complete idiot wouldn't want to stay on the good side of as many Queens as possible. Among the myriad of hot news destined for her eyes only, she found exactly what she was looking for. According to the Queen, Mia and Tia would eventually convince King Theon. Their talents were incredible and surpassed any expectations that the Queens of Arcadia had... Well, that was it: she was right. Janet incinerated the letter with a snap of her fingers according to their unwritten procedures. For now, she could freely ignore what the King thought about the twins. She raised the King's letter once more and continued to read. The Tower of Infinity Dungeon would be subjugated by Queen Freya, who was given full authority over the JDF armies. That would mean that her fleet would gain a base of operation close to the potential enemy’s lines. It looked like her supply lines would be ready long before she reached Hilgvar. It would be a terrible day for anyone who thought attacking Arcadia was a good idea.

The First Fleet was only partially full when they obtained their first combat assignment. Twelve Sabre class destroyers escorted Dauntless. With a little bit of luck, she would obtain one, and if the Gods would be particularly nice, two new frigates. The Hunter class would be between the sizes of Dauntless and much smaller destroyers with appropriate armaments. The Hunter class would be equipped with MML, whatever that was, and its main battery would consist only of three twin ten-inch gun turrets with a respectable twenty-five kilometre range and sixty RPM. Why the King and the naval design office insisted on giving the guns' rate of fire in rounds per minute was a mystery. She may have missed something important about it initially, but it was now awkward to ask. Eight Phalanx CIWS would suffice for most engagements those ships might have in the predictable future, anyway. The frigates would also have a Wyvern and CB90 Fast Assault Craft capable flight deck.

No... That alone won't let her rest. She took a piece of paper and wrote a note with the question she had to ask the King: what was the MML, why was it classified, and why are all gun fire rates on her ships listed in RPM?

"Avalon on the horizon, Ma'am!" one of the bridge officers informed her through the intercom.

"Finally..." she muttered and pressed the intercom switch. "I'll be on the bridge in a minute."

She exited her cabin and quickly arrived at the nearby bridge, sitting on her command throne.

"Status report," she demanded according to protocol.

"All systems green, reactors are nominal. We are close to the city's close airspace, so we will be hailed by the defences any moment now."

The communication officer raised her hand. "We were already hailed, Ma'am. I introduced ourselves, and we were clear to approach the Royal Harbour. Our escorts are now assigned their landing bays... One second..." The officer pressed the headset to her ear. "Ma'am! Dauntless is being directed straight to the dry dock one-alpha for hot refitting."

"Get me the tower." Janet leaned back on her throne, and the officer briefly flipped the switch and raised her thumb. "Avalon control, this is Dauntless speaking. Whose idea it was to lock us in the dry dock?"

A male voice replied almost instantly. "Dauntless, this is Avalon control speaking. The order arrived from the Palace and was signed by the King himself. However, the order looks as if it was written by Queen Aoi, Ma'am."

"You won this round. What's it about?"

"They want to outfit you with new weapon systems. But I don't know the details, Ma'am!"

"Oh, I like that idea..." Janet smiled, wondering what kind of weapon she would get this time.

"Ma'am, you are expected in the Triskelion ASAP. I suggest you use CB90... Avalon control, out."

"Thank you for the info, Avalon control. Dauntless, out." She signaled for the Communication Officer to cut off the transmission and sighed. "Prepare an assault craft for me..."

•••

"Janet!" Queen Aoi smiled widely, seeing her subordinate and friend. "It's good to see you!"

"My Queen." She respectfully lowered her head and contained the urge to hug her friend. "It's good to see you in good health."

The Queen, however, went straight for the hug, which did not surprise the Elf. A few more people were in the room whom she didn't recognise.

"I will get straight to business, Janet." The Queen sat down and pointed towards the empty chair nearby. "As you already know, the Union of the Southern Nations plans to topple the Empire of Metaka and ultimately try their luck against Arcadia. Unfortunately for them, we learned about their plans in advance. Instead of attacking them preemptively, King Theon wants them to sign the peace treaties. That's why we brought you here despite the serious threat posed by monsters from the Ancient Forest. We need you to escort us to the peace conference we are organising on the border of Hilgvar and the Union. Union's leaders were very reluctant to confirm that they would come. Your main concern is to provide safety for me, Queen Mia of Hilgvar, Queen Tia of Verksa, Princess Cassmira, and Prince Leonard. Don't worry. The Praetorians are going with me."

Janet nodded in thoughtful silence while Aoi pointed at the remaining people.

"While most discussions with the Union do not concern you, we will have to establish a significant fleet that will constantly remind the Union in case they try anything. You will obtain three new ships, but there is a catch. You’ll get two brand new Hunter class frigates, HMS Hunter and HMS Warrior, as well as another destroyer, HMS Dagger. Meet their captains."

Four officers stood up at attention, and Janet looked at them with a murderous gaze. Only one of them was wearing the proper uniform, but before she would execute them for this outrageous behaviour, or at least whoop their asses, she would wait for an explanation. Their uniforms looked very similar to the navy blue and white uniforms of the Arcadian Navy, but they had some strange green elements, like ropes and hems.

"Rear admiral Raviil Gvirael, Ma'am!" the first officer in the almost correct uniform introduced himself. He was an Elf with a calm face and intelligent gaze, so she was surprised that someone like him would deliberately wear the wrong uniform.

"Captain Grace Asta, Ma'am! I'm the commander of HMS Hunter, it. It's a great honour to meet you, Ma'am!" The Nekomi's face was painted with pure excitement.

"Captain Mark Ulman, Ma'am! Captain of HMS Warrior at your command, Ma'am!" The tall, black-haired Human wore a perfect Royal Navy uniform, which was met with Janet's soft smile and approving nod.

"Lieutenant commander Elear Apis, Ma'am! Captain of HMS Dagger, Ma'am!" an Elven woman in the wrong uniform introduced herself with a perfect salute.

The Admiral glanced at Queen Aoi, who smiled brightly. That indicated that the uniforms of these three were not a coincidence or, even worse, a mistake. She saluted them back and pointed towards their seats.

"At ease and sit down," she ordered, seeing the folders of personnel information on the table. She would review them later. "I already see where the catch may lay, my Queen, but I want to hear the details..."

"The situation in Hilgvar is political, and I will be honest. We will put on a spectacle there." The Queen shrugged, and Janet almost groaned painfully. She preferred the King's way of diplomacy: to do as I say or talk to the guns. "Right now, the rest of the continent carefully observes the war in Hilgvar. They are scared of Arcadia, but it's fine as long as we stay on our side of the mountains. But knowing about the Union's ambitions, we can't do that anymore. All Hilgvarian troops are currently going through a training period during which they will wear this."

She slid a few pieces of paper with artwork depicting the uniforms and armour in the off colours of the uniforms worn by the three officers.

"I already told you about creating a new fleet. The third fleet will protect the south of Arcadia and the entirety of Hilgvar." The Queen extended her arm towards the Elven man. "Rear Admiral Raviil Gvirael will be the commander of the Third Fleet once you leave Hilgvar, presumably right after the peace conference."

"So, will HMS Hunter and HMS Dagger be stationed in Hilgvar? While our ships are superior to anything we have encountered so far, two ships won't be able to secure that area sufficiently," Janet said, but she already knew that the answer would not be pleasant.

"That's correct. That's why you must move five more destroyers from the First Fleet to the Third, " the Queen said, making Janet sigh sadly.

"As you wish my Lady. I assume that HMS Hunter will be the flagship of the Third Fleet?"

"Yes. However, the Hilgvar command will need extensive work before it will be operational. That work is going to be done by Rear Admiral Raviil Gvirael and his team. We will incorporate the Hilgvarians into the Navy, but they won't have access to our ships for now. The King decided, however, that if Hilgvar remains independent, we will give them decommissioned brigs. If one day, which I doubt, we have to pull out from Hilgvar, they will still have a functioning Navy and Army. But if Hilgvar becomes an Arcadian province, we will have to only give the people proper uniforms."

"While I understand the reasons and goals, my Queen, the First Fleet will be significantly weakened until we replace the missing destroyers..."

"Not exactly. The firepower of HMS Warrior is comparable, if not greater, to the combined firepower of the ships you lose. I agree that fewer ships lower the operational capabilities of your fleet, but don't worry. I convinced Theon to install some new toys on Dauntless. Janet, you will also obtain new ships, but the construction speed will drop significantly." Queen Aoi grinned, and her eyes shone dangerously. "As you have realised, our ships have a supposed glaring weakness. The main and secondary weapons are concentrated on the upper half of the ships, leaving the hulls vulnerable to attacks from below. That wasn't a mistake but a deliberate action that has already paid off. Some countries began working on ships meant to exploit that weakness. But it's not actually a weakness."

"What do you mean, my Lady?" Janet's eyes widened, but she wasn't alone in shock. All the other officers were also surprised.

"How do our ships behave on the water?" The Queen asked instead.

"They perform magnificently, my Lady. Their hulls are perfectly sealed, and they achieve speeds previously unheard of. Their manoeuvrability is also unmatched by any tall ship," she replied dubiously, unable to guess the connection.

"How would you resolve the problems with the presumable blind spot?" the Queen smirked.

"The logical solution would be to place equivalent gun turrets on the ship's lower hull... Oh..." Janet instantly realised the problem with that. "But if we do something like that, we will lose all of the advantages in water. We would most likely even lose the ability to land in the water because the hulls would be impossible to seal."

"Exactly. Magic and barriers can only do as much, but if we tried to force it, the mana cost of keeping hulls sealed could easily overload our mana reactors. And mana reactors are our most heavily guarded secret, so no one else has them." The Queen nodded, took out pictures of a few extremely ugly ships, and gave them to Janet. She studied them carefully and passed them to the other officers.

"As you can see, they copied the gun turrets, but their power output is laughable at the moment. But you see these ships? With the turrets underneath? The sealing barrier failed during the trials, and the ship sank into the test puddle. It was shallow, so they are going to reclaim the materials eventually. But they are trying to fix a problem that does not exist."

"Well... There is a blind spot where our main guns can't reach..." Janet said reluctantly, and suddenly, the frigates' captains twitched as if they had realised something.

"Sorry for making you believe this, Janet. But we wanted to fool the whole world into developing useless technology. Most countries, except for a few like Metaka, Eshya, and Speranza in the far southwest, have wasted significant resources and time on dead-end projects. However, now we know what countries we have to be wary of. By the way, those pictures were made by our spies in Ibrevell." Queen Aoi pointed at the pictures studied by the officers. "It's time to update you about the new weapon system in your arsenal, Admiral. Captain Grace!"

"Yes, Your Highness!" The Nekomi woman jumped at her feet and saluted. She approached the wall and unrolled a screen with plans and schematics of a giant airship. "Lady Admiral, these are the construction plans of HMS Hunter. We are now known as the Multi-Purpose Frigates, but that's just a decoy. Our true designations are the Multi-Purpose Missile Launcher Heavy Frigates. A missile is a kind of ranged weapon capable of self-propelled flight, armed with various kinds of warheads, most of them explosive, ranging in power from a weak fireball to power surpassing a direct hit from Dauntless main guns. A wide variety of missiles makes them one of our arsenal's most complex and deadly weapons. Their range is superior to any other weapon system at our disposal. Depending on the size and warhead, they can reach a target thousands of kilometres away, capable of obliterating entire cities. All missiles are guided towards their targets by various means. There is nothing currently capable of stopping us if we unleash this weapon. The most widely known and used barriers can stop one or two standard missiles before failing. The Hunter class carries a complement of fifty missiles of various types ready to be fired at a moment’s notice, as well as over an additional thousand missiles in our spatial holding spaces. Well... We don't actually have that many right now. We are currently armed with two hundred spare missiles, but that's still overkill."

"This is also the answer to why there is no such thing as a blind spot for our ships. As you know, our barriers are layered and far stronger than anything our enemies have. You should have added two to two by now, Janet. We are installing a Vertical Launching System in the empty spaces originally used as oil bunkers and other free spaces on Dauntless. You will obtain one hundred and twenty launcher cells in total, which is more than twice the payload carried by the Hunter class."

Janet paled slightly, and the Queen continued. "But as always, there is a catch. The missiles are very expensive, Janet. That is the reason why we are arming our ships with magi-cannons. The ammunition for those is free, after all..."