TGS - Chapter 148

Chapter 148: The So-Called Private Execution

Outside the port of Bananna, the sea was still calm.

Normally, on such a fine, sunny day, the waters near the harbor would have been peaceful and bustling.

Fishermen in wooden boats would be catching sea fish, merchant ships laden with goods would be departing from the port and returning to this harbor, and the coast would be noisy with people coming and going.

But at this moment, the bustle was replaced by silence, and a grim tension of forces arrayed for battle dominated the sea. Aside from Bananna's fleet, lined up in formation, no idle person dared to linger nearby.

The Lord of Bananna, Naval Commander Taz, stood at the prow of his ship, gazing out at the sparkling sea.

The enemy nation's fleet was sailing toward the harbor. The distance between them was closing, and the silhouettes of the tall ships opposite were already visible. They were getting closer and closer.

Each warship had three tiers of oars, their synchronized movements reminiscent of the limbs of a multi-legged creature. The prows were inlaid with marble ship's eyes, but what was more striking were the rams installed near the waterline at the bow—clad in bronze and fitted with blades, a standard feature for warships.

The rams of the Kasnie fleet were long, slender, and sharp, just like the bill of a sailfish.

The lead ship was the longest and widest, its hull inscribed with the symbol of the Kasnie royal family. As they advanced, the formation shifted, and this ship slowly fell to the rear, heavily shielded by the other warships.

A full eight hundred massive warships were thus sailing toward Bananna City.

Although he had received news long ago, Taz still confirmed the enemy's scale with his own eyes. It was nearly double the number of warships in Bananna's navy.

"Your Highness Romuer, you should have stayed in the city."

Standing beside the city lord, Romuer shook his head with a bitter smile.

In the year since fleeing Akhet for Bananna, Romuer's understanding of the past twenty-plus years of his life had been completely overturned.

He listened to the news coming from Akhet about Alyuin's actions since taking power, and he watched as his father gradually revealed a side completely different from his former upright and selfless image—a side so ferocious it was frightening.

Could losing power change a person so much?

Or was his father like this all along? In that case, the rumored crimes of assassinating the former king and framing the former queen...

Romuer dared not think further. The title "Your Highness" now felt more like a mockery to him, but even so, he was unwilling to cower in the city lord's mansion, which was being called a "temporary palace," like his father.

Romuer wanted to stand up and face the situation.

But now is not the time for you to stand up, Taz sighed inwardly, his gaze still fixed ahead, estimating the distance between the two fleets.

When they were about a hundred meters apart, he abruptly waved the signal flag, signaling to fire arrows.

Archers were arrayed in an orderly fashion on both sides of the warships. They raised their arms in unison, and volleys of fire arrows shot out from the Solancian warships.

Catapults operated, hurling massive stones to destroy the enemy's decks and gunwales.

At the same time, the enemy launched a similar attack. Flames erupted, smoke filled the air, decks were dented and splinters flew, and the cries and screams of men echoed across the sea.

The Kasnie fleet pressed forward under the barrage of fire arrows and stones, their speed undiminished. Their sharp rams slammed violently into the ships, while their sailors skillfully maneuvered their vessels back to avoid counterattacks.

As a nation bordered by the sea on three sides, with territory that also included two archipelagos, Kasnie was famous for its powerful navy.

Taz was also an experienced naval commander, but faced with such a disparity in strength, he was ultimately powerless to turn the tide.

Warships were sunk one after another, and soldiers thrashed in the water, trying to survive. At some point, the enemy had begun using grappling hooks to pull their ships close for boarding actions... No matter how he commanded his forces, Taz could only watch helplessly as his sailors were claimed by death, their blood staining the sea red.

—This battle was a crushing defeat for Solancia.

Commanding from the rear, Taz and Romuer managed to retreat to the port with the remaining warships, abandon their ships, and close the city gates just before the enemy could catch up.

Bananna's city walls were sturdy and its defenses tight, but everyone knew its fall was only a matter of time.

Kasnie had numerous troops and their sea supply lines were intact. Even a simple siege would be enough to trap the Solancian army and starve them out. Only reinforcements from elsewhere could break the stalemate.

But—Bananna, which had seceded from Solancia and declared itself a royal capital while in reality only controlling the coastline—where could it possibly expect reliable reinforcements from?

Foreign soldiers disembarking from the enemy fleet swarmed forward, intending to form a circle of encirclement around Bananna City.

Once an effective encirclement was formed, Bananna was certain to fall. The only question was how long it would take—a swift assault or a prolonged siege.

And before the encirclement was complete, before the landward side of the city wall was surrounded, Horst had already fled.

Perhaps it was a case of practice makes perfect, for Horst's escape this time was much better prepared than his flight from the royal city.

Upon hearing the news, Romuer was speechless. "..."

Taz, busy deploying the city's defenses, had a moment to spare a comment: "Say what you will about Horst, he's very good at saving his own skin. The Kasnians haven't closed the circle yet, you should go quickly too."

"What about you, Uncle?"

"Me?" Taz glanced at the city wall. The defending soldiers were running back and forth, resisting the enemy from their designated positions. His subordinate commanders were gathered in a circle, deep in discussion, completely oblivious to the conversation between their lord and his nephew. Their faces were filled with grim determination.

Looking at this scene, Taz was silent for a moment. "If I leave, Bananna won't last a day. So, no."

Romuer: "Then I'll stay too. But there's something I want to ask you."

Taz gave him an unsurprised look but said nothing.

Romuer: "The news spread by Alyuin, about the things my father did... is it all true?"

"You already know the answer in your heart, so there's no need to ask. I was involved in this from beginning to end. I can only tell you that Alyuin did not exaggerate."

"But why?"

"I am loyal to Solancia, and to those who have shown me kindness, not to the direct royal line." Taz paused, then strode forward. He was heading to the front line on the wall facing the enemy. "My past choices proved the latter half of that statement. And now, I will fight for what I am truly loyal to."

The wind swept through the clouds, obscuring the sun and abruptly darkening the ground below.

The besiegers besieged and the defenders defended, completely unaware that their respective gods were watching the battle from behind the lines.

Above the sea, outside the barrier, were the pantheons of Kasnie and the Sanur.

Inside the barrier were two Solancian gods.

Suojia sat sideways on a tree branch, leaves dancing around her fingers. This little trick to relieve her boredom made her look more like a nature spirit than the Goddess of the Earth.

The goddess's gaze remained fixed on the foreign deities gathered outside the barrier.

"Nierde, when do you think they'll make a move?"

"Probably after the Kasnian army also invades Solancia," the God of Wisdom replied, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"What a terrible situation. Two against one."

"It can't be helped. In a one-on-one fight, we would be the ones to win, just like with Gebra hundreds of years ago."

Suojia smiled faintly. "I never thought you'd speak with such a confident and passionate tone. That's wonderful. Adia would be so happy to hear it."

"She just enjoys playing the mother—" Nierde's face darkened, clearly recalling some unpleasant memory. He quickly added, "As for being confident... I was merely stating an objective fact."

The two gods fell silent, continuing to gaze at the distant sea.

After a long moment, the God of Wisdom pressed his temples and said in a low voice, "Although I know this to be the case, the enemy's attitude is too strange."

They were well-prepared and initiated the divine war, yet they're in no hurry to break through the barrier.

What are they waiting for? And what are they plotting?

---

The foreign gods' schemes were also what Lotus was currently pondering.

The cavalry led by the Princess rested for a night in Etrich City before setting off again, returning to Seaton.

Before their arrival, a cavalryman had already ridden ahead on a fast horse to deliver the news of their great victory to Seaton City. The commanders stationed in Seaton were all stunned when they heard it.

It was one thing to have successfully predicted the enemy's route, but to have actually crushed the enemy army led by the Sanur King, and with relatively light losses on their own side—was this truly a battle of the few against the many?

It's a good thing I didn't question her directly when the decision was made—this was the thought in many commanders' minds.

As for the old general who had logically questioned the Princess, he said nothing and was about to kneel on one knee to salute and ask for forgiveness, but Alyuin stopped him just as he bent his knee.

"Please don't. It would only make me feel ashamed," Alyuin said. "In that situation, it was reasonable for you to have doubts. Please continue to be so in the future. How have things been in Seaton these past two days?"

Lena stepped forward, her eyes still showing a trace of satisfaction at the news that the Sanur King was gravely wounded—and perhaps by now, had already succumbed to his injuries.

"The enemy camp did indeed send messengers toward Digebia and into the Xitings Mountains, but we intercepted them. They attempted to attack the city yesterday morning, but retreated immediately upon discovering we had ample forces. There has been no other movement since."

Alyuin nodded and, after a moment of contemplation, began discussing the next steps with the city's commanders.

Lotus listened while observing the box in her hands.

It was a square wooden box, its surface carved with Kasnie-style patterns. It had no valuable decorations, nor could she sense any special divine power fluctuations from it. It looked like an ordinary box.

But Lotus clearly remembered that when this wooden box was still in the hands of that Kasnian who had infiltrated the enemy army, its surface had refracted a faint, iridescent light. How could wood refract light like that?

There's definitely something wrong with it.

Lotus tried to remove the divine power enveloping it to see what would happen, but the wooden box showed no reaction.

Expressionlessly, Lotus tapped the box with her knuckles and sealed it with divine power once more.

Back in Etrich City, she had already sent a message via the Blue Heron to the other major gods, briefly explaining the box's origin and her own concerns.

But with no other major gods present, Lotus would not attempt to open the box. What if the Kasnian gods took advantage of the opportunity?

Suddenly, the skylight of the council hall was blocked by something, and the light dimmed abruptly.

Lotus subconsciously looked up.

"Heeey—"

The Goddess of Love, Adia, leaned her upper body through the skylight, waving her arm leisurely with a flirtatious smile.

Lotus glanced beside her. None of the commanders present had noticed anything, but Alyuin looked up at the skylight.

The spirit-form Goddess of Love floated cheerfully down into the hall.

Assuming that no one else—including humans like Alyuin—could see her, Adia patted Lotus's shoulder and said in a familiar tone, "I saw the crimson thread of love has deepened a little. So, did you finally do something to the Princess of Solancia you couldn't resist?"

Lotus: "..."

She only regretted not having covered the Goddess of Love's mouth at the first opportunity. Before Adia could spill any more, she maintained a calm and composed expression, but her eyes held a friendly threat.

Lotus raised a hand and pointed behind Adia, signaling for her to look back.

Adia turned her head. "Wha—"

And met the Princess's distinct gaze.

Adia: "..."

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