Steel, gunpowder, and spellcasters

Chapter 71 Banquet
Lighthouse Harbor was bustling with activity. Twelve oars-powered warships were docked at the pier, and dockworkers were unloading rations and water barrels onto the ships. Sailors disembarked and set up tents in the open space of the harbor, cooking and sleeping.

Since leaving Veneta, the sailors of the oars and sails had only been able to drink cold water and eat dry, parched bread. It was only after arriving at Lighthouse Harbor that they tasted hot soup and fresh bread for the first time.

The lucky ones selected by lottery on the other ships also set up camp and cooked on the shore, but they were strictly separated from the sailors of the oarsmen and were not allowed to have contact with each other.

The same applies to the sailors on galleys. Each ship's sailors camp separately, and the first mates and trainees take turns patrolling. No sailor is allowed to leave their ship's camp without permission.

These measures were all for the purpose of epidemic prevention. Lieutenant General Nareshah had lived at sea his whole life, and in his view, it was only a matter of time before infectious diseases broke out on dirty and crowded oar-drawn sailing ships, and no matter how hard he tried, it could not be avoided.

The only thing the admiral could do was prevent the sailors on the galleys from spreading diseases to the large sailing ships.

The other ships in the fleet anchored at the berth outside the harbor.

The entire fleet appears to be moored haphazardly at the anchorage, but there is actually an underlying pattern to it.

The Glory and supply ships were moored on the innermost side, while the large merchant ships carrying the infantry of the Third Army Corps were moored near the Glory. The main naval force, the large sailing warships, were on the outer ring, protecting the merchant ships carrying the infantry.

The other light ships in the fleet were placed by Vice Admiral Nareshah in positions furthest from the flagship, serving as the outermost layer and sentinels of the entire fleet.

As night fell, the bustling port gradually quieted down, but the atmosphere on the Glorious gradually warmed up as a grand banquet was being held aboard.

The temporary partitions on the gun deck were removed, and square tables were pieced together to form a long table, which was placed from the bow to the stern.

Generals António and Naresha sat side by side at one end of a long table near the bow, while other naval and army officers sat facing each other, arranged roughly in descending order of rank up to the stern.

The navy brought freshly slaughtered cattle, pigs, chickens, and ducks, fresh vegetables and fruits, and fine wine from the port in small boats.

The ship's cooks were working incredibly hard tonight, bringing out a steady stream of elaborate dishes from the small kitchen and placing them on the long table.

These dishes are all very simple to make, nothing more than roasting and boiling. The meat is roasted on a fork, and the vegetables and fruits are washed and placed on a plate.

But it was a rare treat to eat fresh meat and vegetables on the ship, and everyone enjoyed the meal immensely, praising the head chef's excellent skills and making the burly sailor blush with delight.

The officers dined in their cabins, while the sailors on deck received double the amount of spirits as per Victory Day standards, and enjoyed roast meat and vegetable soup from the galley. Although there were no tables or chairs, their joy was no less than that of the officers.

Winters had never attended such an interesting banquet. The venue was so dark, low, and simple: behind Winters’ chair were the cannons of the Glorious, and just above his head was the deck of the Glorious. The dozens of candles on the table were the only light source in the cabin.

There were no embroidered tablecloths, no exquisite porcelain, no gold or silver knives and forks—in fact, there weren't even enough cutlery. The Glorious had never hosted so many officers before, and according to regulations, officers were not allowed to use the sailors' cutlery, so the officers sitting at the back of the long table ate their meat entirely with their hands.

But the atmosphere inside the cabin was so lively and cheerful. To Winters, this was far more interesting than the Navarre family's pretentious receptions or the serious meals within the army.

Who would have thought that the strictly disciplined navy would throw all sense of hierarchy aside at the dinner table?

On the gun deck of the Glorious, army and navy officers gathered together, and no one could tell that they were two groups of people who usually looked down on each other.

The officers didn't drink much, but their faces were flushed. Antonio kept making witty remarks, and bursts of laughter frequently came from the tables on the bow.

Winters, Bud, Andrei, and the other warrant officers were seated at the far end of the table, where they couldn't hear what the officers on the other side were saying, only waves of laughter and table-pounding.

The advantage, however, was that they were far away and no one cared about the demeanor of these lowly probationary officers. Moreover, all the dishes were served from their position, so the warrant officers could eat to their hearts' content without regard for their appearance.

Andrei handed Winters his plate, piled high with meat like building blocks. His cheeks bulged, and as he chewed vigorously, he mumbled, "Eat...eat this meat, this cut is delicious..."

Winters, without any hesitation, scooped half of the roast meat onto his plate, raised his glass, and said with a smile, "To the cook! To the fire in the oven! And to this pig!"

Andrei beamed and extended his glass, and the two clinked glasses.

Bud also silently raised his glass and clinked it with his own; he never liked to talk while eating.

Sitting opposite the army warrant officers were four or five young boys who looked to be only in their early teens.

One of the little boys with blond curly hair was trying hard to break off a rib, but his strength hadn't developed yet, and the rib was unusually strong, so no matter how hard he tried, it wouldn't budge.

Seeing this, Winters stood up, took out a knife, pried the ribs off the bone, and put them on the blond child's plate.

The little boy in the blue officer's uniform stood up and politely said in a child's voice, "Thank you, Your Excellency, Army officer."

Looking at the children, Winters thought of Benway's younger brother, Charles. So he simply rolled up his sleeves, took some meat from the half-roasted pig, and divided it among the children.

These children, dressed in officer uniforms, were all extremely polite, and they would stand up to thank Winters every time he put meat on their plates.

Although they were only eleven or twelve years old, not even having gone through puberty yet, they were still completely children. However, they belonged to the same military rank as Cage, and were all naval officer candidates. Cage was also this age when he first boarded the ship.

This was Venetia's method of training officers: the army ran military academies, while the navy sent these eleven- or twelve-year-old children directly onto warships. In the navy's view, warships were the best military academies.

These children left their parents at the age of eleven or twelve and were sent to live on ships. As trainee officers, they learned from the captain how to use sextants and charts, how to navigate the seas, and how to earn the respect of the sailors.

When they reach twenty—if they can endure the hardships of life at sea—they will become resilient and tenacious men.

Then they will be qualified to take the Naval Commission's examination. After passing the examination, they will enter the true officer class of the Navy and become an adjutant.

But right now, the trainee officers in front of Winters are just kids.

"Is there anything else you'd like to eat?" Winters asked after filling each child's plate with meat.

The blond-haired child and his companions exchanged glances, then stood up and bowed slightly, saying, "This is enough, thank you."

Winters found the child increasingly adorable, reached out and patted his head, saying with a smile, "No need to be so polite."

But this gesture of affection angered the young officer. The usually polite blond boy angrily slapped Winters' hand away: "Don't treat me like a child. I'm a naval officer!"

Winters laughed heartily. He wasn't angry at all; on the contrary, he found the little adult even more adorable.

Andrei also stood up with a loud laugh, raised his glass and said, "On his behalf, I apologize to you all, and toast to all the naval officers."

After saying that, he drank the entire glass of wine in one gulp.

Not to be outdone, the blond-haired naval officer candidate poured himself a full glass of wine and downed it in one gulp.

Winters punched Andrei and bowed sincerely to the junior naval officers: "I apologize for my abruptness."

Just then, a burst of laughter erupted from the tables at the bow, as if someone was talking about something. The army and navy officers were laughing so hard they were breathless, slapping the tables vigorously.

The lieutenant general stood up with a broad smile, raised his glass, and loudly toasted, "To my lovers and wives—may they never see each other again!"

This witty remark sparked another burst of laughter in the cabin, and all the officers raised their glasses in unison: "To lovers and wives—may they never meet again!"

Then everyone drank it all in one gulp.

Suddenly, singing came from above. After drinking and eating, the sailors on deck began to sing a ship's song in unison:

"Returning to my peaceful hometown,"
Let the sea roar, my friend!

Vice Admiral Naresha, in high spirits, then continued the sailors' song:

"Having weathered countless storms"

We've safely reached the shore!

All the naval officers smiled and looked at each other, then stood up and sang along: "Never forget your old comrades on the ship!"
La la la la la la la, ouch!

Antonio also stood up and clapped along to the naval officers' chorus. Inspired by him, the army officers all stood up and clapped along to the naval officers.

"We share the same cannon"

We cleaned the deck together.

I'll clean the gun barrel, you load the ammunition.
Returning victorious from a victorious battle!

After a few seconds of pause, the sailors on deck and the naval officers in the cabins sang together:
"Having weathered countless storms"

We made it safely to shore!
Never forget your old comrades on the ship!
La la la la la la la, ouch!

Everyone refilled their glasses, waiting for the two generals to give their toasts.

Suddenly, however, a thunderclap seemed to come from the distant sea.

The lively atmosphere of the banquet quickly cooled down, and the previously noisy cabin fell silent instantly. The officers were all too familiar with that sound.

"Thunder? Or cannon fire?" Winters suddenly realized, trying to pinpoint the source and direction of the sound.

Then came a series of thunderclaps.

It was the sound of cannons, Winters was absolutely certain, and it was coming from the direction of the sea.

Why is there the sound of artillery fire? Could it be that the Taniri Federation is trying to pull the same trick again?

The quiet cabin instantly became noisy again, with officers cursing as they searched for their swords and coats.

"Quiet!" Lieutenant General Nareshaw roared.

All the officers in the cabin froze in place, turning to look at Lieutenant General Nareshaw.

"The Falcon and Amelia report that since the day before yesterday, two fast ships have been following us at a distance. Therefore, General Serbiati and I believe that instead of going after the pirates, we should create an opportunity for them to fight us!" Lieutenant General Naresha said calmly, "Tonight, the wind, tide, and formation are all unfavorable to us. The pirates of the Federation must think they have seized a golden opportunity, and tonight we will avenge our first blood debt!"

"I hereby announce the Joint Command's Order Number One: Annihilate the enemy that invades tonight!" Lieutenant General Nareshaw declared loudly, then raised his glass: "This toast is to victory!"

After saying that, he drank it all in one gulp and smashed the glass to pieces.

Apart from a few high-ranking officers, most officers only learned what had happened at this point.

Antonio also shouted, "To victory!" and downed his drink in one gulp.

Led by Antonio, all the officers raised their glasses and toasted with expressions of worry, panic, or calm.

Lieutenant General Nareshaw calmly said to his adjutant, "Mr. Karaman, give the order to beat the drums and prepare for battle!"

The rapid drumbeats sounded, and the Glorious entered combat readiness.

The naval officers donned their uniforms, hung their swords, and headed to their posts.

The sailors rushed into the cabin, and the tables, chairs, and tableware on the gun deck were quickly removed. Andrei, holding a plate, said with a mournful face, "I haven't finished eating yet."

“Throw them away, look at those little brats.” Winters pointed at the young naval officer cadets.

They hadn't even had a few bites of meat when the war drums sounded, yet they got up and left the cabin without a second thought.

The sailors threw their unfinished food directly into the sea through the gun ports, and the gun deck was emptied in less than a minute.

Every officer and sailor on the ship returned to their posts and prepared for battle in an orderly manner, except for the army officers who stood there blankly, not knowing what to do.

"Centurions, return to your ships and find your units. Battalion Commanders, remain on the Glory and await assignment." António called the army officers to his side and ordered, "Execute the orders of the Joint High Command."

The army officers, as if waking from a dream, all left their cabins. At sea, the army rotated officers on duty on each ship, while the other officers rested on the Glorious.

The three warrant officers immediately ran back to their cabins in the stern to retrieve their weapons, and then found Captain Wilson of the 100th squadron of the chief battalion.

The sailors lit torches throughout the deck of the Glorious, and four small boats were launched to carry the naval and army officers who had just attended the banquet back to their own ships.

Two more blasts of the horn sounded, this time from the Glorious.

The entire fleet was awakened by the sound of cannons, and torches were lit on other ships one after another, firing signal cannons in response to the Glorious.

In the distant harbor, sailors who had come ashore to rest also heard the sound of cannons. The harbor came alive, and the sailors' camp gradually transformed from scattered fires into a brightly lit area.

Lieutenant General Nareshaw stood on the bow of the ship, his hands behind his back, silently counting the cannon fire that responded to him.

An adjutant climbed up to the bow and exclaimed excitedly, "General, Drake has actually come!"

Lieutenant General Nareshaw counted to thirty before answering: "I've been waiting for him for a day and a half. If he doesn't come soon, it means I overestimated him. The entire bay is full of spies. No matter who it is or where they land, no one can keep their word, let alone the fact that a ship has already spotted us."

Antonio also boarded the ship's forecast and excitedly shook hands with Lieutenant General Naresha to congratulate him, saying, "Your Excellency, you actually managed to get the enemy to act according to your plan across the vast ocean. If you hadn't informed me beforehand, I would have thought that you were improvising and using this rhetoric to appease the troops."

"Actually, it's just to appease the troops. The situation is still unfavorable to us, and I wasn't even sure if Captain Drake would actually come," Lieutenant General Nareshaw said with a wry smile. "Captain Drake is a fanatical gambler who never misses an opportunity to win big with a small investment. After acquiring our four warships, he has even more capital to gamble with, but whether he'll have the guts to take the plunge in the end, I'm not sure."

"Please don't be so modest. Your understanding of Drake's mentality has exceeded my expectations," Antonio said admiringly.

“Because I’m a gambler too, and only gamblers truly understand what other gamblers are thinking.” Vice Admiral Naresha’s face showed no joy: “I’m actually betting the entire fleet against Captain Drake.”

"So what do you need our army to do tonight?" Antonio asked.

“I will do nothing.” Lieutenant General Nareshah replied somewhat embarrassedly, “I will not use these twenty-one troop transport ships unless absolutely necessary. It’s not that I underestimate the fighting power of your subordinates, but the sea is different from the land. If I can avoid using the Third Corps, I will try my best to avoid using the Third Corps.”

Antonio nodded, giving Naresha a look that indicated his understanding.

Lieutenant General Nareshaw nodded gratefully.

On the distant sea, a small fire flickered on and off.

These were the guard ships deployed on the perimeter. Naresha had dispatched two light sailing ships, each less than 100 tons, to patrol the perimeter of the fleet's anchorage. It was they who had just spotted the enemy fleet and fired warning shots.

The patrol boat is sending a message to the flagship via its lights.

The pattern of the lights turning on and off represents several pre-arranged scenarios.

The patrol ship kept repeating this message: enemy ships, northwest, twenty to twenty-five ships.

The moonlight was dim, but the faint silhouettes of ships could still be seen on the dark sea about two kilometers away.

The enemy is coming.

The ship song in this chapter is "Don't forget your old shipmates." I first heard this ship song in "AC: Mutiny," and then in "Master and Commander."

Thank you to all the readers who voted for the book before, and to everyone who has continued to vote. Thank you to reader "Social Justice Old Wang" for the vote; thank you to reader "This Mountain You" for the vote; thank you to reader "Unknown Name" for the vote; thank you to reader "Green Ghost W" for both the vote and the monthly pass; thank you to reader "writersblock" for the vote. Thank you everyone.

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(End of this chapter)