Chapter 173Previous


    It was a relief for Lil to see that her crew was escaping to the lower deck. Her next concern was Julio. Lil acknowledges Julios anger. She knew and understood how much he wanted to tear the empire apart.


    <em>But thats also his weakness, his blindness to the situation and his surroundings, caused by wounds far toorge. And because of that, he doesnt know the weight a captain has to carry. How cowardly it is for him to drag innocent sailors into his personal vendetta To make matters worse, any actmitted against the Navy will be regarded as a confrontationmitted by the League, so a war is doomed to break out.</em>


    Lil was determined to subdue Julio before such an irreversible catastrophe could ur. To do that, she first had to make sure that the gundeck, where Marenzio ruled, remained under her control.


    <em>Fortunately, it still is and as long as I convey the message well, Marenzio will follow.</em>


    Lil drew her gun and approached the stairs, pretending to take a fighting position while waiting quietly. Then, when a big, muscled man wandered between herself and the stern she jumped down. Lil, whonded lightly in the middle of the stairs, looked around the tension-ridden and heat-collecting deck. Several men were seen evacuating ording to her instructions.


    Marenzio watched his former captain fall from the ceiling and gave her a chewy expression.


    Did youe to tell me not to open fire?


    Yes.


    Hmm.


    Listen up. Annunzio may dere war on the Empire sooner orter. Or it could be the other way around for all I know. But Im sure of one thing about the current situation The League isnt ready yet. If we start this now, theres no turning back. However, this isnt me telling you to surrender to the Empire. Do you understand?


    Marenzio chewed on his lip while looking back at the trembling sailors carrying around cannonballs and sticks. Their eyes were filled with the fear of dying.


    Marenzio murmured while pouting.


    I cant help it then


    Lil nodded her head and instructed.


    Put down the munition and close the gun doors. When the timees, you need to keep your hands behind your head, just like when we were being interrogated. And onest thing, shells might start flying, so stay off the port side.


    After snorting, Marenzio asked.


    And as for the new Captain?


    Julio


    Lils words were cut off by a loud warninging from the Visha.


    The vessel that refused to be inspected, disarm!..


    Despite the order, there was no sound of dropping weaponsing from the Bell Rocks upper deck.


    I repeat, the vessel that refused to be inspected, disarm!


    ***


    Ed looked down at the distant and hazy deck.


    <em>I intentionally dyed our movements to appease the frightened sailors. </em>


    He then turned his head and ordered Sagastar.


    They will soon surrender anyway. Make sure to capture the Captain alive.


    Ed wanted to go down himself, but he wasnt confident with his movements. As a result, he decided to savour the virtue of waiting by sittingfortably in his chair. The seeding officers, led by Sagastar, lined up and proceeded to head down the stern stairs. Around Ed remained only a group of guards and their navy doctor.


    Suddenly, there was a sound that shouldnt be heard.


    <em>  Bang! </em>


    Although the sound of cannon fire died down immediately, it left behind a reverberation. Startled birds squealed somewhere in the sky


    ***


    Lil gasped for breath. Following her, the rest of the sailors seemed to have stopped breathing in unison.


    The Bell Rock and the Visha. For a moment, both sides remainedpletely still.


    Who opened fire?


    Who fired first?


    The gundeck buzzed. Lil was certain that when she came down, the Vishas and the Bell Rocks cannons were only pulled out for show. But as soon as she tried to gauge which side triggered the first shot, countless gunshots covered the deck above her. Bullets flew everywhere and some even prated the ceiling of the deck.


    Lil sped her head in contemtion. After the first round of fire died down, Lil quickly climbed to the main deck.


    Aaaaaaahh! Die, you Navy bastards!..


    Hooked ropes flew through the air as the crossing was about to beid between the two ships.


    The moment Lil poked her head out onto the deck, she saw Courant. The sight of him nailed her to the spot. It never urred to her that Courant could be on deck.


    <em>After all, hes a gunner A gunner who was assigned to the cannons on the upper deck The only cannons outside my and Marenzios control</em>


    After putting another shell* in, Courant aimed andy down. As Lil started to run towards the boy, she turned her head to see where Courant had aimed his cannons muzzle. Her chin raised up endlessly. It didnt stop till her gaze reached the highest deck on the Vishas stern where someone was sitting behind the wheel


    <em>Admiral. </em>


    Lil could only think of that one title.


    <em>This crazy bastard is trying to kill the Admiral!</em>


    Lil rushed to the boy despite her aching legs. In that same instant, her eyes met ins, who was climbing the mast, while aiming for one of Julios right hand men. As in was much closer to Courant than she was, Lil called out to him.


    in!


    When in noticed Courant, he threw himself as fast as he could. As the old mans body flew through the air, Lil lowered her eyes. It was toote. The me had burned out, leaving only a single sound. Due to Courant being pushed away by in, the cannon had changed course slightly, but the shell fired nheless


    <em>  Bang! </em>


    No!


    Lil twisted her body following the trail of the smoke, only to find that the shell, which was much faster than her line of sight, had already struck the Visha


    ***


    The shell barely missed the steering wheel and dug into the railing of the stern. The damage was minor, however, since the projectile was a filled shell, acrid smoke started to spread.


    Ed pushed off the escorting officer who had covered him.


    Admiral! Are you okay?


    The surprised officer made a fuss as soon as he saw blood flow from Eds stiff face.


    Admiral! Hes bleeding!


    Hearing that, Guiad, who managed to take cover, crawled out hurriedly. Examining the wound, he told Ed that it opened again when he hit his forehead on the floor. He was about to threaten it whileining that the officer gave him extra work for no reason. However, Ed struck the approaching hand of the doctor with the back of his hand.


    As if possessed, Ed growled as he looked down at the enemys ship.


    Which bastard did that?


    What?


    It cant be Liloa.


    Pardon?


    Was there a mutiny?


    ..?


    <em>Thats a possibility, right? But who? Julio? Was it that new kid? If Liloas currently inmand of the Bell Rock, theres no way she would fire at the Navy like that </em>


    Ed recalled the order he had given to Sagastar. He told hismodore to only capture the captain alive.


    Fuck!


    Ed stood up by pushing Guiad on the shoulder and fumbled with his cane to stand upright. Without dy, he ordered the officers who stayed behind with him.


    Fire only the cannons on the upper deck and aim for the mast! Theyre holding hostages. Damn it! Tell them to only aim at their mast!


    Guiad groaned and asked where Ed was going. But instead of answering, his admiral continued to limp down the stern stairs.


    <em> Kung, Kung! </em>


    The Vishas upper cannons were put into position


    ***


    Lil snatched the scruff of ins neck, who had almost be one with Courant. Her pulling force was weak, so in had to crawl on all fours toe along with her. They eventually managed to drag each other behind a pile of boxes and lowered their heads.


    <em> Boom! Boom! Boom! </em>


    The Bell Rock was shaken by a series of heavy artillery attacks.


    Lil and in ducked down and covered their ears more tightly. But because something suddenly seemed off, Lil squinted her eyes. The moment she concluded that the floor of the upper deck was still intact, thick ck smoke fell over the top of her head.


    Lil instinctively raised her eyes.


    <em> Crrrrrkkk  </em>


    The main mast broke with a cracking sound. The centre of the pir was torn open and fellpletely apart. The watchtower, descending in a semi-circr orbit, rushed toward her. Screaming in surprise, Lil rolled over and nearly escaped.


    <em> Bam! </em>


    The watchtower, which had rushed in at a high speed, smashed the boxes.


    Aaaaahhh!..


    Lil looked at the naviesing down the crossing in a wave. Seeing the sailors on deck drawing their swords, Lil had no time to celebrate her survival. She turned to the stern at once. At that moment, Julio jumped off the railing and rushed forward.


    Lil shouted in reflex.


    No! stop him!


    <em>Footnote:</em>


    <em>Cannonball or shell: we initially thought that cannonball and shell could be used interchangeably. Now we know that a cannon can fire different projectiles (see picture below). Cannonballs and shells are just one of many. The traditional cannonball is a ball made of iron, whereas a shell has more the shape of arge bullet. Those bullets were hollow and could contain an explosive, incendiary or chemical filling. </em>


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