With Greynar's fleet having already established their forward base, the Royal Navy decided to take action. Queen Elizabeth commanded her forces to prepare for the establishment of their own forward base on the frontlines of the outer rim of the NA Ocean. The pn was to strategically position forward bases around the outer rim, ensuring that the central area of the NA Ocean would be surrounded by fleets from all directions.

  At Liverpool, the Royal Navy's base of operations, the fleet had gathered as Queen Elizabeth issued orders to each ship. Every fleet was tasked with tackling the Sirens in their designated areas while also offering support to other factions as needed. Although the ceasefire agreement with the Crimson Axis had eased tensions, there remained a cautious watchfulness toward their former adversaries. Still, the fleet trusted their queen's judgment that the Crimson Axis would honor the truce.

  Among those present was Hood, the battlecruiser who had once cshed with Bismarck and suffered defeat. Despite lingering concerns about her condition, Hood had insisted on joining the operation. Queen Elizabeth, though hesitant, ultimately allowed her to participate after Hood reassured her with calm confidence. The elegant battlecruiser promised to respect her limits and call for assistance if her health faltered.

  “Her Majesty has departed. Let us begin our operation as well.“ Hood said, announcing their departure.

  Her fleet consisted of Duke of York, Formidable, and Prince of Wales, accompanied by the mass-produced fleet to engage the Sirens. Their objective was clear, assemble the fleet to break through the Siren Line of Defense, clear the B war zone, which covered the northeastern NA waters, establish two strategic outposts in preparation for a general offensive, and capture the core area of the sea after the offensive.

  It was a simple task, yet one that required meticulous execution. A single misstep could result in a disastrous failure. Fortunately, with the Royal Navy’s skilled and dependable fleet, it felt almost like a walk in the park.

  “Unfortunately, the Northern Parliament can’t assist us in this operation due to the Siren fleet in the Por region keeping them occupied,“ Hood expined as they advanced to secure a sector of their area. “However, Iris Libre has announced they’ll be sending their fleet to support us.“

  “It's a pity,“ Duke of York commented, her voice tinged with disappointment. “I wished to see the Northern Parliament's very essence of their strength.“

  “The Sirens have not been retreating in areas other than the NA Ocean,“ Hood remarked with a bitter smile. “They’re as active as ever in the Por regions, and it’s unrealistic to expect the Northern Parliament to send their forces. Besides, the negotiations with the Crimson Axis may not be so smooth, and we need to keep a trump card in reserve.“

  “But it’s a bit surprising that Cardinal Richelieu would send a fleet,“ Formidable murmured. “The battle situation on Richelieu’s side is so tense… Besides, didn’t they clearly oppose the negotiations with the Axis this time?“

  “That is true, but fighting against the Sirens is a common goal we have, regardless of faction,“ Hood replied. “Putting aside the internal differences, now is the critical moment for negotiations. We must show our unity to the outside world, especially to the Crimson Axis.“

  “I see... that is also true,“ Formidable commented, thoughtfully humming as she recalled her initial encounter with Richelieu. “Cardinal isn't the brazen type to ignore her own internal problems. But she definitely has her own perspective on the ceasefire with the Crimson Axis.“

  Then, their comms suddenly turned on. “Now conducting a communications test. Ms. Hood, this is Newcastle at LD Command. Is the communicator okay?“ the maid from the faraway watchtower asked them, asking them to pause their progress for a bit to test their newly developed equipment.

  “I hear you loud and clear, Newcastle,“ Hood replied with a soft chuckle. “Though I can only hope it stays that way as we venture deeper into Siren-controlled waters.“

  “Rest assured, Ms. Hood,“ Newcastle replied calmly. “We will do our utmost to support the frontline operations. Additionally, the command center has specially reinforced the communication equipment, so it will not be as easy for the Sirens to interfere with us as it was in the past.“

  “Well, that's good,“ Formidable murmured, her tone subdued. “I hope we won't have to deal with anything like that again.“ She sighed softly, her expression briefly clouded. “I definitely don't want to relive those past experiences.“

  “Now, I'll also be in charge of communications with Her Majesty, the Command, and the Commander as well. ,“ Newcastle's calm voice carried through the comms. “In the absence of their orders, Miss Hood, you are free to make your own decisions based on the battlefield situation. Additionally, as soon as there is any progress on Her Majesty the Queen's side, I will inform everyone immediately.“

  “I understand,“ Hood replied, her gaze focused on the coordinates dispyed as they moved forward. Activating her communicator, she addressed Newcastle. “Newcastle, please rey this to all Royal Navy fleets under LD Command.“

  “What is it, Miss Hood?“ the maid responded promptly.

  “Inform every fleet that I decre the Royal Navy has now officially begun a rge-scale operation against the Sirens. All fleets are to proceed according to the pn. God bless the Queen,“ Hood announced with authority.

  “Certainly,“ she said with a humble tone. “Ending the communication. God bless the Queen.“

  As Hood's fleet continued their journey, they encountered only minor resistance along the way. Small Siren fleets attempted to impede their progress, but their efforts were futile against the combined might of the Royal Navy's main force. In the NA Ocean, on the northeastern sector of the sea operational area, Edinburgh and the other Royal maids ventured separately from Hood. They acted as the scout force, engaging with the Sirens only when necessary, and keeping their interactions minimal to avoid unnecessary conflict.

  This strategy allowed them to gather intelligence on the Siren movements and potential threats ahead while minimizing risks to their own forces. The main objective was to secure their advance and prepare the way for the main fleet's arrival.

  “All right! Another wave of enemies wiped out!“ Kent cheered, smashing through a nearby Siren with ease. She turned with a confident grin, looking toward Edinburgh, the Royal maid for approval. “No decent resistance encountered along the way, and Kent made a cool breakthrough!“ she decred with enthusiasm.

  Edinburgh let out a small sigh, her expression remaining calm as she jotted down notes in her log. “Just as the intelligence suggested, the number of Siren fleets outside the main sea area has noticeably decreased,“ she remarked, fixing her gssess. “We've gotten this far and still no sign of Siren being organized here.“

  The communicator beeped unexpectedly, making the startled maid jump slightly. “Edinburgh, Kent, is everything going well on your end?“ Wales's calm yet commanding voice crackled through.

  “Piece of cake!“ Kent replied cheerfully, her tone is brimming with confidence. “If the Sirens keep rolling over like this, we'll be back home in no time!“

  “That's actually going better than expected,“ Wales murmured thoughtfully. “Well then, what about Suffolk and Norfolk?“

  “Norfolk had to drag Suffolk along as they chased down the scattered Siren fleet,“ Edinburgh remarked with a subtle sigh. “The enemies crumbled at the slightest touch, but dealing with the aftermath still took some extra effort...“

  “Mm,“ Wales’ voice carried a note of agreement. “That’s consistent with what I’m hearing from the other teams as well. It seems the Sirens’ chain of command isn’t functioning properly. Thanks to that, combat in several areas has gone much smoother than expected.“

  “Yeah, it’s been surprisingly easy,“ Edinburgh added.

  “Even so…“ Wales mused, her tone thoughtful. “It’s unusual for Suffolk to take the lead in pursuing the enemy. What did she say to you, exactly?“

  “Hurry up and finish the battle so I can go back and rex~,“ Edinburgh replied, mimicking Suffolk's nguid tone with a wry smile.

  “…” The other side of the communicator was silent, caught off guard by her mimicry.

  The gsses-wearing maid cleared her throat and continued, “W-well, motivation aside… Suffolk really has a lot of energy this time!”

  Snapping out of her stunned silence, Wales replied with a ugh, “Haha, I get it. Keep up the good work. I’ll end the communication now—good luck.”

  As the communicator beeped once, the connection was cut. Edinburgh sighed, turning to Kent with a determined look. “Kent, we can’t let ourselves be outdone by Suffolk and the others. Let’s keep fighting!”

  “Aye! Aye!” Kent replied with a cheerful grin.

  ※ ※ ※

  On the other side, after ending her communication with Edinburgh, Wales had already engaged the nearby Sirens. The fleets cshed fiercely as enemy reinforcements poured out from one of their ominous facilities. Hood and York held their positions at a safe distance, providing cover fire while Formidable unleashed her Fairey squadron, the aircraft swooping down in a coordinated strike against the Siren instaltion. Meanwhile, mass-produced ships on both sides exchanged relentless volleys, the sea erupting into chaos and fmes.

  Amidst the pandemonium, Wales dispyed her mastery as a swordswoman. With a swift, precise thrust, she impaled an approaching humanoid Siren, her bde cutting through with deadly elegance. Without missing a beat, her rigging locked onto its head, the cannon firing a thunderous bst that obliterated it completely.

  Arriving beside Hood, Wales called out to her over the din of battle. “Hood, our fleets are progressing smoothly. What do you think about advancing to the central area next?“

  Hood’s gaze remained fixed on the distant explosions, her expression calm but calcuting. “The central area...“ she murmured, her tone edged with caution. “It has always been heavily fortified by the Sirens, and we’re operating with insufficient reconnaissance data. Every scouting attempt thus far has been limited to the outskirts. There is still plenty of time, so we should not act prematurely.

  Wales nodded, her brow furrowing slightly as her rigging hummed with readiness. “Then we finish what’s in front of us first. Once the area is secured, we can reassess our objectives with clearer heads.“

  “I only hope the other fleets in the neighboring battlefields aren't advancing too recklessly,“ Hood murmured softly, her voice almost lost amid the chaos.

  A few minutes passed, and the chaos reached its zenith as Formidable, along with the mass-produced ship, began a relentless bombardment of the Siren facility in the area. Hood and York handled the humanoid Sirens with practiced ease while Wales charged ahead. As the battle closed in, their communicator beeped.

  “Miss Hood, LD Command just received an SOS signal and then lost contact with the fleet that sent it. We specute that the signal may have been from a friendly recon fleet, but we haven't yet determined which one. The situation is urgent. The coordinates of the distress signal are being sent to you now. Please arrange rescue operations immediately,“ Newcastle informed her.

  Then, a small notification from the Capital appeared on Hood’s screen. She furrowed her brow in confusion, recognizing the unusual location dispyed.

  “This location… strange,” she murmured under her breath. “I didn’t send any fleet there. There can’t be a civilian fleet at this time…” Hood then turned to the communicator. “Newcastle, please send this information to the Eagle Union. Verify if one of their fleets might have gotten lost in this area. We need to confirm the authenticity of this signal.”

  “Very well.“ Newcastle replied. “I'll try to get in contact with the Eagle Union as soon as possible.“

  Walking up beside Hood, Duke of York leaned in to take a closer look, her sharp eyes scanning the screen. She tapped it thoughtfully, her tone ced with curiosity and suspicion. “This sea area isn’t within the Eagle Union’s designated combat zones. Why would their fleet encounter disaster here?”

  “The only way to find out is to directly ask them... whether this signal really came from one of their ships...” Hood murmured as she focused on her next objective. “That said, we can’t ignore the distress signal either. Formidable, which one of our fleets is closest to the coordinates?” she asked the carrier behind them.

  “Grenville’s group along with the Iris Libre fleet should be the closest,” Formidable replied with a sigh. “However, given their mission was to link up with Iris Libre forces, they might not be the most combat-capable. Although the speed will be a little slower, for safety’s sake, Hood, let me lead part of the main fleet to provide support.”

  Wales also suggested, “I’ll go too. If this is a trap id by the Sirens, we do not want to risk them getting trapped in a Mirror Sea.”

  “That’s settled then,” Hood replied, with a firm tone. “Please join Grenville’s group and investigate the source of the distress signal. If something did happen, make sure to rescue the survivors.”

  “Thou wouldst be wise to exercise caution, Wales,” York warned, “for the Sirens’ treachery knows no bounds.”

  Wales nodded in agreement and chuckled. “Heh, I'm gd you're worried about me. In any case, let’s get going, Formidabke.”

  “Yeah, let's go. See you ter then,“ the carrier waved a goodbye to the main fleet as they took some part of mass-produced ship with them.

  With Wales and Formidable making their way to join Grenville's group, few hours ter, the sight that greeted them was far from normalcy. It seemed as though something had torn through this area. Wales initially thought it might be Grenville and the Iris Libre reinforcements that had passed through here, but Formidable seemed to furrow her brow, unconvinced. Whatever had happened, it was clear that misfortune had befallen this pce.

  The shattered remains of Siren vessels y strewn across the water's surface, their twisted forms a testament to the chaos that had unfolded. Fmes licked at the waves, their fiery tongues casting flickering reflections that painted the scene with a grim, otherworldly light. As Wales and Formidable's fleet cautiously approached the source of the suspicious signal, silhouettes began to emerge through the haze of smoke and fire. Drawing closer, they recognized the shapes, it was Grenville and the Iris Libre fleet, their ships positioned defensively behind them.

  “Grenville!“ Formidable called out, her voice cutting through the crackling of fmes and the distant groans of strained metal. The silhouettes turned toward them, and soon, Grenville’s cheerful figure came into view.

  “Ah, Miss Wales, Miss Formidable. Welcome~!“ the destroyer greeted with her usual buoyant tone, giving a light wave.

  “Good to see you, Grenville,“ Wales replied, her eyes scanning the grim scene before her. The fiery expanse of wreckage sprawled out across the sea, the remnants of destruction painting a haunting tableau. “Was this your handiwork, along with the Iris Libre fleet?“ she asked, gesturing toward the carnage.

  “Eh?“ Grenville blinked, tilting her head in surprise. “No, no, it was already like this when we arrived! The sea was littered with Siren wreckage, their facilities were in ruins, and...“ Her expression darkened slightly. “There wasn’t a single trace of the rescue fleet anywhere...“

  Then, a girl with gsses and vibrant purple hair approached Wales, her movements poised yet friendly. “Greetings, Miss Wales,“ she said with a polite nod. “I am L'Opiniatre, and this is my sister, Le Téméraire.“ She gestured to the girl beside her, who gave a spirited wave, her lively demeanor contrasting with her sister’s composed presence. “We're send here by Cardinal Richelieu to assist you.“

  Wales offered a courteous smile, her tone warm yet dignified. “Well met, you two. As you likely know, I am Prince of Wales, and this is Formidable,“ she said, gesturing toward the elegant carrier beside her. Formidable inclined her head gracefully in acknowledgment, her piercing gaze studying the newcomers with a hint of curiosity.

  “So, back to the topic,” Formidable interjected, her voice sharp and precise as she gestured at the burning wreckage and scattered debris around them. “Was it already like this when you arrived?”

  Le Téméraire, the livelier of the two sisters, nodded enthusiastically, her tone as cheerful as ever despite the grim surroundings. “Yes! When we got here, there wasn’t a single fleet in sight, and the pce already looked like this. It seems like… something big passed through here.”

  She gnced around, her eyes sparkling with a mix of curiosity and unease. The eerie quiet, save for the crackling fmes and the pping waves, seemed to affirm her observation.

  Wales nodded thoughtfully. “I see… This looks like the remnants of a Siren research facility. Their defense instaltions, research facilities, and even the stationed fleet—completely annihited.” Her gaze shifted, narrowing as it nded on a fractured section of a Siren battleship. The hull had been sliced through with unnerving precision. “Even this battleship’s hull… cleanly severed. This isn’t something even Warspite could’ve accomplished,” she murmured, suspicion flickering in her eyes.

  “Hm… what’s that over there?” Formidable’s voice cut in as she strode toward a nearby wreckage, her sharp gaze catching a peculiar detail. She crouched slightly, brushing debris away to get a better look. “A perfect puncture, clean as a whistle. It could almost pass for a porthole...” She gnced back at Wales. “Do we even have weapons capable of doing something like this today?”

  Wales moved closer, her expression darkening as she examined the eerie precision of the damage. “Not that I know of,” she admitted, her voice measured yet grim. She ran her hand lightly over the edge of the puncture. “This kind of destruction... it resembles the effects of Purifier’s ser weapon. But even then…” She trailed off, her tone thick with doubt, as her eyes swept over the ruined field of twisted steel and burning waves.

  “Sirens turning on each other? Is something like that even possible...?” Grenville asked, tilting her head, curiosity gleaming in her eyes.

  “Not that I’ve ever heard of,” Formidable replied, crossing her arms thoughtfully. “Unless… someone out there is using weapons as outndish and destructive as the Sirens themselves. Still, I think I’ve come to the same conclusion as you, it’s just a theory.”

  Wales’s gaze hardened as she surveyed the chaotic wreckage. Her voice carried a tone of quiet authority. “If that’s the case, we’ll uncover the truth soon enough. Until then, proceed with caution. Everyone, keep your guard up and continue searching for any trace of the missing fleet.”

  As the fleet moved forward with caution, Formidable and Wales led the way, a palpable sense of unease settled over them. There was the feeling of being watched, an eerie presence that lingered just out of sight, no one could see or hear anything, and the radar showed no sign of activity.

  Formidable hesitated, then moved closer to Wales, her voice low as she whispered, “...Wales, it feels like someone’s watching us.”

  Wales nodded subtly in agreement, keeping her eyes fixed on the horizon. “Yeah, I’ve got that same feeling too,” she murmured back, her tone just as low. “Just a hunch, though.”

  Grenville furrowed her brows, her gaze fixed on the horizon behind them. “I think someone is watching...“ she murmured from the utmost back of the fleet.

  Le Téméraire spoke up next, her tone slightly anxious. “Eh?! There’s no one else on the radar except us, though?“

  L'Opiniatre nodded in agreement, her eyes scanning the area. “I feel it too... It’s like something—or someone—is spying on us, maybe it was the Ashes.“

  “That’s because we can’t see it on the radar—“ Formidable's radar suddenly beeped, and her recon pne caught onto something. “In that direction!“ she pointed.

  “Wait, Formidable.“ Wales stopped her before she could take action. “We’re only here on a rescue mission! We don’t have the firepower to fight against the Ashes right now!“

  “I know... But I just wanted to see who—or what—they really are. But they’re fast, my recon didn’t manage to get a glimpse of them.“ Formidable replied, and then her pne caught something else. “But... huh? Wait, I found a distress signal that may be from the Eagle Union fleet!“

  “There really was an Eagle Union fleet here? ...Thank goodness we made it in time then...“ Wales murmured in deep relief.