Prologue: In the Nation where the Sun rises

It has been three years since that letter was penned and two years after that letter was received, that we left the Port of York as an allied fleet in response to the information that a new nation east of the Empire of the Ming Emperor was found by a subject of our great nation.

Ten ships-of-the-line from both the British and Prussian navies, alongside thirty galleys crewed by the best ship boarders and swashbucklers, made up our allied fleet. As the admiral of this force, I was confident that there is no one in such a faraway and uncivilized frontier that can ever size up to this mighty armada.

["Follow our patrol boat and anchor yourselves in Okinawa! This is your final warning!"]

And yet, once we arrived at the sea just south of the place that the letter described, all prepared to conquer it in the name of our monarchs, there was nothing but sheer astonishment and terror in my heart as I saw the lone ship that imposed itself between us and the land that we found after such a long voyage. It even possessed an instrument that shouted to us to follow them, seemingly ordering us for trespassing in their sacred land.

"FIRE!!!"

*BYAG-! BYAG-!*

"WHA-!!! That hare-brained-!"

"A-Admiral! The mysterious ship is-!"

"S-So that really was steel-!?"

After the young captain of one of the Prussian ships fired towards the enemy ship without my permission, I feared that we may have ended up sinking the ship of this new country and lost our element of surprise, but after the pillar of water disappeared from the stern of the ship, we saw no hole nor even a dent on its metal hull.

["You have initiated hostilities. Your intent is acknowledged and henceforward, will be responded to."]

"C-Captain! They're firing!"

"C-Calm down, it's just two cannons. What can they possibly do with just two-"

*KA-BIYAAAAHHH!*

"TIYAAAAAGGG-!!!*

Without even letting me finish my words of reassurance to my first mate, those two shots found their mark and in a matter of moments, two massive explosions filled the air and rattled the rest of our fleet.

"WHAT IN TARNATION-!?!?!?

"Prussian Ships-of-the-line Gustav and Bicorn has been struck in their gunpowder rooms! No survivors!"

"-!!!"

For the first time in my life, my idea that the Combined Imperial forces of Britain and Prussia is invincible, disappeared without a trace just like the Gustav and Bicorn.

"B-B-Battle stations!"

"All hands! On your battle stations!"

And even if I shouted that order by reflex, I knew from the very bottom of my heart…

"It seems like… this nation is not a home of savages."