Originally, the Holy Empire’s punitive force should have been out on the distant ocean by now. Upon arriving in Cyprus, they were scheduled to join the local navy and set sail immediately.
But the urgency to dispatch the punitive force quickly faded after a while—
Unlike the first day, the council members began to delay the departure continuously. The reason was a serious safety issue raised concerning the secret weapon, [Ancient Fire], which was supposed to be the centerpiece of the operation.
First of all, the ships owned by the Cypriot navy were all made of wood, and there were no suitable islands to take refuge in the distant ocean.
Suppose a fire broke out on one ship due to mismanagement. Given the nature of [Ancient Fire], which spreads rapidly even on water, it was obvious that the surrounding ships would also be engulfed in flames.
Not only would they risk sinking the entire assembled fleet in the deep sea, but they might also lose the precious prince and princess of the Holy Imperial Family.
If such an incident were to occur, even setting aside the loss of the navy itself, it would be an unprecedented diplomatic disaster.
“General Lysandros, wasn’t the plan to lead the navy and use a fire attack that easily spreads on water problematic from the start?”