Li Wei was not the only one awake late that night. Barnes, commander of the Empire's Royal Navy Fifth Fleet, and French, commander of the First Expeditionary Army, also found sleep elusive.
According to the plan, the Fifth Fleet was supposed to break through Delai Port as quickly as possible, after which the First Expeditionary Army would land and begin its assault.
But the Kingdom of Kront seemed to have anticipated this. They had built numerous fortresses and artillery emplacements at Delai Port, using the surrounding cliffs to house bunkers and turning the entire port into an impregnable stronghold.
Incidentally, although Barnes commanded the Fifth Fleet, he had no airships. His was a true naval fleet. This was one of the oddities of the Empire's current organization: it still had no structured air force, and because airships were considered "warships," they were assigned to the navy as well.
The fortress defenses at Delai Port were so densely packed that several attacks had failed.
All they could do now was maintain the blockade. At least keeping the enemy from leaving the port counted for something.
But tonight-
"We just received an urgent telegram from the Navy Department."
Barnes looked at French, the expeditionary army commander.
"They want us to prepare for a landing."
"Another attack?"
French frowned at Barnes's words.
"Until those fortifications are breached, I won't send my boys ashore to die."
"We just received word that the Third Fleet and the Thistle Knight Order are coming to reinforce us."
"The Third Fleet?"
French paused at that.
"Weren't they helping the Duchy of Tiris defend against Kront's attacks?"
"We just learned that they've annihilated Kront's Vanguard Corps. They're heading toward Delai Port now."
"Annihilated? Surely that's impossible?"
Indeed, French's first reaction to the news was disbelief.
"The Third Fleet consists