In the area where the flagships were discussing matters, Queen Elizabeth subconsciously looked toward Royal Ark as she was being dragged away. Seemingly hearing Royal Ark declare that she wanted to be her loyal guard and remain by her side, Queen Elizabeth's face darkened.
"Belfast, contact the Military Police. Keep a close eye on Royal Ark for me. This time, she absolutely must not get out again!"
"Yes, Queen!"
Belfast looked in Royal Ark's direction and sighed. Then she headed after Avant-garde.
Other than that, no one paid much attention to the farce Royal Ark had caused. The Commander had suddenly gone missing; everyone's attention was never on Royal Ark to begin with.
...Royal Ark being taken into custody by the Military Police... was perfectly normal to everyone else!
Who in the port didn't know Royal Ark?
To satisfy her destroyer obsession, she had even suggested to the Commander that the destroyers should play on the beach at a fixed time every day, using the excuse that playing by the sea was unsafe. What a pervert.
How ridiculous. As ship girls who could walk on the sea as if it were solid ground, playing by the shore was somehow dangerous...
Tch. The danger clearly didn't come from the sea. It came from Royal Ark.
Royal Ark had been dragged away by Avant-garde, and nobody cared! She spent more than half of all 365 days of the year in the Military Police prison. Avant-garde was merely sending her home!
Only Marco Polo silently glanced in the direction Royal Ark had been taken, curling her lip as though she found Royal Ark's ambitions far too... shortsighted. That was all Royal Ark amounted to! Marco Polo shook her head inwardly.
While the Commander was away from the port, there were far too many things they could do!!!
Lala had gone to fetch the signal relay device, and the flagships had more or less finished their discussion during that time.
The port's affairs would still be led by the current secretary ship, Queen Elizabeth, while the flagships of the other factions would assist her in maintaining the port's operations. At the very least, they had to ensure that when the Commander returned, the port would look the same as when he had left!
The flagships finalized one relatively conservative measure after another. Without the Commander in the port, they could not afford any more upheaval.
The flagships were all satisfied with and agreed upon these conservative measures that had already been decided. However, Marco Polo, who had been listening from the side, had her own ideas.
"I have always believed that the secretary ship should be granted the authority to act in the Commander's stead—when the Commander is not in the port, of course!"
"And now, with the Commander having left the port, the correctness of my idea has become abundantly clear!"
Sitting beside the Sardinian Empire's flagship, Vittorio Veneto, Marco Polo laid out her thoughts before Queen Elizabeth and the other flagships.
"Marco Polo, be more specific."
Queen Elizabeth blinked at Marco Polo, who had suddenly spoken up, seemingly wanting to hear what she had to suggest.
"When the Commander is present, the secretary ship is the Commander's most capable assistant. But when the Commander is absent, the secretary ship should assume the Commander's duties and develop the port in the Commander's place! Then, when the Commander returns and sees an even more prosperous port, he will be even happier! Isn't that right?"
Queen Elizabeth seemed to think Marco Polo had a point and nodded subconsciously. But then she saw Vittorio Veneto, the Sardinian Empire's flagship, continuously shaking her head at her.
Queen Elizabeth was somewhat confused. So she continued questioning Marco Polo.
"So, Marco Polo, what do you think we should do?"
Seemingly feeling that she had gained approval, Marco Polo's voice became even more impassioned.
"During the period when the Commander is away from the port, we should choose a more capable secretary ship to lead the port toward greater prosperity."
Queen Elizabeth's expression changed at once.
"You mean you think I am unfit to serve as secretary ship?"
Marco Polo nodded decisively.
"Yes, that is indeed what I think! Queen Elizabeth, forgive my bluntness, but you are far too indecisive and far too conservative!"
Queen Elizabeth's little face tightened with anger. She now understood why Vittorio Veneto had been shaking her head. Marco Polo was simply too infuriating! Seeing Vittorio Veneto preparing to stop Marco Polo, Queen Elizabeth shook her head at her, signaling her not to interfere yet. She wanted to hear Marco Polo continue and find out exactly how she was unfit.
"Specifically?"
Marco Polo seemed not to notice Queen Elizabeth narrowing her eyes, nor Vittorio Veneto glaring at her from the side.
"Like the policies you and the other flagships just established—they are far too conservative! You only want to turtle up and preserve the port! Doing so would certainly make the port safer, but from another perspective, it would waste valuable time for the port to develop!"
"While the Commander was here, the port kept developing bit by bit through his efforts. Yet during this period of the Commander's absence, your idea is to keep the port exactly as it is. Isn't that a betrayal of the Commander?"
Queen Elizabeth gritted her teeth.
"So, if it were you, what would you do?"
"Obviously, I would lead the port's fleet to seize a huge territory! Don't you think the port is a little too small when you look at the map? We should take the initiative, expand the port's boundaries, and give the Commander a huge surprise when he returns!"
"Despite possessing such a powerful fleet, the Commander's port occupies such a small area. Don't you think the Commander lacks ambition? We should help the Commander see more distant sights and let him have even—"
"Enough, Marco Polo."
Vittorio Veneto, the Sardinian flagship, cut Marco Polo off, then covered her face in anguish.
"My apologies, Queen Elizabeth and everyone else. You have witnessed something embarrassing."
After saying that, Vittorio Veneto looked at Marco Polo beside her, her tone somewhat stern.
"We are the Commander's ships. We must act according to the Commander's will, not coerce the Commander into acting according to the ships' will!"
As Vittorio Veneto said this, her tone grew even harsher.
"The Commander is kind to all of us and willing to indulge us! But now that the Commander is not in the port, I will not tolerate you as he does!"
Marco Polo choked on Vittorio Veneto's words and was just about to retort when Vittorio Veneto's threatening gaze stopped her.
"Marco Polo, you need to reflect on yourself properly! Go spend some time with the Military Police! Royal Ark would make a fine roommate!"
After saying that, Vittorio Veneto called over Littorio. Looking toward the Military Police, she instructed her.
"I'll leave Marco Polo to you. Take her to the Military Police and make her Royal Ark's cellmate! Tell the Military Police that Marco Polo gets out when Royal Ark gets out!"
After Marco Polo was reluctantly led away by Littorio, Vittorio Veneto apologized once again to Queen Elizabeth and the flagships of the other factions.
"Marco Polo has a very competitive personality. You could also say she is highly ambitious. I have made everyone witness an embarrassing scene, especially Queen Elizabeth. I sincerely apologize."
"It is no matter. What she said was not entirely without merit. Although the latter part was too radical, some of it can still be considered. The plan we made earlier was indeed a little too conservative! But Princess Lala has returned now. We can find another time to discuss this matter properly."
Since Vittorio Veneto had already played the villain, Queen Elizabeth did not lose her temper.
The flagships of the other factions also nodded in agreement.
Lala finally returned from the command room, carrying a strange-looking little machine in her hands. She came before Queen Elizabeth and the others and presented it to them.
"Ta-da! This is the signal relay tool I invented before. After making a few adjustments, we can try searching for the signal of Super Game Maker No. 1!"
Before you continue