The Empire's Counterattack

Blake Island was a large island. The settlement had grown larger with each passing day, and by now even a small cannery had been built there.

Accordingly, the number of fishermen living there had reached about 1,000. For an island more than 400 kilometers from the mainland, it had quite a large population.

The first evacuation order for the island was issued in mid-January 1033, around the time the Republic's intention to attack became certain.

"Judging from the international situation and the intelligence reports, the Republic will definitely attack Blake Island."

"For the safety of all you fishermen, you will need to vacate the island for a while. Our Grand Duchy will fully compensate you for any losses this causes and provide you with lodging on the mainland."

Of course, the Southern Grand Duchy was not making such a generous offer because it was a pushover.

"Blake Island is going to become a fierce battlefield. Evacuate all civilians so that there will be no civilian casualties."

Innocent civilian casualties would become a political burden. Even I would have hesitated to fire twelve 406mm naval guns in succession at an island where our civilians were still living.

If that political burden could be settled with money, it was a profitable deal.

In any case, I was planning to make the Republic bastards pay for these losses later...