A Book of Ice and Fire / Game of Thrones : Magic Network

The drums beat with thunderous force.

The soaring horns blared with even greater passion and resonance.

The maiden figurehead adorning the prow of "God's Grace" cradled her arms before her, a dazzling golden light emanating from her breast, bestowing her blessing upon all who stood upon the pier below.

Bathed in golden radiance, the people gazed upward at the invincible warship.

Suddenly, the towering wooden dockyard came alive. Each wooden frame began to lower itself, with those nearest the river crouching lowest, the angle gradually steepening until they formed perfect slides.

The front half of "God's Grace" now hung suspended in the air, slowly descending.

The sound of drums and horns reverberated through the heavens.

Yet as they watched the ironclad warship lower its massive form and charge toward the Blackwater Rush upon the wooden frames, the gathered throng felt that all sounds had become the battle cry of "God's Grace" itself.

Like a knight charging down a hillside toward a crowd of foes.

The sharp, knife-like prow of "God's Grace" cleaved the calm river surface with clean precision. Two white, foaming waves surged outward immediately, as though they were flesh and blood split in twain by a knight's blade.

The river could not overcome it.

Its gleaming iron body swayed slightly as it moved slowly to the center of the current, cutting across the main channel of the Blackwater Rush, calm and steady.

One breath, two breaths...

It showed no sign of sinking! It even turned in place, its bow gradually swinging to point toward the estuary downstream!

The crowd erupted in jubilation, leaping and shouting, embracing one another with joyous smiles, clenching their fists and waving them ceaselessly, venting the unstoppable heat and strength that surged through their bodies.

"God's Grace" was no mere toy upon the shore, but a true floating fortress!

Woo~~

"God's Grace" sounded its long whistle, drowning out the horns and the crowd, smothering all other sounds.

Joffrey stood upon the prow, looking back toward the riverbank.

The dockyard built specifically for "God's Grace" neared destruction.

On the unscathed high platform behind the dockyard stood a cluster of small, dark figures—the highborn guests who had been evacuated from the warship in advance.

These people had disembarked early not from fear that the launch might fail, but because word of the Bronzegate City war council had been presented to Joffrey and his ministers the previous day.

Renly had declared, "Advance west along the line of the Rainwood and Greenstone."

The Rainwood and Greenstone both lay south of Bronzegate.

First south, then west—this was not Renly's original planned route.

The former Renly had proudly intended to travel north in comfort along the Kingsroad, displaying his might throughout the Crownlands before crossing the Kingswood and heading west on the Roseroad.

Renly's original plan would certainly have failed.

The Holy War Army of King's Landing would have utterly extinguished Renly's ambition in the Kingswood, with not a single rebel escaping into the Reach.

But now...

Merely because of a few rumors extolling the strength of King's Landing, Renly had actually set aside his arrogance? Intentionally avoiding the Kingswood?

Joffrey knew not whether to feel pleased or dismayed.

Recently, he had loosened some of the control over King's Landing, both because it was no longer necessary to seal the city so tightly, and because he wished to intimidate the southern lords and undermine the unity and morale of the rebels before the war began in earnest.

Who would have thought the effect would prove too potent, directly causing Renly to alter his marching route?

Just that morning, concurrent with the launching ceremony of the flagship "God's Grace," the 20,000 troops of Haystack Hall and Bronzegate City had already begun their journey southward.

Their marching pace was not sluggish.

They were expected to reach the Rainwood in three days, Greenstone two weeks later, and Bitterbridge by early September.

The entire route would take them to the southernmost tip of the Kingswood.

Tyrion had therefore strenuously counseled against implementing the previously drafted counterattack plan.

If they pursued the main force of the Stormlands rebels according to the original strategy, the most likely battlefield for the two armies to clash would lie between the Rainwood and Greenstone, in the borderlands where the Kingswood met the Red Mountains.

Far and remote.

Logistics would prove difficult to replenish, the field of vision would be narrow and cramped, the roads winding or simply nonexistent.

Should they become entangled, or should the enemy avoid battle and delay, when the army from Bitterbridge attacked from the west, flanking them from left and right, the situation would inevitably grow more troublesome, introducing unwelcome variables and casualties.

Tyrion dared not suggest the Holy War Army might face defeat.

Duke Tywin also advocated for caution, and Grand Maester Pycelle naturally concurred.

Duke Eddard expressed no opinion on the matter.

The Kingslayer and the Hound both hungered to lead the army and seize the initiative, while Alyn, Hanna, and "The Bold" Barristan served in silence, offering counsel only within the bounds of their duties.

After consideration, Joffrey decided to make certain adjustments to the scheduled battle plan.

The decisive engagement would be postponed by several days.

This was why he still stood upon the deck of "God's Grace."

Pa~ Pa~

The Hound approached, his boots striking the receding watermarks on the deck. "The warlocks have completed their inspection and stand ready to set sail at your command."

Joffrey placed one hand upon the railing, instantly comprehending the entire structure and composition of the vessel.

This warship was a thoroughly magical creation.

Shaping runes had combined thousands of tons of steel and other materials into a cohesive whole.

Thus, the warlocks could sense the shape, structure, and damage of the entire warship from anywhere aboard, allowing them to improve or remedy any issue immediately and maintain the vessel's combat effectiveness.

Its structure was not scientifically sound.

The scholars at the Research Institute had never imagined steel could be used to build warships, and their designs could not allow the properties of ordinary steel to support such a massive vessel.

Fortunately, there was magic.

Solid runes had been hammered into the hull, and abundant solid magic energy offset the destructive forces of gravity and stress, allowing this warship—which by all rights should have been impossible—to float steadily upon the water.

Its power system was likewise riddled with imperfections.

Joffrey could determine only a basic feasible principle—boiling water.

What system converts energy into power most efficiently? What structure creates the most effective engine? Where should the propeller be placed? What is the optimal blade shape and number? What materials can support power transmission?

Each question alone could have halted the construction and use of the warship, preventing the designs from becoming reality, or destroying that fragile reality once achieved.

However, "God's Grace" was a magical creation that spared no expense.

Solid magic energy and recovery magic energy formed a perfect combination. Before the magic was exhausted, any deficiencies in structure or materials could be regarded as nonexistent.

Fire magic energy proved equally excellent.

It could transfer heat evenly throughout the entire small lake, or instantly transform a single drop of water into vapor of hundreds or thousands of degrees.

The perfect energy source.

Paired with indestructible boilers, steam turbines, turbine blades, gear linkages, propellers, and other devices.

All problems found their solution.

Magic had birthed "God's Grace," enabling this steam-powered warship with an empty weight of 2,000 tons and a maximum load of 6,000 tons to come successfully into being.

In the future, more and mightier warships would be summoned to demonstrate the power of magic to the world.

For now, "God's Grace" would suffice.

Joffrey withdrew his palm from the railing. "What of the Kingsguard? Are our supplies prepared?"

The Hound's scarred face shone with excitement and anticipation. "All the Kingsguard have boarded the fleet, with none absent. Weapons and supplies are in place, sufficient for the entire army for two months."

"Good."

Joffrey gazed out to sea.

"Then let us depart. Full speed to Storm's End. Clear the coast."

"Yes, Your Grace!"

"God's Grace" stirred up waves, and a long whistle resounded along both banks.

Immediately thereafter, sails billowed, flags fluttered, and the entire Royal Fleet docked at King's Landing set out as one.

Sailing toward the open sea.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Support me at [email protected]/goldengaruda and check out more than 60 chapter of this or more early access chapter of my other fanfic translation.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~