Several kilometers away, on the Tassok River channel.
The Pritz bathed in the crimson moonlight, its hull gleaming with an intimidating metallic sheen.
Its four 305mm main guns had finished adjusting, all aimed at the highest point in all of Backlund: Sodlark Palace.
In the darkness of night, the palace glittered with gold and blazing lights, making it a perfect target.
In fact, it had already taken one hit.
At the front of the palace, a section of wall more than ten meters wide had simply evaporated, along with a large patch of ground.
It looked as if a giant had crudely scooped it out with a spoon, carving away that entire section.
At the edges of the crater, a few remnants of rubble remained, all shattered to powder.
"Test shot hit!"
The observer shouted from behind his telescope.
"But the impact point was too far forward. Recommend adjusting firing parameters!"
Cheers erupted across the entire ship.
The gunners began adjusting the muzzles according to the updated data, operating the mechanical wheels with all their might.
Amid the grinding "creak creak" of mechanical gears, the angle of the main guns shifted slightly.
Meanwhile, the gun that had already fired was being reloaded.
The gunners felt a surge of inexplicable inspiration.
The normally complex and time-consuming reloading procedure proceeded rapidly with the help of some invisible force, actually finishing before the other three main guns completed their adjustments!
Moments later, the sounds stopped. The gunners had completed their adjustments.
The fervent soldiers held their breath in anticipation, their eyes filled with hunger for victory.
"Fire. Four-gun salvo."
Silas spoke softly.
Inside him, the "Red Angel" evil spirit exerted its ability. Every soldier on the ship became part of his [Team], providing him with complete visual information.
"Fire!"
All the soldiers shouted in unison, filled with joy and glory.
"BOOM!"
A thunderous roar echoed across the ship. The air shook, making people's organs tremble and their ears ring incessantly.
Brief, massive bursts of flame flashed from the muzzles of the four main guns. Smoke billowed.
The gun barrels recoiled. And in that same instant, four shells carrying tremendous kinetic energy roared forth!
Silas stood on the deck, squinting toward distant Sodlark Palace.
A few seconds later, he saw explosive flames bloom on that golden palace that symbolized royal authority.
"BOOM"
Several more seconds passed before the sound of the palace being hit reached his ears.
In that roar, the front half of a grand hall was razed to the ground, dust flying everywhere.
The famous clock tower, the "Bell of Order," was struck at its midsection.
Its upper half slowly tilted, seeming slow but actually fast as it fell, crushing a section of palace buildings beneath it.
The clock face shattered, its hands scattering!
"Long live!"
Seeing the bombardment hit home, the soldiers cheered in unison once more.
But strangely, though four shells had been fired, only two explosions occurred.
Silas's eyes narrowed.
He saw a figure suddenly rise into the air above the distant palace and rush toward them at high speed!
"Keep loading!"
Silas immediately shouted. "Quick-firing guns, 6-pounders, machine guns, prepare!"
---
Several minutes earlier.
"BOOM!"
A violent tremor arrived without warning, accompanied by a heart-stopping roar that instantly shattered the formerly cheerful atmosphere of the ball.
The severe shaking sent many people tumbling to the ground.
They looked up in panic to see a blast wave surge forward, slamming into the ballroom's floor-to-ceiling windows and instantly shattering the glass as it rushed inside.
"Ah! My leg!"
"It's an earthquake! Is it an earthquake?"
"The Feysac are attacking!"
"Run!"
What's happening?
Audrey Hall looked around in confusion, feeling short of breath, her ears ringing.
She saw the magnificent hall become dilapidated in an instant, dust rising everywhere, objects scattered in disarray.
The ladies and gentlemen were no longer elegant and noble but wore expressions of terror.
Some had been injured by falling heavy objects, others cut by broken glass. These privileged nobles had never experienced anything like this.
The ladies' expensive gowns were torn, the gentlemen terrified beyond measure. They completely lost their composure.
Some cried out, others ran blindly through the dust and smoke.
The palace has been attacked?
Audrey guessed. She used her abilities to suppress the panic and fear in her heart, quickly rising from the ground and searching for her family members.
"Crash!"
The back door of the hall opened. A squad of guards rushed in, surrounding and protecting the Queen.
"What's happening!"
The Queen was badly shaken.
One of her maids had been struck in the arm by rubble and was bleeding profusely.
"We don't know yet."
The guard captain answered, bewildered and frightened. "Perhaps it's an earthquake..."
"No, it's not an earthquake!"
At that moment, a military officer stepped forward and shouted. "That sound is naval artillery!"
Naval artillery...
Hearing this answer, Audrey couldn't help but feel confused for a moment.
Backlund was so far from the coast. How could a warship with naval guns get this close without being detected?
But a moment later, she suddenly understood.
As for a warship, wasn't there already one right here?
The Pritz!
Audrey's gaze swept through the crowd and quickly found those officers and the captain who had come down from the Pritz to attend the ball.
Their faces were deathly pale, clearly unable to accept the current situation.
Could it be that the sailors on the ship had mutinied en masse?
Before Audrey could think further, she heard another series of dull, massive bombardments, this time four in succession!
"It's happening again!"
Many people's psychological defenses completely collapsed.
Crying out, they fled like madmen toward the direction away from the artillery fire, heedless of everything.
They shoved each other, scrambling to escape, throwing aside all the so-called etiquette of high society!
"Mother!"
Audrey found her mother in the crowd. She grabbed her hand, trying to calm her down.
"Where's Father?"
Lady Hall's expression finally relaxed somewhat upon seeing her daughter. She answered:
"Your father is with His Majesty in the traveling palace..."
"BOOM!"
An even more tremendous roar interrupted their conversation.
Through the shattered floor-to-ceiling windows, Audrey witnessed a scene that would leave a lasting impression on her for life: the magnificent clock tower collapsed with a thunderous crash, crushing a large swath of buildings while raising a terrifying blast wave and clouds of dust!
---
At the same time, at the King's traveling palace.
"Grove!"
When the first artillery blast rang out, George III was discussing matters with several great nobles and representatives of the three major churches.
Feeling the palace shake, he frowned and called out loudly.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
A man immediately appeared behind him. His face was somewhat rectangular, with two upturned mustaches at the corners of his mouth, thick eyebrows, and large eyes.
Over his formal attire he wore a cloak, his shoe tips were extremely long, and he wore a white wig on his head. His dress was completely out of step with the times.
Prince Grove Augustus, a Sequence 3 "Chaos Hunter," one of the two demigods of the Augustus royal family known to the public!