As the final step in declaring their civilization officially established, the founding ceremony of The Imperium was naturally put on the agenda.
At dawn, the sun slowly rose above the horizon, casting its first rays of light across the deep blue sea.
On the plaza of the naval base, the shipgirls and Bulins stood in small groups.
They were all dressed in matching black-and-red military uniforms.
Even the Bulins had changed into regulation black dresses.
Times were still lean, resources scarce, yet they had scraped together enough materials to outfit everyone with a new set of clothes.
Compared to their usual outfits, these uniforms had more fabric, but set against the shipgirls’ striking looks, the result was sharp and commanding…
an air of crisp military presence.
“Strange… just changing clothes, and everything feels completely different.” “Is the sense of ceremony really that important?” Formidable adjusted her sleeves as she spoke.
Seeing everyone in the same uniform gave her a sudden, unexpected feeling of belonging…
as if she had always been meant to be here.
“Uniform regulations are an important part of military management,” Essex nodded.
As living weapons of war, born soldiers, she fully agreed with Adam’s philosophy.
If life in the usual port felt like a free amusement park…
everyone in their own casual clothes…
then this place felt like a true collective.
Soon, Adam and Richelieu emerged from the base building in their own military attire.
Adam wore a sharply tailored black-and-red uniform.
Combined with his youthful, handsome features, he looked every bit a genuine general.
Compared to a few days earlier, there was a new edge of resolve and decisiveness in his bearing.
The morning sunlight fell across him, and for a moment the shipgirls simply stared.
“…This is our Commander.” They formed neat ranks and fell silent.
The founding ceremony of The Imperium…
and this world’s first flag-raising…
began.
“Music!” At the command, stirring martial music filled the plaza.
It had been arranged jointly by Adam and several shipgirls; a few members of the vanguard fleets were quite accomplished musicians.
Then, to the accompaniment of the music, the red banner bearing the golden eagle rose slowly up the flagpole under the morning sun, unfurling at the highest point of the naval base.
“Today,” Adam said in a low, steady voice, “The Imperium is formally established.” Even counting the Bulins, only a few hundred people stood before him…
pitifully small for a civilization.
Yet it was a proper beginning, and a necessary ceremony.
From this day forward, this place was no longer a mere settlement or colony playing at house.
It would stand as a civilization in its own right and compete with others across the multiverse.
“We will begin from Earth, leave the seas behind, reach for the stars, and plant the eagle banner in every world of the multiverse.
“We will cooperate with friendly worlds and grow together.
We will crush every enemy that stands in our path.
“We will make our friends respect us and our enemies fear us.
We will build a super-civilization that spans the cosmos.” Adam laid out his ambitions and plans.
In his mind, the outline of an unimaginably vast, cross-dimensional super-civilization was already taking shape.
“Whoa…
” The shipgirls listened, hearts surging.
Formidable, Belfast, and the others were struck by the sheer scale of Adam’s vision and leadership.
The flagships of the major fleets commanded far more shipgirls than he did, yet none of them had ever spoken with such sweeping momentum and ambition.
Reach for the stars.
Contend for the galaxy.
Everything was still only just beginning, and their overall strength was far from impressive.
Still, they were willing to lend their Commander their strength to realize this grand dream.
Taihou’s eyes had already turned into hearts.
“Ah… Commander… “I knew I wasn’t wrong about you… “I will personally offer you every victory.
No matter which world it is…
if you want it, Taihou will give it to you…” “Thank you.
I’ll be looking forward to your performance.” Adam nodded toward her from the platform.
“Ah…” The Sakura Empire carrier nearly fainted from excitement.
Richelieu and Illustrious exchanged glances.
Forward momentum and a heart full of ambition…
exactly the kind of Commander that weapons of war like them needed.
“I have a feeling we’re going to see a lot of different scenery from now on,” the two flagships whispered to each other.
… “Hah…” After the ceremony, Adam returned to his office in the naval base.
At the founding of a nation, countless problems needed solving.
The shipgirls changed back into their everyday clothes and went about their duties.
Uniforms were only for sorties and important ceremonies; day-to-day attire was still left to personal preference.
“That was quite the presence, Commander.” Richelieu had also changed into her usual clothes.
She smoothed her long golden hair as she spoke, her eyes carrying admiration and a rare softness.
“I already feel less like an Azur Lane shipgirl and more like a member of The Imperium.” “That won’t do.
Azur Lane is still your home.
We’ll have to go back and fight the Sirens someday,” Adam said with a laugh.
“Though later we can talk about bringing the port under The Imperium’s banner.” “Tch.
Greedy as ever.” Richelieu gave a light huff.
“Why don’t you just invite the Sirens in while you’re at it?” “Not impossible.” Adam thought that if the Sirens possessed real intelligence, could communicate, and could be reasoned with, they might actually join.
Fighting shipgirls back and forth on one planet was pointless.
Better to go to other worlds together and punch aliens.
Combine both sides’ technology and they might even end up with corrupted shipgirls or something similar…