For the following few days, Adam had been staying in the Azur Lane base and taking care of the paperworks that had been gathering for the past year. However, his focus is mainly on the upgrade and retrofit of all shipgirls.
"This piece of equipment here is the most precious technology compared to railguns, laser cannons and nuclear fusion torpedoes technology. Rutherford Field, or basically just a gravitational field generated by this Moorcock-Lechte Engine that distorts the gravitational field formed around the user to block physical and energy attacks. With this gravitational shield, not only are the shipgirls impervious to all attacks as long as it is active. But also cannot be touched by enemies suicide planes or boats or anything basically."
Adam inside the meeting room with leaders of the four KANSEN fleets gathered in this room with also other relevant shipgirls besides the faction leaders. They are gathered here today because Adam is about done upgrading the Eagle Union KANSEN and it's about time he opens up his offer to the other factions if they are interested. Naturally, everyone wants the upgrade and here he is, explaining the upgrades that will be conducted on the shipgirls.
Adam is standing before the group of shipgirls doing his presentation along with a holographic display of the things and information he is discussing about.
"But, Commander. What about the smaller ships? From what I can see. Only Battleships and Aircraft Carriers can equip this Rutherford Field generator." Nagato raises this question because she is worried about the safety of the smaller ships that cannot equip this wonderful equipment.
Adam nodded and acknowledged this issue.
"Before, the Rutherford Field generator could only be equipped by battleships and aircraft carriers because of its size and great power consumption. However, inferior prototypes have been created to make it available for smaller ships like destroyers and cruisers. But they are currently in progress and might probably take another week for the research department to complete the miniaturization for the device." Adam answered, which made not just Nagato but all other leaders look relieved too.
The reason for this reaction is quite easy to understand as for shipgirls, they can die if their rigging is destroyed and sunk in battle. So, having a guarantee protection like the Gravitational Field shield to protect the shipgirls when they are out fighting is a major relief for everyone.
"Well, any other questions before we end this meeting?" Adam asked as they reached the end of this sudden meeting.
"Me! Me!" New Jersey excitedly lifts her hands up with starry eyes. "I have a request, Honey! Can you swap the rail cannons on my rigging to the new Graviton Cannons!" New Jersey excitedly held and pointed at the illustration of the Graviton Cannon on the booklet he prepared, which is a catalog of all the equipment available to choose during the upgrade. "The Siren starts to learn how to counter my Rail Cannons and use forcefield. These Graviton Cannons are perfect to break their turtle shell!" She declared before rushing up to Adam and beg him to help her change her cannons as soon as possible.
Nagato and Queen Elizabeth look uncomfortable with how chummy New Jersey is acting around Adam and how he looks unbothered by it. Could it be, the rumors are true! The two thought and immediately gasped.
This is unfair. Both of them have to manage their own faction in their own nation. The Eagle Union however never moved back to the USA and stayed in the Azur Lane base since the US had already been wiped off the map and that nation no longer existed along with the majority of the NATO members. The Azur Lane base is now their main base while the other factions stayed in their own respective nation.
While Nagato and Queen Elizabeth are hatching a plot to catch up over Enterprise and New Jersey, the Iris Libre and Northern Parliament participants are desperate for Adam's help. Especially the Iris Libre who are struggling against the Siren with their limited numbers. The strengthening of their own members is the only way they can save themselves especially when the Iron Blood is literally next door for them.
"Alright. Alright. No need to tell me right now. You all can return and get me the list of equipment everyone wants and submit it to me in one go." Adam said as he needed to manufacture those equipment and he needed a list to start working on it.
"Many thanks, commander. Until next time we meet. May God bless you with his blessings." Richelieu said her farewell before she left with Algerie.
"We leave Chkalov and Soobrazitelny in your care, Comrade Commander. We will produce the list as soon as possible. Until next time, farewell." Kronshtadt said with a curt bow to Adam before she left with Avrora.
The one left in the room is Enterprise, New Jersey, Nagato and Queen Elizabeth. The first two turn their heads looking guilty while the latter two look at them obviously dissatisfied and angered.
Adam can already see it coming miles away the moment he openly admitted his relationship with Enterprise. The others also became restless, especially Nagato who felt abandoned because Adam was very rarely able to meet her and had never yet shared romantic time with her due to the ambiguity of their complicated relationship.
Adam holds no special affection for Nagato. But Nagato did it for him because of what happened during the trial. She received the memories of her other self from another timeline. He can see very clearly that she holds affection for him. This is partially his fault and Adam felt like he must take responsibility for this or it would leave a bad taste in his mouth.
Adam stared at Nagato and the other shipgirls wordlessly with a small frown that conveyed his complicated state of mind. He felt as if the shipgirls were made on purpose to inevitably fall in love with their commander, or himself.
This is not just a matter of game design. But as if it's their nature. Shipgirls with a commander will always win even if they are weaker and vice versa. He feels like morale is a very big and important thing for the shipgirls. As for the reason why he reached this conclusion?
Well, Adam looks through the battle reports from the moment he left a year ago to the present. From the first to the second week he left for the Bleach World, Adam can see a sharp decline on the shipgirls performance by 20-30%. They become more prone to getting injured in battle and spending more ammunition than they previously did. After the sixth month and to the eight month, Adam saw another big drop from 20-30% initially to almost 50%. Most prevalent on the shipgirls he rarely meets and interacts with. New Jersey is the least affected as she maintains a steady and good performance throughout the year with only 5-10% drop in combat efficiency. Enterprise however, was completely unaffected and Adam figures the reason is because he gave her plenty of love injections before he left as that is the only probable explanation he can think of.
He concluded that the more he gives them attention and affection, the stronger they become. Which isn't that far fetched considering it was an actual mechanic from the game except it wasn't supposed to be this effective and requires an expensive ring only that greedy cat, Akashi have.
While Adam is deep in his thoughts, Enterprise, New Jersey, Nagato and Queen Elizabeth are truly at each other's throats and about to fight.
"You two! Just because you two get to stay close to the Admiral and stay in the Azur Lane base. How dare you two make the move on him without my consent!" Queen Elizabeth stood proud while glaring angrily and enviously at those offending mounds that they probably used to seduce her Admiral.
"Why should I need your consent? I am already Commander's wife." Enterprise said with a happy and content smile while her hands stroked and rubbed her lower abdomen which is enough to send the message.
New Jersey, who teamed up with Enterprise due to their prior agreement to be allies in their fight for their Commander, came to support Enterprise.
"Yeah! Honey and I are already lovers on that day we affirmed our affection and exchanged our vows." New Jersey declared with a hint of blush on her cheek as she recalled the passionate moment she shared with her Commander that evening.
Feeling indignant and left out, Queen Elizabeth could only point shakily at those big boobed sluts that seduced her Admiral with their lascivious body.
Just when she turned around to look at her ally, Nagato. Queen Elizabeth didn't expect she would be suddenly stabbed in the back by a betrayal.
"I… I shared a kiss with Lord Admiral and also exchanged our vow." Nagato unexpectedly pulled a power move and revealed the ring on her finger that made even Enterprise and New Jersey, especially Enterprise, look at Nagato in shock because she knew what that ring is!
Enterprise immediately looks at Adam, feeling betrayed, shocked and sad that Adam would hide this information from her. She always thought she is the first and will be the first within the shipgirls to win his love. But suddenly Nagato appeared with a Promise Ring worn on her right ring finger.
Adam on the corner suddenly jolted out from his thoughts when a future vision suddenly appeared. He immediately stopped Enterprise from leaving and caught her arm before he quickly explained himself.
"Wait, this isn't what you think it is. It's not me who gave her the ring. She got it on her own." Adam quickly said.
"But Lord Admiral didn't deny the claim of me being your wife either." Nagato said shyly while cupping her reddened cheeks.
"You are not helping." Adam said irritatedly at the blushing before Nagato before looking back at Enterprise who looked calmed down and leaning on his chest for comfort.
Enterprise then lifts her head up to look at him. "Commander, I want a ring too." She said with a mosquito voice while looking quite jealous of Nagato.
"Alright." Adam didn't think much of it and agreed to the request as long as he could deescalate the situation and satisfy all parties.
New Jersey suddenly appeared and latched to Adam's left arm with a pitiful look.
"Honey, you will give me one too, right?" New Jersey asked with a coy voice.
"Yo-You all are shameless! The Admiral isn't a man easily swayed by seduction." Queen Elizabeth interjected and tried to stop her rivals from getting more grounds.
"Sure. I will make rings for everyone." Adam suddenly just agreed while leaving Queen Elizabeth shocked at how easy he is to be swayed.
While in another corner, Amagi is drinking tea with Warspite as they observe Adam produce a bright light in his palm and make the promised rings through a means unknown to them.
"Lady Nagato is getting more mischievous lately." Amagi remarked with a chuckle which confuses Warspite.
"Why would you say that, Miss Amagi?" Warspite raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
"Hmn. It's obvious that Lady Nagato didn't mind that the Lord Admiral had multiple wives. In fact, the Lord Admiral already had three wives prior to even arriving to this world apparently, from what I heard from the Eagle Union girls." Amagi explained before that she talked about the motive of Nagato's action from earlier. "Lady Nagato is aware there will be fierce content for the Lord Admiral. In fact, Lady Nagato said she wouldn't even be surprised if the Lord Admiral had hundreds of wives as she had confronted Akagi before and said to her not to hold back on her pursuit for the Lord Admiral because Lady Nagato had become his wife."
"Hundreds of wives?" Warspite is a little skeptical. But looking at Queen Elizabeth who has been enamored by Adam since the civil war in London and a few other Royal Navy shipgirls in the similar situation, Warspite somehow think this might be a reality especially when she could hardly say she have no affection at all to the Adam even if it's out of admiration and respect.
"Yes. Hundred of wives. Myself included and maybe you too." Amagi said with a mischievous smile before she stood up and approached Adam.
"What are you doing, Lady Amagi." Warspite have an inkling that Amagi is up to no good.
"I wonder… those girls are having fun and I wonder how it feels to receive a ring from Lord Admiral." Amagi replied with the same mischievous smile still on her face as she chuckled softly.
Suddenly, Warspite felt Amagi hold and then tugged her arm.
"Let's go together. You are curious too, right? At why the Queen is obsessed over the Lord Admiral." The question caught Warspite by surprise and red-handed when her face instantly turned red and managed to elicit a few more laughs from Amagi before she was dragged along 'against' her will.
Warspite recall the talk about Nagato telling Akagi not to hold back is a way Amagi is trying to tell her that she shouldn't hold herself back just because she wanted to prioritize her Queen's happiness. She should also strive for her happiness.
Meanwhile Adam is feeling troubled when another future vision appears. Someone leaked the information about him giving away rings and the whole base in an uproar as he is being chased down by hundreds of girls demanding a ring from him.
"Uhm. Ladies, now that all of you have your rings. It's time for me to go." Adam said to the pleased shipgirls admiring their rings very satisfied and happily before he vanished.
The second Adam vanished from the room, the door to the meeting room was blasted open by a naval cannon.
"Where is the commander!" Cleveland barged in with cannons blazing to protect Adam from the stampede of shipgirls coming for his Lil D and rings.
"Commander, please make me your wife too!" A wild Akagi appeared and sniffing the air for Adam's scent like a predator hunting for her prey.
"M-M-M-My Honourable Master. I-I-If you allow it… This lowly maid a-also wanted to be your w-w-wife!" A wild Sirius appeared while blushing and stuttering out words.
"Master, I heard you are giving out rings and marriage certificates." Jeanne also join in the fun with Jalter's scream can be heard from down the hallway.
Adam was already long gone by then thanks to his Shunpo that he used alongside Hirenkyaku to move faster than the eyes can see into his safe house.
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(I said I wanted to make the Iron Blood into antagonist but tbh, I still don't know what to do and the Azur Lane lore is too convoluted I can't use them as reference. 😞)
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