The Kazakh Navy and Royal Bodyguards had yet to have an admiral and a general.

In the Navy, generals were usually described as admiral, not formally in office or rank.

Two nuclear-powered submarines and a 30,000-ton multipurpose landing ship were soon to be deployed and the absence of an admiral would be directly linked to naval morale, so this time, Victor Jun would be promoted.

Likewise, it was problematic that the commander’s rank barely remained in the colonel’s ranks even though the number of the Royal guards was approaching 20,000.

When the first admiral of the Kazakh Navy was born and the promotion ceremony of generals of the Royal Bodyguards was held, the prime minister and other military chiefs of staff attended the ceremony.

The Queen directly gave the certificate of rank at the ceremony as the commander-in-chief of the Kazakh Kingdom was the Queen.

And Kazakhstan’s generals were awarded a general’s sword bearing the queen’s autograph, which they saw as a great honor.

It was something that the previous administration did not try, but they were proud that the military was a favored group by the queen.

Existing generals had also taken vows of loyalty to the queen and received a general’s sword after becoming a constitutional monarchy, and it was taken with great pride.

The generals attending the official event wore the swords and made everyone who did not have it envy.

This promotion to the Navy admiral had a significant meaning.

Kazakhstan’s navy could finally stand shoulder to shoulder with other countries’ navies at joint operations now.

The reality was that even though a country had a weak national power, those with high ranks were still treated better and those with lower ranks would be looked down upon.

Cho Chul-hwan was promoted to general this time, allowing him to establish his status as a captain of the Royal Bodyguards.

He smiled as he sat down at the celebration reception after the promotion ceremony.

“I can see all of your teeth, so stop smiling.”

“You guys must be envious of me.”

“I will not change the position of the intelligence chief of Kazakhstan even if you promote me as the commander of the Royal Bodyguards ten times. When would you put up four stars? Will it be possible when you are 60?”

As Park Jong-il kept teasing him, Cho Chul-hwan also snapped.

“Just say it out loud if you are jealous. Why are you trying to ruin my mood?”

“Oh, I said I won’t accept the post of the commander of the Royal Bodyguards no matter what.”

When the two quarreled, Cha In-soo stepped up.

“Boast about your positions for a hundred years. You all know I’m in a more substantial position. There’s no Chief of Staff above me, and I don’t have anyone to report my progress.”

“The president of the security company, just stay out of this. It’s not your place.”

“Learn that mercenaries who don’t care about rank are above you.”

The security company operated by Cha In-soo had a private military company as its subsidiary.

A private military company was an organization that could deploy soldiers to a politically sensitive local war where regular troops could not be deployed.

Though called mercenaries, they were as armed as regular soldiers of a country of great size and would soon prove their worth.

The mercenaries of the company were now gaining experience in Syria, operating legally on a formal request from the Kazakh royal family.

The Kazakh royal request was a call to wipe out Syrian crime rings linked to Greek crime rings.

The Greek government was not able to deal with its own criminal organizations effectively, so the Kazakh royal family was trying to wipe out the Syrian criminal organizations linked to them first. Since the Kazakh military was unable to send its troops because it had officially withdrawn from Syria, it referred the job to a private military company.

The private military company, a subsidiary of the Zeynep Security Company, was not affiliated with the Kazakh royal family, as it operated based in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Even if the royal family was exposed, it could be politically free because it was a private enterprise.

Most of the mercenaries were from South Korea’s special forces, Kurdish militia, and Uyghur militia.

They, who were mostly single and had no special skills, joined the mercenary company in a desire to experience rough living and touch their share of money in a short period of time.

“Educate them strictly. Don’t embarrass the royal family for nothing.”

“Officially, it has no relation to the royal family, so don’t worry.”

The employees of the private military company were very rough-tempered and caused trouble if they were released a little bit.

“I mean, that’s not what I’m saying. It’s the most troubling organization in the royal territory, so please tighten up their discipline.”

“They only accidentally broke some equipment when they got drunk. If they insulted women, I wouldn’t have let it go.”

“Such things happen because you, who are in charge of them, are soft-hearted. So far, they’ve been free but from now, I’ll put them in the guardhouse if they get in trouble, so be sure to warn them.”

“Give me a break, they’re poor friends. Drinking is the only thing a single person can enjoy after work. They wouldn’t have jumped into such a tough job with their lives as collateral.”

“Nobody forced them to do that. If they’re willing to make more money, they should save on their drinks. Send them to the Royal Guards for commissioned training. I’ll refresh their minds.”

After interrupting their conversation, Cho Chul-hwan flashed his commander-in-chief badge.

“It looks like you think everyone is under you after putting on a star. Just know that the training of the Royal Bodyguards is nothing but a playground to our mercenaries.”

“Let’s wait and see how good the mercenaries are.”

In the corner of the banquet hall on the day of the promotion ceremony, Youngho’s friends were raising their voices, saying their group was better than each other.

***

“Szechenyi, where is Zeynep’s hospital ship that I don’t see?”

“It went out to the Atlantic Ocean for a test navigation.”

“The Atlantic Ocean in October… Isn’t it too rough? It went so far out for a test navigation.”

“It’s 25,000 tons, so what are you worried about? The Atlantic wave is nothing.”

Youngho was in Copenhagen, Denmark, to attend the launching ceremony of the multipurpose landing ship and frigates and was looking around the shipyard after the event.

There were four warships that would be launched this time, one multipurpose landing ship and three frigates.

The remaining six frigates would also be deployed next month.

If that happened, a total of 12 frigates would be deployed to the Royal Navy, including three existing frigates.

Four frigates would be deployed in the Mediterranean Sea and the rest would be deployed to the Indian Ocean’s task force.

An Aegis destroyer and four frigates would be assigned to one task force, and a multi-purpose landing ship would follow them as a support ship.

The Indian Ocean fleet would consist of two task force groups and a nuclear-powered submarine now.

“The Aegis destroyers will launch next July, right?

“Sure. We’ve finished renovating the frigates, so we are quite free, so it could be a month or two faster.”

“You’ve done a great job.”

“I heard nuclear submarines will be deployed at the end of the year. So the ocean navy is about to be completed?”

“It’s by our standards, but it’s not even close to other powerful nations’ feet. We need to secure more multipurpose assault and landing ships and have about ten mid-sized submarines to become the size of other oceanic navies.”

“Some will say the landlocked country is being too greedy. Her Majesty sometimes asks why is a country that doesn’t have an adjacent sea trying to strengthen its naval power so much?”

“The ocean doesn’t belong to anyone. Who do we complain to if the sea was blocked? We have to protect the path that our merchant ships travel on our own.”

“You’re a member of the United Nations. Do you think it’ll turn a blind eye to us?”

“Well, how long will they remain allies? It is the international community that today’s allies become enemies tomorrow and today’s enemies become allies tomorrow. You need the power to protect yourself to be treated by others.”

“So you’re building naval bases in the Mediterranean?”

“The ships that cross the Indian Ocean are bound to pass through the Suez Canal. If we watch the Suez Canal at its entrance, no one will be able to mess with Kazakh ships. That’s why we secured the Kasos Islands this time. Though they are shabby, uninhabited islands, once the Kazakh naval base is built, the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Sea will be in our hands. Imagine a strong naval force there. Just imagining it makes me feel good.”

“The powers have military bases all over the place, and we’ve only now managed to have a dedicated base in the Mediterranean. From now on, it’s time to make a dedicated port aimed at the Arctic Ocean.”

“There’s a Kazakh dock at Copenhagen Harbor, and our ship can dock in Greenland, too. Southern European countries can’t even dream of it.”

“We owe it to you since you married a princess of Denmark, but you need to know that we can put the Danish royal family in a difficult position. International relations aren’t always like a textbook. When the Arctic Ocean’s logistics amount reaches the amount of the logistics of the Indian Ocean in the future, Copenhagen Harbor will be more complex than it is now. Then we have to leave on our own.”

If the Danish political circle judged that the existence of the Kazakh royal family was annoying, it would mess up the Kazakh royal family and Danish royal family’s relationship.

Youngho did not intend to do anything stupid that would put his in-laws in a difficult position.

“Then you’re targeting somewhere other than Copenhagen?”

“Not right now, but I’m just getting ready to leave one day. I don’t want to put you in trouble.”

“Please don’t mind me.”

How could he not care about Szechenyi who was like his younger brother?

If he did not do so, he would not be able to live to his destined years because of Fatima and Zeynep’s complaints.

“It’s about you, I can’t help but care. Either way, we have to empty the harbor on our own before the Danish government asks to clear it. I don’t want to develop a strained relationship with Denmark.”

“Denmark can’t begrudge our royal family.”

“I’m not saying that’s the case now, but I’m saying that there will be a change one day. Just know that there is no failure for someone who always has the worst case in mind.”

“Yes, I see what you mean. So, in case that happens, should I look for an island that our royal family can use exclusively?”

“No islands in Denmark. That will come as a burden later on.”

“I know that much.”

On the day the Indian Ocean fleet was completed, Youngho was thinking of creating another naval base in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Until now, he had strengthened the Kazakh Navy’s mobile warfare to keep China in check in the Indian Ocean, and now, it was time to speed up preparations to exert power in the Arctic Ocean.

He could take a breath when one was complete, but his mind became busier.

As a Korean businessman preached, “The world is wide and there are many things to do.” And Youngho felt exactly the same.