Crossover Shipgirls: Building a Dimensional Empire from Scratch

The next day. Setsuna strolled through the streets of Constantinople with Taihou, Richelieu, and the five members from Chaldea.

As the commander, it was necessary to familiarize the new members with the world they were now in. Additionally, having been away for several months, he was curious about how the city had developed.

"Wow, your buildings are so majestic," Gudako exclaimed, tilting her head back to admire the structures lining the street.

The city didn't have many high-rise buildings, with most structures being three to seven stories tall. However, all of them were in a unified oriental architectural style. Coupled with modern technology, they exuded a grand and magnificent aura.

If it weren't for the modern attire of the shipgirls on the streets, one might think they had traveled back to ancient times.

"This is all thanks to the Commander. He personally designed this city," Taihou said with pride as she followed behind Setsuna. Ever since the two had confirmed their relationship, she had become an obedient girlfriend, with only the "sweet" part of her yandere personality remaining.

"Master, you have such skills?" Artoria Pendragon (the Saber version) observed, noticing that Setsuna seemed to have many talents.

"Just some practical application from a civil engineering background," Setsuna replied casually, waving his hand as he led the group forward.

Thanks to the navy base's continuous fusion of Bulin energy, the city's population had increased significantly compared to before. Combined with tourists from the port area and the mysterious appearance of the small yellow chickens, the city seemed bustling and vibrant.

Every few steps, a shipgirl or Bulin would pass by, greeting them warmly.

"...Your chickens here not only farm but can also carry things?" Gudako stared in amazement at the small yellow chickens strutting down the street.

"Magical shipping lines—amazing, right?"

"Can you eat them? They look quite plump. I bet they'd taste great roasted," Jeanne Alter said as she picked up one of the small yellow chickens, igniting dragon flames in one hand, ready to skewer it.

"Chirp?!"

"!"

As soon as she spoke, the air fell silent. Nearby shipgirls and Bulins cast sharp glares her way, making her flinch.

"I was just joking," Jeanne Alter quickly dropped the yellow chicken, recalling her previous encounters with group beatings from shipgirls.

"Manjuus are here to work for shipgirls... Eating them will get you beaten up," Setsuna explained.

"Your ability to find trouble is truly awe-inspiring," he remarked, marveling at Jeanne Alter's knack for stirring up chaos.

Among the four Heroic Spirits—Mash, Jeanne Alter, Jeanne d'Arc, and Artoria—he noticed that three of them had the orderly good alignment, while Jeanne Alter was chaotic evil. No wonder she seemed to court death so often. It seemed she'd easily provoke a mob of lawfully good shipgirls to gang up on her.

As they continued down the street, they passed by various open shops. Shipgirls and Bulins displayed all sorts of peculiar items on their stalls.

There were cans of naval fuel and coolant, freshly caught fish, wild fruits, and even boxes being sold by Bulins sent by Akashi.

"What currency do you use here? Yen? Or maybe gold coins?" Gudako asked curiously.

"There's no currency for now," Setsuna replied. "It's more of a 'take what you need, do what you can' system. If you want something, just take it."

"Huh? Isn't that the legendary com—" Ritsuka Fujimaru froze mid-sentence, stunned.

To human society, this concept seemed like a beautiful yet elusive dream, something impossible to achieve. There was once a red empire in the north that attempted it, but it failed.

"Well, you can think of it that way. But this is because our population is still relatively small, and there's no need for currency yet," Setsuna explained briefly.

"Plus, the average level of discipline here is pretty high, so it works for now." He casually grabbed some fruit from a street stall and handed them out to the group.

Shipgirls didn't have many extravagant desires. As long as they had a naval base, ample energy, and sufficient ammunition, they could live happily. Bulins, on the other hand, required even less.

In this situation, implementing a financial system would be completely unnecessary.

The shipgirls set up stalls more out of personal interest than for making a living. For example, not far away, a cat-eared maid was enthusiastically promoting her homemade cuisine:

"Royal specialty! Stargazy pie!! Free samples! Free samples!!"

On the counter in front of her lay a large assortment of pie-like foods, each with several fish heads sticking out, their eyes wide open, never to rest.

"Incredible... it's like heaven on earth…"

"So, do you plan to keep things like this indefinitely?" Gudako, unable to help herself, began addressing Setsuna with a more respectful tone.

"Hard to say. If the city grows larger in the future, we might introduce currency or something like that. Finance and sociology aren't really my forte," Setsuna replied thoughtfully.

"Food!" Artoria didn't care about the political theory being discussed between the two. Her ears had only caught the word "free" in Cheshire's enthusiastic call.

Having been deprived of fine food during her lifetime and then becoming a Heroic Spirit, Artoria found herself full of anticipation for the delicacies of this world ever since she arrived here with Setsuna.

"Hi~ Miss, would you like a Stargazy Pie?"

"Commander, would you like to try one too?" Cheshire enthusiastically greeted the group.

Setsuna, Taihou, and Richelieu, knowing the horrors of Royal Navy cooking, immediately declined. The other five, however, oblivious to the impending doom, each took one.

Five minutes later.

The five Heroic Spirits lay sprawled out inside Cheshire's shop.

"Ugh… Mom, I want to go back to Chaldea…"

"Master, did we win the Holy Grail War? I think I saw myself back on the day of my coronation…"

"Lord, I entrust my body to you…"

"???"

Richelieu grabbed Cheshire and began shaking her violently. "What on earth did you do?!" she shouted.

"How can you make food so bad it sends long-dead Heroic Spirits on a walk down memory lane?!"

"Jeanne Alter nearly activated her Noble Phantasm and self-destructed because of you!!"

After enduring the soul-purging trial of Royal Navy cuisine, Gudako, Mash, Jeanne Alter, and Jeanne d'Arc became much more cautious, vowing never to recklessly try shipgirl food again.

Only Artoria, driven by her insatiable appetite, remained completely undeterred.

"What's this? Let me try a bite."

"Bleugh—naval fuel?! But you all drink it so casually!"

"What's this? Let me taste it."

"Bleugh—coolant?! You can drink this stuff too?!"

"What's this? A bread shaped like a torpedo? How unique, let me try a bite."

"Huh?! It's an actual torpedo?!"

After falling victim to one food mishap after another, Artoria began to doubt the culinary standards of this world.

"Take her to Yat Sen. Let her have something proper to eat," Setsuna finally said, unable to bear it any longer. He found a Bulin to escort Artoria away and arranged for her to have a decent meal.

With Artoria gone, Setsuna continued showing the rest of the group around the capital.

At one side of the city, they stopped in front of a massive building resembling the Temple of Heaven.

"This is the Capital Library. It's mainly used to store technology and magical knowledge acquired from other worlds," Setsuna explained. "In the future, it'll be expanded further and developed into a library of universal knowledge."

Upon entering the library, the group was greeted by a traditional and elegant architectural design.

The number of books was not particularly large, with only a small portion of the shelves filled. Mash picked one up at random, examining what seemed to be a reproduction.

"Flower Breathing Technique? What is this?!"

"Oh, something from another world. Probably something Kanae summarized when she had free time and left here," Setsuna said after a glance. The book even bore her signature.

"Currently, the library is focused on technologies from Azur Lane and the Gundam series, along with some magical texts recently brought from Chaldea and materials compiled by others," he explained. "If you're interested in learning about other worlds, the library is open to you."

"Wow—" Ritsuka Fujimaru and the Heroic Spirits looked around the grand library in awe.

The idea of a Universal Knowledge Repository was thrilling. The atmosphere here was far more impressive than Chaldea.

"When I go back, I'll talk to Dr. Roman about moving all of Chaldea's collections here," Gudako said decisively, already planning to sell out her comrades.

"No, no, no, let's keep things reasonable. We can work together gradually in the future," Setsuna said with a laugh, declining the idea. "Once Chaldea is rebuilt, it will benefit both sides."

Setsuna preferred to collaborate with allies. It was only when discussions failed or there was no value in cooperation that he would resort to sending a fleet to "negotiate."

After leaving the library, he took them on a tour of other structures, including the administrative building, medical center, and combat laboratory. The group was amazed at every turn.

Though the city's population was small, its functional facilities were already fully established. Some buildings, even if currently unused by the shipgirls, were prepared for future recruits to move in directly.

Finally, they arrived at the city's outskirts, at Akashi's workshop.

"This is where we conduct scientific research and invention. You've already met the shipgirl in charge," Setsuna said as he surveyed the building, which occupied an area comparable to an entire neighborhood.

A pink cat paw emblem adorned the large entrance.

Akashi's ever-growing research projects had outgrown her workshop in the naval base, so she had relocated to this spacious location onshore.

Upon entering, they were greeted by a fully integrated miniature industrial system, encompassing everything from mineral smelting to precision machining and weapon assembly. Numerous Bulins were busily at work.

"Commander?"

A green-haired repair shipgirl peeked out from behind a machine tool. "What are you doing here, meow?"

"Checking your research progress and picking a toy for her," Setsuna replied, patting Ritsuka Fujimaru on the shoulder.

Gudako's attention was drawn to a row of Gundams leaning against the wall. From Zaku to Unicorn to Barbatos, they were all present.

"I want that one!" She pointed at Unicorn eagerly.

"Give her a Zaku, and take off the thrusters," Setsuna said without hesitation.

No way was he letting a beginner pilot a Gundam. She wouldn't even be able to walk straight, let alone fly. If she tried, she'd probably crash and kill herself.

"Eh, eh, eh?! Fine, I guess something is better than nothing," Gudako grumbled, but quickly relented. With the help of a Bulin, she clambered into a Zaku and stumbled out, one step heavy, one step light.

In the distance, her excited voice could be heard:

"Ohhh—"

"This machine gun is way more satisfying than jewel magecraft!!!—Boom!"

"Next time we go to a singularity, I'm taking a Gundam!!!"

"…"

Setsuna and the Heroic Spirits exchanged increasingly odd looks.

"Why do I feel like she's going down the wrong path? Never mind. I'll find a Caster later to tutor her in magic," Setsuna said, shaking his head.