Alderamin on the Sky

Ikta Solork would rather spend his days napping and flirting than worrying about duty, but his easygoing routine is upended when war erupts between the Katjvarna Empire and the Republic of Kioka. Alongside his childhood friend Yatorishino Igsem, he heads into the military as an officer candidate, meeting infantryman Matthew Tetojirichi, sniper Torway Remion, and medic Haroma Becker while traveling by boat to the exam site.

A sudden storm sends their ship to the bottom of the sea, leaving the five stranded in enemy territory near a military outpost. There they uncover a crisis involving Princess Chamille Kitora Katjvanmaninik, heir to the Katjvarnan throne, who has been taken hostage. After rescuing her, they’re awarded the prestigious rank of Imperial Knight—an honor that forces Ikta to set aside his quiet ambitions and face a role he never sought.