Gilbert takes a deep breath and raps on the door. Now, there is no turning back. It is quickly opened.

"I thought you'd show up eventually, but not this soon."

The albino laughs and embraces his brother for the first time since the war, which is now over, began.

"So, what brings you here so early?"

"I need to show you something."

A small face peeks out from behind the Prussian's legs, and Roderich's face grows pale. "You're supposed to be dead... How did you..." The man is very shaken up.

"Can we come in?"

"Yes, yes. Of course." The three of them go into the parlor.

"What is this, ? How is the Empire still alive?"

"That's what I wanted to tell you about. One moment he's not breathing, clearly dead, and next thing you know I'm being awaken from my grief sleep by rather healthy-sounding wailing. Of course, I wasn't going to take him out in the middle of a war, especially one that almost killed him, so I built a cottage and hid him there. The problem is that he doesn't remember a thing. It's like he's a toddler."

The Austrian retreats, and returns with a small map and a pen.

"Karl-Franz, could you come here for a moment?"

The boy toddles over.

"Very good. Now I want you to circle your home. Can you do that?"

The pen outlines a section of the German Confederation.

"The Province of Westphalia. A part of you, but still under my charge."*

"So he somehow changed into a state with memory loss, but it's still him, yes?"

Roderich places his hands on the boy's heart and forehead. After a few moment's of concentration, he lowers his hands in defeat. "It's not him. I don't know how I can tell, but it's not him."*

"But it is. He's right there, standing right in front of you. What other explanation is there beside miracle; a resurrection?"

"The body may be the same, but the soul... This is so confusing."

"Are you saying that whatever is in my big brother is a replacement, a lie?" Gilbert starts to freak out.

"I don't get this either, in fact we may never understand, but what's done is done, and whatever results, we must accept as the best. That just the way it is."

"Now look at you being all apathetic and accepting. Though I should expect it seeing as you weren't there, you didn't plead for his life, you weren't willing to die in his stead."

"Your being prejudice, Gilbert. If you think this doesn't depress me, you are sorely mistaken. I just know how to handle my emotions better."

The Prussian stopped. "So what do we do now?"

"He needs a new name."

"Ludwig."

"Ludwig?"

"First thing that came to mind. Got a problem with that?"

"Whatever. He also needs to be christened. You can be the father and Lizzy and I can be the godparents."

"You're giving him to me?"

"Of course. Being the new Empire will be enough on my plate*, and, besides, aren't you the one who's been raising him these past few years?"

"I mean, yes as a human, but to teach him how to be not just a proper citizen, but a nation. I don't even know where to begin must less if I'll succeed."

"Would I have suggested it if I didn't think you were capable?"

"Thank you. I'll try my best. Now about telling everyone?"

"Only you, me, and Hungary will know the truth. I'll tell her when she visits again. To the rest, he will be a new spirit, your 'son'."

"And the other states, Italy, France?"

"Just trust me. And we won't tell Ludwig about himself until he's older, when we feel the time is right. For now, I would suggest returning to your cottage and not introducing him for another year, just in case."

Gilbert sighed. "Thank you again. I won't let you down."

Roderich nodded and showed them out the door.

As Gilbert watches the child sleep, his anger returned. This wasn't what he wanted. How dare he fall victim to such a cruel jest! All he wanted was for his brother to live. In return for his faith, all he got was a cleverly disguised replacement, a lie. A big fat lie. If that was how the God he had pledged his loyalty to was going to act, then Gilbert didn't want to be a part of it any longer. Christened or not, he was not going to teach his Ludwig to love a thief. A liar.

Notes

1 The Kingdom of Westphalia was founded by Napoleon in 1807. It became a province of Prussia in 1815, but it was under the presidency of the Hapsburg Empire. I would suggest wiking States of the German Confederation. (btw that's a lot of siblings to kill)

2 Himabaka said that while the body is the same, the soul is different. In other words, HRE died and Germany's soul was placed into his body. The memories are either old stuff from the brain or HRE telling Germany about himself. That was originally my HC, so you can imagine my happiness when I learned that it was canon.

3 In real life HRE Franz 2 replaced the Holy Roman Empire with the Hapsburg Empire of Austria. So even though Germany is HRE is region, Austria is HRE in succession. Long be remembered the Habsburgs!