23rd of January, 2025
Kingdom of Burma, Tributary State of the Chinese Federation
The Chinese-Burmese force had blown up the main entrances of the base were now entering it. Inside, the few soldiers left to Leila were strategically positioned in the intricated corridors, taking down the Chinese soldiers one by one. While numerically superior, the Chinese-Burmese were faced by the problem that their knightmare frames could not go much in depth inside the base, as unlikely for the Alexanders they were only projected to fight in open spaces, in this way, whenever the Europeans would find themselves overran, they would enter the corridors, forcing the enemies to leave their knightframes, thus becoming easy targets. In this way, the soldiers commanded by Leila Breisgau were able to hold for more one hour without major difficulties.
After one hour, however, the first difficulties emerged:
"I'm running out of amno..." Announced Bernal. "I think I'll have to... Aaah"
"Soldier Bernal has been taken down." Informed Vidal. "Enemies advancing through section 4."
"I noticed it." Replied Leila. "Gautier. Go take that position."
"Yes, sergeant-major." Replied Maria Gautier entering her frame.
Less than fifteen minutes later, however, also the other soldier was killed in action, so that Leila's unit was now only composed by her, Vidal and Maria.
"Ohh fine. Maria, come back to the control room and throw grenades in the corridors to slow their advance, we are three left."
Maria executed the order and managed to retreat to the control room, where they tried to oppose a last resistance. The enemies were now advancing without knightframes, but as they approached the room, they threw several grenades, making some of the walls fall. In the meantime, Leila felt more intensely the pain originated by her wound. Soon the fight between the three Europeans and the Asian forces began with the latter throwing themselves against the enemy frames.
"We have ammo for further 15 minutes, Sergeant!" Announced Vidal right before his frame was hit by a rocket.
"The Hell!" Exclaimed Leila looking at the knightframe of her soldier burning.
"Sergeant Breisgau." Called Maria. "I just wanted to say that it was a honour to fight in your unit." Saying so, she took off the frame's swords and charged the enemies engaging them in a melée fight, slaughtering many of the enemies, but also exposing herself to their anti-frame artillery.
Soon after, a voice came out from the radio.
"Bravo calling unit Charlie, anyone listening? Repeat, Bravo calling unit Charlie."
"Here is Sergeant-Major Breisgau." Replied Leila.
"Ah... Bonjour mademoiselle!" Replied a French officer. "Here is Lieutenant-Colonel Jean D'Estienne D'Orville, of the Chasseurs Parachutistes. We are now landing at your position!"
"Thank God!" Exclaimed Leila.
Seconds after more blows and shots were heard from the entrances of the base and within a matter of minutes the Chinese and Burmese gathered around the entrance of the command room had dispersed rushing towards the gates of the base, where they met their fate with the French paras.
25th of January, 2025
Mount Cauriol, County of Tyrol, Kingdom of Bohemia-Austria, HRE
"May I ask what kind of suicidal thought is taking you to climb the Mount Cauriol in late January, Giulio?"
In spite of having accepted Giulio's idea of challenging the snow, the ice and the winds of the Alpine winter, Amedeo could not hide his dissatisfaction for being at more than 2400m during that season, fo no reason besides Giulio's insane decision to go there.
"I just thought it was a good time to stay away from court, State matters, women... I mean, you got it."
"And did we needed to come here? Wasn't the house in Canazei a satisfactory solution."
"Evola would often compare Alpinism to a spiritual exercise. I mean, when you are climbing the mountain you forget about any other mundane matter, it's just you and the mountain, that you need to overcome by getting on top of it and then also getting back."
"Indeed, nice, now I see."
"You don't seem convinced." Replied Giulio.
"Are you reading my mind?"
"Just listening to your voice. Since the end of the last war I never relied on my Geass, not even once."
"Not even when you convinced me to come here?"
Giulio laughed.
"Eh, okay... I might have used it once."
"You bastard..."
"I know, sorry."
They stopped in a small open space, at around 200m from the top of the mountain. Giulio offered some chocolate to Amedeo, who accepted it.
"Drink?" Asked then Giulio.
Amedeo took it and drank.
"What's that?"
"It's Vov. It's produced here in Northern Italy. It's with eggs, Marsala, alcohol..."
"Guess must be strong, but it's good."
"It is, I have more of this... Actually even more of this than of water..."
"That's why nobody wants to come with you to do Alpinism, Giulio!"
"I know... Sorry for taking you up here, but I needed to talk."
"About?"
"The other day I visited the Tianzi..."
"Wait, did we came until here to talk about women?"
Giulio continued.
"I visited her, but she was very cold and angry at me."
"Well, you know, when you slap her in front of your army and then you parade her in a cage through Rome."
"She told me this, but I tried to explain that it was nothing personal and..."
"That's your problem, you see? You first decided to be Emperor Julius I of the Romans and not Giulio Galahad-Canossa, which was fine. From this, however, you have turned into the blind and mechanic machine of the Roman State. You justify everything with the raison d'etat, even your relationship with Anya... You speak to her more of having a heir for the Empire than of anything else and trust me, she is suffering because of that, because she feels like you don't care about her. You treated the Tianzi the way you did for the same reason: it was functional for the Roman State. But I ask you: was is right for Giulio Galahad-Canossa to do that? Even more: since Giulio is dead and only Julius lives, was it honourable for an Emperor?"
Giulio close his eyes and took a long breath.
"Maybe you're right... At least to a certain extent. Since I took the crown, I took for me the mission to rule according to justice. Yet, my experience so far has demonstrated me that an Emperor, especially while consolidating a new State, has often to be ruthless and to put the interest of the State above everything else. Thing is: where lies the border between a pure and simple injustice and a harsh decision for a greater good?"
"Well, this is something you will need to find out yourself. Your sense of justice is naturally different from mine. I can question your actions though, and try to push you to take the most reasoned decisions."
"I would be grateful if you could! The crown is a burden, much heavier than anyone else may think!"
"No worries, dear cousin, I fully understand your position."
"Now let me ask, how are things with Ayano, are you on better terms now?" Asked Giulio, now reassured.
"Well... Kind of... Let's keep climbing! It's better if we get to the top before the sun starts setting." Was Amedeo's reply, standing up and preparing to continue.
"Great idea! In any case tonight we will stay at the Rifugio Cauriol! Their goulash is amazing!"
"Oh Gods! Fine, I guess."
27th of January, 2025
Quirinale Palace, Rome, HRE
Giulio walked fast through the corridors of the palace, followed by Amedeo and by Anya.
"I have been in Rome for less than one hour, and there's already people looking for me! Then they wonder why I always leave!"
"But Giulio, it's Schneizel, he wants to talk to you about something." Said Anya.
"Oh God! Now I really feel like I want to get on a train and return to the Alps."
"There's him, Cornelia, Gino, Nonnette and the Brazilian Ambassador, the Viscount of Ouro Preto." Informed Amedeo.
"What's this? An attempt of assassination?" Asked Giulio sarcastic.
At the entrance, two cuirassiers opened the gates of the hall and as he entered everybody stood up. Giulio did not reached the throne, but stopped at the centre of the hall and called the four visitors. With them however, also came the Master of Ceremony, whom Giulio allowed to speak first.
"Your Majesty, the Ambassador of Japan, Count Sato is here."
"Ah tell him to go to... No, fine, tell him to come here. Now you four, what's happening now?"
Seeing that they were hesitating and inviting each other to speak first, Giulio asked the Brazilian Ambassador to begin.
"Your Majesty, my Empress demands the permission to declare the full annexation of Cisplatina, as it is rightfully ours."
"For the fiftieth time, tell her that she is not allowed to so until..."
"Giulio." Called Amedeo. " The Federation of Rio de la Plata and Japan have both abandoned the Lancaster House Agreements this morning."
Giulio turned back to the Ambassador.
"Very well, then just do it and get out of here."
In that moment the Japanese Ambassador reached the group.
"Count Sato!" Exclaimed Giulio. "I believe you owe Us some explanations."
"Your Majesty, I actually came to bring you a request from..."
"First you explain to US why combat between Chinese and Japanese troops have ceased, why you are retreating from Insulindia, have abandoned the Lancaster Agreements and why two amphibious divisions have been deployed in Karafuto Island. To strike where from there? North?"
"Well, Your Majesty, it is the belief of the Japanese Empire that the current international order needs some reform, in order to survive, power have to be better distributed between the other actors and relations need to be more balanced. Prime Minister Ohgi is going to explain everything tonight, in an address to the Imperial Parliament."
"I see... the world uniting against Rome, you can go, Ambassador, I am taking no requests from Tokyo. Your country has already choosen its own field."
"But sir..."
"Go."
In a corner of the hall, Lucrezia smirked. Her trap was laid and soon the press would have learned of a serious cooling of relations between Rome and Japan. The days for Ohgi were counted.
"Now you." Said Giulio to Schneizel, Gino and Nonnette. "My dear friends, how may I help you?"
"We came with two requests." Started Nonnette.
"Very well, I am listening."
"The first, is that you support the formation of a Britannian Government in Exile. So that we can begin to mobilise the Britannian dissidents to overthrow the Duke of Mercia." Said Gino.
"And the second is that you give us support for a landing in..." Started Schneizel, being interrupted by Giulio.
"Please, come with me." He then said taking them outside the throne hall through a service door, to a room used by the servants to keep things used for maintenance and cleanings.
"Sorry but at court there are just too many persons listening. So you wanted to do an invasion of Scotland?" Asked the Emperor.
"Yes, using Britannian exilees. It would be an independent operation, so that Rome wouldn't be damaged by it."
Alright, I can support it. You will be in charge of the ground forces, while my Air Force and the Navy will provide you support, supplies and all the rest."
"And for the other idea?" Asked Gino.
"No, at least not yet. As long as I will need to maintain diplomatic relations with London I cannot recognise a government-in-exile based in Rome, sorry. After you will have secured your position in Scotland, then yes."
"In this case we should start by mobilising the forces, organising the Knights of the Round and prepare everything for the operation.
"Perfect." Replied Giulio. "I will put in contact with the Intelligence, the Navy and the Air Force to make sure that you receive all the needed assistance. Ideally, I think the operation should take place between April and May."
"Thank you for the support, I believe you understand how important is to me to rescue my sister." Said Schneizel.
"Don't worry, dear friend, you know well how much Anya and I care about Nunnally as well. We both wish to bring her to safety."
3rd of February, 2025
London, Holy Empire of Britannia
David Ablett went to see Duke Henry of Mercia at the Westminster Abbey. The place was completely empty, for the sole exception for the chorus doing some training.
"Sir Ablett, good to see you. I hope you are enjoying your new condition as member of the Order of the Garter." Started Henry de Montgomerie.
"Lord Regent." Started Ablett. "I am, but I remain worried by the fact that the Empress keeps showing absolutely no support towards us."
"She is just a spoiled girl." Replied the Regent. "And will be dead by the summer, thanks to the poison we are administering to her."
This for Ablett was far beyond what he could accept. Yet, during the previous weeks he had learned to fear the new leader of Britannia, as not only, he was a cruel and ruthless man, but he also had at his disposal the Geass, power that allowed him to exercise full control over anyone.
"Still sir, I do believe that the Bayer and all of Rome's pharmaceutical apparatus must have already found a cure, after all, they had developed it."
"Well, not really, indeed we had stolen the poison, that was nothing more than an artificially developed bacteria from them, but it was modified by... Well, let's say a third part."
"May I ask who?"
"Of course, yet I may not reply to you. I will only say that this is people that wants revenge, against Rome, Giulio and all those who benefitted from the Black Rebellion."
In that moment they stopped in front of the grave of Lelouch Vi Britannia. This was a simple grave, on the abbey's ground, with written on it: "RIP Lelouch vi Britannia, 99th Emperor of Britannia and All the Other Crown Domains Under the Sun. Pendragon, 5th of December 1999 - San Francisco, 2nd of August, 2019"
"Do you recall the fuss that Giulio and Nunnally caused to have him buried here with State funerals, funerals that only they, of all the world leaders, attended?" Asked Lord Mercia.
"I do, indeed. A fair attitude from their side." Said Ablett.
"A stupid attitude, as a matter of facts. There was no reason to pay such honours to a dead enemy. Even more so universally hated. An attitude could only be justified with the absurd idealism of those two."
"So don't you believe that even the worse enemies deserve at least some dignity?"
"Idiotic Medieval notions. Britannia is based on the ideology of natural selection and prevalence of the stronger over the weaker and it should stick to that. Men are not only inherently unequal, but also they are little more than animals. Do you see lions and wolves burying their preys? No, because there is no necessity to do so, it's not natural. However, Giulio and Nunnally are incoherent, because while they accept the idea that there is some sort of natural selection, they still believe that men have a soul and they still believe in Gods. So they are full of imbecile scruples about being merciful with a defeated enemy, following an ethical code while fighting, being loyal to their allies and even tributing honours to someone who did so much harm to both! All Medieval nonsense!"
Ablett felt an impulse to reply, but then gave up, he preferred not confront his superior and limited himself to change argument:
"Well, sir, I believe you did not called me to discuss philosophy and history."
"No, indeed, I wanted to tell you what will our next steps be."
"Well sir, I am listening."
"As you know already, we will be signing soon the peace treaty with the Nanking Government and also begin to support Indonesia and Congo. Now I want you to take the next step."
Ablett felt apprehensive. "Yes, sir, I am listening."
"You will declare your support to syndicalist and anti-colonial movements across the world and reorganise the Syndicalist Internationale in order to provide military and political support to those movements. I intend to strike at Rome this summer and when this will happen, they won't stand a chance."
"Sir, as you command."
Jakarta, People's Federation of Indonesia
Kallen was sitting in her office in what was now the Presidential Palace, a Japanese-style villa originally built as residence H.M.'s Governor-General of Insulindia. Since the agreement with Yuan Xiquan, things were slowly but steadily improving. Military support had started to arrive from India and China, also thanks to her old friend Rakshata Chawla, who was now Minister of Scientific Research in the Empire of India and who was lobbying on the Mahraja to assure more privileges to the newborn Indonesian State. In addition to it, the Japanese had by this point retreated from the islands and were negotiating a truce with them. In Tokyo, Ohgi now seemed to be consolidating his influence and prevailing over the imperialists Tohdoh and Kaguya, as was demonstrated by his recent decision to recall the Special Commissioner for the Black Knight and restore their autonomy. Now she was looking at the plans prepared by her military staff to strike at the Roman Strait Settlements and at its local tributary: the Federation of Malaysia.
"Mrs. President." Called her secretary knocking at the door.
"Yes?" Asked Kallen.
"There's a visit for you."
Without waiting for the permission, a pale girl, tall around 168cm, with long, light green hairs and golden eyes entered the room. Kallen recognised her almost immediately.
"CC?" She asked.
"Long time, no see, Kallen."
