Author's note:
I hope you all liked the ending of the last chapter.

Read up on both chapters of Chapter 8 if you need a refresher because this is a follow-up to it after her retreat.

M for language and gore.

April 11, 1963

Berlin, Germany

Hitler and many of his top generals are in a conference room discussing strategy of a strike on the US prior to another invasion, but there is an elephant in the room that needs to be discussed. The failure of the first invasion of the United States, most importantly who should take the blame for the failure.

Esdeath opens the door and walks into the room. She walks towards the Fuhrer and saluted him. He saluted her back. She had a neutral expression when confronting Adolf Hitler.

"My Fuhrer. I have failed you. I see now that we've underestimated the capabilities of the Americans, Canadians, and the Monroe Alliance forces. It's as if they've already known our plans prior to landing." Esdeath gave her report to the Fuhrer, Hitler.

"I'm glad that you've returned alive. That is what's important. Can you elaborate on the failure?" Asked Hitler.

"If we're talking about pinning the blame on a man. Then certainly the admiral who split me, my forces, and my Tatsumi in half." Esdeath told Hitler.

"And who approved such order?" Asked Hitler. Esdeath looks confused now.

"Didn't you approve the order my Fuhrer? To split my forces in half. Tatsumi and half of my force attack New York, and me with the remaining forces attack through Nova Scotia." Esdeath ask Hitler.

"No. You and Tatsumi and your force attack through New York. From there you attack Southward towards Washington D.C.." Hitler tells Esdeath. After realizing that she has been lied to by the admiral, she let out a laughter that is heard throughout the room.

"I'm going to kill that son of a bitch!" Esdeath yelled out. "I will torture him in such a way that he is going to beg for death!" Esdeath let out a fit of rage.

"General Esdeath, please calm yourself." Hitler tells the general.

"It's too late General Esdeath." A General speaks up. "He took his own life after sending out a retreat order from New York and throughout the rest of the Eastern Seaboard. Leaving many of your men in the hands of the US."

"Is that so. And his family?" Esdeath asks.

"If you want to take it out on the man's family. It's too late for that too. They've left Germany a week before the operation. They've disappeared without a trace" The same general tells Esdeath.

"Well then. As I stated before. Let's pin the blame on him alone. Defame him, make his name a disdain on the Party's reputation. If anyone so dares to speak about him, then let their heads roll from the steps of the Reichstag." Esdeath suggested.

"That is what we're planning on doing. And on the topic of doing. What has happened to your servant, Tatsumi? If you didn't double check the validity of the order then we wouldn't be in this situation." Esdeath pointed her left arm at the general. She releases an ice blade, the ice blade fly's and cuts the general's left cheek. The wound was deep that it removed his skin exposing the muscles and bleeding profusely. He has to be escorted out.

"Speak one more damn time and I will end your career as a general early. Speak ill of my Tatsumi and I will assure you with every fiber of my being that you will die a painful death. Let that be a warning to you." Esdeath spoke.

"Esdeath. Please refrain from making a scene." Hitler told the Esdeath.

"Fine. What is the next strategy?" Asks Esdeath.

"After the conquest on Greenland. We're building a base of operations there and establishing silos on Greenland. From there we'll be able to launch a massive attack with V2 rockets and possibly Zeppelins along with Luftwaffe attacks. From there we'll take Canadian land and move southward towards more unprotected American territory." A major general tells Esdeath.

"Hmm. Sounds interesting enough. But, why haven't we done this beforehand?" Asked Esdeath.

"Well. To be honest. We'd assume that." The major general was stumbling for words.

"Assume what?" Esdeath asks in a stern manner.

"We'd assume that the mission in North America would be successful. But since, that cretin sent out an order that he wasn't authorized to. This is plan B. But in the case of invasion. Then we have other plans for those too." The general tells Esdeath. She gives off a sigh.

"Very well. When the plan is finished. Contact me. I'll be taking my leave in my estate." Esdeath saluted to the cabinet and the Fuhrer, and the rest saluted back. She turns around and leaves the conference room.

*Sigh.* "Why must we be forever apart. Even when I had you, you were taken. Why can't we be together forever, Tatsumi." Esdeath thought to herself. Another time that she lost her only beloved. Hopefully that they'll reunite once again, even in death, even if she dies trying, at least she wants to spend her moments next to her beloved again. She should have cherished these moments with him, at least give him the idea to be next to her instead of breaking him. So many could've and should've but that is all in the past now.

Endnote:
I hope you all liked this chapter. If you're wondering why Esdeath may or may not be acting out of character? Well here is a theory.

What if the blood Imperial Arms that she drank, which gave her ice powers. Is slowly making her mad?

Right now in this timeline, she is about in her early to mid-forties. Probably an effect of that imperial arms is her skin aging slowly but also her mind slowly becoming more and more warped and insane. That was just a theory.

An Anime Theo(No)

Anyways. The next chapter would be the beginning of Operation Aurora Borealis. A follow-up to the last chapter.

See you then.