So here's the start of Episode 2, before any fighting takes place.
The streets of Albringen were not as bustling as Alice has hoped. By seeing the sign to the capital of Westria, Alice expected something more. That night, she slept on a tree while using Tipler as a pillow, much to his discomfort. She was wanted to get an early start on whatever activities she expected to appear. However, the environment was...disappointing to say the least.
"Agghh, this is frustrating!"
"Alice-sama," Tipler remained hidden in her pack as she walked down an alley.
"I swear that even the tiniest of villages of Liberion always had something going on in the middle of the day. The silence of this place is already giving me a headache!"
"Please, quiet down, Alice-sama. Besides, you must be aware that we're in constant danger no matter where we go. Anyone around could be the enemy."
"I know, I know! Still, the place could be a little livelier than it is."
"I don't think it's that simple," Tipler argued. "The people here are not very comfortable. They're all worried about something. Something they fear will befall upon them, no matter the neutrality."
"You mean like the Neuroi?"
"The Neuroi?"
"Those black objects that are attacking humanity without any reason, or rather they're just incapable of it. The only ones they haven't attacked are those goons up in Germania."
As she finished, several vehicles drove past them as they nearly exited the alleyway. A black car with several trucks behind it had the symbolic diagonal cross with a dagger replacing one of its arms. A Germanian soldier ordered in his respective language to the people at a crosswalk that was blocking the convoy.
"Well, speak of the devil," Alice snarked. "Even in a neutral nation, they act like they are the king of the house."
"They do not sound like good people," Tipler agreed. "I overheard some people talking about them invading a nearby state south of us."
"Eylstadt has always been a nation Germania has hoped to seize for some reason even I don't understand. Why should such a tiny nation be all that important to a mighty empire?"
"Perhaps there's someone or..something that they want?"
"I don't know. It's not like I read any of this place's legends or anything like that! Such things are irrelevant to me."
"Even with the existence of so-called Witches?"
"Yeah, even that!"
"Then, there must be something around that intrigues them. For what I've read on this world's map, Eylstadt borders east of the country. Perhaps they're somehow connected?"
Alice sighed as the Germanian convoy went by and started shrinking in the distance. However, she was more frustrated that their journey- or rather her journey- was getting nowhere. Should this be a time she took a more active approach?
"Well, it's not like staying around here is any better," Alice tightened her fanny pack.
"W-What are you doing, Alice-sama?"
"I think we're going to play a little follow the leader here. We'll just have to follow those cars without them noticing. Hold on!"
Alice then covered her pack, forcing Tipler inside so he didn't fall out. As the Germanian convoy was barely in the distance, Alice went out of the alley, leaning on the nearby walls and trees to secretly pursue.
In the middle of Westria's capital laid a large theatre hall. The Germanic play of Die Zauberflöte was playing in the center of the concert. The audience watched from the main floor and three-story balconies. On the third level of the hall was an old Britannian man who enjoyed the fine scenery around himself as he listened to the villain of the opera. He was then distracted by the door opening beside him.
"Sorry for interrupting your evening."
Finé walked in with a royal purple dress. Lord Redford opened his arms in welcome to the princess of Eylstadt.
"Why, you have become so beautiful! I can see why Prince Henry is quite taken of you. You simply look dazzling, Princess Finé."
"And you're as skilled at flattery as ever, Lord Redford."
"His Highness was moved by the letter you sent," the Britannian man bowed before her. "And how is your father?"
"No need to worry about him. He's slowly recovering and should be fine in a matter of days."
"I see. I was worried when I was told that the Archduke was bedridden, but it seems like I was wrong about him."
"So it seems."
Inside, she sighed as she pulled off what was a lie. Her straight face was enough to appraise the Britannian ambassador before him.
"You're going to be an excellent leader someday."
"I am honored, Lord Redford."
"Now then, shall we get to the discussion?"
Finé walked to the seat across from Lord Redford. As the play continued in the background, the two went straight to the main topic. The Britannian noble started while facing partially away from Finé.
"Now, it pains me to say this, but it will be very difficult to send another expedition to mainland Europe. We suffered heavy losses in our last defeat. The damage in the struggle against the Neuroi was too great."
"What about the special Witch divisions stationed there? Shouldn't the 501st you have established nearby reach our nation without any problem?"
"I'm afraid Marshal Maloney is too busy with such matters, just like all of its members. The Neuroi attacks have increased on our mainland, and all the major officers are either off helping the Karsland movement or have gone as far as Fuso for reinforcements."
Finé paused for the moment. With the damage to Britannia and the Witch divisions not available, she needed to play all the cards she had.
"You once tried to entice our country's Einberger Corporation to move to Britannia, didn't you?"
"Eylstadt's manufacturers of precision machinery are very appealing. However, they all staunchly refused to betray the nation and Archduke that brought them this far."
"Of course, they are all very loyal men. Therefore, if they were taken that Britannia has done its best to aid Eylstadt, they would be more than eager to repay you."
"Hmm, that would be very appealing indeed," Lord Redford considered. "But that won't be enough to convince Parliament or the public to take action."
"In that case, what if Eylstadt became the homeland to the heir of the throne, who would later become the wife of Prince Henry? Would Parliament and your nation's people not be willing to send troops to the continent then?"
Finé's best card made even Lord Redford jump in awe.
"You mean…"
"I know I declined before, but I'd like to accept Prince Henry's hand in marriage."
"And give up your claim to the Archduke's throne?"
"My cousin, Leonora, is with child. I will entrust the future of the family to them."
Lord Redford sighed over the impression of the princess's skill on the negotiation table. He staunchly gave his comments to Finé's bold taking to the future of her title.
"Princess, you truly are natural-born girl worthy of your title. You're willing to sacrifice yourself for the best interests of your country truly has moved me."
As Finé sighed over how well the negotiations were going, that when Lord Redford's smile when upside down. The sight of Redford's new face gave her a whiplash in the mood.
"However, that just makes this all the more sad."
"What do you mean?"
"Princess, if there was just a little more time...if only you had come a little sooner...then I would have most certainly accepted your offer. But no matter what conditions you propose, it's too late now...we can not help you anymore."
The nearby door slammed open, alerting the stunned princess and Britannian ambassador.
"Princess!"
Hermann was repeatedly shot to death by several bullets. His corpse leaned on the bloodstained door to Finé's horror.
"Hermann!"
The doors then slammed open as Germanian soldiers stormed the balcony. The commander, distinguished by his smug look and golden gun equipped with a silencer, entered the room to see the princess.
"Looks like the Princess is here after all."
Finé smirked as she faced Lord Redford.
"Was this your doing?"
"N-No," Lord Redford shook his head before slumping. "Not that I expect you to believe me."
"The Britannian dog here is out of the question," the Germanian commander set the Britannian aside. "The great Germanian Empire's spy network was simply superior, that is all. We would have shared you the news long before he would."
"What news!?"
"You sure have been far away from your country for too long," the officer stepped towards the princess. "Germanian forces crossed the Eylstadt's borders more than two hours ago. The invasion of your precious little country has already begun!"
Finé gave a glare as the Germanian was inches away from her. He poked his gun at the princess's face as he gave unwelcoming compliments.
"You are beautiful as they say. The Emperor would be pleased when he knows that we took you in."
"What do you intend to do with me?"
"Well, for starters, you shall accompany us on our way back to Neu-Berlin."
Two Germanian soldiers grabbed Finé's arms as they escorted her silently out of the room. The door then closed behind them, leaving only the Britannian noble behind. The whole incident concluded without a single disturbance to the play below. Yet, the man had no time to listen, only pitying what has occurred before the princess and her nation.
In the more deforested areas of Westria, Germanian forces have occupied the nearby airfield. A few Bf-109s by the aircraft hangers were spinning their propellers for their inevitable takeoff. The other side was a column of tanks and supply trucks carrying troops. A couple of black cars were by in front of a few more supply trucks that trailed behind.
Outside of the Germanian-occupied airbase, Alice leaned on the rocks, observing the soldiers loading up on the transport aircraft. Tipler was standing on the rocks to get a closer view. Both of them only had a few trees and bushes approaching in the way to remain hidden.
"So, the Germanians have settled here as well."
"Of course, they do," Alice tried to keep her loudmouth as quiet as possible. "They always have some base even in the middle of neutral territory. How else do they maintain vast control of this European continent without obstruction?"
"And they brought these mechanical giants and flying monsters in here with them."
"Those giants are called tanks, and those flying machines are planes. From what I've read, they look like fighter planes to me."
Tipler only sighed over having to process all that information. Even in this day and age, the world here feels so much more complicated than he can handle.
"You say come from the future and yet you have no idea what a plane or tank is?"
"I come from a very different period, Alice-sama. Please apologize for not knowing much details."
"The future you come from must be awful then."
"Indeed, the world we come is...unsettling. If you wish, I can tell you everything that's at stake-"
"Shh," Alice pointed her finger at his mouth.
"Alice-sama?"
Alice shushed him again as a car stopped nearby. The duo hid behind the rock as they opened their ears for their conversation. They heard the voices of two Germanians leaving their vehicle.
"So the coffin is being transported by air from here?"
Ricket allowed Berkmann to exit on his side as he faced the truck behind them.
"The folks at the workshop tell me that even though it wasn't for long, the fact it was opened means there's no telling what's going to happen later. They recommended that we send it to the Imperial Capital as soon as possible."
"Is it true? That she wiped out an entire military company on her own?"
"I can't tell you. But His Majesty is rather a big fan of the legend, and it was our job to investigate."
Alice raised an eyebrow over the news. Tipler took a quick peek at the two men as Berkman continued.
"Besides, if it were true, wouldn't it be a little...romantic?"
"Huh?"
"Never mind, my mouth slipped for a moment," Berkman shook his head as he faced the transport plane. "In any case, once we have the second cargo here, the plane will be taking off."
"Second cargo?"
"We just got the intel from our nearby contacts. The princess of Eylstadt has been captured. They'll be transporting her onto the same plane as the coffin to Neue-Berlin."
"But why? Wouldn't that be-"
"I'm not sure myself. The fact she opened that coffin will increase the risk in some ways. But if I were to guess, it's to use her use as a coverup if something wrong happened along the way."
"A coverup?"
"By all means, His Majesty demands that should we find the Eylstadt's Witch, then we should make every attempt to capture and transport her as quickly as possible, without anyone noticing its importance. What do you think the reporters would say if they found out we were transporting a little girl of immense power, rather than a princess of a nation that's close to no longer existing?"
"I-I understand."
"We can't drag our feet around here. Besides, our original task is already completed. Since the officers told me that they'd be ready to take off in about two hours, let's make sure we leave before then."
As Berkmann and Rickert went off to another plane, Tipler went closer to Alice while she hid back behind the rock.
"Eylstadt's Witch?"
"Does this surprise you, Alice-sama?"
"Y-Yeah, I never knew that Eylstadt had a Witch. From all the world news I've seen, it's one of the few countries that never enlisted a Witch into their military. Or perhaps, they don't want to."
"This Witch sounds like she is a dangerous threat. Do you think she may have something to do with why Germania is invading?"
"Don't ask me; I'm not the expert in European myths here!"
"Then what about the princess? Could she have something to do with this?"
"I don't think it's that," Alice paused for the moment. As the Bf 109s started to take off, she gave off a mischievous smirk. "Of course, that doesn't mean I mind a little rescue mission..."
"What are you planning to do?"
"You'll see. Simply put, in a few hours, we're gonna save ourselves a little princess…"
Again, sorry for the short chapter. It's just inevitable considering how I organize the larger chapters. The next one is going to be pretty huge since it covers the entire battle for Chapter 2.
Either way, hope enjoyed the short read.
