An enemy Iron Blood couldn't predict. A META who once belonged to the Royal navy, but she's clearly not working alone. Someone else watched them from afar but disappeared in the ensuing commotion. The information is immediately reported to Bismarck seeing this new enemy has knowledge of the core's origin and is aware of Tirpitz's current condition.

"Hunter, a Royal navy destroyer. This one is a META working alongside others like her" Bismarck taps her wooden desk

"She knew we were coming. Otherwise, she wouldn't be in the perfect position to snipe all three of us" Prinz Eugen comments first

"Not to mention' she's invisible and silent, the perfect combination for a hunter" Admiral Hipper admits

"She knew something about the core. Namely, the one responsible for why the Arbiters had it in the first place"

"That META wouldn't go down easily, so someone else killed her. It's hard to piece cryptic hints"

Bismarck massages both of her temples to ease her fatigue on both her duties as a leader and simultaneously dealing with the mystery behind what caused Tirpitz to be the way she is.

"That Hunter META mentioned something about Tirpitz waking up and killing is if we try to take the core from her"

"If we try to remove the core, would that kill Tirpitz?" Friedrich der Grosse frankly asks

"I'm not certain myself. Tirpitz had become one with it, so I feared it would badly damage her wisdom cube" Bismarck admits her uncertainty

"If our wisdom cubes get damaged, it does all sorts of injury to us. It's practically our very essence after all" Prinz Eugen twirls the tip of her hair

Wisdom cubes contain potential as it shapes kansens and becomes their very foundation. It's as volatile as it's capable of giving life to all sorts of ships. Bismarck is primarily uncertain because Tirpitz's wisdom cube has been tampered with after the surgery and the cause of her unstable condition.

"That's why a meeting between you two needs to be arranged as soon as possible" Prinz Eugen twirls her bangs this time

"I mean...even she would still refuses, right?" Admiral Hipper reminds Prinz Eugen

"How would you go about it, Bismarck?" Friedrich der Grosse wants the answer from her

"...If Victorious is the only person Tirpitz listens to, then she's the only one who can convince and make her agree" Bismarck looks at all three

The three simultaneously react with a wide-eyed shock since Bismarck's plan is clear with those words alone. However, only Friedrich der Grosse frowns on it, but it doesn't express anger or displeasure.

"Victorious is a goody-two-shoes. That noisy girl wouldn't want to take advantage of Tirpitz's trust on her. She'll probably tell you to go meet your sister yourself" Prinz Eugen scoffs

"Well, I kind of agree to that" Admiral Hipper reluctantly raises her hand

"That Royal navy child would agree to help if the situation is explained" Friedrich der Grosse looks on the bright side

"This is for Tirpitz's sake. There's a good chance she'll be targeted if she sets out to the open sea again" Bismarck's hands tensed up

Admiral Hipper lightly tilts her head, seeming baffled at Bismarck's frowning in concern, while Prinz Eugen faintly smiles in amusement since Bismarck unknowingly expresses herself. As for Friedrich der Grosse, she prefers to quietly observe how Bismarck lowers her guard and sets aside her strict leader persona.

Mediterranean base...

In the time Victorious isn't following her wherever she goes, Tirpitz spends her night alone at the beach. She keenly gazes left and right, taking note if there's any kansen within the vicinity that could overhear or at least spot her.

"..." Tirpitz sighs

Upon confirming they are either asleep in their rooms or out on a mission, Tirpitz turns towards the sea. She first grabs the tip of her left glove and slowly removes it and the right glove follows shortly after. The pair of white gloves falls together just beside Tirpitz as she stares at her bare hands she's required to cover most of the time.

"Hmm..."

Tirpitz deliberately emits faint cold vapor from her hands, but it's weak that it couldn't freeze anything yet. The restraints are still tightly locked on her wrists like minimized shackles, so there's no danger of altering her surroundings.

"I haven't practiced much ever since I've been bailed out"

The nearest physical object is a piece of shattered rock in front of her, so Tirpitz grabs the rough black stone using her left hand. Tirpitz gently squeezes it within her fist and slowly strengthens the chill she emits on her hand. She's careful to only concentrate on what she's touching to prevent freezing her currently peaceful surroundings.

"...?"

White ice begins to coat the entirety of the small rock within her hand. The ice forms like a brittle shell around it while Tirpitz continues to secretly practice exerting control on her touch.

"It's possible if the object or target is small"

Tirpitz briefly recalls having enough control freezing the shell to prevent it from exploding upon contact and disperses the laser's heat with her extreme cold. When she opens her palm, the rock remains intact even with ice all over it.

"Still, sub zero temperature is enough to turn even rock...into a helplessly fragile object"

With a mere squeeze, the once piece of rock shatters into thousand bits no bigger than a grain of rice. It's like Tirpitz transformed it into grounded ice slowly falling down the sand and melting as soon as it leaves her hand.

"Oh~ You can release liquid nitrogen, so everything you touch freezes and fractures. It's amazing how you can fracture something as solid as a rock"

Littorio slowly claps to reveal she witnessed how Tirpitz deliberately freezes an object. She slowly walks towards her, not fearing the chill still present on Tirpitz's hand. In fact, she's genuinely curious at how her accidental ability functions just by seeing cold air on Tirpitz's hands.

"You're that battleship from Sardegna..." Tirpitz tosses the bits of frozen rock to the side

It's not that Tirpitz doesn't remember her name or is unaware of it, she just doesn't care enough to say it. Tirpitz is more focused on why Littorio secretly observed her rather than addressing her.

"Don't be surprised as to why I'm here. This is Sardinia, a part of my glorious Empire's territory" Littorio spreads her arms on both sides

"You're always with your sister Veneto as you both rule the Sardegna Empire" Tirpitz picks up her gloves

"We're more leaders than rulers. Aren't you the same as your sister? The Bismarck-class are seen as the finest example of Iron Blood engineering and your histories both carved fear and admiration!"

Littorio emphasizes it with how she swings her arms around and how she couldn't stop smiling at every word. Tirpitz is someone who doesn't care about reputation and image, so blinks at Littorio unable to contain her excitement.

"...I have no interest in being a symbol or leader, so that job went to Friedrich der Grosse. As long as I get to do my job, I don't particularly care about standing out and ambitions" Tirpitz takes a few seconds before responding

"Really? Isn't that unusual and boring? Everyone needs to have ambition to drive them and push them to new heights!"

"..." Tirpitz crosses her arms

"...but you're too emotionless to feel any excitement and motivation" Littorio clears her throat

"So why are you here late at night? I'm certain you didn't watch me break a stone out of boredom"

After Littorio restrains her excitement, Tirpitz inserts both gloves on and gently squeezes her fingers to adjust them. For the brief moment Tirpitz lifts her arms to insert the gloves, Littorio actually sneaks a glance to take note of the black metallic restraints forged from special nickel steels capable of withstanding sun zero temperatures.

"Veneto is on the mainland while I volunteered to be on the other side...because Zara and Pola reported they spotted a META sometimes appearing in the Mediterranean sea. Two days ago, it got close and wandered in the Tyrrhenian sea" Littorio turns serious

"A META? How can you be sure it's one of them" Tirpitz takes the matter seriously

"It's a ship resembling an existing one but darker and ragged-looking. Not to mention, she's not hostile to kansens and only attacks Sirens"

"So what kind of META are we talking about?"

"An aircraft carrier with an air wing of Royal navy aircraft. We don't have a more accurate description, since she's careful in hiding her true identity"

"Royal navy aircraft carriers. I'm at a disadvantage against them, so a META is already troublesome"

Rather than the aircraft carriers she encountered in the past, an image of Victorious brightly smiling and posing with a peace hand gesture comes to Tirpitz's mind. This is likely due to the past bombings Tirpitz suffered at her hands when verbally inviting her to tea parties fail.

"Tirpitz, that META only showed up when you got stationed here, so I want to observe if it's related to you" Littorio points at her

"...I haven't met any aircraft carrier META"

"Even if you don't know her, she might know you. META ships remain a mystery, so it wouldn't be a surprise if this one is after something...like the core you possessed"

"You know about it?"

"Just how the Sirens obtained it after defeating a META who unleashed a blizzard and froze half of the sea"

"..."

Tirpitz instinctively touches her chest upon suddenly remembering the sensation of a sharp object piercing through her body. An unknown person boldly stabs her from the front and precisely strikes the heart on the first try. She vaguely notices her surroundings to be covered in snow dragged by the howling wind.

"My personal theory is that META tracked you down because it's after the core used to save your life" Littorio lifts her right index finger

"Does your people have any information on who's the defeated META?"

"Not much other than her fellow META has her eyes on what's inside me. However, she wouldn't be able to take it..."

"...Unless she kills me" Tirpitz quickly guesses

"..." The two stares at each other

Currently, there's no possible way to separate the core from the wisdom cube unless Tirpitz herself is killed. The thought of giving her own life or getting killed has yet to cross Tirpitz's mind after one year. She's alive when she thought it could have been better to stay dead.

"King George V stayed here not only to observe your condition but to guard at the possibility a META might attack you"

"I don't need a bodyguard" Tirpitz immediately rejects the idea

"King George V is precisely guarding the core. Since it used to be from a META, the Royal navy deems it a risk to let another META retrieve it. I'm certain Iron Blood has the same thoughts, so they wanted you back"

Littorio doesn't hide the fact it's the core Iron Blood is the thing Iron Blood is concerned about rather than Tirpitz herself, but it couldn't provoke the slightest reaction from Tirpitz. She has long accepted that kind of reasoning after she's saved at the cost of a normal life.

"...I didn't want this power, and I preferred to stay dead back then" Tirpitz turns away

"Even if you hated what they did to you, it didn't look like you hated your life. You were given a second chance life but it stripped you of normalcy" Littorio guesses her thoughts

"I used to hate how they turned me into this, but since I'm still alive, I could still converse with Victorious and she could bother me all day long"

"..." Littorio just listens

"My condition is nothing but a burden, but it's the reason I'm alive. So how am I supposed to see this life exactly?"

"Tirpitz, I want an honest response from you"

Littorio takes a deep breath, seeing Tirpitz opening up her deep and sincere thoughts. There's a conflict clouding Tirpitz's mind, but she couldn't distinguish, let alone identify her clashing thoughts.

"Would you choose to die even if it means leaving your dearest sad every time she thinks about you" Littorio stares at her right in the eyes

"...What do you mean?"

"You value her enough to tolerate your cursed condition because she's happy you're there by her side. Not to mention, you didn't push her away and let her drag you on her whims" Littorio repeatedly pokes Tirpitz's shoulder

This makes Tirpitz remember the moments that count as spending time. Each of those times is Tirpitz going along with Victorious' whims. In fact, Tirpitz takes notice of Victorious' habits and how she's doing all she can to make Tirpitz react.

"Are you saying, my current life is more important than blaming Iron Blood for my condition?"

"..." Littorio doesn't answer

"Again, how am I supposed to see this? My life turned upside down when Bismarck made sure I survived...but she technically saved my life. I was about to helplessly die, but Bismarck managed to overturn that. It's because of my older sister that I'm still alive"

"So you did feel thankful after all, but your emotional past was more focused on the grudge...that you couldn't see past it"

Littorio smiles, sort of getting the answer she wants Tirpitz herself to admit. It takes a cunning one to have someone stubborn and hardheaded to be actually honest. The answer isn't full, but Littorio is satisfied right now.

"Hmph" Littorio turns away and smiles

Rather than at her own thoughts, Littorio smiles because of what's in a distance, just in the cover of dark. Her gaze sneaks a glance by her right side and even winks before Tirpitz could notice.

"That icy blockhead is glad to be alive even if she hated turning into a popsicle" Victorious' puffs her cheeks and yawns

"Heh. I knew I asked the right person" King George V nods

The two Royal navy ships hide behind a nearby beach hut and the dead of night further conceals their figures from being spotted. King George V is just leaning on the side, satisfied with just overbearing the conversation while Victorious is having difficulty peeking without being seen.

"Then Tirpitz wouldn't avoid Bismarck anymore? It doesn't look like she fully blames her anymore" Victorious sighs in relief

"That's possible. Tirpitz is slowly coming to terms with her condition, but she's still at the stage where she has a hard time admitting it"

Victorious is restless out of nervousness and relief even if Tirpitz initially admits it to someone as unexpected as Littorio.

"Is it true a META could be after Tirpitz's core?" Victorious swallows her breath

"It's true. Iron Blood might have gotten a wind of this too, so Bismarck might make her move soon" King George V answers sternly

"Then...Tirpitz can talk things out with Bismarck?" Victorious finds hope

"Well, that's what we're hoping. It wouldn't be easy, but it's possible they could still reconcile. Those two sisters tend to be aloof and dishonest with their feelings..."

"..." Victorious' head begins to sway

King George V's voice fades away seeing Victorious struggling to keep both eyes open and her keeping her swaying body straight.

"No need to force yourself. It's time for a good night's rest, Victorious" King George V holds Victorious shoulders to keep her standing

"I want to...listen to more..." Victorious lets out a big yawn

"A good sleep is as important as worrying for your friend"

Seeing Victorious wobble and worrying she might fall face first, King George V gently turns her away from the scene. The visibly sleepy Victorious is powerless when King George V guides her away while holding both of her shoulders.

"..."

King George V glances at the two battleships with her initial focus on Tirpitz who seemingly glances at her for a split second. It couldn't be possible for Tirpitz to notice her hiding in the shadows.

The next day...

Just right after lunch time, Tirpitz finds herself surrounded by the Mutsuki class destroyers, whose mentality matches their miniature appearance. The culprit for having innocent children is Victorious, who cheerfully gives them popsicles with various flavors.

"..."

Tirpitz helplessly sits a nearby bench under the shade of a tree and holds an unmelting popsicle due to her cold touch. She carefully observes the young ones in a straight line and patiently waiting for Victorious to hand them one popsicle each. Each time one destroyer gets one, she jumps in joy and runs to the side.

"Wow! You're like a refrigerator"

Mutsuki climbs up the bench and presses her small hand to Tirpitz's cheek. The latter moves her gaze to the innocently curious destroyer with eyes sparkling out of amazement. A child is completely unaware of Tirpitz's situation and has no reason to learn the trim reality behind it.

"Mmm...so comfortable"

Nagatsuki does the same but on Tirpitz's right side instead. Now, Tirpitz has two destroyers pressing their hands on her cheeks to cool themselves even more.

"The popsicle doesn't even melt" Kisaragi leans closer

As soon as the third one comes, the others begin to gather around her like small animals attracted to food. Most of them are staring at the popsicle in Tirpitz's hand that has still ice around and cold vapor rising from the tip.

"It's not that amazing..." Tirpitz finally takes a bite of her popsicle

"I want powers like that too so I can still eat ice cream even if I stuff it in my bag!" Nagatsuki raises both arms

"That's really convenient!" Mutsuki rapidly nods her head

"Victorious, why did you bring these children here. They're too...naive" Tirpitz stands up

"You need some form of comfort. Children don't have hidden intentions and won't backstab you or anything" Victorious puffs her chest

"They don't know anything about my condition"

Tirpitz moves away from the young destroyers, who are all equally puzzled staring at the two since they are clueless to their conversation. It's another moment where "the adults are talking", so they could only change their gaze depending on who's speaking.

"You don't need to tell them about it" Victorious pokes Tirpitz's cheek

"Still, they're naive that I wonder why they took the form of...preschoolers" Tirpitz briefly looks at the gathered destroyers

"People are weird and their thoughts are often questionable. Well, that's why the military police exist" Victorious giggles

"It makes you wonder if ignorance is a bliss. That we're better off being dumb and clueless all the time"

Looking back at the Mutsuki class huddled up together and staring at her in a shared innocent curiosity, Tirpitz wonders about the children being worry free of reality.

"..." Mutsuki pushes Kisaragi to the front

"W-w-why do you look like you're really sad?" Kisaragi's legs trembles

"Sad? I can't express sadness...or even joy and anger. I'm just empty" Tirpitz bends on one knee

"T-that's not true. Big sis Shoukaku and Zuikaku said people hide their sadness because they don't want others to worry. T-that's why we know Kaga-san...is sad sometimes" Kisaragi looks like she's about to cry

"It may have applied to my old self, but that part of me died a long time ago" Tirpitz shakes her head

"Adults talk really weird sometimes. Musashi talking made my nose bleed one time" Mutsuki tilts her head in confusion

"..."

Tirpitz slightly jolts when Kisragi stands on her toes and tries her hardest to have her small left hand gently pat Tirpitz's head.

"Are you trying to make me feel better?" Tirpitz blinks

The timid destroyer's whole body trembles out of nervousness, but she musters her little courage to give some form of comfort. She's the type who would often look like she's about to cry or faint but still has the courage to do what she must if the situation calls for it.

"S-shinano said sometimes a head pat can make a sad person feel better because it shows...how we care..." Kisaragi fidgets with her fingers

"...and a hug!" Mutsuki runs behind Tirpitz and slams her body on her back

The other destroyers squeeze themselves and follow Mutsuki's lead, stretching out their arms and embracing Tirpitz. As children, it's the only method taught to them on how to show comfort even if they can't grasp the severity of the situation.

"Children..."

Tirpitz understands the small ones are doing their best to make her "sadness" go away even if she can't sense their warmth or feel the slightest comfort. Until now, her heart feels empty, but she doesn't reject their approach.

"Tirpitz, there you are!" King George V waves her hand from a distance

The young ones pull themselves away and slowly back away from the scene as soon as King George V waves her hand as a gesture of "hello".

"..."

Victorious understands King George V's presence and hurriedly goes to the Mutsuki class side to guide the curious destroyers away. The mood is tense all of a sudden and the conversation is something that doesn't need the presence of oblivious children.

"A representative from Iron Blood is here"

"Iron...Blood" Tirpitz raises her guard

"Friedrich der Grosse visited in Bismarck's stead. It's important, so you have to meet her now" King George V is in a hurry

"Why visit me all of a sudden? I don't believe she's just here for a stop"

"That's something you should bring up to her" King George V shrugs her shoulders

"I don't think I can refuse" Tirpitz guesses

"Unfortunately, your presence is required"

It's clear from King George V's dead serious glare that she might just forcefully drag Tirpitz if she refuses and walks away. A clash between them in an inappropriate place and time would only cause trouble for everyone present in the base.

"Since Victorious is around, I'll just go along with your whims as well" Tirpitz briefly glances at King George V holding the hilt of her sheathed saber

Tirpitz herself doesn't realize she wants to avoid freezing a portion of the base as Victorious might be in range. King George V wouldn't hesitate to cut one off her hands at the slightest hostile move Tirpitz would make.

Fifteen minutes later...

King George V leads the way while Tirpitz quietly follows not far behind, but she's vigilant even while just staring at the knight's back. She knows King George V is sometimes observing her at the instance she becomes hostile to anyone around her.

"We're here"

The location is one of the private rooms within the base often used for briefings and meetings. It's in the furthest room on the main building's ground floor. It's an ordinary looking room from the outside with a polished wooden door and a glinting round silver knob.

"I'll be standing guard outside since Friedrich der Grosse requested a private discussion" King George V turns the doorknob

"...Fine"

Tirpitz doesn't particularly care whether King George V follows her inside or not. As soon as King George V pushes the door with a gentle tap, Tirpitz immediately sees Friedrich der Grosse sitting with her legs crossed and drinks Royal navy brewed tea with the most relaxed expression she has.

"Please don't try to freeze the room" King George V softly reminds her

As soon as Tirpitz takes several steps entering the room, King George V slowly pulls the door close and Tirpitz even catches the sound of the doorknob being locked from the outside.

"It's been a year, my child" Friedrich der Grosse gently places back the cup on the saucer

"To be honest, I didn't even want to meet anyone from Iron Blood right now" Tirpitz takes the nearest seat

"What pushed you?" Friedrich der Grosse raises an eyebrow

"That chivalrous knight would do whatever it takes to drag me"

"Well, we all have a duty to fulfill. Bismarck ordered I must meet you, so I might have dragged you myself if that knight couldn't"

The way Friedrich der Grosse jokingly states it and even giggles betray her menacing glare. She's focused on how Tirpitz doesn't react the least and her dulled sapphire eyes only study her figure and gestures at least.

"My child, I hope that Victorious hasn't tamed you into a puppy"

"Tame? Do you think I'm being treated like a pet?" Tirpitz raises her head

"It seems you're obedient to her whims and you follow her around"

"I let her do as she wishes because I trust her, and I've been wondering if I could reclaim the emotions I lost"

"That's how it is..." Friedrich der Grosse crosses her arms

There's no malice or any form of Friedrich der Grosse, but Tirpitz raises her guard with how she pries into her relationship with Victorious. Tirpitz already initially guesses Iron Blood, or at least Friedrich der Grosse, is wary of Victorious being around Tirpitz most of the time.

"In your first battle after being freed, did you use your ability on purpose? You passed out with a drastically lowered body temperature" Friedrich der Grosse frowns

"Arbiter VI: Lovers isolated me and didn't really try to kill me"

In the brief encounter with the Arbiter, Tirpitz conceals the part where she freezes the shells and disperses the heat from the laser. She exerted a degree of control over her own condition, but she's guarding herself against a fellow ship from Iron Blood.

"Why did you insist on a meeting today? I want to know why Iron Blood acted all of a sudden" Tirpitz asks the most important question

"Just a few days ago, we encountered Hunter META, who has knowledge about your condition and is aware of your core's origin" Friedrich der Grosse doesn't bother hiding it

"You investigated"

"That's correct, my child. We hoped for a possible cure to your condition by learning more about the defeated where your core originated"

"…..."

The conversation with Littorio last night comes to mind. Regarding her core, an unnamed META is possibly after her core. Still, Tirpitz holds this information because of mistrust.

"That little Hunter META ambushed us because she knew we were coming. However, she didn't aim for vital spots and fled shortly after we forced her to reveal herself"

"What's special about this core? It belonged to a dead META"

"I'm not certain myself. The little META informed us your condition is irreversible and there could be death if we tried to take the core...once you wake up"

"The only death here would be mine. It's fused to my wisdom cube, so I might die if someone ripped it out"

"By the way, do you know anything about a restless ghost? The little META left cryptic words for us. She also said something about a ghost dying horribly cannot rest"

"A ghost?"

The only ghost that Tirpitz could think of is the doppelganger in her dream. In the dream surrounded by ice and snow, a more emotionally dead version of her leaves cryptic messages before forcing her to wake up.

"I don't know about ghosts because I don't think it exists" Tirpitz immediately denies knowledge

"I really hate puzzles and riddles. I'd rather prefer straightforward opponents" Friedrich der Grosse presses her clawed hand on her cheek

"Is Bismarck trying to take me back?" Tirpitz changes the topic

"No need to worry about that. Bismarck wouldn't force you, but she would arrange a proper between you two soon" Friedrich der Grosse cheerfully smiles

"Meet her? It's been a year since the last time we spoke, but that resulted in attempted murder"

"Well, sisters tend to quarrel once in a while. I'm certain it's just a misunderstanding between my children" Friedrich der Grosse waves both hands

Tirpitz would never forget how she turned a base into a frozen landscape out of an impulse to kill Bismarck. She recklessly didn't consider that she might have accidentally frozen one of her allies to death, but she doesn't particularly think about it. In Friedrich der Grosse's side, she doesn't blame them and prefers to dote on her beloved children like a loving mother.

"Tirpitz, I want your personal opinion on your current life. You interact with others without a problem. No instances of any misbehavior or quarrel with another kansen either"

"I still have my grievance regarding Bismarck, but I begin to think how I'm alive right now. That operation saved me, but I couldn't feel anything even if you can say I'm alive right now"

"Your conflict is understandable" Friedrich der Grosse carefully listens

"Emotions make us human, so it felt like I lost my humanity just to stay alive. If that's the case, then is it really worth it to live?"

Tirpitz lifts her left arm and her right hands gently rubs the metallic restraint she couldn't take off due to the danger she possess. It's no different from being handcuffed all the time.

"I couldn't feel the slightest bit of happiness when my old self used to possess emotions. To lose the core part of my humanity just to keep on going, is it really a price worth paying?"

"Bismarck made the choice and you paid the price. Is it why you still find it difficult to speak to her" Friedrich der Grosse slightly tilts her head

"That's probably the case. I'm willing to accept my death and she knows that, but she couldn't respect my choice"

"Bismarck may have after selfishly, but you're her younger sister. She did what she thought was for the best"

The second Friedrich der Grosse defends Bismarck's actions, the room temperature drops by to at least twenty degrees Celsius. Tirpitz is passively affecting her surroundings while remaining seated.

"It's true that I've been saved from death and witnessed more of my surroundings, I could no longer feel another's warmth or experience happiness again. I live everyday unsure whether someone like me should remain alive" Tirpitz doesn't notice the effect on her surroundings

"..."

"Unfortunately, speaking with Bismarck is still a bit early. There's still a chance I might do something similar last year" Tirpitz rejects the idea

"I see. I thought I'd approach you first hoping you would have a change of heart, but I can't blame you for refusing"

Friedrich der Grosse somewhat expected Tirpitz to firmly turn down the idea, so she doesn't push the topic further. As a "mother", she wishes what's best for her children's well-being and Tirpitz is wary of her in her current state. It's evident how she emitted chill all over the room but not enough to freeze the surface yet.

(In the end, we would have to make use of Victorious. I dislike how that girl tamed my child, but this is our best option...)

Friedrich der Grosse hides her own dismay over the result and feels reluctant over letting Victorious convince her as initially planned. It's a secret she couldn't let Tirpitz realize as it would make her distrust Iron Blood even more and possibly hostile to them out of attempted trickery.