Chapter 25: Walpurgis Night Part 2
"So, what exactly is in the Estate that will help me lead the girls against the Siren invasion?"
"In short, something that'll give you the visuals and intel you'll need to properly act as a commander. You'll see for yourself real soon."
Currently Shikikan, Freya, and a large handful of military police officers were rushing back towards Freya's Estate, or more precisely, the command center inside.
"Fine…cough.." Shikikan muttered, still fatigued and still somewhat short of breath from the gas.
"Make way!" One of the officers escorting them shouted out, alerting everyone else to clear the path of officers and arrested cultists alike.
"E-Eure Exzellenz! Should we bring the cultists to the nearest prison?" Another officer inquired upon spotting them.
"Nein! There's far too many to cram into it, so just round them all up into the empty storage facility near the barracks and secure it! No more questions! I'm in a hurry!" Freya shouted as she ran by with everyone in tow.
"U-Understood!" The soldiers saluted before hastily gathering up the remaining cultists.
'…How the hell is she running that fast in heels?' Shikikan wondered in awe.
"Pick up the pace Herr Kommandant! The Estate's right there!" Freya yelled as she was speeding on ahead.
"Right….ugh…" Shikikan groaned as he took a deep breath and made a beeline for the Estate.
{Moments later with the Ironblood Kansen}
"How are you holding up Hipper?"
"I'm covered in debris, scratches, and sweat. You tell me, Eugen."
"Hehe, seems like you're doing just fine." The heavy cruiser teased before looking back towards Tirpitz. "Any words of what's happening back there?"
"Nein. We'll just have to trust that Herr Kommandant made it to the medical corps safe and sound by now."
"I'd hope so! I haven't worked up this much of a sweat in a while, so I've got mixed feelings about all this!" Heinrich complained as she jumped back after sinking two more Oceana classes.
"I hope you all enjoyed your break cause the next wave is coming in." Strasser sighed as she began to lift her scepter once more.
"Eight Peace-Breakers rapidly approaching and preparing to open fire!" Z23 yelled.
"Oh crap…" Heinrich started.
"Shields up! Eugen! Heinrich!" Hipper yelled bracing herself for the impact.
As the Peace-Breakers trained their guns on the heavy cruisers and prepared to fire, multiple sudden explosions began to cover them whole.
"Auf Wiedersehen.."
"Ha-haa! Nike stands with us!"
"Ho? About time you girls showed up." Eugen smirked knowingly as four figures began to emerge from underwater.
"Sorry we're late!" U-556 emerged first and shouted. "It took us a lot longer to refuel than we thought!"
"Well, we didn't get a chance to catch our breath after coming back from our patrol before the alarms started ringing." U-47 added. "But yeah…, sorry."
"Better late than never, I'd always say! Nice assist!" Heinrich cheered happily.
"Alright, now that we're here, let's get rid of these jerks already!" U-81 rallied.
"I couldn't agree more."
"Yeah!...Wait, who said that?" U-81 looked around confusedly.
"Herr Kommandant!?" Roon shouted from afar as she took a break from stomping the remains of an Explorer into the ocean depths. "Where are you?"
"Back in the Command Center of the Estate. I've shockingly got a bird's eye view of everyone and everything from here."
"But how?" Z23 inquired.
"Well in short…" Shikikan started.
{Flashback to about ten minutes ago}
"Huff…huff….."
"Hmm…maybe I should've given you a stronger dosage? Surely the lingering poison gas's effects are the reason why that short sprint left you so out of breath." Freya guessed as she opened the doors to the Command Center.
"Oh, I'm sorry, do you want to try escaping a Mirror Sea, push a cart full of people, and fight terrorists while inhaling more and more poisonous gas by the second over the course of like 6 hours?" Shikikan sassed.
"Heh, if you're able to bark like that then you're doing just fine. As refreshing as it is to chat with you, you've still got work to do." Freya laughed before looking over to the waiting Dr. Emil.
"Welcome back, Herr Kommandant. Come over here, quickly." The doctor waved as he gestured to the large cylindrical tower in the center of the room.
"What exactly am I doing here?"
"This, my friend, is the pinnacle of Ironblood engineering, a fully state of the art computerized monitoring system using the Ironblood's most prized, secret technology to provide kommandants with an almost omniscient view over a battlefield without having to get close to it themselves. I dub it, ze Oracle!" Dr. Emil rambled. "Since we're on the clock, allow me to just give you a quick run-down."
{End of flashback}
"So yeah, now I'm just standing in front of this tower and am seeing a bunch of floating holographic screens at once, giving me the bird's eye view I mentioned earlier. I'm not too sure about the tech, but regardless, I'm back and ready to take command, that is if you don't mind Tirpitz." Shikikan joked.
"By all means, Herr Kommandant." The battleship calmly remarked, a ghost of a relieved smile crossing her lips.
"Great. Then let's get this over with." Shikikan started before putting his hands out. "How's everyone holding up so far?"
"Minor damages to the main fleet and varying ranges of minimal to moderate damages in the vanguard." Tirpitz reported.
"Nothing we can't handle, so don't hesitate and lead us as you see fit, Herr Kommandant." Strasser added.
"Got it." He nodded. 'Okay so Dr. Emil says that I can just swipe at these floating screens like a tablet.' Shikikan thought as he quickly practiced moving the screens around 360 degrees, zooming in and out, and moving around.
'Alright, I think I've got the gist of it.' He added before pulling up several more screens that surprisingly showed the current status and damage reports of the Ironblood Kansen on screen.
'Holy crap this is amazing!' An awe inspired Shikikan thought before quickly going back into commander mode.
{With the Ironblood Kansen}
"Alright girls, there's about fifty or so Siren elites and dozens of mass-produced ships left. First things first, Zeppelin, Strasser, we need to take control of the skies so that the others can focus on the enemies in front of them. Send all of your fighters out to form a large sweeping circle around the harbor bay. After that, meet up at the edges of the bay before doing this once more but around the Siren horde, effectively trapping them in. Z23, Z46, Deutschland, and Spee will be accompanying you to keep you safe."
"Understood." Zeppelin nodded before she and Strasser launched all of their fighters.
"Fize, Deutschland, come with me." Strasser requested before making her advance towards the right.
"Zed, Spee, follow me. We shall show them their watery graves." Zeppelin nodded before she took the left.
"Next, Tirpitz, Scharnhorst, and Gneisenau, from where you all are, keep your cannons aimed at the Strategists and Peace-Breakers trying to fire at the city. Eugen, Hipper, and Heinrich will provide you with assistance so I'm trusting you with leading your group's advance as you clear out the larger targets."
"Letting us have the big fry? How kind of you Herr Kommandant." Eugen grinned.
"Understood, move out and begin the counterattack." Tirpitz ordered as the four of them began their counterassault.
"Thirdly, U-110, U-81, and U-556, fan out and provide underwater assistance to Zeppelin's, Strasser's, and Tirpitz's groups. Keep your eyes peeled for any Lurkers."
"Leave it to us!" U-81 cheered before the three of them quickly dove and sped away.
"And last but not least U-47 and Roon. U-47, think you can sneak around and take care of the battleships and Peace-Breakers hiding towards their rear?"
"I'm U-47. I went behind enemy lines at Scapa Flow and wreaked havoc. I'm going to go out, sink the enemy, and come back. Just like I did then."
"Love the confidence. I have complete faith in you, but don't force anything if it means your safety will be jeopardized. Do what you can and keep me posted."
"Kay." She simply replied before silently submerging into the deep sea.
"Herr Kommandant~. What shall you have me do?" Roon eagerly asked.
"Hi Roon, how's your first real battle going?" Shikikan asked.
"Hmm?" Roon hummed confusedly before smiling. "The feeling of tearing apart enemies with gunfire... and breaking them into a million little pieces... I can't get enough of it...Ahhhhh…You know how I feel, don't you, Commander?"
"Ahaha…I see." Shikikan sweat dropped."Well good news then. You'll be acting as a solo vanguard fleet, dealing with any and all Sirens that you come across as you advance upon the center of their fleet. Keep in mind that Tirpitz's group will be right behind you so feel free to communicate and work alongside them as you see fit."
"Hehe, you sure do know how to spoil a girl, Herr Kommandant. Please look forward to me returning the favor once we meet up~." Roon sung happily as a twisted grin began to grow on her face once more.
Nervously gulping upon feeling the chills down his spine, he spoke once more. "W-will do. But one more thing Roon. You're still new to all of this, and the last thing I want is for you to get hurt so please, stay safe."
[Affinity Up!]
"Ahhh~. Such sweet words from Herr Kommandant. Yes, I'll be vigilant as I tear every one of them apart. With that said…." She hummed happily before signing off and rushing at breakneck speed towards the center of the invading fleet, all with a maniacal grin on her face.
{Back with Shikikan}
"…Are you sure you want to let her loose like that, Herr Kommandant?" Dr. Emil asked.
"It's her first time on the battlefield, so she'll benefit from the experience. And besides, Tirpitz's group, like I said, won't be too far behind, so if she goes off the rails, I'll just have them reel her in." Shikikan shrugged, his eyes not leaving the dozen screens before him.
"I see…, well I guess this works out since this also gives us a chance to collect her combat data in a practical setting. Hop to it people!"
"Yes Doctor!" His compatriots replied as he and his fellow researchers began observing, collecting, and analyzing Roon's data.
Meanwhile, Freya had stepped forward out of curiosity and had begun watching Shikikan at work.
"Great work on pincering them and meeting up, Zeppelin, Strasser. Switch to full offense, Z23 and Z46 will keep you safe for the time being." He ordered as he began moving around some screens. "Use your bombers and get those Strategists out of the picture. They're honestly the biggest hassle for the others right now."
{With Strasser and Zeppelin's teams}
"Understood." Strasser replied. "Zeppelin, send out your bombers, I'll send out my fighters."
"Nein. That won't be necessary." She waved her off as she had the dive bombers she had waiting in the wings from up high come soaring right on down towards the Strategists.
"Die... Funebre!" Zeppelin shouted.
Noticing the incoming threats, the Strategists launched their defensive fighters to intercept.
"All your fights, all your struggles, are nothing more than fodder for the End." Zeppelin mocked as she impressively had her dive bombers dodge, dip, duck, and dive out of the incoming fighters' attacks, completely evading every single bullet and making their way right above the Strategists. Releasing their payloads, the shocked Sirens had no time to react as they were lit up in explosions and flames immediately after.
"Magnificent…how on earth did you just manage to do all of that?" A surprised Strasser remarked.
"…I hate everything, but what I've come to especially hate is seeing my planes get shot down over and over and over again during Herr Kommandant's carrier exercises." Zeppelin grimaced at the memories.
"She speaks the truth." Z46 interjected.
"F-fize, maybe you shouldn't…" Z23 tried to intervene.
"Seeing the carriers from the other factions do what she could not made her most upset and led to her training until the moon stood high above her head."
"Oh? Is that so?" Strasser grinned.
"….Baseless assumptions aside, it's my greatest displeasure to admit that I've grown stronger from my failures since arriving at that base." Zeppelin muttered.
"Great work Zeppelin. I knew you could do it." Shikikan cheered.
"…"
"Oh? Dearest schwester, why has your face become so flushed?" A smug Strasser asked as she instantly put the pieces of the puzzle together.
"…It has not. I have no idea what you are talking about." Zeppelin quickly replied before turning away from Strasser. "Herr Kommandant. Make haste and tell me which enemies to sink next."
"For now, recall your planes and be ready on standby for the next attack. And Strasser, have your fighters make sure there aren't any stragglers."
"Tsk…fine." Zeppelin clicked.
"Hehe, what an amusing human." Strasser giggled. 'While also much more expressive, Zeppelin's gotten much more powerful in such a short amount of time thanks to her time with Herr Kommandant. Hmm...I wonder….' She continued to think before focusing back on the task at hand and sending out her fighters.
[With Tirpitz's team}
"Saying Roon's cleared us a path would be an understatement…" Heinrich remarked as she saw the heavy cruiser happily littering the ocean with destroyed chunks and pieces of decimated Sirens who were unfortunate enough to have been in her line of sight.
"I'll say, I've done nothing but shoot down a plane or two and block some shots from those Peace Breakers with my shields for the past ten minutes…" Hipper grumbled.
"You're free to advance upwards to where Roon is if you want, Hipper. Heinrich and I can handle back here." Eugen offered.
"Hah? And get caught up in that lunatic's line of fire? No thanks."
"Ho? But weren't you the one all worried about her a few minutes ago? Saying things like 'is she going to be okay?' and 'this is her first time fighting so why is that dummkopf having her fight by herself in the vanguard?'."
"H-hah!? I never said anything like that! Get your ears checked Eugen!" Hipper barked.
"Incoming barrage from your side Hipper!" Heinrich yelled.
"Huh? Who gave you permission to resist?" Hipper scowled as she summoned her shields around everyone and blocked the Sirens' assaults.
"Aw, thanks Hippy. Hehe~."
"Don't call me that! Eugen! Argh…..Dammit!" An enraged Hipper shouted before turning around and aiming all of her cannons at the Oceanas unleashing a rage induced all-out assault.
"Woo! You got two of them swimming with the fishes now! Nice!" Heinrich cheered.
"I'll take it from here." Tirpitz jumped in. "Checkmate." She added before firing a powerful barrage of herself and sinking the four remaining Ocean classes.
"Well done girls. Zeppelin's and Strasser's teams managed to sink their carriers and it seems like U-81 managed to sneak by and sink the Peace Breakers towards their rear. Last phase everyone. Move on up and see if Roon wants any help clearing out the rest."
"Understood." Tirpitz acknowledged. "Everyone, move out."
"Leave some more for me next time Tirpitz, I'm fully reloaded and ready for the next round!" Scharnhorst decreed.
"There's more than I'd like to be still left Scharnhorst. Just don't make me have to cover your rear again." Gneisenau sighed.
{Back with Shikikan}
"Great work, U-81. Join up with the wolfpack and proceed alongside Tirpitz's group to help clean up the last of them. Strasser, Zeppelin, have your teams split back up and flank the remaining Sirens. Don't let a single one get away."
"Understood!" Everyone shouted.
Under Shikikan's watchful eye, the girls swiftly outmaneuvered the remaining disoriented Sirens and began sending them to the deep dark abyss down below.
After another hour of coordinated counterattacks and clearing out the remaining Sirens, the sea around the port city finally began to quiet back down.
{With the Ironblood Kansen}
"Hmm? Deutschland? What's wrong? You've been awfully quiet this entire time." A concerned Spee asked.
"Huh?" The dazed cruiser asked before realizing Spee was talking to her. "Ah Spee! I-it's nothing! I-I just had something on my mind is all! I'm the great Deutschland after all! Ahaha!"
"You sure?" Eugen asked as she wrapped an arm around the cruiser. "Cuz for a second, I could've sworn I saw you blush every time you heard Herr Kommandant's voice on your radio. Could hearing his voice so close to your ear be reminding you of the side of him we saw in the Mirror Sea?"
"W-what on earth are you talking about!?" A crimson red Deutschland yelled. "A-as if I'm daydreaming about that servant!"
"Oh, but I didn't say anything about daydreaming though?" Eugen grinned.
"Grrr….why you….!" Deutschland started before feeling a hand on her shoulder.
"Care to tell me what exactly it is you are talking about, Deutschland?" Roon asked, her smile betraying the dark aura coming out of her. "What happened in these daydreams of yours? I'm oh so curious and all…."
"Now, now." Heinrich sweatdropped as she bravely got between the two. Our adrenaline's still pumping so let's just all try and calm down…right Herr Kommandant?" She desperately radioed.
"Y-yeah! But on a more important note, any signs of them left Zeppelin? Strasser?"
"Nein. They're all sinking deeper and deeper into the depths below as we speak." Zeppelin informed.
"Perfect. And with that said, great work everyone! Take a breather and meet me back at the port when everyone's good to go."
"Herr Kommandant….given the situation, I refrained from saying anything, but now that everything's over and done with…" Z23 started before taking a deep breath and unleashing her all of her pent-up emotions. "Go get some rest already! I can tell you're still having a hard time breathing, so no walking all the way to the port! Got it? We will meet you in the medical bay. Okay?"
"B—"
"No buts dummkopf! Don't make me…!...I mean everyone… over here more worried than we already are….!" Hipper yelled.
"Please just take care of yourself Herr Kommandant." Spee pleaded. "We're all fine thanks to your commands so just focus on resting up. Please?"
{Back with Shikikan}
Knowing they wouldn't budge, Shikikan relented. "…Okay, I will. Thanks girls. See you all soon."
"Thank you for listening Herr Kommandant." Z23 sighed in relief. "We'll be there in about half an hour or so after we patch ourselves up. Z23 signing off."
Now signed off, he breathed a sigh of relief, immediately feeling his fatigue flare up almost instantly.
"Good work, Herr Kommandant." Freya remarked as she placed both hands on his shoulders from behind and guided him to a nearby seat. "Seems like the first side effect of extreme fatigue is kicking in. How does it feel?"
"Like someone just drained me of all of my energy within the span of like 5 seconds."
"I see…so that's what it's like." Freya remarked, seemingly making a mental note before grinning.
"Leave us and begin getting everything back in working order." Freya ordered, leading everyone to quickly scurrying out of the room.
Now with her attention back on Shikikan, she spoke. "What a curious person you are. I thought you'd be out cold by now, but you somehow managed to pull through all the way to the end. Most impressive work."
"Thanks…", he paused to catch his breath, "I'm just glad it's all over."
"Heh, I must say, I never expected to hear Z23 and Hipper shout like that, let alone to their kommandant. Are they always like that with you?"
"Ehh….kinda?" Shikikan shrugged as he slouched into the chair.
"I see. Would you like me to intervene and remind them that they are your subordinates?"
"Nah, I prefer they be straight up and honest with me. We wouldn't be able to improve as a team otherwise."
"A team you say? Hmm…." Freya hummed, lost in her thoughts. "Seems like I've gotten an even clearer sense of what makes you tick."
Taking a moment for herself, her grin grew wider.
Walking around the chair, she slithered her arms around his neck from behind and embraced him.
"F-Freya?"
With a rather seductive laugh, she leaned her head down and almost nearly pressed her lips into his ear. "It be a shame to lose such a fine kommandant such as yourself. Your talents and abilities will be put to far better use here in Ironblood, don't you think? Of course, I'll make it your while. Anything your heart desires, fame, money, power, I can give it to you."
"U-um…while tempting, I can't just…" He started, only to be silenced as she pressed herself more heavily onto his back.
"Then perhaps you'd prefer something else, maybe something along the lines of….", pausing for a second, she slowly dragged one of her hands up his chest, cupping his chin and gently nudging it towards her face, "carnal desires? I'm sure the girls wouldn't mind if you asked."
"No that's…"
"Not interested? If that were the case, perhaps I could be of some solace?" With a very enticing smirk, she brought both of her hands up and cupped his face.
"…!" Knowing he was unable to offer even a semblance of an intelligent reply, he slammed his arms down on the arm rests and forced himself out of her embrace.
"Hmm? Is that your way of saying I'm not worthy?"
"N-no! It's definitely not that Freya! It's just….I…well..." He took a second to compose himself and answer seriously. "There's too many things on my plate that I need to clear out first. I'd rather not go into something like that so half-heartedly."
"Pft...haha!" Freya laughed heartily. "I merely jest…..sort of. But really now, you have such an archaic way of thinking. You do realize that the times have changed right?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Shikikan started before beginning to feel lightheaded and woozy from standing up too quickly.
"You really do not know? And here I thought you'd have noticed it by now or that one of those two hindrances would've at least filled you in." Freya sighed as she helped him back to the seat before beginning her explanation. "Before the Siren's first invasion, the previous world leaders were at each other's throats, going so far as to submerge the entire world into an all-out war. The casualty rates were beyond anything ever previously recorded, and the Sirens' invasion only added massive amounts of fuel to the fire. Within the first two weeks of their arrival, about 25% of the entire world population had disappeared, so you can only imagine the effects this had on society as a whole."
"…." Shikikan could only silently grimace at this newfound info.
"But, thanks to the Kansen's united efforts, we're all still here now, fighting to regain the world we lost. That being said, with over a quarter of the entire world population gone, humanity is in desperate need of repopulation to get things back to a fraction of the way things were. Of which, polygamy has now started to become more and more socially accepted around the world, within modern civilized societal standards of course."
"…"
"Hmm? What's wrong? Having lascivious thoughts now that I've told you all this?" Freya teased.
"O-of course not! This is just a lot of new info is all…"
"Hehe how adorable you look right now." Freya smirked as she rested her hands on his shoulders from behind. "I must say though, you're quite the lucky man, Herr Kommandant."
"How so?"
"Two reasons. One being that with a face, physique, and personality like yours, I'm sure you've got more than your fair share of admirers, Kansen and human alike."
"I doubt it. It's definitely me just getting the spotlight for being the Kansen commander and the girls just like teasing me."
"Pft…" She stifled a laugh. "That was either a terrible lie or just your blissful ignorance showing. Nevertheless, I highly recommend you start paying more attention to your surroundings, otherwise you'll be in a world of pain."
"I'll keep that in mind…." He sighed.
"Good." She nodded. "As much as I'd love to stay and chat with you some more, I've got business to attend to unfortunately. Think you can walk? "
"Pretty sure." Standing up slowly and getting his bearings, he began heading for the exit. "Still feel as though I've got brick walls for legs, but I'll manage if I take it slow."
"It'll probably be like this for a while before the next side effects begin showing up, but you should be fully back to normal come tomorrow morning."
"Wait…what other side effects?" He paled at the thought.
"Now where's the fun in that?" Freya grinned. "It'll be much more amusing to see you figure it out yourself."
"Glad to see I'm such a great source of entertainment for you." Shikikan deadpanned.
"You truly are." She laughed. "Don't worry though. The symptoms won't be anything drastic, but I'll let the girls know so that they can keep an eye on you in case things somehow get out of hand."
"Gee thanks….."
"Anything for the one who saved my port city and treats my precious Kansen so well~."
"…So what was the second reason for me being 'lucky'?"
"Ah yes, how I could forget." She grinned before swiftly closing the distance between them and pushing her lips to his ear and spoke. "The second reason is because I've taken quite a liking to you myself."
"Wha-!?" Before Shikikan could reply, he felt her hand caress his face as she leaned in and pressed her soft lips on his cheek.
"Consider that both a thank you and a declaration." She boldly proclaimed; her face as white as a ghost compared to the cherry red Shikikan.
"Eure Exzellenz, the broadcast room is all set. The people are anxious for an update on the situation." One soldier reported.
Clearing her throat and mind, she nodded her head and spoke. "Leave the jammers running until everyone's accounted for in the safe zones."
"Understood." The soldier nodded before hurrying off.
"Eure Exzellenz, we've received news that all of the terrorists from that cult have been rounded up and chained together in the empty storage facility." Another soldier reported.
"Good. Begin the questioning and get them to talk by any means necessary. I'll come deal with them personally later. Leave a large handful of guards on standby until then."
"Yes, Eure Excellenz!"
"Well as you can see, I'm quite busy now, Herr Kommandant, so this is where we part ways for the time being."
"S-sure, but two questions." He stuttered a bit, still processing what had just happened.
"What is it?"
Taking a deep breath, he spoke clearly. "What did you mean by jammers?"
"Oh that? Exactly what it means. The entire city is surrounded by a jamming field that prevents all unauthorized communications to go in or out of the city until it is taken down."
"But why would…." He paused to think before realizing something. "Was it to prevent word from getting out that the city was under attack?"
"Impressive deduction skills. As expected of someone of your stature." Freya grinned. "The Ironblood's public imagery is that of an impenetrable tank. It wouldn't do for said indestructible tank to appear damaged right?"
"I guess…." Shikikan said, showing obvious signs of disapproval with this. "But won't people just talk about it later after the jammers are off?"
"Ja, but that'll be after the situation is confirmed to be fully dealt with. Keeping the citizens in the dark until after the coast is clear will prevent them from panicking during an emergency. Sure, they'll be complaints and criticisms regardless, but getting all of them into the shelters was my number one priority. Had I told them, they would've wasted time in gathering their personal belongings while others might opt to take advantage of the chaos and make some personal gains for themselves."
'She does make a lot of sense, but still…..' Shikikan frowned a bit.
"Morals and ethics aside, the people of Ironblood are aware and accept that I am in charge and what I say goes. That being said, my number one priority is keeping them all safe with peace of mind. And I will stop at nothing to keep it that way." She stated. "What was your second question?"
"…Well…" He started.
"Hmm?" She hummed, lending him an ear as he whispered something to her.
"…? Pft….ahaha!" She laughed heartily. "Of all the things you were about to say, that surely was not something I had expected."
"So will you?"
"Sure, I'll try, but just don't regret this later. I must be off now. Have a rest and feel free to ask any of the soldiers around here for any form of help. You are still an important guest after all. Is that understood everyone?" Freya ordered.
"Yes Eure Exzellenz!" Everyone in their vicinity saluted.
"Good." She nodded before beginning to walk off. "See you later, Herr Kommandant."
Waving her off, he turned around and began searching for the entrance door. "Uh, can someone show me where the exit is?"
"Over here, Herr Kommandant!" Dr. Emil called out. "Follow us and we'll escort you there."
Behind the doctor stood a handful of armed guards.
"Sounds good. Thanks." Shikikan nodded before pulling out his phone. 'No signal…'
"Any idea of when the jammers are going to be turned off?"
"Couple more minutes I'd assume. Once you hear Ihre Exzellenz's voice on the speakers, you'll know for sure that everything's up and running again." The doctor informed.
"I see….mind if I ask another question?"
"As Ihre Exzellenz's guest and the one who saved the city, I will happily answer any and all questions you might have to the best of my abilities." Dr. Emil remarked.
"How are the leaders in Ironblood picked? Like are they voted in or…?"
"Not necessarily. It's more so decided on who has the highest capabilities."
"What do you mean?" Shikikan questioned.
"We care nothing more than results here in the Ironblood. It is how we've become the scientific and military powerhouse that we are. In order for things to remain that way, we hold tests and trials every other year that help us determine who is the best for the job." The doctor explained.
"Ihre Exzellenz was top of her class consistently at the Ironblood national military academy and quickly proved that she was by far the best for the job ever since the fall of the previous chancellor." One guard added.
"What happened to the previous one?" Shikikan asked.
"After being utterly humiliated by Ihre Exzellenz in every single test and trial, he foolishly pulled out a knife and tried to stab her." Another guard remarked. "Only to end up forfeiting his life almost instantly as Ihre Exzellenz made quick work of him."
"Yep and come six years later, no one has dared challenge Ihre Exzellenz since." A third guard jumped in.
"Because everyone's scared of her?"
"That might be part of the case, but I'd honestly say it's more of everyone coming to the consensus that no one else is better suited for the job." Dr. Emil shrugged. "What made you want to ask all of this though?"
"I was just wondering about what those cultists were after." Shikikan admitted. "This is just pure speculation, but do you think that maybe they were just her antis?"
"Hard to say, but considering how many of them there were, I honestly doubt it."
"How come?"
"Believe it or not, Ihre Exzellenz's approval ratings from the general public and from the counsel are quite high. While feared, Ihre Exzellenz is still seen as a very charismatic and well-respected leader."
"I see…." Shikikan started, seemingly lost in thought. "Guess we won't find out until they start talking. I just hope it's not the other possible reason I'm thinking of." He groaned.
"And what would that be Herr Kommandant?" The doctor inquired.
"….Sirens."
[Thrity minutes later - With the Ironblood Kansen]
"Sheesh even the Estate looks worse for wear." Heinrich gasped. "What on earth happened back here?"
"Anyone find Herr Kommandant yet?" Tirpitz asked.
"Oh! Over there!" U-81 shouted as she pointed towards a nearby tree where Shikikan stood with a bunch of other people.
[With Shikikan]
"I see…that is indeed very worrisome. I'll let Ihre Exzellenz know at once."
"Thanks Doc." Shikikan nodded as he waved the doctor and the guards off.
"Herr Kommandant!"
"Hmm?" Turning to the left, he spotted the girls all rushing towards him. "Oh, hey girls welc-gwak!?"
Failing to notice the blur who had ducked down and tackled him to the ground, Shikikan went flying towards a nearby soft patch of grass along with the assailant.
"Herr Kommandant! Are you okay!? Did you get treated yet!?" A worried looking Roon asked, as she clamped his face with her hands and started inspecting him.
"H-hey Roon. Yeah I got the antidote from Freya and am just a bit fatigued now."
"Oh, thank goodness, because if you weren't, I wasn't sure what I was going to do to those people." Roon sighed in relief as she switched to snuggling up to him on the ground.
"Hey Roon! Get off him already! He's still recovering he said!" Hipper yelled as she started trying to pry her off Shikikan.
"Wait…who did you say you got the antidote from?" Z23 paled.
"Freya did." Shikikan stated, only to continue speaking once he saw Z23 about to go into a panic. "Things were looking pretty bad, and I was in desperate need of an antidote ASAP. Hers was the only one available, so I took the chance, and it paid off….albeit with some side effects…"
"Oh boy…." Strasser sighed, seemingly knowing all too well of Freya's sketchy creations. "What exactly are the side effects suppose to be?"
"She refused to tell me all of them, but I did figure out that the first one is severe fatigue as you can see." He said, appearing to be a bit out of breath.
Upon hearing this, Roon immediately let go of him and helped him get into a sitting position on the grass.
"Sounds like her alright…" Zeppelin sighed. "So? What are you doing out here instead of in the medical bay?"
"I wanted to meet back up with everyone first and make sure you're all okay. I was worried since I couldn't be there with you girls. But seeing that everyone's here and accounted for, I'm beyond relieved." He grinned awkwardly as he scratched his cheek shyly.
{Affinity Up!}
"Ehehe..." A blushing Heinrich giggled happily.
"What a weird guy…" U-47 muttered as she shyly looked away.
"…While your concern for us is appreciated, you really need to get some rest Herr Kommandant." Tirpitz calmly said before offering him a hand up. "Here, stand up. We'll escort you to a bed in the medical bay."
Taking her hand, he pushed himself off the ground, however, not noticing the weakness in his legs, he stumbled forward towards Tirpitz.
"Easy there Herr Kommandant." The battleship remarked, catching him with ease as he leaned on her.
"Ho? How crafty of you Herr Kommandant. Using your fatigue as an excuse to snuggle up close to Tirpitz like this~." Eugen smirked.
"T-this wasn't on purpose!" He stuttered as he tried to regain his balance, but to no avail as his entire body suddenly felt like it weighed a ton. "Wait…what's going on?"
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Looking at their phones, the girl noticed that they all received message from Freya telling them of the possible side effects of the antidote.
"'Herr Kommandant might be feeling severe muscle weakness by the time you are reading this, so you might have to help him get around' or so as the text from Ihre Exzellenz reads." Z23 sighed.
'Seems like the jammers are off then…' Shikikan thought.
"Well, aren't you lucky that we got here when we did Herr Kommandant?" Eugen teased as she strutted over to them. "Want me to take him off your hands Tirpitz?"
"It be for the best, I'm probably a bit too cold for Herr Kommandant." The white-haired beauty reasoned.
"Cold?" Shikikan questioned.
"Yes, I spent a lot of time in the cold wintry north, so I ended up becoming like it. See?" Tirpitz remarked as she took her glove off and pressed the tips of her fingers to Shikikan's forehead. "Abnormally cold right?"
"Sort of, but it kinda feels really nice." Shikikan admitted while openly enjoying the slightly cold touch.
"…That so?" Tirpitz remarked, an almost invisible blush forming on her cheeks. "Then I guess it's fine if I help you back then."
"Ho? Am I not good enough for you now Herr Kommandant?" Eugen taunted as she pulled on his cheek playfully.
"Oi Eugen, please…" Shikikan begged, unable to swat the cruiser's hand away as he felt everything below his neck had turned to stone.
"Hehe. Just kidding~." Eugen giggled. "Here I'll take one side and you get his other, Tirpitz."
Making their way to the medical corps tent as one large group, they managed to find an empty open bed for Shikikan to rest on.
"The nurses have their hands full with the other injured, so we'll be watching over you in the meantime." Heinrich informed.
"…Sorry for the troubles and thanks girls."
"Hmph what a troublesome kommandant." Hipper scoffed as she crossed her arms and looked away, only to turn back to face him slightly. "….So? You hungry? Thirsty?" Hipper asked.
"Actually, some water be great." Shikikan admitted as he laid flat on his back in the surprisingly comfy bed.
"Ugh fine I guess I can go grab you a bottle. Just rest here." The pro tsundere huffed as she hurried off to quickly find him some water and some snacks.
"As dishonest with herself as ever I see…" Strasser sighed, shrugging her shoulders before noticing who was on TV. "Ah, seems like Ihre Exzellenz is still on air. Mind if I turn up the volume and tune in, Herr Kommandant?"
"Yeah go ahead, I'm curious too."
"Want me to raise the head of the bed for you, Herr Kommandant?" Z23 offered.
"Nah, I'll just listen in. Thanks though."
Turning up the TV volume, everyone around Shikikan's bed tuned into the TV. On one side of the screen stood Freya, who was standing in front of a large podium filled with microphones mounted on top of it. On the other side were multiple screens of what seemed to be reporters tuning in from other locations.
"Eure Exzellenz! Can you please explain what's going on?"
"Why were the alarms raised? Is this a practice drill?"
"When should the civilians expect to be allowed back to their homes?"
A cacophony of questions bombarded Freya as the reporters all desperately wanted answers.
"If you want answers, then ask them one at a time, not all at once like a bunch of animals." Freya sighed. "There was unfortunately both a Siren invasion and an attempted coup today. Both have been dealt with, with the latter being quartered into a secured area for questioning."
"What are the damages to the city?"
"Who were the ones who attempted this coup?"
"Did the Azur Lane Kommandant play a role in any of this?"
"What part of one at a time did you all not understand?" Freya scowled, immediately silencing the rambunctious reporters.
Sighing once more, she spoke. "The city itself has sustained quite a bit of damage while the harbor itself is still in working condition, meaning that most of the essential supplies needed for daily living in Kiel are still intact. And the ones who attempted the coup were a Siren religious extremist cult attempting to assassinate me and let the invading Sirens into the harbor. However, thanks to the Ironblood Kansen and Herr Kommandant, we were able to make quick work of the traitors and the Siren threat."
"Eure Exzellenz, are we sure that all of these cultists were rounded up and arrested?" One reporter inquired.
"Based on the information we've extracted thus far from the ones begging for mercy, all of them were to play an active role in this coup. That being said, all cultists were required to have a pendant with the Siren insignia on them at all times. To make sure we've eradicated these traitors, everyone will be subjected to a search prior to leaving their shelters. This is for the safety of everyone, but if anyone has any objections, speak now and I'll come meet with you personally. That being said, does anyone object?"
Silence all around.
"Good. As proud citizens of Ironblood, we will not condone treachery and cowardice. The best course of action when dealing with a group of traitors against humanity is to eradicate them from their very roots."
A round of applause and cheers roared from the reporters' ends.
Nodding her head, Freya continued taking questions. "Next question."
"Seems like she's got everything under control." Shikikan sighed in relief as he laid flat on his back on the bed. "Looks like I can rest easy then."
"Hmm? Would you have had stuff to do still, Herr Kommandant?" Spee asked.
"Kind of, but thanks to Freya, I'm in the clear." He smiled, mustering all of his strength to lift his arm and pat Spee on the head. 'Seems like I can trust Freya to handle things from here after all.'
"H-Herr Kommandant, my hair's already enough of a mess from that battle..." The cruiser blushed as she complained, albeit with her not seemingly doing anything to stop him.
"Hey! Don't just touch my dear Spee willy-nilly!" Deutschland barked as she swatted his hand away and began pulling at his cheeks.
"Jealous much?" Eugen sneered.
"Wha-!?" The heavy cruiser blushed 3 shades of crimson, 'P-preposterous! I was just looking out for Spee!"
"But Spee seems like she enjoyed it though?" Heinrich tilted her head in confusion.
"Quiet down. I can't hear the TV." Strasser sighed as she turned up the volume.
Now free from Deutschland's hands, Shikikan tried to bring his hands up to massage his sore face.
"….Ugh, how long is this muscle weakness supposed to last for?" He groaned.
"Here let me help, Herr Kommandant." Z23 sighed pitifully as she massaged his cheek.
"I also shall offer my assistance." Z46 announced as she massaged his other.
"Thanks girls."
"A question if I may, Herr Kommandant." Gneisenau asked.
"Sure, what's up?"
"What exactly happened after we split up? You did go straight to here in the medical bay, right?"
"Y-yeah, I ran from the port to here." He started, looking away from Gneisenau's gaze.
"Is that so…" She replied, her glasses glaring up in suspicion.
{Back to the TV}
"One last question. Reporter 9 go ahead." Freya spoke as she called out the last reporter.
"Thank you Eure Exzellenz. Regarding your answer on the Azur Lane kommandant's involvement, we were informed that it was thanks to him and the Kansen that both threats were taken care of. Does that mean that they all worked towards subduing the cultists on top of repelling the port invaders?"
"Ja, it was thanks to them that all of the invading Sirens are now sinking towards the ocean floor as we speak."
"Does that mean then that after finishing off the invaders, they all hopped ashore and began making quick work of the cultists?" The reporter asked.
"Nein, the Kansen were not ordered to directly engage with the cultists."
"Does that mean the kommandant was directly involved in handling them then, Eure Exzellenz?"
Rather than replying immediately as she had done so thus far, she paused for a brief moment, seemingly gathering her thoughts, before opting to grace the cameras with a very devious grin.
"Hmm? Why is she grinning like that?" Scharnhorst asked.
"Ho? You have ice pressed against your cheeks but you're starting to sweat a bit. Why is that Herr Kommandant?" Eugen questioned, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"N-no idea. I guess the next side effect is sweating maybe?"
In Shikikan's mind: 'As soon as Freya grinned, a chill went down my spine….Please tell me that was just a sheer coincidence…' He gulped, his focus now back on the TV.
{Flashback – Back with Shikikan and Freya}
"What was your second question?"
"…Well…" He started.
"Hmm?" She hummed, lending him an ear as he whispered something to her.
"Could I ask you to take the credit for dealing with the cultists? I'd rather avoid the spotlight and avoid the wrath of the girls."
"…? Pft….ahaha!" She laughed heartily. "Of all the things you were about to say, that surely was not something I had expected."
"So will you?"
"Sure, I'll try, but just don't regret this later. I must be off now. Have a rest and feel free to ask any of the soldiers around here for any form of help. You are still an important guest after all. Is that understood everyone?" Freya ordered.
"Yes Eure Exzellenz!" Everyone in their vicinity saluted.
"Good." She nodded before beginning to walk off. "See you later, Herr Kommandant."
Walking off and out of Shikikan's view, she took out her phone and made a call.
"Yes Eure Exzellenz?" A female voice greeted.
"Listen closely, I've just been given a golden opportunity and will need your assistance."
"As you wish, Eure Exzellenz, what shall you have me do?"
"You once mentioned that you were a former theater actress right?" Freya grinned.
{End flashback}
"Eure Exzellenz?" The reporter asked, a nervous sweat drop running down her face.
"Ja, it was thanks to Herr Kommandant's efforts that the city is not nearly as damaged as it would have been had he not intervened the cultists as he did."
'Hey!' Shikikan screamed internally now having been completely exposed.
"Care to explain what she means, Herr Kommandant?" A very peeved looking Z23 asked as she pressed the ice bag deeper and deeper into his face.
"Um….well you see…."
As if hearing his cry, Freya smiled knowingly on the TV screen. "Ja, had he not intervened, I would not be standing before you. He not only saved the city, but he also came to my rescue. That said, it would appear that he truly does live up to his moniker."
"Ah, is Eure Exzellenz referring to his title of 'Hero of NY City'?" The reporter inquired.
"While that is also true, I must admit I'm more partial towards 'Devil-Eyed Prince'."
"Oh Herr Kommandant~. I'm a bit confused. Could you please explain what she means by this?" Roon asked, her eyes darkened and a dangerous aura flowing out of her once more.
Sweating profusely as he was essentially strapped to the bed due to his condition and being surrounded on all sides, he knew he was trapped. "I-I'm sure she's just joking aha…ha….ha….."
"I don't believe I've ever heard her tell a joke in her entire career though?" Strasser smirked, clearly amused by all of this.
{Back on the TV}
"Huh?...Huh!? Eure Exzellenz! W-what do you mean by that!?" The reporter excitedly asked.
"Heh, what do you think?" She happily grinned before snapping her fingers, causing an image to appear on the TV screen. "I'm sure this picture will suffice in answering your question."
'…I could not have been more wrong in trusting you!' Shikikan screamed internally as he immediately recognized the image on the TV screen showing Freya kissing him on the cheek earlier.
"Now I'm sure there are a lot more questions, but I have very pressing matters to attend to regarding getting Kiel back up and running. My counsel of advisors will stay and answer any and all remaining questions. Farewell and….." She paused to look directly at the camera.
"Hopefully you'll consider my offer now, Herr Kommandant~." Freya winked devilishly before stepping off screen and sealing his fate.
"HEY! WHY!?" Shikikan screamed at the top of his lungs.
"Oh Herr Kommandant~." Roon sung as she cracked her knuckles.
"You stupid dummkopf! What are you doing with Ihre Exzellenz!?" Hipper screamed as she dropped the tray of food and water she was carrying.
"So you went straight to the medical bay, huh?" Gneisenau started, pushing her glasses up with one finger, causing them to glare once more.
"Uh oh, the citizens watching this are in an uproar and have been mass posting this all over Juustagram." U-81 sweat-dropped.
"Wow! You're already all over the trending page Herr Kommandant." Heinrich added.
"Ho? Seems like your phone is blowing up with voice texts." An unamused looking Eugen pointed out. "Let me play a bit of each for you."
"Commander? What exactly is going on over there?"
"Master, it would appear that Her Highness is most unsettled about the recent news and is now having the entirety of the Royal Navy storm the port city. Please do call her soon before things go from bad to worse."
"Shikikan-sama~. Whatever are you doing behind Akagi's back while she is not by your side? Stay right where you are, Akagi will come find you so you can explain to me in person."
"Shikikan!? What are you doing!? You are supposed to be a neutral party! You can't be sucking up to Freya of all people!"
"What is the meaning of this Commander!? Don't you dare accept whatever that witch offered you when you rejected mine!"
"So, Herr Kommandant," Eugen started before hopping on the bed and straddling him, "I think it's about time you spill the beans, don't you?"
"What did I do to deserve this!?" Shikikan cried out as two comical fountains of tears flowed down his face.
Ooph, poor guy can't catch a break. A moment of silence for our unfortunate protagonist o7.
On a side note, how's everyone doing so far in game? Might be on a bit of a dead streak, but with the upcoming anniversaries, the next UR event, and PR6 research right around the corner (probably), I think we're in for a whole storm of new content! Can't wait!
And again, thanks everyone for your patience and support! I always enjoy hearing your support and reading your comments! Don't forget to favorite and follow this story so you'll be alerted when the next chapter comes out!
I'll see you all again in the next chapter! Chapter 26: Restored Elysium