Chapter 18

Before going back to the Capital, one last stop, the local Church. Personally, none of the FOUR of us are ok being a Goddess and whatnot, but the ways to being or becoming one are so out of OUR ability to control that all one can even do is give up and go along. And looking at Germania, and OZEV, all WE have left of our previous Life in this one world is this, a Nation and a Bloc comprised somehow of A VERY TALENTED pool of people, yet there's ONE MAJOR flaw they all share.

"How come even a whole century with my absence, there's NEVER BEEN ONE damn soul born capable of at least NOT SETTING things on fire?"

Meritocracy, through my ever so constant work, became a hallmark of why the Central Europa powers managed to succeed, yet it's weird how this world seems to be PLAGUED with the problem that, the more talented a person is, the more likely they simply are prone to make or do things that are a hazard to themselves or even others. Schugel for good was a key example of such. No other Orb engineer ever came CLOSE to his skills, yet one look at him and you rather not have a genius like his.

That one thing was one reason I grew to feel NO ONE was even remotely capable of succeeding me, the only ones, Visha and Elya, made a refusal big time whenever I made such offer, Visha I knew why, to her, I was more important than anything else; Elya, from what little I gleaned back then, was that she was fine with her position even with how scarily competent and deadly she was. Anya's answer of what has been her Great Grand Grandmother's logical reasoning, was a blunt "It's my reason D'Etre, and it'll be my Heir's".

So to my dear BND head, all that Talent, and she was happier or more at home being under my command. somehow, she managed to push that an Heir of hers MUST be just as capable as the one they're supposed to serve Loyally, me. Not the highest bar if OUR humble opinion is to be taken, but I guess it is high enough since OUR Omnidisciplinary aspect means we just will be good at what we train to do, but hardly the best without even more effort than those talented or dedicated at any specific craft.

"Is it something on US or somehow whenever we take control of a damn structure of power, things just end being like a damn Mother having to herd damn Catgirls towards a single destination?"

Kaiserin, keeping me company as always, lets a soft laugh.

"You've never been happy or at home letting things happen. You LOVE challenging work, and you LOVE doing things."

"Awfully correct, but I really thought SOME REALLY HARD times would have made for a situation for a more grounded and saner Competent leader to pop up. Isn't Hard times that make Though men?"

"Tanya, NO ONE will ever fit your demands of competency outside the ever so elusive once in a Millenia Visha, someone willing to learn and aim for what you ask of them as an objective to be achieved."

That… is quite the bullseye. Before the loop even began, she is hugging me, frontally this time.

"Germania and OZEV sheer scope of greatness weren't your desired results, but you know yourself very well. You are helpless in that you will always do the very best that can be done by you. And you LOVE all this, enough that you can't help but want to protect it."

"Hm… maybe…. But this is all for my duties…"

"Tanya."

"What, Kaiserin?"

"Mike would laugh at you, and you know why."

Suddenly the four of us in here just have the most annoying and embarrassing realization, so it's unavoidable, the oh so Amazing Tanya von Degurechaff, is a Tsundere Goddess. I should just dye my hair black, travel to the Uruk times, kill and take the annoying Goddess of Jupiter's place, and become an annoying Tsundere Deity that Gilgamesh can't do shit against because she's deadlier than fucking Tiamat.

"Fucking Wunderbar, maybe I SHOULD order Stein to make the Nuclear arsenal into Anime Girls, just to be able of sleeping hugging some Nuclear Death… an-"

And now her foolproof way to force me to stop my bad ramblings. Fine, I better make the Visit since it seems the "Guests" are getting anxious. Finally entering the building, located in a rather Isolated area of the Town, just as in the Outskirts as in the Old Orphanage I once lived back then, what seeped as information to me through these "Goddess perks" of the church itself, was more or less the city itself, no space for how a Church of Tanyaism is made, and poor Ground for the underground part.

The design of this building had reminders of it being of a Port Area, small but present in a way they could be noticed with just a little attention, as a whole it kept a standardized appearance, the differences were in not as imposing details, this one had only one floor above ground, expanded a bit more over the available land, but kept its many floors underground. Being the sole major structure present, it used windows to let in natural light as much as possible year-round.

The location being on a Hill in the Outskirts part meant plenty of Open space, and from what I could notice from the path used to reach here, distance meant nothing to Followers, some were even doing community services to keep it in shape. From all religions I ever got some experience with, somehow mine had people THAT willing to work along and help, it's a good thing, almost makes me not remember my Religion also has a LOT of Warmaniacs.

"Hello, welcome and-"

One look at this Place's Sister and I can only guess that being Blonde is the mandatory requirement to be the one with the Duty of Greeting whoever Visits here, even if the sister tasked with it is clearly someone with Societal Anxiety issues.

"H-h-Howdy Kaiserin! Welcomsh-"

Two bitting the tongue slips in one half made sentence, that's a new record.

"Hello, sister Mika M. Ee"

I act as if that slip never happened, seems enough for her to get back to her own feet.

"Y-Yes! What does this humble sister and church can do for your Holiness?"

"Just a visit, had some duties in the Port here and decided I should come here before making my return."

My Codec comes live, my Darlings seem to have not so nice news.

[Commander, enemies tripped the nets, over 90 boogeys and increasing.]

[Understood, Any snipers so far?]

[Not yet, the Team on LRSS duty haven't spotted anyone in their perimeter yet either.]

[Continue the surveillance]

That done, I am also reminded my group isn't just me and my Adjutant, I have some "children" of mine in tow.

"Can you tour me around sister? I am curious about what is different from Berun's church."

"S-sure!"

For Ships that LOVE calling me Mother, and be as frisky as 95 is, they seem to remind me of Visha's possessiveness, this Poor sister is trying her best to not have a breakdown in front of me. I also rather keep them outside the narrow confines of Underground, who knows if they HAVE their ship's firepower despite being Originated from Models made in scale off their Blueprints.

"And Girls, stay here, only the sister and Kaiserin with me, understood?"

I did exert some pressure with killing intent to make the message clear, they understood it. So dear sister Kettle began her guiding us two about the Church. Once underground, her uneasiness started clearing, and so her presentation of the place became less shaky. Some duds still happened, but she's doing her best despite such horrid task for her social skills. Maybe I should make them change such requirement, just maybe.

"And here is the dear exclusive for Holy Kaiserin Safe."

"Hm, I need something in there, please stay outside when I go pick it, ok?"

Several nods and she takes distance, like with Berun's one, I instinctively knew how to disengage the locks, it takes some time to open, enough for more reports.

[Commander, Confirmed visual ID, KCCO units, IFF reader matches.]

[Check again, filter through ECCM Victor Oh Five Nine.]

{Done, 13th SAS Task force IDs, manufacturer is Anahein Ether.]

Just great, False flag op, and Anahein has deep ties with both USNAM big names in the Blue and Red Parties.

[Ready for max threat, await their first move before countering.]

[Roger]

Door is open, I enter, Kaiserin close to me, inside, a few items, and once again, that eerie bad feeling.

"This… isn't from here… so why?"

A pendant, locket kind to be specific, once I open, the photo of a person from another of my miserable lifes is there.

{You so want to be accepted and loved… yet you fail to protect even ONE person if you aren't given some power}

"Yes, anyone would fail that when left powerless against what killed her back then."

{So much for the Miracle maker, huh?}

Old and memorable crap feelings swell inside US. Ah damnit, she didn't deserve that fate, and it was OUR powerlessness and Incompetence.

"Miracle huh? And where was OURS? When we needed that against Asshole X?"

{In YOU.}

"Make the path by yourself, that's it? Right, that solution only needed us to just ANIHILATE a whole ass world to save our sorry asses. Unfortunately, WE aren't doing that for OZEV's sake."

A damn smirk comes off that shadowy figure using this locket as a vector.

{So you say…. Like YOU ALL said, someday someone you care for will die, because you're powerless or forced to see that someone get done for because you're busy with another bastard.}

This… feels absolute crap, WE know it…. never dare the RNG bastard, never. But this feels as if there's a flag, a bad one…. Not US, but something is nearing, for terrible results….

"What's gone is gone, right?"

My dear Adjutant seems far more anxious than normal, as I turn to face her, there's something, truly gnawing she's bottling up. It's a bit bad of me to be relying on her under such abnormal relationship if I can't help her as she helps me.

"Kaiserin…. I'm fine, what's your worry? "

Hugging me tightly, I feel some rather dangerous degree of tension making her put quite the strength on me.

"I-I lost someone dear already… I just… want that to not happen anymore."

Feels she had someone like Visha was to me. And looks Kaiserin won't reveal more. Guess I have to work with what she allows me.

"Please, I, WE are far from wanting that anymore. And I am sure harm will hardly come to injure me."

Yet here she is, back to her usual stoic state. Some of that unusual side ends coming out one last time.

"Physically, but what of YOUR heart? Soul?"

Not having an answer, and her not waiting, this out of place locket once more gets to rest in its place. Out of this Safe however, is a Weird Bluish Crystal, pulsating with some power, and a Weird Saber, rattling a lot when I tried to leave without it. Sister Mika M. EE was awaiting a distance away.

"Thanks for your hard work, Sister."

"A-ah, the pweasuwe was mine, Holy Kaiserin!"

"Hm, if that's not much, can we speak? Just us two."

The room was again, the Dorm room she shared with a fellow sister of this Church. But there's some expressivity to it, a few portraits, likely of friends or people dear to her, a few Posters hanging in front of her Desk… and a few Plushies of a Kettle and a Chibified version of a very Cute Kaiju girl.

"D-d-did I do something bad?"

Ooops, she's a societal wreck, so for now I should just reassure this Cinnamon tea Kettle.

"Oh no, you have been working hard, just that You don't paint the social type, sorry for the bluntness."

"Ah… yes… I am not good with Publics… since a few incidents a long time ago…"

"I see, you're from Akitsushima? The Germanian is on point, but some of your mannerisms feel from there."

"Un. As you would guess, I am a Hafu, American Father and an Akitsushiman Mother."

Looking like she's, no doubt a lot of her issues hail from the school years, I could tell that Akitsushima was just like SALARYMAN'S Japan, standing out with such foreign looking hair probably brought her no end to Student Bullying or Teacher pressuring or mocking that her hair isn't Natural or whatever. Still, I feel there may be more.

"I can sympathize, you studied there?"

"Middle and above."

"I bet that if you had half Germanian descent, either things would been worse or better."

"I guess they would been better an-"

Well, that's quite a gap between today and her school years.

"Worry not, I know many working for the Church have… peculiar pasts, and I won't bother with such, since I'm just as peculiar."

"Eh? You're a Genderbent Isekai'd person? Or maybe an Alien? Or do you have a Heroic spirit inside?"

Mike fucking shit, the hell has she been reading? She did nail two of my peculiarities.

"Maybe, maybe not. But I can tell you I have more Isekai experience than anyone else and blame a Fucker X for cursing me to such."

Her laugh and awe were contagious, and unique too, who knew someone could pull a Kettle whistle so well?

Talking some more, she had once taken to Streaming content, focusing on the Western audience, believing there would be none of the shit the Asian Peninsular nation was plagued with. It was well, until some Loons of the west, the kind of loser you rather kick out and keep pounding their assholes until they learn to be a proper human being or die as trash. Cyber Bullying, typical. And when she thought things would be proper to redebut, WW3 happens and the Net closes between National Borders for good.

Then comes Tanyaism, that worked in Akitsushima until Magicians decided it was a Threat to them, their control of government, and the reborn Yakuzas not liking them either, it became a deep Underground thing there. For this little Kettle that makes Cinnamon tea, the situation there became too harsh, end of the trip, she was in Germania, and sheltered herself as a sister of the church.

"Got quite the hard life, is this current arrangement ok for you?"

"For sure not, but… what else can I even do?"

"Everyone is powerless given a large enough scale of things. Even me."

The room temperature cools a bit, but it's reality, now, for the OTHER half of such reality.

"But why bother with the 'grand scale'? What you can achieve and do well may not change the world, much less the whole reality. But didn't your best point make something for you?"

She nods.

"Then there's what matters. Find what you want to achieve, make a plan for that, and execute it. Even if that does nothing to anyone but you. No one needs to solely do things for some Grander objective, not you nor me, we work for and do what we can and want to achieve."

Enough pep talk, really, doing this feels odd. Personally none of US rather do such a thing, but at the same time, there's some satisfaction of doing such a thing. Likely is our rather obnoxious Habits kicking in. We can't NOT see something we can make a difference working on that a bit and not DO it. But seeing such results…. Maybe it's worth such. Enough of this Visit, I have my Guide lead the way out. Because we need to deal with those Rude guests.

Position 213, Unknown coordinates in Germania

Alice Thorn had been surveying the target area for days already. And today, finally her mark came, with her Adjutant as well a shockingly large group of women whose looks are eerily resembling of the Holy Kaiserin herself. As her duty for this Job entailed, she gave the confirmation signal to the forces she had been temporarily loaned to, the 13th Task Force of the SAS, more commonly know as Yellow 13 among Albish Military specialized forces, like her Royal Sniper regiment.

Intel put that at worst, the enemy would have ready for immediate action, 50 T-Dolls and the two Main Targets, with the other forces tasked with delaying any forces attempting to reach the church having gear and supplies to delay up to 10 Minutes. The new Dolls and Infantry gear would more than likely do the Job, Alice's was simple, kill both targets with the Special munitions.

One hour later and the door began to open, all forces in Position, ready to make the attack. She hated that this would be done, but she made the oath. Aiming and making the minute adjustments, her aim zeroes on the Holy Kaiserin, the pull of the trigger felt heavy, much more than her other many hits done under command of the assholes that made Yellow 13 such a hated part of Albion's Military. The shot went, but somehow that woman avoided the hit.

"SHIT, MISS, THE FUCK Kilo Nine?"

"Fuck off, never would I make such a bad shot."

"Fuck, shoot it ri- WHAT IN THE FUCK?"

Neither her superiors for the mission, much less her herself, understood what just happened, and for Alice, that was the last she would ever see, as a Gigantic Optical Blast blew her whole position and some more.

Tanya POV

Knowing the enemy is present and chances of a Sniper are 100% meant me, Kaiserin and these 20 shipgirls had been in full alert state, with many failsafes ready. Door opens, and as I am making my farewell to the Sister, a bad feeling comes all over me. No sooner, I can see it, mental enhancement and sight boost spells let me recognize the problem from a generous distance as well as how bad it is.

"A 12.7mm Anti-Mage Railgun? Fired from a 40mm SABOT? With a Mage Killer bullet no less?"

Shields and deflection will do nothing at the shot, but one thing will, the clicking and humming of something aside my Orbs, the 95 and Type 105K, then a small shine, and the Bullet whisps right next to me, a Magnetic Deflection shell made specifically for that bullet. One mistake and the field would just let it through. Yet…. That damn feeling still lingers. Good fucking shit. Just my luck, eh?

Looking right behind my right, Sister Mika had ended into the new path of that bullet, right in the heart.

KA-BOOOOOOM

One look at the now shootout, I am still in a daze, yet I can recognize some absurdity, 14 of the 20 Ships with us suddenly have some Metal rig bearing their ship semblances, and they ARE raining down a TORRENT of FlaK, one of the BBs, KMS Koenig from the looks, had fired the first retaliatory shot, with her main guns, using a Mage formula to shoot a Hyper velocity 380mm HE enchanted shell at the sniper's location.

But that isn't of any importance, shit. Amelia was still alive and could be saved, Mika? A Fifty cal bullet already spells your death sentence, but one fired from a gun made for 40mm shells? The sole saving grace is the sheer speed made the bullet zip through her heart and body, no post penetration damage aside what energy ended ending her life by tearing the Muscles of the most important organ for a human.

"Ah, damnit, fuck."

I know very well the enemy is ill armed to handle Kaiserin, much less 14 girls that have the durability of fucking WARSHIPS alongside the full package of guns and missiles. As well their KMS cores enabling them Oversized spells. But this one loss makes me feel just terrible.

"And all you wanted from here was some peace…. Some patron deity I am…"

I sense a gaze one me, and my Adjutant is by my side, face very close to me.

"You know there's hope… so don't… do that to yourself."

Her body is intact, and repairing such a damaged heart with Mage spells IS POSSIBLE, but to revive someone after such? No way a simple Defibrillator spell will do the trick…. So then… well… sorry dear Kettle, but we may need to update you to an Electric model. I pull that weird Crystal out, before doing that part, a Regeneration spell is assembled, then used to get her heart back to shape. Once I am sure no issues will come, it put a piece of that Crystal on her chest and rev an electrical spark via the 95. The result is exponential.

The heart IS beating. But as I look around…. Holy crap you are damn fast when you want to be. Took me some damn effort to grab this tragic Kettle's soul and then I just Slam it inside her body again. That it also ended waking her physically is merely a bonus, next I should test doing my Revival kick on the next sister that dies on me.

"Ah? Eh? Holy Kaiserin? But… but I was seeing papamee and mamamee? Huh? What?"

SLAP

"Yeah, welcome back to the living world, and sorry for the bullet on your heart."

That makes her look at the chest, and the marks of the healed wound are present, alongside a lightning mark where that Crystal ended fusing with her.

"Ah…. Thank you? F-for saving me! Not the b-b-boolet."

"Yeah, you're welcome, you still have much to achieve, right? Would be bad of me to be the reason you died before that."

I shoo her back to safety, right as those Girls have ended the shooting, dragging half a dozen men, and one had punched into scrap metal a sizable number of their Dolls, intact enough no less. Good, I am VERY PISSED at these bastards.

"Never knew the Albish forces would be THIS BARBARIC…. Attacking someone on Church grounds…. Are you perhaps Frogs and not Perfidious?"

Silence. Just what I want, make it harder, I will LOVE getting to WRING the answers out.

[G4 SOP 2.]

[Yes commander?]

[Get a team to drag this garbage for analysis, keep them alive, I want to do some analysis of my own.]

[ROGER!]

Now I look at my fleet of such deadly capacity, and there's a sense of expectation coming from all of them, truth be told, such massive surprise firepower came in handy here, so I should reward them, just proper etiquette between a Superior and an Employee under their care.

"For you girls, good job."

It took me an hour to fill them with headpats in enough amounts to satisfy them, and some more to do the same wit my T-Dolls, who wanted the same for such a good job they did as well.