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"Childishly Clever"

June 25 1935 EC

Major General Kurt Hertling

Castle Randgriz, Randgriz, Principality of Gallia

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The Federation struck in a rather dangerous fashion. I knew that they had been sneaking around our defenses for a while, but for a commando squad to make it to Randgriz was... troublesome, and worthy of further investigation.

If before I couldn't do much with Maximilian screwing things around, now that the leadership had been temporarily turned to his former subordinates (which were my own for the time being) I ordered for a sharp and ruthless search for any potential resistance cell which may have helped the group get to the castle.

I wasn't planning to die to some pseudo-French Resistance anytime soon.

Still, the long day spent with my Officer Staff gave me a bit of a situation of what we were dealing with: The princess was fine, having suffered just a light concussion and having been brought to a safe hospital room that was provided with the best we could muster to guard her; All saboteurs were found and mostly neutralized, with two of them having been brought to cells for further interrogations; and we have also found out about their 'way out' of the place and how they had planned to not get caught.

A few Federation-paid boats had been waiting for them in the coast near Witz. The vehicles were seized, the owners put under arrest to be trialed for conspiracy against the crown and... high treason if they had done this willingly. The papers recovered were to get back to me in a few days from now but... what the officers sent there to retrieve the papers told me, it was just a precise date on when the attack was going to happen.

Three weeks. Three weeks which were going to result in a massive assault meant to shatter our hold over Gallia by a swift rush towards the Capital.

There was a lot of buzzing at the news when I brought this up to the other members of the Staff as it had been our expectation for the Federation to take a slow approach and actually work from their base of operations in Lowe. Turns out they were in a rushed pace and were trying to push us out by getting their big ships in range to shell Randgriz through the rivers leading from the sea to the capital.

This was a curious idea, but one that I had already taken some steps in preventing by adding defenses and... getting my counterplan to this invasion finalized by the two days after the attack. The coincidence was quite absurd, but I found it a positive one than a negative one as it gave me reason to apply 'retribution'.

The many people that still loved Cordelia as their ruler saw the attack as another reason to slowly accept Imperial Rule. Small 'pogrom-like' mobs unfolded in just a few hours after the announcement of Cordelia's attempted kidnapping and assassination, with numerous known pro-Federation figures either beaten up or outright killed.

It was a vicious development, but expected and kind of telling of how much the investments I put into 'pacifying' the region had yielded quite the positive results. But...

This wasn't enough. Even as defensive orders were employed to keep eyes up for another attack, I was more interested on the man in front of me. Some may call him a madman, others would call him a 'filthy Darcsen', while a few would call him a 'true genius'. The titles didn't come without their reasonable circumstances as Hasso Meyer was a man that was as pleasant as unpleasant to work with.

"-which is why the safety percentage for the parachutes is at best 99.4%. As far as the standards go, an airborne division could be effective if given the time to grow accustomed with the new equipment."

His report was exemplary but also dry on some aspects which is why it drew a few questions which he flatly answered, sounding disinterested on the matter. The creation of a plane capable of using weaponry and bombs was not within a few months reach, but the production of one capable of housing and transporting squads for long treks was something that the R&D Department has been quite intrigued to entertain. In particular, Dr. Meyer's team of 'eccentric professionals'.

They were seen as outcasts, Darcsens that had the minds that could have easily 'destroyed' the world. The sheer amount of hate mustered by many in the capital towards these people was insane, but not entirely misplaced.

Sure, I wasn't going to judge a man for something out of his control, but his limited investment in Project Valhalla was not something to scoff at. Hasso was deemed, like his little clique of equally-perplexing scientists, as a very difficult character to judge. To many, that was the case, to me, he was a bit more of a brat at times.

"And I suppose the planes will be ready to carry through with the task I have described to you."

"They will. Of course, they will carry the soldiers to destination, but I don't need to explain they can't just float beside the ship and let them inside back again to leave."

The belittlement over my grasp on this aspect of science was nothing new, but in this case it was delivered in a 'playful banter'. From what I have been told and what I have personally experienced in jabs I shared with Hasso, the man had a tendency to show some bite when he found someone worthy of his attention. He liked to show some barb and... be a dick. An utter dick at that. What he said was quite tame, but he could always go back at it and make it rougher on the conversation.

"We will have measures to secure their evacuations. There's no need to fret over these men's lives as this is my job."

"Indeed, it is- however, the chances of any failure of yours to be seen as mine are nothing to scoff at, Herr Hertling," Hasso remarked calmly, standing up to leave. "Alas, I will keep an eye on the troops training. Lest that any of them tries to play like fools and then land themselves in an early grave."

"I appreciate the worry, Doctor. But please, do address your sleep hours too while you're at it."

He snorted, and then he was gone as I found myself once again alone to my thoughts. I had so much to do today that I could barely catch a break. But, before I could do any paperwork-related stuff, I had to check on Cordelia. At this point, she was meant to be back to her room and soon be given the permission to wander around the castle as she used to before that attack. She had recovered relatively fast so she was granted the chance to get back to her room and do stuff there but... it was too early for her to be wandering around again.

And when I reached her room, I found her... bored. Well, that's how I would summarize finding a 16 years-old girl under her bed sheets and reading one of the many books she had put down by her bedside. It took her a moment to realize I was there and... she was blushing in pure embarrassment as she was caught like that.

"I-I didn't hear-"

"It's alright, your majesty. You are just resting," I reasoned calmly. "I was checking on you to see how was your condition."

"I-I am well. The doctor came to visit and- and he said I was fine."

...That sounded a bit too curt for my likings, but while I was tempted to press her on it, I decided to not push her too much- especially with the experience she was subjected to. I decided to ask the doctor in charge of her to see the full prognosis so...

"I see. Well, I guess you were busy with your books."

"Yes," She replied quick, face burning a little bit too red. "I was really taken by this... book on people."

"Oh, I guess it's fine to entertain more social works," I agreed and nodded. "Well then, I am glad to see you were well, Cordelia. I hope you will make a full recovery soon."

She mumbled something as I left and...

I sure didn't notice a few things in that interaction.

'Did he notice? Surely he didn't- but that smile that always knows everything- no, he... he did not. But... what if?'

Cordelia shuddered as the idea that she had been caught in such an awkward situation. Sure, it was not exactly something she could fault anyone in particular but... she had almost got caught with her hands under her panties. And that was... very awkward- even more as she had been thinking of him of all people while at it.

Curses, I can't even find any peace in my own room! Stupid cute Kurt!

AN

Poor Cordelia... xD.

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