Sanssouci Palace, City of Potsdam, Province of Brandenburg, Earth. April 26, 2856.

The Prince With No Promise, The Prince Frog, The Lucky One, The Usurper.

Those were names given to Max. Of course, people were polite enough to limit their use to small parties inside large castles he was not invited to, private meetings of anti-Citadel representatives where Max was no less incompetent than his uncle whereas his cousin, Konstantin von Habsburg was the more worthy candidates for the throne, but that didn't mean he was ignorant of them nor didn't he get bothered.

"You are a Winkelfeldt, the only son of Princess Amalia, and my nephew. There are responsibilities you have to bear, pain you have to endure, and glory that deserve to be yours"

Kaiser Friedrich XVII had said so when he legitimized and bestowed the title of Crown Prince on his illegitimate nephew, but so far former Max Adler had only seen the responsibilities he had to bear, insufferable pain he must endure, but not the glory that promised to be his. His uncle was 145 years old, widowed and childless, so everyone understood that bringing a royal disgrace like him back to Berlin was a desperate attempt to maintain the Winkelfeldt's power over the imperial throne, and hence it wasn't that much of a surprise when the Prince with no promise quickly found himself with more enemies fewer friends as he becoming a thorn in the eyes of many people.

For the past 276 years, the Winkelfeldts had always been seen as thieves who slipped through a narrow crack in the wall and snatch the crown from their better, and this decline had been long awaited by the most powerful ancient royal houses on Earth. The Habsburg, the Romanov, the Sachsen-Coburg and Gotha all had claims on the throne through marriages to the Hohenzollern but a 26th-century Reichstag consisting of German-born nobles did not wish to be ruled by outsiders as well as a potential civil war all had turned to a smaller noble family and pledge their allegiance.

This divisive decision was the beginning of a power struggle that spanned nearly three centuries and ironically, someone who desired nothing more than a healthier domestic politic for the Reich like Max was the main reason that prolonged the pain for another hundred years.

"A beautiful home you have, my Prince."

Princess Alexandra Romanov commented, delicate fingers wrapping around the Chinese enameled teacup and a graceful smile on her heart-shaped lips. Beneath the balcony chosen by the two royal highnesses for afternoon tea, the two rows of cherry blossoms leading to the small pond behind the palace were already in full splendor and soon, the whole garden would enter its most beautiful stage of the year. First, the tulips would dye the East Garden in pink and yellow, then came the Versailles Red roses around the Henrietta fountain, the Hydrangea in the Louies maze, and finally the snow-white Daisy that bloomed on the grass fields bordering Barbarossa forest.

It would be a beautiful sight to behold, and Max could say the same about the woman who would be his guest in the next few days. With a white Louis Vuitton suit and brown hair neatly tucked under a wide-brimmed hat, Princess Alexandra was truly a Chamomile of the Russian steppe and the desire of billions of men but sadly, both her and this palace would never be his.

His uncle thought that something tied to Frederick the Great's fame would make people see Max in a different light as it gained him some confidence but in truth, many saw him as nothing more than a bourgeois, a stuck-up snob and even though two years had passed, he still felt like a stranger in his own home. Every wall, every piece of furniture, chandelier, flower garden, hunting grounds, every cobblestone and every bush bore the marks of the kings and queens who came before, men and women who were far greater than him, and every time he was put in comparison, Max felt so ashamed that he buried his head in the sand. The self-respect of an educated nobleman forced him to maintain the status quo of the palace, and his dignity as a man forbade him from accepting Alexandra's advance.

Normally, someone like him would never get the attention of a Romanov princess but fate had made him the mean useful for the Romanov's grand ambition and this young woman was devoted to her family and to Russia. A convenient political alliance that would help him secure his claim to the throne, something both his uncle and mother were in all support but his marriage would be ruled by an artificial happiness and led by duties.

And deception also. No matter how beautiful, kind, and intelligent she is, i cannot love her like a man loves a woman.

"Can't compare to Tsar's Castle of Joy on Tharos." Said Max, ""My mother told me that she almost got lost trying to find her way to the dining hall."

The complex of palaces and gardens inspired by Versailles was six times larger than the real Versailles, and from what Max had heard, the area was inhabited by servants, gardeners, craftsmen, soldiers, and officials essential in maintaining its daily operations had the size of a small city. Despite being a constitutional monarchy, all of Russia's land on earth as well as its colonies in the Anton and Canis Minoris star systems remained royal property leased by the Russian government for a fee of 15 % so the Romanov was as rich as the Bonaparte and Savoy despite their economy being mainly agriculture and material processing.

"Appearance can be deceiving. The most beautiful woman at the ball is not necessarily a good dancer; the man with achievements and money doesn't necessarily mean a good husband." Alexandra replied with a smile, "It's the essence of solitude in things that matters, whether it's a castle or a man."

"And what kind of essence that make a man worthy?"

"Humility, Honesty and Courage."

Alexandra excelled at giving compliments and pleasing others but this time she had misread the situation. Max couldn't brag about his achievement when there was no achievement to be proud of and for all accounts, he didn't have the courage needed to turn down his uncle and lied to himself about the nature of things. No one can be forced to become a crown prince and live lavishly in a palace with hundreds of servants. I have chosen this path for myself.

"Then there were no reason for you to refuse Konstantin."

It was the most memorable event of the past year, forcing Alexandra to take sanctuary on Tharos and wait for the storm to pass. It was obvious that everyone thought she would accept the proposal. Flags were hoisted on the streets of Vienna and St. Petersburg, men were preparing to toast, ladies hurried to try their new dresses, the Tsar in his utmost excitement had prepared a newly established colony in the Adrian cluster as a wedding gift. But in the end, it was all for naught with Princess Alexandra appearing on Ihr Horoskop channel 3 to announce that she needed more time to consider.

"You truly think your cousin is such a man, my prince?"

Truth be told, Max didn't know what to think about the Habsburg prince, the main obstacle on his way to the throne. Konstantin was polite, charming, charismatic, and looked like the crown prince that Max would swear allegiance to if the wheel of history took a different course. However, he also understood that this was Earth, the political and cultural center of humanity, the heart of the Reich, where everyone had a layer of makeup on their face and agenda behind their backs. If Maximillian had learned anything in three years, it would be that people weren't usually what they claim to be. He was no longer a regimental commander, this was not Anduvian Front and now the enemy was more likely to throw flowers at him instead of bullets.

"I think he is really in love with you." Max replied, "He once said to me it was fortunate that I was the Crown Prince. Otherwise he would have found himself at the altar with another Habsburg."

The Volus Ambassador once jokingly told Max that the Earth clan had so many Habsburgs that they should start calling themselves the Habsburg clan. Indeed, the members of this Royal Family had become numerous after centuries of implementing the policy of internal marriage and even Max himself was pretty surprised to learn that 15% of senior administrative officials working in his government had a Habsburg in his name or married to a Habsburg.

"Yes, Konstantin loved me enough to say that he would support my father in the dispute with the Japanese over Greater Kuri if his demands were satisfied. Don't be too quick to judge, my prince. Before you assume this is part of the tradition and Konstantin was just a political creature as usual, you should know that there wasn't 'me' in those demands."

Max didn't like this. One of many reasons he gained the support of the Reichskanzler and the traditionalists was because of Konstantin's actions unbecoming of a monarch. Coming from a military background like the billions of Germans of his generation, Max had no love for cutting military spending, selling off the Kriegsmarine's old battleships, and giving up strategic positions that millions of German soldiers sacrificed their lives to capture, but if that was the desire of the people of the Reich as reflected in the votes, he was obligated to put aside his personal feelings and fulfill his duty. If only my Habsburg cousin understood that. Fate had given people like them the privilege of standing above billions, but sometimes, even a monarch could do nothing but go with the wind.

"Konstantin Habsburg will bring down the monarchy supported by the constitution and respected by the people. He will give the republicans and Anarchists more ammunition to carry out their silly revolution. My prince, if you give up your claim, our Reich will face a disaster greater than any invading army."

Reichskanzler Bernhard von Adenburg had come to the palace and told him so the night before the final decision was made. Accompanying the old aristocrat were Secretary of War Ulrich Haushofer, Reichsmarschall Karl Ernst von Hornburg and two dozen highly respected parliamentarians, conservatives with Prussian pragmatic minds and hatred for both Peter Blaustein and Adalbert von Breitner for undermining the infamous German unity. His mother later claimed that the sense of duty had awoken the Prince in him, but she would be heart broken to learn that it was cowardice in the presence of giants that caused him to remain.

"Humanity found itself at a crossroads of history and hence any true gentleman would worry about the future. I truly hope you don't think ill of Konstantin for such small matters."

Her charming smile always reminded Max how bad he was at this game.

"I would not call the 10% increase in taxes on alien products, a ban on the sale of minerals to the Citadel throughout Russia, or the removal of Cerberus from the terrorist list small matters, my Prince. The wedding may be interpreted as the tsar's approval, but Prince Konstantin seems to have failed to consult me or the Russian people about the deal." She gently set the teacup down. Her bright smile was gone, her eyes sharp and her voice as cold as ice. "These are agreements that weren't done in good faith, harmful not only to Russia but also to humanity as a whole. So far none of the leaders of the Reichspakt (Coalition of Earth's Ancient Superpowers) have spoken against the Citadel influence openly but if someone like my father fired the first shot…well, the situation would be very ugly to look at."

There are waves beneath the calm sea, a discontent with the Asari among our allies, and if it is not handled effectively, the consequences will be very dire. Secretary of State Martin Lehmann gloomily told him so in the last audience and though it was in stark contrast to what Max saw in the media, he had plenty of reasons to believe it was not a pessimistic assessment of an old diplomat. The signs were already there and one just had to look closely.

"What do they really want anyways?" Max rubbed the bridge of his nose. Every time the subject was brought up, he got a headache. "During the war, the Reichspakt members were constantly calling for a negotiation with Citadel Alliance since a protracted war was in no one's favor but now, when there is peace, they change their mind and want to destroy it? "

"Peace with the Citadel Alliance, not dependence." Alexandra pointed out, "The last thing the Reichspakt members want is to compete with aliens in their own backyard, but if only your Reichskanzler was better aware of it in recent meetings then we wouldn't have this problem to deal with. America has been the Reich's manufacturing hub for 800 years, so you can understand how they would feel if the market was flooded with Volus competitive price goods."

And the Japanese wouldn't be pleased to see Mechs and Droids with the Salarian Union's Nasur seal appear outside Kernwelt. The French president would come to him complaining about how sales of luxury goods and chemical products were affected by supplies coming from the Asari Republic and only God knew what a German mother who lost her son in the war would say when a party going Asari maiden moved into the house next door.

Advisors, respected academics, and leading politicians from Berlin told their prince that humanity must pay a certain price for a new peace but a man with sense would wonder if such a thing was worth at all when this division could destroy the Reich from within. Too many good souls had died so that humanity could be spared of Citadel's tyranny, to be free to choose its own destiny, but the policies that had been carried out in the last 15 years were nothing but spitting on those sacrifices.

At this rate, I, my uncle and the entire house of Winkelfeldt will go down in history as thieves and traitors to the Vaterland.

"Duke Breitner came to see me a few days ago. He said he would resign as Governor of Marheim to run for the Reichskanzler office."

They had a rather pleasant conversation over a typical French dinner of Steak Au Poivre served with cream and mushroom sauce, Gold Caviar and some champagne before things went to a dead end and concluded with a polite warning.

Perhaps another Prince, another Kaiser, is more willing to listen to my desires.

"He dares to threaten you?" Alexandra was both surprised and amused, "Well, I thought a nobleman like von Breitner would understand how things work."

"Trust me, Princess. Although I don't like Blaustein for his pro-Citadel policies, at least that dreamy intellectual didn't drag himself over here and invite the Crown Prince to his next rally." He smiled bitterly, "Members of the royal family are not allowed to support or oppose any faction, political candidate in the Reichstag. It's a rule that's been around for a thousand years, and I have no desire to be the first to break it."

"Perhaps some rules need to be changed. It's the 29th century already but succession still favors men over women. The heads of your departments are all gentlemen from ancient German houses or at least have a German surname. Do you know your finance minister Keitel Osterhaus was formerly known as Keith Larson? As far as I know, he doesn't have a single drop of German blood in him. His mother is Russian and his father is an American businessman from Ceti, but he gave up his birth name after choosing a career in politics. Can't really blame him for that. The Germans will never accept a minister with the name Keith Larson even if he was born on a German planet and speak no other language but German."

In a more progressive world, Alexandra would be chosen by the Reichstag as heir to the throne, and Max could have a sigh of relief as the Reich had been delivered into good hands. The Romanov princess was not as radical as Konstantin and unlike Maximillian, who was as comfortable with the Imperial Court as a one-legged man enjoyed the Erster Tag ball, Alexandra was born for television debates, lengthy negotiation behind closed doors with little results.

"If that spares me the incoming cabinet meeting, I'd be grateful," He told her. "In addition to the devaluation of the Reichsmark and the allocation of budgets which more often than not give me a headache, there is now the complication of choosing Specter. Do you know how many candidates have been nominated? 345 of them and not a single one that meets the criteria."

If their choice had simply been based on combat skills and achievements, things wouldn't have been so troublesome. Heer, Luftwaffe, and Kriegsmarine all recommend their best men but it turned out that Specter was not simply a soldier, he or she was also an investigator, a diplomat and…an assassin also. The Ritterkreuzträgers favored by Max were therefore quickly disqualified while the operators from Abteilung 14 and Abteilung 15, which were naturally suited for such tasks, were rejected by the Citadel council on the grounds of intelligence security.

And that idiot Korbinian von Ackner was stupid enough to suggest the human Specter should be an aristocrat in front of billions of tv viewers.

Representatives from Neu Swabia raised his controversial opinion on Reichs Morgen neu 2's 60-minute talk show before turning the selection of Specter as well as the ambassador to Citadel into a topic of debate in the Reichstag. Now they had to choose not only a qualified person for the job but also a prestigious background, a requirement that disqualified all the potential candidates except the one that nobody, including Max, wanted to choose.

"I understand you have a great deal of respect for von Adenburg and the gentlemen in his cabinet, but even you must see that they don't have a spoonful of political sensitivity." Alexandra pointed out, "The selection of Specter and the ambassador is two birds with one stone. We can choose the right person and reassure the Reichspakt members about joining the Citadel at the same time."

"What?" The amazement was so great that Prince Maximillian forgot the manners of a gentleman. "Forgive me, princess. I just…"

"Maximillian, has anyone told you how cute you look when apologizing?" There was a sweet melody in her laughter, "Alright, you can make up for a princess by escorting her to the pond. There is nothing more wonderful than walking with a prince under the trees on a spring day, right? That's what my mother used to say, but she fell in love and married a tsar."

The path leading to the large pond in the eastern part of the palace was often called the White Monarch Road due to the color of cherry blossoms on both sides and the plaster statues of Sanssouci's former owners. There were 97 classical portrait statues, 20 Greco-Roman-inspired statues, 117 in total and the renowned sculptor Casimiro Seta had also created a lifelike granite version of Maximillian. A true work of art that cost 15 million Reichsmarks and sadly would never see the sunlight in this garden

"It's a shame that you don't grow a beard. I used the posture of Friedrich III as inspiration since you and his highness are both military men with utmost glorious victories."

Max then ordered all his oil paintings, statues and reliefs to be put in storage, hoping that people would think this was a sign of humility and his mother would still believe they were reserved for his coronation day.

"Would it be improper if I wanted to know when you will wear your crown?" Alexandra asked, her thin arm wrapping around his muscular one, "I mean everyone understands Kaiser's current state of health even though no one wants to discuss it out of politeness. Last year the Crown Prince suddenly took over most of the duties, from the cabinet meeting to the ribbon cutting, and for the past four months, no one has seen his uncle in public."

His Majesty had entered the stage where death was more like deliverance than unfortunate. An unhappy life he had lived and hence Max and his mother did everything they could to spare him a lonely death. Despite the blood they shared, Friedrich XVII was nothing more than a stranger to both mother and son. Princess Amelia and her illegitimate child were the shame of the Royal Family while Kaiser was a wartime monarch with standards to uphold. Before becoming Crown Prince, Maximillian had only met his uncle twice. Once was at the royal Christmas party in 2828 on planet Grafburg when Max was 10 years old and the second time was on the stage at Weiben where the Kaiser presented him with the Iron Cross first class for his impressive performance at the Battle of Tamara in 2848.

On both occasions, Friedrich XVII never cared for him more than he should, but Max had been used to his position in this life to be bothered by such petty things.

"If only everyone is as excited about it as you are, princess." He chuckled "A recent survey by Der Reichsbürger told me more than half of the population have a negative opinion of the throne being given to an illegitimate child."

"That survey only applies to twenty star systems around the solar system, and Der Reichsbürger's headquarters is in Vienna. In the Eastern Provinces, Kernwelt, and the Rhea belt, you are a new wind, the hope of peace, and a less condescending monarch. Based on the independent political analysts of Silber Schwalbe, I can see you have a great deal of support from young people, military men and alien minorities. The way you received among the ruling class may surprise you. Except for those who have already sided with Konstantin and opposed the Citadel to their last breath, many nobles and oligarchs expressed satisfaction with your royal neutrality."

"And what do you think of me?"

"I think you might be the man we need to prevent another pointless war from happening again. The mess our generation inherits today is all thanks to the inflexibility and knee-jerk reactions of the previous generation. Your uncle, von Adenburg, Konstantin, and even my father are stuck in the past, clinging to methods whose result is only division and bloodshed. Whenever there was an obstacle standing in their way, they always throw Reichswehr at it, hoping that the obstacle would be defeated in a battle. It's a fool's game, I assume you would agree. As a military man, you know more than anyone that no matter how hard the German like to pretend, their Prussian discipline cannot win every battle. Last time we almost lost everything if it weren't for Cornelius von Fahrenheit and his all-or-nothing counterattack."

The Reich was very lucky back then. When Max was younger, the Grand Offensive was something of a miracle, a testament to German excellence and courage, but after he entered the Hindenburg military academy, where military victories were put under a realistic lens, he was quick to know why such a victory didn't happen twice. In the final stages of the 4th Galactic War, the Reichswehr was just a shell of its former self, forced to retreat to the border and defended against relentless attacks from an enemy superior in terms of manpower and resources. The once proud German interstellar empire was on the verge of collapse, the economy was in free fall, and society exhausted itself after nearly a century of constant warfare. Many planets expressed their opposition to the central government in Berlin while some had already declared their intention to secede.

Things would have been worse if Strategos Magnus (Grand General) Nesa of the Asari Republic had not been so hasty in concluding the Reichswehr did not have the resources needed for a major offensive in five years. Hard to blame her for it, truth be told. None in the Citadel Alliance could expect the Germans would throw everything they had in a single attack except for the good old Turian Admiral Proteus Vakarian, who later died heroically trying to stop the Schutzengel Fleet at Gottes Gipfel.

"If I had the authority, I would appoint you as the Reichskanzler," Max said.

"Perhaps that is what you should do when you take the throne. I would be a much better Reichskanzler than von Adenburg."

Max was taken aback. She isn't joking, he suddenly realized. Throughout the Reich's 1000 years long history, only three women have been appointed as the Reichskanzler, and not once had the head of civilian government been a foreign citizen.

"Ambition invites challenges, Alexandra." He warned softly, "I'm afraid I'll soon prove useless to your plan no matter what it really is."

"Oh, you will find this partnership benefits anyone involved. The Reich needs someone to stop Peter Blaustein and Duke Breitner from starting a civil war while the members of the Reichspakt want their future secure in the new age." She pointed out. "Let's consider this as the first step in our business. I will help you solve the problem that surrounds Specter selection at an affordable price. Or rather, I want something that only you can provide."

She wants a wedding. The thought made Max rather nervous. Ever since Alexandra had expressed her intention to stay in Sanssouci for a few days, not for a moment he assumed the princess was interested in royal gardens and baroque architecture. Although she was more straightforward and kind to him than anyone in the capital, Alexandra was still a member of the royal family and a political creature with specific goals. The chances of the Romanovs taking the throne were even lower than the possibility of Breitner accepting Blaustein's proposal for a coalition government, hence this was the only path they could walk on. A wedding would be the solution for all whether the groom was Max or Konstantin.

"I can only provide you with what I have, princess."

"No need to worry, honesty you have plenty and I just need a few answers." Alexandra reassured him and continued, "At your next cabinet meeting, please tell von Adenburg that selection should not be limited within the Reich but should be extended to Reichspakt members. Spectre can remain an aristocrat with military experience if your German compatriots are that adamant about it, but at least let his pilot be French, Deck officer Russian, and Liaison Officer British. You see what we're trying to achieve here, no? Diversifying Specter's entourage would send a positive message to the Reichspakt members, telling them that the Reich will abandon no one and the proof of that is that they can have their own people in the Citadel if they want to."

And every month, nearly 2 billion Reichsmarks was spent on all kinds of advisers but not a single feasible strategy was proposed. Alexandra wasn't wrong to say Max had some respect for von Adenburg, but that didn't mean he ignored all the flaws. The old aristocrat was a peace-loving intellectual growing up in the longest Pax Germania of history, when the Reich was at its height and if his real thought was transformed into words, he wanted nothing more than to bring the golden time back.

Even if it means he has to bow down to the Asari Republic, devise half-baked policies to please whatever factions within the Reichstag and make a fool of himself in the process. Legendary Asari politician Arysa Prasir once said that what was way worse than an incompetent leader was a leader haunted by the ghosts of the past and sadly there was no better example than his Reichskanzler. The days of people like him had passed and the German Reich was in need of a younger and more realistic Reichskanzler, tough enough to deal with pressure from the Citadel as well as soft enough to maintain this fragile peace.

"Our ambassador in the Citadel should be a sly diploma who knows the way around the aliens and earns the trust of the Reichspakt members. There are many candidates I can think of but Donnel Udina seems to be a suitable choice for you at the moment." Alexandra said, "Very few people can get the Centurii and Vasians to stop complaining about the reparations in such a way. Any fool can bribe the Citadel members to have them reject the petition but threaten the Turians and Salarian with a continuation to support a unified Krogan state while the Reich has no means to do so? Well, a diplomat like that is not only talented but also has a stomach for dirty tricks."

The name had been mentioned several times in recent meetings, but while Max was quite pleased with Donnel Udina's highly regarded expertise, Secretary of State Lehman considered it a mistake. This man is an American and a low-born also, He told Max, Someone like him is not fit to represent anyone at the largest organization in the Galaxy.

"I can convince them about Specter selection but as for Udina… Well, that would be troublesome."

"Perhaps you should do what my father always does and give Lehmann the ax next week. What kind of foreign minister goes on appointing people who are terrified by the power of the Citadel or have a son that died at the hands of the Asari on some planet during the war? There must be something wrong with your Reichskanzler for believing a loon like him can be a threat to Tevor or Sparatus."

Actually, it's my uncle who believed. Towards the end of his reign, Friedrich XVII sometimes made eye-rolling decisions, but due to his age and health, the cabinet chose to remain silent. Unfortunately, according to what Max had heard, the people thought Lehman was the Crown Prince's choice since most diplomatic disasters occurred under his watch.

"If only I could." He smiled sadly. "It long passed the days a monarch can sack the Reichskanzler. whenever he wanted"

"Perhaps I can arrange something if..."

"You've done most of the hard work, Princess." Max quickly refused. It would have been better if no one knew that he was getting advice from Alexandra. The tabloids had long sold the public a royal love triangle and hence the last thing he wanted was to give them more topics to write about. "A man's honor obligated me to handle the rest myself."

"Oh, you're starting to get better at this game." She looked amused, "Should I be worried?"

"It will be long before I reach your level." He said, "And besides, only my enemies should be worried."

Inside the white marble rest house by the lake, three Russian sweets were served by the servants on a small table of polished pine wood. Kartoshka with the faint smell of cognac; expensive and splendid Royal cake sprinkled with golden leaves; Chocolate Salami too sweet for Max's liking and looked like slices of wood. Max only had a slice of Kartoshka for granted and left the rest to Alexandra and her infamous sweet tooth. This thoughtfulness earned him a kiss on the cheek and the pleasure of watching a beautiful woman enjoy her homeland's food with a weight-balanced pill and a dose of digestive fluid that was pumped into her bloodstream through a small cylindrical syringe, making the body feel more hungry after the light snack earlier. As Max looked closely, Alexandra's personal syringe was also made of ivory and gold with intricately carved motifs.

"If an Average Muller in Buschland sees us living like this, I wouldn't be surprised he's become a Republican." Max pointed out. Even though he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, the frivolous life on Earth still sometimes stunned him.

"That's why palaces have walls," she replied as she dug the golden knife into the snow-white icing of the Royal cake, "That's why I wear cheap brands and not too much jewelry when camera lenses are present."

"Or you should get used to a simpler life, princess."

"Such thing may appeal to soldiers, priests and a handsome stoic Prince like yourself but to me, Valentino's custom-made, Bulgari diamonds, long-range cruiser, winter holidays on Luca (An Italian planet famous for luxury resorts and warm weather) and the 5-star Michelin chef is non-negotiable. I could play an innocent princess in the morning and throw 4 million Reichsmarks into a game of Poker in the evening. Unlike you, I'm quite good at keeping secrets and pretending I'm the most honest person in the world."

Maximillian didn't like where this conversation was leading "You think I'm hiding something from you?"

"Not at all, my Prince. I perceive you as a gentleman trying to protect his lady love and then wondering why maidens fair and spoiled Princesses willingly fall into your strong arms." Her tone was playful, her gestures not serious, but Maximillian couldn't help but felt like a slice of Kartoshka being cut and swallowed whole. Once again, he was reminded how bad he was at this game "Speak of the Devil, Lady Krahenholz should know that a proper lady would go sightseeing in a canoe with a gentleman, not rowing alone. Servants tend to keep their mouths busy when their hands aren't,and with their imaginations running wild, sooner or later someone will think she's up to something other than sightseeing."

About fifty feet from the rest house was a scene like a painting by Joseph Marique Beauchamp; A beautiful young woman on a lone canoe in the middle of a lake. Her long jet-black hair fell down to her waist, and her dark brown eyes were as deep and sad as the water below. It took him a great effort to convince Historia to give up that bizarre gothic armor and literal handheld auto-cannon as daily wear, but the new passion she found in black dresses didn't please him that much. When Max told her they reminded him of funerals, she replied, "Perfect. I am also mourning for my father."

Her father? A normal person would immediately think of a man whose surname was Krahenholz, but given what Maximillian witnessed on Zarabaza on that fateful day, he didn't think that was the case. The father she was referring to was not simply a mortal man made of flesh and bone. Based on the reverence she had for him, he must be perceived as a supernatural being or… a god.

However, no matter what he really was and whether Hirst really came from where she claimed or not, there was one truth that remained unchanged. Maximillian loved her. He had loved her at first sight and if he had to choose her or the throne, he always knew what he would choose.

"I'm not here for a wedding, a political alliance, or for you to appoint me as Reichskanzler." Alexandra confessed, " I came here because Jannet, Lady Krahenholz's handmaid told me that she doesn't share a bed with you and that for some reason she often mutters a strange language with her hands on her chest. Hauke, Sanssouci's head of security, was amazed at the lady's understanding of security procedures and believed that she must have received military training. The servants at the bathhouse told stories about horrific scars that look like bite marks or scratches from wild animals, and during the most recent medical examination, your personal doctor was shocked to discover genetic modifications that have never been recorded in the Reich's medical history. He wanted a more thorough examination but you then ordered all data to be destroyed and the doctor to keep his mouth shut.

Max had to use all the restraint he had to keep him from standing up and shouting at the woman: "Having your spies in someone else's household is a vile thing to do, Alexandra."

"I prefer to call it removing the eyes and ears of the enemy for you, my Prince. To this day those rats still believe they are working for Konstantin."

"What did you say?"

"You can find sympathizers of your Habsburg cousin even among your staff. Many of them are greedy enough to serve the cause at an affordable price but also naive enough not to doubt who is paying the bills."

I should have left everything behind and returned to Grafburg. This place was nothing more than a serpent's nest that smelled like rose petals. "You should tell me sooner."

"I have a soft spot for drama and besides, it's much safer to tell you the truth in a place like this, when it's just the two of us and a lake." Alexandra shrugged, "Forget what I said earlier about honesty. You don't have to tell me who Lady Historia really is just like I don't have to know. Still, the story of a lost descendant of the Krahenholz family who suddenly appeared and met the Crown Prince on some God-forsaking plane won't fool people for long. If I'm already starting to suspect then it's only a matter of time before someone more troublesome to you does the same."

"She never said who she was and I never asked." He sighed and admitted, "There was a time she mentioned the name of a planet and said that was where she was born, but the problem was when I brought it to the Astronomical and Geographical Society of Kepler University, they told me it didn't exist in any archive."

"Really? That sounds interesting. What's the name of that planet?"

A terrifying name that every time uttering the word, Maximillian felt like a rotting death crawled out of his mouth.

"Necromunda."