Kurt stared at the horizon, watching thousands of artillery rounds fly towards him.
"Mom, I thought you didn't want me to get hurt," Kurt said, seeing how he was soon to be hit by the artillery shells.
"When I said that, I wasn't mad at you," said Tanya, flying a safe distance away from him before the ground Kurt was standing on exploded.
The new artillery regiments had to practice so in cooperation with the logistics team and the training camps, it happened, giving a lot of ammunition to be fired by the artillery regiments and allowing them to gain the experience necessary to operate efficiently on the battlefield.
When the smoke cleared Kurt's appearance was stained with mud and his clothes so shredded that he would have to be described as naked.
"Is this all?" asked Kurt.
"No," said Tanya, at which point another round of artillery fire fell on Kurt, and so salvo after salvo followed. For days the earth shook and dozens of artillery regiments worked on Kurt's position.
When the training was over, Tanya looked at Kurt, who was absolutely shattered, but his skin was unblemished and unwounded. Although the heavy breathing and the pitiful position he was in showed that although he had not been physically damaged, it could not be said that he had come out of it unscathed.
"A steady drip of water will break the stone," Tanya said, sitting on her son's back and tossing a pair of new trousers next to Kurt, staining them with the mud created by the constant rain of artillery.
"You know, if the gods existed, with enough artillery and time they could be killed, put your trousers on for the next part," Tanya said, flying over and giving Kurt time to put his trousers on because although Tanya didn't care she was sure Kurt wouldn't like to fight naked.
Kurt slowly pulled his trousers on, looking at Tanya and panting as he asked a question.
"What 's next?"
Tanya gave a devilish grin and adjusted her cap.
"You have one hour to touch me, you can try any trick you want."
Just as she finished the sentence Kurt ran towards Tanya, however when he touched her she disappeared.
"Nice try, try again" Tanya said behind him. I had generated an illusion so real that the differences were incredibly small, so much so that even Kurt fell for it. Kurt turned quickly, however, to strike at Tanya but Tanya dodged him with the slightest of margins remaining, striking Kurt's hand with her riding crop.
"Try again!"
Kurt, using his psychic ability according to the rules of mathematical magic, reduced his weight so much that he began to move so fast that a normal human could not see his movements with his eyes. However, Tanya dodged every attempt to touch her, giving Kurt a blow with the whip every time Kurt missed her blow. Adding further humiliation to the punishment.
As this dance of combat between Kurt and Tanya continued over time in Kurt's heart an explosive feeling began to rise, his muscles became hard and his eyes turned red. Increasing his speed even more if possible and in spite of the loss of weight the blows began to gain even more force without slowing down. Tanya sensing the danger moved away, avoiding Kurt, however Kurt did not let her move away.
Tanya created several illusions of herself to escape the situation, however, not controlling the movements of the illusions they were absolutely destroyed by Kurt's punches.
"Are you trying to kill me son?" said Tanya, with a laugh. However Kurt did not listen to reason and continued to harass Tanya with punches so fast that Tanya could swear they broke the sound barrier. Tanya, seeing that she could not continue to dodge the punches, created something like a shield, capable of withstanding a bomb. The intention was to stop Kurt's attacks and argue with him, however Kurt broke the shield, forcing Tanya to keep dodging again.
"Stop it," Tanya said in an authoritative voice. But Kurt did not listen and continued to attack.
After hours of Kurt trying to hit Tanya and Tanya dodging the blows Kurt was finally able to hit Tanya. Hitting her in the stomach, while Tanya was able to protect her organs from being pulped, her bones from being crushed and her flesh from being torn by the power of the blow. She couldn't help but go flying and hit the ground, 500 meters from her original position.
Kurt ran over to Tanya's position, getting on top of her; however his red eyes returned to normal, seeing his mother beaten and lying on the ground, Kurt picked her up in his arms.
"I'm sorry mom, I don't know what happened to me, I just lost control of my body," Kurt said, desperation in his voice. Tanya laughed though, putting her hand on Kurt's head.
"That was a good punch, that was the first time I've fought for my life in a long time, it was fun."
Kurt looked at Tanya, who definitely despite not being seriously injured must have been in pain from a blow of such magnitude.
"But what about the pain?"
Tanya laughed, even louder.
"Pain to me, is already like pleasure."
Tanya had not felt pain, as pain for centuries, the fault of dozens if not hundreds of reincarnations; her soul did not feel physical pain as a negative, but as a positive. Being immortal in practice had its positives and negatives.
However, Kurt looked with concern at his mother, feeling guilty for losing control over himself and causing such harm to his mother.
Even Kurt's objectively superior mind right now was a mess of emotions and worries. The punishment he received was horrible, yet it didn't justify doing that to his mother.
"I'm sorry," Kurt said again.
Tanya looked Kurt in the eye, smiling like her mother.
"Don't be, the punishment isn't over yet," Tanya said, changing her motherly smile to a devilish grin.
Oh shit... was the only thing Kurt could think at that moment.
—-
Kurt looked at the party he had spent after the incident in which he had beaten his mother, a whole month under artillery fire. He had to grovel and beg for mercy at his mother's feet for the mental torture of that punishment.
After Tanya was satisfied with her training with Kurt, as a reward she invited him to a party of the elites, with the intention that Kurt would socialize, however Kurt was relatively uncomfortable. The presence of dozens of high-ranking people who, in contrast to the austerity of the royal family and the simplicity of the academics, wore pompous and very precious clothes.
Although that was not what struck him the most, but rather that there were individuals of the elite who were dressed almost as if they were naked, women who wore outfits that showed so much flesh that a healthy man could not walk straight, and men who wore only trousers and shoulder decorations, proudly displaying their chests and muscular arms. That nobody said anything to them also surprised Kurt.
Kurt looked around, noticing that no one from the royal family was here, his mother sent him alone even though the whole royal family was invited. She said that Kurt should learn to socialize with the elites on his own, without anyone supervising him. So with great determination he walked towards a group of men, drinking wine and talking politics.
"The army is still retreating, we should increase recruitment even more," said one, with a mustache and a rather thin body.
"More men will not win the war, we must invest in more technology to overcome our enemies" said another, bald and without any facial hair.
Kurt, sincerely curious, intervened in the conversation.
"And why don't we make peace?"
The group of five men turned to look at him. Having on his face a clear expression of who this tall man is. Kurt gave his best smile, putting his hand on his heart.
"I am Kurt von Krieg".
The face of the elites went from slightly annoyed and very curious to immediate recognition and complacency.
"O well," said then one of the few fat men Kurt had ever seen in his life, "many times we have tried to make peace, but the enemy refuses. In this reign how many times have we tried to sign peace? Twice?" he asked his companions. They nodded in confirmation of what he said.
The one with the mustache then interjected.
"The problem is the same as always, when there are only three nations in a world, war will always be inevitable, because the intention is to dominate the entire planet. And even if we were to sign peace with one side another would go against us. That is why making peace is almost impossible".
Kurt nodded, understanding the situation.
"Victory or death," Kurt said, to which the other nobles nodded, it was the only real choice. The bald man then interjected.
"Wait, you're the one who created the flying machine aren't you? From the Krieg academy?"
Kurt smiled, proud to have his work recognized.
"That's right, I am."
The bald man smiled, shaking his hand, to which Krut could only shake his own.
"I am the head of the Krupp family, Volker von Krupp, in charge of one of the nation's military industries. I fought in the war ten years ago and I have ten victories".
Kurt then also introduced himself.
"Kurt von Krieg, son of Tanya von Krieg, academician of the Krieg Academy and I have not had the honor of participating in the army due to my young age".
The bald man smiled, abandoning the handshake and pulling out of his military suit a piece of paper.
"Come to this address one day when you can please, I would like to discuss the possibilities of buying your patent to give the army a machine that allows reconnaissance in the trenches and talk about future cooperation for the development of technology."
Kurt nodded, taking the paper and putting it away.
"I shall be glad to pay him a visit when I can, however, and if you don't mind my changing the subject."-All present shook their heads, approving the change of subject-"What are those fellows, who dress so strangely?"
The fat man laughed, pointing to them with the hand that held his glass.
"Those over there are the sons of the agrarian elites, they have been expanding for years, they call themselves renaissance, they say that the war has taken us away from art, beauty and all that makes us human, at first they were oppressed but the Kaiser's decree of tolerance forbade any discrimination against them".
Kurt looked at them, not seeming at all strange to him beyond their clothes, they acted normal, like other humans and seemed constantly to look at Kurt with a searching gaze.
"Is it of any relevance that they are children of the agrarian elite?" Kurt asked, to which Adolf replied after sipping from his cup.
"The agrarian elites have always distanced themselves from the army, saying that their activity is more important than war, for they feed the armies and the population, which is why they have always been outsiders and politically powerless. But now the young people of the agrarian elites have started this renaissance. Having no association with the war, but seeing that the whole society is turning to war, they have decided that this has to change, they are asking that in order to enter politics you don't have to spend 20 years in the army. They have also created the Academy of Arts, in the city of Vienna. Still, I don't know why they dress like that".
Kurt glanced sidelong again at the renaissance men. To forget them for the moment, to focus on the group.
"May I have the pleasure of meeting you?" Kurt said, speaking to the other four men he did not know. The fat man nodded, putting his hand in his pocket, pulling out his card which Krutt took.
"I am the head of the Mauser family, Braum von Mauser, in charge of one of the military industries, fought 25 years in the war and retired with honors and 11 victories.
The one with the mustache also pulled out his card, which Krut took.
"I am the Head of the Tripitz family, Reinhard von Tripitz, in charge of the military and civilian naval industry. I served in the navy for 15 years and had 2 victories".
The other two men, looking quite similar, looked at each other, to which only one of them took out a card, Krut took it with curiosity, seeing why only one of them gave his card.
"I am Drain von Lauren, and this is my twin Rainer von Lauren, both sons of Marisa von Lauren, we are members of the parliament of Krieg. I have 4 victories and my twin has 6. I regret that my twin cannot introduce himself, he lost his tongue when the enemies captured him."
As if to prove his point, Rainer opened his mouth, showing that he had no tongue.
Kurt felt sorry for him, but he remembered that these men had been hardened in war for so many years that really more than pity he should feel in part respect, for having survived so long and with so much honor.
—-
Time passed and Kurt socialized with most of the partygoers, with big smiles and good stories, drinking alcohol - though it did not intoxicate him - and eating delicacies.
Never one to socialize with the renaissance people, Kurt shied away from them at first, but as the night wore on he wondered if he should really reject them or talk to them. Isn't that what his mother said about not discriminating against people?
Not knowing what to expect or how the situation would evolve, Kurt began to approach the renaissance people, who quickly noticed his presence, moving to allow him to pass through to the center of the area where the renaissance people were. No one missed the moment to approach him.
"What's your name handsome?" asked a Caucasian beauty, with golden hair and green eyes, snow-white skin, big breasts and ass. Her attire was a golden falsie with slits every couple of inches that left little to the imagination and a dress that exposed her back completely along with her shoulders and most of it around her chest, only covering her belly button and the back of her chest.
"Kurt von Krieg, son of Tanya."
The girl stopped him, putting her finger to her lips.
"We are not interested in the stupid rules of this society so far away from art and beauty, just your name is enough among the renaissance."
Kurt nodded, understanding a little of the philosophy and understanding of the renaissance. The agrarian sector, as a society that lived discriminated against by the rest of Krieg, has ended up evolving a political thought disassociated from the rest of Krieg.
"I understand, my name is Kurt von Krieg" said Kurt, with a smile so friendly and passive that all the renaissance people were surprised, it was a smile of incredible charisma and most importantly, for some reason they felt better when they were around him.
"I am Maria Felder," said the blonde beauty. Running her index finger across Kurt's chest covered by a suit with no decoration.
"The party will be over soon, however we are going to do more parties in the next months, what do you say Kurt, will you please us with your presence in this ones?"
With the most innocent smile possible Kurt nodded.
"Of course, I would like to get to know you more."
The woman smiled, turning Kurt around.
"I'll make sure you get to know us well."
—-
The Kaiser, Wilhelm XV was gazing at the stars while smoking a pipe, enjoying the momentary peace and quiet. Yet the stars deceived him, for for a moment he saw the laughter of his enemies, the Gewalt and Zerstörung empires. Advancing on all fronts, Krieg kept losing ground.
Returning to his room Wilhelm saw a large piece of art, the founding myth of Krieg. In it, the first of the Krieg dynasty fought with a giant weapon in a bluish light against an army of demonic monsters, half woman and half man, beasts of purple... horrors beyond human imagination.
"And the day these beasts return and attack my people, I will return from my grave as the greatest war machine ever known. Annihilator of nations and destroyer of worlds."
The inscription beneath the artwork, written in the blood of the enemies of the first Krieg was a common myth. When demonic hordes invaded the planet and destroyed everything in their path. However, in a last heroic resistance the first of the Kriegs stopped the invasion and fought back until the demons were wiped out. On his deathbed the first Krieg said that sentence.
Wilhelm also laughed at another legacy of his predecessor.
Mathematical magic… It was his last gift before he died. Saying that those who can, should only use that system. For if not the invasion will happen again.
With a sigh Wilhelm looked down at himself. He was old and the war was being losed... He needed a new heir to take his place and lead Krieg to victory.
Looking at the year it was, Wilhelm realized that it was only a year before the heir to Krieg would be decided again.
"What a difficult decision," Wilhelm said before returning to his bed to sleep.