Argent Valley 2
The day was sunny, clear skies with sparse clouds, the temperature was nice, not too hot nor cold, just right. A typical day of Spring in the Valley.
"Right, with this, all the farm chores are done."
A Male voice, his prim and well kept short blonde hair, firm but a bit slim body, one that clearly hadn't seen the degree of exertion farm work demands, or Frontline Military troops. The Shirt and Jeans he wore looked good, but also not fitting him, the way he adjusted the shirt's colar was telling of someone who once wore a Military Uniform as Work clothes, the type of Uniform only those who at most would be at a regional base's command table.
"It's been over a full cycle, and I still can't get used to this."
The man, just finished tending to the Coop and Barn animals, adjusting his thin metal frame glasses, he looks to the sky. Erich von Lergen, once he lived by that name, as a promising staff officer of the Empire, yet here he is, now as Erich Leipzig, tending to a Farm given to him as inheritance from a grandfather he has barely any memory of. Still, he considers this a far better prospect than his first and last job as a corporate Slave on Joja's Offices, or part of this country's armed forces, who clearly didn't value merit as much as the Empire did.
"And to think this is after dying in a rather sacrilegious way…"
His mind wanders to the past, shortly before his death, at the Central HQ's Bunker near the end of the Second Great War, a blur of all kinds of emotions, memories and faces rushing his mind then, right afterwards, a loud sound echoed on the sterile walls of the room being used as his office, as the general of the Imperial Army. He had committed suicide, far from what the religion he followed called a proper way to die. And the reasons for that end…. Were things his mind rather not remember.
…
"Huh?"
He thought he had killed himself, yet he looks around, all memorable things, his old Office as part of Personnel Staff, way before the First Great War, and also before he had his very first meeting with the person who would cause his stomach endless ulcers.
"Oh my! To think the handsome and well-behaved rising Star, the one and only Erich von Lergen, would do something like suicide? How surprising."
"Who? What?"
He looked in surprise, what once had been just the empty chair behind his work desk, now sat a Woman, one with rather vast tracts of land and no shame in showing as much of them she could, whatever the case, her outfit for now was a mockery of Imperial Uniforms, one made to be more sexy than practical is at all.
"Name's Mika, and currently, this nice little world of yours is undergoing… a change in Management, or in crude terms, we're kicking the 'god' that had been mismanaging this whole world."
"god? What?"
She waves her hand.
"Nothing too much, for those who live, or lived there. Think of it like when a bad Boss is ousted by the Board of Directors and replaced."
This got his mind in a messed state of things, to think that worlds were like just Businesses and the "gods" were just the ones given the task of making them work properly and be profitable even. After a while, he calmed himself, he hadn't managed to climb the Imperial Staff ladders being so easily shaken. Quickly, he started trying to analyze that woman, is she a goddess? Or not? Hard to say, many Pantheons had female members be quite the peak of beauty.
"Just a heads up, I'm no 'god' or whatever, just someone really good at doing these pesky jobs, and until a more competent one is picked and sent here, me and my dear pals are keeping things afloat alongside investigation and cleanup of the mess."
"Right… so… what it has to do with me? Shouldn't I be sent somewhere for judgment? Or reincarnate?"
"This has to do with you very much because of it, your Reincarnation."
For once he saw her do something business like, she straightened her pose and the revealing clothes changed to something akin to a secretary uniform, there're still hints of the Military clothes such as Insignias and the lapels.
"I'm all ears."
"Right, currently the world is a bit… messed up let's just say, and unfortunately, resources to keep the wheel of reincarnation rolling is… limited. But wouldn't be fair for the souls since the system is designed on Equality of chance, we can't go fiddling it willy nilly, that's one big reason the previous guy got kicked after all."
So the resources had been misused, he could see why this is a problem, Logistics are always a nightmare to both Military, Government and Private Businesses alike.
"Right, so what's the proposition?"
This kind of thing means she is having to play creatively, loopholing what rules she can… just like one wunderkind that was long dead, her smiling face still haunted him on bad days and when he had an Ulcer act up.
"Good, you catch fast, limited resources, and with the world about to enter a terrible slump period, I guess it's not fair to reincarnate someone with a track record as nice as yours into such terrible life prospects, so we're offering to just use a side mechanism, Soul Emigration, from one wheel to another, from this world to a new one."
"Must be more than just that."
She acts as if I caught her with the hand in the cookie pot.
"Of course, this system is useful for my side as well, some worlds have lots of key resources my part needs but are in need of more souls to move things along, so it's a trade, what I offer, is have you get in a life befitting your score, by letting me exchange your soul for resources from said world I would send you."
She pushes a stack of Papers to me, the title was very scholarly done, but also to the point, a summarized report of what I can only guess is the world she would be trading with, a mostly peaceful world with a higher technological level, magic also present, but not so peaceful, wars still happened every now and then there, but nothing on the scale of either Great War, a nice thing if he was to give his opinion.
"Why me? Shouldn't there been people better than me?"
Her smile is like always, she never wavered on it since the start, yet something this time had him shiver looking at that smiling face.
"Sure. But we can't go giving good Samaritans or Great and talented people so easily, in a sense, you alone are worth a good deal to be honest, just so happens the world I just gave you data about, has offered a deal good enough for the trade, still, your choice if you want to be the traded one."
Contemplating, letting what she said so far sink in, he understood the basic implications. This made him feel torn between the options, and a sense of Guilty crept on him, feeling of not being truly worth being given such a good chance on a silver plater, Lergen was about to decide to not take it when 'it' flashed his memory.
"Fine, I'm in."
Mika clapped her hands, beaming with happiness.
"Good! Thank you so much! As a bit of a Bonus, I will just have conveniently forgotten to wash your soul clean of your last life's memories, that'll surely help you plenty!"
A circle formed under him, guess he would be reincarnated immediately, yet it stops at the last moment, she calls him.
"Ah, yes, when you wake up, search your pockets, everything you need to know about there will be with you, and a small thing I am sure will be of great help!"
Right after, a blinding white brightness consumed his senses, when he finally was able to see, and use his other senses, his view was that of the insides of a Vehicle, large, long, with several seats. He was seated on one at the middle, it was a Bus going from a large city to a not so known small Town.
'A bus, huh?'
That thought had him stop a bit, why did he know that? Then it flashed him, his memories of this Life.
'Damnit, could have put me as a newborn or a kid, you know?'
But he felt no weird separation between his previous life and this one, so maybe it's just that his second Life's memories had been returned just now, no use pondering all this. He was wearing a very basic set of a t-Shirt, Jeans and on his lap, a Jacket in case of cold, the rest of his little Baggage was in the bag resting in the bag holder above his head. Checking his pockets as advised by Mika, he soon found what he wanted, a letter and a folded stack of papers.
The papers were of who he's in this Life from now on, a bit about the Town he was moving in, and about the more Magical elements of this world, including the name of the 'god' she made a deal with, Yoba, seems it took a hands off approach to his own world once the tech level exceeded a certain level, but never stopped caring for his creations, must be a relatively decent one to still be in charge of this world. The Letter, when he saw, was already open, skimming the contents, it was a Letter from his grandpa, and the certificate of ownership of the farm given to him, guess he knew where his new home was then.
…
X-X-X-X
This reminiscing ended when a knock on his door was heard, he had done his farm work, foraged the nearby forest for wood and what edible foraging plants he could, and finally he did his daily run around town to socialize. It was a calm place and would have been a great place had it not been for three annoyances. The Mayor, the Family shop owner, and that weird Wizard, all three were a fucking pain in his ass in some form or shape, but he was thankful he could minimize his contact with all of them.
Opening the Door, it was of all people, Mayor Lewis, from the looks, it was a justifiable unwelcome visit.
"Good evening, mayor."
"Yes, likewise, Mr. Leipzig. I know you don't like sudden visits, but I've come here just to give some rather bad news."
He was tense, bad news? What could it be?
"As I told you a few days prior, there'd been another disappearance from Zuzu City, today, I received news that over 10 people went missing after that."
That's truly worrisome.
"Anything we of this town should be worried?"
He looks around, as if this was sensitive.
"Rumors claim the last bunch were working as forest Poachers, while no known endangered species nor a forest sanctuary has been known to be around here, there's been no shortage of crimes committed by those who work such job even in plain forests."
"I see… thanks, will keep a keen eye just in case."
Before I closed the door, Lewis says one last thing.
"Ah, yes, and please, I suggest you don't wander around when the sun sets, especially around the path leading to the house of that odd person. Weird things have been happening a lot there it seems."
I nod, then close the door. He never met the person that lives in that rather isolated Cabin, what he heard of it was that someone once built it, but for a decade already was abandoned until that mysterious person settled herself there, the Town inhabitants all clearly felt unease talking about that person and seemed to speak in an evasive way. He wasn't a person who merely took other's words for how a person is, so until he found time or reason to meet said person, he avoided forming any Opinion about it.
Diner was a simple one, fried eggs, a salad, soup and a homemade Bread, actual bread, not K-Brot. Eating, seasoning was salt, with some Olive Oil and Vinegar for the salad, it had been four years already, four years where he either ate what he could buy at the Town's Saloon or cook once he commissioned the Carpenter for the expansion of this Farmhouse. And these were Four years with something lacking, missing absolutely. For the first year, he had tried to accept the facts, this was another World, things surely would be different, and the eating habits surely would be a possible one.
From the second year onwards however, he couldn't deny it anymore, maybe if his past life's memories remained sealed, he would have let go of it, this need his body demanded be fulfilled, but that's not the case. Truly, this was a failure of a Society, an absolute crime even worse than the Cafeteria Reminiscent of the Battlefield ever was, even Albion's horrid cuisine wasn't so attrocious and he spent a few years as an attache to the Imperial Embassy in Londinium years before he got assigned to Personnel.
"I would love some meat…. No…"
No, that wasn't it.
"I… need meat, yeah, that's right."
Even though he had his moments of screaming and having heated arguments with others, Lergen had always been a little too Polite to do so more often, but he was no Stranger to such since even he had to be a soldier doing boots on the ground work when he enlisted as a young, overly idealistic man who had just graduated School and turned into a Legal adult. But more than all that, his Imperial tastes remained firm and strong, and one thing his diet demands was Meat, red fucking meat.
"But whatever the case, there's simply no place to get-"
Something flashed his mind, it was a bit too naïve and hopeful, so he quickly tried to dismiss the idea, but once it came, when his desire, need for Meat was still firmly in the front of his thoughts, the mere Hope of a way to get some delicious Beef or Sausages got the best of him. Sighing, he decided, better try than just remain stuck in place due to endless doubts, tomorrow, after his farm work was done, he would make a Visit to greet, and introduce himself to that person he had yet to meet, at very least, even if no Meat source was found, he would get to know who this mysterious person was.
…
The next day had more clouds, but no risk of rain for the day, at very least it was what the weather channel told him. He was as grateful as well confused at the Sprinklers he set on the area he was using to grow Crops to not have to manually water all of it, which then left him with only the need to check on them to see which were ready for harvest, his questions always came to the same part, what kind of witchcraft had Sprinklers that need no pipe working to do the watering? And why all he needed to do was use the Scythe to harvest crops around the arcs he swung it?
All those had been questions that persistently popped in Lergen's mind on a daily basis, even if he just had decided to accept it as how this world goes and keep on with his Tasks and Life. After finally collecting all that the Animals produced and reserving some for his use in cooking or producing Artisan Goods, the time was good to go where he set himself to go today. Walking was fine to make between His farm and the Town, but anything else he used the Horse, somehow it was included in the Stable the Carpenter built, in half an hour, he was at the starting path to the house that person lives.
The path was clean, free of weeds, and the Treeline was kept at a distance where even if storms or termites caused some to fall, they wouldn't become obstacles stopping transit, a very well planned and executed work, that, Lergen was sure of. The nice and quiet atmosphere however, felt weird, abnormal, while his senses rusted due to so much time since being in a position he had to stay alert and watchful, they still rang a warning, 'from here on, be careful', acknowledging it, Erich continued through the Path, leaving his Horse to enjoy the grass on a nearby patch.
Clearly weird, even at his farm, the woods outside the perimeter weren't like the ones here, but they still had clear signs of Life, yet not one Bird or Squirrel made themselves known to him, Peaceful, yet a sense of Dread loomed over him, clearly there're grounds for why people preferred to avoid this area altogether, maybe something dangerous or abnormal made its home around this patch of woods, and it's luck, or just balls of Mythril that kept the only person living here safe.
Arriving at last, the place was clearly well cared for, the small area in front was turned into a farming spot, mostly seasonal renewable crops, currently, Coffee and Beans were being cultivated, but a small patch was growing a Gigantic Cauliflower, and Potatoes. Near the front entrance, a campfire with a camping chair like those he once saw being used by one of the town citizens who like some Open-air activities at the woods near his farm. Walking to the door, something about the place felt… nostalgic? What could it be? The way crops are planted? The campfire?
The door was right in front of him, adjusting the neck of his shirt, a Habit he never truly lost since his previous life, with some quick breaths, he steadied himself and was about to knock on the Door-
"Lergen?"
A very familiar voice, one he would never forget even if he wanted, female, very ease on the ear, yet the commanding authority it carried was a mix only one person in his last life ever managed to have. He turned, slowly, and there she was.
"Tanya?"
Looking at her face and hair, they were nearly carbon copy of that face he saw so much during the First Great War, if more mature, a bit taller, and with a body that clearly saw better times than the pitiful one she would have been stuck with for life due to the harsh life conditions during her most vital period of growth. Her clothes were a Moss Green T-Shirt, Green Cargo pants and work boots, very like her to pick a Utilitarian design than have any interest in Brand or Fad of the time.
"Well, hello, long time no see."
Her smile should have given him shivers to the bone, yet…. There's warmth behind it?
"Hello?"
"Ah! Hello!"
That face of worry she made was a bit too much for him, who had at best, a single digit count of times he didn't think of her as a Warmaniac hellbent on fighting, and winning, a Great War. Since when that girl with the most nerve inducing Slasher Smile mellowed into such heart skipping lass?
"Sorry, it's been so long that I got lost in memories."
"Oh, I see. How about we talk inside?"
Accepting the invitation, her house was… Organized and well planned, at least that's what he thought of the Living room and Kitchen, as both were visible with only a counter separating the two. The Living Room had a Red Couch, a few decorative elements clearly inspired on the style of classic Imperial furniture, the TV was on top of a wooden furniture, giving it some height, between the couch and TV, was a Tea Table. The Kitchen used a Wooden and Charcoal Stove, a Fridge was present, next to the sink and the many drawers that surely kept the cooking utensils, pots and pans. Guided by her, they sat opposite of each other at the Dining Table.
"Quite the comfy house you have here."
"Why thank you. Took a lot more effort than it was worth, and you?"
"You know the Bus stop?"
She nods.
"Opposite the direction to go to the Town, there's a Farm."
"Well, never thought you of all people would become a farmer."
"And I never thought someone like you would live in such isolated place, away from all the conveniences of a Modern City."
We both laugh a bit at that, odd, but I welcome that over the Ulcers she constantly caused me.
"So can I guess you also died?"
"Yeah… It's way past the Great War, so don't worry."
He would never forget it, the way he received the news of her Death…. And even less the moments just before his own Death. Memories he didn't want were coming, like a broken dam releasing all the contents. Which probably caused a shift on his face, as Tanya looked in worry.
"Everything Ok? Is it… about my death?"
"Hm? No… a bit but it's other things."
"I am all ears, if you need to vent up something from the past."
For a while, silence prevailed, deep inside him, he knew it, she deserved the truth, about the Men she fought alongside for most of that messed up War, but his heart also tightened a lot just thinking about telling her about THAT.
"Lergen…"
He looked at her.
"I know about That."
That shocked him off balance, how? Since when? Who? Did someone else also reincarnate here?
"So vent it up, must be some terrible weight to carry."
Sighing, he relented, she seems to have realized already.
"I'm terribly sorry, for thinking of you as a War Maniac."
She stood firm, silent, guess she knew already, he had to continue, however.
"And your last words before parting with what remained of Salamander, they proved to be true to a prophetic degree."
"I see… what of Salamander? Did they return to the Fatherland after my death?"
"Yes, they did, after finishing the business you started there, they came back, that's how Me and Zettour found about your demise. They… came back very different people, and your Death had been a key factor."
Silence, guess that still hurts to hear.
"The Treaty had split the empire into smaller Nations, prohibited us of having Mages, Tanks and even Artillery bigger than 7.5cm field guns, they wanted a weak and defanged Empire, not understanding the Hatred they created doing so. The Reparations they demanded were truly absurd no less. Maybe if you had been there, things could been overturned quickly."
"How bad was it when they came back?"
"Terrible, it had been just a week before the Black Thursday happened in the US, collapsing the only path the ruling Government had found to pay the reparations and start recovering the Nation, the broken parts of the Empire had it even worse."
She sipped the coffee she had poured on mugs for us.
"An Emotion driven unfair Treaty, An Economic Mess, the Black Thursday… next was failing the payment and the Republic, like some Barbarians, invaded Rhineland, with several horrendous War crimes committed during that occupation, right?"
She knew it already, huh? But I guess she wants to help, why else would she let me talk of all this?
"Indeed. What dislodged the 32nd Corps sent by the Republic wasn't International Pressure… but the Mages of the 203rd."
"Go on."
"Schugel had managed to evade being captured and used by the sides interested in Multi-Core Orbs, him and the few surviving Elenium Engineers, had established an Underground Orb manufacturing workshop, the Type 97s they made were used by the 203rd led by Victorya in a Night Raid attack, the 32nd Corps and all their tanks, Artillery and Planes were destroyed, including the Mage Wing attached to them. This was Serebryakova's first move towards power."
"A flashy move just like a Hero… smart, and if her rhetoric was good, the desperate imperial citizens would flock to such person… what of you? As that happened?"
"Me? I had been lucky, Zettour pulled strings, managed to make it seems I wasn't as important, so I remained in the restructured Imperial Military, and tried to make do with what the Treaty imposed. Your Adjutant seemed to trust your Opinion of me even after Death, so once she got the Chancellor position and a massive Majority at the Diet, I had been one of a handful to not be thrown out of office, most she got rid were from the Northern and Eastern HQs times."
"Why she wanted the seat?"
"Revenge."
Drinking it, the bitterness was a bit much, she had emptied hers, so after a refill, and a quick trip to her fridge, brought some Milk and Cream, I just put two teaspoons of sugar, but thanked for the gesture.
"She blamed your Death on the Winners of the Great War, seeing the Fatherland you fought tooth and nail for being humiliated and broken was the last straw, so in an Ironic twist, she decided to Turn your last words to me and Zettour into prophecy."
"I see, you realized it when?"
"Never, only when the war had turned bad, again, to the Empire, as a skeleton crew operated from the Bunker bellow the Reichstag and the Enemies encroached at Berun, did she tell me, the Guilt of never realizing it all… caused me to do the unthinkable…"
Silence, it felt horrible, remembering all the madness, and how even he had fallen for it, for the cruel grip his emotions had over his ability to make proper logical analysis, and see in hindsight how naïve and exploited he and everyone else had been.
"I understand, that reminds me of our 'talk' briefly after my attempt at stopping De Lugo's escape through Brest was halted…."
"You did tell me then about how much Emotions acts a lot on us, humans, had… had it been you in Visha's position, would you do something similar?"
"Likely, at least in South America, but the rest would have been to just kick some sense onto those idiots thinking what they did to the Fatherland was Righteous or even the correct choice, my aim would be Raise the Empire back to greatness, and then make it even greater, just to spite those Assholes who make a Treaty while blinded by Victory and Revanchism, I wouldn't scorch earth all who attacked the Fatherland by burning it as well."
Pragmatic, she maybe had a plan in the making then, it ended not being ever used, maybe because of her personality, she trusted all those who went with her, but not to the point of letting them know of her plans. So many regrets that he thought that she was a better choice than anyone else.
"It's been nice hearing about my previous Life, even it was such grim history. Now, for more current topics."
Shifting gears so fast, how her mind worked at such speeds was something he never understood the ins and outs of the way she thinks, and maybe never will.
"Greetings are one thing, but are you looking for something else?"
Only now he remembered WHY he even decided to make this Visit.
"Yeah, I was looking for you know what, don't you?"
If she was like him, no way this world's lack of Meat would be acceptable, no True Imperial would take not having some Decent Meat in the menu.
Tanya POV
Crap, what an insane rollercoaster of revelations, first he tells me he didn't keep a constant watch on me due to my age, but because he saw me as a War Maniac? How could he think of me like that? I am very much a peace-loving person! And I always made it clear that I disliked war like any good and sane person, and my eagerness to help end it faster should have told him how much I wanted it over!
And next I get is that Visha pulled a Mustache guy on the Nations that declared all those unprovoked Wars against the Empire, and did that because of ME? Because I DIED? Holy moly, that was hard to accept, that hardworking, young lady full of potential literally burned her and the Empire's Future out of a desire to avenge me? To think she would be consumed by such foolish Emotional blindness, did I fail somewhere with her?
But worst of all, I HAD to know someone like Lergen had what it took to find enough information to build a solid case to blackmail me with, he wants in my Gun business! DAMNIT-
Wait… wait… Tanya… cool your brain a bit, slow down… maybe… maybe this is actually a GOOD THING! While Ugar may have seemed better, his focus was on Larger Scale Logistics, Transports and management of the storage warehouses spread around the Empire, with Erich however, he had a tactical mindset, and for a decent time, worked with her and Salamander, even doing some Logistical work that is in a scale far more fitting what she was doing now entails. And if all it took to get him aboard was a cut of the profits? More than worth it.
"I see, kind of hard to kill something so habitual, right?"
His smile told all, good, he truly is interested.
"If you could follow."
Acting as guide, I picked a pathing that avoided the tripwires without revealing their existence, undoing the illusion spell before he could see, and then using Magic comms to paint him as a Friend so the Sentries don't Swiss cheese my first coworker in the business, guess the overly Movie Villain esque secret base path to it was making Erich aware of how serious I am on this. Elevator Boarded, it goes down, made for speed, in a Minute me and my guest are here, in the heart of this profitable venture.
"Tanya, this… this is-"
Hm? Did I managed to surprise him? Guess he thought things would been on the smaller scale, since it was a one-woman project, but the wonders of automation and how it can be done even by one person alone. Bless this world's Logic, not that I will worship Yoba, but thank you for making it possible.
"A workshop, took a lot of work to get to this size, automated and capable of operating so long resources are available."
"What kind of products you are making?"
Curious, isn't he? Must be trying to understand what he is going to be working with. Alright, a sample listing should be enough.
"It is very diverse, Pistols, Revolvers, Bolt-Actions, Assault Rifles… even Machineguns."
Wow, he truly must have thought things would be small scale, huh? The list managed to surprise him speechless.
"Assault Rifles?"
Ah, yeah, his life had been of a World like the World Wars at most, forgot Erich never lived to see the concept of an Assault Rifle being introduced, and maybe no one in the Post Great War Empire came with the idea either.
"It's the middle ground between the Short-range SMGs and the long-range Rifles, a weapon that can fulfill most combat demands of the common Infantryman, more powerful and longer range than SMGs, but lighter and easier to handle than Rifles."
"I see… is business… doing well?"
Worried I overinvested? Wise, most Black-Market gun makers stay small scale, or so the Merchants I sell to told when asked, so it is understandable he thinks this may not be a healthy business
"Very much, this little operation has been supplying a little over 40% of what my buyers supply the market with."
"Is that so?"
"Very much."
The silence was weird, only the operating machines kept this from being a full-blown silent moment.
"So, you want to expand business?"
"If the market still thirsts for more, why not?"
"You don't fear the authorities will find out?"
An audible snort escapes me, couldn't be helped, a wise question, and in a sense, I was very confident no one would be able to hit this business of mine.
"As if, anyone above the Governor in Zuzu city is too busy with either the ongoing War or meatier, safer ways to earn PR points than move Law enforcement to look around a town in the Boonies, and those who would like a way to earn easy big money is too small fry to mobilize more than regional Police, you think this can be taken down merely with one City's worth of cops?"
"If it's anyone else? I would say they had a 50/50 chance. But you? Unless that accursed Legadonian Bitch was part of the attacking force, no way."
"That's your answer, say, how long have you been in this world?"
"About a Cycle, give or take a few days."
"What's your impression of this 'peaceful' Republic?"
He ponders, adjusting his glasses, then his ever so serious eyes face mine.
"Truth be told, if I had been told this was the Francois Republic, I would believe it. Disorganized, taken by terrible Business practices and corruption seems present at all levels of the Government, and this 'Peace' is clearly only at the surface, places like this isolated town are only out of the mess brewing in the country for being such forgotten place."
"I am of the same Opinion, honestly, what I wouldn't do to once again live in a place with the Empire's Preussian Meritocracy."
"You would even take over this country? If that's what's required?"
Hoh? Is he asking me if I would join his grand plans? Maybe his life after we separated in our last Life changed him, guess ending twice on the losing side, and that someone literally took command and doomed his own fatherland at that second defeat for personal revenge will change even someone like Erich.
"A daring idea, and the kind I made my last life's career of, right?"
"Indeed. Your new body aside, very little changed in you, this talk is as if I am with you that very Night before Salamander as a whole left Europa."
While not a happy memory for either of us, given it was when I planned to flee for a new chance in South America right as that horrid unconditional surrender was about to be signed, it was maybe when our opinions have been in synch the most. So I couldn't help but smile.
"Are you interested in helping this 'business'? Unlike my recruitment to the 203rd, Pay is fair, and all necessary benefits are included."
"I guess there's not many alternatives."
We shook hands, great, a person as capable as Lergen will help me a lot!
Returning back to the surface and the front door of my home, a few bits of idle talk, then he decided to go back and enjoy the rest of his free time today.
"Ah, almost forgot, do you perhaps have Meat?"
That question almost had me laugh, a warm smile and some wrapping of some Smoked and Salted meat later, I gave him a Month's worth of preserved Meat, I had yet to go make this Month's hunt after all.
"Come back someday, Lergen!"
"I go by Leipzig now, please remember that."
Waving him off, this may look like as if a Wife and husband daily routine sketch was happening, for someone seeing this without context. It had been a long time since I last got to talk to someone who could understand me so well. I can't waste this golden chance! Gotta have him see how much of a Peace-Loving person I am! And that this Business of mine is just exploring a wasted Market ripe for Free market entrepreneurs to get rich from.
X-X-X-X
Lergen POV
Crap.
Crap.
CRAP.
She hardly changed, instead, this world was possibly in high risk of her madness taking Over it all. What idiot reincarnates her into such a Peaceful World? Surely, things in the Republic and all countries in the Gem Sea region were far from remotely good, but if she ever rises in power, be here or elsewhere, she will easily corrupt the place to be a powerhouse with which then order to create as much War she could ever want!
"And she HAD to be put here, where there's NO WAY I can get the Authorities to move fast enough to stop her! FUCK."
Why else would she be so unmoved by his honest impressions of her from back then? Not showcase even some sadness or remorse that her Adjutant, the one she had raised from being a Greenhorn up to an outstanding Soldier and Leader, self destructed Herself and the Empire on a Crusade for revenge? Either she knew and didn't care, or just never bothered with finding out, she had lost interest of that whole thing, since she found herself with an Ideal playground to play a long game so she could have what she desired the most.
"A war to make the Great Wars a joke…."
He shuddered at the idea, he knew there's little choice if he wanted to stop her, he would have to dive in deep into that mess, even if just to slowly keep her from spreading the bloody chaos she seems so much in love with. Delay it enough, and hopefully she loses interest in taking over this world and may decide just sparking one bloody war or another in some forsaken minor region.
What once could be restrained by Military Hierarchy and the Rules of War, no longer were possible options, she had set her own Industrial complex, and wanted to grow it, make not just Infantry weapons, but maybe even Tanks and Aircraft, or if that terrific genius of her finds out, a way to make those so-called Nukes the US used against the Empire at the last year of the War. No more chains and rules bound her, and that scared him, the same man who willingly jumped into the deep end of her own schemes as a collaborator.
"Even if this Country is a failed mess, it would be worse with her…"
Resolve formed, even if through very indirect and subversive means, he would derail her grand plans, just so this world never faces something like the Great Wars, at least not in his lifetime, and not one planned and executed by Tanya of all people.
X-X-X-X
Somewhere Outside the Ferngill Republic
The Clear Skies created a Merciless ambient for anyone trying to walk through the hard rocky deserts of the Empire, yet someone was waddling, feebly, foolishly persisting into trying to walk forwad, only Forward. Half an Hour later, that figure collapsed, the Cloak and backpack made impossible to know who it was and even the Sex of the unlucky fool. It would easily be the end of said Person, but as if luck took pity on him, a Carriage pulled by a winged Pig wearing a hat and sunglasses passed nearby, and halting shortly after passing by that cloaked figure, from the transport, came out a person, a merchant by the way he dressed and acted, with somewhat clumsy steps, born of the careful watchfulness developed due to what kind of Merchandise he dabbled into, as well how he evaded Border checks, not helped by his fatty body and general poor balance.
"Hey, you alright?"
Getting some faint grunts and pants, he was relieved that person was alive, using a magical Carpet, he quickly carried the collapsed person to his carriage, put inside the carriage, and then restarted his drive to deliver the goods to that isolated town in the Republic. The Pig as well as the Magic in the carriage meant he could take some time to tend to the passenger he saved. Taking the cloak off and storing the bag on the side, a woman, one with incredibly voluptuous curves, the blonde hair was dazzling, and that face, was she from the Heltyrian Confederacy? Only they had women with blonde hair and such beautiful faces. But they were also infamous for not leaving their lands, and how any that were found away from there were captured and trafficked as Slaves, he never rejected the profitability of such, but never would he engage in that type of Business either.
"-ya…"
"hm?"
"Tan..nya.."
A name, maybe a friend? Or someone she escaped with and got separated from? Anyways, he could get more answers later, for now, he would take care of her, and once she was back to health, maybe see if she could repay the favor in some way, for now, the road ahead, until he at least left the Empire.