Chapter 6

November 25th, Unified Year 1887

Berun, Imperial Capital

Central Imperial Park

A rock was kicked across his vision as he sat there on a slightly unused bench. The sight of that great statue was truly one to behold, the Victory Column, it was aptly named. He supposed some things never changed, and it seemed this Statue was one of them, though he couldn't say the same for the park.

Truly a machination of beauty. Though, he wasn't exactly close to the hundreds, if not thousands currently admiring it over yonder. Instead, in a seemingly random play of fate, his Father had come to meet with dozens of other individuals of the same rank to discuss something within the capital.

They didn't come alone.

As such, he was currently meandering around with the children of an interesting number of military officials in coats, under watch of countless soldiers and servants in the square of the biggest park in the Capital, white mist coming above the air from their mouths as they 'played' around in the falling leaves.

It was tiring, but Franz was nothing if not adaptable. After all, his greatest tool was networking, and looking at the boys and girls that we're stalking around boredly, he had a feeling all of these individuals would sooner or later don the Imperial uniform. With his background, wouldn't it be a waste not to engage in some civil discussion?

"Everyone." He spoke, not exactly bringing his eyes down from the spire above the withering treeline. The children around him slowly stopped their activities.

He smiled as his brown eyes came down to view them all.

"Gather around, why don't we? This boredom should be well treated with some intellectual discussion. It's not as if we have much else to do, yes?" Franz spoke with no amount of arrogance or pride, but simply a curious smile.

He supposed that was the reason not much argument was raised, the teenagers and any of those younger beginning to bunch together slightly amongst one another in a similar curiosity, rubbing their gloved hands together and warming amongst one another.

"Well? Spit it out Schnantzern." One of the oldest amongst the crowd, about the same age as himself crossed his arms expectantly, mist escaping his mouth.

"Calm yourself, my friend. I've merely been thinking of a scenario recently, one that has stumped me…" Franz grabbed his chin with his clothed hand as he lowered himself slightly, as if in thought.

Warfare. This world was beginning to transfer itself into the next century at an unimaginable pace, technologically and ideologically. However, in terms of military might, each and every nation is essentially holding unmatched amounts of power that has not yet been tested.

It's festering, building, and soon it will explode out of proportions, with no one the wiser. The term 'Total War' hasn't even been thought of yet, even when the situation the Empire sits in is essentially the center of a possible conflict at such a scale.

Of course, the Imperial General Staff weren't stupid. Plan 315 had shown that they obviously wanted to prepare themselves for a conflict that was on the scale of multiple fronts in the continent. But it's not just the Empire, he feels that the entirety of the world severely underestimates how horrible a war can become. Especially if they have not yet come face to face with conflict on such a scale.

The rabble before him is at least a small chunk of the next generation of military leaders. Most if not all of them will Commission into the military, and a few may even find themselves in the Staff. Therefore, the planting of a seed would do well, he supposed.

"There is a nation with limited but bountiful resources located in the middle of a continent, nearly landlocked, surrounded by countless other nations, many of which are hostile for one reason or another."

He spoke this sentence and paused for a moment, allowing the crowd before him to give a few nods. He ascertained a few frowns, noting down those individuals as he understood that they had immediately found the country he was using as an example.

"Now. One of these hostile nations invades the border of this country. Let's say, the Western border. What do we do?" He spoke, shoving his arms out as he waited for an answer.

The boy who had spoken at the beginning took the liberty to speak up with a question rather than an immediate order, his arms coming uncrossed with an indifferent face.

"Too little information. What kind of border invasion is this, a complete surprise? Any alliances? Troop amount between the two nations?" His question was met with immediate agreements from the surrounding teenagers, but their eyebrows were raised in interest. That was the hook, he thought with a smile.

"But of course. It was a surprise border attack with their preliminary force, I would suppose it is directed towards the major infrastructure region of this nation. However, the soldiers of the nation we are following are superior in training and in military might on ground, Navy is equal. They also have more soldiers, though most of them are within the Central area. This nation is allied with a giant country in the East."

As he finished speaking this large amount of information, recognition seemed to flash across most of the faces before him. They had finally understood the nation he was speaking about in a technical manner, and the boy before him seemed to find himself in deep thought. Another more pudgy scion spoke on his behalf.

"Well this is just our Empire is it not. In this case, let's do away with the technicality." The boy spoke, his ruddy cheeks pouting slightly as he crossed his own arms in confidence, "Our interior lines are superior. As long as we follow after the fabled 315 of Operations, we should succeed before our Eastern foe even begins to amass any sort of Armed response."

However, Franz didn't even need to speak as another seemed to butt it with their own two cents, shaking their head of hair with narrowed eyes, "The Francois would be stomped before they could even pierce our border. Our rapid military might would destroy their surprise advance, no chance."

There seemed to be a general agreement in the air. Franz smirked slightly as he continued with curiosity to their voices, "So you agree that one surprise attack from the Francois would be completely stumped, yes?"

He was met with multiple nods. He continued on, leaning backwards slightly, "And I suppose next you would all choose to push into Francois territory rapidly to annihilate the source, of course." The agreements rose from the rest as they all nodded, as if it was obvious.

That's the line. Franz's smile seemed to widen as he tapped his bicep with his now crossed arms.

"And you are all confident that we would be able to destroy the Francois before the Rus counterattack?" The vocal majority seemed to drift somewhat, but a series of slight nods responded to him. Good.

"Interesting. Now, what about the Entente?" He watched as a few smiles began to wane, "What of the Ildoans, even despite their alliance with us?" Blank faces began to meet his eyes.

"What of the Commonwealth that is terrified of an upset of balance, one we have already created just with our existence alone. What would they think if we annihilated the Francois with our military superiority?"

The boy who had been in so much thought before him began to frown, his brows curled. He finally allowed a silence as they all pondered over his words, before that same teenager finally spoke, placing his hands in his pockets.

"Our defensive capabilities considering that plan are superior, Franz. We should be able to immediately cut off the Francois advance and move onto the Rus, then the Entente, and anyone else." He spoke with furrowed brows, a couple of others agreeing with him.

Franz nodded as he continued, "Of course… But that's only if we keep it strictly defensive. Did you all forget? We've just pushed into the heartland of the Republic with the Grand Army."

He sat there for a moment as he allowed them to think. It didn't take long for many of them to look away slightly with frightened thoughts visible on their faces. The boy before him seemed to come to terms with that fact as he closed his eyes, speaking slowly.

"I see. Is this the reason you were stumped, Franz?" He asked, opening his eyes once more as his hands came out of his pockets, tension in his voice.

"Yes. Yes it was. Because my first thought was much the same as all of yours." He lied as easily as he breathed, his arms dropping from their crossed position, "Despite us all being young, we have been mentored by the best military leaders for years."

He stood from the bench then, stretching himself slightly, before bringing a hand up to rub his eyes. He paused for a moment as he continued, placing his hands on his hips, the cold chill flowing between the group.

"We have the theoretical knowledge, though we don't have the experience. However, even then…" He looked out to the crowd with a blank gaze, speaking in an articulate manner, "How many of you can confidently say that your Father's would not take the exact same action if presented the same situation. Because I, for one, cannot."

With those final words, Franz knew for a fact that he had caught them with that tug. Hook, line, and sinker. The thoughtful array of faces was truth to that as he stood before them with a neutral face. Out of all of them, only four had raised their hands slightly in confidence of the Commanders behind them, and that was all he needed to know.

No nation was completely perfect. The defensive plan of the Empire was prime for their situation, if not slightly arrogant. But he knew what nationalism and pride could do to one's head, even to those as rationalistic and logical as the Empire. It made them make assumptions. It made them overlook things.

It made mistakes.

It was already affecting the young before him, so he could only imagine how it would be in the future.

His thoughts were interrupted though, by that same boy before him who had stepped forward slightly with a newfound curiosity, their boots crunching on the leaves below them.

"Well, what are we to do then? Say all of this is true, and we are now on a two, maybe three front conflict with our army in one direction. How do we fight that? How do we win?" He asked, though not specifically to Franz himself. It seemed to be a general question that stumped the entire group.

Franz smiled slightly as rooted his feet in the ground, his mouth opening ever so slightly as he looked straight into the eyes of that teenager, and replied.

"It's simple, my friend. We don't. No one will. We just have to lose the least."

June 19th, Unified Year 1888

Posdamnt, Imperial Heartland

Urban Downtown

"Absolutely not."

His response was immediate as he walked slowly down the sidewalk, Johann, ever older, at his side. A whiny tone sniped back at him from above his head, the voice being that of his sister.

"Please! Pretty please?" The seven year old spoke with pleading eyes he couldn't see. Holding onto her legs so she didn't fall back, he continued on his trail with not a single crack to her cries, nor a reaction to her hands messing with his locks.

"You're already energetic enough. I can't imagine you with sugar right now." He continued to walk on towards the marketplace, ignoring the candy store they passed by, keeping an eye on the streets that seemed ever bustling as yet another center of commerce within the Empire.

"You are so mean to your sister, Franz. If she were my own I'd spoil the little button for decades." Another presence made itself known once more, trailing behind the two with their hands behind his head. The notorious scion of the Hahn family.

"See! See! Er.. Uncle says I should have candy!" The girl spoke as she waved her hands, eliciting an immediate snicker from himself and a verbal choke on air from Gerald. He patted the legs of the girl as he spoke up with a slight smile, shaking his head subtly.

"Well Lea, 'Uncle' Gerald can pay for your candy then, yes?" He spoke this out as he came to a slow stop, looking towards his friend who now had a distraught face, raising an eyebrow. Though he couldn't see the face of his younger sister, he could only imagine the puppy eyes she was giving the boy.

A sigh escaped the mouth of Gerald as he dug into his coat pocket, pulling out a long wallet with a few sad blinks. He flicked it open and brought out a bill, creasing it slightly in his hands as he returned the case.

Franz took this moment to crouch down as he helped his sister off his shoulders with mirth, allowing her to jog up to his friend who held out the note. Before the girl could reach for it though, the teenager pulled it back slightly and raised his eyebrows slightly.

"Now, now. Little Lea, remember your manners. What do you say?" He spoke up, waving the mark slightly.

His sister pouted slightly, before seeming to stand at attention as she spoke out with determination filling her face. Franz looked away slightly at the sight.

"Thank you, sir Uncle!"

With another few Snickers and a purely dissatisfied face on the blonde, the girl ran off, escorted by their elderly companion who blew yet another thin lock from their face. As the two boys nestled themselves on the brick wall of a building, watching the populace pass by, his friend couldn't help himself but to speak up.

"She does that on purpose, doesn't she." His eyes spoke of his weariness.

"Of course. Who do you think taught her?" Franz replied with all the amusement he could muster as he began to slowly chuckle.

From what was a mere acquaintance based on networking and acting, it had been over two years since he had met the boy, and he wouldn't be ashamed to say they had birthed a true friendship despite his mental age, of which he had tried his best to ignore these days to no avail due to his physical activities.

Going through puberty for the second time was… torturous. Especially when he simply couldn't find himself attracted to children his age. It didn't feel right. Morally, ethically, or any type of way, truly. He supposed his hand would once more have to do for this portion of his life.

He simply wished to mature as quickly as possible. If there was one thing he couldn't wait for, it was being healthy and young once more, without any of the developmental flaws in the journey, that is.

"Bastard." His friend spoke, shaking his head with a sigh, before he continued, "Well, you got them to saunter off for a reason. What's up?"

The boy knew him too well. He let the question simmer for a moment in thought, before he asked a simple question.

"Communists."

A snicker was his response. Gerald seemed to ponder for a moment, before he began to cross his arms, his mouth moving with a determined truth of the Imperial Foreign Office.

"Well if you're asking me, you're probably wondering about our adversaries in the East. Communism has taken over their ideology on the mass scale over there. Apparently tensions are at the highest they've ever been over there. I suppose that's what happens when you treat your populace like hot garbage."

Franz nodded blankly as he stared off towards the passing heads. If there was yet another major change in this world, magic ignored of course, the introduction of what will probably be Communist Russia this early is a terrifying addition. The previous Soviet Union industrialized unbelievably quickly, and he could only imagine this one if it were simply a carbon copy.

He supposed the civil war may take a while, along with the restructuring and what will probably be mass executions that will destroy the foundation of the Rus. He only hopes that would stop them in their tracks for at least a few years.

"How long do they have?" He asked, turning his head towards his friend, who merely raised an eyebrow. Right.

"How long would you say it could be until there is a revolution over there?" He reiterated, Gerald finally nodding slightly as his eyes flashed in understanding. The boy massaged his chin with furrowed eyebrows, before he spoke quietly.

"Can't say. It could happen anytime, really. Same with anywhere else. But honestly, the Rus probably have a few years at the most before there's a change in authority." He spoke, looking away slightly for only a moment, before she shrugged, leaning back on the wall as he continued.

"Either way, it's a win for us. It'll take out that damned rifle tilted on our back, and we'll finally stop having to worry about an attack on our back if the Francois gets too ferocious." The teenager smiled.

Franz, too, smiled as he nodded slightly externally. However, his internal thought process was much different.

Communists are ideologically against Monarchists… This will not turn out well in the long term.

Franz opened his mouth to speak once more, but was interrupted by a blonde rocket slamming into his stomach. Lea shouted out in joy as she spoke up, waving the small bag in her hand.

"Look brother! Chocolate!" If the small stain at the corner of her mouth was anything to say, it seemed that she was already under the influence of the essential natural drug. As an instinctual reaction, Franz simply smiled and redirected the lethal weapon towards Gerald, forgetting his question in the process.

"Look at that! Why don't you go show Uncle?" He spoke with generous malice. His friend, of course, yelped at the betrayal and he was subsequently tackled as well. He simply shook his head at the sight, turning towards Johann with a raised eyebrow.

"Ready to get your Mother's present, young master?" The old man responded with his terribly grainy voice, his back stiff as a board despite his age. Franz merely nodded as he began to walk once more, ignoring the pleads of his friend.

"Of course. You know the place, Johann. I trust you'll lead us there?" He asked as he allowed the old man to come up front, his response being a simple nod and yet another blow of hair from their wrinkled face.

As he heard the two behind him finally begin to follow up, he glanced at the streets, countless faces and people moving on to work with blank faces and slight smiles, the flags of the Empire on every single surface.

The sound of horses clacking against the ground, the bell of a streetcar, the shout of an officer heralding peace and traffic, the ever bustling sound of the crowd, and the busy atmosphere of the Imperial populace caressed his ears with no little amount of grace.

They were all so carefree, so unknowing. Unlike himself, cursed with such unfortunate knowledge.

He knew only of a small snippet of what would come. A taste of chaos and destruction. A touch of despair. Now that he was here, he wanted to ensure he could avoid it if possible. But every day that passed, it seemed more and more unavoidable.

He glanced at a group of men reading newspapers on the side of the road, his eyes glancing upon the bolded headline of one of the writings.

'Rising Tensions in Europa! Center of Conflict!?'

Only time would tell.

Only time would tell…

AN:

Off that delicious writers block after four months.

I think that's a better representation of Plan 315, though again, criticism of its writing is welcomed and all!

Honestly, the Rus Empire inside of Youjo Senki is just, entirely scuffed, I think Zen just mashed some stuff together and called it a day if I'll be completely serious.

But there's no way I'm collapsing it this early, maybe 1895 at the latest. I'll do something, I'll have to think about it.

I don't know why I do this kinda back searching and mass researching and historical stuff and all of this so much, it's like torture, but it's kinda fun to fill in the gaps that the original novel left empty.

I just hope I'm not doing a lousy job, this is kind of my first world building experience if anything that hasn't been a chaotic machination of my mind.

Enough rambling! More content! I hope you guys enjoy the ever late upload from my abhorrent schedule.

Until next year!

Kelpten.