Having expected that German upstart to wait until the last possible moment to give him his answer, Charles Di Britannia, Emperor of the Holy Empire of Britannia, and Suzerain of the Euro Britannian Empire, was caught completely off guard when his brother brought him the reply to his offer a full week before the deadline.
He had no doubt that Krueger was currently trying to determine why he had made this offer, or at the very least trying to adapt his crude plan to restart the Great War to his new found situation. But such concerns where minor when one considered the prize he would gain through this deal.
For though it was less efficient than having direct access to the sites he needed to initiate the Ragnarok Connection, he could tolerate the use of clandestine agents and secret bases on enemy soil. If only because this deal gave him the best chance of securing the sites within his preferred timeline.
For while his brother had all the time in the world, he did not.
Which meant that for the time being, he had to continue wearing the mask that was sadly required when dealing with the group of vultures that dared called themselves nobles.
Slowing his stride as he approached the podium, and doing his best not to smile as he noticed that one of his most loyal supporters was currently within the ranks of the assembled crowd, Charles Di Britannia took a brief moment to examine the crowd before delving into his speech.
"It is a fundamental truth that only the strong possess the right to shape the future.
Whether it be on the field of battle, or in some academic classroom, those who are blessed with superior skills will always outshine those that do not.
Centuries ago, our people, nay, our country possessed this very potential, and harnessed it to become one of the most powerful nations on this planet.
But unfortunately, our natural desire to take our rightful place in this world caused the global acknowledgement that strength equals survival.
Those corrupt impotents, whose current members rule behind the skirts of a prepubescent child, have managed to expand their holdings until nearly all of Asia is controlled by their diseased teachings.
And Europe….that squabbling union of weaklings was transformed by our efforts to regain our ancestral lands into a nation that possesses the right to be treated as a credible threat to the Empire.
Yes.
Our nation's example has served to inspire those who would otherwise be too weak to prove that they possess the right to live in this world.
And to best mark this moment, it is my duty to inform you that I have decided to see if the next generation can be strengthened with an infusion of blood from separate, but equally strong blood lines.
I have no doubt that the offspring of my daughter, and the man who has saved Europe from the evil of democracy, will prove to possess the strengths of both nations.
But make no mistake.
The day will come when Britannia will stand as the sole ruler of the world. And whether that goal will be accomplished through the use of overwhelming military might, or the more subtle art of diplomacy, Britannia will continue to triumph over those what dare to oppose it.
ALL HAIL BRITANNIA".
Keeping his stoic expression in place as his followers loudly revealed that they were no better than sheep, the Emperor couldn't help but wonder how his exiled children were reacting to this news.
Nunally would undoubtedly be pleased that the nation of her birth was currently utilizing more peaceful methods to reach an accord with its most powerful rival.
His son however, he had no doubt that Lelouch would greet this news with both detachment, at least until he discovered just which of his sister's had been married off, and likely slight panic.
For if the Britannian Army didn't need to concentrate against the armed might of a revived Europe, it could spare enough troops to help bolster the garrison of an Area that was still coming to terms with its status as a conquered nation.
Of course he had no real intention of strengthening Cornelia's forces to the point where victory was a forgone conclusion. But his son wouldn't know that.
For what parent didn't like to mess with one's child?
...
Frowning as she watched the wig wearing monarch's latest attempt to convince his nation of their rather questionable superiority, for she knew first hand that Britannians bled just as easily as any other ethnicity, Karina shook her head in disgust before turning her attention back to the files that Friedrich had sent her.
Though she was loyal and fond of him, more so now that she had FINALLY managed to move their relationship out of the friend zone, at least in a physical sense, there were still times when she had to question his thought process.
Agreeing to marry some pampered princess for the sake of regaining some lost territory? She could...somewhat agree with that viewpoint. Though she would do her best to ensure that both Friedrich and his new bride understood that SHE would have final say on who got to sleep with who.
But using the memoirs of a disgraced general to help ensure the Reich struck a devastating blow in the upcoming war? That was more difficult to understand.
However, Friedrich's unorthodox thinking had proven to create favorable outcomes for her nation's continued status as a world power. And since he genuinely valued her opinion, she resigned herself to an evening of reading the excuses of a paratrooper, instead of the more pleasurable activity of riding her long sought after toy into exhaustion.
She recorded every flaw that was present in the implementation Operation Mercury and using her own opinions and the ones suggested by Student, she wrote down the various solutions to these problems.
And there were a lot of problems.
Scattered drops.
No element of surprise
Insufficient air cover.
Lack of heavy weapons.
Little intelligence on present enemy forces.
And the inability to capture an airfield.
These factors had ensured that plan to recapture Madagascar had failed. With the total casualty list for the 3 week campaign standing at 6,500 dead, 7200 taken prisoner, 201 transports destroyed, a further 90 irrecoverably damaged, 68 bombers, and 82 fighters. An additional 1200 men had been lost during the attempt to evacuate the 5000 survivors of the battle, with naval losses standing at 4 destroyers, 2 converted merchantmen, and heavy damage to 3 cruisers.
However, these losses could have been easily avoided if Student had chosen to follow one of the primary principles of warfare.
Concentration of force.
However, Student chose to order his 8700 paratroopers, and 10,000 glider troops to capture multiple objectives at the same time. Forfeiting the advantage that came from outnumbering the enemy at the point of contention.
For after the Brits had recovered from the shock of having thousands of European soldiers descent into their territory, they had managed to contain this threat until they could summon enough forces to destroy each and every enclave. Something that was relatively easy to do since Student's failure to capture and maintain a working airfield meant that they lacked the ability to not only sufficiently reinforce their positions, but also interfere with Britannia's attempts to form a counter attack.
No, the only way such operations could work was if, and it was a pretty big if, the initial wave quickly secured its objective so as to free up resources for the next objective.
It could be done if sufficient forces were gathered for such an operation, but the problem was that apart from her ISD commandos, the Reich had little in the way of airborne infantry.
And since Skorzeny's plan required more men than he currently possessed to ensure that the opening moves of the offensive achieved tactical surprise, there was little hope of training a division's worth, let alone a corps, of paratroopers before the Reich was once again at war with its Britannian enemy.
She suspected that Friedrich had also come to the same conclusion. But considering he had worn that rather annoying, but nevertheless sexy smirk of his when he gave her the file, the buxom leader of the Reich's Internal Security Division also suspected that he had some idea of how to get around this.
A pity he was busy with those miserable toadies from the Propaganda Ministry trying to come up with a somewhat palatable way to explain his acceptance of the Emperor's offer. Otherwise she would have used her various skills to force him to share his vision.
But since she had her own schedule for the day, which ranged from integrating her newest prisoner to some interview with an Italian physicist, she resigned herself to the fact that her bedroom method of interrogation would have to wait until later.
For she always enjoyed knowing Friedrich's plans before he had to share them with others. And that was a position she intended to maintain even if someone else enjoyed the status as his legal partner.
...
Doing her best to retain a somewhat cheerful expression in the face of her father's announcement, for it wouldn't do to show anything less than full acceptance of the Emperor's will when one of his best agents was watching her every move, Euphie nevertheless found her control slipping as Nonette spoke the words she was too timid to say.
"You ever notice that the Emperor's announcements always sound like some sort of campaign ad? I mean, every speech of his, whether its a funeral, holiday message, or even a wedding announcement, focuses on the supposed superiority of our nation instead of a more uplifting topic. The least he could do is say that he's proud of your duty to the Empire, esepecially since his greatest enemy is going to be his son in law".
Though appreciating her attempts to cheer her up, though she suspected that her sister would label such attempts as bordering on treason, the pink haired princess let out a sigh as she addressed her temporary protector.
"I suppose so. That being said, do you think he'll approve my request to talk to my...my future husband before the wedding"?
Trying, and failing to keep her tone devoid of emotion as she addressed the Knight of Nine, Euphie was grateful that Nonette chose to ignore her current emotional state as she answered her question honestly.
"I don't see why he wouldn't. I mean, it will be a couple of months before you take up your duties as Duchess of Yamilla and Yugra, and at least 3 months before the wedding actually takes place. And considering this deal will fall through if Krueger believes that we're negotiating with him in bad faith, I think it's in his Majesty's best interest to agree to such a request. Hopefully you weren't too shocked when you're sister and I suggested it to you"?
Shaking her head to show that such a question hadn't bothered her, for she had contemplated such an idea before Cornelia managed to show that she was still incapable of allowing her to make her own choices, the young royal allowed her eye's to become slightly downcast as she asked about her future groom.
"And what about my...future husband? You think he'll agree to such a thing"?
Her expression softening as she took note of the princess's less than cheerful demeanor, Nonette ensured that her voice lacked its usual teasing tone as she answered the question.
"I think he will. I mean, he agreed to the Emperor's proposal well before the final deadline. Which sort of indicates that he wants this to happen".
Seeing Euphie's mood brighten at her answer, the lime haired Knight of Round allowed her usual teasing tone to creep back into her voice as she did the one thing that had never failed to illicit an enraged reaction from Cornelia.
"And to be honest I can't say I blame him. I mean, yes your still a couple years away from matching your sister, but your royal...assets are nevertheless more impressive than what that blood thirsty loli has. And a good deal more natural than what the First Princess loves to display. Cause I refuse to believe that a woman that can maintain a figure like that without needing to exercise. And since the only thing she exercises regularly is her cheque book, you can see why I tend to believe the rumors about plastic surgery".
Smirking at the blushing expression that had come over her charge's face at her teasing, idly noting that it had taken slightly more effort to cause such a reaction than it would have had it been required for her more physically developed sibling, Nonette found herself nodding in approval as Euphie proved that she was more capable than her sister realized.
"E..enough about that. How are you settling in? Sister told me that you've already started to...recruit some of her forces for your own uses".
Chuckling at the princess's chosen words to describe her unique method of weeding out those who were incapable of being used as competent meat shields, Nonette adopted a frown as she listed her experience so far.
"Well after I bullied...I mean convinced your sister to let me use her personal mechanics for my own knightmare, its been kind of dull actually. I mean, there's plenty of candidates who would give their left arm to be under the command of an Imperial Princess, let alone a lowly knight like myself. But you're sister has already poached most of the competent ones to serve under her command. And the one that hasn't been selected has some...issues that make him less than the ideal solider".
Having expected her to frown at confusion at her statement, the limed haired woman was caught off guard by the glaring expression that was currently being by her charge.
"Those...issues wouldn't be because he's a Honorary Britannian would they"?
Raising an eyebrow at Euphie's behavior, for amusingly enough it was similar to how Conrelia acted whenever someone dared to speak ill of her beloved baby sister, Nonette shook her head.
"Hardly. I've been on enough campaigns to know that Britannia doesn't have a monolopy when it comes to skilled soldiers. Your groom being a particularly good example of this. No, my issues with Warrant Officer Kururugi is that he's the type of naïve fool who shouldn't be allowed to possess a firearm. Let alone a highly advanced knightmare".
Suspecting that her charge was unsatisfied with this answer, though she could tell that she was somewhat pleased that her answer had little to do with his status as an Honorary Britannia, the lime haired continued her explanation.
"There are three qualities that every solider needs if they wish to serve their country on the field of battle. A willingness to accept that not everyone can be saved. The ability to do what ever it takes to defeat ones enemy. And the courage to throw one's life away if it means one's comrades can live to fight another day. And of those three qualities, I'm afraid that Kururugi barely manages to possess only one of them".
Seeing that her arguments had failed to convince the pink haired princess, and having no further desire to talk about asplund's naïve and suicidal pet, Nonette quickly sported a mischievous grin as she changed the topic to something that she knew would send a certain purple haired sister into a fit.
"But enough about that for now. We still have to get you ready for your video call with your future husband. You do manage to pull off the uniform of a Sub-Viceroy rather well, but I'm certain we can find something better. Krueger is a man after all. And in my experience, most men become a little more...sociable if they can see more than a hint of cleavage. And since your about the same size Nellie was when she was your age, you definitely have enough going for you to make even a hint seem worthwhile".
Cackling at the embarrassed expression that had come over the younger Li Britannain, Nonette allowed her grin to gain a slightly venomous edge to it as she realized that Krueger would not be the only European who got to see the figure flattering dress that would be worn by the Reich's future First Lady.
And while she had no doubt that the ruler of Europe would keep his blond bitch on a tight leash, she also had no doubt that Richter would resent being reminded that a younger woman was taking the place she obviously desired for herself.
Something which amused the Knight of Nine to no end.
...
Though she appreciated the amount of confidence Zero was placing in her, Kallen nevertheless felt that her assigned role in the developing operation was a mistake.
As the pilot of the most powerful knightmare in the Black Knight's arsenal, her place was at the side of her leader, who could choose to either use her as the sword to defeat their enemies, or as the shield to prevent any harm from coming to the man responsible for saving her from perishing at Shinjuku.
And considering Zero was the type of man to lead from the front, it made sense to have his most powerful subordinate by his side.
But on this day, in order to ensure that all aspects of their mission went according to plan, she had been ordered to accompany the team that had been tasked to pillage the energy filler plant at Nagoya, instead of guarding him during what was, in essence, a heavily armed distraction.
For as soon as Zero's presence was reported, Cornelia would move heaven and earth to reinforce the already substantial security detail that protected the Tokyo knightmare factory. Which meant that there would be fewer troops to respond to the other attacks that been scheduled to begin as soon as word of the distraction was implemented.
The only reason why she didn't flat out refuse to abandon her unofficial post as his bodyguard was because her leader would be accompanied by the best knightmare pilots of the semi-retired JLF.
And while their machines might not have been as advanced as the Guren, the European close quarter fighting frame was an equal match for the Gloucester, let alone the standard Sutherland frame.
However, it wasn't those frames that had her worried.
It was the white monstrosity that enjoyed the position as Britannia's trump card.
So far, only the Guren had proven to be its equal. And while she respected the abilities of the Holy Swords, she was uncertain if their skills would be enough to prevent the highly advanced frame from once again interfering in Zero's plans.
She could only hope that her leader, along with the tactical knowledge of the only Japanese Hero of the 2nd Pacific War, would be able to at least contain that specific threat long enough to achieve their objective. For despite the growing strength of their partially unified organizations, it was clear that without Zero, Japan's efforts to free restore its independence would fall into ruin.
However, as much as she wished to reflect on her less than preferred predicament, the upcoming operation needed her at her best.
Which meant that any regret or displeasure she felt would have to be addressed at another time.
On the plus side though it could have been worse.
Thanks to the new command structure that governed the growing resistance organization, the most brash and unskilled member of her brother's former cell no longer had the...privilege to interfere with military planning. And thanks to a rather harsh, but no less deserving dressing down, for the near future, Tamaki's chances of getting into a knightmare again were as likely as a Britannian prince or princess choosing to fight against the very system they had been born into.
And since the chances of that happening were non-existent, it was safe to say that Tamaki's time in the cockpit were finally over.
...
Silently cursing his stupidity in designing a mask that prevented one from keeping the back of the visor clean from any nasal expulsion of bodily fluid, and grateful that he was currently sequestered within the confines of his knightmare frame, Lelouch quickly removed his helmet and got back into the role of a military leader.
"K-1, K-2, what's your current status".
Though it still slightly irked him that his current relationship with the Japanese war hero was more akin to colleagues instead of superior and subordinate, the former royal had to admit that fighting alongside properly trained soldiers almost made it worth it.
"K-1 reports completion of phase 1, and is in position for phase 2".
"K-2 reports that the objective has been seized, and is currently in the process of phase Wokou".
Chuckling at the rather appropriate name for that aspect of the operation, for what better way to commemorate stealing from Britannia than by linking their actions with that of the Japanese pirates of old, Lelouch quickly reverted back to his more serious demeanor as he enquired after the status of Todoh's forces.
"And what's the current state of your team K-1? Do you need some replacements from the CR"?
And though he had expected as much, the former royal was still somewhat surprised by the war hero's answer".
"Negative. I still have my 4 runners and 3 defenders. Only losses I've sustained are in the decoys. And even then I have half of my orginal force of them".
Nodding his head in approval as Todoh reported that he still had 4 Vikings, 3 Panzers, and 2 Burais under his command, which ensured that he didn't need to be reinforced by their reserves, Lelouch's soon sported an evil grin as one of the more...outspoken members of Todoh's unit reported in.
"Heads up K-1, Z-0. Scouts have a confirmed sighting of Brit's White Reaper".
Normally, Asahina's disrespect would have caused him to contemplate using his Geass to order the bespectacled solider to get himself killed. But right now, such thoughts of petty revenge were easily cast aside as the opportunity to remove a more irksome irritant was presented to him.
And unlike the majority of his original force, whose dependence on his intellect was both gratifying and irritating, Todoh and his men did not require constant oversight to ensure that they played their part.
Which meant he could devote more time towards moving his less capable pieces to force his enemy into checkmate.
But first, his opponent needed to be reminded of what he was capable of.
"K-2. Initiate Plan Shoshin".
...
"This...This is madness. Don't they realize that the Empire will seek vengeance for this attack".
Gritting his teeth in frustration as he piloted his knightmare along the edge of the exploding inferno, Suzuaku fought the very real urge to growl as his superior once again revealed his lack of concern for anything that didn't exist on a computer screen.
"Yes. I'm sure this little bit of property damage will inspire more than one solider to be a tad...over zealous in his selection. But now's not the time to let that idealistic head of your distract you. If we're going to get any relevant data, I need you foc...GAH".
Despite the seriousness of his situation, Suzakua cracked a minor smile as the deceptively cheerful tone of his more maternal minder scolded the eccentric scientist after delivering what was a rather impressive blow to the gut.
"I think what you meant to say is 'Please be careful Suzaku'. The enemy attack has managed to not only destroy the facility, but has also managed to take out the factory's security force. Which means that you'll be handling this alone for the time being".
Nodding his head to show that he appreciated Cecile's show of concern, the Japanese born pilot of the Lancelot adopted a more focused expression.
"Understood. Any idea what I'm...".
It was only thanks to his frame's reflexes that he managed to dodge the enemy sneak attack. Otherwise, he strongly suspected that there would have been nothing left of his frame expect perhaps a pair of smouldering legs, and a field of twisted metal fragments.
Recovering quickly, Suzaku was able to barely avoid yet another heavy salvo before realizing that he was not only outnumbered, but also surrounded.
And to make matters worse, the enemy's knightmares were more deadly than a refurbished Glasgow.
Something which Lloyd had no trouble pointing out.
"Now this is a pleasant surprise. I knew that the JLF was in possession of some European designed frames, but I didn't dare to imagine that they'd risk them when their numbers are so low. This is excellent. The data we can get from this confrontation will go a long way to impr...OWWW".
Blocking out the chastising voice of his more mentally balanced supervisor, Suzaku took a brief moment to identify which frames his opponent was using before going onto the attack.
While he lacked first hand experience in dealing with the blocky European designed knightmare, he knew that it was both heavily armored, and possessed enough firepower to destroy any standard Britannian frame at nearly 2kms distance. He also knew that in close quarter fighting, it was rather easy to outmanoeuvre, meaning that he only needed to close the distance in order to remove it from battle.
Sadly however, the nature of the environment, and the nature of the other knightmares meant that the chances of closing with the Panzer without interference made such a outcome unlikely.
1 or 2 Panzer's in a confined environment where they could cover each other?
No problem.
3 Panzers with 5 Vikings acting as a synchronized team?
That was proving more difficult than he would have preferred.
For while the Lancelot was more advanced than Europe's counter to the Gloucester, it was clear that the advantages that usually came from piloting a revolutionary knightmare were somewhat mitigated by the teamwork being displayed by the 5 enemy pilots.
Every time he tried to strike down an enemy combatant, he was forced to angle his blow to block an enemy's move to bisect his frame. Which meant that his intended target remained able to deliver its own counter attack.
And for every time he leaped back to dodge a skillfully delivered thrust, he had to worry about his landing being interrupted by another opponent trying to do what their teammate could not.
Having spent so much time fighting enemies that were either few in number, or were so technologically inferior that it didn't make a difference on how many they fielded against him, Suzaku's ability to deal with a foe that was both numerous, well trained, and possessed weaponry that, while a generation behind his own, was nevertheless deadly when used properly, was severely lacking.
Which was why he only barely managed to cause his knightmare to duck as a 75mm shell went streaming across his head.
However, while his quick actions had prevented his knightmare from being turned into a twisted heap of burning metal, the Japanese born pilot was nevertheless too slow in preventing the upper hatch of his knightmare from being ripped off.
Which meant that his opponents now had a much easier time of getting away with their crimes since he now lay exposed to all the dangers of the modern battlefield.
But while he expected his life to be stolen by a sniper's bullet or a random piece of debris, Suzuaku Kururugi, only child of the last Prime Minister of Japan, did not expect his current opponent to expose himself as well.
"To...Todoh Sensei".
...
Despite the fact that I had a meeting in 20 minutes, one that I sadly couldn't be late for considering that I needed to create a favorable impression on the man whose failures had inspired my latest plan for Europe's restoration, I nevertheless found myself sitting with a degree of amusement as my bride to be attempted to greet me in my language.
"Greetings Krueger Chancellor. I well hope you are this day"?
Unsure if I should laugh or cry at her attempts to converse with me in German, I settled for giving the pink haired princess a small smile as I gave my reply.
"I am well your Highness. And I appreciate your...attempts to speak to me in German, but I assure you that I am more than proficient with English. As the leader of a nation where English is one of the 3 official languages, it would look rather stupid if I could only speak 1 of the 3 instead of all of them".
My words causing a flush of embarrassment to appear on her cheeks, though I suspected that the unseen giggling from her side of the screen also had something to do with her current expression, I found myself nodding in slight approval as Euphemia Li Britannian proved to be unlike the rest of her nation.
"Th...thank you Chancellor. I confess that when I was presented with the option of learning the 2 other official languages of the Reich, I chose German because...well it was slightly less daunting than trying to learn Russian. Don't get me wrong, I still want to learn it. But considering my... study habits, and my continued frustrations with learning a different type of alphabet, I figured that it would be better to first learn the native language of Europe's leader".
Chuckling as I recalled my own struggles in trying to learn the Russian language, I decided to praise her efforts before moving to a less amusing topic.
"Admirable your highness. However, I nevertheless finding myself a tad confused as to the nature of your call. It is my understanding that when it comes to political marriages, especially ones where the bride is royalty, said bride is often denied to chance to converse with her husband to be. And considering the rather...amusing attempts to paint me and my country in an unfavorable light, I sincerely doubt that few, if any of your countryman would support what you are doing now".
Judging by her expression, it was clear that I was right in my presumption.
Which is why I was a little shocked by her reply.
"Ye...yes that's true. But since this...marriage is supposed to bring peace between our nations, both me and a...friend were able to convince Cornelia that the best way to ensure its success is by making sure that you have a somewhat favorable impression of me".
Nodding my head to show that I agreed with this approach, though I suspect that part of the real reason had to do with my ability to keep certain...individuals from abusing their power, I allowed a hint of curiosity to enter my tone as I addressed the pink haired royal.
"Forgive me for asking this your highness, but what friend could possibly have the courage to convince the so called 'Witch of Britannia' to let her little sister contact the...what was that last title your propaganda ministry saddled me with? Oh yes, the 'Demon of Europe'".
Chuckling at the Empire's continued efforts to discredit me, though I suspect that Emperor Chuck derived some amusement from all the names my own ministry tended to label him with, my amused expression quickly morphed into one of surprise as our video conversation was interrupted by an individual that would have caused a certain sadistic blond to empty her Walter into my video screen.
"That would be me your Supreme Chancellorship. Gotta say, for a man whose spent the last 7 years behind a desk instead of a piloting console, your looking pretty good".
...
Rendered speechless by Nonette's sudden intrusion into her conversation, Euphie's expression quickly morphed into a concerned frown as the Chancellor of the Reich delivered his own tempered insult.
"Thank you Lady Enneagram. And I have to say that I am delighted to speak with you without having to deal with a piece of shrapnel in my side. Though considering you lack the Carrot's penchant for sadism, I will continue to believe that you hadn't intended for me to survive that little encounter on the Volga".
For a minute, the pink haired princess believed that her chaperone would continue this worrisome exchange. But such thoughts quickly melted away as both the Knight of Nine, and the Chancellor of the Greater European Reich broke out into light chuckling.
"In all fairness, I wasn't aiming for you that day. But since my aim was thrown off my intended target….well, you know how it is. However, in my opinion it was sufficient payback for what you did to me in the 2nd Battle of Moscow. Do you have any idea how boring it was to sit in a hospital waiting to be declared fit for duty? Cause as I recall, my little attempt on your blond bit…I mean your subordinate barely kept you off the front line for more than a day".
"True. However by that point in time I returned to my HQ, said 'Front Line' was already broken to the point where my direct supervision wasn't required. And speaking of direct supervision, I must say that I'm a little surprised that Chuck would have one of his more talented soldiers act as a chaperone for a daughter whose, and I apologize if this offends your highness, is less blood thirsty than the majority of her family".
Surprised by the almost friendly bantering that was passing between the two, and more than a little shocked that Krueger was aware of her less war like nature, Euphie was prevented from hearing Nonette's answer as a slightly panicked looking guard burst into the room.
"Apologies for the interruption your highness, but Princess Cornelia is requesting Lady Enneagram immediate presence".
Nodding her head to show that she understood, the pink haired princess adopted an apologetic frown as she turned towards the screen.
"Apologies Chancellor, but I'm afraid that we'll have to resume this another time. While my sister has given her permission to converse with you, she was quite specific that I was only to do so with supervision".
Failing to keep the slight bitterness out of her tone as she said that, Euphie was pleased to see that Krueger accepted her excuse.
"Understood your highness. I shall look forward to our next conversation. Oh and just a word of advise if you intend to continue learning German. Your pronunciation is good, but you need to work on the sequence of your phrasing. The words you spoke were correct, but the order in which you spoke them were not. Auf wiedersehen your highness".
….
Chuckling as I turned off the screen, I allowed my amusement with the pink haired princess to fade as I tried to imagine why her war mongering sister would suddenly need the presence of a Knight of Round.
Presumably it had something to do with the growing resistance movement, but since I no longer had an agent overseeing the operations of Japan's largest resistance movement, I had to plan my actions according to speculation instead of cold hard facts.
Something that I was rather good at, but also detested in equal measure.
Perhaps it was time to establish a more…noticeable presence in Area 11.
Kyoto would probably refuse the offer of a European expeditionary force, but they might just very well be persuaded if said force was comprised of not only experienced soldiers, but also soldiers who shared the same ethnic and cultural ties as themselves.
Of course Karina would probably have to adopt some measures to ensure that none of her troops defected while they were stationed in the country of their birth, but I'm sure it won't prove to be too much of a problem for her.
But for now, thoughts of the loyalty of the Nippon Regiment could wait since I had more important things to worry about.
Like say a meeting with a disgraced paratrooper officer. Of course if he manages to identify the mistakes he made during his last battle, and come up with solutions that both myself and probably Karina have identified, I might be persuaded to give him a chance to redeem himself.
Because while failure is something to be avoided at all cost, the ability to learn from failure is a quality that has proven itself time and time again.
…
AND gonna stop here for now since I believe this is a nice Christmas Gift XD
Pleased with how this chapter turned out. Hopefully you were not tooo displeased/shocked by my chosen method of having the OC converse with both Nonette and Euphiemia.
Finally had some more Suzaku spotlight going on, both from Nonette's opinion on why he makes a terrible solider, and of course my version of how his identity gets exposed. Was also an opportunity to have the Lancelot come up against European knightmares. Think that the Viking (I.e. cannon Alexander frame) is more or less equal to the Gekka since they are the match of the Britannian Glouscter.
As for my idea of a modified Crete Scenario, got the inspiration from Peter G. Tsouras book, forget which one, Wings over the Caucasus, which basically speculates what could happen if the German victory at Crete was accomplished with far fewer losses. Won't spoil it, but my idea is generally that XD.
Now to respond to questions and comments.
Fuhrer of Europe
Question/Comment: I wonder, how will the Vampire react when he finds out that the war he said was coming has been delayed for a time thanks to Princess Euphemia? He knows the war will come eventually despite the marriage offering for peace, but he never really strikes me as the most patient of killers.
Finally, the character developments of the primary contenders in Area 11 are FINALLY being pushed forward. As you said, Lelouch is finally learning to trust the decisions of others, provided they are sensible of course, and Princess Cornelia's development with Nonette around will most surely accelerate. How they develop as the rebellion continues, us readers will have to see. And since Nonette has come up, let me just say that I personally believe you caught Nonette's personality quite accurately when compared to other stories I have read in the fandom. Although, let me just say state that the comment from Nonette about addressing Richter, since we all know Nonette is referring to her, as a "blond b**ch" gave me a sense of deja vu. Was that on purpose on your end, making these two freakishly strong women with certain connections to our glorious Chancellor address each other so similarly by calling each other by their hair color and a b**ch? Lastly, is it wrong for me to visualize everyone in the vicinity to hug the walls if they find themselves forced to be in the same room as both women at the same time while struggling not to pass out from the Killing Intent that would no doubt be exuded by the two?
Answer: As always, want to thank you for your continued interst in this story, and the time it took you to write out a thoughtful review.
Now to answer some of your questions.
As to how the Vampire will react to the Emperor's little peace deal, my take was going to be….not well. I'm envisioning him taking out his rage on the undeserving, or on other armed combatants of the Empire, but can't reveal too much in the way of details since it's a mixture of spoilers/haven't decided what course to pursue XD.
As for Nonette and Richter, think this chapter covered SOME of the reasons for their animosity. Will go into greater detail later.
Fortitutde501
Q/C: Of all the things i keep forgetting; will Simo Hayha the legendary white death of Finland join in the fight against Britannia? Considering that Euro-Britannia set up St. Petersburg as their capital, its not hard for him to enlist to prevent them from invading his home.
Maybe even famed Russian female tank commander Aleksandra Grigoryevna Samusenko. Why not since you got Zukhov, Stalin and Beria in the story.
A/R: Thanks for your continued interest in this story. Means a lot to see your comments since it helps me figure out future plot lines. And….Beria WAS in the story XD. Until he screwed up and faced a firing squad.
And as for other historical characters…perhaps. I confess that most of my World War II knowledge in terms of personalities/military figures is the German, and Russian, and of course the major western allied commanders. So will have to familiarize myself before I commit.
Also, in this story, St. Petersburg is under the Reich's control due to their victory in the Great War. Might have had it captured at some point, but will see.
As for the saboteurs aspect, have no fear, intend to expand upon Skorzreny's future plan to disrupt the Empire during the opening phases of Operation Reclamation. Thinking of a mixture of what the Soviets did before they launched Operation Bagration and….something else XD.
Chancellor ZVE
Thanks for another great chapter. Can't wait for the next one.
Question/ Comments:
- I really look forward to the day that Bradley will pay for his crimes against the brave souls that defied Britannia to the end. I'm sure Richter will gladly show the savage killer how to truly torture enemies of the state first hand, for the first and last time.
- Normally, people would advise against "sticking it into crazy", but I can't bring myself to agree with it in regards to Richter and her 'thirsty' needs. How the marriage will affect this relationship has me very curious, and I can't help but randomly ponder if Euphemia isn't also hiding some form of building sexual frustration since it's always the shy and quiet ones you never see coming. You have to consider that the overprotectiveness of Cornelia as well as the severe lack of respectable men in the vicinity leaves practically no chance to meet a man in the Empire who is neither afraid of Cornelia nor sees Euphemia as just a princess with royal connections. Please take note that I am excluding Suzaku from that nonexistent list of men in the Empire as he is far from respectable in my eyes.
- I will admit, Nonette really did give out some useful advice there. First impressions are truly important, especially if it's the first time actual speaking with each other before an arranged wedding. Aside from marital dilemmas, it will be a violent wake-up call for the Area 11 rebels who will have to deal with an actual Knight of the Round helping to crush enemy resistance before she escorts Euphemia to the Reich.
- I'm not going to ask much on what happened in Krueger's past for him to hate the should-be dead Empress as I wish for it to be a surprise for me. Still, his level-headed approach to the letter from V.V. is worthy of praise from me.
- As the old saying goes, actions speaks louder than words. Reason I state this is because I want to know one thing: Will the Europeans who resettle the Yamilia and Yugra provinces give Euphemia a chance to prove herself as a fair and effective governor, or will their prejudice against Britannians in general make things difficult from the get-go?
- How much of a military presence is actually allowed in Euphemia's provinces? It's obvious you can't expect to have provinces without SOME form of military protection when bordering a bunch Euro-Brits who b**ch and moan about "restoring their former glory" and all that s**t, but how much is Britannia's definition of "minimum" military presence? Will it be something along the levels of a Self-Defense Force like the JSDF in our reality, something along the lines of a Military Police, etc.?
A/R: Thank you for taking the time to not only read my story, but also contributing to the review process. Helps me to think of new ideas by reading responses.
Have no fear, the final fate of Bradley will be satisfying…..cause I THINK I can come up with a more gruesome/enjoyab;e fate than being melted by radiation/dying in an explosion.
As for Euphie being 'thirsty', you will have to wait to see since I'm going more the step by step road to independence rather than doing it abruptly. She of course has desires, but she hasn't had the chance to act on them/explore.
Glad you liked my rendition of Nonette. Such a shame she wasn't really used in the canon series (would have done wonders to crack Cornelia's serious persona in season 1), but hey, that's what fanfic is for.
As for Krueger and his ties with the should be dead Empress, just gonna say that his reasons are more understandable than V.V.
For the resettlement of the reclaimed provinces…have yet to decide how I'm going to go about that. Cause all I have for comparison are the population movements that happened in Europe during and after the war. Don't think Euphie would agree to a general expulsion/resettlement program.
As for allowed military presence, still juggling ideas to be honest. At this point in time, jumping between DMZ idea, Garrisons of Occupied Germany, or an improved Rhineland agreement. Whether this will matter in the long run is still being decided lol.
Hopefully I have addressed your concerns to your liking.
Anyways, please review, no flames.
Will post in the new year.
Heil Europa.