Actually I don't believe she can do that seeing as their admitted officers into the Imperial Army if anything the ones who are their guardians would be High command of the imperial army
will we be seeing some drama between the military high command and that lady over the guardianship of frederick and tanya? because the very thought of a headline spelling "MILITARY VERSUS ESTRANGED RELATIVES! WHO IS FIT MORE TO GUIDE AND PROTECT OUR WAR HEROES?" is hilarious as heck.
"As you can guess, First Lieutenants," said General Christof Weitz, taking another puff of his cigar. "the situation is very complex. For this reason, I need you to answer every single question I make."
Both Tanya and I nodded. It was hard to think that just an hour ago we were sitting around a table and eating delicious cooked food while listening to classical music. Now we were in the general's office, standing still and waiting for the interrogation to begin.
"Before I begin," the general glared like the sun. "I must remind you that anything you will say will be will be recorded. I am ordering you to tell me the truth, complete and absolute. If you lie, this will be equal to the violation of a direct order and punished as such. Have I made myself clear?"
"Yes sir!" we answered.
"Good" the general said, turning to me. "First Lieutenant Frederick, please explain what's going on. In particular, why does this woman claim surrogate motherhood on two of my best students and heroes on the Rhine front?"
I bit my lips. The answer was not easy to tell.
"First Lieutenant?" The general asked. "I am waiting."
"It's… a complicated story, sir. If you want, I can tell you from the beginning, but it would take me a long time…"
The general nodded. "From my own point of view and those of my senior officers, this issue has priority. Don't worry about your lessons: take your time..."
I gulped. No turning back from this point on. "Herr General, the situation is this: apparently, that woman wants to adopt me and my colleague Degurechaff not for filial love, but to get her hands on an inheritance."
The general blinked. "An inheritance?"
"Sir!" said Tanya. "Permission to speak?"
"Granted."
"Thank you, sir. Apparently, Lieutenant Frederick König here has just become the official heir of an industrialist in the city, Herr August Gegenbauer."
"Gegenbauer?" The general said, more shocked. "The old man who owned Union Werke?"
We nodded.
"And," he said looking at me. "you are now his official heir?"
"For the most part, sir." I said, still standing.
"And… what does this woman have to do with this matter?"
"She is… the sister of the late Herr Gegenbauer. She too was at the reading of his will, but she received just a very modest bequest. She… didn't take it very well."
The general nodded "And now she wants to adopt you both. Why?"
"Because that is the easiest way to gain access to the inheritance, sir." Tanya said. "We were debating the probability of her and the other relatives contesting the will and in our opinion their chances to successfully contesting the will were low. In all likelyhood, she also thought the same thing. But if she hypothetically manages to become the adoptive mother of both of us..." she said with a touch of disgust, as if the idea of being adopted by Erika was a punishment worse than any other. "this would mean that she would become responsible for our finances too. As such, unless we were legally recognized as emancipated, she would freely manage the assets and properties of the late August Gegenbauer, without us being able to do anything about it…"
The general said nothing. He remained silent, while his mind analyzed Tanya's words. It did not take long before anger emerged on his face.
"First Lieutenant König!"
"Yes sir?" I said.
"Can you refuse that woman's offer?"
"Of course I can, sir!" I responded "But the real question is if I am allowed to refuse."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, sir, both First Lieutenant Degurechaff and I are… much younger than most of the soldiers. Worse still, both of us are minors. And as such, we are not of legal age to make decisions relevant to our future."
The general raised an eyebrow. He was starting to understand our thinking.
"So, you are saying that, according to the law, you do not know if you are able to refuse an adoption for yourself or not?"
"Unless we are legally recognized as emancipated, yes." I said. "And if that were to happen, I would not be able to predict the outcome."
"That damn civilian!" the general hissed under his breath "She wants to take me two of my crack soldiers, just to get some money?"
"Actually, sir, I believe there is more at play." Tanya said, taking me by surprise. "As we have already mentioned, August Gegenbauer left much of his inheritance to Frederick. This includes all his Union Werke holdings. And if that woman were get her hands on them, it could have unpleasant consequences for the army."
"Lieutenant Degurechaff." asked the general, looking at her. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that I have actually done some research, sir. From what I know so far, Union Werke produces quality-finished products for the army, the quality of which contributes greatly to the comfort and health of our soldiers on the Rhine front and in Norden. Without them, our material and human losses would be higher, with obvious consequences. Frederick is a soldier, he fought with me on the Rhine front, and he has seen first hand the difficulties and suffering our soldiers endure on the front lines. No one else could know better that those products are essentiual for the war effort. Fräulein Erika, on the other hand, is a civilian. She has never fought on the front lines, she is as illiterate in the field of army logistics as somebody can get. Moreover, from the impression that she gave, I have reason to believe that she is more interested in money and profit than in doing her duty. If she succeeds, she will not only steal all that wealth, but also wrest control of the holdings and partnerships of the Union Werke away from more qualified people. With the factories under her control, she could renegotiate any deal with the army to increase commission prices, as well as reduce the quality of finished products to save on expenses. It is not possible to change suppliers, since we are at war, a possible reconversion of the factories would take too long, and the Republicans would probably welcome it. And so the army would be forced to indulge that woman's mad craving for money..."
The general nodded. Tanya's words had hit their mark.
"I guess I'll have to report this to Strategic HQ. Indeed, it is a very delicate situation. If your assumptions are true, then poor management of the problem could lead to terrible consequences for the Imperial Army. I will personally inform my superiors, and I can guarantee you that I will not skimp on the words."
We nodded. "Thank you sir!"
"Not now. Thank me after we solve the situation. I don't want to lose two of my best officers for a reason as ridiculous as this. Degurechaff, König, I will be waiting for you here tomorrow at 11 am. Don't keep me waiting!"
"We will be here, sir!" Tanya immediately responded, saluting him. "Whatever it takes."
"I am sure you will not disappoint me, officer." the general said, smiling to both of us. "For this reason, I decided to give you the rest of the day off."
"W-what?" Tanya asked. "Excuse me, sir, but we do not need a day off. We need to go back to studying. The men and women fighting on the Rhine front have no days off."
"I'm sure the Empire can survive half a day if two of my officers take a break. Furthermore, I believe that with the current... situation, it would be well advised for you to take a break from your military duties…"
An alarm bell rang in my mind. Was the general saying that we might soon be forced to leave the army and abandon our military career? There was no worse news in the world.
"Sir!" I said, half shocked. "Are you… suspending us from service?"
"No. At least, not yet. I will speak with the other officers here at the academy about the matter. For the time being, I will assign you a reduced workload. If we can get the matter done within a couple of weeks, you will resume active service."
"And… what if it will take longer? Or if the courts get involved?"
The general sighed. "In that case, I'll have to put your status as active officers on hold until the matter is settled. I can assure you, however, that I will do my best to keep you. And believe me; I always get what I want…"
"I cannot believe this is actually happening!" Tanya shouted as we were outside of the general's office. "We can't afford to lose our careers!"
"Neither can I." I responded, looking at her. "But for now, we must remain calm and not draw attention."
"Draw attention on us?" Tanya said. "Do you realize that because of that woman we could lose everything we worked so hard to build?"
"I am perfectly aware, Tanya. However, we cannot indulge in easy hysteria. The general promised us his support, and with it, that of the army. I do not think there can be a stronger political force than the army; at least, not in the Empire."
She looked at me for a few more seconds, before taking a deep breath. "Very well. So what do you recommend?"
I thought about it for a moment. Obviously, I had no idea for a winning strategy. However, I had ideas on how we could not aggravate our situation.
"Let's take the day off." I said, "Let's take a tour of the city and have some fun."
"Fun?" she repeated, looking at me as if I had grown a second head. "We can't afford to relax or have fun. What kind of officers would we be? We have duties to our nation! We cannot waste our time on frivolous things!"
"But our commanding officer ordered us to take the day off. Did you hear the general or not? He will help us, but he needs time to organize himself and help from the other officers. In the meantime, I believe we can enjoy the free time he has given us."
"The fact that he has given us the day off does not mean we can squander it. We can spend our time much better. I think we should go back to the mansion, and plan our strategy."
"I don't think that's a good idea…."
"Why?" she asked, eyes looking as if she was trying to drill into my skull with her stare alone. "Do you think taking time to prepare is a bad idea?"
"No, I think that going back to the mansion is a bad idea."
She stopped. "Explain."
"Well, as you remember, Erika was not the only suspect present on the day of the will's reading. If you remember correctly, Bernhard and Albin were also there. Do you remember them? Albin was-"
"-the little pig that tried to get into my skirt, yes." she gagged. "He was lucky that I didn't have my rifle with me. If I had, I would have likely buried the bayonet in his stomach. And Bernhardt was the one who bribed his way out of service."
"Yes. And they know where the mansion is. Therefore it is quite likely that if we go back there, they will know where to find us. I, on the other hand, think that we should lay low, to prevent them from contacting us for their subpoenas."
She thought about it for a moment. "So, you want to tour the city in order to avoid them."
"Yes. We could use the time available to design our defense witch, as you suggested, and at the same time prepare for their next attacks. Besides, we could do something fun ... together."
She raised her head "Very well" she said, in the same tone as a queen who forgives her subject "Let's take the day off. However, I warn you: do not make strange thoughts!"
"Don't worry. I know you too well to feel the slightest positive feeling towards you, ice doll."
"Same for you, spoiled puppet." she replied. "You already have an idea of where to go?"
I smiled. "I came prepared…"
"Let me be clear: I will not accept any idea that can give the wrong impression to our senior officers."
I groaned. "I have some new ideas…"
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Are we there yet?"
"No!" Tanya yelled. "Frederick, stop torturing my ears and behave like an adult. Continually asking if we are there does not get us there any quicker. And I can't know if we have already arrived, for the simple fact that you are the one here who knows the way."
"But it's funny." I smiled smugly. "And since my feet hurt, and because you have refused the idea of taking a taxi, I am trying to distract myself as much as I can."
"I have already told you and repeated: why spend money on a taxi when we can walk?"
"Because our destination is very far?" I responded. "And it is not your money that I would have used…"
"It is the same!" she replied. "We cannot start to spend lavishly just because of m- our unexpected fortune. We must learn to manage it! And then, it's been more than half an hour that we began walking: we should have almost arrived."
"That's for sure. However, if we had taken a taxi, we would have already arrived even sooner."
She sent an icy glare my way. "The Academy has softened you up, I see. Have you already forgotten the long forced marches we did during training?"
"Of course not. But then, why couldn't we fly over there?"
She smiled. "You know why. The the whole city is fortified and equipped to defend itself from enemy attack. Such equipment includes magical energy detectors and anti-mage countermeasures. If we fly, we risk causing a false alarm. Do you want to explain it to the officer who will interrogate us?"
"Of course not." I said, admitting defeat.
"Very well. Then keep walking, and don't you dare start that up again."
"Start what up?"
"You know it!"
"I don't think so. That reminds me..." I beamed. "Are we there yet?"
"Frederick!" she turned to me in rage. "Stop it at once!"
"Ok. I don't see why you are so angry. I have some good news, though: we have arrived."
"W-what?" she looked shocked.
I smiled, pointing toward a building in front of us. "There. What do you think?"
She looked at the same direction. "B-but that-that is…"
"Yep, a film theater." I smirked. "I was hoping we could see a movie together. Are you in?"
She glared at me, once again. "I distinctly remember saying 'no idea that could give a wrong impression'!"
"Correct." I replied. "We are just a couple of extremely young-looking magical officer of the army enjoying a well-deserved break both from active duty and strategy lessons."
She glared more. "But a movie? What makes you think it could be something suitable for us?"
I smiled. "Well, to begin with, the film theater is one of the most frequented places for soldiers on leave from the front, so no one will notice us and our uniforms. Second, as it is likely that there will be many people inside, we will be well hidden even if someone comes looking for us. Third, it is cheap, so you do not have to worry about me spending too much money. And fourth…" I finished, taking a deep breath.
"And fourth...?"
"Fourth," I continued. "in my previous life I was an avid cinephile. And I wouldn't mind discovering cinematic tastes in the Empire…"
She looked away, in direction of the cinema, before returning her eyes toward me. "So, you say there is no other implicit reason for you to choose it?"
"Of course not!" I protested. "Like I have already said a million times, I would to be mad to ever considering the slightest hint of a positive feeling for you. Mad, blind and deaf!"
She grimaced. "Very well then. If you are saying the truth, I will accept your offer to watch the movie together. However, for you own health, I suggest you don't attempt anything. If you do, our fr- I mean, our knowledge will not help you!"
Was she going to say friendship?For real?
"Agreed" I simply responded. "Now, can we go before all the best seats get taken?"
"That would be wise." she said.
We crossed the street, and reached the cinema door. On a large sign, bright enough to be seen even at night and at a great distance, the inscription Cinema Theater Berun appeared. In front of the door, there was also a man in a red uniform with a hat similar to that of an officer, who I assumed was the porter.
"Excuse me?" I said, speaking to him. "Porter? Can I ask a question?"
The porter looked at us. "Sure you can, children. What do you need to ask?"
"We would like to know which films are being shown today."
The porter laughed. "Blessed youth. We have just only one film."
"Oh?" I said, taken by surprise. "Ok then. Which movie is it?"
"Well, it's best I show you." he replied, pointing to a poster who was located to his right. "You can look at it here."
We walked to the poster. I didn't know what to expect: from what little I had learned about the movies in vogue in the Empire, these were divided into two main categories. Propaganda films and romantic films
Romantic films had a plot that was practially cookie-cutter manufactured: a bold young handsome boy who falls in love with a beautiful noblewoman but since he is poor, he isn't even allowed look at her. Then in the end it is discovered that he is actually the grandson of another noble's cousin, and therefore he can get married. They were films with a very simple plot, and a mostly positive ending. Suitable for women and young girls looking for love, but not for Tanya.
Propaganda films were another matter entirely. Even there the plot was not that great (considering the times, it was understandable), yet the action and war scenes that distinguished them seemed to fill this void effectively. They were also films that usually had a profound propaganda message aimed at the viewer, subtly urging them to enlist, to contribute to the war effort through their work or with public and private donations. In a way, going to the theater and wathcing these films was a matter of patriotic pride.
I looked at the poster. The scene represented an icy wasteland, covered in snow and completely lifeless, very similar to those of Norden where Tanya and I had had our first battle. On the left, a dead, leafless bush. On the right, a rising sun. In the center, the girl.
I looked more carefully. She couldn't have been more than twenty years old, judging by her physical appearance and her face. Long silver hair falling on her shoulders and blown by the wind, a white dress with black buttons and bow, which gave her the air of an academic of some military school and in her arms, a submachine gun.
"What is it?" asked Tanya, looking over the girl's image. "Now they are starting to enlist teenage girls?"
"The poster says that the name of the movie is Snegurochka: the Maiden of the Snow." I read the title out loud. "Unfortunately, there is no plot synopsys, so I can only make guesses about the story."
"What about the porter?" she said in turn. "Maybe he knows something about it…"
"Good idea." I replied, before walking back to him.
"So." the porter said when I approached him. "Are you interested in the movie?"
"We could be." I said "But we were hoping you could tell us something about it. We would like to know if that is a movie that fits our taste…"
"Well, I can't say much." the man said, stretching his neck. "I can only say that it's a film from the Federation. It tells the story of a young girl defending her home village during a cold winter… "
"The Federation?" Tanya asked, bewildered. "How did they manage to export their films to the Empire?"
"No idea." answered the porter. "However, the movie had to be good, if they have managed to sell it in our nation. Although in my opinion it is somewhat unrealistic: who would want to watch the story of a young girl fighting in a war and who hates God?"
Well the shit is starting to pile up in front of the fan while erika has made her move there is still Albin and Bernhardt to take into account for their actions. Also a couples date to the movies how could that possibly backfire?
The hotlink doesn't work for that sight.
Well the shit is starting to pile up in front of the fan while erika has made her move there is still Albin and Bernhardt to take into account for their actions. Also a couples date to the movies how could that possibly backfire?
The hotlink doesn't work for that sight.
Unbelievable. The film isn't just good, it's amazing!
The story is set in Sildberia, in the midst of a devastating winter, when even the hardiest of animals flee from a frozen death. In this wild and brutal place, there is the village where the protagonist, Snegurochka lives. The film presents her as a beautiful, but also very poor girl, an orphan who lives with her grandparents and works in a weapons shop to earn a living. As expected, she is often bullied by her peers, and most of the other children in the village (as well as many adults) stay away from her. The classic tragic backstory that every protagonist must have.
The initial balance is broken when a group of deserters arrive and tyrannize the inhabitants for food and medicine, then attack the village. Obviously, the protagonist is the only one who tries to oppose them. Armed with a submachine gun that she built herself and with courage that previously she did not have, our heroine decides to go on a guerrilla war against the occupying forces. Gradually, some of her peers decide to join her in the struggle to free their home, while others (including her former bullies) join the rebel soldiers in a cowardly attempt to earn something on the suffering of their own people.
Now, at this particular moment we were near the middle of the film. The protagonist and her allies have just lost their base to the soldiers, and they are taken by despair. All except her. And she proves it expediently.
"Don't ask God to save you!" Snegurochka yells at a fellow fighter, who until then was busy crying and praying. "God does not exist. It is just a big lie, invented long ago to make you believe that your work would be rewarded. Opium to keep you away from the truth. And the truth is, the only one who can help you is yourself. No matter how long you pray, nobody will come to help you. If you want things to change, you have to work to make it happen!"
"Good words, miss." I say, almost spontaneously ."Good words!"
I looked to my right. Tanya watched the movie without paying any attention to what was going on around her. It almost seemed like he was reviewing and evaluating the film in her head, and in fact, she almost looked like a film critic.
"You like it?"
"It is good, so far." she said, her gaze unmoving from the screen. "But if she finds faith again in the end, or if there is an Aesop, I will never watch it again."
"Me neither." I replied under my breath, so no one could hear us. "But, since it looks good enough to be watched so far, we can still hope for a better fitting end."
She grimaced. "Well, I seriously hope the movie you have chosen does not disappoint me. Otherwise, I am going to have to show my disappointment."
"Hhmm." I simply replied, focusing on the movie.
It was then that I noticed something odd. The movie… had stopped.
"Hey, what happened?" I said, turning once again toward Tanya. "Tanya, do you…"
However, I did not have time to complete the sentence before I realized that Tanya was also motionless. Firm, static, like a statue. And with her, all the people of the (little) audience who were watching the film with us.
"What the…" I looked around, realizing that I was the only being who was still moving.
It did not take me long to realize what was going on. Only one being had the power to stop time. And I already knew his name.
"Being X!" I yelled, looking around me. "Where are you?"
"He is nowhere here, for now." a voice came from behind me. "I have arranged things in such a way that his attention is focused on something else, at least for the moment. We have time to discuss in peace."
I turned around. Sitting in an armchair of the cinema, a skeleton dressed in a uniform watched me.
"General War." I said, looking at him. "I'm disappointed that it is you, and not Being X. I was hoping I could shoot him."
"This would have had no effect on him except to increase the tension between you and him even more. The weapons you are equipped with are good, but they cannot injure extra-dimensional beings like him or me. If you want to hurt him you will need weapons suitable for the purpose."
"Can you give them to me? To us?" I said, pointing toward the still motionless Tanya, behind me.
"I am afraid not."General War said, fixing his glasses "If I complied with your request, and provided you with a weapon capable of injuring Being X, and you used it but could not kill him, it would tip him off that someone is helping you, and he immediately realize that I was involved. And considering that my powers have not yet fully returned, it would be foolish to face him in this situation."
I groaned. He was right, but that did not make what he said less difficult to swallow.
"Why are you here?" I said.
"What?" he replied with nonchalance.
"Why are you here?" I repeated. "Because I'm sure this is not a courtesy visit."
He smiled. "You are definitely right. I am here to talk to you, and tell you some important things, especially related to what happened. In particular, I have to share news with you that I think may interest you and your young friend..."he said giving Tanya a nod.
"What is it?"
In response, he pointed to the movie, still frame-frozen "Would you believe that not everything that is told in this film is fiction?"
I laughed. "What? Do you mean to tell me that somewhere there really is a little village where a young pre-teen girl with almost no military experience managed to drive out an attacking force of rebel soldiers?"
"The village, no. But believe me, when I say that you and Tanya have started quite a trend in the Federation…"
I stopped cold. What did he mean by that? And why did that smile of his look almost like a grimace of fun?
"What do you mean?" I said, angrily. In response, he stretched out a sheet of paper folded over itself, and gave it to me
"Read it. I am sure you will find it very interesting, to put this in a nutshell, as they used to say in your old world…"
I gave him an annoyed look before I looked at the paper. I realized almost immediately that it was a newspaper sheet. To be precise, the front page of a Federation newspaper.
"I-I cannot read it." I said, looking at him. "It is written in the language of the Federation, I really can't read it."
"Turn it over, and look at the cover picture" he replied in his usual tone. "You will understand without needing to read."
I turned the paper around. The cover picture depicted what, at first glance, was supposed to be a military award ceremony or decoration, with a senior officer (from behind) holding a medal and looking towards...
I stopped cold, once again. My eyes were not believing what they were actually seeing.
In front of the officer, a group of boys and girls, most looking between 10 and 15 years of age, all dressed in military uniform and standing at attention. In particular, in front of the group, a girl with short pink hair, blue eyes and also dressed in a green uniform (a red star-shaped brooch on her chest) was looking at the officer with a martial air.
I looked at Tanya, still motionless. Except for her hair, and the fact that she was still there, the girl in the cover picture looked almost like her expy.
"B-but, what … what this…?"
"Apparently, the propaganda footage you participated in and the many heroic deeds you performed had an effect beyond the borders of the Empire. Although I cannot tell you the exact details, I can tell you that some "genius minds" within the Federation have decided to copy you and create a team of young female wizards, all pre-pubescents, with the hope that they can, in case of war, match your successes and your efficiency. Believe it or not, the Feds have managed to find over fifty children with magical powers to build a special unit to use in anticipation of a future conflict with the Empire…"
I looked at the picture again. Could that be true?
"Well, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness, right?" I said.
"True."General War replied. "More than anything else, they're hoping to mimic your results and surpass them. To do so, they will use the numerical advantage."
"I hope they realize that employing children in war is disadvantageous, both from a propaganda and efficiency point of view. I mean, Tanya and I have also come very close to losing our lives on several occasions. I don't want to imagine how-"
"Thirteen injuries, three of them very serious, resulting in three little girls who will never walk or fly again, and two deaths. But thanks to their very tight censorship and internal security apparatus, no one knows except a few members of the team, their instructors, the officer in charge of the team and members of their families. And of course, you and me."he added cheekily."It's a pity that it has to stay hidden, I would have loved to taste the pain of their parents when the officers came to their house to inform them of the death of their daughters."
I huffed. "Why did you tell me about this? What reason do you have to inform me that the Federation has decided to create a team of wizard child soldiers modelled on Tanya and I? I'd rather not know."
He laughed. "I decided to tell you about this for two reasons." he finally said after stopping to laugh. "The first is that behind the Federation's decision to build this team is the hand of our common enemy…"
"Being X?" I asked, quite shocked. "And why would he push the Feds to do such a thing? If the movie does not lie..." I said, pointing to the screen. "they hate all religions and concepts of divinity."
"They do." he responded. "But believe me when I say that you can be a God's puppet even without worshipping it. And he is making them create a squad to use against you two…"
"Us?" I said. "But, that is impossible! The Empire and the Federation are not at war with each oth-"
I stopped, and he smiled, because he knew that I had realized what he was trying to tell me.
The Federation and the Empire were not at war, for the moment. Nothing gave me any guarantee that, if Being X was involved, the fragile peace between the two nations would last. In fact, if Being X was really behind this, the possibility of war was all but assured.
I did a quick calculation inside my head. The Federation was a very populous nation, whose population ratio between it and the Empire was 200 million against 95. Therefore, they undoubtedly had the numbers advantage, both to establish new divisions and to increase their production capacity. And their industrial production, even if they were below the Empire in quality, they far surpassed us in quantity.
Besides, I had another reason to assume that in the event of war between the Federation and the Empire, the former would prevail.
In the world in which I had lived my previous life, it had already happened that the two nations had fought on several occasions. In World War I, the German Empire had fought the Russian Empire, and had demonstrated a great level of skill and efficiency, conquering Poland and Belarus, thus forcing the Tsar to sign a humiliating separate peace and to cede control (albeit temporarily) of many of its western regions to Germany. But when, fifteen years later, the German armies tried to repeat this success by invading the former Russian Empire (now the Soviet Union), things had gone... quite differently, to put it mildly.
The Russian army had been defeated, that was true, but it had not been destroyed. On the contrary, it had retreated into the hinterland of its own country, leaving scorched earth behind and preventing the advancing German forces from resupplying. The Germans had been forced to face the terrible frost of the Russian winter, which alone killed thousands by hypothermia and frostbite. In addition, the Russians had easily filled the gaps by bringing in millions of new recruits, opposing to the German tanks and armored cars with a human wall.
Therefore, the Germans, having lost the advantage of a rapid advance, were faced with a war for which they were in no way prepared. Worn out by the cold, snipers and fierce resistance of the enemy; undersupplied because of the action of the partisans in the rear. Forced to fight a desperate but fearsome battle through the streets of enemy cities, they had been defeated at Stalingrad, where an entire army had been surrounded and massacred. From that moment on, the struggle had turned into a slow but almost incessant retreat, which had ended when Soviet recruits had hoisted their flag over the city of Berlin, the former capital of Germany, now reduced to a pile of rubble.
I felt a chill. The idea that history could repeat itself from one world to another did not excite me, especially considering that it was very likely that if it did, I would be involved in it firsthand.
The chill turned to freezing cold. I had seen many films in my previous life that had shown me the war on the Eastern Front: Enemy at the Gates, Battle for Sevastopol, Stalingrad, so I had an idea of what a soldier's life could be like on such a war front. And now that I was really a soldier, and had experienced the horrors of war first-hand, I had a much clearer picture.
I had survived on the Rhine Front, which was called Hell on Earth. I feared that I would not survive a Vistula Front.
"Your light bulb's on, I see."General War said, smiling at me once again. "It's nice to see there's still a brain behind that pretty face."
I looked at him with anger. "But... but this is terrible!"
"Terrible, indeed. But not unavoidable…"
"What do you mean?" I asked narrowing my eyes on him.
"I mean, my little bank account, that there are ways so that you can prevent this future from happening. And if you're willing to help me, I'll help you avoid it."
I nodded. "And I suppose there is something you want in return."
"Of course, my boy. You cannot get something for nothing. And deep down, you're an investment to me, so I'm very interested in getting maximum returns..."
I nodded. "What do you want for me to do?"
"For now, nothing. I'll get back to you when the time comes. For now... enjoy the movie."
"Frederick, what are you doing?" a voice yelled from behind me.
I turned around, and saw Tanya, no more motionless, drilling holes in my head with her eyes.
"Why did you stand up? The movie's not over yet…"
"S-sorry, but I was talking to…"
I looked back, but General War was nowhere to be seen.
"It was… nice." she answered, taking a deep breath of fresh air. "I particularly liked the part where she decided to use the Church's gold to buy weapons to liberate her village. And the scene where she blows up at the prayers of her group: a just demonstration that only we can help ourselves, and not some jackass god. However, there is one thing I did not understand…"
"What is it?" I asked, getting ready to answer a few questions about the movie and its plot.
"Why did you stand up in the middle of the movie? It wasn't a particularly exciting scene…"
"Oh. That." I replied, trying to figure out some excuse to avoid talking with Tanya about my friend, the nemesis of Being X. "Well, no reason at all. I just wanted to stand up because… I felt an itch. And I needed to take care of it…"
"Please, I'm not interested in details!" Tanya responded, disgusted.
That look of revulsion reassured me: she had believed me, my secret was safe.
"Very good. So, we still have a couple hours before dinnertime. What would you like to do?"
She remained silent for a few seconds. "We could go back to the Academy and get our exercises done at home. Or we could ask if..."
She stopped cold, as my hand reached her arm.
"Tanya, Tanya, Tanya: the general told us explicitly to take the rest of the day off. He ordered us to take a tour of the city and have fun. You want to disobey a direct order?"
"Wh- Of course not!" she yelled, as to defend her own (frankly nonexistent) dignity. "An order from a commanding officer must be carried out absolutely! I'm just saying there are other more productive ways to spend the rest of our time."
"But our orders are to relax and have fun, while the general consults with the senior officers of Strategic Headquarters to outline the best strategy. And if he wanted us to do homework, he would have told us, right?"
She nodded "I know. Nevertheless… I cannot stand the idea of doing nothing!"
I looked at her. "Let me ask you something: apart from work, how did you spend your time in your previous life? Before Being X sent us off to be child soldiers?"
"I… studied. I was worked overtime to increase my level of efficiency and notability. I got to work early and came home late. And as soon as I got there, I'd warm up some precooked food, have dinner and go to bed. I never allowed myself unnecessary distractions."
Unnecessary distractions? My mind pondered. Are you telling me you never had any fun? An activity to relax? Something other than work?
"And… beside that?" I asked.
"What?"
"You didn't do anything else?"
"No."
"You didn't go to the movies?"
"Until today, no!"
"You didn't read."
"Only the books and manuals that could be useful to my career growth."
"You didn't watch TV?"
"I never had one."
"You didn't go out with friends?"
"I never had friends." she stated, as if to affirm an absolute reality.
I groaned.
I knew the pattern. Japan was full of individuals who, in the name of professional development and social climbing, sacrificed everything to achieve their goals. Typically, these individuals were best suited to the role of CEOs, and they would stop at nothing to achieve that goal. However, because of this, they lived an incredibly empty life: no friends, no love, no children or pets waiting for them when they returned home. No social activities or fun. No way to spend their days without work. They devoted their lives to their work and when they no longer had any work to do, because they were retiring, they found themselves empty, without affection and without friends, alone, dying in slow agony in an old people's home.
And this was the destiny "Tanya" would have been destined to, if Being X had not sent us both into this world of war and hunger.
"You never had friends?"
"That's correct!"
"And you never tried to make any"
"That's even more correct!"
"Then I believe it is time for me to teach to you how to enjoy your time and focus on things other than work and career…"
"What are you saying?" she looked at me.
I grinned. "I already know something you will like…"
"I hate you!" Tanya hissed, speeding up and down.
"Why? I thought you'd like it!"
"Of course I don't. Doing such a shameful thing…"
"Why don't you relax and try to enjoy it for once?"
"Do you realize that there are people watching at us?"
"Of course! That is the most fun part!" I said, jumping in turn.
Not far from the cinema, there was a small amusement park. Here, protected by a nearby anti-aircraft station, numerous games and attractions drew in a large number of children with their families. There was a target practice, a love tunnel, a freakshow... and a trampoline.
And it was right on the trampoline that Tanya and I were now jumping up and down.
"Look! They are amused by us!"
"We are a couple of kids jumping on a trampoline. There is nothing strange in the adults being amused."
"We are not children!" Tanya hissed, unable to stop jumping. "We are officers of the Imperial Army, shamefully acting like toddlers. If our senior officers knew about this, we would both be punished!"
"Oh, come on!" I said, jumping as far as I could. "Don't tell me you're not having fun!"
"Of course I don't!"
I looked at her, an evil grin on my face.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. I mean, ok… maybe I am enjoining it a little, but this does not-"
"Hear, hear!" I yelled with happiness. "My best friend Tanya is enjoying this! This is a moment rarer than the black swan! Give her a round of applause, everybody!"
It was a moment. The small crowd of adults with children watching us immediately began to applaud, at first a little, then more and more loudly.
"Frederick!" Tanya yelled at me once again. "Are you trying to make me die of shame and ridicule?"
"No, I am trying to make you see that there are other things in life than study and career. And I want to show you everything, bit by bit..."
"Someday, I am going to kill you, do you understand?!"
"Of course, my darling. However, until that day, as long as you and I are colleagues, as long as you live with me, you will have to accept this. And I can assure you, that I am not so easily killed…"
We kept jumping for a few minutes. Then, a few other kids wanted to imitate us and Tanya and I got off the trampoline to do something else. When we got off, some adults came to meet us, complimented us, some to admired our beauty, some to ask us where our parents were and where they could buy fake military uniforms like ours for their children. Tanya glared hard enough at a few that they might as well have been petrified, and took a few steps back. I, on the other hand, found it quite funny.
"What are you laughing at, Frederick?" Tanya asked, looking directly at me.
"I just find out that you are cute when somebody asks you where your mom or dad are-"
"Don't push it." She warned me "This is terrible!"
"Really? I liked it when that kid came forward and gave you that flower. You didn't have to throw it on the floor: you made him cry."
"He was the one who hurt me first, when he asked me if I could put it into my hairs and kiss him…"
"So?"
"You remember that I am a grown up man inside of this?" she said, pointing at her own body.
"Well, nobody's perfect!" I smiled.
She punched me in the guts. Very hard.
"Idiot!" she hissed.
I groaned and put my hands on the injured spot in an attempt to relieve the pain by massaging it.
"Ok then, let's change subject: what do you want to do right now?"
"I want to go back to the mansion so we can resume studying!"
"Listen, young lady, I do not know what you are thinking right now, but…"
"Mister Frederick König? Is that you?" A voice came from behind the crowd.
I turned instinctively. I knew that voice.
"Bernhardt Schau." I said, looking at him with the fakest of all my fake smiles. "I am happy to see you there." I lied.
"And I happy to see you too." he lied in turn. He was dressed in an elegant black tuxedo with a white waistcoat, and at his side, he had a very attractive woman in a skimpy dress that betrayed her profession. "This is Margeret, she's…"
"A courtesan?" I finished his sentence for him.
The woman gasped. "H-how did he…"
"Experience, Madame, just experience. You are wearing a revealing dress that is worn by two types of women: one proud of her physical looks, or if they are in a certain profession. Those two are not always mutually exclusive, mind. In addition, the garment is obviously high-class and of quality make, but clearly above your social status. From this, I can suppose it is a gift, either from Mr. Shau or from some of your admirers…"
"You are not wrong, kid. This dress is a gift from my beautiful Bernhardt." she said kissing him on the cheek. "He knows how to make a woman happy…"
"Not every woman, it seems." Tanya cut in. "Just one who values the money and the social status the most."
"Bernhardt, who is she?" Margaret asked, looking at him.
"I was going to talk to you about that. She's Tanya, and she is…"
"Tanya Degurechaff!" Tanya replied, extending her hand as to offer Margaret a handshake. "First Lieutenant of the Mage Corps of the Imperial Army, alongside my good friend Frederick König." she pointed at me.
The woman stared at us for a second. "Oh my… you are, you are them. The child heroes from the Rhine!"
"Yes. I can assume you have seen us at the movies, right?"
"No, I know about you because my brother is on the Rhine Front, and he wrote me some letters where he talked about you. He said that, without your help, his unit would have been destroyed, and he would have died…"
I smiled. "Your brother is in the Mage Corps, Madame?"
"No, he is an enlisted soldier, in the 34th Nassau Infantry Regiment."
"34th Nassau? Oh, I remember them! Good fighters, every last one of them." I nodded. "Your brother is lucky to be with them!"
She did not notice it but at her right, Bernhardt glared at me with the force of the desert sun.
"Oh, Bernhardt!" Margaret said, looking at him once again "Why did you not tell me that they were such cute kids? They are adorable!"
"Yes, so adorable in fact that his sister-in-law now wants to take us." Tanya said, at my right.
Bernhardt stopped cold. "W-what did you say?"
"I suppose you didn't know anything about that?" Tanya continued. "Well, Erika tracked us down this morning while we were out to lunch, to tell us about her intention to adopt us and become our new mother, with stewardship over us and everything we, or better Frederick, own..."
Bernhardt took a step back, clearly confused. Then, I saw the confusion on his face replaced by a singular emotion: rage.
"That wench…" he said, and all of us (Margaret, Tanya and I) heard it. "Now she wants to act on her own? Well, I am not going to let her take all of the inheritance for herself!"
"Bernhardt, what are you talking about? Aren't you the owner of the inheritance already?"
"Well, yes. The fact is-"
"He is not." Tanya cruelly broke that info for her. "You may not have been informed about what really happened, but Herr Bernhardt Shau did not inherit all of Herr Gegenbauer's inheritance. In fact, the old man divided all of his inheritance among his next of kin, including Frederick. Moreover, it was Frederick who received the most substantial part of the inheritance, or at least, that is what Herr Bernhardt said the last time we saw each other."
Margaret stood, shocked. And it wasn't hard to guess why: no matter how many clothes or jewels she could wear, she remained a courtesan at heart, and she was used to courting the wealthiest partners. If a partner lost his wealth or status, she would abandon him. And Tanya had just revealed to her that Bernhardt's position was not as solid as he had made her believe.
"Bernhardt!" Margaret yelled, glaring at him. "What does that mean?"
"Nothing that matters to you, woman!" he yelled in turn, attracting the attention of a couple of passerbies. "Would you give me time to talk to the two brats alone? I'll explain everything later…"
"Of course..." she replied, but in a tone that made me realize that she was no longer in the mood to flirt with him.
"Alright, you brats!" Bernhardt puffed once Margaret was out of hearing range. "You want your war? You will get your war. Do you have any idea how many contacts I have with lawyers and law specialists? I will prove, before the judge and the whole nation, that the old man's will is invalid and must be annulled. I already have my weapons ready: the law of the Empire does not consider the transfer of monetary inheritance or private property to persons under the age of 21 to be valid. And soldiers of the Empire or not, nothing can change the fact that you are still children, unable to understand and want and therefore also to administer assets. The judge will have to accept this, and acknowledge the validity of my charges. And I can promise you, once I am in possession of what is rightfully mine, I will make you pay for all the humiliations you gave me. With interest."
"Tought talk." Tanya responded, with her iconic evil smirk appearing on her face. "If that's your best strategy, then I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. Because, you see, Frederick and I may not be old enough to vote, but Erika is."
"W-What's Erika got to do with it now?"
"What, you've forgotten already?" she feigned innocence. "Erika decided to adopt us. And if she succeeds, she will be our guardian. That means the estate you claim will legally belong to her, and since she's of legal age, I doubt your accusations will be substantiated. You know, Frederick and I were just discussing the possibility of making a deal with her..."
I stopped. What was Tanya talking about?
"A deal?" Bernhardt roared. "What kind of deal?"
"A very simple one" Tanya answered. "Frederick and I will put an end to any resistance to her attempt to adopt us. In fact, we may request it ourselves. In return, we will ask her to help defend us against your accusations and give us the minimum of freedom to continue our military careers. This way, we all end up happy: Erika will have a substantial part of the inheritance at her disposal; we will have what is left and we will be able to continue to serve the fatherland. Above all, there will be nothing for you..." she said, sticking her tongue out like a delinquent boy would have done in front of the teacher.
Bernhardt's expression hardened to the highest possible level of anger. It became clear that he did not like what Tanya had said to him, at all.
"You won't get away with this. And neither will that whore." he finally said after moments of silence. "I don't care if we're related. If she tries to take away what's mine, I'll show her what's what..."
And with those words, he walked away, complaining loud and clear about the "great injustice that his lawyers would remedy".
"Tanya." I asked her once we were alone. "Why did you..."
"Tell him that we were going to accept Erika as our mother?" she responded. "To rile him up, and destroy what little trust he had in her. Now he thinks he is not facing not only us, but Erika as well. Therefore, it is less likely that they will ally against us, and more likely that they will make their cases separately. And that means..."
"That we will have a better chance of winning the case! Tanya, you are brilliant!"
"When am I not?" she smirked. "Now, we have to do the same thing with Albin as well."
"Do you already have a plan on how to turn him against his relatives?"
This chapter more than made up the past two chapters of shit piling in front of the fan and I just cant wait till someone turns the fan on and starts the biggest shit storm since the Legadonians invaded.
Edited: its isnt that I havent liked the story it's simply the building chapters that ruin it for my taste such as last chapters meta-BSOD moment with our god of chaos and death all in all I simply ignore the plot breaking when I read them and stick to my headcanon that gets updated each chapter.
This chapter more than made up the past two chapters of shit piling in front of the fan and I just cant wait till someone turns the fan on and starts the biggest shit storm since the Legadonians invaded.
Edited: its isnt that I havent liked the story it's simply the building chapters that ruin it for my taste such as last chapters meta-BSOD moment with our god of chaos and death all in all I simply ignore the plot breaking when I read them and stick to my headcanon that gets updated each chapter.
"We're all here," a tall, shaved, hard-eyed officer said as he looked around the room, "I suggest we start immediately"
"I agree" another high-level officer with the rank of colonel, looking at us "I'm anxious to hear all the details on the matter."
I gulped at the sight of half a dozen senior officers sitting behind the table. There was no room for error here: if I said the wrong thing, or was not convincing enough, my entire military career was in danger. I had to be careful what I said, how I acted and what I thought.
"Very well" the Major General at the center of the table said, opening the dossier in front of him "Then, I believe we can start. This closed commission of the Imperial Army is now in session. Its objective is to establish the official line of operations relating to the conduct of First Lieutenants Frederick König" he said looking at me "and Tanya Degurechaff" he looked at her "First lieutenants, do you swear to tell, before this commission, the whole truth, only the truth, nothing but the truth?"
"We do, sir!" we both said almost at the same time, saluting him.
"Very well. Your activities have been Your activities have been widely noted at Strategic Headquarters: however, so far we have had no evidence of conduct in violation of regulations, corruption, unfitness to command or treason against you. On the contrary, we have received, on numerous occasions, reports highlighting your spirit of sacrifice, your skill as an officer, your determination, your loyalty and your ability to carry out, against all predictions, very risky missions with little chance of success. For this reason, we had no reason to doubt you and your loyalty."
"Thank you s-"
"Until now" he concluded, shutting me instantly.
My mind stopped cold. What could General Kristof have told them? Did you explain the situation to him? Or did he just tell them there was a problem, and they assumed we were the problem?.
"Recently, in fact, we have seen events of an unclear nature in which we know of your possible involvement. We would therefore like you to clarify your positions."
"What events are we talking about, sir?"
The Major-General opened the dossier, and took off a couple of papers, stapled together.
"Of this: a subpoena addressed to you, in which it is stated that, since Mr. Frederick König", he said, once again earning me "has become bound, by an adoptive link, to Mrs. Erika Gegenbauer, and both of you being of lesser age than that required to serve in the Imperial Army, it requires your immediate dismissal and transfer of your custody to the aforementioned Erika Gegenbauer, as well as compensation from the army of 950,000 marks for child abuse."
She is even trying to make more money by accusing the army of abusing us? The thought aroused in my brain Wow, she is even dumber than I supposedly thought!
"Would you care to explain in details what is happening?" the major general concluded, looking at both of us.
"Of course, sir" I said, responding immediately "Ms. Erika Gegenabuer is trying to adopt both me and my colleague Tanya" I said, nodding towards her "And not out of filial love. In fact, she is doing it for love of the money."
"Money? What kind of money?"
"The money of the estate of the late Herr. Gegenbauer" Tanya burst out, her tone of voice and her face full of determination "I can assume that General Christoph Weitz has not informed you of the question?"
The commission officers stopped, almost unable to speak. It was clear on their faces that they knew nothing about it.
"Well, he just said to us that there was a question that we needed to fix, and…"
"I'll take that as a no," Tanya continued "Ok then, for your benefit, I will explain this once more: apparently, my companion Frederick König used to know the old industrialist August Gegenbauer, who left most of his estate to him when he died, almost a week ago. In doing so, however, he has left very little to the other relatives, who now want to take over what Frederick now possesses. And that includes the holdings in the Union Werke, which I have already mentioned to the General."
One of the officers nodded to another of lower rank, who got up and headed for the door, opened it and went out, all at great speed.
"First lieutenant König" one of the other officers said to me "Is what you colleague Tanya Degurechaff said true?"
"Yes sir!" I replied "That woman wants to take over what she thinks she should possess already by pretending to adopt us, but in reality what she really wants is to speculate on the Army's effort by raising the price of the equipment that the Union Werke makes for it."
"What?" another officer almost yelled in shock "This cannot be!"
"Lieutenant Colonel Muller, I invite you to moderate your tone of voice" suddenly said a voice that I recognized, coming through the door.
"General Christof!" I said as I saluted, alongside Tanya "You here too?"
"Of course, my boy" he simply said, looking first at us and then at the other officers of the commission in front of us "As for you, I must deduce that you did not read the report I gave you, and you only speculated about what had happened, and as a result you were about to accuse two of my best soldiers!"
"General, I assure you that we..."
"I urge you to stop talking, Major. I'm having far too much patience with you."
On the surface, the officer in question seemed to shrink physically by a few centimeters, while, around him, the other officers present nervously scratched their necks, aware that they had made a mistake.
For Tanya and I, the visible embarrassment of those senior officers was a source of joy for me, as it meant that we had more room for maneuver to explain ourselves, and consequently, more chance of getting away with it.
"Sir" another officer behind the table said, looking at the General "I can assure you that we have read in detail the valuable report that you..."
"Obviously not!" he thundered, with renewed anger "But all right, I will try to forget the issue, if from now on you will focus again on the most important thing: we cannot allow that woman to deprive us at the same time of two of our best soldiers, just as she can take over one of the main factories in our nation. If we do that, all we will do is give her a nice noose through which to ruin ourselves: we must cut the rope and destroy her!"
"D-destroy her? But… she's just a civilian. How could she…"
"She is not just a civilian, sir" Tanya said, without stopping "She is a spoiled and dangerous loose cannon that could cause numerous problems for the army and the empire if left in a position to act. Even if her lawsuit fails, he could bring another one, which would force us to defend ourselves by hiring lawyers and attending court hearings. The result would be that we would be forced to stay here, to the detriment of the war situation that we could foster by fighting at the front. And if she wins..."
For a few seconds, an icy silence reigned supreme. It didn't take long for the officers to understand the situation.
"And from us, I mean, the Army, what do you expect?"
"What they expect?" General Christoph said, dumb folded "Support, of course. And we'll give it to him! We cannot allow civilians to dictate law to the army: it would be a dangerous precedent and a source of much new trouble in the future."
"But sir, how do you expect us to help them? I mean..."
"I have something I think you might be interested in." said the general, pulling a yellow piece of paper out of his vest "This is a telegram just arrived from Strategic Headquarters. I think it's quite obvious and full of meaning..."
The general laid the telegram on the table, and immediately the hands of the various officers stretched out to read it. Only Tanya and I remained motionless in our place.
"But sir... this... this..."
"This is the official line of operation dictated by high command: young officers Frederick König and Tanya Degurechaff, due to the new situation, are officially classified as useful to the war effort and, as such, we are authorized to act to keep them. Therefore, from this moment on I am now authorized to request the participation of some legal representatives of the Army in the future hearing to decide the matter, as well as to do everything in my power to prevent the possibilities outlined to me during my previous meeting with Degurechaff and König."
"Thank you sir," I said almost spontaneously, still unmoving.
"No thank me yet, young boy. We have a big battle in front of us, and we need to be ready for it. You'll thank me once we destroy that witch."
"Sir, if I can afford to remember it to you, Erika is not the only loose cannon in the equation." Tanya spoke up once again "In fact, I remind you that there are two other applicants for the estate of the late Herr Gegenbauer..."
"What?" one of the other officers said, "There are more?"
"Unfortunately, yes" I replied "One is a young boy called Albin, very spoiled and whiny, but he too will have a lawyer and therefore not to be underestimated. The other is a man named Bernhardt, who we know has avoided enlisting in the army by bribing an officer and likes to spend his time with courtesans."
"How…"
"We met him some time ago" I confessed, "He was with one of those women when we accidentally encountered him…"
"And… he bribed his way out of the Army?"
"Afraid so, sir. He confessed it right in front of me and Degurechaff"
"But... but this is obscene, scandalous, unbelievable!" the officer said, punching the table "Is there no greater honor for a citizen of the empire than to be called to defend his homeland, fighting with honor to protect its sacred borders, and this ... little man has the courage to shirk his duty?"
From a quick glance, I realized that the words of the officer did not express a unique feeling, but on the contrary, very shared.
"General, I want to apologize for doubting the gravity of the situation. Although I had previously been a detractor, I am now more than willing to support you."
"Me too, sir!" another officer explained, raising his hand "Please, count me in!"
It did not take long. In a few minutes the other officers of the commission, either by their own will or by mass effect, also changed their minds. Now they were all with us.
"Very well!" said the general looking at them with a smile "Now that I can count on your support, though, I look forward to hearing your ideas on how we can help these guys. Go ahead, speak up. I want to hear your opinions."
A new silence fell on the members of the committee. An unnatural silence that betrayed their nervousness.
"What?" the General said, unbelieving this "You have no idea how we can protect the good name of the army from this...obscenity? No suggestions, even the slightest suggestion? But do you deserve your rank?"
"Sir" Tanya said, raising her hand to make him notice her again "maybe, I have an idea about how to launch our counterattack…"
"Oh yeah?" the general said, turning towards her "And what's on your mind, young lady?"
Tanya smirked. I knew she was up to something big. And even this time, I wasn't wrong.
"First of all, sir" she said, in the tone of someone who is used to handling situations like this, we must realize that this is not a trivial matter, nor one to be ignored. In fact, a legal confrontation can be considered almost a real battle. Right now we are fighting a battle against three insidious and poisonous enemies, such as snakes, who want to attack our freedom and the power of the army to satisfy their inordinate search for money. Now, how would you react in a battle in which you have to face three enemies at once?"
"I would try to prevent their armies from joining forces against me, of course!"
"That's right, General. This is precisely the strategy that could do the job for us: by dividing our enemies through a policy aimed at destroying their mutual trust, and creating hatred and contempt for each other, we would weaken their offensive action and at the same time make it easier for us to defend ourselves and possibly counterattack. For example, I remind you of the battle that took place in the plain of Pratzen, where Imperial General Von Seylizt managed to defeat an enemy army three times greater. And how did he do that? By attacking, with his united force, the individual divisions of the enemy, which, unable to coordinate their offensive and less maneuverable, were easily defeated and forced to retreat, giving up the possibility to coordinate and unite."
The small history lesson had the desired effect: several officers nodded, others took a very interested expression.
"And how would you propose to do that in the current situation?"
"Quite simple, sir: we have already did that." Tanya said, smirking at me "As both I and Frederick have already stated, we have already met Mr. Bernhardt Shau. During that meeting, we ... took advantage of the event to sow discord, telling him about a possible agreement between him and Mrs. Erika. And from the reaction we could observe, our tactic was successful!"
"Here's a soldier who knows how to do his duty!" The General said, patting her on her hairs "Always alert and always on duty, even when on leave…"
"Ok, but then, what we should do?" asked one of the other officers, clearly frustrated "What should the Army do in the event of supporting you?"
"That's even simpler," said the general a malicious smirk on his grin "Now, listen to me, very carefully: these jokes are playing with the big boys now…"
Hello, you beautiful persons, how are you?
I apologize for the poor quality of today's episode, but unfortunately, due to consequences related to the spread of the Covid-19 virus, my editor @NuclearBird and I were unable to edit the chapter at the level of the previous ones. If you find typing, grammar or context errors within the story, which may have escaped me, please report them to me, and I will correct them as soon as possible.
In addition, I want to take a little space to wish good future and better times to all of you who, like me, are facing the difficulties brought about by the spreading of this new and awful epidemic. Here where I live, people are frightened, and following government orders, we are forbidden to leave the house except to go to work or shop for what we need. Many shops and public places are closed until a date to be redefined, and no one knows when things will return to a semblance of normality.
I dare not to imagine how the situation is for you, if, like me, you are barricaded in the house, or if you are still free to go out and enjoy the sun and fresh air. I therefore limit myself to expressing my deepest friendship and feeling of communion to all of you who are personally suffering the effects of what has happened.
