Mein Krieg (Youjo Senki/Tanya the Evil OC)

Chapter 226 – ... When he is making a mistake.
Chapter 226 – ... When he is making a mistake.


The siege around Volgaria by the Federation continued day after day. Twice Federation officers (those who had survived the first disastrous assault against our defenses, and our explosive counterattack) had launched new attacks against our defenses, and twice they had been repulsed with heavy losses skewed towards their side. Not only that: new Federation reinforcements had arrived, from the north and northeast, so now the Federation deployed three attacking forces around Volgaria, each of their camps defended by heavy anti-aircraft machine guns and medium cannons, which made it impossible for us or the Militia to break the siege with a simple sortie.

There was rationing: although our food supplies were still substantial, Tanya had taken care to establish maximum rations for every soldier in our battalions or militia, and public canteens for civilians to ensure that everyone had the ration he needed. There was already the black market, composed mainly of small traders in the area who had ambushed some of their foodstuffs and hoped to resell them at higher prices now that the siege left the possibility of famine concrete. This was also why we had made sure that the food stores, as well as our medical supplies and armory, were defended by a group of guards each.

The good news was that there was no bombardment: after the first chaotic days, and after the Federation soldiers had realized that any attempt to bombard the city would provoke an immediate reaction from us mages of the Empire, the Federation cannons had fallen silent, which meant that the civilian population had been spared the devastation and death that had come from the sky that had affected so many other cities.

We could then relax, without fear of attacks from the sky, as gathered in one of the small town squares, where I, Tragen, Viktoriya and a small, mixed crowd of Imperial mages, Militia members and ordinary civilians listened to the Imperial bulletin with information regarding the development of the war.

"-new air strikes in the region of Dov'Notesk, destroying three fortified positions of the Federation surrounding Bonikav and allowing the 335th Brigate Cavalry of the Empire to occupy the city. Meanwhile, on the Posgrovo area, the Imperial Forces surrounding the fortress of Pasovo report progresses in the southern sector, with the local commander optimistic that the fall of the city should happen in the next two weeks. Today Strategic Headquarters reports the destruction of five Federation military airplanes and seven enemy tanks with Edgar Dörflinger, soldier of the 175th Infantry Regiment 'Kennek' being awarded the Golden Cross of the Empire for act of heroisms during the Battle of Kakanov, where he single-handedly killed twenty-three enemy soldiers and destroyed an enemy tank with hand grenades. Reports from the Sybyk area-"

"Huh, commander König?" One of the civilians in the crowd, an old men who probably had seen the days before the Revolution, broke the silence addressing to me. "I hope you can forgive my impertinence, but I am completely devoid of any military notion, so... is this good news?"

"Short version? Yes. From what info the Empire is willing to share to anyone willing to listen, we are making steady progress against the Federation, even if we don't know how long it will take." Less than I hope, I thought thinking back to the last conversation I had with Strategic Headquarters, remembering how there were rumors of anti-Imperial sentiments in the Allied Kingdom that threatened our continental hegemony.

"But... aren't you on the verge of winning?" Another one, a young boy who would have probably been drafted if he hadn't hidden in his parent's basement until we took over the city, asked.

I almost shrugged, looking at him. "Like we were doing the last month? Or the year before this one? Learn to differentiate real information from propaganda, kid." I smiled at him, the awkward sensation of calling someone 'kid' even if they were biologically older than this body I occupied was, "The Empire is strong, but no war ever ends fast, nor is bloodless."

"-reporting news from the international stage, today the King of the Allied Kingdom officially invited our esteemed Emperor to visit Londinium, hoping to reaffirm the strong allegiances between the Empire and the Allied Kingdom and strengthen the commercial agreements between our two nations. According to unconfirmed rumors, the visit is also a way to disavow some tension on the Allied Kingdom between supports of the trade alliance and the neutrality with the Empire, and a rogue political faction who was already guilty of almost having the Allied Kingdom join the war on the side of the treacherous Free Republic against the Empire. While both sources have hurried to negate these rumors-"

"This... is quite interesting." One of the militiamen murmured, with a thinking expression. "If there are elements in the Allied Kingdom who want to renege the alliance with the Empire, shouldn't the King be focused on purging those elements?"

"The Allied Kingdom is not like the Federation; they can't simply purge elements of their own governments simply because they have a political disagreement." Another called him out. "That's the price you pay to live in a free society!"

"You seriously think the Allied Kingdom is a free-"

"ENOUGH!" Viktoriya yelled, and suddenly, both the two of them stopped quarrelling immediately. "We are here gathered to listen to the report in order to prepare ourselves for the upcoming days, not to start riffs and useless fight among our own ranks. If you have a disagreement on political views, you can discuss that on your own, later."

"O-of course Lady Serebryakov." The oldest of the two said with a nod. "We wouldn't ever dare to insult your authority."

"She didn't say you can't work out your issues, she just said not here." Tragen was quick to point out, "I can help you with that, if you want to-"

"-news from Africa: General Leprez, the new commander of the New Republican Oligarchy's Army in African territory, has come to an agreement with the rebellious Tuareg tribes and their leader, the prophetess Aisha. He has given them full control over their desert and a form of limited autonomy, he managed to capture and destroy the last military forces of the Free Republic Army near Zango, opening to his forces the road to proceed further southward and reoccupy the last African territories of the Free Republic in the former Republican colonies. In the previous few days, new revolts of oppressed local populations in the territories of the Free Republic and increasing number of desertions pushed the Free Republic Government to relocate its government once again, this time leaving completely the African continent and resettling on Bora Bora, one of the main islands of the Republican Pollynisia-"

"Pollynisia! That's the best news of the day!" I smiled smugly, as I could be witness of the final fall of the Republic, the same nation who a long ago, had decided to step in when the Entente was going to be crushed and, by this intervention, had turned what would have otherwise been nothing more than a small border squabble into a world war of nightmarish proportions, with countless destructions and millions of dead. Dead who could have included both Tanaya and myself.

Thank you, General War. I thought with a smirk, thinking back to my old and ever-growing powerful ally, even if he may had been helping me only because we shared a common enemy. For it was his storm that sunk the Republican Fleet, killing so many high-level politicians and officers that otherwise would have made the Free Republic's diplomatic position much stronger, probably strong enough that the Allied Kingdom and the Federation would have joined in the war and forced the Empire to restart from scratch again.

"The Republic... wasn't that your former enemy?" A young woman, who had been listening to the broadcast with her two children, said as she looked at Viktoriya.

"They were." She replied. "I was on the Rhine front when I got to meet commander Degurechaff, and I learned very well to understand the Republican mentality. They talk so cheaply about honor and 'getting back what was theirs', yet they didn't even have the courage to attack us before the Entente did it first, and intervened only when we were on the brink of annihilating what was left of the Entente. They'd gladly sacrifice the lives of many of their own soldiers, just to conquer a small piece of land."

"And now they're gone." Tragen said with a smug smile. "Just like any enemy of the Empire will soon be."

"-Frederick?" a voice came through my communicator, suddenly getting my attention. "Can you hear me, you idiot? There is something we need to talk about, right now."

"What's with the sudden haste?" I asked, worry in my voice. "What are the Federation troops-"

"They're not moving on another attack, if that's what you're asking." Her voice somehow sounded... exasperated. "Still, we've seeing some troops movement that look suspicious, and I need to hear your opinion on it. Come immediately, and you'll see."

"I understand, just give me a couple of minutes," I replied, and I realized some of the people around me had noticed the conversation I was having. "Looks like my presence is requested elsewhere."

"Sir, was that commander Degurechaff?" Tragen asked, his eyes widening in worry. "Is there something that require our assistance?"

"The Federation's coscripts are on the move once again?"

"I don't know, Tanya didn't say what was happening. She just told me to reach her as soon as I could. Tragen Viktoriya, can you watch over this people while I'm away? If our full military power is required, I'll be sure to contact you immediately!"

"Sir! Yes sir!" Both of them said almost at the same, as I internally giggled. I wonder how long it will be between the end of the war and their wedding...

I closed my eyes, once again letting the magic energy flow trough my body, some of the civilians and militiamen gasping as they watch it. While magic powers are common knowledge among all strata, only a few people got to see a mage this close before, and while our own presence in Volgaria may had contributed to make this city's population one of the most used to magical stuff, they can still get quite excited to see it with their own eyes. I concentrate as I open my eyes, and the next second, I'm again in the sky, flying toward Tanya's position.

When I found her, she was at the border of the city, surrounded by half a dozen of her own mages, watching through the binocular toward one of the larger encampments of the Federation's forces.

"Tanya," I say as I make my own presence known, a couple of mages saluting as I approach her from behind. "What have we got?"

"We were patrolling, when we saw this!" She gave me her binocular, pointing at one specific direction. "Look, what do you see?"

"Huh... I see..." I spoke as I tried to understand what she was referring to. I could see the sentinels standing on guard near the perimeter of the encampment, some yawning visibly even from afar, apparently ignorant that we were watching them; I could see many smaller tents where their soldiers would be gathered, so many soldiers crowded together in a space that would be small even for horses, I could see-

My eyes widened, as I realized what Tanya wanted to show me. Gathered in the middle of the encampment, many troops of the Federation were standing in line, with an officer talking to them. Were they moving their troops with such darkness? Were they trying to prepare for a night assault?

"What-what is that?" I asked, turning just in time to meet face-to-face with Tanya.

"So, you did notice. It appears like the commies are moving their troops under the cover of the night. At first, I too though they were planning some kind of night attack, but then I realized they aren't setting their troops in attack position near to the city. Rather, they are moving southward."

"South? But what is the-"

The words died on my mouth, my eyes widening again in horror. I could feel my body began to tremble, as some details popped into my mind. Most of the attacks Volgaria had received by the surrounding Federation forces had come mostly from west and north, with only a few diversion attacks coming from the south, none of them being serious enough to actually threaten our defenses in such an area. For this reason, day after day, most of our available defenses and fortifications had been moved north-west, leaving the southern defenses with a garrison that was roughly half the number of militiamen in the north and west groups, with only a few gatling guns (most of the of the light kind), a couple of cannons and a few other items.

Strong enough to withstand distraction attacks easily, but not enough if they were to face an attack of so many enemies at once.

"You got it, the Federation is going to play a trick." Tanya kept explaining, taking advantage of me being stunned to expose the full story to me. "They are moving most of their troops south, leaving barely enough on the rest of their encampments to maker us believe nothing as changed. Then, once they will be ready, they will launch another attack, but this time, the north and west offensives will be the distraction, while they will use almost all of the military manpower on the south, probably breaking through our defenses and forcing the city militia into a dangerous position."

"But we found out about it, and we are now in position to intervene!" I gasped. "Come on, we need to reach back Volgaria and warn everyone-"

"That won't be necessary."

"Wait, what?" I turned to see Tanya. Had she already warned them? Or perhaps...

The cold smile on her lips, the eyes of a predator as she laid a trap for her prey, the cold yet smug expression of a cruel, calculative and manipulative mind gave me the answer I was looking for.

"Oh no you didn't."

"Oh yes I did." Tanya replied with her classic cold tone of voice, the one she often used whenever she was making plans in her heads, and those plans would almost always involve manipulating other people (myself included), often to their own detriment and loss to her exclusive benefit. "Without even realizing, the enemy is giving us a chance to break up the siege faster than any of us could have predicted, so why should we stop them from making a tragic mistake?"

"Tanya, you're not thinking it straight. If we don't inform the Militia, not only we would betray the trust the people are giving into us, but we put this very stronghold of the Russy Liberation Army at risk. Don't you care about Viktoriya at all?!"

"I DO CARE ABOUT HER!" Tanya yelled back, her tone sounding offended, just like the times we quarreled, back at the orphanage. "I cared about her even before that gorilla testosteroned brain-donor subordinate of yours even smiled at her! Look, Frederick, we are going to inform the militia, but we'll do it later, in a more private way. If we rush on our communications, and have the militia make visible upgrades to their southern defenses, it won't take long before the Federation notice it and they scarp the whole operation, depriving us of the best opportunity we had in the last days. We need to wait until they've weakened their own garrisons west and north to the city, then we'll strike!"

"Very well. What's the plan?"

"The Federation's artillery and gatling guns won't be enough to secure both camps with insufficient manpower to man them all. We'll use a classic Meteor-Blitzkrieg assault tactic: our battalion will attack one fortified position of our enemy and destroy whatever defenses they've left, scattering their garrisons and opening breaches in their lines. This will allow a part of the militia forces under the command of Baron von Ungern-Sternberg to occupy the encampments and turn the enemy's defeat into a rout, the sortie hopefully strong enough to break the siege."

"That's a risky tactic, Tanya, especially considering our southern defenses will still need to be reinforced to repel at least one major attack of the enemy forces. Plus, our battalions, while powerful, can't be in two places at the same time. If something happens, or even if we can't achieve success shortly, the sortie might turn against us, and the Militiamen will be exposed! Plus, we DO need some additional reinforcements if we're meant to stabilize our results and consolidate the conquered positions in time to trap the Federations troops to the south."

"I know, and this is where YOU come into this. We need to contact Strategic Headquarters and sell them this idea, and I know they see you in a better light than myself, so you'd have to do it for all and two."

"Always the generous one, I see." I rolled my eyes instinctively. "Fine, but you'll pay me back for this."

"Oh yeah?" She retorted, a shiny, scary light shining in her eyes as she heard the word 'exchange' "Mr. Goody go-shoes is ready for the whole 'political bargain part'? What do you want in return for you help on my plan? New recommendations for your own military furniture?"

"No, I simply want this success not to be ours, but of the rightful rulers of this land."

"Wait, you mean-"

I ignored her, and I looked further west, where other units of the Federation Army was busy fighting against the Imperial Army and the Russy Liberation Army, and where Imperial mages fought side-by-side with their new allies who wanted to free their own land.

"I think it's time for the Serebryakov's name to fly high once again... "
 
Last edited:
barely

I think it's 'did' rather than 'do', as to fit the earlier 'didn't'. But I'm not sure if it's needed this time.

Lots of things happening in this chapter. I'm expecting fun times soon.

Thank you, fixed!

Also, did you like the plot development?
 
Also, did you like the plot development?
I do, both for the area near Frederick and around the world. It shows that the world is organic and is constantly moving, and not merely a static stage for the protagonist to shine upon. That adds additional layers of intrigue and consideration for what is happening to the rest of the world while the MC is going through their own stories, and how they could affect him.

Moreover, using the radio was a great idea since it also means Frederick himself will be aware of the developments around the world and should adjust his plan with the information in a believable way that isn't OOC.
 
Chapter 227 – Lies
Chapter 227 – Lies



"-Commander König, I am sorry, but we cannot grant you permission for such an operation." The voice of the representative of Strategic Headquarter said, mechanically repeating what they had told me three times already. "We find the basis for your sortie unreliable: if you attack you will only weaken the city's defenses excessively, driving Militia forces out of your own defenses and exposing them to attack by Federation forces. And the Empire forces are too far away to provide support in a timely manner."

It was true, and those were the same reasons I was so skeptical myself about the plan I was now presenting in Tanya's stead. She knew this, and she knew that if she had been the one to present such a plan of attack it would be rejected immediately: that was why she had asked me to be the scapegoat.

"I understand your doubts, General, yet Commander Degurechaff is convinced that our own military power alone will be enough to suppress any resistance coming from the Federation's troops. And while I had doubt on the plan myself, the Baron's cavalry units have indeed proved they have the speed and resistance need to take over the enemy positions before they can try to mount any kind of fallback line. Moreover, I'd like to point out that, with the Federation's moving most of their manpower in the area in the southern sector, their garrisons to the north and west are severely weakened."

"Commander König, you have your orders: to garrison the city of Volgaria and use whatever means available to prevent the Federation from regaining control of the city. And other that you already have taken advantage of to recruits a militia among the population and de-facto reinstate one of your subordinates as rules of the city."

"Actually, the Militia wasn't our doing, it was something that simply happened by itself," I hurried to point out, careful on which words I was choosing "we simply decided to take advantage of it to provide the city proper ground troops in addition to us. Moreover, this decision actually helped our relationship with the Russy Liberation Forces. As for Serebryakov's involvement, it was her family that ruled over this city, a long time ago. Commander Degurechaff simply chose to allow her to retake the reins that her family was forced to leave behind, and to make the trees of trust and loyalty her family had grown into the heart of Volgaria's citizens to blossom once again. Are you saying it was a breach of our authority?"

"No, and while as an officer of the Empire I can't speak my own personal feelings on the matter, as private citizen of the Empire and as hateful enemy of the Federation I won't thank you and commander Degurechaff enough for dealing a mortal wound to the very heart of the Beast, forcing them to redeploy so many troops and military equipment that could otherwise be used against us. Still, I won't hide from you that, if such action would lead to unexpected negative results for the Empire, it would end in a court martial!"

I felt a shiver running through my back: Had we seriously come this close to a bad ending of our plan to get a comfortable life away from danger? This was something Tanya should've NEVER known.

"My point still stands, General. While I have no doubt the Empire will ultimately be successful, the siege will take too much time to wear off the forces of the Federation. Instead, if we-"

"ENOUGH." The General's voice suddenly became of an harsh, commanding tone, "As I keep repeating to you, Commander König, HQ doesn't recognize your strategy. You have your orders, and you're not authorized to proceed. Acknowledge, commander."

"I- acknowledged, sir." I repeated, a part of me having expected it, yet still feeling the harsh burn on my heart. "I'll inform commander Degurechaff as well."

"Good. Strategic Headquarters, out."

It's over,
I grunted as I walked out of the room and outside of the building, a small group of kids with various scraps in their hands passing next to me. Without the permission of HQ, we didn't had the clod necessary to start the whole operation. Sure, we could contact the closest units of the Russy Liberation Army and coordinate our assault, but both the Baron and our men were people bond by order and law, and they wouldn't take initiative WITHOUT specific permission of our highest-rank generals. Maybe this was why the General had told me about the Court Martials: he wanted to scare me, so I'd know what the consequences would be to go beyond the authority we were given.

And while I had no plans to show him, it worked.

"Commander König, good day to you," a small group of Volgarians said as I passed by, some even removing their hats to salute me as I flew just a couple of feet above the ground.

"We wish you a happy day as great successes!"

"Thank you for protecting our city!" One of the women said with a joyous tone "My son sees you as his hero!"

I waved back, smiling and thanking each one of them, as I slowly moved away, until I was sure they couldn't hear or see me anymore before letting my expression once again fill with shrug. These people believed in us, and even if rationing was in full swing and every family had to fight a day-by-day struggle to make sure their own kids and families would get enough to eat, their moral was on an all-time high thanks to our military successes, to every offensive of the Federation soldiers that we had stopped, either alone or by fighting in collaboration with the Militia. And as the winter around us kept getting harsher, happiness and glory, pride and hope helped people to forget their empty bellies and the cold outside, and the still existing threat of enemy troops surrounding their city.

If the siege went on, the Empire would surely win, but before that, how many civilians would ultimately end up suffering a bitter fate?

As I kept 'walking' across the city's main road, I finally reached the building where I knew Tanya currently was. Before the war, while the city was under the dominion of the Federation, it has been the city's center for propaganda and information, and hosted a sizable garrison of soldiers who assisted other local units in maintain order and prevent 'counter-revolutionary activity' that is everything the Federation government didn't like and wanted to crush as fast and hard as possible. Now, it was left empty and abandoned, so Tanya and a few of her mages were busy trying to reconvert it into a fortified position where to move some of our longest-range artillery, and an observation position from which observe the siege around the city.

What would I say to Tanya, that was the question that kept nagging me down. If I told her the truth, she would either blame me for the failure, or she would once again act out of my own knowledge, possibly while trying to blame me for the whole thing. Moreover-

Suddenly, an idea came into my mind. It wasn't a good idea, like the ones I often tried to had, the kind of ideas that would fix any issue I could end up to face, and that would earn me the respect and esteem of my subordinate and allies. Rather, it was an idea that involved lying and backstabbing, the kind off idea that would surely led to dangerous consequences, either for me or for Tanya, according to what would've happened.

An idea that I would have considered worthy of Tanya, if it hasn't blossomed into my own brain.

An idea that was the riskiest, maybe dumbest gamble an officer of the Imperial Army could conceive.

And yet, it was the only path I could see out of this situation.

"Frederick!" A voice yelled and I took a deep breath, as I realized I had been spotted.

"Tanya! How's going with this place?"

"Don't you try to run from the issue!" She retorted, stomping on her boots as she approached me, her cold, icy glare trying to pierce through my body. "You know that you were supposed to talk with Strategic HQ!"

"I know, and this is why I came to seek you." I replied, doing my bets to keep my straight face. "The conversation finished a bit ago."

"So, how did it go?" She asked, looking at me like she was trying to see through my soul.

"Perfectly." I lied through my breath, trying to micro-manage every single muscle in my face as to not betray my real thoughts. "They recognized our plan as legitimate, so they've given us full permission to proceed with the operation."

"Excellent!" Tanya said with a malicious smirk. "I knew it! Those high-rank paper-pushers can't deny a request from one of the most famous military commander of the Empire."

"However-" I carefully added, to add a reason why the Imperial Army couldn't be directly involved that Tanya could see as legitimate before she could question my explanation. "- the Imperial Army notified us they don't have any units to spare for the operation, for those who are available are all requested for other operations and offensives all over the frontline, and none of the reinforcements scheduled to arrive will be available soon enough."

"What? But, that's ridiculous!" She replied. "Do they expect us to win this battle alone?"

"No, but I guess that means we'll have to be more... creative in our alliance with the Russy Liberation Army." I replied. "How about we contact them, and try to work a plan with them? I'm sure both your subordinate and the Baron will volunteer to help coordinate a battle plan with the rest of the Admiral's forces."

"I guess that's a solution. HQ may protest, but they gave us permission while also proving unable to provide us with the reinforcements we need, so we can use that if they try to reprimand us. Good thing that I thought about it."

"Indeed, I guess that's quite a nice idea you had... " I refrained from make any unnecessary comment about the blatant idea-stealing act, as Tanya walked, without her knowledge, further and further on the narrow path of my trickery. "Last, Strategic HQ warned us we should keep radio silence and not make any mention of this operation until it's done. While the encryption systems of the Empire are much superior of the Federation's decryption abilities, the risk of the enemy finding out about the plan are too high, and I guess our superior officer trust us."

"Of course they do." Tanya said with a tone of arrogance, looking at me. "We are their subordinates, and a subordinate it's bound to do what they're told to do, to follow orders, not to discuss them. Its' the same way it works between you and me, even if we may technically have the same rank: I am the brain, and you are the muscle. I do the thinking, and you execute them!"

That's exactly the reason why in the end, you will end up executed. I suppressed my thoughts.



"So, Strategic HQ forbid us from sortieing and to just focus on holding the line and resist the siege, sir?" Tragen asked, surrounded by me and the other officers of the 205th Magic battalion. It was late in the evening now, and we were all having officer's dinner in one of the city's buildings that we had took over during the time of the siege, where a good chunk of our mages slept, ate and rested whenever their presence wasn't requested. We had turns to make sure that, no matter what time it was, at least one third of the Battalion was airborne, ready to fight or provide close ground support.

"Unfortunately, yes." I spoke back, trying to appear as sincere as possible, taking a deep breath as I sank my spoon on the soup in front of me. While food supplies are still good, rationing and saving supplies meant that officers and simple soldiers ate the same all the time. It wasn't too much troubling (as someone raised in an orphanage, I was actually used to it) but after too long, you'd be craving for a good goulash or a well-done steak. "HQ reputes our position too unstable to warrant such a risky operation, and they can't provide us with reinforcements to support us, so even if we manage to repel the Federation's troops and take over their encampments, we won't have enough manpower to hold them."

"The Militiamen are good, but not enough to hold against such an enemy without good military defenses. "Ella Baumer nodded with a shrug. "Yeah, that's harsh, but we can understand that sir. Play it safe won't allow us to rout the enemy's army, but it surely is the bets option for this city.

"I'd say, I have grown so close to Volgaria ever since we set up here." Katarina smiled as well. "There is a family down on the road, before the Revolution their father used to be a good shoemaker. Their son... I don't know exactly how much, but I feel a strong magic presence coming from him, so I recommended him to take the test as soon as we have the necessary machinery available."

"We all feel the same! I befriended some nice kids, apparently, they have no family in this city and they were homeless. I already wrote to my family and if they'll allow me, I'm planning to take them into the household!"

"I wonder if we'll be allowed to return once we're discharged. I may have an idea for something to do after the war-

"Huh, sir, if I'm allowed to ask," Tragen raised his hand. "did you already inform Commander Degurechaff? If I'm not remembering it wrong, she was the most vocal proponent of the plan."

"I informed her immediately, once Strategic HQ informed us they were not endorsing the plan, and that we were not sanctioned to performing such operation. I even wrote a report of today's events, including a full transcript of my conversation with Strategic HQ's representative, and I made three copies of it. I wanted to make sure Strategic HQ knows we will follow their order."

"I-I guess that's a relief, sir. I had a chat with Viktoriya earlier, and from what she told me, commander Degurechaff didn't seem to sadden by the command's refusal. In fact she seemed strangely cheerful."

"I guess that's just her trying to disguise her feeling." I waved my hand, trying to appear clueless and innocent. "Degurechaff may have a bad fame in the Imperial Army, but she's a valorous soldier, a powerful mage, and an excellent officer. And she's always followed the order of Strategic HQ, no matter what her opinion about them was. When they told us to stood our ground, we did. When they told us to not attack, we did. I'm sure she will follow the order, like she always did, even this time."

The dinner went on, and soon, the chat topic shifted elsewhere, one of the squad leader telling us one of his squad's mages had found love with one girl from Volgaria, and had already asked her family to marry her, after the war. Tragen immediately offered to help him, and a couple of mages proposed to make a small collection of money to help him pay for the expenses, while I was left alone in my thoughts.

It was all set now. Tanya, she believed HQ had given us fully clearance to carry out the plan, and since I 'dutifully' offered to pretend not to know, in order to protect the secret form eventual spies, she would surely took the chance to try and claim full credit, obviously trying to paint herself as the sole responsible for the success.

Just as planned.

The queen was going to move on the chessboard, and her action would lead to two possible outcomes: either she succeeded or she failed. If she succeeded, the siege around the city would be broken, the Federation army besieging us would be routed and the city inhabitants would see their nightmare end, their success the first of many nails to close up the coffin of the Federation. Strategic Command would probably be not happy at all, but depending on how big the success would be, Tanya would receive only mild reprimands at most or even be completely forgiven for having 'disobeyed orders'

If she failed, she would face the full consequences of her actions, and she would be probably executed, at best, or forcefully interned in a madhouse.

Her, not me.

I had no knowledge of her plans. I had told her HQ had given us no clearance to carry out the plan she proposed, and I made a detailed written report to confirm my course of action. I spent every minute of this day to make sure Tragen and all the officers of my battalion knew I was aware of this, and I had no recollection of saying something different to anyone.

For Tanya was the chessmaster, able to manipulate and swindle her way to victory, but I was more like a Sith.

Heads, I win...

If the plan worked and the city would be liberated, I wouldn't get too much honour out of it, but surely, I would achieve my goal to deal another devastating blow to the Federation, plus securing the loyalty of the people of this city to boot.

Tails, you lose.

If the plan failed, I could put all the blame on Tanya, and get rid of her forever. At least, for this life.

THIS is how a real manipulator looks like.
 
Knowing Being X and how their plans usually go, what do you expect?
Hmm... Maybe the offensive led by Tanya would actually motivate the incoming invaders that are moving towards Frederick to fight harder due to her terrifying the soldiers enough to make them want to advance in the safer direction to get away from her. The commissars might also be motivated to make their troops advance more rapidly and recklessly due to increased pressure to create positive results in the face of all the failures they've gotten on this front, especially if the place they're trying to attack is apparently not as well defended as they thought it would be when one of their major assets was found to be elsewhere.

At that point Frederick would have to resort to using more power to keep the oncoming rushing enemies from overwhelming his defenses, which would be a perfect opportunity for Being-X to be relied upon again.
 
Alright, I just binged this whole thing over the course of three days, and I got to say, this fic is fucking amazing.

Sure, I have some minor complaints of the grammar and pronouns, but on the whole this fic is legible, and that is what counts.

I believe the author has already acknowledged this, but Fritz's morals seemed to be all over the place in the early stages of this fic, with the whole torturing random mooks thing looking like a fever dream in hindsight, but those issues seemed to have been fixed. Now it seems that Fritz is generally feeling bad for his earlier immorality(even though the whole sadistic aspect kinda ruins it), but it seems that he has an obvious blind spot morally, which has been obvious since the beginning.

Tanya

Now... this is a complicated thing to put into words, but I will try my best. Tanya is a grade a bitch, that much is obvious. She has tried to manipulate Fritz into being her underling since day one, and when that didn't work she then tried to declare herself as superior to him, by scheming around and taking the credit for his actions. Yet the issue is, at least for me... is that she hasn't crossed any lines that I believe she set for herself.

Tanya has always prioritized her own status in comparison to Fritz, yet she did this by always improving her own situation, and almost never by punching Fritz's position down. In the instances where she has, it is always due to a valid rule complaint against Fritz's lax command that has a chance of spilling over into her own unit. She has always been above board in voicing these complaints, and never pushed back when high command told her to knock it off.

This is in contrast to Fritz, who has crossed several lines. I'm glad that I ended up binging to this last chapter, because it is the perfect encapsulation of everything wrong with Fritz's actions. He has crossed a fucking line that I believe that two of them know about.

They both play their schemes against one another, and that is just another day at the office for them, basically flirting. Then Fritz pulls this latest stunt.

He lied to her face about a high command directive, in a xanatos gambit in which he wins either way. If Tanya succeeds in the plan, without support mind you from Fritz's unaware unit, the day is saved and Tanya gets some minor glory... while back in Berun there would be a serious conversation if they have to put the Mad Mage out to pasture anyways. If it fails... that conversation in Berun becomes unanimous in its decision to execute Tanya. Judging from the last chapter, I have a good feeling which option he would prefer to happen.

We have seen Tanyas POV and we have seen Fritz's POV.

Tanya would never do what Fritz did. She values the Army's success over her own success. She may scheme around the edges to end up looking better than Fritz, but she wouldn't do anything to actually kill him. That would deteriorate the armies situation, of which she has put the utmost value in.

There's also the fact that beneath all of Tanyas dickery, there is a nugget of gold. Over the last couple of chapters I have noticed that Tanya is being less robotic, and more human. She supported Victoria even when she went to her rival for help. She understood the civilians plight in a way that wasn't completely heartless. I believe that on some subconscious level, that the tsun is actually tsun.

I believe that even with all the shit that has come at Tanyas life, she always had the character tick in the anime of looking back. She remembers that train. She remembers perceived debts in life, as she views human interactions in a world of give and take. IOU and YOM's.

How much credit does someone attempting to save your life get? How much credit does someone being your only ally against the being who has ruined your life get? How much credit does someone being the only person you can actually talk to without doublespeak get you?

Tanya isn't letting go of Fritz, both for pure and evil, for emotional and logical, reasons ever as long as she can help it.

Fritz... is on the opposite state of mind it seems. No more games, time to kill the only person in the world who truly understands him. Time to totally betray the very essence of what makes up your for all purposes soulmate. The term 'throwing them under a bus' is an understatement of what he is doing. I don't know what will hurt Tanya more, the fact he wants to actually kill her and not the playing around shit that they were already doing, or the fact that he is going to do it in a way that violates the very core of her character in a frankly dirty manner.

Add on to the fact that it is implied that Fritz sold her soul to Being X's ex? That her one one ally against the thing that made her life hell is planning to do argurably worse to her?

If General War did not exist, and at this point Being X appeared and asked Fritz to sell Tanya's soul to him, and in exchange he will leave Fritz alone... I think he takes that deal in a heartbeat. Sad thing is that I believe Tanya wouldn't accept that same deal.

So, I personally believe it is time for Fritz to suffer a complete and utter loss in this moment. He went too fucking far, and it is time that karma pays back all the success he has had lately.

First, Tanya wins the encirclement, on a completely dominant level with assistance from the RLA. She has Victoria under her command to rally the militia, and she has the Barons cavalry.

She has also the great Chekovs Gunmen in Elisia, who just so happens to be in the wild at the moment. She does her chekovs gun powerup, and utterly routs the Commies with the Baron sweeping up the remains.

Best part is? Fritz vocally commands his unit to stay back and not interfere, smugly assured in his own genius.

Fritzs lack of discipline proceeds to bite in the ass in the worst way possible. Do you really think that Tragen is going to let his girlfriend fight the horde by herself? He breaks, and others break, unless Fritz drops his act and pulls a Tanya in ordering them to stay back.

They dont listen.

Post action report, in a reversal of situations, Tanya gets the kudos from the cowboy operation while her "mistake" gets ignored, just like Fritz in the past. Fritz loses a lot of trust as his little fucking plan gets revealed by his panicky actions.

The perfect culmination of all of this for Fritz?

Tanya gets promoted... over Fritz.

Cue rage.

I could go on and on about how Fritz is shouldn't even be there, and instead as an industrialist while leaving Tanya to her dream job, but nope. If Tanya does something, Fritz has to do it too.

But this post is way too long already, so I'll just say this...

Good fic, and Tanya needs a win.
 
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Alright, I just binged this whole thing over the course of three days, and I got to say, this fic is fucking amazing.

Sure, I have some minor complaints of the grammar and pronouns, but on the whole this fic is legible, and that is what counts.

I believe the author has already acknowledged this, but Fritz's morals seemed to be all over the place in the early stages of this fic, with the whole torturing random mooks thing looking like a fever dream in hindsight, but those issues seemed to have been fixed. Now it seems that Fritz is generally feeling bad for his earlier immorality(even though the whole sadistic aspect kinda ruins it), but it seems that he has an obvious blind spot morally, which has been obvious since the beginning.

Tanya

Now... this is a complicated thing to put into words, but I will try my best. Tanya is a grade a bitch, that much is obvious. She has tried to manipulate Fritz into being her underling since day one, and when that didn't work she then tried to declare herself as superior to him, by scheming around and taking the credit for his actions. Yet the issue is, at least for me... is that she hasn't crossed any lines that I believe she set for herself.

Tanya has always prioritized her own status in comparison to Fritz, yet she did this by always improving her own situation, and almost never by punching Fritz's position down. In the instances where she has, it is always due to a valid rule complaint against Fritz's lax command that has a chance of spilling over into her own unit. She has always been above board in voicing these complaints, and never pushed back when high command told her to knock it off.

This is in contrast to Fritz, who has crossed several lines. I'm glad that I ended up binging to this last chapter, because it is the perfect encapsulation of everything wrong with Fritz's actions. He has crossed a fucking line that I believe that two of them know about.

They both play their schemes against one another, and that is just another day at the office for them, basically flirting. Then Fritz pulls this latest stunt.

He lied to her face about a high command directive, in a xanatos gambit in which he wins either way. If Tanya succeeds in the plan, without support mind you from Fritz's unaware unit, the day is saved and Tanya gets some minor glory... while back in Berun there would be a serious conversation if they have to put the Mad Mage out to pasture anyways. If it fails... that conversation in Berun becomes unanimous in its decision to execute Tanya. Judging from the last chapter, I have a good feeling which option he would prefer to happen.

We have seen Tanyas POV and we have seen Fritz's POV.

Tanya would never do what Fritz did. She values the Army's success over her own success. She may scheme around the edges to end up looking better than Fritz, but she wouldn't do anything to actually kill him. That would deteriorate the armies situation, of which she has put the utmost value in.

There's also the fact that beneath all of Tanyas dickery, there is a nugget of gold. Over the last couple of chapters I have noticed that Tanya is being less robotic, and more human. She supported Victoria even when she went to her rival for help. She understood the civilians plight in a way that wasn't completely heartless. I believe that on some subconscious level, that the tsun is actually tsun.

I believe that even with all the shit that has come at Tanyas life, she always had the character tick in the anime of looking back. She remembers that train. She remembers perceived debts in life, as she views human interactions in a world of give and take. IOU and YOM's.

How much credit does someone attempting to save your life get? How much credit does someone being your only ally against the being who has ruined your life get? How much credit does someone being the only person you can actually talk to without doublespeak get you?

Tanya isn't letting go of Fritz, both for pure and evil, for emotional and logical, reasons ever as long as she can help it.

Fritz... is on the opposite state of mind it seems. No more games, time to kill the only person in the world who truly understands him. Time to totally betray the very essence of what makes up your for all purposes soulmate. The term 'throwing them under a bus' is an understatement of what he is doing. I don't know what will hurt Tanya more, the fact he wants to actually kill her and not the playing around shit that they were already doing, or the fact that he is going to do it in a way that violates the very core of her character in a frankly dirty manner.

Add on to the fact that it is implied that Fritz sold her soul to Being X's ex? That her one one ally against the thing that made her life hell is planning to do argurably worse to her?

If General War did not exist, and at this point Being X appeared and asked Fritz to sell Tanya's soul to him, and in exchange he will leave Fritz alone... I think he takes that deal in a heartbeat. Sad thing is that I believe Tanya wouldn't accept that same deal.

So, I personally believe it is time for Fritz to suffer a complete and utter loss in this moment. He went too fucking far, and it is time that karma pays back all the success he has had lately.

First, Tanya wins the encirclement, on a completely dominant level with assistance from the RLA. She has Victoria under her command to rally the militia, and she has the Barons cavalry.

She has also the great Chekovs Gunmen in Elisia, who just so happens to be in the wild at the moment. She does her chekovs gun powerup, and utterly routs the Commies with the Baron sweeping up the remains.

Best part is? Fritz vocally commands his unit to stay back and not interfere, smugly assured in his own genius.

Fritzs lack of discipline proceeds to bite in the ass in the worst way possible. Do you really think that Tragen is going to let his girlfriend fight the horde by herself? He breaks, and others break, unless Fritz drops his act and pulls a Tanya in ordering them to stay back.

They dont listen.

Post action report, in a reversal of situations, Tanya gets the kudos from the cowboy operation while her "mistake" gets ignored, just like Fritz in the past. Fritz loses a lot of trust as his little fucking plan gets revealed by his panicky actions.

The perfect culmination of all of this for Fritz?

Tanya gets promoted... over Fritz.

Cue rage.

I could go on and on about how Fritz is shouldn't even be there, and instead as an industrialist while leaving Tanya to her dream job, but nope. If Tanya does something, Fritz has to do it too.

But this post is way too long already, so I'll just say this...

Good fic, and Tanya needs a win.
I absolute love your take I have been reading this for so long I don't even remember the smaller beats of the story but I really agree with you. Fritz sold his soul
 
Tragen – Iron Heart
Tragen – Iron Heart


After commander König dismissed all of us, we separated, each with their own list of things to do for the evening or, in absence of those, for our well-deserved rest. Around us Volgaria stood together, free and happy, for the Federation no more ruled over it, and it would never do it ever again. Not as long as the people who lived in it were willing to stand against the brutality of their own government, and as the Imperial steel and sword would assist them. Sure, the fact that the siege would keep going for a while was a bad thing, but all considered, it wasn't such a bad situation for now: there was basically no more shelling, and while rationing was getting worse each day, it would still be a long time before the people started to suffer for hunger. Moreover, the continuous successes against the Federation's own soldiers to retake the city were an excellent boost for the Militia's morale and the city people's, helping them to focus on something else rather than their empty stomachs.

I stopped for a second, as I tried to remember what my duties for the night were. Let's see... I was supposed to went back to the northern trench and check its conditions, so I could report back if any fixes or redeployments would be needed, then I'd to check the equipment near-

A lone snowflake fell into my hand, and as I raised my head, a building came into my view. The old Serebryakov Estate, where Viktoriya's family used to live before the blasted Revolution forced them to run and hide, and they stuffed their own bureaucrats in there and started to despoil and plunder the land and the people for their own gain, until we came and kicked them out. The home that Viktoriya was born and raised, until it was brutally ripped away from her when she was young and innocent, betrayed by the one who she believed she could trust.

I shook my head: the duties I had to perform could wait. Right now, I had more urgent business to take care of.

I focused on activating my magic, projecting myself upward, my figure jetting trough the air, the militiamen of common people who noticed me waving their hands and saluting me, as I saluted them back. This city, this people, they were all this friendly, this close, this ready to help each other; it reminded me of the town where I was born, before I joined the military.

Would I be able to take care of them, like they took care of us?

As I landed right in front of the mansion, the Imperial Mages and Militiamen who were there on garrison saluted me with happy, almost cheerful expressions. I cheered back, greeting back every smile with their own name: I had learned to know every one of them, in the time I have been deployed in this city, and I have grown close to them only as brothers in arm can be.

"Linus," one of the Militiamen asked. "did something happen? Why did Commander König send you here?"

"Commander König didn't send me." I was quickly to correct them. "I came here on my own volition. How is... Viktoriya?"

"Oh!" The man gasped, and I saw a small smile form on his lips, as I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. I wasn't bothered by the fact that everyone knew that Viktoriya and I were a thing, but at the same time I was irritated by how some reacted to it, especially after it was revealed that Viktoriya was the 'presumptive heir' and next Duchess to the city.

I didn't love Viktoriya because she was a former (and soon-to-be reinstated) noble of Russy, I loved her because I loved her!

"Serebryakov is inside." another militiaman, who I played cards with a couple of days ago (and who I lost fifteen marks against) answered. "Should we warn them you're going to greet her?"

"No, I want for this to be a surprise." I replied. "Just point me in the right direction."

Luckily, it didn't take me too long for me to find it. Viktoriya was sitting in a big and wide room, whose fancy decorations had been removed with the arrival of the Federation, and she was sitting on a table as she checked a report. I coughed, and as she raised her head and her eyes crossed mine, I could see the joy blossom on her lips.

"Tragen!" Viktoriya said as she pushed forward, rushing toward me and planting her lips over mine, kissing me as I kissed her back, both of us standing silent, leaning onto reach other, my hands holding her shoulder while hers were all over my chest, the war seemingly so far away as we simply let our emotions out. "How- I thought you couldn't come and visit me today."

"I decided to be more flexible with my schedule," I answered back with a smirk. "Plus, with all the work you're going through, I thought maybe I could help you get some relive from the stress.

"Yeah, I could definitively use some relax now," she looked back at the papers on the desk. "Commander Degurechaff had always been a harsh commander, but in the last few days she's burying me with paperwork. It's not that I don't want to do it, only... it's tiring, and I'm sick of doing it all the time!"

"Believe me, I know how that feels!" I replied, thinking back to all the times Commander König forced me to do paperwork. "Maybe, I can try and help you? I have quite some experience, after all!"

"I already have help, Tragen. Thanks to the Militia's collaboration, there are other five people assisting me with that stuff. Plus, I remember you that I was the one helping you with your after-action reports, fixing all those mistakes before you send them! Rather, if you want to help me, there is... something else I would like to request right now..."

"Oh, and what would that b-"

The voice stops, any more words I was planning to say dying on my lips as she kisses me again, looking into my eyes with a warm expression.

"I need some cuddles."



"Well, that was... wonderful." I say with Viktoriya's hand resting on my chest. We are in one of the mansion's smaller bedrooms, the only one in the big house that the Federation's mooks never found (thanks to the geometry of its architecture and the furniture placed to hide the only entrance) and that, ever since the city was freed, she had claimed and furnished to be her occasional bedroom away from the barracks. Nothing of value was here, and no one knew of its existence, beside her... and me.

"Why, the other times weren't?" She almost purrs, as my hand caresses her hair, the blanket covering our bodies while she keeps gripping on my muscles. "You're a soldier of the Imperial Army, we are used to being forced to adapt to countless new situations."

"I'm still not used at the idea I'm romancing the next Duchess of Volgaria."

"I'm not the Duchess yet!" She almost yells as she slams a fist on my chest, yet I smile for I love teasing her. "Look, even if the people of this town are addressing me this way, the title's worth less than nothing until the Federation is gone and the Czarina restores it!"

"I know, but it's still... entrancing, I can say. My fiancée is the heir of one of the most powerful houses of Russy, besides the most beautiful girl of this century."

"Oh yeah? My fiancée is soon to be the next Duke by marriage, and he's incredibly ripped and muscular: I bet I could grind meat on these abs!"

"Hey, is having muscles this important to you? Would you have fallen in love with me if I was small and scrawny?"

"You know it wouldn't have made a difference." She replied. "But I guess it is a nice plus."

I smile once again, as we keep resting, cuddling onto each other, our bodies and minds tired in every mean of the word, waiting for new energies to be produced before resuming our 'deed'.

"Still, thanks for assisting me with this." Viktoriya said. "With the new offensive to break the siege, Commander Degurechaff has been extremely busy and keeps giving more and more tasks for me to manage in her steed. What?"

"What?"

"The sortie, the one planned to break the siege by taking advantage they're moving most of their soldiers to the south, giving us opportunity to strike their encampments to the west and force them to retreat?" Viktoriya keeps talking, looking at me with a worried expression. "Didn't your command tell you about it?"

"He did!" I reply, unable to understand what's going on. "Only... he told us the plan was a no-go, that HQ explicitly forbade us to go through with it, and that we had to stand down and just proceed with holding the line against Federation attacks. And I do remember he told us he warned Commander Degurechaff about this!"

"Say what?! Commander Degurechaff told us that commander Frederick reported HQ had given her full clearance to proceed!"

For a moment we stood without movement, Viktoriya holding the blanket to her chest to cover her body, her and I in shock as we struggled to understand what in the fucking Emperor's name was going on. Did HQ did approve the plan or not? And if they didn't, why did Commander Frederick say otherwise to Commander Degurechaff.

Could it be he had lied to her? That wasn't possible! Both of them were childhood friends, they were born on the same day and raised on the same orphanage! They chose to join the Empire as soon as they found out about the magic flourishing in their veins! They'd fought side by side, basically from the very first day the War began! They took us under their wings on the Rhine, gave us bright future and happiness together we couldn't hope to achieve otherwise! They were our heroes, an unbeatable team of soldiers whose successes made them symbol of the Empire's might and precision.

So, what was this?

"I-I see." Viktoria mused, thinking about it. "It's quite logical once you start see it in this light-"

"What logic?" I asked, unsure of what she was thinking.

"Think about it, Tragen: why would the two Commanders act in such an inconsistent way unless it was something they had planned together? My best guess is, Commander König didn't officially receive permission for our battalions to proceed, but he also realized that if we stood still and did simply what we have been ordered to do, the city would soon starve, and people would end up suffering. Sure, we can hold Volgaria, but how many civilians will die of hunger before the Federation's troops are forced to leave?"

"Our food supplies are still good. And with the rationing system the Commanders have organized-"

"We're using it carefully, but just because we're spending it slower than we would do normally doesn't mean is enough to recover what we lose each day. And Volgaria has thousands of mouths to feed!" Viktoriya points out. "The strengthened Federation military around the city scared all our black-market sources of available food, and what we have won't last forever. So, either we start cut off some people from getting their rations and act cruelly as the same Federations we are fighting... or we find another solution. But of course, since HQ forbid us to try it, we can't try to break the siege by ourselves... at least, 'officially'."

"Wait, are you suggesting that this is why commander König took care to warn everyone we didn't had the clearance to carry on the mission but still is allowing Degurechaff to prepare it? We are doing something that has not been approved?"

"Not officially, I guess. I think this is the reason why Commander König is pretending not to know anything about it: This way, should something go wrong or the whole thing be found out in advance, he can play it cool and act like he had no knowledge of the thing, so he won't be punished by our higher-ups and he can use this 'safety of his to protect us as well."

"I see... I guess this explains why he was so vocal about his opinion that we should follow the orders as stated and not do anything beyond." I though carefully, as the various dots started to connect. "But if the commander is pretending not to know anything about the operation, how can he hope for it to be successful."

"This is where Commander Degurechaff ends up playing," Viktoriya gave me a teasing smile. "As you said, she and Commander König are basically childhood friends, so it's easy to understand he's giving her the cover under which act while she takes care of the whole preparation of the plan. Also, the way he acted gives us an important hint."

"Oh yeah, and what would that be?"

"First off, if HQ is not ready to support us, it means we can't rely on the Empire troops to support us. This battle, while it will involve both our battalions, is a battle that will see the Russy Liberation Army and the Militia as its main protagonists against the Federation, and it will prove to the world that the Federation is not the rightful ruler of our land, but just an unjust, oppressive regime that lied to our people only to betray them as soon as they seized control, and that they have no legitimacy whatsoever."

"And once that happens, all the nations of the world will surely recognize the new Czarina as the rightful ruler, cementing her authority and giving the Russy Liberation Army endless possibilities of international supplies and new volunteers to close the fight once and for all!" I realized. By the Emperor, this is smart.

"Looks like some of your blood is still going to your head, huh?" She nudged me on the waist before continuing. "Anyway, that's not all: the people of this city will be reminded of how strong and decisive their actions are, if they manage to break off the siege without Imperial intervention. Of course-"

"I don't plan to stand back and do nothing."

"Huh?"

"I won't stay back while you and the rest of the men of your battalion risk your life." I said once again, determination and willpower growing inside me once again. "Look, I may be commander König's direct subordinate, but every squad commander knows m, and I know them, and you can beat your noble title that they won't stay idle. Just tell me what you need us to do, and we'll help at best of our abilities!"

"Tragen, are you sure you want to risk that?" Viktoriya said with a worried tone as she reapproached me, the fear in her eyes being big enough she didn't notice she wasn't holding the blanket to her body anymore. "For us is one issue, but you and the other squad leader are directly under commander's König authority. If you move to support us, it'll be way harder to pretend he didn't know nothing."

"No, because he really won't know anything about it. I plan to prepare everything behind his back."

"You'd disobey an order of your commander?"

"The key to be an amazing subordinate of an even more amazing commander is to know what he wants and what he really wants, even without him spelling it for you. And while I doubt HQ will like it, they'll surely won't be able to punish us once the siege is broken, and with that, whatever is left of the Federation's motivation."

"You know... there are many things we could do to make sure the plan eventually works out." Viktoriya started thinking about the issue once more, unconsciously rising up and sitting on the bed. "I could meet the Baron and explain the details of the deal so we can iron out the inefficiencies and have everything set, we could redeploy as much spare supplies as possible to make sure the southern defenses are protected while also providing our attacking forces with everything we'll need. I can also work out some kind of communication with the Russy Liberation Army to organize our synchronized assault, and then-"

"Huh, not to ruin your enthusiasm, but... aren't you forgetting something important, right now?"

"What?"

"Well..." I spoke, as her gaze fell down, as she realized that she was still in the bed, and that the blanket had fallen for several minutes already.

"TRAGEN! You could've told me!"

"You were so focused on your thinking, plus... I couldn't stop the next Duchess while she was talking."

She stopped and looked at me, before charging toward me, slamming me down.

"You know what? Looks like I still have some stress to vent, and since it looks like you've regained your breath, let's put those muscles of yours to a good use!"

Then she moved down, pressing her lips over mine, and I felt myself once again drift into bliss. We had a lot of work to do, and probably, this would be the last time we could take some time alone for a while.

But for now, we were one.
 
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"I know, but it's still... enhancing
I think this should be 'entrancing', which means bewitching, fascinating, or charming.
Heh. It seems Tragen learned the concept of asking for forgiveness rather than permission from his boss, AKA Frederick. That's going to be a funny mess once Frederick finds out.
 
I think this should be 'entrancing', which means bewitching, fascinating, or charming.
Heh. It seems Tragen learned the concept of asking for forgiveness rather than permission from his boss, AKA Frederick. That's going to be a funny mess once Frederick finds out.

I want to thank @sal_man7 for his latest post. I liked those ideas so much, I decided to adopt them for the upcoming events...

Also, thank you; fixed!
 
I want to thank @sal_man7 for his latest post. I liked those ideas so much, I decided to adopt them for the upcoming events...
Really? That's the way this is going to go? Meh.

Oh well. Regardless of how this event ends, Frederick should at least learn the lesson on not to underestimate Tanya's capabilities, but even more importantly on how he shouldn't just blindly trust that the people he has command over would simply believe and do everything he says and tells them to do. In other words, he needs to account for the fact that they're human and not machines, and that the relationships they have with others are also factors to account for.

So long as he has gained experience on how to do better the next time, then this is just another price to pay for the sake of ultimate victory in the future. Because surely this won't be the last chance for Frederick to get rid of the greatest threat to him in this world, which is Tanya and not Being X, once and for all.
 
I want to thank @sal_man7 for his latest post. I liked those ideas so much, I decided to adopt them for the upcoming events...

Also, thank you; fixed!
Really? That's the way this is going to go? Meh.

Oh well. Regardless of how this event ends, Frederick should at least learn the lesson on not to underestimate Tanya's capabilities, but even more importantly on how he shouldn't just blindly trust that the people he has command over would simply believe and do everything he says and tells them to do. In other words, he needs to account for the fact that they're human and not machines, and that the relationships they have with others are also factors to account for.

So long as he has gained experience on how to do better the next time, then this is just another price to pay for the sake of ultimate victory in the future. Because surely this won't be the last chance for Frederick to get rid of the greatest threat to him in this world, which is Tanya and not Being X, once and for all.

The way I see it is that Fritz played has hand way too aggressively in a bone headed idiotic way.

Morally, Fritz did his ploy in a way that could hurt Tanya the worst way professionally and personally. He wanted to maximize the amount of harm done to Tanya on every conceivable manner... and that is the reason why this event should fail on him and have actual long-lasting consequences levied upon him.

From a neutral moral standpoint, Fritz's plan is still dumb by every conceivable metric. Tanya has her reputation, mostly to her detriment, but there are two things that everybody knows of her. She is heartless and follows orders.

When Berun gets news of the events in question, they have to accept two options for why Tanya did what she did. Either the Devil of the Rhine spontaneously developed a heart due to seeing the plight of poor Russy peasants, causing her to risk her life, career, and her personality in order to do something that she has never ever demonstrated a capability for doing... or they come to the conclusion that Fritz told a bold-faced lie to Tanya's face. This is probably the one time that Tanya's philosophy and reputation saves her completely in the eyes of her superiors.

I also disagree with the idea of what the post-op reflections are going to look like for Frederick. There will be no lesson on Fritz learning not to underestimate Tanya, because that was never in doubt from Fritz on Tanya's capabilities from the onset of this failure of a plot. He fully expects Tanya to either singlehandedly win this whole thing by herself, or to lose and get executed by the higher ups. He has correctly identified Tanyas strengths as a commander. What he doesn't expect is everything else, which he should be fucking ashamed of at this stage of his career.

He personally saw Victoria rally the peasants, and then proceeds to basically write them off as fodder for Tanyas chance for success (reverting back to a heartless monster due to them being under Tanyas aegis during the operation).

He saw the Baron rally his horseman and let's just say that horsemen cutting down routing infantry is extremely effective.

The worst part though, is the fact that his famously undisciplined unit is expected by him to not lift a finger in order to help their comrades and the civilians. That is the dumbest part of this whole plot of his.

Which leads me to solidify an idea that was presented a couple of chapters back. Fritz, compared to Tanya, is an idiot.

The only reason why the Empire is not at war with the altUK is due to Tanya realizing from a few off handed remarks said by Fritz that the altFrench would pull a fake surrender. She did this while at a beach in a bathing suit by the way. This trend has been reinforced both before and after that moment, but that specific day is the clearest example of my conclusion. The fact that since that moment Fritz has never thanked Tanya in his internal monologue for saving their asses is expected at this point. Only his brilliance (of making a deal with devil) saved the Empire from ruin, and it hurts oh so much that the general staff will never recognize this obvious fact.

Finally, I disagree with the presumption of who Fritz's greatest enemy is. If he actually wanted to, he has had the time, money, and reputation to get away from Tanya on multiple occasions. Only due to his fixation and pride is the reason why he is still joined at the hip with Tanya. I personally believe that an entity that you have sold your soul to and who's stated plan is Total War and the death of innocence is a little bit more of a concern for somebody.
 
Ajatar – Korvatunturi
Ajatar – Korvatunturi


The people of the North are different from the people of the other nations.

A small patrol of Federation soldiers, two of them carrying heavy machine guns, the commanding officer at the head of the group, marched trough the silent forest surrounding them, nervously watching around as they tried to follow the preemptively-agreed retreat route, hoping that at their next step they would once again hear the voices of their comrades and would quickly rejoin the rest of the glorious Red Army of the People. The officer, taking a sip of out his canteen, kept checking the tree like he expected for the enemies to jump into sight every moment, giving signal to his troops to stop at every strange sound.

They are not a fiery, impulsive people, for they live in colder climates. They are less prone to show their emotions, so to an outsider's point of view, they may look emotionless, stoic, cold.

He was so focused on watching what was happening around them, that he didn't see the small reflection of the sun in the rifle's telescope, the petite figure dressed in a white snow uniform, waiting in silence, for the Federation officer to come closer, just a bit closer…

…but when they begin to move in a given direction, they move with the steady momentum and perseverance of a mighty avalanche.

The Federals barely heard the crack coming from away before they saw their officer's head explode, blood and brain splatter on the faces and uniforms of those soldiers who had the misfortune to be closest. One of them hurried to yell for alarm, only for another bullet to hit the grenade he was holding at the waist, making it detonate, the ensuing explosion piercing all the soldiers of the group before they could mount any kind of resistance. Only one, either the luckiest or unluckiest among their ranks, who was the furthest away at the end of line, survived the blast, groaning on the ground, his brain filled with pain coming from his pierced right arm that he had vainly tried to use to protect himself, as he called for help.

And it was then that the enemy showed themselves.

The wounded counted at least six people, all dressed in uniforms adapted to the most extreme cold temperatures, masks covering their faces, rifles in their hands. And just above their left shoulder, a white-and-blue symbol, the flag of the insurgents. One of them, seeing that he was still alive (even if barely) quickly took off a gun from his side and pointed at his forehead, saying something in their strange language before pressing the trigger.

The ambushers didn't waste any time to gloat, or to compliment themselves of their victory: quick hands searched the bodies of their enemies for weapons, ammunitions and everything that was still salvageable before leaving, putting on skies on their boots as they quickly left the area, letting the carcasses of the Federation's soldiers to feed any animal hungry or opportunistic enough to feast on their remains.

(…)

"…sir, we have lost all contact with the 155th Infantry Division, moving from south-west. So far, we have been unable to set aerial reconnaissance mission to determinate their status, but if I have to guess… they'd feel on an ambush."

Komkor Matveyev Yevgenievich, commander of the 12th Red Army Group and now de-facto leader of the remaining Federation forces in Suomi, grunted, as he placed his hand over his head, feeling another headache incoming. The 155th Division had left Lokka two days earlier, after local population had become to unruly to be properly controlled, and he counted on their arrival to reinforce the perimeter around the mountain while other troops of the Federation continued their retreat out of the country. Now, however?

"What's the worst prediction?"

"Comrade officer, the 155th had seven light tanks that were still in condition to fight, plus they were carrying five tons of shells for our artilleries. If the enemy had managed to capture them, they could use them for their own artillery and lay destruction upon our position. WE can't afford to wait, we must form a search party to locate and recover them, before the Soumi manage to put them to use for their own gains."

"We don't have enough men to spare to put together a search party." Another dire consequence of throwing our soldiers in endless attacks with little success with too much bloodshed out of our former commanders, the old officer thought in his head. "And even if we did, we wouldn't do much more than offer them to be killed by the rebels."

"Comrade officer-"

"Seventeen." He looked at his subordinate, a boy who had become his assistant for the same reason he was now in command of this whole disaster: there wasn't anyone else left to appoint. "That's the number of soldiers I had to promote just yesterday, to fill the gap those snipers had caused among our ranks."

What's worse, since the officers who had died had been almost all of their most experienced ones, with every death their command efficiency had dropped, making them unable to properly counter the ever-growing violent resistance of the population against the Federation and the invading forces of the now Empire-backed Entente, whose new government (a puppet of the Empire) didn't waste time to 'denounce' the illegal occupation of Suomi and join the Empire's side in the war. The Federation knew something like this could happen, so they had built defenses and fortified position, to destroy any possible insurrections on the crib and to fend off the attacks that would come from the border, but just as they had foreseen the Empire's intention to use the willingness of the new Entente to raise Suomi against them, so had the Empire foreseen the Federation's defenses works and strategies, and countered with their owns.

The first attack didn't come from the west, but rather, from the south, as Imperial Naval forces, supported by their own Navy (including ship-based mages) destroyed the Federation's naval and aerial forces on their bases, before landing troops that quickly secured the main coast cities and drove the Federation's own garrisons northward, spurring the whole Suomi to raise against their oppressors and destroy the defenses near the border, allowing for the Entente new army, trained and equipped by the Imperials, to penetrate in Suomi like an hot knife in butter, welcomed as liberators by the local population, the quite common 'brotherhood' among all populations of North Europe now working against the Federation's soldiers as the situation quickly became unsustainable.

In a couple of weeks, the operative orders changed from 'squash any rebellion and destroy the enemy infiltrations' to 'hold the line and establish a resistance line' and now were 'defend the key passages to guarantee the successful retreat of our own soldiers back in the Federation's territory'.

"Any news from Command?"

"They refused to approve our request for reinforcements, not that there was a chance. The Empire is steadily approaching our capital, and with Volgaria having already fallen and what's left of our military struggling to constitute a resistance, holding Suomi is no more a priority. The orders are the same we have received last time: we must keep going with the evacuation and redeploy to the south, in order to assist the forces they're gathering to defend the capital. If the land trip is not feasible with our resources, command order us to retreat to Petsamo and use any ship we can commander to bring our troops to Archangel."

"So, they're ready to give up our harbor too?" Yevgenievich sighed, almost amused by how quick his 'superiors' were ready to sacrifice land to spare as much experienced troops as they had. Had the Federation's military situation not been so dire, they would have basically coerced him to throw the lives of the soldiers he had in a meatgrinder, if that meant the loss of any territory could be slowed down even for just a day. It was like this that most of their own military force had been vanquished in so little time. And Suomi was far away from the power centers of the Federation, that meant that compared with the rest of the Federation's Armies currently deployed all over the front, they had an harder time to replenish their losses with recruits.

"Seem so, sir. In any case, I took the precaution to start thinking for a slow fighting retreat to the port, should that become necessary."

"Ah... That's right thinking. Precious little of that, these days." Yevgenievich smiled at him. "What do we know of the other formations?"

"The 338th cavalry of the Urals had to leave their planned path to avoid an area that, according to the reports, had been considered 'too risky', but their commander confirms they only had two losses in the last few days, and they should be able to reach us by the morning of tomorrow. Meanwhile, the 34th and 55th brigades ended up facing several irregular formations of rebels around lake Vesnury and report heavy casualties, since they had no other choice but to open their path by force: some squads report losses up to 50% of their own men. We lost all contact with the outpost near Pesenò, but local rebel activity suggest they were overrun, or the garrison blew themselves sup to avoid their arsenal to fall in the enemy's hands: in any case, we can't expect any more meteorological reports at least until we manage to regain contact with Petergrad. The 112 Armored Company, as you know, was already trapped and destroyed in an ambush by the Suomi insurgents three days ago, while-"

"Let's cut off with the case, and just answer me: how many soldiers can we expect to leave with, assuming by some miracle we don't suffer any more casualties?"

"Between 20,000 and 25,000 soldiers, sir."

"Less than a fifth of the forces dispatched this region." The de-facto commander groaned once again.

"What's worse, sir, I took the liberty to speak with some of the units who already managed to reach our encampment and they all look… discouraged, to say the least. Morale is at an all time low, fear of being hunted down and killed by the rebels is the only counter that stops many from deserting, all officers reports the men behave like they expect the war is already lost."

"Our situation may be critic, but that doesn't mean we've lost yet!" Yevgenievich yelled, feeling a resurgence of pride coming from within himself, "Even in retreat, it's only because our presence is required in order to stabilize and consolidate the Federation's control over its core regions, to stomp out the rising threat of the counterrevolutionary cabal led by the fake Czarina and her puppets! Once our control is secure, I'll willingly volunteer myself to lead the force to retake this region!"

"To tell the truth, what is scaring our troops the most are the rumors about those rebel snipers, hiding either among wilderness or the ruins of city. Especially about the one they call… Ajatar."

Ajatar. That was the new nightmare that plagued the troops. In Suomi, that one was the one given to one of their old folk myths, about an evil female spirit living in the woods, described as having hair-plait that reached to her heels and breasts hung down to her knees, whose apparent 'job' was to spread disease and pestilence among the living. Now however, it was the name of an equally evil female rebel, who had made her presence known as soon as war started between the Empire and the Federation, leading Federation troops into traps and then killing them, one by one, including important functionaries of the Federation as well as people among the Suomi population who were considered 'sympathizers' of the Federation's own regime, spreading terror and chaos among their ranks.

Barely the day before yesterday, Ajatar and a small group of rebels had launched an incursion a small river harbor where Federation sympathizers were trying to ship off their families out of the country, setting up explosives and blowing up the small and frail river boats, before capturing the collaborators and execute them one by one, each man considered 'guilty' later found dead with a bullet in the back of his head. An action devoid of any strategic importance but that contributed to demolish morale among their own troops and those who sought their protection and contributed to push more and more undecided parts of the population on the rebels' side.

"Ajatar is just one person, comrade," Yevgenievich underlined, repeating the same words he had tried to hard to instill in the minds of his own soldiers. "and one person can't be everywhere." Only one could be everywhere, but it's been a long time since the Federation got rid of those ancient superstitions of the pasts.

"I-I see, comrade officer. Then, with your permission-"

The alarm rang out, as both Yevgenievich and his subordinate jumped in surprise, rushing outside of their tent. They had expected a land attack, maybe the Suomi rebels who were finally trying to take over their position and cut off the retreat of any remaining Federation troops in their territory, only to met soldiers scattering in panic, a couple of more pointing to the sky while the others grabbed shovels and tried to dig their own shelter.

Too late Yevgenievich looked up in turn, and realized that he would never return to the Federation, and this would be his last day on the world.

It was twenty to twenty-five airplanes, all of them light bombers, the decorations and insignia were those of the Entente, but the airplanes were clearly of Imperial production. Probably they were part of the military lend-lease Strategic Headquarter had implemented after the fall of the Entente, and the subsequential 'reorganization' of the northern state as an Imperial puppet. They were completely devoid of escort, for they had no need for it: the Federations' own Air Force had been decimated in the previous days, during the failed offense against the Empire and later on during the Imperial counterattacks, the few air wings still available were all deployed near the capital to protect the remaining industry and to prevent other Imperial incursions on the city. Thus, Suomi's own skies were completely empty, the Federation troops devoid of any air defence, unable to stop the merciless attacks on their supply lines, their stronghold, and their own troops.

The first bomb went off a couple of meters to their right, completely destroying a machine gun nest and killing the two soldiers who were garrisoning it. As new explosions hit all around them, wrecking the few defenses Yevgenievich's soldiers had managed to build, destroying the few artillery pieces protecting the encampment, killing many soldiers whose lives could have been spared, if they had some kind of warning of the impending air strike. Immediately, Yevgenievich tried to yell orders, to tell his troops to find cover, for the remaining artilleries that could target the airplanes to open fire…

…but he couldn't, as he felt a sharp pain coming from his throat, and saw blood dirtying his hand, realizing a fragment of the explosions had pierced him like a shrapnel, the last thing he saw before losing consciousness was for his own subordinate to try and assist him.


That day, the Entente Air Force carried out over fifty air strikes against the Federation's troops, destroying vital communication routes and scattering what was left of their military force, allowing their own ground forces to get in contact with the Suomi resistance and coordinate the final operations against the Federation. Many soldiers, seeing their last hopes of a retreat cut short, harassed day and night by the snipers and guerrilla fighters hiding in the woods and hit by the Entente's light bombers and with no more contact with Moskva, decided to do the smart thing and surrendered. Those who were lucky enough doing it with troops of the Empire for they could be trusted to treat them as prisoners of war, and not execute them as soon as they were captured.

A small group managed to force their way out of Kurvatunturi, and headed to Petsamo, where they would try to establish a defense around the city's perimeter. Their resistance would last for over two weeks, but in the end, the city would end up falling to the recently constituted Suomi Army, the strategic harbor and the surrounding area to be later annexed by the new nation born out of the fire and ashes of the Federation.

By the end of the month, all of Suomi would be liberated, the Entente and Imperial troops coming from north-northwest pressing on Petergrad, cutting off the metropolis from the rest of the Federation and besieging it, a siege that would last till the last few days of the war. (...)
 
Chapter 228 – The Maiden's Snow
Chapter 228 – The Maiden's Snow


"The Federation has launched two small attacks on our southern defenses as of yesterday. Only a few squads of infantry lacking artillery coverage or any other kind of support. I guess they're either made of those units who were dumb enough to volunteer themselves or they were forced into action. No scheme that I could detect, that implies the enemy was just trying to 'test' our defenses, maybe trying to fin d a possible breach they could exploit on a more serious assault. Our losses includes two militiamen, with seven wounded, while the enemy lost fifteen soldiers and another nine were left on the battleground, wounded and unable to join the retreat of their comrades. We captured five, as for the others were too wounded and thus we-"

The paper snapped, and I hissed in anger as I realized what had happened. Now I would have to rewrite the report from the beginning!

"Great, wonderful!" I ripped out the ruined paper and angrily tore it apart, chunking its remains in the small stove to my right and letting the fire consume it into ashes, while I grabbed a new piece of paper and pulled it on its place on the typewriter. "Ok, let's do this again: on this day-"

"Excuse me, commander König," someone knocked on the door, making me stop and raise my gaze. "Am I disturbing you?"

Yes you are, you idiot.

"No, not at all." I replied, struggling to suppress all of my negative emotions as I smiled, focusing on my ever-present façade of the young, nice child-like commander who was the father to his soldier and the 'happy child' to a city under his protection. "What is it?"

The door opened, and the burly face of a Volgaria militiaman, his dirty uniform and reddish face telling me he was someone who had been deployed on the defense lines all over the city, peeked from behind it.

"I'm sorry to bother you, commander König but... we found something, or rather, someone who we think you should see. I was chosen to come and inform you."

"You found someone?" I raised an eyebrow, wondering about the semantic. Someone... it implied a person. Another deserter running off from one of the Federation's camps, hoping to survive as a war prisoner? Some civilian who had managed to avoid the Federation's troops and now was hoping to seek asylum on the besieged city? "And why you needed to send someone to report it, rather than simply follow the rank order?"

"We apologize for the breach of conduct, but we do not think it is something that we should risk for the Federation to find out, no matter how low the risk may be." The soldier said, trying to fix his own posture. "If you'll please follow me, you will see... and understand."

I internally grunted, realizing I wouldn't be able to work on anything for today. "Very well, just tell me where we have to go." I sighed, walking behind the man, stopping only for a brief second as I turned toward one of my helpers. "I have to go for some urgent business, and I don't know how long it will take. Please make sure my office stay closed until I return."

"Understood, sir! I'll inform commander Tragen to take over in your absence." Tragen... my most faithful subordinate, the all-muscle patsy that would assist me on the path to get rid of Tanya once and for all.

I walked outside, the cold wind coming from the East hitting me on my face, as I walked right behind the militiaman. I could have tuned it out in an instant if I used my own magic, the shield would have protected me from the cold wind as it protected me countless times already from bullets and artillery blasts, the magic would allow me to fly above the snow at a much faster pace, reaching my intended destination in much less time. I could-

No, I waved my head as I simply kept following the man in front of me, my boots sinking in the snow as I let the cold air scratch my face. I had to play on the same level as everyone else, to eat the same food as the troops, to neve take advantage of any rank privilege I had, if I wanted to secure their heart and their trust into me. I had to be like everyone else, if I wanted for them to favor me and give me their loyalty.

And I needed their loyalty if I was to cut off Tanya completely from my life.

So I simply gritted my teeth, trying my best to ignore the cold over my face, the feeling of wet on my boots, following the man to meet the 'someone' whose my presence was required for...


(..)


"So, this is where you keep them?" I asked, turning toward the low-level militia officer who apparently was the one that came up with the 'bright' idea of sending someone to my door.

"Yes sir. We were on patrol, when we saw a figure approach our trench defense area. We immediately shouted for them to stop and we assumed defensive position, thinking they might be some kind of Federation saboteur or a spy, but after they came closer and we got a chance to see them better... well, we realized it couldn't be a Federation's mook."

"And how do you expect me to believe that?" I quipped, trying to come up with some 'logical' explanation to have them punished. Sure, it was a dick move, but I had to walk almost twenty minutes following a slow-poke soldier because 'it was something too important to be transmitted over radio', and I was in deep need of catharsis.

"You will see, sir."

Annoyed, but also engrossed by such a mystery, I walked inside the building, a former home with a half-destroyed roof who the handywork of the militia had now turned into a small storage area. As soon as I entered, half a dozen militiamen, assembled on the same spot, turned around and saluted me.

"Sir!"

"Commander König! So happy to see that you made it!"

"At your service, sir!"

"At rest, soldiers!" I replied, taking another deep breath before resuming my speech. "So, where is the 'someone' you said I had to see immediately, and that apparently was so important you couldn't simply tell me by radio?"

"Here, commander." One of the soldiers moved aside, so I could finally see the petite female figure lying on a makeshift bed, her eyes closed, just a small tremble and the sound made by her breath as she slept.

From the very first moment, I realized that this could not be an ordinary person: her hair, long and blond in color, was tied together in two long braids, reaching up to her pelvis on either side, her skin was extremely pale and white like snow itself, while her lips on the contrary were red and colored like blood. She wore a heavy yellow-white coat, with decorations I could barely distinguish, and a hat of the same color laid beside her, which the militia soldiers must have removed while she slept. The heavy coat was half-open, revealing underneath a light blue-colored dress with reindeer-like designs in gold thread, she had heavy ebony-black boot-like shoes on her feet and a small white handkerchief knotted around her neck.

But it was not because of her appearance that I had been called.

As I got closer, step by step, I could notice the magical power radiating from her body, wrapping itself around me, saturating my senses, its sour flavor of magic so familiar yet at the same time so exotic. Tanya and I were among the mages with the highest magical potential, despite the fact that biologically we were much more... 'young' than our comrades, but this girl's magical power shone like a small sun in comparison.

"But... what... ?"

"You noticed, eh sir?" The Militia officer said, with a look full of concern. "First we tried to assess how high his magical power was, to get an idea of his potential, using a tool of the Empire."

"And the response?"

"None, the machine broke down, we don't know why yet. That's why we decided to contact you immediately."

"Who else knows about this?"

"Only the Baron, and whoever he has decided to personally bring into the loop."

"Did she say anything that could help us figure out who she is?"

"No, sir. When we found her, she looked like the tempest was going to swallow her, and as soon as our soldiers reached her, she passed out. We brought here to safety, we tried to warm her up, and we even prepared something for her to eat should she wake up."

"What's your opinion?"

"To me, sir? The Federation's desperate to whip out new forces to try and hold the line against the Empire and the Russy Liberation Army. They're recruiting all people who they can convince, or coerce, into serve under their bloody flags, but above soldiers, what they're desperate for are mages. Before the war, the Federation oppressed them, forbit them from military service and even sent them away to rot in their gulags, because they feared their power, and this ended up backfiring on them after we managed to turn the tide against them. With their state-sponsored magical troops obliterated in the battle for Moskva, and all the others either in hiding or having joined the Russy Liberation Army, the Federation has nothing that they could ever use to oppose them, and if this doesn't change soon, the Federation will soon fall."

I nodded, as I once again glanced over the sleepy, blonde, magical beauty. "You think she may been some civilian girl who suddenly awoke her magical power? And that she ran away from home because the Feds wanted her to become a magical weapon against us... whenever she wanted or not?"

"Not sure, sir, but that would explain why we found her alone, and why there was no one with her. Poor girl, she must have ran as soon as she found out, to protect her family."

"Well, one thing for sure, the communist will never get their dirty hands on her anymore now!" I said, feeling a strange mix of determination and self-preservation instinct grow inside me. "Send a message to Serebryakov and inform her of what had happened. Tell her to send here one of our battalions' medics, so we can check her health conditions."

"But, sir, we already ran a check over-"

"The Physiology of a mage is similar, but not identical to the one of a baseline human." I retorted. "We must check her magical energy flow, and if it's damaged somehow. A mage with this level of power, with a damaged magical flow or something else that may tamper with her magic collecting and control skills, may even enter on a self-destructive process and release all of her magical energy in one go. And with all this magic I can detect... "

"U-Understood sir! I'll go immediately Come on guys!" The man ran out, followed by the other militiamen, as I was finally left alone, my anger and irritation from before now forgotten, as new questions and unsolved mysteries began to gather inside my mind.

Who was this girl?

How could her magical power be this high?

How had she arrived here?

And what could this possibly mean, for all of us?





"Ugh... "

"She's waking up, sir!" The medic mage of the 205th Battalion said, taking one step back. "So far, nothing seems to indicate any threat to her health.

"Just focus on watch and see, doc." I replied, as I steered my resolve. "I'll go alone, let's not scare her by ganging up on her."

"Understood, sir, but... what if she turns hostile?"

"There is a whole squad of battle-hardened mages who are literally waiting outside, and I am one of the most powerful mages of the Empire. I think I have good chance to retreat, should the gentle approach fail."

"I'm still convinced we should have informed commander Degurechaff about this situation, sir."

"Nah, you know that Tanya has the 'delicate touch' of an elephant in a crystal shop." I replied. "Plus, I don't doubt she will come with all her battalion should some unexplained explosion be visible from a distance. OK, let's do this."

The doctor, and the few guards who had been watching over our 'guests' all silently retreated to the entrance as I walked forward, step after step. The girl was no longer lying and instead she sat, trying to figure out where she was.

"What? How-"

"Nice to see you have woke up." I said, her head turning as she glanced all over my body. "Slept well?"

"You... you are... the Imperial Dragon, commander König!" She said, a part of mee feeling proud that she DID recognize me head on. "I did it! I did it, I reached Volgaria."

"Yes, you're in Volgaria right now. I assume that was your objective, miss-"

"The city hasn't been attacked yet, I'm still on time!" The blonde girl began to talk faster and faster, and hyperventilate. "Look, I know you won't probably believe me, but I came here to warn you! "

"Warn me?"

"The Federation forces are already besieging the city, and they're planning an attack from the south in attempt to break through the trench defenses you and the Militia built around it, but in secret the enemy is sending another attack force against the city. A force of heavy artillery, most of them naval guns scrapped from salvaged ships, accompanied by three infantry battalions and a force of snipers is approaching the city from the east, and it will attack at the same time as the troops in the south will. Should you try a sortie, or should you focus on defend your stronghold, the outcome won't change. You can defend everything, for if you do, you won't have enough manpower to hold the line!"

As the girl kept explaining to me, my eyes began to widen in horror, as I could basically see the new attacking force she was describing. I had no way to know if she was telling the truth or not, and yet... why the more I listened to her, the more I was convinced it was full, unblemished truth?

"How do you know this?" I asked, as the girl once again looked to me, her eyes feeling like they could see beyond my façade of a boy in uniform, and stare directly into my soul.

"He told me about that. About you, and your friend. How you're not mages like this world has ever seen." She spoke, as she said her next sentence, the blood in my veins froze cold instantly. "The General... the skeleton wearing that uniform. He said you would understand."

I stared in shock. "You mean... he sent you here to warn me that there is no escape, not even if he tries to help me? What am I supposed to do, just stand still and wait for someone to put an end to my life?!"

"No, there is a way, that's why he told me to come here!" the girl continued. "Look, Commander König, we may have been strangers until now, but we both have known the General for a long time. He was the one that helped me awaken my powers, refine them, taught me how to use them. And while you had no way to know... many of the things you did until now actually helped me, and the people I care for. The General wanted to help you, so this is why she told me to come here."

"So, you're here to help us?" I raised an eyebrow with a suspicious expression. "I did notice your magical powers look much stronger than what I'm used to, but no matter how strong you may be, these powers are still raw. You'd need a lot of professional help and guidance before you can use them at your full capabilities, it would take weeks before you can even fly on your own power!"

"Indeed, I can't fly, not yet at least." The blonde girl said, as her expression twitched into a smirk. "But I can do this."

She opened the palm of her hand, and I saw a small flash of white light as the representation of a snowflake appeared, levitating over her palm for a few seconds, before dissipating in a puff of smoke.

I knew, from what I had learned both at the Academy and during my whole new life as an Imperial mage, that this was some kind of magical technique that had been lost for many years as it wasn't suitable for mass production.

A kind of magic that no one ever remembered anymore.

"Who... who are you?" I finally muttered, as dots once again began to connects in my head, and I could finally see.

A girl dressed in a heavy coat, with blonde hair tied up in braids.

A girl whose raw magical power was much more than the one mages usually had.

"My name is Snegurochka."
 
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they're planning an attack from the outh
south

Interesting. I wonder what role she was given to play by The General. The fact that he is continuing to interfere with the world in this way to create more agents is entertaining and a bit satisfying to see, if only to potentially counter Being-X's meddling in return.

Although if this patterns keep going, the world will be driven by super-powered children sooner than later, either directly through their powers, or indirectly via the social and political influence they could wield if they survive long enough to accumulate it.

Regardless of her future potential though, the problem of the surprise attack is in the current present for Frederick to resolve. I wonder how feasible it is to capture some of those guns in advance to turn them upon the forces in the south.
 
HELLO, MY FAITHFUL READERS!

I'm sorry to report this, but due to some overworking myself and once again reaching the limits of burning out, I am taking a two-weeks period of rest from this fanfiction to recharge my creativity batteries and properly plan the plot for next episodes.

Next episode will then be published May 29, 2024.

I apologize for the abrupt announcement, but I don't think I'll be able to keep up with my regular updates and writing quality without proper rest. And this was quite a stressful period.

Apologies again,

Trunko
 
Chapter 229 – Unintended Successes
Guess who's back?

Chapter 229 – Unintended Successes



The night before dawn. The time when night darkness is strongest, just before the return of the Sun and light, of daily warmth, when there is no Moon in the sky and no light to cleave the darkness. The time when everyone is asleep, tired from their daily chores, and few are left standing.

The most suitable time for arrests, for undercover operations, when the enemy usually sleeps soundly, and every moment of anonymous silence is precious.

The perfect time for a surprise attack.

"Commander König." the voice in my earpiece was weak and faint, and I could hear the weariness in my interlocutor's tone of voice. "The Federation troops are coming out of their camps and readying themselves for the attack. They all seem to be armed with bayonets."

"It's logical, they want to take advantage of the surprise. If they fired, they would risk waking us up and alerting us."

"But we are already awake, sir."

"But they don't know that, and we will let them believe it to the last. Keep your weapons loaded and prepare to open fire, but don't fire until the enemy is close enough to you that you can see the whites of their eyes."

"Sir, how are we going to see the whites of their eyes in this darkness?"

"It's a metaphor, it means wait to fire until they are close enough that you can hit them with a sure shot. Not only will this save you bullets, but it will allow us to take more casualties if the enemy masses all at once."

"Whatever you say sir. Just... shouldn't we inform Commander Degurechaff? Shouldn't his sortie take place while the Federates are attacking us?"

"I have already taken the necessary precautions to inform Major Degurechaff as soon as the time comes," I said lying. "don't worry about her."

Tanya does not need to be informed, because Tanya is expected to fail.

"Commander König!"
Another voice rang through my communicator, a female voice I recognized immediately. "We are in position."

"Officer Baumer, it is good to hear your voice again." I said, trying to appear as friendly as possible, "Remember your task: you and your squad must provide active support to the Militia forces to allow them a smooth retreat and hold the key points of the new line of defense behind them."

"Aye-aye, sir!"

It is time.
I realized as I once again looked at the sky, and I took a deep breath of the cold air of the night. Silently, I turned around, and looked at my latest ally, the girl sitting on a small wooden chair waiting for me. Her cold gaze foreshadowing the immense power imbued in her body.

"Now, Frederick?"

"Now, Snegurochka."

The girls stood on her feet, walking toward me, glancing in the direction where the Federation troops were coming, as I felt the magical power surge from within her. Then, I turned head, just in time to see something starting to form in the horizon.

One minute, almost two, as the girl focalized her own magical power, a strange light appeared in her eyes, and I could almost see her feet detach from the ground.

And then, the snowstorm came.

First came a strong, sharp, icy wind to irritate the skin of the face and hands of anyone who was not properly protected; then millions, billions of snowflakes covered the view.

Visibility was reduced to zero, any movement was hampered and slowed, contact with one's teammates and fellow soldiers, even those closest physically, was greatly weakened. In short, the entire Federation strike force would soon be in serious trouble.

"Sir, what's happening?"

"Is that a snowstorm? It appeared all of a sudden!"


"Everyone, calm down!" I yelled trough my earpiece. "Stand in position and be ready to follow your directive. Do you all have your protections for eyes and face?"

"Sir, we are men of Russy!" One of the Militia low-level officers said, almost with a chuckle. "We are used to much worse climatic conditions!"

"And we are equipped to deal with it!"
Commander Baumer nodding, not wanting to look inferior. "Mages of the Empire, prepare your high-altitude googles and activate your auxiliary protective spells! Looks like we're going to fight in a blizzard after all!"

"This is just like at Orse, only this time we have no time limit to destroy all the artillery before our fleet arrives."
One of the mages couldn't hold his tongue.

"And we don't have enemy mages to fight! We have full air superiority this time!"

"Soldiers of the Empire!"
Ella started to make some kind of speech, and I listened top it trough the earpiece. "Looks like fate is smiling upon us tonight as well! This snowstorm it is a sign of God, that tell us to keep going forward and vanquish the Federation, to destroy the oppression the people of Russy were forced to live in, and let its blessing once again lighten up the heart and souls of countless individuals. Soldiers of the Empire, tonight we will strike the decisive blow in the Federation's heart! For the Emperor!"

"FOR THE EMPEROR!"
Came the response of her men.

I shut off my own communicator, and closed my eyes, starting to imagine the carnage that will unfold soon. And what's best, Tanya would be none the wiser that, all this time, I have played behind her back all this time. The time where she would play me around like a puppet, like a mere servant or a subordinate, useful only to do what she wanted me to do, only to betray and attempt to double-cross me again and again, was finally over. As soon as HQ would be in the know that she tried to attack without any support, and blatantly violating their orders. Thus-

"To all units of the Volgaria militia, to all units!" The voice of Serebryakov suddenly spoke in the communicator, catching me by surprise. "Commander Degurechaff's sortie had been a full success! All units of the Federation on the North-west-west sector had been repulse, commander Degurechaff is moving toward their main encampment for further securing of the area. The squad units under commander Tragen are with them, providing key support. Inform the Baron to move fast, to take advantage of the opening before the remaining Federats have any chance to mount a defense!"

...WHAT?!



"Tragen, do you copy?!" I yelled, flying as fast as my powers allowed me to do toward north-west-west, in the same direction where Tanya's own sortie had to be going, panic and horror filling my mind. "Tragen! If you hear me, answer!"

A sense of dread now dominated me, as I realized something had happened. Tragen wasn't supposed to be part of Tanya's sortie, in fact, I was so careful to inform everyone (and I mean truly EVERYONE) that HQ had not approved of the sortie plan and ordered us to stand our ground and simply repel the attacks. That is, the part that right now was happening on the southern part of our defenses.

But now, somehow, not only Tanya's own mission had been a total success, but apparently Tragen had been helping her?

When had this happened How? Could this-

I almost slapped my own forehead, as cold facts of truth began to resurge inside my brain, and my intellect began to make connections. Viktoriya, she was Tanya's direct subordinate, and she and Tragen had a relationship. Could it be that they had spoken about it, and realized something was wrong? But then, why hadn't Tragen faced me?

I had Tragen at my side for many years, he had been my most trusted subordinate and one of the few soldiers I could always rely on, no matter the situation. We have been together since the days on the Rhine front, where I learned to see his massive figure and his imposing muscle as a safe haven, as a backbone, a strong ally that could watch my back no matter how furious the Republic's attack may be. He stood by my side even when Tanya and I started the whole 'magic battalion' thing and even if he and Viktoriya's interference ended up playing against us, I didn't' regret having him with me when we were deployed against Dakia or the Entente. When we had to storm the Orse Fjord and vanquish the Republican Army's headquarters, when we conquered key positions in Parisee and held them to allow the Imperial Army to occupy the enemy's own capital without further bloodshed, when we set up a trap to help the People of the Sand destroy whatever was left of the Republic's military forces, up to when we laid destruction on the Federation's own capital and played the song of Counterrevolution, striking a powerful propaganda blow against them and at the same time 'resurrection's the cause of the Russy Liberation Army, an event that sparked the beginning of the Russy Civil War.

How could he do something behind me back, all of this?

Maybe... had I always underestimated him? Under that façade of a big, burly bear, strong yet amiable, was he capable of complex deceive and treachery, like Tanya or myself? How long had he played this part, how much did he know?

These, and countless million other thoughts crowded into my mind, as I kept pushing myself forward trough magic, as in the horizon I began to see many explosions set off, one after another. Was this all Tanya own units' doing? How was the operation on-going? And why-

"Forward, soldiers of the Czar!" A voice yelled under me, and I looked down just in time see a large group of soldiers of the militia, Baron von Ungern-Sternberg leading them on the front, all armed with rifles or sabers, while an even larger group of militiamen in heavy uniforms, busbies on their heads to protect them from the cold and the strong wind, all soldiers carrying rifles and guns, some even holding grenades or firebombs in their hands. "For Russy, for our new Czarina! Let's vanquish the Reds! To Victory!"

"TO VICTORY!" Hundreds of throats shouted at the same time, as the small army made of peasant and expatriated rushed forward, in the direction of the explosions, ready to secure the ground that Tanya and her mages had already freed from Federate control.

No, no, no, NO! I yelled in my mind, as I saw another part of my plan crumble in front of my eyes, what's going on here? I did tell the Baron the sortie plan was a no-go, so when the heck did he find the time to prepare for this?

Tragen must find Tragen and get him to explain what the HELL happened!

"Tragen, it's commander König, do you copy?!" I yelled, trying to locate him by sight in the battlefield. "Tragen, do you hear me?"

"Loud and clear, sir!" The burly voice of my over-muscular subordinate replied, as I heard sound of gunshots and explosions in the background. "We are currently moving parallel to Commander Degurechaff's advance to the west, to secure their flank and stop any attempt of the Federation troops to move northward and bring relief to their own allies. Do not worry, sir: we have already silenced whatever they had left of their own artillery, and we are now taking care of their last gatling guns."

"Tragen, listen to me: you are disobeying my direct orders! Fall back and retreat, I'm not-"

A new series of explosions went off, but this time even more powerful (and louder) than any of the previous one, stopping me mid-speech as I was forced to compensate my mid-air equilibrium.

"W-what was that?!"

"Oh, looks like your plan worked up to the smallest detail, sir!" Tragen said happily, unaware of my own confusion. "Looks like the Russy Liberation Army units reached the area, and they are now attacking the Federation's own position from the back! Victory is ours, we just need to keep going and mop them up before they can run away!"

Tragen closed the communication, and I was left there, dumbfounded, standing still in midair as the battle kept going all around me, my own subordinates winning their own battles in my name while Tanya kept pushing westward, cutting trough the Federation's defenses like a hot knife trough butter. The southern attack of the Federation, where Ella Baumer and her men were deployed, already weakened and slowed down by the sudden snowstorm that had appeared 'without warning' had completely stopped as soon as news of the Imperial counterattack reached them, the snow and our troops' unified strategy stopping them to move back to the North and bring them relief. Their own fleet was still far away, and with the storm now raging all around the city, it would never arrive in time to give them assistance. And even further to the West, apparently, the Russy Liberation Army had managed to advance close enough to the city, that now they were able to attack the Federation troops besieging in from the back, forcing them to fight on two fronts at the same time.

In short, the battle was basically over, the victory already secured in the hands of the Empire and their allies, the Russy Liberation forces. It wasn't a matter of if anymore, but rather of when.

And somehow, the responsibility of all this mess, for my own plan to fail so badly it became an epic failure, for somehow a small operation intended to fail to turn into the greatest military success against the Federation, was mine.

But how?

This, was the only part I couldn't understand: why everyone was acting like I had secretly worked hard to plan all of this?

Why everyone assumed THIS was what I was after?


Why my plan had failed, even after I took care of so many details to guarantee it would end with Tanya's failure and her eventual punishment, freeing me form her forever?

My only hope, as for this moment, was to reach Tanya and confront her, try to put the blame on her before-

"All right, troops!" Tanya's voice loudly rang trough the intercom. "The enemy is in rout, let's start the clean-up operations. I'll personally give no quarter to the enemy, to make sure they don't attempt any comeback. Viktoriya, I leave you in charge of the rest of the units! Make sure the city is safe and take care of establish contact with the incoming ground units of the Russy Liberation Forces. Glory to the Emperor!"

"GLORY TO THE EMPEROR!" A powerful cry once again roared at the same time from the throats, as the last flicker of hope died inside of me, and I realized it was now too late, and I couldn't spin the events to my favor anymore, only bear the consequences of what happened.

Why me, I tried not to wept, as I felt like Being X's mocking swallow me. Why did this happen to me?


(... )


"I guess the contribute of your own subordinate was quite useful, I dare to say crucial, once the battle reached its peak." Tanya said, sitting right in front of me, a cup of hot chocolate in her hands, while the ones for me laid on the small table diving us, untouched, for I didn't feel like drinking it at this moment. "I mean, we wouldn't have required them in the first place, but their assistance allowed to focus on the Federation troops in front of us while they secured our flank, allowing us to break trough the enemy lines much easier and quickly make connection with the Russy Liberation Army magical forces."

"So, it was their mages that I did see at that moment?" I asked, desperately trying to hide my own emotional state to gain as much info as possible.

"Indeed, and while their initial attack did little at first, the fact the Federation troops were forced to fight on the front and on the back was a powerful moral-braker for them. Moreover, it turns out Viktoriya's relative was in charge of their unit. I guess the kid did make career, after all..."

"So, we should be... happy that the operation was a success, right?"

"Right." she smiled, before her smiled turned evil, and her eyes focused on me. "Even if you did plan for it to fail."

"W-what?!" I gasped, almost jumping out of my chair. "What do you mean. Of course I was behind you all this time-"

"Stop pretending, you dumb, airhead sailor doll!" Tanya moved to me and grabbed me by the shoulder, her nails digging into my flesh as I yelped in pain. "Viktoriya and your subordinate are too idealistic to guess the truth, just as anyone else, but I can see what you were trying to pull. You were counting on myself botching the sortie so bad, by pretending you were working to support me while in fact you were doing all you could do stop anyone to interfere to make sure no one would be there to help us. A perfect Uriah gambit, I must admit."

"You knew?" I gasped, my mind freezing in horror. "How?"

"I must thank Viktoriya for sharing some time with me, the night before the battle, and she told me about your 'plan' to pretend you were all against the sortie while in fact you gave her and Tragen free reins to do everything with your blessing, since apparently HQ didn't gave us permission to proceed. But of course, you knew this already."

I stopped, my eyes widen in fear, as I realized that my plan had failed, and worse, Tanya had found out about it. She knew that I had deliberately attempted to cut her off lying to her

And now I was at her mercy.

"You were quite sneaky, Frederick, so let me congratulate for the good strategy before I explain you in full detail why you will never do it ever again... "

 
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"You were quite sneaky, Frederick, so let me congratulate for the good strategy before I explain you in full detail why you will never do it ever again... "

"Because you love me?" Friedrich cuts her off in a casual manner, derailing Tanya's thoughts like a wrecking ball.

"What are you saying, you idiot!" Tanya pushes him off her hold, face full of anger on her face.

That'd be one way to get her to derail from the conversation quickly as she'd go on a rant about the entire idea being impossible, infeasible, and to not think about it again.
 
"Because you love me?" Friedrich cuts her off in a casual manner, derailing Tanya's thoughts like a wrecking ball.

"What are you saying, you idiot!" Tanya pushes him off her hold, face full of anger on her face.

That'd be one way to get her to derail from the conversation quickly as she'd go on a rant about the entire idea being impossible, infeasible, and to not think about it again.

I think if Fred ever tries that now, he would get a punch in the mouth. At best.
 
Good, it is a lesson that Frederick that needs to learn, because I think he is relying too much on other people based on optimistic assumptions and not nearly enough on direct manipulation via personal action and oversight. So if he wants to outplay Tanya, then he cannot simply trust other people to act like robots and obey his orders unflinchingly in all potential scenarios. Rather, he needs to account for such things and make sure it doesn't matter what they might think for his plans to work.

After all, if he wants mechanical responses and reactions, then the only thing he can fully trust are machines. People on the other hand needs to be led to scenarios where every potential response and outcome from them are acceptable for the plan that makes of them.

In other words, he needs to scheme better next time, by being more careful and thorough in consideration of people he wants to make use of, or to not need to rely on people and more on machines instead.

At least this won't be anywhere close to the last chance for him. After all, in a world this chaotic and filled with strife, wars will continue to occur for a long time, and opportunities will exist aplenty for him to make use of with craft other schemes with, even if as mere mental exercises until he can determine the assurance of success from one.
 
Well then, an idiot plan goes idiotically wrong as expected. Looking forward to seeing what exactly Tanyas blood price is for Fritz's actions, hopefully that permanently sticks in order for Fritz to finally learn not to be a short sighted moron. Great work author.
 
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