Author Notes:
Oh god, I think I deserve a break after that little bit more of a deep brainstorming session. For Patreon, you will soon see the surprise, but for the the public, well, it will take some more chapters for that. All I can say is that it's a mind visualization thing for me and you all.
Now then, I must gladly welcome back Private MDag101! Yes, mate, I still remember ya~!
Other than that, boy. I hope you all will love this mini-arc. Oh, and don't forget about the Monthly Recruitment Drive as well. *Nudge* *Nudge* *Wink* *Wink*
https://www.patr-eon.com/Heartbreak117
https://ko-fi.com/heartbreak117/goal?g=0
Income goal 790/8800 USD (Mom is now signed up for medical therapy every week, so the increase is to help me cover the treatment cost. Many thanks to whoever is helping me reach that mark.)
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I let out a mocking grin, tossing a report given to me by Section Two on a marble-topped lounge table. "These guys just don't know when to quit... I guess the Polanians have that in common with the Erusean."
Bryn and Rosa, who are next to me, are also reading their stacks of documents with attentive looks, albeit one is more laid-back than the other. Rosa can be seen leaning fully into her recliner chair while Mary spoils her rotten by feeding the Queen fresh seedless grapes. Since Rosa is still busy enjoying her life, having mostly moved on from recent ordeals after much pampering, it's my dear Valkyrie who frowns and says.
"Even if the Polanians retreat to the South, it's hard to say whether their situation would even improve."
I giggle. What Bryn said is true. Given how the supposedly behind-doors discussion of the Revolutionary Command Council is now squarely at our table, one can hazard a guess just how bad the Polanians' operational security is. Heck, even without the transcripted of this talk being made available, Section Two will still be able to infer the Polanians' intention through movement orders and resource transfers. Since we are walking our heels inside their guts already, the Polanians can say goodbye to any hope of things finally going their way. If not us dealing the finishing blow, then it will be:
"Let's leave the last of them for the Rusviets to swallow up." I say nonchalantly, picking up the probable force projections map in the next few days. "Anything beyond Kraków will be part of the Rusviets anyway. There's no need for us to waste good lives and Reichsmarks on some territories that won't even be ours... Well, maybe we will still be tossing some bombs over there but that's pretty much it."
Bryn nods, absorbing my terse inputs and easily mince them into the necessary information and future orders to deliver on my behalf. These orders, in turn, will be expanded upon and interpreted by the chain of command. How they accomplish my desire is mostly up to them, as long as they stick to the prescribed parameters like avoiding civilian casualties and keeping worthwhile infrastructures and regions as intact as possible,... However, if the situation calls for it, some parameters can be... Flexible. It's a bit of an off-handed leadership approach, but it's a necessary one for someone of my rank.
First, the Reich can't be running with me being Atlas, that's just plain unhealthy for the nation's development. This is not to mention the fact I will no doubt be swamped to death if I am to micromanage everything, even with my temporal clones. The clones and I are best used as firestarters, heading projects here and there all over the world while delegating less important maneuvers.
And then, there's this. Technically speaking, even with carte blanche granted by my mothers and the tacit agreement of the entire Belkan military, I have only one personal Army Division, the 404th Armored. If you stretch it, then the 501st Airborne Division is also another one of my personal units. Since both the 404th and 501st counted as Elite Divisions, that's a lot of firepower and manpower to put in one person's hands. This is not adding ONI into the equation, which basically grants me the power to run 1/3rd of the Reich and the entire world at my fingertips. With all of these personal authorities, it will be a great disservice to the men and women who work hard to get to where they are today if I am to hoard even more.
It doesn't sit right in my heart to steal the show, is what I am trying to say. And as one may expect, it will also cause negative emotions and other sequelae to crop up over time. Those are some things that no rulers want to have developed in their subordinates. Am I thinking too much about the matter though? Maybe, but better to acknowledge it now than never.
But I digress.
Rosa, who has been half lounging, half serious for some time, interjects while waving the reports in one hand.
"The way you said it, Yuki, you're making it sound like you're not land-grabbing another country, more like kicking away the trash."
Mary smiles as she puts away the plate of grapes. "In a manner of speaking, both Belka and Rusviet are doing exactly that, Rosa."
"And they're damn efficient at it too." Rosa adds. "Rusviet, I can kinda get how they can push that deep already, what's with them having all the manpower in the world and all that... But Army Group D, really?"
Rosa sighs wistfully. "They're like three times smaller than the total bulk we brought to bear on this side of the world, and yet they managed to carve nearly 1/3rd of Polania in less than five days. How are they that swift and when will Ustio have such capability ah...?"
Both Bryn and I smile softly. I reply. "Would it help if I say that Polania doesn't have a Maginot Line and that the overall quality of their troops is quite frankly abysmal and is even worse than that of the former Ustian Loyalist regime? Their combat capability might not even reach that of some Loyalist remnants that are now halfway there to become non-factors."
Rosa lets her hands fall down, and the papers are dutifully picked off from her hands by Mary, who then promptly organizes all of them for later reviews. Rosa directs a grateful glance at Rosa while both Bryn and I give her thankful nods and smiles. The maid accepts the gestures with grace.
"It does help, but I want some of those cool toys for my military, Yuki~!" Rosa acts spoiled toward me now. Yeah, something probably shifted in her after the supposed loss of her brother. She's a bit more assertive, expressive, easy-going, and cute now.
Not that she wasn't before... Just more natural now that the hidden pressure is lifted from her shoulders as Ustio stands united under her control.
"All in due time, Rosa. You know, just as I do, that to truly modernize your entire nation and all of its colonies requires much more than some factories in Belka. We are already approaching our maximum production cap as is." I explain with a wry smile.
Bryn helpfully adds.
"To expand our production capability, we need more lands to construct new factories and the required supporting infrastructures. Either of which also need time to get them up and running."
Rosa chimes in, sitting fully upright now that the conversation has taken a more industrial turn.
"You know, what if Ustio, at the very least our mainland Europe territories, are to lease you our industrial zones?"
Both Bryn and I share a look, with me nodding as the idea does have its merits. "That's kinda like what we're doing right now in the Darscen Province."
Bryn nods at both Rosa's suggestion and my words.
"But it's only because Darscen is legally and morally ours now. And unlike Ustio, Darscen has its industries largely intact."
I nod along, understanding what my Valkyrie is getting at.
"I'm not that worried about fixing some broken buildings. But indeed, unlike Darscen, Ustio is still an independent country. Any expansion of ours in the industrial zone that is legally yours can risk eroding your nation's shaky unity, Rosa. After all, your citizens just get their national identity back and construct something that is not distinctively Ustio will be retrogressive."
Rosa slumps her shoulders with an understanding sigh.
"Yeah, that will be a bit much right now, ain't it? Best we stick to the original reconstruction plan then. It's not like I can even pay for all of those new military toys yet, anyway. Pity, as I quite miss seeing those CIWS of yours in action."
I chuckle. "It's much more liberating to see them spin their crimson net than being coped up in a hall of officials, no?"
Rosa nods, her eyes glazed to look back at the meetings she has held these past few days, which are a lot already.
"Yup," The Queen of Ustio then looks at me with undisguised envy. "You really weren't kidding when you said that it would be hard to get back to wielding the pen after tasting the glory of warfare and all that comes with it. There's not a day that I am not stuck ironing this country straight way into the night. You, Yuki, being so off-handed in your leadership position is nearly making me regret ever sitting my beautiful butt on that throne."
I raise an eyebrow in a jesting manner. "Only nearly?"
"At first, being a Queen was a good dream. But now?" Rosa replies with seriousness creeping into her tone. "A Queen is but a means to an end for me."
Given our relationship, it doesn't take a genius to understand what Rosa is implying. "For what it's worth, I am honored, you know. And in my eyes, you already did wonderfully for someone in your position."
Rosa rolls her eyes, taking on a small blush, knowing I caught onto her drift. "Oh, please, have you seen who you surrounded yourself with, Yuki? Mary and I, us Ustian women, we have our pride too, you know? The best we can do in asking for your hand is to present a dowry worth a damn."
That show where Rosa asks for her supposed toys? It's basically her way of asking for the tools to build back Ustio even faster and stronger than ever, just for the sake of the one she loves. I would be lying if I said I am not seeing myself in her at this point. And I won't fault her for not trying to do things on her own, it's just very unrealistic to do so, given how Belka already developed to the Space Age and Ustio is still stuck in the Industrial Era. I will, in fact, praise her for readily asking for help. She is not alone in this journey of ours, not at all.
Mary chimes in.
"Thank you for remembering to include me, Rosa. But you know that I am but a lowly maid, the best gift for me to prepare is either myself..." Mary smiles teasingly at her Queen. "Or you, wrapped in a nice, red ribbon, and naked, of course."
Rosa has the decency to look at Mary in shy askance. "Et tu, Mary?" Somehow, the Queen is shy of what Mary suggested, even if she has willingly shown herself to all of us here.
Can't blame her, really, as the sight of a red ribbon-bound blonde lady with blue eyes, curled up inside a cherry-colored gift box and looking up at you is frankly much enticing... For the ones outside the box, of course. Rosam, who will be in the box at some point in the future, will understandingly be quite reticent of the idea. Even I will find it hard to not be a blushing mess when presented like that to someone I love.
But surprisingly, it's Bryn who interjects. "It really isn't that bad of an idea huh..."
Rosa, Mary, and I look at Bryn who seemingly just agreed to the promiscuous thing Mary suggested out of the blue. Mary herself has to qualify.
"Ehm, Bryn, that was a joke..."
Bryn raises an eyebrow.
"What are you talking about? I was saying that it may be a good idea if both Rosa and Yuki actually marry. That way, we have the just cause we need to intensify our investment and intervention in Ustian territories. It will also pave the way for us to more easily slice into the Ustian Colonies as well. This time around, we won't be going there as good samaritans and allies but as an actual, lifelong partner of Rosa's government. That way, no one will be able to easily rebuff any of our actions in the future, not even other superpowers."
All of us, bar Bryn herself, look at each other in minor confusion as we run scenarios through our minds. Yes, even Mary as well as she is a bit too smart to just be a normal maid, but here she is. What we come up with is just as my dear Valkyrie has said.
"A marriage will surely speed up future integration of both our nations..."
"But..."
"Yeah..."
"That's not really what our hearts agree on, right?" This is said collectively by Rosa, Mary, and I.
Sure, we love each other. A marriage in the near future can be quite beneficial. But as naive as the thought may be, none of us want our moment of everlasting to be built upon a foundation of convenience. There's a reason why I never bother to plan for weddings now, but instead leave it for a time when peace and prosperity reign. Less politics and worldly matters to dirty the sacred unions that way. And from what I can see, both Rosa and Mary think the same.
"Let's leave talks about marriage for the future us." I say with a serious nod.
"Agree." Rosa and Mary reply, but it's Mary who suggests this. "Well, maybe we don't have to go as far as marriage or wedding..."
Rosa makes an 'Oh!' before saying. "You mean an engagement, Mary?"
"I think an engagement will not infringe on what our hearts want and still be able to fulfill our realistic needs nicely, no?" Mary replies with a soft smile.
After a bit of soul-searching, both Rosa and I find ourselves partial to Mary's suggestion.
"Well, the more I think about it, the more an engagement is starting to make sense." Rosa nods.
I hum softly before turning to Bryn. "Bryn, you're the one to suggest this at first, do you have any...?"
Bryn smiles reassuringly to the three of us.
"Well, I won't lie and say that I won't be feeling anything at all. In fact, I think I speak for the rest of the family when I say that all of us want to be the first to further our relationships with Yuki beyond lovers. However, we won't hesitate to take it a step slower if need be."
Smiling gratefully, I lean in and rest my head on Bryn's shoulder, with my fingers interlocking with hers. "Thank you, Bryn... You got that, right Rosa, Mary?"
The maid nods while Rosa straight up says.
"Yeah, we're not much of a homewrecker anyway, better that first comes first serve in this matter, eh?"
So, the whole talk about marriage of convenience? Scrap in less than thirty minutes. Why? Because we ladies have standards.
We all then share a good look at one another before bursting into a fit of giggles, having lost track of what we're discussing and going on a tangent that led to Nowhereville. Truly, when the ladies get around, things tend to get haywire, whether by hook or by crook.
"Anyway, that's thoughts for the future... So, how are we going to deal with the Eruseans trying to skimp some of your warships off Mers-el-Kébir?" I ask seriously as this pertains Rosa's sovereignty.
Rosa perks up before frowning, annoyed even. "Bastards really, really don't know when to quit."
"That's the Eruseans for you, quite obstinate when they really shouldn't." Mary comments.
Rosa sighs, making up her mind. "May I trouble the Reich to warn, and possibly help prepare the Ustian Navy against the upcoming threat?"
"With your stamped order, yes. It will take a bit more than the findings of our intelligence agency to get the Admiral in Mers-el-Kébir in gears." Bryn replies, nodding.
I also add.
"The Eruseans don't have much in terms of fleet projection nowadays, but for them to try and steal your warships means that they're desperate. They don't have much left, but desperate people are usually the most dangerous. As such, I will have one of our Expeditionary Fleet diverted to Gibraltar as well. That way, I can aid your Navy if the situation calls for it, Rosa."
Rosa smirks. "Thanks, you two. However, if I really need your Fleet to step in, then I really need to get a new Admiral."
If the Ustians are lacking anything in the South, then it's most definitely not naval firepower.