A week has passed since the Attack on the Berliner Schloss.
Since then, an award ceremony was held and an award was granted to the people who protected the palace.
The most distinguished awardees were the 3 people who spearheaded the mission to save the palace.
First, Felix von Hohenzollern, the imperial prince, for his remarkable leadership and decision-making which led to the protection and rescue of numerous distinguished guests and individuals.
Second, Carl Schmidt, the Captain of Felix's Imperial Guards, for his bravery and courage in rushing through the enemy defenses and protecting the people within the palace.
Third, Tanya von Degurechaff, the battlefield's Argent, for her incredible bravery, skills, and coordination in rescuing the people in the Palace.
All three of them are awarded the Order of the Red Eagle.
The Order of the Red Eagle was awarded to both military personnel and civilians, to recognize valor in combat, excellence in military leadership, long and faithful service to the kingdom, or other achievements.
The other soldiers and guards who joined the prince was awarded a lower class of the Order, yet still distinguishable from any other awards.
Their names and pictures were pasted on the front page of the Imperial newspaper all throughout Germany, making them renowned all throughout the country.
Internationally, their names and faces were also plastered in a small corner of the frontpage of their country's newspapers, except for the newspapers of the Francois Republic and the Legadonia Entente Alliance.
As of now, the investigation bore fruit. The tortured instigators quickly gave up their leaders' names, and some of their location before dying due to blood loss.
Since then, a city-wide crackdown happened. Numerous locations were raided where some bear fruit, and others not. Sadly, the leaders of the movement were not found. However, nationwide efforts were being made in order to find the location of the attackers.
Majority of citizens helped the Landespolizei (State Police) in determining the location of these criminals. Their picture were posted on every town board and newspapers, and their descriptions were being broadcasted in the radios at an interval for the whole day.
"Whoever can find the location of the 2 leaders of the Red Movement Faction will be awarded a minimum of 500 marks (Empire Currency). The description are the following: One middle aged male, tall, of Serbian descent, blond hair, and a peachy complexion, one distinguishing feature is a scar on the upper lip which goes through the nose of the individual."
"The other leader is a middle aged female, average height, of Serbian descent, brown hair, fair-skinned, distinguishing features are green eyes with a scar on the right eye."
"If anyone knows their location must go to the nearest Landespolizeistation and report their whereabouts as soon as possible. Again, Whoever can find the loc- *BANG*"
"DAMN!"
The peachy skinned man threw the radio unto a nearby wall, smashing it into pieces.
They are now in a very dark secluded house which was in the middle of the forest. Beside the man is the female who was distinguished on the radio. The female was walking back and forth with panic etched into her face.
"What should we do now?!! The whole Empire is looking for us now! We can't even leave this damn forests!!!! AND WHY THE FUCK DOES OUR CONTACT NOT ANSWER?!"
"Of course, they would not answer. They left as for granted in the middle of starving wolves! They made us the sacrificial lambs! Damnit!!
"Our mission was simple! Crack the sealed door, throw a grenade, once the grenade set off, ransack and kill the room! The guards in the throne room would not do anything since their mission was to protect the Imperial family, who would know that we would miss some brats!"
The man slammed his fists on the nearby table.
"THOSE BRATS! I WOULD SKIN THEM ALIVE!!!!! THEY SINGLEHANDEDLY DESTROYED ALL OF OUR PLANS!"
"YES! THOSE BRATS SHOULD NOT LIVE! But darling, what should we do for now?"
"Since we were abandoned here by our country, we should stay here first, let the heat cool and then we go back to Berun, find the kids then kill them!"
"That's a good plan my darling, hehehe, say, wanna relieve some stress to let out the heat..?"
The female smiled lustfully towards the man and the man, in return, smiled with his teeth in full display. They were wanting to spend some time to relieve themselves but little did they know, the Landespolizei and the Gardes du Corps will spoil the fun. because some farmers saw them entering the forests...
Meanwhile, back to the capital, our MC is currently at his factory. He slept here for the past 2 nights because the Palace was being repaired. He was invited by his family to stay at their residence in the heart of Berun named Altes Palais (Old Palace), but he chose to stay at his factory.
Seeing his son so adamant in finishing his guns for the Empire, Franz, the Emperor, told him that he can stay there, but on two conditions.
The first condition was that he refrain from going out, which is a good thing since the factory was equipped with state-of-the art protective measures. In case of an attack, he will be safe there. If he wants to go out, the only places he can go to are the places which involves the military.
The second condition was that at all times, a nearby platoon (20 members) needs to be present.
Of course, Felix accepted the conditions, while adding a condition of his own, he asks his Father to let Tanya enter the factory since they would test numerous guns. Given her profound experience, her opinions will greatly matter to the development of the guns.
Franz accepted the counter-condition of his son and was happy that he got to have his first friend.
Going back, Felix is currently fixing a gun. The gun he was holding right now is his special forces gun, the HM G1, the first prototype of the series and is based on the HK G36, which uses a short-stoke gas piston.
Beside him is Tanya who was aiming at a 100m far target with an HM G1 gun.
*Bang* *Bang* *Bang*
"Felix, this gun feels a bit better than the gun you are currently fixing."
"Yeah? maybe the control was a bit better since it uses a shorter gas piston than the one I am curranty fixing. Fire again, I wanna see the control and accuracy."
Felix looked at Tanya and noticed how beautiful she was holding a gun. Shaking his head of the distracting but welcome thought, he then looked at the 100m far target with his binoculars and told Tanya to fire.
*Bang* *Bang* *Bang*
He then gave the gun he fixed to Tanya in order to try it out. He then told Tanya to fire at another 100m far target to compare the two.
*Bang* *Bang* *Bang*
"I see, the control and accuracy really is a little bit better for the first gun."
"Yup, there are only an inch-difference between the accuracy of the two guns but when you are in the battlefield, that inch-difference will sometimes be the difference between dying and living."
"For control, the recoil feels less than the second gun, which is a welcome positive . The lesser the recoil is, the better we can continuously fire at the enemy."
After Tanya's firing of both guns, Felix contemplated the opinions of Tanya. He definitely wants the future special forces to have a gun that is technologically better than the other major powers'.
While contemplating, he remembered that Tanya was called by the General Staff four nights ago.
"Hey, Tanya, why were you called four nights ago?"
Suddenly, Tanya's' happy mood turned into an irritated mood. She then pointed at her Order of the Red Eagle medal that was pinned at her left breast pocket and yapped.
"Yeah, that's the reason why I only visited you today... I thought that having a new medal will save me from doing dangerous work, BUT! NO! IT LED ME TO THE DANGEROUS WORK! I thought that I would live peacefully in the rear, but no! They would send me to the fucking frontlines!"
"Those damn military personnel! Letting a kid do the dirty work!!! Hmmmm... maybe this is not their fault..."
Yeah, Tanya, it really is not their fault. Being X suggested it to them... Well... Zettour is really at fault here. He mistook Tanya's eagerness as her wanting to fly a wing... Being X took this chance...
"You know, Felix. I just want to have a sweet peaceful life in the rear, drinking black coffee, eating at restaurants, making guns, strategizing, but.... Could you... tell the... General Staff not to send me to the front...? Please?"
Tanya said that with her iconic cute pose, with her hands at a praying position like asking the someone for alms, with her lips slightly pouted, and her violet tinted blue eyes slightly tearing up.
ARGHHHHH this cute peace loving plushy cannot do this to me!!..... I really do want to help her... but, regardless of what we would do, Being X will find a way just to send her to the frontlines...
"You know I can't do that, Tanya. I personally do not have much say in the military. Also, all of the higherups in the military, even the Field Marshall, had already accepted you as the head of this new wing. My father, the Emperor, also saw you as a potential leader which can bring the Empire to greater heights."
"I am sorry if this is a decision that would distance you from your wanted safe life, but I would do my best to support you in anyway possible. If you want to reserve a whole restaurant, then tell me. If you want new guns, then tell me. I'll support you 'till the best of my abilities."
Tanya looked at Felix.
Hmmm, my initial plan was to bring hell to all the volunteers who aims to join the wing, but... if he is willing to support me, then it does not sound bad at all...
My wing and I will not be deprived of any food, ammo, guns, etc. with the help of the prince, not a bad deal, I can also use it as a leverage to increase my influence in the brass... but.... Is this fucker tryna propose to me?
"Pfft, are you proposing to me?"
"Well, if you wa-"
"Shut up."
Tanya then sat down and adapted the iconic Napoleon meme...
"Haysss, there's nothing we can do.. but if we have more resou-"
Tanya acted a bit more sad in order to leverage more resources from Felix when suddenly the doors towards the range opened.
A teenage girl peeked into the room. The girl has a slightly brownish-blonde hair, blue-eyed and a slender build. She is wearing an officer's uniform, just like Tanya. She saluted in the typical military salute and faced us.
"Good morning, your highness! Also, It's been a long time Captain Degurechaff! I am Second Lieutenant Viktoriya Ivanovna Serebryakov, reporting for duty!"
Tanya was a bit surprised. Who knows that the girl she recommended for the officer course, would quickly graduate and join her.
Felix also thought that one of the mainstays of the anime had already arrived, this means that the legendary V601 optical illusion test is a go.
"At ease, Second Lieutenant."
"Thank you, your highness!"
Tanya was curious on why the Second Lieutenant was here.
"It's been a long time seeing you, Second Lieutenant Serebryakov, congratulations on your promotion. I wonder why you are here?"
"Captain! I am your new adjutant and I am here to report to you that the papers have already arrived in your office!"
"Papers?"
"Yes, Captain. The application papers for the V601 training unit, Captain."
Tanya was a bit surprised to hear that the application papers start to trickling in, after all, she just posted the recruitment notice in just 4 days.
"That fast? I thought that it would take at least a week in order for the application papers to come."
"Well... Given your reputation Captain, and the recent events such as you being part of the Attack on the Berliner Schloss, many applications were sent from different armies of the Empire."
"How many applications are we talking about?"
"Umm... Captain, you should see it for yourself..."
"It's probably just a folder of papers right?"
Visha (nickname of Viktoriya Ivanovna Serebryakov) just scratched her cheeks and stiffly laughed.
"Right?"
Felix. having knew about the mountains of paper that is waiting for her, laughed a little bit.
"Why are you laughing?"
Tanya looked at Felix straight at his eyes. Felix avoided it by looking to his left, towards the gun range.
"Hmph, let's go my adjutant."
"Wait for me, I want to come too."
Tanya looked at Felix and asked.
"Why though?"
Felix scratched his cheeks and softly said.
"It's a bit boring without you here."
"What I can't hear you?"
I definitely heard that.
"Nothing! As your Imperial Prince, I can go anywhere I want to go!"
Looking at the nervous Felix, Tanya stifled a giggle.
"Pfft, power play, huh?"
"Let's just go."
The three person group suddenly became a 23 person group after they left the factory.
Once they arrived at the military building where Tanya's office The 20 guards scattered around the vicinity with only Carl following them from behind.
Once they arrived at Tanya's office, Tanya was greatly surprised to see the mountain of papers at her desk.
She just stood silently with her mouth slightly opened, stunned at the stupidly impossible sight that is in front of her.
"Mountain?"
Visha, her adjutant, scratched her cheeks.
"Umm... Yes, captain."
"Applications?"
"Yes... Captain..."
"Many?"
"..Yes.. Captain..."
"But... but.. it's only just 3 days...."
"....Yes... Captain.."
Tanya closed her eyes for a bit then massaged her forehead.
After 10 seconds of massaging her forehead, Tanya opened her eyes then looked at the giggling Felix.... which she ignored then looked at her adjutant.
"Second Lieutenant Serebryakov, I'm sorry but go ask the guard commander, tell him I need to borrow some Military Police."
"Understood, Captain, how many should I ask them?"
"Everyone who is free but I need at least a dozen and a half, I feel like this mountain will be stacked more..."
"Understood Captain, I'll go now to tell them."
Visha then saluted towards Tanya and faced Felix.
"Your highness, I would go for now."
"Understood."
Visha then saluted Felix and went out of the room.
Once Visha left the room, the room was engulfed in silence. Only the harsh breathing of Tanya can be heard. Felix knew not to frustrate more a frustrated Tanya so he stopped his giggling a minute ago.
Tanya then walked towards her desk then pulled out a piece of paper in one of its drawers. She then walked back towards Felix and handed the paper to him.
"What do you think of this?"
Felix looked at the paper in his hands and read, the paper states the following information:
MAGES WANTED
FOR HAZARDOUS BATTLEFIELD
SMALL WAGES
LONG MONTHS OF GLOOMY BULLETSTORM
CONSTANT DANGER
SAFE RETURN DOUBTFUL
HONOR AND RECOGNITION IN CASE OF SUCCESS
It is the same as in the manga.... So Tanya opted to do this action huh?
"Well, it is surely a recruitment notice that is full of negatives...."
"YEAH! That's what I thought too! But this mountain of papers said otherwise!"
"Well, the Great German Empire is a country full of patriotic people. They would answer to the call of their nation regardless of the negatives."
Felix then pointed at the "HONOR AND RECOGNITION IN CASE OF SUCCESS" in the paper.
"The positives will just be an extra for them. The true reason is just that simple. The nation calls, the people answer."
"Yeah... I oftentimes forgot how patriotic people are when it comes to their own nation."
I, too, also forgot patriotism. In the modern world, true patriots are rare. Some people or leaders even go to the length of selling some of their country's lands to other countries.... Yes, patriotism is not sort of a thing during peacetime...
"Why? Do you not want to do the task assigned to you?"
Tanya was shocked, due to their apparent closeness where banters are everywhere, where Tanya can have a rare sense of comfort in this backwards world, Tanya forgot that Felix is still the prince of the Empire.
Looking at the shocked face of Tanya, Felix knew to fix it before Tanya reverts back to her 'your highness' mode.
"Don't misunderstood, I also want to live a peaceful life, but we just can't. We have a responsibility in this life that we need to accomplish. We are all gears in a greater machine. We need to keep on spinning until the day our life ends."
Thinking of Felix's words, Tanya thought that it was somewhat correct. We are gears in a greater machine. Gears that are continuously spinning 24/7. Gears that has their own responsibility and purpose.
Though sometimes, these gears are often manipulated by a person or a higher being, which lead to the dissonance of your set plans.
Thinking about this, Tanya concluded that Being X had a hand in what is happening to her right now. No matter what she do, Being X corners her in a cage, for what? just for the satisfaction of gaining her faith? FUCK THAT! IF I AM A GEAR, THEN I WOULD BE HOFFMAN ENGINEERING'S GEAR WHICH WEIGHS 73.5 TONS!!!!! NO ONE, I MEAN, NO SINGLE ONE CAN BEAR TO MOVE ME!
Looking at the small but determined Tanya, Felix knew that she found her stride back.
"Let's go, Felix. Help me organize this."
"Yes, my queen."
"Queen your ass"
The two looked at each other.... then laughed hard.