A week has passed since Tanya and Felix's operation in the North Sea.
Delegations from Vinland had entered the city of Os, which was occupied by the Great German Empire..
Inside a simple but modestly decorated room within the Government office of Os, a long rectangular table can be found.
Both representatives from the Great German Empire and Vinland are seated at their respective seats.
The delegation from Vinland consists of their military advisor, military generals, prime minister, and their king. The one leading the talks from Vinland is their king. King Ferdinand Carl Louis Constantine, who was the brother-in-law of the current German Kaiser, Franz von Hohenzollern.
With that information, this makes Felix and his older brother who are currently within the meeting room his nephews. This is also the reason why Vinland refuses to join the attack against the Empire.
The Vinland King's appreciation towards his bloodkin is immense, just like a viking's appreciation towards his family (although the Finns are not considered as descendants of the Norsemen). They would rather forsake their alliance than forsake their bloodkin.
The people of Vinland also know about the relationship between the two nations. There are also currently ongoing trades between the two, though some routes are hampered due to the war between the Alliance and the Empire.
Since the ⅔ of the alliance had already been kicked off, the trade routes between the Empire and Vinland have been hoping to be reestablished, and that is one of the agenda in this meeting.
Going back to the room, the one leading the talks from the Empire is Felix's older brother, the heir apparent of the Great German Empire, Wilhelm von Hohenzollern. He was sent by the Kaiser, his father, to conduct the talks between the two nations, as a way of building up experience as the heir.
Felix was also sent since he has important information, which can greatly tilt the talks towards their side.
The room is currently enveloped in deep silence. Although the King of Vinland wanted to talk with his nephews, they are currently inside a serious meeting which can dictate the relationship between the two nations.
After minutes of silence, Wilhelm started the talks.
"Your Majesty, distinguished members of the Vinland delegation, esteemed colleagues from the Empire. A number of weeks had passed since the Empire had already occupied the lands of the Legadonia Entente Alliance. Since then, a number of changes had been happening throughout these very lands."
"However, before us is a gateway towards a new beginning. Although our countries have prior good relationships, we would like to make it better, and that is what we are hoping to achieve in this meeting."
The King of Vinland, Ferdinand, scratches his chin, impressed at the articulation of his nephew.
"Good. We would also like to have a better relationship with you too."
"That's good to know, Your Majesty. If you may, I would like to present to you a rather good prospect."
Wilhelm then motioned for one member of the Empire delegation to distribute the handouts that he intended to present to the delegation of Vinland. Once all of them had the handouts on their hand, Wilhelm started to talk about it,
"In your hands, Your Majesty, gentlemen, is a proposed project between our two nations. We shall call it the Pan Germanic-Finnish Highway. Currently, there are no land-based trade routes between Norden and the Alliance's lands. There are also no railways that connect the two because of our previous 'relationship'."
"The highway will be composed of an 8-lane highway, with two train tracks at either side. This is also in anticipation of future development in automobiles and as such."
Felix then thought about the one thing that distinguishes Germany amongst others.
Ah, yes, all hail to the glory of the German Autobahn!
Wilhelm then talked about the advantages of the Autobahn and also discussed the funding of the project.
"In case of funding, we would like for it to be at least 50/50 split from each nation."
Ferdinand adopted a thinking position. He continually scratches his chin and has a serious expression on his face. After a while, he gave what he thought to his nephew.
"50/50… That would be hard for us. Although we appreciate the project, as of now, our nation cannot handle such expenses. Furthermore, the alliance's main revenue point, the city of Os, is currently occupied by you… No money could come towards us if that's the case…. We would like it to be at least 20/80, with 20 being us and 80 being you."
"That's too bad, your majesty. However, this will be our counteroffer, let's keep it 50/50. In exchange, we would give you the city of Os, and everything North and East of it. (For context, it would be Trondheim, Norway to Umea, Sweden.)"
The room fell into a heavy silence as King Ferdinand weighed the offer. Felix noticed his uncle's contemplative expression and decided to speak up, sensing the need to bolster Wilhelm's proposal.
"Your Majesty, this agreement presents a strategic opportunity for Vinland. Gaining control of Os and the surrounding territories would not only strengthen your influence in the region but also revitalize your economy by reopening key trade routes that have been disrupted by the war."
Ferdinand nodded slightly, encouraging Felix to continue.
"Furthermore, the Pan Germanic-Finnish Highway would be a monumental achievement for both of our nations. It would facilitate faster and more efficient trade, boosting economic growth on both sides."
Wilhelm then continued on Felix's momentum..
"By collaborating on this project, we would also be cementing a stronger diplomatic relationship, one that is vital in these uncertain times. Your cooperation ensures that Vinland remains a close ally, protected from any potential threats, particularly from the Russy Federation."
Ferdinand's gaze sharpened at the mention of the Russy Federation; however, Wilhelm continued.
"In the event of an attack from the Russy Federation, Vinland's strategic location and military support would be invaluable. This highway would ensure that both our nations are well-prepared to respond swiftly to any threats."
The King of Vinland leaned back in his chair, his chin still in hand.
"50/50… It's a heavy burden, especially considering the current state of our finances. But with Os and the surrounding lands returned to us, we would be in a far stronger position economically and strategically. And you're right, the Russy Federation's aggression cannot be ignored."
Felix could see the gears turning in Ferdinand's mind. The offer was difficult to refuse, and the implications were clear. Vinland's support could be the difference between security and vulnerability in the face of the Russy threat.
"However… how did you know that the Russy Federation had intentions to attack?"
Felix motioned to Wilhelm that he would speak about it.
"Unc- Your Majesty, we caught some rats attempting to create internal problems within our house… We gathered some information, you see…"
"You have rats too? Well, nothing new… Alright, I believe we have a foundation to move forward. Let's proceed with this plan."
A sense of relief swept through the Empire's delegation as Wilhelm nodded respectfully.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. Together, we will ensure the prosperity and security of our nations."
With the agreement in place, the meeting moved forward peacefully until…
Ferdinand smashed the table with his fist. He looked towards Felix angrily.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?"
Felix, still unperturbed by his uncle's anger, answered him.
"Your Majesty, calm down. We have evidence that the Commonwealth is the main perpetrator of the war between the Alliance and the Empire."
"You can't say baseless accusation if there is no evidence to back-"
"But we have the evidence though."
All of the people in the room looked towards Felix, even his own older brother.
All the people here are not in the know when it comes to the operation that happened in the North Sea. Although they only knew that an operation happened, they do not know the actual facts of the operation.
Ferdinand, on the other hand, squinted his eyes towards Felix.
"The Commonwealth is a large empire capable of means far beyond our current means."
Felix refuted his uncle.
"The Commonwealth is an aging dog who only knows how to chew his mouth and with no capacity to move their legs. Yes, they were great in the past, but now? They only know how to bark, and well… sometimes bite."
"They are like sinister snakes who only hide behind others' backs and in the tall grass, mesmerizing other nations with their poisonous tongue to conduct a proxy war against others."
Ferdinand, still squinting towards Felix, asked for the evidence.
"Well, where's this evidence that you speak of?"
Felix smiled and activated his operation orb.
Seeing that the prince activated his operation orb, the soldiers of Vinland immediately armed themselves, but before aiming towards Felix, their King stopped them.
Felix then showed them the video that he caught on the submarine.
Watching the video, all of the delegation members were shocked, even those from the Empire as well.
Watching how the Commonwealth agent burns the Alliance's Foreign Affairs Councilor, makes them think about the betrayal of the nation that they put their trust into.
"THOSE DAMN BASTARDS!"
Ferdinand smashed his hand towards the table again and faced Felix.
"You are saying that the Commonwealth just used the Legadonia Entente Alliance to conduct a proxy-war, you say, against the Empire?"
"Your Majesty, the Commonwealth's true intent has been exposed. They never cared for the Alliance—they only sought to weaken the Empire while staying out of direct conflict themselves. Think about it, Your Majesty—why else would the Alliance, a coalition of, excuse my words, weaker states, suddenly dare to challenge the might of the Empire? They were manipulated, used, and discarded."
Felix then continued.
"Just yesterday, the media agencies of the Commonwealth condemned the Empire by putting the blame on us, on what happened in the submarine. They think that we cannot refute it but… they will be slapped by the truth in the coming weeks."
Ferdinand then looked towards Felix.
"I see… It seems that the Commonwealth had backed themselves into a corner… Alright, I would not yet declare war against the Commonwealth for now, but… once this video of yours is released to the public, we will do our best to condemn them harshly, and make them look like the dogs that they are."
Wilhelm, who had remained silent throughout the exchange, finally spoke up.
"The Empire will stand with Vinland in this endeavor. We will coordinate our efforts to ensure that the truth reaches every corner of the world. The Commonwealth will have no place to hide."
Ferdinand glanced at Wilhelm, then back at Felix, a grim determination settling over his features.
"Very well. Let us proceed with caution, but with purpose. The Commonwealth has played their hand, and now it's time for us to respond. Once the truth is out, they will have no choice but to face the consequences of their actions."
With that, the tension in the room began to ease. The meeting had taken an unexpected turn, but it had also forged a stronger bond between Vinland and the Empire.
________________________________
Days have passed since the meeting in Os.
Since then, the video of Abensoll's killing was leaked through the Empire's sleeper agents. These sleeper agents are those agents with ties in their respective country's media.
Just yesterday, those newspapers spoke of the Empire's horrifying killing of the Legadonia Entente Alliance's Foreign Affairs councilor…. Yet tomorrow, those same newspapers of the major countries speak of Abensoll's killing, evidenced with a definitive picture that shows a Commonwealth mage burning Abensoll who has a horrified face…
Of course, the whole world's disturbed. The Commonwealth themselves were distraught. There was a whole initiative to debunk the picture but… the picture was too definitive.
They were caught in a bog and their embassies in other countries were in disarray. Numerous rallies were conducted by citizens on the embassies which made it hard for the Commonwealth.
The remaining member of the Legadonia Entente Alliance, the Kingdom of Vinland, heavily criticized the Commonwealth. Though no war was declared, the tension between the two is heavy.
Furthermore, the news of the Empire's alliance with the Kingdom of Vinland was also spread throughout these countries. For the first time in the Empire's history, an alliance was made with another country.
Currently, the perpetrator of the world's disturbance is chilling within one of his offices outside Berlin.
He is lying down on his back on his comfy sofa, reading Conon Doyle's novels.
Suddenly, his office door slammed open.
"Felix!"
Tanya bursted through the door.
Felix immediately laid his book atop his head, as an attempt to show that he was asleep, but it was to no avail.
Tanya went to Felix's side and kicked his arm repeatedly.
"Hey! Stop!"
"You're awake."
"Obviously. Why're you here?"
"Show me those secret products of yours."
Felix immediately squinted his eyes and showed a simple smile.
"You want to see those 'products'?"
"Yeah… those 'products'."
Felix then led Tanya towards the back of the warehouse factory. He unlocked numerous key locks before a peephole was opened. Through the peephole, a guard looks towards Felix and Tanya, to whom Felix nodded.
Seeing that the Prince is
"Let me present to you, the products of the future."
In front of them are numerous workers working at their respective stations.
One station had a prototype turbofan jet engine on display. This jet engine will be used for those planes that are considered 'futuristic' in the current times, such as F-15, SU-7B, MIG, A10, B-1 Bomber, the Horten Ho-229, and many more.. It is currently experimental…
Another station has a prototype plane with a Me 262 on display. Equipped with four 30mm cannons, It is virtually finished and pilots for it are already on the hunt. The important qualities for these pilots are those who value confidentiality above others and of course, those who can handle high Gs in planes.
"Wow…"
"Yeah… I skipped the whole monoplane thing, and went straight to jet engines."
Another station also has a V2 rocket in standby. Numerous V2 rockets are also being modified to be bunker buster type missiles to cluster bomb type of missiles. Although there are some functioning missiles, when it comes to the operationality of these missiles, it is still inadequate… that's why it is not yet to be fielded.
Tanya can also see another prototype war machine in the farthest side of the warehouse factory. This item is a tank with a long barrel, but looking at the shocked face of Tanya, she definitely knew what it was.
"Is that the fucking Paladin?"
"Yes, it is the fucking Paladin."
The M109 Paladin is a self-propelled howitzer that plays a vital role in modern military operations by providing long-range artillery support. Equipped with a 155mm cannon, the Paladin can fire various types of ammunition, including high-explosive shells and guided projectiles, reaching targets over 30 kilometers away.
Built on a tracked chassis, it can move across rough terrain and keep up with armored units, making it highly mobile on the battlefield. The vehicle is armored to protect its four-member crew from small arms fire and shrapnel, ensuring they can operate safely in combat zones.
There are also other stations which are researching and producing guns, gun attachments, and other firearms, such as grenade launchers, 40mm grenade rounds, and other more.
Tanya then went towards one station near the entrance. This station has a body-armor reminiscent of those kevlar body armor of the modern era, though the Kevlar fiber and the ceramic plates are currently being researched by the Empire's chemists.
"You're also making these? Damn… That's dope."
Tanya then pointed towards one station wherein that station has a gatling-gun-like gun on display, and with numerous people working on it.
"Is that what I think it is?"
"What do you think it is?"
"The fucking GAU-8/A."
Felix just smiled towards Tanya.
"You fucking piece of amazing shit."
The GAU-8 Avenger is a powerful autocannon primarily used in military aircraft. It's designed to deliver a high rate of fire, shooting large, armor-piercing rounds that can easily penetrate vehicles, bunkers, and other fortified targets.
This makes the GAU-8 Avenger especially effective in close air support missions, where the A-10 needs to strike ground targets quickly and with precision. Its high rate of fire allows it to unleash a devastating amount of firepower in a very short time.
While the two were speaking with one another, the people inside the warehouse noticed them and nodded towards the duo and went back to their work afterwards. Felix and Tanya nodded back towards them.
One particular individual is currently walking towards them with a fanatic expression on his face. Tanya noticed him and looked towards Felix with a shocked expression.
"What the fuck is this fucking nutjob doing here?"
The individual replied to Tanya.
"Oh ho, my dear lady. Looks like our previous relationship means nothing to you."
"Of course! You damn nearly killed me time and TIME AGAIN!"
"It is necessary, my lady. Furthermore, your inadequate concentration has led the project to be nearly halted!"
"INADEQUATE MY ASS! YOUR STUPID DEMANDS ARE WHAT HAMPERS THIS PROJECT OF YOURS!"
Before the two went into full blown fist fighting, Felix stopped them.
"Alright, stop! Stop now!"
The individual then looked towards Felix and bowed.
"Good morning, your highness."
"How's the project, Adelheid von Schugel?"
Yes, the person who approached the duo is Adelheid von Schugel, the inventor of Tanya's Type 95 Elenium Operation Orb, and the state-of-the-art Type 97 Operation Orb.
"It is currently going well, your highness."
"Are you sure?"
"Oh ho, your highness. I will make this project of ours work! NO MATTER WHAT! NO MATTER I SACRIFICE!!!!! This revolutionary project of ours will pave the way for the revolution of the technology of the WHOLE WORLD!"
Tanya looked towards Felix.
"How the fuck did you make him return to his previous psychotic demeanor?"
"Well… He just became like that… I guess since Being X can no longer move in this world, Schugel's previous psychotic personality also starts to resurface…"
Schugel then interrupted the duo's talk.
"Your words hurt, your highness. Look at my fragile heart bleeding! Can you just label me as a scientist who previously lost his mind and is now back to his original way?"
"Yeah, no. Lead me to the prototype of your project."
"Alright, your highness."
Schugel led the two towards his station. In the middle of the station is a table surrounded by Schugel's workers.
Tanya noticed that on this table was a simple bag-like product. It is in the shape of a backpack, though it is also currently large…
"So… what's this?"
Felix smiled at Tanya and motioned for Schugel to introduce it to her.
"This, my lady, is the one that will revolutionize the Mage Corps of our very Empire! With this, we will definitely set aside ourselves as the leading technological nation against other nations! Let me introduce to you my lady, the Jetpack prototype!"
Yes, the item in the middle of the table is the jetpack. It is composed of a backpack-like structure, with two jet exhaust nozzles at the bottom of it, and two air-intakes at the front of the upper part of the jetpack.
It also uses miniaturized jet engines as opposed to the jet engines whose function is to carry aircrafts with tons of weights. The miniaturized jet engines function is to only carry a single person whose approximate weight is at least 70 kg… That's why it is not necessary to make it as large as before.
Also, embedded within it are two single cored operation orbs, necessary to power up the Jetpack.
The two single cored operation orbs have their own functions. One orb is necessary to power up the two jet engines. The other orb is necessary to protect the mage.
The second orb's function is to regulate the air and oxygen of the mage. It also has the function of anti-gravity, fire-protection, anti-dizziness, protection for the mage's legs due to the afterburner of the jet engine, and many more.
The jetpack's power would come from the mages themselves. The jetpack is designed so that it will be powered by their mana through their main operation orb, to be transferred to the embedded operation orbs. It will be costly to the mana of these mages surely…
However, with this jetpack, the normal mage's speed of 450 km/h will now be doubled to at least 850 km/h. If paired with Tanya or Felix's quad core, their flight will at least be within the verge of the speed of sound… or much faster than that…
Of course, producing the jetpack will be costly and time consuming… together with its high cost of usage, this jetpack will be reserved for the best-of-the-best mage corps of the Empire.
Hearing the amazing functionality of the jetpack, Tanya looked towards Felix with an amazed expression.
"When?! Tell me when will these be fielded?!"
"Our target will be a year from now. Due to its current size and other errors happening, it is still deemed non-operational. If we can at least reduce its size to at least a soldier's backpack size, it will then be operational. Also, experimental testing would also be done."
"Alright! I would order at least 50 sets of this! But… don't count on me when it comes to experiments… I hate working with that psychotic nutjob."
Schugel, upon hearing that Tanya would not work with them, immediately opposed.
"Your highness! It is not possible! We need the lady's experience and expertise!"
"DAMN YOU! YOU NUTJOB! I WOULD NEVER EVER EVER WORK WITH YOU AGAIN!"
"NO! YOU ARE THE PERFECT TEST SUBJECT!"
"YOU FUCKER!!!!!"
Felix immediately intervened.
"Alright, stop. For experiments for the common type of these products, make sure to get a mage who can operate a dual cored operation orb, don't count on Tanya. However, Tanya, if it will be specifically designed for our quad core use, then… you need to do it… However, Schugel, I task you to perfect it as much as possible, before giving it to Tanya for operation. Understood?"
The both of them nodded towards Felix.
""Understood.""
"Alright, Schugel, focus on this project for now, I need to introduce our other war machines to Tanya."
"Alright, your highness."
Felix and Tanya moved to the other stations wherein they talked about the functionality of each and its role in the war…
__________________
Yow yow yow, the next chapter will be the start of another arc! Though it is a slow chapter, which includes a vacation of some sort before going to war again…
Well, yeah. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and…
Peace out my dudes!