“.…Alright, Let’s go…”.With Selie coming into my office to bring me away from my office and to the Cabinet Hall, I know that my rest time is about to be over and soon enough I will start working again. Once I stepped out of my office everything were still normal and still how it should be, but once we entered the public hallway, all of the Black House staff just suddenly all appeared there, and all of them were standing in attention. A path for me opened up and everyone saluted me all at once, all of them have these proud and also touched expression on their faces.“All of you, always over did it….you too, Jack?…”.I turned and face the first person that I saw on line, he was an old man named Jack, one of the many janitors of Black House and I know him by name, as he was the only old person that apply for the janitor job here. Because of that he is quite famous and due to his age he became somewhat of a pillar of the community for emotional healing, also he is very good conversationa
“Your highness, Sire President…this is all that we your subject can do from behind the line…sending you to war once again whilst leaving us and this nation in peace…made us all self aware, Sire…”.(Jack)“Sorry to make you and all of you feel that way….but, let it be known that…even you all were here and not at the front line…..all of your duty and service still matter…and it matter a lot to me….and to the nation….thanks to you all I know that I can left my home safely and under your care…..so, that is very important….you all holding the fort made me and and all of our soldier mind at ease when we think about home….so don’t beat yourself up too much…”.I pat Jack shoulders as I looked at everyone else before me, as I delivered a little bit of a speech as to reassured everyone mind. These people were passionate about these nation and it’s well being and many of them wanted to also contribute to the war, and it was important for me to also inspire them, after listening to my words, every
“YOUR HIGHNESS!!!….MAY GLORY BE WITH YOU!!..”.(Passionate spectator)“.…well…they all sure are vibrant with energy…”.No one expected the crowd to be here on the side of the road, although they tried to stay on the road, with the amount of people here, they bound to overflow into the road anyways. Luckily there were already police on the scene to keep the crowds in control. I looked at the crowd and then looked at, Selie, a little bit puzzled as to why these people are here, after all, at this time it is still considered to be still early in the day. Shyly, Selie had to explained to me about the current situation.“I am sorry sir, but this is a little bit unexpected…the people missed you at the airport…so I supposed they are now here to see you…”.(Lieutenant Colonel Selie)“Wow..they really are that eager to see me huh…”.“Naturally they are, Your highness…when the radio announce of your brief returns..the public were very eager to see and welcome you back….they tried hard to show sup
“Naturally they are, Your highness…when the radio announce of your brief returns..the public were very eager to see and welcome you back….they tried hard to show support to you and just like those at the Black House just now….they felt a little bit sorry that they cannot contribute more…the crowds were waiting for you at the airport for quite some time…but since you silently went home….they can’t do anything about it…hence they waited for these moment…”.(Lieutenant Colonel Selie)“Ah…I see….”.That is the only words that I can muster right now, as the crowds were even more vibrant, my motorcade can;t move faster than it already is, so instead right now our speed has dropped to a slow cruising, just to be careful as to not cause any accident to the watching and spectating crowds.“You know what….since we are here…and the crowds were also here…it wouldn’t hurt if we made these journey to the Cabinet Hall to a parade right?…”.“.…Sir, won’t that be to risk and dangerous?….we don’t know i
“You know what….since we are here…and the crowds were also here…it wouldn’t hurt if we made these journey to the Cabinet Hall to a parade right?…”.“.…Sir, won’t that be to risk and dangerous?….we don’t know if there is some people out there that wanted to do evil and mischief against you…”.(Lieutenant Colonel Selie)“Well…that is why I got all of you right?….or you don’t believe that you can protect me at all?…”.Intentionally I said it this way, to ignite their competitive spirit, I challenged them it is because I know that it was wrong of me to just improvise the entire situation, but at the same time, I wanted to also just do a little bit of fan service to my subject, I do feel bad of ditching them before, so I hope Selie and the entire secret service around me will take the bait.“Sir…that is nonsense….we are in Aeternum and in New City…if we all don’t have the confidence to protect you when we are already inside our own land…that would be just an embarrassment to all of us…Every
“Sir…that is nonsense….we are in Aeternum and in New City…if we all don’t have the confidence to protect you when we are already inside our own land…that would be just an embarrassment to all of us…Everyone, alarm all the Secret Service Agents that we are going to change from transport procedure to Parade at once..”.(Lieutenant Colonel Selie)“Yes, Ma’am…Alerting all agents, this is Dragon 1 lead, Agent Sasu…New order are in place, Changing protocol from transport to parade mode at once…”.(Agent Sasu)Sasu is now already finished his punishment period and already reinstated as my security personnel again, and together with Selie he too were challenged by my provocation and immediately moved to accommodate what I am asking for them. Just like that, the moving motorcade, just suddenly come to a halt and all of the secret service agents, aside from the drivers of each cars, all of them got off and form a line on each side of the motorcade. Everyone can see that this is not just a simple
“Ma’am, I will get off here and led the motorcade and personnel outside myself…I leave his highness safety in the vehicle in your hands…Sir, please wait a few seconds as we all prepared for the parade”.(Agent Sasu)Sasu were wearing his body armor and also slinging his own personal assault rifle over his shoulder, looking very prepared right now, he turned back to look at Selie and spoke with seriousness in his tone.“Understood, Team Leader Sasu…you may proceeds..”.(Lieutenant Colonel Selie)“Sure, Sasu…be hurried about it…this is just an on the fly agenda…it is not that serious at all…”.Sensing the kinda tense atmosphere that they were oozing out, I kinda felt bad a little bit.“I know, Your highness..but as your security personnel..this amount of preparedness is needed…”.(Agent Sasu)Replying with an affirming smile, Sasu nodded to all of the Secret Service inside my car, before getting off the car and closed the door behind him. As soon as he got out, he turned on his leadership
“His punishment really shaped him quite a lot, huh…”.“It did…he took his duty more seriously right now…he changed quite a lot ever since you denied him to be your security personnel…even his matriarch were angered with him and that earned him the tribe punishment as well…”.(Lieutenant Colonel Selie)We both looked at Sasu that were on the outside, the Ninja Beaver really learned his lesson, and seeing him reformed that means the punishment works. At the same time, for Sasu and the secret service agents that were standing on the road covering the motorcade, to all of them this is the time for all of them to show the president that they deserved to be in the position that they were in, and naturally this kind of shows is very rare to them.“Team Leader Sasu….why with the sudden change of protocol…aren’t this supposed to be just an average transport mission to the Cabinet Hall?..”.(Secret Service Agent Avin)“That’s right, Team Leader Sasu…what happened?..”.(Secret Service Agent Elfira)
Meanwhile, inside the Alemia Royal Palace, which had now been converted into a central command hub, President Mies Sai listened intently to a military briefing.Across from him sat Department Vice-Director Nathaniel Grant of the Department of Resource & Infrastructure, his face alight with enthusiasm.“Sir, the employment program is exceeding expectations. We posted 5,000 positions for public kitchen chefs, and they were filled within a single day.”Mies Sai smirked. “I’m not surprised. The people have been desperate for stability.”Vice-Director Grant nodded. “Indeed. And now, with the cleaning and rebuilding project launching, we’re expecting a flood of applications. 100,000 slots may not even be enough.”General Lucas, seated nearby, chuckled.“We’ll need to start thinking ahead, then.” He tapped a report on the table. “Alemia isn’t just a city of civilians. We still have thousands of unemployed former soldiers from both the Queen’s and the Prince’s factions. Many of them aren’t cr
“I agree with implementing the employment program,” I said, voice firm. “But we’ll need to make several adjustments before we proceed.”Ramon nodded attentively. “What kind of adjustments, sir?”I leaned back slightly in my chair.“First, work hours need to be reduced. Given how many of the surviving population are either elderly or women, we can’t expect them to handle the same level of physical labor as a normal workforce.”Ramon took notes, his expression serious. “Understood.”“Second, child labor is absolutely forbidden. If anyone attempts to exploit children for work, they will face immediate punishment.”“Of course, sir. Aeternum law is clear on that.”I nodded. “Third, we’ll have to create alternative jobs that suit the city’s current demographic. Many of the women and elderly might not be able to do construction work, but they can handle administrative work, small-scale industry, and trade. We need to get creative.”Ramon grinned, impressed. “You’ve already thought several st
“Did the Queen know about this?” I asked, though deep down, I already knew the answer.Selie didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she reached into her bag, pulling out a single sheet of parchment. She laid it on my desk with a deliberate movement.It was an official decree, signed and stamped with Queen Romella’s royal seal. A decree authorizing the so-called “punishment” of nobles appointed by Aeternum.I closed my eyes briefly, suppressing the urge to slam my fist onto the table. The Queen knew, she had known all along. And she did nothing, or she were too consumed with all the power and luxuries that she just signed everything that come to her table, and now I had to clean everything back.Across the chamber, Duke Oliver Gust—or rather, Governor Oliver Gust, as he was now officially titled—stood near one of the balconies, observing the organized chaos with a look of deep contemplation. After taking a moment to collect my thoughts, I rose from my seat and walked over to him.“Quite
For years, Alemia’s people had been accustomed to fear—to being harassed, abused, and treated like pawns by the nobility and military alike.But today, as they walked through the clean streets, there was no shouting.No random arrests. No public executions. There was only order.And above them, in the vast blue sky, the Aeternum airships loomed—their massive steel frames gliding through the heavens, a symbol of dominance, protection, and change.For many, it was their first time seeing such technology up close.An elderly baker, standing at the entrance of his shop, shielded his eyes as he gazed upward."The Iron Birds…" he whispered, awestruck.Beside him, a young girl tugged at his sleeve."Grandpa, are they… protecting us?"A pause. Then, the old man smiled for the first time in years."Yes. I believe they are."Unlike the old regime, Aeternum’s governance was swift and efficient.Knowing that the city had suffered extreme shortages due to the war, Aeternum immediately opened publi
"I refuse to be treated like some common criminal! I am Count Malik! Minister of Finance! I have funded half of this war!"His voice echoed, but no one moved. No one spoke in his defense.Malik gritted his teeth and jerked violently, managing to break free from the grip of the young Aeternum private restraining him.With a twisted smirk, he raised his hand and struck the soldier across the face.A loud crack rang through the hall.For a moment, everything stood still.Then—BANG.A gunshot pierced the air, and Malik’s scream followed a split second later as he collapsed onto the floor, clutching his now bloodied knee.Standing over him, his pistol still smoking, was Sergeant Falkner.The seasoned Aeternum officer towered over the fallen noble, his expression one of absolute indifference."That was for touching my soldier," Falkner said, his voice as sharp as a blade.Malik writhed, his cries of agony mixing with gasps of horror from the other captives.Falkner bent down, his boot press
“I request a duel.”A murmur ran through both sides. Bina merely raised a single eyebrow.“A duel? Against me?” she said, tilting her head slightly, almost as if she hadn’t heard him correctly.Anton stood his ground.“If I win, you and your soldiers do not enter this palace.”Bina exhaled, her lips curving into something that wasn’t quite a smile.“And if you lose?”Anton’s jaw tightened.“Then my men will surrender peacefully.”A moment of silence passed between them.And then, Bina laughed.A deep, almost booming sound, filled with something akin to amusement… and disappointment.“You are either the bravest or the most foolish knight I have ever met, Captain Anton.” She rested her hand on the haft of her war axe, her fingers tightening around the weapon’s familiar grip.Anton did not flinch. Bina’s amusement faded. She gave him a firm nod. Both of them knew, this is actually a heartfelt plea from Anton, he wanted Grand General Bine to allow his men to live, this I his earnest beg.
At precisely 10 AM, just as the dust from the explosions had barely begun to settle, a deep echoing voice rang across the battlefield.“To the soldiers and citizens of Alemia!”It was him.The President of Aeternum.His voice carried through the winds, reverberating through the ruined streets, projected through Aeternum’s massive military speakers for all to hear.“Your war is over. Lay down your arms. Submit to the governance of Aeternum, and you will be spared.”His words hung in the air like a final judgment.And then, like a descending storm, the Aeternum Army finally began to move.It was a terrifyingly unified march.Thousands upon thousands of troops moved in perfect synchronicity, their steel boots pounding against the earth like a drum of war. Tanks rolled forward, massive military vehicles flanking the advancing battalions, gunships and airships circling the skies like mechanical reapers.At that moment, the people of Alemia saw it—the unstoppable tide of Aeternum’s might de
“Then let’s make history. Order the Navy Fleet 01 to launch three additional Type-1 Missiles. Targets: The East, North, and West gates of the capital.”The entire command bridge fell into stunned silence.Every officer, every technician, every strategist momentarily froze. Their eyes flickered with a mix of shock and anxiety as they processed my command. Even the seasoned veterans among them seemed momentarily taken aback.It was one thing to deploy a single missile.But three at once?That wasn’t just warfare—it was an annihilation order.Bina, Lucas, and Eliza, who had been following the situation via video conference, immediately reacted. Their holographic images flickered on the massive display before me, each one expressing their own unique emotions.Bina, ever the stoic and composed tactician, furrowed her brows, tapping her fingers against the table.“Mr. President… I assume you understand the full implications of this move?”I met her gaze without hesitation.“I do. This is th
At 6:45 AM, the order was given. Admiral Duchess Kolarova, commanding the Navy Fleet from the southern front, initiated the launch sequence. The missile streaked across the sky like a comet, its white trail a harbinger of devastation.From the Dragon One, I stood on the bridge, watching intently as the missile’s trajectory was displayed on the holographic screens. My officers around me held their breath, anticipation thick in the air.A few moments later, the missile hit its mark. The explosion that followed was nothing short of spectacular. The Alemia Capital City gates were obliterated, along with the surrounding walls and everything within a 100-meter radius. Dust and debris rose into the sky like a dark mushroom cloud, blotting out the early morning sun.The impact was beyond what any of us had anticipated. The "lowest-grade" missile had proven to be anything but low-grade.The news of the missile strike spread like wildfire through the Aeternum ranks. Soldiers, commanders, and of