Vol.2 Ch.4: The Red Baron of Germania

During the Battle of Alnus Hill, enemy forces try to push through the heavy artillery bombardments as shells rained above their heads. Their screams are full of terror and fear as I can hear far from above the sky even they give a chill in my bones. Although I fear death I never retreat.

I found irritation as I shot down every wyvern rider in front of me. Even if I kill a couple, watch them fall on to the earth, my comrades feel it's fine. I find this irritating.

This is my story. I, Manfred von Richthofen, The Red Baron of Germania, shall tell my story here with you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am born from a prominent Preussen aristocratic family in Niederschlesien, a state from the Duchy of Schlesien part of the Kingdom of Preussen. I have an elder sister, Ilse, and two younger brothers.

I grew up with my siblings as my father is serving in the army. Hunting is my most favourite part of my childhood, with my little brother Lothar, we hunt rabbits and deers for most of our free time. Ilse takes care of us after our mother passed away, she does act as our mother very often but she cares a lot.

The year when I was thirteen, strange rumours were spreading across the states.

-^-^-^-

[Manfred's Home, when he was 13 years old]

"Sis, there are rumours that the Daughter of Ciri has descended in Berlium during an attack from the Saderan Empire. And is she truly a god?" I asked my sister during our supper. She replies, "I heard it too, you know that we believe in Goddess Ciri right? The prophecy must be true a hundred years ago. Moreover, she is probably a goddess sent to this mortal world."

"What does she look like?" Lothar asks Ilse. "If the rumours are true, she looks like an 11 years old girl with a well-developed body, white hair and a pair of jade-green eyes." "That appearance is almost the same as the statue of Ciri in our town church," I replied.

[In the Church of Ciri in Niederschlesien, the day after]

On the first day of each week, normally we have a service to worship Ciri. But with surprise, a girl in a green hooded cloak is led onto the altar with the priest. The moment she shows her face, the audience including me are stunned.

The girl takes a deep breath and speaks in front of us, "My name is Eunomia, I am the maiden summoned by her holiness Ciri herself. Please call me Victoria as my mortal name." Then she does a blessing gesture to us, "Peace to you all."

At this very moment, we kneel immediately and bow to the ground to receive her blessing. As for myself, I can't believe it, she may look like Ciri but her appearance do look the same from one of the stories from the Holy Scripture; Ciri, the goddess of life, summoned her only daughter to the heart of Berlium as a mortal to balance the chaos and life in El Zaberina.

That is the first moment I meet her imperial majesty for the first time.

-^-^-^-

After the Kingdom of Preussen was established, the Daughter of Ciri proclaimed herself Princess of Preussen with Berlium as the kingdom capital. That time neighbouring kingdoms were under control by the Caesarism Saderan Empire, the kingdom needed an army to protect itself as recruitment was all over the states.

Lothar and I join the military as Uhlans (lance cavalrymen) in the 3rd squadron of Ulanen-Regiment Kaiser Alexander der III. von Russland (1. Westpreußisches) Nr. 1 after our recruit training. Not after a week, the war called "The Week War" happens as our kingdom demands the freedom of three kingdoms; Baden-Wurttemburg, Bayern, and Osterreich.

With these kingdoms free from the control of the Saderan Empire, the Treaty of Reich has signed to establish protection and one new federal kingdom by Princess Victoria herself. The Federal Kingdom of Germania has formed.

Years later after my regiment was dismounted, I found interest in the new military branch, the Imperial Germania Air Force. They provide excellent reconnaissance and aerial combat support, and so I apply into it and pass every test in order to be a "pilot"; self-endurance, physical strength, eyesight, and basic control/combat of the iron wyverns, the "biplanes".

These "biplanes" shape like wyverns with two pairs of wings, what I learn from the instructors is they are controlled by us which is no magic. The first time I fly them my body feels freedom in the sky, not to mention their speed is faster than a bird.

However, a year later, another war sparkles on the fuss of a bomb.

-^-^-^-

[During the Fransco-Preussen War]

The war between Francais and the combined force of Letzebuerg-Germania has been a year in conflict, many wounded and killed during combat. As the war wages on, I am transferred to the Jagdgeschwader I (1st Fighter Squadron) as squadron commander with four divisions with four fighters each. Since we have supremacy in the air, we cleared off the skies easily like shooting rats in a barrel as we faced several wyvern riders.

As the war progresses, I have 70 victory scores of shooting down enemy wyverns, which makes me a fighter ace. The Fransco fear me as they name me as the "red devil" because of the red paint on my fighter.

There are problems as I enter into aerial combat, due to the early development stage of aeronautical engineering, most of the planes have malfunctions on structure designs, easily broken wing spams, and engine failures. Our engineers are trying to improve and fix the problem with new biplane fighters but still didn't make any progress.

With luck, Anthony Fokker, a Letz aviation pioneer and aircraft manufacturer volunteered to help with our aircraft technology. We first met during a conference with the general staff as Generalfeldmarschall Helmuth von Moltke introduced me to him, we became friends shortly from the start.

-^-^-^-

As the war continues, with my war achievement I am invited to visit the imperial palace of Germania in Berlium with Generalfeldmarschall von Moltke. While travelling through the capital streets, this is my first time to visit such a busy and fabulous city of my empire.

Besides humans, there are also other races like beastmen, elves, onis, spirits, your name all in this city. They all live and interact each under this same society, just as her majesty she wants, a harmony city in peace and equal rights.

After arriving at the palace, I follow next to Herr Moltke to the grand hall where her majesty along with other general staffs admiring a large painting featuring the Battle of Maccorfie, the first successful aerial battle which took down the entire Fransco wyvern riders after Anthony improved our fighter biplanes.

The Queen of Preussen, Victoria Louise Arthur Von Hohenzollern turns and greets us, "Graf von Moltke and Leutnant, welcome to Berlium." I salute and bow to her with respect as suddenly she calls me to her, I step forward.

"So, this young gentleman has been famous in the military... what was his name?" the young queen turns and asks a general staff next to her.

"Manfred von Richthofen, Your Majesty." he replies.

"Oh yes yes, the red devil of the sky. We need a man like him to be the modest soldier of our army, I suppose we'll have to give you another promotion, Richthofen." she smiled.

Then she taps my left side of my shoulder, "You are indeed a real hero of Germania." "I am flattered by your words, your majesty," I replied.

"I take it, the ladies are all over you?" As the queen asks, I reply. "There aren't many ladies at 10,000 feet, Your Majesty."

With an awkward silence, her majesty starts to giggle and laugh with the general staff too.

On the next day, I am knighted with the title of Baron with the highest military order, thé Pour le Mérite and promoted to Hauptmann (Captain). My legacy continues as the war with the Saderan Empire rages on.