Chapter 24: John, Science and Border Conflict

3rd Pov

Ferdinand was in his room making plans for the future, as if he didn't already have enough in his safe.

The plans involved either dividing the Rumeli territories, either creating future Puppet States, or lands that would be annexed directly into his future Dacian Empire.

Ferdinand, as much as he wanted to, knows that he will not be able to annex all the Territories of Magna Rumeli or the Turkman Principalities, because Nationalists would always rebel, along with Religious Conflicts.

So it would be better to create Puppet States, with these States having Economies Integrated into Dacia, in addition to the Royal Family, along with the future Dacian Capitalist/Noble Class having Monopolies over the National Industries of these countries, along with some Dacian Troops that will stay in these Puppet States's Capitals as "Auxiliary Garrisons".

With that, this Alternative Version of the Middle East will be under the firm control of Dacia, along with the precious Oil of the Region, which Ferdinand wanted more than anything else.

When Ferdinand finished making another one of the Thousand plans he has for the future, he put it in his personal safe that he had in the Room, then stretched out and relaxed, while yawning with tiredness.

When Ferdiand would get ready to do some physical exercise, he feels something strange, the same feeling as when Being X and John were present, he looks to the window and sees that the Royal Gardener and a Maid who was passing by were standing still.

"Hello Adam" Said a certain voice very well known to Ferdinand, which made our protagonist turn around with a smile on his face.

"John! What a wonderful surprise, I didn't expect to see you again, how have you been?" Asked Ferdinand with a smile on his face when he saw his old acquaintance, still wearing a Suit and Tie.

"Heh, I'm fine, I don't need to ask how you've been because I know very well, were the Roasted Maggots taste good?" John asked with a mischievous smile on his face as he sat in one of the chairs he had in Ferdinand's room.

"Ugh, don't remind me, while those bastards had protein, but the taste didn't help" Ferdinand responded with disgust.

"But anyway, leaving that aside, why you are here, my friend? I don't think I'm just here to visit myself" Ferdinand said as he grabbed a chair and sat down in front of John.

"Well, I'm here to tell you about the next person who will help Dacia to develop, this time it's in the Science Branch" John said with a smile when he saw Ferdinand with a confused look.

"I thought Arthur and the Legionnaires were the Department's only help" said Ferdinand as he looked at John with a raised eyebrow.

"Pfft, please Adam, that was just the first part of the Agreement, which was to help you have Political Power in the future, now that you will have people who can help Dacia really develop" Said John while drinking the tea that suddenly appeared in his hand.

"While your country is developing in the right way, do you think a Politician will know how to create a car in a factory? Or how to create a Poison Gas that will be used against your enemies?" John asked seriously as he looked into Ferdinand's eyes, who nodded at his words.

"That makes sense" Ferdinand said upon hearing John's answer.

"Anyway, here is a photo of the Scientist, along with Documents that detail more about her, the Department is dealing right now with the rest" Said John as he handed over a photo and documents.

In the photo, there was an image of a woman aged 30 years at the most, with red hair, wearing glasses, healthy white skin, with a smile on her face, which many would find innocent.

"Huh? A female Scientist? That's a surprise" said Ferdinand with a shocked look, but he had good reason for it.

Even in the world of Youjo Senki, the only Equality between Men and Women is in the Armed Forces, even in the Empire which is a Meritocracy, which is understandable, after all, if a woman is willing to take up Arms to fight for the country, she deserves to receive all respect and should, even more so if she is a Magician.

Ferdinand then started to read the document involving the Scientist, whose name was Klara Schnitzler, an Imperial citizen and what was in the document made Ferdinand even more surprised.

Daughter of an Imperial Scientist, Klara has always been fascinated by science, wanting nothing more than to gain knowledge, even if it was in an unconventional way.

As a woman, she, unfortunately, didn't have a chance in life, but she was willing to put in the effort if it meant becoming a scientist, which she did, being a scientist in everything but name.

An unscrupulous woman, willing to do anything for knowledge, even if it meant studying Humans or giving her own body for science, the kind of person Ferdinand liked.

"Heh, I liked her, but wait...she doesn't have a father?" Ferdinand asked as he looked at John, who just pointed to the second document.

Ferdinand took it and read it, unlike the other document, this one was smaller, which only spoke of the problems she was going through, as she had a fight with her Father involving the Arranged Marriage, which she did not want.

At the end of the document, it was written "There was a Hand of the Department - John", which made Ferdinand look at John who looked to the side and was whistling.

"I won't comment on that" said Ferdinand as he handed the photo and documents back to John, who took it.

"Anyway, I've done my job, now I have to go, it's lunchtime and I want to eat the food my Wife made, bye bye" Said John as he snapped his finger and disappeared, with time returning to normal.

Ferdinand sighed heavily as he looked up at the ceiling.

Dacian-Rumeli border.

On the Border between the Grand Duchy of Dacia and Magna Rumeli, there was a lot of tension on both sides of the Border, with several troops and Artillery, both waiting for someone to fire the first shot, which would happen soon.

The Rumeli soldiers who were in the Garrison fortifications looked at the Dacian Military Camp while they smoked, with an Artillery piece next to them....and it was loaded.

"Do you think these Dacians are going to attack or what?" Rumeli 1 asked Rumeli 2.

"Nah, when the Sultan hears about all this, he'll order those Christian mutts back to their holes, after all, what's a 'Grand Duchy' compared to our Glorious Sultanate?" asked Rumeli 2 in a mocking voice as he looked at the Dacians in the distance.

"True...but putting that aside, I hear you're getting married?" asked Rumeli 1 with a mischievous smile on his face as he looked at Rumeli 2.

"Hehe, yes, after a long time I will marry Yalin" Said Rumeli 2 as a shade of red was on his cheeks.

"HA, you lucky one" Rumeli 1 said while pushing Rumeli 2 to the side, no big deal, just a little joking push, but it would be that little push that would define everything.

Rumeli 2 was not expecting this and as such, it lost its balance and landed right on the Artillery Piece, with one of its arms touching the part where the Artillery was activated.

As if time had slowed down, Rumeli 1 watched as Rumeli 2 flew sideways because of the Artillery, along with the booming sound and the flying bullet, heading towards the Camp.

"Oh, for the love of Allah" Rumeli 1 said before looking towards the direction of the Dacian Camp, seeing the explosion that made the Artillery Piece fire.

Meanwhile on the Dacian side of the border.

A few Dacian Mages, who had hellish training from the Russy White Mages, were keeping watch on the Rumeli side, with some using their Computation Gems to record everything on the Frontier.

When the Artillery round hit the Dacian Camp, one of the Dacian Mages recorded with his Computation Gem the exact moment the shot hit one of the tents.

"Commander! I recorded the exact moment of the shot! The Homeland has everything it needs for a Justified War!" Said one of the Mages while looking at a Woman.

The woman nodded her head seriously, and an evil smile crept onto her face as she looked towards the Rumeli Garrison.

"It seems that the Pagans dared to attack first! Soldiers! Prepare to destroy the Rumeli Garrison, and make the Pagan blood run through the Ground in the Name of God and the Grand Duke! HAIL DACIA" The Commander shouted as she readied her Magic Rifle to the attack.

While the Dacian Mages were preparing to attack the Rumeli Garrison, the Dacian Soldiers were preparing for the battle to come, with Artillery ready and loaded.

"It's Calibrated, Sir" Said a Dacian Soldier as he looked at the Officer.

"FIRE" Ordered the Officer to all the Soldiers who operated the Artillery Pieces.

With that, the Dacians returned the shot against the Rumeli, not double, not triple, but 10x the Shot they fired.

In the Dacian Forces Commander's Tent on the Frontier, he was giving orders as fast as he could.

"Attack with full force! All Rumeli that surrender will be Prisoners of War that will be used as a Workforce, to help develop the future Territories that Dacia will have"