A Diplomatic Endeavor Begins

Chapter 02: A Diplomatic Endeavor Begins

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23rd February 2008, Pendragon,

I couldn't help but grin as I successfully safeguarded my family's assets from those audacious opportunists. Their audacity in attempting to deceive me was remarkable.

With the assistance of Brother Fox Eyes, I managed to eliminate spies and anyone with questionable intentions toward my precious assets. However, his assistance came with a condition.

"You want me to lead a troop to Indochina?" I raised a quizzical eyebrow at his seemingly unreasonable request.

"I've upheld my end of the bargain, and now it's your turn, dear brother," He replied with a sly, enigmatic smile. I couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. What a handsome fellow he was. No wonder his sexuality bent a little.

I leaned in slightly, resting my elbows on my thighs. "You do realize I haven't graduated from the military academy, right? Even if I do this, I'll need an imperial decree from dear old dad to initiate any military action."

As expected, his smile widened, and I sighed theatrically. That cunning bastard always had the upper hand. "Alright, hand it over," I said, extending my hand toward him.

"Here you go." I glanced at the scroll he handed me, complete with the emperor's seal. No need to read it; that seal was all the confirmation I needed.

"So? What do you need me to do?" I asked, setting the scroll aside without a second thought. The emperor's seal said it all.

"I require you to travel to Indochina for diplomatic purposes, brother. I must journey to Area 4 to address the issues arising from the rebels," Schneizel replied with a tired sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Which countries in Indochina are causing us trouble?" I inquired. Although I will receive a briefing before the operation, I want to be certain.

"Myanmar."

"That small nation? Since when did it develop a backbone?" I asked, genuinely puzzled. As far as I knew, it had nothing remarkable about it, except for its mineral wealth, which shouldn't make them defy Britannia.

"The Chinese Federation has extended its influence into that country." Ah, that explains a lot.

"So, you wouldn't mind if I simply descend upon their capital, eliminate their leaders, and head to Vietnam for negotiations?" I tilted my head, a smirk playing on my lips.

"Normally, I wouldn't encourage you to commit a war crime, but..." A nasty grin also crept across my brother's face. He'd been wearing that expression around me quite often lately. "It's not a war crime if the people we eliminate are armed, right?"

This bastard gets it. We must set an example for other nations to deter any notions of defying our rule. "This..." I said, the grin still visible as I extended my hand. "Will remind them that our acts of kindness are not a sign of weakness."

"Indeed, this approach can spare us from resorting to a full-scale invasion," Schneizel agreed, reaching out to clasp my hand. "You do realize you're my favorite sibling, B?"

"Please," I chuckled. "You only say that because I'm the one who can keep up with your schemes."

"Your words wound me, brother," the young man's grin transformed into a gentle smile. My brother was a master at concealing his emotions. Even if I had grown up with him, I might not always decipher his thoughts.

"In that case, I'll prepare for my departure, dear brother. Is there any particular souvenir you desire?" I rose from my seat, and Schneizel did the same.

"Sand paintings would be a fine choice," he responded after a moment of contemplation. "I can display them proudly in my Imperial Villa."

"You'll receive some magnificent sand paintings from Myanmar," I assured him with a thumbs-up before exiting the room.

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26th February 2008, Gemini Imperial Villa,

I found myself seated within the cockpit of Aerial. "I won't be visiting for a while, Eri," I spoke to my mobile suit.

"En? Of course not," I smiled, gently caressing the monitor. "I won't pilot giant robots other than you," I said with an embarrassed tone. "That was our promise, after all."

The screen blinked a few times.

"Not yet, Eri. Not until we've conquered Japan." Aerial had yet to experience her debut battle. Given our current Knightmare Frame technology, Aerial would be like fresh meat for the hungry hyenas.

I wouldn't be able to protect Aerial if the emperor ordered me to let others study my mobile suit. So, I had to keep her inside my personal warehouse.

The screen blinked repeatedly again.

"Un," I nodded my head. "I will be careful." Eri was the only one whom I could depend on after killing my mother. As I said before, my mother was always busy, so I was raised by my brother Ody.

As for killing her… I didn't want to think about it. I wasn't sure if it would come back to haunt me in the future, but I hoped it wouldn't. All I could say for now was that she was not a motherly type like Auntie Mari, whom I regarded as a totally selfish person.

"I will be going now, Eri," I slowly got down from the cockpit. "See you again in a week, little sis," I didn't look back at the shining blue lines on Aerial's head and chest parts.

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1st March 2008, Myanmar,

As expected, the top brass of this country were cowards. The soldiers were fighting on the frontlines, but the upper echelons of the nation were hiding in the safety of a fortified bunker with their families. The thunderous roar of Knightmare Frames and the distant sounds of explosions echoed through the once-peaceful city.

I, Benedict af Britannia, strode purposefully towards that heavily fortified safe house. I'd left the troops to deal with the ground forces. Why bother attacking other cities when we could strike at the heart of the capital? Nonette Enneagram was leading them, and I hoped everything would go smoothly under her command.

Holding a standard assault rifle designed for normal soldiers, I carved a path through the chaos. The occasional scream pierced the air as I dispatched any resistance in my way.

Oh, I think I hear some footsteps. Instinctively, I yanked the safety pin from a grenade and hurled it toward the source of the disturbance. The ensuing explosion echoed through the narrow alleyways.

*Boom*

"Argh!" cried a hapless soldier, while desperate pleas for a medic filled the air. Oh well, another grenade should put them out of their misery, right?

These soldiers, meant to guard their esteemed leaders, turned out to be quite the pushovers. Is there some sort of unspoken plot armor that shields me from their pitiful attempts?

Emerging from my hiding spot, I was greeted by a scene of carnage. Lifeless bodies, torn apart by the explosive force, were strewn about. It was a macabre sight, one that made me wonder how this country managed to stand with such soldiers and leaders.

But wait, what's this? A rocket launcher, of all things! Someone clearly didn't get the memo about rocket launchers being a bit much indoors. Still, I decided to grab it, you know, just in case.

Oh, look, an oriental Chinese vase! I was so taking this back with me. I wondered if Auntie Mari would like this.

With a touch of stealth and a hint of mischief, I approached the room where the top dogs were rumored to be hiding. Oddly, there was an eerie silence emanating from within.

*Tick* *Tick* *Tick*

Had they managed to escape the room, leaving behind a timed explosive as a parting gift? I comprehended their intentions, but the choice of a timed bomb was rather baffling—didn't they know how to set up a traditional booby trap at the door?

Something was not quite right here. The intel I received should be foolproof. Well… firepower could solve anything.

In response to my nagging unease, I decided to launch a rocket at the door. Surprise! They'd rigged the door with a nifty booby trap, a level of cunning that seemed out of place. As for the timing bomb that had me on edge, it turned out to be a clever ruse, resulting in an explosive display that scattered the soldiers guarding the door like confetti.

What do you know? All the leaders were there holding their breaths. "Hey! It's nice to meet you, Benedict af Britannia, here! Ah right, you guys don't speak English, do you?"

The country was still under military control, and they couldn't speak English well. So... awkward. I guessed I wouldn't be able to have a conversation with them. More firepower, that is!

I heard them screaming something in their language. Probably trying to beg for their lives. But I didn't care. I wasn't here to listen to their sob stories; I was here to make an unforgettable impression on the other countries of Indochina.

"Bye-bye!" I smiled and waved at them with one hand while the other kept up a relentless barrage of gunfire. I hoped they understood what "bye-bye" meant; if not, it would be a little awkward.

So... their family. I wondered if they still had a rocket launcher. I might need it to shoot down a helicopter or two.

What should I do now? I couldn't find any of their family, and I was fully aware of what that meant. I read modern literature, after all.

I smelled something. Something that didn't belong in this bloodied room. A smell of piss. I looked at the area between the men's legs. Nope, they weren't the source.

Ah~ I see. They weren't idiots like I thought they were. The smell was coming from behind the bookshelves.

I didn't want them to suffer, so I threw some grenades in their direction after I took a seat behind the sofa.

*Boom*

Another one.

*Boom*

And another one.

Hmm... Some might get lucky and still be alive. I couldn't let that happen, could I? I shot the assault rifle toward their direction until the bullets ran out.

Now that I looked at it... there were no children in there. Thank God I didn't want to harm children yet. The youngest one was around sixteen, so all was okay.

Now that I'd finished my job here, I should get back to Nonette. I needed to go to Vietnam after that. I hoped they got the message and were seriously considering their next move.

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Author's Note;

So... Not much happened here aside from the brotherly talk between MC and Schneizel about committing war crimes and MC actually doing it.

Hey look! Eri's here. I hoped she wouldn't go cray, cray.