VII - Aftermath - 1

A horizon of tents set up under the glade of the trees. "A beautiful sight," The princess said. "To a lion." She chuckled a little. "Those are the citizens of my home city? The capital." -She gloomed- "My father, what happened to him?"

"Friedrick says that they could not find him after the bombardment." He put it frankly. "Forgive my bluntness princess, but he may be..."

"I know..." She stood up, changing the topic; she said, "And now the duke's been killed to make way for the Betelion empire's goodness."

"Your duke, we do not know of his whereabouts, but the Betelion kingdom we know of. There is already an emissary inside the manor, and after a week's end I shall establish a diplomatic relationship with them."

"'A diplomatic relationship with the Betelion empire,' sounds like the start of a comedic novel."

"How so?" Asked Hierd confused.

"I do not believe you should know, you are from the farlands of 'Germany,' wherever that is in the vast world. But the Betelion empire are a rivalry of us nobles and many other countries in Latessia. A nickname; we've implanted onto that name; 'The Red Idiots.'" She gave a hearty laugh. 

"What did they do?" He questioned further.

"They weren't called an empire for no reason. They masscred many thousands of innocent people, made advancements into neutral countries. The wars they've raged are countless. Yet it is all in the name of technological advancement. Heck we needed them to sign a written agreement to stop declaring wars!"

"Taking a gander, the Betelion empire wants to use my weaponry, I take it?" She walked to the window, outlooking the people and soldiers wandering about blissful and joyous. 

"Yes, indeed they will be. Your technology is going to be, without doubt, the next big thing. Your presence in this country, in this other continent, will make waves across the whole known world." 

"I want to know, in your opinion, this Betelion empire... I gather they shall be a friend turned enemy."

"As did they betray the duke's money given. They shall betray the german's peace got."

He took a second to think. Then sighed. "I haven't the right of mind to think so far to the future. But more so in the present." He walked to her, staring at the window as well. The countless tents at the glades of the Tria Forest. 

"I shall need to properly accomodate the new citizens, don't I? And as well will I need more manpower." He smiled. 

"Manpower?" She looked to him. "How'll you do that?"

"You'll see."

( * )

It was a day after the fall of the capital and even from where Hierd stood, kilometers and kilometers away from that rubbled down city; he could see a visage of smoke rise, even if it were just an illusion, it seemed ever so clear. 

Then he flicked his head to face the citizens. "Good morning everyone!" He yelled out with a smile. Raised and atop the platform, the once citizens of the Capital gathered near and looked in awe of the man with blonde hair and a powerful figure.

"I am the chancellor of the nation, Germany! You have yet to hear of this country of mine, but I assure you, that we are not murderers, my country has been emroiled in hundreds of wars. This settlement, our conquering of Krimvald's lower half marked the first time in the history of Germany, that we found a new continent with people anew."

He drew in the people with a simple gesture. He put his hand ways up. 

"You have seen the passing of your country, Krimvald lives on though not the same as it were, you all shall be reinstated! To my country. Germany shall be your new nationality! I shall accomodate you with the housing you shall need, the jobs you may want, and a future within my ruling. I shall not be kindly, though I shall be better than your king! And all of this shall stem, in your joining in my military!"

'In his military?' They muttered to themselves. 

'We'd be able to use their weaponry...' 

'But they were once our enemy!'

'What!? They saved the innocents! We did not get attacked at all! We were fed and kept safe!' 

There was a silent chaos, an arguement brewing in the crowd, whispering to each other and arguing. When then; out of the monotonous color of grey and skin, he saw a hand raised.

"Liege! I shall join your military!" The hand's man appeared and ran to the front of the crowd. Bumping against the people. A brazen looking man, a slight tone of muscle, and distinctly, a scar swept cross his face. 

The crowd was silent, with one hand raised, he was the standing figure lit as if he were the middleman of a play. Then, another hand leapt from the crowd. 

Then another. 

Then another.

And soon, there were just too many hands to count all in all. Hierd smiled. Men, women alike raised their hands to the air 

"Friends! My newfound citizens, at the dawn of the next day, my Lieutenant colonel shall come here to escort a few hundred down to the military village; Unchean. There, you shall be given a test to answer; if you pass; you shall train. Fail, and you shall be like any other citizen of Unchean. But fret this not! Failing the military does not mean you shall fail in other areas in my government or the people's." A deep breath. 

"Thank you! And I hope to see you there!" He adressed the cheering audience a light bow.

( * )

"Hundreds of pieces of rubble, yet not a single site of the king." Friedrick vented out. 

"My men are trying their best to recover the bodies, and to find the king." Fuso said. "So ease down, sir Friedrick."

"Yes. They are." He frowned. 

It was silent for some minutes, in the tent, it was quite awkward as it was just them two. Luckily; "Good Morning!" A defeated Adelheid pushed the tent's doors open. "Ah, hello;" -He went over to Fuso- "I am Adelheid Von Winter; son of the now deceased lord of Unchean; Peraux."

"Good morning, sir Adelheid." He stood up and shook the man's hand. "I am General Fuso II of the Betelion Empire. You work under your liege, Hierd, now?"

"Indeed, General Fuso; and am now the captain of a ship."

"Captain of a ship; those warships. Of iron and float easily and have propulsion outrivaling Betelion's cutters. Truly a work of art, an engineering feat I know not how your lord and his country made it be. May I get the chance of looking at one?"

"If you want to." He led him outside. Leaving Friedrick to his thoughts. 

In the makeshift streets; the bygone tents of the citizens left marks on the ground. Further the tent there was a huge camp. A mix of soldiers and knights, talking about this and that under a huge campfire where rations were eaten and water was dranked. A gathering, a simple gathering where men of opposite nations conversed. 

"They get along well." Commented Fuso; walking past a group of soldiers and knights. 

Adelheid smiled. "Indeed, and I hope the friendships lasts." 

"This warship, of iron; what is her name?" Said Fuso, looking at Adelheid with sparkling eyes. 

Closing the distance to the shore, and the greatness of the iron hull; the twin turret on it's bow clearly shined in the rising sun, the sparkling beached water making her elegant figure pop-up even more so.

"General Fuso; she is the K-3; the nation's iron sloops."

"Sloops!? You're telling me that this is not their most dangerous warships!?" Fuso's face lit up in suprise. "Exciting. Yet. Terrifying."

"K-3 is a rather unusual name. Not a woman's name nigh even a queen's. And the fact that there are three of the same right now on this coast."

"there are five, two are docked in Unchean's port. And if the searching leads to nowhere till' evening, then the soldiers shall be leaving by sea."

Fuso simply nodded. Looking at the ship, Fuso stopped to admire it's lines. "The steel looks almost white, and how it's now been encrusted by barnacles at it's keel make me think that the paint does something. Red. Hmm. Red. May the color red have something to do? Do barnacles hate the color red? Or is it something deeper? A magical device? I must know the answers to this!"

"The hull is painted red? Why so?" Fuso questioned, staring still at the red waterline. 

"I haven't been informed of the reason, but I believe that the red waterline prevents the growth of barnacles under the hull." Adelheid recollected upon his time reading the manual of the ship he was supposed to man; the Leberect Maaas. 

"That is rather intriguing." He coined the given information. 

"Let us climb up?" He smiled, offering a hand towards the rather steep walkway up. 

A quick grunt up and a jaunt; they jumped onto the bow. General Fuso was much impressed by the engineering and the steel used. The bow contained many parts and things he knew not the names of. An anchor? That's what he could gather. It was less oriental, the decorum kept industrial like the inside of a blacksmith's shop but more so steel. 

"Though it is bare in the orient details I am used to in my country's galleons, I find myself rather fond of the coldness and rather commanding engineering and architecture used in the making of this iron warship." Another coin he drops in his 'wallet.'

Then; the barrels. "This looks like an over-engineered version of my country's experimental Cannonadae. Two cannons in one. It is rather sophisticated, and as I have seen. Deadly. Shore bombardment is now an even more deadlier tactic than... Before..." He stopped, then went closer to the bow's tip. 

"General?" Adelheid questioned, slowly walking towards him in concern. "Is something wrong?"

"I forget that this is a warship. A warship. I need this warship. I need their technology. I need. No... My country needs everything this foreign country has." He turned around. "No, nothing. I wish to see the stern now." He smiled, almost so, hesitatingly.

---

At the dawn of night, where only the stars could be seen and when the moon reflects back the sun's brilliance. The sea looked ever so dark; the white contrast of a wave's every crest and subsequent wave; streaks of white twinkled, Hierd's eyes was reminded of a jewel's grace looking at it. 

However; the city's lights make the omniously beautiful dark ocean less 'concentrated.' And Hierd's eyes quickly diverted to the cheery atmostphere of children playing, the adults drinking, and the adventurers doing whatever what will. It was peaceful, alive. Not unlike the first day he took rule here. 

A knock. He turned around. "Come in!"

A second lieutenant opened the door. Followed by the thud of two leather boots dropping and a bow. "Good Afternoon, lord!" 

"Good Afternoon." He made his way to his chair and sat, staring at the second lieutenant with due curiosity. "What do you want? It's approaching midnight already."

"Lord, the K-3 ships are coming into view from the horizon, and sir Naturvege wishes for you, lord, to be there. As radioed-in, General Fuso comes with them."

"Ah, I see." He stood up. "Lead me."

---

There was a platoon leading Hierd. All around him the soldiers defended every possible position where an attacker would possibly attack him from. The citizens scooted over to the next streets over. The still-open shops moved to another position. And the lights turned brighter where ever the soldiers. The smell of the sea grew ever pungent, and soon Hierd stood at the wet docks outlooking the bright lights of the K-3s approaching from that distant horizon.

Though it was in the middle of the night, the people, after hearing the soldiers say; 'Rejoice people! Your family's come home early! Meet them at the docks, as the ships shall land! You musn't miss this moment!' 

A huge crowd soon gathered at the docks. Thousands upon thousands of people lit up by the light of the moon and the light of the city which seemed to brighten as more and more people came. 

The soldiers blocked the crowd from going past the docks where Hierd stood looking still at the ocean water. "Lord!" Naturvege came out from some truck and ran to Hierd. "It has certainly been awhile."

"Yes. You were at Easel city I believe? Doing business with their lord."

"Yes, lord." He smiled. "We need more soldiers if we want to retain our territory from outsiders and getting more soldiers from the city means this and that; so I wanted to enact something I haven't really... Told you about."

"Ah?" Hierd turned to him with curiosity. 

"Well there's this thing I want to do; that every man that reaches manhood needs to join the army's basic training regiment. Basically uh... Giving them a taste of what it'd be like to join the army."

"So it's like south korea's way of doing things. I wouldn't mind, but that princess told me I should limit the amount of gold I give willy nilly. I've already downgraded pay for the Ridge brown soldiers to three hundred silvers. Which is already quite alot. If they wanted gold they'll just need to get recommended into and train for Venit Black."

"I don't mind that, it is good actually as we'd have more people for reserve if ever in case a war breaks out between us and some more powerful foe-"

"Exactly lord!" He yelled ecstatically, the people around them looked at Naturvege in confusion to the loud noise. "Ah... Exactly lord." -quietly this time- "And I've already implemented a mock-up of that in Easel city's lower quadrant of people. The lower nobles of the city have rejected already the proposition for their children."

"I see. And um... Speaking of nobles, what happened to the capital's nobles?" 

"Unfortunately I don't know the answer, lord, but sir Adelheid should." 

Turning back, the ship was more so nearer than before. So much so near that he saw the silhouetes of people from the bow and the bridge. Was it Adelheid? Jack? Whoever it was, he smiled knowing that everything went according to plan.

---

"What?" Hierd was astonished to have heard such things utter from the General. "So you want to... Buy thirty warships?"

"Yes, dear liege. Thirty. I shall pay in bulk and recieve in bulk as well."

"I'm sorry but that's off the table for now. We have yet to solidify our places in the international table. After we have so, then we could talk about trade."

A sad frown glittered across Fuso's face. "That I understand, and your relationship with the Betelion empire shall indeed solidify your power to the rest of the world, however if we are to be doing such diplomatic missions, to you, liege, and to my most esteemed, we would mutually want technology that could maybe both.. Benefit the two..."

"And that being?" 

"We possess money and magic. The empire has flaunted our wealth and knowledge in magic for evermore; and I believe that your country, liege, of that far away land does not know fully of the secrets of magic. But truly have you understood the physical world."

"You could say that. But." He formed a sarcastic smile. "Not now, General. Atleast not in the docks, nor in a formal setting should we be talking of these things."

A defeated sigh.

"I told's yee the lawd'd reject ye!" Jack came crying in laughter at the sulking Fuso. 

"How was the journey captain jack?" Hierd questioned.

"Bout'as goodas' one'd think. But I overestimated the travel time, usually we's be doin' a day's worth of travel than just a night's worth."

A sudden cheer of people went springing about, curious, Hierd and the others looked behind them. The hundreds and hundreds of sailors ran and jumped off their ships and ran towards their loved ones. The families greeting them with wide smiles and tearful eyes. As sailors hugged their kin, their mothers, their fathers. It was truly a sight to behold for Hierd. 

"It did end up cutting it close for you, Jack. Your ship's stern's been ruined by fire."

"Aye. But she'll be fixed won't she?"

"Well, I thought about another thing entirely."

Jack was silent looking at Hierd perplexed at the query. "Whatever tat' thing is lord, thank's ye kindly for makin' me witness this splendid event. Only once hav' I's saw it in me lifetime, and tat' happened years ago." He chuckled. 

"Well, please sound the horns as we are not done yet."

"Aye lord."

Not a second later, a distinct high pitched horn remeniscent of a whistle came blowing about and the sailors immidiately went into columns and rows. Boxes and steady bodies. 

"Good Evening men!" Yelled Hierd. "You have serviced me well in our fight at the capital! That everyone, we should be applauding for!" Hierd started a clap, and the citizens joined in, and soon there was a wall of applause about. The sailors were smiling and blushing. 

"We shouldn't make this anymore longer, you've got a night with your family to be with! But this I say, to everyone here! A day's off!" The sailors erupted in cheer and laughter! From the back to front they hugged their comrades and smiled looking at Hierd, a day's off was long to them, especially when any other day was training of some kind.

( * )

The sun hit Hierd's face and he awoke not a even second after. A sigh. He stretched his arms. And rose from his bed, looking at the window; drool still evident on his mouth. "Holy shit that was the best sleep I have ever had. From all that exhausting bullshit I had to do, resting on those pillows hit me like a truck. Holy shit..."

He fixed his messy bed hair and got summoned a new pair of SS german uniform. Without the symbols, of course. Brushed his teeth and went outside. It was rather peaceful inside the manor, the soldiers greeted him and the maids welcomed. But outside, trucks were moving left and right.

"So this is what you'll be doing?" The princess confronted Hierd. "Training the citizens to become soldiers. It isn't really bad, you get them money, you get them life. Beneficial too for your militant needs."

"Well that's the examination phase, in about..." He looked at his watch. "Four P.M they'll be done, it's nine right now." He showed her the watch.

"So this is what the soldiers mire in at their daily manor watch. Fancy I say, quite indeed. This can be sold to the civilians. There'd be another way to tell the time than just the church and the sun's elevation."

"I want to focus on getting rid of enemies and making it smooth before I focus on the tiny details." 

"Right." She smiled. "You know..." -She went closer to him- "Trapped in this manor all day makes my head turn. Can't I finally go outside? In exchange, I'll be this city's mayor, it's lord. Not a bad idea right?"

Hierd took a second to think.

"No."

She animatedly sighed in defeat. "I'll turn into a skeleton before I could ever touch green grass again."

"There's a courtyard for that."

"That's..." She stumbled in her words. "That's nothing. That's just design. Part of a thing, the seam of a dress."

"Right."

A duo of soldiers came rushing towards Hierd. He turned around to face them. The two panting soldiers stopped in their tracks; "Good Morning, lord!" They bowed. "I am second Lieutenant, Kalfen, lord. And my partner;"

"Second lieutenant, Reginald, lord!" 

"And why've you come here?"

"Some of the nobles of the capital are not taking it easy, saying they want to speak to 'the king of your land.'"

"The nobles of the capital. Looks like I have more work to do afterall." He smiled; turning around; "Stay." He joined the soldiers and ran off to the gates. 

With blank eyes, she stood questioning herself about what he said. "W-what?

"I AM NOT A DOG!"

---

The nobles asked to be seperated from the commoners, and that their tents be atleast a house's length away from them. That those pesky plebians would pounce on their tents and steal from them ever a moment's want. "So, here we are." Hierd introduced himself infront of a greiving group of twelve 'uniquely' dressed nobles. Others plump, others more better off in physique. 

"Y-yes, O' Liege of great Germany!" 

"We wish to be able to live in the high soars of thy manor! Surely even thy liege's manor houses guest rooms that even us nobles could sleep in!?"

"Yes! Yes! O' liege, these... Commoners!" He made attention to it, and the said commoners looked in disdain at the incinuation. "They snore too loud! They are but pigs in pens! We are not, we deserve a barn to keep the pigs threading the fields! Yes, O' liege, your Manor shall suffice."

"Well atleast we don't look like 'em pigs!" Yelled a angered man. 

"What dare ye' speak!?" The noble rose and put a hand out. 

"A-a! No. No." Hierd smiled, whilst shushing the nobles. "So you want a barn to keep the pigs as cattle?" 

"Y-yes O' liege! You truly are right!" 

"I see. You shall have it! A Barn!" 

"Oh thank you O' merciful liege!"

"Where is it!?" Asked them, already packing up their luggage. 

"Ah yes, just go inside..." -He pointed at a truck in the distance- "T..that, truck!"

"O' I thank you kindly, I cannot help but thank you O' liege!" They ran to the heavens to the truck, jovialy humming waltzes and smiling ear to ear. 

Hierd turned to the soldier who would be driving it who was just behind him. "Send them to 'a barn.'"

"Y-yes, lord!" He bowed before making a less than grand exit. 

The capital's citizens looked at the whole scene with confusion whether or not Hierd had actually sent the nobles to the barn or 'a barn.' Noticing, Hierd looked at them and began an excordium. "Everyone!" He smiled. "You needn't worry! They'll be sleeping real nice with the sheep tonight!"

The citizens cheered a hearty laugh, snorting and chuckling hard. Contagious laughter filled the air as they saw the truck drive towards the farmlands ahead. Approaching him, another duo of soldiers. 

"Good Morning, lord!" The two bowed. "Sir Friedrick has something in urgent attention." 

Hierd's eyes shook open, what could've happened? This someone die? The rest of Krimvald's cities retaliated? What's happening!? Immidiately, he followed the soldiers into a truck. Now moving; Hierd asked to one. "What's the urgency about?"

---

"We had left a platoon there to keep the search on, there was also two hundred Betelion knights still there to keep guard on the capital and ever so did they find any nobles, civilians, and even the king still alive."

"I'm assuming you found the king then?"

"No, but, it'll intrest you, lord." Friedrick smiled a little. 

Hierd leaned in.

"The duke."