Interlude: Homefront

At the Belkan capital, Berlin, life goes on harmoniously. People of varied origins interact with each other on a friendly basis. At a corner cafe, a pair of dwarves read a newspaper while being served coffee by a dog beastkin. Opposite the cafe is a large park, full of lush green trees with families hanging about in a joyous atmosphere. Some children there play mock battle, a few take up the role of the now-famous Ghost Division soldiers, while others have the bad luck to be the Ustians.

Elsewhere, beneath the shade of an ancient oak, an intense game of Chinese Chess is unfolding between a bald old man with a long white beard and, surprisingly, an elf. The game is under deep scrutiny by a small group of spectators, who tries to garner insight into their playstyle and learn from them.

After minutes of silence mulling, the old man finally makes his move. Placing his Red Chariot down, he mentally pats himself on the back for a well-thought move. The Chariot has effectively sealed the fate of the Red General.

" ... Sigh. As expected, Master Zhou's wisdom is unmatched. This Junior accepts his defeat." Even though the game is not yet over, the elf can still perform a few more moves. He knows to accept his failure with grace.

Standing up and cupping his hand with his head slightly bowed, he pays respects to the old human. The man is a true Master. " Please accept this bow from Junior, Master."

Quickly standing up with a swiftness unheard of for a man well-past his nineties, Master Zhou generously says. " Aiya, I accept your courtesy but please, no need for such formality from now on. I'm old now and there's no use in wasting time on such a thing. Time is what should be spent on battles of wit with chess, no? Hahaha."

The elf smiles, he pours a cup of green tea for the Master and himself. They sit down and then discuss the tactics employed in the match with the spectators. As they all hailed from a small chess community, the conversation is swift but very informative for each of them. Suddenly, they notice the traffics on the road make way for a military motorbike with a sidecar.

" Come on! Drive faster, Klaus!" The occupant in the sidecar urged, seems like whatever got them running is important.

" This is the fastest I can go without killing someone, Franco! Any faster and I will have you pushed this thing from behind!" The driver screamed back as they speed away to the Reich Palace.

Looking at the sight with a hand on his beard, Master Zhou says. " This makes the third one today, isn't it?"

With his eyes staring at the obsidian black palace beneath a gigantic tree that pierces the Heaven, the elf replies. " Yes, Master, from their haste it seems like more news has arrived from the Western Front."

" I see..." The Master directs his thoughtful gaze back to the chessboard. " I hope it will be good news."

Knowing that the old master is pondering something, the elf can't stop himself from asking. " Master Zhou, your nephew is stationed on the frontline, right?"

" Yes, and it would seem he got roped into the now-famous Division... What's the name of that one again?"

" I believe it's the 404th Mechanized Infantry Division, their nickname is the Ghost Division due to the unprecedented progress they made on Ustian soils. Last I checked they when past the river Reno."

" Yeah, it's that one. Sigh, I can't help but be afraid for her well-being, considering that her division is way deep in the thick of things... That's if what the papers said is true."

" I would like to say that the situation is not as bad as you would think." Glancing around to make sure that the people here can keep their mouths shut, at least for a while, the elf continues in a low voice. " I overheard this when I went past the room of my wife and child. Apparently, the progress of your niece's division is too ridiculous, they are currently sieging White Rock Fortress with a very favorable position at that. My wife can't believe how the Princess managed to do what we failed all those years ago. I won't be surprised if news about the Princess's triumph over the fortress that caused us so much bloodshed before, reaches our ears by the end of the day."

Master Zhou is old, but he is not stupid, knowing that his friend is about to say something important, he activated a privacy formation hidden inside the chess board before the elf starts speaking.

" Is that true?"

" Positive, if my wife's vexed expression counts as something, she really hasn't been acting like usual ever since the Princess takes up arms, however."

Master Zhou falls into a silence musing. He absently strokes his beard before speaking. " I hope that the Princess can wash away the shame we incurred all that time ago, and I dearly wish my niece will be ok after the fact. I thank you for your information, my dear friend. You've made for a good conversational partner and a respectable foe on the board."

" Aiya, no need for such words on myself, Master. I do wish that only others of my kind could be like me, my wife in particular." The elf smiles with his head shaking left and right, his smile contains a sad undertone.

Master Zhou eyes narrow as his head just come up with something. " Speaking of your wife, I can't help but wonder about her stance against the Princess. Can you elaborate further on that?"

With a nod, the elf slowly explains. " I've been with her before Ragnarok, we're one of the first few to set foot on Belkan soil. During the early period of the Reich, she has always taken the stance of elven supremacy, especially us wood elves as we are the closest ones to nature, hence Yggdrasil. In her mind, it's the elf that should be leading the other races, not cooperating with them. So imagine her maddening expression when our daughter, fortunately, she's a high elf, failed to make the cut to be Yggdrasil's Avatar. The current Princess, the adopted daughter of our Empresses and a human, is the one that is chosen to bear the banner of Iron and Blood instead. Ever since then, she has stood in opposition to every decision the young Princess makes."

The elf heaves a sigh before continuing. " When the decision was made to put the Princess in command of a military division, she blew her top off. While my daughter is a genius and I'm proud of her, she doesn't have any military experience so imagine my surprise when my wife argued to put her in charge instead of the Princess. Thankfully, her political clout fell short when her faction members kept getting thrown into jail, the Princess got her new job while I'm left to deal with a very piss-off elf. Spoiler, it's not fun. Since then, she has been doing everything she can to try and hinder the Princess but failed in every single attempt be it logistical requisition or transfer orders. Recently, she filed a complaint about the complete lack of wood elves in the division, citing that the division is being racist which is, by far, the most ironic thing I've ever heard coming out of her mouth. Truly, if I have the strength to do so, I would have brought my daughter somewhere far away from her clutch."

" I see..." Master Zhou calmly commented. " You've had it hard."

The elf let out a pained smile. " I just hope she won't do anything that's irredeemable otherwise, it will be our daughter that has to pay the price."

They then move on to discuss different subjects, unknowing that such a thing had already happened, and ironically enough, it will happen again in the future.

But ignorance is bliss. Should the elf knew what was about to come, he would have shot his wife in a heartbeat.

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Reich Palace, court hall.

Gathering inside a lavishly decorated hall, mainly in the color of black, red, and gold, are officials dressed in a variety of formal wears of varying ethnicities. They, sitting at a large oval-shaped oak table, are informing their Empresses, who are sitting upon their thrones, of the latest information about their society. Some give acknowledgment about the increase in yields of crops, while others stated concern about a possible lack of fuel to serve the country's needs. A few issues are easy enough that the Empresses can quickly solve after speaking a few words though some still need an in-depth discussion with the ministers at hand.

It's in the middle of such conversation when the court is rudely interrupted by a messenger, his haste alarms a few present in the room.

" Halt! What's the reason for you to interrupt Her Majesties?" The Valkyries, flanking either side of the hall and are in charge of the safety of the royalties, intercept the messenger. With dept movement, the bearer of news kneels and reports.

" Your Majesties the Empresses and ministers. I've come bearing joyous news! Please allows me to say it."

The announcement causes murmurs to spread across the table. Some ministers turn to their compatriots to fish out more information but the room is quick to silence with a clap of hands. The clap was made by none other than Lu, and to be more precise, Empress Lucifer Rosetta de Venusia. She is looking forward to what the messenger has to say. " Well then, say it loud and clear, we don't want to miss out on any detail, am I right? You can be at ease, by the way."

" Yes, your Majesty!" Standing up and taking a prim and proper posture, the messenger continues by pulling out a parchment and reading it aloud. " Urgent report from the Western Front! Last night, at 7:17 pm, after a day-long siege the White Rock fortress is now under the control of the Belka Reich!"

" WHAT!?"

Not just a few but the entire hall explodes into a commotion. Many are confused and it's to be expected considering the matter surrounding White Rock was kept under wraps. It takes a while but eventually the shock dies down when Hel, another Empress of Belka, sends out a pulse of cold energy.

" It's unbecoming of you officials to lose yourself with just a piece of news. Calm yourself, listen to the rest of the report, only then you can post your query."

" Yes, your Majesty! Hail Belka!" Finally registering the joyous news, the hall erupts into a salute.

" Carry on, I want to hear the rest of this in peace." Hel gracefully motions her hand, and the messenger bows and resumes.

" The 404th Division, led by her Highness the Princess, crossed the river of Reno on the 25th of July. On the same day and two days after, the division ambushed and took out a 4000-men strong detachment from White Rock with many other enemy outposts destroyed. Early morning of the 29th, the Princess ordered a siege on the now weakened White Rock fortress. After an intense day of fighting, the White Rock fortress wave the white flag on the evening of the same day. Due to the talented commands from the Princess herself, her division only received light losses. As of now, the Princess is having her division refortify White Rock and is awaiting a handover of the fortress to friendly elements. A letter from her Highness the Princess is also here, your Majesty." The messenger takes out a letter and then promptly gives it to a nearby Valkyrie. She, in turn, brings the letter forward to Lu and Hel.

After receiving it, Lu opens the seal and along with Hel, reads it in front of the many eyes that are waiting for more information. Sadly, only a selected few will be privy to such details.

Halfway through the reading, their faces turned grim. This causes some to feel a sense of dread, they wait with bated breath when the Empresses are finally done with the letter. Lu's and Hel's actions surprise them when Lu set the letter on fire and laughs, while Hel just hugs her head and lets out a sigh.

" Hahahaha... Oh boy, that's my girl alright! Anyway, messenger boy, I'm grateful that you didn't waste any time giving me such juicy information. You're dismissed and have earned yourself a bonus. As for now, the court is adjourned until further notice. I want General Jurgen and Admiral Donitz, alongside Minister Hartmann to stay behind, the rest are free to leave."

" Yes, my Empress!" A chorus of affirmation sounds out. Yet only one failed to get the clue.

" I object! We still have questions that need answers and we have the right to know!" The haughty voice belongs to a female, specifically an elf, a very pissed-off one at that. Standing up with a flurry of hands, she makes damn sure all the attention is on her before speaking. " So far I have been keeping mum about your discreet maneuvers but not any longer! Why is it that you've been keeping information away from us, especially me when I'm the Head of Intelligence! The Princess's rise to power was your doing, I get that but don't you all see? She is wantonly abusing her military power to get what she wanted, she is hogging all the supplies, issuing transfer orders willy-nilly, and when beyond the chain of command to order people? What gives her the rights to-"

" I, give her the rights!" Having had enough of the elf's charade, Lu cuts in with a voice laced with hidden rage. Like a dragon, she lets out a hot breath that makes everyone feel like they're drowning in magma. Hel puts a hand on her shoulder, infused with calming energy to try and stem the rage but...

" And you know what? I feel good about my decision, Yuki has achieved far more than any officers worth their salt in this assembly, no offense but that's the truth." The military personnel in the hall shakes their head, they would rather admire the Princess than envy her job. " So believe me when I say that if indulging in Yuki's whim gonna get us good results, then I'm more than happy to cut you lot off. What kind of Head of Intelligence failed to understand this need for secrecy is beyond me, not to mention if you're competent then you should have all this figured out long ago!" With the small rant out of the way, Lu breaths in and out to calm the rampant mana in the room.

She continues once the room temperature goes back to normal. " I've decided, Avera Everwood, I am now relieving you from your duty! The position that is Head of Intelligence is now vacant and a full investigation of the Bureau will be launched. For so long you damn wood elves have been running the Bureau with such ridiculous ineptitude, causing us to suffer major losses. Now that we have the chance, I will surely enjoy my time getting rid of your filth, one by one. Guards! Take this thing out of my sigh, confine her in her abode!" A cruel smirk marked the end of her abrupt announcement.

Avera, the elf, is quick to protest but fails to put up any meaningful struggle when being flanked by a squad of Valkyries. The hall springs into a buzz of chatters, with the majority of them already anticipating this coming sooner or later. The removal of wood elves and their supporters from the court is a dead giveaway that a time of change is approaching. A good change that is welcome by all considering the current stagnation that was the result of the wood elves' meddling.

Having remembered that they're supposed to be filing out of the court hall, most of them bow to the Empresses before leaving behind the aforementioned names. The last thing they need is to be thrown up in jail like the elves that got dirt on their names.

Exhaling a troubled sigh, Lu slumps down on her throne, letting Hel takes over the upcoming conversation. Seeing that her lover now turned lazy, Hel shakes her head before addressing the few remaining in the court.

" We apologize for the unsightly display from before, however, such action was a necessary display to fully isolate the elves from the court. Now that the last bastion of corruption has been removed for good due to her many slights, we can move onto more pressing matters."

" We understand, your Majesty. If need be we can expedite our discussion so that Empress Lucifer can rest." Minister Kovak Hartmann, a brown-haired man in his mid-fifty, offers his words.

" Then I guess we can speak without needless formality." Hel nods, she habitually starts patting Lu's head, letting the Devil slowly drift into slumber.

The minister and the military official decide to ignore their usual display and focus on Hel's words. " Minister Hartmann, I trust that you've successfully completed the logistic orders you received?"

" Yes, Your Majesty. The first and second quota procurement of munitions, equipment, and personnel for our frontline forces have been achieved. Our factories, trains, and freighters are working day and night to keep our troops well-fed. The special procurement quota demanded by Her Highness the Princess is in transit and is expected to be completely delivered in two days! The process is quick due to the effort of General Jurgen and his cargo aircraft, I must commend him for getting rid of the bureaucrats." The minister gives his regard to the Air Force General who returns it with a smile.

" And you two, anything to add?" Hel address General Jurgen and Admiral Donitz.

Picking up where Hartmann left off, General Jurgen says. " It was all thanks to plans left behind by the Princess that I could swiftly uproot the corruption. As the minister has said, our logistics are operating very smoothly so I have nothing more to add in that regard. Our combat missions, on the other hand, are proceeding quite well. We have a kill ratio of 1 to 4 in air superiority engagements, most notably we have three new Aces. Ground support wise, we have successfully disabled many railways, train stations, and fortified defensive areas near the frontline. It will take them some time to get their logistics up to snuff. The air wings assigned to the 404th Division also reported many victories with one of the new Aces coming from them. They did, however, add that the workload is getting a bit too much for them to handle so they request more support wings. I did check with them and apparently, most of the pilots and aircraft are getting stressed out physically, and mentally due to the fast-paced nature of the division."

" I see, because the distance between the division and our airbases is getting farther and farther, the pilots need to stay for a much longer time in the air. Saying that they will be stressed is an understatement. Very well, rotate those air wings out, and have them replaced by the other available squads at the frontline. Keep replacing them if you have to, I want the 404th to have uninterrupted air support 24/7." Hel ordered.

Jurgen nods then say. " We also completed the modification that the Princess requested on some of our aircraft. Some of the Ju-52s have been fitted with two 20mm autocannons and MG-34s, they will be good assets to have by providing a constant stream of fire to suppress enemy location. The new air-drop naval mines have also been received and are being field-tested, they will be ready for the upcoming campaign. There are many more to report but I will hand over the documents pertaining to those later, seeing that we don't have all days to discuss it." While Jurgen may come off as rude, it's because he is a Dwarf, the race tends to be less formal than others. You would rather fight them in mortal combat than tell them to fix their manners. " Aerial reconnaissance is conducted regularly and we try our very best to keep the information up to date. By combining what we gathered with the field reports, the egg-heads endeavor themselves to formulate the enemy activity."

" Excellence! It seems like the funds were well-spent! Those that achieve merits during this campaign will receive their just reward that I guarantee you." Hel acknowledges the efforts of the Air Force, she then motions for Admiral Donitz to speak.

The Admiral is put in charge of the Nord Fleet, operating in the North Sea all the way to the Strait of Denver. For what's about to come his fleet will be an integral part of the plan.

" Your Majesty, the Task Force is at full strength and is fully prepared for a naval incursion on Ustian water. However, we expect the Ustian navy to intercept us on our way to Arash. Depending on the degree of their interference, we may be delayed for a few days."

" What's the estimation of the enemy response force?"

" Intelligence suggests the enemy will send out a force consisting of the Battlecruiser Dunkerque, the Carrier Bearn, and six escorting ships, to stall our advance. Should the battle goes on, they can throw into the fray the nearby battleship Bretagne and her four escorting ships. With more than half our fleet being posted elsewhere to maintain our naval presence, we are outgunned should the battle drag on."

" Tell me our force composition for the task." With a pensive look, Hel questioned.

" As planned, we will be sending in our only capital ships the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau alongside their escort one heavy cruiser, three light cruisers, and four destroyers. Protected by them will be four troop transports, each carrying a regiment of infantry." Donitz answered, he has a thoughtful look on his face before he suggests. " Your Highness, if we lessen our attack on enemy convoys and relocate a few submarines, we can set up a trap for the Ustian navy."

Hel quirks an eyebrow at the suggestion, she can envision the scenario Admiral Donitz put forward. " By luring out the Ustian interception force, which may or may not consist of three capital ships into open water, you're making them more susceptible to submarine attack. All the more so when their escorts are kept busy by our own Task Force. By adding the submarines into the mix, you can have a shot at causing a devastating blow to their navy. So instead of rushing toward Arash, you will take your time to clean up the enemy naval presence in one fell swoop. Am I correct so far, Admiral Donitz?"

" Yes, Your Majesty. I know this plan I put forth is no different than leaving the 404th to dry at Arash for the few days it takes to implement this. But I assure you that this is the best move we can make. By rushing forward we risk being blindsided by the Ustian navy, losses will be unpredictable. If we lay out the trap and wait for them to take the bait, we can not just prevent unwanted losses but also stab a dagger into the back of our enemy. I beseech you to think this through, your Majesty!" Admiral Karl Donitz deeply bows.

Seeing the sight, General Jurgen also steps up. " Your Majesty, what the Admiral said is not without reason, I view his plan very favorably as this is one of the rare chances we can strike at the enemy's core strength with moderate risk. If you agree, I will double my effort to make sure the Princess has all the support she needs in place of our navy for the duration of the plan. For that, I can swear a blood oath, your Majesty."

" General, you-" Shocked, Donitz and Hartmann turned inquisitively. Should you breach a blood oath, its punishment is only second to a soul oath. They wonder why would Jurgen goes this far to back Donitz up. But before they can speak, Hel silences them.

" Quiet, let me think."

The original plan by Yuki was to have the navy blockade Arash, making sure no ship gets in or out of the port city. Seeing the risk that her division has to face alone, Lu and Hel modified the battle plan to include a naval invasion part. They hope to bolster Yuki's force but now this matter props up and they have to make a choice. Either rush the transports to Arash, possibly losing all of them though Yuki can receive timely reinforcement. Or set an ambush, destroy or cripple the enemy ships, then send the transports through without a hindrance but it will take days.

Hel let outs a mental sigh, it's at times like this that she really wants the input from Lu. Sadly, she seems to take pleasure in lazing around for now. No doubt she trusts her to make the correct choice... Decision, decision.

' Tsk... Yuki, I really hope you will forgive me for this.' Biting back a groan, Hel makes up her mind.

" Admiral Donitz, how confident are you in your plan. For all we know, the enemy could dismiss the bait or send in a much larger fleet to completely scrap our plan."

With gusto, the Admiral replies. "Your Majesty, I can say for sure that the enemy will fall into our trap. Recently, the Ustian Head of the Navy was replaced by a young one and an easy win will look good on their record. As for the enemy fleet composition, I have triple-checked with naval intelligence and personally sent out my trusted subordinates to scout out the enemy, there won't be any other ships than the ones listed before. Once they approached us, they will not be able to escape!"

While the Admiral's words are reassuring, Hel still needs to question the Air Force General. " And you? To dare swear a blood oath, I presume you have enough bites to back your words?"

" If need be I will personally fly a Junker to bomb the enemy, your Majesty!" The General salutes.

Many seconds of tense silence pass by, and beads of sweat appear on Donitz and Jurgen, with only Hartmann remains calm by mentally calculating the cost of such a maneuver. Hel, having wasted enough time with her mulling, finally gives the go-ahead for Operation Upheaval.

She dismisses them shortly after, before carrying Lu back to their quarter. They both need a rest after today.

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Walking down the hall, Donitz, Jurgen, and Hartmann are discussing what happened earlier.

Donitz poses a question to Jurgen. " My friend, the stuff you did earlier, while I appreciate it, I couldn't help but wonder why you put yourself in this mess."

Jurgen quirked an eyebrow at that. " I'm not sure whether you've inhaled too much Carbon Oxide in those subs or not when you ask a stupid question like that. In case you forget, we're all good friends here no? You, me, Hartmann, and Belladonna, sadly she's not here but that's beside the point. Friends, help each other, especially when the situation is salvageable."

Hartmann interjects with his lips curved up. " So if it's not salvageable we would have ditched you, Donitz... At least, that's what I think Belladonna would say."

" What he said. Anyway, the power of bloody friendship aside, your plan has merit. It will increase the chance of success if we can work together on this one. I have spared bomber crews, fresh out of the academy, I can send them to help you alongside a few vets to keep them in line. I can also set up some air patrols to help you achieve air superiority, and effectively disable Bearn air wings." Jurgen looks at Donitz. " You need only focus on protecting the transports and sinking the surface combatants. Though if my boys and girls score a kill, make sure to credit them in the after-action report."

A smile ghosted Donitz's face. " If they really pull that off, I will offer them a medal, personally. As for you, make sure you Arash still stand till my ships arrive."

" Don't worry about us just yet. Maybe we'll be bombing Paris by the time you touch the sand."

Hartmann shakes his head at their banter. Putting on his cap, he says. " Anyway, you boys can go kill and blow stuff. I will be coordinating the logistic effort to keep you boys running and gunning. I will also send a word to Bella, urging her to push faster toward Arash in case you guys fail. It's the Princess's life at stake here so I expect you two to be at your A-game. The last thing I need is to handle your post-mortems as my paperwork has a backlog of ten years already." Arriving at the Palace gate, right beside their respective cars, Hartmann salutes. " To Victory!"

" To Victory!" The other two saluted back before they part ways. Each heading in a separate direction to uphold their duty.

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Elsewhere.

*CRASH*

In a lavishly decorated study, mainly adorned with emeralds, a very pissed-off elf is trashing the place. Nothing escapes her wrath, saved for a few items that hold immense material value or are one of a kind. As for others, more replaceable stuff... Either they went out the windows or the carpeted floor will be their demise.

" Damn it all! The shame! The disgrace! That whore humiliated me in front of the court!" You guessed it correctly, this is Avera Everwood, former Head of Intelligence of the Belkan Military.

True to her last name, the room denotes her association with nature ( being a wood elf), hence the heavy emphasis on green-colored gems and ornaments. The decoration style tried to bring peace and harmony to the occupants, but sadly, it failed miserably.

" What does that little slut has to offer!? Why is it that a lowly human attained the rank of the Chosen One but not my daughter, a High Elf!?"

Throwing a flower vase hailed from Ancient Japan onto the ground, she stained the carpet with remnants of a special Sakura branch.

" Huff... Huff... I see, this is the test of the Mother Goddess. I must not be deterred, my patience and perseverance will be rewarded and finally, I will see my daughter sit rightfully on that throne!"

Growing increasingly delusional, hoarse laughter escape Avera's mouth. She fails to notice the look of pity she receives from a maid at the doorstep of her study. The maid stealthily puts on her poker face when Avera is about to address her.

" Tell me, are we still able to contact our operatives?" Sitting on a chair, Avera lets her maid pour herself a shot of whiskey.

The maid replies. " Yes, mistress. While you're not allowed to leave the premise, I can still serve as your middlewoman should you have any instruction you want to pass on."

Without a word, Avera downs her glass. She let the maid wipe her lips before she says. " Pass my words. That slut-of-a-Princess must die before the battle for Arash ends... You know what, send in the Converted so we won't be traced."

If the maid was stunned, she doesn't show it on her face, though she does request clarification. " Are you sure, Mistress? The Converted is a force you have been training as an Ace in your sleeve. Sending them out this early could prove to be less effective."

" I know they're unproven, damn it! But they're humans and having them kill the Princess is a much better choice than sending out elves! We don't have time anymore as that Princess has been racking up too much influence, if she returns we would be dead! So dead she must!" Avera rants. " Why, why can't they see that the lowly human will be the demised to our blessed races!?"

The rant goes on for a few more minutes with the only listener being the maid, still dutifully serving her Mistress. As the clock ticks to 4 pm, Avera is reminded that she must go see her daughter by the maid. This prompts her out of her trance.

" ... I need to get myself ready, help me."

" As you wish, Mistress." The maid leads Avera to a changing room.

Standing in front of a full-body mirror, Avera has the maid remove her attire. Seeing her hourglass body reflected in the mirror, Avera admires herself as the maid starts doing her emerald hair. She combs the hair to make it less messy before braiding the hair to let it flows down to Avera's waist. The maid then helps Avera put on a green robe and golden accessories. Finally, an emerald crown is placed on top of her head.

" You look as gorgeous as ever, my Mistress." The maid accompanies her compliment with a bow.

" You surely know how to serve me well, my dear." Twirling slightly to get a better glimpse at herself, Avera says. " If you keep on helping me like this, I have no idea what position to give you after all this is done."

" Perhaps being the head of your maids is a better job for me." The maid interjected, earning a snicker from Avera.

" You jest, your talent is better suited to be my personal agent, rather than a lowly maid. Marks my word, I will reward you handsomely for your dedication to my cause!"

After saying her words and a few more instructions, Avera and the maid depart for Avera's daughter. Standing on the precipe of her daughter's room, Avera says. " Go perform your duty, I will ring for you when we're done. Serve us the usual meal."

" It will be done, Mistress." The maid bowed, her sight caught a glimpse of golden hair when Avera pushed the door inward and head in.

Letting out a muted sigh, the maid move away from the room, leaving the pair of mother and daughter to their bonding time. While there are a few screws loose in her head, Avera is a loving mother, that she can't deny. Unfortunately, she picks the wrong side in this conflict.

Suddenly, she is interrupted by another elf. It's the husband of Avera.

" Master, you have returned."

" I run back at soon as I heard the news. I presume the additional soldiers outside are to keep my wife in check?" The elf, master of the house, scratches his scrawny brown hair before pointing outside.

" It appears so, Master."

" She really did it huh..." Sighing, the elf says. " You go on ahead, I will be in the library, bring me a cup of cappucino, would you kindly?"

" At once, Master." The maid did her curtsy before heading for the kitchen, leaving the Master to his device.

Midway through, she goes into an unoccupied room and deploys a privacy ward. Conjuring up a voice transmission spell, she reports her recent activity and finding to her true master. Everything was reported with not a single thing falsified or missing. Oh boy, little did Avera know she has been nurturing one deadly Agent.

" ... That concluded my report. I will send you my memory orb, Master. This will serve as further proof of the wood elves' crimes. If you have any more requests, please inform me."

She then conjures a white orb before sending it through an orange portal. Cutting the mana supply to her magic, the orange portal then fizzles out of existence. Now then, back to being a good maid.

" A serving of meal and a cup of cappucino. Let's make haste."

This is the daily life of Agent, the best maid there is.