《The Exalted》


 -1 List of Characters and other Useful Information

    List of Characters:


    Frederick Montpensier v. Ostfalen-d''Este: A young Canadian lawyer with a tragic past who speaks English, French, German, and Mandarin. Murdered in a dark alley after a hugely successful legal suite, he was reincarnated in another world and is intent on starting a new life without regrets. He has extraordinary memory and a keen sight on any battlefield.


    Laura Montpensier d''Este: 25 years old woman with dark brown hair and pristine blue eyes. She is Frederick''s mother in his second life. While an affectionate mother and wife, she is bossy with her husband and her threatening glare is enough to scare off a seasoned warrior. Before her marriage, she was the daughter of a noble of the Laurelia Kingdom which was at war against Lacrimosa at the time. Trained by high-ranked generals, her military talent is second to none.


    Heydrich von Ostfalen: 25 years old man with ash brown hair and indigo eyes. He is Frederick''s father in his second life. Having graduated magna cum laude from the Lacrimosian Royal Academy of War (Kriegschule), he quickly became a trusted general of His Majesty the King. As a husband, he is very obedient and submissive towards his wife, Anne, whom he loves dearly.


    Erika: A girl one year older than Frederick. She has platinum-blond hair and gray-blue eyes that are often compared to a thunderstorm. She is Frederick''s first friend. She also goes by another name, Princess Ekaterina of the House of Elektrov-Lacrimosa. She is an extremely precocious child who wants to create a strong officer corps.


    Lars Elektrovich von Lacrimosa: 33 years old man. Head of the House of Elektrov-Lacrimosa and current King of the Kingdom of Lacrimosa. Known as a brilliant diplomat and statesman. He is also known by those close to him as Sir Lardon. He was responsible for ending the 50-years war opposing Laurelia and Lacrimosa.


    Elizaveta E. von Lacrimosa (n¨¦e Palatina): 33 years old woman. Queen of Lacrimosa. Before marrying into the Elektrov-Lacrimosa House, she was a foreigner from the Azuria Region who studied alongside Lars in the Kriegschule. Important military strategist and general of the Lacrimosian Armed Forces, she is called "Betty" by her close friends.


    Ursula von Augsburn: Currently a 17 years old graduating cadet from the Cuirassiers Division in the Kriegsschule. She is the daughter of Count Augsburn from the Camelia province in central Lacrimosa. With a brilliant strategic mind, professional military behavior and strong fighting prowess, she classes among the strongest of her cohort''s cadets. Alongside Estelle and Alexa, she is currently having her final examination by escorting the Princess during the winter to her vacation quarters in Neuchatel, Azuria Province. Her family has ties with the 1st Army of the West''s Colonel General Leiden. Despite her strict military professionalism and discipline, she is just as frivolous as any girl her age when off duty.


    Countries of the Eastern Region:


    1. Grand Kingdom of Lacrimosa: Mostly German-speaking country situated at the easternmost territory in the region, governed by the House of Elektrov-Lacrimosa.


    2. Republic of Nordmark: A cold country north of Lacrimosa, governed by a Senate composed of wealthy burghers.


    3. Confederation of the Cadornian States: Union of a large number of wealthy city-states situated south-west of Lacrimosa. The official language in this area is Italian, with different dialects depending on the City State.


    The Lacrimosian Armed Forces:


    The Armed Forces are currently divided into 5 departments: the Infantry, the Cavalry, the Artillery, the Navy and the Non-Combat Department.


    Ranks for Commissioned officers in the Lacrimosian Land Forces:


    1. Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)


    2. Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)


    3. Hauptmann (Captain) /Rittmeister (Master of Cavalry)


    4. Major


    5. Oberst (Colonel)


    6. Generalmajor (Brigadier General)


    8. General der Infanterie/der Artillerie/der Kavallerie (Deputy General of...)


    9. Generaloberst (Colonel General)


    10. Marshall von K?nigreich (Marshal of the Kingdom)*


    11. Generalissimus von Lacrimosa (Supreme Commander of the Combined Forces)


    There are three Marshals of the Kingdom, each commanding one of the 3 Army Groups of the Lacrimosian Armed Forces. The current Marshals are Regina Elizaveta Elektrovna von Lacrimosa, Manfred Ricantrop and Ernst Pavlovich Saltykov.


    Calendar:


    The Hexian calendar used by Lacrimosa operates by 10-days weeks called decades and there are 12 months in a year that are divided by seasons.


    They are inspired from the very romantic French Revolutionary Calendar, but divisions by days are not exactly the same to avoid unnecessary complications.


    Autumn:


    Vend¨¦miaire (September)


    Brumaire (October)


    Frimaire (November)


    Winter:


    Niv?se (December)


    Pluvi?se (January)


    Vent?se (February)


    Spring:


    Germinal (March)


    Flor¨¦al (April)


    Prairial (May)


    Summer:


    Messidor (June)


    Termidor (July)


    Fructidor (August)

 1 Prologue

    I am a lawyer...or at least I was until I was killed at the back of the street while interviewing a client''s witness. What have I done wrong? Now, the reason I was targeted may be this recent case I took for a friend (who was on vacation) that dealt with a divorce between a wealthy and intelligent CFO and his equally cunning wife. The reason for this? Well...it''s a classic case of a mistress wanting to marry her man despite him being already married. This case was very different from your regular divorce negotiations though, as both parties possessed hidden wealth and income, and they accused each other of stashing money and evading taxes. Both wanted a larger part of each other''s property and none was willing to give it. My client was the man and let''s say that I may have gone too far for his sake. In the end, we won the case even if both were equally guilty. The assassin must''ve been sent by the wife to take revenge on me...


    Enough about that. I think I died way too young. I mean, as 25 years old with a master''s degree in law and 3 bars, I believe I did have the potential to go far had I been allowed to live longer. Oh, before I forget, I spoke 4 languages, which are English, French, German and Chinese. Don''t ask why I know Chinese...I''ve been watching Chinese dramas for eight years now and the fact that my mother''s half Chinese helped a little. In terms of looks, I don''t think I was too bad, as I had brown eyes and very blond hair. The only problem was that I wasn''t too tall, but that happens when you didn''t do enough sport when you were younger. I had a sister who was 3 years younger than me. She may have inherited my mother''s look, since she had long, dark brown hair and pale white skin. She had my father''s intense grey eyes though, so there''s that.


    I was caught in a hurricane, I dare believe, and as the man shot through my mouth, liquid, maybe blood, filled my throat and lungs. My eyes closed and my consciousness seemed to drift somewhere...somewhere dark. It was comfortable dusk, like a mother''s womb if that makes sense. I felt protected. I felt like I was loved. It''s been a long time since I last hugged my sister, a good three months give or take. This feeling is familiar to when I bury my face in her dark silky hair. Before you think otherwise, I assure you my relationship with my sister is completely platonic, an affectionate family relationship.


    Peter...


    Peter...


    PETER!


    Huh? What is it? A voice called me...whose is it? It feels familiar, like a long-forgotten memory coming back to me.


    "Your premature death wasn''t an accident."


    Well, of course, it was that woman. Who are you, anyway?


    "I am Chronus, God of Time. I see everything. The past, the present and the future are my domain. As for you, let''s say that... there''s a world that needs you more. Had you stayed in your old world, you would do great things..."


    Um...so why have me die now?


    "Great, but terrible things. Like Adolf Hitler before you, your experiences later in life will force you to bring disaster upon the world, a disaster that us Titans cannot overlook."


    Oh great, so the world was overseen by Titans. I had always thought that there was this one God who stalked everyone.


    "Hahahahaha! THAT god...Look, us Titans have been fighting for two millennia to become that one universal God you people believe in. Right now, it''s me, but I foresee that in eight hundred years...things will change."


    "Enough chatter. You will be sent to another world, a world where you will be able to flourish and maximize the use of your talents. The technological progress in this world resembles that of around the French Revolution in yours. And as a matter of fact, the administrative level is very low. They are still in the medieval mindset."


    Umm ok? Do they have toilets and running water?


    "No. So your job is to live in this world and follow where your heart brings you. That is the only advice I can give you. You will be granted two abilities that will distinguish you from the rest of the population. First, you will be able to learn anything ten times faster than anyone else. Your brain''s processing power will be improved to assess large amounts of information at once. Your memory will also be adjusted accordingly. Your second "power" is to be able to have a bird''s view of every battlefield you are in. That includes grand battlefields beyond thousands of acres. Your brain will have such a function, so don''t worry. As I had to give you part of myself to grant you these powers, your body will be partially divine, like 1%, and you will age slower than anybody else in your environment."


    Wait, you want me to be a military man or what? I''m a lawyer! And ummm... how long do I get to live? Like 100 years and I die looking like 20?


    "You will live around 200 years and yeah, you die looking like 20."


    Well, I guess I have no choice. I like the prospect of starting everything from scratch and having cool powers.


    "Well anyway, here''s my cue. Live well, child of the Gods. Please enjoy your new life!"


    And I fell.

 2 Chapter 1

    Wait wait wait! The language barrier!How can I understand things here?Wait...oh yeah, brain power. Learning anything fast. It will be slow at first, but I have always been good at learning languages, so it should not be a problem. As for writing, this will come in a few years, not now.


    As I opened my eyes for the very first time, I saw a beautiful woman in silk clothes holding me close. She had tired-looking blue eyes and dark and curly brown hair. Her mouth curved in a radiant smile as she saw me staring at her.


    "Ch¨¦ri, viens voir! Le b¨¦b¨¦ a ouvert ses yeux!" She called aloud.


    Wait, what? That was French. Pure french from the Fifth French Republic in my original world. With a heavy French accent, "du coup". She''s calling for someone, someone dear to her... Could it be her husband?


    She must be my mother, right? In my old life, I would definitely have been seduced by this fine lady. Her pale complexion contrasted strongly with her dark hair. However, I did not feel any sexual urges or desire despite being held so close. I was just very hungry in the physical sense of the word...or should I rather say it like this? My body strongly lacked nutrient at the moment, which will eventually halt the secretion of growth hormone in my pituitary gland if I don''t eat fast. Hence, I started crying loudly, hoping that the young woman understood my plea for food. As soon as I cried, a man came into the room. He had smooth ash brown hair and a robust, but slim, build. His face was very handsome with very well-defined jawline. I sincerely hope that he is indeed my father since chances are that I could inherit his good looks, along with my mother''s beautiful traits.


    The woman frowned. "Looks like the baby doesn''t like you. You better compensate for scaring him like that," she said as she winked at me.


    Don''t get me wrong! I''m just really really hungry! It''s nothing personal! I should stop crying right now, but I don''t seem to be able to.


    "W-well..." The man stumbled.


    Poor man. I was just thinking that when the woman looked at me again and smiled.


    "Don''t worry about it, darling," she said as she turned the other way with me in her arms. "He''s just hungry."


    Is this lady a sadist? Once again, I directed a wave of tender feeling towards the father as my mother brought me into the bedroom.


    The bedroom was a large 18 square meters room with a big wooden bed and a wooden vanity at the edge of the room. Despite the meager amount of furniture, the overall look of the room was more than elegant to the eyes. The reddish wood was obviously very high quality and the everything looked as if it has been meticulously crafted. It gave the same atmosphere as a room I have visited inWarwick Castle, UK, a few years ago.


    As I was looking around the room, my mother closed the curtains and the door. The room suddenly lit up with a dim light. Was it an oil lamp?


    Slowly, she took off her silk gown, revealing her ample bosom in all its natural glory.


    Despite having such an arousing view, I had no sexual desire. This woman is my mother and I am just a baby.


    My heartbeat suddenly grew faster and faster as she approached my face to her breast. Something soft covered my mouth and as I followed my instinct, a rich sweet liquid flowed into my mouth, giving me a strong feeling of warmth and love.


    ...


    To say the least, it was a fulfilling experience. Hopefully, the next times will be just as enjoyable as this.


    Once fed, I felt my eyelids become heavy. I needed to sleep. And everything faded in sweet, sweet darkness.

 3 Chapter 2

    Today, I celebrated my second birthday. I felt that my consciousness was becoming clearer recently. I was also given a name, Friedrich or Frederick. I am indeed quite satisfied with it, as one of the fathers of Germany was called by the same name.


    So much has happened during the past years. I only started to speak a few months ago. Fortunately for me, the language spoken in this land...or at least in my new family, is French. Like most of the citizens from the Canadian province of Quebec, French has always been my first language. Of course, it is still awkward to some degree, since I am used to speaking English and German at home. My parents were impressed that I could speak so fluently at such a young age. Personally, though, I was disappointed at my voice since it was difficult to speak clearly and the words that came out are far from satisfying.


    For this second birthday, my parents have invited neighbors and friends at home for the very first time. Now that I think about it, I have never left our bedroom nor even seen anyone else than my parents in the last two years. Somehow, my parents forbid it and I was not curious enough to go out or find out why. Some might think that I must have been bored to stay in one room for two years without going out, but as an ex-workaholic, it was only some much needed time to relax and not do anything. One day when I was one, Father brought a stack of books to read before going to sleep. Through my blurry consciousness, I read the French title of one of them: "Guerres et conflits du X¨¨me si¨¨cle," which meant "Wars and Conflicts during the Tenth Century."


    In the evening, I would secretly ask my mother to read me passages from Wars and Conflicts and ask her to explain to me what they meant. That is how I found out that despite being a woman in a pseudo-medieval age, she was fairly well-versed in military affairs. I even suspected that she has already been on many battlefields before settling down in this house. Thus, before even knowing where I was living, I started learning about historical wars and politics.


    I also learned that we were currently living in the eleventh century. The past two hundred years was mainly marked by bloody wars waged between former allies as well as external enemies. Three hundred years ago, the land was fertile and society was well established. Everywhere you go, people were kind and hospitality was a core value of every citizen no matter their nationalities. However, tensions soon broke out between the three wealthiest nations of the era: the Empire of Aquileia, the Grand Kingdom of Greater Pretoria, and the Azur Principate. Meager territorial disputes and tensions soon grew into full-fledged warfare between the three nations and their allies. Maps were drastically changed every year, as none was willing to give up the fight. Armament technology was greatly stimulated, reaching the pinnacle of technological progress, while the rest fell behind. The soldiers in the Later Wars used percussion rifles and pistols, but they were still far behind in terms of hygiene and public infrastructure. The war has lasted more than 300 years. The supernations collapsed one by one, divided into many smaller countries that have started to fight for domination, some to unite the former nations, some for personal ambitions and some for revenge. People had to be wary at any moment, even in their own houses. It was only two years ago that the wars in the Eastern region where I live have finally ended after three centuries. The peace process can be attributed to the current ruler of my country, K?nig Lars Elektrovich von Lacrimosa. This great King came from a modest baron family and rose to the rank of Grand Marshal in only five years after his graduation from the military academy. Soon after, he profited from a coup d''¨¦tat against the former disorganized King and became the Lord of the realm in the power struggle that ensued. After expanding his country and spreading a revolutionary and efficient administration, he forced all leaders to the negotiating table and drafted and adopted the Eastern Kingdom Peace Treaty of the year 1018.


    In my country of Lacrimosa, there are two major ethnicities: the Landsvolk and the Azurians. The former that represents more than 80% of the demography speak German and live mostly east of the town I currently live in. The latter 20% was composed of many different ethnicities and around half of this number belongs to my community: the Azurians. Another linguistic quirk in this world, or at least in Lacrimosa, lies in the distinction between two classes of the aristocracy, which calls itself the "Elegantsiya". This social group is divided into two classes: the Patrician and the New Nobility. The former adopts pseudo-Russian surnames, such as the royal family''s Elektrovich or Elektrovna. On the other hand, the New Nobles all have the German particle "von" in their names. In really rare cases, families would have two surnames, for instance, Lacrimosa''s royal family, which is the House of Elektrov-Lacrimosa. The king''s surnames are Elektrovich von Lacrimosa. Curiously enough, my family name is even more peculiar, as it has three names from three linguistic backgrounds. In fact, my full name is Frederick Montpensier von Ostfalen-d''Este. Since it is very long, my parents agreed on only using "Ostfalen" when we introduce ourselves. Although very faint, I did notice a barely perceptible threatening look in my mother''s eye when she told me that. From that, I can infer that there are graver implications with my long name. Of course, right now is not the time to inquire.


    According to my mother, the Kingdom I live in is called the K?nigreich of Lacrimosa, which is governed by a King, K?nig Lars, and his wife, Regina Elizaveta. The former is a decorated general, a highly efficient administrator, and a brilliant diplomat. The latter isn''t bad neither since she was known a genius strategist. Her advisory skills encompass not only military strategies but also all matters of statesmanship. It is said that she was a foreigner who attended the Royal War Academy, the Kriegschule, as an international student and that is also where she first met King Lars. It seems that she, as a commoner from another country, was admitted upon recognition of her magnificent intellect and skills when assisting the Royal Army in the West. The two currently enjoy a passionate relationship after many years of war side by side and have bore twins, His Highness Prince Reinhard E. von Lacrimosa and Princess Ekaterina Elektrovna Edelweiss von Lacrimosa. The title "Edelweiss" is meant for the first princess, an equivalent title to that of an archduchess in my world. Throughout history, however, many male royals have also received this title, which essentially strips them of their inheritance right to the throne. This is particularly weird since the royal couple has been known to be open-minded and also very rational, which in theory should have them designate the heir based on ability and personality and not by gender alone. Designating an heir without such considerations (since the prince is still too young to demonstrate true competency) when the king is only 30 and in perfectly good health gives me an unsettling feeling. Ominous, even. Unfortunately, I cannot discuss such a subject with my parents, as I would draw suspicion for having deep political thoughts as a two years old baby.


    For now, why not enjoy life as it is? Every day is so sweet and pleasant. Doing nothing but resting and having a beautiful mother read me books all day is a luxurious life for me, who had to desperately study after I failed my organic chemistry class and enrolled in law school. After school, things got even more hectic, as I suffered strongly from a pathological inferiority complex for having failed courses in pre-university. Compared to that time, this lifestyle I currently have is the best of all. It would be nice if this could last forever.


    ...


    During my birthday celebration, not many people were invited. Only a close group of my parents'' friends came to visit. They were mostly some dandy young men and elegant young women who had my parents'' age, around the early 20s. All of them sat straight and looked regal and very confident. A strange aura emanated from them, making me feel like I did not want to make them my enemies. One of them, a so-called "Lady Betty", brought along her baby girl who''s only a year older than me. Her name was Erika. She had platinum blond hair and gray-blue eyes, like dark thunderous clouds. It was at first very awkward between us, considering our great difference in mental age. Somehow, I managed to coerce her into going for a walk and getting some sweets from the kitchen. It was the first time that I left the living quarters in the mansion and I never knew that the house was actually that big. That can be said even AFTER considering the influence of my low height on my perception. We were utterly lost. I had a bad sense of orientation in my previous world and I had hoped not to have the same problem now that I had superior brainpower. Alas! Will it ever disappear? Will I be known in the future as " Frederick the "Directionally-challenged"? Or "Frederick who can''t even find his way through his own house"? At this thought, I shuddered. I don''t want to end up like this...


    Finally, I started crying really loud under Erika''s curious and amused gaze and as expected, Lady "Betty" and my mother stormed out of the living room to look for us. Fortunately, they did not blame me for getting lost and even commended my "gallantry", since I was always holding Erika''s hand so she did not get separated from me. I have a bad feeling that Erika will always remember how I cried like this. How embarrassing! I better make it up to her. Somehow.


    That was my first meeting with the woman who will change my life and my world in less than twenty years.


    A fateful meeting.

 4 Chapter 3

    Three years have passed since I have reincarnated into this world.


    By now, my mind is already as clear as it was before I died. I could already process the writing of my home region, the High Azurian. The writing is essentially old French, which was not that hard to read for someone with a social sciences background like me. Even if I can read, I don''t yet have enough confidence to write, especially since I would undoubtedly revert to my former writing style.


    Of course, I also cannot show my parents that I knew how to read, as children generally learn that at around 10 in this world. I would rather not raise suspicion if I can avoid it. For now, I just want to relax and learn as much as I can of this exciting new world. A world with a strange technology balance and Kantian politics and above all, no nuclear arms to act as a deterrent.


    The superficial peace we had back in my former world was extremely boring. Every morning when I would spare some time to read the news, only critics about a certain world leader would pop up. Starting up with a group of people with questionable interests and winning the election after a very mediatized campaign, he has started purging key members of his staff due to scandals and internal power struggles. After two years of reading about him every single day, I fear that I have become an expert on the matter without being aware of it. At this point, I can probably speak about him more than I can speak about math, chemistry or physics, as a matter of fact. And these are subjects that I have majored in during pre-university college for two strenuous and very disappointing years. In the end, I even had to turn in this paper called the "Extended Essay" on top of my already painful courses and assessments. Again, compared to this, my life right now is heavenly, to say the least.


    Every day after my reincarnation, I remind myself that this is a second chance that Chronus has given me. A new life where I am starting from zero, where my past failures are unknown.


    You see, even after becoming a reasonably successful lawyer, I have always been haunted by the fact that I have failed three courses during pre-university, two math classes and one organic chemistry class. Due to this immense and irreparable failure, I had attended one more semester to redo these courses for my diploma and go to university a year later than anyone my age. When I was finally able to attend law school, I was still suffering from my past humiliation seeing that my classmates were mostly younger than me. Even some of my seniors were a few months younger. I was never able to let go of that. In order to stop thinking about it, I immersed myself in my studies and later on, my work. This procured me with temporary pleasure from the success I have earned without any math or chemistry to crush me. As a result, however, I have never gotten close to anybody after prep college. But now, this is all erased, gone, as it never happened. I''m in a world where all those things are non-existent. No one here knows that I have failed classes, that I had to take a year more to finish my studies. That I have been treated as a slave by my former parents because of my lamentable failure. That my father has been diagnosed with cancer a few months after he found out I failed so hard in my studies.


    In my most desperate times before law school, I have even considered enrolling in military school. In my former world''s era, the armed forces were regarded as an alternative for people who have failed in life, who was unable to get a proper career. Thus, military officers in the so-called "Western Powers" were not the most brilliant people, but more like people with good background and physical strength. Of course, I don''t say all countries. The United States and Russia still have very decent officers because they value national defense more than any other nation. Canada, on the other hand, has a severe lack of personnel in its ranks due to the fact that the army is not positively recognized, especially during the Justin Trudeau administration that does not believe in the relevance of a standing army. Thus, enrolling in the army in my country was not at all well regarded and not at all a prestigious career. Even more so, as the army''s purpose is becoming obsolete because of technological advancement in the arms industry, especially in the area of nuclear weapons.


    Another reason that I cherish my current lifestyle so much is that I have very caring parents. It has been more than 8 years since I have been actually treated well by my parents. In fact, since I was in high school, I was in a constant state of fear and depression partly due to my strict and insensitive parents. I do recognize that they loved me, but their way of displaying their affection is...not the way I would have liked it to be. There was an old French saying that came from Latin that said: "Qui aime bien chatie bien," which basically means that those who love you the most would also be the ones who punish you the hardest. While I understand this, it does not mean that I enjoyed it.


    My current parents are more...relaxed in life, let''s say. They are not strict and I am very free to do what I want as long as what I do doesn''t exceed the 3 years old child''s behavior by too much. My parents impose certain restrictions on me, but they are far from unreasonable. For example, when I go outside, I must be accompanied by an adult and I cannot go out of the mansion premises. As I am not the type of suppressed child who desperately wants to try everything and disobey orders, I am just fine with those simple rules. I know that later on, I will be able to go out of the house and see the world. I will be able to go to school and study everything other than math and chemistry. I believe that I could even go to Military School, which is a very prestigious institution here in Lacrimosa. I am still a blank sheet and I will be able to do anything...except for math and chemistry, as I have already insisted so many times.


    In this past year, I have never seen little Erika even once. In fact, the only people we have received here at the house were Lady "Betty" and her husband, Sir "Lardon" and a couple of other older people. They mostly spoke about their lives in Military Academy back in their time, which was like 8 to 15 years ago. Hearing them speak so fondly about their time there, my resolve for enrolling there only grew firmer. I have also heard them speak about the War that they have fought before the peace treaty. It seems that it was more of a war of attrition than anything else. The troops would fight in lines and fire at each other when they were reloading their guns. The artillery would be stationed at strategic places and fire on the firm lines and squares. The cavalry would charge at the squares and try getting some psychological victory through shock and hope to disrupt enemy morale. Of course, that results in more in heavy casualties than anything else. It looks like bravery is rather well seen in this world and every little child would dream of joining the cavalry, which I consider as a waste of valuable resources. Intelligence was even cruder. Signal Corps didn''t exist. Radio didn''t exist. Air units didn''t exist and spies were crudely trained. It looks like having continuous war can be fairly unproductive. Generally, the biggest army would always win. The only units that actually had a detailed strategic doctrine were the cavalry units since they just happen to die a lot no matter what they do and the authorities wanted them to do something meaningful before dying. When they did not need to charge, cavalry units were used to do reconnaissance and relaying orders. Except for that, nobody seemed to have thought about using their higher mobility for combat purposes. The more I listened in, the more I wanted to burst in the gazebo and tell them just how stupid their wars were.


    Fortunately, I was able to control myself. I have to remain a three years old baby after all, right?


    Perhaps I should become a military advisor in the future. I would not need to personally go to the combat zone and risk my new life that I''m firmly intent on enjoying to the fullest. Yes, this is the best course of action and career plan: becoming a military advisor. Maybe even becoming a military theorist like Clausewitz, Sun Tzu or Basil Liddell Hart. I can already imagine myself sitting in a comfortable room with maps and analyzing others'' battles all day long. In fact, during that desperate time when I wanted to give up on everything and joining the army, I have read countless military publications, ranging from Julius Caesar''s campaigns to General Hermann Balck''s memoirs of the two World Wars. I have also read anything relevant to intelligence activities, such as books about the Abwehr, the CIA and the KGB. I even had a doctrine manual for officers of the Wehrmacht, written partially by General von Fritsch.


    For now, though, I should immerse myself in learning about this world''s history and also how I came to have such a long surname.


    My home region is Azuria, which spans from the western border area of Lacrimosa to the central kingdom of Laurelia, the last French-speaking country on the continent. Since the ancient Azurian Empire has collapsed long ago, most of Azuria has been completely assimilated by neighboring nations, from their culture to their languages. Only sparse territories still have traces of the Azurian culture and language, such as Laurelia and my hometown, Neuchatel.


    In fact, Neuchatel is a fairly new addition to the Kingdom of Lacrimosa, as it was a conquered by our very King Lars less than 10 years ago. My mother was the daughter of an important noble who fought against the kingdom. However, as a young intelligence operative, she met my father many times on the battlefields and eventually chose to elope with him, tired of the desperate combat her father was after. At that time, Lacrimosa was also in a bad situation and even cadets from the military academy were sent to the frontlines. My father was a young Lieutenant who was still a cadet. Somehow, my parents bumped into each other many times and also saved each others'' lives. Since my father was not the first son, he did not inherit his father the Margrave of Eastphalia''s estate in the easternmost region but receives annual subsidies from his older brother and the kingdom. After Neuchatel was officially a Lacrimosian territory, my father, who was a friend of the young king, protected my mother from persecution for her status as a hostile lord''s daughter and was allowed to live in my mother''s mansion, my actual home. Of course, we do not have territorial rights or anything like this, but that was okay since we did not have any financial problems. Now, where did the name "d''Este" come from? When I asked my mother, she would always say that it is too complicated for me to know, since I''m still a baby. I had to nag her many times during half of the year until she finally gave me a clue. She said that for legal reasons relative to her marriage with Father, her cousin''s family, the d''Este family, adopted her, but in exchange, her children with my father would also have to bear the name "d''Este". Her cousin currently lives in the Confederation of the Cadornian States, which is south-west from Neuchatel City. Since that name originates from Cadornia, I can infer logically that people there speak Italian or a very similar language.


    Enough about that, however, since I cannot even go out of the house, so it''s going to take a few years to confirm my theory. I wonder when will I tell my mother that I can actually read...I mean, I trust her a lot by now. She and my Dad are very nice people and very open-minded as well. I just feel so bad to hide things from them.


    I also want to meet Erika again. She was the first friend I had since I was 18 in my former world, which makes it 10 years from now.

 5 Chapter 4

    Today, I looked at myself in the mirror for the very first time. I was finally tall and strong enough to climb up my mother''s chair in front of her mahogany vanity.


    I have a small nose, light, silky brown hair and purple eyes. I know it is very unusual, but I swear that my eyes are purple. I had my doubts at first, but my father in this world also has purple irises. Mines are a lighter shade of purple, though.


    Perhaps the eye colors are different in this world since none of my parents'' friends reacted to my eye color. However, they had fairly normal irises, even by my original world''s standards. I hope I don''t stand out too much because of my eyes when comes the time to meet other children.


    Five years have already passed since I was born in this world. I dare to believe that these years I have spent here weren''t wasted since I managed to learn the complete known history and geography of the continent we live on.I also have a general idea of my family''s affiliation and origins.


    At five years old, I am still not allowed outside the premises, which is becoming increasingly frustrating. Other children might just sneak out of the house alone in order to explore the city and all, but I have done no such stupidity. In fact, I am very well aware that I have no means whatsoever to defend myself if danger arises and that I am directionally challenged. I have absolutely no sense of direction, especially in this world where Google Maps isn''t here to save me. Exposing myself to such risks is not my type of things to do. Some people say that being daring is an admirable thing, but in my situation, it is plain recklessness that would bring me no good. Because of that, I will not go outside without permission.


    That also means that I am trying my best to convince my parents to bring me outside.


    "Mom? Can you bring me outside?" I would ask while trying to make a cute face.


    "Of course, but only in the garden, okay?" She would reply while smirking.


    This dialog has happened not once, not twice, but thrice. On top of that, I made sure to ask her that question once every three months, which is enough for me to grow a few centimeters and for her to change opinion. Alas! It seems that all hope is lost.


    The same could be said of my father when I ask him the same question. Judging from how submissive he is with my mother, I thought that I could, perhaps, convince him:


    "Dad, can you bring me outside?" I would ask. " I wanna see you training sword but you might break things in the house."


    "I can show you in the garden if you want, Grasshopper," he would answer.


    "But if you go to the garden," I would try to threaten him. "You would destroy Mom''s flowers and she will get really mad!"


    "Good try, kiddo," He would laugh. "We actually have a training room in the house so your Mom and I could train together when it''s raining. Wanna come?"


    That made me give up on the idea of going out. Maybe in two more years, they would allow me. The fact stays that I am very bored these days. I have already learned how to read and write. I have already learned how to recognize countries and I have even learned all the important historical figures, dates and events by heart.


    I have to admit, Chronus really made life easy for me. I remember everything. Every single thing that happened in my life. That includes every book I have read and every conversation I had in my former life. That also means that every word of the military treatises I have read are all stocked somewhere inside my memories. Obviously, that also includes the horrible experiences I had back in Prep college with Calculus and Organic Chemistry. I am trying to accept these bad memories as those of someone who has lived in another life completely independent from this one. Somehow, I managed to stop thinking about it.


    I, a 5 years old child, will now go plead my parents to teach me how to fight. At some point in my former life, I have read that some knights in the Middle Ages have started training and toning their bodies at a very young age. If they can, I shall also do it. After all, I used to be in the fencing club back when I was in High School. Unfortunately, I never managed to win anything, but I have developed muscle memory of all my moves. What''s more, I can just recall in my mind what my fencing teacher used to teach us. That means that even if my parents refuse to train me, I can still train myself using my fencing routine. Ideally, I hope that my parents accept to train me.


    "Mom? Can you teach me how to fight?" I asked, hopeful that she would accept.


    "Why do you want to fight?" She seemed surprised. "Who do you want to fight?"


    "Maybe bad guys if they come to attack us?"


    "Oh my cutie pie," she said with a weird voice. "You don''t need to worry about that. Nobody will even dare attack us."


    Those words carried some strange power. She was confident alright.


    After that, when I asked my father, he wanted to know what my mother thought of it. Once again, I have failed.


    Of course, that won''t stop me from training on my own, but it is still very depressing. Thus, I started to jog along the garden walls every morning and swing a wooden sword during the afternoon. The wooden sword was shaped like a medieval cross-shaped sword, which made it really hard so swing using the saber techniques I have learned. At least I was able to comfortably train my footing and everything else that doesn''t require a sword.


    All this time, I am pretty sure that my mother was aware of what I was doing. I mean, she would see me sweating while exiting the training room even during winter. Curiously enough, she didn''t ask me anything nor has she made any comment on it.


    One day, she asked me if I wanted to go to military school and I answered positively. I also pretended not to know what a military school is in order to have her explain everything to me.


    The military academy in the capital city of Grandall is called the "K?nigliche Kriegsschule" or the "Royal School of War." A child was admitted at the age of 12 and would be taught at the academy for the next 6 years to become an officer at 18. As the arguably best military school in the Eastern Region, the admission process is very selective. It was an examination divided into three rounds. The first was a physical test to see if the child is fit enough for military services. The child would then be submitted to a psychological test to see if he or she is psychologically able to become an officer. The final test was a General Staff simulation, where the children were divided into teams of three people and they were required to conceive an effective plan when exposed to a specific situation. According to my mother, this test was the easiest to pass, since they just wanted to know if there would be potential military prodigies joining in the upcoming cohort. Basically, most people passed the last round. After two years of general strategic studies, the students were offered the choice of joining five programs depending on their grades. The first one was the infantry, which was a sector that anyone could join regardless of their grades. The second one, the cavalry, required to have a minimum of B in horsemanship and passing grades for every other subject. The third was the artillery. One must have at least a B+ in math and passing grades for every other subject. Finally, the fourth was the Navy, which required above C average and a B in swimming. Finally, the last curriculum was for training non-combat officers, which required above-average grades in everything. After two years in their specific programs, those with the best performances can choose to join the Elite forces classes, which were the Grenadier battalion (infantry), the Cuirassiers battalion (cavalry), the Elite artillery battalion, the Marines Corps (navy) and the Engineer Corps (NCO). During their formation in the Elite classes, the students will be subjected to in-the-field training including but not limited to community work in faraway regions, rebel-suppression and mock battles with paint bullets (the paint bullets were essentially animal blood recycled from the cafeteria kitchens). After graduation, the cadets would join the Armed forces as Leutnant (2nd lieutenant) or Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant). In very rare cases (1 in a thousand), a brilliant cadet would be given the rank of Hauptmann (Captain) or Rittmeister (for the cavalry). She ended her explanation by telling me that even my Dad has graduated as Oberleutnant and that he was superbly handsome in his uniform.


    It was very weird how my mother knew this much about the Lacrimosian military school. I mean, she was definitely not trained there and should therefore not know as much about the academy. In fact, she explicitly told me she was trained on the battlefield since age 8 under the wings of top generals of the Laurelian General Staff.


    "Mom?" I asked. "How do you know so much about the academy if you haven''t even gone there?"


    "Well," she said with an evil smile. "I have once sneaked in there as a spy and collected classified documents of the Lacrimosian Armed Forces. There was the curriculum stuck in there. By the way, don''t tell anyone about this, okay?"


    Obviously, I agreed to shut my mouth. I''m smart enough to know my place.


    Even if the academy seemed to have a very diverse program, it lacked many important army units such as the Signal Corps or the Mountain battalions. The worst thing is that it did not form intelligence officers! Paired with what I have heard from Lady "Betty" and co., it was clear that training intelligence officers was the least of their concerns. Anyway, I still have many years before I will have to do the placement test and choose the branch I want to enroll in.


    There is no hurry.


    Let''s do everything one step at a time.

 6 Chapter 5: Princess Ekaterinas Journey Part I

    It was already the first day of the month of Niv?se of the year 1026 in the Hexian Calendar, the general calendar agreed upon by the great powers and the religious authorities of the Hexian spirituality eons ago.


    The royal capital of Grandall was covered in a thin layer of frost, an indicator of the early winter season. In every corner of the city, people carried thick pieces of lumber or coal to warm up their houses. Merchants flooded the central market, the Konigmarkt, selling winter necessities such as warm coats, boots, flints, and lumber at highly profitable prices. The citizens paid with painful expressions as their wallets lightened significantly after each purchase, some grumbling about the damned weather, others complaining loudly about the merchants'' hypocrisy. All knew, however, that the merchants'' presence is crucial to their wellbeing during the colder times of the year.


    The merchants were not the only ones who filled the public plazas of Grandall. In fact, performers of all sorts rented entire inns and performed in the Lebensfreud Plaza, the Konigmarkt or the high-class Lorelei Opera Hall throughout the season. This very phenomenon of the mass arrival of artists became part of Gandall''s cultural heritage. This, combined with the strong presence of merchants from everywhere in the continent, only strengthened Grandall''s status as the Eastern Region''s economic powerhouse during the season where agriculture was impossible.


    In the residential districts, children were running around in their brand new winter clothes. A few steps from them, the parents pictured the sorry state the coats will be at the end of winter. Meanwhile, cat families desperately searched for warm places to spend the next few months.


    Gloria Strasse, the street leading directly from the city walls to the Castle district, was filled with stagecoaches of all shapes and colors. They were owned or rented by regional feudal lords to escape the cold and loneliness of winter in their mansions in the capital. At times, curious little eyes would peek out of the coach to have a look at the capital''s splendor. At the same time, coachmen chatted among each other, catching up about the events of the past year. Due to the greater than usual presence of horses in the city and especially on Gloria Strasse, the odor was enough to make a man faint. Despite that, business carried on as usual. Everyone was too busy to care about the smell. That is, except a few young ladies who sat in one of the many coaches.


    "Bonny, can you please light my incense for me?" A young noble girl said while covering her nose with her handkerchief. "I am afraid my poor nose cannot stand this foul smell a second more!"


    As if on cue, Bonny the maid quickly took out a match and lit up a handful of incense sticks held vertical by an elegant ceramic flower with holes. Instantly, the bad smell of the road disappeared and a sweet fragrance of roses filled the inside of the coach. The coachman leading the horses suddenly wanted to throw up, since he was smelling both the pleasant odor from the inside and the smell of horse dung from the outside. Only his strong sense of duty for his mistress kept him from embarrassing himself.


    The young lady was Ekaterina, Princess Edelweiss of the Kingdom of Lacrimosa. Accompanying her on her coach were 3 young, but outstanding, officer candidates fresh from the Elite classes of the K?nigliche Kriegsschule. According to tradition, cadets from the Elite classes were tested with in-the-field missions throughout the Eastern and Central regions of the continent. As escorting the 7 years old princess safely to her winter residence was a matter of national importance, the 3 cadets were unusually tense. They were graduating next summer during the month of Messidor and this mission was of utmost importance and will be a conclusive factor to their unit assignment. They were the most promising students of the Class of 1026, the graduating cohort of the Kriegsschule. Furthermore, they were also the 3 top cadets of the Elite Cavalry Program, so both the reputation of the school, the cavalry and their families were influenced by their performance during this task. As they were only still cadets, all of them suspected that the Lacrimosian Life Guard Cavalry regiment has sent people to supervise, grade and protect them in case of necessity, but since they were not 100% sure, it was safest to assume the worst possible circumstances.


    Not much fanfare marked the princess'' departure, as the roads were extremely busy and the Kingdom''s Administration Department was already overwhelmed this time of the year. Of course, the King could have used his rights to organize a grand departure ceremony for Ekaterina, but then again, that was a waste of time and resources for both the royal family and the Grandall Government. The princess'' travel was thus known only to the army and the high Elegantsiya community.


    Ekaterina''s destination was four days'' travel from the capital city by coach. It was the City of Neuchatel, a wealthy city at the foot of the Schranke Mountain range. It was famous for its red wine and hot springs, but that is not the reason why Ekaterina was going there.


    A few years ago, she passed by this city during a family vacation to Pallonia, one of the most beautiful city-states in the Cadornian Confederation. They have stayed two days at a family friend''s mansion in Neuchatel. These short days have been the most enlightening days in Ekaterina''s life until now and they were always at the back of her mind. The reason for this is simple, yet at the same time, complex beyond her comprehension. She has always been a highly aware person since she was too young to even speak clearly, a very precocious child. Therefore, she was also aware that how her twin brother and she were differently treated by the people around them. They would always try to win their favor by yielding to whatever they wanted. They would see her and her brother only for their status and that unsettled her greatly. On the other hand, her brother would always tell her to profit as much as possible because they were lucky to be born in a royal family and the people''s good actions towards them were of their own free will.


    In Neuchatel, however, her family was treated like anyone else of the Elegantsiya. Her parents and their friends would call each other by their pet names and she was also no exception. There, everyone called her "Erika" and not "Your Highness" or "Princess". People would not go out of their ways for her just because she was a princess and there was this one boy who''s a year younger than her who treated her as his true friend.


    Most of her memories in this area of Lacrimosa revolved around this boy. He was called Frederick, son of her mother''s good friend Laura. Much has happened during the short days she spent in Neuchatel. In the beginning, Frederick and she got lost in the massive manor hallways when he brought her to steal macarons in the kitchens. Granted, they managed to find the kitchens and have eaten plenty of tasty pastries, but they could not have gone back to the tea room on their own. Usually, Erika was able to find her way in the Royal Palace, which was many times bigger than the Eastphalia family''s manor, and even the entire Castle district was no problem for her. The punch, though, is that her personal maid Bonny was always there to show her the way. Seeing no other options, little Frederick started crying out loud. So loud that everyone in the house heard him and ran to their rescue. This episode was engraved in Erika''s mind as the funniest thing she has ever seen. His face while crying was priceless! Erika was also emotionally moved, though, since Frederick never let go of her hands when they ran through hallways in search for an exit. That made her feel safe and warm. During the following day, they have gone in the hot springs in their hosts'' secret underground spa facility and enjoyed the heavenly treatment befitting of the imperial families of yore. Remembering her good times there only heightened her anticipation for her arrival.

 7 Chapter 6: Princess Ekaterinas Journey Part II

    Feather-like snowflakes swirled in the sky as if a myriad of birds suddenly flew off. Animals hurried to find a comfortable place to pass the winter and fishes swam gleefully in the lake, protected by the superficial ice.


    The roads of Lacrimosa were mostly empty, except for a few latecomers desperately running or riding toward cities. As the tracks were already covered by the snow, it was as if the stagecoach congestion from the last few days never really happened.


    On the West Lacrimosa Highway, an unusually grand coach was advancing slowly in the snow, unhindered by the increasingly cold weather and road conditions. On its sides, 3 riders rode on their warmly dressed horses bearing the proud emblem of the Lacrimosian Life Guard Regiment, currently the strongest unit in Lacrimosa.


    "Halfway through!" Alexa said while stroking her beloved Armand (Horse). "Hopefully, we should arrive by noon in two days. After that, it''ll be bath time at the Hot Springs!"


    "Yes!" Ursula shouted as she strode closer to the carriage. "After all these years training in the Military Academy, my skin has gone all ragged. Even my dad was astonished seeing how ugly I became in the last five years!"


    As she heard her beautiful friend''s self-loathing words, Estelle almost spit the double expresso coffee she was drinking. "Come now, you narcissist," she said while she recovered from the initial burst of laughter. "You are arguably one of the prettiest female cadets in our cohort. What more do you want?"


    Just like that, the quiet road suddenly filled with laughter. The earlier loneliness had disappeared once the guards started talking. The princess inside the carriage also laughed when her maid Bonny told her one of her many antics. On the deserted Highway, the girls'' laughter echoed loudly.


    "What do you think of Mikhail?" Alexa asked while smirking at Estelle. " Strikes you fancy? I''ve caught you staring at him quite a few times during the shooting lessons."


    Seeing an opportunity to get back at Estelle, Ursula rubbed salt on the wound. "Well, I DO get why you like him, though. Isn''t he the dashing son of the late Margrave Medvelt and also a candidate for becoming a Hauptmann of the Artillery upon graduation?"


    "Q-quiet down you two!" A heavily blushing Estelle brushed them off hastily. "Her Highness can hear us! Don''t you DARE corrupt her mind with y-your stupid rumors!"


    "Don''t mind me," a gentle, yet playful voice came from inside the carriage, "we''re just getting at the juicy parts, after all. I have no rights to stop you! By all means, do carry on!"


    Princess Ekaterina was extremely perceptive and mature for a girl her age. When Estelle spoke to her, she always felt as if she was speaking with a grown woman rather than a little girl barely past her age of awareness.


    "You heard her, girls!" Vend¨¦e the coachman exclaimed, just as eager as the princess to listen to the girls'' story. "Those are Her Highness'' orders!"


    Hearing that, Alexa and Ursula continued teasing poor Estelle about her prospective lover for five long minutes.


    "On top of that, he''s in the Artillery!" Alexa said at the end. "That''s where the best cadets go, right?"


    "About that," the small voice resonated from the carriage, "Mother told me that the Army has too many outstanding junior artillery officers and the senior officers don''t know what to make of them. They say it''s a waste of good human resources."


    "Ummm...are you..."


    "A waste of human resources?"


    "Is the Artillery too crowded?"


    The 3 temporary Life Guards were astonished. Their entire conception of the Artillery corps crumbled under the Princess'' confession. Then, another question popped into their minds.


    "Your Highness, are you sure that it''s okay for you to tell us all this?" Estelle asked, worried about their lives for knowing too much. "Isn''t this classified information we shouldn''t even know?"


    The princess chuckled and the carriage was silent. No one dared to ask more than they already have. Only questions remained in the young women''s heads. Nobody but Bonny saw the princess'' complex facial expression.


    She wanted to create her own Guard regiment that will only respond to her own authority and that of the King. She wanted to create a stalwart unit strong enough to save the Kingdom in times of need. That is the dream his father has instilled in her pure, innocent heart. For this purpose, she intended to recruit the most brilliant officer cadets from the Royal War Academy in all fields of study, be it Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery, and even War Engineers, to form the greatest officers corps of all Lacrimosa. Those 3 cadets would become the first officers in this unit. To rope them in, Ekaterina felt it necessary to use some slightly underhanded means to secure their loyalty and have them attached to her with a "State secret", which was actually invented by Ekaterina on the spot. The true fact was that the Artillery still lacked qualified personnel. This small lie would mark the start of an extensive series of military reforms the Princess Edelweiss will bring to the Kingdom.


    The princess was still thinking about how she would dress her guards when a clamor suddenly raised outside. Noises of gunshots were heard and horses neighed furiously. Ursula could be heard issuing orders to her companions. The princess was not worried, as by now, she trusted her subordinates completely. In the worst case, Bonny can save both her and the carriage. Thus, Ekaterina watched the fierce battle unfold before her window.


    ...


    A rustle in the woods startled Estelle. She was riding up front to avoid further teasing from her friends. Suddenly, she saw a muzzle pointed toward the carriage. A shot fired through the foliage and ricochetted on the princess'' armored carriage.


    "Estelle," Ursula ordered, "the bullet came from the front! Find the shooter!"


    Estelle took out her already charged gun, her eyes screening the forest for any clue of the shooter.


    At the same time, Alexa stormed pass her and drew her sword and her pistol, determined to kill any criminal who dared attack a member of the Royal Family. In fact, the Royal Family represents the national identities of all Lacrimosians no matter their ethnic background. No Lacrimosian, be it peasant or lord, would allow anyone to lay their hands on their royals. This is what Alexa felt beyond her duty as a guard.


    Suddenly, they were surrounded and outnumbered by the mysterious enemy. Ten fully armed men came out of the woods, swords and guns ready for combat. They wore sinister black garbs destined for stealthy activities. Seeing how the cadets have seen through their hiding spots instantly, they have decided to come out and fight them openly on the road. As such, they would not be hindered by trees and branches as they fought close combat with the guards. What they did not know, however, was that the guards were no mere mercenary guards hired by the nobles, but actual Lacrimosian Life Guard Cavalry Candidates. The Life Guard units were the strongest troops even amongst the Lacrimosian Elite Forces and they were charged to protect none other than the Royal Family.


    Even if Alexa, Estelle, and Ursula were not official members, they were still the pride of the Kriegsschule''s Hussar Class.


    After issuing her orders, Ursula charged at the shooters, who smiled mockingly at the beautiful maiden armed with nothing more than a lance. A particularly gaudy one at that.


    Mueller (one of the shooters) was impressed by the girl''s bravery. She was outnumbered 5 to 1 and she only had a lance, which was obsolete against their superior bayonets. Seeing her beautiful curves and her even more gorgeous face, he hoped to injure her just enough to incapacitate her and have his way with her body afterward. With such dirty thoughts, Mueller loaded his gun, ready to fight.


    Unfortunately for Mueller and his folks, Ursula was stronger than she looks. Deflecting with swift movements her opponents'' bullets, she plowed her lance right through a man''s throat and impaled another man''s chest immediately after. Before the other men could come out of their surprise and unload their entire cartridges on her and her horse, she took out a pistol from under her shirt and shot the two men farthest from her. None of them stood a chance against a seasoned warrior like Ursula.


    Mueller gasped. In a matter of mere minutes, all the men around him lay dead on the ground and the girl he wanted to ravish rode before him, the tip of her lance at less than a centimeter from his throat. Too frightened to fight on, Mueller peed his pants and fainted.


    Meanwhile, Alexa and Estelle also had their ways with the other five assailants. The carriage was proven to be bulletproof, which allowed the graduating cadets go all out without worries.


    With great speed, Alexa shot one of the enemies and jumped off her horse, aiming for another man''s throat with her sword. Before she could land, four shots rang in rapid succession and Alexa''s victim dropped dead, his head pierced through by one of Estelle''s bullets. Seeing her targets snatched away, Alexa cursed at Estelle.


    From the window of the bulletproof carriage, Erika felt inspired by the cadets'' fight. She knew, however, that she must not be too moved by them. The Academy has specifically asked Bonny to judge and grade the young women as objectively as possible without any bias. If Bonny saw her excited expression, surely she would interpret it as the Princess'' will to give higher grades and do just that, which was against regulation.


    As a matter of fact, there were various mistakes to the guards'' performance during the attack. First of all, they allowed the enemy to have a first shot at the carriage. If it wasn''t for the bulletproof properties of its outer material, the princess would have been gravely injured, according to Bonny''s calculation. This time, the enemy was overconfident and asinine, otherwise, all the guards and the princess would have been slain, or at least shot through. Although their performance during the fight was commendable, they have made a major mistake in their guard duties for not noticing the enemy prior to the confrontation. Individually, Alexa also made the mistake of jumping and expecting to land her sword on her opponents'' throat. Even if the action itself looked intimidating, the man was equipped with a bayonet and she was in the air with absolutely no control over where she was supposed to land specifically. The man could have killed her by the time she landed by holding his bayonet firmly on her landing point. At the same time, Estelle''s performance was perfect, as she shot down the man before he could harm her companion. Ursula, despite being too bold and confident, she was able to incapacitate all her assailants while avoiding getting shot despite the point-blank range. Furthermore, she also kept some of her targets from shooting, judging by how she hard it would be for her to lunge at them from her far distance. Finally, she was the only one who captured a prisoner for questioning, which was impressive in the chaos of the fight. As a group, this battle was graded B, because of their low awareness and Alexa''s mistake.


    After the fight, Ursula turned to face Mueller. Her expression was sinister and filled with intense antagonism.


    "Speak," she said while nodding curtly, "Tell me how did you know we were here! Who hired you bastard?"


    Mueller was paralyzed by fear. He stood still, unaware of Ursula''s words.


    "Cat''s got your tongue?" Ursula asked mockingly. "Let''s see...why don''t we cut a finger and see what happens then."


    Seeing as there was no reaction from Mueller, she reached toward her hunting knife and grabbed his hand.


    His contact with Ursula''s soft, cold hand suddenly reanimated the previously stunned Mueller. His lips started shaking from cold and fear.


    "I-I-I will tell you everything!" He yelled. "Just don''t kill me!"


    "Oh?" She asked. "Will you then?"


    "As long as you promise to spare my life!" He said with a high voice.


    "Don''t worry about it." Ursula gave him a reassuring smile while skillfully hiding her deep hatred. "I will not kill you as long as you cooperate with us."

 8 Chapter 7: Princess Ekaterinas Journey Part III

    Ursula was feeling intense schadenfreude from Mueller''s plea. Was it bad? Doesn''t that make her a sadist? Well, in some countries, there were public events where gladiators fought to the death for others'' entertainment! Compared to those people, she was better. Yes, she must be. Ursula was trying to quell her guilt from torturing Mueller''s mind.


    "Are you ready to faithfully answer my every question?" She asked as she directed another threatening smile toward poor Mueller. "Just so we are clear, I can tell when a man''s lying and your head will roll as soon as you say anything deceitful."


    "Y-yes ma''am," the bandit nodded.


    "Alright then, question 1," she said firmly, "who are you people and who hired you?"


    "I''m Mueller an'' we''re tha Gleaming Bucket, ma''am, the finest bandits here in tha Lohenstein forest!" He yelled with a hint of pride. "We earn our living by plundering noble carriages! Nobody hired us! Honest!"


    "How did you know we were coming?" She asked. "You were obviously lying in ambush out there."


    "We just happened to be there when you came!" He said, while his expression twisted slightly. "We...we were hunting, you see, with the winter coming and all!"


    "Are you sure of what you''re saying?"


    At this point, Ursula''s patience snapped. She was already an impatient person to start with and the man is calling HER "ma''am"! She wasn''t even past 18 and she''s already called a ma''am? How irritating! Then, he had the stupidity of lying to her despite her earlier warning.


    "Is he taking me for a fool?" She thought angrily.


    Suddenly, a fierce, cold aura emanated from her body and Mueller suddenly felt intense pressure on his mind.


    "Ma''am! I was wrong!" He pleaded on his knees. "W-we were notified by the Lohenstein family watchman this morning that you will pass here! They only told me that some rich people will pass here! I never knew it was the royalty!"


    As he fell on his knees to plead for his life, Ursula''s schadenfreude intensified.


    "Hmmm...I see you people have lots of experience pillaging nobility," She said with a detached voice. "I assume you have stacked a considerable amount of treasures in your headquarters?"


    "Y-yes ma''am!" He tried to bargain. "You could have it all if you let me go!"


    "Interesting..."


    "Can I go now?" Mueller asked hopefully.


    "Don''t worry about that," she said. "We''ll only let you go when the stock will be in our hands."


    "W-what?" The man exclaimed. "That''s preposterous! You can''t just...just...do that to me!"


    "Why not?"


    "Cuz collectin'' ransom from civilians is illegal, right?"


    "And what makes attempting to murder the Princess of the country not a crime in itself?" She toyed with him.


    "I didn''t know! I didn''t know! Had I known I''d never have - " He yelled desperately.


    Granted, the "mens rea" for murdering THE PRINCESS was certainly not there, but the fact stays that Mueller and his people attacked a carriage with the intention of plundering and violating the people inside beyond any reasonable doubt. Therefore, he was guilty before the laws of Lacrimosa and can be executed without trial considering the sheer amount of hard evidence of his guilt. Ursula has intended to kill him from the start, but she had also received the order from Bonny d''Estaing, her greatly superior officer in army ranks, to try to make this situation as profitable as possible for the Princess. By finding their hideout and snatching away their goods was doing just that. She trusted Bonny would take care of everything after that.


    "You see, Herr Mueller," she said sarcastically. "If you just happen to tell us where is your hideout, we might just consider letting you go just this once."


    "No, I can''t betray my comrades!" He screamed.


    Crack.


    A bone snapped. A finger bent into an odd angle. A man screamed in the silent forest.


    "Repeat that now?"


    "I WON''T BETRAY MY - "


    Another bone snapped. Another finger bent into an abnormal angle. The screams intensified. The man''s eyes became bloodshot. His heart beat like never before. Mueller, with the last of his breath, yelled in an apologetic tone.


    "IT''S ON TOP OF THE WEISS MOUNTAIN! IN THE CAVE BEHIND THE BIG CENTRAL WATERFALL! I SWEAR IT ON MY LIFE!"


    A shot rang. Mueller collapsed, lifeless, on the cold snow. It soon tainted red with his hot blood. Wild beasts will soon come to enjoy a last tasty meal before the roughness of winter. Having said all there was to say, he paid for his heinous crime and all of those he committed in the past. Ursula wondered just how many people he has killed and how many women he has raped throughout the years. Just the thought made her want to throw up.


    After stripping the corpse of all valuables as her companions did to the others, Ursula jumped on her horse and rode forward with the coach, her heart saddened by her own guilt. She just found out a side to herself that she never knew existed. Her dark side. A thorn to the image of the perfect and radiant noble lady officer she wanted to become.


    ...


    After the battle, Alexa and the others gave a detailed report of the situation to the princess and continued riding alongside the carriage, doubly vigilant for potential attacks.


    It was only when they safely arrived in the city of Schwanenberg the next day that the guards relaxed slightly. This was the King''s birthplace and the hub of the royalist faction. For the princess of the Kingdom, this was one of the safest places in the world. This grand city is where the most loyal supporters of the King dwell and it is under the direct control of the Lacrimosian monarchy.


    Once a poor town of 2000 people a fifty years ago, it was now a city on par with the capital in terms of demographics and economy. Its primary industry was the mining sector in the Sankt Adel mines, which provided iron, silver, and salt to the city, which in turn would allow all sorts of factories to thrive. Amongst other great organizations currently seated in the city, the Schwanenberg Institute of Technology boasts the greatest records of technological advancement in the entire Eastern region. This international conglomerate directly under the House of Elektrov-Lacrimosa''s jurisdiction has 5 research centers, 1 top-rated university, and an industrial park with more than 50 factories working on various innovative projects. All the new technologies in the Eastern region of the past 5 years have been developed and tested in Schwanenberg. With its population of more than 800,000 people, even excluding the many tourists visiting the area, this is the third most populated city of the Konigsreich and attracts tens of thousands of new citizens each passing year. This was the best-equipped facilities for professionals of all sorts, especially engineers and architects. Therefore, the intellectual community in this area was the most advanced in the Kingdom. As this city is a source of tremendous income for the Kingdom and the royalist faction, the security there was extra tight. It is currently protected by a 54,000-men garrison army equipped with the most recent weapons developed by the Lacrimosian Institute of Technology Department of Arms, Research Center #2.


    When the small delegation entered the city gates, they went through the usual identity checking procedures and were escorted to the King''s Eisenschloss Palace. The 3 cadets were granted a one-afternoon vacation in the city, as the princess'' security was handed to the Chief of Schwanenberg''s Life Guard Division. It was the safest place within the city walls and also the city''s last stronghold. Its walls were immune to all current explosives and types of projectiles, offering the best protection to the royalty and professionals during times of war.


    Inside the castle, old Lacrimosian culture mixed harmoniously with the latest technological innovations. Elegant water fountains linked to the most recent water treatment systems could be seen here and there. The water was perfectly safe to drink, even to royalty standards. It was part of the potent water-processing and sewers system built just a year ago in Schwanenberg to allow access to drinkable water in every household and public places.


    Alexa was impressed. Born in the Eastphalia province at the Far East of Lacrimosa where technology had a lot to do to catch up with the rest of the Kingdom, Alexa has never seen such incredible sights in her life, not even during her Kriegsschule days in the capital. This city was basically made of steel and concrete, with little to no vegetation, except for a big park in the middle of the city and occasional gardens in the residential districts. Everything was gray and gold, with the blue and gold banners of the Lacrimosian Royal House at every street lamps. Tall buildings of bricks and glass could be seen everywhere, with men and women dressed in tight, but elegant garbs of all colors walking around hurriedly. This city''s K?nigsmarkt was also very eye-catching, as it was a tall building adorned with the King''s emblem and the Lacrimosian Finance Department''s golden horse design. Some would even call it the Gro?er K?nigsmarkt. Inside, an incredible number of stores longed the hallways with beautiful displays to lure the shoppers.


    Estelle, a citizen of Azurian descent of the nearby city of Neuchatel, was also impressed by the changes that occurred in Schwanenberg since she last visited only six years ago, right before her enrollment at the Kriegsschule. At that time, the Gro?er K?nigsmarkt was even smaller than the one in Neuchatel and the public fountain program was only in its earliest stages. The rapid development of the city is so overwhelming that Estelle, who wanted to guide her friends through the place, felt more lost than ever. Gleefully, she joined Alexa in her bafflement and they walked through the large alleys, browsing the many shops and beauty facilities like never before. Their purses lightened significantly after this afternoon.


    Ursula, on the other hand, as the acting captain of the princess'' guard, went to report at the Headquarter of the 1st Army of the West, a luxurious building plated with elegant copper and gold.


    At the glass door, she was escorted to the general of the army, the Count of Leiden. He was a man in his prime, wearing proudly the Prussian blue uniform with gold embroideries of the Army of the West. As he saw Ursula, he smiled gently, like a father seeing his child finally gown up.


    "Hi Ursula," he said casually after she gave him a military salute. "It''s been a long time...what, 3 years if my memory''s good? How are you today?"


    "I am very good, sir." She replied. "Though I must admit that I am impressed by how this city has changed since the last few years! Oh, and by the way, Generaloberst Graf von Leiden, sir, thank you again for everything you have done for my family and I."


    Count Leiden laughed heartily. "It is my pleasure, of course! Your dad and I go way back in our days as young officers during the war! As for how the city has changed, even I was astonished when I was assigned here. It is earth and sky with how it was back in the old days. We used to come here to restock on bread, you know!"


    His smile changed slightly. "Now back to business, Ursula. How was your trip until now? I heard you were attacked?"


    "Yes, sir," Ursula reported, "we were attacked between Areas 534 and 535 of the Lohenstein Forest by ten heavily armed bandits. Their hideout''s location and the bandit''s testimony, including some disturbing information about the Lohenstein family, are in the report I have submitted to OberLeutnant Raeder."


    "Was there anything special about them?" The general asked wearily.


    "Yes," Ursula explained, "they carried Steinsbach ''19 3rd generation bayonet rifles. Aren''t those last year''s army rifles? If bandits have them, it may be even more dangerous for travelers in the future."


    "That is certainly peculiar," the general said. "I believe I have heard that some weapons disappeared from the disposal units back in the first decade (10-days week) last Termidor. Perhaps this is where they went. What do you think we should do?"


    "I believe that a bandit group armed with such strong weapons must not be allowed to roam freely," she judged knowing he was testing her, "especially since their aim is to plunder carriages passing through the forest. Therefore, we must proceed to Dangerous Bandit Extermination Process Phase 3 with a strong contingent of Jaegertruppen and half a squadron of Chevauleger cavalry units. "


    "Very well, young lady!" The general laughed again. "I see they have taught you well at the Kriegsschule. Let me ask you, though, why Phase 3 and not 1 or 2? What''s more, why Jaegers? While I understand the need to be some form of cavalry support, are the Sturmtruppen infantry not good enough for this mission?"


    "We already know the exact location of the enemy, sir," she explained, "and we also know the level of proficiency of the enemy, which I would assess at Threat Level C due to their weapons. In fact, us cadets were able to defeat them easily enough, which implies that the enemy doesn''t have any substantial battle competency against professional soldiers.As for the choice of units, since the raid objective is a cave behind a waterfall on a mountain, any kind of operations there requires great stealth unachievable by simple assault units (Sturmtruppen). The Jaegers, on the other hand, are trained for combat in difficult geographical landforms and conditions, hence would maximize the mission''s success and minimize casualties. Ideally, I would''ve sent the Berginfanterie, but this isn''t serious enough to send our specialized mountain units."


    "Commendable!" The general thought as he felt pride for this girl''s insight. "She even considered the priority of missions and evaluated the assets of different units in this situation to choose the best formation. I will send a letter about this to the Kriegsschule later."


    "Very well," the general replied to Ursula''s explanation, "we will carry out all the necessary procedures for this operation, don''t worry about it. If that is everything, you are dismissed. You did very well and you really deserve a vacation."


    Ursula nodded. "About that, general, Bonny has a personal favor to ask of you."


    The general was curious about what would the Colonel General of the Lacrimosian Guard Cavalry could possibly ask of him. "What is it?"


    "You see," Ursula said. "The princess wanted to return the stolen properties to the people to whom they belong, and she also wanted to keep the everything else from the bandits to have some pocket money. Is it alright if you do that for us? We have to leave for Neuchatel tomorrow morning."


    "Of course," the general nodded, "if this is an order from Generaloberst Bonny d''Estaing and Her Highness Ekaterina, "then the spoils will be handled as she commands. Do I return the identified items under Her Highness'' name?"


    "That''s right," Ursula replied wrily, "the princess wants to become popular."


    ...


    As she exited the Army Headquarters with some gifts from General Leiden, she heard a couple of officers singing an inspiring song.


    "Great Fatherland, oh Fatherland, show us the signs


    Your people have fought to see"


    Upon hearing this, Ursula chuckled and joined them for a little while.


    "The morning will come when the world is ours


    When Lacrimosa will stand tall and proud


    Over everything else in the universe."


    When they finished singing, Ursula von Augsburn passed by the palace to put away the gifts and took out her purse from her luggage. At the moment, it was filled to the brink with many Bank of Lacrimosa notes, but she knew it will be significantly lighter once she comes back.


    Despite bearing a cruel side and an extremely professional persona when dealing with military affairs, she was still a frivolous young noblewoman who loved to buy new apparel and eat excellent food. Unlike her astonished friends, she has read all about Schwanenberg and its extensive selection of stores and luxuries.


    "Finally free!" She thought as she ran to the K?nigmarkt''s wide alleys."I''ll need to go buy some new perfumes in the Perfume Palace, winter clothes at Viersen''s, shoes at Spendau''s...oooooooh and don''t forget the Nordmark-style spas with a good glass of wine! Holy Chronus! So many things and so little time!"

 9 Chapter 8: Winter in Neuchatel

    It was almost mid-Niv?se and the heavy snowfall once again obstructed the roads in the quiet city of Neuchatel. In every household, fathers went out with a shovel to clear the snow into large piles on the sides of the roads. Sometimes, they were accompanied by their sons or daughters who were enjoying their precious time with their fathers. Mothers, on the other hand, made sure the house was warm and spent their time cooking warm ragout for their hungry husbands who shoveled tirelessly during the day. Stalls were set up by the local Elegantsiya community in every neighborhood to offer some snacks and hot chocolate to the workers. Nobility and commoners worked in perfect sync, each doing their parts to ensure everyone''s survival for the coming winter. It was a heart-warming sight.


    I was enjoying the view from the mansion''s large windows. Large snowflakes fluttered here and there. A brazier stood by my side, warming my young body in this cold winter season. In the past year, I have already finished every book in the Montpensier family library. My mother was astonished by how I was actually able to read at such a young age without any guidance, but I brushed her off by telling her that SHE was the one who taught me everything by reading for me every evening. It was, of course, an eventuality that I have planned in case she found out about my reading in the library.


    After my time in front of the window, I went to the most unique and wonderful feature of the Montpensier estate: the secret underground hot spring spa! Usually, I would go with my father and he would spend this relaxing time telling me stories from his childhood in the province of Ostmark, Margraviate of Eastphalia. As a result, I developed an acute understanding of the Ostfalen family members, such as my uncle and aunt living in eastern Lacrimosa. I once asked my father why they never visited us and his answer was that they were way too far, so they only communicated through letter correspondence. Our time in the spa also helped develop a strong bond between my father and me.


    This time, however, my father was at the Army of Azuria training ground to train new infantry recruits in their winter cantonment. As such, I, for the first time, went to the spa without my father and guess who offered to accompany me? No, not my mother; she was too busy painting the scenery to go enjoy the bath just yet. It was Yules Chamb¨¦ry, a beautiful and slender young woman who graduated last year from the Kriegsschule Artillery Department and came serving my father''s Army of Azuria Artillery Corps as a new company-level officer. She was in the mansion this day to do some reading in the Montpensier family library. Her access to our family library was granted because of her deep sisterly bond with my mother and her status as heiress to the House of Chamb¨¦ry in the province of Azuria. These winter days, she took some special vacations from the garrison to come here and enjoy herself. Back to our topic, Lady Yules Chamb¨¦ry of the 3rd Azurian Artillery Division accompanied me to the family hot springs in the mansion''s basements.


    It was a dimly lit hall with comfortable couches, small round tables, a few bottles of red wine neatly placed along ornate wooden shelves and a giant hot bath heated by geothermic energy directly from the rocks. I assume that this energy comes from the Schanke Mountain range, which has a few inactive volcanoes.


    When we changed into thin bath towels that, fortunately, were thick enough to hide some of our more delicate body parts, a maid guided us to the beautiful couches and another maid came to give both of us a soothing massage. I was only six years old and I was used to physical activities from my daily fencing routine, so my body was very flexible and I did not feel much from the maid''s energetic massage. Yules, however, was deeply affected. At odd intervals, she would cry out in pain or even let out loud sexy moans when she felt good. Since her face showed some rather¡­mature expressions, I was at a loss as to where to look. The weirdest time has now come: the bath. She was a 19 years old woman with an hourglass-shaped body. I, in my brain at least, was a young man in his late 20s. This was already enough for me to be embarrassed to death when she took off her towel to soak in the hot water. I have already seen my mother naked before, but at that time, I was still very young and more importantly, I was turned off by the very fact that she was my mother. Moreover, I have even seen my parents making love quite a few times, as I shared a room with them until last year. It was rather difficult to get used to and I have to admit that I have gained a lot of unorthodox knowledge from it, but I managed to close my mind at the end. Because of that, I thought that I was already immune to the charms of a beautiful woman''s body. Alas!


    Nothing was further from the truth. My eyes could not shift away from the suggestive curves on Yules'' body. I just stood there, my lower body fortunately covered by the towel, and stared for a few seconds that seemed to me like an eternity until she noticed my stare and smiled playfully. Her green eyes suddenly lit up with genuine bliss and her honey-colored hair fluttered in the air as she turned face toward me.


    "Hehehe," she smirked as she rose slowly from the water. "Are you interested in my body, little boy?"


    "Eh?" I was surprised by her bluntness and stunned by her beautiful figure. My reaction indicated that I was indeed interested in her body in some way. How embarrassing is that?


    "Come in Big Sister''s arms so I can see you better," she said as she opened her arms, expecting me to let her hug me.


    I have never seen this side of her in the 2 years I have known her. During her time at the Kriegsschule, she would come back every year to Azuria to spend a week with her family and she would occasionally come to visit my mother for guidance on her studies and things like that. Normally, she was always reserved and exuded the aura of a proper noble lady. My impression of her until now was that of a graceful and talented young woman, the epitome of the Elegantsiya aristocratic lady. She was the last person I would imagine naked in front of someone and making such a bold pose. Yet I cannot judge her behavior as shameless since I was technically still a very young child who has not yet reached puberty and who has, in theory, not an ounce of indecent thoughts.


    Well, since I was offered this chance to be embraced by a gorgeous woman, I cast away the modesty and sense of shame of my 21th-century gentleman self and went into her arms while blushing furiously. Not doing so would have been a waste from not using my physical age to my advantage.


    My face was stuck in her bosom for quite some time as she played with my hair using her free hand. After a while, she finally let me go only to hug me from behind. Naturally, her voluminous curves rubbed against my back and made me very embarrassed. At the very least, it was better than to have my face between her breasts. I think I would have pushed her down if I was in my former 25 years old body.


    To break off this awkward (for me) atmosphere, I asked what it meant to be a student at the Kriegsschule. Hopefully, answering that would distract her from further embarrassing me.


    "You see," she said with her face suddenly turned serious, "the Kriegsschule is not somewhere you go on a whim or just to have fun. It is a long-term commitment and basically a life contract with the Kingdom of Lacrimosa. Under this contract, you are not allowed to travel to another country without the Kingdom''s written authorization and this is one of the reasons why only citizens of Lacrimosa with real verified proof of residence and ID from the Kingdom can enroll there. When you pass the exams, you have to pledge your allegiance to the King of Lacrimosa and you will officially become cadets of the Lacrimosian Armed Forces. This means that you can enjoy amenities only available to the military and your conduct is judged according to the military justice system. That also implies that you will be called to the battlefield if the need arises. If you''re ready for that kind of things, the Kriegsschule is for you!"


    Her face reverted to the relaxed expression she had earlier and she continued cuddling my face as if nothing happened. My body was still very tense from her constantly rubbing her assets on my back.


    "Fortunately," I thought again, "my body is only that of a six years old child."


    "Can you tell me how life is there?" I asked. "I wanna apply when I''ll turn 12."


    "Really, Freddie?" She asked me using my pet name with an excited voice. "You''re really considering going to the Kriegsschule?"


    "If I pass the examinations, I guess."


    "Wow, that''s amazing!" She exclaimed. "The scion of the prot¨¦g¨¦e of the Laurelian High Command and one of the top generals of the Lacrimosian Land Forces is going to the Kriegsschule! I can''t wait to see how good you will be!"


    "Ummm¡­" I was kind of crushed by the pressure. "You have so much expectation for me, lady Chamb¨¦ry!" I cried, making sure she sees some tears under my eyes. Instead, she completely ignored what I said and continued her explanation.


    "Alright, little Freddie, listen well," she said, "If you do make it to the Kriegsschule, your first two years will be some of the most boring you''ll ever live, trust me. They say it''s Military strategy, but you know what are the courses? It''s all things like history, geography, philosophy, rhetoric, geometry, fortification, grammar, Lacrimosian, fighting, dancing, and horsemanship! Real military tactics and strategies are ONLY taught at the start of the 3rd year after you have already chosen your branch. Since there are only around 100 students every year who pass, the classes during the first two years will be 4 classes of 25 students, each class represented by an instructor. Believe it or not, the homeroom instructors will play a very important role in your time at the Kriegsschule, so you have to pray to have a good one. Each class will sleep in a dorm, with the girls in one section of the building and boys in the other. Since there aren''t many students per class and the tuition fees are on the higher side even after major government subsidies, all cadets have their own room in their respective dormitories. Even better, the rooms all have a bathroom with a bath and running water. You''ll have to bring your own chamber pots, though, since it''s incredibly gross to use the ones from the school. During the first 2 years, you''ll be staying with the same class and after that, you''ll move to your respective departments with their own sets of dormitories and facilities. The Artillery, for example, has better dormitories than that of the infantry officers and we enjoy better food. The downside is that we have more theoretical courses and the only physical training we get are the common bayonet fighting courses and the artillery shooting courses. The rest is boring stuff like math and geography. The elite artillery classes are no different. We just learn to use more complex artillery guns and we also learn some engineer topics. The most rewarding of all is, of course, the mobile artillery classes, where we have advanced horsemanship and shooting classes combined. As for the vibe there, I can only speak of the artillery, though. Since we aren''t many people in the first place, we kind of develop strong ties to one another and everyone ends up becoming friends, I guess."


    After that, we spent some time in some pleasant chatter and soon, we had to leave since it was time for supper.


    ...


    Yules was walking with Frederick through the long hallways in the Montpensier mansion when a guard stopped in front of her and saluted.


    "Captain," he announced, "Her Highness the princess and your sister have arrived!"

 10 Chapter 9: A Little Flower called Erika

    "Her Highness?" I asked with a stunned expression. According to my family''s geography book, Neuchatel was 4 days'' travel from the royal capital of Grandall. Furthermore, now was not exactly the best time to be traveling through the forest because of the increased presence of bandits and predators on the road, not to mention, the terrible travel conditions caused by the snow and the ice.


    I was still lost in thoughts when the guard answered.


    "That''s right, Frederick," he said, "Her Highness Princess Ekaterina is coming and rumor has it that she''s here for the winter. I hope that one day, my daughter will get to see her in town!"


    The soldier was abnormally excited. It is not every day that we get a visit from royalty.


    Yules, on the other hand, had a complicated expression written all over her face. It appears that her sister was coming alongside the princess. Does she not want to see her? Did she hate her or something? In any case, I did not wish to be any part of others'' family conflicts.


    From behind, my mother walked past us.


    "Hey Freddie," she giggled excitedly, "your ''girlfriend'' is here!"


    "Ummm¡­" I wasn''t sure what to answer to that. In French, the term "girlfriend" was often expressed with the word "copine", which could either mean a girlfriend or a friend who is a girl or a woman. She used exactly that word. How confusing! Without clarification, I could not predict what she meant. As I was only a child, there were obviously things I was kept unaware of.


    "Mom?" I asked tentatively. "Who is this ''copine''? My future fianc¨¦e or something? Or just a friend you want to introduce to me?"


    Since I was not allowed to go beyond the mansion premises, I did not have any friend of my age, as far as I was aware of. The only person who was close to a friend was Erika, but again, it has been many years since we have seen each other.


    "Hehehe," she said with a somewhat evil grin, "that could certainly be a possibility¡­should we ask them? Will they accept, I wonder? If not, it will be a huge blow to our family''s reputation¡­"


    My mother''s reaction made me regret I ever said that. As much as possible, I want to marry for love and not some woman I''ll only get to know the day of my wedding. That being said, I am also not the kind of person who will react badly to an engagement if my counterpart is physically attractive and virtuous enough to my taste. I''ve read that ladies these days (in the XIXth century) frequently have out-marriage relationships. In this case, perhaps I should just act "my age" once in a while to avoid these kinds of situations. It is awkward for nothing. At least Mother is a very calculating person, so I can only hope that she makes a good, clear-minded decision for my future engagement if that has to be done.


    Quietly, I walked past my mother who was still pondering on how I should get engaged. That was when I realized that Lady Chamb¨¦ry was gone while I was speaking with my mother.


    "Perhaps she did not want to get involved in my family matters too deeply," I guessed.


    That guess was not exactly on point, as I later realized. Yules had a serious sister complex. A sister complex that could be easily misunderstood as something more serious by this world''s standards. Nevertheless, the sight of Yules hugging her sister and rubbing her cheeks on hers was extremely comical, to say the least. Two beautiful women with honey-colored hair in their late teens embracing each other, with the younger one obviously trying to get out. I could not hide my smile seeing them like this.


    I was still grinning stupidly when another figure emerged from behind Yules'' sister. She was small, perhaps around 1.40 m of height, and had a very pale complexion. She was wearing a white one-piece dress with endless frills and a white fur scarf. Her hair was platinum blond, almost reflecting the light from the chandelier above us. What struck me most were her profound eyes color of storms with a tinge of lightning. Their color was alternating endlessly between grey and very light blue. I was seduced by her beautiful eyes and I stood there, staring directly at her with my mouth almost agape. It took me some time before recognizing this child after she had changed so much during these years.


    She was Erika, this girl who came to play a few years ago. She has become taller, obviously, and her nose was slightly higher. The most peculiar thing is that I could no longer see the pure innocence in her eyes, but rather endless wisdom and knowledge. I felt as if I was staring at another person, another aura. It was a weird feeling. Was she really Sir Lardon and Lady Betty''s daughter Erika? Or is she someone who may just look like her?


    As I was having these unpleasant doubts, the girl''s face lit up and she beamed at me. Instantly, innocence came back to her eyes and at that moment, her smile felt more soothing than even the spa.


    "A-are you Erika?" I asked tentatively.


    "Yes, and you are Frederick, I concur." She answered in a pristine voice unbefitting a child like her.


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    Her manner of speech was somehow similar to mine, which may suggest that she was a particularly precocious child. Maybe I could even speak normally to her without imitating a young child? That would be really refreshing after so many years talking stupidly. For one, though, I was particularly excited to see a friend of my age who would not patronize me like my parents'' entourage. I don''t mind their patronizing since I realize that I am still just a child in this world, but communicating with someone of my own age also has its charms. Charms that I have not experienced since Erika''s last visit years ago.


    "Is it really you, Erika?" I cried out excitedly and took her hand with the tip of my fingers for a "baisemain". I have learned to do it perfectly during my short stay in Poland 10 years ago where it was still a tradition. I have already forgotten this skill in my daily life in Canada, where doing this was often considered masculine patronization of women. Fortunately, this world also has a similar custom and it was part of a gentleman''s etiquette, so I was doing it to every woman I meet. I mean, an 8 years old boy gracefully taking a lady''s hand and kissing it gently. How cute is that?


    The girl blushed. "That''s right, my dear friend," she said while raising her hand away from my lips. "It''s been a long time."


    As she was saying that, she pulled me into an embrace. I was confused. I was stunned. I was shocked. At this point in time, we should not be as close as to hug each other...especially since we only met once and that was years ago. Well, I was also hugged an awful lot by Yules not long ago, so this shouldn''t that big a deal. In that case, why do I feel so confused? Why do I feel so embarrassed? By a child, no less?


    As I was deciding on what to do about this overly excited Erika, she slowly backed off. As she looked at me straight in the eyes, I felt a strange sense of loneliness, strong enough to make my body feel a sudden chill. What was that? This girl, what has she experienced to have such an aura in her eyes?


    That is when I noticed two guards following her, one of them being Yules'' sister who was released from her embrace. They wore slim-fitted double-breasted Prussian blue uniforms with golden embroideries and buttons. The silver epaulettes on their shoulders exuded an aura of elegance and authority, and from there hung a golden aiguillette tied to a golden pin fixed on their uniforms, the symbol of their ranks and allegiance. On the pin was an engraving of a flower with a great number of petals, which could only be an edelweiss flower considering the country we are in, as it was one of the national emblems. Their ranks were undecipherable at the moment since I did not know what each sign corresponded to. My father''s uniform was completely different with many golden leaves embroidered on it and looked much more regal, so he must be of a way higher rank than these young women. It could also be that he''s simply a zealous fashion amateur while the girls were not, but that was highly unlikely considering their age gap.


    "I think proper introductions are in order," my mother said in German while smiling at the two escort soldiers behind Erika, "my name is Laura Anne Montpensier-d''Este and I am the lady of this household. This cute little boy here is my son, Friedrich."


    "Greetings, milady," Yules'' sister presented herself mostly to me, "I''m Fahnenjunker (officer candidate) Estelle de Chamb¨¦ry, Kriegsschule cadet and temporary member of the Princess Edelweiss Life Guard Regiment. It is nice to meet you."


    "I''m Fahnenjunker Alexa Mikhaylovna of the Kriegsschule Cuirassier Cavalry Division," the other girl said, "It is an honor to meet you milady Montpensier."


    Considering the fact that Erika must be a pseudo-german noble of Lacrimosa because of her father''s accent while speaking French, the two other visitors both represent a different faction of the Lacrimosian "Elegantsiya" class, the former being an Azurian noble and the other, a Lacrimosian patrician. It is quite a politically balanced bunch, I must say.


    "Freddie," my mother called out to me, "Erika will pass the winter here in Neuchatel, so please make her feel at home!"


    "The same goes for you!" She then called out to our head maid.


    As I see no princess around, the soldier whom I spoke to earlier was surely mistaken. Or maybe she just didn''t come yet?


    When Erika and co. left to their guest rooms, two other strangers popped up before Mother and I. The former had dark brown hair that curled slightly at the tip and she was dressed just like the guards, but with a golden armband. She had a very beautiful face and her silhouette were a feast to my young eyes. The latter had light brown hair and also good-looking facial traits, but she couldn`t compare to the lady beside her. However, her white and gold military uniform exuded radiance and power. At her waist hung three guns and one sword with a thin blade and an ornate silver hilt. Just a look at her eyes could show a seasoned warrior that she was an extremely strong and smart individual. Their bodies were stiff and they looked extremely tense and even worried. Even my mother was wary seeing them.


    "Well well," my mother tried loosening the mood, "if it isn''t our dear Generaloberst Bonny, and who might be the lady beside you?"


    "It is great to see you again, milady Montpensier," Generaloberst (Colonel General) Bonny said to Mother, "I would like to present you my subordinate, a graduating student at the Kriegsschule Cuirassier Division, Fahnenjunker Ursula."


    "Fahnenjunker Ursula von Augsburn, at your service," the girl with dark hair said and her face became more serious, "skipping right to the point, we have some urgent business related to the princess'' and your territory''s safety."


    _______________________________________________________________________________________________________


    Author''s Note:


    Hello again, dear readers,


    Apparently, my 200-words message is considered having 500+ words by Webnovel so I''ll just write it here.


    Here''s another chapter of Frederick''s childhood and more precisely, the start of another arc involving Erika. Now, the reason why we start with his childhood rather than skipping directly to the main plots is to get to know his personality and character better in order to understand his priorities and perspective later on in the story.


    For those who are interested in high-speed plot development, another parallel storyline will unfold centered around Ursula and the other Officer Candidates that will surely fulfill your wishes. Please look forward to these.


    Before I forget, please feel free to leave feedback in the review section to let me know what you think of the story or simply to correct my grammar. It not only serves as encouragement but also helps me offer you better quality chapters in the future.

 11 Chapter 10: The Dawn of Changes

    "Please explain the situation," Laura said with a serious face, "as you know, this area is under the jurisdiction of the First Army of Azuria which operates under Reichsmarshall Elizaveta''s command. Therefore, any abnormal activity must be reported to the Queen herself for the Army of Azuria to take any concrete actions. As far as I am aware of, even the King''s Royal Guard is subject to such procedure. If it is so urgent, I can dispatch your message through a pigeon to the Palace and if they''re fast over there, we could expect news from them in four days, so-"


    "Lady Montpensier!" Generaloberst Bonny hushed, obviously furious by Laura''s subtle insult. "This is not a joke!"


    "Please forgive me, Bonny," Laura said with a wry smile, "alright, Young Lady, let''s hear you out."


    "Yes ma''am," a relieved Ursula explained as if on cue, "on our way here, we were assaulted by a bandit group named the ''Gleaming Bucket'' between areas 534 and 535 in the Lohenstein forest and-"


    "It''s just a bandit attack," Laura interrupted with an annoyed voice, "isn''t this supposed to be your exam?"


    Bonny shot a stern look toward her, which made her happier and even more willing to tease the young Fahnenjunker.


    "Milady," Ursula pleaded, "the bandits were armed with state-of-the-art weaponry and armor, which is highly unlikely for people of their status especially in the Kingdom of Lacrimosa where weapons are strictly regulated. Furthermore, the attack seemed to be well-planned, as they happened to ambush us at an unfrequented part of the forest at a time where nobody stays outside. Not only that, but information acquired from their hideout suggested that a highly trained illegal army is marching toward this very city as we speak for reasons yet unknown and at a perfect timing at that: when most of the army is stationed at more than ten hours of ''marche rapide'' from here. Therefore, we have enough evidence to file an official mobilization of all troops at least in this city for the safety of the princess and you have-."


    "Generalmajor Montpensier," a Guard officer barged in, "the Rapid-Response Force is at your command and all preparations are done for interception procedure A. Please report to the Neuchatel Heer headquarters in the next ten minutes!"


    Ursula was stunned. How could this woman be so far ahead of her when the report about well-armed bandit massing only came to HER a few hours ago as she was departing Schwanenberg?


    Bonny smiled wryly. There was nothing occurring in Neuchatel that Laura did not know for the simple reason that there have been assassination attempts on her now and then ever since her early childhood because she was the last remaining successor of the powerful Este family of the Cadornian Confederation. The Este family has many enemies within and outside the Confederation and there were plenty of families that would be happy if this clan went extinct. This was also the reason why the mansion was so heavily guarded even by royal standards and also why the Montpensier son, Friedrich, was not allowed to exit estate premises.


    As the awkward atmosphere between the bewildered the Fahnenjunker and her amused superior subsided, they both rushed outside to see Laura give orders to deploy across the Neuchatel Mountain Pass the Montpensier''s Rapid-Response Force, a 5,000-men elite Sturmtruppen-class Heavy Cavalry Division with many 12-pounder canons for providing cover fire. A small light infantry unit was also quietly assembled on the side, for mountain warfare purposes.


    Everything happened in an instant. Ursula could not believe her eyes: in the little time they were speaking, she has already gathered more than 5,500 men ready to fight with all the necessary NCOs and staff. She felt happy she wasn''t the aggressor.


    A jaeger NCO walked up to them.


    "Feldwebel (Senior Sergent) Ronquerolle of the First Azurian Infantry battalion reporting to Generaloberst Bonny of the Queen''s Guard Grenadiers. We have been ordered to be at your command until the end of the bandit subjugation. Lady Laura Anne has also specified that Miss Fahnenjunker will assume command of the 2nd Jaegers Company during the operation. Please meet us at Landry Village at 2200 hours. Our objective is to lure the enemy to the open field to allow the cavalry to finish them off."


    ...


    She had no time to prepare as she was already thrown in the chaos of her first command ever. Being one of the top cadets at the Kriegschule, she thought she was ready for anything related to the military, especially for a final examination for which she had prepared for during all her years at the Kriegschule. However, the cold, harsh reality was many times more fearsome than she had expected.


    The Jaegers Company assigned to Ursula stood before her in a village less than thirty minutes away from Landry. 120 young men in their mid-20s, dressed in their dark blue uniforms, saluted to their new temporary commander. Some of them had doubts about a mere Fahnenjunker''s ability to command, others feared for their lives seeing as their commander was just a young woman not even in her 20s. Despite her newly-acquired ¨¦paulettes shining on her shoulders, an air of unease circulated among the soldiers. Clearly, they did not trust her and according to her knowledge about the 50-Years War, troops would regularly disobey to commanders they did not believe in. She needed to win their trust, and fast. The operation will start in less than 2 hours. She had no time to lose.


    Quelling the enormous pressure overwhelming her, Ursula smiled resolutely and yelled at the top of her lungs, "Men of Azuria, I bet I, Ursula von Augsburn, am stronger than all of you! None of you can beat me!"


    Such a taunt would not have worked on ethnic Lacrimosian soldiers, who were exceedingly professional, but Azurian troops were an emotional bunch. Then again, the problem would not even arise in the first place if the troops were ethnic Lacrimosians.


    Gradually, a wave of disbelief swept through the company. Then, the neat lines suddenly became riotous as some soldiers were visibly displeased by her statement. Yes, Azurians, more than anyone, were men of pride.


    "If you don''t believe me, come at me!", the fragile-looking Fahnenjunker continued.


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    As soon as she said that, five men rushed at her, their fists ready to fight. In war, there is no difference between men and women, especially for the common foot soldier. They learned it the hard way during the 50-Years War.


    Ursula simply stood there, staring at her assailant with her cold, analytic gaze. Now it was battle, her natural habitat. She felt as if she was born for this moment. Fighting a stronger enemy against all odds. The soldiers were indeed physically stronger than her, no matter how hard she trained. That was the difference between men and women in war.


    She took a stance. It was a kicking stance from the Southern Lacrimosian swordsmanship''s unarmed combat style, which combines the elegance of Lacrimosian swordsmanship and the ruthlessness of hand-to-hand fighting. The best way to defeat an enemy is to not even allow them to enter the battlefield. This is what Ursula tried to do.


    As the first soldier arrived before her, Ursula twisted her waist, stretched her long front leg and delivered a wide crescent kick on her opponent''s chin, knocking his head back. It also had the intended effect: the man fell on the ground, partially knocked out.


    The others hesitated when they saw their companion kissing the ground. Slowly, they started surrounding her, trying to grab her by the arms to immobilize her. If they manage to immobilize her, it could prove troublesome for the entire purpose of this bout.


    Quickly, she ran toward one soldier who tried to grab her on her right side and held his arm, thus temporarily neutralizing him. Then, she held the man''s arms with one hand and striked his abdomen with the elbow of her free arm twelve times, each blow stronger than the last. Using his chest as a stepping stone, she jumped and landed on another man''s head with a flying axe kick. Now, only two opponents were left.


    Meanwhile, the army was dead silent. Those five soldiers were the best of the best at physical fighting and none of them could land a hit on the young woman. Two other young women arrived in their midst atop their horses.


    "Hey, what are they doing?", Estelle asked a nearby soldier, "is Ursula bullying you guys?"


    The soldier was silent, too entranced by the heavily one-sided battle happening before them. He did not know what to believe anymore. How did a fragile girl like her knock out men twice her size and many times stronger? All the soldiers here were from the Montpensier private Elite Force and have all undergone Lady Anne Laura''s famously cruel training regimens. How could they lose against such a young girl? Were the combatants distracted by her beauty? That must be it! They were gentlemen and dared not hurt such an attractive woman! But again, they would already be kicked out if they were like this. Some of them had tough fights against Lady Anne Laura and her friends before, so a woman''s beauty should not stop them from fighting.


    As the soldier was having those thoughts under Estelle and Alexa''s curious stares, Ursula punched the last man on the chest, emptying his lungs, and pinned him on the ground.


    The battle has ended. There was no applause; everyone was too shocked to realize what has happened.


    Suddenly, cheers broke out amongst the crowd as Ursula helped her defeated subordinates stand up. She has at least been recognized as a competent warrior and that was exactly what she needed.

 12 Chapter 11: Assault on Neuchatel Part I

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 13 Chapter 12: Assault on Neuchatel Part II

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