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Page 225
"Yes, I see." Andreyavich nodded, stood up, and walked to the window.
"What?" Angelie straightened up, looking at the colonel's somewhat bewildered face.
"I used to say you were an unqualified female soldier, but now it seems you're not going to stay in your own country and teach history and geography. What are you doing here if you're just bored?"
“If I set foot here with a gun, I will be called an invader by you; if I betray my country for the sake of justice, I will be called a traitor by the commander. As someone who has the blood of the Britannian Empire, it is clear to me who I should obey as a loyal citizen and sworn officer.”
"Trying to distance yourself from the decisions made by higher-ups? When an avalanche occurs, no snowflake is innocent, don't you think?"
"This is from the perspective of avalanche survivors. And without survivors and witnesses, no one would accuse the avalanche, and no one would remember the consequences of the avalanche, right?"
Looking at the lieutenant in front of him, who was barely taller than his nose, he had expected this to be a one-sided mockery session, but now it seemed...
"Want to talk some more, Angelie?" At that moment, the door was pushed open, and Sissian stood there. "Colonel Caronville would like to discuss our dietary habits with this gentleman."
“Then I won’t try to stop you.” Angeli put her hands behind her back and watched Andreyavich put on her hat. “If our superiors discuss the POW camps with you, please remember to fight for your interests.”
"It's a real shame that you're a lieutenant."
……
As dusk fell, a familiar figure sat down on a clean street in Berlin. It was Blanco, the little hero who had tampered with the airdropped flyers, now completely exonerated, accompanying Williams, the guy he'd met at the printing supplies store, after a night of gambling.
The car carrying Karonville and Andrejavik drove past, its windows wide open, and Karonville calmly recounted how well they had restored Berlin since they arrived.
"Did I see that right? It's a Russian official?" Blanco rubbed his eyes.
"What are you saying?" Williams asked, puzzled. He saw Blanco staring intently at the road—behind the car, another truck carrying prisoners of war drove by.
"Hey buddy, do you believe this?" Blanco decided to ask tentatively. "I heard that in District 45, if you're captured on the battlefield, you'll be poisoned and thrown into a furnace to be roasted."
"Are you drunk without even drinking, or are you delirious from a fever?!" Williams touched his forehead. "I heard that District 45 is a place that makes people lose their minds. Listen to what you're saying, drugged and then melted? Even cult scriptures wouldn't dare to make up something like that."
"you sure?"
"What do you mean I'm not sure? If you don't believe me, just find any soldier's family member in Berlin. When have Reich soldiers ever done such a heinous thing? Even the execution and desecration of District 11 thugs has made many people uncomfortable. If what you're saying is true, you'll be punished by heaven!"
"But... there might really be such places in this world, and they might even target ordinary people..."
Chapter 300, Section 388: This is not your Area 11
Suzaku Kururugi locked himself in his room and didn't come out for a whole day, not even opening the door, until Nunnally arrived.
This is a long story, dating back to the very beginning of the ceremony marking the establishment of the Japanese special zone. Elizabeth and Field Marshal Auchindoun secretly mobilized the temporarily stationed 38th Army to arrest all the Area 11 people attempting to smuggle themselves out. This was far too brutal for Nunnally and Suzaku—in other words, Suzaku could have genuinely allowed those imposters disguised as Zero to leave.
Even after the establishment of the special zone, minor problems occurred frequently. The absence of armed conflict did not mean that Nanali could be idle. Suzaku began a thankless task, personally engaging in the investigation of those arrested people from District 11. In his words, he wanted to personally review the files of nearly 10,000 lawbreakers one by one, and he would not allow judges to arbitrarily impose the death penalty.
That's right, he even ordered lenient sentences or outright release for several people from Area 11 with serious criminal histories—which was expected, wasn't it? You know, on the eve of the establishment of the Special Administrative Region, a Japanese soldier tried to assassinate him in the military camp, and the dagger was already at his waist.
When it came to the final approval of the death sentence, Suzaku stared at the document for a long time, seemingly lost in thought. In the end, it was Anya, also a Knight of the Round Table, who signed it for him (I won't tell you that this is the plot of the original anime).
……
No wonder Elizabeth berated him so harshly at the meeting—when Nunnally came in, Suzaku was still at the table, fiddling with a pile of paper rolls, looking hesitant. This indecisive person is the son of the former Japanese prime minister? Who the hell would believe that?
"Lord Suzaku, are you alright?" Nanali was quite worried. He had even taken off his Knights of the Round Table uniform and put on a kendo uniform—could it be that wearing the mantle of the Yamato people would cause him to hallucinate the admonition of the calm and serene mind?
"Perhaps Her Highness Elizabeth is right?" Ha, it seems he has to admit that he has no ability to govern the world, even wearing the clothes he used to wear in the dojo is useless.
“Just like I promised my brother, I would do things that I couldn’t do.” Nunnally moved closer. “Suzaku wanted the Japanese to return to their pre-war lives, and now that Zero is gone, besides me, isn’t the rest up to you?”
"I understand that, which is why I gave this order." Zhuque picked up a handwritten edict that was resting on the table.
He felt that Elizabeth's actions at the ceremony were somewhat abusive, so he immediately dispatched a large fleet of transport ships from the Western Pacific to send General Gabriel and his 38th Army to the African front. Thus, according to the governor's authority and the organization of the 45th District Expeditionary Force, Elizabeth no longer had the means to use force in District 11.
Strangely, Elizabeth did not object to the order and accepted it with a pleasant expression, which was puzzling—in the words of several officials, this was not the kind of thing an ambitious princess with military power would do.
"Princess Marybell has arrived in District 11. We must persuade her to draw a clear line between herself and Princess Elizabeth before she returns to District 24..." Suzaku whispered to Nunnally when there was a knock on the door. Marshal Auchindoun appeared with a calm expression.
"Did I come at the wrong time?" the marshal asked with a smile. "You're not still debating whether or not to show leniency to anyone, are you?"
"Ahem, Marshal, your arrival is timely." Suzaku tried his best to adopt a tough stance, facing this die-hard Elizabeth. "Tell me, what have you been up to lately?"
“Haha.” Auchindo raised an eyebrow. “We’ve established patrol boat fleets in several waterways on Honshu Island. I see the Kawauchi River, the Jinzu River, the Naka River, and oh, the Mogami River and the Mikuma River the day after tomorrow…”
"Do you intend to keep every mother river of the Yamato bloodline under your nose?" Suzaku looked very unhappy. "Marshal, the administrative issues of the special zone are the key point right now."
"The special zone will definitely be expanded in the future, right? So, to deal with the restless people in Area 11, shouldn't we increase our investment? Selecting some useful talents wouldn't be a bad idea, even if they don't have imperial blood, as long as they are obedient, wouldn't that be fine?"
"What does this mean?!" Suzaku couldn't help but jump up. "Area 11 is not what it used to be, Your Excellency! Neither Lady Nunnally nor I will allow such excessive and violent law enforcement to occur again! Count Rosenberg has been demoted, and the Aryan Special Forces have been jointly and forcibly disbanded by us and must not be rebuilt!"
"You only said that the special operations force couldn't be reorganized, but you didn't say..."
"No matter where you want to transfer them, to which police unit, don't even think about it! The Governor and I will issue a strict order to all police officers not to hire them!"
“NONONO, you’ve misunderstood me, hehe.” Auchenai smiled maliciously and handed over a handwritten letter. “This is from Princess Marybell. As the leader of the Grinda Knights, she wants to temporarily hire some members of the Special Forces as escorts for her convoy during her observation of District 11.”
"What?!" Suzaku and Nunnally gaped in disbelief.
……
Marshal Auchindo told a small lie. While patrolling the fleet was indeed one of his tasks during this period, he spent most of his time secretly discussing important matters with Elizabeth.
After spending so many sleepless nights in the 45th district, Elizabeth had begun to sense something was amiss—why was it necessary to send a marquess to keep an eye on her every move in Berlin? Why did Schneizel only order reinforcements for the expeditionary force when the war was at its most critical moment?
Could the position of commander-in-chief of the expeditionary force be a trap? Is what my brother wants to do to use this bait to isolate and eliminate everyone who opposes him? Although this is just a rather dubious guess, how terrible would it be if it came true?
Similarly, if it weren't for the special operations team's keen sense of smell and his own firm intervention, Suzaku and Nunnally would have almost let so many suspected smugglers escape due to their own overprotective nature. Although the outcome was acceptable, how would the two ruling parties view them? What if they sided with Schneizel? As for Gino and Anya, who were closely associated with Suzaku, what would the two Knights of the Round Table do?
“Those obedient District 45 people were the last brakes for the Governor. Without them, such excessive kindness would have ruined District 11. If even Honshu Island, the main rear base of the expeditionary force, could not be at peace, how could I lead the troops into battle…” This was Elizabeth’s bitterness.
“So you must listen to me, Your Highness.” Auchenai’s tone was resolute. “The biggest mistake you made was when everyone knew about your falling out with Prince Schneizel. That’s why when Lord Suzaku forced the 38th Army to leave ahead of schedule, I repeatedly advised you not to confront him in public. It was all to downplay the label people had attached to you of ‘clinging to military power and unwilling to let go.’ It’s a small matter if you damage relationships, but if you let the misunderstandings you’re given grow bigger and bigger, then there will be no turning back.”
“Yes, you’re right. After helping Suzaku, there are already two generals who used to listen to Schneizel. A few days ago, they came to me to ask about the situation of the expeditionary force. They also want to help me…” Elizabeth took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling. “So, before everyone goes home, I should hurry up and bring Maribel over. Then I’ll have one more supporter.”
“To put it simply, Your Highness,” Auchindoul paused, “we brought back the law-abiding, hardworking German civilian labor force, the shrewd and capable Aryan special forces, and those American and Soviet soldiers who surrendered. To put it bluntly, aside from the wavering Japanese special district, Lord Suzaku and his people have absolutely no connection to these new developments in Area 11. So, when you show these things to Princess Mariebell, which side will she appreciate more?”
"Similarly, as the conqueror of District 45, Princess Maribel will certainly view you in a different light and become more interested in the District 45 expeditionary force and the expeditionary cause. While this momentum continues, I will repeat the same tactic as before, exchanging one or two army groups for more fresh troops. In the long run, Prince Schneizel's situation will continue to deteriorate, and your problem of reinforcements will be solved, won't it?"
“Oh, I suddenly regret bringing you to my side so late, Auchindo.” Elizabeth smiled with relief. “Leaving Kelly alone in Berlin, I probably couldn’t find anyone else who could assist him well besides you.”
"But you must remember, Your Highness, more than the near-perfect generals and important military decisions within the expeditionary force, you now need someone to assist you in the rear of the empire. The easiest place to breach a strong fortress is its interior."
……
Just then, the door to the room was pushed open by two figures.
“Oh, dear Marybell?” Elizabeth was surprised, but even more surprised that Captain Schreiber of the Special Forces had arrived with her.
“Before coming, I heard a lot of interesting stories from this special older brother, hmm.” Maribel’s face lit up with joy. “So, when does our trip begin?”
Chapter 301 The Real Violent Mechanism (Part 1) (Section 389)
Royal bloodlines sometimes act like a special pass, granting the holder the power to speak with an air of superiority.
Marybell and Elizabeth had a good relationship, but the former never quite understood the other's attitude towards people of commoner origin—this attitude only intensified after they returned from District 45. Whether it was with the lowest-ranking soldiers or the Aryan special forces in front of her, her affability almost made people forget her status as a princess.
"The world is like the Amazon rainforest. You can never guess whether there is a rare and exotic flower or plant under the big tree next to you, even if they seem insignificant compared to us."
With skepticism about this statement, Maribel wanted to meet them in person. Elizabeth had thought that the vandalism of Jewish shops would not be repeated, but how could the attack on Orthodox citizens by the people of District 45 be left unpunished?
"'Being different' was just an excuse I used in front of Elizabeth, not an excuse for those who break the rules." Now she led the special forces to a secluded hall, where the soldiers were ordered to stand in line, looking at Marybelle sitting in front of them with suspicion and dissatisfaction.
“Once you’ve come to Britannia, you must understand the laws of the Empire. You have been given the power to enforce the law, but that doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want based on your past messy ideas.” Marybell stood up angrily from her chair and went straight to the main culprit, Schreiber.
“It’s pointless to investigate whether there was sand in that plate now.” As she spoke, she pulled out a fist-sized six-pointed star, as if it had been taken from a Christmas tree, with the word “jude” simply written in black ink in the center. “This is what you drew in that Jewish shop. Now, I order you to wear it around your neck and never take your eyes off me.”
This predicament was simply unbearable for those of SS origin. Karlstadt could sense out of the corner of his eye how turbulent Schreiber's mind and fingers were.
"Please forgive me, Your Highness." But he spoke first, "This symbol is worn by Jews in Germany to indicate their lineage."
"So you're applying your habits to the world. You don't consider yourselves outsiders, do you?"
"No, no, no, what I meant was... there might be others in this world, just like the Jews, who become pariahs..."
“Then shut up now,” Marybell snapped, turning back to Schreiber. “If he really is a public enemy, and not just an excuse he’s using to exonerate you, then I hope that will pique my interest.”
……
What could they do next? Schreiber, filled with unease, recounted every word the Führer had told them over the years, the beliefs etched into the DNA of the SS.
As fate would have it, as they talked, Mary Bell, like an owl in the treetops, caught a whiff of something amiss.
"Jews are naturally solitary, hiding like ants in every corner of the world."
“The people of Area 11 are introverted and cowardly, and since the fall of their country, they have become rats crossing the street on every continent.”
-
"Jews have seized the wealth of the German nation, causing us to suffer for more than a decade or two, while they enjoy the fruits of our labor in the upper class."
"The Kyoto Six Families are Japanese financial groups that surrendered to the Empire. They secretly support the Liberation Front and the Black Knights, undermining the peace achievements we have made."
-
"Jews spread dangerous Bolshevik ideology, which runs counter to the will of the Führer and the state, and the German nation must not be poisoned by them."
"The people of Area 11 are fanatically supporting ZERO's series of atrocities, succumbing to his distorted and misleading narratives. The Empire will stop at nothing to crush the Black Knights. (What does 'Bolshevik' mean? Uh, maybe it's not important.)"
-
"The Jews take a vague and illusory creator as their belief, disregard the Führer's orders, resist the resurgence of Germany, and even secretly sabotage our great achievements."
"The people of Area 11 knelt before the enigmatic figure of ZERO, becoming a chaotic mob, losing the will that a nation should have, to the point that they have forgotten the Japanese flag that once stood above their heads."
-
"Therefore, the Jews in German soil are like hidden cancer cells; if they are not eliminated soon, they will eventually burst and strangle us."
"In conclusion, the people of District 11 are like a spreading plague on the world stage. If left unchecked, they will inevitably bring rebellion and disaster to good people."
……
And so, as Schreiber and Marybell exchanged glances, a tacit understanding shone between them, the former presenting slogans fabricated by the Führer and the latter presenting undeniable truths.
"If that's really the case, then it seems rather logical." Indeed, who would have thought that by simply switching the roles of those involved, Britannia would find herself somewhat aligned with Germany? "If Elizabeth knew this story, her words would naturally be easier to understand."
Marybell turned around abruptly and ripped the six-pointed star off Schreiber.
"It seems there are quite a few misunderstandings between our two worlds, gentlemen." The princess put down her airs with satisfaction. "You have enough reason for me to say 'this is the last time' as well. Of course, you have also earned a chance to redeem yourselves."
……
The world is full of wonders, let alone two worlds. That's how the scene at the beginning, where she brought Schreiber to meet the former, came about.
And so, Maribell embarked on her tour of Area 11 once again. As before, Elizabeth was behind the scenes coordinating local defense forces for her, in case of any unforeseen circumstances—after all, Maribell had been kidnapped in Area 11 before.
This time, in addition to the KMF of the Knights of Grinda and the local infantry fighting vehicles of Area 11, there were also several military off-road vehicles at the head of the convoy, most of which were carried by the special forces.
And so, the convoy, like small boats, drifted along the gentle current of the road through the mountains of Honshu, until it reached a winding mountain road two kilometers from Kofu City—said to be the place where Takeda Shingen was born.
Before arriving here, Maribell did her homework on this famous man. Actually, she wasn't interested in the history of Japan itself, but coincidentally, she came across some of Takeda's military history in the book: surviving in a situation surrounded by powerful enemies, winning battle after battle, to the point that all of Japan trembled at the marching steps of the Takeda family.
Thinking about it, the 38th Army, which has just returned from District 45, actually dares to take on the combat mission of six army groups on its own. If it really has such terrifying combat power, wouldn't Elizabeth become the person with the strongest military power in the entire empire, and the one who "can disobey the emperor's orders when he is in the field"? What is she planning to do?
……
"Your homes in Japan are just like ours, surrounded by mountains?"
"I don't know either, maybe we're all just troublemakers."
Of the four-wheeled off-road vehicles in the convoy, two were built by American soldiers. Philip sat in the back of one of them, Chizuru Nagayama was driving, and Davis and Garcia were on the right, smoking with the window open, not interested in joining the other two's idle chatter.
"Major Leffer said we should provide security for the big shot in that car. Do you know who it is?"
"I don't know either, maybe she's a princess who came to observe."
And so the two of them, singing and chanting in harmony, wandered back and forth along the mountain road.
"The KMFs that have been with us all along are so colorful, they must all be a bunch of high-level cheaters, right?"
"I don't know either, maybe at least I can use you as a football to kick around."
"Then tell me, how did we, a bunch of ordinary soldiers, end up working for such a big shot?"
"I don't know either, maybe they wanted to show that important person their 'achievements'."
"That's strange. You don't know anything, so how come you're talking like it's the truth?"
"I don't know either, maybe I just wanted to give you a perfunctory answer."