The Emperors Diplomatic Talk and The Bloody Ball Part 1

Alex POV

"Sir, Queen Zarina and Sir Axe have come to meet you," a butler said as he opened the door to his office.

"I see. Bring them up," Alex replied, since he had been trying to manage the workflow entering his desk. With the advancement of technology, he had ordered a special type of computer where he could review the information before it entered his office. With the new invention, he could type new documents while issuing new orders to different department heads. He could also send out for an emergency meeting if needed. Not far from his table was a small table stand, and on top of it was a coffee maker with cups. The beans were harvested from the Verdun region, known for its climate for coffee. Although it was grown in small amounts, Alex owned a small section of land for his own private use.

"Your Majesty, it's good to see you after months since the end of the war," Zarina greeted. This time, she was wearing casual clothing rather than her royal attire. This was true for Axe as well, who wore his formal attire rather than his Assassin X Grandmaster attire.

"Okay, both of you, get to the point. What do you want?" Alex replied as he placed his hands on the table, folding them while looking at them intently.

"I wish for the assistance of the Empire, but not in the way of total intervention. I wish for your Air Force to assist in the upcoming war with the Winter Lotus, which has footholds to the east and southeast," she said. Alex started thinking for a moment. At first, he could just assist them a bit—only two large airstrikes he could do, since most of the ammunition was being diverted to Dimitris' plan, which was going to start in two days.

"The Air Force will provide you with air recon and only five chances to strike any place of your enemies. Choose wisely, since Axe also knows the inventory of explosives in the Air Force, and most of them are not available since they are also assisting the Frustora front," he replied. Zarina wanted more, knowing there were spots that were hard to miss. But sadly, she understood this was a test from Alex to see if they could stand up properly as an ally, so she relented.

"I see. I'm really grateful for the help of the Emperor, but may I ask, what's the current situation at the Frustora front?" she asked, since it had been months since she last heard about their battles.

"Currently, they are dug in and awaiting more reinforcements. Things are not looking good, as I have received information that over 600,000 soldiers are being trained at their capital, Oslo, also armed with new weapons from the Tiamat Empire and Zenith Empire. I will most likely face a full retreat," Alex said grimly. Zarina nodded, while Axe narrowed his eyes at the map.

"We will have four months before they arrive, right, Your Majesty?" Axe asked, since his agents had already estimated that timeline. It would take four months for the enemy forces to arrive in groups.

"Yes, and I already plan to send reinforcements in advance before the main force," Alex sighed. Although he wanted to ignore it for a while, it would bite him back if he did.

"An engineer division will be sent with orders to build military railways and proper roads with five military-grade trains and coaches, with a patrol fleet acting as an escort," he pointed at the region, which had three fronts—one active and another potentially facing conflict spillover.

"I plan to send out three of the eight knight corps: the 1st, 5th, and 7th corps. Each corps comprises 50,000 soldiers. The majority of them are for close combat, but the 7th corps is mainly trained for siege warfare. The 5th corps were trained for naval landings but can fight in open-area battles without any problems. With this, they will have 150,000 soldiers as reinforcements. However, it's not enough. That's why, in exchange for an increase in your faction's contribution…" He paused a bit, and the couple braced for what was about to be proposed.

"You will be sending over 150,000 soldiers as reinforcements and establishing a training ground for your army. They may be veterans, but they are not prepared enough to use the weapons I provided," Alex said. It was a cold truth. Despite being veterans of the Chronos War, they still lacked experience in using such weapons and relied only on charging head-on. That was why Alex approved the first batch of future Muscovy officers to be sent to the Military Academy of Draconia.

"But, Your Majesty, I will have no soldiers left to defend my territory," Zarina said in a worried tone, while Axe was also concerned but did not intervene.

"I understand, and that's why I'm sending two National Guard divisions to make up for the lack of troops. I know you have a secret army of over 100,000 soldiers from your ancestors' great fallen soldiers. Plus, you are a one-man army, although you need to prove that you're capable of defending your land—even your capital. Only those shrewd enough remember those days, but the new generation of lords doesn't believe in such fairy tales," Alex said, delivering the cold hard truth.

"Alex, will you give the guarantee that the soldiers Zarina and I send will not die needless deaths?" Axe asked for confirmation, and Alex gave his approval.

"Marshal Manuel has already made plans for such scenarios. He just needs ships to evacuate. Oh, and about ships, how's your navy?" Alex asked, since he had donated five old-generation destroyers, two old battleships, and four cruisers. This could already be considered a fleet to be reckoned with.

"Currently, the crews are still in training, but with no real combat experience, they can't fight in the open seas," she said honestly. Alex understood, as most of their imports were made through land routes. Since they were not into raiding, Zarina had ignored her navy's training. However, after the war, she began taking it seriously. Axe also advised her on developing her ports, as her largest port was in Muscovy. She was currently expanding her naval capabilities, but it was not enough to face the Tiamat Empire's vast naval fleet. Now that they were equipping their ships with smoothbore cannons, they would be a terrifying force to face in open seas. Only the Draconian Empire could face such a naval force. They had been retrofitting their four imperial fleets and creating a new fleet, bringing the number to five fleets in four years.

Even though the Empire was still in peacetime, its well-oiled machine had not stopped. Only a few hundred factories that were temporarily converted for war had returned to their original purpose.

New weapons, such as the magic core reactors, were initially equipped only on carriers but had now been downsized for destroyers and battleships. New naval ammunition, like the Magi Shell—which contained a rune cast by a saint for a large explosive force that activated upon impact—was being developed. These innovations were now being introduced into the arsenal of the Draconian Navy. Battleships were currently equipped with this cutting-edge technology.

Draconian soldiers were also being reorganized. Alongside the two marshals, Alex had been preparing a large war plan. Military innovations were starting to feel stagnant, and Alex had personally requested patience before introducing the last prototypes. One such innovation was a one-man-operated light machine gun (LMG) called the M-250, which boasted a maximum round capacity of over 100 bullets. Recent stress tests had shown it could fire 10,000 rounds over two days nonstop, with zero operational issues, leading to its approval for mass production. Another approved design was a pistol-like grenade launcher, further enhancing individual soldier capabilities.

Older tanks and weapons were being sent to the Alchemist Nation along with a group of officers to provide training. After stabilizing the Tyrell front, Alex intended to shift focus to the other fronts requiring attention.

"I see. I will begin increasing funding for the navy and its training," Zarina said. After much thought, she decided to ask another question.

"Is it possible to request mechanized weapons such as old APCs and tanks to add more firepower?" she asked with a glimmer of hope.

"No," Alex replied decisively.

"Why?" Zarina asked, her tone tinged with frustration.

"Your current economic strength is not able to handle the maintenance. You would still need to produce spare parts and fuel, and your current factory output is insufficient to sustain such a force. Plus, my inventory of tanks is running low since I'm prioritizing them for Novoros and another ally," Alex explained. The cold truth was unavoidable, and Zarina could only sigh in acknowledgment. The logistical challenge of supporting mechanized units was simply too much for her faction at this stage.

"I see. But I hope you will provide the blueprints once the first military factories are completed," she said, narrowing her gaze. Alex smirked and nodded.

"Sure. Defeat the Winter Lotus, and you'll get more technological support and resources to mine your natural wealth," Alex said, raising one hand in a gesture that sealed the deal.

"I see. I will fulfill my end of the bargain," she said, standing up and leaving the office, followed by Axe, whose face remained expressionless, refusing to take sides.

As the two exited, Alex stared at the entrance with an empty look before standing up and gazing out the window behind him. Below, the bustling city stretched out, filled with construction workers going about their tasks, families enjoying their day, and police officers patrolling in either vehicles or on horseback, wearing dark blue uniforms. These uniforms were cost-effective and offered protection.

'Okay, time to rest for now,' Alex thought as his gaze shifted to the stand near his desk. It held his battle armor and weapons, including the Balance Blade. Currently, he was dressed in dark blue long sleeves, black pants, and brown leather shoes.

Manuel POV – Thanatos Empire

"Well, at least we're out of those conversations," I said, looking around the grand hall. A small circle of guards surrounded the table, ensuring no nobles could approach me or the Federation President. Some nobles attempted to strike up a conversation, particularly those loyal to the Emperor's faction, but they were swiftly turned away.

"Yes, and we can see the whole debacle begin in a few minutes," the President replied, smiling slightly as he sipped his wine. His gaze shifted to the ringleader of the opposing faction, who was attempting to approach but was promptly stopped by an armed Blackwatch soldier.

The atmosphere was tense. Though the banquet was meant to project a sense of unity, the undercurrents of political tension were palpable. The rival factions within the Thanatos Empire were all vying for influence, and the Emperor's allies were working tirelessly to maintain order amidst growing dissent.

To be continued in Part 2...