C62 The Unification War

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees.

"And yet, they feel as real as the life you've lived."

She nodded, gripping the towel wrapped around her waist.

"I see myself, but I know it's not me. A different time, a different place. But I feel what she feels. I know things I shouldn't."

Her blackening by day eyes finally met mine.

"Things no one should."

A silence stretched between us, thick with unspoken truths.

I leaned back, fingers tapping against the armrest of my chair.

"Tell me, Lucillia or should I say Catherine… in these dreams, what do I look like?"

Lucillia swallowed, hesitant.

"You're… older,"

She finally admitted.

"Dressed in strange clothing. Surrounded by things I don't understand. And yet"

Her hands clenched into fists.

"And yet, I know it's you. The way you move. The way you speak. That sharp edge in your eyes…" Her voice lowered.

"And the way you look at me."

I raised a brow.

"And how do I look at you?"

She inhaled slowly.

"Like you've seen me before."

Lucillia continued, her voice gaining a bitter edge.

"Like you knew me before I even met you in this life."

I remained silent, waiting.

"You knew, didn't you?"

Her voice was barely above a whisper now.

"About me. About… everything."

The wind carried the scent of salt and oil from the sea. Flavia's laughter rang in the distance. The engineers continued their work. But here, in this moment, nothing else existed except the two of us.

I exhaled through my nose.

"I did."

Lucillia's breath hitched.

"And you didn't tell me?"

I let out a small, dry chuckle.

"Would you have believed me?"

Silence. Lucillia bit her lip, looking down. She didn't answer. She didn't have to.

I leaned back again, watching her carefully.

"Your dreams are only the beginning."

She slowly looked up.

"What do you mean?"

I glanced toward the ocean, my expression unreadable.

"Your memories are returning. And soon, you'll remember everything."

Lucillia tightened her grip on the towel around her waist, her knuckles white.

"...And then what?"

I turned back to her, my smirk returning.

"Then, I fear that Ill have hell to pay"

She held my gaze for a long moment before turning away, staring at the horizon. The wind tugged at her golden hair with more and more strands of green hair, and for the first time, I saw something new in her eyes.

Fear. But not of me. Of herself.

...

April 5

The grand hall of the Imperial Senate buzzed with hushed conversations as senators, both longstanding and newly appointed from the 'reintegrated' Teutonica territories, speculated about the sudden assembly.

Marble pillars soared overhead, and the domed ceiling bore intricate frescoes depicting the Imperium's storied history.

"Any idea why we've been summoned so abruptly?"

Murmured the senator from the old faction, adjusting the folds of his ceremonial toga.

Another senator a veteran statesman, leaned in closer.

"Rumor has it that the Imperator plans to address the growing tensions with the neighboring duchie."

Across the aisle, the former Teutonica senators huddled together, their discomfort evident. A young senator, still unaccustomed to the Imperial Senate's grandeur, whispered.

"Do you think this concerns the recent military buildup on the border?"

Before anyone could respond, the room's massive oak doors swung open. An imposing figure, the former Emperor of Spartanum Ducatum now serving as Consul, stepped forward, his voice resonating through the chamber.

"All rise for His Imperial Majesty The Imperator!"

...

MC POV

The senators stood in unison as I entered, flanked by Lupa, Lucillia, and members of my death squad.

The weight of the moment hung heavy in the air. I ascended the dais, my gaze sweeping over the assembly before I began.

"Imperial senators"

I began, my voice firm yet measured.

"Our Imperium stands at a pivotal juncture. The recent integration of Teutonica has strengthened our dominion, but challenges persist."

Murmurs rippled through the hall. I raised a hand, and silence resumed.

"Today, I bring to your attention the Duchy of Lotharingia,"

I continued, referencing the historical region known for its strategic significance mainly for the oil fields hidden beneath Its lands which are pivital for the ever growing Imperiums war machine.

"Their recent actions have threatened our borders and undermined our sovereignty."

A senator from the old faction Interjected hesitangly.

"Imperator are you proposing a declaration of war?"

I met his gaze and smirked.

"Alright lets cut the bulls*it, yes I am and Im not proposing but telling you that Its gonna happen and before any of you have the bright Idea of apposing me.."

I paused as I scanned the senetors that flicnched under my gaze.

"... I know all about youre acquisitions, In other words i know that each and every one of you benefitted from my last conquest"

A few members of the old faction coughed awkwardly, shifting uncomfortably in their seats. One particularly rotund senator dabbed his forehead with a silk handkerchief, his beady eyes darting toward his peers, searching for some unspoken reassurance.

The new faction senators, on the other hand, sat with their arms crossed, their gazes sharp with barely veiled anger as they watched their counterparts squirm after all they were the victims.

I allowed the tension to simmer before continuing, letting my gaze sweep over the room like a predator watching for signs of weakness.

"So let's not pretend otherwise"

I said, my tone measured but carrying the weight of unspoken truths.

"The reintegration of Teutonica filled your coffers, expanded your trade routes, and secured your little personal fiefdoms. I could go down the list, your 'acquisitions,' as you so delicately put it, but I don't think I need to waste my breath."

A few senators exchanged nervous glances, their fingers tightening around the edges of their marble chairs.

One man, an elder of the old faction, cleared his throat and straightened, attempting to reclaim his composure.

"Imperator, we do not dispute your victories, nor the prosperity they have brought,"

He began carefully, his voice smooth but lacking confidence.

"However, war with Lotharingia is a different matter entirely. They are a well entrenched power, and the fact that they had hastily deployed troops on the border after the fall of Teutonica..."

I raised a hand, cutting him off.

"Spare me the lectures on strategy,"

I said, my voice firm.

"I don't give a damn about their military power. What I care about is the continued dominance of the Imperium. As long as you follow my words to the letter, I don't give a f*ck what you do in your private dealings. You can continue lining your pockets, building your monuments, and playing politics. But, and listen carefully..."

I leaned forward slightly, letting my presence weigh upon them.

"if any of you so much as think about biting off more than you can chew, or, g*ds forbid, crossing me, then I'll remind you all exactly how I deal with treachery or did the last fiasco wasnt enough to straighten you up?"

Silence.

The new faction senators smirked, enjoying the way their rivals sat stiff backed, unwilling to meet my gaze.

They heard the horror stories of what happened to those who opposed me. The reports of past purges still lingered in the air like ghosts of history.

I straightened my half cape and strode back to my seat at the center of the chamber, resting my hands on the armrests, exuding absolute authority.

"By the end of the month, I want the Imperium ready for war,"

I declared, my voice final and unyielding.

"Mobilize the people, tighten our supply chains, and begin coordinating logistics. I expect every man, women and child to contribute, and I don't want to hear excuses."

I paused, letting my words settle, before arching a brow.

"Any questions?"

Dead silence. I smirked.

"Good. I like this attitude of yourse very much"

...

April 6

The streets of Nova Roma roared with energy as newsboys sprinted through the avenues, waving printed broadsheets in the air while shouting out the day's bombshell headlines.

"Lotharingian Betrayal! A Threat to the Greater Spartanum Ducatum!"

"Imperium Must Act Lotharingia Caught Sabotaging Trade Routes!"

The words cut through the city like wildfire, spreading from the grand plazas to the dingiest alleyways.

Every street corner had its murmurs, every tavern its theories. The pulse of the Imperium quickened.

It was all part of a meticulously orchestrated campaign by cerberus, a finely tuned narrative designed to present the Imperium as the aggrieved party while casting Lotharingia as the villain. Every word, every article, every broadcast had been crafted with precision. Border skirmishes were whispered about in the taverns and marketplaces, painting a picture of Lotharingian aggression. Even the most skeptical among the citizenry found themselves nodding along as the so called evidence piled up, whether real or manufactured.

In the bustling marketplace, an elderly merchant bellowed, clutching a broadsheet with trembling hands.

"I knew it!"

He exclaimed, waving the paper in the air.