Chapter 55：A Demon

Three months have passed since the Imperium of Drussia has forced the Kingdom of Porrand into an armistice. The peace treaty or as it was officially known as; the 'Commonwealth Concords' was signed by the remaining Porrish nobles in place of their 'missing monarch.'

The Concords allowed the nobles to keep their hold over the eastern Porrish provinces or granted them a province that used to belong to a now deceased Porrish noble family.

However, this came at the cost of them wilfully allowing the Drussians to annex the entirety of western Porrand as well as forcing them to pay regular monthly tributes as a protectorate under the Imperium of Drussia.

These war tributes came mostly in the form of material goods rather than currency or money. After all, the only real limitations to the Drussian war machine was their population size and their access to resources.

The signing of the Commonwealth Concords has temporarily dealt with these problems. Not only were the western lands rich and fertile enough to justify the invasion from an economic standpoint but it also placed a lot of peasants under the Imperium of Drussia's thrall.

Although some of these Porrish peasants were actually ethnic Drussians, not all of them had Drussian heritage. Nevertheless, this was of no importance. Everyone, including the peasants themselves agreed that were always a stupid, uneducated bunch.

As long as they were protected and paid sufficiently for their services, peasants will work the land for whatever master they find themselves under. The Imperium of Drussia should be no different.

Although there was sure to be some semblance of misplaced loyalty, the persisting existence of the Kingdom of Porrand albeit as a vassal nation combined with Imperial Army garrisons and open borders between the two nations allowing immigration and emigration should placate the masses.

As such, it was commonly agreed within the Imperium of Drussia that this was a great victory. A milestone which signified the rising strength and prestige of the Imperium.

However, not every Drussian felt this way.

"We talked about this before Frederick! Please rethink this!"

Within the private quarters which was reserved for the 1st lieutenant of the 101st alpha corps, two siblings were arguing.

The older one, Frederick knitted his brows together in slight annoyance in response to his younger sister's pleas. With a firm resolve in his voice, Frederick answered back to his sister.

"I already have. Trust me. I really have thought this through. I've decided the Imperial army is no longer the place for me."

Frederick's sister was utterly shocked and left speechless by what he had just said. It seemed as if she just could not not believe what he was saying.

After a brief moment of silence passed, Frederick's sister once again continued trying to dissuade her brother.

"Please don't resign from the army. I know you hate it but please just keep trying to look the other way. Keep doing what you're already doing. There's no need for you to unnecessarily risk everything! Remember what you told me? 'Ignorance is bliss.'"

"I can no longer tolerate what the Imperium is doing! I will not be part of any more unnecessary death or destruction brought by the Imperium."

Frederick sighed sombrely before he continued speaking.

"Look... Katherine... You know me. Surely you remember the main reasons why I originally joined with the Dunnwals?"

His sister; Katherine only kept her lips together in response to Frederick's question. After a few moments of silence, Frederick answered his own question.

"I joined because of two reasons. Because of loyalty since the Hans family are vassals to the Dunnwals and because I wanted to aid in expelling the Panish invaders from Drussia. I did not join to become an invader myself."

When Katherine saw that she could not change her brother's mind, she only sighed sadly.

"You really want to do leave?"

Frederick only nodded silently to answer Katherine's question. After once again sighing, Katherine resigned to her brother's wishes.

"Fine... Just promise me one thing."

As Katherine spoke, she stared deeply into Frederick's eyes.

"Before, your rank as brigadier and now 1st lieutenant has been enough to sustain our life. You must promise me that you will find a suitable replacement job."

"Trust me, it'll be fine."

Seemingly unimpressed by Frederick's declaration, Katherine pouted as she responded.

"I'm not joking Frederick. You remember what our lives were like when we lost all of our serfs and territories and..."

Katherine hesitated for a moment before she continued.

"And... and our parents to the Paniards? We. Lost. Everything. We. Had. Nothing. And who built up our lives from nothing?"

A short moment of passed before Frederick answered Katherine's question.

"We did..."

"Yes. We did."

Katherine sighed again before she continued. However, unlike before, it wasn't sombre. Instead it just sounded... tired.

"Please don't make us lose everything we already have... I can't bear to have nothing again..."

In response, Frederick put on a reassuring smile as he spoke.

"You can rest easy."

While he said this, he softly placed his right hand on Katherine's right shoulder.

"There are many other governmental roles within the Imperium. Surely I can find a suitable replacement. I'm sure everything will be alright."

When Frederick saw that Katherine wasn't going to respond, he let go of her shoulder before he proceeded to excuse himself.

"Now I must leave. I should return by nightfall."

Just before he can leave the office however, he was stopped by his sister's voice.

"Wait Frederick!"

"Yes?"

Soon, Frederick turned around around to face Katherine, somewhat confused by her intentions. With a mouth that formed both a smile and a frown combined, Katherine stuttered a single sentence.

"I... I love you..."

Frederick only smiled as he replied.

"I love you too."

Before he left the office, closed the door and made his way for the commander-in-chief's private office.

As the 1st lieutenant of 101st Alpha Corps, Frederick was granted several privileges. The ability to privately meet with Erika, the commander-in-chief without making an appointment beforehand, being one of them.

However, just before Frederick reached Erika's office, he came across a rather peculiar sound.

It was the type of sound that Frederick did not expect to hear within these halls, the main headquarters' of the Imperial Army, the 'Imperial Military Tactics and Administration Centre'.

It was the sound of someone singing.

"???????????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ????????ü???????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????? ????????ü????????????????????????"

But it was not the singing itself itself that surprised Frederick the most. But instead, it was the person who was singing the song.

"???????????? ???????????? ????????????ß????: ????????????????????."

The person who was singing, was none other than Erika herself.

There was no doubt about it, after all his time spent in the Violet and later Imperial Army, there was no way that Frederick could mistake Erika's voice.

Soon, he saw the commander-in-chief herself, leaning out the window and glancing out at the city sprawling in front of her eyes as she continued singing to herself.

When Frederick saw this sight, he could not help freezing in complete disbelief.

He just could not believe that the rigid and serious Erika could have this side to herself.

"1st lieutenant Frederick, do you require something of me?"

Although Erika abruptly stopped singing to question Frederick's intentions, he was still unable to make a proper response.

"Well?"

"Oh I'm sorry my lady!"

However, his proper thinking mechanisms kicked in once he was questioned for a second time. Soon, he tried to apologise for his accidental insubordination.

"It's just that I was caught off guard by your-"

"There is no need to finish that sentence."

Although she was previously singing in an empowering, joyful tone, she has quickly returned to that professional and stoic Erika that Frederick has always known.

"I believe that it would be sufficient to say that I'm experiencing multiple moments of good moods recently. However, I don't believe that you came to me for this specific matter."

"No I didn't."

Frederick paused for a moment to mentally strengthen his resolve before he continued.

"I came here to officially resign from the Imperial Army."

Although Frederick was able to catch a slight glimmer of surprise in Erika's eyes, she still kept her composed disposition as she spoke.

"There shouldn't be a problem with that. After all, membership within any governmental role, including the military is only voluntary and your talents aren't too outstanding. The Imperial Army shouldn't experience any setbacks from your resignation. However, that still begs the question."

Erika's blue eyes stared deeply into Frederick's soul as she questioned him.

"Why do you feel that you must resign from the Imperial Army?"

"Please don't take offence to this but..."

Frederick took a deep breath before he continued. After all, he was only insulting the emperor in front of his closest subordinate.

"Maxwell is a monster... no he's worse. He's a monster amongst monsters. He's a demon. I just... I just can't bring myself to carry out his will... not in the military anyway..."

Erika's eyebrows rose in slight confusion in response to Frederick.

"So what? You call him a 'demon' but he has brought our people to a new age of prosperity. Never before has Drussia been as prestigious, prosperous and feared as it is now. An evil demon Maxwell may be but I believe it would be more appropriate to call him a 'necessary evil.'"

Frederick sighed before placing a lot of emphasis into his voice as he responded.

"Be that as it may I don't want anymore part of this. Please accept my resignation."

When Erika heard what Frederick had to say, she paused for a short moment to seemingly think to herself before she gave her reply.

"Very well. As the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Drussian Armed Forces I can only accept your resignation... However, before I do, I must first eliminate all chances of military secrets being leaked, after all..."

As Erika spoke, she slowly made her way closer towards Frederick while at the same time seemingly reaching for something in her inner coat.

"If Maxwell really is a demon-"

"Grrrrggh!"

When Erika said this, Frederick felt a sudden pain in his chest. When he glanced down where he felt his pain, he found a knife that was embedded deeply into his chest.

A knife that was held in Erika's right hand.

When Frederick glanced back at Erika, he saw that she still kept that professional look on her face. However, when he looked deep into her eyes, it seemed almost as if they were sparkling.

"Then that means that I must be a demon too..."

Soon, Frederick lost all sensation in his limbs as he collapsed onto the floor. Lying on his side, Frederick could only clutch his chest in pain with whatever strength he had left in his body.

The sounds of footsteps entered his ears before Erika squatted down in front of him as she pulled the knife out from his chest before she 'officially dismissed' him from the Imperial Army.

"Frederick Hans, you have now been honourable discharged from the Imperial Army. I hope you enjoy your resignation from the Imperial Drussian Armed Forces."