In the Norden Coast

The Seas draped beyond our eyes. Cold, cold, blue, and cloudy seas. The birds perched their way, to safeties over the worries of an upcoming storm.

"It seems… we've been purposely lead astray, isn't it Kommandant?" Prinz Eugen stood in front of me, constantly scanning over her radar and the raging ocean from the bridge beyond.

"Can't be helped," I sighed, shaking my head softly, "The Admiralty wanted to hog all the glories since this is their chance to shine after eating enormous budget without any contribution throughout the course of the war."

Her lips nudged, forming a faint smile, "Is that so? and here we are, patrolling between here and nowhere, nudging the raging seas and its cloudy mistress."

I leaned forward, on the arm of my seat, "Don't worry, Prinz, we'll see our fellow ship, if not, in a few days. For now, just think this is a sort of vacation."

"Hmm, tell that to our dearest supervisor, a pitiful man, for he couldn't stand the testament of raging waves and beneath, spilling his disgusting stomach on my pristine deck," Prinz pearly face reeled in a frown grimace of what happened earlier.

Ah, it seems they still not trust us, appointing the so-called supervisor to assess our combat potential or so they said.

More than half of the military council almost disagree with our existence, arguing we only be a burden to the military gargantuan spending that almost eats half the share of people of the fatherland. Though, they were gravely mistaken of us, as a poor rabble trying to stand on its own feet.

Should the fatherland, if not, it's economic power crumble after or while in the war, the obsidian round table will stand still and tall. We've made sure of ourselves, to be self-relying, without any external factor. All thanks to cube technology, they're a great source of power and energy, without them, we could still rely on the international market to sell our product and any historian should know, in this time of turmoil, economic collapse and inflation is a destined prophecy.

The banner of the red, the weak, the poor, and the opportunist will shout, exclaiming revolution like a raging tide cleansing the old government. I can't stand my people to fall to such hideous idealism and dream. This is a new era where a pen can be as sharp as a sword, and idealism won over pragmatism, and I lean towards the latter.

I'm no politician, bending words at their will nor am I a great leader that capable of turning the tables with only wits and mind. I have only the right information and ideas, collective ideas that mankind cultivated throughout their history and preservation. I'm just lucky and coincidentally gifted that is.

Now, let's set aside all of those grim thoughts for later dates, I have a fleet to catch.

Our mission this time is to safeguard the seas, patrolling and reporting should any fleeing enemy fleet pass our radar or peripheral vision. Yes, reporting, not incapacitate or engage, they wanted every piece of recognition as their own.

Much to my grinding teeth should these fleeing vessels that managed to slip past the Hochseeflotte iron grip, and we only capable to watch them passing by as their slow fortress of iron slowly floating adrift and trying to catch up.

Once they saw, my pitiful fleet that only consist of 6 destroyers and 1 cruiser serving as the flagship, they graciously lend us some vessels they dub as 'U-boat' some finished prototype of their monstrous spending that capable to temporarily submerge itself for a few minutes and sneak a torpedo attack.

I snorted, they even not capable enough to detect U-110 or Hai that toying beneath them, undoubtedly mistaken her for a whale or something. Can't be helped, this is an early war era, even our U-boat is also designed over its old predecessor, and I happen to have the knowledge to improve and perfect it, slightly.

No need a trivial feeling of superiority, we fought under the same banner and cause. It should have sufficient enough to support them, and yet here I am, arrogantly boast my own power when it sourced from their counterparts that failed, struggled, and toiled in the blood to reach the pinnacle of power I'm currently possessed. While I only could to replicate their efforts.

I should have felt ashamed but on the edge, I felt…

"Disappointment…" I, unaware, muttered the last piece, which Prinz managed to pick up.

"Sigh, why are you always brooding like this when left alone, you're the Herr Kommandant, sit upright and held your chest high, there's some complain from some of your subordinate of your improper behavior," She turned, her iridescent eyes set upon mine, with her hands intertwined beneath her chest.

"Right… I know, I know," I bite my nail before Prinz suddenly swept it away with her firm hands.

"I know you were faced with an enormous burden behind your small back, your figures should be dashing in the upcoming age of your prime, instead of hunching back like some weary veteran. Stop thinking about these needless thoughts. You created us, you banded us under a single cause, and you… don't misunderstand our purpose, we're not a burden for you to carry, we meant to uplift it."

It was the eyes, always the eyes that amazes me. It conceived everything, sometimes, more than words do. Her stern gaze, locking into mine, turned into a soft understanding. It meant to remind, it wanted to share, listen, and to comfort.

"I know, you've been frustrated lately, of the incompetency the fatherland showed you, and the disappointment latched in every of your voice. As much as it pains us, the war needs to be prolonged to reach our goals."

The war, this purposeless war for the sake to defend our homeland from the jealous neighbor and the need to subdue an upstart that is the Empire. It won't stop, man will fall of their rationality, if those worms keep clawing its way to the collective thought of mankind even if it means to maintain their seat above heaven.

War is just a mean, for them, to gain faith and our beliefs. Imagine if someone stole an offering box, the donation means for the poor souls, full of pure intention to help others only to be snatched away to fill one coffer. Imagine if the one who did all these things for long was the very benign being they worshipped.

We need to find a way, much to my solution only a way torn in the warpath could solve it. Hypocrisy on the highest order, I fear it will only create another vile chain of vengeance. A solution to solves all, through Violence and million souls violated.

I wanted to cry, I wanted to, sometimes I question myself over the decision to bear these crushing thoughts, and how much the progress has changed me or reverted some of my old personas.

I let out a long sigh, calming my inner mind, "Right, you're right. Freesia always sternly reminds me, Violet would always stare at me, wondering what's wrong, and it makes me conscious… now, it's you. How much I should say gratitude to all of you. Alberich must be disappointed in me when he sees my form."

"Then Remember those feelings, that is the burden you only, commander, meant to carry. Anything else, it's our sole duty."

Her voice was low yet stern. Only sincerity and soft understanding passed on each syllable. I nodded, facing her gaze I was afraid before to face, "Right."

I smiled, and my face resolute. How many times I need to be told, what I've done only averting my gaze of the cruel truth, instead I should embrace them, welcoming every change.

"Right."

I said once more.

"Good, sometimes I wonder myself if you have two facets of personality, but I know I shouldn't mind of it."

I chuckled mirthfully at her assessment, I guess she can't be far from the truth.

We're only a side of the same coin, after all.

After that, a sudden jerk from Prinz Eugen woke me whom the person in question was now staring off the distance as ascertaining something.

"Report," I know it's something urgent.

"Kommandant, we've detected a fleet… flying in the banner of the Entente. A course of action, please input."

"Clarification."

"Right, 6 vessels in the size of the destroyer, 4 what presumably cruiser, the light kind, and 1 battlecruiser judging from the light armor. Hold on…" She paused, "A report coming from the vessel U-47, an unidentified vessel, presumably a merchant ship is sailing 3 nautical miles off the Entente fleet, Kommandant."

"Have they noticed us?"

She shook her head, "Nope."

"Good, keep trailing them and alarm our friend of the development, I'm sure they're eager of the report. Post the U-47 to track the merchant's vessels, I smell something here."

Currently, there's 4 U-boat sneaking undetected both to our ally and enemy, U-47 was among them as she carried a wing of a mage, under Eleonore command.

Sometimes I wonder if my decision to build a carrier fleet is the right thing to do, as a submarine is already enough as it is to carry a wing of a mage.

"Affirmative…" As she voiced through the communicator, I pick myself an intercom that will transmit the order to every ship inside this fleet.

"All personnel, man your battle station! This is commander Richard, to all personnel, man your battle station! Keep alerts and await further orders! I repeat, keep alerts and await further orders!"

Well now, I look at our current position, there's the talk of commonwealth navy 'exercise' that is presently conducted near our water border. I wonder if the Hochseeflotte will manage the time before the escaped fleet reaches the commonwealth that is their goal.

After those talk with Prinz Eugen, a part of me was glad we only need to see the chaos that will come unfurled between the Entente fleet and the Hochseeflotte or perhaps, the commonwealth.