Sovereign

“ARDF forces pushed eight kilometers through weakened Gallian lines in another counter-offensive launched by the Republic. The pincer attacks created a vulnerable bulge in Gallian lines, threatening nearly eight Gallian Army brigades into a possible encirclement. No retreat has been ordered from the Gallian High Command, however, with officials stating that ‘Gallian troops will hold fast and defeat the enemy’.”

- Geopol Press

+++

United Confederation of Pez

Brewich

That was certainly a surprise, Amelie thought.

The opening conference yesterday bored her, as it was only the Foreign Ministers and diplomats who participated in the preliminary rounds. Armies of bureaucrats and diplomats carried the night, and Amelie still awaited the reports from Minister Adelaide regarding the discussions, as tomorrow, MN leaders will finally join in the conference to make their long-awaited speeches and proclamations on the international stage.

However, she had received a more important request today. The Orlish Embassy was notified that diplomats sent by major CFN member-states had arrived. And the first they would visit would be her embassy. Naturally, Amelie alerted William to tighten security, and the Embassy’s already present guards followed suit.

Amelie took a deep breath as she stopped in front of the room where the CFN officials awaited. Behind her, William and Nia were following her closely. She nodded to the Royal Guard Knight that was beside the door, and the woman opened the door for Amelie.

Inside were four men, all of them in an almost uniformly similar attire of black suits and ties. She looked at one of them, a man in his late twenties, who had the Federal Republic’s new official bicolor flag on his suit. Gray on top of white, the revolutionary bicolor, with the King’s cross on it. The man looked up at her, as they all stood in attention.

The Federalist diplomat however stayed sitting, looking her up and down, before he stood up with a seemingly confident smile.

“Many thanks for accommodating us, Citizen Amelie Ludendorf,” the man said. “It is a pleasure to see that diplomacy has a chance.”

“She is the Queen,” Nia sharply said, but Amelie made no comments.

The Federalist however merely smiled. “The nobility and monarchy are abolished in Orland, young lady. We do not recognize anyone above us, for we are all equal.”

Nia reddened at the obvious offense, but Amelie gave her a subtle hint to not respond. William himself only looked at the group of CFN diplomats neutrally, and so did Amelie, and so, with a sigh, Amelie spoke.

“I am glad you four are here, gentlemen. I believe I have no need to introduce myself, so I would like to know who you are.”

The Federalist diplomat pointed to his ID. “I am Pascual Koch, representing the Federal Republic of Orland.”

The second one followed with his thick Larissan accent. “Vladimir Molotov, representing the Confederation of Larissa.”

Then the third one gave her a respectful nod. “Pablo Martinez, I represent the Republic of Asturia. A good day to you, Miss Ludendorf.”

“May we find peace instead of war, Miss Ludendorf? My name is Su Zan, and I am here to represent the interests of the Republic of Hebei.”

Amelie gave them all a nod as they all proceeded to take their respective seats. She didn’t fully know what these four wanted, but she wanted to entertain them at least. Especially when both the Hebeian and the Asturian regarded her with some form of respect. In fact, for some reason, the Asturian representative didn’t regard her with any form of hostility.

That seems…strange.

Then again, the Republic had always been one of the few revolutionary republics that tried to court Amelie for recognition and reconciliation, even during the bloody intervention of her allies. In a way, it was lamentable to see them on the other side. Amelie sometimes wondered what it would be like if the Republic of Asturia remained in the Ivory Alliance and the MN.

But there is no way to return to the past. They chose their side already…just unless they go crazy, I will perhaps not send anything against them. Maybe even ask the Gallians and Lorathians to pull out into a defensive line in Gallia and focus on the DMZ against the Confederacy, and to the Alps to face Lombardia.

That would certainly not hurt her strategy. All she wanted short-term was to hold on to Gallia after all and keep it as a foothold for the Mandate of Nations and the Ivory Alliance in West Vaeyox. If anything, the Republic didn’t need to be an enemy to waste military strength on, when extremist nations like the Confederacy were building up on the border.

Queen Clericia Alois…you foolish old woman.

“Well then, respected representatives of your…well, unrecognized nations, I’d like to know, what are you four here for?” The starting question from Amelie almost caused them to subtly tense. “I do not desire conflict, but we have to be honest here. Your governments are illegitimate rebellions. It is a threat to international peace and stability.”

“We are here to send a message,” the man named Pascual Koch said. “The nations of the Coalition are true nations. We are the future. We are the will of the people. We are here to ask you, you ‘monarchs’ to stand down to the will of the people. You lead a state that goes against the constitutions of the Federation. In a way, an insurrection—”

“Bold words from the rebel,” Nia scoffed. “Apologies, Your Majesty.”

“I am simply here to ask that Orland recognize the Republic of Asturia,” the Asturian diplomat said. “While it is difficult for me to ask further for our allies, for their conflicts are, at the moment, their internal affairs. I believe the Queen of Orland must do what she can to end the conflict in Asturia. We have no desire to be your enemy.”

Amelie tiredly looked at the Confederate diplomat. “You should tell your sisterly Kingdoms to stop their aggression. This entire conference is a farce. The CFN is a defensive alliance for free nations. Why all the talk as if we’ll end the world?”

Says the man from the country that invaded most of Vaeyox. Amelie really wanted to massage her head. Hearing the Federalists speak was grating to the ears. The Asturian at least restored some of her hope in humanity, but of course, the representative of the Confederacy just had to crush it.

She looked at the last one. “You’re arming insurrectionists in the south. Surely, that’s a violation of our national security. Continue it, and Hebei might regard Orland as an enemy.”

You don’t represent all of Hebei, Mister. Amelie just looked at him. Well, what did I even expect?

“I see your requests then—”

“And most importantly,” Pascual interrupted. “We are here to ask for the possibility of opening up official diplomatic connections to the Mandate of Nations. Perhaps, one day, you can slip in the surrender letter to us.”

Amelie gave him a chuckle. “You’re a confident man, Sir Koch, but I’m afraid that will not happen. However, I see the virtue in your words. It’d be most pleasing to give your entire movement a way to surrender once you had enough. For that is surely close.”

“I struggle to see any reason why you are even here, rebel,” Nia said to Pascual. “The Asturian maybe, but the three of you aren’t even in full control of your countries. What are you hoping for by coming here? Do you think the Imperial Remnants in Larissa would surrender to you, Sir Molotov? Do you think Empress Xue Li would lie down her weapons to you, Sir Su? And Sir Koch, what are you even hoping for by coming here from whatever hellish corporate concrete jungle you crawled from, just to insult Her Majesty in front of our faces?”

Everyone fell silent at Nia’s little speech. Amelie turned to her. “Nia, please, cut it out. I know this is ridiculous, but we have to listen, always.”

“Yes, but Your Majesty, look at them. They’re just here to insult you. To insult us. I don’t see respect in the way they speak to you. I struggle to find respect for them as a result. I thought I’d see diplomats. No, I see arrogant men.”

She has a point.

“Okay, look…” Amelie couldn’t continue, so she merely turned back to the group of men. “Is she correct, are you lot only here to disrupt us?”

“Disrupt? We are here to represent the CFN!” Pascual exclaimed. “You and your fellow monarchs are creating a conspiracy to destroy us. You are going to drag us into the Second Great War. So why should we not be here to stop that? You may not recognize us, but we are here, unarmed, with not even a single guard, marching on your halls, in the hopes of observing and talking. Do you not want to talk?”

“It’s difficult to talk to a group of ‘nations’ that are hell-bent on conquest,” Amelie retorted, before looking at the Larissan representative. “Sir Molotov, your country, for example, had invaded practically every bordering nation of the Confederacy. You willingly fight wars even when you are already in one. And now, you are forming your troops on the Gallia–Poznek DMZ. What more is that other than a desire to invade and conquer.”

“Yet when you do it, it’s liberation?” The man said. “Don’t kid me, ‘Your Majesty’, the world you loved may have cheered you on, but we know what you did. You merely took your piece of the cake when the Federal Republic was already working on dismantling that man. Lecture us for many things. But the Queen of Orland and her navy that are right now imperializing anyone who dared to rebel against the Matriarchy has no right to tell us that our interventions are anything but just. We liberated the men of those countries, and you seek to prevent that.”

Amelie’s blood boiled, as she didn’t exactly have a good counter to that. And so for many moments, her mouth was dry. No words came out, and she almost felt choked by it. Still, she steeled herself as best as she could.

“Then what, are you planning to ‘liberate’ Gallia too?”

The Larissan crossed his arms. “We will defend Poznek, Lombardia, and Asturia from aggression from the Mandate of Nations and the Ivory Alliance.”

“That’s not my question,” Amelie shook her head. “That is not.”

“Don’t hit us with that, ‘Queen’. We know what you and your fellow matriarchs are planning. You want to end our righteous revolution, and send millions of men to death for the altar of your precious world order.”

“And you want to send millions of men to death for the altar of your deranged revolution!” Amelie almost lost it, but she stopped. “Get out. We have nothing more to discuss. Get out.”

The Federalist diplomat laughed for a bit, but Amelie merely snapped.

“I said get out. The four of you. If you wish to bother other embassies, then bother them. If they would even allow you. Disrespectful scum have no reason to be in the grounds of my nation’s embassy. Get out.”

The Asturian representative sighed. “I apologize, Your Majesty. We shall take our leave.”

“Leave it to the Asturians to be soft to women,” the Larissan said. “Let’s go.”

The four of them soon left, and Amelie made sure that the embassy’s staff would make them leave quickly with a quick phone call. When she placed her phone down, she buried her face in her hand.

“Well that was quite something,” William said, leaning back on his chair. “I do applaud them for one thing though. They have quite the balls.”

“Those were no diplomats. They were hecklers.”

“Sorry you both had to go through that,” Amelie said. “That was…unbecoming of me.”