As the sun rose over the aftermath of the attempted sabotage on the Kume Island artificial island, Colonel Hans Ernst—a Strategic-Class Magician of the South American Republic—was finally enjoying a leisurely vacation. Or rather, he was wandering the streets of Tokyo alone, indulging in a solo food tour.
Natalya had looked as if she wanted to join him, but since the risk of kidnappers was never zero in these turbulent times, she had reluctantly agreed to stay behind in exchange for the promise of souvenirs.
"Ernst… I can feel a rather somber emotion leaking out of you."
(I can't afford to focus on only one enemy like you can, Rudel.)
The legendary pilot Hans-Ulrich Rudel had only the Old Soviet Union to worry about; Hans Ernst, however, had to keep a watchful eye on every surrounding nation. Regardless of the difference in their eras, Hans let out a small sigh, careful not to let it be noticed by the crowd.
(In this latest incident, deserters from the Great Asian Alliance conspired with the Australian military. It's highly unlikely that Australia, in its current state of isolation, will be allowed to walk away unscathed. There's also the possibility that the true goal of this mission was to draw out the Japanese military's hidden cards.)
"The nation that fought on our side when I was alive, hmm? Perhaps the John Bulls and the Merricans are simply scaring themselves over nothing."
(I wouldn't be so sure. This country has shown its hand.)
The proof lay in the two Strategic-Class spells Japan had unleashed during the Great Asian Alliance's invasion two years ago. One had wiped the Jinhae Naval Port off the map; the other had incinerated an unidentified fleet in the Sea of Japan along with the Vladivostok Naval Port.
Since then, the Far East had remained relatively quiet regarding such high-level magic, though rumors suggested the USNA was moving to neutralize Japan's strategic capabilities. Given the letter Hans had received from a certain Edward Clark, he suspected the USNA was the prime mover behind these shadow plays.
Rudel, who lacked the memories of the last century, had pieced together the current state of the world through Hans's knowledge. He spoke now with a "voice" only Hans could hear.
"That gentleman—Kamiizumi Gōzō, was it? One can only pity those who make an enemy of him."
(…For you to acknowledge someone like that? It must be a sign of an unseasonal blizzard tomorrow.)
"My, Ernst, you're as merciless as ever. Still, he has more guts than Gadermann. I'll personally guarantee your future, at any rate."
History had seen many great men, but "monsters" like Kamiizumi were rare. To be acknowledged by such a figure left Hans with complicated feelings. He could only manage a wry smile at Rudel's praise.
(…Listen, Rudel. It's just a hunch, but I think the USNA and the New Soviet Union might try to seize Japan's Strategic-Class magic. And I'll likely be caught in their crosshairs as well.)
"Is that what you think, Ernst?"
(The key player is Edward Clark. Apparently, he once questioned my step-uncle about 'Scorching Halloween.' My uncle grumbled to me about it, wondering why someone who wasn't even involved was so obsessed with the details.)
Following the Global War, the world had entered a new era of hegemony, much like the aftermath of World War II. The USNA and the New Soviet Union were the dominant superpowers, forcing other nations to form alliances and federations to survive.
The EU was no exception. Fearing they would be swallowed by the New Soviet Union if they remained fractured, they had managed to maintain a fragile unity, though they remained divided between East and West. Ideally, Europe would unite against the superpowers, but the blood-soaked history of the continent made such cooperation nearly impossible.
Japan, caught between the threats of the USNA, the New Soviet Union, and the Great Asian Alliance, possessed at least three Strategic-Class magicians. There was no telling if these superpowers, having tasted bitterness at Japan's hands, might form a secret pact to bring the nation down—just as they had in the previous century.
And if that happened, the SSA, located south of the USNA, would not be able to remain a bystander.
(Germany is my birthplace, but South America is now home to me. If they try to take it away, I'll punch them out—even if they are from the Stars.)
"I see… Very well! In that case, let us begin my special mental training regimen. I once recommended it to the Führer for his health, but he refused."
(…When you say things like that so casually, it really hits home that you truly are Rudel.)
Hans had once been a mere corporal-level talent in terms of magic. His encounter with Rudel had propelled him to the status of a Strategic-Class Magician. While many were suspicious of his sudden growth, his superiors in the German military were surprisingly sympathetic when he explained his "mental shift." As one former commander put it: "I have the desire to achieve greatness like the heroes of old, but watching Hans fly makes me realize he exists in a dimension I cannot reach." Rudel's sheer absurdity was in a league of its own.
This reputation had reached the ears of the Chancellor. Even the man obsessed with restoring Germany's glory had come to a realization through Hans: if even a legendary dictator couldn't control such a man, there was no hope for modern bureaucrats to manage him.
"I doubt they'll resort to assassination, though," Rudel noted.
(Right… Considering the world's food situation, someone will likely suggest expanding into space to find more habitable land.)
"Ho? Is that the same place where that detestable Ivan astronaut said 'The Earth was blue'?"
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