“Orlish Federalists conduct further offensive operations against the Free Confederation of Westlauren this morning. Heavy rocket and missile barrages have been recorded this morning, many targeting critical areas of the Royalist frontlines. Heavy shelling has also been noted to have struck the various forward defensive positions held by the Westlauren Defense Forces—which was followed up by an eight-hour-long determined assault from multiple Federalist armored and mechanized brigades. They managed to advance for a few dozen kilometers before being pummeled back by Royalist armored counterattacks as the evening rolled in.”

  - ROCN News

  +++

  West Orland

  Duchy of Rimwurz

  November Palace

  December 25, 2025

  “Been quite the long month, huh?” Nia said, as she calmly combed Amelie’s hair. The young Queen on the other hand simply sighed softly. She looked straight into the massive mirror in front of her. Even with last night’s beauty sleep, she barely even recovered. Amelie almost felt half afraid of that.

  I’m growing too fast out of my prime!

  However, she made no outward reactions about that major life setback. She imagined she’d figure things out surely once she won the war. Then, she could sleep and slack all she wanted. All while taking better self-care.

  Indeed, indeed.

  “It’s worth it,” Amelie smiled a bit. “Now, we have the final timeline for the upcoming attack. We’ve deployed all that should be deployed. Smoothed out the diplomatic complications. And we’ve united the MN command fully. I believe in us.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Mhm,” Amelie turned back to Nia with a determined grin. “Are you not?”

  “Hmm, I believe I do,” Nia smiled a bit. “We worked hard for this. Surely, it will bear fruit. For the entire alliance.”

  “Indeed,” Amelie turned her hair back to Nia. Her assistant then began combing and fixing it again, as Amelie relaxed. “Teamwork. That’s what matters here. We learned a lot from Gallia. If we can beat them back there, we can do the same here.”

  “Very optimistic, Amelie, hehe.”

  “I like to be optimistic this time around. It makes me feel better. And maybe if we start believing in ourselves, we can do great things. That’s what I told the officers participating anyway. Believe in themselves, and do their duties as best as they can.”

  “You’re placing a lot of faith in people who aren’t even Orlish.”

  “Orlish or not, they fought in this war and the previous wars equally hard. Even if Hebeian officers or Kusari officers don’t have the best of the best in terms of troop and equipment quality, they still have the spirit to defend their homeland. I think that’ll help greatly.”

  “I guess so,” Nia finished her job. “There, it looks quite nice now. That shampoo Empress Xue gave you is quite exquisite.”

  Amelie turned a bit, looking at how her hair shone, almost brand new. And it was very straight and silky too. She smiled uncontrollably.

  “It seems that way.”

  “Indeed.”

  “I’ll be thanking the Empress for this even more then. It is nice to have some overseas friends, no?”

  Nia just smiled wider.

  “I think Empress Xue finds it even nicer to have you as her friend, Amelie.”

  +++

  “You look like you’ve gone through hell,” Amelie pointed out.

  William on the other hand was barely standing in front of her table. His eyes were sunken and nearly dead. He reeked of alcohol. And even his suit was messy and ruffled. As if he merely rushed to get here early in the morning. In comparison to Amelie’s slightly improved health, it seemed that William took a hit.

  “They were too persuasive,” William blubbered out, strangely still cognizant. “Very persuasive, might I add.”

  “You got drunk with your officers after we just returned home from an extremely demanding international diplomatic tour.”

  “It’s tradition.”

  “It’s a stupid tradition.”

  “Besides, the drinks tasted good.”

  “I don’t think alcohol tastes that good.”

  “You should try it someday—”

  “Hey!” Nia shouted from the side, turning her chair in William’s direction away from her computer. “Stop trying to get the Queen drunk.”

  “She could use a shot or two, you know?” William said, laughing a bit. “Ah…shit, my head hurts.”

  “Obviously, it’ll hurt,” even Amelie’s tone turned disappointed. “I heard that you and various high-ranking members of the OHC were ‘flat-out drunk until four in the morning’.”

  “Who told you that?”

  “The staff that was serving you with food and drinks.”

  “Hey, come on, we all paid for it.”

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  “Why are we on that topic now?” Amelie shook her head and laughed. “Look, I get it, things happen. Just, don’t go too far next time, okay?”

  “...Okay.”

  “Now go back to sleep,” Amelie ordered. William stared at her blankly. She tapped her fingers a bit more impatiently on her table. Then, she took a deep breath. With a calm, gentle voice, she repeated her order. “I said, go back to sleep.”

  “I am still operational. And I need the daily wage money—”

  “I will always pay you your full salary and extra bonuses regardless of what happens William and you know that.”

  “I have got…reports,” his words turned even more slurred. “Reports…yes…things to smoothen out in the OPM. I need to meet the heads of each department. Then get them reorganized with the next phases of the operation.”

  “Then why did you get drunk?”

  “Again, they were very persuasive.”

  “Don’t make excuses, William,” Amelie shook her head. “I can see that you’re just way too addicted to work so you’re forcing things even if you’re drunk. Look, if there’s two things that you should learn, it's that you should calm down sometimes.”

  “I did do that last night—”

  “But not in that manner,” Amelie stood up, then, she walked to him. “Alright. I’m dragging you to your quarters. What you should be doing instead is taking a good rest. Even if it’ll be today during daylight.”

  “Are you for real?”

  “I am,” Amelie nodded. “Will you come with me?”

  “I’m not being dragged like a kid by the Queen to his damned room!”

  “Well, you are now,” Amelie chuckled. She then grabbed his hand. “Look, let’s just go. You look like you’ll collapse any second now. You already did a lot of good work anyway. So I’m not letting you get away from your well-deserved rest. Alright?”

  William groaned and facepalmed.

  “Fine…I’ll walk myself to my quarters. I’m good. Have a nice day—”

  “Not in that condition you won’t,” Amelie said, grabbing him and dragging him out of her office. “See, you're dizzy.”

  “I’m not!”

  “You’re about to fall,” Amelie chuckled, as she held his back while pushing him out of her office. She then looked back at Nia. “Hey, just reorder this place while I’m gone, okay?”

  “Um…alright,” Nia timidly replied.

  Amelie closed the door. She turned back to William, who seemed like he was barely holding his head together.

  “Look at you. Your hangover must be so awful,” Amelie pointed out.

  “I drank a lot of water already,” William defensively countered.

  “It’s clearly not enough to clean the alcohol you gobbled,” Amelie pushed him forward. “Come on, pick up your pace. Don’t worry, I’ll keep watch on your back this time.”

  +++

  “Cannonball!”

  Amelie tried her best to dodge—but alas, when she entered her little sister’s room, she was tackled to the ground. Amelie tried to push Alice away, but the girl pushed and started to tickle Amelie as she laughed and giggled.

  “H-hey!” Amelie said, laughing as well. “Alice! That’s so uncouth of you!”

  “You were gone for weeks! Weeks! Jerk! Jerk!”

  “Okay! Okay! You made your point. Chill out,” Amelie said, pushing her away further. She then placed her hands on Alice and carried her upwards away from her. The girl, who couldn’t reach and tickle her anymore, decided to simply stick out her tongue. “I can’t believe you turned this naughty just after I was gone for a while.”

  “I didn’t have anyone to mess with,” Alice said, pouting a bit. “Put me down, will you?”

  “Why do you weigh slightly heavier now?”

  “Are you calling me fat?!”

  “No, no, not at all,” Amelie sat upright. Then, she placed Alice back on the floor. The two began patting their clothes to straighten them and remove some dust. “So, how are you doing today?”

  “Studying, and studying,” Alice said, as her little smile turned into an irritated frown. “Lady Lubaine is now trying to teach me how to better control my mana. And she’s so strict!”

  “Really now?”

  “Yeah. She said I shouldn’t be as defenseless as you.”

  Amelie took a bit of a hit from that.

  “Ouch,” Amelie said, before smiling a bit. “Are you doing well with that though?”

  “She says I suck.”

  “Well, I suppose she really is that harsh,” Amelie placed her hand on her chin and looked to her side. Then, she turned back to Alice with glowing eyes. “Maybe that just means you’re doing well in her parlance.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah,” Amelie nodded. “You are a good image for your age anyway. Maybe Lady Lubaine just has higher standards for you.”

  “That’s unfair. In the new school I go to, I’m one of the top students. But for her, I ‘suck at magic’.”

  “As I’ve said, different standards,” Amelie gave Alice a pat on her head. “You’re doing well. Trust me on that!”

  “Okay…”

  “Now,” Amelie pulled Alice into a brief hug. “Hah…I missed you.”

  “You did?”

  “Of course I do,” Amelie said, hugging her little sister further. “I’ve been so busy all the time. I’ve barely been spending time with you.”

  “You’re fighting a big fight. It only makes sense. Not that…I like the fact that this fight started in the first place…”

  “I know you don’t. That’s why I’m trying to end it as quickly as possible.”

  “Can’t we just…talk with the ‘bad guys’ and tell them to lay down their killing weapons? Lots of people are just dying and dying and dying for nothing. Are they even really that bad?”

  “Oh, Alice…if only it was that simple,” Amelie chuckled. “Have you been watching the news?”

  “...I’ve been sneaking here and there.”

  “At least you admit it this time.”

  Amelie felt Alice tightening her hug on her.

  “Hey, Amelie…I have a question…”

  “Yes, what is it?”

  “How…is big brother doing? Is Albert…alright?”

  Amelie pushed Alice slightly away while holding her closely on the shoulders. Amelie tried to smile, but it came more as a bittersweet one.

  “Alice…I tried doing what we both wanted, yes,” Amelie said.

  “You told him not to go?”

  “Again and again,” Amelie nodded. “But, you see…I think, maybe we should just start to understand who he is. He’s a military man. And a damn good one at that. It hurts, but just like many adults nowadays…he has to go do his duty. Not just to us and this country, but most importantly for him, his friends and comrades.”

  “Friends…and comrades?”

  “Yeah,” Amelie nodded. “Think about it, Alice. If you were like him, would you leave your close friends at school in a scary place just to go back to us?”

  “I would,” Alice said, frowning a bit. “I…I would, yes.”

  “That’s good,” Amelie pulled her again into a hug. “But Albert is different. He has a duty to those friends, you see. And he’s just…doing his best to finish that. He’ll go back home when all of them can go back home.”

  “Then just make them all come back home!”

  “As I’ve said…if only it was all that easy,” Amelie laughed. “I’m…really sorry. But it is the truth. But, I assure you. No matter what happens, I’ll do my best to make sure that in the end—he and his buddies will come back home. I’ll do my best. I’ll…always do my best. For all of them.”

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