The Marquis went through various checkpoints at the Field HQ. Near the entrance of the base were a few watchtowers and quickly ready-made buildings set up to accommodate the soldiers. At first, he thought he wasn’t welcome at the HQ but the soldiers seemed apologetic for inconveniencing him. It was only procedure that made the soldiers trouble him. But they always made sure to point Welten onto the right path.
Tadakatsu truly has his soldiers in order. Welten thought to himself.
He continued forward with the instructions given until he found an old building that was occupied by a large number of troops. It greatly differed from the common sight of army tents he was used to as an army man. When he got closer to the building, it looked like an old factory building. A few vehicles filled with soldiers drove in from the open road and into the massive garage gates. Moreover, soldiers were stationed around the perimeter and on the roof.
Welten came towards the large rolling door where an officer was signaling cars in.
“Excuse me, do you know where I could find His Highness? I was pointed towards this building by the soldiers at the front.”
“Let me provide you an escort to his office.” The officer called for a soldier to escort the Marquis. The soldier greeted him and took Welten across the building.
The aide soon led Welten to Tadakatsu’s office and said his goodbyes to him. It was an ornate room that seemed meticulously designed for a “Field HQ.” Tadakatsu was seen doing paperwork and reading reports at his desk. He must’ve made a noise as the Prince quickly looked up from his desk. His eyes quickly met Tadakatsu’s and the man offered a smile.
“Greetings Marquis Welten, I hope your journey to our HQ wasn’t too tumultuous,” Tadakatsu said.
“Oh, your soldiers treated me well, I’m here to inquire about your Highness’s plan for assisting in this long tiresome battle.”
An aide set tea for the two men and pulled a seat out for Welten. Welten imparted small pleasantries with the aide and took a seat facing Tadakatsu.
The two men discussed the general situation of the battle and the current report. It was mainly Tadakatsu stating how his troops were cleaning up the rebel soldiers after shattering the command structure of Yamabuki’s army. Welten was surprised by the 34th’s strong sudden attack on the rebels and how the command structure was destroyed. Tadakatsu was vague on the exact detail of Ground Team’s black operation but specifically mentioned a surprise raid led to the capture of Yamabuki’s high command and Yamabuki himself.
Welten found himself deeply immersed in Tadakatsu’s battle plans. The man’s way of speaking wove a grand battleplan that Welten thought only himself could understand all of the nuances of. Unbeknownst to Welten, Tadakatsu only offered the watered-down, simplified version of the 34th’s battle report. It also didn’t include Ground Team’s operation and any mention of it was relegated to surprise raid. The intricately laid plans only intoxicated Welten; who was an enjoyer of battle tactics and grand strategy.
A few minutes into their conversation, a few knocks in a distinct pattern rang the room. Tadakatsu knew it was Kazuki’s knock and allowed Kazuki to enter the room.
“Greetings Tadakatsu-dono, I have the final report.”
“Provide me a summary of the events Kazuki.”
Kazuki stated how the final hours of the battle went. The 34th has successfully routed, captured, or eliminated all traces of the rebel army in the stronghold. He also remarked how the 34th suffered few casualties in this operation however he stated he will provide a more detailed report later in the day.
“Your Highness, the operation was a great success!” Welten was highly impressed with Tadakatsu’s leadership of the 34th. Any concerns he had earlier were quickly dismissed in his mind. The only thoughts on his mind currently were how to celebrate such a grand victory. “Your Highness wouldn’t mind coming to a party in your honor?”
“It depends on the date, Marquis, I may be back on the fronts by tomorrow for all I know.”
Tadakatsu generally disliked having credit for the victories he earned. It typically only brought greater scrutiny to Tadakatsu’s battles. Which only made it harder for him to conceal the black operations and enrichment activities of the 34th. Usually, Tadakatsu gave credit over to the leading commander in the battle rather than himself. Most times, conveniently, the glory-hungry commanders immediately claimed credit for themselves in most battles Tadakatsu participated in. He found it odd that Welten recognized his talent in leadership. Although he wasn’t sure whether this would serve him a boon or detriment in the grand scheme of things.
Once clean-up of the battlefield concluded, the return of the 34th to Tadakatsu’s main headquarters was in order. This allowed for all of the troops to revitalize themselves before they were sent to the next battlefield. Tadakatsu always made to make these “breaks” longer than usual to ensure two things. First, it is important to consider the soldiers’ health and loyalty. As without it, you cannot have a functioning army. Secondly, it allowed for Tadakatsu to either start his personal operations or finish them up. As the battlefield hardly offered Tadakatsu a break to handle anything except the battles.
Currently the pritority was to secure Yamabuki’s headquarters and for a transport convoy to transport the commandeered equipment over from Yamabuki’s to Tadakatsu’s personal storehouses. These weapons were either sold on the market, used as training material, or simply stockpiled for 34th use. Besides weapons, any other valuables were sold to cover the 34th’s costs or Tadakatsu’s personal vault. The team securing Yamabuki’s HQ were mainly members of the urban brigade and intelligence agents. The urban brigade was used to handle any threats either inside or outside the buidling while the intelligence agents collected data and cataloged any valuables present.
Ground team was at their personal barracks. It was a rather luxurious place, it had many amenities. Such as 4 large hefty rooms, training rooms, a direct line to Tadakatsu, servants, and 24-7 34th protection; they didn’t really need it. They were worked hard by Tadakatsu in order to earn such luxuries. If they weren’t on a mission assigned by Tadakatsu, he would often have the members host training sessions, handle at-home activities, or organize their personal squads. In fact, Shouichi and Jun were leading efforts to deal with the prisoners of war and ensure their proper treatment. However, Tadakatsu usually allowed them free time as they were all still human after all.
Tadakatsu himself either was handling administrative work in his office or leisurely spending his time. At the moment, he was having lunch with Kazuki. It was what used to be an old-style Teran Italian restaurant. The restaurant was a high-class joint that resided in one of the aristocratic sectors that were liberated. It was rare to find restaurants like these out on the frontier space planet Lugelstatt. Especially after the mass migration of people from Earth or Tera. Most people migrated to what was considered the core planets of the Seiryu Empire or the Shikutsu Kingdoms. There were also minor space countries that also inhabit the galaxy, but are of little to no relevance to the order of the galaxy.
It was Old-Style Italian. A relic of Earth’s past before the great migration. New-Style Italian was a mix of various cuisines when many Europeans settled in Seiryu. New-Style has more fish and Asian influence, while Old-Style kept to the traditions. A lot of the New-Style was mixes of cuisines and cultural traditions.
Although Seiryu proper follows Old-Style Japanese and Chinese at its cultural center. But at the court of the Emperor, there have been attempts to establish an equal Seiryu identity among the populace.
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Some efforts made were the European-style uniforms that the military employed and the establishment of European nobility, such as Marquis Welten. Although, the establishment of more nobility probably caused more division among the populace. But at the same time, noble privileges were curtailed and commoner initiatives were created to ensure some form of social mobility in the Empire.
Tadakatsu was apart of the unified Seiryu identity policy camp and worked to make sure his men were diverse and accepting of one another. Although due to some meritocratic policies, his officer-corps were coincidently comprised of mainly Seiryuin. Which were a mix of East Asian countries such as China, Japan, and Korea. In the past on Earth, the countries had formed a supranational union so many of the Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans are friendly with one another and identify as Seiryuin. Although some noble houses espouse their cultural identities such as the former dynasties of Korea or China.
Tadakatsu was in his disguise as an officer alongside Kazuki at a table. “Excuse me, waiter!” he yelled, “I assumed you picked your choice of entree yes?”
“Yes, indeed Kanzaki.” Kazuki curtly responded.
When disguised Tadakatsu usually preferred to be addressed by one of his other names to keep a low profile. Often times he either donned an officer’s uniform or the clothing of a merchant. These usually kept him rather invisible to the people around him. Although at times he would miss his habitual regal attire.
The waiter stopped by the duo’s table. “Greetings on this fine day. Welcome to Aldini’s; how may I serve you today?”
Tadakatsu ordered a rather lavish assortment, a fettuccine pasta with black truffles, minestrone soup, and roasted potatoes. He was quite the fan of dipping potatoes in a tomatoey soup. As for a drink, he asked for the waiter to bring a nice bottle of wine to the table. On the other hand, Kazuki ordered a more rugged dish. A large lasagna filled with meat alongside a salad.
“An interesting choice Noritoshi, do you think the ricotta they use is artificial or real?”
“Honestly, I’m not too sure…”
Ricotta cheese was a product of cow’s milk. On one hand, it should be obvious that a high-class restaurant has access to milk either through a farmer or through interplanetary shipping. But, in a time of conflict, supply lines could be cut-off suddenly and on Lugelstatt, ranching animals wasn’t done on a large scale yet. The only detail that stood out to Kazuki was the fact that the menu listing clearly espoused the ricotta. So with that knowledge, there’s only one likely conclusion that made sense to Kazuki. IT MUST BE REAL RICOTTA!
“Nevermind, I think the ricotta is real.” Kazuki finally answered calmly.
“Fine decision, I would also think the same in your situation.” Tadakatsu had a small smirk on his face, but Kazuki stood firm on his decision. After all, Tadakatsu seemed to agree with his choice too.
Two waiters came by the table with the food the pair had ordered. They first placed the wine glasses down and set the wine bottle on the table. Afterward, they plated Tadakatsu’s soup, potatoes, and pasta. Kazuki felt some anxiety as he waited for his lasagna. A bet was on the line after all.
Once the waiters finished setting the table, they poured wine into the glasses with a fancy bartender trick.
“This is one of our finest wines, a wine aged for sixty-five years and made from the grapes of the Lucotta family.”
“Oooh, I’ve heard of them Kazuki, this should be some good stuff.” He seemed somewhat excited. “Don’t drink too much of it though.”
“I won’t Kanzaki, that one time was an accident you know.” He strained his voice a bit to sound annoyed.
“Suuuure, it’ll only be that time you over drink.” It was during that “accident” that Tadakatsu learned about Ichika when Kazuki drunkenly blurted it out. Which led to a downward spiral of teasing from Tadakatsu.
Pushing aside the topic, Kazuki asked the waiter the deadly question, “Does the lasagna use real ricotta?” Tadakatsu’s smile quickly turned into what one would call a shit-eating grin.
“No sir, the gentlemen here requested that the chef use artificial ricotta for the Lasagna, even when we offered the real ricotta.” The waiter pointed towards Tadakatsu who had a beaming smirk.
Keeping his composure, Kazuki thanked the waiter for the information and sent him off. Once the waiter was out of sight, a seething rage grew in Kazuki.
“So that’s what you meant when you said you would think the same as me Kanzaki.”
“Right, right, given… what you know, anyone would think that way.” Tadakatsu tried to keep his laughter in and in his explanation was riddled with half-laughs and chuckles.
“You’re lucky I can’t punish you like the others, Kanzaki.” His voice had a sharp edge to it which to most people would’ve probably turned unconscious out of shock.
“Oh my, how threatening…” Teased Tadakatsu.
The two soon laughed off the matter and enjoyed the food. The wine was enjoyed in moderation by Kazuki while Tadakatsu had hardly drank a glass. It wasn’t to his liking, but he noted the fine qualities so avoided voicing his opinion on the matter.
The door-chime at the restaurant rang and a waiter came to speak to a 34th officer.
“Excuse m-.”
“I’m here to speak with those officers at the table.” The man raised his hand to cut off the waiter and walked towards the table where the duo sat. His manner of speaking was curt and harsh.
“Ah, greetings Mujou-san.” Kazuki was the first to greet him.
“Likewise,” Tadakatsu replied with a short phrase.
Mujou pulled a spare chair and took a seat. “Hello, Kazuki and party, I have reports of our operations abroad.”
How discrete of him to mention me as “party” thought Tadakatsu.
“Please hand the reports to Kanzaki here, Mujou, he’ll manage the reports.”
The reports were details on spy operations launched by Tadakatsu. Mainly with the intent to gather information or secure assets. He had a strict rule of avoiding any unnecessary killing during the missions unless it was needed in the case of self-defense. The spies were all trained personally by Kazama and Tatsuo, so they were all worthy of their craft.
The current set of reports given elaborated on three missions. The first mission was to send spies around Seiryu proper in order to understand the political situation and the military’s current opinion on the 34th. Those groups of agents were usually posted there indefinitely unless something happens.
Second, were the double agents that resided in rebel territory. They provided information on the location of Yamabuki’s HQ and mainly exist to gather military information.
The third one was an operation to assess the state of one of the noble families. There was a recent uproar among the nobility that Tadakatsu had to check to make sure it wouldn’t affect him. Apparently it was a financial dispute that got unraveled. Tadakatsu had a bad history with financial disputes.
While Tadakatsu read over the reports, Mujou and Kazuki discussed the general state of affairs of the 34th. They primarily focused on the organization of the troops and supply counts. Mujou and Kazuki formed the pillars of Tadakatsu’s strategic success.
“Have the fresh supplies been delivered from the Heisho Arsenal?” Kazuki asked.
“Not yet Kazuki-san, officially there’s some damage to the infrastructure that needs to be repaired, but I’ve heard reports about some form of gridlock in the army.”
“Ah, I see Mujou, can’t help it then.” He sighed to himself, then mumbled to himself, “If only Tadakatsu was at the top.”
The conversation couldn’t help but dry up as the two men only held common ground on military affairs. The conversation was like a desert until Tadakatsu chimed in.
“How long do you think the break will last?”
“Probably the standard time, a few months maybe.” Kazuki said.
Mujou nodded with his pair of cold eyes, “But if I may say, I’ve heard from a visiting officer that one of the expeditionary armies were in trouble. I believe we’ll be hearing something soonly enough.”
“Interesting, let’s hope it’s not too desperate a situation.” Tadakatsu said. Another opportunity perhaps, I hope it doesn’t go awry.
“I’ll have some of our agents make an inquiry about it; they should give us some solid information.” stated Kazuki.
“Alright, ‘preciate it.” said Tadakatsu.
It wasn’t before long that the two had finished their food. Tadakatsu paid for the meal and tipped generously. Afterwards, the two left the restaurant alongside Mujou. Then, he had split from the two to head off his own. Perhaps he had an inquiry he wanted to check on, he always just nonchalantly split off of groups.
“Where to now, Kazuki?”
“Well, it’s a bit late in the evening to go to anywhere, I think the curfew is gonna take place rather soon.”
Tadakatsu looked at the setting sun, “I suppose you’re right.” He was mildly disappointed, he wanted to spend more time in leisure. “Stupid curfews.”, he mumbled to himself.
“Say what?”
“Nothing.”