“MN frontlines in Central Vaeyox collapsed! In what could only be said as a lightning campaign conducted by the CFN, the three kingdoms of Azlistan, Surdistan, and Perlistan have collapsed in the face of the CFN armored tide. The remnants of the national armies of the capitulated Kingdoms are now in a shattered retreat down south to rejoin the MN South Vaeyox defense line. As of now, Azlistan, Turdistan, and Perlistan have fallen under the administration of the Confederacy, with talks about these Central Vaeyoxan ‘Republics’ being admitted post-haste as member states of the Confederation—essentially, annexation.”

- Geopol News

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West Orland

November Palace

May 2, 2025

The situation room was grim.

“The Empire of Kusari is now calling for full-on military aid,” Minister Adelaide Wallenstein (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) said as she looked down at her files. “They say that the Southern Vaeyox Defense Line is ‘too weak’, and that the routing armies of the Central Vaeyox coalition wouldn’t be able to help since they suffered too much material losses. They’re already mobilizing as many men as they could, but they need more guns, artillery, tanks, rations, and other basic necessities.”

The other ministers of the Orlish Government shuffled the report papers as the situation meeting continued. It was all grim reports from East Vaeyox, Central Vaeyox, Southwestern Vaeyox, Southern Vaeyox, and West Vaeyox. It was almost as if on every front, the combined armies of the Mandate of Nations were collapsing like butter.

It was devastating.

“Do we have any idea of their plans?” Asked Minister Jan Sobieski (Ministry of Infrastructure). “These are all bad, but do we even fully know what we are facing? What are we fighting? We’re sending so many expeditionary forces, but we haven’t been able to deal with the internal situation…”

“The internal situation is stable,” Minister Alfred Hegel (Ministry of Energy) crossed his arms as he leaned back on his seat. “The Federalists won’t break our lines. Especially with the manpower issue soon to be relaxed. Jan, I believe that the OAF and the Queen made the right decision. Defeating the CFN requires victory in Vaeyox.”

“Defeat in Vaeyox means defeat in Opellia,” Amelie reiterated. “Yes, Minister Sobieski, we have an idea about the situation. William, would you please begin the briefing?”

“Alright, everyone,” Director William Porter (Office of Preventative Measures), stood up and began his presentation on the displays. All Ministers and Amelie turned to face it. “The situation with our enemies, compiled from the intel reports of our field agents, cyber forces, the AFI, and NID, has been quite clear—there’s no such thing as a diversionary attack.”

The room turned dark, as the bluish screens showed a map of Vaeyox. In the center was the red mass of CFN territory. On the edges, were the blue-colored territories of the Mandate of Nations. Unlike the older maps, Central Vaeyox was now half red, and Amelie watched as red arrows pointing toward MN territory appeared.

“Our reports have suggested fully that the CFN intends to dominate all of Vaeyox with a surprise attack on all fronts. That’s exactly what they have done, and that’s what they will continue to do. No front is safe. They have clearly diverted a lot of forces on all fronts, tasked to conquer, erm, ‘liberate’, our MN allies at the same time.”

The screen zoomed into Central Vaeyox.

“Unfortunately, the three Kingdoms, while they offered a few weeks of resistance, have folded completely. Their Royal Families have now fled their capitals, alongside their governments straight into the Empire of Kusari down south. Two days ago, the capital of Azlistan fell into CFN hands after a three-day bombing campaign…”

The screen showed video footage of their capital. Unlike Orlish megacities or the cities of East Vaeyox, which were always filled with high-rises, Central Vaeyoxan cities looked flatter, as there were fewer skyscrapers. However, the entire city was clearly destroyed. CFN terror bombing did not care less about civilian casualties and bombed everything that they could in a city filled with four million people.

The footage switched next to next, showcasing bombed hospitals, schools, factories, residential districts, or destroyed Azlistan military vehicles, tanks, etc. Amelie almost looked away when she saw firefighters carrying a young girl who was clearly burned badly.

“The remnants of their government, naturally, capitulated before the CFN assault. The same happened in the Kingdom of Burdistan. Their capital, with three million souls in it, was fortified by the Burdistan Royal Army. They however were encircled and cut off within five days since the start of hostilities, and CFN terror bombing forced the local garrison to surrender. We have no idea about the civilian or military casualties in both cities, but we do know that they have dropped forty-thousand tons of bombs on both cities.”

Amelie shook her head and looked at Minister Allison Thell (Ministry of Health and Social Welfare), who was watching from the other side of the table. She visibly crumbled at the reports, and Amelie could see nausea growing on the woman’s face until she looked away. Quite frankly, William was making no censorship in his reports. He was showing clearly what tactics the Confederacy was using.

And Amelie’s blood boiled because of that. They truly wanted cities that dared to resist them to burn. The civilian casualties for the last few weeks since hostilities were declared had been extreme worldwide. Most casualties came from the MNs side in terms of civilian fatalities, as the CFN continued their terror bombing campaigns on anyone vulnerable to it.

Hell, Amelie even watched how their Defense Minister remarked to their state press how the CFN would, “bomb anyone who fights against the revolution back into the stone age,” with a straight face. And it wasn’t an empty promise. It was a direct message to every government facing a CFN attack.

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Resist—and your cities will be reduced to rubble.

No sugarcoating. No vagueness. It was a warning by a nation that had fully succumbed to bloodthirst to achieve its goals. At all costs, they said. Well…Amelie could see fully now what they meant by that. They’d literally burn the world if the world resisted their change in management.

“Perlistan, yesterday, stood down, even if the closest CFN armored division was still forty kilometers from her capital. They apparently received a warning from the CFN that their capital was next, and they folded. Now, all of the Perlistani Royal Army is retreating to rejoin the Empire of Kusari, and they have declared that all cities of Perlistan are an ‘open city’. Their Queen also fled her Kingdom. In other words, all three nations of the Central Vaeyox Coalition…have folded.”

“An absolute disaster,” Amelie muttered. “I knew it yesterday, but just, having it all laid out, it absolutely looks like one.”

“Yeah…” Deputy Prime Minister Walter Plock muttered as he looked at the map. “To be fair, we expected those three would fold like wet paper, but wasn't their entire point to buy time for the Empire of Kusari by tying down the CFN? Can Kusari even stand against them?”

“We already sent so much to Hebei and Gallia,” Minister Pristina Dubois (Minister of Defense) said, looking down at her files. “The OAF reported to me that we’re only going to be able to provide air support to Kusari. We barely even sent ground forces to Hebei…”

“Asanai will send some forces,” Adelaide said. “Or at least, that’s what they told me.”

“I’m going to try to coordinate with the Navy to send RGO expeditionary KDUs to Kusari,” Pristina said. “I think…that’s the best we can do.”

Amelie turned to her Defense Minister. Her? Really? How was this possible? She was now straight up proposing to send her KDUs voluntarily to a distant continent to fight a battle. That certainly surprised Amelie.

“Are you sure about that?” Amelie asked. “Our projections about the Kusari Campaign are bloody. Even if you send five KDUs there, I doubt they’d last very long in the campaign.”

“Hey, let her do it,” Walter smirked. “We get to test the KDUs again. I mean, the OAF cannot send more forces, but the Royal Guard can, the problem solves itself. It’d be a good adventure.”

“That’s not an adventure,” Prime Minister Jacqueline Heiss retorted. “It’s a bloody proposal. Is there strategic value in this?”

“I…” Pristina looked down. “Look, I’ll integrate those KDUs, like last time, with OAF support units. I trust that they’ll keep our girls there well-supported in the fight. Plus, how will this alliance work if Orland won’t send any boots to help the Kusaris in the fight? We need to help the Empire. And if the Royal Guard is the only one free right now to do that, then we’ll divert some of our KDUs going to the Federalist front into Kusari.”

William nodded thoughtfully.

“Amelie, this is actually a good proposition,” he said. “The OAF will be delighted to know that their fellow…fighting force is interested in stepping up to their role of fighting for the defense of our allies. I’m sure that we can form a joint OAF-RGO command in Kusari. While the forces on the ground will be our KDUs, the Navy and the Air Force can coordinate well to support them.”

“Send the Orlish Marine Corps,” Walter suggested. “Maybe two Marine Expeditionary Units. Alongside Strike Force Nine. That should bolster Kusari’s morale. We’d be sending almost forty-thousand and more personnel in their assistance. Alongside military advisors to train their mobilized men and women.”

“You know, I thought we were stretched thin,” Alfred said. “Seems like we’re not.”

“We are stretched thin if it’s just the OAF doing the heavy lifting,” Walter said as he smiled, a bit satisfied. “At least now, the burden has decided not to be a burden.”

Pristina breathed out.

“We’re trying our best,” she said. “I admit, the RGO has been…”

“Say it,” Walter said. “Come on. Admit to us what happened.”

“...Been quite the inept service,” her eyes averted Walter’s gaze before that fire came back. “But you can’t look down at us. I am restructuring the RGO. I’m trying to make sure that we can work with the OAF. I’m trying to make sure that we can fight for the Queen’s interests, this time around.”

“Well…” Amelie smiled. “That’s good. Unity, everyone. See, it’s nice, isn’t it? We’ll be doing this entire fight together. I’m happy that the RGO is doing what it can at last. But make no mistake, I am still sorely disappointed.”

“I understand,” Pristina said. “I’ll do my best to change that, Your Majesty.”

Looks like the conservatives have fully folded since the passing of the Women’s Mobilization Bill. Amelie relished it. This war, while disastrous, was destroying the popularity of the social conservatives who hated men’s rights. Women, young and old, were returning their support to the reformists in the UOP—who voted for the Women’s Mobilization Bill.

Why? Because they were the only women who foresaw the escalation of war. Now, the entire reactionary movement wasn’t just seen as prejudiced old-timers, they now had the unofficial title of “traitor” above their names. Amelie knew that the Archduchess now had no way to associate herself with that.

Even the Arcanist Party, and Duchess Flandere, had now turned their rhetoric in support of women’s conscription. As if that would aid all those who voted against the bill. It was why they were all turning meek. Amelie’s propaganda had subtly created the image that anyone who was against equality of conscription—was a traitor aiding the CFN.

Perhaps this is her attempt to clear their names. Amelie thought. The KDUs have to prove themselves in the fight. The RGO too. Alongside all of the reactionaries.

Then all the better. It was all in her interests, Amelie thought. Whether they fought there and proved women could fight—allowing her to expand the recruitment efforts to bring more young women to the frontlines, or if they screw up and fold in the process. If defeat for the KDUs happened…

Then the Royal Guard would be further discredited, integrated with the OAF, and thus, fall further under her control.

“Cooperation is lovely,” Amelie calmly declared, as everyone turned to her.

“Yeah…” Jacqueline reluctantly said, now sensing the change of atmosphere in the room. “The plan…actually sounds, well…good now, I guess.”

“Indeed,” Amelie said. She turned to William. “William, inform the OHC of this new policy shift. Tell them that we need a quick study on the practicality of enacting the Defense Minister’s plans. Pristina, I want you to be on your feet and work on it quickly. The main goal will be to send initial forces within a week to Kusari, and the whole force within a month at most. We need to help them quickly.”

Inside, Amelie smirked as everyone agreed to this new plan. Soon, she’d have the RGO back fully under her grip.

As it should always be.