Tyranny of Steel

The German ambassador and Japanese empress sat across from one another with stern expressions on their faces. Though Gerhard was about to pose his question for Itami, the woman boldly interrupted him with a fierce look in her sanguine eyes.

"You say that the elites of the Reich use their wealth and power for the benefit of the average citizen? If such a thing were remotely possible, the world would have seen a society like it already. Your claims are truly inspiring, but I sincerely doubt that any gathering of human beings could actually accomplish such a thing." 

Gerhard merely smiled when he heard these words and posed a simple solution to Itami's doubts. 

"If you have trouble believing me, you are more than welcome to visit the Reich and see for yourself how we have eliminated poverty and famine. Just because you don't believe in the good in people doesn't mean it doesn't exist. All humans need to treat one another better is a sense of belonging to the group, and leaders who are benevolent. Naturally, for a warmonger like yourself, achieving such a pleasant society is an impossibility." 

A slight scoff erupted from Itami's luscious lips as she heard these words. Warmonger? While it may be true that she had used violence to achieve her goals, was Berengar any different? The man built an Empire that should not exist in the world within the span of a decade. Obviously blood was spilled in pursuit of this, and as a result she was quick to voice her perceived hypocrisy in Gerhard's words. 

"You call me a warmonger, and yet as far as I'm aware, your so called benevolent leader fought his own series of wars to carve his Empire into this world's history. Leaving behind a pile of bodies and a river of blood in his wake. How are he and I any different?"

The German ambassador's lips curved into a sneer. Since the discussion had gone this way, he would have to entertain the young empress seated across for him. Though he had an important question on his mind, he decided it would have to wait until later. Instead, he spoke the words that had truly stunned Itami in her heart. 

"The difference between you and his Majesty, is that the Kaiser has never fought a war of aggression. Every war that the man has ever fought was either defensive or retaliatory in nature. He has never once entered his neighbors' lands as an act of aggression.

You may not be aware of this, but I have known his Majesty since we were both small children. If given the opportunity, the Kaiser would rather have chosen to stay in his own family's meagre holdings and spend his life developing the lands into a prosperous barony. Fortunately for us all, fate had different plans for the man. 

The crown of an emperor is a heavy burden to bear, and I have no doubt that there are days where his majesty would rather hang it all up and retire to a lakeside manor to spend the rest of his days with his loving family. However, for the good of his people, he endures, and leads by example, so that those who follow him may use their power and privilege for more than just their own greed. 

Unlike you, Berengar von Kufstein does not lust after wealth, and power for its own sake. He seeks to create a society where his people can live in peace and prosperity. How can such a man ever possibly compare to a woman like yourself, who treats her citizens as if they are nothing more than living resources? 

Now that I have answered more than just one of your questions, I believe it is rightfully my turn. So if you would be so polite, why did you decide to interfere in India?"

The albino beauty was utterly stunned into silence. She could hardly believe Gerhard's words. However, there was one thing she was certain of. The German ambassador had a genuine sense of respect and reverence for the Kaiser. Something that went above and beyond her most loyal followers, who worshipped her as a literal war goddess. 

It took the young empress several moments to calm down before realizing that the German ambassador was politely waiting for her response. Time passed as the woman collected her thoughts before she eventually tried to lie her way out of the question.

"I needed gold to stimulate my economy, and I decided that selling weapons was a viable solution. As for why I chose the Bengal empire as my target of trade, I knew they were far enough away from my territory to ever pose a threat to myself. There is truly nothing more to it than that."

The moment Gerhard heard these words, he narrowed his gaze ever so slightly before sighing in dissatisfaction. His words were like a knife that pierced Itami's soul when he spoke next.

"I thought we agreed to answer these questions honestly, or not at all. While I admit, at first glance, this is a valid excuse. However, when looked at under the tiniest amount of scrutiny, your words do not hold up.

Let's start by discussing the grade of weapons. If you truly wanted to just gain wealth to stimulate your economy, you did not need to sell weapons that were so advanced that they could cause casualties among the Reich's soldiers. You could have easily sold the Bengal Army arquebuses and they would have been happy to hand over hoards of gold in exchange for such weapons. 

Then there is the fact that you only supplied the Bengal Army, when if you really wanted to generate the most wealth, you would have sold weapons to all the states in the Indian subcontinent. 

Finally, there is one other point that disproves your words, and that is the fact that the initial batches of these weapons were manufactured with Sanskrit markings, as if to deliberately hide the origin of their manufacture. The only reason to do this would be if you feared that some foreign power would be able to trace the weapons back to you. 

With all of this evidence, the Kaiser has concluded they you were not only aware of our ambitions in the region from the moment you decided to interfere, but you deliberately supplied the Bengal Empire as a capable armed force that could shed German blood via proxy.

From the moment you engaged in such belligerent action, you had provoked the Reich, and what his Majesty wants to know is simply this: why have you made an enemy out of us? Especially when we showed no signs of hostility to you or your people."

Itami gritted her teeth as she heard these words and looked away without responding. She did not have an appropriate answer to this question. Why was that? Because the reason she had locked horns with the Kaiser from the get go was because she saw him as a threat.

Even though Berengar had shown no real ambitions for East Asia, and despite the fact the German and Japanese Empires had never made any contact, by simply existing as another reincarnator, Itami perceived the man as a threat to her life. 

Since Itami could not respond with this as an answer, she instead looked away and remained silent. Which resulted in Gerhard sighing once more in disappointment. After several moments of relative silence, the man spoke up with a grim tone in his voice. 

"It is not too late to cease hostilities. Withdraw all funding and support from the Bengal Empire, and pull your advisors out from the region. If you do this, the Kaiser will be willing to meet you face to face, and negotiate a solution to the East Asia question. I must make this clear to you. This is the only time that his Majesty is willing to make this offer. Reject it now, and it will never be discussed again, even if you come begging to us on your knees." 

After hearing this demand, Itami immediately responded to Gerhard's peace offer with a figurative slap to the face. 

"That's impossible! You and your Kaiser have a lot of nerve to make such demands of me, especially after what he has put me through. Tens of thousands of Japanese men have lost their lives in the Joseon theatre thanks to you bastards. This debt of blood can not be so easily washed away!"

Gerhard could only shake his head and sigh in defeat. Itami was clearly delusional, and since she had chosen the path to war, he did not mind responding to her claims with a bit of vitriol. 

"You really think we are to blame for your current predicament? Your failures in the Joseon Peninsula are your own. Instead of establishing trade agreements with the local nobility, to peacefully acquire the resources you needed, you invaded their lands and took it by force. 

You know what the Kaiser would have done if he were in your shoes? He would have established Trade with the Joseon. Where he would proceed to bribe the upper ranks of Joseon society and negotiate setting up permanent mines in the region. Eventually, he would have used the threat of the Ming Dynasty to sign a mutual defence pact and, in doing so, created a powerful ally.

Had you done this, your nation would probably be more advanced than it is now. You would have an ally in Korea, and tens of thousands of young Japanese men would still be alive to contribute to the development of your nation. Everything you did was completely unnecessary and resulted in an unjustified war. Who do you think the families of your soldiers blame for their deaths? Here's a hint: not the Koreans!" 

This alternative solution stunned Itami into silence for a long time. She had to admit; she did not expect the war with the Joseon to end in the way it had. From what Gerhard said, it sounded like Berengar was several leagues ahead of her in the game of global politics. She could not help but ask about this.

"Is this really what Berengar would have done?"

The fact that the anger in Itami's voice had completely drained away, and instead was replaced with fear, caused Gerhard to relax a bit more while he sank back into his chair while nodding his head in response to the woman's question. 

"More or less. I've been around his Majesty long enough to know how he thinks. Especially after he made me his ambassador to the Ming Empire. I have no doubt that he would probably also use propaganda to culturally convert the Joseon so that he can peacefully annex the land at a later date.

If the Joseon broke any of their signed agreements, he would have a just cause to fight them. He would not be a foreign occupier inviting guerilla warfare, nor would he alienate the Ming like you have done.

Just because you have guns doesn't mean they should be used to solve all your problems. If you had decided on the path which I have outlined, you would also have better intelligence capabilities outside your borders by now. 

The fact that you sit here and blame the Reich for your problems is a sign of your emotional immaturity, and is the same exact thinking that has led you to your current predicament. Since you have spat at the Kaiser's offer for peace, I can only pity you.

I dare not think of where the world will be in a few years, for the topic weighs heavily on my heart. If our two nations should ever enter a state of armed conflict, I want you to know that it will be nobody's fault but your own. For we have done everything in our power to cease this pointless escalation once and for all."

Itami sat in silence for some time, not willing to make a response while she reflected on everything Gerhard had said. A deep sense of dread had overtaken her heart after hearing just how meticulous of a schemer her rival was. She was beginning to regret sending Min-ah into the lion's den, but there was nothing she could do to stop it. The plans were already set in motion. 

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