Chapter 175

After the mourning ceremony concluded.

Under the cover of night, Imperial Capital Pendragon, appears exceptionally enchanting under the lights.

Vera returned to the Gemini Palace by car.

"Your Highness, the Duke of Hohenzollern has come to visit."

Before the palace gate, a servant approached silently and bowed to report.

"It's my uncle."

As they walked, Vera asked, "Which talented individuals does Uncle plan to recommend to me this time?"

"Among those present were Lord Blücher, as well as the Lundstedt family, Hegel family, Bock family, Levinsky family, Model family, Herzenberg family, Mackensen family, and Brusilov family..."

170

Chapter 170: Using Japan to Control Japan.

Even before she awakened her "Heaven's Gift," Vera had an excellent memory.

She could still remember the many people she met and the increasingly complex aristocratic families that had come under her wing.

"The Blaisgogh family... the same Blaisegaard family that fled to the EU and Earl White Wolf City? Weren't Brad von Blaisgogh and Claudia von Blaisgogh wiped out by the Imperial Foreign Intelligence Bureau? Oh, it seems there were some oversights in the cleanup, and the remnants have jumped out on their own..."

A pristine white background, golden carvings, exquisite patterns, intricately carved railings, sculpted statues, towering pillars, and sparkling windows... all these elements adorn the magnificent palace. Inside, the Third Princess Vera comfortably leans back on the sofa beside the Flame Art Electronic Fireplace, savoring the rare and exquisite aftertaste of collecting cards with a powerful and unparalleled sense of awe and wonder.

Having just finished a "journey of choice" style interview with the descendants of military nobles led by Lord Blücher, she crossed her legs, holding an exquisite bone china teacup in one hand and a list of the empire's young talents who had pledged their allegiance in the other.

Family background, academic institution, current department, achievements, personal aspirations, past relationships with feudal lords, and even historical marriage records that seem unrelated... all are categorized and meticulously listed for your selection.

Vera looked at Duke Hohenzollern, who was sitting on the sofa opposite her.

He was also her maternal uncle in this life.

A burly man with well-defined muscles. He had azure eyes and thick, short blond hair. He had a hooked nose, wasn't exactly handsome, but was dignified and had a combative air about him. His neatly trimmed beard was starting to turn gray. He wore a military dress uniform with a sash, a saber, and tall military boots.

They were dressed in typical military aristocratic attire, with a strong military bearing.

"Uncle William."

Vera picked up a folder neatly stacked on the small round table in front of her, its cover bearing the titles "WZERO Special Attack Unit," "Suicide Attack," and "District 11 Personnel Recruitment," and asked, "Who provided this intelligence?"

The stamps and signatures on these letters belong to the Warsaw Garrison of the European Republic Alliance.

"They have no intention of showing up for the time being."

The Duke of Hohenzollern picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"Shrewd fence-sitters exist everywhere; they simply hedge their bets."

He let out a rough laugh and said, "If you want them to risk their lives for you, my dear prince, the victories in the Battle of Bakhmut Annihilation Battle of Avdiivka Raid are not enough. You need to break through the EU army's defenses along the line of Sumy, Kharkiv, Poltava, Zaporizhzhia, Berdyansk, capture Kyiv, and even break through Minsk in the Belarusian theater to threaten Poland."

"A group of speculators who won't act until they see a clear benefit."

Vera gave a wry smile, neither confirming nor denying the matter.

These years of networking and maneuvering with old friends have not been entirely without effect.

Indeed, from the very beginning, Britannia's open and covert struggle with the EU has never ceased.

But as the saying goes, fence-sitting is an art that never dies.

You can never have too many backup plans.

This is not an isolated case.

As the Holy Britannian Empire grew stronger, the ambitions of former feudal ruling families, such as the Hohenzollern, who had fled to the Americas, also rose, and their calls to return to Europe and reclaim their ancestral castles naturally became louder.

If it weren't for the rampant killings during Napoleon's "European Revolution," with frequent hangings, beheadings, and the extermination of families, which terrified the European nobility at the time, the Britannia Empire wouldn't have had so many feudal "remnants" gathered together.

Logically speaking, diversifying investments, being humble, and biding one's time are the ways for most families to prosper in the long run.

Napoleon was both their strength and Napoleon weakness.

Britannia was indeed more unified and united in its foreign policy compared to other countries of its time, especially regarding the issue of war with Europe.

This aligns perfectly with Britannia's current national policy and Emperor Charles's ambition to unify the world and create the world he envisions. Emperor Charles has employed every means at his disposal to weaken the will to resist among EU citizens, to divide and disintegrate Europe, and to destroy Parisian rule.

Vera, in European Britannia, was a strategic move specifically made by Emperor Charles.

"The Order of Saint Raphael Knights, stationed in the Baltic Sea 13th War Zone, reported that they encountered an EU Suicide Attack infiltration unit and suffered heavy losses due to being caught off guard."

Duke Hohenzollern glanced at Vera, who was calmly flipping through the documents, and continued, "Intelligence indicates that the WZERO Special Attack Unit are entirely composed of refugees from District 11 who have fled to Europe. People from District 11... District 11 has been making quite a few big headlines lately."

"Governor Clovis was assassinated, the Black Knights... is that the name? The Orange Incident, Lord Jeremiah, the 'Pureblood Faction,' was accused of treason?"

"Uncle, our strategy should focus on Europe. Trying to have your cake and eat it too will only make us a target of criticism."

With a slight frown, Vera said without looking up, "Cornelia will handle everything."

The Duke of Hohenzollern was not annoyed; instead, he nodded with satisfaction.

My niece should be the Empress of Britannia.

Just as he was about to follow up on what his princess niece had said, Vera suddenly changed the subject, "However, we must make good use of the resources of the people of District 11. We can't let the French have all the credit."

Since the EU capital is in Paris, and historically European unification was carried out by France, even though the EU now effectively has the characteristics of a single country, Britannia still refuses to acknowledge this politically, insisting that it is French but not European.

"Oh?"

Duke William could see the pleasure in his niece's eyes, and he immediately became interested, leaning forward.

"Uncle, look."

Vera laid out the information about "WZERO Special Attack Unit" on the table.

"... In order to reduce casualties among the United European Army's soldiers and avoid escalating public opinion, EU politicians in Paris chose to use the lives of people from the District 11, who were not counted as national war casualties, to fill the gaps."

Upon reading this, Vera smiled dismissively, seemingly with some regret. "Timid and hesitant, disorganized and afraid of injury or death. That Gallic Rooster, which dared to brave the hail of bullets and charge bare-chested in the snow and ice, has ultimately lost the sharpness and ferocity of the Napoleon era."

"And the proposer of this WZERO Unit."

Vera tapped the table lightly and pointed to a half-body photo on one of the pages of a document, saying, "The remnants of the Blaisgogh family."

"Lelouch Malcar".

Duke William muttered to himself.

"Or rather, Lelouch von Blaisgogh, heir to the Earl of White Wolf City."

Vera scrutinized the EU military officer in the photo.

She had long, wavy, beige hair in two braids, purple eyes, and a tall, slender figure. She wore a dark blue EU uniform and a black pencil skirt, with black over-the-knee military boots. Her rank was Major.

Intelligence indicates that after losing her parents, she was adopted by the wealthy Malcar family, a powerful European conglomerate. She subsequently concealed her noble name and adopted the surname Marukal.

"Order the Foreign Intelligence Service to find an opportunity to eliminate her?"

A chilling glint flashed in the Duke of Hohenzollern's azure eyes.

The other party's surname von Bleisgau. He was a member of his subordinate faction and held a high position. Their family's defection from the empire was a major diplomatic incident that put him in a very passive and embarrassing position, and he was severely reprimanded by the emperor.

If Vera hadn't been so capable, he might have been taken advantage of by his competitors and dismissed on charges of dereliction of duty.

No rush.

Vera smiled without saying a word, then pointed her finger at the words "WZERO Unit".

"The only son of Suzaku Kururugi, the last Prime Minister of District 11, was an honorary Britannia who served in the 11th Area Army. I remember his name was Suzaku Kururugi, and he was even listed as a suspect in the assassination of Clovis, but he was eventually cleared of suspicion..."

"Your Highness, what do you mean?"

"Using the people of District 11 to control the people of District 11."

Vera said casually, "District 11 is a colony of my Britannia, yet the Kamikaze Special Attack were carried out by the French and ended up hitting my soldiers. What kind of logic is that?"

"That Suzaku Kururugi, the son of the last Prime Minister. Stop serving as a common soldier in District 11, transfer him to the Eastern Europe front. Isn't he trying to show loyalty to the Empire? Fine. I'll give him a chance. Either he persuades the District 11 people in the WZERO Unit to surrender on the battlefield, or he executes those stubborn EU District 11 people."

"I will contact Cornelia. I want all the active-duty honorary Britannia in the District 11 military who were purged when the Pureblood Faction took power. Since they can't live with themselves purging their own people, they can go and purge the EU... They can gain fame and fortune on the battlefield, get rid of discrimination, and have the opportunity to become true second-class citizens. I will give them that opportunity."

Vera briefly outlined the strategy of "Using Japan to Control Japan".

After listening, Duke William looked thoughtful.

It's certain that the Eastern Europe front will be difficult to fight. The EU is not a weak country, and the European continent is not a vast and unrestricted front suitable for high-speed mobile warfare like Africa. There are a lot of fortified cities, and if both sides really go into full-scale war, each one will be a meat grinder-like battleground...

Vera closed the file, put the cup back in its place, looked up at the window, but her thoughts were elsewhere.

Currently in District 11, he is in the Special Dispatch Guidance Technology Department, directly under the Second Prince Schneizel. His title is 'Count Pudding,' Lloyd Asplund, a high-ranking Imperial Technology Officer.

I'm leaving Seventh Generation. Are you coming to Eastern Europe with me?

She needs fill-in-the-blank exercises. She needs even more technical expertise and practical experience.

With that thought in mind, Vera got up.

"It's time to go and see my mother."

The alliance between European Britannia is strikingly similar to the current situation in Eastern Europe. The only difference is that the Baltic states, Belarus, Russia, and East Prussia are all staunch EU allies. The EU truly is one country.

"The Exiled Machina" also belongs to the [CODE GEASS] universe, and its timeline is also 2017 in the Imperial Calendar. Due to the pressure on the Eastern Europe front brought about by the protagonist, the butterfly effect occurs earlier than expected.

With the groundwork laid and identities introduced, I'm wondering whether to return directly to Cyberpunk or finish writing the current phase of Lelouch's story first.

171

Chapter 171 'A child with a mother is a treasure'

After bidding farewell to her uncle, Duke Hohenzollern, and offering encouragement to her subordinates to pay homage to the talented young men, Vera set off for the Camelot Palace.

A brisk evening breeze gently wafted through the palaces of Imperial Capital Pendragon. In the vast courtyards, countless flowers, lawns, and fountains were arranged in magnificent geometric patterns, including many rare and exotic plants, just as rich and beautiful as Vera Remembrance.

The palace is adorned with cassia and orchid, and boasts golden gates and silver thrones.

Unlike the residences of princes, princesses, and empresses named after the twelve zodiac signs, Camelot Palace, named after the palace of King Arthur, the legendary king of ancient Britain, is the official residence of the Britannia royal family. It has a less utilitarian feel and emphasizes grandeur and magnificence.

Second only to the Avalon Palace, where Emperor Charles resided.

Tap, tap.

As the waiters bowed respectfully, Vera walked through the long, wide corridor to the towering foyer staircase adorned with magnificent crystal chandeliers...

The Celestial Emperor considers the whole world his home, and without magnificence, he cannot project power. This is true throughout history and across the world. Once or twice is quite novel, but after a while, it really takes a lot of effort. She was getting hungry from walking, and just as Vera was climbing the steps, thinking to herself, "My house is quite big," she heard the sound of footsteps.

Vera raised an eyebrow, as if realizing something, and looked up.

A refreshing fragrance wafts over, and what comes into view is an open embrace and a dazzling, opulent white complexion that is almost blinding.

There's definitely no way to hide.

Everything went black.

"Ah~ Wei~"

"Oh—mmm, Mother! This is the staircase!"

Vera, who was already much taller than her mother, stood up easily.

Two seconds later, noticing that the plump arms around the back of her head had loosened their grip slightly, she pulled her head away with a hint of annoyance, gently broke free from the inappropriate embrace, waved to signal the servants on the steps who were about to help her to step back, then went upstairs, straightened her cloak, and said seriously, "Good night, Mother."

Vera looked at her mother.

The other person had clearly dressed up carefully tonight, wearing an embroidered court dress, with her chestnut-gold hair slightly curled, and an undisguised lighthearted joy on her fair and rosy oval face. Because she took good care of herself, the signs of aging were not visible, and her every smile and frown exuded elegance and nobility.

Princess Victoria Adelheid of the Hohenzollern family.

Thanks to her matrilineal family's generations of high-ranking officials, Vera's name is exceptionally long in this life.

Vera Adelheid Alexandra Augusta Catarina Russell Von Britannia.

Translation: Vera, a learned, pure, noble, and elegant protector of citizens from the Britannia family.

It was much more troublesome than the customs and habits of her previous life, but fortunately, none of her mother's direct relatives within three generations were from Spain.

Victoria, looking closely at her daughter in military uniform, with her upright appearance and composed demeanor, and a youthful spirit, nodded in satisfaction.

"Awei, you're such a homeless fledgling, at least you still have some conscience."