Greed Is the Original Sin (Bonus Chapter for Last Month's 3,400 Votes)

"Your Excellency, the German Empire hereby formally notified your country to immediately return the Empire's colonies in the Pacific Ocean. At the same time, all troops dispatched to Southeast Asia must withdraw back to your homeland. Otherwise, the Empire's attacks will continue. Your country should be well aware of what the consequences will be by then!" Jacob, Germany's ambassador to Switzerland, stood before Uchida Kosai, the Island Nation's former ambassador to Germany, with his nose in the air as he announced the German Empire's Conditions.

Uchida Kosai wore an expression of grief and indignation. He had already learned of the Combined Fleet's crushing defeat. Though such an outcome was hard for him to accept, it was also only to be expected. Having once served as ambassador to Germany, he knew all too well how powerful the German Navy was. The Island Nation Navy might have been able to reign supreme in the Far East, but that was merely a monkey declaring itself king when there was no tiger in the mountains. Once it encountered a formidable foe like the German Navy, defeat was unavoidable.

"Mr. Jacob, your country's navy has attacked our coastal cities without restraint and slaughtered civilians. Is that something soldiers should do? Is that something a great civilized nation should do?" Uchida Kosai demanded bitterly.

Whenever he thought of several Island Nation cities being destroyed by the German fleet and countless Island Nation civilians dying beneath German artillery fire, rage surged within him. If he could, Uchida Kosai would have loved nothing more than to kill the man before him and avenge the dead Island Nation citizens. But he knew that if he truly did so, what awaited the Island Nation would be an endless war, and the Island Nation would pay an even more terrible price.