A Trial Before Three Courts
"Your Majesty, preparations for the coronation are complete. Once you return from the Versailles Conference, you can formally ascend the throne."
Inside the train carriage, His Majesty Eitel's secretary, Rommel, came before him to report.
Sitting upright in his seat with his eyes closed in repose, Eitel slowly opened them upon hearing Rommel's report.
"Mm."
After acknowledging Rommel, Eitel propped his chin on one hand and looked at the scenery outside the train.
He did not know whether it was his imagination, but the scenery beyond the window always seemed steeped in a stifling air of death. Looking at the clumps of untended weeds and the few scattered trees, it seemed as though everything in the world had been reduced to shades of gray and white.
"As long as the European Continent remains divided, war will never end."
Looking at the deathly stillness outside, Eitel spoke softly. Hearing His Majesty Eitel's words, Rommel picked at his ear.
He looked at His Majesty Eitel with wide, clear eyes. "Your Majesty, what did you say?"
Rommel's question interrupted Eitel's thoughts. Looking at the somewhat bewildered Rommel before him, Eitel sighed softly.
Had it not been recorded in the histories of later generations, he truly would not have believed that Rommel, who now looked like an innocent college boy, would be called the Desert Fox during World War II.
And that he would also be one of World War II's finest generals.
Still, this also proved just how much potential Rommel possessed.
Looking at Rommel's young face, Eitel grew serious.
"Rommel, imagine if this continent had only one voice, if all of Europe had only one empire."
"How powerful Europe would be then."
At these words, Rommel first froze, then thought carefully. "If this continent had only one voice..."
"Yes. If Europe were united, how mighty this continent would be. From then on, we would no longer have to endure wars like this. When that time comes, wherever we are in this world, we will be a force of decisive weight, and no one will want to provoke this fierce beast."
As Eitel spoke, he thought of the European Union from his previous life. The future European Union would be a major global force with strength across multiple spheres, yet despite that power, it would remain at the mercy of others for various reasons.
The reason was that it lacked a powerful military and a unified government.
If the European Union were a truly powerful sovereign state, no one would dare disregard its strength.
If that had been a regret for all of Europe, then now he had come. He had come here to rewrite that history.
Europe had to return to unity, and the stars had to return to their orbits.
At this thought, Eitel's gaze grew stern. "If that day truly comes, then the man who makes that history will be me."
"It will be the great German Empire."
Eitel's words drove themselves deep into Rommel's heart like a nail as he looked at His Majesty Eitel, so full of lofty ambition.
Through him, Rommel seemed to see Germany's first emperor.
That emperor had once possessed the same lofty ambition, founding the German Empire amid the flames of war.
Now, his successor had appeared.
"An emperor in the distant East once said: in an age of great contention, the states repeatedly wage war through diplomacy; the strong grow stronger, and the weak perish."
"What do the nations of Europe amount to? I will lead Germany's mighty soldiers to conquer a vast domain. I am destined to forge a road for the German Empire unlike any before it-a road called all under heaven."
"Rommel, do you believe it? Though we are going to discuss peace this time, in the future, the sun will hang high over the windows of every German household and never set again."
The train continued onward, but Rommel no longer thought about how long it would take to reach Versailles, nor about how to secure the greatest possible interests for the German Empire.
At that moment, he was deeply captivated by the future Eitel had described.
"Your Majesty, I, Rommel, am willing to give everything to fulfill your wishes."
Several days later, the train arrived in Versailles. Eitel was the first to step off, his crisp military uniform and navy-blue cloak giving him a neat, sharp appearance.
Several cars were already parked by the roadside. Seeing His Majesty Eitel and his attendants alight, Field Marshal Hindenburg strode forward.
He lifted His Majesty Eitel's black-gloved left hand.
"Your Majesty, the Allies are already at the conference venue. We should make our way there as quickly as possible."
Hindenburg quickly explained the current situation to Eitel.
Eitel nodded at his words and got into the black car, accompanied by Field Marshal Hindenburg.
The car's engine started, and it drove toward the venue of the Versailles Conference.
The car passed many houses along the way. People on both sides of the street looked at its occupants with hatred in their eyes.
Eitel paid no attention to their gazes, merely watching the scenery outside the window in silence.
Hindenburg was still describing the attitude of the Allies.
"Your Majesty, the Allies may put pressure on you at the conference, but do not worry. I will shoulder that pressure for you."
"You need only state our demands."
Listening to Field Marshal Hindenburg chatter on beside him, Eitel felt a headache coming on.
In the past, he had only read their biographies in history books, but only after actually coming to this era had he discovered how different the people themselves were from what the books described.
Still, it was not bad.
This was what made them real, flesh-and-blood people.
And so, amid Field Marshal Hindenburg's worried nagging, they arrived at the venue of the Versailles Conference.
When they reached the building, the greeter waiting at the entrance saw them get out of the car and came forward, smoothly taking the lead to show them the way.
His Majesty Eitel held the field marshal's baton, which represented the supreme authority of the German army, in his right hand as he followed the greeter into the building.
Field Marshal Hindenburg and Rommel walked beside him. Only the three of them had come on this trip, but the three of them were enough.
After passing through a long corridor, the greeter stopped before a door and stood respectfully beside it. Checking the time on his wristwatch, he gestured for the three to enter.
His Majesty Eitel let the field marshal's baton in his right hand hang at his side and straightened the Iron Cross at his collar with his left.
Then he slowly pushed open the doors.
The doors slowly moved to either side, until they stood fully open.
Two long tables came into view. The German Empire's seats were at one of them, but that table was empty.
The long table farther away was packed with people. Beyond it, another group sat on a higher tier.
Once the doors opened, everyone's gaze turned toward them.
Under everyone's scrutiny, Eitel swept his gaze over the people in the room, whose faces were filled with solemn expressions.
Their gazes held hostility as they looked toward him and his companions.
"Tap, tap, tap."
The sound of leather boots striking the clean floor rang out.
With Rommel and Field Marshal Hindenburg, Eitel walked inside under everyone's gaze.
As they entered, the reporters around them began taking photographs of the group.
"German representatives, please sit over there."