Two days after the meeting with the Yamato ambassador, the tension in the Far East was rising. The Han Dynasty is looking to reject the ultimatum of the Yamato Empire, meaning a war between them could erupt at any moment.

This affects Alexander’s daily life. Instead of having his usual daily routine of working in the morning, meeting with the ministers, and planning another product for the IDS, he was stuck in the General Staff Building overseeing the situation.

As reiterated, this conflict could implicate the Ruthenian Empire as they were the reason why the conflict between the two countries exists. The Yamato Empire won’t take the Ruthenia Empire seriously as they’ve already fought them to a standstill and later found out about the Baltic fleet bluff. If Ruthenia dares to intervene, the Yamato will give them another black eye just like before.

Having no leverage on the Yamato Empire, Alexander leaned on Diana as a mediator.

In his office, Alexander was being briefed by his Joint Chiefs of Staff, drawing up plans if Ruthenia were to be pulled into the war. Just as they’ve previously agreed. The Ruthenian Army stationed in the Far East is to act as deterrence by positioning itself along the border of Manchuria.

The Yamato Empire has seen this as a threat. If they were to push forward their plan, which is possibly a ground assault from the Kingdom of Choson, a war with the Ruthenia Empire is inevitable.

However, Alexander didn’t declare his side yet. Will they only act as a deterrence and once failed they’ll retreat? Or if the Yamato invaded Manchuria, will the Ruthenia Empire join the side of the Han Dynasty?

He wasn’t sure yet.

Alexander hand squeezed and bounced a tennis ball he recently acquired as there were no modern stress balls for him to abuse. It mitigated some of his stress as he tries to think.

Inside his temporary office in the General Staff Building, there was a knock on the door.

“Come in,” Alexander called out as he looked up from the papers on his desk, putting the ball away. He heard it open and then quickly shut as someone entered the room. While his attention is fixed on the papers, Alexander begins guessing who could be his visitor? A General? His minister? Or a messenger? But when he looked up to see the answer, it was none of the above. It was Diana.

“Alex…I knew I would find you here,” Diana said as she looked at his table full of papers and folders. “That seems to be a lot of work you got there.”

Alexander let out a tired chuckle, “Well, even though a war may break out at any minute, the world is still revolving so I got to finish this or it’ll pile up to the point I will have to pull out an all-nighter,”-.

Diana frowned upon hearing that statement “You’re pushing yourself too hard, Alex. It’s unhealthy. Why don’t you take a break?”

Alexander sighed before closing the folder he was holding in his hand. He put it down before standing up and walking closer to the young woman, “So what did your government have to say about this matter? Are they going to intervene or what?”

“Eh?!” Diana was caught off guard as Alexander just ignored her suggestion. Bringing that topic up, her expression slowly turned meek as she lowered her head. “About that…it’s the reason why I came to your office to tell you that the Britannia Empire has made their decision…”

Alexander watched her mouth with anticipation waiting for her to go on.

Once the young princess took her time to gather her thoughts, she finally looked back up, “…they’ve decided to remain neutral if a war broke out between the Han Dynasty and the Yamato Empire.”

Alexander’s shoulder slumped in defeat, “As expected…” he turned around and ambled to his desk where he leaned over to open one of the drawers and grabbed a box of cigarettes.

He walked over to the window and opened it out, allowing a fresh breeze to enter. With his eyes closed, he inhaled deeply.

Taking one out, he lit it with an oil lighter before taking a puff and letting the smoke escape his mouth and some out his nostrils. The blend in the white paper tube a favourite of the prince late father, who is an avid chain smoker that smokes around 30 a day. The aroma it gives is pleasant and nostalgic.‘There is a difference.’, Thomas thought as he remembers the cigarette companies on Earth switched to cheap mass processed tobacco products and massive marketing to the public in order to encourage more consumption of the products.

Before he died, the same companies has switched to marketing vapour electronic cigarettes to keep up with the trend of health cautious consumers.

However, a niche of traditional consumers still exists as snuff sniffers, cigar connoisseurs, pipe purveyors and, ironically, cigarette centrists. Thus, ensuring that tobacco cultivation and the art of it will still have a market to stay alive.

‘Should remind myself to start research into artificial nicotine and artificial caffeine,’ Thomas plans, ‘If war does come, my country will be more prepared for shortages of imported goods.’

Once the smoke dissipated into the air, blown away outside by the breeze, Alexander turned back around to look at Diana who had a surprised look on her face.

“Do you smoke…Alexander?”

“Well…not usually, but in times like this, one might need some stress relief…so yes, I do,” he said nonchalantly.

Diana nodded in understanding, “I guess that makes sense…” she mumbled.

Alexander takes another puff before he realises something,

“Oh…crud. I forgot you had a respiratory disease before, and I just light up one before thinking.”

Diana shakes her head, “It’s fine, at least you opened the window to get rid of the smoke. And you seem to really need it.”

“I’m glad you understand,” Alexander replied back with an easygoing smile, still stubbing out the lit end in an ashtray to save it for later out of courtesy. The atmosphere became less tense, which eased Diana’s nerves slightly.

“Anyways!” Diana interjected, catching Alexander’s attention again. She straightened herself up, “Even though we’ve declared neutrality, we tried to get the ambassador of Yamato in London into the negotiating table. They say there’s only one way that will make them stop,”

“Which is what?” Alexander puffed another cloud of smoke, leaning against the windowsill as he waited for Diana’s answer.

“You just have to give your word to the Yamato Empire that you will not purchase the Manchuria Region. Do that and the Yamato Empire will retreat immediately. We can guarantee that, after all, Britannia and Yamato Empire is a close ally,”

“One of my strategic imperatives is to acquire Manchuria so what you’re asking is impossible,” Alexander said staunchly.

“Then…are you going to war with Yamato? I will have to warn you here. The Yamato and Britannia Empire had a formal alliance. If you declare war with Yamato, they’ll be within their right to invoke article three of the Anglo-Yamato Alliance: ‘a promise of support if either signatory becomes involved in a war with more than one power,'” Diana quoted with a tone filled with authority.

“I’m aware of such an alliance,” Alexander flippantly replied. “After all, it was created to counter our expansion in the Far East,” Alexander let out a forced chuckle.

“If you’re aware then why are you risking a major conflict?” Diana asked curiously.

Alexander raised his brow in response, “Because things turned 180 degrees for us…”

After uttering that, a knock sounded on his office door. He looked in the direction and saw Sergei.

“Your Majesty,” Sergei asked, walking inside Alexander’s office and shutting the door behind him.

“What is it, Sergei?”

“You’re needed in another room. The Yamato Empire has just declared war with the Han Dynasty,”

“Is that so?” Alexander walks closer to Sergei “Where’s the Yamato ambassador?”“He’s waiting for you, Your Majesty,” Sergei said.

Alexander nodded “Sergei, have you finished the task I gave you two days ago?”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Sergei answered.

“Good,” Alexander smirked before turning his attention to Diana.action

“Why are you smirking?” Diana faltered as she felt odd about the sudden change in Alexander’s expression. Why does he look so confident?

“Nothing…” Alexander responded, making a dismissive wave off with his hand. “We should get going now. We don’t want to make the ambassador of the Yamato Empire wait.”

…

“In response to the Han Dynasty’s rejection of our ultimatum, the Yamato Empire declares war on the Han Dynasty,” Omono declared with a stern voice.

“I have given my words to the Han Dynasty that if the Yamato Empire declare war on them, the Ruthenia Empire will also come to stand beside the Han Dynasty,” Alexander said.

“Then we will be within our rights to invoke article three of the Anglo-Yamato Alliance. Was that right Princess Diana?” Omono glanced at Diana who was having a conflicted look on her face.

“That’s right. I warn you, Alexander. If you declare war on Yamato Empire, the Britannia Empire we will be obligated to side with Yamato…so choose your words very carefully,” she advised with a serious face.

The atmosphere in the meeting room was silent as everyone stared at Alexander, waiting for his response.

“Very well, before we proceed, I would like to invite two of our guests,” Alexander turned to face Sergei. “Are they here?”

“Yes, Your Majesty, they are waiting outside.”

“Let them in,” Alexander ordered.

“Understood,” Sergei obliged and promptly signaled the Imperial Guards standing on each side of the door to open it.

Two middle-aged men in a black suit entered the room.

“Who are they?” Diana asked as she followed the two men with her eyes.

Alexander shook their hands. “Why don’t you introduce yourselves?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the two intoned together as they faced Princess Diana and Ambassador Omono.

“My name is Kurt Wegener, Ambassador of the Deutschland Empire,”

“Frédéric Bureau, Ambassador of the Francois Republic,”

“Under the direct orders of the Kaiser,”

“Under the direct orders of the President of the Francois Republic,”

“Stand by the side of Ruthenia Empire if it goes to war with more than one nation,” Kurt and Frédéric declared in unison.

“What…the…” Omono’s eyes widened in shock and so does Princess Diana.

“What’s the meaning of this?!” Diana rose to her feet in disbelief and anger.

“It simply means it is not two versus two anymore…but four versus two,” Alexander said in a gutsy pose. “Now, I don’t think I like those odds. If I were to declare war with Yamato and Britannia Empire, the Francois Republic Republic and the Deutschland Empire will follow accordingly. So…are we really going to go to a world war over some sparsely populated region of the Han Dynasty?” Alexander asked with a smug smile.

“If you don’t want it to happen then accept my terms. Allow Ruthenia Empire to complete its acquisition of the Manchuria region and take back your declaration of war. If not…then you’ll face the full might of the three empires backing the Han Dynasty,” Alexander declared.