Author Notes:
Ok, the newest RM chapter came out later than expected. I think I kinda cooked with it, tbh? As such, I am curious to see if you all will enjoy the finer details I put in. Please, do comment and give me cookies~!
Now then, in case you don't know, the Monthly Recruitment Drive is up! And the 25% discount for newcomers will end on the 22nd! Do grab it while it's hot and enjoy the Early Access contents!
Many thanks, and please relax and savor the chapter!
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https://www.webnovel.com/book/reich-marshal-of-the-belkan-reich_23809095505377305
https://www.webnovel.com/book/in-the-grimdark-sector-with-a-system_31596105108346205
https://www.webnovel.com/book/my-soul.-occupied-body---please-the-other-me...!_35377211308783905
https://www.scribblehub.com/series/2271569/reich-marshal-of-the-belkan-reich/
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"And up we go~!" Lu pulls Ningyo up onto her lap, causing Yuki's little sister to giggle as she is situated comfortably on the Devil Empress' curvaceous form.
Sitting next to Lu on the cushioned couch is Hel, who is similarly cuddling with Ningyo's amour, Mei, as they all wait for the rest of the invitees to arrive.
Coincidentally, Lu is wearing a very elaborate black Qipao with golden embroidery, gifted to her by the Long Dynasty through Mei's mother, Consort Ling. As for Hel, she is still adorned in her usual black and silver regalia, although her cape is not presented, owing to today's semi-casual occasion.
Ningyo and Mei, however, are still wearing their laboratory attire, which consists of casual clothing tucked beneath oversized lab coats and the occasional protective equipment. It has to be noted that the smell of mechanical oils and other assortment of sterile scent never seems to bother any member of Yuki's expansive family. This does not mean that Ningyo and Mei are uncleaned, however. As a matter of fact, they are very hygienic and always wash themselves carefully whenever they're done tinkering. It's just that some scents may still cling to their bodies and clothes unless they take a good dip in the bath. An example of that will be right now, where both Ningyo and Mei still carry the scent of Ozone, but Lu and Hel still ruffle their hair with their chins anyway, not caring how the sharp smell is tickling their sensitive noses.
Any other normal family would have kicked Ningyo and Mei into the bathroom already; the scent of the lab is synonymous with sickness in their mind, but not Yuki's family. Why? Because they are built differently. Jokes aside, as long as neither Ningyo nor Mei carries any biochemical hazard home, a little sterile smell is fine. In fact, Ozone is far from the most disturbing scent to ever float about. Lu, in her moments of supernatural fineness, calls upon the burnt odor of Sulfur, a lot. They are all used to it by now.
"Mama," Ningyo asks with a cute head tilt while sitting in Lu's warm embrace, feeling the draconic beats of her heart vibrating against her back. "What's with the rush in getting all of us home anyway?"
"Is it because there's news from Big Sis?" Mei interjects from the side while pushing the bridge of her glasses upward.
The glasses are just there for intellectual aesthetic and personal preference. Mei doesn't have shortsightedness, despite spending all her time crunching way more data than a kid her age should. Courtesy of the Reich's robust health care system.
Lu smiles before hugging Ningyo closer into her bosom, resting her chin gently on her daughter's soft gray hair. She explains.
"Mei got that right. Your Big Sis Yuki just did something monumental out there. I call upon the entire family, those that are available at least, here today because we're about to witness a historic turning of the pages."
Patting Mei's purple hair, causing the girl with glasses to squint her eyes comfortably, Hel adds.
"In other words, Yuki has subdued the Erusean royal family. She has communicated to us that, in around half an hour, the broadcast detailing the surrender of the Erusean Kingdom will be aired. And she wishes that we could see it to understand, at long last, that our long-standing efforts have borne their first fruits. She also thanks her little sisters, who have been so accommodating to her whim."
Ningyo preens at the praise while Mei blushes slightly.
"It's our duty to help her." Mei mutters back. "Big Sister and everyone else have done all the heavy-lifting."
"Un! Un!" Ningyo nods with a giggle. "If anything, Sirin and Bronya deserve the thank you way, way more than any of us. They're the ones replicating munitions and sending them directly to the ammo stockpiles on a daily basis. Their contributions are literally priceless compared to us, who are doing things at our leisure... Which may or may not involve super duper experimental technologies."
Lu chuckles before ruffling Ningyo's hair, causing the latter to squirm and purr on her lap.
"That's very mature of you two, but don't sell yourselves short. Yuki meant every bit she said."
"OwO? What's this about Yuki saying stuff to her cute little sisters?"
The four people's harmonious atmosphere is temporarily interrupted by a perky question from a certain Miss Pink Elf♪. She, alongside the rest of their big family, steps out of a purple portal conjured up by a Sirin wearing a cute student dress. The little spatial magician, while linking arms with the older Bella, gives the grape-flavored lollipop in her hand a couple of licks first before turning around, making sure that everyone else has made it through her portal safely before wordlessly letting it fizzles out of existence.
Ningyo, turning around on Lu's lap, excitedly waves at them all in greeting.
"Hi, Sister Elysia~! Hi, everyone!"
"You come at the right time." Hel, looking at them all with a warm smile, gestures to the seats arranged in a semi-spherical fashion. "Have a seat and a light snack while we're waiting for Yuki's broadcast. I have prepared some light confections and warm drinks."
"Thanks, Hel~! Don't mind if we do then!" Elysia grins before looking at the person she is holding her hand with. "Come on, Griseo, let's get you a cute and fluffy treat!"
"Oh! Oh!" Ningyo interjects while patting the open space between Hel and Lu. "Griseo can sit with Mei and me!"
Mei also turns around, blinking in her usual cute yet stoic manner, before silently beckoning to Griseo in an amicable invitation. It's a motion that doesn't escape the notice of the adults, and they also share a knowing look before the two parties converge into one, cuddly group.
With Griseo occupying the space between Mei and Ningyo, and by extension Hel and Lu, the other little girls either hop onto the couch's armrests, Rozaliya and Liliya in this instance, or crowd the downy carpet in front of the couch, Sirin and Bella leading the charge for the prime positions by Hel's and Lu's fair feet. Mash is sitting between the pairs made by Sirin, Bella, Bronya, and Seele(s). The elder Mash has taken it upon herself to distribute the snacks and drinks, which consist of marshmallows and hot cocoa, to her younger sisters. The only person missing from the young girls' group is Daria, who is actually still attached to Yuki's Iron Blood Division as part of its armored fist.
"Seriously, must we interrupt my experiments for something we already know the result of?" Grumbled a Mobius that is slotting herself in the same sofa as Dreamer and Einstein.
As the others have picked their places in the seating arrangements, Dreamer replies to Mobius' complaint with a little smirk.
"Oh, please, as if you didn't jump at the chance of seeing Master Yuki making history, Dr. Mobius."
"And besides, you could use a break from all that time you spent staring at the test tubes." Einstein interjects with a small teasing smile from Mobius' side. "You do not want Yuki to see dark circles around your eyes when she returns, right?"
Mobius huffs cutely with crossed arms beneath her well-endowed bosom. However, the hyped-up display of Mobius' minute annoyance is put to a stop by a hot mug of cocoa, presented to her on a plate by the ever dutiful maid, Agent.
"Doctor, I believe your brain is dearly in need of a recharge."
Hearing the sincere suggestion, Mobius offers no rebuttal as she accepts the softly steaming mug.
"Thank you." The green-haired Doctor mutters. Even Mobius knows that it would be going too far if she kept playing the affectionate spitfire.
Mobius is never against a familiar gathering in the first place, despite her sometimes spouting harmless complaints.
Agent smiles softly before moving on to serve drinks to the others.
Yggdra and Nicolae yet another couch. While they both accept Agent's offered beverages, Yggdra reaches into a gap in the space to pull out a packet of Cosmic Cookies before passing it off into Nicolae's purple and energetic tentacle. The Shoggoth unironically plucks out one Cosmic Cookie from the paper bag before dipping it into the cocoa drink. Nicolae proceeds to enjoy the subsequent savory bites under Yggdra's and the others' amused gazes.
Eden and Elysia similarly share a seat for themselves, with Eden choosing a goblet of fine wine instead of the hot drink that the others go for. Elysia, going above and beyond, directly drops marshmallows into her cocoa mug, taking visible enjoyment in the guilty, chewy, sweetened pleasure. Eden giggles before pulling Elysia closer to her side as the latter tastefully enjoys her beverage like a chipmunk instead of a High Elf with class.
Of the adult group, the people missing here are, of course, Yuki herself, Bryn, Rosa, and Mary. Oh, and let's not forget the regular guests that may tagalong with them, like Yuki's bodyguards, Erika and Lola, or the rarer visitor like Aponia, who was Yuki's orphanage mother and her top interrogator in ONI.
Still, even with the indisposed family members, this vast chamber in the Obsidian Castle is packed to the brim with a joyful and eager atmosphere. Other than enjoying the drinks and snacks, members of Yuki's family mingle, play, and even sing together while waiting for the appointed time to arrive. They all combine to truly bring to life the meaning of a warm family gathering. Had Yuki not intentionally made herself scarce for the coming broadcast, the Reich Marshal would have felt quite emotional indeed and would once again hardened her resolve. Honestly, Yuki has hyped herself up with all the good memories so many times that the only apt word to describe her usual mental state is:
Motivated!
A certain guy in a dark-colored trench coat would be pleased, that's for sure.
Their chatters are cut short, however, when Yggdra suddenly waves her hand in the air, and the warm lighting around them dims slightly. Opposite to them, a magical tetrahedron glows in a myriad of colors before it projects crystal-clear images and sound into the air for them all to witness a pivotal moment in time.
It's yet another misty, smoky day in London's coastal area. The chosen venue to host the surrender ceremony is the warship that once hosted the Reich Marshal on her conquest, the KMS Elbe. Live footage from above shows the formation of warships surrounding the Elbe in a neat parade formation, comprising the combined 3rd and 4th Expeditionary Strike Groups. The point of view is then changed to a more close-up shot.
Aboard the KMS Elbe, the flight deck is cleared for a compact stage and a long table with chairs. There are places around the cordoned flight deck where officers, Marines, Panzergrenadiers, and sailors stand in full attention, being both witnesses and security teams for the monumental proceeding to come. The atmosphere is sharp, and there's barely any chatter to be seen amongst the men and women visible to the special camera.
Then, from separated corners of the flight deck, the VIPs arrive. On one end, a King George VI who is healed up to the best possible state in one day, escorted and helped to the midway point by Colonel Bradshaw and the Count of Farbanti and a few other personnel. Opposite the Erusean group is the victorious Belkans, with Yuki walking with a confident stride alongside Bryn and representatives from all branches of the Belkan Armed Forces. The contrast can't be any starker.
If King George VI is having any misgivings, then he hides them well, much better than his accompanying staff for the ceremony, at least.
Upon reaching the midway point on the prepared stage, the Erusean King opts to take the last couple of steps before Yuki. Both sides then initiate a round of polite handshake for the camera before Yuki directs an open arm toward the nearby podium. Without missing a beat, King George VI takes a slow and steady step to the microphone-equipped stand. With his hands braced on the podium, King George VI utters the first words of the most important speech in his life.
"Citizens of Erusea, people of the world, I am King George VI of the once proud Kingdom of Erusea. On this day, the 27th of April, 1939, I speak to you about the immediate Termination of the War with the Belkan Reich!"