Alexander's speech was broadcasted nationwide and internationally. After declaring his ultimatum to the countries who are at war with Ruthenia, an empire that is the sole user of nuclear weapons, that should they continue their war efforts against them, they'll meet the same fate as the United States did.
One of the people watching the broadcast was Erik Jan Hanussen, the Prime Minister of the Deutschland Empire. His hands clenched into a fist to the degree it was shivering and making the glass of his whiskey crack.
Unable to contain his anger and frustration at Alexander, he swept the books and files on his desk to the side, stood up, and threw the glass on the floor, shattering it.
"No! How can this fucking be?! I wasn't informed that Ruthenia possessed such a weapon?" Erik clambered his head, pulling his hair in frustration. A few strands were ripped out from stress. The prime minister sat down again with more force than necessary.
"Fuck! Why didn't Anne tell us about this? I thought she had a mole in Ruthenia, but what the fuck is this now? A single bomb was dropped in the Capitol where the organization is headquartered and now they are reduced to dust. Dammit...damn you!" He screamed, and this time, he kicked the table in front of him, causing it to tip over and spilling alcohol everywhere.
One of his ministerial staff rushed inside to see what was going on after hearing noises inside the Prime Minister's office.
"Sir?" The man looked around the room which is now full of mess. "What's troubling you?"
"Oh, Friederic, why did you enter without my permission?" Erik calmed down a little bit by breathing slowly and deeply through his mouth. He looked at the staff who were still in confusion.
"I told you not to enter my office under any circumstances," Erik said.
"But sir, we have been hearing unpleasant noises inside your office. We were concerned that something had happened. So I rushed in to check."
"It's the Ruthenian Empire that's making me act like this," Erik breathed, loosening his necktie. "The Ruthenian Empire declared an ultimatum to us that if we continue this war, they'll drop their most powerful bomb above our heads."
"We have been receiving calls about that matter, Sir. The truth is, everyone is scared, even the high command. A bomb with such devastating power that can level an entire city is making them want to come to peace talks with the Ruthenia Empire."
"No, we are going to continue this war," Erik insisted.
"But sir, without the United States supplies, we would be at the mercy of the Ruthenian Ground and Air Forces. Words on the intelligence said that the Ruthenia Empire must be preparing for an invasion of Berlin."
"Well, should that happen, we are going to defend it with everything we have got," Erik said. "Even though the leaders in the United States perished, leaving the country in a state of panic, the Deutschland Empire, along with its allies, can put up a fight against the Ruthenia Empire."
"But what about their nuclear bomb?" Frederic asked? "Do we even have countermeasures against it? What if Berlin is next? And then Paris. Sir, the High Command is suggesting that we negotiate peace with the Ruthenia Empire before it falls into our heads and erases us from existence."
"Those stupid High Commands, when things don't go in their way, they always take an easy way out. Don't they have pride in themselves? Yes, the Ruthenia Empire might possess that weapon but what if it's just a bluff? What if Ruthenia is saying that because they don't have one left and are aware that if the war continues, even with their technology, they can't match the overwhelming combined forces of the coalition."
"But the risk is still there, Sir!" Frederick nonchalantly raised his voice. Erik raised a brow, feeling offended by the tone of Frederick's voice.
"Sir, come to your senses. You are the Prime Minister of the Deutschland Empire...think of your people first."
"Well, you are not my people. My only mission is to take down the Ruthenia Empire according to the will of our organization," is what Erik wanted to say to Frederick. But he can't reveal his position yet. He had worked so hard to get into the Deutschland High Command, he can't afford to slip his mouth and tell that he was part of the Black Hand.
"Alright, I'll think about it, but for now, we continue to fight. If the Ruthenia Empire sees fear in us, they will pounce at us. That I can guarantee. Now, I want you to keep the infantry fighting on the frontlines out of this information. They must not know it, otherwise, it will affect their morale."
"Thank you, Sir Erik. I will inform the High Command about your decision," Frederick bowed his head before leaving Erik's office.
Alone in his office, Erik pondered for a moment and mumbled out his thoughts.
"Now, the United States is out of the equation. The Shepherd of the United States is alive but his country wouldn't be a great help now. Should I contact the other shepherd and tell continue arming against the Ruthenia Empire, despite them already knowing about the nuclear weapons? Or we should make peace with Ruthenia and play a long game?"
Erik hummed in thought and spoke. "I'll go with my gut then."
***
Six hours have passed since Alexander's speech in the Imperial Council Building. Alexander heads back to the Command Ops and into a cell where they are holding Sevastian temporarily.
Alexander entered his cell and threw a newspaper on his table.
Sevastian glanced at it and read the headline.
"The Ruthenia Empire confirmed that it was them who destroyed the United States Capital using nuclear bombs..."
"I told you I would do it," Alexander said. "Now, the leadership of the United States is gone, rendering them an ineffective government. They cannot enter the war as they'll have to deal with the mess we caused them first. What's only left is the Black Hand executives controlling what's left, the country that we are at war with."
"That's good then. Unfortunately, I don't have info about who specifically, but if you want to be sure, you can just nuke them as you did in Washington."
"We only have three left, and Berlin is going to fall in the operation the Army has drafted. We can put them down in conventional warfare. Now, I want to thank you, because of you, the Black Hand is snuffed out. We will all do the cleaning."
"I guess this is it?" Sevastian looked at him.
"Yes, this is it. I wouldn't call you out in public and brand you as a traitor as promised. This is a goodbye. Sevastian, you are going to be executed tomorrow for your crimes."
Sevastian sighed. "I already expected this to happen should I get exposed. Very well, thank you for seeing me for the last time."
Alexander's face remained neutral, looking at him for a moment in the eye, before leaving his cell.
Removing Black Hand out of the equation, and a traitor in the Ruthenian government. There's only one thing left for him to do.
"Let's speak with the Queens of the Britannia Empire."
