Signora Sicilia boarded the special train returning to Montelupo.
She wasted no time. Through encrypted telegram, she immediately sent an urgent plea for help to the only neighbor likely to extend a hand—Kazimierz.
The messenger rode with all speed, crossing the border and delivering the letter to the headquarters of the Adeptus Sprawiedliwi in the Grand Knight Territory of Kazimierz.
...
The highest administrative body of Kazimierz, the Adeptus Sprawiedliwi.
The Grand Knight, Iolanta Russell, a female knight known for her composure and foresight.
Her brows furrowed tightly after reading Signora Sicilia's handwritten letter.
"Lacey... his appetite is bigger than anyone else's," Russell said to the adjutant beside her, placing the letter on the desk.
"If Siracusa falls, does Kazimierz have any reason to be spared?"
"Do those merchants not understand that if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold?"
"Your Excellency Grand Knight, the people from the General Chamber of Commerce are already waiting outside," the adjutant reminded in a low voice.
"Let them in."
The Chairman of the General Chamber of Commerce, Czarny, walked into the office wearing his trademark merchant's smile.
Behind him followed several core members of the Chamber.
"Respected Lord Russell," Czarny bowed first.
"We have heard of Siracusa's plea for aid. Regarding this, the General Chamber of Commerce's opinion is—refusal."
"The reason," Russell said coldly.
"The reason is simple."
Czarny spread his hands, looking as if it were a matter of course.
"First, legally and morally speaking, it was the Siracusans who provoked the incident first."
"Leithanien's newspapers have spread throughout Terra; now everyone believes Siracusa is in the wrong."
"If we send troops, it would be interfering in another country's internal affairs and making an enemy of international public opinion."
He paused, revealing a fox-like smile: "Second, and most importantly, we have signed commercial cooperation agreements worth hundreds of millions with the New Leithanien Empire."
"Factory construction, minerals, technology introduction... these projects are bringing enormous profits to Kazimierz."
"To offend our current biggest business partner for the sake of a Siracusa with which we have few ties? This deal is too unprofitable."
"This is not a deal, Chairman Czarny!" Russell slammed the table.
"This is national strategic security!"
"When those iron lumps of Leithanien can line up on our border without hindrance, how much will your agreements be worth then?"
"Lord Russell, please calm down," Czarny looked directly into her eyes without fear.
"Times have changed. While a knight's honor is precious, the Imperial Marks are the most solid shield of this era."
"Emperor Lacey is a smart man. He needs our capital and market to build his country; he wouldn't be stupid enough to make an enemy of us."
"On the contrary, we should deepen cooperation and bind our economy deeply with theirs. In this way, we will never become enemies, only friends!"
Russell fell silent.
She acknowledged that what Czarny said was partly true.
The power of capital had already penetrated every corner of this country; even the decisions of the Adeptus Sprawiedliwi were constrained by the General Chamber of Commerce.
She could forcibly order the campaign knights to assemble, but without the financial support of the General Chamber of Commerce, the army couldn't even guarantee logistics.
"You will regret this." After a long time, Russell waved her hand wearily.
"Reply to Siracusa's messenger. Tell them that Kazimierz... is powerless."
...
The news of Siracusa's failure to secure aid from Kazimierz spread rapidly.
In the luxurious manor of the Falcone family, a secret family meeting was taking place.
Beneath the crystal chandelier, family heads from major cities across Siracusa sat on both sides of the long table.
They tasted red wine from Columbia, yet their faces wore expressions of mockery.
"I said her way wouldn't work at all!" Falcone slammed his wine glass down heavily.
"Running to Trullinczentyr humbly, and the result? Humiliated by that mud-legged emperor and came back with her tail between her legs!"
"Now begging the knights of Kazimierz, it's simply a complete loss of face for Siracusa!"
"Exactly!"
Another family leader named Bellini chimed in.
"What is that Lacey anyway? Just an upstart who rose to power by inciting commoners!"
"Leithanien's army? Just a bunch of commoners who haven't touched swords or blades more than a few times!"
"Us Siracusans, which one of us didn't carve a way out through family gang wars? If we really fight, who wins and who loses is yet to be seen!"
"If you ask me, Signora Sicilia has just gotten old, and her guts have shrunk!" a young family heir said contemptuously.
"Always thinking of compromise, retreating."
"In our Siracusan dictionary, those two words don't exist!"
"If the Leithanians dare to come, let them taste the fangs and claws of us Lupo!"
A group of people in the hall were blindly optimistic, shouting arrogantly.
They looked down on Lacey's background, and even more so on Leithanien's army composed of commoners.
In their view, war was just a slightly larger scale of family armed conflict; as long as they held their own cities, what could the Leithanians do to them?
They completely failed to realize how terrifying a war machine armed with modern industry and centralized will was.
...
Just as the Siracusan families were still arguing over who should be commander-in-chief and who should contribute how many men, Leithanien's war machine had quietly started.
Trullinczentyr, Imperial Broadcasting Station.
Lacey stood before the microphone; behind him were all members of the Imperial Central Cabinet.
His voice spread to every corner of the empire via radio waves.
"Citizens of Leithanien, compatriots."
"In the past few days, our country and people have suffered groundless humiliation and provocation from the side of Siracusa!"
"Our proposal for peace was arrogantly rejected by them!"
"Not only are they unwilling to punish the murderer, but they also view our goodwill as weakness!"
"A country that cannot protect the safety of its citizens overseas has no dignity; a government that chooses to swallow its anger in the face of provocation is irresponsible!"
"I, Lacey, as your Emperor, solemnly declare here: We pursue peace, but we absolutely do not fear war!!"
"To defend the dignity of the Empire, to protect the life and property safety of every Leithanien citizen, I have authorized the Imperial Defense Force to launch a limited, punitive military strike against the provocateurs in the Siracusa border region!"
"This is, of course, not aggression, but self-defense."
"We are only seeking justice."
"Our goal is to eliminate those armed forces threatening our border safety, to make the powers that be in Siracusa understand that any provocation against Leithanien will come at a heavy price!"
"Long live the Empire!"
"Long live the people!"
The speech ended, Lacey left the microphone and turned to look at Military Minister Taylor.
"Begin, Taylor."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Taylor turned around, picked up the communicator, and issued the order.
"Operation officially starts!"
"Order the 1st and 2nd Panzer Divisions to assault the target area according to the predetermined plan!"
In the darkness before dawn, on the Leithanien border line, the engines of hundreds of \"Tiger I\" tanks let out a low roar simultaneously.
Steel tracks began to turn, crushing the moist frozen earth, like an unstoppable torrent of steel rushing toward the slumbering Siracusa.
Above the sky, the wings of the Stuka dive bomber wing cut through the morning light.
A Blitzkrieg that defined the new era of warfare on the Terra continent officially kicked off!
________________________________________
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