Leona looked at her younger sister in astonishment. How was it she felt as though she had missed a great many things?
"Next, I hope a new Warhammer polity may be established. Though we now have the framework of a defensive-line alliance. With the Demon Race for a threat, I hold that the most urgent business is still to establish a new polity. This polity may take the Hundred Beasts Alliance and the faction our Dragon-folk tribe leads for its head, and take the Warhammer's several great tribes within it besides. Only a polity unified and in good order can restore the Warhammer's flourishing, and set the whole of its strength to ordering the army and preparing for war." Princess Blanche rose to her feet and proposed it outright.
Zhao Chen looked at this Half-Dragon princess with some surprise. This… was moving along rather fast.
Secretary Lilith beside him wore a satisfied smile: this Princess Blanche had seen the situation clearly, and was now offering herself as pillow-mate besides.
In truth what Blanche thought was very simple.
Since it was no longer possible to alter the fact that the Owl Dragon was working its influence upon the Warhammer by degrees and unseen.
And since the facts had proved that the Demon Race fleets' invasion was beyond even the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth at its height to withstand.
Then she must borrow the starship technology this Owl Dragon lord held in hand, or there was no hope of victory.
And since these unalterable facts were settled, then follow the direction in which those facts developed — hasten that development, even, and turn its advantages to use.
This was what Blanche thought.
"Charlotte, what is your view?" Zhao Chen looked to Charlotte beside him and asked her opinion.
Though Zhao Chen might perfectly well have simply given Charlotte an order.
Before Blanche, Zhao Chen went through this form all the same.
Which amounted to taking Charlotte's side within the new Warhammer polity to come.
And telling Blanche clearly that Charlotte was not merely a puppet the Owl Dragon propped up; she stood, further, for my will.
"For the future of the Warhammer's several tribes, I approve Princess Blanche's decision." Charlotte nodded.
"Very well. Princess Blanche, do you consult with Charlotte in detail. Should there be any problem, I can help you take counsel upon it. If there is no problem, then push this item of business forward as fast as may be. And should you meet with any trouble, tell me and welcome."
The corners of Zhao Chen's mouth lifted slightly. "What I am best at is the settling of trouble."
"Very good. Once we have drafted the business on our side, we shall first present it to my lord the Owl Dragon lord for your inspection." Princess Blanche said it with the greatest respect.
This girl knows how to make herself useful.
Secretary Lilith's estimate of this Half-Dragon princess went up another grade.
"Very well. Withdraw now and rest." Zhao Chen waved a hand.
Princess Blanche bowed slightly, and then took Leona and left the bridge.
As Leona left she looked back three times in every step, gazing without cease at this T5 super-starship's bridge.
To have the good fortune to come within a T5 super-starship, and to stand upon its bridge besides — for Leona this was quite simply a thing past daring to imagine.
"Ah, right — what is this starship called?" Leona suddenly turned her head and called it out loudly.
Blanche knitted her brows whether she would or no. This one-track-minded elder sister of hers was truly…
Zhao Chen smiled faintly. "The Hades-class Interstellar Dreadnought."
"Hades?" Leona said the name over and over with her eyes giving off light, for all the world as though she were saying over the name of the lover of her dreams.
Until Blanche dragged her bodily out of the bridge.
"How do you rate these two princesses?" Zhao Chen looked at the crowd of women generals behind him.
"Princess Blanche is a princess of both courage and stratagem, and in the wide view of things above all there is no irresolution whatever in her; she dares walk straight out and make the important decisions. As, for instance, her agreeing just now to our consolidating the Warhammer's starship industry. She knows what lies behind it and what it signifies for the Warhammer; but she knows very clearly as well that this is a thing that cannot be altered, and so she pushes the business forward of her own motion. And having gone so far she does the thing thoroughly and stops at nothing, pushing besides for the founding of a new Warhammer polity. Were it another leader, they could not be so decisive and so absolute." Secretary Lilith gave her estimate.
Charlotte went on, "That Princess Leona, in a local action, or in a single starship engagement, has a very fine ability at directing a fight. Though it must be said… she is rather arrogant in temper, apt to make light of the enemy, and easily worked upon by others. But there is no denying her gift in fleet command. As, for instance, in this battle: though it was her rash aggression that brought her into the trap and had her fleets ringed about by the Demon Race, with grievous losses. Yet I took a little time to look over the battle reports of the fleets Leona led. And I found, to my great surprise, that with her own fleets at a disadvantage she could still, upon any local part of the field — even an engagement of some dozens of interstellar warships within a small compass — make arrangements timely and sound, and the best available answer besides. Without such a battlefield command ability, the losses of this Warhammer fleet in this battle would have gone far beyond the figures we have now. Though it would not have amounted to annihilation, it would at the least have exceeded the present combat-loss figures by 30%, or even 50!"
Zhao Chen was somewhat surprised. "I had not seen that this Dragon-folk princess had a gift in that quarter."
"It is only that she is lacking in temper, which I should judge comes of the influence of this identity of hers as a Dragon-folk princess. Cultivate her hereafter, and let her accumulate more experience of war, and she is material that may yet be made into something," Shen Bing put in beside them.
The several other legion commanders thought highly of this Princess Leona as well.
Which gave rise in Zhao Chen to an idea. He looked to Secretary Lilith.
Lilith spoke first. "You are thinking to draw this Princess Leona over?"
Worthy indeed of the house steward of his own; before he had said a word, she knew what was in his heart.
The Warhammer was to establish a new polity hereafter, and so Charlotte would stand for him within it.
But if, upon the Dragon-folk tribe's side of the camp, there were this Princess Leona standing in his camp as well.
Would that not be better still?
Set against that clever and decisive Princess Blanche, this one-track-minded Princess Leona was the easier to control.
"What is your view?" Zhao Chen asked.
Lilith answered, "I think it may be done, and drawing her over is very simple besides. Cater to what she is fond of; and further, as Commander Charlotte and the other commanders have said. Leona is material that may be made into something. Then we need only teach her thoroughly, discard the dross and take the essence, and she may not only be put to our Owl Dragon Legion's use. But her standing may be used besides to draw over the Dragon-folk tribe. And make the new Warhammer polity the easier to control."
Think of it: within the Dragon-folk tribe to come, a princess of the pro-Owl-Dragon party.
The corners of Zhao Chen's mouth lifted slightly. "Then this business I leave to you, Lilith."
"Rest easy, Commander-in-Chief." Lilith nodded and swore it upon her word.
As for that Princess Leona, who was at that moment admiring the interior appointments of this Hades-class Interstellar Dreadnought while riding a hovering elevator toward the hangar.
She knew nothing of it — that from this moment the gears of her own fate had begun to turn.