Unlimited Ambition

The lieutenant colonel hesitated for a moment, then said dejectedly, "So what? I'm just a lieutenant colonel."

Seeing his pathetic state, I was furious. I pointed at him and said, "Look at you! How pathetic are you? Seven years ago, you were a lieutenant colonel fighting against the Britannian invasion. Seven years later, you've fought countless battles, big and small, and earned countless merits—you're even revered as a Japanese war god! Yet you're still just a lieutenant colonel. You... I, an outsider, feel sorry for you, and what about you?! You should at least try to prove yourself!"

The lieutenant colonel seemed conflicted after hearing my words. Seeing that the time was right, I activated Geass and continued to persuade him, "Besides, are you really comfortable entrusting Japan to a scoundrel like Katase?"

At that moment, the lieutenant colonel suddenly felt that the person in front of him was like a close friend with whom he could talk about anything. He had completely opened his heart to me.

"To be honest, I'm not at ease," the lieutenant colonel replied honestly.

"What if you do it yourself?" I continued.

“But I’m just a lieutenant colonel,” the junior lieutenant colonel replied.

Alright. I'll teach you a lesson today. I rolled my eyes again. Looks like, if it weren't for me, you, Toudou Kagamishiro, would be a lieutenant colonel for life. Really…

"If, and I mean if."

"If..." the lieutenant colonel said with a generous expression, "then we should strive to build Japan into a country where its citizens can stand tall and proudly declare themselves Japanese."

Oh, what a grand ideal. I've gotten addicted to rolling my eyes today: "So, how exactly do we do it?"

The lieutenant colonel remained silent.

Well, it's really tough on you to be president, someone who graduated from military academy.

"Japan is a small country with scarce resources. No matter how hard we try, it is difficult to survive on our own."

"Then what should I do?" the lieutenant colonel asked anxiously.

"We should align ourselves with the Chinese Federation," I said matter-of-factly. "Think about it, is it better to be a colony or a constituent republic?"

"Of course, the constituent republics are better, but aren't independent countries better than constituent republics?" the lieutenant colonel asked.

“But you can’t do it,” I replied.

The lieutenant colonel nodded, somewhat dejected.

"Alright, alright," I comforted him. "After becoming a constituent republic, the power to tax, finance, legislate, judiciary, and administration... all of that is yours. Even the right to defend the territory is negotiable. You only lose diplomatic power. But in this tripartite balance of power, is diplomatic power really that important? Not really. In other words, you haven't actually lost anything. On the contrary, you've gained the support of the Chinese Federation. This deal is worthwhile."

The lieutenant colonel was already somewhat tempted. But he still hesitated, saying, "But I'm just a junior lieutenant colonel..."

……

I'll beat you up, you little lieutenant colonel!

Alright, I understand now. If this rank issue can't be resolved, this rigid-minded bastard won't agree to anything.

"Lieutenant Colonel Todo Kyoshiro!" I suddenly shouted.

"Your subordinate is here!" Todo stood at attention reflexively.

"Given Lieutenant Colonel Todo's valiant fighting and numerous meritorious achievements in the war against the Britannian invasion, the General Staff has decided to award him the rank of Lieutenant Colonel Todo..." At this point, I thought about it. Based on this bastard's mindset, a superior's order is absolute. So, if I wanted him to compete with Katase Kyoko, I'd at least need to say: "Award Lieutenant Colonel Todo the rank of Lieutenant General! We hope you will continue your efforts and contribute your strength to the cause of Japanese liberation!"

"Yes, sir!" Lieutenant Colonel... oh, now he's a lieutenant general. Lieutenant General Todo saluted again, stood at attention, and assumed a military posture.

"Alright, your lieutenant general's uniform and epaulets will be delivered to you shortly. Now, can we talk, Lieutenant General Toudou?" I waved my hand, gesturing for him to sit down.

Lieutenant General Toudou sat down somewhat hesitantly: "Is there something wrong with this?"

"What's wrong? I think it's fine." I spread my hands to show my innocence.

"Although your reputation and position are above mine, you are still a member of the Chinese Federation. To confer the rank of lieutenant general on me, a Japanese soldier, is against the rules."

I curled my lip in disdain: "I thought it was something serious, is it really that simple?" Then I leaned forward a little: "Let me ask you, after you liberate Japan, will you join the Chinese Federation?"

Todo nodded, thinking to himself, "Isn't this the idea you gave me?"

"So, which is higher, a lieutenant general or a five-star general?" I continued.

“A five-star general,” Todo replied.

"If a five-star general also serves as the deputy chief of the General Staff, and he appoints a lieutenant general on the front line, is that in accordance with regulations?"

After thinking for a moment, Todo said, "In urgent situations, one should act expediently. If it is an emergency appointment on the front lines, then we certainly have that right."

"That settles it then." I clapped my hands. "I, Cao Mengde, a five-star general and deputy chief of the General Staff, hereby confer upon you, Toudou Kyoushiro, the rank of lieutenant general. Any questions?"

"But you are a five-star general and deputy chief of staff of the Chinese Federation!" The lieutenant general finally grasped the key point.

“After Japan becomes a member of the Chinese Federation, you will also be a lieutenant general in the Chinese Federation!” I also solved the key problem.

Todo sat there, thinking about it, and felt that what I said was not quite right, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.

So I continued to comfort him: "Alright, don't think too much about it, Lieutenant General. These are all minor matters. The only important thing now is to drive out all the invading forces from Brittany and liberate all of Japan—Lieutenant General Todo, listen to my command!"

"Yes, sir!" Lieutenant General Todo jumped up again reflexively.

"I hereby appoint you as the Commander-in-Chief of the Second Command of the Japanese Liberation Front, in charge of the liberation of Kyushu, Shikoku, and the eastern regions of Japan! Military supplies will arrive in two days, and I will give you 5,000 professional instructors and 5,000 mecha pilots each! How about it, are you confident?!"

"Yes, sir, I guarantee the mission will be accomplished!" Lieutenant General Toudou replied meticulously.

"Hmm," I nodded, thinking, finally managed to fool him. This blockhead, he's so dense: "Alright, you must be tired, go and rest." Then I snapped my fingers: "Orderly man, take Lieutenant General Fujido to his room."

And so, Lieutenant General Todo once again devoted all his energy and enthusiasm to the cause of Japan's liberation. With his abilities, he was bound to achieve something significant... probably.

However, Lieutenant General Toudou, who had been promoted three ranks and entrusted with important responsibilities, had just stepped out of that door and shaken off the influence of Geass when he was suddenly jolted awake, feeling intensely that he had been deceived. His level of idiocy was unprecedented, unparalleled in history…

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Efforts of Ambition

We've gained the support of Lieutenant General Toudou, who's so stubborn he's practically adorably stupid. Our power has expanded once again. To be fair, while this guy is definitely missing a screw in his head, he's a master at leading troops in battle.

Moreover, their reputation in Japan was so great that they raised their banners and recruited soldiers; in just one afternoon, thousands of clueless young men signed up. Although they hadn't received any military training and couldn't be used immediately—mainly because Lieutenant General Todo didn't accept my proposal of "training soldiers through war"—he felt that throwing untrained soldiers onto the battlefield was a crime (I, of course, didn't care; those clueless young men weren't my soldiers anyway). Therefore, he insisted on refusing to send them to the battlefield.

However, even with the troops and equipment I provided to him, they could already be considered the second largest resistance force in Japan.

The first place goes to Katase Kyoko.

Although somewhat dissatisfied, it was as he'd said before. Katase could only force a smile. Toudou was a guy who only cared about rank, not personal relationships. Katase had originally wanted to try and get closer to him, but Toudou's superior-like attitude infuriated him. He vowed never to speak to that ungrateful bastard again.

If Katase could still force a smile, then the representatives of the Kyoto Six Families couldn't even manage a smile. Suddenly realizing that the prospects for the liberation of Japan were very bright, they also realized that their own status had unknowingly fallen to an intolerable level.

The military is controlled by Katase and Todo. The allocation of military supplies is in my hands—of course, if I were bored and gave the order, the most elite training corps and mecha units would obey my command. As for them, they are of no use other than providing financial support.

Money is indeed a wonderful thing. Look at that sister-obsessed guy; with financial support, he grew rapidly. Without it, he withered away just as quickly. So, nothing is possible without money. Especially war, which is the most expensive thing ever.

But here, the situation has changed again. In terms of financial strength, the Chinese Federation and the six Kyoto families are clearly not in the same league—not even the Northeast Military Region can compare. You say you don't support it anymore—fine, whatever. A tiny bit from the Northeast Military Region's coffers will suffice.

—Also, since you no longer support us, you're no longer on our side. The money you invested is naturally gone. You won't enjoy any of the rights Japan enjoys after liberation. Leaving aside such distant matters, you know so much about us… Hehehehehehe.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs is just waiting for idiots like you. Land reform, redistribution, and the path of "beep-ism" with Chinese characteristics. We're counting on idiots like you.

This put the heads of the six Kyoto families in a difficult position. They really didn't know what to do. After some discussion, they once again elected Kirihara Taizo as their representative, who secretly came to the consulate to discuss matters with me.

After a series of metaphors, puns, and probing questions, I pretended to just realize his intentions and said, "Oh... so you all feel you haven't contributed enough to the liberation of Japan, so you want to add some burden to yourselves, is that it?"

Kirihara Taizo nodded repeatedly: "That's right, exactly. That governor—"

"Alright, that's enough." I waved my hand and said, "I understand what you mean. You just want to increase your burden, right? Well, I happen to have a task here that's suitable for you."

Kirihara Taizo leaned forward and asked, "What kind of mission is it? Please tell me."

I nodded and reached out to pat him on the shoulder: "It's truly rare for Kirihara-kun to have such awareness. But are all the heads of the six families in Kyoto... able to maintain the same stance as you, Kirihara-kun?"

When Kirihara Taizo heard that I had changed my form of address, he was overjoyed and immediately patted his chest, repeatedly explaining that the six families of Kyoto were united in purpose and shared weal and woe. They were as close as if they were one person.

I chuckled. That's exactly what I was waiting for: "The six Kyoto families completely control the mining of cherry blossom stones from Mount Fuji. And those lovely stones, the Chinese Federation is also very interested in them..."

Kirihara Taizo immediately broke out in a cold sweat. His hands trembling, he took out a handkerchief to wipe them, and said, "This, this... Brittany's control over the cherry blossom mine at Mount Fuji is extremely strict... What if, what if it gets discovered..."

"Hey... If it were anyone else, it wouldn't matter. But why are you saying such things, old man? Are you deliberately teasing me? Everyone knows the immense power of the Kyoto Six Families. Before the fall of Japan, they wielded immense influence in politics, practically treating both houses of government as puppets... You tell me, I'm asking you for such a small favor, and you think you can't do it? Hehehehehehe..."

As I spoke more and more, Kirihara Taizo's forehead broke out in a cold sweat. His entire handkerchief was soaked through, dripping water.

Those are truly hurtful words. Kirihara Taizo is starting to regret it. Why did he choose such a powerful ally? Now he's in a dilemma. He has no choice but to agree for the time being. He'll have to go back and discuss it with the others.

Finally, Kirihara Taizo asked one last time, still unwilling to give up: "If this really can't be done, then what should we do?"

I laughed again and said, "Japan has 66 countries, and each country elects six representatives. That's a total of 396 representatives. I guarantee that the six families from Kyoto will be among them. Just think about it, so many sixes, how auspicious! It's like everything going smoothly, hahaha..."

And so, Kirihara Taizo left, utterly dejected.

Pshaw, you old codger, do you really think this is the good old days before Japan fell, when you bastards had completely sidelined the Emperor? Bah!

However, after wasting so much breath, those old geezers should at least bring over five percent of the mined amount. That would barely be enough for me to upgrade my existing Northeast Army mechs to Sakura Stone-powered ones. Of course, I wouldn't object to more if needed.

※※※

I'm not afraid that the six families of Kyoto won't do things my way. After all, they're all seasoned veterans who have lived for many years. They can see the situation clearly.

However, what I didn't expect was that after those guys agreed to my request, for some reason, they sent me a woman, saying that she was the last descendant of the Emperor's bloodline, named Sumeragi Kagura.

Weren't all the imperial bloodlines slaughtered after Japan's surrender? Where did this new one come from...? Oh, I remember now. She seems to be the illegitimate daughter of the previous emperor, causing quite a stir back then. But then she disappeared without a trace. I heard the emperor put her out of the palace to be raised. That must be her. A girl named Kagura.

However, I seem to have heard that the woman got engaged to that guy Black a while ago. What's going on here?

The thought of this made me restless. Ignoring Karen's almost fiery eyes and Violetta's tearful, abandoned-cat-like expression, I decided to meet with her alone. We'd talk about life and our dreams.

I was surprised to find that this little girl startled me the moment we met.

The long-haired girl knelt on the ground, prostrating herself, and pleaded plaintively, "Please have mercy and save the millions of Japanese people from their suffering."

I chuckled inwardly, secretly admiring him. "Having a tragic classmate really makes a difference," I thought. "Look how old he is! He's acting like it's real. Perhaps he's just another actor."

But what she said was something else entirely: "What is the matter, Lord Kagura? Please rise, please rise..."

"If you do not agree to my terms, I will kneel here forever..."

After saying that, she actually started crying. Now it's confirmed that this girl is indeed an actress.

I feigned difficulty: "Oh dear, aren't you putting me in a difficult position? If you want to save Japan, go find Katase, go find Todo, or if that doesn't work, stay with the six families in Kyoto... If all else fails, don't you have a fiancé named Black?" By the end, my voice was as cold as ice.

Kaguya's body trembled slightly as she slowly got up, her expression gradually turning indifferent. She pondered how to move this cold-blooded wolf king.

"Katase and Toudou are nothing more than puppets supported by you. The Kyoto Six Families are even more corrupt. As for Black..." Kaguya sighed inwardly when she mentioned the sister complex. She had thought he was a good candidate, but who knew she had misjudged him.

“Tell me, Black, what’s wrong with your fiancé?” I looked at her with interest.

Hearing my insults, Kagura remained unfazed, shook her head, and said, "His reputation is ruined, and his external support is cut off. He had lofty ambitions, but could not save the day. He is finished."

After hearing these words, I snorted and continued sarcastically, "Now that he's finished, do you want to die for your cause, or do you want to find someone else?"

Kagura, after all, is of noble birth. Hearing my repeated provocations, she couldn't hold back any longer and stepped forward, shouting, "You shameless!"

When I heard her say that, I secretly rejoiced. Luckily, I was strict in managing my troops, and there were no eavesdroppers inside or outside the house. Otherwise, if this got out, who knows how it would be distorted.

While I thought this to myself, my expression remained indifferent. I appeared completely unmoved.