“My prince?”

The prince sat in his chair, immersed in his thoughts. He didn´t feel good. But because of what? It was like someone sentenced his country and being into a period of chaos and the sudden feeling of realization, troubled his “soul” greatly.

“My prince?”

Still, he sat quietly in his chair. The chair was made up of old leather, not fitting for a prince honestly. But he still liked it, the feeling of old leather seemed to calm his mind.

“My prince?!!!!!!”

At the sudden loud shout of his butler, which is at the same time his best military advisor, a retired general, he snapped out of his daze.

Slowly he put down the newspaper, that he was holding. He only now realized that he was holding it the entire time. Now, he asked the old butler in a confused manner.

“Y-Yes, ahh w-what´sss the matter Theodor?”

Theodor Butler answered, with a concerned voice: “My prince, do you not feel well?”

“Theodor, how many times should I tell you? Please, call me by my first name. Alexander, like I who call you Theodor.”

Theodor looked at the prince with the eyebrows raised and said, in a questioning voice:

“Don´t try to change the topic. What were you thinking about again? Where are you thinking about the possibility of a great war again?”

“No, I was not.”

“Don´t lie to me. I know you since your birth and I know when something troubles you.”

Alexander exhaled with a long sigh and a small smile across his lips, only to get serious again. “Anyway, I wanted to order 3000 pieces of the 3.2inch Field Gun, Model 60 from Crolia for the price of 5 Million Mark. In addition to that, about 5 Million rounds of ammunition for said gun and the price is discussable. Theodor doesn´t pay them too much!”

“Yes, my prince.” Theodor bowed to Alexander and made is the way to the door of the small room. But when he reached the door, he suddenly turned around.

“Ah before I forget it, I need to tell you that Feldwebel-Leutnant Buhl has arrived and is waiting for you in the palace garden. I believe it's about your personal “little” project.”

“Thanks, Theodor, tell him I will meet him in a few minutes and bring him something to eat. I believe he´s quite hungry after a 4-hour horse ride from the Silver Oak Military Academy to my imperial summer residence.”

The moment Theodor closed the door of the room, began Alexander to search for some documents and after quickly reading through them he began to make his way to the garden of the palace.

“Ah, Feldwebel-Leutnant Buhl. I´m sorry that I took some time to meet you I still had an important task to do.”

“No problem.”

“Please take a seat.”

“Thank you, milord.”

The two of them were sitting on a table under a tree in a beautiful garden with plants of all sorts and were chatting in a manner only really old friends were capable of doing. That´s because they were really old friends. Feldwebel-Leutnant Buhl's real name is Lorenz Buhl. He is a little older than the prince and they met each other on the first day in the military school, at the age of 5.

“So, how is the project going?”

“Better than expected I suppose.”

“Really? Are the troops already finished with basic training?”

“Oh, yes. Even better they finished the specialized training in close quarters.”

“I see. How would they fare against the imperial guards?”

“I think that they are about as equal as you can get. But tell me how is the business going for your company.”

“Which one?”

“So, you have come that far. Have you already started investing in the military?”

“I started today. 3000 pieces of the 3.2inch Field Gun, Model 60 Artillery and 5 Million pieces of ammunition.”

“That’s equipment that is already outdated.”

“I know but in the coming war they will be needed and for the price, they are currently the best thing you can buy. Off course after the artillery our country produces.”

“True. But that’s your problem, isn´t it? When you give the order to produce more of our artillery then the parliament will think you are a warmonger.”

Alexander sighed loud and his voice lost a considerable amount of volume.

“These noble idiots think we are invincible. Although they have great faith in me of becoming the next emperor. They do seem to criticize me in any way possible.”

“Isn´t that good at the same time, Alexander?”

“Yes and no. It shows that they are concerned about me and try to push me forward so that I put more work into it and at the same time they question me, the heir to the throne. So, in a way, they question my authority. I just don´t know what to do with them.”

“Well I would like to help you, but sadly I have to go now. Well, the Legion needs me.”

Feldwebel-Leutnant Buhl stood up and walked to the door. After a quick bow and “Goodbye, my prince.” He left the palace in a hurry.

Alexander now alone decided to head back to his “office” or like the butler liked to describe it the prison of the prince.

Crolia is a country similar to Switzerland in our world. It has now nearly 800 years of continuing peace and sells weapons to all countries.

It has close ties with the Crulon Empire.