Audience with the Führer
What would people from the modern era think if they saw a steampunk-style ironclad soaring through the sky? A ship meant for the sea, flying overhead! They'd probably start searching for a new god on the spot. Even folks from this world would find it astonishing. Just look at those vicious Imperial Guard members peering around the airship's interior with the innocent faces of children.
Damn, my whole body aches the moment I try to stand after lying down. With Richel and Lati's help I'm managing to move around, but that cursed martial artist must have put some kind of hex on me. Those demonic cult or blood cult types love their shady, filthy techniques, so it's entirely possible.
[Marquelon, we will arrive in Ermania shortly.]
The Provecti touched down safely at the coordinates Richel had provided. This was the capital's private airfield, reserved exclusively for the Führer and her inner circle. Supported by Richel, I stepped off the ship to find black-uniformed elves waiting with obvious expectation. Lati's ears trembled violently; she looked even more pitiful than me, a one-armed man. PTSD isn't something that heals overnight. Sorry, Lati. Your captain's useless. Still, this captain needs the elves' help, so please understand.
"Heil Fridica."
"Heil Fridica. You must be tired from the journey. Let's get our guest to the hospital right away."
The elves loaded me into a wheelchair and wheeled me off. It felt like I was some chairman being escorted to court—unbearably awkward. Were they about to drag Lati and me to some lab for weird experiments? I needed to stay sharp.
Richel stayed by my side, clearly worried. Thankfully we arrived at an ordinary hospital rather than a laboratory. So hospitals exist in this world too—or at least in the Empire. In a proper fantasy setting you'd expect treatment at some healing house or monastery. This was a real hospital. No electronic devices or cutting-edge medical gear, of course, but still.
They called me a VIP, and it seemed they meant it. The elves brought me to a luxurious private room and laid me on the bed. Soon an elf doctor in a white coat and a nurse arrived. Most elves were female, and the capital made that fact even more obvious. Male elves just felt… off somehow.
"Pleasure to meet you. Never thought I'd get to examine such a handsome and adorable human male."
"He's my man, Doctor."
"Oh my, already taken? What a shame. Well, let's begin the examination."
Since when was Richel this possessive and obsessive? For a moment her face looked terrifying. The doctor placed her hand on my stomach. Light flared and a magic circle appeared, scanning every inch of my body. So they could check your condition with a simple magic flick instead of X-rays or MRIs? And I could lie comfortably while it happened. Magic really was incredible.
"Your vitality is quite low. We'll need to focus on recovery before fitting the prosthetic."
"Any other issues?"
"Fortunately, no internal organ damage. You will have some scarring, though."
Tirga's barrier must have saved my life. It just couldn't save my right arm. I owed that giantess warrior a proper thank-you later. Calling her here now would turn the hospital upside down.
"Doctor, I have a question about the prosthetic."
"What is it?"
"Can I get a combat-type prosthetic instead of an ordinary one? Something big, powerful, loaded with all kinds of nasty weapons?"
A massive, beautiful mechanical arm bristling with deadly armaments was every man's dream. A normal prosthetic wouldn't cut it if I wanted to protect myself and boost my combat strength. The doctor looked startled and hesitated.
"Well… such things do exist, but they're tied to classified matters…"
"It's fine. Give him whatever he wants."
"S-Supreme Leader? What brings you here?"
"I was told salutes aren't required in hospitals. That applies to me as well, Doctor Eva."
"It's an honor that you know my humble name."
The elf who opened the door and entered was the woman from the photo Admi had shown me—Fridica, Führer of the Silvareich Empire. Unlike Tirga's dark, rough golden hair, she had long, bright honey-blonde locks and sapphire-blue eyes. Elves were said to be the race of beauty, yet her appearance was in a league of its own. Add her perfect proportions and figure, and it was overwhelming. Maybe you had to look superior just to rule other elves.
Not only the doctor but Richel beside me looked stunned. None of us had expected the Führer herself to visit the hospital room.
"A pleasure to meet you. Thank you for bringing Marquelon here, Sergeant Richel. And the beastman over there is Lati, correct? For the record, I am Fridica, Führer of the Silvareich Empire."
"My deepest apologies, Supreme Leader. I should have brought him here safely. My incompetence caused this disaster."
"You did nothing wrong, Sergeant Richel. The only ones at fault are the fanatics of the Holy Empire who harmed him. For now, take good care of Marquelon."
Richel dropped to one knee before Fridica and couldn't lift her head. The Elf Führer gently comforted her and helped her stand with surprising kindness. So the ones who did this to me were the Holy Empire's fanatics? I would remember that. One day I would bring tanks and ironclad airships and turn Sanctuarium into a sea of fire.
"It is an honor to meet you, Supreme Leader."
"I-It's an honor."
"You're too kind, Marquelon. You're a patient, after all. There's no need to stand just to speak with me. Please rest comfortably."
Following the Führer's words, I stayed lying on the bed and watched her. I'd expected someone terrifying and overflowing with charisma, yet here she was, mercifully forgiving a subordinate's mistake and treating even a human like me with warmth. She showed no condescension or discrimination toward Lati either.
"I am well aware of the dedication you have shown the Empire, Marquelon. Therefore, not only will your treatment be provided, but the prosthetic will be crafted free of charge under my name."
"I appreciate the generosity, but nothing in this world is free. What is the price?"
"Sharp as ever. Still, that discussion can wait until after your treatment. Focus on recovering for now. We can speak in detail later."
After asking the doctor to take good care of me, Fridica left the room. It was hard to believe this was the same leader who had massacred other races. Then again, history's dictators often had unexpected sides. If Lati had been a dark elf, would she have been captured or killed the moment we landed? Probably nothing good. Being a beastman had likely saved her. Or perhaps there were complicated political reasons I didn't know about.
"Oh my god, I actually met the Führer. This isn't a dream, right?"
"Calm down, Richel. It's not a dream."
"Thanks to Mar, I got to meet her in person. I'm so grateful."
I hadn't done anything special, yet Richel looked at me with sparkling eyes full of gratitude. Today was full of awkward situations. That said, something felt off. They were offering free treatment and a prosthetic? There had to be a catch. Nothing was ever free. They definitely wanted something from me—probably my power and abilities. Were they planning to use Richel to reel me in? This was dangerous. I could end up as the Empire's slave, forced to do their dirty work. Should I grab Lati and run right now? With my current condition, escape was impossible. For now, I'd accept the treatment quietly and think later. If the Empire had intended to harm me, the Führer wouldn't have come here personally.
The elf doctor cast some kind of recovery magic on me, then left to prepare medicine.
"Don't worry, Mar. Our Empire's medicine is the best in the world."
"By the way, why did the doctor hesitate when the prosthetic came up?"
"It's related to our Empire's weapons technology. Military-grade combat prosthetics and artificial limbs aren't given to just anyone. They're a privilege reserved for soldiers who have rendered great service to the Empire. Using them properly also requires considerable training and rehabilitation."
"I see."
Weapons technology was definitely classified. The fact that the Führer had approved it meant the debt I'd owe later would be enormous. As expected, nothing was free. That damned martial artist had reduced me to this state. No matter how much I racked my brain, my only option was to quietly receive treatment. Was there any chance of wiretaps or surveillance devices? Whatever. I'd just lie still. My body itched all over. After running around as a mercenary, being forced to do nothing was driving me crazy. At least someone was here with me. Hard to believe Richel was here instead of Tirga, though.
"Mar, is there something on my face? Staring like that is embarrassing even for me."
"We've already seen everything there is to see. No need to be shy now."
Richel's face flushed red and she didn't know what to do with herself. Who was the one who hid sexy underwear under her coat and made the first move, anyway? I turned my head without thinking and met Lati's eyes. The beastman girl's gaze held a complicated mix of emotions. What was that look? I felt like I'd become some kind of terrible scum. Then again, I had taken Lati's first time… but the three of us had been together with Tirga too! Right—Lati had said she'd lost her family because of the Empire's elves. Watching her see me getting cozy with an elf in the enemy's capital must have been uncomfortable. I'd rescued her from the Xeno Prison Camp, yet this felt like giving her medicine only to make her sicker.
"Come to think of it, if I'm sleeping here in the hospital room, where are you and Lati going to stay?"
"There's a dedicated lodging for the Imperial Guard, so don't worry."
"That's a relief. I'm tired and want to close my eyes for a bit. Could you give me some space?"
"All right, Mar. I'll come back later. Get some rest."
"Yeah. Take good care of my subordinate."
Good. Now I was alone. Sorry, Lati, but I had something I needed to do by myself. It was time for gacha. It had been a while. Let's test my luck.