Ernest decided to take off from the mansion of the UNSP, sighing as he made his way through the bustling streets. Armed with the description he'd gotten from Sophia beforehand, he used his eyewitness sightings from other soldiers to guide him towards his target.
Army of the Interior, Scorpio of the West Louis Nicholas. There was a reason Ernest had taken interest in the man. Before the United National Socialist Party came to the city, Louis Nicholas was still the army of the interior, until the revolution came up and retired being a in a position.
If he wasn't, then it's possible that he could have gotten into a fight between the Protection Squadron of the UNSP, leading to his demise.
Now Louis Nicholas is an ordinary citizen of Eighbury, working as a factory worker in the Steel Mill.
After a bit of digging, Ernest discovered that Nicholas was also valorous in combat and well respected by the knights and soldiers who served under him. In short, he seemed capable and reliable, the kind of person the young Volksfuhrer wanted to meet face-to-face as soon as possible. He waded through the many guardsmen who were relaxing after having been freed from the long shifts they'd endured the past few days and the citizens rejoicing at the prospects of tax overhauls, increasing their income and money. Eventually, Ernest found himself in the central plaza.
Off to the side, he spotted a group of what looked to be a Protection Squadron enjoying a drink. With them was a man who perfectly fit Sophia's description of the one Ernest sought.
"Might you be the former Army of the Interior, Scorpio of the West, Louis Nicholas?" The man had a lean build, jet black hair with silvery-white tips. His eyes had a vibrant shade of green that twitched to see Ernest, allowing Ernest to scan his face. Surprisingly, he has a slender face with a distinctive jawline. And outside he has this sort of natural aura drawing people in and women. Because he is young and quite handsome. As expected of the late-twenties.
For an army of the interior to be this young, Louis Nicholas was probably the greatest general in the Kingdom of Crentis.
"Hmm? Well, I'm just a factory worker…!"
As soon as he saw Ernest face, Louis's face hardened as he let out a stiff gasp.
"Volksfuhrer, Ernest Gonzales." He stood up and bowed his head, "I didn't know that it was you…"
Ernest placed his hand on his shoulder, calming him. "It's okay."
"I was just surprised that you knew my name."
"That is what they call you right?"
"In the past." Louis let out a stiff chuckle. "Please call me Louis."
"Louis, then, I'm Volksfuhrer Ernest Gonzales of the UNSP. For now, you can call me Ernest."
Louis gave the young man an unsteady bow, and Ernest returned a handshake as he introduced himself.
"How did you find me, Volksfuhrer?"
"Because, General, your reputation precedes you."
"So you already knew about me?" Nicholas asked.
"Yes. I took the liberty of looking into you. you've five successful military campaigns during the Empire and Crentis war, you were a genius strategist that made you kill thousands of troops even if you were outnumbered. Your fellow soldiers have great trust in you, and you're a reliable man capable of making a calm judgment at all times. Simply put, I was amazed by your talents. But now that talent is on the verge of deterioration as you chose to become a factory worker."
"I'm honored by all of your praise," Louis said as he stirred the mug filled with wine. "So what did you need from me?"
And with that, Ernest started. The reason he'd come in search of the interior of the army was.
"Louis, I want you to serve as the commander of the Protection Squadron of the United National Socialist Party."
Most of the knight's forces of the city are now already part of the Protection Squadron, and those who fought during the insurrection were killed and those who were alive were sentenced for hard labor. But there are soldiers who are still hesitant to join the UNSP because they are scared of the country taking action when the existence of the UNSP arises.
Having a strong leader was going to be crucial if the UNSP wanted to unite them into a single, cohesive army and entrust them with carrying out the vision and policies of the UNSP. As this party grows, so, too, would its army, making the matter all more essential. Ernest felt that Louis was the man for such a job.
"The Protection Squadron comprises over 400 troops and is increasing as we speak. I've been their supreme commander ever since then but due to administrative work, I wasn't able to look at them. So I can't imagine anyone more qualified than you to take charge. What do you say?"
"...I." Upon receiving such an appointment from Ernest, Louis began mumbling evasively. Before he could say much though, the two found themselves interrupted.
"Papa!" A young, female voice caught their ears. Nicholas was the first to react to it. The general raised his head, and when he saw the young girl, dashing over to him, his face lit up.
"Elaina! What's going on? I thought you were playing with your friends."
"I came looking for you with Momo!"
"My apologies, sir. You were clearly in the middle of a conversation, so I tried to stop her, but…"
A middle-aged woman came running after the girl. She bowed apologetically. Louis waved her down, unconcerned, then gave Elaina a big hug.
"Why were you looking for me, sweetie?"
"I found something yummy!" The girl, Elaina, presented Louis with the small apple pie she was holding. Such confections were one of the many things being offered as the UNSP is buying the people with food.
"You brought this just for me?"
"Yup! Say 'ahh'!"
"Aah...Wow, you're right. That is tasty. Thanks, sweetie!"
"Hee-hee-hee. You smell like beer, Papa." Elaina muzzled Nicholas's face happily.
Having suddenly found himself thrust into a domestic sitcom, Ernest tried to clarify the situation. "I take it this lovely young lady is your daughter?"
"Yup! Elaina is Papa's Elaina!"
Ernest returned a smile at Elaina.
"...She's my little treasure and the only thing I have left of my wife after she passed in the pandemic." Louis kissed his daughter on the cheek, then gave her back to Momo.
Not finished with his business, the general urged the two of them to go on without him.
Momo took Elaina by the hand, and the girl obediently followed, having finished what she'd set out to do. With a farewell wave to her father, Elaina and her caretaker vanished into the crowd.
Louis watched them go, then turned back to Ernest and gave his response to the earlier proposition. "Being a commander has a nice ring to it, but even if we general or army of the interior are technically nobles, we're really no different from the rest of the common soldiers.
We serve a lord in exchange for coins, same as them. Amounts different maybe, but not much else. And without those wages, we'll starve just as quickly as anyone. So if a new master comes around, I'd do anything to lead their army to clean their cesspit. Got a daughter I need to protect, after all.
But the thing is...this whole 'army of the interior' gig is just a means to an end. What I'm sayin' is, putting her in harm's way just ain't an option for me. That's why I decided to become a factory worker in the factory you built so that I can stay with my daughter. Even if the king ordered me to, I could never abandon my family.
"So as you can see, my loyalty doesn't amount much. You don't want a guy that pathetic commanding your army, do you?"
In short, Louis's apologetic declaration meant that the man was willing to lead if Ernest ordered him to. However, his loyalty wasn't much that he'd be willing to sacrifice his family in the line of duty.
Basically, it was an indirect refusal. As Nicholas saw it, he'd better suited to remain as a factory worker or a guard as to keep protecting his daughter's home. The knight lacked the loyalty required for a higher post, especially the commander of an entire UNSP's forces.
"You fight for the sake of your family. There's nothing pathetic about being a devoted father." Ernest answered the rebuttal with a rejection of its very premise. Surprise crossed Nicholas's face as the young Volksfuhrer continued.
"Outside the city's border, we have an enemy that is threatening our way of life. Your family and country you swore to protect are hanging on a thread if we don't eradicate the threat domestically and internationally."
Ernest continued.
"Louis Nicholas, all I ask is that you keep fighting for your daughter's sake, as you already are. The onus is on me to convince you that leaving this nation for your daughter is a deed worth risking your life for. And I swear to you that's a task I intend to put my heart and soul into."
The drunken haziness had vanished completely from Louis's eyes.
"This nation's current situation is precarious, if our nation falls then so will our way of life. I'm trying to prevent that as our king is not doing anything to solve the matter and in the upcoming spring, Duke Gustav will be sending his own forces here, seeking to suppress my vision of creating a world better for the Crentian people. I won the people's trust through speech, and I think it's now time to find someone who will, alongside me, uphold and safeguard the vision I created for our nation."
What Ernest said was entirely true, he had seen the power of the Protection Squadron with his own eyes during the purge. As someone with the power to fight and change the future of our bleaking country, it was his duty as a parent to throw himself into the fray to help build that world for the sake of his daughter's future. Kneeling to bow before Ernest, the Interior of the Army, swore an oath.
"I accept this great responsibility with all that I am."
"Glad to hear it. I'm counting on you. You're now not the Interior of the Army, you are now the Protection Squadron's Obergruppenfuhrer."