Bab 222: RM Vol 3: For a World without Boundary – Chapter 49: Press? Only the good ones.
Author notes:
OwO
New chapter is up! Once again, getting the swimsuits to fit each individual character is very, very hard lol
Not much else to say though, other than some slightly unfortunate news on my end. Vietnam has decided to host another slew of holidays, giving us five additional vacation days on International Labor Day... And that means the bank will take five days off also, freak me sideway, I guess. There's also the fact that I've been losing Patrons, meaning less income to sustain our lives on this side. I can only hope that it's not because the story is losing its luster. Hopefully, it's nothing some hard work couldn't fix, right?
New pictures are posted in the album, so I hope you all enjoy them also!
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It has been six weeks, a month and a half since the calamity that befalled the world. Rough estimation by ONI places the casualties in the millions and counting. The cumulative effects of volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and tsunamis will be felt for years to come. Lands were lost with regions being abandoned due to them simply being too hazardous to inhabit. With the general technology level of the current, reclaiming them is a pipe dream. It will take at least a decade to develop the necessary infrastructure to push for a reclamation effort in some countries. A notable example is Erusea with its coastal city of Farbanti literally sank beneath the ocean. At least one-fourth of the city is now dead or missing due to the abrupt collapse of the city's foundation and the subsequent flood.
Yellowstone, America is much of the same with its entire surrounding regions becoming a picturesque scene out of Hell. Mass relocation of all assets in those areas is a must, civilian or otherwise. It's why for the foreseeable future, America would have to take the back seat on the political stage for quite some time, occupied with making sure no more chaos befalls its liberty. A disaster of such an unprecedented scale means that the US of A got caught on the back foot. Though that can pretty much go for every other nation. Countries will be busy licking their wounds for a while, leaving opportunists to take to the stage.
Opportunists such as a certain Reich Marshal, namely, my lovely self~!
...
...
...
Ok, I think I spent too much time with mama Lu and her tendency to praise her sinful visage. But the point is made anyway!
While Belka took moderate damage in some provinces, none of them are irrecoverable. The worst lost so far have been the 1513 lives lost with the fatalities scattered all over the country. And while unfortunate, Sardegna understandably fared the worst with approximately 120000 lives lost. While other countries incurred around 1000 to 5000 fatalities. Of course, the figures are still being updated ever so slowly. There are also the numbers for displaced citizens, homeless ones, damaged infrastructures... But if I start listing them off one by one, it will take all day.
I still have a meeting to attend.
Stopping just before the conference room, I turn to look at Bryn. My belove Valkyrie sighs before moving her hands to swipe away a smidgen of dust and fixing my collar. I smile, and before she can remove her hands, I take her right hand and lay a kiss over it. "Thank you, my dear."
Bryn sheds a smile with a light blush. "Dashing today, aren't we? For the record, I think Rosa would be smitten with you. You're wearing an outfit that's very much reminiscent of your time back in Arash."
I giggle. "Well, it has a more somber color to it." I turn to the door. "Time to face the music."
Bryn nods. "I would say that you have it handled but that would be redundant." The Valkyrie then pushes the double door. With deliberate steps, I move into the conference room.
Near instantly, I am assaulted by countless flashing lights as the cameras start rolling faster than an MG-35. To keep up my appearance, I still have an eyepatch over my left eye. Only my closest confidants know that my eye is still perfectly fine, and even much better than a normal one. It also means that I need to act for a bit, making myself uncomfortable by the blinking light. Though I need only frown slightly and the floodlight is immediately shut off. The press somehow knows the right time to stop with the pictures lest they make my mood worse and unengaging with their interviewing.
Well, they're smart if not zealous.
Standing on the stage with a few mics pointing at me, I speak up loud and clear. "I already see some familiar faces around, it's interesting to see that even a calamity can't kill off the paparazzi spirit."
The jest earns some laughs from the reporters below, with some saying. "Even in death, we will still chase a good story, ma'am!"
"Running from a falling building was a piece of cake! Running with my camera steady was much harder!"
"The only thing I regret was not having my sidekick on hand. We could have managed to snatch a few great images during the evacuation process together."
The ones that are new to the job or are new to being in the same room as me keep themselves muted. Either out of respect or anxiety... Maybe a healthy mix of both?
"Now then, whether you have been familiarizing yourself with my work ethic or not, it's best to keep in mind that I am a busy lady. I still have a country to run so choose your question wisely. Raise your hand up to ask one question and I will be randomly picking between the raised hands. Understandably, don't expect me to answer everything, especially if the matter involves state secrets. We already had a foolhardy case last time and all he managed to do had been wasting our time." I gave them a short rundown of the dos and don'ts.
The reporters either nod or just straight up pull out their pens and notes, if they haven't already. I give them a glance before saying. "Good. The time for questions starts now."
Immediately, a veritable ocean of hands is raised. Mulling my choice, I speak up. "Let's start with a new face then... You, third row from the back, second seat to my left." I gestured to the man at the far back.
The many hands drop down, allowing the reporter I single out to stand up. "Thank you for this chance, Marshal." The man bowed lightly. "After the earthquakes that hit our nation, recovery efforts have been an ongoing matter. That said, it's surprising to see that the resources dedicated to the effort are used not just for fellow Belkans, but also for people of different nationalities: namely Chinese, Americans, and Ustians... Can you tell us what's the thought process behind sharing the disaster relief fund among individuals that, while live and work in Belka, aren't our citizens?"
I nod, hearing an interesting question right off the bat. While the question itself may make the reporter mistaken for a racist, I can feel the genuine curiosity radiating from the man's expression.
"It would seem that you have been paying attention to your fieldwork." I commented, earning a nod from the man. "The short answer is that it's morally correct to do so. While losses are regrettable to everyone involved, Belka is still a strong, stalwart nation. We, as a whole, are in the prime position to offer the aid that we have aplenty. It would go against the codes of honor that we, as a nation, have proudly borne when we saw a dying person but didn't help. There's no distinction, no bias, all sentient beings under the Belkan flag are treated equally. It's as simple as that."
"An inspiring answer, Marshal. I thank you for your time." The reported nodded thankfully before sitting down, furiously scribbling.
"Next." I kicked off the next round, this time, picking a familiar face. "Ah, yes, it's good to see you're still alive and kicking, young lady." I motion for a girl, calling out her name directly. "Luvia, care to throw me a simple question of your own?"
Standing up at the attention she receives, the reporter with long blond hair and amber eyes raises her pen up from her notebook. "For the record, I am two years older than you."
I smirk. "I'll believe it when I see it." Luvia rolls her eyes, annoyed, as some reporters snicker at her expense. The joke has been that Luvia tends to come to a debate with me whenever there's a chance in an interview or a press conference.
While to some, it would be a blatant disrespect, I find the reporter quite endearing myself. She knows when to ask the good questions and when not to. The girl knowing how to write a nifty story is a nice bonus to have.
"Well then, Marshal, since you have been saying that Belka treats any and all people equally under our flag, what's your stance regarding international aid?" Luvia asked.
I smile. "Real simple question you have there, Luvia."
The reporter twirls her golden locks. "I strive to impress."
"Yeah, right." I said. "First and foremost, Belka has the duty to ensure the livelihood of her citizens overseas. Far away from home as they may have been, it doesn't mean that we will be leaving them hanging. Next would be that Belka is glad to offer help to regions that may find themselves overwhelmed by the disaster. We do not discriminate here, meaning nations that have been neutral, or even hostile to us thus far can exchange details with our embassies to work out specific aid programs. We can give humanitarian aid in the form of medical and food supplies, just to name the most important ones. Currently, aircraft, ships, and trains carrying much-needed materials are coming back and forth between Belka, China, America, and Ustio Reformists' lands. We even cooperate with the Rusviet Union to create a humanitarian corridor between Europe and Asia. Spain has dedicated military hospitals to treat civilians affected by volcanic ash. While we have also started accepting refugees from Southern Europe. That said, it should be noted that refugees will be vetted for the stability of the Reich. We can't have criminals, or at worst, extremists causing untold chaos in the motherland. As I said, sentient beings are to be treated equally wherever the Belkan Reich can exert her influence."
Writing down the key points in my speech, Luvia nods, very thankful for my time. "It has been very informative, Marshal. People around the world will rejoice to see such a major humanitarian campaign being carried out, with Belka at the center. That said, if you don't mind me asking another question...?"
I giggle at her upturned eyes. "While I have an idea about what you're going to ask, it's better to hear it in person, so fire away, Luvia."
The blond report nods. "Just how can Belka supplies... Well, everything?"
I smile, replying in a mischievous tone. "Ara ara~! Young lady, you're a naughty girl for trying to dig up state secrets." That immediately causes Luvia to sputter, it may not have been her best of moments since she got caught under her own intense journalist's curiosity.
"I will say this, however." I decide to give Luvia a way out to save her the embarrassment and potential anxiety. Honestly, the latter is understandable since no one wants a raid by spooks. "Belka hasn't been solely focusing on fighting a ground war with the Ustian Loyalist and a naval war with the Erusean Kingdom. Nor have we been sitting on our laurels, coping behind the walls of our cities in the Months of Demons. Oh no, my dear Luvia, we thrive amidst the chaos that others have experienced. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that the Belkan Reich has been rebirthed while others wallowed in stagnation. Do with that how you will..."
"Now then, next question please." I smile as many reporters, Luvia included, start writing or raising hands with fervor.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
Heartbreak01
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