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Winter, 1922 (Aurelian Standard), Felsburg Capital, Kronfeld.
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The capital, Kronfeld, is a city whose breath is etched in history, a monument to the Felsburg nation's rise from the rule of the Aurelian Empire that once dominated the continent. The Empire itself—a once-unshakeable power—had collapsed centuries ago, crumbling from internal destabilization, leaving Kronfeld as a silent witness to its fall and to a new beginning.
The city of Kronfeld is divided into several Districts, with the Central District standing as the heart of government. Here beats the political pulse of the Kingdom of Felsburg, controlling every sinew of the realm. This district is filled with grand Flamboyant-style buildings, each curve a work of art from renowned architects. Expensive marble gleams everywhere, somehow obtained or produced in fantastic quantities to construct this magnificence.
Erzregen himself once stated that all this artistic grandeur had one purpose: to show the world that the Kingdom of Felsburg was not a barbaric nation, as depicted by many other countries. This was a strenuous effort to elevate Felsburg's standing in international eyes; at least, that was what Erzregen always proclaimed in his speeches.
However, amidst these highly artistic buildings, one structure radiated a starkly different, almost oppressive, aura. It wasn't just its striking architectural form, but also the different flow of people. Unlike other buildings filled with civilians in neat suits, here, many men entered and exited wearing distinctive Felsburg Military uniforms, their steps firm and purposeful.
It was no wonder this building was different—this was the headquarters of the Felsburg Military General Staff, the very brain of the military organization itself. Since the war erupted, this place had never been quiet. It was constantly bustling with staff officers hurrying about, carrying stacks of documents as high as mountains—a sight that would be taboo if seen without papers in their hands.
The staff officers here were not much different from their counterparts on the front lines; many also struggled desperately to cope with the flood of documents in the endless war effort. The only difference was the atmosphere of this place, which was much neater and cleaner than the horrors in the trenches. Moreover, the coffee supply here was far more abundant and easily accessible—an unimaginable luxury for officers trapped on the front lines.
However, behind the bustling main floor, hidden deep within a labyrinth of long corridors, lay a room that emanated an aura of far greater weight and importance than any other department.
Upon entering that room, the first thing one would notice was a long table stretching almost half the length of the spacious room itself. Besides the impressive table, the most dominant feature was the thick plume of smoke filling every corner of the room, making the air feel heavy and stifling.
These plumes of smoke originated from men who appeared quite old, at least in their sixties. They might wear Felsburg Military suits, but they were distinctly different: their clothing looked flamboyant and elegant, precisely tailored, utterly unsuitable for the battlefield, designed instead for authority and appearance behind the lines.
They were the true brains that kept the military organization running. They were better known as the General Staff. They were the unseen puppeteers behind the stage of war.
"The situation is truly getting worse," complained one of the staff officers, massaging his forehead, traces of exhaustion clearly etched on his face.
"I agree. We might still have enough resources for now, but that doesn't mean they're limitless," interjected the Head of the Logistics Department, his voice laden with the same concern.
A grim atmosphere enveloped the entire room. Piles of reports from the front line, steadily worsening, had drowned their initial hopes. The staff fundamentally wanted to resolve this problem, but in reality, they had never imagined the situation would turn out this badly. How confident they once were in ending the war and forcing Noirval's surrender, instead of getting bogged down in a brutal and endless trench war.
"We've even sent almost all our reserve divisions to the Veldenmark Front. Almost entirely, for minimal gains," another voice added, frustration clear in every syllable.
"Perhaps we should start looking for proper solutions to this trench warfare stagnation, rather than just continuously sending reinforcements to the front lines," suggested an officer, rubbing his chin restlessly.
"Easier said than done," retorted another with a bitter tone. "The style of warfare has drastically changed, unlike our previous era. Old doctrines are obsolete."
"What can we do? Even the poison gas, which we initially thought was very effective as a battle-deciding weapon, turns out to have several fatal flaws. The enemy has created their own Gas Masks, eroding our advantage completely."
In truth, many military high commands—not only in Felsburg but in all involved nations—had virtually no relevant experience with what was called trench warfare. This form of combat was profoundly different from previous wars, all due to the invention of the machine gun. Unlike olden times, now many soldiers were easily incapacitated by rapid bullet fire when charging into enemy-held territory, transforming open ground into a slaughterhouse. That's why, at the war's outset, high military commands simply ordered soldiers to advance without effective tactics, as they hadn't yet realized the terrifying destructive power of the machine gun.
"What about the Kingdom of Valdrik? Isn't it time for them to stop being half-hearted in this war? Our troops are bleeding, while they stand by," a General sharply remarked, voicing a sentiment growing among the officers.
Last year, Noirval and its allies, now called The Coalition, had almost completely destroyed Felsburg, reaching within mere kilometers of the Felsburg border. However, luck still favored Felsburg. Unexpectedly, the Kingdom of Valdrik entered the war, helping Felsburg push back The Coalition, which had begun approaching Felsburg territory.
"They say they can't," the Head of Staff replied. "They are still wary of Novorosskaya in the North, so they cannot show weakness in their northern border. I myself cannot blame them; the 'red virus' is not to be underestimated." A frown creased his brow.
"Damn it, is there truly no solution to this stagnation?" whispered an officer, his voice tinged with near despair.
Novorosskaya, the northern nation led by the working class with their constantly trumpeted fantasy of equality—the infectious "Red" ideology. The Kingdom of Valdrik, bordering them directly, had repeatedly been involved in border confrontations, and naturally, they did not want this red virus to spread into their territory. That fear was real, and it tied Valdrik's hands.
Valdrik itself joined the war because it fundamentally recognized the potential danger if the Republic of Noirval succeeded in defeating Felsburg. They did not want to be squeezed on both sides—south by the Republic of Noirval and north by Novorosskaya. So, whether they liked it or not, they had to appear in this theater.
"Besides, what are those Viperians waiting for!? Just sitting idly by and watching this war as if it's mere entertainment, aren't they our allies!?" Suddenly, one officer voiced his exasperation, his voice rising through the echoing room.
"Hey, calm down," replied another, attempting to placate. "Didn't they say that this alliance treaty is only for when one is attacked? Regardless, it doesn't change the fact that we are the aggressors here."
"Nonsense! They just don't like the new government, that's all!" snapped the first officer with cynicism. "At least Valdrik still honors the treaty they made."
Unlike Valdrik, the Viperia Empire had remained silent from the start of the war, maintaining its neutrality under the pretense that the Kingdom of Felsburg itself had initiated the war, which was an undeniable fact. However, the Viperia Empire had, from the very beginning, held a negative view of the newly formed government. The popular reason was that their Emperor, Emanuel IV, had a blood relation to King Albert II of Felsburg. Fundamentally, they were cousins through their mothers' side; more precisely, both their mothers came from the same womb. Of course, Reinhardt, also King Albert II's nephew, could be said to have a familial relationship with the Emperor. However, according to Emanuel IV, Reinhardt's usurpation of power was a contemptible act, and he held no legitimacy to do so.
"Enough," a heavy voice full of authority instantly filled the room. All officers fell silent, as if that single word was an irrefutable command.
The Head of the General Staff, a figure most respected after Erzregen himself, looked around. Although all decisions had to be approved by Erzregen, the Head of Staff was still a person with immense power in wartime. That person was Erhanrd Falkenrath, who gained this rank not only through his strong influence in the military but also due to his close proximity to Erzregen himself—an unmatched combination of power. He was also one of the pioneers in the rise of the nationalist faction, since Felsburg was still under King Albert II's rule.
"We've only been discussing bad news so far; let's at least talk about some good news for a moment," stated Head of Staff Erhanrd calmly, his fingers stroking his thick mustache, a habit that revealed a slight unease beneath his composure.
"Yes, Sir."
"The good news is, a few days ago I met with His Majesty Erzregen to discuss something, and at the end of the discussion, he said he would approve our proposal for the Total War Economic Policy."
"Oh, finally....."
"Thank goodness...."
"Yes, although he said he wants this policy to be implemented gradually, not all at once."
"Well, that's better than nothing," interjected an officer with a tired tone.
Fundamentally, the Total War Economic Policy they referred to and proposed was a policy where the state would grant amnesty to all industries operating in Felsburg to aid the Kingdom of Felsburg's war effort. For instance, in the food industry, every food factory would be ordered to produce rations for soldiers on the front lines. Or, typewriter factories would be expected to produce certain models of firearms. This proposal had actually been submitted several months ago but was repeatedly rejected by Erzregen because he didn't want to further burden the populace in the war effort. However, as the situation failed to improve, Erzregen eventually, albeit reluctantly, began to change his mind—a sign that even Erzregen's ambition had to yield to the reality of the battlefield.
"We will start with the furniture industry, and it will begin with typewriter factories first; at least, that's what His Majesty ordered."
"I think that's a good start," replied the Head of Staff from the logistics department with a breath of relief. "With this, the weapon supply problem will be significantly resolved, considering many of our shipments are intercepted by partisans from Veldenmark."
With that, the room, which had previously been very grim, suddenly became more lively when the news of their proposal's approval by Erzregen spread. They realized that this policy might be an extreme measure to cope with the ongoing war, but they also felt it could be a new hope and at least allow them to breathe a little easier—a small oasis amidst the despair.
This policy would indeed not be executed fully all at once, but the attending staff officers began voicing their opinions to participate in refining the policy. Sometimes fierce debates even erupted among the officers, each feeling their additional proposals would be better, competing to explain why their suggestions would aid the war effort, as if this competition of ideas could turn the tide.
Many of them felt responsible for the suffering of the soldiers on the front lines, and at least tried to alleviate that burden. This was their attempt to cling to remnants of conscience amidst the madness.
As time passed, the flow of discussion gradually subsided. Only a few staff continued the discussion; even previously active officers fell silent, and the intensity of the debate lessened. The air once again filled with a heavy silence, broken only by the rustling of papers and the hum of lamps.
Finally, with nothing left to discuss, the staff officers sat quietly, looking at the Head of the General Staff, as if signaling it was time for the meeting to end and be dismissed.
"Alright, I actually wanted to adjourn our routine meeting today, but there's still one more thing to discuss."
All staff officers present were slightly surprised to hear the Head of the General Staff, as they hadn't anticipated there was anything else to discuss after all the heavy deliberation.
A young officer standing beside the Head of the General Staff suddenly moved and distributed several paper clippings to each staff officer, who were still guessing what was actually going to be discussed.
"Alright, you may begin reading," the Head of the General Staff said calmly.
However, even as the staff officers merely read the title, they were shocked by what was written on the paper. The text itself clearly stated:
"Formation of an Experimental Unit consisting of war orphans from the streets."
If you were a human with a conscience, what was written on that paper would surely make you check your glasses to see if something was wrong with them. But no matter how often the officers rubbed their glasses, the writing remained unchanged, because fundamentally, it was no mistake at all.
"With all due respect, Your Excellency. What is the meaning of all this?"
"Isn't what's written there clear enough? Do I need to spell out the letters because you cannot read?"
Hearing the Head of the General Staff's reply, the staff officers reluctantly continued to read the paper clippings meticulously. Their eyes scanned every detail, desperately trying to rationalize the horrific things written on those papers.
Basically, the first page detailed the drastic increase in war orphans. With more children taking to the streets, criminality had also sharply risen in the capital. Reports indicated that if the war continued, this problem would spread throughout Felsburg, threatening internal stability.
Erzregen himself, in his report, expressed his concern: if this problem were simply left unchecked, it would cultivate seeds that would eventually grow into powerful organized crime groups.
That premonition was not without basis. When Felsburg was still under King Albert II's leadership, the country was plagued by corruption in various departments and administrations, causing the economy to collapse. The royalist faction squandered state wealth for their personal enjoyment, disregarding the suffering of the populace. This poor economic situation drove many jobless citizens into the criminal underworld, some even establishing their own crime organizations. Ultimately, these criminal organizations spread rapidly like a deadly contagion throughout Felsburg. One criminal group that was once very popular was the Seven Families. They were essentially several criminal families who united to form a commission, operating like an alliance of small states. Their frequent criminal activities included extortion, illegal gambling, truck hijacking, bribery of state officials, and more.
That's why, when Erzregen ascended to power, he immediately waged his first war against these criminal groups that had become parasites to the state. In his effort, many gang members were arrested and Erzregen even successfully persecuted many "big fish" from various criminal gangs. Five bosses of the Seven Families were neutralized—either imprisoned for life or killed during the raid. The remaining two managed to escape, rumored to have exiled themselves to the Viperia Empire. In short, Erzregen feared that if the dramatically increasing problem of street children was ignored, the horrific situation from the past would recur. Therefore, Erzregen wanted to eliminate it before it happened, using a 'clean' and 'efficient' method.
It was then that Erzregen somehow obtained a paper from a professor at Kronfeld University—a mere coincidence, or perhaps a cruel fate working with terrifying efficiency. This paper turned out to be the solution he was looking for.
The paper itself read:
The Adaptive Potential and Early Learning in Human Subjects within Extreme Environments
Author: Professor Dr. Klaus Richter - Kronfeld University, Department of Developmental Psychology.
Abstract: This research investigates the adaptive capacity and speed of skill acquisition in young individuals (aged 5-12 years) exposed to high-stress, limited-resource environments. Data indicates that while seemingly physically vulnerable, young subjects exhibit remarkable cognitive plasticity and psychological resilience, surpassing conventional expectations.
Key Findings:
Superior Adaptation: Children, especially those accustomed to difficult conditions (e.g., street orphans, homeless), demonstrate an extraordinary ability to adapt quickly to demanding and high-pressure new environments. Physical limitations are often compensated by natural agility and an intuitive capacity for absorbing information.
Accelerated Doctrine Acquisition: Compared to adults, children possess a significantly higher learning capacity, particularly in motor skills, doctrine assimilation, and hierarchy acceptance. They absorb military instructions and routines with surprising efficiency if handled with appropriate and intensive training methodologies.
Long-Term Human Resource Efficiency: Training and indoctrination initiated at an early age can produce highly compliant and malleable individuals, with significantly lower long-term maintenance and training costs. Initial investment in character formation can yield highly effective strategic assets in the future.
Unexpected Operational Potential: Their small stature and natural ability to conceal themselves make them ideal candidates for tasks requiring silent infiltration, reconnaissance in confined areas, or support operations in environments difficult for adult personnel to access. They represent a human resource not yet optimally exploited in a total conflict scenario.
Conclusion: With the right approach to structured training and indoctrination, young individuals, often mistakenly regarded as social burdens or fragile beings, can be transformed into highly valuable and adaptable assets for state strategic objectives, especially in situations of escalating human resource crises. This may sound cruel, but sometimes, to survive, humans must do something extreme. This is all for the optimization of efficiency.
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After a moment, the officers finally finished reading the paper clippings, whose contents felt entirely beyond human comprehension. Many of them were still filled with doubt about what they had just read, especially when digesting the summary of the paper. The writing itself felt so cold and clinical, making the officers wonder if the author was a human or a machine without emotion.
However, even though many of them found it difficult to admit, they could not deny the logic behind it. They began to think that it was indeed true how dangerous the potential of these street children was if simply ignored—a problem that had to be "rectified" for the good of the state.