The Truth that Lies in Us

Queries answered, planning mastered

Chapter 8

-Continuation of the morning, Casimir's house-

"Why exactly are you asking for my reformed name?"

Casimir's face turned skittish. He's never told Mikhail about the secret library! It's been concealed for a long time, and he completely forgot about telling him cause he died!

"Uhm, well, I have this secret little library upstairs, which has some mythical maps and thousands of history books that update once something happens so yeah," Casimir lengthened his 'yeah'. "I did find some intel about who you're fighting."

Mikhail burst into laughter.

"Woah, are you okay? I haven't seen you laugh since you were a child!"

"Casimir, I know exactly where that library is. Up the stairs, down the left hall, a secret door which is second to last on the right side."

Casimir blinked at him blankly.

Mikhail calmly collected himself back together, and his stony expression returned once again.

"Aside from that, You have a lot of useful stuff that I can't seem to figure out how to use in there. I've seen maps and compartments I can't unlock."

They both walked up the stairs, and Mikhail clasped his side. The pain had started to cease but was still present.

"Wait, was this why this door was open?"

"Yes."

Casimir walked in and some items began to have a brilliant yellow hue.

"Interesting, I didn't know that could happen." Mikhail looked around in awe, but he was hiding it. He walked around, seeing all the changes. He's been here most of his childhood, but he's never seen it this way.

"Mikhail, I'm wondering, what happened to your relations with Commander Third?"

Hearing that man's name made Mikhail jump.

"I'm assuming you did your research on me?'

Casimir nodded.

"When?'

"Today...?"

"Well..." Mikhail had to think about where to start. "I dropped out of the First World War a year after your passing. Your enemies you guys were fighting, soon passed after the war. Said enemies, Kaiser, and their partner also had kids. Four, to be exact. I knew them all. Long story short, Third ceased his eldest brother and took control of the other two's land."

"Wha-"

"Anyways, days before World War 2, Third approached me and asked me to join him. At first, I agreed, but soon, he became distant. His Japanese and Italian allies noticed it too. He started having even more crazed mindsets, and he was getting out of control."

"So you still trusted him anyway with that mindset?"

Mikhail sighed. He was embarrassed and regretful, but something kept telling him to keep trusting him.

"He was one of the only friends I had. He and his allies treated me well, except..." Mikhail exhaled. "Around 2 years later, I was on my usual early morning wanderings. Something was different, though. I caught a glimpse of Third on my land, and he wasn't supposed to do that, because we agreed he'd never come over unless we had meetings. He broke my promise, and he established Operation Barbarossa. He attacked me, and put me half to death! I lost my voice in the process, for around a year or so. That got me extremely, and many things happened. It was never the same after that, and it was all about battles. It was one of my darker times. I never got to talk things out with him, because after the war... he..."

"He died as well. Saw him lying dead in a small room he had, small pistol in hand."

Casimir's eyes widened. "That must've been a struggle for Mikhail," he thought. Everyone he's trusted, their lives ended before they could talk.

"I was supposed to be happy that we won the war, but deep down, I wasn't. I killed another one of the people I cared for."

"Even if they did me wrong..." Mikhail mumbled.