When the Roses Bloom Again by TheBlack'sResurgence

Chapter 55

For the Fallen

There was something sickening about the mood Gaulitier was in after he'd been in a fight. He always took to drink after to celebrate, the alcohol only serving to amplify his uncharacteristic joviality.

An optimist would assume he drunk to forget what it was he'd done, but Cassiopeia knew better.

Amongst other unpleasant acts, Hans Gaulitier enjoyed killing, relished the suffering of others at his hands; man, woman, or child, it mattered not to the German.

Cassiopeia found him repulsive, but she understood why Gellert kept him around.

Gaulitier was useful to complete the tasks that required someone who had no objection to getting their hands dirty.

Not that it meant she had to respect him.

For the most part, Cassiopeia had little to do with the man, something for which she was certainly not going to complain about.

"Is it safe to assume that things have gone well in my absence?" she asked Gellert.

"Very much so," the man replied cheerily. "We made quite the lasting impression on the enemy. And for you?"

Cassiopeia nodded.

She had been in Japan the past few weeks to look in on Sato and to ensure he was readying his men to join Gellert's.

He was, and she had taken the opportunity to explore the far east.

She had never been to Asia before, and from what she had seen, she would not be returning any time soon.

For all the beauty that part of the world had to offer, there was just as many problems there as there were in the west.

"Sato expects that his men will be ready when they are needed."

"Good," Gellert replied satisfactorily. "They will be most welcome. Every day that goes by, we get closer to breaking the enemy's will. By the time they arrive, there may well be little for them to do."

Cassiopeia hoped that was true.

Gellert had not allowed her near the fighting as yet, but she had still grown tired of it.

As much as the man she looked up to had adapted his strategy, it had never involved a drawn-out conflict.

He had hoped that more nations would cede to him when they knew that any effort to deny him would be fruitless.

Instead, he found himself facing a stubborn opposition, slowing his progress considerably.

"I think I will get some rest," she announced. "I have become accustomed to the Japanese time zone."

"Of course," Gellert allowed with a smile.

Cassiopeia made her way to the door of the study, only to pause as she felt Gaulitier's eyes burning into her.

She turned to look at him, her nose wrinkling in distaste as he leered at her.

"I met your brother," the German declared smugly. "He's got quite the temper on him."