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SHIZU

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Shizu held her breath as she waited for the man in front of her to respond. The sounds of battle raging aboard the deck outside were still raging, but they all seemed so quiet when compared to how loud her heart was beating in her ears.

"For one, the Republic truly believes that the Deep should belong to all the people living in it, including those of your Empire, Somatic," the man began, his halberd hissing faintly as he slammed it against the floor. "By redistributing the resources available across the Deep equally, the fears that you Imperials often spout about unsustainability will be more properly addressed. And with the Republic acting as a fair entity, the spread of technology will be slowed to a more sustainable speed unlike that of the Marqueans. The exuberant waste of resources the small City-State would then be reduced, once again, lining up to your virtues of nature conservation."

The princess took a small breath as she took in his response. While at first glance, his points were valid and even in line with the Imperial doctrine of living with nature, her training in the Imperial courts also showed her the fallacies and hypocrisy in his words. It never explained their true goal, the purpose of subjugating the entire Deep in the same way that the Marqueans had already had with their blatant transparency.

"You\'re forgetting to tell that in this new world, Vestyge would be the reigning power," she pointed out, her statecraft allowing her to think past the propaganda. "The Republic will be enforcing its rule throughout the Deep, making sure that they\'ll be the first to benefit from all of the Great Nations\' resources."

"The Republic at least knows how to not squander said resources," the man fired back, raising his halberd as if getting ready for a fight. "The amount of waste that the Empire and the City-State produce more than outweighs that of the Republic. By placing all under a more centralized yet democratic command, the will of the people will still be heard, while also preventing the problems of decision deadlock that Marquee is surely familiar with."

Shizu hissed as she wracked her brain for answers. Lessons from the past filtered through her mind, the political landscape of the three Great Nations showing itself to her even as she primed herself for the inevitable fight between them.

"But the Empire does know how to use our resources!" she fired back, her legs already primed and ready to lunge ahead. "And this is all without polluting our own waters!"

Instead of replying, the man simply sighed as he aimed his halberd straight at her. His cap glowed with a dull light, his expression calming down as he simply looked at her with a cold and calculating look.

"It would seem that despite your above-average intelligence, you fail to grasp the bigger picture that the Republic is seeing," the man coolly responded. "Unfortunately, I don\'t think that you can grasp the minutiae of Vestygian doctrine even if I explained it to you right now. Instead, let\'s just agree to disagree."

Shizu clicked her tongue. "Agreed, but why don\'t you try anyway? Maybe you\'ll be surprised at what I can tell you."

[*HISS!*]

Her eyes widened as the halberd pointed at her suddenly extended itself, heat and steam erupting from the weapon as it lunged straight at her. Quickly rolling to the side, she could only watch as her previous position got pierced, the metal flooring giving way to the abominable contraption as if it was made of cheap wood.

"You\'re faster than I expected."

[*HISS!*]

Shizu almost flinched as the halberd shortened itself once more, another hiss of steam erupting from its shaft as it shrank back down to its original length. Also, she didn\'t know why, but she felt weaker than usual again. Almost as if... Right...

"[Code Watcher]."

Whispering under her breath, Shizu\'s eyes turned black and green as she looked around, a clear barrier made of numbers now showing itself around the bridge. It was the same feeling she got when she first fought against that wolf, and recently inside that dungeon. The very world was weakening her, giving her opponent a chance to fight her on equal terms.

"So you do have a [Manifest]," the man musingly pointed out. "I know not what it provides you, but it will make itself clear soon enough."

Standing up, Shizu returned to her previous state of tenseness. It was clear to her that this wouldn\'t be her killing him with one punch. This would be a real fight... and it honestly made her heart pump harder in excitement!

"Tell me, what\'s your name, Somatic?" the man asked.

Shizu almost debated giving him her nickname, but the statesman in her told her that announcing her true name would make him talk more about the Republic\'s plans. If she provided him with proof that she could clearly debate with him at an equal level, then maybe he would actually try and explain more of Vestyge\'s plans.

With a deep breath, she mustered up her most regal of tones as she responded, "I am Caris Zenoia Kattleyna, the Crown Princess of the Empire of Kattleyna."

Clearly, her full title had startled the man as he raised his hand up to what was clearly his [Manifest]. With yet another glow of calm washing over him, he returned to his usual cool and composed demeanor as he visibly processed the information she had just given him.

"A princess.... What is the Heiress to the Empire doing this far away from the Kattleynan Capital?"

She smirked at the response she got. The politician in her was shouting with glee as she replied, "How about an exchange of information then? You tell me the Republic\'s plans, and I tell you what I\'m doing all the way out here."

It was a bluff, of course. There was no way that she\'d reveal what Father had in store for Vestyge, or even her own plans of seeing Marquee\'s so-called weapon of mass destruction. No...

She was exercising her skills in deception and projection, a skill that Father had constantly emphasized was important for any future ruler.

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