Hearts of Iron 4 Player's Guide to Save the Isekai World

Icarian Hymn: Fire

9:45 AM. Ainsob, Northern Bulwark

The war is lost. Stripped of their armor and weapons, Princess Emilia still brisked past the rows of betrayed gazes marching out of town.

She and her blood knights took full advantage of their noble right with hands on their swords, waiting for the man crying, "Traitor," and turned to a sidestreet. The last thing the rank and file want is to see the girl who surrendered them to the vile enemy, but she looked back at the line, sharing a glance with the people under her command, hoping some understood why she did it.

The guards moved the barricade out for them to pass and into the relative safety in the enemy's territory.

It was a long walk. Coupled with the ever-increasing checkpoints and overwatch by the windows and rooftops, they're almost there. They stopped as their guide came to a halt outside the town hall. One of the guards stationed by the door took a step forward, and the guide muttered.

"Kant."

"Go ahead," he waved to the door and returned to his post.

The battle did not spare the interiors. Auxiliaries scrubbed the floors and walls of blood, arranging furniture and sweeping dirt and debris. They bumped into a group of soldiers huddled in a circle, discussing something in a foreign language, and they glanced at them.

"Is it a show of respect in Salais to bring a heavily-armed escort just to meet with one person?"

It came from the youngest, a boy burning with youth underneath a rugged, sullen gaze of exhaustion. Unlike the soldiers and officers, masking authority with inscrutable uniforms and accessories, a sword inhabiting strong magic hung on the boy's hip.

Get in," he nodded to the room beside them.

"Who are you to behave like that in front of Her Highness?"

He shot a tired glance at the knight. "A concerned citizen, a slave to history, a Hero," the boy disappeared into the building while waving, "pick your poison."

They say first impressions are important. And perhaps that's why he doesn't need one after weaving through the streets of their creation. Emilia imagined the Hero as cold and efficient, not tired and desensitized. She gave her knights a look. Understanding what it meant, they remained while Emilia followed the Hero to a private meeting room with two couches flanking a table.

Erich Kasper took his seat on the side, crossing his legs and an arm rested on the armrest to elevate a hand to his chin. The Hero paid no mind to her, busy with his thoughts until she took her seat, and then a scrutinizing gaze descended. Dark circles ran under his eyes. Emilia held her breath five times until he opened his mouth.

"What do you think will happen if Salais learns they've lost their princess?"

A rhetorical question Emilia knew well enough to reconsider her royal duty.

"What do you want from me?"

"I'm enlisting your help to save Salais," he didn't miss a second to reply.

She raised a dubious brow. "I find it hard to believe Cascadia would be willing to help their mortal enemy. We conquered them in the past and left them to starve when they wanted to be free."

"Fortunately for you, I'm not speaking for Cascadia."

"Then to whom are you representing, Hero Erich?"

"Myself."

How comforting. "And what do you mean by 'save' Salais?"

"Your kingdom's continued existence."