Reincarnated with a Country Creation System

The large wooden doors to the Emperor's private council chamber swung open as the generals and top military advisers of Triesenberg filed in, each carrying the weight of the day's events on their shoulders. Emperor Triesenberg sat at the head of a long table, his expression calm but alert. The room was lit by a series of tall windows, allowing the last light of the day to spill into the chamber.

General Klaus Weissen, the highest-ranking officer in the Triesenberg military, was the first to speak once everyone had taken their seats.

"Your Majesty," he began concernedly, "we need to discuss the Valorian technology displayed at today's exhibit. What we witnessed today requires careful consideration. It's clear that Valoria is ahead of us in more ways than we initially thought."

The Emperor leaned forward slightly, his fingers tapping the edge of the table thoughtfully. "Go on, General. What are your primary concerns?"

Weissen exchanged a glance with the other generals before continuing. "Their advancements in consumer technology—things like refrigerators, washing machines, even their radios—these are not trivial. They may seem like conveniences to the general public, but the level of innovation we saw represents a significant lead in their industrial capabilities.

The Emperor nodded slowly, considering the general's words. "And what do you make of their military technology? The jet engines, for example."

General Otto Hagen, head of the air force, cleared his throat. "The jet engines are a major concern, Your Majesty. We're still in the experimental stages with similar designs, but Valoria has already perfected them. If they've integrated jet propulsion into their air force, they'll have aircraft capable of outmaneuvering and outrunning anything we currently have in service.

This would give them an undeniable advantage in aerial combat."

The room was silent for a moment as the implications of Hagen's words sank in. The Emperor's eyes moved across the table, studying the faces of his advisors.

"But doesn't the jet engine work better in theory? How can you be so sure of your statement when there is not even a battle-tested version?" the Emperor asked, his voice calm but pointed. His eyes narrowed slightly as he considered General Hagen's words.

General Hagen shifted in his seat, aware of the skepticism in the room. "Your Majesty, while it's true that we've yet to see jet engines in combat, the technology is sound. Valoria's demonstration today wasn't just for show. The jet engines they've developed are far more advanced than anything we've been able to produce, even in theory."

"Did you see it fly or was it just displayed?" The Emperor asked.

General Hagen nodded, sensing the Emperor's caution but eager to clarify. "They didn't perform a full flight demonstration, Your Majesty, but we saw enough to understand the implications."

"Well, don't sweat over theory alone," the Emperor said, his voice calm but edged with subtle caution. "I'll admit that Valoria's advancements are concerning, but we need concrete evidence of their capabilities before jumping to conclusions."

General Hagen nodded but pressed on. "Your Majesty, with all due respect, we can't afford to wait for a battlefield test. By the time Valoria's aircraft are proven in combat, it could be too late for us to catch up. We need to act now, to at least begin preparations."

The Emperor leaned back, considering the weight of Hagen's argument. His gaze shifted to General Weissen, who had been silently observing the exchange.

"What's your take on this, General Weissen?" the Emperor asked.

Weissen straightened up in his seat, his hands clasped on the table. "Your Majesty, while I agree with General Hagen's assessment of the potential threat, I believe we should focus on bolstering our own industrial base before jumping into an arms race we can't win overnight. Valoria's consumer technology is as much of a concern as their military advances.

Their ability to mass-produce these innovations—radios, household appliances—means they've built an industrial capacity far greater than ours."

Weissen's words seemed to resonate with the Emperor, who nodded slightly. "So you believe their industrial strength is the greater threat?"

"In a way, yes," Weissen replied. "Their military technology may outpace ours, but it's their manufacturing power that allows them to make these technologies on a large scale. If we don't match their production capacity, we'll be outflanked in every way—economically, technologically, and militarily."

The Emperor sat in thought for a moment before speaking. "And how do we match them, General? We can't simply conjure factories and engineers out of thin air."

General Reinhardt Keller, who had remained quiet throughout the discussion, leaned forward. "Your Majesty, we need to rethink our entire approach to production. We need to invest heavily in research and development, but also in modernizing our factories. We've been too focused on maintaining the status quo, while Valoria has clearly been innovating.

We must prioritize training our workforce and pushing the limits of our industrial capabilities."

"Training our workforce will take time," the Emperor noted. "Do we have that luxury?"

"We may not have much time, but if we start now, we can at least reduce the gap," Keller responded. "And while we're doing that, we can look for ways to slow Valoria down."

The room grew silent for a moment as the generals exchanged glances, aware of what Keller was suggesting. Sabotage, espionage, anything to buy Triesenberg more time.

"You're talking about covert operations?" the Emperor asked.

Keller hesitated before answering. "Not necessarily. But if we could learn more about their factories, their supply chains, their weaknesses... it would give us an edge. We're not advocating direct sabotage, but intelligence gathering is vital. We need to understand how Valoria is pulling so far ahead."

"If the Valorians found out about us spying on them, then the alliance is at risk," the Emperor said, his voice calm but laced with warning. His gaze turned toward General Keller, testing the general's resolve.

Keller didn't waver. "Your Majesty, we wouldn't take any unnecessary risks. We'll send our best men, those who understand discretion. The goal isn't sabotage but to gather intelligence, to understand the scale of their capabilities. We need to know exactly what they're doing and how far ahead they really are."

The Emperor turned back to the window, considering the proposal. "And what happens if your operatives are caught? Valoria is not a nation that would take such actions lightly."

Keller exchanged a glance with Weissen before answering. "Your Majesty, there's always a risk in these operations, but I believe the reward outweighs the potential fallout. Valoria already has the upper hand. If we don't gather intelligence, we're effectively flying blind in the face of a superior adversary. We can't afford that, not if we want to secure Triesenberg's future."

General Weissen, who had been quiet as Keller spoke, now nodded in agreement. "If we don't act now, we risk falling too far behind, Your Majesty. Their industrial capacity is already far beyond ours. Every day we delay, they'll pull even further ahead. We need to understand their production lines, their resource procurement, their technological infrastructure. It's the only way we can hope to compete."

The Emperor remained silent for a moment, his hands clasped behind his back as he stared out at the fading twilight. Finally, he turned to face the room once more.

"If we proceed with this, it must be done with absolute discretion. I don't want Valoria suspecting anything. This alliance is fragile, and we can't afford to break it prematurely. General Keller, you'll oversee this operation personally. Ensure that only our most trusted and skilled agents are involved. I won't tolerate failure."

Keller straightened his back, his face stern. "Understood, Your Majesty. We'll send the best of the best, and they'll operate under strict orders to avoid detection. I'll personally handle the planning."

The Emperor nodded, his gaze shifting between the generals. "Good. We need results, but we also need to buy time. We'll proceed with strengthening our industrial base as General Weissen suggested. Triesenberg must modernize, and quickly."

Weissen cleared his throat. "Your Majesty, I'll begin working with the Minister of Industry to develop a plan to revamp our factories. We'll need to allocate funds and manpower, but I believe with the right push, we can catch up to Valoria in certain areas. It won't happen overnight, but it's achievable."

"I'll expect a full report within the week," the Emperor said, his voice firm. "Time is not on our side, and we cannot afford to waste any of it."

General Hagen, who had remained mostly quiet since the discussion of covert operations began, now spoke up. "Your Majesty, while industrial modernization is crucial, we also need to address our military capabilities. Valoria's jet engines, their advances in aviation technology—they're a clear threat. We need to prioritize upgrading our air force.

Our current fleet won't stand a chance if Valoria decides to use their advantage."

The Emperor's eyes narrowed slightly. "I agree, General Hagen. But we can't allocate resources to everything at once. Focus first on what's practical—improving what we already have. Then, as we build up our industrial strength, we can consider more experimental technologies. In the meantime, intelligence from Valoria may reveal weaknesses we can exploit."

Hagen gave a curt nod. "I'll begin working on immediate improvements to our air force, Your Majesty. We may not have jets, but we can still enhance our current aircraft to improve speed, maneuverability, and durability."

"Do so," the Emperor said, "and keep me informed."