In the year 1930 of the Aurelian Calendar, a great and devastating war erupted, claiming countless lives across the nations involved. A war so horrifying that humanity would never forget the scars it left behind.
The true cause of the war remains a topic of heated debate, even to this day. Many historians argue that it all began when the Nationalist Faction, led by Prince Reinhardt von Felsburg, staged a coup d'état in 1921, overthrowing King Albert II, his own uncle.
Historians support this claim because, upon seizing power, the Nationalist Faction immediately launched fiery propaganda, rallying the people of the Kingdom of Felsburg to reclaim the territory that had been taken from them—Veldenmark.
Veldenmark had long been a contested land between the two nations. Though its population was ethnically mixed, its lower-class citizens had historical ties to Noirval. The Republic of Noirval exploited this division, secretly supplying separatists with weapons and equipment while spreading anti-Felsburg propaganda.
In the year 1919 of the Aurelian Calendar, after years of escalating conflict and mounting international pressure—led by Noirval under the pretense of human rights violations—King Albert II was forced to cede Veldenmark.
Ironically, just one year later, in 1920, Noirval annexed Veldenmark under the guise of "stabilizing the region." This betrayal further fueled the growing discontent within Felsburg, giving rise to the Nationalist Faction, which gained popularity by condemning the king's weakness.
Initially, the Nationalist Faction was composed of border officers stationed along the Felsburg-Noirval frontier, but it rapidly expanded as various nationalist groups joined forces. Their influence surged when Prince Reinhardt joined the movement and was ultimately chosen as its leader.
By late 1921, Reinhardt led the coup, marching his forces from the border to the capital in what would later be known as the March on Felsburg. The royal army offered no resistance, as if silently declaring that the king had already lost his authority.
That night, the garrison in the capital, Kronfeld, put up only minor resistance, while at the same time, King Albert II and his family fled the kingdom, seeking exile in the Western Continent of Columbara, specifically in the United States of Columbara, where he would spend the rest of his life in peaceful obscurity.
However, what shocked many was that Reinhardt did not proclaim himself king. Instead, he declared himself:
"Arch-Regent of the Kingdom of Felsburg and Supreme Commander of the Army"
(Erzregent des Felsburger Königreichs und Oberbefehlshaber der Armee).
To this day, historians still argue over who was truly responsible for starting the war.
Was it Reinhardt, with his aggressive nationalist rhetoric?
Or was it Noirval, whose expansionist ambitions and desperate need for maritime access led to reckless political maneuvers?
As a landlocked nation, Noirval sought an open route to the ocean to strengthen its economy and secure its survival. However, the Coastal Crown Alliance held firm control over all maritime access, ensuring that Noirval could not establish a trade corridor without invading another nation's land.
With diplomacy proving ineffective, Noirval saw Felsburg as the perfect target.
They engaged in risky political maneuvering, attempting to undermine Felsburg's influence. But instead of securing an advantage, they ignited a catastrophe that would consume not only themselves but the entire world.
No matter how many years have passed, this war remains a subject of heated debate.
But lost amidst all the discussions and political arguments is a far darker truth—one that nations would rather bury in history.
Many governments were willing to commit unthinkable atrocities in their pursuit of victory.
Among the most terrifying and forgotten truths was the practice of abducting war orphans from the streets, subjecting them to brutal military training, and sending them to the front lines as support units—or, in rare cases, as frontline combat soldiers.
A grim reality.
A truth that, over time, has faded into obscurity, as no nation wishes to expose its own past sins to the world.
---
📜 Seventy Years Later after The Great War, The Forgotten Trench of Veldenmark
"What the hell is this!?"
"You've just found something incredible..."
In a long-forgotten war trench, its edges softened by time, two young historians—a man and a woman—stared at the object they had unearthed.
The woman carefully lifted it: a weathered book, wrapped in a cloth that had protected it for decades. Though dirt-covered, the book had remained intact.
"This isn't just any cloth... Someone must have wanted this book to survive..." the man murmured as he examined the material.
Seventy years had passed since the war's end. The trenches of Veldenmark had become a historical site, where researchers searched for artifacts of the past, hoping to educate future generations about the horrors of war.
But what they had found today was unlike anything before.
A soldier's diary—a firsthand account from the era of the great war.
And what shocked them even more... was what was written inside.
"Born in 1921... began military service in 1931..." the woman read aloud, her voice trembling.
"This soldier was one of the child conscripts... forced into battle."
Silence hung between them.
The man exhaled deeply before muttering:
"This might be the only surviving diary of a child soldier..."
And it made sense.
Those who had been forcibly recruited were mostly street orphans, abandoned by their families and left to survive in the alleys. They never had access to education, many of them couldn't even read or write.
Yet somehow, this child had written a diary...
The book was thicker than expected, given that it was written by a child. From the way the author described their experiences, it was clear—the writer was a girl.
But so far, there was no mention of her name. Like most personal journals, it had been written in the first person, with no introduction.
The woman slowly closed the book, brushing off the dirt covering the cover. The original color had long since faded.
But as she wiped away the last layer of dust, words began to emerge on the surface.
Her hands trembled as she read the title aloud:
"MY DAYS IN THIS GODDAMN WAR?"
================================
World Map ilustration:
https://postimg.cc/v135Ln3r