He Died and Receive an Overpowered Tyrant System

Recuperation Part 1

"Louis?"

"...?"

Ernest and Sophia c****d their heads to the side, and Louis elaborated.

"Ernest and Sophia, both of you are to take the next three days to recuperate. General's orders."

"What on earth are you talking about?" Ernest insisted.

"If the two of you keep pushing yourselves like this, you're going to collapse. We've been observing how you work ever since the foundation of the United National Socialist Party, and we conclude that you two are working so hard that you sometimes forget to eat at the right time. Not just me though, the other ministers also suggested both of you to take a break.

Look, I know that our hands are full given our situation but if you were to collapse then so does the party you've painstakingly created. They say a healthy mind resides in a healthy body!"

Hesitating for a moment, Ernest pictured just how badly a three-day break would set him back. "...Understood," he agreed after a short silence. "It pains me to take such a long vacation, but I'm not about to go against the opinion of my ministers who are concerned with my help."

"Thank you, Volksfuhrer."

"To be frank, I did realize I was pushing myself and letting Sophia force herself as well...I just gave her a lot of work…" Ernest let out a wry laugh, then addressed the group once more.

"Well, there you have it. I'm sorry to do this while you're all working so hard, but Sophia and I will be resting for the next few days."

"Y'know, I figured it'd happen to us all eventually, but I guess you two really don't know how to quit, do ya?" Louis remarked.

"Taking time to rest is important," added Littoria.

None of the others voiced any complaints about Nicholas's advice. They all knew that between Ernest's battles against the subjugating army and Sophia's demanding administrative work, the two of them had been working nonstop for some time.

Thankful to have such understanding ministers, Ernest replied, "Fair enough, then recuperate, I shall."

Turning back to Sophia, Ernest offered her a suggestion.

"You know, Sophia, we don't get much time off like this. Spending it sleeping in our rooms would be dull, and I did have the thing I wanted to talk to you about. What do you say we spend the third day hanging out together in the city?"

"..." Sophia immediately tilted her head to the side a bit. What she'd just heard had been so unexpected that her brain wasn't able to process it.

"Oh, a date? What a lovely idea," Littoria said with a smile.

"Show our secretary of the United National Socialist Party a good time, Volksfuhrer," Mike remarked with a mischievous expression.

"Hmm, you're getting casual to me huh? Didn't I just reprimand you back there in the barracks where you interrupted me?"

After hearing their opinion on Ernest's proposal, Sophia finally understood what he'd suggested. Forgetting that she was around others.

"HUUUUUUUUUUUUHH?!?!"

Sophia let out a cry of disbelief at the top of her lungs.

After their meeting with the Red Brigade, Sophia went back to Eighbury and headed straight for her bedroom.

She then tossed herself in the bed, buried her face in the pillows while flapping her legs up and down, beating the mattress.

"Heh? What is this?! Why is Ernest being assertive at that time?! Calm down Sophia...maybe it's just work...No! It's not work! They said it was a date and Ernest didn't protest...Moahhhhh!!!"

Then she started talking to herself, her face beet red while she imagined herself clinging to Ernest's arms while walking in the most picturesque town in Eighbury. Her face that was already red became even redder as she hugged her pillow tightly.

It was definitely a date. Two people where they travel in the cities, eat in a restaurant and walk romantically in the street. Which could then deepen the bond with the person.

But she doesn't have any experience. She pondered for a moment, thinking how to act properly on a date.

With lips pursed tight, Sophia summoned up all the courage her heart could muster and made up her mind to go ask one female in the UNSP.

…

"A way to deepen your bond with a man?"

"Yes...sorry if I ask such a personal question after just being named as the finance minister and not that close to holding such a conversation."

"What? Don't be too hard on yourself! We're colleagues and helping each other is natural. So if you find yourself cornered, don't be shy and ask. Okay, let's go back to the topic Hmm, a way to deepen your bond with a man?"

Littoria thought for a moment, then returned the question back to Sophia.

"Hmm. As a friend or as a lover? The methodology varies considerably between the two."

Sophia fought through her bashfulness and answered, "L-lo...lover...I guess."

"Hmm-hmm. Right, right. I see how it is." Littoria seemed to have sensed something from Sophia's reply, but she avoided elaborating on what it was.

"First, it's key that you find yourself alone with him. Taking a mutual day off and going on a date is ideal. Enjoy the sights, eat something tasty, and gradually close the distance between the two of you. Even if you get embarrassed, you absolutely must not look away from him. When a woman looks at someone she likes, her pupils dilated. And those larger pupils make you look cuter. It's important that you make full use of that and show your adorable self."

W-wow...Sophia's eyes opened wide in surprise. She hadn't known about that trick. Littoria is surely knowledgeable when it comes to romance.

"Well, this is coming from a girl who doesn't have experience but rest assured I do have observed some that worked. Do you want to learn some tricks?"

"P-Please do…"

"Okay, I'm on your side here, so I'm gonna teach you some tricks that bring your love to fruition."

"Th-thank you!" Sophia exclaimed.

She affirmed her conviction. The date was two days away.

…

Finally, the day of their date rolled out.

Save for the few scattered clouds, the sky was clear and blue. In fact, it hadn't snowed at all in Eighbury over the past few weeks. Perhaps that'd been some sort of aftereffect from Gustave's Treasured Spear war magic. It wasn't exactly something to be applauded, but Sophia was thankful for it just for that day.

The morning was mild. Ernest and Sophia had agreed to meet up by the city's fountain and Ernest had shown up twenty minutes early.

As for Sophia.

"Ernest…"

She was lurking out of sight, watching him from a distance.

'Always arrive to a date before the guy, but only go to the meeting spot after he shows up.'

According to Littoria, if one tried to show up a little late from the get-go, you ran the risk of running into trouble and being seriously late. Unfortunately, waiting around for a guy wasn't an attractive look, either.

Sophia was putting that lesson into practice. She didn't really understand why it was important, but that didn't matter. It was showtime, and her target was on sight. She was going for the kill today.

Still lurking out of sight, Sophia readied her heart, extended her index finger and thumb into the shape of a gun, and pointed at the boy waiting for her in the fountain.

"Bang."

"Ah, Sophia. There you are."

"Hwa-wh-wh-koff, koff?!?!"

Their eyes met at the worst possible moment, and Sophia lapsed into a coughing fit.

Worried, Ernest rushed over to her.

"Is everything okay? Your face is beet red."

"I-i-i-i-i-it's fine; everything's all right."

"Are you sure? You aren't sick, are you?"

"N-nope. A...all good."

"Really? Well, I'm glad to hear it. Don't push yourself, okay?"

"Yeah...I know."

"Very good."

Ernest withdrew his pocket watch and checked the time.

"It's a bit earlier than planned, but what do you say about lunch? Do you still want to check out that place you talked to me about?"

"Yeah…"

"Then, shall we get going?" With that, Ernest sauntered off.

After making sure that he'd finally taken his gaze off her, Sophia breathed a deep sigh of relief.

'That was close'

If he'd insisted that they head over to the clinic to get her checked out, the plan she and Littoria had painstakingly crafted would've all gone to waste. That danger was in the past now.

While the meetup hadn't gone exactly as Sophia had hoped, things were still on track. The real thing was just getting started. After getting her head back in the game, she rushed after Ernest.

Unfortunately.

"Ah! Volksfuhrer, sir!"

"Why, if it isn't the Volksfuhrer...and his secretary…"

"Congratulations on your successful advance into Leonhard and Brachride!"

Ernest and Sophia's military outfit simply stood out too much. People called to the pair from every direction as they walked the street. It didn't feel like a romantic outing in the slightest.

'What can I do…?' Sophia panicked. She was finally on a date with Ernest, but at this rate, the whole day was going to slip away from them while they were exchanging pleasantries with the townsfolk. That would be a complete waste. A travesty.

Unbeknownst to Sophia, Ernest actually felt much the same way.

"...We'll hardly be able to enjoy the rest and relaxation we were prescribed like this, will we?"

While his reason may have been different, Ernest's matter of concern was identical. He wanted to spend the day leisurely relaxing with Sophia, too. Watching it fall apart as the crowds greeted them somehow annoys the volksfuhrer.

Ernest turned off the path to the restaurant they'd planned on eating at, and he led Sophia to a shop.

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