Commander's Rounds

Entry 77-3: Albert's Odyssey- Seaside attraction

Littorio smiled. With a flick of her wrist, a rose found itself in her hand, and she briefly closed her eyes as she gave it a sniff. "I would say it's inevitable that you would have fallen for the charms of my lovely sister, and you need not wait much longer to indulge in them, dear Albert. She needs to merely pick up a few more things, and then both of you shall be on your way. Still, you aim high in the world, if you court the affection of one who sits on such a high perch in our Empire."

He shrugged. "The whole point of this is that this is not a matter of rank and responsibilities- It has to do with other concerns, namely those resulting from the fact that I am not made of iron."

Littorio's confident grin went on full display. "Of course, of course, you have become intoxicated by the beauty of Sardegna and yet yearn for another taste. I can believe such a thing is hard to resist. After all, miss Hornet is courting Zara and Pola together, a daunting project even for us. Though I suppose there might be a human who could handle both of them together, he would have to be someone extraordinary indeed. Our comandante, perhaps, or someone like him."

Albert continued. "So, she is gathering her things at the moment?"

Littorio gestured with her rose. "Whether storming a beach or sunbathing on one, a lady of Sardegna does not go unprepared either way, though I do wonder why you wanted to revisit the seaside, considering your last foray was less than pleasant."

He considered. "It's because the last time was less than optimal that I wanted to give it a proper try. After all, you would say that your own sister deserves a time when her companion doesn't have a panic attack, correct?"

The Sardengan battleship chuckled. "I don't believe that she came away with a bad impression of you, if she's willing to give you another chance. But the ambition to romance the beauties of this island is magnificent all the same, and it is a goal I can hardly oppose. I have heard that you have come into the confidence of a half dozen of them, which makes me curious about the charms of our comandante's assistant, seeing as he seemed at first a bit stiff."

"I'm trying to work that out myself." He put his hands in his pockets. "...But from what I gather so far, it seems to be because I have a real respect for their skills, have shown some amount of courage and ability, and to them I seem innocent in a way which they seem to find..." He blushed a bit. "...Cute. This is only a preliminary assessment, of course."

She chuckled. "There are worse things to be found than cute, I would imagine." Littorio paused to think. "If you are going with my lovely sister down to the beach once more, I would give you some advice on how to handle her by the sea."

Albert responded swiftly. "I'd rather not have it."

The Sardegnan brushed a hand through her long, green hair. "Oh ho! Have you suddenly become so confident that you can do without Littorio's advice? This is a strong turn indeed! Still, I can't imagine you not wanting a few words."

Albert took a deep breath. "I'd rather not do things your way. last time she went, she told me that there are times at the beach you would bully her because you were afraid she would embarrass you."

This caught Littorio short, but she was quick to compose herself. "My dear lieutenant, my sister is the eternal flagship of the Empire. She represents the dignity of our state, and appearances must be managed. Littorio would seem foolish if she did not think of such things."

Albert took a deep breath before speaking again. "Her leisure time is when she is able to escape the burdens of being the leader of the fleet, and so I believe she is entitled to spend it as she wishes, and however it pleases her to do. To "manage" her in such a way seems entirely incorrect, and she finds it unpleasant to endure, and so I will have no part in inflicting it on her as your proxy."