Tyranny of Steel

Kristoffer led Itami and her family through the streets of the old district of Kufstein on a rather exciting tour, which gave the three foreign woman a rather mind altering perspective on the Reich, and how its citizens lived.

After visiting a few shops and pubs, which had items reasonably priced for even the lowest class of German citizens. Kristoffer led the trio back to the car. Where they got inside and prepared to enter another section of the city. As they passed by the largest hospital in the city of Kufstein, Kristoffer posed question to Itami that he had not thought about until seeing the building. 

"Pardon me for asking something so personal, but are the three of you up to date on your immunizations? Because if not, we can take a quick stop at the doctor's office and get you vaccinated." 

Itami gazed upon Kristoffer's innocent looking face with a look of pure bewilderment on her own. Did this boy seriously just say that the citizens of Germany already had ready access to vaccines? As for Momo and Mibu, they had no idea what the boy was talking about and thus appeared puzzled. This alone was enough for Kristoffer to pick up that something was seriously wrong, but it was Itami's own statement which thoroughly shocked him. 

"Do you mean to tell me that Germany already has vaccines? For what diseases exactly?" 

Upon hearing this, Kristoffer was utterly stumped. He had thought for sure Japan was a near-peer adversary. That was what he was always told by his father. Yet they did not even have vaccines yet? Surely they did not spend all their resources on developing military technology, did they? Thinking that this could actually be reality, Kristoffer shuddered in horror before informing the Japanese empress that Germany, in fact, had several vaccinations. 

"Currently, we have large stockpiles of vaccines for smallpox, measles, polio, rabies, and influenza, with new vaccines being developed every year. Surely you don't mean to tell me that your people don't have access to such life saving medicine, do you?" 

Itami simply averted her gaze, which was all Kristoffer needed to know that he had been correct in his assumption. He could hardly believe this news and was quick to insist that Itami and her family get vaccinated.

"Driver, pull up into the hospital's parking lot. We need to get these women vaccinated at once."

Though Itami knew what Kristoffer was offering, her mother and sister had no idea what the two of them were talking about. The driver immediately did as instructed and dropped off the group at the entrance of the hospital. 

The hospital was large and fully staffed with an extravagant waiting room where several dozen people sat with filtered masks on so as to prevent the spread of illness. In fact, Kristoffer and his guests were all handed masks at the entrance which they were instructed to adorn before entering the facility.

The Reich's rapid development in the field of medicine was in a large part due to widespread practice of human testing on death row inmates. As a result, there was not only widespread use of antibiotics and vaccines for various illnesses but also extensive surgical operations that had been thoroughly tested on the most heinous criminals. 

While some from Berengar's past life may consider this human experimentation to be immoral, it had helped rapidly develop the German medical industry, to the point where German citizens could receive a relatively modern standard of medical care for no charge. Even foreign monarchs would come to the Reich and pay a king's ransom to be treated by German medical professionals. 

Kristoffer registered Itami and her family at the front desk before meeting with them in the waiting room. Where he informed them that they would be able to see a doctor in at most an hour. With multiple hospitals in every major city that were filled with a large and ever present staff, the German Empire lacked many of the failings that universal healthcare systems had suffered from during Berengar's previous life, such as extended wait times. 

Within thirty minutes, Itami was called up to the doctor, under a pseudonym as to not alert the public to her identity. Kristoffer followed her to the back of the office as her translator. Seeing how it was Itami's first time being treated by a medical professional, they ran a thorough physical examination, and concluded that she was healthy, before giving the Japanese Empress her vaccinations. 

After no more than an hour, all three of the Japanese beauties had received their physicals and vaccinations, where they then departed from the Hospital in a state of utter shock. Itami could not believe how modern the hospital was.

Nor how friendly the staff was despite her being a foreigner. The medical professionals seemed to genuinely care about her health and were not just in it for the substantial paycheck.  She remained utterly silent as the car pulled into the trade district, where Kristoffer finally spoke before stepping out of the vehicle. 

"You three can stay here for the moment. I just need to pick something up for my wife..."

The trio of women looked strangely at Kristoffer before Mibu finally voiced her confusion aloud. 

"You have a wife? But you're so young!"

Kristoffer thought about what he had said for several moments and then blushed in embarassment befor correcting himself. 

"What I meant to say is that we will be married in the future. I don't seem to recall the Japanese term for it..."

Mibu and Momo grew excited at the prospect of this little boy having a fiancee, and quickly pinched his cheeks while teaching him the Japanese word for fiancee. After receiving enough attention from the older women, Kristoffer ran off towards the local sweet shop, where he picked up a bag of cookies that Astrid was particularly fond of.

As Itami waited around for Kristoffer to return, she noticed there was a rather large television in the sweet shop which displayed a cartoon about a cat-and-mouse duo, who were always fighting. Though the art and animation was its own unique style, Itami felt that it was largely inspired by a show from her past life. 

Evidently, it was popular, as the kids were laughing and cheering while eating their snacks, and even some of the parents joined in on the fun. Not long after, Kristoffer emerged from the shop with a bag of freshly baked cookies in his hands, which he placed safely in the trunk of the car before taking the passenger seat next to the driver's side. Once his seatbelt was in place, Kristoffer ordered for the car to continue to one of the oldest fashion stores in the city. 

The shop was popular among women, and had been the place where Linde, Adela, and Honoria once competed against each other while shopping for lingerie. However, it did not just sell undergarments, but dresses of the finest kind as well as all kinds of accessories, including shoes.

The fashion these days was vastly different from what it had been over a decade ago. The mature beauty who once ran the shop had long since retired and sold ownership to a larger chain. Despite this, the store continued to be a place which dressed women in the finest clothing available. 

Once inside, Itami and her family marvelled at the wide selection, whose fashion style was reminiscent of that of the early 20th century from her past life. Fashion was relatively conservative, especially by modern standards. Men wore three-piece suits, trench coats, and lavish hats. While women wore exquisite dresses whose length went below the knees. 

It was only really in the ballrooms of the nobility that an older more refined style was still in fashion, and as a store which sold almost exclusively to the upper echelons of German society, it was this Imperial sense of fashion that was sold within this store. 

Itami looked around the store and was truly surprised. These were what one might call "princess dresses" much like what she was currently wearing, that Berengar had provided to her and her family free of charge.

Itami did not know how much German currency was worth, but it was apparent by the price tags, that these dresses and accessories weren't cheap, and yet there were dozens of women in this shop getting their sizes checked in order for these items to be properly tailored to their bodies. 

However, before she could inquire further about this, Momo had set her eyes on a satin black dress of a rather exquisite design, which matched her hair and eyes perfectly. Since the moment Berengar had given her a royal dress, the young woman had become infatuated with the German sense of fashion, and was quick to beg Itami for the one which was now in her hands.

"Oh onee-chan, please convince the young gentlemen to get this dress for me! I am sure I will be able to win any man's favor in such a fine garment!" 

Though Kristoffer was standing a bit aways from Itami and her sister, he had still heard Momo's words and was quick to inform them about his reason for visiting this particular store.

"Father says I am to provide our guests with whatever it is they desire. So if you want this dress, I suggest picking out some shoes and a handbag which matches with it. Just don't look at me for advice on that subject. I'm not exactly what one would call a fashion aficionado."

Momo quickly ran up to Kristoffer and hugged him tightly while kissing him on the cheek, before scurrying off to find more items, which she wanted to add to her collection. As for Itami, she sighed heavily, thinking that perhaps her sister had more boobs than brains. Still, no matter how much she wanted to deny it, Itami always wanted to be dressed as a western princess, especially after growing up in America during her past life. 

Thus, Itami, Momo, and Mibu spent the next few hours picking out the finest dresses and accessories they could find, not worrying in the slightest about the price, for it was all being paid for by the Kaiser. 

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