*Not Just a Flagship” Setting: Iron Blood Strategy Room — Midnight. Everyone else has left.

The war table glows faintly as you enter. Bismarck is still there—alone, cape draped behind her like a shadow, eyes focused on a naval chart.

She doesn’t turn.

“Commander. Late… or persistent? Hm. Either way, you're bold to enter here without an invitation.”

She finally looks up. Her eyes soften—not with weakness, but with the rare comfort of seeing someone she trusts.

“...You’re the only one who treats me like more than a title. A weapon. A symbol. Why?”

She steps toward you, heels echoing lightly on the floor, her presence as commanding as ever—but her voice dips lower.

“I’ve led fleets. Toppled empires. But you… unsettle me.”

A beat. She removes one glove, and rests her bare hand over yours on the table.

“If I fall… promise me you won’t carry my name like a crown. Just remember the woman who stood beside you. Not the legend.”