V

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August 7, 1666 (MDay+128)

General Staff of the Jena Free Army

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It took the whole night to receive the surrendered troops of the Empire.

During the surrender, an elite regiment of the Overseer Brigade suddenly attacked and forcibly broke out against orders. This unexpected night battle exhausted everyone and caused a lot of losses.

The addition of several hundred extra wounded and prisoners of war frustrated the officers and soldiers of the Free Army. López drew more patrols from his own troops, alerting for a possible counterattack, and he estimated that one or two thousand Imperial soldiers had taken advantage of the chaos to disappear into the hills near Jena. If you add the outpost magic troops that were defeated before, there are probably about 3,000 Imperial army skirmishers near Jena, which is not a big threat.

"We accepted the surrender of the last four companies, five hundred and ten enemies, sir. A dwarven lieutenant from the Clad artillery unit reported, "Also, we have not been able to find Sid Nasser's whereabouts. ”

"As expected, let him go. It's hard to catch a high-level mage. ”

Admiral Clad López gave the last order, extinguishing the torches in his hands: "Use reserves to maintain pressure on the surrounding area." There will be no fighting today, go and do your job. ”

The officers of the General Army of the West scattered in all directions, rushing to their original positions.

The admiral glanced at Chaoyang and walked into the makeshift tent group of the staff headquarters that had just been erected. The old staff and half of the barracks were blown up in yesterday's artillery battle, and the sappers built new ones overnight.

The officers on the morning shift had not yet gotten up, and the officers on the night shift were still outside directing operations and sheltering prisoners of war, and he was now the only one in the General Staff of the Free Army. Clad walked through several curtain doors, sat down behind his desk, and began to issue orders. When he had done his job, he did not call the heralds, but walked out with the large stack of papers and threw them on the desks of the various staff officers. The admiral looked at his watch, it was not yet breakfast time. He stretched pleasantly and walked back to his tent.

"You owe me an explanation, Clad. ”

The gray-haired old marshal Conti Fox was sitting in his place, waiting for him. On the table is a bottle of freshly opened red wine, which exudes the earthy aroma that is unique to new red wines.

"By the time you're done drinking this bottle of me, you must not have drunk this distilled spirit. Clad put his hand into his arms and magically touched out a fine porcelain vase, "The authentic celadon vase of the official kiln of the Western Tang Dynasty, the Duhu Daqu of the seventeen-year-old wax-sealed official cellar." ”

"I didn't understand it, but it felt like a very cultured sake. If it weren't for this battle, the Jena area would have been able to produce such bars?"

Clad picked up his glass and poured himself a drink: "The vines have been burned. But as long as the roots are still there, we can graft them. ”

"We were almost burned down. Fox smiled, "Is that what you thought about to keep the reserves in Jena, Admiral López? ”

Words are as sharp as swords.

López looked as usual, stood up and began to explain: "This matter has to start with unreliable self-propelled guns. Did you know that this thing has a breakdown rate of up to two times per 100 kilometers? Seventy percent of the self-propelled guns would never have reached the northern front, so I left them nearby. In order to protect these weapons, I left a third of the troops, which I didn't expect to come in handy......"

"It's a pity that the Imperial Army doesn't know this, right?" the marshal continued to laugh, his tone suddenly changing, "I have only one question. From the beginning, did a third of your elite troops leave the immediate subordinate troops?"

The admiral abruptly halted the narrative and took a deep breath. He shook his head: "It's been here since the beginning. ”

"Wait here?"

"Wait here. ”

"No notices, no signals, no documents, no heralds?"

"No notice, no signal, no documents, no heralds. ”

"Even when we were on the verge of collapse, your troops were here?"

Clad nodded slowly.

"There's nothing wrong with holding down the reserves, but don't you realize that this is a very dangerous plan?"

The fox of Kengler played with the wine glass in his hand, stared at the slightly sunken arc, and continued to ask.

López drank the wine in his hand: "I'm sure you can hold the camp." If I missee the timing, it's my lack of ability, and if I can't turn the timing into a win, it's my lack of calculation. Luckily, none of this happened. ”

"Is this your way of doing it?"

"That's what I do. I never doubted my decision-making, no matter when, no matter what the situation. ”

"To be overconfident is to be arrogant, Admiral. ”

"The staff officers of the General Army of the West also believe that you and your officers can hold on. In fact, if it weren't for the Silver Dragon, this battle would not have required us to act. We didn't just see the timing. We chose the timing. ”

"You chose the timing. Conti Fox muttered to himself, staring into Clad's eyes, "I've heard of you since more than a decade ago. Whether at the military academy or at the border, there is a legend that 'if things go like this, Clad López will one day become the marshal of the Free Army'. ”

The middle-aged general's eyes were full of determination.

"When you left the army, a lot of people celebrated. ”

Fox stood up, raised his glass, and tilted. A red, translucent liquid flowed silently from the glass and poured onto the ground.

"Okay, I heard your explanation, López. ”

Clad's shoulders trembled slightly, and he didn't answer.

"I think the day has come when you will pay for your actions. ”

Marshal Conti Fox took off his military hat and placed it on the table.

"From now on, the entire field unit of the Free Army will be handed over to you. I will follow the advice of the Staff Committee and escape back to the safety of Lenny. The old marshal looked relieved, "It's not my responsibility to go any further." ”

Clad slowly picked up the military hat, which weighed as much as iron: "That's a heavy price." ”

"Go and win, Marshal López. ”

"I obey your orders, Your Excellency. ”

Conti Fox picked up the celadon bottle from the table: "In return, I will take this bottle of wine." What's the name? My grandson is going to love it. ”

"Please wait for the good news on Lenny. So replied the new marshal, who had completed the largest encirclement in history.

After seeing the old marshal leave, Klad López sat back in his place, covered his face with the marshal's military cap, and closed his eyes.

His fingers unconsciously tapped at high speed on the table, and he didn't know if it represented excitement or fear.

Everything in memory, uncontrollably replays in front of your eyes. He went through so many battlefields, from the West to the East, from the East and back to the West. The Motherland and dreams, perseverance and courage, the future and hope, all of all, everything, all of them, finally stayed at this rank.

"Freikorn Field Marshal Clad López".

He finally sat down in this position.

He sat in this position of direct command of the 180,000 regular and irregular armies under the republics.

sat in a position that has been used by countless famous generals to prove themselves.

He will save his homeland in this position, or, perhaps, destroy it.

With the sound of the curtain being lifted, an officer stepped into the tent and relieved the new marshal from his memories.

"Your Excellency, I have some questions about the order you have just given. ”

Clad lowered his hat and sat upright: "Captain Namen Soleton." It's already morning shift, what's the matter?"

Naimon hesitated and put the order in his hand heavily on the table: "Your Excellency General, I personally have doubts about this order. ”

"Don't be so trembling, our hero. Stand up straight, straighten up. Clad picked up the book of orders, "Is there anything wrong with this order? The unit you pulled up will remain under your command as a permanent formation." The official number is the 2nd Independent Battalion of the 1st 'Republic' Division 'Qiangyun'. It will remain forever, like the 1st Independent Battalion 'Liberation', until the end of the Free Army. ”

Naimon coughed twice. His tone was full of confusion and confusion: "You...... You know I'm not talking about the first page. ”

Clad turned the page. "Is the decision on the disposal of the captives? I don't think there's a problem. ”

On the first page, in glaring red letters, read: "Olivia Hugh Kirman, First Princess of the Empire, Prisoner of War, First Rank Guard, Imprisoned for Exchange".

Namen's tongue gradually sharpened: "No. You know who I'm talking about. I see your signature, I don't understand. ”

Clad turned the second page, turned the order around, and placed it in front of Naimon.

"I still don't think there's a problem. ”

On that second page, there was a line that read—

"Danika Viren von Figota, Marquisess of the same rank, 1st rank of security, treason, death penalty".

Naimon gritted his teeth and retorted, "I can't take this order. I need an explanation. ”

"A Duchess lady who holds an actual military rank can be considered a brigadier general. We failed to capture Sid Nasser, so the Imperial POWs were headed by her. ”

"You know what kind of explanation I want. Naimon lowered his voice, "Even if it's a secret...... But she's your daughter, Your Excellency. ”

Clad was stunned: "I don't have a daughter. Don't talk about it again. ”

"You know, she's Danika, she's Danika López, she's your own daughter, your Excellency, you don't have a daughter, do you remember your wife?"

Naimon slammed his mouth shut. Before he knew it, he found himself roaring at the Supreme Commander, his palms clapping on the table.

The middle-aged marshal was looking him in the eye and smiling warmly. His eyes seemed to penetrate people's hearts.

"Yes. This is the hero of our Free Army, the man who turned the tide in the defeat of Jena, the 'strong' Naymen Soleton. ”

"I'm sorry, Your Excellency. Namen took two steps back, "I'm out of shape." ”

Clad's finger slid lightly over the name, "Do you know how many casualties this Marquis Danica von Figota has caused, Captain?"

"I know, Your Excellency. But she's still your daughter. ”

"Danika Viren von Figota was no ordinary prisoner of war. She is a magician, a citizen of the Republic. It is treason for a citizen of the republic to assist enemy troops. ”

"But treason does not necessarily require the death penalty. She is not a soldier, never has been, and cannot apply military law. ”

Clad's eyes didn't waver. He just sighed.

"Are you suggesting that I issue a special order to pardon a traitor whose hands are stained with the blood of our comrades, Captain?"

Namen's eyes were a little moist. He secretly rubbed his eyes with his hands. "It's not a pardon, it's just another opportunity. She should be given the opportunity to choose her own life. She hasn't even started to choose yet!"

"There are some things in life that you can't choose. ”

Clad stood up and paced a few steps into the tent. Unbearable silence.

"Just as she can't choose her parents, I can't choose my daughter. Once you make the wrong choice, you are responsible for it. If I forgive him, who can forgive me?"

"Your Excellency—"

Clad sat back in his chair and turned his back.

"I went to last night's celebration. Clad's conversation changed and seemed to begin to say something unrelated, "At that celebration, your miraculous good fortune and cockroach-like vitality were the things that everyone talked about the most. ”

The marshal took the marshal's hat and put it on his face. Naimon's eyes widened in surprise when he noticed a different hat for the first time.

"And I heard more than one person there say, 'If things go like this, Naymen Soletden will one day become Marshal of the Free Army'. Go and carry out the order, Captain. ”

Naimon quietly gave a military salute, picked up the order, and turned back.

As he lifted the curtain, he heard Clad's low voice.

"I didn't guess the ending. I used to think that you would be my son-in-law...... I still think so. ”

The powerful voice that used to be magnetic sounded a little hoarse.

Captain Soleton returned to his camp with the papers. Several nearby officer camps were plowed by Figota artillery, causing losses ranging from photographs of family members to looted booty. His tent had escaped the disaster, but there was nothing in it.

Naimon opened his bag and rummaged through it for paper and pen. He remembered that there was some fireproof paper left after the last time he copied the scroll, and that there should be a new jar of enchantment ink. He also found his official ring. The seal ring had been issued when he had been promoted to captain, and he had not used it because it was too formal.

Naimon cut two paragraphs from the rolled parchment and began to write on the seal: "If I, Captain Naimon Soletton, have an accident, please forward this document to Lieutenant Anne Seffer." ”

He picked up another one, did as it was, and pressed the seal with the ring.

The content of the letter was also very simple: "Anne, please help me take care of the strong operation. I pulled those people into battle. You are the most trustworthy officer I know. ”

She should also be the officer who will live the longest, he thought and copied it again.

When he was done, Naimon sealed the letter with wax and placed one volume on the table and the other in his jacket pocket. He took off his medals and collar pins, folded his cloak and put it in the trunk that every officer had, and from the compartment of the suitcase, he took out his epaulettes from his second lieutenant days and put them in his jacket pocket. He returned to the table, picked up the book of orders, turned the second page, looked at it, and closed it again. As if he was about to set out for war, he put on his military uniform, put on his belt, hung up his pistol, and stuffed the new potion test tube into his inner pocket.

He walked out the door and left the camp of the Jena army. On the way, we passed by Méti Krosso's camp, where a large number of leisurely soldiers who did not have shifts were clustered. Naimon stopped and inquired, and learned that the Bishoujo virtuoso had not yet gotten up, and that the ticket price for the afternoon consolation performance had been increased to three bottles of red wine or one bottle of distilled spirit. He shrugged his shoulders, didn't go in, and turned and walked towards the river.

The camp for the most dangerous prisoners of war was set up in a medium-sized building on the banks of the King River. There was no prison in Jena, and the building was originally a town hall, which was temporarily used as a prisoner of war camp after the installation of a full set of detection circles.

"Captain Soleton, you've done a great job. Are you here to interrogate prisoners of war?" a sergeant at the door greeted him warmly after his military salute.

There weren't many people in the entire Jena army who didn't know Captain Naymen Soleton. The story of the brave young man who received the marshal's secret order and turned the tide in Jena is fervently told. At last night's celebration banquet, there was an endless stream of officers from all the units of the Western General Army, who held their wine glasses high and drank heroically. Although there are not many female officers, they drink more than amazingly, and it is more difficult to refuse toasts. Until now, Naimon still seems to be feeling that the hangover is affecting his ability to think.

"Hmm. Naimon nodded and showed the papers.

The sergeant glanced twice, then gave him the whole set of keys: "Going to the women's prison? The deepest part of the right cloister. ”

Naimon walked briskly past the rooms of the former town hall. District councillors have their own offices here, and these high-security offices can be converted into prisons. Several sentry posts were set up, traps were redirected, and the guard circle was laid layer after layer. Theoretically, each high-ranking caster should be held in solitary confinement, with handcuffs and shackles that restrict the spell's effects, but this time there were so many high-ranking officers and casters captured that there weren't as many rooms to keep in solitary confinement. The Jena army captured three entire brigade-sized units at once, and together with the previously routed Rasta detachment, the total number of mages and priests captured exceeded a hundred.

"Ah, Captain Soleton. Interrogation work?" In the depths, of course, there was another sentry. This time the guard was a magic officer, a lieutenant whom Naimon knew, a member of the Western Army.

"Inform the work. There are a couple of people to be arraigned. Naimon raised the order book in his hand, "Someone has to do the nasty work." How did you do it here, so crowded like the dormitories of the witches of Lennie University? Not to mention the mess, four or five young girls could fit into one room. ”

"Don't mention it. It's a good thing you didn't really catch Sid Nasser or the Silver Dragon yesterday, and if you do, we'll be dead. The lieutenant took the order and glanced at it cursoryly, and complained as he signed, "It's better for women to be in the prisoner of war camp here." The men's prisoner of war camp had already rioted last night, and the 2nd Division had to bombard half of the church with artillery before it was suppressed. They no longer dared to let these men together, so they had to make room for the female prisoners of war. ”

Naimon himself removed the key from the wall: "You won't let the Marquis cram be crammed into a small office with others, will you?"

"We let her stay in a room with Her Majesty the Honourable Princess. That's the best treatment. The officer in charge of the guard smiled, "It's quite fragrant, isn't it?"

"If you give them enough anti-magic according to the regulations, they won't be able to be beautiful. Naimon smiled and unlocked the heavy wooden door.

"Personally, I think the full set of anti-magic methods is quite beautiful in itself-"

Naimon closed the door, directly blocking the sound outside. The innermost room, which was originally the office of the speaker, was specially designed for confidential conversations, and the sound insulation performance is very good. He stepped over the anti-magic array in front of the secretary's desk and used the key to open the door to the back room.

"After waiting so long, you're finally here. It's been a whole day, and I thought I had forgotten. ”

Danika was still wearing the lilac general's gown, and even the dirt and blood on it had not been removed. In a somewhat odd pose, she curled up in the armchair in the deepest part of the office, smiling coldly.

"I even have to be fed to me by Her Highness Olia! The dignified first princess of the empire actually wants to feed others like a maid! You are also a captain of the Free Army, don't you think this is a bit shameful? Loosen the shackles, and I won't run away-"

Olia, who was sitting at the table next to her, was not so excited, and she waved her hand vigorously at Naimon, as if trying to justify: "Alright, Danica. It's nothing to feed, after all, we are prisoners of war. ”

Naimon looked at Danika, who had at least four pairs of anti-magic shackles on her body. The girl, who was his childhood sweetheart, now looked like an elegant panther who had fallen into a trap, with her hands cut behind her back and leaning back on the armrests of her chair. There are two sets of reverse scissors on the two arms behind the back, one metal cuffed to the wrist and one handcuffed to the upper arm with leather chain chain. There are also two pairs on the legs, this time the metal one is on the ankle and the leather one is on the calf. It was probably because of these shackles that she was placed diagonally in the armchair. In contrast, Princess Olya, as a priest, was much freer, with only two sets of leather cuffs to restrain her hands and feet, and her hands were not cut back.

He nodded secretly: the guy outside has a good judgment. Danika is indeed much more dangerous than Olya.

"Alright. I know you've got something to do, what is written on that stack of things in your hand, what information do you need?" ”

Naimon fell silent. He began to walk around the room, thinking about how to speak.

"Hmm...... This is not an intelligence need. My sir—you know who I'm talking about—would love to know ......"

He stopped and took a deep breath.

"You're really not going back, Danika?"

Sakura, a brown-haired girl curled up in an armchair, opened her lips slightly, her face was red and white, and she didn't know how to answer for a while. Her body writhed twice in the chair, as if she wanted to reach out, but she was held back by the shackles.

Probably mistaken, Naimon looked a little excited: "That...... If you will, I can take you to the sir. He should give you another chance. ”

This time, even Olya couldn't stand it. The first princess of the empire coughed violently, as if she had choked: "Lieutenant, although it is a little abrupt, I still have to say that it is not okay to be like you! Facing a trapped lady to make a so-called request, this is not a request, but a threat!"

"Is that so?" Naimon took the key from his waist, "That's ......"

Danica squirmed in her chair again, "Enough, Olya, don't talk to this idiot. I can't move, you can beat him for me. ”

Naimon subconsciously turned his head. He saw Olya staggering up from her chair, her head down, and stammering, "Really, really?"

"Of course you have to fight. Do it. ”

Naimon suddenly felt a pain in the back of his head, and a cold feeling soaked through his body. He struggled forward two steps with his legs limp, and fell limply onto Olya's shoulder.

Magia Verry, with long green hair and an Imperial uniform, stood behind him, her right index finger flashing with an icy blue glow.

After the princess took the key from Naimon's hand, she carefully placed his body on the chair, and finally breathed a sigh of relief: "We have finally cheated on it. It's uncomfortable. ”

"Your play is not in vain, he really thinks there are only two of us here. Maggia, who actually did it, chuckled, "He didn't notice the attack from behind. ”

It was hard for him to guess that we had another hidden, high-level mage who could use ethereal magic to pass through walls, and Danika had meant that. But as soon as the phrase came out, it became: "This idiot. ”

After Olya untied her shackles, she came up to help her unshackle. Danika stretched and suddenly screamed, "Ah...... The shoulder is stuck, stuck, and it hurts ......."

The princess didn't know what to do for a while, but Magia came up and helped her straighten her shoulders. The three women gathered around the fainted Naimon and began to move on to the next step. Danika took off Namen's military uniform, and Magia picked up the thick stack of orders and flipped through them quickly.

After only a few lines, Magia's movements slowed down. She took a deep breath and whispered, "You know, this young man came with the determination to die. ”

"I know. Danika bit her lip and replied. She was holding Namen's parchment letterhead.

"Then you know that he was going to let us go?"

"I know. This letter is for me to read. Danika smiled wryly, "This guy took off all the medals and collar pins, leaving only the epaulettes and this letter. Moreover, there are two sets of epaulettes, one for a second lieutenant and one for a captain. ”

Princess Olya's eyes widened, "This is for us, Danica. ”

"Bastards abuse good people ......"

"Don't jump to conclusions. Maggia had finished reading the stack of orders and shoved the thick stack of paper into Danica's hand.

Danika looked down. The establishment of a strong operation, the decision on the disposal of prisoners of war, the supply status of the Free Army, the statistics of losses, the admission of prisoners, and......

Death sentence against himself. It has her father's signature and seal on it.

"This bastard is a good man. ”

Danika repeated, glancing out of the corner of her eye at Naimon who was lying in her chair. The Captain, stripped of his shirt and lying there with his eyes rolled, the effects of the vertigo magic apparently not subsided.

"Do you want to wake him up?" asked Magia, "and he should cooperate with us." ”

"No, I don't. Danika crouched down and pulled out a hidden knife from Namen's boots, "Sure enough, there's one." ”

She surveyed Namen's face. Without a suitable place to cut the knife, she went around to the back of her chair and cut off a strand of hair and handed it to Magia.

"I know you're going to be magical, and the materials are enough. Danica thought for a moment and added, "This guy's actions must be in Clad López's calculations, so we need to do something as well." ”

"Okay. That's a bit of a safe bet. So, I'm the captain of the Free Army escorting you two—" Magia hesitated, "What's your name?"

"Lieutenant Namen Soleton. ”

"Captain Namen Soleton. ”

Danika and Olya spoke almost at the same time, glancing at each other and turning their eyes away at the same time.

"'This guy' is an operational staff officer, a front-line commander, a hero of the Free Army. You remember it very well. Magia stared at the two of them, "fluttering" and laughing, shaking her head to put on Namen's military uniform, and cutting her hair, "What's next?"

"He's going to be discovered soon, and we're going to give up that identity and get another military uniform. Danika replied, "The documents he brought with him are well informed. We have an advantage. ”

"At eleven o'clock in the morning, Field Marshal Fox was on his way to Lennie. Organize guards to protect the portal to Lenny. ”

The two looked at each other and nodded.

"It's a pity that he didn't need the information he brought on purpose. Danika turned to Olya, "So the three of us can go?"

Danika nodded, handcuffing and shackling herself again, while Olya shook her head.

"Nope. I'm not leaving. ”

The remaining two stared at Her Royal Highness the Imperial Princess in dismay.

"Judging from the documents, my life was not in danger of staying. In the name of the honor of the Coman family, I cannot allow this good man to be wronged. ”

"Wait a minute—"

Danika was about to say something when Magia pressed her shoulder and shook her head, "It's your choice, Your Highness." From our point of view, it is obviously much safer for two people to escape than for three. All the best. ”

"Hmm. Olya nodded.

"Let's go. Magia dragged Denika, who was still about to say something, to the outside room, past the area of the anti-magic circle. She whispered a spell by the door, transforming herself into Naimon Soleton.

"You're the only one whose life is in danger. If you still want to live, brace yourself and fight your father's calculations to the end. Magia whispered in Denica's ear in a Naimon voice, "Don't let your eyes be blinded by emotion. ”

"I didn't!"

"You have. Magia squeezed her handcuffs hard, and her voice grew louder, "Don't struggle, Miss von Figota!"

She slammed the door open. The lieutenant outside whistled, and Magia almost slapped the papers in his face.

"Don't be overwhelmed, this is the Grand Chief's arraignment order. ”

"Don't be so serious...... Formalities completed, Your Excellency, Captain. I hope that the next time we go to war, you and I will be in the same unit. ”

The two parted after each giving a standard military salute. "Captain Namen Soleton" disappeared into the depths of the camp with the prisoners awaiting arraignment.

Later that morning, a terrible siren sounded in the Jena camp.

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