The palm of the hand stretched out to the bright starry sky, clenched tightly, and for a moment it seemed to grasp everything that was out of reach, and all the light and glory were in the palm of his hand.

It's like a kid reaching for a toy.

Second Lieutenant Reinhardt Gilfias, who came back to his senses, couldn't help but feel a little amused by his childish behavior, and a greeting of "Looking at the stars?" came from behind.

Turning his gaze, the red-haired young man greeted him with a proper smile.

"Siegfried......"

The beautiful young man with blond hair bloomed a somewhat cramped smile, inherited from the unique beauty of the clan, coupled with the flush of his cheeks, even the girls of the clan who are used to seeing beautiful men will scream for it, and his next move will make many ladies with special hobbies want to be in trouble.

Place your palm on top of your friend's head, move in parallel and fly high above your head.

A smile froze on his face, and after a few seconds, the red-faced blonde boy puffed out his cheeks and glared at his friend on tiptoe like a hamster that had been robbed of a chocolate snack.

"Looks like you've grown taller again!"

"How is it possible, I don't think it will change anymore, at least in 200 years. ”

"Are you taller than me for 200 years?No matter what you think, it's your fault that you don't care about your friends and grow taller?!"

Smiling wryly at the boyish side of his friend, Second Lieutenant Siegfried Mügel said:

"The captain is calling us to go to the captain's quarters. ”

From below deck to the hangar, the romance of the starry sky is swallowed up by a tight sense of reality. The foul air filled with the smell of oil and sweat, and the noise of mechanical operation tormented the nerves. The rearmament soldiers were busy back and forth, and the maintenance and overhaul operations were carried out in an orderly manner. The devil's training squad leader waved a wrench and scolded the newcomer whose hands and feet were not neat enough, and when he met a stupid person who reacted slowly, he slapped him directly.

All warships are like this, the teenagers who look forward to the stars and the sea never know the boring side of warship life, and the sailors have long been numb. However, the situation with this battleship is slightly different. Not only does it have the best performance parameters and comfortable living environment of its kind, but it also has unimaginable scenery from other warships.

On the deck and in the cabin, there are all elves, there are no flying beasts in the hangar, and MDS, assault planes, and landing craft are neatly arranged.

Alfheim Air Force, a new assault landing ship USS Lund Bell.

The so-called new warship does not only refer to the time it has been built and put into service. The same is true for other aspects.

Newly built battleships, rookies, and even captains are new.

As Yalfheim entered the wartime system, the drawbacks of military expansion began to become apparent little by little. The various branches of the armed forces are expanding their armies almost without food, not to mention ordinary soldiers, and recent graduates of military academies are also thrown into the newly formed troops. If it weren't for the strict orders of the consuls, they would have dared to use the brains of the students in school. In a short period of time, a large number of new recruits were filled into the army, so that the army's combat effectiveness did not rise but declined. If it weren't for the world's most rigorous and scientific reserve system, a highly militarized education, and a long-term talent pool. I am afraid that it is a question whether the "Yellow Plan" can be successfully launched.

Taking the raid landing ship "Lund Bell" as an example, it absorbed a large amount of actual combat data, reversed the mainstream warship design of the doctrine of large ships and giant guns, and embodied the cross-era concept of "projecting carrier-based mobile forces to seize air supremacy and transporting troops to land from the air." It can be said to be an epoch-making battleship. However, including the captain, the proportion of novices is as high as about 70%, and even though the captain is a new hero who uses a transport ship to defeat an enemy fleet that is far outnumbered by himself, this one was only a lieutenant in the logistics department before. Whether he can manage the rookies under his command is really doubtful.

In the end, in accordance with the personnel training strategy of "non-commissioned officers according to the standards of officers, and junior officers according to the standards of middle and senior officers," the newly released non-commissioned officers and officers quickly assumed their responsibilities after entering the newly formed units. Begin to play a role in their respective positions. It is believed that after a period of running-in, the newly formed troops will at least be able to undertake the tasks of the second-line troops and release some of the old troops from the garrison tasks.

Liberals, pacifists - these "non-mainstream voices" of Alfheim have rarely lowered their tone, and even some of the murmurs of "rejecting militarism" and "the military is too self-serving" have been ignored. Everyone knows that the strategy of the elf camp is to gamble on the fortune of the country, and after today, I don't know if there will be a tomorrow. After the start of the war, I found out that there were not enough people and died early, and the temporary inconvenience was nothing. Key issues. Everyone can still distinguish the good from the bad.

Shoshi, who is also a rookie, looks at everything that happens in the hangar with mixed feelings, and similar experiences make them sympathize with the hapless rearmament. But as soon as he thought that he was about to experience the first actual battle in his life, and then his life would be maintained on that pile of iron lumps, no one wanted to question the approach of the maintenance squad leader.

If a battleship does not even have the least sense of tension and class authority, let alone outsiders. Even the crew themselves doubted the possibility of survival of the battleship.

It would be even more suspicious if there were "foreign objects" mixed in the battleship, which was as closely bound as siblings and family.

"Is that the Pro-Guard?"

"It was covered with a canvas all the time, and the garrison was not allowed to approach. ”

"A human hunting unit, a human wolf unit...... Really, the Lund Bell took such a group of guests on its maiden voyage. ”

The guards and other soldiers rushed under their feet with malicious voices, and the young ensigns couldn't help but look towards the engine room.

As described, all 10 MDSs are covered in blue canvas, and only human silhouettes can be seen. However, it can also be seen that the lean lines and contours of the "Kenpham" are very different, the frame that is a whole circle larger highlights the stocky and strong style, and the barbed armor on the shoulders is a feature of the MDS exclusive to the Pro-Guard. There are several armored vehicles parked next to it, also covered with canvas, and the 8×8 wheeled chassis can be faintly seen, as well as the turret that resembles a combat vehicle. A group of Guards in trouser vests were working on maintenance, and as the crew had said, they were not allowed to be approached and turned a deaf ear to the cynicism. It seems that they are a bunch of machines that do what they are told, or that they can't hear or see anything but the work at hand.

The silence increased the crew's disgust, and the voices of bad words were raised by a few decibels.

The Defence Force's perception of the Pro-Guard is actually quite complex. On the one hand, they are envious and jealous of the priority of the Guards in terms of their closeness to the consuls and equipment, and on the other hand, they disdain the "wet work" of the Guards and the complex composition of their members. A subtle sense of alienation from the pro-guard forces permeates the three branches of the defense forces, and the malice is further amplified on the warships where the sense of unity is so strong that it borders on xenophobia.

Second Lieutenant Gilfias had also heard rumors about the Guards, many of which were used to scare ignorant women and children. At this moment, the other party's posture of implementing secrecy also made him feel uncomfortable. However, it is too immature to provoke with words like a thug.

Quickly passing through the hangar, Second Lieutenant Mugel let out a sigh of relief.

"Thankfully, it's only a short-term mission, otherwise the air in the cabin would have been terrible. ”

"Judging by the way they looked, this operation could have been quite a remarkable operation. ”

"What do you mean by that?"

"Don't you understand? ”

Second Lieutenant Gilfias turned his head and raised the corners of his mouth.

"Newly built warships specializing in air supremacy and landing, and a pro-guard team that specializes in infiltration and raiding by small forces, plus exclusive MDS and high-firepower mobile armored vehicles that emphasize rapid deployment capabilities. Putting these in series, what do you come up with?"

"Long-distance raids and suppression operations in cities or fortresses?"

Other operations are not a lack of numbers and firepower for the current Lund Bell configuration. It's excess. Only targets such as cities and fortresses are suitable for playing.

"They can't be trying to raid Charlemagne's army, right?"

"Probably they and the captain know about this, I think we're still ......"

As they spoke, they had already passed through the corridor and approached the captain's room, where they heard the sound of conversation in the distance, and their speculation came to an abrupt halt. After a few seconds, two dark-faced men in dark uniforms walked out briskly from inside, and the tall, lanky lieutenant colonel in the lead glanced at the two ensigns who were standing up and saluting, and hurriedly returned the salute before walking through the corridor.

Gilfias and Mijel glanced at each other. Now they could be sure that the battle was anything but ordinary, as the two Stasi officers who had just passed by had made it abundant.

After the report, he walked into the room. In front of the newcomer Shoji is a large reception room of more than 60 square meters, and the atmosphere of a trencher is greeted by various high-end furniture and decorations. The captain who was out of place with the splendid and fancy reception room crossed his legs, and at this moment he also released his tiredness with all his might.

"I hate those guys. ”

The captain, who always had black tea at hand, spun the empty cup, and his face perfectly showed the essence of the word "listless".

“...... It's not that the work they're doing is unpleasant, and from the point of view of doing their job, we don't really have a position to blame them. Including the fact that they are proud of their work. Even if Captain Lange moved out of the Archon, it would be a daredevil's act at best, and I don't want to comment on it if I've done something like that. But Lieutenant Colonel Trinisit questioned the recruits' combat effectiveness on the basis of 'loyalty to the consuls' and patriotism. Flattering the powerful is despicable enough, being in a safe place to sing the praises of war, in the name of patriotism and sacrifice. It is a hundred times worse to forcibly send people who have nothing to do with you to the battlefield. ”

"Lieutenant Colonel Trinisit is indeed a nuisance, and to be honest, I don't like him either. ”

The guests sitting on the other side of the coffee table spoke, the pitch-black uniforms of the guards, the furry ears erected, and the tail resting on the sofa flicking from time to time. If it weren't for the strong body and sharp eyes like a knife, plus a uniform and a lieutenant's class badge, I am afraid that anyone would think of a husky or a shepherd lying and yawning.

"Considering the special nature of the task, there is no problem in handing over the unity of command in the operation to Stasi. ”

"Since you've said so, I'm okay with that. Ah, by the way, they'll be the ones who will help you later. Let me introduce you to Ensign Reinhardt Gilfias, and this is Ensign Siegfried Mügel. ”

"Siegfried?

The lieutenant of the personal guard, who had orc blood, couldn't help but smile, and including the person concerned, also showed a wry smile.

"Siegfried" was originally a name often used by elves when choosing names, and since the appearance of the archons, it has become even more rotten. Shouting "Siegfried" in the streets of Alfheim turned back at least five or six times, and the school teachers and army commanders looked at the pile of Siegfried on the list and wept without tears.

"It's rude. Lieutenant. Let me introduce myself, this officer is Lieutenant Kaspar Georgsky of the Personal Guard. ”

Salute, return the salute. After the reflex was over, Caspar gave another amount of encouragement, condolences and secrecy education, and finally gave the order "There are still 3 hours before the start of the operation, please prepare for the attack and enter the standby state". Excited and nervous about the first actual battle in their lives, the two rookies were kicked out of the captain's room.

"Don't look at that, they are red-clothed elites who graduated with the first and third grades in the military academy. ”

"Red-clothed...... I really miss those days, as if omnipotence, the world is at my feet, and I look forward to the restless youth of medals and generals' epaulettes. ”

“...... It doesn't seem like I'm the only one who suffers from burnout. ”

Parsifal added brandy to black tea and was filled with emotion.

It is different from Parsifal, who has set his goal in retirement from the beginning, and has skipped the passing line in all practical subjects except for strategy and war history, and is known as "all waste from the neck down". The most energetic of the four was Caspar, who exercised and studied 20 hours a day. Relying on his night vision ability, he is also energetic and energetic at night. Now that he is young and has accepted the position of lieutenant of the personal guard, he has a bright future, but he says words similar to that of a tired middle-aged man, which makes Parsifal have to sigh.

(The Roland affair really hit him hard.) ）

Parsifal thought to himself, handing the other side a cup of coffee.

"If you think about it, the backgrounds of the four of us were so different, and it was incredible that we could come together. ”

Slowly adding milk to the coffee, a masochistic smile appeared on Caspar's face.

"yes. ”

Parsifal responded, worried. Eyebrows furrowed slightly.

Roland, who has the richest life course, is driven forward by his inferiority complex. Tristan, who is bound by the gravity of "home", and Parsifal, who wants to live a stable life, is indeed a wonderful fate to be able to come together.

Can...... Isn't it a bit out of place to feel this now?

(It's like-)

Parsifal hesitated to voice his fears, and before he could assemble a suitable language, Caspar spat out words that terrified him.

"The guys in the military school were arguing about the merits of the four of us. I've heard about it a few times. The general public opinion is that each has its own strengths and can give full play to their talents in the right position. This is certainly true, but also a nonsense. As long as you get a position that suits you, basically everyone can give full play to it, but what is the right place for you? Tristan wants to be a general so that he can shine in his family. You want a stable life, but you have become a combat hero by mistake, and I believe that you can become the most famous fleet admiral in the future. In the end, the only one who really embarked on the path that suited him and met the expectations of that adult was Roland. ”

"This ......"

"I'm afraid Roland himself didn't even notice it. From the very beginning, the consul's expectation of him was 'rebellious Roland—to raise with his own hands a qualified, strong enough enemy to satisfy the consul. ”

It was a dangerous statement that could be called a great disrespect, and it was also a restless speculation that had settled in Parsifal's deepest heart.

Looking at Li Lin's cultivation, suppression, connivance, and teaching of Roland for more than ten years, it is obviously beyond the scope of a normal adoptive father's care for his children, and the direction is not correct. It is difficult for ordinary people to understand the behavior of the archons, and they can only explain it by saying that "the transcendent species is different from us" and "the way in which the divine will agent is brought up can we ordinary people understand". But if you change the perspective and change the label of the cultivation object from "adopted son" to "opponent", except for "reason", everything seems reasonable.

This speculation is too crazy and too dangerous, and it has been buried deep in Parsifal's heart for a long time, and now it has been debunked by Caspar. After recovering from the initial shock, Parsifal looked nervously around, as if Stasi's detective or tape recorder was lurking under the vents or floors.

"This is your ship, there's no need to be so nervous, as long as no one reports it, there will be no problems. Will you denounce me?"

Parsifal shook his head. After a few laughs out loud, Caspar made a pleasant expression that opened up another crazy topic.

"There is a great opportunity in this operation...... No, I should say that I will definitely meet that guy. Isn't that nice? Except Tristan, almost all of them came. You'd love to know how far that guy had grown and how far we could fight him. ”

"It's not funny at all. ”

"No, it's not a joke. You are also well aware that as military men, we must obey orders and fight for our country. As long as you raise your sword against Yalfheim and the Archon, you are the enemy. Hit the enemy, kill the enemy, it's that simple!"

Caspar's voice is not too high, and the tone is also in the category of calm. Parsifal, however, clearly felt that beneath the seemingly contemplative appearance of his friend, "something" had detached itself from its original framework.

"You're drunk, Caspar. ”

"I'm not drunk, and I won't get drunk with coffee. ”

"You're drunk. It's not because of alcohol or coffee, 'get someone to admit that your dreams have made you intoxicated.' ”

“......”

Looking directly at the speechless Caspar, Parsifal let out a long sigh.

"That's right. Rather than defeating Roland himself, the adult's acknowledgment is what you really want. You've always come with that in mind. Whether this thinking is right or wrong, I am not in a position to judge. As long as it is an intelligent being, there must always be a goal to pursue, and this thing itself can even be said to be very beautiful. However, dreams and goals are not the same thing, and dreams will always wake up. After you defeat Roland, that person still puts you out of sight, what should you do? Do you want to aim for that person this time, even if it is self-destruction, as long as you are noticed by the other party?"

It is precisely because of his indifferent personality to fame and fortune that Parsifal can stand at a distance of a step back and calmly observe his best friends. Friends who take chasing dreams and practicing ideals for granted may not be aware of it, but Parsifal has always believed that in the various competitions between Caspar and Roland, Caspar's focus is hardly a victory or defeat, and it does not seem to be a process. Over time, in Caspar's declaration to join the Guard, and in his subsequent words and deeds, Parsifal accurately deduced the secret in Caspar's heart.

If he were a psychiatrist, he might be able to formulate a treatment for this delicate psychological problem, and then implement it with patience and perseverance. But he is a soldier, maybe the top mind in the defense army can speculate on the hearts of others, but he can't make others open their hearts easily, not to mention that the other party doesn't mean that.

"That's the end of the conversation. I already know what you mean. It's not long before it's time to fight, and I want to prepare for it first. ”

"Wait a minute, Caspar, I'm still ......"

"I promise you, when this battle is over, I will seriously consider your words. ”

With a dashing salute, Caspar turned and left the captain's room, without hesitation separating Parsifal's words from his outstretched hand that he was trying to hold.

The conversation was over, and Parsifal, who sat down, stared blankly at the untouched and gradually cooling coffee, and after a full minute, he scratched his hair in frustration and began to talk to himself.

"It's like this all of them...... Can't you just talk well?"

The general words of complaint evaporated in the captain's room, ignoring people's thoughts and feelings, and time went on. There is 1 hour and 19 minutes left before the start of the "Night of the Long Knife". (To be continued......)