Iron Powder and Spellcaster

"To the proudest Tanilia!" A rough male voice drowned out the noise.

"To the most noble Venetta!" responded another part of the hall.

The banquet hall was very lively and full of joy as people exchanged glasses of wine and exchanged glasses.

In the deserted corridor in the corner of the hall, Andrea Cellini sat carelessly on the window sill and spat contemptuously on the mirror-smooth marble floor tiles.

"I'm really fucking fucked by a flying giant." Andre tilted his neck and poured half a glass of strong liquor down his throat: "Didn't the man with backbone, Tani, have to be fucked to death by us? He's just thinking about how to kill us. Has Debella's brain been soaked in donkey urine? Do you expect to defend the archipelago with this weakling?"

After a year of hard work on the battlefield, Andre's conversation was exactly like that of the rudest veterans.

"I never thought you, a dog like you, could spit out some wise words." Bud sat on the floor against the wall, sipping the honey brew, and said in a neutral tone: "But you have to use some local people, and you don't have to choose. .”

Bard, a child who grew up in a monastery and was once a "bishop", is now stained with blood and fire.

Although his temperament is still as honest and gentle as before, Bud's expression occasionally reveals a certain numbness and sharpness that is used to life and death.

Andre glanced at Winters and said impatiently: "Don't touch it. There's nothing on your chin. I've been touching it all afternoon. Seeing you touching it here and there makes me want to touch it." ”

Winters ignored Andre and was still rubbing his bare chin. Although the beard he had grown for half a year was not too long, it was suddenly shaved clean, which made Warrant Officer Montagne feel that something was missing.

This is a high-level cocktail party, and being invited here to warrant officers is a sign of condescension from the attendees. Therefore, no one came to them to have a drink and have fun, and Winters and others were happy to be quiet.

Before attending this cocktail party, the warrant officers took a good bath, carefully trimmed their beards and hair, and put on brand-new starched military uniforms. They all looked tall, straight, and heroic.

Only Bud was still wearing his washed-out student uniform.

In fact, after this year's war, Bard also saved a small amount of money by sharing the profits and spoils. But instead of using the money to make military uniforms, he found a way to send it all to his parents.

So he still only has this set of student uniforms, and he resolutely refuses to accept loans offered by his friends.

However, when Gerald's Bud was still an officer cadet, he never felt admirable when walking among his classmates wearing this old suit. Not to mention that after a year of fighting and going through life and death several times, he didn't even care about these external things.

Winters and Andre had no choice but to let him.

The bottle of wine was quickly consumed, and Andre stretched out his hand to signal the waiter to bring the wine.

Bud joked: "You scold others so harshly, but in the end, you are not polite at all when you drink their wine."

"Drink. Damn it! If you don't drink, it's all for nothing!" Andre poured out the last bit of wine at the bottom of the bottle: "This is my humble and glorious resistance. Not only do I have to drink, I also have to bring two bottles with me. Let’s go!”

Bud waved his hand: "Okay, okay, don't worry, Debella will definitely be able to hear your unyielding cry in her dreams."

The waiter did not come, but Alves Marcello came over with two wine bottles. Marcello uncorked the bottles and poured half a glass of wine for Andre. He said with a smile: "You guys are good at hiding." quiet."

Alves Marcello was also a contemporary of Winters, a trainee officer and a warrant officer. It's just that he came from the artillery department.

The people in the artillery department...were not very close to the people in the infantry and cavalry departments, mainly because they didn't have classes together.

In walking and riding subjects, there are many "big courses" taught in one classroom. Therefore, most of the officers and cadets in the infantry and cavalry departments were familiar with each other. On the contrary, even though they were all from Veneta, they were just acquaintances with the artillery department.

But after fighting side by side for a year, even strangers have become brothers, so Marcello and Winters are now very familiar.

After pouring wine for Andre, Marcello poured wine for Winters.

Winters stretched out his hand and asked, "What are you artillery people talking about there? It's quite lively."

"Don't you know?" Marcelo was a little surprised: "It's spread all over the artillery."

"Know what?" Winters was confused.

"Hey, let me tell you..." Marcello said mysteriously: "...do you remember those heavy cannons on Red Sulfur Island? Those big 32-pounders."

Of course Winters remembered those powerful weapons that were placed on the fort in the middle of Red Sulfur Bay and could sink a galley with one shot.

"What's wrong?" Winters was even more puzzled: "Didn't those heavy cannons be used when fighting Gusa?"

"Yes, those heavy artillery." Marcello nodded and continued: "According to the Tani guys who have joined us, the Federation still does not have the ability to cast such heavy artillery. The biggest ones they can produce are two A thousand-pound twelve-pound cannon.”

"That's just what I bought. There's nothing strange about it." Andre said disapprovingly.

"Who sold them?" Marcello immediately asked: "Those thirty-two-pound cannons are giants of four or five thousand pounds. Their craftsmanship is extremely exquisite, and their inner bores are smooth and flat. There are not even a few blisters. They can cast such There are only a few arsenals for cannons around the inland sea."

Andre was already impatient: "Old Ma, just say what you mean and don't do these roundabout things..."

Bard pulled Andre and signaled him to be calm, and asked with a frown: "You mean, in order to deal with Veneta, someone specially provided those cannons to the Tanirians?"

"Yes, that's what it means." Marcello said with certainty: "After Covilian heard these things, he went to check it out. According to him, there were no inscriptions on those cannons. I didn't notice it before, but now it's obvious It was deliberately worn away. Not only the heavy artillery on Red Sulfur Island, but also the other heavy artillery that made us suffer a lot, and the coastal defense heavy artillery that we finally captured were also like this."

"This is interesting." Winters asked thoughtfully: "When were those cannons sent to Tanilia?"

"I don't know the specific time." Marcello shook his head: "Tani said that Edward Kenway personally handled it...but it must have been before we set off from Haidong Port. By the way, it is said that William Kidd was also Kenway. A powerful person."

"Does he have to think about this?" Andre shouted angrily: "It must be those country bumpkins from the United Provinces who gave it to the Tani guys! Didn't the Victory Arsenal go through a fire before we went home? There must be someone there. He's causing trouble! He's a bastard! He's trying his best to mess with us... Well, Bud, I'm not talking about you."

"Stop speculating without evidence!" Winters hurriedly stopped Andre from talking: "The people of the Federation are not so stupid as to burn down their own arsenal and half of it just to send a few cannons to the Federation. The capital, right? We are going to Guitu City by boat tomorrow. Don’t say these things in front of people from the United Provinces, otherwise they will find a reason to detain you and you will suffer.”

Bud nodded with deep understanding, and Andre snorted dissatisfiedly, but said no more.

"Old Ma, tell your contemporaries not to mention this matter when you get to Guitu City." Winters looked at Marcello again: "When we get back from the United Provinces, we will have plenty of time to investigate slowly. William Kidd is not Are you still alive? That guy knows a lot. I don’t believe he can’t find out if you examine him carefully. We went to Guitu City just to give him a title, so it’s best not to add any extraneous details.”

"I understand, I understand." Marcello nodded with a smile, clinked glasses with Winters, and went back to the small circle of artillery officers.

When Marcello walked away, Andre said angrily: "I can guess with my butt where Tani's cannons come from. Veneta, the United Provinces, and the Empire are the only three old arsenals. I'm sure It can't be from us. If it wasn't given by the people from the United Provinces, could it be given by the 'Oathbreakers' to the Tani people? Gan!"

[Note: "The Oathbreaker" is a derogatory nickname for the current emperor Henry III, because he broke his oath and executed his own brother and all his blood during the War of Succession. So much so that Henry III's mother "Mary of Lothair" and grandfather "Winfred, Duke of Lothair" refused to see him again until his death. ]

[Also note: Henry the "Oathbreaker"'s father was Richard the Madman, and none of the monarchs in the entire Sun Dynasty had a good nickname. ]

This time, Winters did not stop Andre. He just looked at the mead in the cup and said, "It doesn't matter who gave it to me. The Tanirian Federation has been eaten clean and the war is over. It's done." After becoming a regular officer, I will find a safe casual position and work as a gangster until I reach the rank of colonel and retire."

"There were more than thirty of us when we came out of Guitu City, but only about twenty came back. Many classmates didn't even make it to the day when they were officially awarded the title. Destiny is really unpredictable." Bud murmured road.

"I now hope that there really is a place like heaven." Winters said softly: "I hope that every dead comrade can be there now."

"It doesn't really matter whether you have it or not, as long as you believe it does." Bud said leisurely.

Andre sneered when he heard this.

Winters drank the mead in the glass, wiped his mouth and replied expressionlessly: "If I can deceive myself, do I need to say such stupid things?"

…

…

The trainee officers of Veneta set out directly from the archipelago and crossed the inland sea to Guitu City. After being awarded the title, they will return to Hailan and wait for their official appointment.

As for Winters, no matter what he thinks, he does benefit from nepotism. Because Antonio has already thought of a place for Winters to go.

Before leaving, his adoptive father lovingly said to Winters: "If you don't want to be on the front line, then go teach. Venetta is going to open her own military school, and the school will always be cleaner anyway."

Teaching? Winters was a little confused...but maybe it was also interesting?

With a feeling of uneasiness, Winters walked down the familiar yet unfamiliar Guitu City Pier.

Everything in front of me was completely different. The fire that swept through half of the city a year ago burned everything, leaving only a pile of blackened stones.

But it cannot be destroyed, and new cities are springing up on the ashes of the old ones.

The Victory Arsenal, which occupied most of the port area, was driven to the outskirts of the city and became an independent small town.

You must know that the relocation of the Victory Arsenal was not completed after more than ten years. In the end, like a conquering king severing the knot of Gerdion, a fire solved all the problems.

The fire tornado burned the arsenal until nothing was left, and the last tools and raw materials were easily taken away by more than a dozen horse-drawn carriages.

The current port area is no longer an "onion" structure covered with layers. Reasonably planned buildings have replaced the original wild growth of the city. The winding alleys have become horizontal and vertical stone roads, and they are also paved. Drainage channel.

Winters and his contemporaries could hardly recognize the rapidly changing city of Guitu before them.

But the joy of returning to his "second hometown" was quickly diluted. Because of the tension between the United Provinces and Veneta, Veneta trainee officers were closely supervised from the first moment they set foot on the land of the United Provinces.

They were not allowed to move freely or visit the "New Guitu City". The Veneta people were taken directly back to the dormitories of the Army Officer Academy and were not even allowed to move freely on the campus. Even Bader, a native of the United Provinces, was no exception.

"Fuck you! You treat us as prisoners..." Andre cursed and paced back and forth in the dormitory.

Winters didn't feel angry. He lay back on his bed comfortably... This was a wonderful feeling. Winters spent thousands of nights in this bed, and he was extremely familiar with this bed. He was familiar with the broken boards, the scratches on the headboard, and the blackened spots from the fire.

It seemed as if he could fall asleep as soon as he closed his eyes now.

He opened his eyes and saw a familiar face.

"Ike!" Winters shouted in surprise.

Axel was also so happy that he punched Winters, and the two hugged each other.

When he learned that the Veneta students were returning to school, Axel rushed over as soon as possible, and other students from the United Provinces also came.

There is discord between the Veneta Republic and the United Provinces Republic, but this has nothing to do with the military cadets, and it will not affect the friendship between the classmates.

Marshal Ned's idea seemed to come true at this moment. Veneta students and United Province students gathered together, laughing and playing, as if they were back in school.

"Oh my god! What's wrong with you? You're too haggard." Axel looked at Winters' slim face and couldn't help but smacked his lips with emotion.

"Really?" Winters looked around at his contemporaries in the dormitory.

The students from the joint provinces were rosy-cheeked and in high spirits. In comparison, Veneta's classmates looked tired and haggard, but also more mature and experienced.

Several names were asked, but the Veneta people's expressions became sad when they heard these names - those people had died in Tanilia.

"I think your swordsmanship has been abandoned, right?" Axel said enthusiastically, "How about we compete again now?"

"Forget it, I admit defeat. It has indeed been a long time since I practiced." Winters laughed a few times and decisively raised his hands in surrender. He thought: But now I have a better gun.

"By the way, how is Teacher Christian? Are you okay?" Winters suddenly remembered the director of the Spellcaster Teaching and Research Department, and he had a question he urgently wanted to ask.

Axel shook his head when he heard this: "No, he was dismissed from his post and his mental state is not very good. The Ministry of War ordered him to self-examine at home. He is currently under house arrest in the instructor's apartment of the military academy. How about I take you there? Look at him?"

"I would like to go." Winters said with a wry smile, "But I can't get out of this door."

The trainee officers from Veneta were confined to the dormitory, but this problem did not trouble Axel.

Because there is a paradox in the supervision system: there are no redundant manpower in the military academy, so who is watching Winters and the others now? He's Winters' junior...

Axel glared, and the junior military cadets guarding outside the dormitory obediently moved out of the way.

On the way to Christian's faculty apartment, Winters and Axel passed a lifeless two-story single-family building.

Winters suddenly stopped - because this is the former residence of General Antoine Laurent.

"What's wrong?" Axel also stopped and asked doubtfully.

"Nothing, I suddenly remembered the previous owner of this place." Winters replied.

Looking at the dilapidated house in front of him, Winters thought to himself: "Yes, this is where Sophia stole the notes."

Winters approached the small building to take a closer look, but the doors and windows were boarded shut and nothing could be seen inside the house, so he had to leave with regret.

In the staff apartments, Winters met Christian Huygens.

He already knew something about it from his chat with Ike. Although it has not been admitted to the outside world, the Federal Ministry of War has identified Christian as the absolute person responsible for the "Fire Dragon Burning the City" a year ago.

Although the order to use the spellcaster to change the direction of the wind was not given by Christian, he was the one who took the blame.

It's just that as a senior spell caster, how to deal with Christian is a headache for the Federal Army Department.

The caster cannot be killed or punished.

Therefore, the slap on Christian's body was light. At present, he is only dismissed from his position and reflects at home. As for whether to send him to a military court, it is said that the superiors are still studying it.

But the problem now is: Christian's mental state seems to have some problems.

At least that's what Winters thinks.

The teacher Christian in front of him no longer looked like a soldier at all, he was unkempt and unkempt. It was obviously the hot season of midsummer, but Christian was tightly wrapped in a robe and wearing a pair of plush slippers. As for what he was wearing under the robe, whether he was wearing it or not, Winters couldn't even imagine.

Christian's residence also didn't look like a place where people lived. The small faculty apartment was filled with experimental equipment, and scraps of paper full of handwriting were everywhere.

The craziest thing is that these draft papers are not thrown randomly on the ground, but are laid out on the ground one by one. They even cut out appropriate shapes for the table legs and wall corners, as if they have laid a paper carpet on the floor. .

Winters didn't dare to go in the door for fear of disturbing the neat square of manuscript papers.

"Oh...it's you! Please come in, please come in." Christian welcomed Winters and Axel warmly. It's just that he seemed to be sleepwalking, his eyes were straight, and he was walking without looking at the ground.

Winters and Ike looked at each other.

Winters thought: Instructor Christian might be crazy.

Axel thought to himself: Teacher Christian is getting even crazier.

Unable to bear the teacher's warm invitation, the two of them walked into Christian's apartment cautiously.

"Welcome." Christian said while making tea for the guests using two cups that contained unknown contents: "I haven't had a guest for a long time."

"Please drink." He placed two cups of tea in front of Winters and Axel, and wrapped his robe tightly around him.

Winters and Axel didn't dare to drink. They held the cup handle and didn't dare to put it to their mouths.

"Please drink." Christian asked warmly: "Please drink."

Winters' strong self-rescue instinct saved him. He looked at the scratch paper on the table and suddenly had an idea. Put down the tea cup, pick up the scratch paper and read it carefully.

Seeing Winters looking at his draft with full concentration, Christian stopped talking, just wrapped his robe tightly and sat on the stool, shaking constantly.

After watching for a while, Winters raised his head and asked doubtfully: "Sir, are you currently studying the truth behind the fire dragon burning the city?"

"No wonder." Axel suddenly realized, and he thought to himself: "Teacher Christian must have a hard time letting go of being fired because of the fire dragon burning the city. He was so depressed that he eventually suffered from mental problems. It's really pitiful."

"No." Christian said in shock: "That was my research project nine months ago. I already know the truth about the fire dragon burning the city."

Thank you to the book friends who have voted for recommendation before, and to book friends writersblock, book friend 20200911140329006, Ami, Xiaocheng Boyang, Tianxia World, Calmly Gray, and Yun Zhongyue 1981 for their recommendation votes. Thank you all.

I directly deleted a paragraph in the second chapter of the first volume and it was very confusing. After a paragraph was deleted, the context suddenly changed. I had no choice but to repost the article, not sure if I could avoid the Ministry of Truth. The truth-seeking Fengjing was murdered...