Iron Powder and Spellcasters

   Chapter 320 Father and Son

   "What's the matter?" Seeing that Winters was holding the doorknob and didn't move, Moritz's expression was a little complicated: "You came back to me, don't you just want me to help you beat the thunder..."

   Winters replied sternly: "Of course not. The information about the unidentified spell user still has to be explained by you."

   "This day will come sooner or later." Moritz chuckled lightly and said leisurely, "I can't escape."

Lieutenant Colonel    seems to be magnanimous, but in fact he has completely given up his struggle, commonly known as - a dead mouse is not afraid of cold.

   couldn't escape, Winters bit the bullet and knocked on the door.

   A mellow male voice came from the room: "Please come in."

   Winters pushed open the door stiffly, greeting as calmly and lightly as possible: "Colonel Bucca Chino...your pseudonym is so random."

   Lieutenant Colonel Moritz, who followed behind and entered the door, stood upright and solemnly raised his hand to salute: "Lieutenant General."

   The Vice Admiral of the Republic of Veneta, Antonio Serti bowed his head in return, then looked at Winters.

   When did the father realize that his son was already on his own? We don't know.

   But there must be some chance, the male lion realizes that the cub has grown to a full mane, and the father realizes that the son has grown up.

  When that moment inevitably came, not only relief and joy, but also sadness and anger poured into my father’s heart.

  Some fathers choose to hug calmly, and some fathers can't bear it for a lifetime.

This is how    Antonio looked at Winters Montagne, from left to right, from head to feet.

   It is as if a blacksmith is watching the most proud blade he has built in his life, and it is as if a lion is watching its challenger.

   Winters was a little uncomfortable to see, and he also stood at attention and gave a proper salute.

  Antonio didn't return the salute. He put his hand on Winters' shoulder, with all kinds of emotions, and said with relief: "Alas... I'm old."

   Winters, the little bastard, couldn't understand Antonio's emotions. He is still young, like the rising sun, and has never been a father.

  Unless one day, he was defeated by the children he brought up - Anglo, Ciel, Bell -, he could only realize one ten thousandth of the turbulence in Antonio's heart at this moment.

   But unfortunately, the little guys have not yet reached the "rebellious period", and when they see Winters, they are as honest as a puppy, and they only know how to wag their tails. Naturally Winters couldn't understand Antonio either.

   A son who ignores his father's rare sentimentality is an asshole.

   "You...don't do this." Winters was embarrassed: "The lieutenant colonel has something to report to you."

   Having said that, Winters looked at Moritz with pleading eyes. The message in those eyes is very clear: help!

   Moritz knew very well the reason why he was specially brought here.

   He took a half step back and asked politely, "General, I'll visit later?"

  The room was completely quiet.

   "No need." Antonio waved his hand, took his seat at the table, and motioned for Winters and Moritz to sit too.

   Winters breathed a sigh of relief.

  Antonio said a word to Winters when he was very young. The specific words Winters had forgotten, only remembered that the meaning was probably "we are men, and there is no exchange of emotions between men."

  Antonio did it, and Winters learned it too.

  The ascetic military academy education reinforces this - in a society composed solely of men, soft guys are to be bullied.

   Therefore, in the face of his adoptive father's sudden emotional revelation, Winters was a little at a loss.

   He had imagined many situations in advance, but never thought that Antonio would say "Alas, I'm old".

  Fortunately, the hardest part has been passed. Winters sat down and told Antonio about his experience after leaving the Chihe Department - deleting some of the more arrogant parts.

   Winters carefully paid attention to Antonio's expression as he spoke.

   He was actually very scared. He was afraid that his adoptive father would disapprove and say, "Aren't you just playing a house?"

   Winters didn't care how others judged him—or rather, he chose not to. But he wanted the approval of his adoptive father, even the tiniest compliment.

  Antonio made no judgments, he just listened patiently, nodded from time to time, and occasionally asked questions.

  The only praise Antonio gave was: "Your soldiers are good, although the equipment and training are poor, but the spirit is very good."

After the story of    Winters was finished, Antonio looked at Moritz: "Unidentified spell user, in Iron Peak County?"

"Yes." Moritz's tone became very formal: "The expression of the unnatural phenomenon is consistent with the situation described in the [Red Iwo Island Report]. It is speculated that the Teltown Division can dominate high-level spell users. ."

   Winters heard an unfamiliar phrase: "Report on Red Iwo Jima."

   He looked at his adoptive father and his old boss, and it was obvious that he was the only one in the room who didn't know what the [Red Iwo Island Report] was.

   Moritz continued: "But it's strange that in the next two major battles, the Teltown Division did not receive any support from high-level spell users."

   Lieutenant Colonel Moritz Van Nessau disappeared after learning that "a wave that appeared out of nowhere overturned the Iron Peaks fleet".

   To be precise, Moritz began to move freely, no longer following Mason's deployment, and no longer providing direct support to the Iron Peak Army.

  Mason was initially annoyed, half-jokingly, half-complainingly saying that "the lieutenant colonel has gone hunting".

   Winters understands Moritz's decision, because he feels the same.

  While direct combat spell users are also terrifying, unknown spell users are the most dangerous.

  Any high-value target that appears in front of a hidden spell user is likely to be killed without even reacting.

   Therefore, in the main battle with the fire roaster, Winters did not participate in the assault until the last moment. Afterwards, Bard was so angry that he was about to go crazy, and even Ciel was taught a lesson.

   Considering that there may be spell users in Teltown, Bard firmly forbids Winters from participating in any actions that might expose him, and Winters also wrote a letter of guarantee.

   Of course, it turns out that the guarantee is waste paper - Bud is not there, Mason is not there, who can control the blood wolf?

  Antonio pondered and asked: "Is it possible that they are the priests of the Hurd tribes? Divine magic?"

"It's possible. But judging from the actual performance, it's more likely to be a magician. A spell caster in the province, or..." Moritz paused for a moment and slowly said a proper noun: "[Oath-Breaker]. "

​​​​​

"Yes."

  The content of the conversation between the adoptive father and the lieutenant colonel has entered Winters' uncharted territory. He can guess it, but he still wants to hear more.

   But the conversation between Antonio and Moritz is over.

  Antonio looked at Winters, and Winters was nervous, and quickly changed the subject: "I know a person, that person should know the inside story of Teltown! He also knows the details of spell users."

   "Oh? Who?"

   "The consultant of the fire roaster, he usually walks in the Terdun Khan tent as an interpreter." Winters tried to recall the other party's name, and quickly gave up: "As for the real name... I don't know for the time being."

   "Where are the people?

   "It may be among the prisoners, it may still be absconding, or it may be dead." Winters said firmly: "But he will never be able to leave Iron Peak County, just between the two rivers."

Winters then explained: "The man speaks the common language very well, and he is an old man who can be seen everywhere. Unknown whereabouts. But sooner or later he will be caught - live to see people, dead to see corpses."

   The room was quiet again, and Antonio shook his head: "We'll talk about those things later, but let's talk about you first."

"I am even more surprised that you appeared in Iron Peak County." Winters couldn't fully accept it until now, and even seemed to be dreaming: "What about the Third Legion? The situation with the Union Province has eased? You... What the **** are you doing? come here?"

   "I'm not coming." Antonio sighed: "Who else can take you?"

  Oops, Winters is worried.

   "You kid, you're so cruel." Antonio looked at Winters reproachfully: "Throw your sister and your aunt in Hailan, you... What do you want me to say about you?"

   Winters bowed his head, unable to answer.

   What he was most afraid of finally came. Until this moment, he could still convince himself that "Ocean blue is all right".

   But when the adoptive father really came to him and questioned him, he couldn't give any answer.

  If Antonio says "follow me home".

How to do?

  If Antonio asks "Are the Platoons more important than your family?"

   What should we do?

   He might really go back to Veneta with his adoptive father, because to Winters Montagne, nothing is more important than family—nothing.

   But he can't leave Tiefeng County, he can't leave, at least not now.

  So until that moment came, Winters didn't know what choice he would make, and he could only hope that his adoptive father would not say that.

  Moritz resigned tactfully: "I'll visit later."

   Winters grabbed the lieutenant colonel, speaking slowly and hard: "I can't go...at least not now."

   "Why?" Antonio asked.

"Lieutenant Colonel Moritz can testify." Winters looked at his adoptive father pleadingly, like a young child who knew he had made a mistake: "It's not that I am proud of myself, it is the fact that if I leave now, Iron Peak will be completely It's over!"

   "A county will not collapse because one person leaves." Antonio's eyes were stern: "Return Tiefeng County to the New Reclamation Army, they have the ability to take over."

"The New Field Legion will not forgive my subordinates, and the New Field Legion will not honor my promise." Winters stubbornly pushed back: "The New Field Legion can't be as good as I do... They are not The lack of ability, but the inability to do what I did."

  Moritz sighed and said seriously to the lieutenant general: "I agree to a certain extent with what Captain Montagne said."

"There are still a lot of things, I haven't finished." One side of the scale is the family, the other side is the corpse of the battlefield, Winters is about to be torn to pieces: "Those who died in battle, their survivors have not yet received pensions The warriors who have been living in the wasteland have not been redeemed. I burned the Lower Tiefeng County to the ground, and I smashed the Middle Tiefeng County to pieces... At least they should be restored to their original appearance..."

  Antonio looked at his son: "It's not your responsibility."

"It's my duty! I sent them into battle, I sent them to die. I knew they would die! The flanks must have been a massacre, and I left them there - I knew the Terdons would Kill them, I knew from the beginning." The scars in his heart that never healed were opened little by little, and Winters' body was shaking violently: "Those people, they went to war because they trusted me, but I did What, I fed their flesh to the wolves..."

  Antonio wanted to hug his son, but he couldn't.

   "You can't cry," Antonio said. "If you're going to go this way, you can't cry."

He was silent for a long time, and then slowly began to tell: "The old marshal told us a joke, he said, 'The saying tells the general to love the soldiers like their sons, and the soldiers will be willing to die for you. But if the general really loves his sons He loves the soldiers just as much, how could he have the heart to let them go to war'?"

   "We were all laughing at that time." Antonio also smiled, his thoughts gradually immersed in memories: "Your father is also laughing, and I am also laughing."

   "But now, child." Antonio looked at Winters with unspeakable pain in his eyes: "I regret letting you go down this road."

  …

   At the same time, on the other side of the Shady Mountains, the heart of the empire - the Palace of Worryless.

The news of    victory has been sent back to the Eternal City, and colorful flags are hung in the streets and alleys of the city to celebrate the victory.

   Thirteen pennants were tied to each rope across the street, representing the thirteen victories the Imperial Army had won in the north in more than two years.

  The bells of the churches also struck thirteen times in unison, calling the faithful to come and watch the Victory Mass.

  The grand banquet hall of the Wuxuan Palace is brightly lit and full of flowers. The court nobles of all sizes gather here to offer congratulations to His Majesty the great emperor.

   And these are just early celebrations, because the winner has not yet returned to the Eternal City,

  When the generals return with their trophies and captives, there will be a grander and more magnificent triumphal and captive offering.

   His Majesty will come to the Colosseum in a splendid chariot of four white horses, and the banners, weapons and treasures of the barbarians will be thrown under his steps.

   Then there will be an endless feast that will go down in history, where everyone who takes part will receive a gift.

   So regardless of nobles and commoners, everyone in the Eternal City is looking forward to a fantastic grand triumph.

   Victory was played in the grand banquet hall, and the protagonist of the banquet was alone in the small office when the thorns were intertwined.

   The door opened a crack.

   "Your Majesty." Count Narzia was outside the door: "His Royal Highness has come down."

   There is no need for any action from the emperor, Count Narzia has already understood His Majesty's thoughts.

The door    opened completely, and a young man entered the room.

   Just look at his appearance. The young man is an imposing young man, tall, handsome, and dashing. His demeanor and demeanor show that he grew up in a favorable environment.

   That's all, after all, he is still young, and in an empire where beards represent masculinity, it is always difficult to act without a hair on the lips.

   But when people know who the father of the youth is, when people know that the youth is the legal heir of the empire, this young man who is less than twenty years old becomes sacred and inviolable in an instant.

   But what is interesting is that if the old man in the oil painting is nine points similar to the emperor in front of the portrait, then there is only one point left for the young people.

  People say that it is because the bloodline of the queen family is too strong. Of course, there are also darker rumors quietly spreading in the sewers.

  The door was completely closed, leaving only the father and son alone.

  The room was very dark, only one light was lit.

   The young prince narrowed his eyes, but did not dare to raise his head to face his father behind the desk: "Your Majesty."

   "Come here." The emperor said.

   The young prince took a few steps forward.

   "Come beside me." The people in the lamp shadow seem to be laughing.

The prince    was a little surprised and walked steadily to the desk.

  Although the emperor was still stern in the face of the prince, the prince was keenly aware that his father had become a little emotional at this moment... a little bit.

  The emperor stood up, and under his command, the young prince took the emperor's seat.

   is not a throne, the coronation throne is placed in the main hall.

   Anyone who is close to the supreme power knows that this extremely simple chair in the small office in the corner of the Wuxuan Palace truly represents the supreme power in charge of the empire.

   "How do you feel?" the emperor asked with great interest.

   The young prince moved uneasily: "It's hard."

   "It's really hard, and it's very hard." The emperor seemed to be talking about high **** today, and even explained to his son: "But if you use a soft pad, you will sweat for a long time, and it will be very wet and uncomfortable."

  The emperor looked pleasant, but his son became more and more frightened.

  A great father is the biggest obstacle to his son. In the eyes of the young prince, the divine side of the father far outweighs the human side, and he is more used to that side.

   But when the **** became a man, when the emperor became a father, the young prince was a little uncomfortable.

  The emperor's fingertips ran across the dents on the desk and engraved: "The material of this desk comes from a warship, and it was only used for daily office use by my father."

  The prince's eyes swept across the table, not only the ink stains, but also the crooked letters engraved by the young children, it is a very old desk.

"Since I can remember, my father." The emperor looked at the old man behind the desk: "Sit here to work. From dawn to night. At noon, he will take a walk in the garden. After dinner, he will Go for a walk in the street."

Of course, the Prince    has heard the story of the Emperor, but the part he is more familiar with is that since a failed assassination, the Emperor's walk no longer leaves the Wuxu Palace.

   "It is like this every day. If he is not patrolling or fighting, if he is not meeting his vassals, he will work here." The emperor looked at his son: "It is like this every day. He will not rest until very late."

   Was the first emperor very diligent in politics? The prince didn't know very well.

   "But do you know what people call him?" asked the emperor.

   asked what the prince knew, but the prince dared not answer.

  The emperor said calmly: "Richard, lunatic."

  Richard IV, the mad emperor who lost all his territory south of the Shady Mountains, no one knows, no one knows.

"When I was young, people called my father a warrior, a handsome man, and a pious one. But when he died, people called him a madman." The emperor asked: "What do you think people will call me after I die? ?"

   "Great Emperor," replied the Prince.

   "No." The emperor laughed: "They will call me - Henry, the one who slaughtered relatives and betrayed the sacred oath."

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   (end of this chapter)