Butterfly in the storm > Chapter 3 A slightly capricious hero 4

Chapter 3 A slightly capricious hero 4



    xv

    ***-***-***-** *-***

    August 9th, 2006 (mday+130), the first district of the central area

  ;   ***-***-***-***-***

    Freedom Clock Knock Ring, ring, ring.

    It is calling all citizens to move toward the first district of Lenny.

    but it’s over, Anne Sefir thinks.

     After watching the battles in several districts, she didn’t feel that there would be any change in the ring of freedom. The Free Army has lost its organizational structure and will to fight. Even if it is temporarily convened, they have no time and manpower to reorganize the army.

     "If I commanded the emperor, if I rush there, I will be able to get the last hope of the Free Army."

    From the whole city, the scattered Free Army small units gathered from the bells, but they have to face the imperial forwards who are prepared and are sharpening their swords .

    There will be no suspense in the ending.

    "The Bell of Liberty. The horn of the Freedom of War, the last hope of the Free Country Community. The first time I heard it ringing, it seems to be in DeLand." Br />
    The bell she only heard once. It was in her time, the Holy Coman Empire, the capital of DeLand, two hundred years later. The continental war sweeping the entire civilized world is going on until the third year.

    This is also a late night.

     That night, the bell of freedom seized from Lennie rang in the emperor. The bullet of the submachine gun hit the clock face and gave a crisp and pleasant sound. The survivors of the commando retreated to there and went with the clock of freedom; but they completed the task.

    The same is a war that sweeps across the entire civilized world, and is also a huge fortress city. It was also a catch-up fire. Everything around, as if seduce her memories.

    The chariot of steel smashed the tarmac of the city, and half of the cities were immersed in the flames, such as the end of the world. The weapons and magic they use are much more advanced than this era, but the fire at the time of the disaster is no different.

    At that time she was a little girl who was only ten years old. She only remembers that the father who served in the military suddenly returned home, opening up his longest collection, and the last remaining bottle of wine, drinking in the middle of the night.

    Annie has forgotten her father’s appearance, but she always remembers the behavior of her father that night. He repeated only one sentence: "The Prime Minister is dead, it is over."

    She always remembers that expression. That expression that is desperate for everything.

    "Probably similar to my current expression?"

    After that, she already The father who even forgot the ministers left their daughters and ran away with the elf female intelligence officer to San Sen, and never appeared again.

    He probably thinks that losing the prime minister’s empire has no more hope.

    This is true. That was the most successful raid in the entire war. The war situation has indeed turned sharply since then, and the fiasco of one after another has straightened the battle line, bent and straightened, and finally defeated DeLand with the allied forces of the country, completely ending the imperial system and ending the period.

    but that took another three years and split Keman into three countries.

    And when the whole system is nearing the end, every part of it will start to get stuck and disintegrate.

    Occasional counterattacks can't resist more failures, and occasional relief and justice can't conceal poverty and injustice.

    Annie still remembers the eleven-year-old girl who sold everything at home and then held her sister and said "don't worry" to her. The Prime Minister’s empire once allowed every orphan to eat and warm, so that everyone who lost their jobs had a place to shelter from the cold, but gradually everything disappeared with the deterioration of the situation.

    Annie still remembers the 13-year-old girl who used the rifle's harness at the end of the assembly line and cut it on the line and then tied it to the wooden butt. Even if her fingers were cut off by the assembly line, she waited for eight hours with a smile and waited until the rear treatment priest arrived.

    Annie still remembers wearing a thin military coat on the black market in Dehran, filling the coat pocket with cigarettes and bullets used to act as currency, and wanting to change The occupational army canned home to improve the 15-year-old girl. At that time, her smile came from the bottom of her heart, because if it were not in the divided and occupied DeLand, the fate of a fifteen-year-old girl might be several times worse.

    Everything seems to be as clear as yesterday.

    But no matter what happens, everyone thinks she is a silly girl/stupid girl/stupid big sister who is as nervous as a tyrannosaurus.

    The girl has been smiling all the time because she has long forgotten how to cry.

    When she was twenty-three, she met that person. She did not get his magic, but got his knowledge.

    Reminiscence was interrupted by another bell.

    After approaching the central square, she was able to hear the free-shooting sound like a drum, and the sound of the command of the Middle Ancient Delan accented around.

    The Bell of Liberty is placed in the bell tower at the top of the parliament building. The building and the square in front of it have once again been occupied by the Imperial strikers, and the entire square is like a punishment ground.

    The bodies wearing colored military uniforms and black and gray military uniforms are intertwined, no one is converging, and at least there are at least a thousand. The empire’s leading troops have not forgotten their words during the killings, and let the defeated soldiers and civilians who are unintentional in the bell of freedom rush away. The form is full.

     "Unsurprisingly... This has become a gathering place for the empire's leading troops. In this way, one or two companies are filled in with a drop in the bucket. Maybe Is it the imperial man who rings the bell?"

    Annie doesn't want to add too much trouble, and adds masking magic to herself, covering the red uniform. . Now she seems to be an officer of the Imperial Royal Security Department.

     layer after layer of magic, covering up her magic, her identity, her ability, makes her look extraordinarily inconspicuous.

    Annie Long Ma ran from the side of the battlefield. The two imperial knights saw her as an officer dressed up, did not dare to neglect, and went forward to ask.

    "Security Department Order. What happened above?"

    She had a Delan accent, full Deceptive force; the striker units temporarily organized have not been able to identify the authenticity of the coming person.

     "When I went to a class, there was no response, we wouldn’t dare to send people up again. Besides, it’s not a bad thing to let them knock again. The Free Army dares to fight. The troops are just like this. We have already fought five or six companies..."

    "Give it to me."

  ;   Anne snapped her fingers and concealed her body shape with stealth spells.

    The two knights were busy saluting the air, watching the door leading to the top of the clock tower open and turn itself off.

    Anne slowly walked up the clock tower.

    "It is a free-throwing thunderstorm trap. The latest type."

    She immediately lifted the stealth magic and masking magic, carefully identifying the trap marks on the side of the stairs, 踮Climb to the top of the bell tower.

    In the top floor, the gray-haired old man who swayed the clock with sweat and sweat.

    This person she knows.

    Seeing her go up the stairs, the old man stopped ringing the bell and touched the short chin on his chin and smiled meaningfully.

     "I thought about who would be the first to come up. There is a possibility of 60%, it is a certain imperial aristocrat who feels that he has already saved enough credit. Dispelled my trap; the possibility of a 30% is an eunuch or a school official who has never met a talented person, and organized a unit to fight the enemy outside; a possibility is a very good politician or civilian. But I did not expect it. I saw a person who should have been in the Western Army here. I saw you in the staff department of Lopez. It seems that I am really old and I am not good at calculating the situation."

    Annie’s heel glimpsed a ceremonial ritual.

     "It’s great that you are still safe, Conti? Lord Marshal Fox."

    " Former Marshal. I retired today."

    The old man corrected. This bell of freedom was actually knocked out by the former Marshal of the Freedom Army.

    ***-***-***-***-***

   ;  August 9th, 2006 (mday+130) East Third District

    ***-***-* **-***-***

    With the shout of Delan accent, accompanied by the sound of horses, passed into the door? The ear of the ear. On the main road that intersects this road, it seems that there is an army moving forward.

    "It sounds like a knight. Prepare the white flag and rush to surrender!"

    ; The emperor’s commanding magic is so irritating in his ear that he is very annoyed, but he still has to do it.

    The door slammed down and looked forward and quickly found a high-end store with a window. He kicked the window and kicked a white curtain from it.

     After completing all the preparations, he rushed out of the corner and waved the white curtain in his hand.

    It turned out to be a Guard Cavalry.

    "Stop!"

    More than one imperial knight shouted.

    The door shouted loudly: "Submit! I applied for surrender!"

    "Survey... "Will the soldiers surrender?" The knight who looked at him looked behind him and seemed to be taken aback. "No! This is too big, we can't accept it!"

   ;  "Reconside it, sir! This is the owner of a Medal of Excellence who is applying for surrender!"

    The emperor’s command magic can’t wait, It forced the door to say these words.

    "Don't fire! Think about it, you can be the first emperor to accept the superior chapter surrender! The first!"
< Br />    The door was placed on the ground with a white cloth, slowly raising his hands and walking toward the emperor, and illuminating his chest in front of the other's sword and musket.

    The knight who looked like it looked a bit tempted, but shook his head and shook his head: "Impossible! I have never heard of a superb chapter surrender! Let your The troops stopped and stopped!"

    "Noble lord," he slowly and slowly moved his hand closer to his chest and pressed it on the badge. "Look at this purple light! I am a true chapter of excellence, and I really want to surrender..."

    "Sir, lay down! You don't have to swindle, the distance is close enough!"

    Hearing from The shouts came from behind him, and the door turned his head in a wrong way.

    The ones that caught his eye were at least one battalion of soldiers and officers.

    There are many uniforms in their military uniforms. Some people don’t even wear military uniforms. They don’t know whether they are deserters who have taken off their uniforms or civilians who have joined in the middle. Some people even caught only spears in their hands, not even weapons, but just followed other people.

    but these are the messy people, neatly listed as the camp team, raised the guns under the command of several eunuchs, and fired the guns. ready.

    "All have, Ignite!"

    There is a small number of spies, he looks It is like a colonel who directs the most elite troops.

    The instinct to survive for the first time overwhelmed the emperor’s orders. The door-to-door made a great effort to rush forward and stumbled on the boulevard paved with gravel.

    "Shooting! Shooting! Shooting!"

    The four or five eunuchs each shouted the password. The guns were shot on the opposite cavalry, hitting them immediately and hitting their armor. Resist the door and hold his head, looking at the effect of this round of rifle.

    The effect is not very good, but it is amazing enough.

    The knight headed on the spot even brought a horse to the ground, all the horses screamed, their high notes seemed to tear the eardrum. The sound of the armor fell to the ground, and the remaining knights screamed and raised their sabers and swords.

    "The first three rows, the upper bayonet!"

    This time the order was issued by Garnier second lieutenant. The soldiers knelt down and pulled a dagger-like bayonet from the side of the leggings and inserted it into the muzzle. Their arrays are not too neat, but they are so strong that everyone can safely hand over their back to their comrades.

    "Guardian Knight! Assault!"

    Another Imperial Knight gave the order. Tonight they have broken through more than a dozen sets of squadrons. They were completely convinced that this seemingly messy force would also collapse.

    "Take in! Everyone, we have escaped!" a thick baritone shouted. "Even if we die, we have to face forward." Dead!"

    The door is on the ground, shrinking into a ball, avoiding the trampling of the horseshoe.

    The cavalry is incomparable; however, every assault knight must face at least ten enemy muskets and bayonets at the same time. In other words, the cavalry does not have any victory in the face of the same infantry.

    The sound behind the war gradually weakened. He knows which side will win.

    "Why didn't you surrender successfully!" His own voice complained in his ear, "Where did these people come from!"

    "Stupid." Resist the door and stare at himself. "Stupid. They are following you."

     Think of the people behind him, his will to survive again.

    "Can't just end it. I want to fight to the end."

    Yes, he used to commit A lot of mistakes, his weaknesses and sin eventually brought disaster.

    Everything you get is a reward for what you do, or what you have not done.

    Yes, the Republic is not a better regime than the Empire. The gold power politics of the

    ** has no advantage over the aristocratic politics of the skirt. The life of the people at the bottom may be worse than the North.

     "But even then, I want to win!"

    Yes, resistance? Soledon is a bastard who doesn't need or is worth saving.

    But even then, he still wants to save those who follow my hypocritical steps to die.

    but are there reinforcements? Does he still have any chance? Can someone help him?

    He said to himself, the conclusion is very clear: "No."

    Only he is You are it. All his subordinates and superiors are in the Western Army. Ok, except for one person... that shadow is flashing in his mind.

    "Wake up, Soledon, this is impossible. Anne can't be here... although you have never needed her like this." Br />
    A powerful magician. An excellent logistics and magic warfare staff. It is him and the people who need this group of soldiers... and he wants to be with the people around him.

    He shook his head and expelled the figure from his mind. There is only one choice left: to reorganize more of the squad.

    He vaguely felt the rebellion in the middle of this logic.

    If you want to win...he needs to pull more people who should have been on the road to escape...

   ;  "No! Can't take them with them! This will interfere with your mission." The demonic voice repeated, "Dismiss them. If possible, dispel their will to fight and let them go. They Just a moment of impulsiveness, a little trick can make them give up resistance and regain security, right?"

    "Hume."

    "Hume."

    "Hugh!"

     He needs them to forge and rush to the enemy! with him!

    "What do you want to do! This is suicide! If you do this, you are a villain! A sinister villain! Surrender to the Empire!"

    Another voice in the body screamed wildly.

    The emperor’s control magic is correct. If he does this, he is a villain. If he is a competent Free Army officer, he should choose to surrender.

     "But...no." Resist the door and lick his lips and taste the bloody smell of his own blood.

    Because he wants to win.

    Beyond anyone wants.

    From the heart.

    " Even so, I still want to embrace the victory!"

    The teeth are deeply cut The tip of the tongue, the blood flowing down, is painful.

     "People here, everyone chooses victory, not escape! They can make choices, I am a magician! Why can't I?" Br />
    The sound of "啪" from the eardrum is like the sound of broken glass.

    The command magic has not been eliminated, but it is no longer as free as the previous action.

    "Everyone has worked hard! The Republic has reached the most dangerous time, I will not talk nonsense!"

     Then, he respected the military ceremony. Whether it is a soldier or not, members of the entire camp have returned and watched him cheer.

    "Citizens! Don't cheer to me! You still have a lot to fight! Citizens, pick up the weapons! Citizens, go back to the battlefield!"

    The taste of your own blood is sweet. At least after the speech will not bite the tongue again, and the door is so comforting.

    "The Republic is still here, we are still here! This reason is enough! Zhu Jun, go forward!"

  ;   He no longer escapes. He is no longer desperate.

    "Go ahead! To recapture our victory!"

    Because at this moment, he still has companions Beside him.

    ***-***-***-***-***

   ;  The first district in the early morning of August 9, 1669 (mday+130)

    ***-***-* **-***-***

    At the top of the parliament building, the bell of freedom rings.

    The old-fashioned clock cable is long and heavy, it is rolled up with layers of coarse hemp soaked in black oil, weighing up to several tens of kilograms, new style, Light bells based on modern mechanics design have to be invented for more than a hundred years.

     Even for a young and strong young man, ringing this clock is a work that requires both physical strength and skill, not to mention Conti Fox is such an old man.

     "You must ring the Liberty Bell yourself, what is it for, Marshal? I don't understand. Where is your Guard?"

    Anne finally couldn’t help but ask.

     "If you can ask this question, you must have different ideas. What are you doing here, come here, the Western Army ..." The old Marshal paused, apparently did not think of her name, "... Miss Lieutenant General?"

    "Lieutenant Sefer." Anne I didn't do more self-introduction and cut into the theme directly. "I do have different ideas. Even if I ring the Liberty Bell and successfully assemble a unit, what good is it? I came from the North City and found all the walls. There is already a breach. Even if we still have a team that dares to fight, Lenny can't keep it anyway."

    "Yes, The Empire certainly won't give us any chance to regroup. Go ahead, Lieutenant... Lieutenant Sefer."

    The retired marshal gasped and tried his best It also pulled a bell.

    Annie paused for a while, and continued to say: "The government of Lenny is also finished. The chairman of the committee and the ministers of the government are almost They all fled, and even the Free Army has issued a general retreat order. Even if there are some members who have lost the same army, what is the use of it? Whether it is the United Parliament or the Lenny Special District Council, it is not known for its integrity. Most people probably have already escaped the Metebeisi River, and most of the people who stayed still want to have a title in the empire. If you want to call the parliament to rebuild the country, this goal may not be achieved... this you Of course, it is clear."

    Conti? Fox nodded. "Yes. The interim government rebuilt by these people will not have any appeal. This government There will be no appeal in Interre, Imeia or the Republic of France. Please continue, Lieutenant."

    "Not to mention that you are a value Great goal." Anne's tone has Some impatient, "You should be able to imagine how much the imperial emperor wants to run a decent decline? Put the history and position of the republics on the ground, smash and smash, and then step on one foot - no more than This is more satisfying to him. How can you ignore the safety of yourself and the Republic, and stay here to ring the bell?!"

    Annie spread his hand: "I really can't think of it... Is there any reason to offset these concerns?"

    "The reason is actually very simple."

    The Marshal once again pulled the bell and answered the question in an understatement.

     "Because I am still alive, I am here, and I want to do it. Do you need more reasons to do something?"

    Anny stunned. At first glance, this answer seems to be some kind of congestion, but it is the bullseye for her.

    "Because living, here, and want to do it."

    She muttered to herself Involuntarily took a step back. The smile on her face finally began to disappear.

    "It’s a bit shameful. I used to want to escape from the battlefield several times when I was young. As a soldier, you always meet what you think and think I won’t win the battle.” The old marshal laughed. “Whenever I am confused, I think so. Because I am still alive, here, there will be things I want to do. Don’t go. Think about the mess, motivation, conspiracy, or success rate. If you want to do it, sometimes you will not be bad."

    Annie goes back One step, the back hit the wall.

     "Even if I am sentenced to death by the emperor tomorrow, I will also ring the freedom bell here today."

   ;  The bells.

     "Even if I only have a chance to save the situation, it would be better than I fled to the south."

   ;   Another bell.

     "You have come from the Western Generals. There should be more important things to do than ringing the clock or watching me ringing the clock, Lieutenant Sefer?"

    The old Marshal’s hand shook a bit, and the bell became two consecutive bells. He shook his head, stopped his hand, wiped the sweat on his forehead, and faced Annie again.

    I don’t know when Anne has kneel on the floor. Her hands were barely holding the wall, her whole body was shaking, and her smile on her face had completely collapsed.

    "But the Marshal, if there is no chance for even 10%? If you are completely desperate? Would you still choose to do it? I don't know me. What should I do..."

     "Fear is just the side of the coin, it is courage on the other side. Turn it over, Lieutenant! I don't know the West. The general army or what you were going to do, but there should be something else to do!"

    Seeing that Anne has not stood up, the Marshal Fox simply loosened The clock, stretched out and shouted: "If you are really desperate, why come here?"

    "Yes Ah... why should I come here?"

    Anne muttered to herself. In this world, faith determines power. And the belief she has always insisted on is not "change" and "hope"?

    Deland in the flames of war. The military factory roaring in the machinery. The ruins after the Battle of DeLand. In the divided motherland. In the post-war world that lost that person. In a completely different history, there is always a road leading to the front, there is always a way to change the reality, there is always a slightly better future.

     "Why am I, looking for the footsteps of 'that person'?" Conteti? Fox is such a distinguished person, regardless of the danger, knocking here. With the Liberty Bell. In this case, I still maintain these ridiculous magic on my body. What am I afraid of? What am I afraid of?"

     Yes. She has been failing. She has been making the wrong judgments before she falls into this desperate situation. She can't rely on her established destiny; she can't rely on conspiracy either.

    Yes, she met all the storms, and her thoughts and wishes were violently invisible by the invisible history.

     "But even then, I am still alive, still here. As you said, this reason is indeed enough!"

    She no longer escapes. She is no longer desperate.

     "Even if the opponent is history itself, even if all fates are against me, I will win it for you!"

    So she made up her mind.

     "Let history and fate, go to hell!"

    At this moment, The god of magic seems to be adoring her again.

     "Let me see what I can do! Super Magic? Sixteen times quadruple extension? Detection magic (metahextendrangedetectmagic)!"

    The magical field of chaos in the whole city is all in her eyes, and all the interference is one clear!

    "I heard it. You are still alive, right? Resist the door? I am not too late to come."

  ;   Anne Sefer looked up and looked at the East not far away: she heard it. She feels it.

    "We are still alive. This proves that we have not failed yet, right?"

     She went to the window of the clock tower and looked at the window.

    The empire's iron-grey banner is in a line, and hundreds of soldiers are crowded in the square.

     "I have to test at least once before I hope to disappear."

    With Mars The hot wind blew over her face.

    On this beautiful face, once again I have a smile - and this time it is no longer a numb smile.

    "I wish, (Iwish), liberate me, all the magic of Anne Sefer!"

     She wants to test it out, whether it can correct history by its own life, strength and belief.

    "Take my body as the root node! Regional magic net laying!"

     Her only remaining arm is raised high and points vertically upwards to the sky.

    The magic spews out, no more scruples!

    "Camouflage magic is lifted! Anti-detection magic is lifted! Magic suppresses enchantment!"

     The gray cloak was left behind by her, leaving only the red-colored dazzling Free Army uniform.

     Just like a bomb blasting in the position she was in, the air acted.

    In that moment, the gale blew through the bell tower and hit the free bell, making a clear noise.

    The spell she recited was strange and quick to Marshal Fox, just as she was whispering an incomprehensible rap song.

    In the far east of the three districts, the imperial forces that are rapidly advancing suddenly stopped.

    Because their detection magician also caught the eye that was stabbed by the magical light, they were soft on their knees and squatted on the ground.

     "Detected a high magical reaction... Presumed the same magic of five or more gold emblems... Platinum emblem... Secret silver emblem... Fine gold emblem... Empty Crystal emblem...cannot be detected! It is a super-high magical reaction that exceeds the upper limit!"