Chapter 243: Twenty-Sixth Episode: Chapter 7-1 (1/2)
Chapter 243: Twenty-Sixth Episode: Chapter 7-1
Translator: EndlessFantasy TranslationEditor: EndlessFantasy Translation
If you wanted to appreciate the soul of the Souzgar Lake, then look for a boat. On the surface of the lake covered by thousands of flower clusters, pay attention to the gentle ripples and the faraway mountains guarding it.
Lieutenant General Logan Smith and his son, Captain Sear Smith rode the same ferry to hurry to the opposite bank of Souzgar Lake. They departed from the capital with a few of their entourage half a month ago. At West Grace, they encountered a bad patch of road, forcing them to detour the lake. Since they were not notified in advance, the Smith father and son did not know that the local guards had forbidden boats from sailing during the night. They had no choice but to spend the night in a little town beside the lake called ”Rose Tree”.
The town was very small. It only had a towering church, an open and spacious market, as well as a few alleys and small houses. Despite being small, the buildings in the town were compact and perfect, situated close to the wharf by the lakeside and within an area enclosed by walls that was not much larger than a vegetable garden.
In such places, it was naturally impossible to find a decent hotel. The Smith father and son could only spend the night at a fisherman's house situated by the road. That night, Captain Sear Smith, having just turned twenty, could not sleep well all night. He tossed and turned restlessly but his eyes just refused to close. Just when his eyes closed, he would think about just how absurd the task that had brought him so far away from home.
Since he could not get a good night's sleep, the young man got up very early. His father was rolled up in a blanket, fast asleep, snoring away loudly. The son heaved a sigh and added his own military uniform on to the top of his father's blanket.
The captain then climbed onto the rooftop through the wooden attic window of the fisherman's house. The cool morning breeze caressed his face. He saw the lake, illuminated under the moonlight, and the bare faraway mountains, with not a single tree in sight. An army camp appeared to be standing tall on the opposite bank of the lake. Under the rays of dawn, it gradually glowed white and shone, until the moon faded away.
The shadow of the mountain and water of the lake were gently cloaked in the warm red rays of dawn. Suddenly, the entire heavens and earth were completely illuminated by certain brilliance. The rays of sunlight cast upon the lakes and were reflected. Under the rising sun, the lake became a constellation of stars, twinkling brightly in the sky.
”Sear!”
The captain immediately put out his cigarette and ducked briskly into the attic.
”Father, you're awake?”
The middle-aged man did not pay attention to his son and merely straightened the uniform he was wearing.
Captain Sear rolled his eyes towards the ceiling. He stood to attention and saluted his father a little reluctantly, ”Lieutenant General sir, awaiting your orders.”
Logan Smith then returned a military salute to his son. ”Pack your things and set out!”
The young man quickly made his way downstairs, his footsteps making thumping sounds on the not so sturdy stairs.
”Brat…” the father muttered. He took out a complete shaving set from the leather bag. The army orderly had already sent hot water. Lieutenant General Smith, who had always been particular about appearance then groomed himself carefully in front of a mirror until the person in the mirror appeared like a general of the Guards that had commendable etiquette and appearance and was competent and courageous. Using the words of his son, this was a hundred percent style of the capital bureaucrats. However, Lieutenant General Logan did not think that there was anything bad about this.
On the ferry, Captain Sear tried his best not to talk to his father and merely took in the sceneries of winter. However, the sky really was not much to look at during the first month and the young man had no choice but to stare blankly at the surface of the water.
Accompanying Lieutenant General Smith on this faraway journey was a special commissioner from the emperor's imperial household. He and the Lieutenant General of the Guards chatted throughout the journey and seemed to get along well. Moreover, they quickly became friends who confided everything in each other. The Lieutenant General loved horse racing and the Imperial Commissioner loved polo. The Lieutenant General loved the Italian-style strong coffee from Horonzo's garden while the Imperial Commissioner was the frequent visitor of the nearby Shalon. The Lieutenant General's wife was the backbone of a Lady's Society and the Imperial Commissioner proceeded to say, ”Heavens, my wife is the president of that very society!”
”Is that right?”
”Absolutely, without a doubt…”
The casual conversation between them reached new heights.
Captain Sear got more and more fidgety. Out of the corner of his eyes, he peeked at his father and the Imperial Commissioner, the member of the Imperial Household, who came out of the blue but loved criticizing everything. However, the young man did not care about how irritating the travel companion was for he had his own worries.
”How do I explain the matter to the dean?” Sear's head was hurting a little, perhaps because he was blasted by the cold wind on the lake. His dean was naturally the Chief of Staff of the Guards, Marshal Robin Sparse. Sear respected Marshal Robin like one would his own father. Speaking of father…the young man glanced over at the middle-aged man who was talking big. He had no idea how this man with a hollow voice could be a Lieutenant General of the Guards. Previously, he had not realized this at all and unsure of when it all started, he began to detest his father and even developed doubt regarding his father's motive for serving in the army. Otherwise, when the capital's nobles wanted to conduct peace talks with the invaders, his father should not have delightedly accepted this wretched advocate that drove one insane.
”That's your son?”
”Yes!”
”What a good lad!” the Imperial Commissioner said, looking on admiringly at the young captain.
”You know, I have a disappointment of a daughter. She is roughly the same age as your son but doesn't know about anything,” said the Imperial Commissioner. Lieutenant General Logan Smith suddenly developed a surge of unexplained fondness. He carefully edged closer to the distinguished Imperial Commissioner. ”You're saying that…your daughter…”
”Yes! A young girl that has no understanding of the ways of the world. She is fast approaching the age for marriage and yet has not once been in a relationship!”
”Sear, come here!” the Lieutenant General was simply overwhelmed. Why, if his son could engage in a romantic relationship with this distinguished man's daughter…and later marry…after that, through the girl's family, enter the imperial palace and sought out a good position…tsk tsk! Just the thought was enough to make him feel excited. Logan Smith appeared more excited than marrying a Marquise himself.
Truth be told, Sear' patience had run out and he could not care less about the plans of the two pitiful creatures.
”What are you doing? Get over here, quick!”
The young man's father kept urging him to come but Sear remained unconcerned and merely stared serenely at the surface of the water. The lake water of winter displayed a clear deep blue, as deep and serene as the ocean. That kind of blue caused one to develop a hallucination of immersing oneself in it recklessly. His father seemed to have lost his temper. He screamed loudly at Sear. Sear had already closed his eyes. If his willpower were just a little weaker, he would really throw his entire body into the lake.
”How do you explain the matter to the dean?” the Captain of the Guards was still turning this over in his mind. His face, being provoked by worry and indignance, was glowing red. Her Majesty the Empress whom he had once sworn to protect had already issued the order to stop the war on all fronts.
The Imperial Commissioner had a copy of the documents to be exchanged between the nations, which had phrasings that resembled that of a shameless prostitute, tucked in his arms. ”How do I explain the matter to the dean?”
The Chief of Staff of the Guards, Marshall Robin Sparse stood waiting at the edge of the lake. His followers were not many, only a group of knights of less than a hundred. There was a considerable number of officers accompanying the Chief of Staff. From afar, it appeared as a sea of sparkling, gold military badges. Ever since the news broke out that Marshal Alan was defeated and had become paralyzed, Marshal Robin was naturally promoted to become the supreme commander of the Titan Empire's eight hundred thousand Guards. However, the old man did not seem overly excited about it. He rode on a strong, local horse of the lake area, gazing over the lake, lost in thought, like the young men on the ferry.
The peace talk commissioner from the capital disembarked and both parties came face to face with each other. Marshal Robin only nodded, not saying a word. This made the meeting quite awkward. Even the usually slick and sly Imperial Commissioner had unhappiness etched across his face.
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The young Captain of the Guards hung his head all the while. He only prayed that the dean would not recognize him. However, Sear had completely no confidence in it! He remembered back when he was studying in the Imperial Military Academy, it was Marshal Robin himself who presented him with the Award for Excellence in Military Attack Exercises. The Marshal had even invited him to join dinner that day. During the meal…if Smith remembered correctly, Marshal Robin had said to him, ”After you graduate, go train with the first-line troops for ten or twenty years. By that time, you will be just as outstanding as one General Figg of the Andrews…”