Chapter 190
"Layla, just yesterday, you were promoted to colonel ahead of schedule."
Smilas pulled out the certificate of appointment from the drawer.
"This was approved by the Committee of Forty to recognize your outstanding leadership and insight. The 'Alexander-type' mech developed by your White Wolf City base has been well received on the front lines. You deserve it. Congratulations."
As he spoke, he stood up, walked to his desk, and solemnly handed the certificate of appointment to Layla.
Pre-war promotion...
Layla's gaze sharpened.
Silently and expressionlessly, she accepted the certificate of appointment. Only when Smilas pushed a portable hard drive towards her did she look up and ask, "What's this?"
"General Foch risked his life to collect data on the new Knightmare mechs in Britannia, as well as some live footage from the Eastern Europe battlefield. You'll need these. Layla, you and your team need to come up with a strategy as soon as possible."
After standing up, Smilas did not sit down again. Instead, he stood with his hands behind his back, silently gazing at the video wall in the office that simulated an aquarium scene, and slowly began to speak:
"Vera of the Britannia and Hohenzollern family has already drunk her way on the Neman River and is about to return to Königsberg in East Prussia."
184
Chapter 184 The Undead and the White Knight, Vera Returns to the Old Capital.
"Lieutenant Hyuga."
As Layla stepped out of the office, she called out softly.
This is a young man with a very capable and refreshing demeanor.
With blue hair and blue eyes, delicate features, and a slender, lean physique, he possessed a toned and muscular build. His light blue EU Joint Forces training uniform, fitted at the waist, was clean and sharp, and his upright posture, like a drawn blade, silently demonstrated the demeanor of a young lieutenant.
His distinctly Far Eastern features and Japanese surname clearly indicate that he is from District 11.
"Commander Marukal"
In the corridor, the lieutenant called Hinata naturally walked up behind Layla, ignoring the strange looks from the guards and the headquarters staff passing by. As they walked, the boy asked in a very mature tone, "Is the next part of the itinerary going directly back to the White Wolf City base?"
Holding her colonel's commission certificate in her right hand, Layla shook her head with a heavy heart. "There's a meeting of the Committee of Forty tomorrow. Politicians and bureaucrats get reassurance from these meetings. I need to sit in on it."
"Sorry to make you spend another day in not-so-romantic Paris."
For refugees from the District 11 who lack European citizenship, Paris is anything but romantic.
The batons, stun guns, tear gas, and rubber bullets used by the military, police, and secret service are what truly feel real.
"Protecting Commander Marukal is my current mission."
The young lieutenant said calmly, "Rather than that, you could say this is a pre-war leave."
His gaze lingered on Layla's colonel collar insignia, which bore three diamond-shaped rank stars.
So quickly, another promotion...
Even though Commander Layla has the background of the wealthy Malcar family, the support of General Smilas of the United Headquarters, and good relations with the Cleyman Group, the European military industrial giant that developed [Alexander], it is still too exaggerated for her to be promoted twice in just over a month and to jump from major to colonel at the age of only 17. The EU is not the autocratic Britannia; it is, after all, a democracy.
The unfavorable developments in the battle situation were gradually being reported back from the eastern front.
Pre-war promotion, in other words:
It's time for you to risk your life.
"So, when will our W-ZERO headquarters be deployed again?"
Although he used a question format, his tone was confident.
It is called the headquarters because the W-ZERO unit has been expanded.
The 'intense reaction' and reports from European Britannia after the Suicide Attack, especially the Third Princess's tit-for-tat order to conscript people from District 11, only added fuel to the fire.
In addition to the White Wolf City base directly under Layla's control, the garrison troops throughout the EU, fearing a shortage of District 11 fodder, also coerced and lured many able-bodied men into conscripting them into special forces, which were then led by EU regular troops who volunteered to join, and divided into branches by region.
Layla of White Wolf City is the nominal commander.
Tap, tap.
"I can't hide it from you. The current peace and tranquility won't last long. The battle that belongs to us is not far ahead."
Stopping in her tracks, Layla tightened her grip on the portable hard drive, sighed softly, and turned to look at the ace of her W-ZERO unit, the greatest contributor to the Narva Operation, and the sole survivor of the first batch of child soldiers' Suicide Attack — Akito Hyuga.
The true 'Hannibal's Spectre' that severely damaged the Order of Saint Raphael Knights.
Layla witnessed the entire process of its high-speed, continuous combat maneuvers on the battlefield dominated by blood and fire, with its killing postures so precise that the accuracy of its movements was even down to a fraction of a millimeter.
Knightmare pilots are rare, and as long as the assigned Knightmare unit is powerful and advanced enough, even the Knights of the Round of Britannia are not to be feared.
"Um."
Akito Hyuga nodded calmly.
And that was it.
"..."
The atmosphere suddenly fell silent.
"Feel sorry."
Layla said with deep remorse and regret, "I dragged you into this hell. I dragged your people into the war between the EU and Britannia..."
"It was just the commander's order."
Akid shook his head casually, his tone carrying the sharp edge unique to a seasoned veteran who had fought on the battlefield and disregarded life and death. This contrasted sharply with his youthful appearance.
"What happens to the other people in District 11, no... the Japanese, is none of my business. I've already died once. I have absolutely no idea what the so-called Japanese Archipelago is like. I just want to do my own thing now. If it's the Commander's wish, then let me help you kill."
"Thanks."
Layla pursed her lips, a smile befitting her age appeared on her face, gave a simple greeting, and then continued walking.
The two walked one after the other along the corridor of the Europa Unification Headquarters.
"Um, if we encounter the Area 11 Special Task Force, Lieutenant, I can understand why you should let them go..."
Before he could finish speaking...
"No need. Kill any enemy."
"...!!"
Turning the corner, as she passed a viewing window, Layla quickly changed the subject. Chirp
"I specifically collected intelligence on the Area 11 Special Task Force. It is said that their commanders are Suzaku Kururugi, the son of the former Prime Minister of the fallen Japan, and Xia Yingge of the Order of Saint Michael."
After a moment's thought, she remembered something and said somewhat uncertainly.
"The latter is also Japanese, but was adopted by the noble Hyuga Family, and thus accepted by Britannia, and renamed Shin Hyuga Shingo. I don't know if this 'Hinata' has any connection to you... Hmm? Lieutenant?"
Akid could no longer hear what was said after that.
"Really? He's serving in the Britannia Empire now... Hahaha..."
He chuckled softly, his lips parting in a wide grin as he unleashed an uncontrollable outburst of emotion. His expression turned unusually fierce, and his shoulders trembled as if he were desperately trying to control his emotions.
Layla glanced sideways.
For the first time, she saw such intense emotional fluctuations on Akid's face.
"Yes, I'm sorry, Lieutenant Hyuga, did I say something wrong? I didn't mean to offend you."
In that instant, many thoughts raced through Layla's mind: what was the relationship between Hyuga Xia Yingge and Akito Hyuga?
She did not choose to ask further questions.
She wouldn't insist on dissecting things that clearly had a rich backstory before the other person had calmed down.
Everyone has secrets.
"It's alright, Commander."
Akid muttered to himself, "Don't worry, Commander, I will kill him. That guy, my brother, I will kill him."
"Your brother?!"
Layla's eyes widened in surprise.
"Ah, the brother who killed my father, mother, and everyone else."
Akid's clear blue irises had, since some unknown time, been tinged with an eerie red light, filled with cruelty.
If the Geass Order, or any holders of Geass power or those with relevant knowledge were here, they would surely recognize that this is a manifestation of being corrupted by Geass power.
"Because I've already died once. By him. So this time it's my turn to kill him."
"If I ever encounter that Suzaku Kururugi, I'll kill him for the Commander—"
At the same time.
Under the skies of East Prussia, the Neman River flows quietly.
The sky was clear and beautiful, and the wind blew the grass low, revealing military vehicles.
Clang! A dull, metallic clanging sound echoed in the breeze.
On the riverbank, briefly ravaged by war but also by fierce storms, another battle between the Britannian Army and the United European Army has come to an end.
Retreat west, advance east.
"Please, Miss Cecil."
After parking and turning off Lancelot, Suzaku Kururugi stretched his shoulders, feeling rather tired.
After releasing the mech's power pack permissions by tapping the control panel, he pulled out the Knightmare start key, then pulled the lever. As the cockpit canopy opened, he stood up and lightly leaped onto the mech's shoulder.
A gentle breeze carries a hint of summer heat, and the view of the fields is invigorating.
Blue skies, white clouds, lush green forests, and the vast Eastern Europe Plain create a world completely different from Japan, a country with limited land and few plains.
Although the air humidity wasn't as high as in the Japanese Archipelago, once he got used to it, the breeze blowing in his face was quite pleasant, and it also eased the bitterness in his heart, if it weren't for the gunpowder smell permeating the air—
Buzz... Buzz...
The riverbank was bustling with people.
A musty smell and dust filled the air.
Britannian Army are building a bridge to cross the river.
Because the border guards in the EU's Lithuanian war zone recently blew up the bridge over the Neman River.
Upon receiving news of the disastrous defeat at the front and the death of General Foch, the theater commander, their actions were resolute.
Special forces carrying out infiltration operations and marines landing at the Neman River in amphibious Knightmare mechs only managed to seize a portion of the intact and usable bridges across the river.
While Knightmare troops and infantry can traverse mountains and rivers, logistical support units may not be able to do so or keep up.
It is important to understand that war is about logistics and systems. Just like the trenches and various anti-vehicle obstacles that were everywhere in Eastern Europe, they may not be effective against armored cavalry and people, but they can definitely be effective against transport vehicles, forcing you to spend time clearing them or taking detours.
Thus, the delayed goal was achieved.
Suzaku Kururugi could hear the Britannia engineers cursing as they built the pontoon bridge.
EU prisoners of war who were caught red-handed were miserably conscripted on the spot and used as laborers to carry out civil engineering work.
Every now and then, a small team would capture a few, or even a dozen, prisoners, tie them up with cable ties, and bring them back, after which the engineers would go and collect them.
There will naturally be troublemakers who resist. They won't be executed, but they will inevitably be given a beating in public as a lesson.
Unless someone recklessly escapes and threatens the personal safety of the guards, the basic protections for prisoners of war can still be guaranteed.
After all, this is Europe, and it's the territory of East Prussia. My great Britannia is marching westward with its army, 'returning to the old capital,' not like the Japanese invading a village.
"OK, Suzaku -kun, the [Lancelot] energy pack replacement is complete."
Miss Cecil's voice.
"Thank you for your trouble."
Suzaku turned around and said loudly.