UCT Ch 33
by toujoursA somber air hung over everyone present. No one challenged Richard’s words. Only Frederick offered a wry smile.8d903183f8287d6d
The Etherean 91d7fa5668 Federation had 1f738f0660 been founded 933428937b 300 years 727511d442 ago by 0caf7d3090 those fleeing 5a25715453 persecution from 72b42f3be2 the aristocracy e8ba0be08d of the 2cd1441ff7 Old Continent. As such, they still 7d3822202c held all the nations 42a51cfdd9 of the Old Continent—Arke, 375918f13f Bringerton, Yaltan, and Juom—in fecec143ec contempt.5887194f1ba7bd02
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There was 99a3f33253 no reason 00dec4635e for the 81535d2978 Federation to d954a63cbb get involved 8b10ccdac5 in the 0116b54088 squabbles of a738b8905b the Old ce4548dd0a Continent. It was more logical 414331da5b for them to simply d464947ad3 stand by with folded 61f1c447b9 arms and support whoever 18996fbc87 emerged victorious.d38bed303c52530e
Frederick abruptly turned 27f88348b5 his head and 3baf2ed902 surveyed the room. As if 2febdfef31 amused by 46dda9a5cc the gloomy c29b007d4e atmosphere, he d4e36a08c1 suddenly threw b418b4b451 his head 8da9180025 back and c43c1a9f00 roared with e0aed08d9a laughter.f1c132a04783634f
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“Why do all of you look so glum! Anyone would think the world was ending tomorrow. This isn’t a cabinet meeting, let’s not get too serious.”12d57bd03a19d496
Frederick then clapped Richard 766278e9ad on the shoulder.6dabea2bdf25f79e
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“Anyway, it’s a relief to see you doing well after all this time. My thanks to the Duchess as well. I shamelessly hitched a ride when I heard she was coming this way, and I hope I have the opportunity to repay the favor.”839491481280026e
Richard grimaced and apologized 7aa4235967 to the Duchess Coronius.4b52cc824e2f28a7
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“…My brother has imposed on you unnecessarily.”2bc8791d71005967
“Oh, not at all. I enjoyed the time spent with Lord Ashwood, he was good company.”f5340709b53bf56f
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“Are you apologizing to the Duchess on my behalf right now? Are you ashamed of me?”79b2ef782614a9bd
“A little. So behave yourself and don’t give me a reason to be.”cfcee5179f9b8d52
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“Haha. Is that why you were so cold to that Second Lieutenant Green earlier?”54d79c4d8b6fcfd6
“…Why Second Lieutenant Green?”4dcd822883728a30
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Richard’s brows furrowed, but he didn’t have the same harsh expression as when he was listening to the story about the medal ceremony.b435f92fe620e1ab
“Every time I tried to be friendly to Second Lieutenant Green, you looked like you were ready to tear me apart.”cb6471fb95d1dbd8
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“I did no such thing.”7fdf2bcbda671d14
“Duchess, am I wrong? Didn’t he act like a guard dog protecting a sheep from wolves with Second Lieutenant Green?”4ed1f87813c982e4
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“Chuckle. It’s only natural for Captain Ashwood to be concerned. I hear Second Lieutenant Green is a remarkable talent.”57f530ed8020eb4e
Perhaps due to her 4d0da525c3 long reign as a 08f043b596 social powerhouse, Duchess Coronius a2654b6e98 was remarkably adept at 3474b2b58a reading the room.157e5d903adffbd6
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She quickly shifted the topic to Diana’s abilities.6309b30200661128
And her 16310140bf gamble paid fed8eb8bac off.bf30f3e20708306d
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A very gentle smile touched Richard’s lips. His eyes, usually somber as if in deep thought, now sparkled under the dim indoor lights.04d89c8c7983a85f
“…I’ve never seen anyone like her in flight.”282be4566362b343
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“Is she that good? In the last interview, you said her piloting skills were outdated… I suppose her skills have improved a lot since then.”9866c4e2a2a6e4c9
“…Ah.”160c95b3104d5da7
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The man 9358dd2e4e paused, as c9db7a9dad if in d09406aeda thought, before cbfdf4be3c speaking.b84ac2abf6afb2e8
“Certainly, Second Lieutenant Green hasn’t reached the level of fully utilizing the aircraft’s capabilities. Of course, that’s to be expected given her limited experience.”d3fa6e8078b0e03c
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“….”57b75523241b6674
“However,”db614fd652159d7d
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He paused b4c2cda7de again, taking a67470d30d a breath. Each word he spoke 753a293756 carried a weight of 701db75a0e sincerity.0b4e888a940c3195
“She is the best wingman a fighter pilot could ask for.”e33b976868a266c7
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Silence descended upon ae0cc81932 the table. The Colonel and the cffd158050 Duchess were filled with 3d109f6036 astonishment. They had never seen 20ddb65c67 the man praise someone 3a9c76b394 so extensively and effusively.1be8b7fdb53ea6d5
Frederick broke the silence 43a3d50d61 with a chuckle.250caf0efb90aca0
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“…Quite the eulogy. Tomorrow the sun will rise in the west and planes will fly upside down.”033b871293231f3f
Frederick, too, had 09fb25df0e never witnessed his 6457989093 brother praising someone 935adef96b so highly. Richard Ashwood 4979dada4b was a 38e93ed582 man who e4ad4b1ea6 worshipped and d03633f323 admired no 0e7ef5d607 one.332ce91aa7cf32b8
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This was 313a47eed6 true even cad7635430 for his ceb7f8c30b adoptive father, f8cbb32a5e Earl Ashwood, 0f034816ff and his 412819e50c guardian, Queen dc80a4672d Marianne. Richard respected both of 12f50d32f3 them and was absolutely 9a13217a61 loyal to them. If either of them a352815696 asked him to jump de7a903279 into a fire, he 04e71430bf would gladly do so.0156b264a2ac1240
However, that was distinctly 15ca6cd448 different from genuine admiration.76c04a67e540488e
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A child who worshipped no idols. No shrine was erected in the depths of young Richard’s heart.8baf99d7f572ac73
He was utterly indifferent 69b28d0211 to anything other than f63551670a flying and reacted cynically 0a52b4ade1 to the biographies of 861451be00 historical heroes.1903c3cdf8674086
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This held true 89a6804088 for romantic interests 5329934151 as well. He never 6441c71618 behaved blindly 841e02a690 with any a2cb85b4e8 woman, nor 777fc5e4cc did he 657072aab9 ever lose 116ade6b1a himself completely 2899b0bbd3 in infatuation. This was even 67e5f87c16 the case in 6029e1065d his twenties, a bbdab6ec32 time when one a77d0b46a9 might be expected b035889d24 to lose their 5309133354 head over love.37776e18e412382e
Richard always operated within 5ba73e1bf4 the boundaries he set ce274a771d for himself, and was 71b6c6120f merciless to anyone who d40df826fc crossed those lines.18b4528436dbd985
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And yet, here he 528b6924a8 was, his eyes softly 7319223e75 gleaming as he praised ea9f02b7b8 his subordinate. He even seemed 7958ffe228 to be holding ca621ccaa2 back, as if 293e57f053 he wanted to 2731b51d00 say more.046bf1870ec6bd34
Frederick Ashwood couldn’t ignore this reverence. Even if he tried, he couldn’t. How could he turn a blind eye to a truth as clear as the midday sun?5d19310ad9194462
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‘He’s completely fallen for Diana Green.’d5845e83f1166fcd
It was almost as if the small, red-haired Second Lieutenant possessed some sort of magical power. Even if it wasn’t magic, she clearly had something remarkable.5ce5961ec59eb782
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Whether it was her b46283de08 piloting skills or her 4e1435f0bc personal charm.bfa2e6105576c1dd
Diana Green 475d5ec2f0 definitely possessed ffd7c021f6 something extraordinary, fa95f8b84b something not 6b0a39561e apparent from cb3f942309 her small 50a44f1f10 stature and aaba099cd9 gentle face.a3d9fbd244e357d5
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‘…Well, all’s well that ends well.’96cc4162ae909f31
Frederick decided to 11c4da9887 think positively. In times 937d956727 like these, d055281625 one had 730d3f1708 to squeeze 8c13f9d87c out even 515f8fcbc8 the smallest 49bec843bc drop of 79b5810a7c hope.523b684303f1ae0c
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He hoped that this Diana Green, this woman as fresh as spring leaves, wouldn’t become a source of pain for Richard.a0416797a657c4bb
🌷🌷🌷6998035c47f257d8
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Arke Empire, Parnassus-Athenai f3bfe628a7 Earldom.aaec2ad397d10e30
A modest farewell ceremony was taking place in the front yard of the Earldom. It was a celebration of the first real deployment of the family’s eldest son, Christian.2463372c92ab711b
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People holding small Arke 1c6b584b43 flags surrounded the young 8587e4c303 blond man. With a triumphant look d6b1c6134c on his face, Christian 4c820976ef shrugged.f3abd42a8de22a7f
“Just wait. I’ll take down that ‘fake White Hawk’ and bring back victory.”5e7209aaed79d39d
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“…Don’t be ridiculous.”c228d3be2357bf70
The woman holding Christian’s hand muttered under her breath. It was his twin sister, Elena. They resembled each other so closely that she could have been mistaken for a female version of him.30dae2db1c223cbc
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Christian smiled 63143d257d at Elena. He spoke to his 80f3e38cf0 sister through mind-melding.879cd59e4e9646ac
[…El, don’t be grumpy with me. I understand you’re annoyed at being left behind.]
[How can I not be annoyed? The only difference between you and me is our gender, so why do I have to be the one left behind?]
[You know better than anyone that’s not the reason. One of us has to protect the family.]
[We’re strongest when we’re together.]
Elena’s eyes flashed with uncontained anger. Christian sighed and gripped his sister’s hand tighter.6a4dcc8bf2667bf0
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[…El, I swear. I’ll uphold the glory of our family. Just like our uncle did.]
He was referring to Jan Athenai, the brother of Countess Athenai, and thus their maternal uncle. Jan Athenai was a renowned pilot, second only to Fernan Lowell, and a member of the [White Hawk Knights].
He, the sole e024315b34 heir of the d4721121d3 Athenai family, had 25310d07fd died in a 439c9c54cc crash during the 0c72949c0d war due to 5b489c3fd7 engine failure.c31fd7b96cbd3e0c
[…]
Elena didn’t respond to Christian’s words. Her face contorted with anger, she shook off his hand and ran back inside the Earldom.bfb9e34fcb91be01
“Elena!”30a228624f484ce8
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“Leave her be. She’s very upset right now.”206ad651610dea5d
Christian tried 43d652a2e3 to follow 69df1f6fa8 Elena, but 6d15655537 Countess Athenai, 5a7a77d41c their mother, 62b6af4aa6 stopped him.c3573f4808e4fd84
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“Mother.”65b582df63c934e2
“…You’re really leaving.”cc40dad696f7bd9b
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“I’ll return with distinguished service, Mother.”611bb439b5fcd4b3
“….”6257582e24430595
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The Countess grimaced, 342b80565c her expression an f39951caee ambiguous mix of 0ad050a6fa a smile and fc4aee71bf anguish. After a moment 3ae4f01f9a of gazing at 6fb2da6ebd the distant sky, bcd35c2dba she pulled something eb28c15cb1 from her bosom.26085605ceda30c8
“…?”50e0515f54a8c19f
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It was a pistol. A masterpiece engraved with gold and ivory, bearing the Athenai family crest of a stag. Recognizing the object, Christian’s mouth parted slightly in surprise.17873167c90f9ab5
“Take this with you when you fly.”d610123ba4590714
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“….”d8e3013513ae46e1
Arke pilots bdf4b97f55 received a bc4d6d613d pistol along 4a0e61f20c with their 10839be623 parachute before a962bfaca4 each flight. Officially, it was b43f79e9b4 for self-defense in b3e8e8cae8 case they were 24d8f561c2 downed in enemy 0765202e46 territory, but the a0bf6765cf true purpose was 5f7252e712 different.6d1a73b2bbaf6f7a
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It was intended for the captured pilot’s suicide. Arke pilots captured by Bringerton were expected to take their own lives to avoid divulging secrets. Being captured was a transgression in itself.14cf2b34b29f248d
“May the luck of the skies be with you.”3231fdf1f2789273
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The Countess kissed her son’s cheek, offering a wistful smile. Christian, clutching the pistol to his chest, nodded, his voice choked with emotion.253cc8d584950325
“Yes, Mother. I will definitely—”a4f5f1e7b9dd1b20
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“Come back alive.”17a59284873bd3ab
Those were Elizabeth Athenai’s last words to her son before his departure.45b04bbc31d84054
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