Translator: Cinder Translations
...
"Hello, Marshal McDonald, my teacher Mr. Aldridge instructed me to wait for you here."
Kevin looked at the old marshal, who had just stepped down from the carriage, with awe. After coming to Gabella, one of the first famous figures he learned about was McDonald. He had joined the imperial army at a young age and had won countless battles for the empire, earning a reputation known throughout surrounding countries.
The Unshakable McDonald—that was the title he held in the mouths of his enemies.
"Your name is Kevin, right?" McDonald asked as he looked at the young man before him.
"Yes, that's me," Kevin replied, both surprised and delighted. Thanks to his teacher, he had met McDonald a few times, and Aldridge had mentioned him casually, but he never expected the old marshal to remember his face and name.
McDonald smiled at him. "Thank you for the welcome, kid. Please take me to see your teacher."
Kevin turned and gestured inside. "This way, Marshal McDonald."
...
The botanical garden behind the Scholar's Tower is one of the few tranquil spots in the imperial capital of Gabella. It is lush and beautiful, where the people of the Scholar's Tower often take walks to relax and rejuvenate their minds amidst their intense research and studies. However, it is not just a place to rest; it is also where the botanists from the Scholar's Tower conduct their research. The plants here are cultivated by these scholars, who tirelessly gather rare flowers and herbs from all over the continent to transplant into this garden. As long as they can survive, they become subjects for observation and study for future scholars, gradually forming a large garden over time.
Beside a small lake, there is a little pavilion where two older scholars are engrossed in a game of chess.
"Ha ha, your king is doomed."
Aldridge's junior, Scholar Alvey, gleefully stared at his senior.
"Don't celebrate too early; you haven't noticed that I have a backup plan," Aldridge replied, stubbornly refusing to lose, although his hand was awkwardly paused over the chessboard, not making the move he claimed would be his next.
"Come on, make your move!" Alvey taunted, his excitement causing his mustache to almost curl upward.
Just as the tension rose, Kevin's voice came from the path leading here. "Two teachers, Marshal McDonald has arrived."
The student's arrival saved Aldridge from what was about to be an embarrassing situation.
"Ah, if the Marshal had been a few minutes later, I would have enjoyed seeing your defeated, adorable expression," Aldridge sighed heavily, a look of regret on his face. Then he stood up and put on a welcoming demeanor for the guest, clearly not intending to continue the chess game.
However, although he welcomed McDonald, he first gratefully glanced at his dear student.
"Hmph!" Scholar Alvey rolled his eyes dramatically, expressing disdain for his senior.
He then stood up with Aldridge to welcome the old marshal.
"Oh, McDonald, you kept us waiting for quite a while," Aldridge remarked without any formalities, after knowing each other for several decades and now both loyal to the same emperor.
"Ha ha, sorry about that, I had some military matters to attend to," McDonald smiled apologetically.
The three sat down in the pavilion, and Kevin busied himself with running errands, clearing the chessboard and pieces, and serving them brewed tea and plates of fruit.
Aldridge instructed his student, "Kevin, we three will chat for a while, so you don't need to busy yourself here."
Kevin understood that the discussion might not be suitable for him to overhear. After bowing, he left.
Once the young man had walked far enough away, McDonald put away his smile and said solemnly, "Gentlemen, I know you didn't call me here for idle chatter. I'm a man of action, so please speak directly."
Aldridge and Alvey exchanged smiles, and then Aldridge spoke, "Marshal, in the past, there were indeed things we couldn't say, but now we can talk to you, especially since we are all supporters of His Highness Antonio."
McDonald nodded in acknowledgment.
Alvey continued, "Although you have just sided with His Highness, we feel it's necessary for you to quickly grasp the entire situation. There's a saying that if you want to achieve something with someone, you shouldn't doubt them; we deeply resonate with this sentiment."
"So we chose this time and place to have a heart-to-heart conversation with you."
Hearing such words from two respected scholars made McDonald's expression grow more serious.
"Gentlemen, I actually wanted to ask, why has the Scholar's Tower, which has maintained political neutrality since its founding and never intervened in the struggles for the throne, chosen to openly side with His Highness Antonio this time?"
"Oh, please don't rush," Aldridge replied, a mysterious smile appearing on his face.
"You will soon receive all the answers you seek."
...
General of Collins, Semyon Fedotov, looked smugly at the blockade behind him. This was the last obstacle on the way to Hydra; after this, it would be smooth sailing.
He stood on a small dirt slope beside the road, with a clear view of the pass where the soldiers of the Protectorate were passing through the gate one after another.
His army resembled a long giant python, about to swallow a nest of pitiful little mice hiding in the hole.
After taking the pass, Fedotov ordered the army to rest for two days in preparation for the upcoming assault on the great city of Hydra.
A vanguard unit of three thousand men set off ahead to scout the road ahead and set up a camp near Hydra.
Fedotov learned from the latest intelligence that the forces of the Horn Bay Alliance were still struggling to decide whether to advance east or north at this point.
This made Fedotov nearly laugh out loud.
Praise the Father in heaven, the great Lord of Light; it was His divine intervention that punished those who had forsaken their faith—their minds had gone awry.
Fedotov silently vowed to root out those heretics along the coast and sow the seeds of true faith, allowing this land to bask in the glory of the Father once more.
"Alright!" he said to his subordinates nearby, "Let's go catch up with the earlier departing troops; hopefully, when we see them, they will welcome us with the camps they've set up."
Fedotov cheerfully slapped his horse's rear, and the steed galloped southward.
(End of the Chapter)
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Translated 4 Series, 1.65K+ Chapters and 2.01M+ Words.