Chapter 100 02.0100: "Peace and blessings"

The day before Sanguinius’ Day, Peace Day.

Horatio was sitting in the Roman-style music theater of the academy. Because he had to lead a guard the next day, Brigadier General Edward and Major General Hood gave him a whole day off so that he could have a good rest.

He had a good sleep and was now watching a military propaganda film jointly produced by the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Military Affairs. His pupils changed color with the light beam.

A fluttering, damaged Imperial eagle flag gradually appeared on the screen, followed by the words 'This is an epic film praising the outstanding achievements of the 31st Cadian Regiment of the Imperial Guard. It was produced by the Imperial Military Affairs Department. The warriors in the film have all returned to the Golden Throne.'

After the line of words disappeared, it was replaced by a huge movie title - "Stand By Your Side".

"Hey, Horatio." Louise sat next to him. As Horatio's deputy, she had been accompanying him in all this time.

"Good evening, Louise." Horatio greeted with a smile, leaning back on the soft sofa.

The beginning of the movie tells the story of the conflicts and adjustments among a group of Cadian recruits who were trained at the same time. These recruits, called White Shields, still have immature faces.

"You've served in it before."

"Yes."

Louise stared intently, her purple eyes sparkling with light: "Everyone in Cardia is a soldier. I learned a lot from it."

The protagonist of the movie gradually grows up and meets and falls in love with a girl who grew up with him. Everything in Cardia is tied to war, even love is tied to comradeship.

Then, the screen turned.

The White Shield Youth Regiment where the protagonist of the film is located has completed its combat readiness reorganization, and he has been promoted to non-commissioned officer due to his outstanding performance. Soon, the regiment was transferred to a nearby planet that was being attacked by the Chaos Rebels as a reinforcement for the 31st Cadian Regiment of the Imperial Guard.

On the last night before leaving, the protagonist and the girl, with whom he had grown increasingly in love, kissed each other while looking into the ominous Eye of Fear, and they both seemed to realize what this transfer represented.

But in the face of responsibility, love is nothing.

The 31st Cadian Regiment was asked to hold a high ground. The regiment's military supervisor shouted the slogan "Hold your position and never retreat". Soon, he was killed in a brutal hand-to-hand fight.

The protagonist's friends fell one after another, and his lover fell to the ground seriously injured, dying together with the enemy who rushed up to snatch the regimental flag from her.

Louise suddenly sat up straight. Horatio glanced at her beside him. Her eyes were filled with longing and a touch of sadness that belonged only to Cardia.

Even the protagonist's former mortal enemy asked him to stay alive and hold his ground before he died.

Until dawn the next day, when new reinforcements arrived, the protagonist of the film knelt on the ground. Even though his body was cold, the flag of the 31st Regiment in his hand was still flying above the position.

The loyal double-headed eagle still stands...

With a silent handover, the 31st Cadian Regiment completed its mission and the movie ended.

Horatio sighed with emotion as he watched a long passage of names and eulogies of those who died in this battle appear at the end of the film.

He knew that the sacrifice rate of the Guards was extremely high, and the Empire would definitely remember them.

"Sacrifice is the cornerstone of the human empire," Louise said calmly.

"I thought you'd be impressed," Horatio said, half jokingly.

Even though the movie is very touching, Louise doesn't seem to be moved to tears by the sentimentality.

"Such stories happen every day in Cadia, and the tears of the Cadian people dry up the moment they are born." Louise smiled and answered with a motto from her home planet.

"Would you like to have a drink with me for the rest of the time?" Horatio invited. "I'd love to, but I have a mission tomorrow, so I can't have more." Louise turned her head to look at Horatio and smiled peacefully.

"of course."
-
Outside the warm Naval Academy restaurant and bar, there was a drizzle of snow falling, which was quite poetic.

The young Chief Petty Officer of the Imperial Navy was admiring the drifting, falling and melting snowflakes. Next to him sat a mature and tall female Petty Officer who was wearing long black military boots and looked very heroic.

The company of such a beautiful lady aroused jealousy in some people at first, but their eyes were attracted by the rank insignia of the chief sergeant major emitting a cold light on the collar. Some cadets recognized him and came forward to Horatio excitedly to ask for his autograph as if they had seen a star.

Not only because this descendant of Speyer was the youngest chief petty officer in the history of the Gothic Fleet.

Everyone in the cadets had heard of his feats, including killing Chaos Space Marines single-handedly, saving a cruiser for the Imperial Navy, receiving commendations from the Blood Angels, commanding a patrol ship to defeat five in a 1v5 fight and winning a void battle, and leading the Hell's Vanguard to rescue the hostages at the opera house in 20 minutes and thwart a terrorist attack.

But Horatio didn't want to spend the rest of the night signing autographs for the students, especially after signing thirteen...

"Sorry, we need some private time right now. Maybe next time." Horatio smiled and declined the 14th student waiting in line. It was obvious that she was very frustrated.

"You're really busy all the time." Louise smiled and put the glass filled with Amaze brown wine to her lips.

"Feel sorry."

Horatio looked at her palm with burn scars and talked about the purpose of this invitation: "Speaking of which, what's going on with your palm?"

"A rescue operation eight years ago. That day was like the beginning of hell. The wreckage of the shuttle turned into fire rain from the sky."

Louise looked at the burn scar on her palm and recalled, "I went to the nearest shuttle, and there was a boy with blood all over his face who was still alive. I didn't think much at the time, so I grabbed the iron rod and tried to pull him up. Then, as you can see, the scorching heat left marks on my body, but I don't regret it."

Horatio swallowed the wine in his throat. "Thank you."

"What?" Louise snorted.

"Can you believe it? That boy is me."

"Are you kidding? If that was you, why would you start from the bottom..." Louise fell silent in the middle of her words, turning her beautiful, icy face towards Horatio and looking at his face carefully.

[That boy...seems to have black hair as well. His facial features...are somewhat similar. Could it really be him?]
"After you rescued me, I was sent to the nearby Lower Nest Orphanage as the only surviving orphan because I had no documents. But I couldn't stand the brutality and environment there, so I escaped. Then the things in the file happened."

Horatio drank the wine in the glass, exhaled a long breath, looked at Louise's face, raised the corner of his mouth and hummed a smile and said: "Thank you, Louise, if it weren't for your heroic act at that time, I might not be where I am now."

Louise was speechless at first when she looked at the handsome young man in front of her, and then she chuckled: "It seems that the Emperor of God has already arranged everything."

"Merry Christmas Eve, Louise. To God the Emperor..." Horatio said as he looked up at the dark sky outside the window with snowflakes flying.

Tomorrow is the day when the Khorne cultists launch a massive attack, and many people will die.

He wanted to say something like "I wish us all a safe return", but this was an extremely dark world, and the more you expected something, the more the evil god would take it away. He would drive people to despair, and then offer a price that they could not refuse, inducing them to surrender.

He didn't want to set a flag before going to the battlefield, so he just made a wish to the Emperor and Sanguinius in his heart.

Louise saw that Horatio was hesitant to speak, and she knew what he was worried about.

She poured some wine for Horatio, put her hand on his strong shoulder, pressed it on the bright red tassel, and clinked glasses with him: "Peace."

The two wine glasses clinked lightly together, making a crisp sound.

"Peace be with you."

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(End of this chapter)