A month it's been and I neared the end of my training with the buddy that accompanied me day and night in this Hell-ish German training. Felmenn and I as well as a squad's worth of people were a part of a group of talented Ridge-Brown soldiers, our commanding officer; Ma'am Poloise had promoted.
I as well as my comrades were awarded with the 'Bronze Statute' medal for our talented-selves and I accepted it with jubillation. See; in Germany, a soldier with more talents and more medals, more recognition: gains more 'power' in the hierachy of the German military. Felmenn, being an experienced sailor himself; was able to take early the Navy course (under Ma'am Poloise's recommendation).
A day before the end of training, me and Felmenn were walking down Unchean's main district streets. And I observed the shops and cafes.
As a note; this was the second time I had been outside the Venit-Ille military camp.
Unchean was a lively place, more so than the cities of Betelion, and the past Krimvaldian Capital. The Chancellor of Germany had proliferated strange machinery and techonology. I had not even heard of them. I was accustomed to the guns, the vehicles, and tanks and whatnot at the Venit-Ille camp, but outside; seeing techonology that was not meant for the military was 'jarring' for me.
There were 'bicycles,' human-powered and small transportation devices.
There were sleek vehicles meant only for transportation (which at the time were only for the richer ones who could buy them).
There were decorative electronic lights (that I had first thought were magic-ore lights but I was corrected by Felmenn who was more knowledgeable than me).
There were many others, each all so distinctly suprising and aweshocking to the peasant life I had lived last in Betelion.
Felmenn led me to a sea-side cafe, imagine! Imagine my astonishment when a cold blast of air hit my face in the middle of a hot summer!
"W-what!?" I blurted in deliriousness. "How can it be cold in here!?"
"That's because of the magic-gem powered air conditioners." Felmenn chuckled when he looked at me.
"Magic-Gem... Powered... Air conditioners...?" We got our seats, I still sat in my deeper-thoughts.
"Ah," the cafe's tender walked up to us. "What will it be, esteemed soldiers?" His voice leapt with pride for his country's fighters.
"I will get an iced-latte, my friend here may want the same," -he looked at me for confirmation to which I nodded- "then that is all."
"Thank you, please wait for your orders to be fulfilled."
"Thank you." Replied Felmenn with a warm smile.
"You're quite the socially-acclimated person," I commented, settling on my seat comfortably. "I am much the opposite."
My friend chuckled a little, "welp. That's a nice habit to learn, since you're Germany after all."
"I've never got the chance to question,"
"To question what?"
"Where you were from,"
"Easel city!" He cried in dramatic poise, "we got the card to join the military early-on, but I decided to lay back before I joined the military. See, I already know you're gonna question; 'why?' Well that's because of the money, and the experience I'd get. You're an experienced soldier from Betelion, and I am also experienced in my own right.
"I've sailed any boats in the past, so after the army, I'll leap and join the Navy. And hopefully I'll get to become an admiral. Something I would never have been able to accomplish under the monarchy of the Krimvald kingdom."
"Ah, you've an ire for them? The family? The... Pre-family..."
"Not in that sense." He put his head on his hand, thumbing the wooden table. "It's just the whole ideology... The whole system in it of itself. Nobility... The Royal Family... And that everything is powered through reputation and history... That's not what I want in a country that wishes to be powerful and free.
"I understand that the Chancellor is 'all powerful,' but the Chancellor has given the commoners (I and you) a chance! A chance to be able to live even better than before, maybe even better than the nobles! I don't even know if the noble-isms are still alive anymore... It's such a... Such a foreign sounding word now."
I smiled, getting to peak through the life of the friend that I've been chatting-up with for a month. As he stopped talking, the tender had come back with our drinks. "Thank you," Felmenn bowed slightly.
"You're welcome, please enjoy your drinks." He walked away.
I examined my drink, I hadn't a single clue what an 'iced latte' may mean. But the container the drink held it with was rather luxurious for such a niche-looking cafe, with (as I had observed) five people, with two being from the newly founded adventurer's commision (guild).
"Glass?" I commented, "and it's printed glass as well. With no blur to it..."
"It's now a commodity in Germany, well; in the capital of Unchean have I seen it like this." Felmenn sipped the glass cup finishing with a satisfied pant. "It's because of the Unchean Factory down south, large warehouse that creates the majority of products within Unchean. Run by the dwarves; they've been mass-producing these things, popping them up like they were paper origami-es."
I took a sip of my drink, a refreshing flavor. And combine that with the cool indoors that departed from the summer out. It cooled me and gave me energy, a drink I have never drank before, a truly distinct experience.
"Good, is it not?" Felmenn smiled, looking upon my reaction with great satisfaction, as it was also the same expressions he had made when first he drank the drink.
"Thank you, Felmenn." I cheered.
A blare!
"What is that?" Felmenn looked at the window, "a siren, what is happening?" He got up, as did I, I finished my cup of latte and left a tip of two silvers.
"Let us go." I said, "before we get reprimanded by Ma'am Poloise."
( * )
We took a military truck that was speeding the road towards Venit-Ille. Rushed to our quarters, and quickly ran to our superior officers.
It was then that Venit-Ille was brought down this major alert, it read;
[ POST BOARD ]
"The Leberect and the Atago has attacked Hesian Naval Forces. Expect movement towards the country of Hesia within twenty-four hours until said other wise by the Chancellor."
"It's not even after training, that we're getting this..." Felmenn mired, "welp..." -We looked at each other- "good luck."
( * )
Then. A day after; Germany informally declared war with Hesia. Which turns to now. I am currently writing these current words inside one of the many rooms of the Atago headed towards Port Geo at night. The others who are sleeping beside me have been quite irritated of the light that blared into the eyes as I wrote this recount of events.
I have not one clue where Felmenn is now, however... Wherever he might be; I thank him for becoming my friend. And what will become of me tommorow, in battle; will be something only God can know. And I hope. And I pray. That God will guide me the right way.
-Farea Mandeblum
[ Private Ridge-Brown Soldier of Battalion-B ]
Atago, somewhere in the Ferris Sea