The Little Prince in the Ossuary

# High winds (3)

Vodka. Again, I was still embarrassed, but I had a pretty good idea why. General Rogers was not in the habit of asking pointless questions. Winter answered.

“You can pretend to like it. ”

“Is the amount of alcohol okay? ”

“I think so. ”

“At 8: 00 p.m. tonight, I have decided to invite Russian officers to the palace. Even the commanders of the Air Force will accept the invitation. You should come, too.If there are other officers you wish to attend, you may accompany them. ”

The warden's dry tone was more like a mission briefing.

“It is annoying to have to pay attention to this part, but it is designed to alleviate childish pride fights. For those who are more obsessed with 'masculinity’ than the Marines, a simple exchange of vodka starting with vodka ending with it would be appropriate. If we don't hurt each other's feelings. So..."

The warden turns to winter.

“Be careful not to let anything unsavory happen while you're drunk. Tell that to your men. If you go back and forth with one punch, it'll be a complete waste of time. ”

“I understand.”

“But that doesn't mean you have to be patient with them even when they punch first. In that case, put your oppression first, and if you don't want to, put your silent treatment to rest. We don't have to kill them or maim them. ”

“ ……. ”

“That's a good look. At least it's better than looking completely shallow. ”

Winter accepted. I understand. I was just embarrassed by the aggression that wasn't like Rogers.

“Then I'll see you tonight. ”

The warden boards his vehicle behind the winter.

After returning to Leadville, the troops return to the starting point, where the sunset arrives after a routine shooting exercise. Officers from both Mirror countries converged on Timberline campus, south of Leadville, Colorado Mountain College. It is so remote that there was no other place to accommodate many people.

The party was a place where vodka swallowed people.

Air Force officers drank like water. He also recommended American officers to drink as much masterpiece as they did. To Russia, to America! Another round to win! At this rate, they would not stop beating the cup with a single person dying. American officers have been pale since the beginning. What in the world are all these people?

However, there was no sign of anything that Warden Rogers was worried about. It just seemed like people who wanted to forget suffering. They were cautious on the downside, and there were some who looked at American officers as if they were craving something more. Winter wondered what it would be.

“A colonel. ”

The Winter's call was with Admiral Leonid Andreyevich Caphraov of the Air Force. He had a clean face like a college professor somewhere, rather than a soldier. He wears a hat on one arm. Winter held his hand. A firm handshake. I feel a skeleton in my grip.

“Nice to meet you. I'm a winter commander.”

“Leonid. I'm in charge of the 98 Musket Squad. ”

“I've heard a lot about you. Please take good care of it."

“I'm the one. You can call me Leonid Andreyevich in the square. ”

The friendly horse gave him a bottle of wine on the nearby table.

“A toast to our mutual acquaintance. ”

“Yes.”

Winter received a drink in an extra glass. Caphraov also raised a glass to fill himself. The two of them swallowed liquor at the same time as if they were saying hello. The nose of the small intestine that wipes its mouth with the back of the hand is scorched. He encouraged winter.

“If you're not otherwise occupied, just say the word. ”

“It's an honor.”

Before sitting down, I looked for General Rogers, who was talking to another commander in the Air Force. His face was white as usual, but occasionally the center of the slight tremor was evidence that he was already taken lightly.

Caphraov smiles and asks.

“Are you worried about your boss? ”

“No, I'm not.”

Short answer winter. I'm not actually worried. I just didn't expect to be caught by a general class person. I expected a simple greeting. Dealing with stars will be the role of stars. Even if I belonged differently, my position would become weaker if I differed in class.

“Americans are stupid. ”

Caphraov's words made me wonder about winter.

“What are you talking about? ”

“That Rogers. No matter how recently you got promoted, you should have decorated the commander by now. That way, we'll have an excuse to bend over. There's a face here, too. ”

“ ……. ”

“I'd say there was a lack of consideration for your superiors. I don't know. Maybe it's just a training period. But it's too late for a promotion when it comes to real combat. ”

That's right. We really needed to organize the command sequence during the joint exercise.

The warden lowered his voice as he leaned his torso toward winter.

“Do you know why I say this to you? ”

“Well…. ”

“It means you have to do something about it. ”

“Me? ”

“Yes. It's hard for your boss to ask for his own promotion. Especially if you're a fast-paced war hero. A promotion would have been faster for you, but any country needs a general's political strength. It's a different dimension than a landscape. ”

“That's a difficult thing to say. ”

“Is it true? An offer from the commander in the middle of the winter, considering the possibility. ”

After finishing speaking, the warden suggested a new drink.

“Well, think about it. ”

This was the end of the subject. The conversation continued in a different direction. The warden summoned other nearby officers to join him and asked Winter, the only American officer at the table, about the southern front.

“There's a mountain war going on in old Mexico, right? ”

Winter nods.

“That's what I heard. ”

“These mutants are so good at rolling their heads. Did you say Deadler? The cunning ones are very effective at capitalizing on those little things. ”

Deadler. Explosive baby. This particular variant, which has been differentiated into acidity and flammability in the past, has emerged as a much greater threat than before as its enhancement ratings continue to rise.

The biggest change is that the capsule for flight is now found on the back. The skin on the back, covered in lumps of small wrinkles, is stretched by the wind to a size close to ten times the body's surface area. This resulted in an increased glide ratio of 1 to 8. The average distance of one meter is eight meters.

Of course, it slowed down that much. However, as soon as the U.S. Army ranks come into view, Heterogeneous Defender removes the back cover. Depending solely on the capsule between the limbs that had been there before, this horrible baby was able to congeal surprisingly quickly.

Other specialty Whipper varieties have emerged in the towns and forests. It was a monster specialized in ambush, hiding body temperatures as well as skin color changes. It's hard to distinguish it from features because the shape is not constant. Attackers are like whips. It resembles the left arm of a Trickster made up of muscle only, but is much more threatening because of its sharp, rigidly deformed protuberance. Of course, it is much longer.

The plague did not give up the war against humanity.

Caphraov bitterly said.

“Soon you'll see such cunning on Russian soil. ”

I had no choice but to release Trickster in the Tibetan Plateau. Variants of the old continent will surpass Russia's security zone with unprecedented organizational and directional retention capabilities.

‘They're too good. ’

Even now, with North America becoming more prosperous, winter's most vigilant specialty remains a trickster.

It's a wonder the Russian government has accepted this operation. In the worst case, we might have to give up the country completely……. The broadcasting of Esther's contact with the CIA had caught the eye, but it was doubtful the Russian government had made a choice for its people.

So I ask.

“Leonid Andreyevich. Do you object to this operation? ”

“Why do you ask that question? ”

“I'm asking for your personal opinion. Because, as you just said, the mainland of Russia is more dangerous than it is today. ”

“Too bad I have to abandon my hometown. Still, it's better to relocate to another area than to continue being trapped in that precarious land. I agree.”

“Migration……. ”

“Didn't you know? After the continental separation, we decided to take exclusive advantage of half of Old Mexico and the rest of Central America. Maybe we can evacuate the entire country. The 1st Migration Fleet is confirmed to depart before the Zero Ground drop. ”

It was the first I heard of it. The general shrugs.

“Hm. So this was confidential right now?...... I think it would be nice. It won't be hidden for long anyway. Without those conditions, there's no way we can unilaterally respond to a disadvantage. If the United States had unsealed the Trickster, they would have fired a nuke and retaliated. ”

Seeing the small intestine smiling loudly, Winter looked at the meaning of ‘such conditions’ as he said. The United States has decided to give Russia a place to threaten the Canal of Panama and the rest of North America. so that the United States will not abandon Russia in the future.

Caphraov drank three glasses of vodka in a row and wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

“I thought Mexican refugees were already running their sovereignty to ensure their rights to the old country, but that's not funny. What did they do? Their country was destroyed a long time ago, and fighting in blood is the United States Army. So shouldn't the land you acquired in the fight become American territory naturally? What do you think? ”

Winter, when she was about to say something, shut up. Some of the Mexican refugees, of course, volunteered for the U.S. military, but in principle, they became American citizens at the time of enlistment.

Winter reminded me of a verse in the Civil Rights oath.

I swear here that I will completely and unequivocally renounce all loyalty and fidelity to any foreign monarch, ruler, country, or other governing power to which I have been or have been a citizen.

Those who came from the United States as allies, including winter, would not have been able to recite this oath unless they were Captain Captain Captains at the time, but it was impossible to obtain citizenship without an oath. It was just that important, and if it was found that any part of the oath was missing, it was principle to cancel at least the citizenship that had already been given. You consider yourself a citizen in the first place.

In fact, they are also included in documents that must be signed in order to become a U.S. military.

Therefore, there was nothing wrong with the word "American military" for all the blood spilled from the southern front. At least in principle.

Warden Caphraov talks with all his strength.

“The Americans have elected a president. ”

“…… Is that right? ”

“Aye. If Gerald Burns had entered the White House, he would have been caught off guard by the rabble refugees and idealists who side with him because of his Union pact.“ What about Kramer? Isn't it refreshing how things work? He knows what's important. That's how politics works. Throw away what you have to throw away. ”

Winter did not argue. It was meaningless, just think of something else.

“So the refugees can't go back home. ”

The Complaint denied it.

“I heard that you're not planning on stopping anyone from coming. It's just... ”

“Only?”

Caphraov chuckles.

“If you want to live on land brought down by the deaths of countless soldiers, you have to pay the price. Free food that the United States has been providing for a long time. You can't always rely on the favors of others just because you're a refugee. ”

“In exchange, is it economical? Taxes?”

“Rather than taxes, it's more like fair labor. We need to restore civilization. ”

The warden pointed to winter.

“Can you put a price on your own life? ”

“ ……. ”

Winter was silent again. I've already sold myself before, but that was a deal I shouldn't have made in the first place. The Complainant accepted the static as an answer.

“That's it. How much do you want me to give you for the residence of the land I bled on? No matter how hard life is, there's no chance of death. In a world like this, fighting the apocalypse. ”

Everyone must prove their credentials. You must do your part. Those who don't deserve to live. It was an allegation reminiscent of Kramer's creed.

After the party, Winter brought Warden Rogers back on his way home. It was mostly because Rogers' chiefs, who were not advisers on the Russian side, were either dehumanized, or overwhelmed by self-care alone. The same goes for air force officers. I felt I had to go back and forth a few more times for others.

Drunk Rogers showed a different side to himself.

“Crazy Russians. ”

A twisted pronunciation supported by winter.

“You and I have been through a lot. I don't need to be a hero. ”

“You seem to be in a lot of pain. ”

“Hard.”

Rogers' mouth lengthens with an uneaten saliva.

The winter in the back of the car waiting for him looked open. The snowy mountains are painted like white brushes. As Timberline was written in place of the name, white ridges were visible in any direction with open field of view on campus.

“I didn't want to come. ”

“Yes?”

Winter looked around the back seat of the vehicle.

“I didn't want to come. ”

“ ……. ”

“Where's something as easy to die as a hero...?" ”

Finally, Rogers closes his eyes as if stunned. Winter didn't take her eyes off him for a while.