Chapter 11: An Unexpected Reunion and a New Resolve

A silver head emerged from the tank. She clung to the vehicle’s edge, her eyes gleaming as she gazed at the stunned Fran.

Fran’s heart pounded furiously, so fast he felt a sudden difficulty breathing. He braced himself for the Teuton soldiers’ inspection, fearing they might discover the bloodstains on his clothes or the unloaded pistol he carried.

He frantically racked his brain for a plausible excuse. Yet, the owner of those captivating, sapphire-like eyes spoke first, her voice brimming with excitement.

“Fran! I wasn’t mistaken, it really is you, Fran!”

Her excitement was so profound that her first words were in Teuton. Fran, utterly bewildered, listened to the girl’s chattering, amazed by how melodious this Teuton soldier’s voice sounded. Only then did he finally discern her face.

Upon recognizing her long silver hair and exquisite features, his heart gave a violent jolt.

Under the moonlight, the girl’s silver hair seemed even more enchanting. Her black military uniform lent her an air of solemn dignity. Fran found her expression inscrutable; her gaze upon him was fervent, yet mixed with a strange undercurrent.

It was an indescribable feeling, one that made him feel utterly overwhelmed, as if he were a prized trophy.

The girl suddenly realized her linguistic error. Switching to Francian, she repeated her words to Fran. She then clambered down from the tank, taking Fran’s hand, her voice trembling with barely suppressed emotion.

“Fran, do you remember me? I… I’m Yuli Gustav! I’m Yuli, we met half a year ago, do you remember?”

She even wondered if she was dreaming. The person she had longed for day and night had suddenly appeared before her eyes. Yuli was so overcome that she overlooked many details, such as Fran’s panicked expression and the faint red spots staining his clothes.

How she wished the person before her would reply, ‘I’ve been thinking of you too.’

However, Fran stood frozen in disbelief for several seconds. His gaze wavered, and his voice carried a hint of reluctance as he spoke.

“You… you’re a Teuton soldier?”

No affirmation, no denial—only a question thrown back at her.

“Ah… yes…” Yuli admitted, a hint of guilt in her tone. She took Fran’s hand, attempting to change the subject. “Um, I’ll take you home, Fran. Have you ever ridden in a tank? I can give you a lift—”

“No need!”

Fran’s face was now as cold as ice, a sight that even made Yuli feel a pang of fear. She hastily explained, “Fran, I’m not a bad person. Don’t you remember? Half a year ago, I hired you for drinks, and we were—”

“I’ve entertained many people!”

Fran cut her off, unsure of his own words. Yet, as he watched her expression grow increasingly crestfallen, he felt an inexplicable surge of excitement.

He let out a cold laugh, continuing his fabrication. “But I truly can’t remember every customer’s name. My apologies, Miss Gustav, I need to go home!”

“Wait!”

Yuli grabbed Fran, who was trying to escape. Her eyes filled with a wistful sadness as she looked at him.

“At least… let me give you a ride.”

****

Fran was ultimately pulled into the tank by the girl. They squeezed into the cramped interior, their shoulders pressed tightly together.

The girl’s expression was grave. She barely dared to look at the person beside her, the one she had longed for day and night. ‘Why wouldn’t he remember me?’ she wondered.

Fran took a deep breath, calming his racing thoughts. Neither of them spoke a word throughout the journey. Finally, the tank stopped outside the tavern. Fran called out to the girl, then walked into the establishment alone.

“I… I’ll come find you!”

The girl called out to Fran.

Fran paused, glancing back at the girl. Finally, he shook his head.

“No need. I’ll be leaving here soon.”

****

Fran pushed open the door, his weary body entering the inner room of the tavern. He saw Alina, still awake and working, and offered her a bitter smile.

He found a seat and sat down. He switched on the gramophone on the counter, intending to listen to his usual recorded radio music to relax. However, what emanated from the machine was a powerful male voice.

“For too long, generals holding key military positions have formed a new government, using military defeat as an excuse to make peace with the enemy. But when we scrutinize this so-called peace treaty, we will find that it brings no peace. It will only lead to the enslavement of the Francian people by enemy nations, all to allow the military generals and government officials to maintain their positions!”

“Indeed, we suffered a defeat. Our armies were fragmented and surrounded by the enemy’s mechanized forces, scattered by their charges, trapped by their air superiority, and cornered on the coast. It was the enemy’s planes, tanks, and advanced strategies that plunged our soldiers into panic, leaving them with nothing but thoughts of surrender.”

“But have we truly been defeated? No! People of Francian, this is a world war! We are not defeated, and one day, we will liberate our homeland. The same mechanized forces that vanquished us today will be overcome by our own, even more powerful mechanized forces tomorrow.”

“We are not fighting alone. We still possess Francian’s vast overseas territories and our steadfast ally, the Kingdom of Brittany. We can receive robust and continuous industrial support from the Vinland Federation. People across the globe are uniting to fight alongside us. As long as we do not give up, we will one day liberate our great homeland!”

“I am General Gaowen, and I am in Brittany. I urge all Francian soldiers, senior technicians, engineers, and anyone who has arrived in Brittany to contact me. I also ask all Francian organizations preparing for secret resistance against the Teutons to reach out. The beacon of Francian’s resistance will not be extinguished. Tomorrow, I will deliver another broadcast speech!”

****

Fran fell silent. An indescribable, surging emotion churned within him. He raised his pistol, then recalled his actions from earlier that day.

‘It seems I’ve grown brave…’

He gave a bitter smile, then turned to Alina.

“Teacher, I… I’m not leaving.”

Hmph— Alina scoffed, a smile of exasperation on her face. She turned, tossing his packed luggage onto Fran, then placed her hands on her hips, gazing at him with a mournful expression.

After a long moment, she sighed, shaking her head with a smile.

“Welcome to the Purburg Underground Resistance, the Lorraine Party, you rascal.”

“Yes!”

Alina patted Fran’s head contentedly. As she looked at him, something suddenly came to mind.

“Hmph… Oh, by the way, who was that person who brought you back today? Driving a tank to drop you off, how impressive is that?”

Alina’s teasing tone made Fran quite uncomfortable. He spoke with a cold, somewhat disdainful expression.

“Oh, it was a girl. Teacher, do you remember? Half a year ago, that silver-haired girl who came to our tavern, her name was… Yuli Gustav, I think. She’s actually a Teuton soldier! I used to…”

He trailed off. Alina, still missing the point, continued to playfully rub his face.

“Oh? Isn’t that the beautiful older sister our Fran has been dreaming about day and night? What’s wrong? Why do you look so unhappy after seeing her?”

“I can’t stand an enemy showing me such a caring and… affectionate face. It truly disgusts me.”

Fran said, head bowed. Hearing his words, Alina stopped her playful banter. Only…

“Hmm? Gustav?”

Alina’s brow furrowed. The moment the girl’s surname registered, a truly brilliant plan suddenly began to form in her mind.

She smirked, looking at Fran.

“Fran, you’re going to be very useful!”