Chapter 64 New Soldiers Reporting

Early the next morning, as soon as it got dark, Laurent drove his car and waited downstairs at Charles' house. He was ordered to pick up Charles to report.

This was an unprecedented high-standard treatment. A major was actually sent to pick up the new recruits when they reported, and it was an order personally issued by the city defense commander Galieni.

Gallieni certainly has his explanation for this: "Laurent has always been responsible for the confidentiality of the motorcycle factory. I can't let these capitalists have any chance to leak industrial secrets. Therefore, Laurent will follow him in the future, wherever he goes." yes!"

Needless to say, its true intention was, of course, not to want any defense loopholes to take advantage of for the traditional nobles.

Djoka helped Charles move his luggage into the car, and Camille looked at Charles reluctantly. It seemed that Charles was not going to Paris, which was more than ten kilometers away, but to England on the other side of the La Manche Strait.

(Note: The French call the English Channel the Strait of La Manche. Thanks to classmate Armand Capet for the reminder)

"Don't worry, Mom!" Charles comforted: "I can come back at any time, I heard they will give me the freedom to take care of the factory!"

Things decided by the parliament sometimes spread very quickly. The news has already reached the Shire before the military even gives the order.

Camille nodded silently. Although both Djoka and Charles said it was fine, she always felt that something was wrong. This may be a mother's sixth sense.

Unknowingly, there were more people around, and they came to see Ciel off.

"Master Charles, take this croissant with you and eat it on the road!"

"Poor kid, he's going to be a soldier at only 17 years old!"

"Protect yourself, child!"

…

Some even cursed the capitalists:

"Those hateful capitalists, they don't send their children into the army, but they ask Charles to join the army!"

"Ciel wasn't even underage, and their kids were living it up."

"They don't care about this, they only know how to exploit us!"

…

"Char!" Behind the crowd, Matthew came over step by step with two crutches under his elbows. His face was still pale, but there was a confident smile on his lips.

"Matthew!" Charles looked at him in surprise: "I didn't know you could get off the ground!"

"Of course!" Matthew pretended to be relaxed and tilted his head: "It's just a minor injury. I'm recovering well!"

After Matthew came closer, he stood on one leg and leaned the crutch against his body. He stretched out his hand to straighten Ciel's collar and said gratefully: "Thanks to you, Ciel!"

"You are not someone who would say such a thing!" Charles replied with a smile.

"People change!" Matthew smiled sadly: "Just like before, I thought I was going to join the army, and I imagined that you would come to see me off, but it turned out that you were the one going to join the army..."

"It's okay!" Charles knew that he was thinking of his amputated leg again.

Matthew nodded silently, with a bit of melancholy in his eyes. Before he came, he had made up his mind to be strong, but he was always out of control.

"See you soon!"

Charles hugged a few people, said goodbye to Camille, and then got into the car.

Amid the rumble of the engine, Charles kept waving goodbye to his family and friends behind him. Getting further and further away, my eyes became wet unconsciously.

This is very strange. Even though there is only a dozen kilometers away, Charles can even go home every day, but he still feels sad.

Charles remembered the story about lion cubs he had read in the book. In order for them to survive independently, the lioness would reluctantly drive the cubs out of the house when they reached adulthood.

Although Ciel was not kicked out, he seemed to be going through the same process.

Charles suddenly felt a little lonely and a little scared. He didn't know what was waiting for him ahead.

Charles didn't notice that at the height of the villa on one side of the road, Francis was standing there in his pajamas. He was holding a pipe in his hand and smoking silently. He looked expressionlessly at the cars passing below and gradually receding. He hesitated for a while before returning to the house and dialing the phone:

"Yes, he went to Paris!"

"I heard that his tractor factory is already producing new tanks, and the progress is very fast."

"We should prepare earlier!"

After putting down the phone, Francis sat alone in a chair in a daze. Somewhere in his heart, there seemed to be a little bit of reluctance and hesitation.

But within a moment, his eyes turned cold, and he gritted his teeth and murmured to himself: "You forced me to do it. If you want to destroy everything about me, you have to pay the price!"

…

Paris City Defense Headquarters.

The headquarters is located next to the police station in the 4th District of Paris. The reason why it is located here is because it can command the army and police at the same time, one for external defense and the other for internal security. Gallieni is responsible for these.

But this is only one of the reasons.

The 4th District of Paris also has the city hall that allows Paris to function normally and a hospital that is urgently needed during the war. The Seine River passes through the 4th District, and there are two river islands in the river that are easy to defend but difficult to attack.

Gallieni set up his headquarters here in preparation for the fall of Paris. He planned to use the facilities and special terrain of Area 4 to make a final stand against the Germans.

Fortunately this didn't happen.

Laurent drove the car along the Boulevard Saint-Antoine and finally stopped at the gate of the headquarters.

The two guards standing at the door immediately stood up to attention, but Charles could still feel that the guards were deserting. Although they remained motionless and maintained their military posture, their eyes were trying to look at Charles sideways.

They must have heard that Ciel was going to serve as a staff officer at the headquarters, and they were full of curiosity to see what kind of person this legendary Ciel was.

Perhaps due to his pride, Ciel was actually a little worried that they would be disappointed.

The first floor is the Communications Department, with shouts and calls on the phone, and many communications soldiers in military uniforms walking back and forth.

Their voices obviously stopped for a moment when Ciel came in, and the signal soldier's pace also slowed down, all eyes focused on Ciel.

There is admiration, envy, and of course jealousy.

A signal soldier bravely walked up to Charles and stretched out his hand: "Are you Master Charles? Welcome!"

"Thank you!" Charles replied. He seemed a little reserved. He was a little frightened by the soldiers in the room.

Laurent led Charles up the stairs with ease. He took out his pocket watch and checked the time. Then he turned around and said, "General Gallieni always gets up at eight o'clock. There are still twenty minutes left. We can etc……"

Before Laurent finished speaking, he found General Gallieni standing at the top of the stairs. He was wearing a faded military uniform. The bright red military trousers had a bit of pink showing through. There was a pistol hanging on his armed belt. It looked like Quite powerful.

When he saw Ciel, a smile appeared on his lips unconsciously.

"General, you..."

Laurent was stunned for a moment, and then he understood that the general broke his decades-long habit and came here to greet Charles.

Gallieni wanted to step forward and put his hand on Charles's shoulder affectionately, and said cheerfully: "Welcome, little one, I finally waited for you!"

However, the headquarters has no secrets from capitalists, and many people even regard leaking information as a matter of course to "make extra money."

Gallieni could only keep a straight face and said sarcastically: "Look who is here, the great savior of France, we are waiting for you to teach us how to fight!"

Several people nearby laughed cooperatively, understanding Gallieni's tone.

It's just that they didn't see Gallieni wink at Charles, as if to say, I'm telling the truth, Charles, you are the veritable savior of France!