I will be crowned king

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu"

The melodious sound of the flute echoed on the crowded platform, and the dark "Steel Sky" blew out steam, relying on the linkage mechanism to inject endless power into the wheels that were closely connected to the rails, pulling up dozens of carriages and driving into the distance. .

In the compartment, David Jacques, who had just finished his first "train lunch" in his life, looked out the window excitedly. He took out a crayon and scribbled on the napkin: for a while it was the hills in the distance, and for a while it was... Windmills on the outskirts of the city, then railroad tracks in the wilderness...

"etc."

Karin Jacques, who was sitting next to him, couldn't help but raise his eyebrows and looked at his brother with a little surprise: "I remember you didn't study figure painting?"

"Yes, and I'm glad I learned this at the beginning - buyers who like paintings in the inner city usually only look at figure paintings. My classmates who are pursuing landscapes and architecture are already so poor that they can't even pay the rent. They rely on I make a living by sketching and drawing stamps for passers-by on the street.”

David Jacques nodded excitedly and couldn't hide his excitement: "It's just my first time to travel far and take a train. It's inevitable that I will be a little excited and I can't help but want to draw something."

Well, it sounds very reasonable... The black-robed priest nodded slightly, and at the same time looked at his brother with a little distress; for his own reasons, he spent almost all of his life in boarding schools and studios, and never I had the opportunity to travel with my family.

"By the way, what are those lines?" Carlin curiously pointed at the black lines on the painting and couldn't help but wonder.

"Oh, that's the black smoke coming from the factory chimney in the distance."

David explained excitedly: "They are actually the main subject of these paintings - I am mainly depicting the whole process of the black smoke encroaching on the blue sky little by little, and eventually dyeing the entire sky gray!"

Karin Jacques: "...After hearing your explanation, I don't understand it at all."

"I finally understand why those students who love landscape painting are so poor - because there is no reality in their paintings!"

Laying the "canvas" flat on the table, David, who was full of surprise, pointed out the window with a slightly trembling crayon: "All the landscape paintings you can see in Clovis in the past, especially in the inner city, do not depict endless mountains. Wilderness is a quiet and pleasant small village, with blue sky, clear water, and pastoral songs..."

"Yes, because city people like this. They live in crowded and noisy cities, so they particularly yearn for the quiet and spacious countryside." The black-robed priest chuckled:

"Only city people like the countryside. They don't really have to live there anyway."

"And this is why their paintings are not popular, because they are unrealistic and are not the pastoral countryside at all - well, at least they are not the real scenery of the Clovis countryside!" David said very seriously:

"What does the real Clovis countryside look like? It's the railroad that stretches from one end of the horizon to the other, it's the train that occasionally rumbles by, it's the black smoke rising from the small factories in the countryside, it's the horse-drawn carriages loaded with goods, It is a flour factory using steam engines, a large plantation and scattered farmhouses..."

“Brand-new factories are rising from the ground, scattered farmland has been replaced by large estates and livestock farms, longer and longer railways are intertwined with four-wheeler ruts, and the blue sky is dyed gray bit by bit... This This is what rural Clovis looks like!”

David spoke faster and faster, and his eyes seemed to be flashing with some kind of frightening light: "I suddenly realized that this may be the reason why the Ring of Order asked me to leave Clovis City - don't draw anymore Those vulgar figure paintings that rich people love to see; go see the Clovis countryside, see what the world really looks like, and record the traces they leave!"

"No! No, no, no, no...that's absolutely not the case!"

Faintly aware of something amiss, the black-robed priest waved his hands repeatedly, trying to dispel his brother's thoughts: "First of all, no one in this world wants to see 'reality' in a painting. On the contrary, the reason they buy paintings is for hope." A temporary break from reality.”

"Secondly, the purpose of me sending you to learn painting is to let you have a skill and be able to support yourself, not to record any damn traces!"

"But I might be able to create a new school of painting!" David's interest remained undiminished:

"The combination of factories and countryside, white clouds and blue skies with chimneys spewing black mist, steam trains passing through simple farmhouses, and canyons connected by steel bridges... Doesn't this theme sound very exciting?!"

"Not excited, not even a trace of excitement."

The black-robed priest stopped him with a serious face: "Listen, there are only two things in this world that make you, an artist, excited: the first is the order, and the second is the final payment."

"But..." David looked at his brother a little aggrievedly, but still refused to give up: "Maybe I can create a new school of painting."

"It's not necessary. You are already very successful now. Your goal should be to continue to be successful - now the Franz family is looking for you to place an order. Trying to become a court painter before you are forty is the direction of your life."

"But I might be able to create a new one..."

"Are you done yet?!"

Just as the two were arguing, a lazy voice suddenly sounded in the box:

“Just a little advice from friends: It’s best not to discourage a creator unless necessary.”

Attracted by the sound, the Jacques brothers turned back in unison and looked at the sloppy figure slumped on the seat opposite with different expressions.

"Although it's a bit bragging to say this, the initial reasons for many great works are very simple." Draco tilted his head and looked at the confused David with a half-smile:

“A wonderful adventure novel may be just an ignorant boy’s fantastic fantasy about something outside his hometown; a delicate marble sculpture may be an unintentional mistake of a certain sculptor; a masterpiece handed down from generation to generation may originate from a certain person. A glimpse of a painter."

"What's more, you are right - the fields eroded by factories, the blue sky shrouded in black smoke... This is the most authentic Clovis countryside. The era we live in may be the result of nature, barbarism and self-righteousness. The intersection between civilizations.”

"An era like this deserves a painter to record the traces it leaves behind."

"Stop pretending to be a 'leading old man' here." The black-robed priest snorted coldly, with a rather unhappy expression:

"Don't think that I don't know what you're paying attention to. I'm telling you right now that it's impossible - my brother is a famous painter from Clovis and will work in the Osteria court in the future, working with the Old Gods or the The truth will... not be worth half a copper!"

"But he is already here, on the... Iron Sky heading to Northport." Draco shrugged and smiled meaningfully:

"Facts have proved that even colonies separated by oceans cannot stay away from the storms sweeping the world; the long cry of seagulls in Beluga Harbor may be a precursor to the next storm."

……………………

New World, Sailing City.

Looking at the pile of letters for help on the table, which was as big as a mountain, Bernard Molwes, who had not slept for two days and two nights, began to deteriorate rapidly before his mental state could recover; his hair had already started to fall out from a relatively early stage. The hallucination appeared before my eyes and progressed.

Just now, an extremely fierce dispute broke out within the army over the question of whether to support Changhu Town; at least one-third of the officers strongly opposed it, and the remaining two-thirds also disagreed and just expressed their opinions. His attitude was just a little more tactful in comparison.

If this were in the mainland, Bernard would definitely arrest all the disobedient officers as soon as possible, shoot the leader directly, and replace all the others; even if the fighter plane is delayed, he will never bring a group of "very large" troops. Officers with independent opinions" go to the battlefield.

But unfortunately this is a colony, and strictly speaking these people are not his subordinates. It's just that because their commander is dead and he is the highest-ranking official sent to Yangfan City from the local government, he can barely let them go by coercion and inducement. Accepted his own command.

Strictly speaking, he only took over the army "temporarily" until the next commander was sent from the mainland.

Thinking about it this way, it is very understandable why the army is unwilling to rescue the mainland - it is not directly under the superiors, and there is no clear guarantee of military merit (Bernard himself is a criminal), plus it has to span several rebellions. In a colony, the stakes are extremely high and reluctance is absolutely normal.

But the problem is, you really can’t just ignore it!

As the transportation artery closest to Clovis Colony, in order to guard against unexpected events, Changhu Town received the largest amount of arms among all colonies. The level of militia armed forces is comparable to that of the regular army. At the same time, it is the only two colonies among all colonies with a relatively complete military industry system. of.

Other colonies can only produce ignition powder and lead bullets. Since Changhu Town has installed a batch of artillery, it even has a medium-sized repair workshop and a semi-assembly-line firearms factory that can mass-produce muzzle-loading rifles.

Such a colony, combined with a stronghold and fortress transformed from a farm, the town's own walls and some simple fortifications, are absolutely as strong as an iron wall against thugs and rebels who only have cold weapons; specially strengthening the local armed forces is also Because it is too close to Clovis's colony, there is a risk of being fished in troubled waters by the other party.

But all these preparations are for the previous Beluga Port.

For Beluga Port, which now has a fleet and a full infantry division, Long Lake Town with its arsenal is simply a piece of cake full of temptation, a gift given by the Ring of Order to invade the imperial colonies. base.

Usually, in order to avoid invasion by foreign enemies at this time, the best choice is to negotiate with the rebels. Put aside the conflicts between the two parties and first communicate with the outside world. If there is any problem, wait until the invaders are resolved. It is not too late to fight after the negotiations cannot be reached.

Unfortunately, many times what seems the most reasonable turns out to be the least likely.

From Bernard's point of view, he could not negotiate peace with these rebellious colonies; and for those parliaments that had just aroused public hostility towards the Empire, they could not treat everyone as goldfish with only seven seconds of memory. Raise the flag of resistance and fight against the invaders with the imperial army in the next second.

The colonial rebellion was already a headache enough, but if the Clovis people were involved, the whole situation would be even more difficult to end.

No! This is not even the most terrifying thing. The most terrifying thing is that if the rebellious colonies are under pressure and choose to ask the Clovis people for help so that the other party can intervene legitimately, then...

"boom--!"

Just when the neurasthenic Bernard began to think wildly, the door of his office was suddenly knocked open - the panting messenger rushed into the room, as excited as if he had just won a big prize, still holding him tightly in his arms. A roll of paper-like stuff.

Bernard no longer wanted to teach this reckless and reckless messenger any more; apart from the experience he had gained through countless useless efforts, another reason was that the other party was indeed unconditionally loyal to him as the governor, and was sailing with his own agenda. The city is really rare and precious.

"Tell me, what's the bad news?"

Holding his twitching temples, the governor of Sail City asked patiently: "Has another letter for help arrived from Changhu Town, or are the rebellious colonial councils continuing to provoke?"

"No, none of them!" The messenger held the document and shook his head excitedly.

"No?" Bernard was stunned at first, then his whole body trembled, and the corners of his mouth twitched:

"Could it be that... it's worse than this?!"

"Huh? Ah... no no no! It's not bad news, it's not bad news - it's good news!"

Seeing that the Governor was about to attack, the messenger quickly corrected him: "Just a few days ago, the army from Changhu Town suddenly took the initiative and defeated the rebels from Red Hand Bay in a place called Ice Pine Forest!"

"Take the initiative?!"

Only then did Bernard react. For a moment, he seemed to think that he was not only hallucinating, but even hearing voices again: "Have you really won?"

"We won, and we won completely!" The orderer nodded desperately:

"The Red Hand Bay militia was completely defeated, and several farms and mines on the border were also captured by Changhu Town. The next step should be to march into the Red Hand Bay port and completely regain this rebellious colony!"

"It turned out to be so smooth?" Bernard, who had confirmed repeatedly, finally accepted the result and breathed a sigh of relief happily, but there was still a trace of doubt in his heart:

"Why is such important information sent just now? And...from which channel did you learn this news? Why didn't you notify me as soon as possible?"

"Snapped!"

The equally excited messenger did not waste any more words, and directly opened the "document" in his arms - "The Good People of Beluga Harbor" with his hands left and right, and displayed it in front of the Governor of Sail City:

"It's right here! Look, it's written in black and white: 'The ruthless Lake Town soldiers invaded Red Hand Bay, and the heroic colonial soldiers defended their homeland to the death' - it's still the front page headline!"

In an instant, the smile on Bernard's face stiffened.