Galaxy and Promise

Terrence actually doesn't like the Festival of Gods.

It was a statutory holiday of the Stanorn Empire, the most important festival of the year for Tino.

Holidays are counted from the first weekend after the first snow to the first weekday after the new year.

The streets are filled with colorful lights, the holographic billboards above the city indulge in singing and dancing, and the shops have discount signs.The school holidays, the little bastards are running around the mall with more pocket money than ever before, the housewives are busy buying enough ingredients for three weeks or more, and more people are busy choosing gifts, Ready to give to relatives, friends, classmates, colleagues.There is an endless stream of ships going to and from the star fields at the airport, and the returning travelers are in a hurry.The strict boss becomes easy to talk, and the critical party becomes amiable.

It's fun, everyone is happy.

But Terrance didn't like it much.

He used to be happy and counting the days until the festival came, but later he was more willing to stay at the base beyond the river.Afterwards, the battle became more and more intense, and the schedule was covered by the hail of bullets and the smoke of war. In retrospect, the last time I celebrated the God's Advent Festival in Tino was when I was in the military academy.

Awakened by the ceremony and music before the military parade, Terence wrapped himself in the quilt and turned over, regretting not turning off the dormitory radio last night.The main control AI "Magellan" in the military dormitory has a personality suspected of being in the late stage of depression.

Terrence couldn't help being dazed, he really couldn't understand the purpose of setting such a strange personality for this intelligence.

But in the end he got up, walked barefoot to the balcony, and opened the curtains.

The dormitory of the military headquarters in the God's Descending Festival was very quiet.It snowed all night yesterday, and in the small square downstairs, the evergreen trees and sculptures were covered with silvery white, and the light sunlight fell on them, revealing a thin warmth.

"Click" sound.

A small drone flew over sullenly, hit the floor-to-ceiling window, and fell to the ground with a "slap".

Terrence raised his eyebrows slightly, opened a gap in the window, stretched out an arm, and the drone fished in.I saw it fluttering in my hand for a while, and spit out a gift box: "Your package, sir, please sign for it."

After releasing the drone, Terence closed the window and sat down on the ground to unpack the box.

A snow-white cashmere scarf with excellent workmanship and high value. On the label is Lieutenant General Pacini's handwriting: "Happy Descent Day".Powerful, heroic and uninhibited, he has the momentum of signing "read" on the impeachment report against Terrence back then.

Terrence lost his mind, then scratched his face, got up and hung the scarf on the coat rack, and walked into the bathroom.

Magellan began to sing the Imperial Army Anthem in a dead tone, Terrence came out with a toothbrush in his mouth, and turned on the live broadcast.

The military band in uniform played "Glory Never Dies" in unison, and the air force guard of honor walked through the central square with the music. The air force has always been the facade of the imperial military department, and every face in the camera is shining with youthful vigor pride and sharpness.The black and gold inlaid uniform, the short cloak embroidered with the starry sky, and the flag with the long sword hitting the stars all remind people of the prosperity and strength of this empire.

The camera swept across the viewing platform, and he saw Andre, sitting upright, with blond hair tied up meticulously, and stars shining on his shoulders.

Terrence watched for a while, and waited until the guard of honor of the Air Force walked out of the square, then turned around and walked slowly to the freezer.

The cold room was full of newly bought beer and pre-mixed wine. He took them out one by one and found a can of coffee in the innermost part.Bought this before going on a cruise, had a look before throwing it on the stove to warm up, just two days past warranty.

OK, acceptable.

Terrence shrugged indifferently, put the alcoholic drinks back into the freezer, took out a pack of puffed food from the side and threw it on the table, and walked to rinse his mouth and face.

The roar of the salute in the live broadcast bursts.

Terrence poured half a packet of sugar into the coffee and stirred it patiently.For a moment, I felt as if I was still on duty at the Hewai base.The sound of gunfire outside the line of defense was constant all day long, and when the signal was poor, the radio was full of rustling noises.There is no so-called holiday at the border, but on this day, the chief will still turn a blind eye to the drinking and gambling of his subordinates.If there is no war, he always stays alone in the room for a day amidst the loud noise of his colleagues punching and playing cards in the corridor.

But in Tino, the festivities begin in the light of day and continue until the early hours of the morning.Military parades, balls, and garden tours, the Tino people don't mind wasting a whole day outside.

After drinking the coffee and smacking the potato chips off his hand, Terence was in a daze for a while, then got up and changed his clothes.

Shirt, coat, gloves, boots, and finally took off the cashmere scarf and tied it, and went to the balcony to get an umbrella.

There was a bit of cold snow in the air in the winter morning, and it cooled down the respiratory tract to the brain.Terrence woke up instantly.He blinked, blinked again, silently exited the balcony, closed the window door with a "bang", bit off the gloves with his teeth and threw them on the sofa, sat down cross-legged, and took out a game controller from under the rug under the table.

-

Manipulating the characters to drive the sheep back to pasture and put the dairy products on the market, Terrence sets to work trying to keep the gophers out of the wheat fields.

When Andre entered the door, what he saw was this scene——

His friend, former colleague, and future subordinate, the colonel commander who is also known as the "Empire Twins", is currently playing gophers with a bar of chocolate in his mouth.

Andre: ………

He took off his heavily embellished dress cape and threw it on the back of the sofa.Walking forward, he reached out and took off the chocolate, and stuffed it with a sandwich.Terrence shook his hand and missed a gopher again, and could only watch helplessly as the field that had been planted for a long time was swept away.

Andre: Damn, it's too miserable, I can't stand it.

Terrence showed a gloomy expression, threw the handle, grabbed the sandwich and took a bite, then reached for the beer.Before touching it, it was taken away by Andre and replaced with a can of milk.

"Drink this," said Andre, "to grow taller."

Terrence: "...Andre."

Terrance: "Do you think I won't beat up my boss?"

"Don't." Andre smiled especially smugly, leaned against the table leg and stretched his waist, and leaned forward directly, "I look so good, it's a pity to break it, isn't it?"

Terrence: "..."

He avoided it expressionlessly, and pulled the tab of the canned milk, feeling that his hands were really itchy.

But Andre's arm has already been hooked up. The newly appointed commander of the Fourth Air Division drank wine at the celebration banquet. Actually played a ranch story in the dormitory for a day?"

Also lost completely.

"It's too cold outside." Terrence pushed, failed to push away, and only muttered vaguely.

He hated winter in the past, and in recent years he has become even more afraid of the cold.

Andre just wanted to make a few jokes, when he heard the other party mumbling and complaining: "Whether it's the Beihe defense line or Tino, isn't there a warmer place?"

"Terence," Andre said.

But he hesitated for a moment, then said, "Forget it, it's nothing."

Terence glanced at his friend inexplicably. While drinking milk, he straightened his legs and moved the game controller to his side bit by bit with the soles of his feet. He sat up a little bit, looking like he wanted to fight again. wheel posture.

...God descended to the night and was hanged and beaten by gophers all night. Is it some kind of sad sitcom?

Andre directly pressed his paw that was about to move, feeling a little helpless: "Honey, since I pay the bill every time I go out to drink, can you stop thinking about the field that is destined to be stolen— —Is my face still fine?"

Terrence laughed out loud, he tilted his head and raised his eyebrows: "So, are you going to buy me a drink, or compete with me for looking good-you must know that Magellan is the only referee left in the dormitory area now .”

As for who is better looking, Andre or Terrence, half of the army has to fight over it.The remaining half will fight the other over whoever is more powerful.

"Gentlemen, please don't ask me to do things beyond the scope of calculation." The artificial intelligence interjected in a timely manner, "Besides, as an imperial soldier, I don't suggest that you pay too much attention to appearance——"

Andre: "Shut up."

He took out a box and threw it on the table, feeling a little frustrated for no reason: "I invite you to drink."

Terrence glanced at the packing box and became visibly happy.He is really easy to coax in most situations. Wine, sweets, and even mentally retarded games can make him feel better.

"Ah, this is it!" he said cheerfully, getting up to get his glass. "I haven't had this in years."

Andre held his chin and gave a kind smile: "Remind you, this legion commander, the entire Lavach planetary belt was blown up by you. You are a fledgling and won the first battle. The impeachment received is the same as the reward. many."

However, the instigator was not aware of it, and commented on the campaign that "although the pirates are a bit troublesome, the wine is not bad".So back then, several classmates and colleagues who had a good relationship with him all received a bottle of wine as a return gift for the God's Descend Festival, and the long-distance transportation across the star field was long, and the postage was more expensive than the price of wine.And the only one who was treated differently was Andre, who received a whole box with a card: "God's Day gift, 12 years, take a bottle for yourself every year."

But Terrence apparently had long since forgotten.He poured half a glass of wine, shook the glass slightly, looked at the amber-colored mead due to the precipitation of time, and hummed happily.

He seems to easily forget things, things he said, things he did, people he met.

But Andre still remembers that year when he and Terence returned to the newly renovated main house for the first time, the colonel commander who had experienced many wars and vicissitudes at a young age stood in the study at last , turned around, and said to Andre casually: "This wall clock should be placed on the right."

With a calm, well-deserved smile, it seems to be the most common small talk.

—he rarely returned there after that.

Does he remember?

Has he forgotten?

Those short, carefree moments.

The festival that once belonged to him, the joyful face that belonged to him, and the future that belonged to him.

The changing seasons that the main star of this prosperous empire is proud of, the blooming flowers in spring, the nebula drooping in summer nights, the red leaves in the sky in autumn, and the blizzards in winter, he has seen one by one, but now, Does he still remember?

"Terrence," Andre said, "someday—"

Terrence seemed to know what he was going to say, but also seemed to know nothing. He lightly clinked the glass with him, and the amber wine was rippling in the glass.

"Happy Pentecost, Andre."