"Eh? Why are you coming down today? Didn't Veleconi go home for vacation today?" Claude watched strangely as Doris slipped down the stairs skillfully and swiftly along the hanging sheets. Xin said you are not afraid of your husband finding out.
Doris got into the quilt and said, "I wrote the letter asking him to come home."
"Huh? What do you mean? Why did you let him go home? The scene where we were caught?" Claude was shocked. Didn't Doris resent Velekoni for being a useless gay? In the past, she didn't want Velekoni to come back even if he had a vacation, so as not to see him upset and angry. How could she take the initiative to let him go home now? This New Year alone would Velekoni was seen going home three times.
"What the hell, I'll let him go home and serve as a shield for us." Doris had already sat on it: "I want to have a child. I can't get pregnant if he doesn't come home..."
Well, Claude had nothing to say and could only do his best to meet Doris's needs. Since Doris knew that Claude had become a father, she began a new round of oppression of Claude. She also wanted to become a mother and asked Claude to give him a child. For this reason, he even wrote a letter to recruit Velekoni, her nominal husband, back home, so that no one would suspect her even if she was pregnant in the future.
Time passed slowly and quickly like this. By the beginning of April after the rainy season in March, Doris finally got her wish and got pregnant. Claude had just returned from the military academy when he learned the news. As soon as he got off his horse and entered the courtyard, he saw Aunt Natalie coming up to him happily and bringing Claude a plate of white rice cakes with black sprinkles on it. Sesame.
This is a folk custom in the royal capital, which means that if a girl in the family is happy, she will bring flowers and leaves to the family, and many children will bring good fortune.
"This is..." Claude didn't know much about this folk custom, and he didn't know what this black sesame and white rice cake was. He just wondered how Aunt Natalie, who had always been frugal and stingy with money, would be willing to make such a snack for nothing. Give it away.
"Take it and eat it." Aunt Natalie said generously: "There is a happy event in our family today. I steamed a lot and sent it to every household in the village. Tomorrow I will send a basket to Silver Moon in Murdo Town. Go to the Temple of the Goddess…”
"What happy event is it?" Claude was curious.
"It's Doris, she's finally happy." Aunt Natalie grinned with joy: "I've said it a long time ago, let Veleconi go home more often, and let the couple work harder. This No, Veleconi has been coming back often in the past few months, and Doris will be there soon..."
Uh... Claude could only take the plate of white rice cakes and said to himself, I am the one who worked hard, my waist has almost collapsed from exhaustion in the past two or three months. Your precious son is useless. You and your dead old man are so dim-sighted that you don't notice at all that your precious son doesn't behave like a man. Even if he walks and talks in a military uniform, is he a bit charming
"Congratulations... Have you confirmed it? How many months has it been?" Claude asked.
"Confirmed. I went to the military academy today to invite a pharmacist. He checked Doris and said she is about two months pregnant." Aunt Natalie answered with a smile.
"This is really a happy event!" Claude reached out and took out a silver taler from his pocket and handed it over: "Come on, Aunt Natalie, I have also lived in your house for more than a year. According to the custom there, like Such a happy event should be given as a favor. This silver thaler is considered as the wedding money from me. You can use it to buy some delicious food for Doris to replenish her health... "
"How can that be done? It costs you so much..." Aunt Natalie declined very politely, but she held the silver coin tightly in her hand.
"It's okay, just take it. Speaking of being able to stay at your house, it's because of us, so you don't have to be polite. Okay, I'm going back to the room first." Claude returned to the room with the white rice cake. Sitting on the chair, listening to the noise coming from upstairs. Now that Doris is pregnant, she has suddenly become the protective animal of the family. Halbena has almost become her full-time maid, busy carrying water and meals...
Claude sighed deeply. Doris got her wish, but Claude didn't know what to do. This child was his, but he couldn't say it. Aunt Natalie and her family regard the child in Doris's belly as their biological grandchild, but if the matter is exposed, Claude will immediately be regarded as an enemy by their family.
Claude climbed upstairs in the dead of night. Doris was still waiting for Claude. She told Claude, don't think too much. In fact, Velekoni promised that she would treat her and Claude's children as her own biological children, so that Aunt Natalie and Tashi would not be disturbed. Old man Lac and his wife were sad.
Doris said that Veleconi was grateful to Claude from the bottom of his heart for helping him a lot and making Doris pregnant. This sounds indeed ridiculous and funny, but to Veleconi, it is a sincere thank you. Because this can better conceal the fact that he is gay. No one will suspect that the husband whose wife is pregnant is gay. This will make him feel more comfortable at home and outside...
So, what will happen when the child grows up? Claude asked.
Let's talk about it... Doris doesn't want to think about it in the long term. She just wants to enjoy the happiness of being a mother. However, she promised Claude that if the child reaches adulthood in the future, or there is a big change in the family, she will tell the child who his biological father is and let the child find Claude...
Claude silently crawled back to his room...
At the end of April, Claude was summoned by General Michelchi in the military academy. Claude followed the general's major adjutant to the outside of the Academic Affairs Office. After waiting for half an hour, Claude was notified that he could go in to see Mi General Sherkey.
General Michelich wore a pair of crystal glasses and looked down at a document. Claude came to his desk, raised his hands and stood at attention.
"Take a break," General Michelich responded casually and pointed to a chair next to Claude: "Sit down, Claude, I came here to discuss with you this time. The issue of job allocation.”
Claude sat upright: "Go back to General, I will obey the assignment, no matter where I go."
General Michelic laughed: "No matter where you go? No, no, no, I hope you can go to a position that is suitable for you to use your talents. Otherwise, it will be a waste of talents."
"Let's put it this way, Claude, the military academy training will end at the end of May, which is only one month. Your training performance and assessment results are very excellent, and you are ranked among the top students in the advanced seminar class. Of course, your The strengths and weaknesses are also obvious, and I believe you know it very well." General Michelic stood up and walked slowly around the desk.
"After this military academy training, you have been confirmed to be promoted to another level and become a lieutenant colonel officer in the Kingdom. This is a reward for your excellent performance in the assessment." General Michelich told Claude good news.
Claude immediately stood up and clenched his fists in his heart: "I am willing to serve the kingdom! Be loyal to His Majesty! Thank you General for your cultivation!"
"Okay, don't say these clichés in front of me. This is actually an honor you have earned through your own hard work and talent." General Michelic waved his hand: "Sit down, don't be so restrained. I asked you to come because I want to be with you. You discuss your position in the Rangers, you now have two choices."
General Michelich quickly explained the whole story to Claude. According to the establishment of the Ranger Division, it has four regular mobile field regiments, plus a light cavalry regiment, an independent reinforced combat battalion and an enhanced artillery regiment. Battalion, with a total strength of about 32,000 people.
After Claude completed his training at the military academy and was promoted to lieutenant colonel, he should go to the regiment headquarters according to his military rank. In the regular army of the Kingdom of Overas, the commander in charge of the battalion establishment is the rank of major, while the commander in charge of the regiment establishment is the rank of colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel basically serves as deputy or chief of combat staff at the regiment headquarters, as well as the officer in charge of a certain department. It is preferred for civilian officers, such as the director of the Military Law Department, or the officer in charge of the logistics department.
In fact, in peacetime, serving as the deputy and chief of operations staff of the regiment is a leisurely job. The regiment commander makes the decision above, and the officers in charge of each department are responsible for the trivial matters below. If something bad happens, the deputy and chief of operations staff will usually not be implicated. The commander of the regiment and the officers in charge of the departments will take the blame. To put it bluntly, in fact, they have nothing to control and have no control over. They have no power and no one. Something to take care of.
Therefore, those aristocratic children who entered the army and were well-connected and capable would seek this deputy position or the position of chief of combat staff or regimental staff officer. In peacetime, being in the military can be regarded as a gold-plated qualification, and you are free and unconstrained during normal times. It is simply a military position tailor-made for those powerful and wealthy children who pay for their connections to serve in the military.
Although it is impossible for the Ranger Regiment to allow those children from noble, powerful, and wealthy families to serve in the Ranger Regiment after its establishment, in peacetime, as the deputy of the regiment or chief of combat staff, in addition to making plans during field combat exercises, it is a bit busy. In fact, there is nothing to do.
General Michelich did not want Claude to be a salary thief in the division and live a comfortable life. In his opinion, it would be a huge waste of talent for Claude to serve in the regiment. He decided to put some pressure on Claude and let him work alone to serve as the battalion commander of the independent reinforced combat battalion of the Ranger Regiment. One position.
After Claude completed his training and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel, taking up the position of battalion commander of the independent reinforced combat battalion seemed to be a high-ranking and low-qualified job. However, in fact, the battalion organization of this independent reinforced combat battalion was different from other mobile field operations. Camp makes a big difference. The mobile field battalion of the Ranger Division is composed of four brigades with a total of 920 people, plus a guard squadron, an artillery squadron, a military police squadron, a logistics squadron and a light cavalry reconnaissance squadron, as well as personnel directly under the battalion headquarters. There are more than 1,360 people in total, which is almost one brigade more than the battalions of other legions in the kingdom.
And this independent reinforced combat battalion is even more overstaffed, with four directly affiliated combat brigades with a full strength of 1,000 people, a light cavalry battalion of 280 people, an artillery battalion of 240 people, a garrison squadron, and a military police squadron. Still the same, but the logistics squadron became a brigade, plus the personnel directly under the battalion headquarters, a guard squadron, and a support squadron, the total strength reached almost 1,800 people, equivalent to the total strength of two combat battalions of a second-line army. Number of people.
Claude was curious about what happened to the support squadron? General Michelich explained that this independent reinforced combat battalion will be equipped with two thousand war horses, as well as 600 strong horses and 120 four-wheeled freight carriages. The battle brigade directly under the command and the light cavalry brigade have their own grooms, and the remaining horses are directly under the jurisdiction of the battalion headquarters. It can be said that everyone has a horse. That support squadron does not belong to combat personnel, but is a logistics support combination of various craftsmen, veterinarians, carpenters, blacksmiths, cobblers and tailors.
Generally speaking, only combat units in divisions are equipped with such logistics support units. Most of them are in a squadron. They often become free labor for senior officers at the division level, providing them with various conveniences in life. Just like the senior officers of some legions, they also hire senior chefs to enter such logistics support units to facilitate their own banquets and enjoyment of delicious food.
The reason why this independent reinforced combat battalion has a guaranteed squadron configuration is mainly because this battalion is responsible for independent combat tasks. It can be said to be the sharp knife force of the Ranger Corps. It must not only be able to attack, but also be good at defending. For example, if there is a riot in a certain place that cannot be suppressed, and the Ranger Regiment receives an order to quell the rebellion, then the independent reinforced combat battalion must be the first to go. It needs to rush to the location of the riot as quickly as possible, select the key points to capture and hold on to it. , waiting for the arrival of the subsequent large forces...
Claude understood that it turned out that this independent reinforced combat battalion was equipped with so many war horses, strong horses and four-wheeled cargo carriages in order to enhance the battalion's maneuverability and response speed. As for this support squadron, it is to use local materials to supplement the loss of military supplies during combat, so as to maintain combat effectiveness.
General Michelich hoped that Claude could serve as the commander in charge of this independent reinforced combat battalion. He told Claude that the battalion commander position of this independently reinforced combat battalion was originally decided to be held by an officer with the rank of lieutenant colonel. There are many discerning and well-informed people in the Ranger Regiment who have taken a fancy to the position of battalion commander. Many lieutenant colonel officers have expressed their willingness to serve in this combat unit. In their view, this is one of the battalion commanders of this independent reinforced combat battalion. The career meeting is the most solid ladder for them to climb up in their military careers...
However, General Michelich rejected the requests of these lieutenant colonel officers who came forward. In his opinion, the only person suitable for the position of battalion commander was Claude. The reason is very simple. During the nearly one year of field exercises and sand table simulations during the military academy training period, Claude commanded troops below the battalion to be invincible, and no one was his opponent. The obtained tactical evaluation is that he is strange and flexible, often achieves unexpected victories in field exercises, and suffers very few troop losses, and is good at sneak attacks and ambushes, etc.
"The more than 800 grassroots officers trained in the military academy are about to complete their training." General Michelich said: "If you are willing to serve as the battalion commander of this independent reinforced combat battalion, you can give priority to among these more than 800 grassroots officers. Select twenty trainees who have performed well during the training and have excellent grades to form the grassroots officer framework of the combat camp. The insufficient officers will be assigned to you by the military school. Then go to Christo Castle in early June, where you will select outstanding soldiers to form This independent reinforced combat battalion..."
Claude stood up, stood at attention and saluted: "Yes, General, I am willing to serve in this independent reinforced combat battalion."