Youth Knight
The Past I

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"Adry, precisely Adry Birken that is my father's name" replied Mr. Dery. as his son's name.

"For a moment, I've heard it." Grandpa Izwar, playing his beard trying to remember that.

"I remember! He was the unit leader of another unit, we served the leader of the same regiment back then. But I only know his name, nothing more. You still want to know?"

Mr. Dery seemed interested, and so was I, and Mr. Dery said, "Yes, I want to hear it from you. The real story of the defeat of the war at the time, because many stories were refracted so I don't know which one was the real one."

The story I've been waiting for since yesterday, Grandpa will finally continue it!

Grandpa Izwar said, "Bring me something to fill up with energy, food or drink because this story is not short, haha."

Mr. Dery told me to bring you something. "Reza bring plenty of food and drink, put it on this table immediately."

I brought a lot of food and drinks on the desk. "Sir Dery, let me pay for it."

Mr. Dery replied, "You don't have to pay, this is all to me."

Grandpa Izwar started telling stories.

"We confronted them on a wide expanse in front of the city of Aldea. The enemies are 30,000 while we are only 20,000. At first we excelled in the fight on the vast expanse by utilizing the river water as a natural wall, but on the 6th day they managed to break through, and our troops were repulsed, therefore we immediately returned to the castle and survived in it.

The siege lasted for 3 months. At that time we really did not think that they would bring reinforcements. The Empire at that time was at war with the Kingdom of Durzin at the same time and because at that time the Empire managed to make the Kingdom of Durzin submit, Durzin, then bring some troops from there as reinforcements to the city of Aldea.

We lacked people to scout so late in taking steps, the horror had reached us upon learning that a portion of the Imperial forces were heading towards Venavo City. A town with a small castle where many troops had families there including myself, many people had not yet left to evacuate the City. Instantly the morale of our troops declined, and was lured into a trap. There is no other way to help Venavo as soon as possible other than to confront and break through the Imperial forces, that is what we think. The regiment leader ordered us to be in the front line, including your father Adry Birken.

We were provoked and forced to face the Imperial forces outside the walls, trying to penetrate them. Many of us died in the blink of an eye while pushing the Empire. Your father, he's one of the great unit leaders, that's where he's likely to have fallen. Our efforts did not produce results so we suffered defeat and Venavo was not saved. They had plundered and taken over Venavo in a matter of days, as well as the City of Aldea had fallen to the Empire. The Xiris military tried to take Venavo back but was unsuccessful because of the fragility of the Xiris military that had not been restored to its full potential at that time.

They held us captive for a few days, until I saw a chariot with a flag symbolizing the Royal Family Member approaching. The Xiris Kingdom has made a deal with the Empire, on condition that the Empire stop invading and free the captured Xiris troops in exchange for the Xiris Kingdom becoming subordinates to the Empire and willing to pay tribute in the form of gold every year to the Empire. The Empire approved the proposal, and we were lined up in a wide expanse, then one by one they cut off our right arm, causing successive horrors." Grandfather Izwar poured water into a glass, and drank it.

"It's exhausting haha, please get me that bread." Grandfather pointed at the plate with bread, then Mr. Dery pushed the plate with bread so Grandpa Izwar could reach it and said, "Please eat, I'll buy it."

Grandfather Izwar took the bread and ate it voraciously. "Thank you, it's so delicious did you make it, Dery?"

Mr. Dery began to complain about his son Adry, "My only son has now intended to join the royal military forces on the grounds of wanting to protect the kingdom, after hearing the issue of disputes between the Empire and the Kingdom.

I tried to cover it up and said that it was just a rumor, but he still insisted on going to military training, his current position is as a guard in Sernia City.

Do you know if this Kingdom does not have a policy of conception, because it is also when the war occurred Xiris Kingdom always lacks troops, and the, when that happens the Kingdom will give its order to the Governors to send all available troops in its territory to put its troops on the battlefield, and if that happens then my only son will follow the battle."

I interrupted and asked, "Wait, so the rumor is true?"

Mr. Dery replied, "Yes, even today the Kingdom is still recruiting troops, you won't find the recruitment poster on my side, I've ripped it up and thrown it away so that my Son doesn't see it, but he might see it somewhere else."

"I saw the poster on the notice board, is it possible that a war will happen in the near future?"

Mr. Dery responded, "Both sides must be concentrating forces at some point, to mobilize the available forces, the process is quite long for months or years."

It's terrible, if war is going to happen, I just hope that it doesn't affect my life right now.

Grandpa Izwar who seemed to be thinking suddenly with his serious face responded to the words of Mr. Dery who complained about his son, his son,

"Yes you are right, in the absence of such a policy, to make a double-edged sword for the Xiris Kingdom.on the one hand, the, recruitment of troops does not simultaneously make recruitment go slowly because of the repeated process to train new troops to understand the basics. The Xiris Kingdom would always lack troops and would rely on mercenaries so that the war budget became more expensive.

But on the other hand, many countries raise high taxes to finance a war, but not for the Xiris Kingdom, the government never raised its taxes and continued to rely on income from the region and other sources to prosper its people, leading to high morality and attachment to the country, because of that emotional feeling there will be many people who volunteered who are sure to be sincere in serving their country, not forcing the will of the people to fight and let their people vote, he said, whether this country is worth fighting for or not.

I have no right to say this, but know that your son saw something precious in this kingdom."

Listening to her words my impression of Grandpa Izwar grew in admiration.

Mr. Dery responded to Grandpa Izwar's statement, "I hope so, but still I don't want to lose my only Son. I've felt the pain of losing someone we love, I just don't want that thing to happen again."

Yes Mr. Dery was right, I felt the same way when my mother died. Her loss was so bad for me that the time that revolved stopped for me.

Izwar's grandfather responded to Mr. Dery's words, "Losing someone is painful, realizing that although it may hurt at first, life will continue even though sometimes the pain reappears, that's life." It was a realistic answer from Grandpa Izwar.

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