novelhk Page 337
Page 337
"Today, Louise Schneider, one of the greatest and most tragic artists in the history of Grosnia's art, passed away at 2:23 a.m. In the moments before she fell asleep, a smile remained on her lips, as if she were happy for the long-awaited peace of the country, and as if she were grieving for her daughter who died young."
"We mourn her and her daughter, who in her later years was left all alone and suffered from severe mental illness. Even so, she still created several world-renowned musical works under such difficult circumstances, leaving a significant mark on the history of Grosvenorian art."
"May God bless her soul, wash away the suffering of reality, may her music forever resonate in the skies above this country, and may her portrait forever remain in the portrait gallery of the National Founding Memorial Hall..."
......
During these somber days, Chris remained largely silent, offering a final farewell and expressing her deepest condolences to her tragic mother...
Eight years after Rhea's death, the mother's condition worsened, and she became depressed and eventually fell into eternal sleep in her dark room, joining her daughter in death.
When Chris entered the room to check on things, she had a smile on her lips and was holding a photo of herself with her daughter. It seemed that she was just trying to create a beautiful dream for herself with these images.
While sorting through Rhea's mother's belongings, Chris took the photograph, thought for a moment, and then pressed it tightly into the old woman's hand.
Her face was more delicate than before, but the scars from the war and the loss of friends were still shocking.
Eight years have transformed a former "Girl Scout" into a high-ranking military officer, but that was only two years ago. Now, she is merely a citizen of Gronia.
At the request of Ying Leia... or rather the conductor, she single-handedly supported Leia's mother while still working for the government army to earn money and support the two of them, even though she had already witnessed the dark and disgusting ways the government army operated. She had no other choice.
Ultimately, this experience made it impossible for her to return to a normal life; her carefully planned illegal immigration ultimately failed...
Even today, this elderly woman passed away with a smile on her face, having fulfilled her friend's last wish.
The funeral hall was filled with people who came to mourn the old artist, including some politicians who were sincere and others who were just putting on an act. Their eulogies all mentioned Gloria. In the past, she might have felt disgusted, but now she was numb to it.
Like Gloria, who once used gunshots as her alarm clock, she'll eventually get used to this...
In any case, her mission is complete...
Goodnight, Auntie. May you and Leia be happy and healthy on the other side...
The black suit perfectly matched her cold, aloof expression; no one could discern any emotion from her face, as if she were completely unrelated to the Sergeant Christina Brecht of the past…
In the silence, Chris glanced at the sheet music in her hand, then quietly left.
......
After leaving, Chris went home again to change into a dark green military coat, bought a bunch of white chrysanthemums, and then headed towards the suburbs.
The civil war had ended. Although the first agreement was successfully reached, not long after, the Chinese military received military aid from the United States and unilaterally broke the agreement, starting a new war. In the end, the Chinese military was victorious.
But this didn't really concern Chris. She preferred to sit on the balcony, watching the drizzle in Gloria, drinking wine, and occasionally thinking about the past.
Today, the drizzle continues to fall, seemingly setting the stage for the old woman lying on the sea of flowers, leading her to her own unique stage. Chris, however, is merely an unnamed announcer, leaving alone after her work is done.
After the Advent event, Chris buried Rhea in a hillside in the suburbs, just as they had hoped.
The world is full of troubles, so I spend my days in the mountains and fields...
It was on the edge of a mountain, with a great view and scenery. Since the gold rush, it's been difficult to see such a view in Gloria anymore...
"..."
Chris, holding the flowers, slowly walked towards the stone monument. Under the setting sun, the loneliness and sorrow hidden in the shadows were reflected.
"Hello, Miss Undead, it's nice to see you again..."
She placed the flowers in front of the grave, then put her hands in her pockets, letting the mountain wind, carrying the light rain, gently lift her long hair and coat.
"I have fulfilled your last wish and allowed your mother to pass away peacefully. I presume you have already met her and spoken to her?"
...No God is as useful as a word from a loved one.
A few strands of hair occasionally brushed past her eyes, but she seemed completely oblivious and didn't brush them away with her hand.
"Your mother's condition sometimes worsens, and she even mistakes me for you. I have no choice but to pretend to be you when I take off my military coat to face her, but..."
She smiled, a smile tinged with melancholy: "It feels good. Your mother is a kind old woman. More than once, when I came back, I saw a table full of food waiting for me, even the milk you had bought from the black market..."
After saying that, Chris rummaged in her deep pockets for a few moments and then took out a bottle of wine and a pack of cigarettes.
"You certainly won't mind, right? After all, you have this habit yourself, but I'm also used to asking others..."
With two clicks, the lighter's flame ignited the cigarette, and wisps of white smoke carried the longing for friends back home.
Yes, she once said she wouldn't smoke, drink, or gamble, but now she does everything except gamble. Oh well, perhaps this is a necessary part of life for every Grosvenor...
After all, she was no longer the "young girl" she once was, nor the former Sergeant Christina Brecht.
"Phew... Eight years have changed me and this country a lot, but I still don't have a good feeling about this land. But you are still the same."
With a puff of smoke, Chris's childishness vanished along with it.
"Who would have thought that I would stay here for so long and even rise to the position of a high-ranking military officer, even though my goal was very simple: to make money."
At least with her current savings, she could live a comfortable life in Gloria, but all she wants now is to leave.
She took out the sheet music again; the years had worn the paper slightly, but it was still faintly legible.
"Shortly after you left, the violinists in the orchestra gave me enough so that I could bring the sheet music to them whenever I received a message from them."
And she had already received it—a letter adorned with musical notes and dark gold patterns, containing a series of information, an address, contact details, and a credit card with a large deposit in US dollars, the balance bearing the logo of the Alicia Grand Theatre. She knew then that it was time.
"Maybe we won't be able to see each other as often anymore. I also need a change of scenery. Look, I'm still single, although my awkward personality might not get along with most people..."
In terms of appearance, Chris is definitely exquisite and beautiful; it's just that her work environment has completely erased the girlish aspects of her.
"Hey, let's have one last drink before I go."
Chris casually stubbed out her cigarette, opened the bottle, and poured the liquor onto the ground in front of her.
The wine is fragrant, but it tastes bitter when it goes down. While enjoying chatting with friends, she also swallows all the bitterness, just as she has done for the past eight years.
"These are goods that can only be imported after the war. This is the last time I'll bring you something nice."
Chris smiled with relief, then shoved the bottle neck into her mouth.
The spiciness spread throughout my throat, but I remained unmoved. After a hearty drink, I smashed the bottle on the ground, accidentally cutting my hand in the process, causing blood to slowly flow.
Just like the faint scars on her face, they would occasionally ache in the rain.
"Hmm, cough cough...tsk, it's so much more expensive, but it's not necessarily much better than Moonlight on the black market, is it?"
No one answered, only birds chirped, their calls carried by the evening breeze into the mountain stream. The setting sun cast long shadows that danced in the swaying trees, as if waving goodbye to Chris.
"Okay, looks like it's time, isn't it?"
Looking up, the breathtaking scenery that greets the eye is simply stunning; the wind, birds, shadows, and light all seem to be bidding farewell to this parting.
"Well then, old friend, I should be going now."
She turned her back, her clothes and hair swaying forward, obscuring her weathered but youthful face.
Looking closely, the figure was more than ten centimeters taller than before, and had also developed the habit of putting his hands in his pockets. His expression also seemed much colder.
But the tenderness hidden beneath that sharp tongue still shines brightly amidst the turbulent times.
Goodbye, our Rhea.
May this world treat you and your mother kindly in your next life...
......
......
PS: Okay, this side story is now over. It has covered the past, the two satellites, Chris and Morse. After that, they are going to come to New York to help the protagonist.
The protagonist needs more help than just what he has now. After all, the future circumstances cannot be solved by the girls alone; the family will need to grow even larger.
Rhea ultimately became a victim of this farce, but without the conductor, she would have died in the explosion long ago. The conductor, in turn, experienced a life unlike any he had ever known before and ultimately developed humanity.
And Luo Fan had no idea that eight years ago, another girl had died in the same way...
Well, that's all for now. The story is about to return to the main plot. Our lovely Ta-mei is on her way, and the actual situation regarding that tablet will soon be revealed. Please look forward to it!
Volume 1: As the Lights Come On
473 First Impressions.1
P.S.: The following recommendation is "Children of the City" --- Mili
"Hello, miss, luggage cannot be placed in the aisle."
"Oh, sorry."
......
"Madam, where would you like to go?"
"Uh, along the Hudson River?"
......
"To: Turn left in 50 meters ahead to buy a hot dog..."
......
Would you like a hot dog?
"Hmm, please use less ketchup and chili powder, I prefer a milder taste."
......
"Here, proceed to the streetlights to admire the river view."
......
"Excuse me... where is the streetlamp?"
"Oh, it's just 700 meters ahead, miss. Are you here in New York for tourism? Streetlights is the most famous river view area in all of New York."
"Uh... um... maybe so."
......
Along the way, we didn't find our destination, but we ended up carrying a lot more bags and bags of stuff, and we filled our empty stomachs after refusing the airplane food.
Before she knew it, she was already feeling tired. She rarely stopped walking, only pausing for about ten minutes to admire the night view on the banks of the Hudson River.
It's beautiful; it's hard to find such a unique river view in Glonia.
If I had to pinpoint the closest thing to it, perhaps it was those pools of meltwater from the ice and snow...
"Isn't this a bit too much meat... Oh well, the old burgers always had a lot of starch in them."
Chris popped the rest of the meat patty into her mouth and threw the rest into the trash can.
There weren't so many opportunities to eat these things before, but now that we have money, of course we have to enjoy them, which is what the letter was about.
Fortunately, Shina gave her a card; otherwise, given the devaluation of the Grosnia currency, she would have had a hard time even making ends meet.
Back in her homeland, with her savings and her captain's rank, she could still live a decent life. But in New York, where land is incredibly expensive, she was nothing more than a useless bum.
"How beautiful, the neon starry sky formed by the interplay of streetlights..."
In the past, children in Gloria could only see starlight reflected in the sewers.
Perhaps she still needs time to adapt to this kind of life. At the very least, she needs to learn to eat a hamburger like the White Eagles, instead of throwing away the patty after finishing it...
On such a beautiful night, all she had by her side was her black suitcase, a Coke, and a hamburger. Fortunately, she had adapted to her solitary life. Even if she was the only one who could admire the night view like a country bumpkin, it wasn't so bad.
As time passed, Chris casually snapped a picture of the river view before embarking on her journey once more.
"To...heading to the nearest bar, and ordering a mojito?"
What does it mean?
The envelope didn't tell her where she was going. Instead, it led her around and gave her some street food, just like it had the previous hour. If it weren't for the photo of Sena and the theater's logo inside, Chris might have just thought it was a silly prank.
Is giving her a card to sample these snacks also what Sena or the conductor intended?
Fine, it's a free meal, might as well take it...
"The nearest bar... Charlemagne Island, here..."
Chris pushed open the wooden door and stepped into this completely new environment.
It was pretty much as she remembered: dark colors, various unidentifiable ornaments, and a well-dressed bartender.
Although it wasn't noisy, she still wanted to finish her drink and leave as soon as possible; she was already looking for a place to stay.
"A mojito, please."
"Okay, miss."
After arranging his luggage, he draped the corner of his military uniform over the small round chair.