Trench Bolts and Magic

Chapter 115 Patricia

As the party reached its climax, the officers surrounding Morin gradually took their leave.

Some people seek out their social circles, while others head to the center of the hall to invite their favorite ladies to dance together.

Morin finally breathed a sigh of relief. He really disliked these social occasions that required constant talking, feeling it was even more tiring than commanding a company to charge on the battlefield.

Just then, Cecilia appeared beside him, accompanied by several elegant noblewomen.

"Fritz, why are you hiding here all by yourself?"

Cecilia's tone was slightly reproachful, but the smile in her eyes was unmistakable.

Morin quickly stood up straight, straightened his uniform, and then politely greeted the ladies.

His demeanor was impeccable, and his speech humble, a stark contrast to his image as the "famous playboy of Dresden."

“Oh my, Cecilia, your little brother is really something else.”

A lady in a lake-blue dress covered her mouth with a feather fan, but her eyes made no attempt to conceal her scrutiny of Morin.

"So young to be a war hero, he has a bright future ahead of him."

"Yes, unlike my good-for-nothing son, who only knows how to race horses and play cards all day long."

Another lady chimed in, her voice full of envy.

These ladies, who were originally not very interested in Morin, the playboy, are now all eyeing him.

The way they looked at Morin was as if they were assessing a thoroughbred horse with excellent bloodlines.

"Lieutenant Morin, I wonder if you're married?"

“I happen to have a daughter who is about the same age as you. You young people must have common topics to talk about.”

"Mrs. Falkenstein, how about we introduce my daughter to your brother sometime?"

The words came one after another in a joking manner, but the probing intent was all too obvious.

Cecilia's smile remained perfect, but she naturally stepped forward, gently took Morin's arm, and affectionately pulled him to her side.

She quickly and naturally interrupted the conversation, which was increasingly resembling a blind date.

"Sisters, please stop joking about Fritz. He just came back from the battlefield. Don't scare your delicate young ladies."

Her voice remained gentle, easily changing the subject.

After a brief introduction, Cecilia told Morin that she needed to discuss some matters with the ladies in a private room on the second floor, and asked him to rest in the lobby for a while.

“Okay, Sister Cecilia.”

Morin felt as if he had been granted a pardon and nodded quickly.

He desperately wanted to be alone and have some peace and quiet.

As Cecilia and the other ladies swayed gracefully toward the stairs, Morin let out a long sigh of relief.

He picked up a glass of champagne from the waiter's tray, walked to a less conspicuous corner of the hall, found a comfortable sofa to sit down, and finally had some peace and quiet.

However, he had only been idle for a short while when a familiar voice rang out behind him.

“Drinking alone here all by yourself, that’s not like you, Friedrich.”

When Morin turned around, he was met with a face with a cheerful smile.

Ludwig, dressed in a crisp Teutonic Knights officer's uniform, appeared behind him at some point.

“Lieutenant Colonel Ludwig?!” Morin was somewhat surprised. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

"I never expected to see you here!"

Ludwig shrugged, then grinned mischievously:

"Actually, I saw you as soon as I walked in, but there were so many people surrounding you, like a circus star, that I couldn't squeeze in at all."

Morin took the glass and clinked it against his: "Lieutenant Colonel, please stop teasing me."

He glanced at the noisy hall and felt a bit stifled, so he suggested, "It's too noisy here, let's go to the balcony for some fresh air."

"Right on my mind."

Ludwig stood up and followed Morin through the crowd to a large balcony on the side of the hall.

The cold winter wind swept across my face, instantly dispelling the heat and boredom brought by the party.

Outside the balcony lies the manor's back garden, where moonlight pours down like mercury, casting a hazy silver glow over the tranquil courtyard.

The light on the balcony was much dimmer than in the living room, with only a few classic wall lamps casting a dim, yellowish glow.

The two leaned against the carved stone railing, the melodious dance music and noisy voices coming from the hall seeming distant and isolated from them.

Ludwig took a sip of the drink in his glass, the spicy liquid sliding down his throat, and he let out a satisfied sigh.

He turned his head and looked at Morin in the moonlight, a mocking smile on his face.

“I say, Friedrich, you’ve changed so much.”

"What's wrong? Our famous playboy, after returning from the battlefield, doesn't even have the heart to attend a party? He's just sitting there daydreaming."

"People change all the time."

Morin leaned against the railing, gazing at the distant night sky, his voice sounding somewhat ethereal.

"Moreover, once you're on the battlefield, you'll feel a sense of crisis."

He turned back to look at Ludwig, his eyes filled with a seriousness the other had never seen before.

"Right now, all I can think about is the battlefield, how to keep my soldiers alive, and how to win the next battle."

Upon hearing Morin's words, Ludwig's smile slowly faded.

He could tell that Morin wasn't joking.

He had seen far too many people who, even after crawling out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, were still unable to escape the shadow of war.

Many of the Teutonic Knights' finest knights were unable to separate battle from life, and were ultimately consumed by the cruelty of war, turning into madmen who knew nothing but killing.

"Friedrich, don't put too much pressure on yourself."

Ludwig's tone became gentle and serious.

“Our commander once said something to us that I still remember to this day.”

He paused, recalling the teachings of the 'Golden Lion,' and repeated them word by word:
"A true knight must draw a clear line between battle and life."

"On the battlefield, you can be a ruthless war machine, but back in life, you must become a human being with flesh and blood."

"Otherwise, you could easily become a madman who loses his mind and is eventually enslaved by the sword in your hand."

Ludwig patted Maureen on the shoulder and continued to comfort him:

"I'm not advocating that you live for the moment like before, but sometimes you need to relax. Clear your mind, don't think about anything, and enjoy the peaceful time."

Morin listened in silence, knowing that Ludwig was right.

The two drank in silence, enjoying the rare tranquility.

In the garden below the balcony, several young couples were strolling under the moonlight, the atmosphere ambiguous and beautiful.

Although it was a winter night, it didn't seem to dampen their enthusiasm. Occasionally, silvery laughter could be heard, adding a touch of life to the quiet night.

Looking at the scene downstairs, Ludwig suddenly wore a somewhat strange smile.

He nudged Morin with his elbow, lowering his voice, his tone carrying a hint of barely concealed excitement and cunning.

“My sister Patricia, she’s here tonight too.”

He winked at Morin, then continued:

"I was planning to find an opportunity to arrange for you two to meet sometime later, but we just happened to run into each other tonight. It's like fate!"

Upon hearing Ludwig's words, Morin's hand holding the wine glass stiffened for a moment. "Lieutenant Colonel, I really don't have the mind for these romantic entanglements right now. They only affect my shooting speed."

Ludwig was amused by his righteous words.

"Okay, okay, I know you're a very busy person who prioritizes your career now."

He smiled and waved his hand, "But it's okay to meet, right? Just treat it as getting to know each other as ordinary friends."

"My sister, she..."

Before Ludwig could finish speaking, a clear and melodious female voice came from behind them, interrupting him.

"Brother, you really are here."

They both looked back at the same time.

A young woman dressed in a white evening gown was standing at the entrance to the balcony.

She has a head of brilliant golden hair that cascades like a shimmering waterfall under the lights.

Her fair skin seemed to glow in the moonlight, and her features were so exquisite that they looked like a sculpture by a master artist.

Especially her pair of emerald green eyes, clear and bright, yet carrying an innate pride.

She stood there quietly, naturally attracting everyone's attention; she was the perfect embodiment of the stereotypical "blonde heiress" in Maureen's mind.

Even Maureen had to admit that she was indeed a stunning young woman.

Patricia's gaze first fell on her brother, and then her expression changed noticeably when she saw Morin standing next to Ludwig.

A hint of surprise and complexity flashed in her beautiful eyes, but she quickly concealed it perfectly and regained her composure.

Maureen recognized her too.

Although the original owner's memories were somewhat hazy, the scene of being rejected in public at the party still left a deep impression on him.

The atmosphere became somewhat subtle at that moment.

"Patricia, let me introduce you."

Ludwig broke the silence with a warm smile, seemingly oblivious to the undercurrents between them.

"This is Lieutenant Friedrich Morin, our comrade-in-arms on the front lines in the Kingdom of Aragon!"

He then turned to Morin and introduced, "Friedrich, this is my sister, Patricia."

"Hello, Miss Seeker."

Molin forced a mechanical nod and forced a stiff smile.

"Hello, Lieutenant Morin."

Patricia returned a polite smile and a slight nod.

Then there is no more then.

After exchanging an awkward and mechanical greeting, the two fell silent simultaneously.

One was looking at the sky, the other at the ground, but neither of them looked at the other.

Ludwig, standing to the side, felt a headache coming on as he watched the atmosphere, which was as cold as ice.

He couldn't help but shout in his heart: "Friedrich, weren't you a playboy? Where did your usual flirtatiousness go? Why are you acting like an innocent virgin now!"

Maureen was also in an awkward position at this moment.

He was indeed inexperienced, and when faced with a woman who had a 'dark history,' his mouth was as if it had been sewn shut; he had absolutely no idea what to say.

Patricia was also somewhat embarrassed.
The person who once publicly confessed his love to her and was ruthlessly rejected by her now seems like a completely different person.

Not only did he become much more composed, but he also became known as a war hero.

A thought couldn't help but flash through her mind.

Was he doing this to prove himself to me?
To prove that I was wrong to reject him back then?
This thought gave her a strange feeling, but Patricia's inherent pride prevented her from taking the initiative to show goodwill towards Morin.

She simply maintained the composure of a noble lady, standing there quietly, waiting for the other party to speak first.

Ludwig watched from the side, his heart pounding with anxiety.

He had hoped to create a romantic reunion for the two, but they were both overly polite and silent, creating an awkward atmosphere that could freeze a person to death.

He kept giving Morin meaningful glances, frantically urging him to take the initiative and say something to break the deadlock.

"Friedrich, say something!"

His eyes seemed to be screaming.

Under the intense, almost fiery gaze of Ludwig, Morin felt his scalp tingle.

He racked his brains and finally, steeling himself, managed to utter a single sentence.

He turned to Patricia and asked in what he thought was a very sincere tone.

Miss Seeckt

Ludwig perked up and looked at him expectantly.

Patricia also slightly raised her eyelids, waiting for him to continue.

Do you know what a magic crystal cannon is?

Patricia: "."

Ludwig: "."

The air seemed to freeze at this moment.

A crack appeared on Patrecia's delicate, pretty face.

A flicker of disbelief crossed her emerald eyes.

She never expected that the other party would ask such an outrageous question.

Indeed, as a genius in magical technology, she was interested in the 'magic crystal cannon' that Morin mentioned.

But are you sure this is the right time to ask?
Morin himself was so embarrassed that he could practically dig a Dresden out of his toes.

He regretted asking the question as soon as he did, and he didn't know what had gotten into him that he asked such a question.

"I... I just remembered I have something to attend to, so please excuse me."

Unable to bear the suffocating atmosphere any longer, Morin made up a lame excuse and practically fled.

Watching Morin's hasty departure, Ludwig opened his mouth, but could only sigh helplessly in the end.

He turned his head, trying to smooth things over for Morin.

"Patricia, don't mind him. Friedrich probably just came back from the battlefield, and his mind is still full of wartime thoughts. He's not quite used to other things yet."

Patricia didn't speak, but simply watched quietly in the direction where Morin had disappeared.

After leaving the balcony, Morin breathed a long sigh of relief, feeling as if she had just escaped death.

Being around this blonde heiress is incredibly stressful.

After calming down a bit, he decided to go to the bar to get a drink and calm his nerves.

However, as soon as he re-entered the brightly lit hall, he stopped in his tracks.

His gaze was drawn to a familiar figure in the corner.

She was a girl wearing a dark red dress and with her long chestnut hair styled in a bun.

She sat alone on the sofa in the corner, out of place with the noisy surroundings.

Maureen recognized him.

Isn't that the girl I met at the Imperial Patent Office who wanted to apply for a patent for an 'air-cooled light machine gun'?
(End of this chapter)