The biting wind blew across Brune's frozen face, and he couldn't help but rub his nose, wiping a big blob of snot mixed with boogers onto the nearby tree trunk.
Peeking out from the queue to look ahead, it would be Brune's turn in about seven or eight people.
According to Horn's orders, only those who passed were qualified to wear the new Salvation War Group military uniform.
Those who did not qualify but could join the new corps would need to pass the assessnt next month to receive the new uniform.
The first spinning machine driven by a sacred rotary machine already stood on the industrial land, and everyone passing by could see that mill-like textile workshop.
But after all, this is a new type of textile machine, and it's still sowhat dangerous, as previously one of the weavers got their hand caught in the gears.
So the production of military uniforms remains around 40 sets per day; today, they've finally managed to accumulate 1000 sets.
The other soldiers in the sa hundred households couldn't believe that this big fool was one of the 1000 people eligible to wear the new-style uniform known as the [Black Robe].
To everyone's surprise, Brune scored top marks in the three physical tests of holding a big gun, sprinting, and running.
If it weren't for stumbling over the military regulations and getting a below-average score, Brune might have made it to the 200 excellent soldiers awarded 90 dinars in bonus.
Following the team forward, after a minute, it was finally Brune's turn.
Receiving the black robe from the military chaplain distributing uniforms, he turned around to find Jonar already waiting beside him.
Jonar, a fellow Blessed from the sa recruit team, was also among the top 200 soldiers.
Raising the purse in his hand, Jonar's mustache twitched under his bulbous nose: "Look, it's personally given by His Eminence, are you envious?"
"Envious." Brune said woodenly.
Tsked, Jonar's previously curled mustache drooped down: "Talking to you is no fun. Don't leave later; I, along with Luis from the Martin Team, bought so ad, and we caught a silly rabbit earlier; let's have a bite before leaving."
"Why?"
"Why what?" Jonar looked puzzled, "We're all leaving, it's the New Year Festival, it's just the few of us, all old acquaintances."
These days, these recruits were in a team, eating and living together, sharing glory and disgrace. Even a dog would feel affection.
Although everyone initially disliked Brune, strength speaks volus; if they didn't want leftovers, they needed Brune to score in physical training.
Over ti, the long-lonely Brune actually found his first small group in life.
But this didn't change Brune's nature; he said sulkily, "I'm not planning to leave. I'm staying at the camp for the New Year Festival."
"It's a festival! Don't you have family?"
"No."
Jonar was montarily speechless, leaning against the dull big guy in front of him, he softened his tone: "No family, but surely friends, right? We, being the first batch of recruits, aren't required to stay."
According to Horn's arrangent, the newly enlisted recruits were not allowed to go ho, but he gave them a day off to celebrate within the camp.
"Friends..." Brune thought of Gashkour and Ten Households Leader rikso. He hesitated for two seconds, then said, "Forget it."
Jonar widened his eyes: "What do you an forget it? At most, in the camp, you'll get a simple bonfire party. The town has a marketplace, you know.
Besides the marketplace, they say His Eminence has organized many interesting gas and delicacies…
And there's the three octagon cage matches between Elder Sachis and Elder Ximus, right at the central theater of the town. Aren't you curious to see it?"
Gas? Delicacies? Brune touched his stomach, and suddenly so images flashed through his mind.
When he was a beggar, he once encountered a marketplace, but he was driven away by the local villagers before he could get close.
"I, I..."
"You really don't care about your younger self, huh." Jonar laughed teasingly, hamring Brune's chest, "There are so many young ladies at the marketplace, all born to be mothers, and you're wearing such impressive clothes..."
Brune's face turned slightly red. He hesitated for a long ti, just holding the military uniform without speaking.
Looking at the slightly fearful look in Brune's eyes, Jonar realized sothing.
He too hesitated for a mont but finally said, "If you're afraid to go back to your hundred households, you can co to my house. My father is the Hundred Households Captain; no one will bully you."
"Uh uh..."
"Uh uh, uh uh, what are you 'uh-ing' about?" Jonar scolded impertinently, "That's settled then. We'll head out after lunch, get to the town before dusk, just in ti to catch the end of the shift at the textile workshop—there are many skillful and attractive young ladies there."
Returning to his camp dormitory, Brune walked into the room with his head down, hunching over as he reached his bed.
It was a low and dim room with ten tattered beds.
The most tattered bed was Brune's, as he broke it on the first day from sleeping on it.
These beds were cobbled together from what the forr Eir soldiers left behind.
At the head of each bed, there is a box used to store miscellaneous items and clothes, serving as a bedside table.
Cautiously, Brune stuffed this sturdy and impressive outfit into the box.
Sitting idly on the edge of the bed, after the strenuous training, he suddenly didn't know what he should do.
He probably didn't want to be a soldier, but it seed like he was pretty good at being one.
However, just as His Grace said today, being a soldier is ultimately about killing people, and the thought of having to kill in the future made his whole body tremble.
Had he known, he should have deliberately perford worse, so he could have been persuaded to leave like those dozen people.
"Brune, Brune, where did you go? You're the only one left!"
Brune didn't know how long he had been sitting, maybe a little while, maybe a long ti, when Jonar's voice ca from outside.
"Coming!"
There wasn't much to say about the al, seven or eight big n, a small jar of honey wine, a roast rabbit, distributed to each person's mouth just to taste.
But the al wasn't really just about eating.
Brune reached out to warm by the fire, Jonar stood up, with his elbow resting on Brune's shoulder, boasting to the new recruits across.
"I must avenge my sister; I used to think Knights were heroes."
"The Pope of the Holy Seat City isn't a good person either; doesn't he know what's happening in Thousand River Valley? I don't believe it."
"Once I hit the battlefield, with the great treasure of the Divine Gun, if a Knight cos, I'll kill one; another cos, another victim."
"Did you know about that guy called Andar?"
A short recruit nad Luis vividly imitated: "I'll fight ten! Bang! Ah!"
Screaming, Luis imitated Andar's voice as he fell to the ground, replicating Andar's fainting posture.
"Hahaha-hahaha." The new recruits seated together couldn't hold back their laughter.
After sucking the oil clean from the bones and licking the last drop of honey wine from the jar, this group of soldiers then changed into new clothes and set off toward the town.
Interestingly, when these new recruits ca, they arrived together with their ten-household companions.
Leaving, however, they walked with companions from the sa new recruit team.
Jonar, worthy of being from a clockmaker's family, tid everything perfectly.
As soon as they reached the industrial area, they arrived just in ti as the female workers of the textile workshop finished their shift.
A group of new recruits stood in a line behind the fence on the roadside, standing in military posture more seriously than under inspection by Horn, faces showing the most solemn and heroic expression of their lives.
Watching the approaching female workers, Brune slowly walked closer to Jonar: "Jonar, I feel I must return to the Mosang Hundred Households District in advance."
"No way, buddy." Jonar widened his eyes at him, "Nobody else chickened out, why are you backing down?"
Brune looked at the seven or eight fellow new soldiers posing on the roadside and just snickered:
"After all, I'm back now, I should go over there and say sothing, otherwise it would be troubleso to be mistaken for a deserter."
"Tsk, you're really boring, coward, go ahead, I'll wait for you at the gate."
Bidding farewell to Jonar and the others, Brune ultimately returned to the Insula building, standing in front of the gate, he blankly stared at the sign at the Insula entry.
Wearing a mighty black wool coat, with a straight waist and back, and a tall figure, standing there, the passing neighbors dared not to lift their heads.
"Brune?!"
Standing for fifteen minutes in front of Mosang Number Two Insula Apartnt, Brune was eventually recognized by a passing neighbor.
"Yes." Responding loudly like a roar, he startled the person.
"Why are you shouting so loudly?" A new recruit who had returned early peeked out from the window, jealously looking at the black robe coat Brune was wearing.
"What, do you want everyone to know you've donned a black robe?"
"Oh, you ca just in ti, tell Ten Households Leader rikso, I..." Lifting his head, Brune was about to explain to the familiar face, when out of the corner of his eye, he saw a familiar figure approaching.
It was rikso.
Upon seeing Brune in black military uniform, he imdiately strode over, raising his hand high.
Instinctively, Brune wanted to dodge, yet his body stood still, unsure if it was due to being wooden or coldly watching rikso.
"Ah."
The anticipated swing didn't co, rikso firmly grasped Brune's hand, his face full of smiles, "Brother Brune, after such a long ti, have you beco distant? Standing at the door doing what, co, co, quickly co inside."
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