Alice in the Land of Steam

Chapter 1179 Is it the responsibility of an elder brother?

"Actually, I have already talked to Mr. Carson before this."

Ling Ge recalled the conversation with Gray Hill Eagle just now. At that time, both of them were thinking about the future of this land, but they did not expect that the person involved had already made a decision. Perhaps this is the future. No one needs to care about it. Your own will is the key to everything. "He told me that you can stay in Tianxin Church and there is no need to participate in this operation. In addition, he specifically told Miss Regina and others to try not to mention anything about this operation in front of you. But I didn't expect that you still found out."

"If the adults think that this can be concealed smoothly, then they are underestimating us."

Mitch's lips curled up inadvertently, as if he was proud of it. It was only then that he showed some youthful vigor: "Whether it is the mobilization of supplies and personnel, or the communication with other resistance organizations, these are all carried out under our noses. Even if everyone has deliberately excluded us when carrying out these activities, we can still obtain intelligence in our own way."

Whether it is indirect or secretive, their biggest advantage is their age. No one will deliberately guard against a child, and no one will care about a child's unintentional words. There are many things that adults are not convenient to say or cannot do. Even if they say and do them, there will be nothing strange. Just like Kadora, when she speaks to you in a soft voice, do you think that such a quiet and weak girl is actually trying to get some information from you?

However, adults always overlook one thing, that is, before they became children, they first became warriors, warriors who survived the battles on the battlefield and were extremely sensitive to the fire and smoke of war. No battle could be hidden from their senses, and naturally, the tense atmosphere quietly permeating the camp had long been captured by these young soldiers.

On the surface, they remained calm, playing games and listening to sermons at Tianxin Church as usual, as if they were about to get out of the war as the adults expected. In fact, they were secretly gathering intelligence, and through bits and pieces of information obtained from various channels, they pieced together the truth of the matter. When they learned that they were excluded from an important operation and could only become protected objects, the first reaction of almost everyone was -

"This is not a battle that has nothing to do with me." Mitch emphasized to Linger word by word: "I am a member of the Ash Guerrillas. I have the responsibility and obligation to participate and contribute my own strength to the liberation of the Ansers region."

This is the attitude he represents.

The reason why they made it clear at this time was probably because they didn't want to give the adults time to regret. If they had strongly requested to participate in the operation from the beginning, Gray Hill Eagle could have temporarily assigned them a simple task and transferred them to a safe area. In a sense, it would be no different from staying out of it.

That's not how they want to be treated.

"You really gave me a difficult problem. No, I should say you gave everyone a difficult problem."

Linger shook his head helplessly: "I just told Mr. Carson that you are the future of this land. The adults are fighting for the present, in the final analysis, to protect the future. So, of course you also have your own responsibilities and obligations, but that is in the future, not now."

"Who said that?" Mitch retorted, "If only adults can handle this, then I am already an adult."

He raised his chin slightly, looking confident: "We all are."

As he spoke, the boys and girls behind him who were also from the Ash Guerrillas all held their heads high and chests out, trying to show a positive and uplifting attitude, wanting to prove to the young people that adults are not the only ones who can bear the weight of the "present". Compared to the future that has not yet arrived, they are also the present; compared to those lives that are still in their cradles, they are adults.

"You really taught me a lesson, Mitch."

Is it completely right for adults to protect children? Deciding their future without asking for their opinions, is perhaps a kind of tyranny called "adults"? From the reactions of these children, Ling Ge vaguely understood this truth. He no longer insisted. In fact, from the perspective of an ally, there was really no reason to insist. However, there was still one problem.

"You can certainly convince me with such reasons, but how are you going to convince Mr. Carson? I remember you admire him very much, Mitch? You will definitely obey everything he says, right?" Ling asked.

Mitch had already thought of a plan for this.

He looked back at his companions, pursed his lips, and said with great determination: "Because I am a leader."

"Once, when the war was at its most critical, even the children who had been protected had to go to the battlefield. At that time, Brother Carson gave me the task of leading and protecting everyone. He said, from now on, you are the leader of these children, just as I am the leader of the Ash Guerrillas. You and I both know how heavy the responsibility on our shoulders is, and that is why we cannot let it go easily. Trust, protect, and then respond to expectations are what you must do. Now, I am just responding to everyone's expectations, and at the same time responding to Brother Carson's expectations."

Mitch said, with that proud, complacent, and confident smile that only young people have on their faces again: "Even if you are the Gray Hill Eagle, you can't take back what you said, right?"

Leader...ah.

Linger silently observed the boy in front of him. He was only sixteen or seventeen years old, but he was already so confident, and indeed showed some leadership style. However, the source of this confidence was not the power or wealth that people often rely on, but from a deep sense of responsibility. He always walked in the front, protecting his companions behind him, and thus gained their trust.

A leader is someone who takes responsibility.

Carson Borg is the leader of the Ash Rangers, Mitch is the leader of this group of young soldiers, and I, perhaps, can be regarded as the leader of Cloud Whale Sky Island. So, can I do better than them on this road? Can I fulfill my responsibilities and obligations consistently? Can I make everyone trust and follow me wholeheartedly? Is every decision made prudent and necessary? If it comes to a last resort, can I be like Mitch, knowing that stepping onto the battlefield is destined to usher in sacrifices, still fulfilling the responsibility of a leader and throwing myself into this war without hesitation?

Questions come from the bottom of the heart, but the answers often need to be known later.

I always feel like I've been taught a lesson.

Ling Ge shook his head, and for the first time a smile appeared on his face: "Since you have decided so, I have no reason to stop you."

Mitch breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't know why. It was clear that Lingge was just an outsider. Whether he and his men went to the battle or not was an internal decision of the Ash Guerrillas and had nothing to do with him. However, Mitch cared about his opinion and even felt that if he didn't get his approval, the reasons he had racked his brains to come up with might not be justified. He occasionally thought about the source of this feeling and was surprised to find that it actually came from that short sermon. When the silver-haired young man stood on the altar, surveyed the audience with a calm gaze that seemed to be able to see through people's hearts, and said to himself, "God loves the world, so you should also love yourself", he had a deep impression of him, even comparable to the Eagle of the Gray Hill, whom he had always admired.

Which is more serious: the image that Brother Carson had established in the boy's mind through his battles and his indomitable fighting spirit; or the impression that the young man had left on him in just one brief contact and less than half an hour of sermon? This is an unanswerable question, but Mitch sometimes feels that Brother Carson and Pastor Linger, although they have different identities, experiences and personalities, are essentially the same person.

In the future, if I still have a future, can I become a person like them?
Mitch was originally not interested in the future that Pastor Ling talked about. He just wanted to grasp the present, but when this thought emerged in his mind, he couldn't help but feel a little excited.

By the way, he felt that Pastor Ling’s sermons were much better than those of a certain pink-haired nun. Unfortunately, for some reason, he didn’t often appear in Tianxin Church. Obviously, preaching to believers is the pastor’s job, right?
it's a pity.

Mitch sighed silently and sat down again.

It was not until this moment that Metien, who had been in a daze, finally realized what they were talking about.

"War... is it going to start again?" She glanced at Mitch first, then turned her inquiring gaze to Kadora: "Are you going to the battlefield too? You can't come to Tianxin Church to play games anymore?"

Mitch pretended to be profound and said: "The war did not begin, but it never ended."

Kadora hummed softly, then shook his head: "It's not that I can't come all the time. This is just the prelude to the counterattack plan. We are only participating in one of the operations. As for the future, there may be more, longer, and more intense battles waiting. If... If I can come back alive, I will come to listen to your sermons, Metien."

She remembered that this was a church, not a game hall. When Metien heard her say that, he was shocked: "Wow! Don't say such unlucky words, Kadora! Since this is just a simple operation, you should be able to deal with it easily, right? It will be absolutely fine! Even if you are injured, I am still here! I will help you heal your injuries! Let me tell you, my medical skills have improved a lot recently. No matter how serious the injury is, I can heal you! Even if, even if I can't heal it, there is still Miss Shesta and Sister Rolena! There will definitely be no problem with their fairy magic and alchemy! So, that..."

She hesitated for a moment, looked at Kadora hesitantly, and said hesitantly: "You, you must come back alive, okay?"

"Yes." Kadora pursed her lips and smiled at Metien. She was a quiet girl with two beautiful dimples when she smiled: "I promise you, Metien."

After receiving her promise, Metien did not feel happy, but heavy, as if a big stone was pressing on her heart, because she knew that this was not something that could be decided by a promise. Fighting and sacrifice have always been inseparable. As powerful as the young queen is, she must bear the cost of sacrifice while holding victory. Who can expect a group of children to never be hurt on the battlefield?
Will someone be missing from the group of people who played games with her here today when she comes back next time?
When she thought of this, she was so sad that she couldn't speak. This feeling was just like when she heard Themis in the heaven say the fact that "the goddess is dead" in the Holy Temple. Although it might sound ridiculous to compare a group of children struggling to survive in the mortal world with the great goddess who created the world, in Metien's heart, they are all equal, no, everyone is equal, because this is the truth that the goddess wants to tell all living beings: all lives, whether living or not, are blessed by her love and grace.

Livia and Gloria looked at each other, not knowing how to comfort her; Linger calmly accepted this scene, thinking that there was no need to comfort her, because this was the growth that Metien had to go through. If she wanted to move forward, she had to accept the fact that she would witness countless sacrifices on this road. Now that she thought about it, their coming to the East Continent might also be a revelation from fate, allowing them to descend on this land that was tormented by tyranny, aggression and suffering, and to personally experience the cruelty and ruthlessness of reality, so that they could grow.

If one day——

An ominous thought suddenly popped up in Ling'er's mind: If one day, when he has to leave Metien, she can say goodbye with a smile and accept the reality, then perhaps she has truly grown up?
But it cannot be spoken out loud, or even thought about. The young man can only put it out and then keep telling himself: It's not that time yet.

Metín is the golden apple.

It is the Holy Spirit recognized by Sister Livia.

One day, she will save everything in this world, those that have been destroyed, those that have been killed, those that have been annihilated, and those that have been polluted.

Until then, my mission is to protect her.

So, at least, I must not leave until she realizes her mission.

"Don't be so selfless, Lingge." In a trance, the young man heard a familiar voice ringing in his ears, whispering to him: "Don't always live for others, be a little selfish sometimes and live for yourself, right?"

That's not okay.

The young man couldn't help but think, I am the older brother, and it is natural for a brother to protect his younger sister. What does it have to do with selfishness or selflessness?

"There's really nothing I can do about you." The voice sighed and then disappeared quietly.

It seemed to disappoint her.

But there is really no other way.

Lingge thought again, who made me Metien’s brother?

Give me some meow