Capítulo 1583: Chapter 81: A Visitor from Afar (Part 4)
Initially, the officers of [Resolute] believed that the “Newly Reclaid Land Rebel Army” was making them weave baskets to humiliate them.
To so extent, the officers of [Resolute] even considered such actions of the “Newly Reclaid Land Rebel Army” understandable—after all, it was they who ca to the Kingdom of Galloping Horses, not the other way around, with them invading the Mountain Front Territory.
However, understanding is one thing, while it didn’t stop the officers of the United Provinces from cursing the “sheep-loving traitors” for reneging on their promises and not giving them the “treatnt befitting officers” as agreed upon in their surrender.
But they soon discovered that the “Newly Reclaid Land Rebel Army” had no emotional involvent in performing this act.
For the “Newly Reclaid Land Rebel Army,” making prisoners weave baskets was as routine as ringing a bell to wake up or blowing a horn to go to bed.
The camp administrators even assigned each officer from the United Provinces an “instructor.”
According to the forr, this was ant to allow the “old” to play a ntoring role and help the new ones get up to speed quickly.
The officers of [Resolute] vaguely felt that, instead of humiliating them, the Paratu people seed… more interested in the baskets.
This was beyond the comprehension of the United Provincials.
However, even without understanding, it didn’t stop the officers of [Resolute] from collectively going on strike in protest.
Yet the anticipated fierce confrontation never happened; the camp administrators seed long accustod to it.
It was at their discretion not to weave baskets, as long as they didn’t work, the only things available were plain water, wild vegetables, and black bread—and they’d even have to dig wild vegetables out from the yard themselves.
Hunger striking was also at their discretion, saving a al cost.
Protest? They could protest all they wanted.
Throughout the entire process, the officers from the United Provinces seed to be negotiating with an inanimate object.
The theologians said, “Hell not existing is more terrifying than hell existing”;
And for the officers turned prisoners, it was more unsettling for the Paratu people not to hate them than for them to be hated by the Paratu people.
They shouted, the Paratu people didn’t react; they cursed, the Paratu people didn’t react; they hunger striked, the Paratu people didn’t react; no matter what they did, the Paratu people didn’t react—other than for baskets, all the Paratu people wanted were baskets.
About a week later, the Seventh Prisoner of War Camp, responsible for confining the officers of [Resolute], began delivering baskets, but the quantity was sparse, and the quality was poor, only suitable for wall-building.
However, as ti passed, the production in the Seventh Prisoner of War Camp steadily increased, and the product quality gradually improved.
Yet there was one prisoner in the camp who never touched a single wicker reed from beginning to end.
That was Vansco Alda.
—————–
Back at the site of Colonel Bod’s morial service in Maplestone City Cathedral.
Major Jean Horn took a letter from his pocket—a letter from the sheep-loving people’s prisoner camp, where nothing but clear water and black bread was provided for free, not even paper and pen, which had to be exchanged for baskets—so what he took out wasn’t actually paper, but his sweat—and solemnly handed it to Winters Montagne.
“This is our letter of protest,” said the major courteously, “We believe that your side’s mistreatnt of us violates the agreent between us.”
“The letter is received,” Winters took the letter with a pleasant deanor and replied warmly, “We believe that—your side seems to have misunderstood the aning of ‘mistreatnt.'”
Jean Horn remained calm: “Inhumane treatnt is mistreatnt.”
Winters responded leisurely, “I’m actually more curious about what you consider ‘humane treatnt’ to be?”
Andre, beside him, yawned repeatedly, uninterested in listening to the verbal sparring between the senior and the junior, quietly left.
As so leave, others co.
“Enough of this talk with this guy, senior, let’s go,” said Major Jan Aquina, also with bandages on his head, glaring fiercely at Winters, “Anyway, it’s them who broke their word, promised us ‘officers’ treatnt’ only to throw us into a black hole.”
“Seniors, the place you’re living now is where we used to live too,” Mason lightly coughed to justify his creation, “It’s not any ‘black hole.’
“That only ans you previously lived in prison,” Jan Aquina retorted.
Winters waved at his senior, then turned to look at Jan Aquina, “So what do you say, what kind of treatnt is ‘what an officer deserves’?”
Jan Aquina was montarily speechless, both embarrassed and angry, “I have no interest in playing word gas with you!”
“Don’t avoid the question, senior, please teach what ‘treatnt an officer deserves’ is,” Winters pressed on, “Please tell , which docunt stipulates what kind of treatnt one allied army soldier should receive when captured by another allied army soldier?
“Or are you saying, you’ve ceased to be an allied army soldier and wish to invoke the preferential treatnt policy for Empire prisoners during the Sovereign War, asking us to provide you an opportunity to switch sides?”
Jan Aquina was so choked up that he couldn’t speak, never expecting this junior to have not only strong swordsmanship but also such a sharp tongue.
He stamred, “I, you, you…”
But Winters hadn’t finished, as he shifted his tone and asked rhetorically, “Or are you saying you’ve captured allied army soldiers before, so there’s precedent to refer to?”
Without waiting for Jan Aquina to respond, Winters provided the answer, “No, you haven’t, you haven’t fought a war in over a decade, and you’ve never defeated any allied army.”
Winters looked directly at the two seniors: “But I’m different, not only have I defeated, but I’ve done so several tis. So if there’s a precedent to refer to, it’s only the one I set. And the treatnt you’re currently receiving is the treatnt previously enjoyed by allied officers captured by which is the treatnt you deserve.”
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