Red Merona
04. A very good welcome
Weeks 16-11-995, 05:30.
In front of their house, Emi is seen in full uniform, being with her two younger siblings. Their youngest brother, who is 5 years old, is still fast asleep.
"You take care of the house, don't skip school tomorrow. If there's anything call it Auntie" Emi told her younger sister Ema(13) and younger brother Ami(9)
"Sister, when are you coming home?" Ask Ema who is standing right in front of Emi.
"Maybe tomorrow afternoon," Emi replied as she reached out her right hand.
Ema immediately grabbed the hand and kissed it, followed by Ami.
"Alright, now that big brother is leaving, you guys don't fight" Emi said as she walked over and waved their farewell sign.
Then he approached the neighbors to the right of their house. It just so happened that the person Emi was looking for was cleaning the courtyard of the house.
"Auntie, I'm going to go for two days and one night, for a while I'm tucking the kids well" Emi said as she grabbed and kissed the late father's sister's right hand.
"Of course, with pleasure. You too, take good care of yourself, not to do anything careless. Aunty wishes you well." replied the 40-year-old. She thinks Emi and her sisters are like her own children.
"Thank you Auntie. Take it easy, aunty doesn't have to worry about that." Emi replied, "all right, I'll go first." he continued as he passed away leaving the yard.
On the way Emi.
Near a food stall, there was a chicken sitting in a long chair. His head was stretched out like he was staring at the sky. It seems that he is waiting for Emi to arrive.
Emi who saw that started to slow down her voice and footsteps. He walked slowly while holding the sling bag strap he was carrying. Once close enough he patted the Chicken's shoulder hard enough.
"Hey!! What are you thinking?" reprimand Emi, with surprising intent.
This made the chicken surprised.
"Hey!! What the hell are you doing? You just startled me. You little girl!!" snapped the Chicken, while turning his gaze towards Emi.
Hearing that, Emi just put a smile on her face, she tried not to laugh.
"What are you saying huh!! You're only a few cent taller than me. Anyway, why are you daydreaming, what are you thinking?" emi said, with a slightly seductive tone.
"Of course I'm thinking about you, what else can I think of." said the chicken, still looking annoyed.
Hearing that made Emi feel upset.
"Basar you! stop making jokes like that." he said, hitting Chicken on the head.
From there they went together.
It didn't take long for Emi and Chicken to reach the military headquarters.
While there Gotzen, Bayu and all the soldiers are waiting for their arrival.
"I'm sorry captain, I'm late." Said Emi who was standing right before Gozen while bowing her head.
"It's okay" said Gotzen then turned towards Fogex who was standing to his left.
"Alright, for a while, until me and Emi come back, you and Chicken are leading this place!" Continue Gotzen while holding Bayu's shoulder.
"Each captain" said Bayu and Chicken while raising his right hand to salute.
After that Gotzen boarded a horse carriage with Emi as assistant/secretary, and an aide to the carriage. Then they left the place.
*
Arrive in the middle of the journey.
Inside the horse carriage Gotzen sat facing back, he fell silent as he looked out the left window. The right elbow also rests on the window hole, draping the hand to support the right cheek.
In front of Gotzen, in the back seat on the left, was Emi who was also staring out the window on the right. The atmosphere between them was quiet and calm.
Gotzen is still thinking about the death of his brothers. Emi who is afraid of wrong words. Both of these things make them talk as necessary.
"From my mispronunciation and making the atmosphere even more awkward, it seems that the scenery seen along the way is enough to accompany the turmoil of the captain." thought Emi.
The mountains, rice fields, plantations, villages and forests they passed through were indeed quite beautiful.
On the way, Gotzen orders his aide to stop at one of the military bases they pass by. The goal was to replace both of their already exhausted horses. If the horse is not replaced, then they must stop long enough to rest the horse.
*
After a long silence between Emi and Gotzen, one of the two begins to take the initiative to open a conversation.
"Captain, can I ask you something?" emi asked, turning her gaze towards Gotzen.
It managed to make the blank stares of Gotzen's two-eye-ball black bead start to awaken.
"Of course, what do you want to ask?" gotzen replied, while returning Emi's gaze.
"No. For the time being he did not intend to take immediate leave, even after I suggested to him for leave, he still did not want to." Gotzen replied
Hearing that, Emi became curious and could not help but ask again
"Why? Did he tell you the reason?"
"Maybe it's because he's that guy. You know for yourself, don't you? answer Gotzen
"He reasoned that his family was enough to do such a thing" he explained.
Emi: "True too. But why did he get to be like that? Even for her own wedding."
"Maybe because he is like that. But I don't think he doesn't want to, just because his sense of discipline is too great." replied Gotzen, with a slight smile.
"He only asked for a few days off after the wedding" he continued.
Emi: "Did the captain allow it?"
"of course. I also said that he could take a longer time off, while nothing really mattered" Gotzen said.
"Thank God then." Emi said, followed by a smile on her face.
They kept talking about things that were not important to entertain themselves.
*
In the afternoon, after a long journey, they finally reached the gate of the northern central military headquarters.
Gotzen and Emi immediately got off their horse carriage, then walked to the checkpoint.
After the examination was completed, they were allowed to enter the special military area.
"Master, let's follow me." greet a soldier, then take them to the meeting place.
Arriving in a room with several top northern military officers, Gotzen and Emi discover a meeting has begun without them.
At a rectangular table surrounded by the northern army, Gotzen sat in an empty seat at the very corner. Emi sat behind Gotzen, in a long chair that surrounded the room. In addition to Emi, there were also guards and assistants. Emi then took a notebook, a pen and an ink box from her sling bag, to record the important things discussed in the meeting.
Realizing Gotzen's presence, the person sitting at the very center of the table immediately stood up.
"Welcome Captain Gotzen Reinforce!" greet the white-haired man. He was named High, who was the leader of the meeting. In addition, he was also the Supreme Commander of the Northern Army.
The greeting left everyone in the room silent for a moment, while turning their eyes toward Gotzen.
"Thank you commander. Please forgive me for my delay!" gotzen. He immediately stood up, then slightly bowed as a sign of respect.
"Yes, it's okay. Please sit down." Commander High said.
"More importantly, what's the situation at your place? Did you get any important information about the Third Division and Second Division rebels?" the man in glasses sat back down.
Hearing that, Emi immediately stood up.
He walked up to the High commander, after getting close enough, then Emi slightly bowed, then with both hands handed over the book containing the report he had collected.
After that Emi returned to her seat.
"So far I have found no movement from the rebels. Although there is a big enough incident, but I have not found who the culprit behind it." said Gotzen while lowering his head.
"Is this all you can get?" said Commander High while looking at the report Emi gave.
"All we need now is information about the whereabouts of the rebels. I don't care about anything else." continued Commander High, staring intently at Gotzen from behind the glasses he was wearing.
"This is your first report after becoming a captain, and this is very disappointing! In your place there is a lot of rebellion! But why is there no information you can get! I had hoped for you before. You should be able to appreciate the position the military has given you!" high snapped while throwing the report in his hand towards Gotzen.
The people in the room were silent, no one dared to give a defense. Some were just staring cynically at Gotzen. Blaming Gotzen with the uncomfortable situation in the room.
With feelings that are not put on the heart. Gotzen immediately moved from his seat. He then bowed his body, bowing his head.
"Please be forgiven for my negligence Commander. I'll do better going forward!" answer Gotzen.
Emi walked while feeling the bad treatment of her superiors. He realized, could only be patient about their helplessness. With both hands, Emi immediately took back the report on the table. Before turning around he did not forget to bend his body.
"All right! For now I can still forgive you. But please from now on you have to work right." High quipped as he looked away from Gotzen.
"Now it's better to go back to the previous discussion." continued High. As if he had easily forgotten the harsh words he had just let out of his mouth.
The atmosphere in the room became crowded again.
Gotzen and Emi sat down at their place.
Because of that incident, during the meeting Gotzen just sat down with a look down without daring to give any opinion.
