Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

Except for the occasional cannon boom coming from outside Maple Fort, everything is moving in a positive direction. In a trance, it feels like people have returned to those "good old days" that were once scorned.

Except for Maple Fort.

...

...

[Maplestone City]

[Officer's Residence]

Although there was hardly any time when it was fully staffed since its inception—until recently.

However, in terms of structure and level, the New Reclamation Legion remains a legion. Maplestone City, as the legion's headquarters, naturally has corresponding facilities built to legion standards.

The garrison locations in various local counties can't compare in terms of comfort or convenience.

Therefore, even the unfortunate and disappointed who are assigned to the New Reclamation Legion will do everything they can to stay in Maplestone City and avoid being dispatched to county garrisons or even "banished" to some godforsaken, barren town as a Garrison Officer.

The officer's residence in Maplestone City is naturally a legion-level officer's residence.

However, due to the longstanding understaffing of officers in the New Reclamation Legion, most of the officer's residences in Maplestone City have been mostly idle. Apart from regular cleaning, there's hardly any sign of life.

Until just a year ago, when the late General Adams began hiring a large number of "honorary officers," and after the coup in Maplestone City, Colonel Sanel led the Kingsfort troops there, the officer's residences in Maplestone City finally became fully occupied.

Furniture was added, the wine cellar filled, the fireplace glowing, and the kitchen filled with aromas.

But today, all of them have new owners.

In the most impressive and luxurious solo officer's residence's lounge area, a one-sided argument was underway.

"What on earth are you thinking?" Colonel Skul Meklen's face turned red, trembling from the corners of his clothes to his hair tips.

He paced back and forth furiously, yelling at Gaisa, "What on earth were you thinking?!"

Colonel Gaisa focused intently on examining the wine rack left by the previous resident, casually asking back, "Thinking about what?"

"Why attack Bazenaur? Why go after [Gaspar]'s troops?" Colonel Skul lamented, "We just bled profusely fighting the Kingsfort. At this critical moment, tearing the face with the Blue Blood Faction—did you even consider the consequences?!"

Colonel Gaisa picked a bottle of wine, glanced at it, and put it back. After several tries, he found a vintage he was interested in.

He poured a glass for Colonel Skul first, which the latter impatiently pushed away.

Colonel Gaisa then poured a glass for Lieutenant Colonel Magash Colvin, who was leaning on the windowsill. Magash accepted it with a smile.

Finally, Colonel Gaisa poured himself a glass, taking a small, contented sip.

"All right, the battle was fought, the city was taken, and Gaspar was captured by me. I did it all; the responsibility is all mine."

Gaisa Adonis unbuttoned the top two buttons of his uniform, lay comfortably on the lounge's soft couch, leaned against the railing, and with arms stretched out in a surrender gesture, he cheekily suggested, "Otherwise, you could tie me up, send me to North River, and confess to that old guy Alpad. I promise not to resist if you take action."

Colonel Skul was stunned for a moment, then angrily slammed the table, spilling wine from the cup on the table: "What nonsense are you spouting?"

"See, you still can't let go, can you?" Colonel Gaisa chuckled, turning to look at Magash Colvin, "Isn't it right?"

Lieutenant Colonel Magash also nodded with a smile.

"Of course, now that the Ashen Stream River is blocked. Even if you wanted to, you'd need a ship to send me across." Colonel Gaisa slyly added before checking the tobacco box on the coffee table, "Hmph, that old man Adams sure knew how to enjoy life."

"Why?" Faced with the rogue demeanor of his old classmate, Colonel Skul was nearly driven mad, "I'm asking why you did it?"

"Why?" Colonel Gaisa feigned cluelessness, "I thought you were the one who hated the Blue Blood Faction the most, who didn't want to continue being a second-class person? In terms of origin, I'm part of the Blue Blood Faction. Even if I switched allegiance to Alpad, I'd certainly be more comfortable than you."

Colonel Skul was silenced instantly.

After a moment of silence, Colonel Skul clenched his fists, gritting his teeth, squeezing words out bit by bit, "The situation is such, we must choose sides. I will never side with traitors, we can only choose Alpad."

"You're right." Colonel Gaisa stood up, pushing Colonel Skul into a seat and refilling his glass, "The Kingsfort brims with petty, traitorous men."

Gaisa promptly refilled his own glass, downed it, then slammed the cup on the table, speaking heavily, "But, even if I'm a Blue Blood Faction member, I'd still say Alpad's subordinates are a bunch of gangsters too!"

His eyes sparkled, first looking at Magash Colvin, then at Skul Meklen, "Why must we choose between them?"

Colonel Skul knitted his brows tightly.

On the other side, Lieutenant Colonel Magash, who had remained silent, lightly coughed before politely speaking, "Senior, I think the key issue isn't why, but whether we can. The Newly Reclaimed Land probably doesn't have the capability to choose neither."

"Colvin." Gaisa laughed heartily, "If you think too much and plan too far, some things will never be done."

"There you go again, talking nonsense." Colonel Skul regained his usual state, coldly asking, "We're not deciding for ourselves, but for hundreds of thousands of people. How could we not think it through? How could we not plan long-term? What about you, have you thought about what to do next?"

"Next." Gaisa gently rocked the golden wine in his glass, "Take advantage of the Kingsfort's significant loss in strength, we need to strike out proactively."

"Fight, sure, but where? To Kingsfort? Can we bring them down with our current strength?" Skul continued to question sharply, "The United Provincials' advance troops have already entered Kingsfort, with forces continually arriving. Without General Alpad's support and containment, can we handle them?"

"Alright, alright. I don't think as thoroughly or far ahead as you do." Gaisa patted his bald head in surrender, waving his hand, "Take it step by step, we'll find out if we can win by fighting. As long as we have troops, we'll always have a chance to negotiate peace."

Colonel Gaisa turned to Magash Colvin with a smile and asked, "Am I right, Colvin?"

"I agree with your view." Lieutenant Colonel Magash responded with a smile, nodding and looking at the other colonel, "So, Senior Skul, the most important thing for us now is to restore the army's strength and form more units to prepare for possible future conflicts."

Pausing for a moment, Lieutenant Colonel Magash softly said, "So we must quickly reach an agreement on the distribution of spoils with Captain Winters Montagne. We need the storage facilities in Maplestone City, and we need them now."

"Exactly!" Gaisa slapped his thigh joyously and stood up abruptly, pounding the table, "Colvin hits the nail on the head!"

Colonel Skul was taken aback, instinctively leaning back to dodge.

Gaisa Adonis stepped forward to his old classmate, his muscular figure almost overshadowing the latter, gripping his shoulders earnestly, "Let me tell you, instead of wasting time firing anger at me, why not check out what Winters Montagne is up to. That brat clearly had the means to take us out but didn't; he could've swallowed all of Maplestone City's military supplies but didn't bite; he's entitled to reside in an officer's residence, yet look, he still moved into a junior officer's apartment."

Colonel Skul, hit where it hurt most, involuntarily furrowed his brows.

"If you ask me, that kid's holding back a big surprise, preparing to release a shocking move." Gaisa pressed on with his conclusion, "Instead of losing your temper with me, you'd be better off keeping an eye on him."