Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

Question: Is there any connection between eliminating the White Eagle and preventing Monta from interfering in Paratu?

Answer: (Helplessly) Have you ever played chess? There are always people who, when making a move, already foresee several moves ahead in their mind. His Majesty—Henry III—is a man of long-term vision. The prophecy says his family will eventually conquer the world. The intelligence I submit often receives feedback, sometimes even detailed instructions. I can sense that, even though the Empire has only waged war in the North and East in recent years, His Majesty's gaze has always been fixed on the Sheltering Mountains, watching all of you."

Question: I still don't understand. Killing pro-Venetian figures will only create hostility between Monta and Vineta. How does that make 'South Monta less likely to interfere with Paratu's affairs'?

Answer: How would I know? I want to ask you: Is it possible that a massacre with the footprints of the United Provincials might deliver a severe blow to South Monta's government, making you hesitant to act rashly?

Question: (Exchanging glances) What you're saying is all conjecture.

Answer: (Impatiently) Yes, and I've already told you, everything I say is conjecture.

(Brief silence)

The interrogated: (Tentatively) What's the situation in the southern city now?

Interrogator: Maybe razed to the ground, maybe intact. Why do you care about the southern city?

Answer: (Bitterly) The southern city is overseen personally by the envoy, alongside his advisors. It should have been razed to the ground, right? But the Baron handed me four pieces of Nulan Clock, leaving me unsure of what to think.

Question: You still haven't explained why you care about the southern city's current state.

Answer: (Sighs) What I'm about to say is also just a guess.

Question: Go ahead.

Answer: I don't know the full extent of the envoy's plan. But based on how he distributed forces, on the locations of the storage points and safe houses—I've told you all the storage points and safe houses I know—they are all in the northern city. So I guess… the envoy might intend to simultaneously destroy two districts of Steel Castle.

Question: The southern city and the Old City?

Answer: Yes, leaving the northern city intact. The southern city is more difficult, so he led the team personally.

Question: Why?

Answer: Leaving the wealthy might be more advantageous for his plan. Besides, if you chop off all a person's limbs and leave only the head, well, that person won't survive for long.

Question: Why is leaving the wealthy more advantageous?

Answer: (Helplessly) I've already said, don't speculate about the envoy's thinking. The envoy is the Emperor's hidden hand; his plan ultimately serves the Emperor's objective—you should think about what the Emperor wants.

Question: What does the Pretender Emperor want?

Answer: (Unconsciously tense) What I'm about to say is based on the premise that the Emperor wants to prevent South Monta from heavily interfering in Paratu's affairs, and it's all guesswork. Can you not record this?

Question: Speak.

Answer: If His Majesty doesn't want Monta to manipulate Paratu's situation, then destroying a mere Steel Castle, though an apocalyptic disaster for you, is like wiping off a drop of ink on a map for His Majesty—a mere trifle.

Question: (Frowning more deeply)

Answer: (Unconsciously swallowing) If His Majesty wishes for 'Monta not to interfere in Paratu,' his means of achieving it will never be simply 'making Monta relent.' It will be 'making Monta unable to interfere in Paratu even if they want to.' Because he never leaves room for choice—not for his enemies, nor even for his subjects. That's his style.

Question: What are you trying to say?

Answer: (Hesitantly) I think the Steel Castle incident may just be the beginning. If His Majesty doesn't want you to reach towards Paratu, (pauses) famine, chaos, plague… he undoubtedly has ways to achieve his goal, keeping you trapped in the mountains with no chance to step beyond. After all, he wields power from this sea to that sea, from the great river to the ends of the earth—that's what the prophecy says.

Question: (Derisively) We don't believe in the Pretender Emperor's self-aggrandizing prophecy.

Answer: (Desperate laugh) But every citizen of the Empire believes it wholeheartedly.

...

The records of the first—actually the second—interrogation end here.

Winters slowly rolled up the scroll, his thoughts still occupied by Alonso's warning.

"Finished reading?" Colonel Berny asked from the sickbed.

"Finished." Winters placed the scroll into its copper casing and asked with a smile, "May I take this copy?"

"Copy?" Colonel Berny glared: "This is the original, the only one! It's being sent to Horn Castle today. Seal it up once you're done reading!"

Winters casually brushed past the oil lamp, igniting its wick with a flicker of flame. He picked up a copper spoon filled with sealing wax and patiently heated it over the flame.

Colonel Berny arched an eyebrow: "You can use magic now?"

"Lighting a fire is still within my capabilities," Winters replied lightly, still hoping, "Could I transcribe a copy?"

"Sure." Colonel Berny snorted, "Stay in Monta, and you can copy as many as you want."

Winters fell silent. He melted the sealing wax, poured some onto the clasp of the copper casing, and pressed Colonel Berny's seal ring onto it.

Colonel Berny, full of exasperation, said reproachfully: "Do you know how many people this little roll of parchment will implicate? What kind of consequences it will trigger? If you want to return to Paratu, stay as far away from it as possible!"

Winters sighed: "I hope it can make the bigwigs in the Federated Provinces and Vineta calm down, and realize there's a dragon waiting for us across the mountains while we're busy tearing each other apart—as for Paratu's matters, let Paratu handle them itself."

"Kid, do you really think that the bigwigs you mentioned don't already know there's a dragon across the mountains?" Colonel Berny sneered: "But it doesn't stop them from doing whatever they want, does it? Let them worry about these things—we just need to fulfill our duties as soldiers."

Winters sighed again. After a moment, he pulled himself together, stood up, and saluted Colonel Berny in a formal manner: "I haven't thanked you for arranging a carriage for me yet. I'm deeply grateful."

"They're just salvaged wrecks pulled out of the river. If you're willing to pay for them, then I should thank you on behalf of Steel Castle's citizens," Berny said languidly, waving a hand dismissively: "Get lost. Don't let me see you again."

Winters didn't move: "There's one more thing I'd like to discuss with you."

"What is it?" Berny frowned.

"It's not a big matter nor a minor one," Winters cleared his throat and asked, "Regarding the corpse of the suspected court mage, how do you plan to handle it?"

"What's there to handle?" Berny replied, confused. "Seal it as evidence, wait for officials to come investigate."

"That won't do. A court mage's corpse isn't the same as an ordinary corpse; it should be considered spoils of war. Besides, I killed those court mages myself—it's not fair for you to keep them all for yourselves, right?"

Berny laughed in disbelief: "What do you propose, then?"

Winters responded without hesitation: "Naturally, we split them fifty-fifty!"

Berny was stunned into silence, taking moments to respond: "Fine! Three for you. Now get lost!"

Winters saluted and swiftly headed to the door.

Just as he was about to push the door open, Berny's voice called from behind: "Wait!"

Winters held the door handle, turned back, and asked: "Do you have any further instructions?"

"Kid, you're really damn cold-blooded!" Berny slapped the bedside: "Not even a proper farewell?"

"I'm not leaving today." Winters scratched his burnt-short hair and explained apologetically: "I still have unfinished business in Steel Castle. When I leave, I'll come back to say goodbye."

"Don't bother. Don't come." Colonel Berny paused in silence and then said, "I joined the army at sixteen, entered the military academy at twenty-four, spent so many years on the battlefield, and met few people who clicked with me. One-eyed Dragon counts as one, you… barely count as one. Once you step out of this room today, we might never meet again."

Berny turned to look out the window: "Kid, take care, and don't die on the battlefield."

"You too, take care." Winters saluted.

"What unfinished business do you have in Steel Castle? Need my help?"

"No, it's a minor issue." Winters smiled: "I'm just waiting for a reply."