Sean had considered various possibilities.
Among them, he had wondered if the Revolutionary Army intended to use his city to expand their influence, perhaps by establishing a stronghold. But arriving at that conclusion, he found himself ridiculous.
Such a notion might fool their own people, but to him—someone who had ascended to the ranks of the Empire's high nobility—it was absurd and laughable.
The southern region's population, technology, and even its natural environment were insufficient to serve as a natural barrier. Moreover, after the recent Tacoma City incident, those who could leave had already fled, leaving only those unable to escape to his Ouro City.
If the Revolutionary Army truly intended to set up a base in such a place, it would only mean that the person issuing the order knew nothing and was completely messing around. How could a place like Ouro City ever serve as a long-term garrison? Besides, the Revolutionary Army had been dealing with the Imperial regular army for years; they couldn't possibly be unaware of this.
Sean watched the woman before him, observing her every move.
She showed no signs of abnormality. In fact, when he asked if she was certain Ouro City was theirs for the taking, she appeared flustered—not lying, or perhaps he had hit the mark in her thoughts.
"So, you're planning to use my city as a base for the Revolutionary Army," Sean continued.
The woman said nothing.
It seemed that every time he hit the nail on the head, she stopped responding. This confirmed that his guess was correct.
"Heh, I've noticed you're easy to read, woman. When you stay silent, it means I'm right. Your name's Tashigi, isn't it?" Sean said deliberately.
As he spoke, her emotions visibly shifted, but she couldn't speak.
Because whether she admitted or denied it, she would only confirm his words.
Having asked enough, Sean prepared to leave. But before departing, he leaned slightly closer to her.
"That last remark wasn't nonsense. I actually sympathize with you. You might die without ever knowing what you're fighting for—always going on about civilian freedom and national freedom. But even if the Revolutionary Army wins, so what? There will still be exploitation and oppression. If everyone had nothing to do, this nation wouldn't exist. So the Revolutionary Army is just using you to sacrifice for their own sake."
He reached out and lifted her chin.
The day he'd seen her, she seemed attractive, but now she looked ordinary. The stench of "filth" on her was even nauseating.
A prison cell really wasn't a place for nurturing people.
"At least... at least we cherish life more than you do," Tashigi whispered.
"No one doesn't cherish life—not me, nor my citizens." With that, he turned and left the cell.
Several soldiers behind him immediately stepped forward and locked the cell door.
The light dimmed instantly.
It was pitch black, so dark that she could hear her own breathing.
Tashigi wanted to call out to confirm if her comrades were locked in neighboring cells, but she hadn't eaten in two days and had no strength left to shout.
Even if she did, the soldiers outside would hear.
Mm...
She couldn't hold back her tears. Even facing Count Viger, she hadn't cried, but now, after he left, she couldn't stop.
Trapped in the dark cell day and night, she had no idea how much time had passed outside. All she saw was darkness, with only a sliver of light occasionally appearing at the cell door. The guards' meal times were so irregular that Tashigi struggled to gauge the elapsed time.
Two days? Or three?
She couldn't remember.
From the moment she joined the Revolutionary Army, the first iron rule was to never betray the organization or comrades, even at the cost of death.
She had strictly adhered to it, but she never imagined it would be so hard in reality. In such a short time, her spirit was already nearing its limit.
Tashigi didn't think she was afraid of death. In fact, she longed to die in battle—at least then her efforts wouldn't be in vain. From childhood, after the local nobles forcibly seized grain from her village, leading to her family starving to death, she should have died.
She had survived only by eating her childhood dog, her sole companion, until the Revolutionary Army arrived.
From that moment, Tashigi had directed all her hatred toward the nobles. If they hadn't increased grain levies every year for their own greed, her family wouldn't have starved. So, over the years, every noble and their lackeys she killed felt justified to her.
But...
Her hands were already stained with blood.
Those who kill many will eventually be killed.
That was a saying the village priests often repeated, urging people to be kind.
Thus, in recent years, as she fought, she also waited for the day she would die in battle.
But not like this.
Not dying in a dark, filthy underground cell, covered in grime and filled with resentment.
She lifted her head and let out a faint cry, too soft for anyone outside to hear.
Tashigi couldn't stop her tears.
For her fallen comrades, and for her own cowardice.
After leaving the cell, Sean went directly to the hall outside the study, where his sand table was located.
Standing there, he could see everything happening in Ouro City, as well as the situation in the northern part of the city, where Joseph and his four-man mercenary squad were hunting down the rebels.
"Milord."
Harry, who had been waiting outside the study, finally saw Sean arrive.
"What is it?" Sean replied flatly.
Having been a count for nearly two months, Sean had grown accustomed to everyone reporting everything to him. There was hardly a moment of rest—whenever he seemed free, the people around him always found something to bring up.
"I received news from Rietis. I had an old friend from the Scholar's Library deliver the letter. He replied that the alchemist you were looking for was very surprised to hear your name and agreed to come later."
"Later?" Sean had already mentioned the Necronomicon in his letter. Shouldn't the man come immediately?
"Uh, yes. It seems Master Alphonse was eager to come, but the Alchemist Guild suddenly received an order from Prince Philip to stockpile a large amount of medicinal herbs within three months," Harry said.
"Why?"
"That's what my friend told me." Harry glanced at the doorway.
Seeing no guards, he lowered his voice.
"The north—Borg's army seems to be on the move."
The Borg people?
Sean suddenly recalled hearing something similar from the wood elf Caitlin in the town earlier. He looked at the sand table in the center of the room, then at Harry.
"I see. I see."
Sean muttered to himself.