Iron Powder and Spellcaster

This small incident made the atmosphere at home a little heavy, and there was no more laughter under the roof. Several servants at home also keenly felt the change in the atmosphere, and even Aunt Marita became cautious.

When it got dark after dinner, Antonio led Winters into the study and said he had something to give to him.

Winters originally thought that Antonio was just looking for an excuse to call him to avoid Kesa, but Antonio actually found a box, opened the three-layer wooden box like a matryoshka, and took out a pendant. The sword was handed to Winters.

"This sword of yours is too..." After racking his brains for a long time, Winters couldn't think of any complimentary adjectives: "...is it vulgar?"

The shape of this sword is a typical one-handed ceremonial sword. The shape is a bit like a swift sword, but shorter and lighter. But the point of this sword is not the blade, but the hilt and scabbard.

Ceremonial swords must be gorgeous for decorative purposes, but there are different levels of gorgeousness. Major Moritz's ceremonial sword was tasteful and gorgeous, and the ceremonial sword in Winters' hands was typical of vulgar gorgeousness.

All the metal on this sword, except the steel of the sword itself, is only gold. Not only is the entire gauntlet made of gold, but even the shell of the scabbard is made of gold.

The scabbard and the end of the hilt are also inlaid with gems that Winters doesn't recognize, but since they are gems that can be set in gold, their value is definitely higher than gold.

The whole sword unabashedly proclaims the aesthetics of a nouveau riche. The scabbard is more expensive than the sword body. It can be called a master of piles of materials, and it is the highest level of buying a coffin for a pearl.

"What is vulgar? Such is the trend of the times." Antonio blushed: "A ceremonial sword must be luxurious and gorgeous. When I was young, everyone wanted to wear it with all their wealth. If you go out with a plain sword, others will laugh at you. You. Do you think it’s not like this now? Put it away, this sword will be yours from now on.”

Winters imagined himself wearing this sword and couldn't help but get goosebumps.

He quickly put the sword back on the table and refused: "It's too shameful to hang this golden sword. Isn't it telling others that 'I'm a piece of shit'? I might as well just wear it on my waist." A gold bar. You are too embarrassed to wear this sword, how can I be too embarrassed to go out with this sword?"

"Be polite." Antonio knocked Winters on the head: "This is your father's ceremonial sword. He gave it to me. I will give this sword to you today. This is inheritance, take it Keep it."

"That only shows that both of you have a problem with your aesthetics." Winters pulled out his sword and tested the toughness of the sword blade. The sword blade was bent into a large arc and then rebounded to its original shape, still straight: "The sword blade is very good."

"Of course, this is the best sword in the steel castle."

There is little emotional communication between men, even between father and son. But infected by Elizabeth's emotions, Winters has now become somewhat emotional.

He put away his ceremonial sword, lowered his head, and spoke his true thoughts for the first time: "Actually, I don't care who my biological parents are. I don't know them, and they have never seen me. To me, Kesha is My mother, and you are my father, and I will serve you like a son and protect Ella.”

Antonio was also moved emotionally, put his arms around Winters' shoulders, and whispered: "Silly boy, what are you talking about? Your growth is enough for Kesha and me. Of course you are Kesha and me ’s child. Always has been and always will be.”

A knock on the door interrupted a rare moment of tenderness between two manly men.

"Sir, there is a carriage parked outside the door. The people in the carriage want to see you, but they refuse to say who they are." Sister Marita's voice came through the study door.

"He is the guest I have made an appointment with. Please come in through the back door and go directly to the study." Antonio answered loudly.

Aunt Marita responded, turned and walked away.

"Are there any guests? Then I'll step aside." Winters asked.

"You have to both avoid and listen." Antonio opened a secret door in the corner of the study: "The person who comes here will definitely want you to avoid it, but I want you to listen to what the person who comes here has to say."

Behind the secret door is a spiral staircase that leads directly to the master bedroom upstairs. The whole family knows this "secret passage." But the secret door is very delicately made, and the edge is hidden in the outline of the wall, so there is no gap at all.

Winters understood and hid behind the door. Gaze into the study through the viewing holes hidden in the shelves.

Two people in black cloaks, a master and a servant, walked into Antonio's study under the guidance of Sister Marita. The servant walking behind was carrying an exquisite wooden box.

When there were only three people left in the room, the black-robed man who came with the servant took off his hood.

Seeing the face under the hood, Winters, who was behind the secret door, almost screamed in surprise. Not only did Winters recognize who this person was, but he was absolutely unmistakable because this person left such a profound impression on Winters.

Luxurious warships, elite loyal heirs, and the legendary Eagle Knight... A few days ago, at Haidong Port, which had not yet been burned down, Winters and Andre waited for several hours to welcome this person.

Count Narzia—Privy Seal and Plenipotentiary of Henry III the Oathbreaker—sneaked into the residence of Major-General Serbetti in Veneta.

Although the War of Sovereignty had ended twenty-six years ago, many in the Empire still viewed the Senas Alliance as the Southern Rebels. A powerful figure in the Veneta Army secretly met with the emperor's favorite. Just a simple sentence is enough to arouse endless associations.

But Antonio was not surprised by the identity of the visitor. There was not even a polite greeting. He just nodded at the other party, pointed to the chair in front of the desk and said lightly: "Please sit down."

Although he was clearly treated coldly, Count Narzia was not angry. Instead, he put on a somewhat flattering smile on his face: "Your Majesty ordered me to bring his most sincere greetings."

Antonio laughed dryly but said nothing.

Count Narzia, however, diligently took the exquisite wooden box from the servant and placed it respectfully on Antonio's desk: "This is a gift from His Majesty to you and your wife."

But Antonio didn't even look at him. He leaned back in his chair and said impatiently: "If you are here to give him a gift and say hello, I have received the gift and you can leave. Otherwise, please just say what you have to say."

"Sending gifts to His Majesty is indeed the main purpose of my trip. Your Majesty does not want to get anything from you, he just wants to say hello to an old friend." Count Narzia said with a smile, but he changed the subject: "Of course there are other things..."

"Speak up if you have anything to say."

"I'm here to convey His Majesty's attitude to you... Of course, conveying attitude is not giving you instructions." Count Narzia said politely.

"explain!"

"We...that is, His Majesty and the government that represents his authority do not want to see a war break out between Veneta and Tanirya." Narziya said warmly.

Antonio sneered: "It's a pity that he didn't count."

"You misunderstood. His Majesty has no intention of imposing his will on the southern... countries. He just wants me to relay some facts." Narzia's attitude was still polite: "A new warlord has unified most of the Nordic countries. Man tribes, and have obtained the allegiance of the Bertar people. The empire will not sit back and watch a new barbarian regime appear around us, and our northern army will launch an active offensive to solve this hidden danger."

Antonio, who was originally impatient, fell into thought, while Narzia waited silently.

After a while, Antonio asked: "When do you plan to start the war?"

"Four days ago." Count Narzia replied with a smile: "The war has started. According to the plan, the Northern Army set out from the White Mountain Fortress four days ago. In a few days, the news should be able to reach here."

"You should be on the safe side."

"There's nothing you can do about it. If you don't put out the fire with all your strength when it first breaks out, isn't the end just around the corner?" Narzia pointed around with a smile on her face: "This is the lesson everyone in the south has taught us."

Antonio also smiled: "Why are you telling me this?"

"Your Excellency, you can definitely understand what I'm talking about." Count Narzia spoke eloquently: "The empire and your alliance have close commercial relations, and merchants will send goods wherever the price is high. Our war against the Norman barbarians has already begun. This has pushed up the price of bulk supplies. If Veneta and Tanirya go to war at this time, the price of military supplies will be pushed to sky-high prices.

The military supplies on this continent are not enough to support two wars at the same time. The two sides are competing for military supplies, which only gives an advantage to the merchants. At the current price, it is absolutely impossible for you to purchase enough supplies. Moreover, Veneta cannot be self-sufficient. Saltpeter and sulfur are all imported, let alone relying on a trade embargo to ensure supply. "

Narzia paused for a while and continued to throw out heavier weights: "Besides, when the war against the Norman barbarians takes up most of His Majesty's energy, the balance of power in the south will be broken, and it is inevitable that some people will be ready to take action. …”

Antonio snorted coldly, interrupted the other party, and asked: "Why are you telling me this?"

"Someone wants to know your attitude."

"I have no attitude. The attitude of the ruling committee is my attitude."

"No, your attitude is very important." Narzia's tone was very firm: "The only sane people in the Veneta military who still follow your lead are yours. Your attitude is very important."

"Who said that?"

"I said so." The servant who had been standing silently behind Narzia stepped forward and lifted his hood.

Winters didn't recognize the man, but this time it was Antonio's turn to be surprised.

Antonio stood up suddenly and asked in a low voice, "Your Excellency, Secretary of State?"

The highest title in the Republic of Veneta is Consul, while the official position of Secretary of State is only used in the Republic of the United Provinces. Secretary of State of the United Provinces, whose status is equivalent to that of the Consul of Veneta.

Winters was also startled when he heard Antonio's words.

"Yes, it's me. As the Secretary of State of the United Provinces, I ask for your help." Secretary of State Lionel took a few steps forward and said to Antonio sincerely.

At this moment, the emperor's favorite, the head of state of the United Provincial Republic, and the general of Veneta, three people who should never appear on the same occasion, appeared in Antonio's study at the same time.

Of course, there was also an Army Warrant Officer who was eavesdropping behind a secret door.

"What's going on?" Antonio looked at Count Narzia.

"I asked Your Excellency Narziya to help me come here. If it weren't for His Excellency Narziya's protection, I wouldn't have been able to reach Hailan City." Lionel, the Secretary of State for the United Provinces, explained quickly: "Guitu City I have made arrangements there, so no one knows that I have come to Hailan City."

Lionel looked anxious now, completely unable to show the magnanimity of being the chief civil servant of the United Provinces Republic.

"Then why did you go to Hailan at all the trouble?"

"The reasons are very complicated, I'll make a long story short." Lionel leaned towards Antonio and said: "I can no longer suppress the young faction of the Federal Provincial Army. As long as you send troops to Taneria, the Federal Provincial Army will use this An excuse to send troops against Veneta.”

"reason?"

The Secretary of State was almost dying of anxiety: "What excuse do those mad dogs want? The Federal Provincial Army has always wanted to turn the Union into a real country. Don't you know this? And there are not a lot of excuses? All republics The diplomatic rights are handed over to the Alliance government, and Veneta has no right to declare war at all! You have violated the Alliance Charter!"

"Please wait." Count Narzia said calmly: "According to my understanding of your alliance, whether each member country has the right to declare war is a controversial matter. The Alliance Charter does not provide detailed provisions..."

"Enough is controversial!" Lionel interrupted rudely.

Count Narzia smiled, spread his hands, and changed to a more comfortable sitting position.

The State Secretary quickly added: "Also, Tanilia is now divided into several groups, one of which is very close to the federal army. If you send troops, the Tanilia Islands will directly become a federal province. What will you do with the eighth province? Can the Veneta ruling committee tolerate it? Then the situation will be out of control."

Antonio frowned and said: "The Grand Senas Nation was originally the idea of ​​Marshal Ned. The United Provincial Army has indeed inherited this idea, but it is not so crazy that it will fight Veneta for it."

"Naive! Don't you know what the Federal Provincial Army is like? A country within a country! There are indeed rationalists in the Federal Provincial Army, but the more serious the friction between Veneta and the Federal Province, the weaker the voice of the rationalists. The war faction will have greater say. So Veneta should give us rationalists some room for maneuver. If Veneta and Tanirya go to war, the voice of reason in the United Provincial Army will disappear." Onel said excitedly.

"But what's the point of telling me this? The Veneta Army is different from the United Provincial Army. The command of the Veneta Army lies in the hands of the Consul. You should go to Consul de Bella."

"This is the biggest problem! The main militant faction in the United Provinces is in the army, but the main militant faction in your Veneta is in the government! Some people in the United Provinces want to turn the alliance into a centralized state, don't you Veneta want to split? Are you the one who wants to make the Republic of Veneta independent from the Alliance?" Leonard showed off the eloquence of the Secretary of State and spoke non-stop: "There are people in both our countries who want to solve the problem through civil war, and more importantly, The danger is that they all think they have a good chance of winning!”

Count Narzia on the side intervened unhurriedly: "I think His Excellency the State Secretary is right. In fact, if it were not for the military pressure given by His Majesty to you, I am afraid that there would have been a big fight within your alliance. And Now that we are tied up with the Normans to the north, it seems to some people that this is a good time.”

Antonio asked Lionel simply: "Your Excellency, Secretary of State, what do you mean by coming to me?"

"Avoid civil war!" Lionel replied decisively.

"I'm afraid there's nothing I can do about this."

"you can."

"How could I?"

Lionel made a shocking statement: "The best way is for you to launch a mutiny, remove the power of Consul Debela, dissolve the parliament, and establish a provisional military government. Your legion is the only one near Hailan City, and there is no People can stop you.”

Antonio shouted: "What crazy talk are you talking about!"

"There is a second way." Lionel said with bloodshot eyes and crazy emotion: "Veneta will send troops to cleanse the federal army, reorganize the structure of the federal army, and return the command power to the federal parliament. I support it. You, the militant faction in the army cannot make any waves, you can kill them all at once! To avoid future troubles."

"The more you talk, the more outrageous it becomes! Isn't this a civil war?"

"Long-term pain is worse than short-term pain, a big civil war is worse than a small civil war, and a little blood today is better than a river of blood in the future!"

Antonio grabbed the Secretary of State's arm and walked out: "Please leave here. I don't want to hear these crazy words again. I will pretend you haven't been here today."

However, no one expected that Secretary of State Lionel, a man taller than Antonio, suddenly burst into tears. Even Count Narzia, who had been watching the play, was stunned, not to mention Antonio and Winters behind the secret door.

"I have no choice! Do you understand? I have no choice! I am watching the republics being submerged in the sea of ​​blood, but there is nothing I can do! The Senas Alliance is going to be over! The United Provinces Republic is also going to be over! You Veneta It's going to be over! If there is any other way, why should I ask for help from this bastard of a false emperor?" The hysterical Lionel pointed at Count Narzia: "I hid in the cabin and smuggled from Guitu City to Hailan. I met Debella because there was still a last glimmer of hope in Veneta. But it’s too late, it’s too late after Haidong Port was burned! It’s over! It’s all over!”

The chief civil servant of the United Provinces Republic knelt on the ground helplessly, covered his face and cried bitterly.

Winters, who had been watching all this from behind the secret door, suddenly felt very pitiful about him, but also thought he was a madman.

"Mr. Serbetti, what happened in the study?" Kesha's voice came from the door of the study. It seemed that the movement just now alerted her.

"Nothing." Antonio replied: "Send the servants to go home and invite Ella and Miss Sofia upstairs."

Kesha didn't ask any more questions and just answered softly: "Okay."

After Antonio and Narzia looked at each other for a moment, Lionel suddenly stopped. After a while, he stood up and seemed to be a different person.

The excitement and madness disappeared from his face, and the State Secretary now showed no emotion, as if he were a cold stone sculpture.

The contrast from before was so great that one couldn't help but wonder if someone had taken out his original soul and inserted a new one.

Lionel looked at Antonio expressionlessly and said in a cold tone: "Major General Serbetti, you are a qualified soldier, but you do not have the consciousness to sacrifice everything to change the trajectory of history, nor do you have the courage and determination to promote change. , let alone the wisdom to see through fate.

I met with Consul Debela yesterday and I met with you today. You and Debella are of the same kind. Debella is driven by public opinion, and you are driven by responsibility. I know who you are, so I knew how it would turn out before I came to see you. But I still come to see you, because if you can remember what I said today, maybe you can make the destruction come later. "

If someone had said this to Antonio on any other occasion, he must have wanted a duel. But there was no attack or insult in the tone of the State Secretary now.

As soon as he finished speaking, regardless of whether Antonio understood it or not, Lionel put on his hood again and walked directly to the door of the study.

When he reached the door, he suddenly turned around and said to Antonio calmly and calmly: "My assistant and best friend Mr. Marat came to Veneta to see Consul de Bella as my emissary, but there was no news at all. Apparently he has Dead. When you find him, please bring his ashes to me."

After saying that, he opened the study door and walked out without looking back, leaving Antonio and Count Narzia inexplicable. Narzia was stunned for a moment, nodded apologetically to Antonio, and chased after him.

It wasn't until the two were far away that Winters came out of the secret door.

"That person is the Secretary of State of the United Provinces?" Winters asked in disbelief.

Antonio nodded silently.

"Isn't this just a lunatic?"

Antonio was silent for a while and replied: "Maybe..."

Thank you to book friend Social Justice Lao Wang for your reward and monthly ticket. Thank you. And thank you to all the book friends who have voted for recommendation before. Thanks to book friend "I don't know what it's called" for the recommendation vote, thanks to book friend Yuan Hongjian for his recommendation vote, thanks to book friend writersblock for his recommendation vote, thanks to book friend Yan Yunsan for his recommendation vote, thanks to book friend 20181013204343295 for his recommendation vote, thanks to book friend Recommendation vote from friend Social Justice Lao Wang.