"Everyone, quiet! Listen to me!"

Maxim emerged from the Confession Room and stepped up to the front, standing where the Priest would normally deliver his sermon. Pascal came out of the Confession Room and walked into the crowd, joining Mr. Floran, the fisheries manager, and Karon the playwright.

The scattered arguments died down. Everyone waited for Maxim to continue.

"We have a lead on the horrifying attack in the cemetery! And yes, of course, it was orchestrated by the tyrant and his accomplices."

"Revenge!" "Get them!"

The speaker silenced the impassioned shouts. "But am I not stating the obvious? Who else would dare to openly threaten us citizens with firearms in broad daylight?"

"But we will not be intimidated! We will not lose our composure! I know some of you have proposed meeting the culprits with our own brand of fury. But we are rational, law-abiding citizens. There are no assassins from the Kingdom of Sand among us, nor can we act on impulse and give the tyrant a pretext to arrest us."

This didn’t sit well with some in the crowd. "Then what should we do? Just turn a blind eye to the attack?"

The most vehement was George Jacques. He had a broad face with prominent masseter muscles and high cheekbones, which made his eyes seem exceptionally small. The combined effect was a fierce and intimidating appearance.

He was a good friend of the stuttering lawyer, Kalar, and also had a deep friendship with Maxim. But that didn’t stop him from expressing his discontent, publicly criticizing Maxim. "Where has the brave Maxim gone? Where is the Maxim who raged against injustice? Are you afraid of the enemy’s bullets? Has the warrior of old been shot and killed, leaving a coward clinging to life in his place?"

It was a severe accusation. Some in the crowd applauded in agreement, while others turned pale. Fortunately, Maxim was familiar with George’s volatile temper and his talent for inflammatory rhetoric. He chose to answer the fiery challenge with calm rationality, like cold water dousing a flame.

"We should indeed take action. There is no reason to sit back and await our doom. First, we must mobilize our influence in the media. We will expose this horrifying attack to the public through printed materials. I know that some of our companions who are journalists are already doing so."

"Furthermore, according to reliable sources, this attack was primarily aimed at our lawyers. Yes, myself included."

The audience below began to murmur amongst themselves, a sense of unease spreading through the room.

Maxim stopped the speculation from spreading. "The club has thoroughly discussed the current situation. So, what’s next? First, for safety’s sake, we should reduce our gatherings, improve our security measures, and cut back on empty talk. Yes, I have noticed a certain tendency to believe that our cause is just a few words away from being realized." 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

"As for the lawyers, and all citizens, we are about to enter the battlefield! We won’t be brawling with Empireists or islanders, but waging a war of words against the Nobility and Bishops in the assembly halls."

"I hope you will all do your utmost to win the support of the people, just as we have always done."

"When I stand with the farmers, the laborers, and all the strong, self-reliant masses, I feel an unparalleled sense of security. Gentlemen, do not be dazzled by the glittering world. Return to the countryside, return to your hometowns, and organize the Third Level. Go where the enemy’s power is weakest. Then, their lackeys will no longer pose a physical threat to us."

"When we secure enough seats in the upcoming Third Level Estate Assembly—seats that represent the vast Third Level—we can make the Kingdom hear our voice and allow us to put our ideals into practice. The prerequisite is that we have enough people among us who can truly represent the Third Level and fight for their fairness and happiness."

"I have had this confidence ever since we first gathered as the Friends of Universal Love and Equality."

The club members below were somewhat perplexed. Maxim was not his usual self today.

"Some of you may be wondering where my confidence comes from. It comes from you. I believe that citizens of conscience and virtue will stand with us. I believe that a miracle will stand with us."

As he spoke the last sentence, Maxim’s gaze fell upon Pascal.

...

Rorschach carried two guns over his shoulder. Although he had wrapped them tightly in linen cloth, he still drew strange looks as he walked through the research building.

Fortunately, all he had to do was hand the two guns over to Philippe. To make it look more like a gift, he had gone out of his way to find a gold ribbon and tie it into an exquisite bow.

"Teacher Rorschach, you were looking for me?" It wasn’t just Philippe waiting for him, but Simon as well.

Though the two apprentices had started out as rivals, under Rorschach’s guidance, Simon and Philippe had completed their research together. Each had published a paper on the subject from a different angle, and they had since become good friends.

Strictly speaking, Simon was Philippe’s first non-noble friend.

"Master Kano has been very busy lately and won’t be able to accept the invitation to your home. I’m sorry to have to inform you of this."

Philippe wasn’t surprised. "And what about you?"

"Since Teacher Kano is so busy, it wouldn’t be right for me to be idle either. As an apology, the Master has entrusted me with delivering a gift to your father."

Philippe immediately recognized that the package contained guns. He had been hunting with his father many times and had used hunting rifles before he began studying Magic.

’A gift from a Great Mage... could they be Magic Guns?’ Philippe took it, his curiosity piqued, but he refrained from unwrapping the package out of politeness.

Of course, he wouldn’t refuse—the Melovinca Clan had never seen the need to be polite with anyone.

"Thank you, Teacher."

Now it was Philippe’s turn to attract everyone’s stares as he carried the guns. But as a nobleman, his every move was like that of a natural-born Palace Guard. He walked out of the research building with his head held high.

He had his own carriage, the Melovinca family crest gleaming in the sunlight.

"To the mansion."

"Yes, Young Master."

When Philippe returned home, the Duke was elegantly enjoying his afternoon tea. Purely out of a personal love for sweets, a full five-tiered tray of pastries was at his disposal.

"Philippe."

"Father!" Philippe quickened his pace. The relationship between father and son had improved considerably lately. He presented the "gift."

"Master Kano didn’t accept my invitation?"

"That’s right. Father, please don’t overthink it. The Great Mage is truly very busy." Philippe was afraid the Duke would misunderstand.

"Hmph." Duke Melovinca gave a noncommittal grunt. He took the linen-wrapped package. "This is..." The Duke’s hands were covered in expensive jeweled rings, but they didn’t stop him from feeling out the contents of the package.

"Philippe, go see your mother. She’s been nagging me about you all day. It would be good for you to pay her a visit."

"Yes, Father." Philippe found it strange, but having grown up in the Duke’s Mansion, he knew to obey the master of the house’s arrangements. He took his leave without another word.

"Your Grace." The butler was summoned inside.

The Duke’s face was ashen. He opened the package, revealing handmade hunting rifles with their maker’s marks filed off.

’My scheme was discovered by those Mages, and they’ve returned the favor so bluntly.’

’Is this a warning?’ He pondered Kano’s intentions, but before he could figure out the stance of the Guild and the Magic Tower, there was one thing he had to do first.

"That traitor who informed on us... that..." His finger waved in the air.

"Are you referring to Ginoman the banker, Your Grace? The one who participated in the subversive activities... He’s still at your estate in the western suburbs."

The finger stopped, then crooked a deadly knuckle. "Yes, yes. Get rid of him. Do it cleanly. Don’t let those Mage-dogs sniff anything out again."

"Yes, Your Grace."