Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters-Chapter 870 - 4 Father and Son_2

Chapter 870: Chapter 4 Father and Son_2 Chapter 870: Chapter 4 Father and Son_2 Mason was initially quite annoyed, half-jokingly and half-complainingly calling the Lieutenant Colonel “into hunting mode.”

Winters could understand Moritz’s decision because he felt the same.

Although direct combat spellcasters were also terrifying, unknown spellcasters were the most dangerous.

Any high-value target could possibly be killed without a chance to react if they appeared before a hidden spellcaster.

Thus, in the main battle with the fire-starters, Winters didn’t join the assault until the very last moment, which infuriated Bard to the brink of madness, and Xial was also severely reprimanded in the process.

Considering that the Terdon Tribe might have spellcasters, Bard strictly forbade Winters from participating in any actions that might expose him, and Winters even wrote a letter of guarantee.

Of course, it was proven later that the letter of guarantee was but waste paper – without Bard, without Mason, who else could control the Blood Wolf?

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Antonio pondered before asking, “Is there a chance that it’s one of Hurd’s shamans or someone who practices Divine Arts?”

“It’s possible. But judging from the actual situation, it’s more likely to be a magician. Spellcasters from The Federated Provinces, or perhaps…” Moritz paused for a moment before slowly pronouncing a proper noun: “Oath Breaker.”

Antonio was not surprised, his fingertips lightly tapping on the tabletop; “Finish the report as soon as possible, and I will personally take it back to Sea Blue.”

“Yes.”

Winters knew the content of his foster father and the Lieutenant Colonel’s conversation had entered unknown territory for him, and although he could guess the rough idea, he still wanted to hear more.

However, the conversation between Antonio and Moritz had ended.

Antonio looked toward Winters, whose heart immediately tightened, quickly changing the subject: “I know someone who should be familiar with the ins and outs of the Terdon Tribe! The details about the spellcasters, he’s likely to be aware of them.”

“Oh? Who is that?”

“The advisor to the fire-starters, who usually wanders the Terdon tents in the guise of a Translator.” Winters tried hard to recall the man’s name, quickly giving up: “As for his real name… I don’t know it right now.”

“Where is he?”

“He could be mixed in with the prisoners, he might still be on the run, or he might be dead.” Winters was certain: “But he definitely can’t leave Iron Peak County; he’s between the two rivers.”

Winters then explained: “This man speaks the common tongue very well; with a change of clothes, he looks like any other old man. The identification of the heads and prisoners isn’t complete yet, and not all the fleeing Terdon people have been caught, so his whereabouts are unclear. But sooner or later, he will be caught – dead or alive.”

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There was another moment of silence in the room, and Antonio shook his head: “We can talk about those things later, let’s talk about you now.”

“I’m more surprised that you’re in Iron Peak County.” Winters could hardly accept it even now, as if he was dreaming: “What about the third legion? Has the situation with The Federated Provinces eased? How… how did you come here?”

“If I don’t come,” Antonio sighed, “then who else could take you away?”

Uh oh, the thing Winters was worried about had come.

“You heartless boy,” Antonio reproached, looking at Winters: “Leaving your sister and your aunt all in Sea Blue, you… what am I to say to you?”

Winters hung his head, unable to answer.

His greatest fear had finally arrived. Until this moment, he kept convincing himself that “everything in Sea Blue is fine.”

But when his foster father stood before him, questioning him, he had no answer to give.

If Antonio said, “Come back home with me.”

What then?

If Antonio questioned, “Are the Paratu People more important than your own family?”

What should he do?

He might really go back to Vineta with his foster father, because for Winters Montagne, nothing was more important than family – nothing at all.

But he couldn’t leave Iron Peak County, he couldn’t go, at least not now.

So, until that moment arrived, Winters had no idea what he would choose, he could only hope that his foster father would not utter those words.

Moritz tactfully excused himself: “I’ll come back to visit later.”

Winters grabbed the Lieutenant Colonel’s arm, his speech slow and difficult: “I can’t leave… at least not now.”

“Why?” Antonio asked.

“Captain Montaigne can testify,” Winters pleaded, looking at his foster father like a child aware of his own wrongdoing: “It’s not that I’m prideful, but it’s the truth – if I leave now, Iron Peak County will be done for!”

“One county will not collapse because of one person’s departure,” Antonio said sternly, “Return Iron Peak County to the New Reclamation Legion; they are capable of taking over.”

“The New Reclamation Legion won’t forgive my subordinates, and the New Reclamation Legion won’t fulfill my promises,” Winters stubbornly retorted, “The New Reclamation Legion can’t do it as well as I did… it’s not that they lack the ability, but they can’t do it like me.”

With a sigh, Moritz earnestly said to the general, “To some extent, I agree with what Captain Montaigne has said.”

“There are still many things I haven’t done yet.” The balance tipped between family is on one side and the countless corpses on the battlefield on the other, tearing Winters apart: “Those who died in battle, their families haven’t received any compensation yet. The soldiers lost in the wilderness haven’t been ransomed back. Lower Iron Peak County was burnt to the ground by me, Middle Iron Peak County was smashed to pieces… at least I should restore them to their original state…”