Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party in Another World-Chapter 660: The Confession, (2)

TL: Rui88

Mariana was stunned for a while.

After a long time, she finally said, “Alright, my child. Since you already know, what do you think of it?”

“Do you want to hear the truth?”

“Of course!”

Paul shrugged his shoulders. “Incredible, or rather… absurd!”

“Absurd?” Mariana frowned and said with displeasure, “Is that how you view the cause your own mother is fighting for?”

“Don’t you think…” Paul said, somewhat amused, “that the so-called war between humans and demons is just a myth from a remote, unenlightened age, a conflict between primitive tribes?”

“As for those mysterious celestial phenomena, they’re just coincidences, or perhaps… as long as one is willing to stretch the imagination, a connection can be found between any two things in the world.”

“Or maybe… this is just an excuse, an excuse to bring spellcasters into the light.”

Mariana smiled. “What, is that not a good thing? If spellcasters could stand in the sunlight without any fear, our family would not have ended up like this.”

“Mm, that is certainly good.” Paul agreed with her statement. “But I think achieving this goal requires normalizing spellcasters, letting them integrate with ordinary people, making magic a common skill like writing, martial arts, or even shoe-mending and sewing. However, the Arcane Society’s approach seems to be to make spellcasters exceptional, which is moving from one extreme to another.”

Paul’s words momentarily angered Mariana. Paul had actually compared the great art of magic to the crafts of common folk; it was simply blasphemy.

But she quickly calmed down and soon found a reason for her son’s behavior.

Poor child, he must feel aggrieved. Both were born of the same mother, but his brother had displayed extraordinary magical talent and was kept by their mother’s side, while he had no such talent and was left behind.

Yes, her son must have said these things out of grievance. Perhaps there was a little bit of jealousy in his heart?

As his mother, she must understand him, the poor child.

“What’s wrong?”

Her son’s question brought Mariana back to her senses.

She couldn’t help but reach out and take her son’s hand, saying with some pity, “Poor child.”

Paul: ???

Mariana was about to say some comforting words but then suddenly thought, what if it hurt her son’s pride?

So she decided to change the subject.

“Paul, I want to ask you for something.”

“Please, go on.”

Mariana said, “This world may become chaotic in the coming period, but Northwest Bay is a pure land. On the political map of Ordo, this place has always been obscure. If the Arcane Society’s hand can truly reach here, I think… I can keep Northwest Bay from being disturbed by the outside world. So, you should not take the initiative to interfere in external affairs either. Live quietly here and continue the Grayman family bloodline.”

Paul smiled. “I understand what you mean.”

But it was impossible. With economic development, the connection between Northwest Bay and other parts of the kingdom was becoming increasingly close.

He was considering how to explain this to his mother when Mariana spoke first, “The orc army is about to enter Ordo. If the royal family orders you to send troops, you must find an excuse…”

“What did you say?”

Paul leaped up from his chair, his face filled with shock.

Mariana also became serious. “I can’t tell you the specific details, but the orc army will be here soon. This is certain. But don’t you worry. As long as you stay obediently in Northwest Bay, nothing will happen.”

Paul first forced himself to calm down.

“Ah, this is truly unbelievable news, my dear mother. It’s hard to imagine that the impregnable Watcher’s Fortress would be unable to stop the orcs. It has stood at the entrance of the Nerodan Valley for nearly a thousand years.”

“The orcs have other ways. In short, they will enter the northeast of the kingdom.”

In front of her son, Mariana’s guard was not so strong, and she mentioned it casually.

Paul’s mind, however, was spinning at high speed.

Other ways, by sea? Absolutely impossible! Then that means…

The Rocky Mountains?

Could there be a secret passage within that is unknown to the world?

Also, his mother knew about this, which meant the Arcane Society knew. Was the orc invasion related to the Arcane Society and Gabella?

He instantly thought of the southern rebellion. According to Denson, that was also secretly instigated by the Arcane Society. Perhaps they wanted to throw Gabella’s north into chaos as well.

Ultimately serving the Arcane Society’s goal of integrating all human forces on the continent.

Paul said with a smile, “Thank you for the reminder, Mother. I don’t want to make things difficult for you, but could you tell me how ‘soon’ the so-called ‘soon’ will be? Half a year? Or a year?”

Mariana pondered for a moment. “From now, I estimate no more than a quarter of a year.”

There was no time to lose!

Paul glanced at the grandfather clock. “I’ve suddenly remembered some very important matters to attend to. How about we stop here for today? I know you’ve been traveling. Perhaps you need some rest.”

Mariana was a bit hesitant. “But I still want to spend more time with you. I’m very sorry, my child, I… cannot stay here for long.”

Paul put on a regretful expression. “But you can stay for a few days, can’t you?”

“A few days should be fine!” A sense of indebtedness prompted Mariana to answer this way.

Paul then smiled. “I will come to visit and accompany you every day. You don’t have to worry about… my brother. Philip will arrange everything for him. Goodbye!”

Without waiting for her to agree, he turned and left the study.

Listening to Paul’s hurried footsteps as he left, a sense of unease grew in Mariana’s heart.

The hastily departing Paul felt even more uneasy.

Although the concepts of nation and ethnicity existed in this world, they were very objective descriptions and had not yet been endowed with any sacred, spiritual color.

But for Paul, who had integrated his past life’s cognition with his current identity, nation and ethnicity were extraordinarily meaningful.

Perhaps other lords could sit back and ignore events happening outside their territories, but Paul found it hard to accept, especially when he had certain abilities.

The rebellion in the south was, after all, an internal conflict within Ordo.

But the orcs from the plains, that was a different matter entirely.

Paul called over several attendants. “I need all the department heads of the Administration Council and all military officers at the battalion level and above to come to the Lord’s Manor for a meeting.”

Seeing the anxious look on the lord’s face, the attendants hurried off to deliver the message.

Two were kept behind.

Paul instructed them, “I need to write two letters immediately, one to Crystal Shrine and one to Watcher’s Fortress.”