Tracy Pelle, I didn't expect our next meeting to come so soon."
As the owner of the "Future" navigated the corridors and finally found her destination in the complex and winding underground structure, an unexpected figure took over her entire field of vision first.
Even if she was unwilling to admit it, Cattleya, being a woman herself, still felt a stirring of sexual desire in that figure, whose beige trousers and matching shirt complemented each other perfectly.
It must be admitted that when the "witch" path leads to "pleasure," an extraordinary charm becomes an unconscious stance, enough to capture any wavering meeting person.
"This is not something that you or I can decide."
Compared to "Admiral Star", Tracy appeared much calmer, as if meeting this colleague was something she had expected.
"It seems that the officer in charge of Trensault deliberately brought us together, perhaps for the sake of our upcoming mission."
"Task?"
Filled with doubt, Gadriya approached the tightly closed office door.
She disagreed with Tracy's idea because, in her plan, her decision to step into the quagmire called Rothschild was never to find another "boss" for herself and her crew.
All her efforts and temporary refuge were merely to satisfy her personal curiosity and to help "that person," an elder who was of great importance to her.
After receiving her due reward, she will immediately lead her fleet away from this dangerous place, taking with her the intelligence gained from the war, back to the secret maritime base of the "Morse Ascetic Order," and in a more secure way, pass on the valuable information to the one she cares about.
The two pirate generals, each with their own thoughts, silently pushed open the door together, only to be met with a face that was both familiar and unfamiliar.
...
Good morning, ladies.
Gehrman Sparrow, a rising adventurer and bounty hunter, is also a fascinating figure who has entanglements with almost every pirate general.
Unlike before, his facial features were now clear and no longer obscured or distorted by the illusory spirit armor, giving him a much more approachable appearance.
It seemed both appropriate and somewhat inappropriate for him to represent Trensust in greeting the two pirate generals.
Cattleya clearly remembered that when Gehrman Sparrow last appeared in the public eye, teaming up with "Iceberg General" to fight the late Ludwell, he was just an ordinary Sequence 5.
Although this Sequence 5 holds an unusual position in Trensost, or rather, within the camp of the True Creators, he can control high-level dangerous sealed artifacts and briefly reach the level of a demigod, just like when he appeared with the unknown "Storm" high-sequence sealed artifact at the end of the Rosed Isles War.
But now, the pirate general, who was always sensitive to the "peeping into secrets" method, was absolutely certain that the thin, cold young man sitting behind the desk was indeed a powerful demigod, a real divine being.
Those dark, deep eyes, seemingly containing endless fear and the unknown, along with the several snake-like silhouettes that could not be accurately captured from the perspective of the "Eye of Secrets," all illustrate this point.
Good morning, Mr. V.
Compared to Cattleya, Therese readily accepted the sudden change, bowing politely and displaying a subtle, untrained air of an Intis nobleman.
Good morning, Mr. V.
Cattleya hastily followed suit, but merely nodded and did nothing more. Instead, she cast a wary and cautious glance at Gehrman Sparrow's cold, hard face.
This was different from what she had agreed upon with Count Tristan Eugen, which made her wonder whether the Second Terensus Empire would respect the conditions she had put forward before entering the war and the deal between the two sides.
Klein was also sizing up the two pirate generals.
He had met both of them before, but this was their first formal meeting.
The young demigod clasped his hands together in front of his chest, his fingertips lightly touching, to create a visually relaxed atmosphere for the weaker party in the conversation.
"I hope you two understand that Count Eugen and Colonel Taylor are unable to take the time to fulfill the payment they have made to you, so I have to do it on their behalf."
In fact, Klein himself took the initiative to secure the opportunity to negotiate with the two pirate generals.
Tristan's reminder was like a thorn, deeply embedded in his sensitive heart, making him restless and unable to eat or sleep.
Moreover, these two women certainly deserve more attention from Klein.
Putting aside their relatively important roles within their respective sects, Tracy Pelle had previously established contact with the Gray Mist and "Source Castle." Following "Mystery's" advice, recruiting such a "witch" who had been walking the gray area for many years as a pawn and a front man was a good choice. Not to mention the relationship between Cattleya and Bernadette, and the valuable legacy that Bernadette might possess, it was worth Klein personally showing her goodwill.
As he spoke, Klein picked up the file beside him and continued reading.
"Ms. Cattleya desires valuable intelligence related to Roselle, in exchange for the assistance she provided during the war..."
"Ms. Tracy hopes that with our help, she can gradually break free from the influence of the 'Witch Cult' and become a part of the Empire."
"Was the information I received from Count Eugen incorrect, you two?"
Cattleya nodded slightly, confirming the record in the file. Tracy waited two seconds before finally giving the same answer.
In fact, Tracy initially asked the Second Empire to help her break away from the "Witch Cult" immediately, even risking revealing her experience of being looked down upon by the "God of Mysteries," a fact she had no proof of.
Now, Mr. V—German Sparrow—slightly changed "immediately" to "gradually," completely altering her terms of the deal. Although Tracy felt annoyed, she didn't utter a single word of dissatisfaction, instead showing complete obedience.
In fact, the gradual results were enough to satisfy her, at least giving her hope to continue striving.
"It seems there are no problems." Klein slightly curved the corners of his mouth, a faint smile that gave off an ominous feeling. "Let's start with Ms. Cattleya."
"You and your fleet protected the safety of eleven merchant ships trapped in the waters near Blue Mountain Island, and also served as the defense of the Black Harbor coast."
"The maritime merchants you protected are now among the first to establish cooperative relations with the provisional government. Black Harbor, as the only remaining fully functional deep-water port on Blue Mountain Island, plays a crucial role in the island's reconstruction..."
"Oh, of course, you also protected a large number of natives of the Rose Islands in the final battle to eliminate the 'Rose School's' blasphemous creation, and given that they all obtained imperial citizenship after the war... In other words, your achievements should also include the protection of 476 citizens."
Klein lowered his eyes, his fingers moving across the clearly listed tables above the file, a certain indescribable element becoming increasingly pronounced in his otherwise calm smile.
"You have indeed done us a great favor. In recognition of your performance, I will provide you with intelligence of equal value."
"For example, Her Highness the former princess of the Intis Empire, the 'Mysterious Queen' Bernadette, unfortunately ended up on the Empire's threat list due to some hostile actions. However, before her hostile actions caused irreparable damage to the Empire, there was still room for negotiation in her relationship with the Empire..."
What do you think of this intelligence?
Caldelia was struck dumb, frozen in place, her mouth slightly open, but she couldn't utter a single syllable, completely silenced by Gehrman Sparrow's shameless face.
Upon hearing the devastating news that had befallen Cattleya, even the aloof Tracy, who was only warm to a select few, couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy.
At the same time, I couldn't help but feel uneasy and worried about my future, which was about to be sentenced.
It seems that what my mother said wasn't entirely a lie; she did underestimate the cunning and treachery of the Ternsost people.
Does the news that Bernadette has been placed on the Second Reich's threat list have no value?
Of course not!
Could this message be unrelated to Emperor Roselle?
No, not really...
Gehrman Sparrow gave it to Cattleya as a reward, which fully met the pre-arranged terms of the deal. However, the so-called threat list had turned the already unequal conversation into a one-sided affair dominated by the stronger party.
"Your Majesty...in what matter have I offended you..."
Cattleya broke the silence with difficulty, like a young animal that had accidentally fallen into a trap; the struggle of her lips perfectly reflected her helplessness and regret in her current situation.
Klein glanced at Tracy Pelle, who was trying to hide in the shadows and make her presence known, and before the "ill-witted general" could react and try to escape the office to leave the two of them with a private space for conversation, he forced her to hear a secret she shouldn't know.
"You may have heard of two things."
"The first thing is actually nothing. His Highness Frederick Zarathustra personally stepped forward to defend Bernadette. After all, everyone is a competitor in the struggle for the ownership of the 'Black Emperor' card. Bernadette even has a legal advantage. She is the rightful heir to Roselle's estate."
"The focus is on the second thing."
"At this year's Pirate Conference hosted by Nast, the 'King of the Five Seas,' one of our colleagues sold several 'Arbitrator' pathway properties and recipes obtained from the Runes."
"This caught the attention of Nast and Bernadette."
"Excuse me for speaking frankly, Mr. V, but according to you, up to this point Her Majesty the Queen has only been protecting her personal rights."
Cattleya tried to refute, but what awaited her was the second half of Klein's deliberately paused and reserved statement.
"We certainly support vigilance and follow-up investigations of any suspicious individuals, and that's what we've been doing..."
"But what if that 'suspicious person' is a member of the council before my Lord God, an apostle who enjoys the grace of my Lord God, and Bernadette has shown aggression towards my Lord's apostles and taken certain actions?"
Cattleya gritted her teeth; she knew it was pointless to say anything now.
Even considering the Queen and the "Elemental Dawn," they were still a helpless, toddler-like infant compared to the Second Empire of Trensost.
Sometimes a campaign, a targeted operation, needs no justification when the strong are against the weak, let alone when the Queen seems to have found a suitable reason for Trensust to use as an opportunity.
"Mr. V, you just mentioned that there is still room for maneuver... What should I do?"
Even so, Cattleya had to steel herself and willingly fall into the trap that Gehrman Sparrow had set for her.
"In fact, when Bernadette made her irrational move, Count Eugen had already met with her once and even took the initiative to remind her."
Klein stared at Cattleya, forced to tighten his grip on maintaining his feigned demeanor and tone, continuing to play the role he disliked, but which was sufficiently authentically Trensost, to better suit his identity as a divine messenger, or even a "favored one."
"Ever since the fall of the Intis Empire, we have been urging Bernadette to make a wise choice, just as her father did, to embrace the Creator."
"In contrast, we will help Emperor Roselle return and help the Intis Empire be restored."
"But it is clear that neither Her Highness the 'Angel with the Lamp,' who can be considered Bernadette's elder, nor Count Eugen, who gave a stern warning with a businesslike attitude, could sway this stubborn and naive princess."
Stubborn? Naïve?
As Gadriya pondered Gehrman's assessment, the rage burning in her pale purple eyes even broke through the cover of her glasses, which possessed sealing abilities, and burned unabashedly towards the desk just three feet away.
"Don't look at me like that, Ms. Cattleya, I'm just telling the truth."
This was probably the only heartfelt piece of advice Klein gave during the conversation today, unlike the more performative rhetoric he used earlier.
"In my opinion, Her Highness Bernadette is indeed stubborn and naive."
"In some ways, I know her better than you do. I even understand the feelings that Emperor Roselle had for his daughter far better than you can imagine."
"Russell's doting on her prevented her from developing a proper understanding of those in high positions and from displaying the necessary respect and humility. This was commendable, but it was also a fatal flaw for her after the fall of her 'Black Emperor' father."
"I do not deny that the Empire's recruitment of her was partly motivated by its desire for the rich legacy she possessed."
"But I wonder if you, or she, have seriously considered that, besides the Empire, what other power would completely tolerate this pathetic daughter of a revolutionary traitor?"
"Killing her would still grant us her inheritance, and the Empire is at least willing to continue treating her with the courtesy due to a princess. Yet she has repeatedly offended the Empire, even ignoring the advice of an angel and an apostle, all for a vague and nonexistent sense of security…"
Klein's gaze seemed to possess a magical power, drawing Cattleya's eyes in and making it impossible for her to look away.
"Tell me, besides stubborn and naive, are there any better adjectives to describe her behavior?"
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