Steel, gunpowder, and spellcasters

Chapter 337 Escape

Tiefeng County, Rewodan.

Even if the age difference is not significant, older sisters and brothers still tend to view their younger brothers or sisters with the mindset of elders. This often leads the older sister to subconsciously regard the younger sister as a childish and immature individual—Anna is a case in point.

Before Mr. Leo arrived in Iron Peak County, Anna had already seriously considered sending Catherine home.

Although Anna never confided in her sister, she knew this impulsive adventure was coming to an end. She just didn't know how it should end.

The lingering smell of gunpowder constantly reminded her that Iron Peak County was not safe. What would happen the next day, the next month, the next year? Nobody knew.

So Anna, in a paternalistic manner, made arrangements for Catherine: as long as the roads were clear, she would immediately send someone to escort Catherine back to Hailan, whether Catherine wanted to or not.

That's why Anna wasn't surprised when Catherine held Anna's hands and said seriously, "You shouldn't stay here any longer."

In Anna's opinion, it was perfectly normal for her sister to want to go home, because Catherine was almost always complaining about Iron Peak County: it was too cold, too isolated, too boring... To be honest, Anna felt the same way.

However, Catherine's reason does not fall under any of the above categories.

Little Navarre held her sister's hands, looked at her with pity, and said gently, "Anna, this dream should end."

"What nonsense are you talking about again?" Anna's heart clenched violently.

“If you don’t want to figure it out yourself, then I’ll tell you.” Catherine’s eyes remained unblinking: “You love that man, you’re madly in love, aren’t you?”

Anna's cheeks instantly burned. She was both anxious and annoyed: "What...what are you talking about? Who said...who said me..."

The word her sister uttered without batting an eye was something Anna couldn't bring herself to say, overwhelmed by shame. She angrily tried to pull her hands away, but Catherine's grip was unexpectedly tight, and Anna couldn't move.

Catherine ignored her sister's explanation and continued, "So, so you should leave. If you had any sense at all, you would have come to the same conclusion."

Anna frowned and scolded, "You hurt me!"

Catherine looked at Anna reproachfully, "Everyone has always said you're steady and intelligent. But look at you now? When did you become so foolish? Indeed, a woman shouldn't fall in love, or she'll definitely turn into an idiot..."

Anna's body stiffened, and she stopped trying to pull her hands away: "What are you talking about?"

“I’m stating an obvious fact,” Catherine’s voice was clear: “There has only ever been one way for ‘Anna Navarre’ to officially become ‘Anna Montagne’—for him to return to Aquamarine with you. But…would he leave here for you?”

“Who said I was going to marry him?” Anna retorted angrily.

Catherine nodded, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

"I need to rest," Anna said, getting up to leave.

“Anna—my dearest sister, listen carefully.” Catherine held her sister’s hand and said, biting her lip, “There are millions of unmarried women, widows, and spinsters in this world, and every single one of them—every single one of them! is more suitable to be ‘Madame Montaigne’ than you.”

Catherine usually refers to Winters as "Mr. M," but this time, she unusually used his full name: "Anyone can marry Winters Montagne—you can too, but that will ruin you."

Anna laughed in exasperation: "Why?"

“Because you love him.” Catherine released her hands and answered softly, “They don’t love him.”

"I..." Anna was extremely ashamed and furious: "What kind of logic is this?!"

Catherine gathered her slightly disheveled hair, leaned against the bench, and sighed. Instead of answering directly, she asked a completely unrelated question: "Have you ever thought about how you would react if Mr. M had a mistress one day?"

Anna's breathing became rapid: "He...he wouldn't..." But looking at the mocking smile on Catherine's face, Anna couldn't bring herself to say a thousand words of rebuttal.

“If you want to be Mr. M’s mistress, I certainly won’t stop you.” Catherine covered her mouth and chuckled. “Would you be willing?”

Anna grabbed a small cushion next to her and threw it hard at her sister.

“You ask me why all the women are better suited to marry Mr. M than you? I can answer you now.” Catherine hugged her sister: “Because they don’t love him, so they don’t demand equal affection from him. In marriage, they offer the ability to bear children and a dowry—property and power. In return, the more power that person seizes, the more wealth he possesses, and the higher his position, the more it suits their needs.”

“But Anna, my dear sister, you’re different.” Catherine hugged Anna tightly, tears welling in her eyes. “What you want is love! What you want is love!”

Anna's eyes also glistened with tears.

“For love, you can endure everything now, you can give everything without reservation. Look at you! From the moment you left Hailan, you've been giving, giving endlessly, giving selflessly, giving without considering the cost. You're completely a fool blinded by love now.” Catherine choked up a little.

"But have you ever thought about what will happen if love disappears one day, if he doesn't love you anymore, or if you don't love him anymore? How will you cope then? What will all your sacrifices mean? I am your sister, and besides Mom, no one in this world loves you more than me! I can't—I just can't stand you continuing like this. Winters Montagne wants you? Then let him go back to Hailan and marry Anna Navarre properly. Otherwise, I will never allow him to continue to mistreat you like this."

Tears welled in Anna's eyes. Catherine's words were too heavy; Anna didn't know how to respond. If she really was, as Catherine said, a fool blinded by love, then she wouldn't have to feel any burden.

Unfortunately, she is not.

Catherine hugged her sister. Older Mrs. Navarre didn't cry; instead, younger Mrs. Navarre began to sob.

The winter wind howled outside, and the firewood crackled in the fireplace.

Anna reached out and gently hugged her sister, whispering comfortingly, "It's okay, it won't happen..."

……

Anna barely slept all night.

As the rising sun illuminated Gévord, Anna wiped away her tears and got up to wash and tidy herself up as usual.

After their deep conversation last night, Catherine looked rather unwell, and even Scarlett couldn't bring a smile to her face.

Anna desperately wanted to see Winters, not for reassurance or to vent her emotions. At that moment, all she wanted was to see Winters.

But Anna's wish was not fulfilled. Mrs. Medellin soon brought back news: "Not long after dawn, Lord Bader left the city with Lord Montagne."

In the afternoon, Mrs. Medellin brought news again: His Excellency Montagne went to the garrison after returning to the city.

After that, Winters went out of town again. He didn't return to his lodgings until late at night.

"What's wrong?" Winters was surprised to see Anna waiting in the living room. He noticed that Anna seemed a little off. "What happened?"

“It’s nothing,” Anna nestled against Winters, her voice weak.

"There is something I'd like to tell you."

"Ah."

Winters felt Anna's body temperature and couldn't bring himself to say it. He ruffled Anna's hair and said, "Never mind, I'll write to you."

"Hmm." Anna sounded a little tired.

The two nestled together quietly for a while, then Anna whispered, "Can you dance?"

“Court dance is one of the compulsory courses at the Army Academy.” Winters looked slightly embarrassed. “But I’m afraid I’ve forgotten it all.”

"I teach you."

Despite Anna's guidance, their movements could hardly be described as a dance. They simply embraced in front of the fireplace, swaying their bodies rhythmically and slowly.

“Speaking of which,” Winters suddenly couldn’t help but laugh.

"Mmm." Anna leaned on Winters' shoulder and wiped away her tears.

Do you know how dance classes are conducted at the Army Academy?

"how?"

Winters coughed lightly and said apologetically, "There are no female students at the Army Academy, so dance classes are all... all with partners, that is, men dancing with men..."

Anna broke into a smile.

"...So nobody was really interested, and they just went through the motions." Winters, who was trying to explain, heard Anna's laughter and breathed a sigh of relief: "It wasn't for nothing that I told you my most embarrassing stories, I finally managed to make you laugh."

"I'm not laughing because you made me laugh."

"It's okay if you don't admit it."

There was another moment of silence.

“Mr. Montagne?” Anna asked softly.

"Ok?"

"Let's get married." Anna's voice was very weak, as if she were talking about something trivial.

“Okay.” Winters agreed without hesitation, and asked with a smile, “Shall I go find Father Carman now and ask him to officiate the wedding?”

In the winter night, only the fireplace radiated a faint warmth. After a long silence, Anna, holding Winters, let out a sigh so soft it was almost inaudible: "Never mind, you didn't even get a ring, that's too good for you."

Winters sniffed Anna's long hair and muttered as if making a self-judgment, "Yes, it's too easy for me."

After an unknown amount of time, Anna was taken back to her room by Winters.

The next day, Anna woke up in her own bed and learned that Winters Montagne had left Gevodane, leaving her only a letter.

……

……

West of the Big Horn River lies a wasteland.

There was no snow on the wasteland, but the withered grass and leaves were covered with frost.

A small caravan traveled across the wasteland, the riders escorting it all fully armed. However, there were no flags flying, and the carriages bore no insignia indicating their identities.

"Brother," a young man with a still-youthful face asked worriedly, "Are you really sure you can just leave like this?"

"Leave?" A man wrapped tightly in his clothes leaned back in the carriage, tugged at the blanket around him, and commented gloomily, "It's clearly an escape."

“Yes, it’s an escape.” Winters laughed self-deprecatingly, looking at the man in the carriage, pleading with a hint of seriousness in his joke, “Lieutenant Colonel, please give me a quick death.”

Charles did not understand the meaning of those words.

Moritz paused slightly, then closed his eyes for a short rest, yawning as he said, "It's all your own business."

"Respecting the other party's choice" sounds like a universal formula that will never go wrong.

But in some situations, the so-called "respect for the other party's choice" is actually just pushing the dilemma onto the other party—Winters thought painfully—selfish and despicable, so this is me.

“Stay, stay in the perilous new land, sever all ties with your mother, give up everything that once belonged to you, and I can give you nothing.”

Winters couldn't bring himself to say these words.

"Go back to Hailan, wait for me, wait for the day I might come back alive to marry you."

Winters couldn't bring himself to say these words either.

So he gave the choice to Anna—which might be the most suitable choice, or it might be the worst choice.

“If souls truly exist, perhaps the men and women who sacrificed themselves would regret it if they knew I was lamenting over such things,” Winters couldn’t help but think.

The sound of hooves interrupted Winters' thoughts as three riders leaped over the hillside ahead and galloped toward the caravan.

Lieutenant Colonel Moritz yawned and shifted into a more comfortable sleeping position.

The three riders ran all the way to Winters before stopping. The one in the lead was dressed as Parathu, while the two following behind were dressed as Herd.

The two riders, dressed as Hart, dismounted, placed their right hands on their chests in a respectful bow, and babbled a string of Hartese.

Winters beckoned the interpreter to come forward.

The interpreter spoke briefly with the two Hed riders and reported back, "Your Excellency, they are saying, 'Champion Palatul, Chief Taichi has sent us to be your guides. Chief Taichi has prepared a feast for you.'"

Winters nodded. He didn't understand Hetrian, but he could recognize the word "Batu" that the other person was using.

The shortest route between Tiefeng County and Chihe Tribe would inevitably pass through the territory controlled by Teldun Tribe.

For others, venturing into the territory of the Teldon barbarians would be tantamount to suicide. But for Winters, the danger was far less.

Since the territory of the Tertun tribe theoretically belongs to the Taichi, although the Taichi also has its own troubles, they can always provide guides and food and lodging.

At this juncture, Tych also needs Winters to mediate between him and the White Lion.

Winters sized up the two guides, who looked vaguely familiar. "I think I've seen them before, the rabbit-hunting brothers? Mr. Translator, could you ask them if they remember me?"

Upon hearing Winters' words relayed by the interpreter, the young guide immediately became excited, while the older guide gestured for his younger brother to be quiet with his eyes, and then pulled him aside to bow again.

“The older one,” the interpreter relayed with a smile, “thank you for remembering them; they are honored.”

“According to the customs of the Herd tribes, we should give them some gifts—or rather, rewards?” Winters laughed. “But we’re dirt poor and have no gold or silver to our name. Charles, pick out two guns for them.”

Charles responded and quickly returned carrying two light matchlock guns.

The older guide respectfully accepted the musket. The younger brother muttered a few words under his breath, earning a glare from his older brother.

"Your Excellency," the interpreter whispered, "that young man said they have no gunpowder or lead bullets, so even if you give them muskets, they can't use them."

Winters laughed and turned to Charles, instructing him, "When the guides leave the group, give them some ammunition."

The two guides returned to their horses, and as they spoke, the interpreter relayed their words: "The older one said that if we go another ox's length ahead, there are three families who have put down their felt tents. We can spend the night there."

"Okay, let them lead the way."

After a brief stop, the convoy resumed its journey, heading towards the boundless wilderness.

After crossing several more hills, Lieutenant Colonel Moritz gradually went from sitting and taking a nap to leaning back and dozing off, and finally to lying down and sleeping soundly.

Just as Winters was wondering how the lieutenant colonel could fall asleep in such a bumpy environment, Moritz instantly straightened up like a startled wildcat.

"What?" Winters asked.

Moritz frowned and said slowly, "Someone is catching up."

Winters listened intently for a while before he could discern the faint hoofbeats.

The sound of hooves grew closer and clearer, and soon, three more riders appeared on the horizon behind them.

Seeing that the lead rider was wearing a monk's robe, Winters frowned: "Kaman?"

“Father Kaman?” Charles was extremely surprised. “What’s he doing here?”

Winters wasn't sure if the other person was Kaman either, so he waved his hand and said, "Be on guard."

The guards that Andrei had chosen for Winters took out their sabers, and several of them, who were carrying pistols, began to load them.

The straight-line distance between the two hills was less than two kilometers, and the three riders behind quickly caught up.

Father Kaman's indifferent voice preceded his words: "Why make such a big fuss?"

"Lift the alert," Winters ordered reluctantly.

The riders, their guns already loaded, fired blanks into the air. The muffled, thunderous gunshots echoed across the wilderness, startling flocks of birds.

Winters dismounted to greet Kaman, opening his arms to give him a warm Venetian hug: "I've only been gone a day, and you already miss me?"

Kaman scoffed, "Who told you to leave at such an inopportune time? You've only been gone a day and someone's already back."

Winters then noticed the big boy grinning foolishly behind Kaman—Washika.

“Vasha!” Winters exclaimed in disbelief, grabbing Vasika’s shoulders. “Where’s Pierre? Where’s old Mr. Michel? And your father, Berlion… they’re back too?”

Vasika's shoulder ached from Winters' grip, and he grimaced as he replied, "Centurion, it's a long story..."

“It’s alright, take your time.” Wentes said, leading Vasya toward the convoy.

Kaman coughed lightly: "Wait a minute, there's more..."

Before he could finish speaking, Winters received a heavy blow to the back, the pain so intense that he could hardly breathe.

Before he could even think about where the attack was coming from, instinct had already prompted Winters to retaliate.

He instantly entered a spellcasting state, instinctively wanting to tear everything behind him apart with violent magic. But as he turned around, he caught a glimpse of the most terrifying scene out of the corner of his eye.

Spilled water cannot be gathered up again, so what about magic?
Winters desperately tried to exit the spellcasting state, and a sudden, intense dizziness and stinging pain nearly knocked him unconscious—however, this [dizziness and stinging pain] was subtly different from the [phantom pain] that Winters was familiar with.

Under Kaman's gaze—or rather, under everyone's watchful eyes—Winters was shoved to the ground.

“If you dare to run away again.” A golden sword, exuding the air of a nouveau riche, was pressed against Winters’ throat. Anna pulled down her hood, tears streaming down her face, and said through gritted teeth, “I will kill you, and then I will commit suicide.”

[I've been a bit busy lately... but that's no excuse... I'll try to make up the difference this weekend.]
[To avoid controversy, the author would like to add the following explanation]
[Catherine's statements represent her views, not the author's. Furthermore, Catherine's views are limited by the historical context and are therefore inherently restrictive.]
It can be said with certainty that the history of free love predates that of arranged marriage (especially in primitive societies). However, arranged marriage persisted into the 20th century—in both the East and the West.
[In the historical period in which Winters and his contemporaries lived, the view that 'marriage is a contract of property, power, and procreation' was more widely accepted.]
[Of course, even in Winters' time, free love must have existed. The fact that Romeo and Juliet was staged in the late 16th century means that free love and marriage certainly existed in that era.]
[After all, free love belongs to the broader concept of human liberation, which is clearly in line with the moral pursuits of the Renaissance and later the bourgeois revolutions.]
[Thank you to all the readers for your collections, reading, subscriptions, recommendations, monthly tickets, rewards, and comments. Thank you everyone!]


(End of this chapter)