Steel, gunpowder, and spellcasters

Chapter 49 Negotiation
Winters had no way to deal with this unreasonable madwoman. This time, Winters tightly bound the woman's fingers to ensure that she would not secretly break free a second time.

As Winters stepped out of the door, he discovered Elizabeth eavesdropping at the entrance.

"You're incredibly bold." Winters felt a chill run down his spine. What if he hadn't been able to subdue the woman in black and she had run into Elizabeth?

“Let me talk to her?” Elizabeth said confidently. “You two are just yelling at each other. I’m sure I can get more information out of her than you can.”

Then Elizabeth was grabbed by the arm and locked into her bedroom by Winters.

……

After seeing the sheriff off, Antonio listened expressionlessly as Winters recounted the events and the entire sequence of events. The final decision on how to deal with the woman in black rested with the parents; this matter was no longer Winters's private affair.

"You mean she might be Lavoisier's daughter?"

"This seems to be the case from all indications, but there is no real evidence."

"What are your thoughts?" Antonio asked out of the blue.

“If she really is Antoine Laurent’s daughter, the Lavoisier family’s fate was too tragic, and Antoine Laurent’s orphan should be treated well. But now she… is a madwoman, completely unreasonable.” Winters’ mind was also a mess, and he instinctively wanted to rely on his trusted adoptive father: “I don’t know what to do either, I’ll listen to you, Uncle.”

"Listen to me?" Antonio's eyes were icy. "Then let's take her to the outskirts right now, shoot her, and bury her in a hole."

"It can't be that bad, can it?" Winters stared in disbelief.

In Winters' eyes, Antonio was a gentle husband and a kind father, making one subconsciously forget his other identity. This was the first time Winters had seen his cold and ruthless side.

“Child, this is the only way to solve this once and for all. Do you know how much trouble Antoine Laurent’s daughter and the notebook will cause? If people find out you possess this notebook, then Kosa and your sister will both be living in danger. Regardless of whether she is Antoine Laurent’s daughter or not, torture her to find out the truth first, then silence her. Once we only have the notebook left, we can deal with it.” Antonio sighed, “But you won’t agree to this; your sense of justice hasn’t been worn down yet. Come on, let’s go see this lady together.”

After saying that, Antonio went up the stairs.

Winters recovered from his shock and followed behind Antonio, muttering in a low voice, "As soon as you give the order, Lieutenant Colonel, I'll go prepare the horses immediately."

"Let's see her first, hopefully it won't come to that," Antonio said without turning his head.

……

Pushing open the guest room door, there was an unexpected person in the room: Elizabeth was sitting on the edge of the bed chatting with a woman in black.

Upon seeing her father and brother enter the room, Elizabeth explained to them, "Her name is Sophia, and she wants her father's belongings."

Winters was astonished. She even knew his name? Did women have some special way of communicating?
"Ella, go back to your room," Antonio slowly ordered his daughter.

Although Elizabeth never listened to Antonio because of his doting affection, she could sense the tense atmosphere at this moment, so she quietly and obediently left the room.

Antonio sat on a chair by the bed, with Winters standing behind his adoptive father, holding a steel awl—the pointed kind.

"I am Antonio Serbiati. May I ask how you would like me to address you?" Antonio greeted him politely.

The woman in black, who had seemed to be having a good chat with Elizabeth, snorted coldly but did not reply.

"May I ask who General Antoine Laurent is to you?" Antonio asked, getting straight to the point.

"What's it to you?" the woman in black asked rudely.

"Because if you were General Antoine Laurent's daughter, you would be a guest here."

"So you really enjoy tying up your guests?"

"If I untie you, can you guarantee you won't use force again?"

"I'm not crazy."

Antonio said seriously and earnestly to the woman in black: "Madam, please listen carefully. Antoine Laurent is a soldier and scholar I admire. His family and my wife's family are related by blood, which is why I treat you as a guest."

I understand your hatred, but please remember, the wronged are held accountable; it was the United Provinces Republic that executed His Excellency Antoine Laurent. This is the Republic of Veneta, and we are all Veneta people. Antoine Laurent's wrongful conviction has nothing to do with us Veneta people.

I've explained my reasoning. This is my home, and I will not tolerate any threats to my family. So if you continue to be violent towards my family, no matter whose daughter you are, and no matter what your reasons are, I will kill you immediately.

António's tone wasn't fierce, but rather as calm as an old shepherd counting his flock, yet no one in the room would doubt his threat.

After speaking, Antonio drew a small knife and first cut the ropes binding the woman in black's legs, then cut the ropes binding her hands.

Winters gripped the steel spike tightly, not daring to relax his guard for a moment. He had made up his mind that if the woman in black made any move to harm Antonio, he would use his arrow technique to drive the steel spike into her skull.

Fortunately, the worst did not happen. The woman in black simply moved her wrists and silently removed the remaining bindings herself. Now free, she did not attack again, but simply sat quietly on the bed.

Winters was both annoyed and amused. He couldn't help but wonder: Was this woman only responsive to force? Or had Elizabeth cast some kind of spell on her?
"It seems we've reached a temporary agreement." The woman in black's failure to take him hostage seemed to disappoint Antonio. "Could you explain why you chose this method to visit my humble abode tonight?"

The woman in black pursed her lips and remained silent.

Antonio also kept a close eye on his opponent.

Elizabeth pushed open the door again: "Father, you won't get any information from her like this. You speak the same language, but it sounds like two different languages. Sophia wants her father's belongings and doesn't want the people who killed her father to take his property. That's her goal."

"Is that so?" Antonio asked the woman in black.

The woman in black, whom Elizabeth called "Sophia," nodded.

“That’s simple. As long as you can prove your identity, the notebook can be returned to you immediately. Neither Winters nor I have any intention of taking your father’s property.”

“I have my birth certificate, baptismal certificate, and letters, rings, jewelry, and documents from home that prove my identity,” the woman in black finally relented, no longer dismissing her demands for proof of identity. But she pointed at Winters and said, “But my father’s notes have been burned.”

“Ms. Sophia, you’re overthinking it. Books are actually very difficult to ignite. Even if you did manage to ignite one, only the outermost layer would burn for a short time; the inside wouldn’t burn through. The contents of your father’s notes weren’t damaged much. I mainly burned the leather cover.” Winters felt he had to defend himself.

“You’re wrong, brother.” Elizabeth gently tugged at Winters’ sleeve. “That notebook itself is her father’s precious keepsake. I think… Sophia probably doesn’t care about the contents…”

The bizarre logic that Antoine Laurent's notes were worthless while his notebook was valuable left Winters speechless. However, Antonio, standing nearby, coldly asked, "Ms. Sofia, don't you also feel responsible for the burning of this notebook?"

"Why should I be responsible?" Sofia laughed angrily.

"If you hadn't broken into my house with a weapon tonight, would that notebook have been burned? You threatened Winters' life, so any reaction he took was justified. I wouldn't blame him if he had killed you outright. If you had openly asked him for it with documents that could prove your identity, would things have turned out this way?"

"Do you think he'll give it to me if I ask him for it?" Sofia was furious.

“I will give it to you,” Antonio replied casually.

Sofia was speechless for a long time after being cornered by Antonio.

“But as the one who burned the notebook, Winters also bears some responsibility. As compensation, I have a proposal.” Antonio changed the subject and said in a deep voice, “I can help your father clear his name, restore the reputation of the Lavoisier family, and hold those responsible accountable.”

Sixteen years ago, Antoine Laurent was executed for treason after a secret trial. His property was confiscated, his statues were toppled, and his contributions were left unmentioned in war histories. To this day, the father of the Alliance spellcasters has not been restored to his honor.

Antonio's words stunned Sofia, who was initially furious, but she quickly regained her composure and retorted with a cold laugh, "Restore my father's reputation? You think you can?"

“Of course I can’t do it alone.” Antonio wasn’t angry at Sofia’s rude question: “But your father’s research notes can. The Military Council and the Supreme Five would be happy to restore General Antoine Laurent’s reputation in exchange for these notes.”

Sofia screamed, "I'd rather die than let the Alliance take away my father's achievements."

“I’ve already said that it was the United Provinces who executed your father and have yet to exonerate him, but this is the Republic of Veneta. Your enemies are the United Provinces, not us Venetas. You shouldn’t hate the Alliance as a whole. If you see humanity as a whole, then wouldn’t all of humanity be the murderers of your father?”

“You said this is Veneta, so what right does Veneta have to overturn the provincial ruling?” Sofia’s attitude softened a bit, but she still refused to believe Antonio.

"Antoine Laurent was charged with treason by the United Provinces Republic, but we can overturn this verdict at the Alliance level. After all, the Cenas Alliance has five member states, and if all three vote in favor, General Antoine Laurent's reputation can be restored at the Alliance level. The United Provinces may stubbornly refuse to accept it, but outside the United Provinces Republic, Antoine Laurent will no longer be considered a traitor. Please believe me, we Venetians can certainly do this."

Sofia seemed somewhat tempted.

Antonio coaxed, "Besides, we don't need the original notebook; we only need its contents. The original will remain yours as a precious relic of General Antoine Laurent."

"I need to think about it some more." Sophia shook her head, not making a decision.

“Ms. Sofia, this is just a suggestion; you can consider it yourself,” Antonio said softly. “But our previous promise remains valid. As long as you can produce documents that prove your identity, the original notebook can be returned to you. However, Winters should not bear any responsibility for tonight’s incident; the burning of the original is your own fault. If you truly value the original’s sentimental value, even the burned original is still a precious relic.”

After a long silence, Sofia finally asked, "How do I get the documents to prove my identity? Will you let me go?"

“I’m afraid that won’t work. I won’t let you go, but I won’t leave you in my house either. I would like to ask you to stay at the Third Army’s base for a while. Give me an address for the documents you need, and I can send someone to pick them up,” Antonio replied politely, reverting to the tone he used at the party.

Sophia gave a disgruntled snort: "What if I'm the only one who can retrieve my documents? What if my documents are in Guitu City?"

“Then I can let you go, but I need to hand over this notebook to the Military Committee first. The rest is a matter between you and the Military Committee.” Antonio’s answer was watertight: “I’m sorry, this notebook is of great importance. Even if outsiders know that this notebook has been in this house, it will be a threat to my family.”

Antonio paused for a moment, then said emphatically, "Please understand this: you're the one who dragged us into this. I've shown you the utmost respect."

Sofia glanced at Antonio, then at Elizabeth, her fierce demeanor dissipating. Somewhat dejected, Sofia said, "I need to consider your suggestion further. The documents proving my identity are at the St. Jane's Convent. Go to Sister Teresa to retrieve my personal belongings that I've entrusted to her."

The Convent of St. Jenny is located on a hill in the southwest of Ocean City, about half a day's journey from Ocean City.

"You can't stay here. I'd like to invite you to stay at the Third Legion's base for a while, is that alright?"

Sofia nodded silently.

“Your freedom of movement will be temporarily restricted until your escorting soldiers arrive, as neither of the two ladies in this house is a match for you. Please understand.” Antonio stood up, announcing the end of the conversation: “Winters, please re-tie Ms. Sophia, but please try to make her as comfortable as possible.”

António assured Sofia, "I will release you immediately once I get the documents."

Sofia didn't resist or utter any sarcastic remarks, seemingly accepting António's reason for "protecting her family" quite easily. Her body language was submissive, but her eyes remained fixed on Winters.

Winters hadn't expected to tie up a woman three times in one night. He nodded apologetically, but he didn't put the steel spike away; he still held it in his hand.

Sophia had left such a deep psychological scar on him that he dared not let his guard down for a moment.

This time, their hands weren't tied behind their backs, just their front. Then Antonio took Winters and Elizabeth out, leaving Sofia alone in the guest room.

Antonio was still uneasy, so he sent Cosa with Elizabeth and Sister Marita to a neighbor's house for temporary shelter.

Only Antonio, Winters, and Sofia, who was alone in the guest room, remained in the house.

"Do you think she is Antoine Laurent's daughter?" Winters asked Antonio.

"I was only 30% sure I'd get the job before I met her."

"now what?"

“Now? Now it’s 80% likely! That Sofia is most likely Antoine Laurent’s daughter.” Antonio poured some strong liquor for his nephew and himself. “If she’s going to get the documents herself, it means she doesn’t care about this notebook at all. She chose to stay, so she seems quite confident. But it could also be a deception tactic; we can’t let our guard down.”

"Should I stay in the guest room and watch over her?"

“No need, I have other things for you to do. Go to the neighbor’s house now and protect your sister and Kosa. Take paper and pen with you and copy down the rest of this notebook. I’m going to the legion’s base to mobilize troops now.” Antonio calmly assigned Winters his tasks.

“Aren’t we supposed to return the notes to her?” Winters’s mouth tasted bitter.

“The original can be returned to her, but Antoine Laurent’s research notes are an important asset to the Republic of Veneta. Our personal honors are insignificant compared to the interests of Veneta.”

"So you're just leaving her alone in the guest room?"

"It would be best if she ran away!"

Thank you to reader 烟云散 for the recommendation vote, thank you to reader 20181013204343295 for the recommendation vote, and thank you to everyone who voted for me before. Thank you.

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(End of this chapter)