Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

A few days passed, and a staff officer arrived.

This staff officer always looked half asleep and spent most of his time dozing off on the chaise lounge in the living room. Lieutenant Juan respectfully referred to him as "Colonel Van Nassau."

A few more days went by, and Winters returned.

Pierre, who went out to meet him, noticed the joy Winters could hardly conceal: "Who did you meet? You seem so happy?"

"I'll tell you in detail later." Right now, Winters could only think of Anna. The impulse to see her after a long separation, followed by another brief one, was almost unbearable: "Come on, let's go to your place first."

"I have something important to report to you as well."

"No rush, let's go to your house first."

Winters and Pierre galloped towards Mitchell's estate, with Pierre hearing the clinking of objects inside the Centurion's saddlebag.

When the two stopped at the entrance to Mitchell's residence, Pierre couldn't help but ask, "What kind of bottles and jars did you buy from Revodan?"

Winters felt a bit embarrassed and mumbled a word: "Bribes."

The two dismounted, and Winters didn't even wait to tie up his horse before he strode into Mitchell's estate.

The parlor, no one.

The living room, no one.

Winters went upstairs only to find no one in the guest room of the Navarre sisters either.

"Where are they?" Winters asked, his eyes wide, turning to Pierre.

Pierre was equally surprised: "I don't know either."

Hearing the commotion, Eileen came out of the study, "Mr. Montaigne, Pierre, we're in here."

There was a study in the Mitchell estate's layout, but there were few books in the house.

Gerard couldn't read, and Eileen did her embroidery while handling the account books in the small living room, so the study was left unused.

Finally able to relax, Winters laughed as he approached Mrs. Mitchell, "Are you seeking refuge here? It's not safe upstairs. Maybe someday, I'll dig you a basement."

Even Eileen joined in the light-hearted moment with a smile, "That might indeed be nice, I'd really like a basement for storage."

Now it was Winters who was at a loss for words: "Then I'll bring people over to dig one tomorrow."

"You must be joking."

"Where are the Misses Navarre?"

"In the study."

"In the study?"

"The ladies need a bit of space for their work. Their rooms are too small, so I brought them here to the study."

"Work?" Winters was puzzled.

Eileen answered with a smile yet firmness in her voice, "Yes, work."

The study's windows faced south and were well-lit.

Inside was a large oak table and two rows of bookshelves lined with the estate's account books and documents from over the years.

Anna sat in front of the desk, busy at work.

Catherine leaned against her sister, idly whittling a feather quill out of sheer boredom.

When Winters entered the study, Catherine's interest was piqued.

Before anyone else spoke, and with furrowed brow, Catherine blurted out, "Mr. M, I've never seen account books as poorly done as yours since I learned to record them. Did you have those four hunting dogs outside keep them for you?"

Lady Navarre's voice was soft and her manner graceful, yet her words were unsparingly blunt.

Anna, maintaining her composure, lightly tapped her sister.

Pierre coughed softly to hide his discomfort as he had been responsible for the militia's financial records until now.

"It can't be that bad, can it?" defended Winters, smiling in support of Pierre.

Catherine ignored Winters and fixed her apricot eyes on Pierre, "What are you coughing for? Are these your accounts?"

With no escape, Pierre stepped forward and replied, "Yes."

"Then please tell me," Catherine, propping her chin and adopting an even lazier pose, asked, "the first line of the account book, '[Wages disbursed, 39 Ducats],' '[Barley purchased, 12 Ducats].' Where did this money come from? Did it appear out of thin air? And there's not even a date."

"It's all Captain Montaigne's money."

"And you?" Catherine then turned to Winters: "Where does your money come from?"

Where does Winters's money come from?

There was only one answer: Anna provided it.

That night in Kingsfort, Winters exchanged a thousand Gold Coins from the goldsmith.

Between the expenses from Kingsfort to Wolf Town, plus a hundred coins for the old pirate's travel fee, all the rest remained in Winter's possession.

The militia had been sustained solely by that money until now.

Winters's cheeks suddenly grew hot, and looking at Anna, he was too embarrassed to speak.

Anna also felt her lover's gaze and quickly understood what was going on, her face turning a deep shade of red.

Catherine glanced at her sister, then at Winters, and had an epiphany.

"You..." Catherine stared at Winters, her eyes full of incredulity and her brows furrowed, her tone laced with disbelief, "are you really living off a woman's charity?"

Out of the five people in the study, Mrs. Mitchell also covered her mouth to stifle a laugh, leaving only Pierre, clueless and awkward, standing still.

"I have other matters to attend to, if you would please excuse me." Pierre swiftly made his exit from the hotbed of controversy.

"I won't disturb you either," said Eileen, heading towards the door.

"No, you can't go, Mrs. Mitchell, please stay," Catherine quickly hugged Mrs. Mitchell, "If you leave, he will definitely bully us two. How can a single man and woman be left alone without an elder to supervise?"

Eileen looked at Winters curiously, then at Anna, and with a helpless smile, settled back down beside the desk.

"Actually, your sister lent me this money," Winters explained, "It was a big help, and I intend to repay it."