Gun of Ashes

Nation-Builder.

This is the essence of Oscar and Nordro.

Although Oscar helped him, Lorenzo still knew too little about this mysterious Nation-Builder. Not only that, he knew too little about the world.

Old Dunling cannot represent the entire world; it is just a microcosm of the world. The real world lies at the end of these tracks, containing things far beyond Lorenzo’s imagination.

”So, rather than deciding who to choose, why not take me to see the client first, so I can know exactly what I need to do, can I?”

Lorenzo asked.

Looking at Lorenzo’s serious demeanor, Oscar and Bola fell silent.

Indeed, this matter involves enormous interests, interests that neither the Purification Mechanism nor Nordro are willing to relinquish, and currently, it seems that only Lorenzo can decide on these interests.

After so many events, Lorenzo has perfectly proven his extremely terrifying solo combat capability. Rather than deploying an army, it would be better to throw a fully armed Lorenzo into the battlefield.

This is also why this job cannot do without Lorenzo; no one can replace him, at least for now.

”Alright...”

The two compromised, but Bola still looked at Lorenzo with some dissatisfaction and asked.

”So, Lorenzo, are you sure you want to meet the employer like this?”

Lorenzo wrapped his pajamas tighter, with an indifferent demeanor.

”What’s the matter?”

He stood his ground.

...

Sunlight filtered through the dome, falling inside the hall, which looked magnificent at a glance.

In the corners around, Purification Mechanism soldiers were scattered, holding aluminothermic rifles yet to be ignited, guarding this place like statues.

Lorenzo still remembered his last visit when he met the new Order led by Anthony, a terrible meeting, and the beginning of a storm.

He didn’t expect to return so soon to meet another mysterious employer.

Sitting on the soft sofa, Lorenzo looked around. Although there were almost no people in the hall, everyone’s eyes were involuntarily drawn to Lorenzo. After all, since the construction and use of this hall, Lorenzo was probably the first one to enter in pajamas.

Fortunately, there were no ridiculous patterns printed on his pajamas, otherwise, Selyu wouldn’t really sit beside him and keep him company while waiting.

”So do you know what this is all about?”

Lorenzo leaned back into the sofa, treating it as if it was his living room, completely indifferent to his image, or to be accurate, this guy never really had any image.

”I only know a part of it, anyway, as you know, Oscar speaks differently to different people. He just tells me the part that moves me enough.”

Selyu replied, having quite an understanding of Oscar.

Lorenzo nodded, confirming that this was indeed Oscar’s style. He would discuss strange grand ambitions with Lorenzo, or topics about fighting demons more quickly, while with Selyu, he would talk about girlish topics. But later he found that this approach didn’t work well with Selyu, so instead of chatting about that, he talked about the interests of the Stuart family.

”Oscar said that after this job is successful, the Viking nations would open safe sea routes. You know, although they completed their internal unification, pirates are still rampant in the surrounding seas. Nordro’s ships need to pay a high price to protect themselves and sometimes simply abandon the northern routes and go around.”

”Is that so...”

”Yes, and Nordro is willing to let our Stuart group join the trade as well, which is a new beginning for us. Although in the eyes of those nobles in Ingwig, the Stuart group is still just a rising noble group, you must know, Lorenzo, over time, we will gradually become ’old nobility’ as well, falling into the same plight as them.”

It seems that after becoming a Duke, Selyu did not indulge in leisure but learned a lot from Yawei, gaining a general understanding of the Stuart group as a whole.

”We need to change. This is a great opportunity; the Stuarts will continue to thrive.”

Lorenzo nodded as he listened to Selyu, feeling as if he was a boss and Selyu was his assistant, reporting the company’s current status to him.

Well, he’s not sure why he had this strange feeling, and at this moment, Selyu spoke again.

”I’m considering joining Nordro after this cooperation.”

”Oh.”

Lorenzo still acted indifferently, but this time his casual demeanor didn’t last long, and his expression gradually became peculiar. He then belatedly said.

”What? Join Nordro? Those profiteers?”

Looking bewildered like he just woke up, Lorenzo looked in shock at the girl beside him.

Selyu was as usual, with pale golden hair and a cold expression. Lorenzo rubbed her head, and from the touch, it didn’t seem like she bumped into something.

Lorenzo’s eyes were filled with ”What are you thinking?” To which Selyu calmly gave her explanation.

”This cooperation is just an opportunity, we need a closer collaboration with Nordro, and joining them is the best way, besides...”

Selyu paused slightly, locking eyes with Lorenzo.

”Besides, you, Lorenzo, need a trustworthy backup.”

”What do you mean?”

”Whether it’s the Purification Mechanism or Nordro, their actions are based on their interests, and you just happen to overlap with their interests. It’s always been like this, but what happens when interests diverge?

Just like when the Purification Mechanism chased you before, cooperation is only temporary, no matter who you cooperate with, consider the worst-case scenario. What if next time, Nordro no longer provides help? Maybe someday, Nordro will join in hunting you down?

What will you do then, Lorenzo?”

Facing these questions from Selyu, Lorenzo’s expression gradually became serious. He already guessed what Selyu wanted to say and what she intended to do.

Lorenzo wanted to tell her not to do this, he didn’t need Selyu’s help, but didn’t know how to dissuade her, as the words reached his mouth, he also didn’t know what to say. Maybe he really hadn’t woken up yet, as his mind was a bit muddled. At this time, hurried footsteps interrupted Lorenzo’s thoughts.

Oscar on the left, Bola on the right, like two guards, shielding the person in the middle.

It was a Viking; his physique made it clear, robust as a bull, his facial features chiseled by the northern winds into a stern look, beard tied into braids.

”I assume this is Mr. Lorenzo Holmes.”

He walked directly over, offering his hand with a firm grip to Lorenzo.

”Hebdo Aguilar.”

Lorenzo nodded at him, and this Viking didn’t care about those convoluted manners but dragged over a chair and sat in front of Lorenzo.

”I have a job that needs to be entrusted to you.”

His tone was urgent, evidently this task was highly pressing; even the employer was so anxious, no wonder Oscar and Bola reacted the way they did.

”Go ahead.”

This development was a bit unexpected for Lorenzo, and in his peripheral vision, those two gatekeeper-like guys also looked a bit embarrassed, maybe not expecting this employer to be so direct, and wanting to intervene but unsure if they had the chance.

”This is a commission from the Rodbrock family.”

Hebdo said, the name of this family sounded somewhat familiar to Lorenzo, but he couldn’t quite recall it at the moment.

”We hope you can help us handle something.”

He vaguely remembered that the leader who unified the Viking nations appeared to bear this surname.

”A scandal from the Rodbrock house.”

Once he finished, Lorenzo’s expression was almost about to wrinkle into a knot, looking troubled.