Gun of Ashes

Chapter 547: Chapter 121: A Bigger World

The overcast sky once again released a curtain of rain, countless raindrops striking the bookstore’s sign. This bookstore doesn’t have a specific name; according to Oscar, his bookstore needs a very flashy name to showcase the owner’s talent. Unfortunately, he hasn’t come up with one yet.

Drip, drip, drip, the pale vapor surged once more.

”It seems your Nordro plans have fallen through.”

Lorenzo, with a somber expression, apparently couldn’t bear the prolonged silence and spoke to Oscar.

”There’s no helping it. After all, business involves both gains and losses... Actually, we haven’t lost anything.” Oscar said, sensing Lorenzo’s complicated expression, yet not knowing where to begin.

”The Purification Mechanism can’t be trusted, at least not completely,” Oscar said. ”Isn’t that why you made that request to me?”

”The Purification Mechanism... Ingwig’s secret agency against demons, nominally defending human sanity, but we all know the truth—they serve the mysterious Queen Victoria... Even your Nordro is the same, isn’t it?”

”Not exactly, as I’ve said, a monarchical autocracy doesn’t work here, although Nordro is based on Ingwig, Queen Victoria is merely a slightly larger shareholder here. She can’t fully control us, let alone Nordro’s underlying organization.” Oscar said.

”The Nation-Builder?” Lorenzo murmured about this mysterious organization.

Oscar was a member, and Nordro was just one of the identities this organization presented to the outside world. Upon reflection, this was the most mysterious organization Lorenzo had encountered, with almost zero understanding of it.

”Would Queen Victoria allow the existence of an organization like yours?”

Lorenzo didn’t understand. Nordro’s overseas influence was terrifyingly strong, with colonies scattered along every coastline, yet such an organization was not fully under Queen Victoria’s control.

”There are no absolute enemies, only absolute interests.”

Oscar squinted at Lorenzo and continued, ”Isn’t it the same with you and the Purification Mechanism? You can join forces for the same purpose, but due to minor differences, you remain wary of each other.”

Lorenzo remained silent, carrying the Pseudo Holy Grail with him, which was the most dreaded aspect of the Purification Mechanism.

”This world is so complex, so complex it fills me with fear. Sometimes I feel it is even more terrifying than demons.

Demons’ mysteries, alchemy’s mysteries... not to mention the vast secret organizations like yours, the Nation-Builder? What kind of country do you want to establish?”

Lorenzo spoke calmly, feeling only fatigue regarding these matters.

”Moreover, there are so many countries in this world—the Viking nations, Leiber, Gaulunaro—they more or less know of the existence of demons, right? So how do they confront demons? All of these are unknowns, at least to me. In the same shadow, what other kinds of organizations are hidden?”

After a long time, he continued, ”Even though Shermans is dead, I guess I’ve completed your Nordro’s task, right?”

Oscar nodded. Nordro was vast and powerful, and there was no need to trouble Lorenzo over such matters.

”And what we discussed before...”

”Still counts. If you need it, when you feel the Purification Mechanism threatens you, we’ll assist you.”

”Doesn’t that mean you are opposing Queen Victoria? Isn’t that considered treason?”

”We are a very special group of people, I mean the Nation-Builder, not Nordro,” Oscar explained. ”As written in the ’Ideal Country’, we long to establish a beautiful nation. Do you think the identity of an Ingwig person can bind us?”

”The reason Nordro’s influence within Ingwig is so low is partly as a concession to Queen Victoria,” Oscar said.

”So, in Queen Victoria’s eyes, you seem more like a group of rebellious courtiers?”

An uncontrollable giant organization, larger than anyone’s imagination, spanning numerous kingdoms and seas, bearing their flags on every continent, where the sun never sets on their territories.

”Not exactly, it’s very complicated. It involves power and interests, and these things are often full of calculations,” Oscar laughed. ”But after all, I’m just a lousy book writer, what does any of this have to do with me?”

”Some are warriors, some are politicians, and some are just lousy writers—everyone has their duties, just aiming to build an ideal nation.”

”An ideal country,” Lorenzo said, ”In such an idealized world, I think you won’t be able to achieve it.”

”Of course not, but we can’t refrain from trying just because it’s unattainable, can we?

We’ve been around for a long time, longer than anyone can imagine, but until now we are just maintaining Nordro, gradually laying the foundation for our country.”

Oscar gave a mysterious smile and then continued.

”Like how every story has an originating source, though for some reason, our stories seem somewhat similar.”

”What do you mean?”

”The story in your ’Gospel’ about the origin of the Evangelical Church, to be honest, that story, when you think about it closely, is really absurd—a group of people unable to bear this dark world, at some night or perhaps after some drunken stupor, had a strange hallucination, someone told them there was hopeful knowledge in the north.