Iron Powder and Spellcaster

Looking back on his childhood, Vogt Sr. considers himself lucky. Because his mother gave birth to eight children in total, he was the only one who survived to adulthood.

But unfortunately, Vogt also has a father who is a thief.

The professional risk of a thief is very high. Once caught, he may be beaten severely or lose his right hand.

The rewards of stealing are also not proportional to the risks. After all, Plato is not the prosperous and prosperous Veneta. In the country of galloping horses, almost no thieves can support their families just by stealing.

Therefore, Vogt's father mainly relied on doing odd jobs to make bread. He only had the opportunity to do side jobs at markets, celebrations, worship and other crowded occasions.

There are also off-seasons and peak seasons for odd jobs. During peak seasons - such as spring plowing and autumn harvest - Vogt's father was always hired last, and the employer would only take him in if he really had no choice. In the off-season, Vogt's father was always the first to fire him, because as long as they saw his wooden prosthetic limb, people knew what crime he had committed.

For Vogt's father, losing a hand meant he would never be accepted by the public again. Even passers-by would tighten their purses and hold their swords when they saw him approaching.

As a result, Vogt's family fell into an endless cycle of "stealing due to poverty, and poverty due to stealing" from which they could never escape.

In the memory of old Vogt, his childhood was spent traveling from town to town with his parents, going to rural farms to find work during the busy season, and returning to towns to do odd jobs in winter.

And, of course, stealing.

Born in such a family, becoming a thief is a matter of course.

Vogt was sent by his father to steal things at the age of eight - children are more agile, less conspicuous, and there are no serious consequences if caught.

Vogt continued stealing until he was sixteen, and he did not dare to continue. Because he has grown a beard, Adam's apple, and is already a young man.

When an adult is caught stealing, it's not as simple as giving him a lesson or a slap in the face. Every time he saw his father's prosthetic right hand, the young Vogt was frightened from the bottom of his heart.

So in the dead of night, Vogt said goodbye to his mother, escaped from his father's clutches, and ran to a town where no one knew him, hoping to start over.

It's interesting to say that Vogt never made a mistake since he was a thief. His ability is not comparable to that of his father who became a monk. He is a very powerful third-rate thief, so powerful that he can make a good living just by stealing.

Vogt, who planned to change his mind and live a clean life, found that he could not even make ends meet.

Because he had no skills, Vogt could only make a living by working hard.

Digging clay and burning fire kilns, they work like animals from morning to night, but the wages they earn can only be used for food and clothing.

Just when Vogt felt that he could no longer hold on, his life ushered in the first glimmer of light - the potter who took Vogt in as a laborer invited him to his home and expressed his vague intention to recruit him. He is a son-in-law.

The stated reason is that "after repeated inspections, we determined that he is a reliable and honest young man."

The actual reason was that the potter's only daughter had long since made a secret promise to Vogt, forcing the old widower to agree.

It is difficult to infer what superior appearance conditions the old Vogt had in his early twenties based on his appearance today. We can only assume that the young Vogt was more in line with the aesthetics of the time.

In this way, Vogt got married, had a virtuous and lovely wife, a father-in-law who was very generous to him, and could inherit a small pottery workshop in the future. He believes that no one in the world is luckier and happier than himself.

Then, there was a war.

To this day Vogt still remembers it very clearly: that year there was first severe drought in spring and summer, then heavy snowfall in autumn and winter, and then "Queye Khan" led an unprecedented barbarian army into Plato.

People were saying in horror, "The Hud barbarians are coming this time, and I'm afraid they don't plan to leave again."

The barbarians were fighting against the Platoans, and the Platoon republicans were fighting against the Platoon royalists. Vogt couldn't tell who was who.

At that time, he was worried about another thing - the war destroyed his father-in-law's pottery workshop, and his father-in-law went bankrupt and owed a deposit.

Vogt was running around trying to borrow money. His father-in-law didn't owe much as a deposit, but no one was willing to lend it to him. There is a war going on outside, and everyone is holding on to their money bags.

Vogt stood in the ruins of the pottery workshop all night and decided to take a desperate risk.

…

…

"Then what?" Pierre frowned and asked, "You didn't steal it? Were you caught?"

"It's done." The old man lowered his head and fiddled with the campfire: "Although I hadn't done that for many years at that time, my skills were still not completely new."

"That?" Pierre coughed: "Where is your pottery workshop?"

The old man pretended to be relaxed: "No, even the land was sold by the debt collector."

"Then where are you?"

"I was caught."

"Didn't you say you succeeded in stealing?"

"I got the money. But I also got arrested."

Pierre was a little annoyed: "What does that mean it's done?"

The old man was silent for a while and explained: "I was arrested because someone in Xiaolu City accused me of stealing. It has nothing to do with my 'work'."

"I don't understand." Pierre was completely confused.

"Because." The old man raised his head and said flatly: "My job is in Jackdaw Town."

Pierre didn't understand at first: "You mean...you mean they framed you?"

The old man grinned: "It can't be said to be 'framed', because I deserve it."

"what happened."

"It's nothing complicated. I went to Jackdaw Town and got a sum of money that could pay off my debt. The day after I paid the money back to the creditor, someone came to the city official and said that his home had been robbed and a piece of money was lost. Money. The amount, no more, no less, just as much as my family’s debt..."

Pierre narrowed his eyes: "A black man eating a black man?"

"Who knows?" The old man scooped up another cup of hot soup and handed it to Pierre: "Drink some more... Anyway, the city official asked me where I got the money to pay off the debt, and I couldn't tell him."

Pierre took the glass and held it in his hand.

"By coincidence, another 'old acquaintance' revealed my identity. So, everyone knows - I am the son of a thief. The son of a thief is a thief. Is there anything simpler than this? The old man smiled nonchalantly: "But he was right, I am indeed a thief."

"You didn't plead your case?"

"There was a war at that time, and the sentences were very harsh. If you don't plead guilty, you'll be punished with death, but if you plead guilty, you won't have to die."

"You plead guilty?"

"Yes, I admit it." The old man repeated: "They were not wrong, I am indeed a sinner."

The two people surrounding the campfire were silent for a while.

"Are you lying to me?" Pierre suddenly laughed: "Where did you hear the story?"

The old man also laughed: "I hope I am lying to you."

There was another moment of silence.

"What then?" asked Pierre.

"Then?" The old man stood up and patted the dust on his body: "Then I was sentenced to hard labor and sent to the army. At that time, there was a war and the army needed people to work."

"Have you ever been a soldier?"

"He has never held a weapon, he is just a civilian, cutting down trees, driving carts, and moving things."

"Oh." Pierre was a little disappointed. He picked up the cup, took a sip of the hot soup, and asked casually: "What about your wife and your father-in-law?"

"They are all dead." The old man exhaled: "My father-in-law committed suicide with a rope, and my wife died of illness soon after."

Pierre was silent for a long time and said hoarsely: "If I were you, I would kill all the people who framed me."

"You are Dusak, you are capable." The old man smiled bitterly and laughed at himself: "What about me? I am just an ordinary citizen. I can only be considered a thief. I have no ability to kill people. And I am a sinner in the first place. I deserve all this."

Pierre snorted disdainfully.

"When I get home." The old man broke off the branches one by one to add firewood to the campfire, and said naggingly: "I found that my home was gone and my daughter was missing, so I started looking for my daughter again. After I found my daughter, my life became more complicated. Just go by day by day, and I don’t know why it passed by in a daze..."

"Wait." Pierre coughed suddenly: "You still have a daughter?"

"Yes, I have."

"Where is she?"

"Where is it?" The old man was confused: "Where else can it be?"

Pierre suddenly had an idea: "Xiaolu City? Your daughter is in Xiaolu City? Is that why you are in Xiaolu City?"

"yes."

"What about you?" Pierre didn't have the heart to ask the second half of the question - "Then why are you still in jail for so long? Why doesn't she come to ransom you?"

The old man saw Pierre's doubts and shook his head: "My daughter is married, has children, and is living a good life. She doesn't know that I am still alive. Why should I tell her? Let her use money to ransom me? Then What? And then there is a thief father? In fact, if I can stand aside and take a look, I have nothing to be satisfied with..."

Pierre looked at the fire and sighed. He didn't have children yet and couldn't understand what it was like to be a father, but he thought of his father.

"That's what." The old man scratched his hair: "Thank you for getting me out."

Pierre didn't even raise his head: "Without your care, I would have died in prison long ago."

"I'm just talking about my business. We have been huddled together in the same den for so long, and I still don't know why you were arrested. I asked you before, but you refused to tell me. Can you tell me now?"

Pierre sipped the hot soup: "My affairs are not as twists and turns as yours."

…

…

The reason why Winters sent Pierre to find [Bailian], [Girard] and others was because only Pierre could accomplish this.

Others either lacked the ability to make decisions alone - such as Tamas, Bart Shilling and others at that time; or they could not get away - such as Bud and Mason.

Pierre thought so too.

Upon learning that the Herd raiders had invaded the territory of Plato, the "overreacted" Palatu Army directly issued a mobilization order to all reserve Dusak.

The temporarily recruited Dussacs were organized into a separate cavalry regiment and placed under the command of the expeditionary force headquarters.

After the bloody night in the King's Castle, the expeditionary force transformed into a military government. Of course, the military government in desperate need of combat power could not let the Dussacs go home. The [First Reserve Cavalry Corps] was naturally included in the combat order of the Third Republic.

After winter, the fighting stopped temporarily. In order to reduce the logistical pressure, the Palatu military government divided its troops into various towns in the territory to eat and spend the winter.

Doing so has another benefit: It can deter potential rebels and improve the military government's internal control.

Since there are advantages, there are also disadvantages. For example: spreading out for the winter means spreading out the troops. If the red rose suddenly attacks...

Another example: Jiangbei Province has a large group of dissatisfied Dusak veterans.

Veterans love to complain, and grumbling is also a veteran’s prerogative. The veterans complained about the food, the weather, the stupid centurions, and the boots that didn't fit, as if nothing in the world could satisfy them.

And the Dussac veterans were especially whiny.

Because of the special system of lifelong service, most of the temporarily recruited Dusaks are veterans who have served in active service for seven years. Many of them already have big beards, and some even have grandchildren.

When they were recruited, it was said that they were asked to fight the Hurd Barbarians, and if they were able to defeat the Hurd Barbarians, they could go home.

So the Dusaks, young and old, willing or unwilling, mounted their horses, carried dry food on their backs, and headed to the field camp to gather.

The results of it?

The Hud barbarians have been beaten away, and they want the Dusaks to deal with their own people again? How do you say it's different?

The Dusaks loyal to the Republic of Plato have not done dirty work in many years.

The younger generation born in Plato no longer even knows the true meaning of [the emperor's whip]. Only the older generation Dusak still has the memory of wielding his saber to attack the "peasants".

Seeing that winter has arrived, the military government has no signs of lifting the conscription order. The Dussacs were full of complaints, angry, betrayed, and homesick.

The courageous Dusak became a deserter, while the Dusaks who dared not do so had to drink heavily every day to drown their sorrows.

The army did not supply alcohol, so the Dussacs exchanged armbands, belts, and silver stirrups with merchants, or even robbed them.

The taverns, hotels, and crossroads of Jiangbei Province were full of drunken Dusaks looking for a fight.

In this case, Pierre and Vashka's identities are almost seamless - because they are Dusak.

After leaving Tiefeng County, Pierre and Vashika detoured from the no-man's land to the west, crossed the Jinliu River with the assistance of the Chihe Department, crossed the river, and then headed eastward into Jiangbei Province.

The area of ​​Jiangbei Province is close to that of the New Reclamation Province. Finding a small group of people on more than 200,000 square kilometers of land is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

But Pierre had an idea. Whenever he visits a city or village, Pierre always goes to a tavern first to get information. When he met Dussac who was drinking to relieve his sorrows, he invited him to have a drink.

Dusak is an outlier among the Palatuan people. Their hairstyle, jewelry, and clothing are all different from the latter.

When two Dussacs meet, they naturally feel close to each other. Coupled with the continuous refills of spirits, the Dussacs who sat with Pierre soon began to wipe their tears, hug their shoulders, and call each other brothers, eager to tell Pierre everything they knew.

While passing through Oak Forest Town, he heard a rumor about a "hoof trimmer with particularly good cooking skills" from a Dusac. Following the rumors, he learned about the location of the "hoof trimmer" from another Dusac. .

Although it was not until they met that he discovered that the other person was not Balian, he unexpectedly learned that the hoof trimmer had previously worked with "a certain young but very powerful blacksmith" and that the hoof trimmer also learned his cooking skills from the latter.

Hard work paid off, Pierre followed the clues and searched for one station after another, and finally succeeded in meeting Balian.

The task Winters gave Pierre was just to "find someone and do your best." Although Balian's supervision was not strict, it was not something that Pierre and Vashika could solve.

Therefore, after discussion between Pierre and Vashika, they decided that Vashika would return to Tiefeng County to deliver the message, while Pierre stayed in Jiangbei Province to wait for reinforcements.

In fact, Pierre has another idea - he wants to find Gilad Mitchell.

It was at this time that Pierre was captured and thrown into Stone Mountain Prison.

…

…

The old man chuckled: "I knew you had a lot of background."

"That's why you take care of me, right?" Pierre half-smiled.

"That's right." The old man simply admitted: "The first time I saw you... I thought you might be sent by the Lord to save me."

"Anyway, thank you."

The old man changed the subject: "How were you caught? You haven't told me yet! Did someone set up a card?"

Pierre snorted coldly: "Sheka? When we encountered the patrolling gendarmes, my companions and I were able to throw them away with a wave of our whips. They couldn't catch up even if they wanted to. They probably thought they were two drunken Dussas. Come on."

"That……"

"Things went very smoothly... I bought all the drinks from Dussac in the whole pub." Pierre's cheeks twitched: "I don't know why, more and more people came, and they started fighting, dancing, and throwing drunkenness. Drunk."

"Then what?"

"Then someone suggested burning down the pub."

"..."

"The tavern owner was so frightened that he sealed the door, and the military police arrested us all as soon as they arrived."

[Last week's debt was paid off]

[There may be a lot of typos in this chapter, because it’s too late and my brain is not working properly, so I’m sorry (face covering). If possible, please feel free to point it out and we will change it tomorrow]

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