When the Saint comes, she does not collect food

#147 - Floods in the early spring of next year

It was the morning of November 7th, 1444, Imperial Calendar.

The Black Pine Forest outside Coldspring Keep was shrouded in mist.

In the square before Coldspring Keep, hundreds of soldiers were practicing spear thrusts.

They gripped the rear of the spear with their right hand, the front with their left, resting the shaft on their upturned left elbow.

This was the mountain folk's technique for using oversized spears, as they were too heavy for normal thrusting.

In a study within Coldspring Keep's tower, Moriarty, recently returned from Jeanne Keep, stood at the window, silently observing the soldiers' thrusts and formations.

"The teacher was burned to death by Constance in Swiftfall Keep," Catherine's voice came from behind.

Moriarty, with her hands behind her back, continued to watch the soldiers and deathsworn drilling in the square: "I know."

"I was there that day. You were his proudest student. We all thought you would come, but you didn't."

"I apologize, I had other matters to attend to."

"Hmph, hahahaha, you had other matters to attend to."

Perhaps Catherine's sarcasm was too obvious. Moriarty turned, facing Catherine, who leaned against a chair: "Is there something you need?"

"Hearing news of the teacher's death, won't you shed a single tear?"

Moriarty's red eyes stared at Catherine: "I feel sorrow, but I don't weep, because it serves no purpose."

"What were you busy with?"

"Gathering evidence against the Church, and settling the matter of a consort. The knights require me to provide an heir to whom they can pledge loyalty."

"Is that what was so important? Important enough to watch the teacher be burned to death?"

"The teacher's death grieves me as well, but even if I were there, I couldn't have stopped it. Tears solve nothing. One must always move forward."

"What did you move forward to? I went to great lengths to secure an alliance with the Rapid Falls City Hall, and you rejected it," the anger in Catherine's eyes showed no sign of dissipating.

"I didn't reject it. They rejected me."

"Wasn't it you who insisted on being the alliance's leader? And made a bunch of unreasonable demands."

"If they can't accept that, then it means they aren't our kind of people.

Thousand River Valley needs a leader, an absolute paragon, leading an absolute elite. The common folk need such a leader, such a king.

Letting these wavering citizens join us will only result in betrayal. I'd rather win over the lower-class laborers in the city."

Catherine asked in a theatrical tone: "Who gets to decide who is a commoner and who is an elite?"

"A leader is born a leader. The common folk decide for themselves whether they are elite. If they can't become elite, they are destined to remain in a position to be ruled."

"So you are that leader, are you?"

Moriarty replied as a matter of course: "There aren't many such absolute leaders in the world. Perhaps... perhaps only me."

"Just because you and Aunt Solia are both witches? Just because you were born with the blood of the Three Kings?"

"No." Moriarty sat there indifferently, "It's because I am the destined king. Only I can bear it."

"Do you know how arrogant your words are?"

"Do you know how powerful our enemies are?" Moriarty's scarlet pupils stared intently into Catherine's eyes. "Do you think repairing the Shushu Bay Avenue and attracting some more citizens will solve everything?

We face not the nobles of Thousand River Valley, but an entire Church, an entire Empire, superhumans supported by over eighty million people.

We need to seize all power in our hands to fight them. Without bloodshed, it's impossible..."

Seeing Moriarty repeat her old tune, Catherine interrupted her directly: "Yes, with one word from you, all the people of Thousand River Valley have to bleed for you..."

"No!" Moriarty retorted, interrupting Catherine as well, "It's all the people of Thousand River Valley bleeding for themselves. If they don't bleed when they should, they'll have to pay back double later."

"But can the people of Thousand River Valley withstand such bloodshed? Letting a malnourished person challenge a strong man, don't you think you should at least let the malnourished person eat their fill?"

"While you're eating your fill and getting stronger, won't they be eating their fill and getting stronger too? They have bigger appetites than us, they eat more. If we ally with them, Thousand River Valley will never be free!"

"You're a madwoman! An obstinate madwoman!" Catherine slammed the table heavily. "I never said anything about allying with the Church. Our situation is—we haven't accumulated enough power, so we need allies.

Forcing everyone to listen to you will drive away your potential allies and supporters. We need unity!"

"That's a false unity, an alliance that crumbles at the first touch, supporters who waver from side to side. Besides wasting time and energy, it's completely useless.

The power in our hands is too small. Not a single bit can be wasted, no mistakes can be made. The people of Thousand River Valley need a fast and effective strong power to integrate all resources.

One person, one center, one voice. If there are other discordant voices, either don't let them become one of us, or make them change their tune."

"That voice should be the voice of everyone."

"There is no such thing as the voice of everyone. Everyone's demands are different. Some people are bound to be abandoned."

Moriarty's face was colder than Horn had ever seen. Or rather, this was her original appearance.

Neither the quirky Moriarty, nor the wildly unrestrained Moriarty, was her usual self.

"Abandoned? Like those refugees being abandoned? If you get to decide their fate, then how are you any different from the Empire?!"

"No, it's not me who decides, it's they themselves who decide. I give them a free and fair environment. If they don't compete and don't strive, they will be eliminated. No one will be their nanny!"

"That's absurd. Have you never thought about what would happen if you made a mistake?"

"Of course I might make a mistake, but in Thousand River Valley's situation, it's better to be on the wrong path than to stand still!"

"You say you can't tolerate mistakes, but you can tolerate yourself making mistakes. Don't you think that's contradictory?"

The two friends, who had grown up together, were breathing heavily, glaring at each other like fighting bulls.

But as they looked, the anger on their faces gradually disappeared and turned into helplessness.

They had experienced such scenes countless times.

Catherine chuckled self-deprecatingly, while Moriarty sat down again and began to read *The Biography of Alexander the Great*.

"The people of Thousand River Valley have no retreat," Catherine sat back in her chair with a wry smile. "I'm really afraid you'll drag Thousand River Valley into the abyss with you."

"Rather live laughing than die crying." Without looking up, Moriarty said her family's proverb while reading.

"When are you planning to launch the attack?"

"Next spring. A flood bearing the Hema Stone banner will engulf the Empire and the Church, just as they let the flood engulf us."

"Okay, Moriarty..." Pausing for half a second, Catherine looked solemnly into Moriarty's eyes, "If one day, you become like the Empire, then I will still resist you as I do today."

"If that day ever comes, I hope you will."

Catherine thought for a moment, and said seriously, "I have one last thing to ask."

"Go ahead."

"Tell me..." Adjusting her crystal glasses, Catherine's eyes shone brightly, "Who is that magical creature who gained your approval? What's his name? Where is he from? How did you meet? How did you ever think of taking a fancy to him? I thought you would only ever... Hey, wait, you're a witch, where would you get an heir from!"

"...I'm starting to regret telling you about this."