Because of the victory, the streets of Paris were filled with a festive atmosphere, with cheering crowds everywhere.
Severus and Giovanni arrived by carriage near the Paris Opera, only to be told by the police to take a detour. A victory banquet was being held at the Paris Opera that evening, attended by luminaries including First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte and his brother Lucien. If anything happened to either of them, it would shake all of Europe. Naturally, the police could not afford to be careless.
"They still haven't caught that 'captain,'" Giovanni, acting as Severus's guide, said. "That man is like fog over the sea."
"What captain?"
"A captain in the British Royal Navy. He infiltrated France and has been carrying out sabotage everywhere." Giovanni dodged a drunken passerby. "The secret police only know that his name is John Wright."
Severus touched the red scarf at his chest, then asked, "What has he done?"
"No one knows." As they passed a group of Frenchmen singing loudly, Giovanni raised his voice. "There are too many rumors!"
"Such as?"
"He was involved in planning last Christmas's assassination attempt, and in the assassination of Paul I."
"What would the British gain from killing the Tsar?" Severus asked loudly.
"Tsar Paul I intended to send Cossack cavalry to invade India!" Giovanni looked at Severus. "He also wanted to divide Turkey with Austria and redraw the map of Europe. Isn't that mad enough?"
Severus said nothing.
"There's a reward of one hundred thousand francs for him, but a newcomer has appeared recently. His head is worth three hundred thousand francs," Giovanni said.
Severus smiled smugly. "The levers that move people to act are fear and profit. He was right about that."
"Aren't you curious what that newcomer did?"
"I know what he did," Severus said