The Tsvonek Dilemma / Kazimierzian Flavor

Originally, she was a "wise gentry" who was engaged in business, made a big mistake, but began to sympathize with the masses. Now, she has gone down the old feudal path of following the "enlightened ruler" and "sage king" and there is no turning back!

"I understand." Nearl breathed a sigh of relief, "Since it was Doc Otter's decision, there must be a reason for it."

"I'll hand over my work immediately and take the first flight tomorrow morning..."

Oute interrupted Nearl: [No need, the aircraft is already here to pick you up.]

Chapter 294 The Tsvonnek Paradox

The setting sun was bathed in the clouds, just like the carrot pie that everyone had cooked together not long ago...

Or perhaps, it's more like blood.

Bathed in the setting sun, the aircraft slowly slowed down, but Nearl couldn't wait for it to land and stepped out of the cabin first.

The light flashed and disappeared in an instant, and the heavily armored warrior remained calm.

"Doc Otter! Operator Nearl! Return to formation!"

"Welcome back!" Amiya stood on tiptoe and waved.

Oute put away his terminal, gave a few words of advice to the operator beside him, and greeted Nearl: "You've had a long journey."

"We need to visit the local military and political leaders." He didn't give Nearl any time to rest.

But Nearl readily agreed, "Understood!"

Tsvonnek is located in southern Kazimierz, bordering Leithanien. For a long time, it has been a major southern town in Kazimierz, undertaking the most crucial defense work in the south. But frankly, compared to the Kazimierz - Ursus border... its "most crucial" defense work isn't actually that critical.

The major towns in the south remained largely unchanged, while the major towns in the north changed hands frequently due to territorial gains and losses.

"I suppose you're the person in charge of Rhodes Island?" The stern Kuranta man sat deep within the documents, berating Oute: "Even if those people in the city gave you permission, don't think you can bring the Leithanien and run rampant here..."

"Qiesibo, I can vouch for Rhodes Island." A familiar voice interrupted Qiesibo's threat.

No, he hasn't even started threatening yet.

But both Oute and Amiya knew what he was going to say before he even began.

"... Margaret?" Qiesibo stood up.

He smiled sincerely, "You're back!"

"Yes, Uncle."

Qiesibo and Nearl's uncle Młynar were once comrades-in-arms. Together with the bounty hunter Toland, they fought for justice in the countryside of Kazimierz, raising an armed force to fight for the poor. The nobles of Kazimierz seized upon this group's most conspicuous target, contemptuously calling them the "Sarkaz Knights."

For various reasons, they eventually parted ways.

Qiesibo guards his territory, Toland unites bounty hunters, and Młynar works as a wage slave in the capital—everyone has a bright future ahead of them.

"Will you leave again this time? I heard... Zofia and Maria miss you very much." Qiesibo tried hard to recall the name, and then blurted it out.

This is a lie.

During his years stationed in Tsvonnek, he rarely interacted with the capital.

Although Margaret's aunt and sister must have missed her dearly, Qiesibo had never heard of her in person or seen her in person through letters.

A moment of hesitation upon Nearl.

She doesn't want to return to Kazimierz just yet.

She had grasped something about knighthood, about justice and responsibility, and was vaguely moving towards a new path. Nearl knew that if she returned to Kazimierz at this time, she would never have such an opportunity to think about these things again.

Sensing this emotion, Amiya quietly tickled Oute.

"Rhodes Island will not interfere with the personal whereabouts of Operator Nearl in principle."

In principle, no; in reality, yes.

"However, due to the large amount of handover procedures required by our company, Agent Nearl cannot leave the company in the short term."

This is how he took the responsibility for Nearl's temporary reluctance to return home upon himself.

Knight Kuranta looked at Oute, then at him for a moment, before turning to Amiya and saying to her:

"Rhodes Island leader, what's your opinion?"

It turns out he already knew who the CEO of Rhodes Island was!

Amiya was about to say something instinctively... "Doctor. Oute's opinion is my opinion."

But Oute stopped her.

"... No need to worry, Mr. Qiesibo. For the foreseeable future, Ms. Margaret Nearl will be serving as the Rhodes Island Pharmaceuticals' regional manager in Kazimierz."

Qiesibo put on a business-like smile, "Marek! Hurry up and serve the customer..."

He asked, "What would you two like to drink?"

"When in Rome, do as the host says." Oute patted Amiya's head, then emphasized, "She's still a minor."

Could you please bring me a bottle of sweet wine?

You really don't have that kind of understanding, do you?

Kazimierz is also one of the countries with a serious problem of drug abuse. Or rather, cheap narcotics are a necessity for any land filled with suffering.

Oute interrupted, "Mr. Marek, could you please bring my Amiya a pot of black tea, and some lemons too?"

My... hehe...

The little rabbit suddenly started fiddling with its fingers.

Soon, the young Campaign Knight brought drinks for the captain and guests, and even some refreshments.

He busily tidied up Qiesibo's desk, and paused for a while as he passed by Nearl.

"Thank you, you can leave now."

Marek gestured to Nearl with his eyes, his excitement clearly visible.

He wanted an autograph.

"Marek."

The young knight sighed silently and left the office.

Oute added lemon to Amiya's black tea, saying, "Since we're in Kazimierz, why not try the Kazimierz flavor?"

Qiesibo, oblivious to anything amiss, casually agreed, "Well said."

He stared at Oute, took a sip of sweet wine, and said, "I've read the report. If Rhodes Island is going to provide medical services to Kawalerielki, why transit through the south? Although I don't do international trade, Rhodes Island, with its size, can easily bear the security costs on its own. The Wilderness Route doesn't require paying taxes to Leithanien, so the profit margin is obviously higher."

What do you know about fishing?

Are we going to skip Leithanien and wait for the wilderness respawn event?

Oute bluntly stated, "From the very beginning, Mr. Qiesibo projected his personal feelings for Leithanien onto Rhodes Island."

Amiya quickly explained, "Hahaha... Doctor. Oute actually meant..."

He'd only taken a sip, but Qiesibo's heart was already intoxicated. "Leithanien? No, Mr. Oute, no! Not Leithanien!"

He remained silent for a long while, then looked at Nearl and lamented, "While they were bloated with food and power, the honor and beliefs of knights were crushed into dust by the city's tracks!"

"Tsvonnek wants to... Kawalerielki wants to negotiate peace with Trimounts." He downed his drink in one gulp and said self-deprecatingly, "How can you call it negotiation?"

The two sides negotiating peace are the same sides in a war. But Kazimierz and Leithanien have not had a formal conflict for a long time.

"We haven't even fought, what's the point of talking about peace?" Qiesibo asked. "Margaret, have you seen that one in Tsvonnek town?"

Nearl sighed, "Qiesibo, you're drunk."

"Drunk? I just sobered up." Qiesibo's face was full of sorrow.

He does seem quite lucid.

"They're building a new plot of land in the style of Leithanien, and erecting a statue of 'peace'!"

This is the military-political conflict in Tsvonnek.

Chapter 295 Kazimierz Flavor

Oute stood up, stepped forward, and asked, "Since a new urban area is being built, which company is undertaking the construction?"

Fueled by alcohol, Qiesibo scoffed, "Worse than Meshko is Gale."

In the original timeline, the city-building of Tsvonnek was handled by Gail Industries. For a long time, Gail Industries had been colluding with both the military and political circles of Tsvonnek, engaging in all sorts of corrupt practices.

Within this radius of twenty or thirty miles, if you get a pebble stuck in your foot by the roadside, don't doubt it—it 'Gail Industries' doing. That pebble must have fallen off their vehicle while they were leveling other villages.

"On your way to Dangerous Shoal Village (Note ①), did you see Gail's machinery?" Qiesibo's eyes were cloudy. "Did you see those... jubilant farmers?"

"They're so happy now... Soon, they'll be happily heading into the city with the money from Gail Industries' land purchase..."

Qiesibo opened his throat and rudely poured down the entire bottle of liqueur.

"Uncle!" Nearl put down his wine glass and was about to stop him.

The sweet wine spilled all over the Campaign Knight's robe.

Outside the window, the sky had completely darkened, and the office lights shone on Qiesibo's head, burying his face in shadow.

"They happily... walked out of the stomach of a Pegasi and into the stomach of Kuranta."

It's hard to say, given Kazimierz's level of abstract thinking, whether feudal lords were more ruthless killers or capitalists were more ruthless exploiters. But persuading, instigating, luring, or even threatening peasants to sell their feudal lands to capitalists, go to the city to work, and enjoy two kinds of benefits at the same time?

It's undoubtedly rotten to the core.

The Knight of Kuranta mocked himself.

"Nearl... Nearl... Do you know what's the worst thing!?"

Oh no! Everyone else wants to see this Nearl or that Nearl, but you want to see both Nearl and this Nearl?

Because he had anticipated this and stood up, Oute caught up with Qiesibo before Nearl react. "Calm down, you're talking to Margaret."

Qiesibo looked at Margaret Nearl with anguish, then reached out to Młynar Nearl, who was in the capital. "Nearl! The one who orchestrated all of this is me! It's me!"

He slumped back down in dejection.

Whatever he originally intended to do, drinking the sake in front of another Nearl did indeed shatter the dam of his long-suppressed emotions.