Half a month earlier, Louis had picked up a crucial piece of information from the Daily Intelligence System.
Anthony, the Silver Plate Guild's head of operations in the Northern Frontier, would personally visit Red Tide City for his first meeting with Camille, the Empire's Inspectorate Envoy.
This intelligence came as a double delight.
First, Anthony's personal appearance meant that the Silver Plate Guild's influence in the Northern Frontier would be laid bare right under Louis's nose.
Second, Camille's ties to the Silver Plate Guild were no longer a matter of superficial dealings, but infiltration that ran bone-deep.
It was almost certain that this Inspectorate Envoy sent from the Imperial Capital had become a spy bought and paid for by the Federation.
Better still, the two had actually chosen to meet in Red Tide City.
After reading the intelligence, Louis could not help chuckling. "How... convenient."
He would not even need to cross the border to hunt Anthony down. The man was walking straight into his trap.
When Anthony woke in the secret cell, heavy iron chains locked his limbs in place, and the stone chair beneath him was bitterly cold.
He slowly opened his eyes, his gaze clear and composed, without a trace of panic.
Facing the cold gleam of the instruments of torture, he merely said calmly, "If you want to kill me, get on with it."
Louis only smiled faintly at his words. "He's all yours."
Then he turned and left. After all, Master Calvin was kindhearted and could not bear to see people suffer.
The torture began.
The Cold Iron Legion's interrogators had long since learned all manner of methods from the tortures practiced by the Snow Oath, the Barbarians, and even the Imperial Army's command.
Buckets of cold water poured over Anthony again and again,