Elin didn't like the look of Lawrence. He disliked it because Lawrence's right eye was also blind. He wasn't sure if the eyeball was still intact, but in any case, that area was already covered with rotting flesh.
"Genius," Elin tugged at the iron chain in his hand, the other end of which was tied to Lawrence's hands. "Hey, genius. Can you hear me? We're about to meet the troll you've been longing for. He intends to..."
Elin intended to say, "intends to embark on another venture with you," but he stopped himself because he understood that mocking someone severely burned to alleviate his own anxiety was not exactly dignified. Lawrence didn't respond, but Elin believed he could understand these words. Lawrence stared at Elin with his left eye, showing no signs of relaxation. He mumbled something incomprehensible, which made Elin uncomfortable.
Prince Galin was not far behind, protected by a considerable number of guards. Elin planned to have Tusha raise his sword for Galin to distinguish between truth and falsehood, and they carefully considered the distance between the exchange point and Galin. It sounded clumsy, but for Galin's safety, there was no better way. In reality, Elin believed the enemy wouldn't risk deception, but secretly, he thought Galin should be present, so he didn't bring it up. Besides, at least from their earlier conversation, it seemed the prince himself had already decided to be present.
"Mr. Elin," Galin said at the time, "I trust you, so I entrust you with the significant responsibility of retrieving the Tolkar Sword. At this moment, you represent not only the Seventh Bureau but all the people of Stromgarde. Of course, this task is given to you by me, so I must be present to supervise."
"You don't need to add pressure on me, Your Highness. I've taken on this job, and I'll do my best to fulfill it. As for the significance behind it, I'm sorry, but I don't have time to think about it."
"You may not know, but I'm prepared to marry the queen immediately after retrieving the sword and officially ascend to the throne."
"Is that so? Then the next time we meet, you'll be the king. But I'm not sure if I'll have the chance to return to Stromgarde."
"I can tell you, the wedding is scheduled for tonight."
"...Tonight?"
"Traditionally in our country, it is customary to swear on the Tolkar Sword when marrying the queen. This is my proof of trust in you. I believe I will soon retrieve the Tolkar Sword."
"But even if you retrieve it immediately and return to the city, it will be at least after sunset. Not to offend you, but I've never heard of a king marrying the queen at night."
"While the people are still suffering from the hardships of war, I prefer simplicity and modesty. Perhaps the formal ceremony can be postponed to coincide with the coronation ceremony."
"You mean you can't wait to sleep with her tonight, but you need the Tolkar Sword to provide an excuse," Elin thought. "Good idea. You're a genius at using compromises to protect your pride, something not everyone can do."
"I can't say anything more, Your Highness. For the sake of Stromgarde and for your personal happiness, I will give my life if necessary."
"I hope your actions match your words."
Dream on. I could make two lists, one titled 'People I'm willing to die for' and the other 'People I'd least like to die for, or laugh at if they died in front of me'. Guess which list your name is on?
Elin glanced down the hillside. Glocara wasn't there. He knew he had told her not to show up, but he couldn't help checking. Niaes's men were well hidden, but it would take some time for them to move to the most suitable positions. Elin realized he needed to find a way to delay the exchange, although he wasn't sure what topics would work on Tusha.
Tusha. After some hesitation, Elin knew he had to look forward, and Tusha was in that direction. Behind him were some tribes, mainly trolls and orcs, with fewer members than Galin's guards. Elin noticed another troll standing in front, speaking to Tusha, and during the process, he struck the ground several times with the bottom of the staff held in his right hand, seemingly to emphasize his point. Tusha nodded several times, but his gaze didn't stay on the other. He held a sword with both hands, propping himself up with it, the tip inserted into the ground. Elin could see the glint of a short axe at Tusha's waist in the sunlight, but the sword seemed as dull as a rough stone. No wonder it could only be used for those unsavory deeds like deceiving young girls into marriage, he thought. Of course, according to Galin, everything that once made Stromgarde people's lives comfortable was now buried with Tusha. Tolkar, Tolkar.
Time was up. The horn sounded. To Elin, it sounded like an old cow sinking into a swamp and pleading for help. Then, he felt an almost unprecedented silence. Birds with blue wings flew across the sky. A small stone rolled down the hillside from his feet. The tips of the guards' spears resonated in the cold wind. Look at this weather, it was supposed to be a day for a picnic. If it weren't for the distance, I'd bring them here next time.
Elin and Tusha approached each other at the midpoint between them. There was a large rock about half a person's height, chosen because Elin could use it to maneuver against Tusha if anything happened. Of course, it was useful for both of them, but Elin doubted if Tusha needed it.
As they got closer, Lawrence began to make almost discernible sounds, his hands bound together moving up and down incessantly. "Quiet," Elin said, turning back, knowing Lawrence wasn't the only one getting nervous.
They stopped when they were about six steps apart. Elin recalled Tusha's attack speed, thinking that if Lawrence wasn't a factor, there was a chance to retreat.
"Nice to see you again, Mr. Elin," Tusha said. "Looks like you've recovered pretty well from your injuries."
"No. Don't give me that again, and I'm not keen on recalling that day. Let's stick to business."
"The gentleman you brought along is Lawrence, right?"
Elin tugged at the iron chain. "You can still recognize him? Good."
"Of course. After all, we're old friends, in a way."
"Traitor," Lawrence said. "Traitor. Traitor. Traitor."
"It seems he doesn't agree with that," Elin said.
"I'll make him remember," Tusha replied.
"Even so, I doubt he's of any use to you anymore. By the way, don't you want those research materials?"
"Of course. I'm very concerned about their current condition. I would be relieved if Lawrence didn't mess around with the data I recorded."
"Well, it's more than that. He made things more troublesome."
"How so?"
"He burned them all. So, you see, this face."
"Such a pity."
"I think so too, especially considering how many people put effort into this. Since you can confirm he's Lawrence, I also want to know if what you have in your hands is genuine."
"What do you want me to do?"
"I want you to hold it up so Prince Galin can see. It's that simple."
Tusha complied. Elin glanced back, saw the prince say something, and then the guards in front of him nodded.
"It seems fine," Elin said. "But personally, I'm disappointed to see the sword that supposedly symbolizes Stromgarde in this state."
"Of course. No one would take it to the battlefield. I admire Prince Galin's courage because he's willing to come here in person to witness the authenticity of the sword."
"That doesn't mean much, him hiding behind so many people..."
"Are you saying that's so I can't kill him?"
"What?"
Tusha chuckled as he inserted the sword tip back into the soil.
"Nothing, Mr. Elin, I was just joking. From this distance, there's no way I could kill Galin. You can rest assured. Besides, what benefit would it bring to my research?"
Elin didn't know how to respond. There was nothing to help him judge the sincerity of Tusha's words. Indeed, killing Galin would bring no benefit to Tusha himself, but it could ensure that Stromgarde would no longer be involved in this research.
"So," Tusha said. "Now that we've both confirmed, let's calmly settle this matter..."
"Wait a moment. Weren't we just talking about the research data?"
"Yes."
"More than just you regrets the destruction of these data. After all, it was Seven's plan from the start."
"It was from me, Mr. Elin, from me."
"Of course. What I mean is, Galin and Lawrence completely messed up this collaboration. Seven isn't too keen on accepting that. But fortunately, in Stormwind, there are other people working for Seven. Honestly, we never fully trusted the folks from Stromgarde from the beginning, so we've been conducting independent research with our own people and accumulating a considerable amount of data. I think you can judge the value of this data and see how much time it could save you in your work."
Lawrence began to struggle, emitting low groans and curses from his mouth. Elin tugged at the iron chain.
"See, this guy doesn't even want me to finish," he continued. "I understand you want more materials and freedom, leaving Stromgarde for the tribe's side, but now you have to start all over again, and Lawrence can't be of much help. I don't know your exact age, but counting from the appearance of 'Vossuva,' it's been several decades. Though it may not sound pleasant... consider the time you have left."
"What can Seven offer me? Besides your data."
"We don't have as many boring moral principles and racial prejudices as Galin does. We use whatever we can. Additionally, you can have an independent laboratory and complete freedom—within certain security measures. Of course, I won't hide the fact that we can't offer you the same level of freedom as you had in Hammerfall."
"Oh, that sounds quite attractive. I'll have to think about it. Can you give me some more time?"
The tone in which Tusha said this made Elin realize his efforts were in vain.
"No need for that, Mr. Elin. I know you're stalling for time. While we're talking, your soldiers are sneaking around doing who knows what, right? It's quite obvious, to be honest, I'm disappointed. Just like after our confrontation that night. Mr. Elin, I can tell you, you're no better than the Jorgen."
"Alright." Elin said a few seconds later. "But you can't blame me for trying. In that case, let me be blunt. We outnumber you by far. I think your best option now is to complete the exchange without causing trouble..."
"Don't jump to conclusions. I haven't finished speaking." Tusha scratched his fangs with his left thumb. "You and Galin made plans, and I, of course, talked to my new friends. Some said you must be planning an ambush, taking advantage of terrain and numerical superiority, so we should strengthen reconnaissance and set ambushes ourselves. But I told them these were bad ideas because we don't have that many hands. I'll be frank with you, these people behind me are almost all I have. Trying to confront Stromgarde from a disadvantaged position is suicide, so I had to teach them how to leverage advantages."
Elin could only listen. He didn't know what predictions to make about what was coming next.
"The only advantage is during the exchange: me facing you, and I'm much stronger than you. So I told them, only by seizing this point can we win. So they listened to me. They're all stubborn, and it took a lot of effort to convince them."
"What did you do?"
"After our confrontation that night, I didn't go back immediately. It wasn't easy watching that woman help you leave in tears. I found out where her tent was, and now my new friends know too. Of course, it's not just knowing. Did she buy some cigarettes from the traveling merchant yesterday morning? At least that's what the person I arranged to watch reported to me. Now, someone is near her. If you don't want anything to happen to her, you'll do as I say. First, I'll ask you a few questions, and you must tell the truth entirely. If you hesitate even a bit, she'll die. Then, I'll have you do a few things. If you refuse one or make a mistake, she'll die. So, let's get started."