Lucaria, a small border town in Siracusa, a place shrouded in moist mist all year round.
Here lies the gray zone where Leithanien and Siracusa interlock like dog's teeth; the efficacy of law is diluted, and family rules are the iron law.
In the town's noisiest tavern, "The Gray Wolf," three men dressed as Leithanien merchants were playing cards with a table of locals.
They dressed ordinarily and spoke loudly, looking just like ordinary traveling merchants who run between the two countries all year round.
These were Gertrude's most capable intelligence operatives; not skilled in infiltration, but masters at stirring up trouble in the marketplace.
"Hey! You're cheating!"
A Siracusan man with a scar on his face slammed the table and stood up, pointing at the leading Leithanien merchant.
"You can eat freely, but you shouldn't speak so loosely."
The merchant leisurely revealed his hand, looking innocent.
"Just good luck, friend."
"Cut the crap! In our Lucaria, only those with bad luck dare to say they have good luck!"
Several companions behind the scar-faced man immediately surrounded them. Their chests were all tattooed with the same family crest—a roaring Lupo.
The atmosphere froze instantly.
Others in the tavern retreated, watching the scene with accustomed eyes.
Here, outsiders being picked on by local families was as common as rain in the rainy season.
"We are Leithanien citizens, protected by Imperial law!"
Another merchant stood up, trying to reason, but his voice sounded exceptionally weak amidst the other party's hideous laughter.
"Leithanien? The Emperor's laws don't reach here!"
Scar-face overturned the table; wine glasses and coins shattered on the ground.
"If you don't leave your goods today, you'll leave your hands!"
A premeditated conflict erupted.
The three intelligence agents adhered to the principle of "do not actively injure, but appear miserable enough," retreating steadily under the punches and kicks.
They did not use any combat skills that would expose their identities, merely protecting their heads and faces like ordinary merchants in vain, emitting painful groans.
Soon, they were beaten black and blue; one's arm was smashed by a chair leg, dislocated with a tooth-aching crack.
The Lucaria City Defense Force arrived late—or rather, they waited for the show to end before leisurely strolling over.
The leading captain glanced at the Leithaniens lying on the ground, then at the swaggering family members, and merely waved his hand lazily:
"Throw these trouble-making Leithaniens out of town. They are not allowed back in."
Throughout the process, there was no interrogation, no investigation, not even a decent questioning.
...
Early the next morning, when this news, accompanied by miserable close-up photos of the three agents, appeared on the front page of "Workers' Daily", public opinion across Leithanien was instantly detonated.
"Shameless Siracusan thugs! How dare they beat Imperial citizens!"
"Where is Siracusan law? Where is justice?"
"Your Majesty, we cannot tolerate our compatriots suffering such humiliation in a foreign land!"
Gertrude's propaganda machine went into full swing.
On the radio, hosts used the most inflammatory tones to recount the "Lucaria Tragedy" over and over.
Painting a small border conflict as a deliberate trampling of Leithanien's national dignity by Siracusa.
In newspapers, various opinion pieces emerged endlessly.
Arguing Siracusa's betrayal from a historical perspective, and analyzing its internal barbarism and corruption from a realistic one.
Public anger was thoroughly ignited.
Processions appeared on the streets of Trullinczentyr; people held up portraits of Lacey and the national flag, shouting slogans of "Severely Punish Siracusa."
This mood of anger spread rapidly from the capital to every Grand Region, every city, and every village.
...
Siracusa, Montelupo.
Signora Sicilia put down the "Workers' Daily" in her hand, her face extremely gloomy.
Standing beside her were several family representatives, looking somewhat disapproving.
"It's just a small matter, Signora, why be so nervous?" a middle-aged man named Falcone said slowly.
"We just taught a few blind Leithanien merchants a lesson. We'll just pay some money."
"A small matter?"
Signora Sicilia sneered and threw the newspaper on the table.
"Look at the wording here! Look at the reaction inside Leithanien!"
"This is no longer a problem money can solve. That man has been waiting for this excuse for a long time!"
She knew better than anyone that the new Emperor who climbed up from the bottom was definitely not someone who would be satisfied with verbal protests and monetary compensation.
He was like a patient beast, waiting for the prey to reveal its most fragile flaw.
"I must go to Trullinczentyr personally." Signora Sicilia stood up.
"Before things get completely out of control, I must meet that Emperor."
"You go personally? That flatters him too much!" Falcone objected.
"He's just a usurper of peasant origin; sending a messenger is enough."
"It is precisely because he is of commoner origin that he is even more terrifying." Signora Sicilia's gaze swept over everyone present.
"You people born in velvet cradles will never understand how greedy and unruly a hungry wolf is."
She paid no more attention to the crowd's discussion and immediately ordered a car.
This trip to Trullinczentyr would decide the future fate of Siracusa.
...
One day later, in the reception room of the Twin Towers, Lacey met the travel-worn Signora Sicilia.
This woman who dominated the Siracusan underworld looked somewhat exhausted at this moment.
"Good day, Your Majesty." Signora Sicilia bowed slightly, keeping her posture very low.
"Regarding the conflict in Lucaria, on behalf of Siracusa, I express my sincerest apologies to you and the injured Leithanien citizens."
"Apologies?"
Lacey sat in the main seat, his expression calm, showing neither joy nor anger.
"Signora, three of my citizens are still lying in the hospital."
"One of them may even suffer permanent disability in his arm. This is not something a simple apology can smooth over."
"We are willing to bear all medical expenses and give them sufficient financial compensation." Signora Sicilia said immediately.
"As for the perpetrators, I have ordered their arrest. They can be extradited to Leithanien immediately to be judged by your country's laws."
"We will also replace the Captain of the Lucaria City Defense Force."
These conditions could not be said to lack sincerity.
Handing over one's own citizens for trial by another country was already a huge concession in diplomacy.
However, Lacey just shook his head gently.
"Signora, this is not a question of a few thugs, nor is it a question of a City Defense Force Captain."
"This is a blatant provocation by Siracusa against Leithanien's national dignity."
"My citizens were beaten on your soil simply because of their nationality, and your law enforcers turned a blind eye."
"This shows that Siracusa's current system can no longer guarantee the basic safety of our citizens."
Signora Sicilia's heart sank.
She realized the other party didn't want an explanation at all.
"Then... Your Majesty, how do you think this fault can be made up for?" she asked with difficulty.
Lacey stood up, walked to the map, and tapped his finger lightly on Lucaria's location.
"To ensure such events do not happen again, and to protect the safety of Leithaniens trading in Siracusa in the future, I believe it is necessary to establish a security buffer zone."
He paused, then stated the conditions that caused Signora Sicilia's pupils to shrink.
"First, cede three eastern border towns, including Lucaria, to Leithanien, to be directly administered by our country."
"Second, compensate Leithanien for all losses caused by this incident, including but not limited to mental distress and damage to national image, totaling three hundred million Imperial Marks."
"Third, Siracusa must publicly apologize to Leithanien and promise to strictly abide by the 'Terra International Treaty' in the future, safeguarding the legal rights and interests of all foreign citizens."
The reception room fell into a deathly silence.
Signora Sicilia stared blankly at Lacey, as if knowing this young man for the first time.
No sovereign country could agree to these conditions.
Because this was no longer compensation, but naked extortion.
"Your Majesty..." she felt her mouth go dry, "Are you intending to start a war?"
"No, Signora." Lacey turned around, a gentle smile even appearing on his face.
"I am giving Siracusa a chance to avoid war."
"Agree to my conditions, and peace will be maintained. Otherwise..."
He didn't finish the sentence, but the chill brought by the unspoken words lowered the temperature of the entire reception room by several degrees.
Signora Sicilia understood.
Everything was clear.
From the first punch thrown at those three merchants, the script had already been written.
Her so-called diplomatic mediation trip was just going through the motions.
Just so the other side could write in the history books: "Siracusa rejected our proposal for peace."
She slowly stood up, smoothed her dress, and regained her former calm and arrogance.
"I cannot agree to your conditions, Your Majesty."
"Siracusa will not yield a single inch of its land!"
"That is truly a pity," Lacey said.
"Farewell."
Signora Sicilia did not say another word, turned, and left the reception room.
As she walked out of the Twin Towers and looked back at the towering architecture and the red flag flying at the top, she had a premonition that a storm was coming.
________________________________________
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