“Your answer? Surely, you do not intend to reject us, right?”

“Please do not lump us together,” said Paragon Ying Xin. “You’re the one who’s asking for his secrets without any compensation whatsoever. Even fools would reject you.”

Gaius glanced at Ying Xin for a moment. “I think she just about summed up my response.”

“You’re refusing my request.” Paragon Shizo narrowed his eyes…or at least, Gaius thought he did. The cowl cast a shadow that managed to cover up his eyes, to the point that it had to be some minor miracle that the Paragon was still able to see what was in front of him.

“I think I’m perfectly justified in refusing outrageous requests,” Gaius replied placidly. “After all, you wouldn’t hand over your own secrets if the others asked you, right?”

“I am different from some half-baked Knight,” the Paragon replied.

“And a lot closer to random thugs on the street,” Gaius completed his sentence with a smile. “I wouldn’t expect such behaviour from the Paragons of the East, but I guess even pigs can fly.”

His words caused a few Paragons sitting apart from Shizo to laugh. The man in question glared at the others, who continued to laugh, unperturbed. Paragon Saito, stopped his chuckling for a moment and said, “Just as how you are entitled to your opinions, we too are equally entitled to our own. It is my opinion that the boy’s words are hilarious, on-the-point, and incredibly pertinent to you.”

Paragon Shizo snorted lightly. “Of course you would think that way. Knight Gaius, are you really not going to hand over the sigil construction method you used?”

“For one,” Gaius replied, “expecting me to give it up for free is impossible. It’s an heirloom. And more importantly, this sigil is destructive to the point that any nation with it will have an overwhelming advantage in warfare until such time the other continents discover a counterpart to it.”

The Paragon’s lips narrowed. “So you do know that it is destructive.”

“Exactly. I would rather not be the person who created a new age of warfare centred around the explosion sigil,” said Gaius.

“Does that really matter?”

“To you? Maybe not,” said Gaius. “But I think I’ve seen enough of your behaviour to know that you and I have rather different values. Paragon Ying Xin, what was he intending to do if Spring Fury was successful?”

“Exactly what you think, Gaius.”

“Ying Xin! Are you trying to leak our plans to what essentially is a foreign mercenary?”

“Doesn’t take too much imagination to guess,” said Gaius. “I haven’t forgotten that the East and the West came together to attack the Southern Continent a year and a half ago. The North’s an impossible opponent, the West is too far to attack, so that naturally leaves the South as your only option. After all, the Lifespring isn’t going to return Eo-Seu.”

The other Paragons looked at each other in surprise. Gaius could practically hear them asking each other how he was able to tell, but it wasn’t too hard to guess their intentions.

“At any rate, this sigil’s not going to help you much,” said Gaius. “Paragon Ying Xin already broke it down for Marshal Marie as to why my actions are impractical to duplicate on a large scale. You can ask her about it, if you so wish.”

“I forgot to mention it, it seems,” said Paragon Ying Xin. “Or else Shizo might not have brought this up. I’ll send my analysis over to everyone else later — as the only person who actually observed how Gaius operated in the field, I believe that I have enough insight on this entire fiasco.”

“Unless, of course, you’re being overprotective of this child here,” said Paragon Shizo.

“I was the one who brought him over to the frontlines, where he performed brilliantly,” Ying Xin replied, a tinge of coolness in her voice. “If I don’t protect him from predatory snakes and slimy foxes, I’m not going to get a good sleep at night. Protective or not, the fact remains that you’re in no position to demand things from anyone without recompense, much less one who has served the Plenum brilliantly.”

Gaius looked down on the ground as a few gazes landed over to him.

“You’re opposing me, then?” Shizo replied, his words laced with an unspoken threat.

“You’re the one opposing me,” Ying Xin replied. “You are challenging me and the obligations that come with me bringing him onto the field. Get your facts right, at least. Cease this nonsense. Or I’ll have you remember why I’m the Hand of Fate.”

“Is that a threat?”

“An invitation to the field of battle,” Ying Xin replied. “And you know how…well you fare in those. I don’t mind letting the others witness a public shaming once again. For all we know, it might inspire the others to train harder.”

Once again, her words elicited a round of laughter from the others present, but this time, Gaius could hear a distinct taunting in her words. Clearly, Paragon Shizo had been challenged before, and its outcome was apparently nothing short of a public humiliation. Ying Xin had struck where it hurt the most, offending Paragon Shizo for Gaius’ sake.

“Enough, the two of you. There’ll be no duelling, and no extorting Gaius here,” said Paragon Ming Zhu. “Shizo, you must be more cognizant of the outcomes that would occur if you force our young friend here to hand over his secrets. You’ll set a nasty precedent of extortion, and might I remind you that four-fifths of the Knights and Lords in attendance aren’t closely linked to the Plenum.”

She sighed. “I know you have your own considerations, but if word gets out that we forced a child to give up his secrets, it will reflect badly on us. We’ll drop this issue.”

“…very well.” The Paragon narrowed his eyes. “It’s not like Knight Gaius only has this use, anyway.”

And with those cryptic words, he took out a new piece of paper. “We’ll be discussing the ORBAT for Operation Spring Fury now.”