Francisco sighed. "It will be fine… honestly, I'm just a little frustrated."

Karl nodded. "Let's walk around the camp while we talk."

Francisco agreed, and the two of them began walking. The camp was divided between the common grounds—where rows of small tents housed the soldiers—and an open training area. Even though there weren't many people around at the moment, those present were fully absorbed in their drills: some marching, others reloading their muskets, and a few practicing bayonet charges. No one was idle.

After walking for a while, they reached a small river behind the camp. Francisco picked up a stone and tossed it into the water. Karl watched the young master's playful gesture in silence and shook his head. In Germany, someone Francisco's age would likely already be married with children. Francisco didn't show that kind of maturity—probably because of his upbringing. Deep down, Karl couldn't help looking down on him a little because of it.

Francisco exhaled. "Today I saw something that made me reevaluate a few things. Before this, I always thought strength was the greatest weapon in the world. And… I still believe that. But I also think that sometimes strength isn't shown through weapons alone."

Karl listened carefully and asked, curious, "What did you experience to make you think that?"

Francisco sighed and told him what had happened with Inez, the Spanish agent. As he spoke, Karl's expression tightened; he frowned and looked somewhat distant. After a moment, he finally said, "Honestly, young master Francisco, you're still a bit too immature. A weapon is only a tool for a specific end—and often a poor one. Some goals are better achieved with silence, others with words. Your habit of reaching for force every time someone threatens your family or upsets you is foolish and reckless. Today you confronted Inez, who is just a poor woman and an agent of the Spanish Empire. She doesn't have many ways to retaliate—at least not unless she's willing to suffer the consequences. To be honest, I doubt she's afraid of you. As a member of the Duke of Lerma's circle, she's more afraid of damaging the House's reputation. You're actually lucky for that. She will cover certain things until there's irrefutable proof—such as your grandfather's disappearance."

Francisco raised an eyebrow. "Do you think she already knows about my grandfather going to New Granada?" He frowned, staring at the river, then shook his head. "That would be impossible. If she truly knew about it, she wouldn't have just questioned me—she would have returned to Spain immediately to warn the court."

Karl chuckled. "She probably already suspects it. I wouldn't be surprised if, in a month or so, her suspicions alert her enough to report it to the Spanish Crown. She isn't an idiot. Even if she only received half-training before being sent to you, she still knows more or less what she should and shouldn't do in certain situations. For now, she may only suspect your grandfather's disappearance, but after enough time passes without seeing him—or hearing anything about him or the soldiers he trained—she'll know something is wrong."

Francisco was a little startled. He had underestimated Inez as an agent, assuming she was like the nobility or the corrupt bureaucracy of the Empire—people who preferred to ignore obvious inconsistencies. But after seeing her loyalty and determination today, he realized she wouldn't be so easily swayed. Her arrogance didn't mean stupidity. In the end, she was raised as part of the Duke of Lerma's extended family. Her resources might not compare to those of Francisco's father during his time in Spain, but they were certainly greater than Francisco's own.

Then a thought struck him. He looked at Karl with some shock. "Does Grandfather already know this? I mean, you don't look distressed or worried at all. Aren't you afraid the Spanish Empire could prepare troops before the War of Independence and cause damage—or even stop the war completely?"

Karl shook his head and picked up a stone, thinking inwardly. Childish or not, he really does make you see things differently.. Then he said, "This is why I say you're too immature. From the moment he saw Inez, your grandfather already knew she would eventually uncover our intentions and warn the Spanish Court. But he also knew that a war between France and Spain was inevitable. He was counting on the fact that, worried about the French Republic, Spain wouldn't have the time to prepare enough troops to defend New Granada—at least not from the inside. And the stupidity of Robespierre helped a lot. Now, even if she warns the Court, they can't do anything."

Francisco, looking thoughtful, said, "Because of the execution of the king."

Karl nodded with a slight smile. "That's right. And it's not only because the King of France was King Carlos IV's cousin—it's about the monarchy itself. You see, the death of the French king showed how vulnerable royalty truly is before the common people. This has caused chaos across all monarchies. If the French Republic can continue to exist after executing a king without facing retaliation, the fear and awe that royal bloodlines once inspired will vanish in the eyes of civilians. Under a good reign it might not matter much, but if a bad or mediocre king reaches the throne, people will rebel—and there would be almost nothing the royal family could do to stop them from being beheaded."

He continued, "That means that even if the Spanish Court wants to send soldiers against New Granada, until they defeat the French Republic—or at least inflict serious damage—they can't spare the forces. And by the time they can send troops, the war here will be far easier for the people of New Granada. It will be mostly defense by then."

Francisco nodded in understanding. After all, to defend New Granada—especially with that hellish terrain—Spain would need at least ten to fifteen thousand elite soldiers, the most veteran European troops, just to retake the colonies. Leaving aside the cost, who knew how many of those soldiers would even remain after the war with France, not to mention the need to protect the mainland? It would be almost impossible. And the longer time went on, the stronger the unity in New Granada would become, and the larger the army they might recruit, which in turn would force Spain to send even more soldiers to attempt a reconquest.

Francisco sighed, then looked at Karl and nodded. "I understand. I shouldn't worry too much about Grandfather. The problem is… how can we make sure she doesn't warn them early—at least not until the conflict between Spain and France begins?"

Karl shrugged. "That depends on you. I don't understand why you're so hostile toward that woman. Even though she acts arrogantly, in the end she's someone forced by the Spanish Crown to risk her life far from home, surrounded by hostile men and women, doing everything in her hands to maintain stability between you and the Court—so she can prevent any damage to her own family, who probably live in Spain. You need to understand something: you're not the only one who has a family to protect."

Francisco was silenced by those words. He understood then that everyone—or almost everyone—had someone they wished to protect, not only him. And yet he knew he would not hesitate to draw a pistol to protect his own, even if it meant hurting another family. Still, Karl's words gave him something to think about.

Seeing his expression, Karl continued, "You know, when your grandfather took me into the army, I used to think the same way you do now. And unlike you, when he tried to speak to me about this, I only contradicted him—in my mind I even called him a coward. But to your grandfather, it was important to have enough empathy to understand that the other side wasn't just a number, but real human beings. Honestly, at the time I preferred to see them as numbers. An officer I admired even encouraged that kind of thinking. I actually considered joining his army."

Karl chuckled. "Of course, your grandfather opposed it and nearly broke my legs. So, resentful, I stayed with him. And it saved my life. You see, Frederick the Great had strict discipline in his army and hated when soldiers harmed the population or the lands he meant to annex. I think—aside from genuine empathy—it was because he knew it was much harder to control a region where everyone hates you."

He paused, then continued, "During the Bavarian Succession War against Austria, that officer who once supported me—probably not used to Frederick's rules, or simply too arrogant because of his noble rank—decided to destroy a village on the frontier near Bohemia. After the war ended, Frederick was furious. He took that officer and his entire group of soldiers and had them executed publicly. Your grandfather brought me to the execution ground so I could watch the man who used to encourage me whenever I wanted to go wild in war."

Karl felt a chill run down his back at the memory. "So, it's important not to dehumanize your enemies. Even if only out of self-interest, it's better not to make people hate you so deeply that they're willing to throw their lives away just to harm you."

Francisco looked ahead solemnly after hearing that story. It seemed he had become a little too bloodthirsty ever since he began to hate Spain and the viceroy for the attempt on his life—forgetting that the soldiers, or even the Spaniards themselves, weren't truly at fault for what the viceroy and the king had done.

"Thanks, Karl. You've given me a new perspective. I know what to do now. I'll apologize to Inez—even if only because she also has her own problems—and try to calm her down, lower the tension between us, even if I still don't like her."

Karl nodded, then started walking back toward the camp. "I need to return first. See you later, kid."His footsteps faded behind Francisco, who remained where he was, looking out at the river with a solemn expression in his eyes.

The soft chorus of crickets rose from the forest beside him, and the grey sky above slowly began to clear, as though shifting in tandem with Francisco's own realization.

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