First Opium War

Chapter 17: The Last Disposition

Hours after the events that unfolded in Xianfan, Itsuya was brought before King Walter Bertrand in his office that resided on the highest floors of The Calderburry. Walter sat in front of his desk with his hands forming a symbol shaped as triangle, staring at the unconscious Fu Jow Pai descendant with curiosity, anger, and confusion. The room was quiet as if a ghost lived there. The chandelier hanging from the ceiling was the only source of light. Though he's expressed his disdain for Guang's son he'd admitted that Itsuya was quite persistent; and now he knows that nothing would stop the young mate before him.

Itsuya began opening his eyes hours after festival, grunting as his body was sore from earlier. When his vision became clear he saw Walter gazing at him.

Then Itsuya broke the silence. "You..." he struggled to speak with a breathless tone, while his face was covered in scars.

"Of all the places to find the largest rat...you dare spew vile upon my city." Walter replied.

The Bertrand stood from his desk, using his cane as he walked over to a table with a pitcher of water that sat on top. After pouring a glass of cold water he handed it to Itsuya.

"You must...be stopped!" Said Itsuya, ignoring the glass of water.

"Perhaps...but am I to blame? Or was I simply doing what I was born to do? Was that the Almighty's task for me?" Walter shoved the glass of water aggressively toward Itsuya, spilling some on the floor. "Now take it."

Itsuya studied the cup with reluctancy, untrusting of Walter's behavior. "To poison me...right?"

Walter shook his head. "Why kill my greatest asset?"

After a brief second Itsuya accepted the water and drank from it, immediately feeling the water's rejuvenation capabilities as it went down his dehydrated body. It felt refreshing.

Walter stepped behind his desk glancing up at both sides of his large window, focusing on his family's crest. "A shield with two golden lions and a solid black circle in the middle," he peeked over his shoulder at Itsuya and grinned. "Do you know what this means?"

"......" Itsuya kept quiet but never took his eyes off the Bertrand.

Walter continued. "I come from a self-interested line of pure royalty, Itsuya. And can you imagine? Being so powerful you can do anything you want? Have any woman? And holding complete dominance over populations of slaves?"

"......" Itsuya heard him out.

"With that amount of enormous power it makes you feel unstoppable. Like the Almighty Himself." Walter began laughing, holding his hand over his chest as he coughed between his humor.

"You butchered my people...My father would still live had it not been for your tyranny!" Itsuya argued.

"Tyranny, you say? Is that what you call it?" Walter continued to face forward at his family's crests. "We live in different worlds. What you see as Tyranny, I see it as the only way to sustain humanity. I did what had to be done," he then turns to give Itsuya his full attention, firmly holding his balance on his cane.

Itsuya shook his head, squeezing his fist in anger as tears came from his eyes. "So you mean to say that my father...and my friends...meant nothing to you? Don't you know they died trying to survive?"

"Survive?" Walter thought. "Your ancestors really believed they could survive? Unfortunately, there was little your people could've done. Your country was hogtied at every angle; and we knew everything about you before we seized your landmarks. You were all just cattle."

"Why couldn't you leave us be."

"A simple answer," Walter sat on his desk in front of Itsuya, resting his cane next to him. "Precisely, it was because we admired your culture. However, a mentally strong nation can prove to be either a friend, or an enemy. Unfortunately, for your great great grandfather he decided not to parlay with my ancestors. We asked to build within China and your masters refused. But it didn't matter... because we already knew we could demolish you dominionists by force."