"One shouldn't underestimate either our diplomats or their timing," Vargas grins, then shakes hands. "Ha-hah! Don't worry about it, I may not be perfect, but I know von Himmel fairly well — there's hardly any resentment in him. That was the plan, and changing it radically at the last moment is an impossible task, even though I myself work better solo and would perhaps have preferred something else. He understood everything long ago — that battle showed what was what. All our calculations can always be shattered by any number of circumstances. The fight could have been more interesting if the colleagues hadn't formed a coalition, but we have what we have. By the way, I've been keeping an eye out here and there today — have you noticed anything unusual or noteworthy in the city? The situation is tense, that much is clear, but panic won't help matters. If there are any threads to follow, why not unravel them?"
"Unusual, hmm?... No, I wouldn't say so, but it seems to me the capital's people lack passion right now — there's no fire in their eyes, only personal worries and a reluctance to get involved in problems. I'm afraid Her Majesty lacks contact with her subjects, and the pages of her legend leave much to be desired. At least, that's the impression I've gotten."