Sauer just stared at Schmidt. “What do you mean, exactly? Are the French planning to retaliate against us?”

“No, no, nothing like that. Can’t you feel it? Something big’s going to happen soon, there’s something in the air. It’s got nothing to do with the villagers, it’s about the enemy we were originally stationed here to fight.”

“Well, then. That’s certainly an interesting idea; the feeling of the air is known to predict danger, after all.” Sauer chuckled at his own joke. “But who, exactly, do you think is going to attack us?”

“I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors about Paris. Monsters roaming the streets at night, strange growths on the infected; they all popped up after Paris cut itself off from the rest of the world. Then the Empire wants to mobilize soldiers into France and find doctors to send to the front lines. Except they don’t give the soldiers anyone to fight, or the doctors anything to study. Instead, the Empire tells the soldiers to guard the French from themselves and tells the doctors to provide aid. There haven’t been any outbreaks since Paris quarantined itself, so why send doctors?”

They had stopped walking now, standing in the middle of Dijon’s main street, Schmidt eating his food as he talked. “You asked who was going to attack us. The question isn’t who, it’s what. The soldiers are here to stop the monsters that are going to threaten the Empire’s borders. The ones the rumors are about. My theory is that they’re the people that died from the disease you’re supposed to be studying, but still moving somehow, feeding on the living. But that’s not the point. The point is that the Empire is scared about what happened in Paris, and they don’t want it to spread into their territory. But they’re also scared about what would happen if they just told everyone that monsters are attacking people in the Kingdom of France. There would be mass panic.”

Schmidt paused to take another bite of his sandwich. Sauer replied. “Do you have any evidence to support your claim? Or are your theories based on hearsay and rumors? It is true that France has been… preoccupied with the crisis caused by the disease, and Empire soldiers were sent to keep order in French territory until everything is sorted out. At least, that is the official reason behind all of this. It is obvious that this is simply a play for French territory during a time of weakness.”

“Do you have any evidence for that?” Schmidt laughed through a mouthful of bread. “I was joking, I don’t actually care if you do or not. But I do have one last question. Since the disease broke out five or six months ago, have you heard anything from farther west than here? Any news at all? Anything about trade, or politics, or, you know, how they’re reacting to the disease that’s crippling their kingdom? There are some big cities in France and Spain, and some haven’t said anything since the plague broke out in Paris.”

“What, exactly, is your point?”

“First, tell me if you’ve heard anything from the west.”

“Tell me what your point is.”

“I’ll tell you if you answer my question.”

Sauer was quiet for a moment. He considered walking away, leaving Schmidt standing in the street with his loaf of bread and slice of steamed duck. Schmidt took another bite of his food.

Sauer replied. “No. A few weeks ago I overheard one of my patients talking about a friend in Lyon, but that is all. Even when I was in Nuremberg, I did not hear anything besides rumors from my patients, many of whom are notable people in the Empire’s government. Now, tell me what your point is.”

“Your medical practice was in Nuremberg? That’s kind of impressive. But my point is that I believe the disease, or the diseased, or the living dead, whatever they are, are intelligent. I believe they’re attempting to take control of the peninsula. The disease started in Paris, right? All they have to do is move west until they reach the coast, and they have an entire army to work with.” Schmidt spoke with a straight face.

“Oh my God, you genuinely believe this don’t you?” Sauer just looked at Schmidt. “You know what? I have nothing better to do right now, I can play along. If this diseased army really was attacking the peninsula, at least one person would have escaped by boat or through the Empire and alerted us. There is no way that they would silently be assimilated into some undead army.”

“But Sauer, you’re missing the most important part…” Schmidt paused for dramatic effect. “Intelligent undead army.”

“Even so, the coordination between this undead army would have to be impeccable. I do not know if you understand this or not, but the details of your theory would imply that this undead army would be so immensely powerful and ungodly tactically gifted that it would be able to take out two major powers in six months, completely in secret.”

“That’s a good counterpoint, but I know that I’m right. And the worst part about being right in a situation like this is that it’s not as satisfying to tell a pile of corpses you told them so.”

“I am sure that it is not.”

“It might not happen tomorrow, or next week, but it’s going to happen, Sauer. You’ll see.”

“Was this conversation going anywhere?”

“It was bold of you to assume it ever was.”

Sauer sighed. “Goodbye, Schmidt. I’ll keep your warning in mind, believe me. I hope you enjoy your food, Cateline enjoys your business.”

“You’ll see!” Schmidt called as Sauer walked back to Saint Gotthard’s Chapel.