"Magic."

"Magic," says Oscar lamely. He watches the snow fall for a moment. It doesn't go away, even when he takes his eyes off it a second, then looks back. "...You probably don't want to say how you learned the trick?"

"I do not. If you would like additional verification--" Sano says ten sharp, harsh syllables. Cuts open up on his arms; blood soaks through his shirt. "Try to tell me you think magic is real."

"You're bleeding," Oscar says like an idiot.

"Yes."

Sano should be more concerned. That is a lot of blood. "Did you read Der Wanderer too?"

"No. We have disposable people for that."

"Maybe I should talk to them sometime." 

"If you wish."

"I'm not disposable because I read Der Wanderer," Oscar says. "Or is that how you see your workers in general?" He has a vague sense that he should not start in on this with a magic user. On the other hand: Sano is a reactionary, he doesn't care if all anarchists go to jail, he certainly doesn't care about Oscar. And in that moment it's all just viscerally disgusting and infuriating.

He can't believe he ever admired Sano, much less considered him a friend.

"Some people are called upon to sacrifice their lives for the Emperor. My people do not run risks smaller than the ones I run myself."

"That makes literally no sense to anyone not indoctrinated into your ideology. I don't demand that everyone I deal with entertains socialist ideals but you're cavalier about human lives. And when someone asks about it you just mention 'sacrifice for the Emperor' as if it justifies it whatsoever."

"Some things are more important than one's survival."

"Like what, Sano?" Your own profit, he's tempted to add.

"'The honor of oneself and one's nation' is not a cause I intend to convince you of, but 'the survival of the world' is. Magic is extraordinarily dangerous."

"I know it's dangerous." I mean, he doesn't know the specifics but everything he's seen in the last few months has been terrible. Magic literally being real has apparently only made the world full of more exploitation and violence. "...I guess you persuaded them to make them agree to read these texts, 'for the survival of the world'. Poor people will agree to a lot if it means keeping a roof over their head."

"They did their duty, as do I. They were glad to die to serve Japan."

"I'm sure you explained it to them very politely too. ...I was really stupid to admire you or consider you my friend."

"I am sorry."

"No, you're not." He's disgusted by Sano's composure, his impassive face. It's so remote. Like nothing Oscar says can ever touch him, ever stop him from tricking people into reading Der Wanderer, ever stop justifying it by reference to "duty" and "the Emperor" and whatever other nationalist trash. Oscar can't stand it.

Without thinking, Oscar takes a swing at Sano.

Sano easily steps away from Oscar's telegraphed blow.

"Mr. Latz, I fear you're not thinking clearly," Sano says calmly. "Would you like some tea?"

"'Would you like some tea'," Oscar sneers. "We can pretend it's not grown on some plantation." (He's actually shamefully uncertain about the specific labor situation on tea farms but.) "I am thinking clearly, I just found out you routinely kill people." Sano keeps staring at him impassively; what's it going to take to get him to react. "...Guess you're not different from Chris Parker, huh," he says.

"You might say that," Sano says with continued infuriating calm. "Mr. Latz, would you prefer to have a sitdown in my office while you calm down, or would you prefer to resolve matters yourself and speak with me later when you're more settled?"

"I'm as calm as I'll ever be about this situation. I don't forgive people for things like this... I'm probably going to die too since I read Der Wanderer, huh."

"No. If you cast spells unwisely, it harms your sanity. Nothing more. If you are careful with the magic you use and do not use it excessively, and take care of yourself in body and mind, then it will not harm you."