The narrator introduces us to the city of "the desperate city" . He tells us that this is the first time he's seen Mr. Dupuis in a long time. He's amazed at how powerful the city is. He also tells the narrator that the world war has been going on for 500 years. The narrator says that he used to think the city was a prison for him, but now he thinks that it's a prison set up for the rich. He asks the narrator how he can get out of the city. He says that the city and the holy council are "birds of one feather" , and that if they don't have a plan, they'll lose all of their previous efforts. He suggests that the holy man who guided him to accept the inheritance should be behind the man with the red beard . But the narrator doesn't believe him, and he says that's just his guess. He then suggests that they kill more people in the council and the sects, but the narrator points out that they've already killed too many, and they're afraid that the council won't allow them to go easily