act13side

Yep.

But this time, while the Major's on, we're going to completely cut the lights in all the Grand Knight Territory's arenas.

I've heard it multiple times and it still sounds crazy. Can we really pull this off all on our own?

If the Grand Knight Territory fell this easy, then Ursus would've razed Kazimierz to the ground ages ago.

Does this tie in with your... 'Sprawiedliwi friends?'

Strange. The Adeptus allowing the Separation to rear its scandalous head again? What are they calculating?

Hah, what, the biggest scandal wasn't getting rode out by the business suits?

What's the specific plan?

Tomorrow evening, Greynuty's taking a team to shock-attack the Grand Knight Territory power plant.

Ordinarily, it's heavily guarded down there, but on this occasion, the Adeptus are gonna deliberately leave an opening... to give us 'something to exploit.'

If the Adeptus are willing to help us so much, why don't they just do this themselves?

Haha, they don't exactly speak in unity. Not just the Adeptus, the law-and-order National Council, the Knights Association, even the General Chamber of Commerce...

We've seen our fair shares of the volatile human condition. Since when would they ever be so simple?

Justyna, you go with Ashley.

After you complete your mission, cover them while they withdraw, then rush for the General Chamber building three kilometers out. Szewczyk'll be there to back you up at the designated spot.

As for you, Iwona, you're gonna have to handle the Armorless Union.

Aha, just what I wanted to hear!

The Armorless are already watching this place, so we won't get to pull this off so smooth. You've gotta find some way to proactively get them into a fight, Iwona, draw their attention away.

Of course, if any 'elites' show up, you've gotta hit the brakes, turn tail, and scram.

Got it.

The next time we hold a celebration dinner, I don't want your seat empty. I'll have no one to drink with, otherwise.

Relax. As long as you don't mess up and electrocute yourself, I'll keep with you to the bitter end.

Finally... with the help of a few conscientious reporters, we've found a passage to infiltrate the General Chamber of Commerce.

The entrance to the Chamber building's freight elevator is underground. Usually it's only Messengers and porters that go through there—

—Of course, even a freight elevator has its cameras. It won't be as easy as that.

But at the time of the last Great Kawalerielki Separation, with the power out, a Messenger trapped in the elevator escaped by himself, then got caught by a reporter for an interview—

He got into the elevator well through the air vent, climbed up, all the way to the fourth floor meeting rooms.

Our objective's the penthouse computer room. Once we steal the data, I'll find a way to immediately upload it to your terminals, and all of you can get the material—

—So that this'll work, even if you don't make it out?

You can't tell me anything of the sort, Sona. I'm disappointed in you. Even if it succeeds, this operation won't mean anything at all.

Not just you.

Assaulting the power facilities. Facing the Armorless Union. Not a single aspect of this is safe.

You want 'safety' now? Hmph, if the Armorless really do send assassins for us, it'll be nothing but playing hunter.

And moreover, we're certain to be the prey. Anyone who's not prepared for this, I suggest you back out right now. Don't drag us down when the time comes.

We have no way out in the first place, Sir Knight.

We were prepared for this long ago, because we never even needed to prepare.

What we genuinely need amounts to two things.

The truth of Area 0—the cage for the Infected secretly built by the General Chamber—we need to let the whole world know about it.

And the Armorless Union's 'roster.' To put it in perspective, even the Adeptus Sprawiedliwi doesn't know how many are on that list... In the worst-case scenario, it'll all have been a ruse set up by those spymasters in the first place.

Even so, as long as we succeed in handing these two things over to the Adeptus, we can get our legal papers back... and we won't ever be anyone else's playthings again.

As long as we give the Adeptus a reasonable motive to investigate Area 0 and the Armorless Union, it'll be the best attack they could ever make on the General Chamber of Commerce.

Win or lose, this is the moment.

Alright! I like those looks in your eyes!

Well then... anything weighing on you, Toland Cash?

You ought to show your face after eavesdropping for so long, right? Iwona's told us already. We won't pull anything on you.

What?

It's a bold plan. Infected and knightpeople, pleased to meet you.

A bounty hunter? Flametail, you never mentioned an outsider like this taking part in the fight.

You can't stand bounty hunters? Very sorry, but I've got my own share of hate for knights—

But I imagine the fancy knights know to take stock of a situation, especially ones like you, giving up your knighthood for your family. Factually admirable, I tell you.

So what I think, is that maybe you might need a little help in other ways—no, that's fine if you don't trust me—for example, a blueprint of the K.G.C.C. Tower's internal structure.

Where did you get it?

There's more ways than you know, Miss, but human connections work best.

If you want to join in on us, fine. But. Hm, just as an interview, I want to hear your reasons.

Reasons?

Ahh... you can already see the K.G.C.C. building from this angle. It's one you can catch from any dim alley in the Grand Knight Territory.

I want to see it crumble. It's that simple.

Why?

Have you ever been to one of those villages hammered by taxation and Catastrophes?

I've been. I see them fight over things. I see them run fugitive. I see them pass on.

I've been to many a place.

It sounds like you've got plentiful experience.

Hah, don't look at me. I thought he was a decent sight from the beginning, right?

(A beeping noise)

No objection.

It's your call.

Alright, then. Welcome to the club, Mr. Toland.

Doctor!

You're working hard.;(Nod in greeting) ......;Burning the midnight oil?

Ah... mm, I'm alright. All the Medic Operators have been hard at work too.

The Infected knights... I thought they were a special case in Kazimierz, but they number far more than I imagined.

They even have scarring from beast bites... it's precisely because of this that ordinary hospitals are so hesitant to accept wounded Infected for treatment.

However...

Hm?

No... I can't shake this feeling that something, somewhere isn't normal.

There's nothing wrong with building an Infected treatment facility in an isolated district, but the people who've accepted treatment, they've all been 'knights'...

If it were just for handling Infected knights, they shouldn't have needed to go to so much trouble.

What I mean is... there might be quite a few Infected knights... but how many people—is this nomadic platform able to contain?

The other sections... the workers won't let us near them, but what are those areas—doing?

Let me worry about this.

I'll ask Gravel if she knows anything.

You need to get some rest first.

Alright!

Don't push yourself too hard, Doctor. The Adeptus Sprawiedliwi's knights might be treating us politely thanks to our ties with Miss Nearl, but this is still Kazimierz's core in the end.

That's right, where's Gravel? Wasn't she staying at your side?

I asked her for some company info from the K.G.C.C.

If I can, I want a meeting with the spokespeople and our partners.

Ah... but given you're the one requesting it...

Doctor, you have to be careful when you're dealing with those businesspeople.

I've been hearing of all sorts of rumors from the knights these past few days...

Ah, that's right, I heard about Nearl's performance! Quite a few of the Infected knights coming for treatment are fans of hers!

I'd known 'The Radiant Knight' held weight in Kazimierz, but never imagined this scale.

I hear Nearl's sister's old enough to fight in the knight competitions, so actually she must be older than me, even... if we get the chance, I'd really like to meet her.

Amiya! You're here too, Doctor!

Ah, Hibiscus. Any news?

Well... it's a little hard for me to put... um.

The knights who came in today were talking about 'demonic treatment,' 'the shady doctor from Kazdel' and the like...

We wouldn't... advertise like that, would we? To be honest, it should be 'the health administering maestro from Kazdel' anyway!

I—I'll consult Gravel and the spokesman. How did it end up like this?

Oh! But—getting a little famous isn't so bad, either. I've been here a while, and you do get to see the same faces from time to time.