act22side

Oh, you don't mind if I sing along a little, do you?

Go ahead! It's our drinking song. Only thing I'll take offense to is an empty bottle, haha.

What's the lyrics, then? Is it okay if I sing in Victorian?

Hm... Let me fetch someone else. You just listen to them.

Fionn, you're up.

*sigh*...

'Ever does this land well with tears, yet we drink only of bygone dews and flames.'

By winding lane that blooms with rose and bellflow'r on the loam ♪

You're out of tune! That's terrible!

Shut up! Not like you're any better!

(Sharp whistle)

Ugh... I'm begging you, enough of that noise. You've got some bloody novel way of arguing...

Oi, no throwing stones either! What if we actually got hit here?

Wow, that bread smells good...

You can have half!

Oh, ta! Here, Chenchen, you have a bite. Come on, just one.

Lush, isn't it? I wonder what herbs they're usin'...

Hmm... Can't tell.

Eh? You spent ages back in Yan. What, did your taste buds get more fussy, or just duller a bit?

What do you think? We Lungmenites brew our tea in the summer with twenty-four kinds of medicinal herbs.

Really...? Oh, you're pullin' my leg again, aren't you?

I'm not.

...Are you enjoying yourself, Reed?

This is how their lives could've been all along. A bit better than this too, of course.

You gave them their lives back.

Reed, you know Taran. No excuses from you. Sing!

...Eh?

(Teasing whistle) Sing.

Fare on and long, you traveler, but to where do you now roam? ♪

The transport will leave clear tracks in the mud. Should we take a detour?

No need. We'll head straight to our destination.

Good stuff. And you, Moran.

Miss Moran, what're you doin' sittin' so far off? Reed's told you a million times it's okay!

She's right. Come on, 'Wandering Bard of the Glen of Camai...' Sing.

O, mists that shroud the valley... hide her figure waying far... ♪

Well, gosh, I think I once heard this beautiful singing years ago.

I'm sure you have.

Right you are. I remember taking my sister around—she wasn't so sick that she couldn't walk yet. We were stood on the stone bridge, listening for a good while.

*sigh* There must be more bridges like that, right? With just how far the Camai flows.

Bid breezes past the rugged lime ♪

Bring the civilians under control first, but don't let any of them get hurt.

Our target possesses excellent military accomplishments. Avoid direct confrontation to all possible extents.

Pick me a flower for her ♪

Selmon, look. How's this for defensive posture? Learned it from you.

So? You'll just be chasing fowlbeasts from now on. What'd you learn that for?

Till summer dries our laughs ♪

Do not talk to any of them. Not even a single word.

Leave the rest to me.

Bare bottles chill the bones with hurt ♪

Don't forget, we need to be out of here before daybreak.

We make a toast to those of us not here to raise their glass ♪

Crossbows at the ready. Prepare smoke grenades.

The tears we cup to drink are all the same and one, my lass ♪

*sigh*... I'm hopping out for some fresh air.

Hm? Mist at this hour...?

You—

Wh—

When did you...

Good evening, sir.

No, run! They're over here, too!

Bloody hell... They've got this whole open part surrounded, don't they?

Erk...

Freeze.

Okay, okay, I—I will... Bit too close with your saber there... You won't slip or anything, right?

R-Reed, help us! What do we do?!

Against this many... it'll be hard to force our way out.

Huff... huh...? Did they just break my cudgel in half?

...They're acting very confident—

They don't want to seize us violently. They just want to quell the resistance we put up.

Oof, not half bad, this lot...

I don't get it. How'd they follow us out to here? Where'd they come from...?

—Wait, that one. I've seen him before.

A couple days ago, when we ran into the spectre force...

Which means you lot aren't County Trent. These refugees are outside your jurisdiction. You've got no authority to arrest them.

We'll have to take off our gloves here, if you're not goin' to follow the rules.

The rules? That goes for you too. I see your piledriver spear missing its shells. You shouldn't be in a mile of the battlefield, soldier.

It's not like this was meant to be a battlefield, was it?! They've not even put the campfire out...

—Watch out!

A black dagger slides forward without a sound. Its tip reflects not even the slightest bit of light, instead drawing a path of smoke.

The dagger points intimidatingly at Bagpipe's throat, though its bearer gives it no glance; his eyes have been focused squarely on Reed.

Reed can tell clearly, from his sharp glare, that he and the army are out for her here.

Isn't your pike meant to be burning with flames?

I suggest you drop the futile resistance. Make the smart choice, lay your weapons down, and hear me out.

I have nothing against the Tarans, let alone any plans to retaliate against civilians. And as for steering the masses clear of ruin, you and I should be united on that front.

Here's the official paperwork.

What? A City Council writ of investigation?

The former Victorian soldier sets her weapon down.

Per the Council of the County of Trent's decision, I am here to investigate an overlooked, puzzling aspect of the arson cases.

...I—have no other choice, correct?

*sniffle*... *sob*...

—What are you doing? Quiet down.

...... (Sobs)

(Agh, this is terrible.)

(Always thought I should at least get my will in order, you know, before I finally meet my maker...)

(If you ask me? Should've written it up long ago.)

(I did right after we first made it out, but I tore it up, I've been so happy these past two days. Really regret that now.)

(Oh, shut up, Fionn. We're not done for yet.)

(They've got us all tied up and gagged, and everything we had to fight with got taken away. What else are we gonna do other than wait to die?)

(Sigh... Interrogation. Terrifying word. How many Tarans do we know made it alive out of an interrogation?)

(And who knows what they're prying out of a woman as kind as Reed.)