act22side

What's goin' on with these soldiers?

They go down without puttin' up a proper fight, and they don't even react to us yellin'.

They're already dead. They've been dead for... over 48 hours.

Chenchen, I know you're a copper, you're not mistaken when you see things, but these people were clearly standin' before we knocked them down, right?

I saw a kind of Arts, among Reunion's ranks, that could control other people.

But this and that don't resemble each other. If Amiya... if Rhodes Island's Cautus was here, she might be able to feel out the difference better than me.

That kind of Arts refuted emotion and thought. It took living Sarkaz warriors and wore them down into walking weapons.

But these Dublinn soldiers are dead without a doubt... There's just some intense emotion that's still burning in them, even after they've died.

Burning?

It's just a feeling.

If this Arts had a definite form, if I used my Chi Xiao to cut through it, I'd imagine I'd be cutting through a fireball.

Wait, I've seen...

Purple flames.

Strange purple flames, burnin' in the eyes of dead soldiers...

I saw the Arts you're describin', back in County Hillock.

I haven't seen it since... not once, all this time! Chenchen, we're almost there, aren't we? That Caster leadin' the spectre force in County Hillock, she's got to be somewhere around here!

I'll never forget how she looked... I'm dead sure I'll recognize her if I see her again, and when I do, I can find out the truth about Dublinn.

Right.

Come on, then! We need to keep askin' around! Villagers, maybe caravans who've passed by... We'll find them, even if they're not the spectres for real!

Phew.

Patrol came brutally fast. It's lucky we've got good eyes on us.

Hah, you think those Victorian eejits say hello before they come snatching?

You lot move ahead, I'll take a proper count. Been worried we left somebody behind in all that panic just now...

Oh, that's right! Where's the doctor? Did nobody fetch her?

Didn't she say she was off by herself this morning? I'm not minding her business.

Besides, it's not going to be an issue if a Viccy soldier nabs her, right? She's not wanted.

Look, she is! We got her involved in all this last night!

It was dark out and the soldiers probably didn't catch her face properly, but how many Vouivre have you ever seen around here?

Well, if you can't help her, what's the point dossing about fretting the whole day?

I...

Wait. Hold on, Caireann's here... Selmon, you did that on purpose.

You lied to her saying we'd lost track of a friend, and could she go looking...

Why? She was kind enough to save us, and share us some medicine... And you just left her for the army lot to snap up?

You don't get it? We leave her behind to attract attention, and that gives us a safe getaway for the time being.

And she won't say much vital even if she's caught. She doesn't even know which way we're going, let alone the fact we're looking for Dublinn.

But... But she could die!

Yeah. She went off alone. She'll run into the patrol sooner or later.

We should've taken all her luggage while we had the chance. Wouldn't fall into those Victorian scumbags' hands, at least.

It was her choice, Fionn. Did you not see her face when she saw me?

She KNEW Dublinn, but never had no kindness for it. And she spoke standard Victorian.

Her sort hate us more than real Victorians do.

I can't swallow that, Selmon. I trust my intuition for people.

Relax, madam.

I'm not—familiar with what's gone on here.

I know. You're not a Dublinn ally. You just panicked for a bit, and got mixed up with those insurrectionists.

(Taran) You've killed Dublinns.

You understood that. We're not mistaken, then. There's very few Vouivre around these parts who know Taran.

Where did that Dublinn soldier take you lot, last night?

No... they're not Dublinn, and they don't have anything to do with Dublinn either.

And I've never killed anyone from Dublinn before. You've gotten something wrong.

You can be honest here. You won't pay for it, so you don't need to fear it.

The land around here has been under strict surveillance by the barracks. The Marquess of Trent has no plans to dither like some nobility has, letting Dublinn stir up flames all over the place.

That's why we could even tell who you were.

Residents of a different village, close to Trent's cityway, reported news of Dublinn to the barracks a few days ago.

But those Dublinn soldiers, before they could attack the village, were all felled by a white-haired Vouivre.

Would we be able to turn on the tap, so to speak? We'd like to query your identity, motive, as well as last night's arson which held similarities to Dublinn MO...

—Hold it! Are you trying to flee?

Stop her! This Vouivre is scared of going on record! There's something afoot with her!

—S-She broke my saber?! What kind of strength does she...?!

I've told you—everything I can tell you. Let me leave...

It'll be best for us.

You must be of a kind with those wretches, if you're so protective of them. Bumptious Tara rabble, the lot of you.

Fire! A few bolts aren't enough to kill a Vouivre! Suppress her first!

Why... do you hate them so much? You're a—Taran yourself...

Shut up! You are NOT—to address me with that word!

So anyone who spoke Taran since childhood IS a Taran? I certainly never heard of the 'Taran' people when I was young!

If you're the one who repelled those Dublinns, you should get it into your head that 'Taran' is just an excuse of a moniker these bandits use to destroy the order. And once you do, you draw a clean line between yourself and them.

...'It was the erosion of the Tarans by Victoria's vain stylings, that led so many to fall to banditry.'

A mentor... told me this, many years ago.

I'm sorry.

Hah, hah... you're hesitating. You're scared of even stabbing people with your pike there.

—Are you looking down on me, is that it?

I...

It was because, in an instant, they'd become ash upon the barrens.

Go, Loughshinny. If you don't want what you do to be discovered, then the best way is to dispose of all eyewitnesses.

No, I wouldn't do that.

Urgh—!

Captain!

Re... Retreat with the captain! Report this upstairs, request backup!

It's okay. They won't—catch up to me.

I'll be leaving this place very soon. I know the speed—at which the Victorian Army mobilizes.

This is—far from wrong to do.

—Who's there?

She thrusts her spear forth in vigilance.

—Its point hovers over some shrubbery.

It's me, it's me...

It's me, I'm not going to hurt you.

Yes, I'm very well aware the County Trent won't be changing its entire course just for a single order, which is why we're willing to push back the delivery date and wait for the nomadic city to come closer.

Of course, only mines with royal approval could provide Originium fuel of such high purity, hence my being so very thankful for the Marquess of Trent's friendly attitude to us.

I imagine we're all very happy with this business partnership.

Your secretary has left with the signed contract, Mr. Hughes.

He'll deliver it back to the office. Please, I ask you trust him to properly handle such a vital agreement.

No, no no no, I don't mean to doubt his management abilities.

But rather, doesn't this imply you have more pressing matters to discuss with me personally than the contract, mmm?

After all, you did choose this secluded little getaway, and dismiss your servants too.

Quite right, it's no surprise you'd surmise, haha. I had all these arrangements laid out specifically to convey my good faith to you. My wish is that...

our ensuing conversation will be founded on our mutual friendship from our time studying at the Royal Guard together, Lo—

Shh.

How funny you should remember that name.

Haha... well, you do know how famous she was at the ball.