act30side

The trains here have all been handled, Madam.

As per your orders, the premier train next arriving at Lake Silberneherze is now running at top speed.

But are you sure that the guests you invited are aboard that train?

Of course I'm sure!

It's just that, if we happened to be wrong...

No way! They're definitely on that train!

Monch, I must ask, do you know how many new relay stations we've built to ensure a smooth signal across all of Kjerag these past three years?

I... I'm afraid I'm not quite sure.

Well, you've just returned to Kjerag, so I suppose it's natural for you not to know. So listen up and remember this!

In Browntail territory alone, we've built five of those top-of-the-line relay stations to ensure that the signal never breaks!

That many...?

Yep!

We also called in some professionals courtesy of that Doctor from Rhodes Island to help out, just to make sure that even amongst our many mountains, our communications will never be blocked!

So what I'm trying to say is that, theoretically, as long as it's within Kjerag's borders, there shouldn't be any sort of communications mishap.

Aside from some... special places.

Special places...?

Hehe, can't figure it out? They're—

Could it possibly be the private rooms on the train, Madam?

(Oh no, I shouldn't have said that...)

Heh... Bullseye!

It's the private rooms on the train! More specifically, the private rooms on the premier train from the foot of Mount Karlan to Lake Silberneherze!

That train was a special order from Victoria. As for the other trains that we have, they used that train as a prototype to copy- I mean, to study how to manufacture our own.

The walls of the private rooms of that original train are inlaid with materials designed to isolate the occupants from disturbances from outside, so naturally, they will cut off communication signals too.

The other trains don't have this feature, because, er, because it would have drastically inflated construction costs...

I get it now!

So what you're saying is, in determining if our guests are in Kjerag already, the very fact that your communicator can't reach them tells us that they must be in that specific train's private rooms!

That's amazing, Madam! I'm learning so much about the trains as well!

*cough* *cough* Anyways!

Kjerag as it is now and Kjerag as of a few years ago couldn't be more different.

I'm not going to ask where you've been these past few years, Monch, and I don't intend to pry into what you've been up to then. I don't even really care about why you didn't go back to that Gnosis either.

But if you really want to be my assistant, then you'd better get used to the modern-day Kjerag already!

And you'd better not think that I'm still the same old Rus from three years ago, you hear me?

Yes, Madam!

I'll do my best!

Glad to hear it!

Eh? Why's there so many people outside?

Hey, wait, aren't they...?

Get back! I said get back!

All of you, not a step closer!

You... What the hell do you think you're doing?!

How dare you try and pull this stunt under Kjeragandr's gaze! Don't even think about trying to ruin today's ceremony!

Jack?

That's you, isn't it, Jack? What are you playing at?!

You... You've just had a bit too much to drink, right?

A word of advice from me, today's not the time to make a ruckus! Go tell the others quick, Jack—

Enough!

I am under orders to shoot dead the next person who steps forward!

Eek!

You know, back when you first showed up, people said that a bunch of foreign soldiers showing up in Kjerag couldn't be up to any good.

I didn't believe them. I even spoke up for you guys.

It seems that I was blind this entire time. So, this was your real purpose? To ruin our ceremony for Kjeragandr? To strike us down?

Kjeragandr will not forgive you for this.

You invite Her wrath upon yourselves!

Hah. Let Her try.

We were punished enough as it is, a long time ago.

Those are Victorian soldiers. Something's not right. They have their uniforms on, and they've got their weapons out too!

It looks like there's been some sort of commotion outside!

Please, hide yourself, Madam...

The black-haired girl is about to subconsciously hold out her arm to protect her employer.

But before the words can even leave her mouth, Sciurus proves to be a step ahead of her, covering her mouth with her own hand and pulling her into a corner.

(Shh!)

(Don't say a word, Monch. We need to stay hidden!)

(Those Victorians... Didn't they say they were just here to attend the ceremony? Hmph. I guess they've finally shown their true colors.)

(This operation of theirs seems pretty big.)

(That bitch Ratatos wouldn't know about this trouble yet, would she?)

(Madam, they have a whole squad of Tschäggättä stationed there, alongside Degenbrecher from Karlan Trade. If trouble reaches them, it probably won't last very long.)

(Yeah... You're probably right.)

(And with Yucatan there, my sister will be safe.)

(Madam, allow me to escort you somewhere safe. I'll go assist Sir Yucatan next.)

(No. I have to stay here to watch them. If things get even more heated here, at least I can stop them for a bit.)

(Look, don't worry, nothing's going to happen to me. Even if I did get found, considering that I'm an envoy between Kjerag and Victoria for multiple cooperative business ventures, I doubt they'll have the stones to mess with me.)

(Madam...)

(Don't look at me like that! I already told you, I'm not the same as I was three years ago!)

(Okay, listen up, Monch. I've got something I need you to do.)

(Yes, Madam! You need only say the word!)

(That Enciodes definitely has some sort of contingency plan up his sleeve for those Victorians. Considering how big this commotion's grown, I can only suspect that something's gone wrong with the deployment of his men.)

(Monch, I need you to investigate things for me. Go check up on what's happening over there, and if you get the chance, making the Silverashes owe the Browntails a favor would be pretty nice.)

(Understood. I'll get it done.)

(What? Something on my face?)

(Madam...)

(You really have grown.)

(Wh-Who asked you?!)

(You're a lot younger than me, you know! Stop acting like you're the big sister! Really, <i>you</i> should be treating <i>me</i> like the big sister!)

(Can I really call you sister?)

(*cough* *cough* We... We'll discuss this later!)

(Alright, get moving already!)

(Yes, Madam!)

From time to time, Degenbrecher thinks back to ten years ago.

Back then, every winter she would accompany Enciodes all across Kjerag.

That young man who had just returned to his home country was not yet the deeply experienced person he was now, still quite underripe. He had to do many things himself, rushing about to and fro.

One could say that he was hot-blooded, or one could say that he had ambition.

Degenbrecher remembered that in the winter of that year, Enciodes brought all his plans and stratagems that he had devised in Victoria back to Kjerag, where he single-handedly founded Karlan Trade.

Of the few people who could be called his confidants, she would have just barely been within their number.

And thus, she found herself staying in this cold, snowy land.

If you were to ask her, while she has long gotten used to the bitter chill, she does not actually like cold weather very much.

Kazimierz's winters were cold indeed.

Those days, she would make her way through many matches of the Majors in winter. This made the KGCC very unhappy, but whether or not her opponent was happy was never in her mind.

Going back even further, Leithanien's winters too, were cold.

Was Kjerag's winter not colder than Kazimierz's or Leithanien's?

Degenbrecher stamped her foot upon the ice's surface, frost crystals breaking loose under her step.