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...It has long fused with your body.

'Core... temperature... dropping'

I will keep your core. I promise that your heart will never stop burning. It will bear witness to Victoria's future.

Sir Charles, you've seen the things you hoped to protect restored to their former brilliance.

Have you any final words, good Steam Knight?

'From this day forward, you will be honored as a Steam Knight.'

'Sir Charles Lynch, tell me, what do you want for your reward?'

'Your Majesty, I wish for your blade to always be sharp.'

'I wish for the wheat my wife harvests to fill the granary by our doorstep year after year.'

'I wish to hold my newborn daughter in my arms and fly over Londinium, gazing down at the factories bustling day and night throughout the city.'

'I wish for my neighbor, whose legs were crippled by illness, to stand again, so we can drink, sing, and celebrate through the night with our comrades we know so well.'

'Your Majesty, what I wish for is a life of lasting peace. If this reward requires me to fight for it myself...'

'Then, Your Majesty, I pledge to you, I will always keep fighting, for you, for all my loved ones, for myself, and for...'

<i>'...Victoria.'</i>

'Victoria.'

'The Oath of Sir Charles Lynch, the final words of the last Steam Knight.'

You never abandoned yourself, even when Victoria abandoned you...

Ha... 'Steam Knight', I don't deserve that title, nor this set of armor.

This war has already claimed too many lives.

I hope yours is the last. Goodbye, Sir Charles Lynch.

Listen. They're all bidding you farewell.

'Victoria! Victory!'

'Victoria!' 'For Victoria!!!'

'(last burst of steam)'

'Victoria', his final hoarse whisper merges with the crowd's shouting, like raindrops quietly dropping into the sea.

Allerdale sees the excited faces in the crowd, yet cannot help falling into silence.

Her eyes are drawn to the woman standing on the steps—Vina. She knows Vina can see her as well.

Vina just stands there, looking back at her, her lips moving slightly.

Did she recognize me? Allerdale sighs.

You made the right choice. You are standing exactly where you belong.

As am I.

Londinium does not need any more heroes, Vina.

She turns and walks away, disappearing into the white billows of steam.

What are you looking at, Vina?

The Steam Knight is gone. He has completed his mission.

——? That steam... I thought it was like last time—

This time is different.

Then we...

There is no need to bother him. Someone is already seeing him off.

Alright.

Celebration, and mourning.

Vina, what should we do next?

The people stand cheering in front of the Palace of Westhaleg. They all look to Vina.

They're waiting for you.

Then I will show them all, Delphine.

<p=1>The Sineselde, Parliamentary Chamber</><p=2>December 25th, 1098, 5:24 P.M.</>

...is this the Speaker's answer? She sent you, her old comrades, to drive us away?

No. Guarding the Sineselde is only one of the Defense Forces' responsibilities. Justice is justice, Hoff.

Heroes shouldn't be treated this way. Diane and all The Exemplars who bled don't deserve this, do they, Commander?

I understand what you're saying, but this isn't how Parliament makes decisions.

We cannot let this become a precedent.

I do not know politics, Captain. I only know that Diane is a good person. If Parliament insists, many hearts will be lost.

And you, sir? You still will not yield?

I know Diane well. She would never act out of selfishness. Nor does she have any ties with the nobility.

Therefore, I humbly ask the Speaker to take time out of her busy schedule to reconsider Diane's verdict.

This was a decision rendered by the provisional court. Diane broke into the locked throne room in direct defiance of Parliament.

We also know Diane very well, but... I'm afraid there's nothing—

—Diane?!

Yes. She's the one who introduced us to you!

After the war, we lost our homes and nearly our lives. If it weren't for her constant encouragement, I'd probably still be passed out in a barrel of ale.

You don't think she's a bad person either, do you? It's just that Vina—

Speaker Vina, sorry. It's a force of habit. Speaker Vina must have made a mistake.

We've all gone to her office, but I feel like just having numbers on our side might not be enough... Feist, your words carry more weight—please, I'm begging you.

Sorry, but I have to assume that if Parliament put Diane on trial, they must have also allowed her to present a defense.

No matter how strange or unfair I think their decision is, having Speaker Vina force them to change it at the last minute would be even more unfair.

But Diane's case should be treated differently. We just barely survived the war, and now she's going to die over something so stupid?

Listen to the radio. Listen to the patrons in the bars. You'll hear that nobody's happy about this decision.

What do you think, Catherine? You said we could lodge our complaints with Vina anytime.

I think Diane is just a stupid girl who did a stupid thing. Nothing more.

She means well, but what she did was moronic. She defied a direct order of Parliament and left Vina with no other choice.

So, you're planning to turn down the pharma rep?

How do you expect me to convince Parliament?

Actually, Vina does have a chance to solve this. With her reputation, persuading Parliament to impose a lighter punishment is not impossible.

But many eyes are watching as she makes her final decision.

This is just one of the many tricky issues that the Speaker of Londinium's Parliament has to face. A hero may be able to save everyone in a war, but...

—Lady Delphine.

We spent quite a bit of time trying to find you.

Me?

In just one day, Diane's case caused quite an uproar across Londinium. We briefly investigated who was spreading the news and inciting the public.

So... Parliament wants me to shut up.

No, Eliseo. Compared to deliberate acts of sabotage, your actions have had significantly less impact.

Actually, we all admire you for fighting so hard for someone you have not known for very long.

Vina understands how you feel. She wanted to come see you in person, but I stopped her.

I apologize, but Madame Speaker has more urgent matters to attend to presently.

Is there... absolutely no room for negotiation regarding Diane's case?

No. Vina could change things. We all know that.

Frankly, this is a very sad case. However, it will serve as a message from Parliament to all the citizens.

I saw that you requested to review Parliament's records, so you must be well aware of Diane's charges, the defense that she herself presented, and the various PMs' opinions of her.

The citizenry has collectively established Londinium's current laws, and the provisional court made its judgment of Diane in accordance with those laws. Isn't this how you do things in Columbia?

But she's a war hero—shouldn't her merits outweigh her faults?

That's a notion steeped in reason, yet brimming with arrogance.

I often come across this phrase in history books, usually said by old Victorian kings.

But if Vina crosses this line and the others allow it to happen, then what is the point of having Parliament?

How would our Parliament be any different from the one where the king himself served as Speaker?

I don't know the answer to that question, Eliseo, but none of us want to take the risk of finding out.

Parliament will not interfere with any of your endeavors. However, as far as Diane's case is concerned, I'm sorry—this is Parliament's decision, and it cannot be changed.

Diane never told me, specifically, what kind of soldier she was during the war. Most of the time, she talked to me about her hopes for Londinium's future.

Most of the people I meet in Londinium harbor high hopes and dreams for the city's future.

This is the city's great fortune. Our duty is to ensure we never let its people down.

I see.