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Sometimes I wish I could just rip off this uniform and knock those idiots down one by one. Maybe things would be much simpler that way, huh?

'Defeat the Victoria of the past'...

If only it were as simple as a match in the ring.

The golden lion closes his eyes, drifting off to sleep, though his tail is still lazily swatting against Vina's arm.

Teacher, I'm sorry for complaining to you again.

There are some things I don't know how to explain to Morgan and the others. They wouldn't understand, and I don't want to make them worry.

As for Delphine... I don't want to show too much doubt or vulnerability in front of her. She's already taken on so much for me and pinned so many expectations on me.

There are already so many people counting on me, Gawain.

I don't want to let them down.

She shuts her eyes and grips the crown.

'King', 'Speaker', these titles mean nothing to her.

She just wants—

Vina, I knew I'd find you here!

Wait… were you just asleep, or?

No, I was just thinking about something. Gawain, he—

She instinctively turns her head to the side, but there's no one there. Yet that warmth remains, unmistakable.

He's gone.

(...Thank you for being here with me, Gawain.)

Morgan, what are you doing here?

Delphine convinced the provisional court to hold the crown thief in the Defense Forces' detention quarters, for now.

The full report on her is out now. I didn't want to waste time, so I came straight to you. Here, this is the report.

Her name is Diane Weber.

Morgan pauses, watching Vina closely for a reaction. But Vina simply looks at her with curiosity, waiting for her to continue.

She didn't just decide to steal the crown out of the blue.

She has been working with a pharmaceutical rep from Columbia for a while now, helping spread awareness about Oripathy infection protection methods.

That's how she learned when the guards patrolling outside the Palace of Westhaleg would change shifts. Once she got inside, she waited until your speech and slipped into the throne room.

And then, she stayed there for quite a while—at least half an hour.

What did she do in there?

I don't know, and she won't say. Maybe she was hesitating, or maybe she just got lost in thought. In any case, she managed to make off with the crown without alerting anyone.

Wait, something doesn't add up here. She stayed in the throne chamber for so long. She didn't run into the patrols after the shift change?

No, she didn't. Even she was surprised by how easily she escaped. She thought for sure the patrols would catch her.

So someone must have helped her. Was it one of the guests?

Unclear, but if she had help, she didn't know about it. She came up with this whole plan herself.

But... why? Just to bring the crown to me and goad me into—

Her name is Diane Weber.

I know—

You don't remember her. I kept thinking she looked familiar, and when I saw the report, I realized—it's her.

Remember that day when the alliance surrounded us on our doorstep? The first soldier to defy orders and escort us forward?

Vina recalled the sky that day, filled with steam, the lingering smell of smoke and gunpowder.

And the soldier whose face had become a blur in her memory.

'This is Lieutenant Diane Weber of the Sixth Column, Tenth Infantry Regiment. Lower your weapons, soldiers, and escort the Exemplars in their advance.'

'Before I was a soldier, I was a Londinier. This is my home too.'

'Go, Siege. The fight is not yet over.'

'We will take back what is ours!'

Diane Weber, the soldier who defied the Duke of Caster's orders... She contracted an acute infection in the final battle against the Nachzehrer King.

That rings a bell? She was the one who took the Sighs of Kings from you and charged towards the Nachzehrers.

She doesn't have much time left.

We are short of Oripathy suppressants, and she never got enough medicine to slow her condition. We took a look at her, but—

The crown lets out a faint metallic creak as Vina's hand tightens around it. It looks so fragile, yet its resilience is undeniable.

She really loved our home, and she loved Victoria as well.

That's why she volunteered to join the ducal forces, only to defy their orders and end up forced into retirement.

She trusted you, even though I don't agree with some of her ideas. Vina, maybe we could...

<i>I never finished asking for mercy on Diane's behalf. Vina knew what I wanted to say, and I knew how she'd respond...</i>

<i>No, I knew what Speaker Vina Victoria would say.</i>

<i>Even now, I can't imagine what must've been going through Diane Weber's head when she made that crazy decision, but I admire her.</i>

<i>...Even though she stole the crown, she did it out of love for Victoria.</i>

<i>I don't understand. Since coming back to the city, so many things have changed—changed in ways I can't fathom and don't want to understand.</i>

<i>And on that day, I finally made up my mind—</i>

<i>From the end of that final battle outside the Palace of Westhaleg until now... I've lingered here far too long.</i>

<i>Maybe it's time to go home, back to the boxing gym.</i>

<p=1>Auchterigg Front Lines, T1</><p=2>October 2nd, 1098, 6:23 A.M. - The Day the War Ended</>

Death... awaits... at the end...

My liege... watches... death, watches... you...

Captain, the target has been neutralized! But our remaining ammunition is estimated to last only two more minutes!

We need our next set of orders!

All units, prepare for close-quarter combat!

Hold the line for the next two minutes—I'll cover your retreat!

Siege, our artillery support is running out!

The bombardment will end in three minutes! What's the situation on your side?

We can't clear this Nachzehrer fog!

These things have severed the supply routes our workers cleared for us. We can't get supplies to your position quickly enough.

Prepare to retreat from T1.

Negative! Abandoning T1 will create a gap in our encirclement, and the alliance forces will break through from our side! Captain, I can't accept that—

The battlefield isn't a place for heroics! Honor your orders!

We've sent a distress signal to our friends at Rhodes Island. Now we have to trust the Doctor and the plan.

Soldiers, we've made it home. Do everything you can to survive! Only then can we take back what we've lost!

Siege, we'll hold the line for the final two minutes, then retreat to regroup and assist you in clearing out the creatures in the fog!

Bagpipe, keep them safe!

Aye, Captain!

If the fog can't be dispersed, don't wait for us. Head to I12 and rendezvous with Gododdin's 106th Assault Brigade. Keep fighting.

Understood.

I'll be seein' ye soon, Captain—

(Strange howl)

Look out, Siege!

It's the Confessarius chimeras! Everyone, prepare to retreat!

(Song-like shriek)

It's lit itself up! Hannah, watch out for its flames!

Oof... It hurts... Vina, are you alright?

Everyone else, fall back! I can't allow any more needless sacrifices...

(A piercing wail)

Wait—where did this backup come from!?

Anti-witchcraft cannon has struck the target. Enemy movement disrupted. Remaining squads, continue setting up anti-witchcraft cannons.

Mission objective: eliminate threats within the fog.

Friendly forces at T1, hold your position. Emergency supplies will arrive at your location in three and a half minutes.

Exemplar T1 Combat Team—message received! Please identify your unit!

Duke of Normandy's 8th Grenadier Battalion, under orders to support The Exemplars.

The Duke of Normandy? 8th Grenadier Battalion? Horn, do you know anything about this unit?

They're not under the direct command of the Duke of Normandy. They report to the Earl of March.

Lieutenant Skamandros truly has an exceptional grasp of our intelligence operations, as to be expected from someone born into a military family.

Lieutenant, keep Her Royal Highness Alexandrina safe.