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Oh, Tomato—

Tomato! Come back! Wait for me!

Moo—

There are a lot of people in the city. It's dangerous to run around like this.

Besides, it's rude to run and make noise in Kereseira's temple.

Moo.

That's right. Good one.

The burdenbeasts... they've stopped. All she did was gently put her fingers on the burdenbeast's head. Even Cauliflower, who's normally the grumpiest...

They say that even burdenbeasts could understand the music that Kereseira played on her harp. I always thought it was just a legend... convinced myself it must be...

I never thought I would actually meet someone who could talk to burdenbeasts for real!

Who... who are you? How do you talk to burdenbeasts? Can you teach me?

Talk? All you need to do is open your mouth... you can do it, can't you?

No, what I mean is, how do the burdenbeasts understand what you're saying—

They don't. At least, I don't think they do.

The girl lifts the finger that was on Cauliflower's forehead. The angry burdenbeast immediately lowers its shoulders and stomps its hooves, preparing to charge.

The girl puts the finger back.

You still have strength left. Impressive.

Are you the herder? Give me another minute. She'll settle down once she's out of energy.

The rest of the herd will calm down once the leader does.

So you just overpowered Cauliflower... with a single finger? So easily? It usually takes four or five strong guys to keep her down, and even that's not a guarantee...

Your name's Cauliflower? Nice name. It suits you well.

*Whine*...

Th-The tile beneath Cauliflower's feet is cracking!

Alright, that should do it.

The girl lets go, and Cauliflower's knees buckle as she lies down on the ground.

Then the girl does it to the rest of Cauliflower's herd, one by one, calming all the burdenbeasts in no time.

That's the last one. Huh?

What's that on your horn?

Thank you for your assistance, our distinguished guest, Cynisca, honored priestess of Lachedamon.

As for the harp you are holding, please give it to me.

It is the harp of Kereseira, belonging to the First Temple, which we have been waiting for.

Titi! Found you at last!

Did you follow the stampede of burdenbeasts to the temple? What happened at the ranch?

I... I just fell asleep at the ranch last night. Then I heard a huge commotion before Mio woke me up, and I saw that the harp was gone...

I saw the burdenbeasts running down the hill, so I followed them and ended up here... was it the burdenbeasts that brought the harp back to the square?

Yes... it's the miracle that we've been waiting for! The true harp of Kereseira!

Now, the only thing missing for the ceremony is the play...

Which isn't so hard. I memorized the Kereseira roles in all the plays. Once we settle on a program, we can find people to play the rest of the roles...

About that—I would like to select the play for this ceremony, in my capacity as the supervisor of the First Temple's completion.

Why are you so serious all of a sudden? What's the play you have in mind?

<i>Kereseira and the Outlander</i>.

You mean... the play that was banned for political reasons, and afterwards remained unperformed even after the ban was lifted because no Minoan wanted to play the role of the outlander?

Yes. It used to be the most popular classical play used in traditional ceremonies.

I will play the role of the outlander.

You don't need to do this. We all know how kind-hearted you are...

No. I want to do it.

I thought long and hard about it last night, and realized that this was my responsibility as a Sargonian, here and now.

Such beauty! The warm winds welcome the gentle waters of Delphi through the mountains.

Upon ruin and rubble we have built our temple. Now the sacred flame burns bright, in the fragrance of flowers and incense.

The songs and legends of heroes have given us courage to gather here this beautiful day—

Remember how greedy outlanders invaded our land, enslaved us, and silenced the song of all.

But our faith held strong. The outlanders could not break our will, nor chain our free souls.

We, the people of Minos formed in union, our faith and will victorious.

Now, we drive the last outlander from our soil!

As she recites the lines, Pallas seems to see the old First Temple and the mountain-rimmed gardens through Kereseira's own eyes.

Once, the people who had lost hearth and home gathered before Kereseira, just as the citizens of Athenius gather before Pallas now, sitting and standing.

They are all holding their breaths, waiting for the most important moment—

The moment that comforts the hearts of all Minoans and shows them that the long night and nightmare have passed, and the beautiful future that the divine revelations and heroic stories spoke of lies before them.

The last outlander is here.

Her heart beating wildly, Titi steps on stage, slowly but firmly.

This is what she has chosen, her play and her role.

There are words that she must say, things that she must do.

I repent for all that was done by us, our fathers, and their fathers before them.

We have trodden upon soil that was never ours—whether by choice or under the guise of compulsion—out of greed and baseness, out of fear and cowardice.

The hands that should have nurtured families tore the families of others apart. The spears that should have protected their own nation were pointed at innocents.

We must pay for all that we have done.

Your dagger, my lady.

Kereseira picks up the executional dagger.

The weapon has accompanied Kereseira ever since she hung her harp on the laurel tree.

Years of fighting have taken their toll in the form of chipping across the blade, but the tip remains sharp enough to take a life.

The outlander relaxes as Kereseira prepares to make her move.

As dramatic music begins to play, Pallas, playing Kereseira, hesitates a little.

Titi suddenly recalls the soldier who gave the blade to Kereseira. His face was covered, his figure unfamiliar, and his motions somewhat halting.

Was he one of the actors that she picked for the play? Titi begins to feel unsure.

The stage of the theater is wide and empty. The audience seems so far away, but Titi can hear their clamor. Are they excited about the play?

—'Kill her! Make the invaders pay!'

Or was it for the Sargonian standing before them in the theater?

She looks up at the dagger in Pallas's hand. The tip of the blade, which should have been made of rubber, reflects a metallic gleam in the sun.

All must end here.

Only then can we retrieve the harp from the laurel tree, drink fine wine, and return to the mountains and land that nourished us.

The play must go on. She must believe, believe in her friend, in the heroic spirit of the Minoans.

Titi closes her eyes.

Despicable! Disgrace!

Have you no pride, Minoans? Have you no honor?

Have you no heroic spirit?

The audience falls silent.

They slowly part to let a tall figure through, walking towards the stage with dignity and resolve.

He walks on stage, and kicks the Agamem soldier standing in his way to one side.

Swapping the dagger to make a murder look like an accident... since when did Minoans learn such underhanded methods?

Now THAT is what I wanted to see. A surprise, something unexpected.

Of course, it would have been interesting too if you hadn't held yourself back.

Athenius's business should be handled by the citizens of Athenius... we should trust Pallas, even if this man didn't make an appearance.

Please excuse my impetuousness.

Astynomos! What in the padishah's name is going on?!

It is an insult to have a Sargonian play such a—a denigrating role! And what did the man mean when he talked about the dagger? As an emissary of Sargon, I cannot allow—

Kindly collect yourself, Kýrios Behnui. It was Kyría Mashayer's own decision to play the role.

It is hardly becoming of an emissary to shout like this during such an important occasion, when the dust has yet to settle.

Xanthos...

So you never left Athenius...

Xanthos remembers the day when he raised his oar at the Sargonian he had tied to the tree.