Глава 7

I have my own channels, and might be a little more frank than I used to be. Oh, but I guess I could've mixed up my sources? Something like that.

W, if you want me to be more transparent, I can explain to you the details of my plan. All of them.

Skullshatterer and your first operation tested the L.G.D.'s response speed. It allowed us to adjust our strategy and improve upon our plans to take down Lungmen.

Without your cooperation, we could not succeed.

The Key did truly exist, but was lost upon Misha's death. The Key that Patriot sought was only a backup plan to deal with this situation.

I won't force you to tell me where your information came from, but my explanation should convince you.

All right, all right. But, Leader, I want to know how many Keys there are. Won't ask any more questions after that, yeah?

Two. Sergei, Royal Chernobog scientist, held one of them, and delivered it to Misha using special means.

The other was held by Marquess Boris, former mayor of Chernobog. During our attack, he broke off a city plate to flee. However, he was unable to escape the Catastrophe.

The ruined satellite city.

Our undercover agents in the city have kept everything there that we need. We can lure the L.G.D. into an ambush given the proper distance.

We have sufficient reason to capture the abandoned city, and the best use of it is to occupy it and turn it into a stronghold.

You're really good at explaining things, Leader. I'm all out of questions.

Hey, I'm not asking too many, am I? Sorry to make you waste so much time explaining it all to me.

W, if openness can resolve the misunderstanding between us, I won't be stingy with my time.

In order to ensure a relationship of long-term mutual benefit, I will continue to draw up our future plans. Hopefully this can slightly increase the trust between us.

We will need to support each other to have a chance at overcoming the troubles to come.

Really? I'm touched.

Of course.

I never liked this woman.

The Talulah they talk so nice about in private is so insanely boring. And this Talulah talking to me right now is just another lying bastard.

Oh, not to say there's anything wrong with lying.

I lie a lot. Nothing stronger than a well-placed lie, except maybe a bomb. The truth is like a cup of water. What good does it do when the whole house is on fire?

But when I lie, I know I'm lying. I chew up my thoughts up and spit them into ears. This she-dragon, though, she lies so natural it's like the words come out of someone else's mouth.

Doesn't matter who she's talking to. It's not just tweaking a couple points to cover up her plans.

—She takes on a totally differently form, turning into something they trust more, telling them what they want to hear.

Reunion's most beloved figure is, of course, the Leader, Talulah. Standing here with me, she's a businesswoman, a trader. With Patriot she turns right into a warrior woman.

She'll show her true face one day, but not everyone will live long enough to see it.

Besides, does she even... have a true face?

Is she an onion? You keep peeling off layer after layer until you realize there's nothing inside?

I mean it.

She was acting honest as an Iberian nun just a minute ago.

She lifts her hand slightly. Hah, I know that trick.

Right now she's like a cunning Savra after a lifetime of raiding and killing.

Something pulls away the air in front of me, and in a split second it'll melt away my whole body.

Don't tell me you're ready to kill me after a little bit of teasing.

Nobody has ever figured out the formless things Talulah throws around— but I know exactly what they do.

Ruins. Debris. Things lose even their most basic structure.

It's just like a fire without light.

I am her prey.

I should have known.

Kinda obvious, dragon lady. The old Talulah wouldn't have showed her cards this early.

Waiting to die, or plopping down some long-winded monologue before the end, just isn't my style.

I never thought about dying. At least, not now.

The small device I tossed out moments earlier while I was talking, falls to the ground and blooms into a ball of flame before me.

A wave of heat rushes towards me. Luckily, the comforting warmth isn't hers.

I'm no Arts expert, in my experience, ninety-nine percent of Arts are no match for this pure burst of energy.

Explosions. Heat, shrapnel, shockwaves. It's an equalizing force that tears apart any enemy, or me.

I just need to draw out the stalemate a little longer. Until all the seeds I planted finish blooming.

You're such a hard worker, Talulah. You even went through all that trouble to play out a sitcom with me. I knew it, you really would make a great actor.

This dragon lady... I don't really hate her that much, do I?

Those who don't know how to deceive cannot tell lies, and thus are not liars. And she... is a monster soaked in lies.

She doesn't need to lie.

No wonder I get kinda... Okay, I admit it, kinda scared when I see her. I don't hate her, but I might really be afraid of her.

And fear breeds caution. If you've got your guard up, you're prepared.

Your little tricks are actually able to neutralize my Originium Arts. I might have underestimated you.

Hey, this 'little trick' took me hours to put together. Show some respect, huh?

But if a little bit of your fire was all it took to make me roll over and die, what kind of devil would follow me?

You came prepared. You planned to attack me from the very beginning.

You made the first move, dragon lady. Are you trying to torch me because I'm a pain, or do you wanna shut me up because I've seen through you?

To punctuate my sentence, a wave of heat surges from her fingertips and leaps towards me. Man, this dragon bitch just won't let me have any fun.

I bend my waist and drop into an exaggerated roll, making it look like I'm tying my shoes.

Uh-oh.

Aim better next time.

W, your dirty tricks have been exposed. You are now an enemy of Reunion.

Why do you oppose me? This is certainly of no benefit to you?

Why? Why do you think this was my idea? I sure as hell didn't want us clawing at each other's faces this soon.

Fact of the matter is, you attacked me first. Hmm, trying for a little shock and awe, huh?

I guess I have no choice then. I just have to kill you before you kill me.

Your insanity has deepened your blind confidence.

Lying to me is no big deal. I don't really care who you lie to, how many people you kill, or how many people you lie to...

But, dragon lady, you'll regret lifting a finger against me.

Am I the kind of person who says stuff like this?

Maybe I really am losing it. Can't even call this insanity at this point. Seems more sentimental than anything else.

I guess I really fucked up.

I see. Pretending to be crazed and stupid had us all fooled. Turns out, I misunderstood your character this whole time.

So considerate of others. What a lovely little devil you are, such a colorful character.

Ahaha... *spits*.

Not as lovely as you, of course. But, you'll be even cuter once I rip your tongue out. Can't have it lolling around.

Do you think your little traps are enough to kill me?

Of course not.

Did I ever mention that I set a trap?

Better watch your feet. Might be a trap. Say, how many do you want?

How many do you have?

You pitiful thing. My flames have found you.

You will pay for your betrayal.

Woah... Creepy. What's the matter with you? Who are you talking to with that tone of voice?

You.

I know you hate these words, W. You also hate me for pointing out your purpose.

Uhh, well, thanks for being so considerate of my preferences. You think you can rile me up with the right phrasing?

And like, my purpose? How many people you plan to kill has nothing to do with me, dragon lady.

What do you know about me? You've got like eighty different plots within plots going on in that noggin and you're gonna guess what's in mine?

W... You want to prevent me from using the core city to attack Lungmen.

...Oh?

If you simply wanted revenge, you would not have chosen this moment. If you wanted to kill me, W, you could have waited until both Lungmen and I are incapacitated. That would have been the wise move.

Trying to talk me into giving you information was another cover. A mercenary leader who cares nothing for the direction of Reunion would not ask me, the 'Leader of Reunion,' about my plans.

You know, I won't kill you— as long as you put aside your interest in this war. Do that, and I'll spare your life.

I'm fond of you, W. You're good comic relief. And I have no desire to execute a harmless harlequin.

However... a madwoman who will use any methods available to kill me has no right to judge good and evil, let alone claim to understand my plans.

...Are you really as violent and insane as the performances you put on suggest, W?