Глава 7

Do you want to torture me with your death for the rest of my life? Don't you remember why your sister died?

No, no... Fumizuki, I want you to live. I...

Wei Yenwu, I told you... I'm fine with it.

To die with you would already be the best terrible outcome I can imagine. Or rather, no matter how terrible it is, it'll be a fine ending for me.

Don't say that, Fumizuki...

I won't be that kind of person. I won't let you do that either.

But you know, you can't stop me. You've never been able to stop me from doing what I want to do.

Fumizuki...!

Yenwu, you've always been frank with me. Sometimes, you won't tell me anything, when you finally come out with it, I'll always know that you're telling me the truth.

I don't want you to die. But I also don't want Tal to die. I don't want any of us to die.

I miss Tal. I'm always reminded of how much she looks like your sister. But, she has Edward's eyes, and that temper she had when she was little... I have no idea who she got that from. It's been so, so many years since I've seen her.

We owe all of this to her.

...and Hui-chieh.

Yes, and Little Ch'en as well.

Little Ch'en is gone, and I won't be able to see her ever again... I'll never be able to buy her beautiful clothes and comb her hair into a work of art.

She... She didn't like traditional attire that much.

But, I liked it. How beautiful, how beautiful she will be.

...But even if that's the case, even if we've said our final farewell, I hope that Little Ch'en can find someplace else to settle down comfortably. That's what I hope.

I know you don't want to rely on Rhodes Island, and I know that you won't hedge all your bets on them.

But I want you to wait for a while.

And let them do this, Yenwu.

If they fail, then we shall go together. You don't want to have the blood of your loved ones on your hands ever again, right?

If that happens, I will help you take Tal's life. Then, we will die together.

Fumizuki...!

You want her to live as well, don't you? Is this Lungmen a place that wants all of us to die?

I would rather never see them again. I would rather never see Little Ch'en and Tal again and forget about them... but I also want them to live on.

Just like you. Just like you wanted me to make this decision.

Fumizuki. If things pass the tipping point, you must listen to my arrangements. Our lives... are not indivisible.

Of course not, Yenwu. I do not solely exist for you.

...Everything I've done, from beginning to end, has not only been for your sake.

You must see what I am fighting for.

Don't dodge the issue anymore. Look at me.

I will stick to my decision...

Do you want to cry?

It's fine to cry, Yenwu.

No, Fumizuki. No...

...I'm fine.

Be honest.

There are people who simply want to rest and find refuge within a city. Why should they suffer needless death?

Don't we just want to give them a home? Don't we want all people like us, who have nowhere to go, to have a warm place to rest?

Did I not simply want to build a little city where everyone can live with peace of mind?

Who was Lungmen built for, the way it is now?

I am no moralist, Fumizuki. But the closer I look, the more I realize that only one death is needed.

...My own.

...Don't be like this! You mustn't!

I will have the Shadow Guard escort you to Sargon.

When did Lungmen turn into this?

And... when did I become like this?

You're hurt?!

Don't worry. Just a scratch.

How is that just a scratch? Come here, I have disinfectant wipes.

Look, I'm fine...

Turn your face this way!

Fine, fine.

...The wound is deep, but not very wide. It's as if... there's a trace of Arts.

...Did old Ch'en do this to you? That blasted woman...

Hah... It's fine. Girls of her age are bound to do stuff like this.

...Hoshiguma, I'm really scared. I'm scared that she'll...

That she'll join Reunion?

Yeah...

I also played with Talulah when I was young.

Even though I don't remember very clearly, I do know... that I really liked being her friend.

Even if she was bossy and had a temper, she always stood up for us.

She never said anything, but she never backed down. She was always the first to charge ahead, and never asked us for help...

She beat up kids who were older than her. She was the only one who could get Ch'en to snap out of her funks.

I'm afraid that...

She won't.

I'm telling you, Ch'en's heart is rarely on the same page as her mouth.

But, she will always be Ch'en of Lungmen. No matter what she might say, all her dreams, all her goals, her entire life... has always been right here.

So, why'd you try to stop her then?

...I was worried she'd get herself killed. Obviously.

Swire, you'll have an important role in the L.G.D. after this.

As if I could do that. I'm not her...

Oh, so you're admitting she's better than you?

I just don't think I'm cut out for the L.G.D.!

No, Missy, you absolutely are.

I'm not cut out for it. Neither is ol' Ch'en. Or Nine.

The one who really makes the L.G.D. shine... is you.

You have to take responsibility. You're the only one who can do it.

I'm jaded now, and there's a lot I don't see. I just want this city to become a place that accepts everyone.

I feel the same.

You—

It's been a long time, Miss Swire.

Hello, Inspector Hoshiguma.

Why is the esteemed daughter of the Rat King at this run-down place?

What are you planning to do to her? Let me say this, if you're planning to harm even a single hair on Missy's head...

I have no such intentions.

You... screwed up.

Maybe.

Sometimes, we have no choice.

I don't think there's ever a time... where we don't have a choice.

Look up in the sky.

It's going to snow. Can you choose for it to stop?

Why... is it snowing?

Go to sleep, go to sleep♪

Daddy's grey hair, Mommy's needles♪

Crap, we're exceeding the solubility threshold! Manually release the exhaust valve, now!

That bout of volatility just caused a violent heat-absorbing effect. If we don't increase emissions, the entire cabin's going to be ruined!

The rainclouds haven't moved much either... At this rate, we're in for some major snow.

This FrostNova... what kind of person was she?