Глава 8

I can do that for you. I will help you depart this world without the slightest trace of pain.

Deathless Black Snake... are you afraid?

What?

You've said a lot, Duke of Kashchey.

Yet, if your life was really as long as the legends told, and if the dread you showed from time to time was not part of your performance...

Then, I believe I understand.

Kashchey?! Amiya, is that true?

The one in front of you is Talulah, and at the same time, Kashchey. My intuition is not wrong.

You've fought the Sarkaz in the past, Duke of Kashchey.

You're afraid of me.

You fear me.

Interesting.

However, the time for jokes is over.

I need some time to clean up the current act. This play has greatly exceeded expectations.

For now, I will have to ask you to leave the stage, Cautus. I never expected you to play such a large role. I've underestimated you.

If you can feel my 'dread', that can only mean that your Arts are still too shallow.

——I feel whatever I wish to feel. Even if I am unable to shield my memories, emotions are still a specialty of mine.

...You're not lying. That just proves my point. The you right now is definitely not completely Talulah.

Should I give you some more time, so that you may dig out some other truth from my mind? Yet my past is just that, and it can only be that. You cannot prove anything.

My mastery over thoughts is such that none who have ever tried to comprehend them have ever succeeded. Yet, you did not see what I wanted to let you see. You're honest, Cautus.

You did not lie. You can only feel emotions and backtrack along memories. You cannot see my actual thoughts.

Then, let me warn you, Cautus...

You don't know me.

You don't know 'Talulah'.

All that you've said is built upon your own hypotheses. You fundamentally cannot comprehend me.

How would you know who I am?

Nnng...

...Talulah. Or should I say, Kashchey... I don't care who you are.

No matter who you are... No, that's not right. You're Talulah. It was Kashchey that created you.

Talulah, you're not touching a single strand of her hair.

How brave you are, Hui-chieh, to point a sword at your own relative over an outsider.

No matter who it is by my side, Talulah, a good person would never strike at my friends to get at me.

Hui-chieh, you have not seen the Northern Plains of Ursus. You're just like a delicate flower grown in a greenhouse. You haven't seen how cruel this world can be.

You don't know what changed me to become like this.

Of course! I want to know... How would I not?

I want to know everything that's happened to you. I want you to tell me yourself.

Then... why not come to my side? Right now, Ch'en... I don't want to fight you anymore. I don't want to harm you again.

Hah.

You've got it all wrong.

——The reason I want to know is so I can prevent such things from happening ever again.

I want to know, so I can judge your actions, figure out your motives, compare your deeds.

...I want to know, so that I can see clearly what you want to do, how you want to do it, how far you want to go with it...

I want to know, so that I can see the extent of your sins!

As for you, Talulah...

What's done is done, Talulah. Despite my wishes, you've grown up and become as you are now.

You too, Hui-chieh. You've become something that saddens me.

My actions sadden you? Reunion invaded my city, killed my friends, harmed countless Ursus citizens and decimated so many Infected... who's saddening who?

I watched as Reunion members helped each other at Lungmen, willing to sacrifice themselves for the sake of their comrades. Even in the wilderness, they have nowhere to go. Who's saddening who?

You are their enemy. You are the one who stopped my people, you prevented them from taking Lungmen.

Sorry, Talulah. I wouldn't believe you if you said that sending them off to die in Lungmen wasn't just a way to get this moment here with me.

You've never believed anything I said, Hui-chieh. You've never trusted me.

You asked if I knew Talulah, I do. You asked if I believe Talulah, of course I do.

That's why I came here of my own free will, to verify this thought of mine.

But, I did not come here to prove your innocence... No, definitely not.

Why? Didn't you just say that you trust me, Hui-chieh?

Right now, we are both Infected. Why can't we just stand together? Isn't our reunion supposed to be something happy?

(Her thoughts are really shaking... ugh...)

Don't change the topic. You're the leader of Reunion!

I need proof, judgment and verification.

The L.G.D. Officer Ch'en and the present Ch'en Hui-chieh... I'm not trying to prove that 'you are innocent.' No, how could I?

The Talulah of the past? Excuse me?

No matter what caused you to become like this, since when can we look at Talulah as two distinct halves?

It's because I knew you in the past that I want to understand even more... Who and what turned you into this!

The pain and suffering you've experienced, the truth behind your father's death, your hate towards Wei Yenwu. I can understand all that. Maybe they all pushed you down this road.

But what was it that caused you to become someone so cruel?

What was it that turned you into the vanguard of the Ursus invasion? Did you deceive your people too, Talulah?

You're judging me? You abandoned everything to come here, just to tell me off?

Was it Wei Yenwu who turned you into such a blind, cold-blooded person? Shouldn't you be asking the reasons behind my actions?

No. That can wait for later. I can reconstruct the flow of events from the garbage heap.

I came to fulfill my duty.

If you really weren't responsible for these, I would fire a flare. It wouldn't matter even if you killed me, I'd still be able to prove that you didn't deserve death.

But if you're conspiring to do harm, then we will gladly give up our lives just to stop you.

I want to see to what extent you're wrong. Taking a life without a trial? That's murder. And the city is guilty of murdering the Infected.

Right now, I see it all clearly.

My sword, my thoughts, my ideas, they're all on you.

As for the past, let it remain in the past. The past...

Will never return.

I will never forgive a schemer who toys with lives, no matter who they are.

You cannot break the law with impunity.

Heh heh...

You wish to cut your ties with me, Hui-chieh.

Hmph...

It's pointless to try and taunt me. Feel free to guilt me or whatever.

This is who I am. A woman of my word. You're the one who's forgotten all this.

Amiya, I won't ask what else you need to prepare. Instead, what do you want me to do?

Ah, Madam Ch'en... I need a bit more time.

How long?

Three minutes at most.

Then I'll give you at least three minutes.

This time, we're really fighting 'shoulder to shoulder', Amiya. It's just the two of us.

But we're carrying the burden of countless lives. You know as well as I.

Three minutes, Amiya. In the next three minutes, you will not die. I guarantee it.

So, once we're done with this, I really hope you'll give me a proper explanation.

You have to help me to understand exactly what my sister's become...

Also, I want to know if we'll be able to face this thing's true nature in the end, instead of just an empty shell with a theatrical streak!

I'll accept the outcome, no matter what it is!

Alright, I promise, Madam Ch'en. And, thank you... thank you for your perseverance.

I'll believe it when I see it.

Talulah, your actions, your words... I've been watching!

I'm relying on you, Madam Ch'en!