Глава 8

Huh?

What's the matter with you, ma'am?

You heard their cries!

You heard them crying out for help...

You heard them clawing at the door with their fingers!

W-What are you... ma'am...

You right in the head?

Hey, over here!

Any of you seen her before? Where is she from?

Right, I haven't ever heard an accent like that before!

...Yeah, that's right! She doesn't have a mask on... If she was here to investigate the Infected, she'd be all decked out in protective equipment!

Who are you?!

Answer me!

Infected.

Huh?

Just like the people you murdered, I'm an Infected.

We've done nothing wrong.

You locked them in here. You let them die here.

What are we supposed to do? We don't even have any food left for ourselves!

You could've chased them away or just never allowed them in... You could've just attacked them or outright killed them, and I wouldn't be here complaining to you right now.

But you tricked them. You lured them into your empty storehouse, locked the doors, and starved them.

They were so hungry, they couldn't even use their Arts... They were here only to panhandle. They weren't here to attack you. They didn't even have the strength to fight back. They were just normal people.

Normal? Those Infected? Don't make me laugh!

Who are you to reason with me, you Infected scumbag? You're just a freak!

You kept the storehouse locked until the Originium crystals stabilized. Then you disposed their bodies with the dried up Originium...

They had families, they had friends, they had places they wanted to be... There's not even anything left of them. Infected often die and leave no traces left of their existence behind. That happens way too often, but now there isn't even a way for us to find out where their ashes have gone.

What are we supposed to do? It's not like we've got much to feed ourselves! Life's not easy for us either!

Then why did you lie to them?

What are you talking about?

How could we have known what was going to happen to them? And what were we supposed to do?

That's just an excuse. You saw them starving... You knew they had no weapons to fend themselves with.

You did this because it was... convenient.

From the beginning, you never... No, actually... Ha.

Even if they weren't Infected, you would've done the same thing.

(Time to get rid of her. Get the sentries!)

You will come to see. These great lands you threw yourself to do not want you.

No. No.

Then what do you want? Look, it's all in the past. We'll even apologize.

We can pretend you've never been here, just like those other folks were never here... All you have to do is walk away.

Who do you even think they were?

Huh? Whatever you are, that's what they were.

You thought them weak, and in that case, that makes me a weakling who knows not how to fight back.

...Ugh... Just get out of here already. We don't want no trouble here!

They were here, begging at your feet, and what did you do?

You will see your thoughts, your actions, become nonexistent.

No.

You're despicable.

There will be no peace in this world while people like you still walk it.

The Infected patrols haven't been to your village in three years.

The noble family that controlled the settlements here died long ago during the Great Rebellion. Everything teetered on the edge of chaos, and your village has been left untended for years.

And yet... you killed all those people even though you had nothing to gain from their deaths.

If you had even a tiny bit of kindness in you... you would've let them go. The whole village heard their cries, but none of you did anything until they died, one after another.

If you still had any decency in you, you wouldn't have done anything this wretched.

I hate you.

You will see them spurn all you revered, your life, your dignity and philosophy void of all significance.

No!!

...Aaaaaaaaghhh!!!

Fire! Fire! It burns!!!

Help!!!!!

Dad!!

What's going on?! Quick! Get out of here!

My son! My son! You... Infected lowlife!!

Ahhh!! The fire! It's too strong! *Cough* *cough*... *cough*...

You wretch!!! If I die here... Curse you!!! Curse you!!! My Emperor, I beseech you, lay down your divine punishment on these wretched Infected!!

Ah... ah...

There is no turning back anymore.

Besides Talulah, no one else knows of the events that transpired here.

And everything that occurred after that is as good as public knowledge.

But should you recognize me, should you have understood me, should you realize just the sort of world you're stood in...

Ursus's future will from then on be in your hands.

Amiya opens her eyes.

Though her tears are welling up in her eyes, she has already seen it all.

What's a Cautus doing here?

Amiya!! Watch out!!

Haah!

Don't even think of touching her!

Do you intend to protect her, Hui-chieh? This traitor to the Infected, this executioner of our kin?

I'm disappointed, Hui-chieh. How shameful that you would even turn your sword on me...

Amiya?! What are you doing here?!

Watch out, Amiya! Talulah has inherited all that is Kashchey. She's already...

She's no longer that innocent girl who was kidnapped from Lungmen.

Madam Ch'en. That's not right. She's not just the 'successor'......

...I will tear off its disguise.

What? What disguise?

You're that Cautus from Rhodes Island.

Where's Buldrokkas'tee? Did you test your mettle against his halberd, or did you just see his mangled corpse?

You... How could you talk about him like that?

Oh? I'm asking with the utmost respect. I'm merely asking for the truth.

He never took off his helmet, did he?

His helmet hides the exposed greyish-white skull of the Wendigo. If the people were to see his true appearance, they would surely be frightened out of their wits.

Yet, their hate and zeal would drive them onwards, and the force of the crowd would have broken through the guerillas' defensive line.

Buldrokkas'tee would not have allowed the Shieldguards to attack a single civilian... They are not spies, after all.

Buldrokkas'tee would have been torn to pieces by the raging mob. He would have allowed himself to fall to their rage and ignorance, just as he knew that this day would arrive, as he decided to give up and surrender to his humanity.

Since you've appeared here, that can mean only one thing. Buldrokkas'tee is dead.

Tell me, how did he choose to die? He was a noble warrior. I would like to know how he met his end.

I... I killed him.

...It was me.

You?

What sort of firepower did you have at your disposal? That was... Buldrokkas'tee.

Even so, you've appeared here all by yourself, just like my pitiful sister.