Глава 9

Cello, Oboe bought us some time. Keep heading up!

Get the word out as soon as you find the control panel.

I'll stay here at the bottom to provide suppressive fire.

Five minutes. You have my word, not a single one of them will be making it up the tower in the next five minutes.

Shells, ready to fire—

How's it looking up there, Cello?

Still ten meters to go... Ugh...!

Are there hostiles up there?!

Crossbowmen...! Eight o'clock!

Hngh... There's too many of them!

If I head up there, we won't be able to hold the bottom of the tower...

I can't get a lock on them... They're too far away for me to reach!

This isn't the time to worry about... that!

Don't do it! You'll bleed out before you reach the control panel!

Find cover!

We can't... drag this out! I know you're hurt too... Leader!

I'm fine... *cough*...

Don't give me that, Leader. It's been six minutes. How many hostiles are there on your end? Twenty? Thirty? More?

I...

Don't even have the leisure to talk, right?

It's seven meters away. I'll—

What's going on...?

Ah... hah! Leader, I'm fine! Someone took out the crossbowmen!

What? Could that be...

Leader!!! Look who's arrived—

Ah... haha... You little menace...

Hold on just a bit longer! Just a bit! I'll take down these fire breathers!

Cello, Bagpipe's drawing their attention. Hurry!

Leader... I got the control panel open! We're almost there... almost...

Ughh...!

Cello?!

Her... Her stones... Leader... Watch out...

What's going on?!!

—Leader!

Bagpipe dives toward Horn, sending the two of them tumbling to the side.

A large stone column falls from the top of the communications tower, leaving a hole where Horn stood just moments ago.

Where'd this column come from...?

Ugh... A spectre force Caster?!

Is she one of yours?

You killed Cello!!

Not a fan of people touching my things without permission.

What do you mean, yours?! It was the spectre force that invaded County Hillock!

Hmn... hah! Not even going to say hi before you fire?

That's your Victorian Army etiquette, is it?

You...! Are you thick?! Don't you see you can't harm me? That you're wasting all your effort?

The rubble...

(No weaknesses, no matter the angle.)

(Before my lance shells even get anywhere close, she maneuvers the stones around her to block off the attack.)

(Is that her Arts?)

(Take a look at Cello's body.)

(Was it the stones that bored through Cello like that? Whatever did it's all gone too... So she can manipulate stones to defend herself, AND conjure them as weapons?)

(Not the best news.)

(Let's test her and see how far she can go. I'm sure we'll find an opening.)

Hmph. Got me wondering now if this is some suicide attempt.

Thanks to my men, I'm thinking you don't have much ammo left. If you keep shelling like that, you'll have nothing left to fight with. Then you'll just have to sit and wait as your death comes.

To think Harmonie kept telling me over and over how impressive you were.

'Oh, they're the true face of the Victorian Army...' Hah. Look at you. Helpless, nowhere to go. Is that all a Royal Guard Academy distinction has to give?

The way I see it, you aren't much better than the barracks... I'll make short work of you!

You hate the Victorian Army, don't you...?

Guess again.

I don't hate soldiers. No matter whose orders you're taking, we're all poor little shits throwing our lives away in the mess of war.

It's people like you I hate.

You have a decent family background, and you think that gives you the right to trample us lot under your feet—

What could be better than watching you kneel before me?

Go, run her through—!

Still have the strength to block?

You've got perseverance, Lupo. Much better than your fellow nobles who pissed themselves the moment they saw me.

But you still can't work it out? You don't stand a chance!

Our forces have taken over County Hillock. Yours are dead or shackled.

Oh, and by the way, we've had eyes on you ever since you and your unit waltzed merry into Hillock. We've been watching your every move.

Hrgh... You have a spy in the barracks?

You thought you failed because of rotten luck? Or you weren't trying hard enough, misjudged? That's why you missed the chance?

Wrong! Fate has never been on your side!

Because—Victoria's long abandoned you!

You're more pitiful than all those poor sods dying ignorant on the field of war—you threw yourself into this bloodbath willingly! And now, you're just a sacrificial pawn for your country!

You mean... It's not just one spy...

The military's filled with your supporters... Even some of the top brass...?

In that case... what is your leader after...?

Is it Victoria's... Crown...?

What right do you... have?

Shut your mouth!

How—DARE you doubt our leader's nobility, when you're just a lapdog of the Aslans?!

Hah, haha...

What are you laughing at?!

Your hypocrisy.

You grit your teeth, talking of arrogant aristocrats and moneyed men, but you worship your oh-so-noble 'Leader' all the same—

You can't make this stuff up, can you?

And what... do you know?!

The Leader... She's noble for more than just her blood! She... She's strong, and gentle...

Hah, I get it. You want to buy time for yourself and milk information. Am I wrong?

You think your tricks'll work on me?

You think it's going to matter even if I let slip something I shouldn't?

Neither of you will make it to the top of this tower—

And anyone hearing me is dead or soon will be!

You'll need to try harder—little Feline.

Grrr!

You're pretty good, I'll give you that. Very precise control over your weapon. You're trying to adjust your firing angle to pick out any openings in my Arts.

Too bad—If you weren't so heavily injured and had more ammo, you might just have given me a few scratches.

This is it, then. Discussion time's over—

Now!