Глава 9

I will carry out the execution personally, right here.

Seems... I'm going to die after all.

Leader... You're The Leader. Probably no one could stop you, and probably my whole family will die too. But can you tell me? Will we win?

Will we reach the day, when us Tarans can all live a better life?

We will.

Good, that's good. At least at this moment, I'm willing to... believe.

Do you have anything else to say?

Fire... I saw the fire from the tip of your lance. Will it hurt badly when I'm burned alive?

No... don't tell me, after all. I can't bear to hear.

I ask of you, tell my ma and my da, if they can still live after everything's over...

I've hidden from them, some money in the third drawer by my bed. I wanted to buy my ma a bouquet of flowers for her birthday, next month...

Tell them, I'm sorry, everyone.

I promise you.

*Whimper*... I don't want to die. I'm scared...

Ah... hah... maybe next spring, in the burned soil, a willow might sprout...

For... Dublinn!

I've said these words... countless times.

Every time I do, my chest stirs in burning pain, as if the spear wasn't in my hands, but stabbed into my body.

Again and again I tell myself, life burns easily, and they are all fuel.

And I'm no exception.

Hah, she's dead. That's decent enough.

Give the order, make everyone else know, the traitor's been executed.

The next one wants to go informing, they'll be waiting to crumble to charcoal like her.

Yes, sir.

As for you, what's wrong with you today?

Dragging your heels so hard, the soldiers saw. Even thought their Leader would be soft on traitors.

Hey, you can't really be turning soft, can you?

It's one girl! You and your fire burned most of the street in a snap yesterday!

Here I thought you finally seemed the part a bit, 'Leader.'

Do I seem the part?

Seem what part? I haven't been able to tell what I seem for a long time.

Ever since I was little, I've only seen her appearance, her speech, her fire.

She had me become this way too. I couldn't do it, so I was bound to hide under her fire's light.

She's a million miles off again.

Every time I see her looking like that, I just want to get up in her face and scream.

Jealous, now?

Don't give me shit. I just can't stomach seeing the face she puts on. Must be nothing but drainwater soap bubbles in that head.

Why'd The Leader put her in this position?

If it weren't for the face she was born with, she'd be a waste of space. Can't even execute a traitor properly.

So you did it for her.

She hasn't the capacity to tell herself, but I saw it as quite obvious. Before her fire caught, an unseeable rock had already bored through the girl's chest.

I just couldn't hold on!

All because of this shameless traitor. I broke my back gathering all those rich and powerful supporters, and you know what? Dead. Dust to dust. Farewell.

Oh? I didn't think you had even a lick of the pitying type in you.

Ha... even a bunch of meatbeasts would show some use before they died, right? Well done, now, you, well done! Turned to coke with a bump.

Good enough, perhaps, that they died so simply. Don't forget, that little greedy plan of yours nearly buried us all deep, deep under.

I... I did it for The Leader, and Dublinn!

You can't tell me you don't think she's unsuited. Even if she didn't bring all the people, I could've handled County Hillock fine. No, even better. I could've done even better.

If The Leader could just trust me some more...

Unsuited? Well, I won't say you're not right.

People, well, they're best off understanding, after all, not to yearn day in and day out about clambering up where they don't belong. Or else, you know, they miss one tiny thing, trip and fall all the la-dee-da way down... bang, and it's flesh and bones everywhere.

Are you getting on my case?

How could I be?

Let's go. You're just pissing yourself off staring at her. We still have to discuss the next step.

'The Bandit,' 'The Immolator,' 'The Accountant,' 'The Toxicologist,' 'The Convict,' and 'The Elocutionist.' We sent the notice out yesterday, so gauging the time, they should all have arrived.

The city hall's ours now, and we've got quite a few VIPs and nobility under control too. But it's still not enough. We need to have County Hillock totally occupied before The Leader gets here.

...Nrgh.

Keep biting, and you'll clean your nail off before you know it.

Much bloody appreciated.

When it happens, don't you come begging me in tears to paint you a new design.

When've I ever cried in front of you?!

I just don't like letting the credit go to others.

Alright, alright, you think I don't know you? You were one of the first to start following The Leader. You ought to set your sights a bit farther some. But one single Hillock, and you're in this frenzy of a state. You don't even think it's embarrassing.

You mean...

Once things are all done here, The Leader needs someone to run a trip to Londinium in her stead.

Say that sooner! Quick, let's get going, I need County Hillock won within half a day!

Each one of them has their own greed inside, wild and wondrously formed, and not even the fiercest fire could burn them all through.

So what about mine? I only want to—hide...

Yet, does a shadow have the right to flee?

Leader.

Mm...

Madam Harmonie's inviting you to hold the meeting.

Do I... have to go?

Er, Madam did say, if you really don't want to go, they can respect your wishes.

Respect...? How kind of her.

Soldier, go and tell them, carry it all out according to plan.

They know their own duty. They don't need me pushing them.

As for me, I need to think in peace. Order your people to keep proper watch, and let nobody disturb me.

Yes, Leader.

I need... a little time...

What... is this?

In the ruins of the village, I found a piece of paper.

It was fragile, very much so, all four corners charred black, and as I picked it up, half fell to ash, and sadly, only half of the words were left upon it.

'Why should I lose heart'

'A great flame may have burned the whole land to its end'

'But I see someone's soul, on the other side of the scales'

It was a poem, a verse missing its beginning.

These words seemed freshly written, the ink still not naturally set, before fire scorched it dry.

Yes. My fire.

My soul...

Leave it to me... You've traveled far to bring her home.

I will take care of the rest personally.

Ashes... and her personal effects.

There hasn't been an emergency transmission to Rhodes Island's deck for eleven months and twenty-seven days, since the end of the Chernobog incident.

—Who's the victim?

Outcast.

Right. I see you holding her revolver's cylinder.

I don't want to admit it, but I already knew the answer. I figured it out on our way here.

I made a bet with her once—

And it looks like she won.