Глава 9

Calm down... She passed out. That's all.

It's no mere Arts, though. It might be plant toxins... Blaze.

Take Amiya to Medical.

Alright...

I can see it on your face. Don't blame yourself. That Sarkaz was no run-of-the-mill fighter.

But I still let them get away.

If... If only I had gotten more answers out of Guard—!

Guard...

They came prepared, and we weren't.

H-Hey, everybody? How's everything—

A—Amiya...

Let's get a damage report and take care of the wounded first. We'll talk about the rest later.

That guy played me like a fiddle... This ambush could've been avoided.

Dammit...! I gave him that thing because I trusted him—!

Dr. Kal'tsit!

I am listening.

This ship... Rhodes Island might be finding itself under frequent, direct threats, just like we used to!

I want to hold an emergency meeting right now.

We'll be entering Victoria soon...

We don't have many operators at your disposal.

I know.

Well then... Doctor.

I'll have you assist Closure. That look on her face... it's seldom seen.

Yeah.;......;Sorry, but I'm also...

At least you stood up and shielded Amiya in the end.

Thank you.

What's this...?

Your new cuffs.

They track your position in real time. And if you try to use your Arts again, you aren't going to enjoy it.

Talulah, you are our prisoner.

When did you join Reunion, Lungmenite?

Every soul who walks this world is fated to die, let alone the Infected, and let alone me.

That said, the humiliation the Infected have faced and the fury of the enslaved have not been answered for.

That's why I can't die for nothing.

When this comes to an end, you will die.

Then let our brethren tear down the banners of the old era and set all injustice and tyranny ablaze. Then, and only then, scatter their ashes on my grave.

But I know, of course, what you and your followers seek first is the truth.

It's like you and Ch'en were cut from the same cloth.

You know her.

I do. And not just Superintendent Ch'en. I know Ch'en Hui-chieh. So I can tell you two are alike.

That's for another time, though.

Sorry, everyone... I made you worry.

Amiya! Are you okay?

Yeah...

I... I couldn't stop Talulah.

Reunion has been tracking our ship under cover of fog and Catastrophe for at least a dozen days, and they had infiltrated our systems long before that... They didn't make their move right away, and instead waited until we were least prepared.

We will get Talulah back, but it's not necessarily a bad thing that Lungmen and Ursus no longer have a reason to keep track of the Rhodes Island landship.

We're getting closer and closer to Victoria, Amiya.

We are...

If he managed to take my systems down... then I can trace him too.

He couldn't wipe all the records in time. There's gotta be some clues he left behind, like an origin terminal, geolocation info, and how he forged everything—

Just watch! I will find them!

Sorry, Amiya.;......;I wasn't able to do anything for you.

It's okay...

It's strange... Dr. Kal'tsit, Closure, Doctor. I'm getting a weird feeling about this turn of events.

What?;......;What a coincidence. I've been getting a weird feeling too.

Maybe... certain things are fated to happen, and we, sooner or later, have to face them.

I think...

...this isn't the end.

—We will meet again, Talulah.

—I found a Messenger who can help! It's one of my old—

Chenchen? Are you spaced off?

No.

It's just... I'm getting this weird feeling... Whatever.

Hm? Is everyone from Yan that sensitive? Got some kind of sixth sense?

Exactly. We solve cases with nothing but intuition alone.

Eh?! Can you really?

...Heh.

Stop being an idiot. Let's go.

It's cold.

This cold wind and snow used to be a familiar sight, yet it all feels so foreign now.

The snow breeze carries with it many tiny grains of rock, pricking away at the Draco's face.

Ursus's tundras are so much harsher and livelier than what she faintly remembers in her fading memories.

It's cold.

How long has it been since I last felt such cold?

A few months? Half a year? A year?

Has it really...

Has it really been so long?

Like I said, why are we still keeping her alive like she did nothing wrong?!

Nobody wants to see Talulah hanged more than us.

We've been through it all, over the years, from our beginnings in the tundras all the way to the end in Chernobog... how do you think we stomach her betrayal?

She used to... She... *sigh*.

We don't know the whole story of Chernobog... but it's fishy, and we need a more concrete answer.

Why should we even trust her?!

Leave it to Nine.

The captain wouldn't want to see Infected morale fall to rock bottom either... but Nine is a bit more calm when it comes to this mess.

Of course she is! She's a Lungmenite who joined us halfway through! She doesn't know what it means to be part of Reunion—

—Watch your mouth!

Where did you think our comrades who left for the other countries started their journey?!

They started from the snowfields beneath your feet and made their way across the world under the watchful eyes of that disgusting traitor!

Do you think hanging her will solve the whole thing?!

I... Sorry.

I'll... cool off.

It's the Infected workmen from Londinium. They keep looking for help, trying to build relationships with other Infected.

Victoria... They rose because of you, Talulah. And that's before we even say... you are a Draco.

Just as you said, you don't have the right to die as you please. If all Reunion across the world rose up in arms because of you, then—

—Either the resistance thus far has been futile or... we will need some new tinder for our fire to crackle loud again.

That's why your next destination is Victoria.

It's more than that, Talulah.

You still want to stay in Ursus?