Глава 9

(Leader...!)

(Hm?)

(Someone's tailin' us!)

(So they are... See that alley to the west?)

(Understood.)

Stop where you are!

Urghh—

Eh, hold on, what? It's a little bairn... and you look kind of familiar, too?

Uwgh, ow...

Ah, sorry! I'll let go now. I thought it'd be some baddie followin' us.

...Ball.

You dropped your ball, so you came here to pick it up?

I'll ask you to hurry home now, it's not too safe here. Your mam and dad'll worry for you if you go runnin' all over.

False alarm, Leader.

Just one child? No, that doesn't seem quite right.

It wasn't just one person following us, and the fact they could go several streets without us noticing means they definitely have experience tailing.

Did you see anyone out of the ordinary just now, when you hid up high?

Ah... if I have to say, there was a street not far away with a particularly bright ring I caught a glimpse of...

...Sankta.

Lemme get a... piece of cake, and this apple pie... and I'll have some of those cookies, too.

Tough call... Warfarin has been telling me to lay off the sweets...

Hey there. Quick question, which of these cakes is the sweetest?

Like you don't know? C'mon, you've been in County Hillock a while, haven't you? If I had to guess, probably over three years of service—

Who are you?!

Calm down. I could tell, and the nice folks you're following sure could too.

Your cover's blown anyway. Why don't you try some of this apple pie I bought? It's good, I'm telling you.

You weird, mad Sankta. Where did you come from? Why are you trying to get in my way?

Me? I'm not, I'm just passing by.

Team 12, target lost, but judging by the direction they disappeared, it's likely they're heading for Dam Street.

Alright... I understand, I'll bring them straight away...

We'll check through one by one.

I'm warning you, Sankta, if it's not yours to meddle, don't meddle.

Warning me...?

If I had a nickel for every time I heard that... You know, I ain't exactly used to walking around unarmed.

...I've got no time to listen to you talk big. Soldiers, we're moving.

You can breathe now, shopkeep. The soldiers are all gone.

Mind bagging up the sweets for me? I got some folks back at the office who oughta try them.

After all... it's about time I called all my little friends back from their field work.

Honorable lady, I'm most privileged to inform you, the dinner party is all ready—

So slow. You aristocrats, taking your sweet time with everything you do. You're a nightmare.

...It was my inadequate reception. Please, permit that I express to you my most sincere apologies.

You can save your breath. How many will be coming today, exactly?

All of County Hillock's fine minds have received the invitation, including our most widely celebrated bard as of recent, Seamus Williams...

Bard? I'm bored dead already. What about the nobles and merchants you promised to find?

Of course... of course, they'll all be coming too.

For example, the leader within the south region's textiles industry, Sir Paulet, recipient of the McCaughey Prize, Dr. Bashir, and the owner of more than ten steelworks, Mr. Evans...

Oh? These people you mention, especially that last one, they're definitely coming?

Yes, and a portion of them have already arrived.

I hear a most honorable guest has turned up, and quite a few celebrity intellects from other cities have come flocking too, all for a single glimpse of you and your compatriots' presence.

Oh, yes, as per your request, I've drawn up this list of names, for your perusal whenever you should—

Bit too many words, but you've done good enough work. Alright, you can head off now.

Deeply grateful for your generous praise. Once you're ready, please, inform me. I simply cannot wait to see this ordinary little parlor of mine be dazzlingly belightened by your arrival.

Why are you still here? Weren't you done talking?

Ahem, please allow me to ask one last question—that most honorable lady there, have we even the sliver of a chance that she may alight on the venue too?

That's not yours to ask. Clear off.

Mandragora, what has you feeling all flustered?

Less of that—tongue-in-cheek, giving me reflux. We all know you'd never really give a shit about anyone, Harmonie.

Siiigh. Then I'll have to put it another way—you've been blocking my light with your halfwit ambling. I'd like to finish reading this lovely novel, dear.

Tch.

Are all of you rich people like this?

Hang instruments up a wall, buy a few books, act like you're filling the windows so nobody notices how you've got nothing at all in your head.

I'll take having a window to fill over having nothing of anything inside or out, wouldn't you say?

You—!

Now, now. You're not happy to calm down for a while, I see. How about this? If which foot forward first bothers you so much in this ball you know nothing about, I can be your lead for the dance.

What complete shit are you on about?!

I'm thinking of bigger things. With this many nobles and merchants coming, if we can get their support, then forget just occupying one scant little Hillock, we could snatch the whole of Londinium—

Mandragora, time to hold still.

At this point, can't you just let that grotty book of yours go? Do you even think for one second about anything important to The Leader or me?

I'm not saying anything about your oh-so-helpless gait. I'm saying, take your rollercoaster babble and hold it still, and all that absurdity you're exhausting your little brain with too.

You, telling me to hold it now? As if I could! Laying out and assigning roles, swallowing my sick to set this meeting up, how much of me do you think I've poured out for this plan?

I couldn't wait since forever ago! I can't wait! For Dublinn's fires to burn this city through, rip this lie of a titan under our feet apart!

And you, huh? You and that shameless fake taking what should be the glory of The Leader—

It is really, really, time for you to shut up now.

At what point—was your job to make decisions for The Leader?

Tch—

Mm, it's me. Yes, we're still here.

Oh?

Things have gotten a little interesting at long last.

Seems we've no need to scrap in here about whether your little schemes of insolence are feasible or not.

Is it news from that bastard?

Someone's sniffed out this location. I've a feeling it'll be more than your friendly little invitees coming to the meeting tonight.

...People from the army?

More or less. My, my, maybe some of my acquaintances too.

Tch. God on high, I want to—

Put away your staff. You'll get your chance. But it won't be now.

It's time we go, we've got other things to do. Leave it to her in here; we might be in for a good show before we know it.

Heheh... I was starting to fantasize about how it'd look if this horrible room broke down into slag.

Leader, I didn't imagine slippin' in would be as easy as this. Here I thought...

We'd have to find a way to infiltrate? Not out of the question. That said, go in the proper way, and it's more convenient to find a conversation partner.

Guess my friend at the barracks got some real precious information. Can't be that many who know about this meeting.

A lot of secret aristocrat parties are held this way—they usually think of invitation letters as passé.

So long as you have a channel to tap for info, plus a token as proof of identity, you have what you need to pass the doorstep.

You never told me your family was all big famous nobility.

Does it make a difference?

When I was in school, the noble students always stuck with their own. Course, they studied together, but after school, they never did much with the rest of us if they could help it.

Don't tell me you actually like all the pomp and formality? Ceremonial gowns you only wear once, the trending look changing every week, courtesy greetings ad nauseum.

Don't even remind me. Actually went to that kind of thing once or twice with a good friend, and just tryin' to remember which fork you use to eat first made my head want to explode on the spot.

Perfect, I'm not much of a fan either.

Even if I'm loath to admit it, just having this family name does come in handy once in a while.

Leader, the people comin' here today, are they all supporters of the spectre force?