Глава 10

Yes, I'm quite sure of that. That Sarkaz commander is much smarter than your commanding officer.

Whatever he is scheming, Mandragora will never figure it out, and you lads will have to keep letting the Sarkaz toy with you.

Fine, you just need to tell me where you are headed, then. I'll figure out the rest myself.

If you're back, why didn't you pay me a visit sooner?

You have too many guests.

Ah, I forgot. You didn't want to see the Confessarius Messenger.

If he found out that I came back to Londinium, wouldn't that spell the end of my leisurely days?

Even then, you didn't have to wait for Hoederer to leave before you show yourself. He's my man. He won't ever report your presence to the court.

Oh, he's your man? Don't fool yourself; you don't trust anyone.

If you really trusted him, you could've just hollered my name. You're the one who decided to wait till the Dublinn Feline and your mercenary friends were gone before saying hello.

Let's set this topic aside. You helped me lure the Dublinn forces into position this morning. I owe you this one.

Oh... It's no big deal. Besides, I got a little surprise out of it.

A surprise...? For you, of all people, to use that word, I'm guessing you found more than a few rebels.

Hm... Did you meet the Rhodes Islanders down there?

There's more. Not only did I run into them, they were the ones who 'rescued' me from Dublinn and escorted me to the city walls.

If it wasn't for how antsy you were to test your prized new toy, such that I had to be 'blown up' in front of them, perhaps I could've followed them a little longer.

I actually wanted to have a good chat with her.

What if I tell you there's still a chance?

Another job for me? Didn't you send the Dublinns and the mercenaries to guard the temporary brig? I thought you had everything in place already, and you just had to extend an invitation?

I prefer writing myself a few insurance policies.

Alright, alright. You owe us one, then.

Uh... Did I just say 'us?'

No matter. There's no one else here.

Truth be told, we don't really want to stay here for much longer... That narcissistic old man with the chalice is almost here, isn't he?

Don't tell him about us.

Of course... I have yet to repay your kindness, after all.

Another note... You should stop masquerading as a dead man. Not only might you find your cover blown, it also... makes me feel uneasy.

Gah, we almost forgot. What an upstanding Sarkaz you are, right, pupil of Theresis?

Relax. The next time we meet, I won't be 'Mr. Thomas' anymore.

Burn this view of the city into your memories.

Every time a new skyscraper is built, countless old buildings are inevitably torn down. It is this thick layer of dust, accumulated over tens of hundreds of years, that made today's Londinium.

When you inherit these lands, not only will you inherit the extravagant furs you see on the outside. You must also accept the scars that lie underneath.

It is extraordinarily difficult to build a new house among these old ones.

Your eyes need to be able to see through the flesh and into the bones to find the place with the firmest foundation that can support the entire city.

This will be your starting point.

Vina, it is when you forget everything that you must inherit that you will truly become a proper successor.

Siege, please think this through again. Follow my advice.

We must leave this place, this dark underground cavern at once.

Only timid metal crabs and insects hide underground. I can't stand hiding down here while our enemies are wreaking havoc above our heads.

You know, the way you talk is really getting on my nerves...

How could you call any of them spineless when every one of them stands up against the Sarkaz? If they were actually the cowards you make them out to be, they would've gone working for the Sarkaz long ago!

Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not trying to assign blame, but... there is only so much they can do.

What do you mean, there is only so much they can do? Remember who it was that saved you when you made it out of Londinium, half-dead? How come you didn't say there was only so much we could do?

I don't want to argue with you.

I'm not arguing with you either, but I don't want to hear your cranky little mouth either.

Morgan and I told you when you first ran into us a year ago or so. If you wanted to join the Glasgow family, you'd have to rid yourself of your shitty aristocratic attitude.

Let me say a word on her behalf. Dagda's working very hard too. She's changed quite a bit.

At a glance, no one could tell that she used to be a knight-noble.

Right, I learned a lot... from all of you. I'm sure you know that I've long thought of myself as a part of Glasgow.

But now we're back in Londinium, I just can't help but be aware that I'm also a Knight of the Tower.

Don't you think that anything has changed just because we're back in Londinium.

Do you know how many eyes are on Vina? We've never been safe. No, it's exactly because we're back now that we're especially in danger.

I agree with you on that.

And it's out of safety considerations that I think we should leave these militants we don't know the first thing about.

Dagda, you mean you're worried the resistance could act against Vina?

Their membership is too much of a mixed bag... What if some of them don't actually mean well?

Where do you think we should go, then?

As far as I know, there are still some in the city that we can count on. My mother's friends.

I couldn't contact them before the Knights of the Tower fell, but the way I see it... now might be a good time.

You mean... You want us to turn to the nobles?!

Who do you think murdered Vina's dad and forced her to hide out on the streets for years?

Who do you think... hunted us down and chased us out of Londinium? We don't even know if Baird and the rest of the gang are still alive!

The nobles weren't of one mind back then... but after the Sarkaz came...

Hah... you think the Sarkaz are our only enemy?!

Listen up, my lady! You want to hand Vina over to those dirty lords? Over my dead body!

Hannah!

What are you doing, shouting like that? Do you want everyone to know who Vina is?!

Both of you, calm down. Fighting can't solve everything, especially at a crucial moment like this!

Until you've really thought through the consequences of your bickering, you'd better shut your mouths.

What do you want Vina to...?

It doesn't matter.

Vina? W-What do you have in mind?

I think Dagda's worries are reasonable. We followed Amiya and the Doctor here, but... in the end, our objective isn't the same as theirs.

All they have to do is stop the Sarkaz in the city, and that's exactly what the resistance has been trying to do.

But we...

What do you think our objective is?

Uh...

Morgan, Indra.

Why did you recognize me as your leader, back then?

Because Glasgow needed to survive in Londinium.

We were still kids, and we made a lot of enemies. A lot of street punks had their eyes on us, and there were even a couple bad cops who always gave us trouble...

Vina, you're so much more incredible than the rest of us.

You're the one who taught me that a good boss doesn't just fight. Not only did you lead us out of trouble, you recruited so many faces into the gang, you made Glasgow stronger.

That's why I'm confident you're a good boss, and that you'll be a good leader in the future.

Very good. Looks like we haven't forgotten our convictions.

Have you heard what the resistance commander said?

They'll save Londinium, but before that, they'll save their brothers and sisters in arms.

Who's to say our objectives are different?

My hammer was forged to serve this city... to serve Victoria. If my strength can save even just one Victorian, then I have no reason to leave the fight.

Dagda.

Sorry... I won't bring that up again.

No, I just wanted to say you aren't in the wrong.

What...?

If you have your own mission to accomplish, you needn't follow my every word.

You are a fine knight, but I'm not the one who knighted you.

I'm not the lord you were born to serve. No... You should find the one you actually want to serve instead of being bound by your bloodline's oath. You're free, and you always have been.

Siege?!

Vina, that's a little...

It's not like Dagda was...

Enough. You heard me well.