Глава 11

I won't give up on any possibility.

Yes... in that regard, we've always been so alike.

The Year 1098

1:34 P.M. \ Overcast

Residence of the Duke of Cumberland, Auchterigg District of Londinium

Amiya, Doctor, our Messenger has just sent back some key intel. The main Sarkaz forces are on their way back to the city right now. It's extremely likely this means they're about to wage war with the dukes' armies.

But given previous intel, even if they do return to Londinium, the Sarkaz military won't be enough to directly contend with all the dukes.

With the Sarkaz choosing to act now, they obviously believe they've grasped some key power that'll sway the situation for them.

The Shard.

That skyscraper the Sarkaz occupied? We've learned there's weaponry concealed in the building, yes, but—will it sway things?

It will, Clovisia. Have your people ever taken note... of the storm above The Shard?

Oh... those dark clouds seem highly unusual.

According to the intel we've obtained, that's no normal storm at all. That's a Catastrophe The Shard is causing. Even if it isn't entirely the same as a true Catastrophe...

The Sarkaz want to cause a Catastrophe? They're still in Londinium themselves. What would they gain from destroying the city?

They plan to weaponize the storm.;What if they control where the Catastrophe lands?

Hrmm.

We're not just conjecturing The Shard's purpose. This weapon... or this technology, rather, is exactly Rhodes Island's chief objective in entering Londinium.

Rhodes Island came for the clouds shrouding Londinium.

Yes. It's not just a figure of speech.

In the eventuality Theresis does activate The Shard, he'll lead the flames of war and the storm together, upon those he sees as the Sarkaz's enemies.

No Catastrophe Messenger could predict a man-made Catastrophe's course. No nomadic city could escape such a Catastrophe's assault.

Countless Sarkaz and Victorians will die in that battle, and it'll likely be even more tragic for those who survive. Most of them will become Infected.

Not to mention... The Shard isn't on the border, it's in Londinium, a nation's very capital...

Which means...

Once the technology's complete, it'll reach anywhere on Terra.;......;We can only pray the tech hits further bottlenecks.

The Sarkaz... will use Victoria's power to destroy her.

If we reach that stage, then everything the Corps has done will be for naught.

Even if we <i>could</i> rescue people from a Catastrophe as Rhodes Island does... Londinium and our livelihood would be past any point of return.

Clovisia, Rhodes Island is greatly thankful to the Self-Salvation Corps. Without your help, we would've had no good way into Central Londinium.

But neither I nor the Doctor will lie to you. No matter how Rhodes Island plans to approach The Shard, the battles ahead will be brutal. Each more brutal than the last.

If we can't stop Theresis within the next few days, we'll be facing an all-out war, and the dukes will march with an eye to enter Londinium.

If the Corps chooses to wait for the dukes' armies...

Amiya... we can't do that.

I'm the daughter of a textiles merchant. Most of the fighters, in fact, are just ordinary civilians.

We have workers, farmers, craftsmen, traders. Our backgrounds are a tapestry of millions, together under the one goal of driving the Sarkaz out of Londinium as soon as possible.

That's why the Corps won't place all its hopes in the dukes. Otherwise, we'd never have been able to take a stand ourselves.

Our greatest fear, if it came to it, wouldn't even be the Sarkaz controlling The Shard. It'd be... the dukes, dropping any shred of thought for the ramifications.

So... the Corps has no intent to suspend operations?

...Correct.

On the contrary, in fact. With war on the eve of breaking out, there are some things only the Self-Salvation Corps can do, here within Londinium.

Such as wrecking the Sarkaz defensive line from the rear.;Such as gaining as much possible intel on Sarkaz supply lines.

We think alike, Doctor.

Should the dukes wage war, the Sarkaz will surely have preparations made to hold Londinium.

Being a steel fortress, Londinium is self-sufficient to an extent. However, the Sarkaz actions within the city have long since outstripped that load.

Still, unlike Londinium's previous masters, the Sarkaz don't get a drop of evident support from any of Victoria's other cities.

In comparison, while the dukes do all act on their own liberties, they'll each have their own steady flow of supplies.

A supply line... the Sarkaz do have some kind of hidden supply line, definitely.

Completing The Shard has been a multi-year undertaking. The idea they're relying solely on Londinium's own production is practically impossible.

It originates outside of the city, and its terminus... is in a Londinium munitions factory that builds weapons for the Sarkaz.

Right. If we can locate this supply line...

Then the Corps could be decisive in the coming war.;We'll be able to delay the birth of a superweapon.

Commander Clovisia, cooperation is still our best choice.

I'm afraid so, Doctor.

We need more intel on the munitions factory.

The Corps has a fighter who knows Highbury in and out.

Doctor, you know him very well.

Feist?;The local friend who guided us.

Right. He's the most suited candidate for this mission.

With some minor preparations, he'll lead everyone away from the Sarkaz's watch, and for the munitions factory.

We still need other, more concrete sources of info.

...The Defense Force's Command HQ.

It's a tower, located at the border between Auchterigg and Highbury Boroughs, and it controls the info network for the entirety of Londinium's defense systems.

Given the supply line can penetrate Londinium, there must be records of it lying somewhere in the system.

I heard the majority of the Defense Forces...;There's traitors in the Defense's top brass, right?

Their commander, Lettou, threw himself to the Sarkaz a few years back.

It'd be pointless to try and win backing from a treasonist. If we plan to raid their command tower, we need some other way to seize system privileges.

Of course... method aside, there's the fact that our troops desperately need new armaments... The Sarkaz have placed their sights back on the city interior, and our supplies are stretched thin.

I'll think of some way to address supply needs. When it comes to keeping Londinium going day-to-day, there's still scarcely a Victorian trader who's fallen in line with the Sarkaz.

Allerdale?

However, in turn, there's a different matter that I need you all to help me with.

Clovisia, Rhodes Island has brought Artorius's relic back to Londinium.

Artorius? That's the surname the royal Draco's descendants took...

Exactly. I've already checked with the Doctor and Amiya. It's the Artorius key, without a doubt.

And that key... opens the way to the door of the Mausoleum of Kings. Which means we can retrieve the Realmblade, the 'Sighs of Kings.'

Its significance goes beyond what any ordinary citizen would ever imagine. Trust me, please.

It's not just some pretty piece of steel bestowed with symbolism. If we say The Shard is Londinium's great, incomplete ambition...

Then the truth of the Victorian Realmblade and the Mausoleum of Kings—that would be Londinium's real ace in the sleeve.

The Victorian Realmblade... isn't just symbolic?

Only a few nobles along with... Victoria's royal families knew about it. And I happen to be a Cumberland.

I believe you. The Mausoleum of Kings is practically a thing of myth to us, but if a royal key can open the door to it...

Amiya, how exactly did Rhodes Island even get this key...? Er, should I not have asked?

We won't conceal the key's history.

But it isn't Rhodes Island's. It bears tales upon tales that I was never a part of, and could never tell you.

For Rhodes Island's time with it, though, I can tell you bit by bit if you're interested.

Thank you, Amiya.

I'm just... floored, really. The legacy of Artorius... the truth of The Shard...

It's as if—Rhodes Island really has been preparing, for all these years now, to be here today in Londinium.

But I won't delve any further for now. I won't make anyone else, either. It might lose us an important ally.

Phew... Amiya, Doctor, do you have anything else you want to tell me?

There is... one other thing, in fact.

Clovisia, about my background. I'd like to have a chat with you.

...The flowers. Doctor, look at these flowers.

They're growing.

It's amazing, a place like this, in the middle of Londinium, in a Sarkaz-occupied city...

For the Sarkaz, not letting nobles go is a net plus...;But it can't be the same for those around Miss Allerdale...

You're both quite right, Doctor, Miss Amiya.

Despite it being slightly neglected these past years, the Duke of Cumberland's manor is still Londinium's most iconic building.

I've not much recollection of my home out in the duchy. My childhood memories mostly tie back to here.

Nobody would ever truly leave this place to rot, would they?

Miss Allerdale!