Глава 11

The fact she went to lay everything bare to Miss Clovisia, while it turns out your crew were already wise to Her Highness's identity... I didn't expect that, I'll confess.

Siege is a vital operator of ours.;......;Vina and I do get along real well.

Well, well... that reply of yours surprises me even more. Rhodes Island knew who Her Highness was... yet have been willing to treat her as Vina, leader of the Glasgow Gang.

Give Clovisia and Vina some more time. The Corps have their disagreements when it comes to nobles, you know, and Her Highness is... going to have a lot to say.

I'm sure you have questions for me, too, mysterious little bunny? I'd like to jibber-jabber a little with the enigmatic Rhodes Island myself, before it's time to mingle with the merchants.

Miss Allerdale... is this residence truly secure?

Hm. Rational question.

The Sarkaz naturally have their motive for not flushing out the nobles in Central. Londinium's a massive city. There's much too much for them to mind.

But... we've paid a tremendous price to sit in the middle of a war unscathed, Miss Amiya. Dignity, or what have you, is the least valuable part of it.

Given the chance, I'll explain to Rhodes Island in detail. But the Sarkaz informants surveilling this manor are under our control, and for now, I ask you trust me.

They haven't realized we've infiltrated them. They're wrong to believe Londinium's city nobles lost their every weapon after being isolated. Their mistake.

You still have some way to counter Sarkaz surveillance?

Provisionally...

Hm, no. If Her Highness has decided to be forthright with the Corps, then it's not my place to be covering up either.

For the sake of a smooth partnership, I can explicitly guarantee to you all that, even now, the Cumberland residence has people who can establish extracity contact.

But the Sarkaz aren't fools. They're well-versed in war.

Indeed. But like I told you, Londinium's a massive city. They don't have enough people, they're all on their own, and that serves us opportunities.

...Correct.

Seems I haven't satisfied you much with my response?

No. Miss Allerdale. I just...

Worry your burden's too heavy.

What?

If there really is some way for Victoria to keep control of Londinium, as it is now...

No... I believe they can.

But if they truly can, if they ultimately can, then what is it that they've been doing in practice all these years, that they've been having you do?

Allerdale's face clearly twists for an instant.

That flash of emotion is immeasurably magnified in Amiya's eyes. It's no simple resentment, nor wariness, nor panic.

It's grief.

A grief so familiar it hurts.

I apologize, Miss Allerdale... I know I've offended you.

Clovisia was right. We don't need to pry into each other. It could very well strain our progress instead, with this complex state of affairs.

But, if possible...

Please don't stifle yourself. We've seen the consequences of that time and again.

Miss Allerdale? I—I'm being too heavy-handed, aren't I...

No. Rhodes Island just keeps on astonishing me... It seems I was judging you by your cover.

I never did imagine you'd be this sort of leader. You must be at least a decade younger than me, but the look in your eyes is a very real thing.

Not to mention... heh, well, you've seen right through me. Considering you even cracked the secret of The Shard ahead of Clovisia and I, and brought the Red Dragon's key with you...

Honestly, if Her Highness hadn't vouched for you, I might just've been even warier of Rhodes Island than the Sarkaz.

It's true, Londinium... no, the Sarkaz, to us, have more significance still.

That's why we're here.

Well, then. You're here. What are you fighting for?

Her Highness gave me a simple synopsis of Rhodes Island. You seem to be all sorts of bound up with the Sarkaz.

But according to what I've heard, Rhodes Island has, and has always, worked for the sake of the 'Infected.'

We do.

Then the two of you must have plenty more going on in your heads right now, leader and commander of Rhodes Island.

As you say, there's a great deal of people and affairs in Londinium that we have inseparable ties to.

I'm only speaking personally... and for the Doctor too, when I say that the truth and the past may be enough impetus on their own at this point for us to act.

But we've already been through so much. It's long stopped us from frivolously viewing these struggles and calamities, or placing our individual feelings above the greater problem.

That's why we're here to curb a war that would devastate the land, and to dissipate the ground zero of Victoria's woes.

To prevent the extinction of a race. To find the lifeline that by all rights we have the methods to seek.

To help the Infected, the workers, and even the Sarkaz that have been desolated.

We're here to help 'people,' Miss Allerdale. Every single person with life. Every single person with the right to live.

Only in the end that the majority can accept... do the truths of the past have any significance.

Amiya finishes her speech with resolution.

In Allerdale's clear look of surprise, Amiya can't help but seek her heart.

She's spoken her most genuine, sincere mind. Of that, there is no doubt.

The operators that work alongside her must surely be filled with the same staunch conviction. Dr. Kal'tsit stands ever more alone, carrying the weight of ideals.

So this ideal's origin, this strong flame of conviction that drives Rhodes Island to move in such colossal risk, to rush headlong into this political maelstrom—who lit it?

And what if—

—this answer of hers remains incapable of solving these pressing issues?