Глава 12

Come in.

You're here, Golding.

Lettou... You know us better than I ever imagined.

What do you mean?

The Londinium Self-Salvation Corps.

Where did you get this information from?

Does it matter?

Have a seat, Lady Golding. Please, there is no reason for you to feel anxious.

This war is not between you and I.

Answer me, Lt. Colonel.

I know why you came, Golding. You want to buy time.

You are under the impression you have enough leverage to discuss terms. You think you can still help your friends.

How regrettable. I thought you would be wiser.

We had a conversation not too long ago.

You said you did not want to see Londinium become the next Lingones.

Take a look around us. Take a look at the deep abyss that Londinium is plunging into.

Is this the choice you made for yourself that you spoke about?

Golding... Didn't you rebut me on that?

Correct, we are plunging toward that abyss. War has begun. War once tore apart Gaul, our homeland.

What will it tear apart this time? Maybe it will be the Sarkaz. Maybe it'll be Victoria.

You know how disastrous this will be. Hundreds of thousands... Millions of people will—

Will bleed, die, and buried by this era.

You know that better than anyone!

That is correct. I know this very well, but I must also admit that it was you who opened my eyes. <i>You</i> made me reflect on my decision.

If I had to question my conscience—

I would not have cared nearly as much.

Let us cast aside those hypocritical high hopes of 'mankind' or 'civilization,' Golding.

When we were young, we talked freely of these subjects and, with nothing but admiration in our hearts, sung the praises of the outstanding men and women in history.

Mankind, the master of all things! Our intelligence and bravery set us apart from wild beasts and graced these lands with this radiant miracle!

But if we simply lifted our heads from the books and compare, we would realize how close their endings are to the reality before us.

The same downfalls, the same rottennesses, the same self-destructions.

What if all those things we sing the praises of were nothing but temporary illusions? What if believing that they are eternal makes us naive?

What if destruction was our true nature?

You weren't so pessimistic before, Lettou.

Pessimistic.

Golding, you are so kind with your choice of words. You described my crazed musings as just 'pessimistic.'

I thought I warranted harsher criticism.

It seems... you are not as resolute as I thought you would be.

I am simply... exhausted.

I merely started to try facing reality. It is very painful, but I have no other choice.

As for the conversation we had the other day, I can now offer you a new answer.

I did not choose any missions for myself, Lady Golding.

I only wanted to survive... the ceaseless destruction.

It's pitiful and weak, insignificant and inadequate, but this is the answer I arrived at, and it is the only one I have to offer.

What else can I do?

You're a soldier. You should've...!

Followed orders? Whose orders should I have followed? The King is dead, the Sarkaz run the parliament, and each duke has his own master plan.

You could have—

—become a hero?

At what cost?

What if the price... is not one that I can afford?

When you walked into the room, did you see the eyes of the guard standing by the door?

The officers under me, my comrades, and those bewildered young men... Till has five children, Sasan's mother has been paralyzed for three years, and Totten's brother has Oripathy.

The vampires will suck their blood dry.

Bowing down will not prevent anything.

At the very least... Nothing has happened yet, as of today.

Golding, it's my hope that you survive this as well, speaking personally.

Fundamentally, you and I might just be of a kind. It's only that I have chosen to give up, while you are still standing firm.

You and I are nothing alike.

You asked me where I obtained the information on the Londinium Self-Salvation Corps.

Very well, I shall answer you. From a cowardly teacher.

What are you saying...?

Look at yourself, Golding. Your blunders and the tracks you left behind are owed to your cowardice and fear.

Sentimental kinds have never been a good fit for intelligence work. You've known that from the start.

No, it can't be!

There's been a lot of chatter on my communications here.

The Sarkaz ambushed... the Camden Borough safe house... We.... Their forces...

Alert... The safe house at Auchterigg...

Hello? Can anyone hear me? This is the Magna Borough safe house. We're under...

No...!

Golding, they are dying because of you.

You pushed them into the fire.

This is what your 'fight' brings.

And for that, I can only mourn.

There's too many men. They're well-equipped, and they're working far too well with each other.

Mercenaries aren't capable of this. These are military elites.

Each and every one of them is a bloodthirsty machine who dug his way out of a thousand battles.

Out of the way, the lot of ya!

Indra, watch your back!

This isn't going to work. We are on the back foot right now.

I will locate the position of their commander. Amiya, maintain formation. Don't stop.

I-I got it!

Damn, there's more of them down this alley!

Stay close, Doctor. We will cut our way through!

'Go forward three hundred meters and take the first left.'

Who's that?!

'Hurry up. There are more ambushers on the roof.'

Doctor, did you hear that? That voice...

Watch out for their Arts! Cut through this danger zone!

Hold on tight, Doctor.

'Left.'

Let's listen to that voice.;We have to give it a shot.

I hate being ordered around! Tsk, fine!

'Fifty meters, and to your right.'

Bloody... That's a wall there!

No...

Some kind of illusion, perhaps? Charge through it!

*pant*...*pant*....

There's no one I hate more than a sneaky bastard like you! Show yourself!

'That assassin of yours has already taken down the commander of your pursuers. You are safe for the time being.'