Глава 13

Glaring won't kill me.

Ugh, what a drag.

Flowers mean nothing to this war.

Armories, explosives, incinerators. That's what you really need.

The very last new buds here are crushed.

Grandfather, we won't have fresh flowers during next year's harvest festival... Not anymore...

Let me go.

I'm calm.

Have you found what you were looking for?

Count yourself lucky that I didn't.

Then please leave.

Heh.

I thought you'd have a bit more guts than those idiots at the work site.

Hmph, Victorians.

Don't move. Your fingers need bandaging.

I couldn't stop them.

I... had some setbacks on the front lines.

Soon, there will be another here to take over for me. He... He has other plans for the town.

There's an opening in the cement construction about two hundred meters to the west of the town's entrance. The guerrillas nearby blew it open.

They won't give this chance up, so we need to fix this opening by 5 AM tomorrow.

What a weird Sarkaz.

Why is he telling me this?

The roses can still be saved. You must find a way to plant these poor things again.

If that opening piques your interest... take these roses and cut through our camp tonight. It's the safest route.

If somebody stops you, tell them you're delivering an order for me.

Of course, I'd be very happy if you could stop by and put a rose in front of my tent.

Some things should never be ruined, <i>Gardener.</i>

My name is not <i>Gardener,</i> Sarkaz. It's Magdelene.

Hm, then let us reintroduce ourselves. My name is <i>Shovel.</i>

<i>Shovel?</i>

Remember, Magdelene. Time waits for no one.

'What we are planting for the harvest festival represents hope.'

That's what my grandfather taught me. The flowers that line the streets during the festival each year are entrusted with everyone's simple wish for a bountiful harvest.

There is nowhere else that needs hope now more than Brentwood.

I can't leave.

His tent should be in this direction... I have to take the flowers there as soon as I can.

What's that?

What are you doing here?

Magdelene!

Where are you going with those flowers past curfew?

That's the direction of the barracks you're going. Hurry up and leave!

I... It's fine. I just wanted to come outside for a walk.

Right, I heard from Henk that it's your birthday today. Happy birthday! Will ordered some flowers for you, but he never came for them.

If you see Will, please remind him.

Freda?

Why aren't you saying anything?

Come with me. It's not safe here.

Huh... These flowers...

Will left them here to mourn my father. I've been keeping the warehouse locked, only occasionally lending him the key when he wants a sip of alcohol.

The cannons here, did Mr. West prepare them for the festival? How magnificent...

It's all my fault...

Did something happen to him?

He was stopped by the devils at the Sarkaz barracks just now.

He came to me earlier than usual for some sort of surprise, but when he found out I was going to the barracks to report on our progress, and he said he'd escort me there...

But the Sarkaz shouldn't have any reason to stop Will... They've never done that before.

I don't know... I'm scared. I didn't have it in me to say no when they asked to take Will in...

I've been following their every word. I gave them everything they asked for. Why did they want to take him?

Why... Did I do something wrong...?

Maybe they only had a few questions for him.

Look on the bright side. They still need him to work for them!

Right... That bloody thing isn't completed just yet. I am sure they still need Will.

I have to stay here at the barracks' entrance and wait for him.

Freda smiles.

But I'm not happy about this one bit.

I know I'm lying to her. I'm sure she knows that as well. However, this is all that we can do right now.

These days, we all need that tiny shred of hope to poison our minds.

'Hope.'

Freda... Did you see that?

There's a strange creature climbing on a house's beams.

I don't know if 'creature' is exactly the right word for it.

It's staring at me with its black body.

The terrifying being's feeble limbs are no longer attached to the beams.

Finally, it lands on the flowers used to mourn the mayor before it dissipates, turning into a drop of blood, and dyes the flower buds.

Was it... looking at us just now?

Yes. It was looking right at us.

Fear. It's a tolerance that we are naturally born with, just like how plants are able to adapt to soil that make havoc of their own rootstocks.

To shatter our will, they'll need to spread a much great 'dosage' of fear in Brentwood.

Freda is the greatest testament.

She is so fragile that you could break her simply by bumping into her, but she persisted among that crowd of terrifying men up till now.

But I can tell that she needs someone to confide in and vent her fear.

Will... he's not mature enough. It's not very likely he would understand how Freda feels.

Perhaps I can help her?

You didn't bring my order to my tent... Magdelene.

And you didn't leave Brentwood either. A pitiful decision.

He seems very feeble, even more so than yesterday.

What happened?

Why didn't you leave?

This is my home.

Do you have a new order for me? I can bring it to you along with the flowers last night.

...You don't have to worry about those orders anymore.

I'm here to say goodbye.

I'm leaving soon... to fight as part of the Nachzehrer King's army...

Alright...

Goodbye, if that's what you wanted to hear from me.

You're too naive... to the point of foolishness.

Everything that I've tried to protect, always courts its own destruction.

Perhaps I've been wrong from the start.

I don't understand what you're saying, <i>Shovel.</i>

I used to be incredibly jealous of all of you.

Victoria used to be the noblest and strongest nation there was. Naturally, you possessed many great things, and rightfully so.