Глава 13

With the metallurgy you originated and the Steam Knights, you conquered another empire. With your mystifying art and rich academia, you attracted all of Terra's geniuses...

Yet now, you've halted your outward conquest. Now, your rulers only indulge in parties and wine, only ever boasting about the medals on their chest.

They crush their own glory, and they are destined to be replaced—

Hm? You still have this wall clock...

Time really flies. The town's citizens must all have gone to the work site.

What do you mean?

Your deaths are unavoidable, Magdelene.

The Sanguinarch is an impatient man.

That's why the ritual was pushed forward, and under that Feline's leadership, the mission was indeed completed most marvelously.

Everyone here will be the key to the ritual's activation.

Of course, that includes you.

Ritual... Key...

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

Freda... Do you see that?

The blood-colored worm is staring at me.

<color=#cc0000>'The entire town will be the key to the ritual's activation.'</color>

The key...

My soul is trembling.

I need to go find Freda!

Let me go!

You mustn't leave this greenhouse.

Wait a little longer, Magdelene. I'll be here with you.

Until we bid each other farewell for the last time.

Why... The people of the town have never done anything against your wishes!

Freda and everyone fulfilled each and every one of your requests!

His Highness decided to carry out this war, and your dukes responded. This outcome has nothing to do with us or you.

All we need to do is follow our orders.

Then let me warn the people at the work site! Just pretend you don't know anything like before, please!

I serve His Highness, and I won't allow you to quash this ritual...

Not unless you make it past me, Magdelene.

Can you do it, <i>Gardener?</i>

He grabs me by the hand, but places it on a pair of scissors in his hand.

There seems to be a ray of longing burning in the depths of his ashen eyes.

What is this prideful man longing for?

Release? Pity? Or is it perhaps... that word that I can't bring myself to touch?

I notice that even though the two of us have spent a very long time together in this greenhouse, I've never actually truly understood this man.

But I have to leave now. Just as he said, there is no time.

I'm sorry.

I can't stand by and watch anymore—

Magdelene, where are you going? Why the rush?

Is that... blood on your clothes...? Are you okay?

It's fine—I cut my finger while I was pruning branches...

Henk, where's Freda?

Freda? After she came back from the barracks by herself this morning, she went straight to the Sarkaz officers.

She seemed rather out of it, and she kept saying sorry no matter who she ran into.

Did something happen?

Everyone has to leave this place right now.

And the farther, the better!

What's with all of you being so bloody barmy today?

There's no time to explain. I need to tell everyone else!

But we're almost finished! Besides, if we all ditch work, what are we supposed to do when those officers find us?

Fireworks? Where?

Who blew that wall open? Is that... Freda?

The last time I saw such beautiful fireworks. It was the harvest festival when I was ten.

Grandfather put me on his shoulders and walked through the crowd.

Everyone looked up to the fireworks blooming in the sky astonished. Everyone kept quiet, only for the silence to be torn apart by the explosive sound wave a moment later.

This is just like that.

Freda set off the cannon Mr. West was hiding for the harvest festival. There are countless Sarkaz pulling her from behind.

Drenched in blood, she is shouting something, but whatever she is trying to say, it's buried by the cannon's loud roar.

She is buried by the wave of Sarkaz gushing toward her and torn apart.

A flame burning bright in the middle of the day—

The cannons keep roaring.

A grand ceremony has come to Brentwood ahead of schedule.

What just happened? Is there an earthquake?

R-Run!

You're bleeding... Bollocks... Stay away! Those disgusting monsters are dripping from your body!

What are the Sarkaz trying to do?

Henk, Henk! You can't close your eyes...

I... I'm starting to feel very tired too... So sleepy...

I can feel my own blood fluttering out of my body.

Before disappearing into the earth.

Magdelene! Hang in there!

Captain, I got her!

Everyone, hold onto the ropes as tight as you can. Do not touch the ground, no matter what!

Hurry and help them!

Magdelene, you can't fall asleep!

Rockrock?

This guy's so heavy!

Mmm...

Feist... The Self-Salvation Corps... Why are you...?

We figured something went wrong when we saw fireworks in the middle of the day! They sealed the wall we blew open yesterday, but that cannon gave us a new path.

Hold onto Rockrock's hand, Magdelene! Our forces don't have enough manpower, and we're bringing everyone to evacuate as soon as we can!

Woahh! Feist, your zipline's even faster after those modifications you made!

Right, where is Mayor Freda? We haven't been able to locate her.

...Freda is—

Drat, why did my zipline start shaking?

What about that weak garrison commander? Where is he hiding this time?

Well, no matter... I'll take over command.

I can feel it. My blood... is boiling.

No need to contact Major Ulšulah's squad. We can take care of these laughable Victorians by ourselves.

Kill them all.

The garrison here is mounting a counter-attack. They're putting more pressure on us than any Sarkaz we've faced before!

How much explosive does Old Weiss still have outside? Can he make it here in time to back us up?

Probably not happening. Not counting the members who laid the ziplines for us, we barely had any fighting men to begin with.

Start the Crawlers! We need to break through by force!

Rockrock, watch out! Your zipline!

Ah—

That hurts—

Magdelene, are you okay?

Can you walk? Gah, these disgusting things—