Глава 13

Hmph, I hope there won't be a second time.

Inform your troops that I will take command in this battle.

Naturally.

Well then, if you will excuse me. There are many matters waiting for me to handle on the front line.

And just like that. Truly a swift and decisive man.

I grew up listening to the tales of 'The Empire's Death Knell', but I didn't think his hair would actually turn completely white.

*sigh* Forming a military alliance with other dukes used to be an earth-shaking affair, but look at us now; we can't even have a presentable meeting.

Judging from his words, he's become a stubborn old man unwilling to admit his setbacks.

Duke Caster, I know nothing about war, but looking at old Wellington's condition, I fear we won't be able to completely trust him...

Caster?

Indeed... trust.

No, it's nothing. I merely recalled some past events from my youth.

Old Wellington... he conceals his impatience, his unease, and even his shortcomings. He <i>is</i> getting older as well.

But he can't fool me. It's all fake.

You've known him for a long time.

For far too many years... even from when I was just a little girl with no experience.

What are your thoughts on the matter?

The look in his eyes as he spoke of the Nachzehrer was exactly the same as it used to be in his youth.

Be it friend or foe, he is like a beast thirsting to tear the other to feast on their blood.

To rip out their entrails, chew their bones, and swallow them.

Hunt, devour, grow. He has always been this sort of warrior.

The old man's appetite has always been good.

Who was already in Duke Wellington's belly, when you met him?

Ivan Evgenevich.

Herkunftshorn.

As well as Corsica I.

...I see.

You were really... quite young back then.

There used to be a saying in the among the nobles in Caster territory, regarded as an ominous symbol.

'Victoria only has one true Duke after the War of the Four Nations.'

For we restricted and weakened him after that fort more than sixty years. The people forget about heroes in peacetime, and the nobles repel the death knell in their fear.

He revealed his fatigue earlier.

But I think of, and I've always been thinking of something—the smile on his face when we were both young, flashed towards the endless expanse of the battlefront...

He stood side by side with the Emperor of Ursus, he witnessed the Witch King's arts, he saw the greatest of monarchs and dismantled the largest modern cities to exist then.

How can someone like him willingly throw himself to the slaughter?

Hmm...

So you're telling me, our man who has had no choice but to swallow his pride for decades and might be still Victoria's strongest general, has divulged his true feelings?

Heheh, you're the one who invited him to the table. You know he has a trump card up his sleeve.

I'm feeling a little chilly. The wind outside tonight is rather strong.

Chilly? Be sure not to catch a cold, Duke Gododdin.

Ahaha, of course not. Please be at ease.

Despite what everyone says about me, I really am lazy and would much rather stay in my lovely estate appreciating the countryside view than to be on a battleship.

But I do like winter.

Ah! I got it!

You tinkering with the radio equipment again?

Didn't I already tell you multiple times, Closure?

Our recent patrols haven't gone far enough to pick up any signals coming from inside Londinium.

And I already told you so many times, I'm a Rhodes Island engineer!

Look, my equipment specially made for Rhodes Island communications can now receive signals from other channels after my many modifications!

Let's see—

'Londinium Self-Salvation Corps broadcast, *Electric current noise*. Repeat, Commander Clovisia and the other members who have not left are still fighting. Repeat, we need back up——'

Commander Clovisia! I knew she and the others were fine!

We need to hurry and tell everyone about this.

Great, they're all right and I'm done debugging this tool in my hand.

Wait, there's another message from the Rhodes Island channel.

It can't be... what happened to Blaze and the rest with her, and what's with all the regular Infected...

'*Electric current noise* The disembarkment application for Londinium, Victoria has been approved *Electric current noise* Local branch operators, please make preparations.'

'Repeat, please make preparations.'

So many books here, but not even a vegetable stem to be found.

The number of books won't matter if we don't find any stems.

Are you sure we can find something edible here?

If we don't, then we can just kick down some house door after.

Won't they put up a fight?

We already took them all away.

(yawn) Man, I'm beat.

Life was so much simpler before.

Swing our sword, cut someone down, swing again, cut down another, and then boom. Money.

But now? We can't even find a single stem to eat.

Is Londinium still considered Victoria's now?

I mean, we occupied it, so does it count as a new city of ours now? Or is it still Victoria's?

I don't know.

All I know is the clouds have been gathering lately. The top of that building... is extremely unusual.

What's there to worry? That's where the regent is.

Do you hear a... strange noise?

Huh? Nah.

That's so strange...

A huge figure emerges from the shadows, and a ray of light blazes through the deathly still streets.

It raises it's heavy right arm, and then harshly drops it.

The armor falls into silence, like it was just an illusion. A faint fire seeping from its helmet is the only sign that it still lives.

She stretches out her hand to touch the knight, but is forced to refrain from the residual heat on the armor.

The armor remains silent.

Your Highness, what are you looking at?

Dark clouds.

The Shard's energy is gathered. According to the Confessarii research, a device like this able to manipulate Originium's reactions will also be able to control that piece of 'Originium'.

The dukes have begun mobilizing their forces, and in a few days...

No, I don't mean the clouds here.

What's about to happen in Londinium is set in stone.

Manfred, you were born in Kazdel. What does it look like in your memories?

It was already the hub unit of your nomadic city while I was growing up.

My memories of the place... the sky was always overcast. Even worse than Victoria's skies, to be honest. There was always a pungent stench of industrial waste in the air.

Would you call that place... 'home'?

I would.

Really.

I was thinking how we Sarkaz always travel within a haze.

We are determined to tear the clouds apart...

But, when everything is finally revealed—

The true calamity will follow.

Will we make it in time?

I hope the light I've been looking at can still shine then.

Even if I'm already in the depths of the darkness.