Глава 14

People speak different languages, and their hearts are not connected.

Home. <i>Home.</i>

But a river meant that there must also be a source to return to.

Sleep soundly, Amiya.

Good night.

Amiya has no idea how she got back to her room. That night, she slept very soundly.

Did the puppet make it across the shore? What happened in the end?

A ravine suddenly appeared. Just like that, the two sides have lost contact.

Amiya?

Ah! Doctor, when did you get back?

Is everyone waiting for me? I'm sorry. I'll just need a minute...

Good job with the battle.;You did well during the battle.

Yeah!

It's okay, Doctor. I'm all ready.

Let's head over there together.

We're about ready for departure. Every one of us has to leave Brentwood. Good thing these bones are large enough for us all to fit.

The Military Commission must already have caught wind that we've taken control of the town and the Lifebone. It goes without saying that the skeleton is of tremendous importance.

Their counter-offensive might already be on the way. Perhaps the Sarkaz are watching our every move as we speak.

Ever since their rapid tactical unit, the Witchling, took to the skies... it's always felt like somebody's been watching us in the mist. It's unnerving.

The battle will only get more dangerous from here on out.

We all know that. The Exemplars will not give up their counter-offensive on Londinium. We have no other choice.

Victoria's people have endured this long enough already.

Good thing we seized the skeleton. Under ideal conditions, it will serve as a temporary stronghold. The wounded and civilians will also get to settle down a little.

Besides, if what Hoederer said is true, it can teleport anywhere, although it might make the users nauseous.

This is indeed some much appreciated help, but something is bothering me...

Why wouldn't the Military Commission defend such an important transport to the death?

Perhaps they gave up because of the pressure of the battlefield, or perhaps Duq'arael... the Sanguinarch underestimated his enemies...

But it's more likely that their plan in Londinium has already reached a stage where... they can't afford to worry about anything happening outside.

The Sanguinarch still completed his final ritual. That may be exactly why they turned their gaze not to the Lifebone, but somewhere else.

Hoederer has finished negotiating with the consciousness left in the skeleton. It will... yes... 'listen to our proposal.' With its help, we will be able to return to the battlefield at any moment.

Most importantly, it gave us an opportunity to get close to the airship and the Shard.

If we make use of this trump card well... Just maybe, we'll be able to mount an airborne assault on Central Londinium.

Take out their headquarters directly. Good. I like that.

The area around the Shard is heavily guarded, and my guess is that the Military Commission's airship won't let us hover over their heads without a fight.

All we can do is find an opening for our strike team to enter, and as soon as they've made it in, we'll have the Lifebone depart.

That means the strike team can't retreat.

But at the same time, we still have to get to the bottom of what's been bothering Amiya: What exactly are the Sarkaz planning?

And how to foil their little tricks.

We won't be able to take the Shard with this little time by ourselves, but... we still have friends inside that massive city. We need to get in touch with them.

According to our intelligence, there likely aren't many combatants stationed inside the Shard.

Based on my experience fighting their commander, if Theresis... Amiya, what would you say our chances are?

No, we should avoid a direct confrontation with him at all costs. No one is strong enough to singlehandedly defeat Theresis.

Besides, our greatest threat right now is not a single powerful Sarkaz hero. Rather, it is their ambition to see their plans come to fruition.

We will only be able to end this war quickly by stopping it from happening.

A few squads on their own can't end a war. We still need the Victorian military.

It's true that the Duke of Windermere perishing on the front lines is beyond what any of us might have...

Oh.

Forgive me... Lady Delphine.

Standing beside you now is an intelligence officer in the service of Duke Windermere, not her daughter.

Pay me no mind.

The Duke of Windermere's untimely passing has disrupted the fragile balance on the outskirts of Londinium. They are on the brink of war.

Heh, until a few weeks ago, I was still under the impression that if the dukes were to put their minds to it and attack Londinium together, a Sarkaz defeat would have been all but assured.

This will be a decisive battle, one far worse than what any of the bigwigs have been anticipating.

I'd like to say they wished this upon themselves, but it's the frontline soldiers and innocent citizens who are suffering right now.

So, when the time comes... who's going to win? Us, the Exemplars, or the dukes?

Uh, sorry, I guess I shouldn't be asking that before an operation?

It's fine. I know what it is you're worried about.

But there's no need to worry. A great many people stood up, raised their heads, and woke from their dreams because of this calamity, whether willingly or forced.

You are far from the only ones.

We need to focus on the problem at hand: How to break through the battlefield for our Londinium counter-offensive, as well as how to stop the Shard's strikes.

It won't be easy.;The next step in the Sarkaz plan most likely has to do with Originium.

It's very likely that they will apply ancient Sarkaz research on Originium.;We don't have time. We need to decide on a route for our advance.

Taking the battlefield head-on is our one and only choice.

We received a transmission indicating we have several Rhodes Island support teams on the way.

There are many things we will only be able to accomplish here as Rhodes Island.

I will command their operation.;I will see our strategy executed flawlessly.

And put this crisis behind us.

It seems none of us have any objections. That being the case...

Everyone turns to Amiya.

Suddenly, you feel a hint of relief, gratification, excitement, and pride.

After all, you are standing right beside her.

This war has come to a head, and Theresis intends to use some more decisive and forceful means to tear Victoria to shreds.

This has nothing to do with whether the Sarkaz truly have a right to revenge. It has nothing to do with whether the nobles may bear this heavy burden for Victoria.

If we solve all our problems by destroying our enemies, then this land, plagued by war from the beginning, has no hope.

The Confessarii and Theresis are there, at the heart of Londinium, toppling this empire standing on shaky ground.

I will go to them. And I will stop them.

For <i>that</i> future, and for the future of all.

Isn't a big gap like this a waste?

I got some real juicy explosives from Closure, enough to pack every corner of this place full.

Hah, and they're still cooking up stupid ideas like mounting an attack on Londinium. This is the <i>Military Commission</i> we're talking about. Who knows what tricks Theresis's got up his sleeve?

So?

Bomb the place, straight up.

Heh, why do you think the Military Commission went through all that trouble to hide this skeleton, instead of treating it as a second airship?

This thing is fragile. It's only thanks to the witchcraft device that we can communicate with the Feranmut's lingering breath of life. An attack, no matter how weak, could spell the end of it.

You think I'm talking about dropping bombs out of it? I'm saying let's make <i>it</i> the bomb.

A bomb that can fly just about anywhere it wants, that can fly right into Theresis's face at any moment. The perfect bomb.

What? You're still thinking about letting it take us back to Kazdel? If we don't deal with Theresis, we aren't going anywhere.

Let's take the simplest path to solving our problems here.

*sigh*.

Got something to share with the class?

Nothing at all, but I didn't expect to see you so tense.

Should I teach you a few deep breathing techniques?

Huh?

Whatever, W. Get in the right frame of mind for this operation. Otherwise, no amount of explosives is going to fix what's going on in your head.

That just means we're gonna need even more bombs.

If you say so.

Phew...

Ines.

What?

Remember when we ran into that Lich the other day...? Never mind. Forget it—