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A group of Sarkaz suddenly emerged from the Catastrophe and have engaged in battle with our frontline troops!

What the hell is Wellington doing?! Acting alone at a time like this... that vainglorious fool! Has he gone senile?

Impossible.

I do have a conjecture, though. Do you think he deceived Caster? Or rather, everyone?

That... doesn't make any sense. This is the Iron Duke we're talking about. Why would he abandon the other, more easily-manipulated dukes to go ally with the Sarkaz?

It's a game of prisoner's dilemma among the dukes.

How would the Duke of Windermere, a warrior, treat her foes?

...She'd kill them all.

And wipe the last speck of their blood across their seized spoils.

Before he became first among the Victorian dukes, Wellington had already been leading troops for decades longer than your mother.

As a noble among nobles, Caster was used to everyone playing by the same set of rules.

After spending too long seated in front of the card table, she might've forgotten that some unreasonable people, such as us gangster types, have a penchant for flipping the entire table.

Hypothetically, if the Iron Duke truly saw all of Victoria as enemies rather than competitors – he'd never even give Caster a single chip to bargain with.

Catastrophe!

The next wave of Catastrophes struck far sooner than any of the Catastrophe Messengers predicted – all our comms have been knocked offline!

How long for repairs?

Fifteen minutes. No, we'll make it ten!

...Your Grace.

You came back on Wellington's orders.

Indeed.

You're heavily injured. Who's responsible?

Not any of the Iron Duke's men.

He... lost to that Sarkaz?

After the Gastrell opened fire, the Nachzehrers' advance brigade emerged from the fog.

They moved extremely quickly, using already-deployed altars to destroy a small warship – Abercorn's infantry had already engaged them for a spell.

We expected the Gastrell to aid this ship.

But...

He retreated instead.

That's right. The Gastrell has turned back.

All of Wellington's other ships are covering the flagship's retreat. Their casters... have also changed targets, relying on the covering fire from our ships to secure their own vessel's retreat.

What about Abercorn and Ashworth's ships?

Completely exposed to the Nachzehrers' assault.

They expected to show up as support – but now find themselves facing the enemies head-on.

Wellington's ships have completely blocked off the retreat. He's even trying to push Abercorn and the others towards the front lines.

It won't be long until the remaining alliance forces are wiped out... and become sustenance for the Nachzehrers.

Your Grace, the alliance forces dispatched to the heart of the battle has collapsed, and the Sarkaz will soon return to the rear where we're situated.

The plan to cut off and encircle the Sarkaz has failed! We're at risk of getting surrounded ourselves!

At risk?

No, it's already too late.

What's enveloping us... is much more than the Catastrophe.

...Nachzehrers!

The signal's back online, and we've run into a large contingent of Nachzehrers... No, it's an entire army!

There's another force approaching from the right... Is that their second army?

They've already begun fighting. The Catastrophe is amplifying the Nachzehrers' witchcraft—!

The Originium response is spiking sharply! Your Grace, watch yourself–

Troops on the battlefield still able to receive any feeble signals at all simultaneously are sent a staticky message––

The Gloriana has been confirmed destroyed.

Vina remembers the first time she saw a high-speed battleship.

It was sitting on her father's desk. A small scale model, only as long as an adult's forearm. Its crystal flagpole would fall over with just a little poke.

Her father pushed her touchy-feely hands away, telling her that high-speed battleships are akin to metallic monsters that conquer the land. They, like the indomitable city of Londinium, were the crowning jewels of Victoria's industrial technology.

'Alexandrina, when you are older, I will take you aboard the newest battleship. You will see for yourself.'

Many years later, when Vina did in fact see one, it was only upon the battlefield.

Be it Windermere's, Caster's, or Wellington's warship, they were so majestic that the people standing beneath them were mere specks in comparison.

But at this moment, the broken warship in the palm of the colossal Originium wave before her seems to have reverted to the tiny toy she played with in her childhood.

That... Originium Wave, crushed the Gloriana into pieces.

My eardrums... are still aching––

The sound of a warship being destroyed... I doubt there's anyone nearby who didn't hear it...

The duke driving that huge thing... is dead, just like that?

Grr... Hey, Dagda, you'd better not shit yourself.

You're the one whose hands are shaking.

Hmph.

You've been quiet this whole time, Dagda. What's on your mind?

They made an example of the Duke of Caster at this critical juncture. The Sarkaz intentions are all too clear.

What might that be? A warning?

No, it's a message. A message that the Sarkaz are about to launch an all-out attack.

Inform all our comrades and prepare for the next assault–

The Duke of Caster's not dead.

Horn! Our morale's completely shot right now...

That was quite the commotion just now. Nobody has ever seen anything like that before... including us.

But, the captain's already sent out a bunch of old vets to tag along with you and calm down the fresh greens. Aye, looks like it's been workin' out.

Bagpipe, don't hold them to our standards, even if you're just doing it subconsciously. The Exemplars just happen to be a particularly special case.

Aye. Got it, Captain.

Horn, you just said... that the Duke of Caster is still alive? You seem quite certain about that.

Take a look – the muzzles of the Gloriana's cannons have been locked on since the very beginning.

Huh?

There might be countless criticisms about Victoria's grand dukes... But holding that position for decades is no easy feat.

Since the Gloriana has not ceased its resistance, that means the Duke of Caster has not perished.

As for the actual situation... maybe that's something a Trilby Asher can clear up for us.

He left the moment the Gloriana started to run into trouble.

He might be in the vicinity trying to a get in contact with the Gloriana to figure out what's actually going on.

But from what he told us, the Stone of the Sword we're looking for is also right there–

Siege, what's our next move?

We've just heard back from the outpost!

The Gloriana has been completly surrounded by the Royal Court's blitz attack, and the Duke of Wellington has suddenly withdrawn his forces.

The situation in the surrounding areas has rapidly deteriorated––

Vina, I'm afraid that... we'll have to halt our march at once.

All hands, you are not to change your route without authorization. Pass through the Gastrell's covering bombardment area posthaste.

Cover the General's return to the ship!

Shells rain down on both sides of the mobile force that is moving at full speed. Smoke obscures their whereabouts, and withering artillery fire crushes the Sarkaz troops collapsing upon them.

Wait, two hundred meters ahead – I found something strange belonging to those Nachzehrers!

The aura emanating from that throne... seems to be letting those damn devils to replenish their ranks faster.

They're closing in fast... They're trying to intercept us!

General, do we need the flank guard to continue the diversion–

No.

Commander, we're––

Run them over. *cough*...

Yessir!

(Labored gasps)

Amidst the smoke, silent figures in white robes raise their longswords, sundering the artillery fire falling upon them.

They disappear into the plumes of smoke and dust kicked up by the explosions.