Глава 14

A checkup? Were they doctors?

(Rhodes Island should be in the city by now, but I haven't managed to reconnect with them. If that was them...)

Doctors? I'm not sure, but they told me to look for a place with flames if I needed any help.

Flames?

Oh! You're back!

This girl has helped me so much. She's infected too, so take her with you for an examination.

So it's you.

Yes.

It's been a long time, Ch'en.

The artisans who carved the giant statues here many years ago, never could have imagined the guards of the royal mausoleum would collapse into rubble due to the Sarkaz, instead of standing for eternity together with Victoria.

The Feranmut's skeleton emerges from deep underground, landing with a few lucky survivors.

'Ines...where... are we?'

It's too quiet. We're not on a battlefield... Ines... Ines?!

Ines! Ines! Hoederer's awake!

Paprika...? Where are we? Where're Ines and W? What's become of the battlefield now? *cough* *cough* Did they recapture the Lifebone already?

Uh... we're currently underground with many stone giants...

Um... Ines is... W went with the others...

Wait, hold on, that's too many questions at once—

You recovered quicker than I thought.

I thought he'd be more ruthless with you.

...What of him?

Who knows, Ascalon might have already killed him.

Hmph, don't give me that look.

It's good for us if he's really dead.

But Ines—

Paprika, now's not the time.

Okay...

Currently, we've stopped the Lifebone in the Mausoleum of Kings. W followed the Doctor and the others to stop the airship, but we don't know how they're doing.

The Mausoleum of Kings? Are you sure—

I recognize the Steam Knights' equipment.

There's also plenty of Sarkaz remains here, so if my hunch is right...

This is where the Steam Knights were surrounded and killed back then.

Any other clues?

I did find something.

Take a look.

This is... clothing?

Found it on a relatively intact Sarkaz skeleton.

I thought it might jog your memories.

There's a word embroidered in the lining!

...'Julie'?

'Julie'? Hoederer, did you know them?

Hoederer shakes his head.

There aren't many Sarkaz with names, and no way anybody involved in the slaughter here was ordinary.

She left her name here, and it should have stayed undiscovered forever.

But we chanced upon her.

What she and others did here will ultimately be remembered by us.

But it sounds like... it wasn't something to be happy about.

We already have more than enough of our own buried in this foreign country after all. How many of them can we remember when everything's over?

So what next? Your injury—

Wiš'adel... war... ended—live...

...*bzzt*...This is Babel.

Wiš'a...del? Who?

That sounded like—

W...

Hmph. What's she up to this time?

...Have we received any more intelligence from outside the battlefield?

(Shakes head nervously)

I fear we might have missed out on something very important—

Grr... He really did try to kill me.

Give yourself some time to heal.

I won't die just yet. Our top priority is to contact the Doctor and W.

If she wasn't lying in that transmission... then she really needs us now.

It seems like the battle has gone way past how I expected it to go.

Regent, Theresa... what exactly have you two done...?

Kal'tsit, the backup plan is working.;We escaped to the underground passage, covered by the chaos of the airship's crash landing.

We went through so much in the Assimilated Universe, but Originium's special nature means we were only gone for a brief moment.

This will likewise be a sudden change for the Military Commission.

It could be a chance for us.

Indeed. Communications are being restored, and the ducal alliance will speed up their advance. I don't think the Military Commission will stand a chance against a surrounding offensive from the alliance.

A proactive attack from us might bring greater results, if we rely on the contact points within the city she strived to preserve.

It was only because she put herself in danger during this time...

That our backup plan managed to proceed without a hitch.

She did well.

I'd love to hear from Kal'tsit in private about what your group went through, but it really isn't the best time for that.

To be honest, it was all I could do to bring you out of the chaos.

Many of those in the city saw the airship crash, and everyone has been guessing who's done it.

Doctor, you may find it hard to imagine the joy... when you suddenly see hope within the long dark night...

It sounds like it'll benefit our operations in the city.

I wouldn't call it a 'benefit'. At most it means more possibilities for us.

Heidi, how did contacting Closure go?

Communications are still being restored, and the city's taken a big hit. We're pressed for time too.

W... no, she insisted I call her Wiš'adel...

She said she received a transmission from her subordinates, and took off to verify it. I... couldn't stop her.

No matter. She knows very well what she should be doing.

Also, check your belongings. She must have left a way for us to contact her.

Huh...?

There really is!... When did she leave this beacon on me...?

That's very much her style of doing things.

How are Amiya and Logos doing?

The next area hasn't been swept clear yet. Once they confirm it's safe, we'll evacuate to the next safe point at once.

Doctor, Amiya, she...

Don't worry about her.;She just needs some time.

Alright. I'll try my best to get in touch with more of our friends inside the city. We'll need their help.

I also just compiled all the information we know.;Sync that data with Closure once you manage to connect with her.

I also uploaded arrangements for the other Rhodes Island Operators onto PRTS.;Tell them to update their PRTS as soon as they can so everyone's on the same page.

Seizing the opportunity?

Yes.;Currently, every faction in Londinium has their own blind spots.;It's a chance for us to buy time and react to anything in advance.

Understood. I'll handle it—I'm the one most familiar with the rebuilt intracity network after all.

You may not have noticed, Doctor. But you've become more proactive ever since we left the Assimilated Universe.

...Is that so?