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My dearest sister, you're jealous of everything I have. My authority, my standing, and my wealth.

Yet you don't know that I'm jealous of you for everything you have as well. Your romantic life, your freedom, and your future.

I often wish that we had the opportunity to trade places even though I know we can't.

To hand the Browntail clan over to you would mean our family's destruction.

Likewise, if I could live your life, it would probably be a life of failure.

I should've expected no less, Enciodes. Coming to this meeting with just a single bodyguard.

I'm not here to fight, and my guess is you aren't here for that either.

Hmph, I'd love to, though.

Too bad, the Browntails don't have an enormous army like the Paleroches.

Are you coming inside, Degenbrecher?

Would you like me to?

You can if you want.

Degenbrecher, wait outside.

Are you sure about that? I don't mind at all.

A show of good faith.

Enciodes, you hide your true thoughts well.

Good faith? You're just thinking that there's nothing I can do to you.

Or you could say I'm waiting for you to do something meaningful.

You won't be disappointed, then. Come in.

If I remember correctly, this patch of land used to belong to the Edelweiss family.

Right. Nice house, isn't it?

It's in a good location, with a wonderful view. It's a splendid home, indeed.

Generation after generation, the Edelweiss family has been in charge of Kjerag's texts and scriptures, and they've always enjoyed a decent relationship with the three clans. It was my grandfather who ordered this house built as a villa.

I'd heard Luca had an interest in architecture, and judging from the building's design, I dare say that even Victoria's celebrity architects would have plenty of praise for it.

Hahaha, I doubt he'd be so happy to hear your approval.

If you like it so much, though, I could show you its original blueprints.

I will think about it.

Ratatos, now that we're sitting here to share a conversation, do you know what I'm reminded of?

What?

That time seven years ago.

Seven years ago... Oh.

You'd just come back from Victoria. You brought lots of things with you to develop your territory.

Then, you wanted to restore the Silverashes' seat on the Tri-Clan Council and to throw the country's gates wide open, so you came to me.

You told me that once we opened those gates, we'd have business, and the people of Kjerag would get to eat better, dress better.

After that, you and I persuaded Arctosz and the Great Elder together, and so Kjerag's gates were flung wide open, allowing us to do business with the outside.

Those were wonderful times.

Ratatos takes a sip of her cystymilk, her words carrying a hint of nostalgia.

Those were indeed wonderful times. The Silverashes and the Browntails worked together, side-by-side, while Karlan Trade, representing Kjerag, traded with the outside world.

Capital, technology, and skilled workers flowed into Kjerag, and everything seemed to be going in the right direction.

Yet you chose to put an end to these wonderful times yourself.

Ratatos, I used to believe that you were an excellent partner.

You were a disappointment yourself, Enciodes.

Those wonderful times were yours, not mine. Nor was it Arctosz, and much less Kjerag's.

In the end, only Karlan Trade lived the good life. No one else did. How is that in any way wonderful?

Still, it's too late for me to say all this. The match's been decided, and I lost.

The loser has no right to talk so loftily.

No loser would call herself a loser, Ratatos.

Tell me, what do you know about my parents' deaths?

Enciodes, do you think your parents were murdered by my grandfather and Arctosz?

The investigation at the time concluded that my parents were killed in a train accident caused by Gnosis's parents.

I never believed it, though. At the time, just like the Tri-Clan Council of today, both Luca and Arctosz's father opposed my parents' industrialization plans.

I find it very hard to believe that these were not connected in any way.

In that case, let me tell you the truth.

The truth is that your parents did indeed die in a train accident. The only difference is that my grandfather framed the Edelweisses.

Hold on. I'm not done yet.

My grandfather had actually been planning to have your parents killed.

This house was prepared so that your parents could be burned alive inside during their visit.

Alas, they died on their way here.

And so this place, meant to be their tomb, was spared.

Right, Arctosz's father acquiesced to my grandfather's plan too.

And, as you know, a few years after your parents' passing, Arctosz's old man passed his clan's title over to him and went off somewhere.

Nobody knows if he's still alive.

I assume you didn't invite me here just to boast, Ratatos.

I never imagined this woud happen, you see. I didn't want anything to do with my grandfather's dealings.

Yet, in the end, the house where he was going to murder your parents is now where you and I will die together.

That is indeed ironic.

Two bargaining chips for your life. I'd say it's a fair deal.

Ratatos pulls the handle by her right hand.

A chorus of mechanical sounds can be heard from beyond the ceiling and walls.

Almost like sharp laughter.

Wait... Isn't that the trap house Grandpa left behind? Why is it on fire?!

Isn't she in there with Enciodes...?

Don't tell me—She wants to die with Enciodes?!

Ratatos! Hey, what are you doing? Come out, Ratatos!

Stinking bitch... Dammit... Why won't this door open no matter how many times I hack at it?!

Ratatos! Rata... Ratatos—Sis!!

Dammit...!

Taking herself out with him, huh...? I see. That's an unexpected one.

Hm? You're... Ratatos's sister?

Who are you?!

You... You're the one who's always following Enciodes around...

You'll stand in my way?

Wait! Who gave you permission to move? Stop, all of you!

Hm?

What is it? Here for a little chat?

Why would I want a chat with you?!

Let's cut the crap. Do you have any way through this door?!

*cough*... *cough*...

It's so loud outside...

After all these years, his trap still worked perfectly.

I thought your next move would be to escape while I was distracted.

If I was could run, wouldn't that mean that you could get away too?

There's no way out in this room. Once it's activated, everyone inside is as good as dead.

It won't be easy for anyone outside to break in and help, either.

Please, I beg you, Enciodes. Die with me here. You'll have me go out with you.

It's my time to wonder, Ratatos.

What is it that drove you to go this far just to stop me?

Everyone always says that, just like Old Luca, Ratatos looks cares for nothing but profit. Sure, I am his granddaughter, how could I not?

I started working with you because I had my eyes on the riches that trade with the outside world could get us. In the end, you and Karlan Trade gobbled up all the profits.

That's why I was going to crush Karlan Trade through the Great Elder. That way, I could take the lucre for myself.

That's what everyone thinks. That's been my reputation the past couple years.

And you think the same way.

I won't argue that.

My grandfather always wanted to make the Browntails the greatest clan in Kjerag.

That's what separates the two of us.

Right before he died, he summoned me to his deathbed, and loudly mocked Arctosz's old man for being a coward.

Then, he told me to swallow both your family and the Paleroches whole.

The way I see it, Arctosz's dad was a more decent human being.

I agree.

And I also think that even if the Browntails became the only clan in Kjerag, the people wouldn't call themselves Browntails anyway.

Kjerag is called Kjerag is because Kjeragandr herself named this place so.

Because our faith stood in these lands for over a thousand years.

But, look at us now. It's been several hundred years since the clans started to manage their own lands.

Before you came back, all the Tri-Clan Council ever discussed was each year's events and which family would foot a bigger portion of the ceremony's bill.

We stand on the same lands, we speak the same language, eat the same food, and believe in the same Goddess...

Yet we grew further and further apart because we belonged to different clans, and the truth is that's how we differentiate ourselves.

Kjeragandr's still in the people's hearts, but the Kjerag name is slowly being forgotten.

When you came back to Kjerag and told me about your plans to open the borders, I was really happy.

I was happy because you told me that not only will the Silverashes trade with the other countries, you wanted the other clans to join. I thought that could bring all three families together.

Enciodes shifts his posture. Anyone who knows him knows this means he is listening attentively.

Karlan Trade trades with the outside world as the Silverash family business. It's naturally a different beast from operating it as Kjerag's window to the outside world.

And I've actually considered uniting the three clans myself.

You have? *Cough*.

I studied up on economics quite a bit to figure out what it is you were doing.

You lowered the tax rate to lure foreign capital and gave them special treatment.

To keep the money flowing, you signed all kinds of unequal trade agreements with those big corporations.

And, you should know, I knew you were building factories to shore up the military. You were never going to be able to hide that from me.

Do you think I called it quits because I had my eyes on your money?

I was scared.

I couldn't see anything that suggested you were going to unite the three cans. All I could see was you trying to turn Kjerag into something of your own. That, or somebody else's.

If the choice is between you and the Great Elder, I choose the Great Elder every time.

I have to admit that I have misjudged you, Ratatos.

If you're opening up to me, I may as well tell you a little about this.

Kjerag may be rich in minerals and other raw resources, but, crucially, we lack any technology of our own.

This places us at a disadvantage when it comes to technological trade.

Some technologies can be bought with money, while others cannot.

Do you know what that means?

For example, the rights to operate the Mount Karlan trade route bought us an entire set of last generation railway signals, as well as the right of first offer for soon-to-be-retired railcars.

Without these, we'd have to rely on what my parents left us with. The old tracks and a railcar fleet over a decade old. They were practically useless for both industrial or civilian transportation.

As another example, we traded the collaborative mining rights to the eastern mines for Rim Billiton's ore smelting technology and equipment.

Do you know how much more efficient our processes became thanks to this technology?

I don't care what you managed to trade, Enciodes. I care about what you gave them.

We are out of time, Ratatos.

Be it Victoria, Minos, Columbia, or Kazimierz.

The only reason they haven't yet laid their fingers on Kjerag is that they don't have to.

In earlier times, before nomadic cities were invented, when men were sent scrambling across the world by Catastrophes, the different cultures that had been broken up all across the lands knew little about one another.

Modern nations had yet to be established, and there were no communications or contact between them.

Then, the age of innovation came two hundred years ago. It was still a time when everyone focused only on their own development, rarely making contact with one another.

However, fast forward to a few decades ago, the nations in the world gradually began making contact and clashing.

With Gaul's support, Columbia declared its independence from Victoria.

However, barely a decade after that, the Battle of the Four Emperors led to Gaul's destruction.

Columbia and Leithanien's war over Bolívar continues to this day.

Not only that, but the conflicts between nations sped up their communications with one another. Countries began to enter into trade agreements, establishing trading companies in each other's territories...

None of them could keep themselves isolated anymore, and they all began to find ways to get along with the other nations.

And when all of this was happening, Kjerag was completely oblivious.

And now that the danger is at our doorstep, we're still oblivious.

Victoria is busy with its own mess. Columbia's pioneering efforts are nearing its western mountain ranges.

For a long time, Kjerag has been nothing but a barren, impoverished territory not worthy of occupation.

But if Victoria solves its internal problems, if Columbia has any ideas about Victoria, or even if Kazimierz wants to head south.

When the time comes, do you think Kjerag will still be able to enjoy peace?

Hey, I'm talking to you! A-Are you even listening?!

Look, I'm begging you! Do you have a way to bust open this stinking door?!

How clamorous.

What was that?!

Pipe down, and don't come too close. You'll ruin my uniform.

Is now the time to worry about that?!

Degenbrecher shoves Sciurus, who is tugging her hem, to the side and walks toward the small house where Enciodes and Ratatos sit.

All of the windows have been sealed shut with metal plates.

And there is a thick wall right in front of her.

This is your clan's. Are you sure you don't want to stop me?

Why the hell would I?! Do it already!

Heh.

Degenbrecher grins a little and cuts through the wall with ease.

Then, she lightly kicks the wall, sending what appeared to be an indestructible barrier collapsing onto the ground like a child's toy.

The only thing that serves as a testament to its tremendous mass is the loud bang that can be heard when the wall crashes to the floor.

However, Degenbrecher doesn't seem satisfied with the result.

If I knew this would happen, I would have ignored Enciodes and thrown my old buddy into the storeroom.

It's too much of a pain to do this with a sword.

The bodyguard tosses her blade aside and pulls her namesake swordbreakers from her waist.

The wall crumbles like a sheet of paper through a shredder.

The flames are spreading throughout the room, engulfing everything in their path.

Yet the room's two occupants seem completely unconcerned about what's happening around them.

It is as though they can't feel any of the heat, or perhaps they themselves are burning even hotter than the flames around them.

I have to admit that I never expected you to feel this way about Kjerag.

If our conversation had happened sooner, things would not have come to this.

But it seems this must have been inevitable.

Were it not for the situation we are in, we would never have had this heart-to-heart.

Hmph, you got that right.

Inevitable.

Right, inevitable.

And if it's so inevitable, we might as well go meet Kjeragandr together.

Ratatos is starting to feel exhausted. Her vision begins to cloud.

In a trance, she sees her young self, playing with her baby sister and a boy.

She sees herself amazed by the wondrous sight of railroads and factories.

They are all moments to which she can no longer return. She shakes her head. Enciodes, sitting opposite her, has maintained his posture throughout. Be that as it may, she is no longer able to clearly make out his face.

Sure enough, he'll act so calm even at a time like this.

Even so, he'll die here all the same. Heh.

Her consciousness is slipping further and further. Just as she is about to slip away completely, she hears a thunderous roar.

And with it, a familiar voice.

Ratatos!

Time to go, Enciodes.

Hff—

Ratatos, you're finally awake!

I'm alive?!

You'll never die with Degenbrecher around.

So our trap house, the pride of the Browntails, couldn't stop you, huh?

The wall itself wasn't a problem, but it was a pain to find your room.

Why save me?

I'm here to accept the Browntails' surrender, not to claim the head of their master.

I only said that to lure you here... and now that you kept me alive, you should know I'm not going let you have the Browntails under your thumb.

Sir Enciodes... It's Sir Enciodes!

Sir Enciodes, did you really escape from a burning house?

Ratatos... She's the one who did this, isn't she?!

Don't worry about her. Quick, find us a coat.

Take mine. Sir Enciodes, take my coat!

A nobleman from among the crowd ardently removes his coat. He then courteously walks up to Enciodes and puts the coat over his shoulders.

However, Enciodes takes the coat off and walks over to Ratatos, who is sitting on the ground, to put the coat on her instead.

Then, without saying another word, he stands up and heads for his car, parked on the side of the road.

Not only did he not arrest Ratatos, he gave her the coat... He is far too generous!

Hey, Ratatos's here. Should we, you know...?

Sir Enciodes just spared her! I'm not sure that's a good idea.

What do you know? Sir Enciodes is giving us this opportunity!

What do you think you're doing?

Hmph, Sciurus, huh? Don't worry. We'll take care of you too.

Scram! All of you!

Gah, this bitch is nuts!

Hey, Ratatos.

Ratatos!

Snap out of it. We gotta move!

To where? Where can we go?

Look around us. They're all Browntail subjects.

Can't you tell, just looking at their eyes?

I've lost everything.

Grr...

Looks like I got here too late.

You... You're the one who saved me and Arctosz.

So even you come to laugh in my face?

No, the Doctor would like to have a chat with you.

I...

I'll pass...

Looking where we've ended up, what good would that bring us?