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<i>'Victory'.</i>

<i>In the boxing ring, victory is about honor and glory.</i>

<i>On the battlefield, victory is about lives saved...and lost.</i>

<i>The Nachzehrer King's death terrified everyone who saw it. I don't want to think about it now, much less include it in my book.</i>

<i>That Sarkaz won't get a eulogy from me.</i>

<i>But, I'll forever honor the last Steam Knight, Sir Charles Lynch.</i>

.....How long has it been since he's moved?

Ten minutes.

No one dares approach Charles Lynch.

Everyone gathers around the last Steam Knight, down on one knee in a show of respect.

He stands tall and unwavering before the Palace of Westhaleg, steam gushing from every crack in his armor.

Scorching, unrelenting.

Like the sound of a beating heart.

How can he still be standing with such grievous wounds from the battle with the Nachzehrer king...

It was never his body alone that kept him upright, or he would have never made it out of the Mausoleum of Kings.

Vina walks towards the Steam Knight, as everyone else watches on.

Vina, don't get close to him. He's off his rocker!

I have to. I have to know for sure.

But he almost killed you back in the underground, Vina!

Let her do it.

Something's not right with the Steam Knight... Sir Charles. Siege probably sensed it too.

But—

Trust her.

Vina approaches the Steam Knight. She can feel the temperature rise from the hot steam.

I've never seen you like this, not even back in the Mausoleum of Kings.

The war is over. You've protected Victoria. You've completed your mission.

(Steam hissing)

What are you still searching for? The sword? Sorry. It was lost somewhere on the battlefield.

(Steam hissing)

Or perhaps you're waiting for something else?

Vina gently touches Sir Charles's armor. Every scratch and mark etched into it tells the Steam Knight's story—

The battle with his comrades on the day he swore to inherit the title.

The battle on the frontier to quell uprisings—he survived amidst a storm of witchcraft.

The betrayal in the Mausoleum of Kings.

The charge towards the <i>Glorious</i>, towards Originium...

Sir Charles Lynch has never fallen.

Sir Charles Lynch shall forever watch over Victoria.

You're looking at the Palace of Westhaleg. I understand now.

You're not the only one. Many more are looking over at the palace.

Vina looks back at the gathered Victorians in the distance—wounded, silent, excited, weeping...

The people had already formed a long human wall on their own, holding back the restive and agitated crowd.

They are all murmuring different names.

'Siege', 'Vina', 'Alexandrina', 'Victoria'.

(Steam hissing)

I never believed you'd gone mad.

Sir Charles, this is our second official meeting.

I once hoped that if you found your way out of the darkness, you would find something worth protecting.

We've already made it this far. Please wait a little longer, until I return.

(Steam hissing)

Vina walks past the Steam Knight, up the steps of the Palace of Westhaleg, and alone through its door.

Time slowly passes.

At first, the crowd is silent, but gradually they stir, as unrest begins to spread.

Why is it taking so long? Could there be other enemies inside?

Should we go and help?

Quiet! Have faith in Her Royal Highness Alexandrina!

Can't you see that even the Steam Knight is waiting here in silence?

I've heard the crown is still inside. Do you think that when she comes out, we'll have a new King?!

Something's not right here. Based on our intelligence, there shouldn't be any more of the Military Commission's forces left.

There should be nothing left in that palace.

Are we just gonna stand here like idiots? We oughta just go in and see for ourselves!

I'll go.

There are better choices—

Well, we're the only ones who can drive the Crawler.

As long as we've got the Crawler, we've nothing to fear. We'll be protected, even against the Steam Knight.

<i>Vina never told us what she saw in the Palace of Westhaleg, and we never asked Feist about it either.</i>

<i>It doesn't matter.</i>

<i>I'm just relieved that once the Military Commission's banner fell from atop the Palace, Vina didn't actually walk out wearing the crown.</i>

<i>That's my Vina!</i>

<i>At least, that's how I felt at the time...</i>

There she is! She's coming out!

Where's the crown? Why isn't she wearing the crown?

Quiet, you moron! She hasn't been coronated yet. Why would she be wearing the crown already?

What's that in her hands? Is that the devils' flag?

Good people of Victoria. The Nachzehrer King is dead.

I have torn down this flag that the enemy has stabbed into the heart of our great Londinium.

We will tear down every Sarkaz banner left in our home and drive out every enemy still consumed by their bloodlust!

But please, spare the unarmed ones. Spare anyone willing to surrender.

The war is over! We must not avenge slaughter with more slaughter, nor meet hatred with more hatred!

I, Vina Victoria, wish to speak to all the heroes who have fought to defend our Victoria.

Hear me. We have liberated Londinium, liberated Victoria!

In these coming days, months, and years——

We must revive Victoria! We shall revive Victoria!

Vina raises her hammer aloft for all to see.

The people rise to their feet, and a wave of cheers spreads outward from the center, each surge louder than the last.

Londinium and her citizens celebrate her rebirth.

At the center of the crowd, the last Steam Knight lets out his final roar, steam bursting forth.

His heart stops beating, so he ignites it with the suit's burning core.

His vision blurs, so he clears it with steam hot enough to melt flesh.

Then, Sir Charles sees it:

Victoria's flag basking in the sun's golden glow.

Sir Charles Lynch can finally fall.

He falls to the light of dawn, to a new beginning.

Steam completely envelops Sir Charles's enormous body, making his demise unceremonious and almost unnoticed.

Amidst the cheering crowd, a figure walks into the cloud of steam. Allerdale bids farewell to the hero she once so deeply admired.

You could have killed me, back then.

The despicable meeting her end at the hands of her hero... That would have been the perfect ending to her story.

So why must the despicable be the one to bid farewell to the hero?

Sir Charles, you have completed your mission.

My father once taught me that every Steam Knight returning triumphantly from his mission would have a squire to remove his armor and wipe away the dust—

Allow me to remove your armor.

...It has long fused with your body.

'Core... temperature... dropping'

I will keep your core. I promise that your heart will never stop burning. It will bear witness to Victoria's future.

Sir Charles, you've seen the things you hoped to protect restored to their former brilliance.

Have you any final words, good Steam Knight?

'From this day forward, you will be honored as a Steam Knight.'

'Sir Charles Lynch, tell me, what do you want for your reward?'

'Your Majesty, I wish for your blade to always be sharp.'

'I wish for the wheat my wife harvests to fill the granary by our doorstep year after year.'

'I wish to hold my newborn daughter in my arms and fly over Londinium, gazing down at the factories bustling day and night throughout the city.'

'I wish for my neighbor, whose legs were crippled by illness, to stand again, so we can drink, sing, and celebrate through the night with our comrades we know so well.'

'Your Majesty, what I wish for is a life of lasting peace. If this reward requires me to fight for it myself...'

'Then, Your Majesty, I pledge to you, I will always keep fighting, for you, for all my loved ones, for myself, and for...'

<i>'...Victoria.'</i>

'Victoria.'

'The Oath of Sir Charles Lynch, the final words of the last Steam Knight.'

You never abandoned yourself, even when Victoria abandoned you...

Ha... 'Steam Knight', I don't deserve that title, nor this set of armor.

This war has already claimed too many lives.

I hope yours is the last. Goodbye, Sir Charles Lynch.

Listen. They're all bidding you farewell.

'Victoria! Victory!'

'Victoria!' 'For Victoria!!!'

'(last burst of steam)'

'Victoria', his final hoarse whisper merges with the crowd's shouting, like raindrops quietly dropping into the sea.

Allerdale sees the excited faces in the crowd, yet cannot help falling into silence.

Her eyes are drawn to the woman standing on the steps—Vina. She knows Vina can see her as well.

Vina just stands there, looking back at her, her lips moving slightly.

Did she recognize me? Allerdale sighs.

You made the right choice. You are standing exactly where you belong.

As am I.

Londinium does not need any more heroes, Vina.

She turns and walks away, disappearing into the white billows of steam.

What are you looking at, Vina?

The Steam Knight is gone. He has completed his mission.

——? That steam... I thought it was like last time—

This time is different.

Then we...

There is no need to bother him. Someone is already seeing him off.

Alright.

Celebration, and mourning.

Vina, what should we do next?

The people stand cheering in front of the Palace of Westhaleg. They all look to Vina.

They're waiting for you.

Then I will show them all, Delphine.

<p=1>The Sineselde, Parliamentary Chamber</><p=2>December 25th, 1098, 5:24 P.M.</>

...is this the Speaker's answer? She sent you, her old comrades, to drive us away?

No. Guarding the Sineselde is only one of the Defense Forces' responsibilities. Justice is justice, Hoff.

Heroes shouldn't be treated this way. Diane and all The Exemplars who bled don't deserve this, do they, Commander?

I understand what you're saying, but this isn't how Parliament makes decisions.

We cannot let this become a precedent.

I do not know politics, Captain. I only know that Diane is a good person. If Parliament insists, many hearts will be lost.

And you, sir? You still will not yield?

I know Diane well. She would never act out of selfishness. Nor does she have any ties with the nobility.

Therefore, I humbly ask the Speaker to take time out of her busy schedule to reconsider Diane's verdict.

This was a decision rendered by the provisional court. Diane broke into the locked throne room in direct defiance of Parliament.

We also know Diane very well, but... I'm afraid there's nothing—

—Diane?!

Yes. She's the one who introduced us to you!

After the war, we lost our homes and nearly our lives. If it weren't for her constant encouragement, I'd probably still be passed out in a barrel of ale.

You don't think she's a bad person either, do you? It's just that Vina—

Speaker Vina, sorry. It's a force of habit. Speaker Vina must have made a mistake.

We've all gone to her office, but I feel like just having numbers on our side might not be enough... Feist, your words carry more weight—please, I'm begging you.

Sorry, but I have to assume that if Parliament put Diane on trial, they must have also allowed her to present a defense.

No matter how strange or unfair I think their decision is, having Speaker Vina force them to change it at the last minute would be even more unfair.

But Diane's case should be treated differently. We just barely survived the war, and now she's going to die over something so stupid?

Listen to the radio. Listen to the patrons in the bars. You'll hear that nobody's happy about this decision.

What do you think, Catherine? You said we could lodge our complaints with Vina anytime.

I think Diane is just a stupid girl who did a stupid thing. Nothing more.

She means well, but what she did was moronic. She defied a direct order of Parliament and left Vina with no other choice.

So, you're planning to turn down the pharma rep?

How do you expect me to convince Parliament?

Actually, Vina does have a chance to solve this. With her reputation, persuading Parliament to impose a lighter punishment is not impossible.

But many eyes are watching as she makes her final decision.

This is just one of the many tricky issues that the Speaker of Londinium's Parliament has to face. A hero may be able to save everyone in a war, but...

—Lady Delphine.

We spent quite a bit of time trying to find you.

Me?

In just one day, Diane's case caused quite an uproar across Londinium. We briefly investigated who was spreading the news and inciting the public.

So... Parliament wants me to shut up.

No, Eliseo. Compared to deliberate acts of sabotage, your actions have had significantly less impact.

Actually, we all admire you for fighting so hard for someone you have not known for very long.

Vina understands how you feel. She wanted to come see you in person, but I stopped her.

I apologize, but Madame Speaker has more urgent matters to attend to presently.

Is there... absolutely no room for negotiation regarding Diane's case?

No. Vina could change things. We all know that.

Frankly, this is a very sad case. However, it will serve as a message from Parliament to all the citizens.

I saw that you requested to review Parliament's records, so you must be well aware of Diane's charges, the defense that she herself presented, and the various PMs' opinions of her.

The citizenry has collectively established Londinium's current laws, and the provisional court made its judgment of Diane in accordance with those laws. Isn't this how you do things in Columbia?

But she's a war hero—shouldn't her merits outweigh her faults?

That's a notion steeped in reason, yet brimming with arrogance.

I often come across this phrase in history books, usually said by old Victorian kings.

But if Vina crosses this line and the others allow it to happen, then what is the point of having Parliament?

How would our Parliament be any different from the one where the king himself served as Speaker?

I don't know the answer to that question, Eliseo, but none of us want to take the risk of finding out.

Parliament will not interfere with any of your endeavors. However, as far as Diane's case is concerned, I'm sorry—this is Parliament's decision, and it cannot be changed.

Diane never told me, specifically, what kind of soldier she was during the war. Most of the time, she talked to me about her hopes for Londinium's future.

Most of the people I meet in Londinium harbor high hopes and dreams for the city's future.

This is the city's great fortune. Our duty is to ensure we never let its people down.

I see.

The herbs Diane grew in the greenhouse against all odds will mature in February. I hear they can alleviate the excruciating pain of Oripathy.

I'll wait until they mature and take some samples back to Columbia.

Okay. If you need any help before then, just let us know.

Actually, when I first arrived in Londinium, I was also curious as to what kind of person Speaker Vina was...

<i>When Hannah and I visit schools and sanatoriums to give 'surprises' to the Infected children, they always ask us about 'the story of Princess Alexandrina, the Princess Royal.'</i>

<i>We then tell them the whole tale of the street urchin who became a legendary war hero and the savior of Londinium.</i>

<i>But the story always ends when Vina walks out of the Palace of Westhaleg. At that point, it's not so fit for children.</i>

<i>How I wish the story could end with Vina tearing off those fancy clothes and returning with us to Norport, to the Glasgow Gang.</i>

<i>But I know that's not possible anymore.</i>

<i>On the day of the mass protests against Diane's verdict, Vina explained to us, in detail, the proposals she was going to submit to the dukes at her upcoming meeting. They covered a whole lot of topics like food, healthcare, education, and civil service reforms.</i>

<i>Vina had the right solutions to all of those issues, but she didn't say a word about Diane.</i>

<i>We listened quietly to all of her proposals and then left without bringing it up.</i>

Fuel inventory report... Comprehensive report on all city sanatoriums... Report on Oripathy suppressant distribution...

Vina returns her gaze to the documents in front of her. She struggles to absorb the reams of data.

She knows that in just a few minutes, the bell on the table will ring to remind her to head to the banquet hall.

She also knows that those guests don't truly care about the numbers she has tried to memorize, much less the actual lives, deaths, and hardships they represent.

But she cares. This time she's the one who invited the dukes for dinner.

I hope this works.

In the now-quiet office, the faint shouts of protesters outside the window could still be heard.

...I'm sorry, Diane.