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Our forces have taken over every last part of County Hillock, save a few small pockets.

The barracks didn't realize our true strength until it was too late, just as planned.

Did you see the looks on their faces? A force they thought to have been wiped out, and suddenly it reappeared. Like they were seeing actual ghosts.

Their greatest failure coming right as they were celebrating their victories. Not many Victorians left with any fight in them.

Grr. I almost forgot. My dear classmates are still struggling about in the outskirts.

Pitiful, pitiful. Their last ditch effort isn't going to change anything, and even if we don't so much as lift a finger, they've long been on their last legs, exhausted by the corruption of the military.

Mandragora's off looking for them. She's plenty enough to deal with the issue.

All according to plan—all except one thing.

Loughshinny got away.

You mean to say my servants have failed.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't surprised. They may be fools, but they hardly claim the title of 'weak.'

That said, we have no need of them anymore.

Their ambitions grew all too quickly. They only knew to fan the flames of war for their own benefit, even plotting to use Loughshinny to carry out their plans right under your nose.

In the end, off they went, engulfed by the flames of their own appetite. Saved us some trouble.

What about you?

*Cough*... *cough*...

Me?

You know me. All I want... is to see the end.

I asked you this when we first met—

If death is inevitable, and order will always collapse no matter how many times it is rebuilt, then how do those who walk this journey bear with these pointless decisions again and again?

And you... you reached your hand out to me.

You showed me that even perished souls can dance brilliantly in death.

Ever since, I've always wanted to see for myself just how this world looks beyond the flames.

Greedy, yet honest.

Hah... The biggest difference separating me and those fools is that I know when to lie.

So, what will we do with Loughshinny?

My sister... Who did she pick?

We don't know much about the ones who saved her, but they rescued a great deal of the city's residents.

They seem like... a medical-something aid group?

To tell the truth, I'm deathly curious. They don't seem to have much to do with any one country, so why stand up against us?

Hoh, that sounds interesting.

Should I bring along a few men to scope them out?

Your call, my cherished strategist.

Perhaps there will come a day when I take a good look at them myself.

Send word that the Victorian soldiers are our only targets. If anyone dares lay a hand on the civilians, they become an enemy of Dublinn.

Yes, ma'am.

There are some civilians against us, though.

We must first make them believe we're standing on their side, no?

What the people need after such a traumatic event isn't harsher rule. It's all the help they can get.

Oh, yes. And you are not to harm the rescuers either—at least not within County Hillock, and not in view of the locals.

The fire's burning plenty bright. It's about time to put it out before it consumes everything, and renders this all a pointless charade.

Soon, the wounds will heal, and the masses will remember who it was that made them so cruelly suffer, and who it was that pulled them back out of hell.

Dublinn warriors are not like the Victorians—

And this idea will forever be etched onto the city's heart after its rebirth, like a scar.

What about the outsiders...? If we stop now, will they see it?

Anyone who's wanted for a look has already seen it.

That's all we need to do?

Of course. What did you think was the point of all this?

To make the Tarans' voices heard? Do you really believe that? Neither you nor I have an ounce of anything to do with Tara.

To take over County Hillock? Only an arrogant clown would believe that. Victoria may stand on shaky, even precarious ground, but any of the dukes' armies could easily reduce a nomadic city to ashes.

All we need to do is make sure the fire burns, so that all of Victoria will turn their eyes to it.

And in the fire, some of them will have seen only profit, some will have made known their hatred, and yet some will have found faith. In a way, this is quite the happy ending, wouldn't you agree?

Let's go. We still have one last thing to take care of.

Once we finish with that, it'll be time for us to leave. The traitors who continue to about on the stage are far more despicable than any clown.

Before it's time for us to step into the limelight again, we should climb back into the graves that Victoria was kind enough to dig for us. Such is the spectre force—Wouldn't you agree, Hill?

'The entire city has fallen. Communication signal's lost. We can't reach any of the teams...'

'The enemy's charging the base. They've clearly got us vastly outgunned. We can't hold here much longer!'

'Report...'

'Calling HQ. Retreat immediately. I repeat, retrea—Aghhhhh!'

Colonel, we have to go, now!

We can't hold here. They have us surrounded—

Go...? Go where?

Talk later! County Hillock's gone!

Gone? Shut your godforsaken flap!

As long as I'm here, this city will never be lost! County Hillock will forever belong to the Victorian Empire!

They won't show you any mercy, Colonel! They have no mercy for Victorians... Please, come with us!

Go.

Colonel—!

What are you standing there for? Run! With your tail clutched between your legs and your head hung in shame! Don't you ever cross my sight again—unless you have a death wish!

Right... Right, then, we're leaving.

P... Please, stay safe!

...Hah.

Stay safe? On the battlefield?

How contrary to the meaning of a soldier.

—Where's my blade?

Here you are, old friend... How long has it been since you've last seen gunsmoke, since we last alighted a high-speed battleship together?

The sound of turret fire and screaming grows ever closer, before falling into silence for a brief moment.

A silence quickly followed by densely packed footsteps—that all come to gather in front of the tightly shut door.

In the darkness, the colonel stands up from his chair and adjusts the collar of his uniform, before he steps toward the entrance.

He stands up straight, draws his standard-issue saber, and raises it at what lies outside.

The bright light of the blaze comes surging through.

'My saber and I hail from Victoria!'

Oboe, Cello and I have made it to the communications tower!

How is it looking on your end?

Leader, I have explosives planted on platforms 1 through 7. Just waiting on the enemy now!

Very well, let's start with Number 1—

Good, the enemy is heading in that direction! Watch out over there.

Cello, climb up the tower!

Oboe, Numbers 2 and 3!

Oboe... I'm seeing more Casters approaching through the passageway. Be careful!

Watch the Casters' attack. I'm detecting a strong energy signal accumulating—

Keep your distance from the enemy!

No, fall back immediately! Oboe, take your people and leave the passageway!

The enemy's Arts have too wide an effect area! They aren't even going to look for you. They'll wipe out all the platforms with one gigantic fireball!

Understood, Leader. Let's see who's faster.

Oboe...!

Cello, Oboe bought us some time. Keep heading up!

Get the word out as soon as you find the control panel.

I'll stay here at the bottom to provide suppressive fire.

Five minutes. You have my word, not a single one of them will be making it up the tower in the next five minutes.

Shells, ready to fire—

How's it looking up there, Cello?

Still ten meters to go... Ugh...!

Are there hostiles up there?!

Crossbowmen...! Eight o'clock!

Hngh... There's too many of them!

If I head up there, we won't be able to hold the bottom of the tower...

I can't get a lock on them... They're too far away for me to reach!

This isn't the time to worry about... that!

Don't do it! You'll bleed out before you reach the control panel!

Find cover!

We can't... drag this out! I know you're hurt too... Leader!

I'm fine... *cough*...

Don't give me that, Leader. It's been six minutes. How many hostiles are there on your end? Twenty? Thirty? More?

I...

Don't even have the leisure to talk, right?

It's seven meters away. I'll—

What's going on...?

Ah... hah! Leader, I'm fine! Someone took out the crossbowmen!

What? Could that be...

Leader!!! Look who's arrived—

Ah... haha... You little menace...

Hold on just a bit longer! Just a bit! I'll take down these fire breathers!

Cello, Bagpipe's drawing their attention. Hurry!

Leader... I got the control panel open! We're almost there... almost...

Ughh...!

Cello?!

Her... Her stones... Leader... Watch out...

What's going on?!!

—Leader!

Bagpipe dives toward Horn, sending the two of them tumbling to the side.

A large stone column falls from the top of the communications tower, leaving a hole where Horn stood just moments ago.

Where'd this column come from...?

Ugh... A spectre force Caster?!

Is she one of yours?

You killed Cello!!

Not a fan of people touching my things without permission.

What do you mean, yours?! It was the spectre force that invaded County Hillock!

Hmn... hah! Not even going to say hi before you fire?

That's your Victorian Army etiquette, is it?

You...! Are you thick?! Don't you see you can't harm me? That you're wasting all your effort?

The rubble...

(No weaknesses, no matter the angle.)

(Before my lance shells even get anywhere close, she maneuvers the stones around her to block off the attack.)

(Is that her Arts?)

(Take a look at Cello's body.)

(Was it the stones that bored through Cello like that? Whatever did it's all gone too... So she can manipulate stones to defend herself, AND conjure them as weapons?)

(Not the best news.)

(Let's test her and see how far she can go. I'm sure we'll find an opening.)

Hmph. Got me wondering now if this is some suicide attempt.

Thanks to my men, I'm thinking you don't have much ammo left. If you keep shelling like that, you'll have nothing left to fight with. Then you'll just have to sit and wait as your death comes.

To think Harmonie kept telling me over and over how impressive you were.

'Oh, they're the true face of the Victorian Army...' Hah. Look at you. Helpless, nowhere to go. Is that all a Royal Guard Academy distinction has to give?

The way I see it, you aren't much better than the barracks... I'll make short work of you!

You hate the Victorian Army, don't you...?

Guess again.

I don't hate soldiers. No matter whose orders you're taking, we're all poor little shits throwing our lives away in the mess of war.

It's people like you I hate.

You have a decent family background, and you think that gives you the right to trample us lot under your feet—

What could be better than watching you kneel before me?

Go, run her through—!

Still have the strength to block?

You've got perseverance, Lupo. Much better than your fellow nobles who pissed themselves the moment they saw me.

But you still can't work it out? You don't stand a chance!

Our forces have taken over County Hillock. Yours are dead or shackled.

Oh, and by the way, we've had eyes on you ever since you and your unit waltzed merry into Hillock. We've been watching your every move.

Hrgh... You have a spy in the barracks?

You thought you failed because of rotten luck? Or you weren't trying hard enough, misjudged? That's why you missed the chance?

Wrong! Fate has never been on your side!

Because—Victoria's long abandoned you!

You're more pitiful than all those poor sods dying ignorant on the field of war—you threw yourself into this bloodbath willingly! And now, you're just a sacrificial pawn for your country!

You mean... It's not just one spy...

The military's filled with your supporters... Even some of the top brass...?

In that case... what is your leader after...?

Is it Victoria's... Crown...?

What right do you... have?

Shut your mouth!

How—DARE you doubt our leader's nobility, when you're just a lapdog of the Aslans?!

Hah, haha...

What are you laughing at?!

Your hypocrisy.

You grit your teeth, talking of arrogant aristocrats and moneyed men, but you worship your oh-so-noble 'Leader' all the same—

You can't make this stuff up, can you?

And what... do you know?!

The Leader... She's noble for more than just her blood! She... She's strong, and gentle...

Hah, I get it. You want to buy time for yourself and milk information. Am I wrong?

You think your tricks'll work on me?

You think it's going to matter even if I let slip something I shouldn't?

Neither of you will make it to the top of this tower—

And anyone hearing me is dead or soon will be!

You'll need to try harder—little Feline.

Grrr!

You're pretty good, I'll give you that. Very precise control over your weapon. You're trying to adjust your firing angle to pick out any openings in my Arts.

Too bad—If you weren't so heavily injured and had more ammo, you might just have given me a few scratches.

This is it, then. Discussion time's over—

Now!

What...? The column just... collapsed on me...

Man alive, my arms are sore with all that back and forth!

That Vouivre...!

And I thought she was berserking like an idiot. I never realized I wasn't her target. It was the columns at the tower base...

Dammit... Dammit! How did you know?!

Leader, the rubble around her's clear!

Mm.

We made the right guess. She's agile with those Arts of hers, but she can only do one thing at a time—

Doesn't matter whether she's shiftin' the rubble to shield or usin' them as spikes, she's wide open while she's castin'!

The column's shattered her shield! Seize the day! Charge!