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| Backgrounds | |
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| “ | The snowstorm at the Victorian manor grows stronger by the moment. Heidi and her father have devoted themselves to maintaining Victoria's peace. During her conversation with Kal'tsit, the snow suddenly turns black as the will of Ursus approaches. | ” |
| 13 Years Ago 8:09 P.M. \ Heavy snow Victoria Border Autonomous Region, County of Toron, Vincent Manor | |
| <Background 1> | |
|---|---|
| Count Vincent | It is a great city. All Victorians should find time to pay it a visit and gaze upon its magnificence. |
| Pretentious Man | So you are saying our respectable dukes have not yet arrived at a conclusion? |
| Count Vincent | Yes, that is correct. They haven't yet. For the time being, Londinium is still a city without a master. |
| Merry Noblewoman | So I take it you had the fortune and privilege to tour Londinium with the Duke of Normandy? |
| Count Vincent | Alas, the Duke is forbidden from entering Londinium by law. Of course, he is a fine gentleman, so he would never be so presumptuous as to invite himself in, so we instead enjoyed dinner on a ship together in the Londinium countryside. |
| Tipsy Businessman | What kind of a hero is the Duke? |
| Count Vincent | Well... he is the most gracious and erudite of nobles. His views in economics and politics are unique and unparalleled. Not only that, but my understanding is that he is well-trained in music, and he possesses an impressive art collection, testament to his respect for the arts. It is because of heroes like him that Victoria remains prosperous as ever! |
| <Background 2> | |
| Kal'tsit | Despite not having a ruler for the past dozen or so years, Victoria has managed to maintain its stability. |
| Heidi | But the truth is that the Dukes were getting in each other's way behind the scenes, and that's not all... If so many Victorian nobles actually fell victim to food poisoning and hunting accidents, then the country's noble rule would've crumbled to dust long ago. |
| Kal'tsit | And three years ago, your father nearly experienced that first hand. |
| Heidi | Yes... |
| Kal'tsit | His leg is actually injured. |
| Heidi | There is a noble who is an academic enemy of my father. They were at a cocktail party together, and he made his move after the party. |
| Kal'tsit | That must have been well disguised, if it was thought to be an accident. |
| Heidi | My father had a few leads, but he didn't want this affair to get in the way of relaying intelligence. |
| Kal'tsit | How many of Thomson's men are there in this manor right now? |
| Heidi | A lot of them, such as the ones you were talking to earlier... They also paid my father's villa a visit before tonight's party. |
| Kal'tsit | Richard was quite critical of your father just now... |
| Heidi | Ahaha... I suppose he spoke much of it from his heart... He has had quite the rivalry with my father for the past several years... |
| Kal'tsit | Yet they still assemble around Thomson. Your father is a good leader. |
| Heidi | Not without your guidance, Lady Kal'tsit. Who could have thought back then... that the Laterano cleric who came to visit Victoria would become our most trusted mentor? |
| Kal'tsit | Our goals are one and the same. |
| Heidi | Kal'tsit. They will get out of this unscathed... We will get out of this unscathed, will we? |
| Kal'tsit | Heidi... You need to look around with your own eyes. If you truly wish to step into this world, then you cannot allow civilization's facades blind you anymore... You need to see this world yourself. Comforting words are meaningless. You will grow up one day. |
| <Background 1> | |
| Count Vincent | Now, unpleasant as it may be, I must say I heard a rumor from the lesser nobles and ruffians... |
| Merry Noblewoman | My, did they upset you? |
| Count Vincent | Right... As you can see, it was the Dukes' graciousness that forged the peace and prosperity enjoyed by our country today. However, and this is something that even the traitors in Columbia are aware of, we also cannot deny that it has been a long time since Victoria has seen a rightful ruler ascend its throne. |
| Pretentious Man | And what of it? Does that not go to show we are becoming ever more powerful through our own means? |
| Count Vincent | You are correct, Richard, but there was also this opinion... It was naive and absurd... There was this crowd of men there each with their own goals... They asked if Victoria truly needed a new ruler. |
| <Background 3> | |
| Heidi | They all said Uncle Vincent's too much of a coward... We're near the border, but we are being so complacent, not making any progress... This is our chance to fight for our rights... yet all Uncle Vincent knows to do is throwing parties in the manor. Even this trip to Londinium. It hardly achieved any meaningful results. |
| Kal'tsit | This isn't your father's opinion. Thomson is not so foolish as to let radical atmosphere get to his head. |
| Heidi | But that's how the adults always complain to my father. |
| Kal'tsit | No foolish nobles would ever receive an audience with a real Duke. Do you think that the Duke of Normandy really didn't intimidate Vincent with any harsh demands? Toron is near the border, and there are few people here. In other words, this place is not under the influence of any major forces. |
| Heidi | Uncle Vincent... |
| Kal'tsit | This nobleman may seem uninterested in anything except celebrating this false peace with music and shows, but he is actually doing his best to uphold Toron's peace. That's despite the peace here... is fragile and easily broken. His arrogance and temperance are just at the right level to hide his thoughts well, and those who actually understand his true intentions are few and far between. Thomson would never place so much trust on a count severely lacking in courage, insight, and judgement. They may seem like they are heading down different paths, but these paths will lead them to the same destination. |
| Heidi | Hehe... It's nice to hear you say so. Kal'tsit, are you not going to look at your mail? |
| Kal'tsit | From Londinium to Toron, these letters have made it halfway across Victoria. How many hands has the letter passed through, and how many of them know of the whole truth of these events? |
| Heidi | There are lots– |
| Kal'tsit | Workers, newsboys, popcorn hawkers, park gardeners. They knew nothing of the letter's contents. They didn't even know who these words ultimately belong to. But now this letter has made it to Thomson, and now me. There is nothing to worry about. |
| Heidi | I see... But what about the other one? The one from "Kazdel"... |
| Kal'tsit | It was handed straight to Thomson by a Sarkaz Messenger. I told him how to contact Thomson himself, but if things had gone according to plan, he would've handed this straight to me. |
| Heidi | Yeah... but when that Sarkaz made it to Victoria... Father did not know how the Sarkaz honor their heroes' death, so all we could do was cremate his body according to our traditions and scatter his ashes in the nomadic city's waterways. |
| Kal'tsit | I can't tell you his real name, but, at the very least, he died as a Messenger, and I will bring his story back to his homeland. He won't be forgotten. |
| Heidi | Kal'tsit... Is this how you treat everyone? |
| Kal'tsit | Why do you ask? |
| Heidi | No, I was just thinking... Ah... Aaah... Achoo! Oh! P-Pardon me... How unbecoming of me...! |
| Kal'tsit | The snow is getting heavier. Let's head back inside. |
| |
| Kal'tsit | I will pay Thomson a visit once this party is over. |
| Heidi | I am sure Father will be happy. ...... Should I perhaps hold your arm? That way no one will be suspicious of us. |
| Kal'tsit | If you think that is necessary. |
| Heidi | Okay... Hehe, you're so much taller than me. |
| Kal'tsit | You haven't grown at all, Heidi. |
| Heidi | Take a look outside, Kal'tsit. The snow is so heavy. I haven't seen this much snow in a very long time. |
| Kal'tsit | You are right. A snowstorm is coming. |
| Heidi ponders to herself: Just how many clouds are needed to shed so many snowflakes? The white snow is scattering in all directions, gyrating into the sky as the wind blows past. Where the pale yellow lights cannot illuminate has been shrouded in a thick mist that covers the entire city. The night sky tonight is without stars and moonlight. The black tidal wave is beginning to crash upon the beaches. *Hiss*... *Huff*... | |
| <Background 1> | |
| Heidi | Kal'tsit? |
| Kal'tsit | ... ............ Black snow... |
| Heidi | Huh? I'm not seeing any... |
| Kal'tsit | Heidi, tell everyone to keep the party venue under control. I need about an hour's time. Don't let anyone near the garden... |
| Heidi | I can do that... but what's going on with you all of a sudden? |
| Kal'tsit | We've got company. |
| Heidi | What...? We may be on the border, but this manor belongs to a Victorian count! Who would– |
| Kal'tsit | –Heidi, if I don't come back to the manor, you and your father need to keep this secret. Do not dig any deeper into this. |
| Heidi | But– |
| Kal'tsit | This is a warning as well as an order. |
| Heidi | –! |
| Kal'tsit | Be safe. |
| [Kal'tsit rushes outside the manor.] | |
| <Background 3> | |
| Kal'tsit | ... To the north of Sami and Ursus and to the south of Sargon... Those lands yet untrodden by man... Whether the demons and monsters that dwell there are normal creatures is yet unknown, but they are far older than any country we know. Humans have fought them for a long time. Indeed, this is a proposition worthy of further notice. Until now... Humans can now be the masters of their own countries. The ancient Sargon king and the powerful Kheshigs hit it off right away, and the Nightzmora's Khagan strove to conquer all lands unexplored by civilization. The results were impressive. No non-human threat ever set foot in Sargon territory again. Sami has used countless witchcrafts and sacrifices to create their Snowpriests, and, one generation after another, the sorceresses lost themselves as they battled the enemies from beyond their borders. And Ursus–You deployed the strongest elites to simply tear them to shreds. Wendigos in heavy armor or veteran war Casters. And the Empire's ambitions are without limit. Your kind did not merely tear them to shreds. You used the shreds of power left behind by those non-humans. |
| <Background 2> | |
| Kal'tsit | Show yourself. The will of Ursus drove you here. You are far underestimating Victoria's might. The aura of demons lingers in your footsteps. Have you ever given any thought to where your responsibility lies? Your mind can't already be taken by the demons, Royal Guard. |
| As the figure steps out into the light, the unilluminated darkness surrounding it begins to quiver. | |
| [The one Kal'tsit is looking for reveals himself, who turned out to be one of the infamous Emperor's Blades of Ursus.] | |
| "Emperor's Blade" | I can smell the fear in you, traitor. |
| Kal'tsit | It took you a while to find me. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | If it wasn't for the uprising and its aftermath, I would've come to lay down your punishment long ago. The imbeciles allowed you to escape. This has been an embarrassment, and they have already been executed for their incompetence. |
| Kal'tsit | Perhaps I should remind you again. The snowstorm here can bury entire cities, but they cannot erase the footsteps of a Royal Guard. You are in Victoria, and there stands the manor of a Victorian count not a hundred meters behind me. Do you understand the consequences of your actions– |
| "Emperor's Blade" | –Consequences? Your threat is weak and empty. Wherever I stand, the earth beneath me belongs to the Empire of Ursus. You never had the right to address me, traitor, not before the word "demon" left your lips. Soon, I will beat out of you how you came to know this secret... Your understanding of the "demons" does not grant you a dialogue. You murdered an Ursus Grand Duke, and you know of our darkest secrets. Your countless crimes... are worthy of a thousand deaths. |
| Kal'tsit | It seems we won't be convincing each other for the moment. Though that applies only to... your evaluation of the situation on hand. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | Beast, bare your fangs! You can't fool me! |
| Kal'tsit | Mon3tr... |
| Mon3tr | (Impatient braying) |
| |
| Kal'tsit | Mon3tr, do not underestimate him. He's no normal human. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | You hid a device here in the garden... No... a creature...? *Hiss*... You know of the "demons," and you have a monster serving you. One that Ursus's vast knowledge is yet unaware of. Perhaps your crimes have far exceeded my expectations. |
| Kal'tsit | Or perhaps I managed to make an impression on a Royal Guard. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | *Hiss*...! I won't deny it, traitor. But you have my curiosity. What drove you to betray our homeland...? No, no... Perhaps... my investigations did not fully uncover your entire past. And it looks like that is indeed the case. Unlike the criminals who escaped to Sami, it appears you still have a trick up your sleeve. Do not get the wrong idea... It is hardly a difficult matter... to kill you. |
| Kal'tsit | I suppose it's why you are staining this area around us? |
| "Emperor's Blade" | You needn't concern yourself. I know what I am doing. |
| Kal'tsit | –Mon3tr! |
| [The Blade strikes at Kal'tsit, but Mon3tr intercepts him and briefly engages in a clash where the Blade can't even scratch Mon3tr.] | |
| Mon3tr | (Wailing)– |
| "Emperor's Blade" | *Hiss*... I did not expect it to be this hard. If your own flesh and blood is also as hardened, then, indeed, it makes you a formidable foe. |
| Kal'tsit | Mon3tr, come back. Don't chase after him. Avoid the black mist. That's not mist at all. This is far beyond the normal realm of Originium Arts... It looks like it has really been too long since I last dealt with the Emperor's Blade. You and your men have made remarkable progress. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | ...... You know this much about our secrets...?! Even the most senior Ursus scientist would never be allowed to meddle in the Royal Guards' ancient ritual... |
| Kal'tsit | Ancient rituals. Yes, only the ceremonies of your crazed, self-proclaimed spiritual leaders could adorn your kinds with your demons. You're a survivor of the Valley of the Setting Sun. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | *Hiss*...! |
| Kal'tsit | The Empire's will is always focused and unswerving, yet your goal seems to stray from your motherland's. At the very least, you are not that young. You should not be fighting me, Royal Guard. Both you and I know that the job I finished was one that you and your men should've done yourselves, but never did. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | Don't be mistaken about where that right lies, traitor. You do not represent Deity Grypherburg's laws and prestige. |
| Kal'tsit | If you truly witnessed the whole uprising, Royal Guard, then you should understand this more so than anyone. The Empire's rise and fall has never truly been affected by dignity and honor. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | ...... |
| Kal'tsit | Let me ask you this, then. Did the last emperor ever truly look down on Victoria from the bottom of his heart? |
| "Emperor's Blade" | ...... Perhaps I do not give you enough credit, traitor. I will give you one last chance. Reveal your secrets, and I will grant you a dignified death. |
| Kal'tsit | Alas, given this death would have nothing to do with my own conviction, dignity was never on the table. Mon3tr. |
| Mon3tr | (Elated braying) |
| "Emperor's Blade" | *Hiss*... *Huff*... |
| <Background black> | |
| As the fear in the air heightens, the Royal Guard draws his blade. He is about to execute Ursus's will. | |
| “ | Although Kal'tsit managed to injure the Royal Guard, she too is injured. Given the circumstances, the Royal Guard decides to accept Kal'tsit's excuse. Despite her wounds, Kal'tsit reads the letter from Kazdel and decides her next destination. | ” |
| <Background 2> | |
|---|---|
| [The Emperor's Blade engages in a fierce battle with Mon3tr.] | |
| "Emperor's Blade" | *Hiss*...! This technique...! Your body's rigidity and your judgment are nothing alike! What are you?! |
| Mon3tr | (Howls) |
| Kal'tsit | Wait, Mon3tr! |
| [The Blade intercepts Mon3tr with a slash from his saber.] | |
| Mon3tr | (Sorrowful wailing) |
| "Emperor's Blade" | You humiliated me, monster... This is what you deserve. Hmph! |
| Mon3tr | – |
| [Mon3tr collapses.] | |
| Kal'tsit | Mon3tr, readjust. He's on his last legs. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | *Hiss*... |
| Kal'tsit | Those are no minor injuries, Royal Guard. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | Likewise, traitor. You gave yourself an injection... You most certainly felt more than a poke in the arm. How peculiar. By appearance, you are no different from a veteran warrior. You possess all the traits necessary for you to be the perfect soldier, yet you rely on a beast... a monster for your power. |
| Kal'tsit | The marks of battle can be covered, but the lands you've tainted can never bear fruit again. You should not have been so obstinate in your actions. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | You fear... Certainly, if you truly know our secrets, then you should feel nothing but fear right now. |
| Kal'tsit | "Each Royal Guard is himself a nation." The language of this saying is certainly colorful, but it also speaks the truth rather plainly. Need I remind you? Your mask is fracturing. Reality is reacting to the evil that lingers in your body. The cage created by the ritual is beginning to fissure. Or do you really believe that Victoria will turn a blind eye when an Ursus Royal Guard sets off a horrifying annihilation at a count's manor? |
| "Emperor's Blade" | ...... |
| Kal'tsit | The Royal Guards' duty rests with all that exists in Ursus. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | Don't make me laugh...! I don't need a traitor to teach me what my duty is. |
| Kal'tsit | Tell me, then. Who do you serve? Ursus as it is now, or the great shadows of the past? |
| "Emperor's Blade" | ...... |
| Kal'tsit | Tell me, Royal Guard. Do not bring shame to your title. –Tell me, what does the current Ursus Emperor think of the Pine Valley affair? Or do you mean to tell me the seeds of that uprising, the origins of the crisis were all the will of the Emperor? |
| "Emperor's Blade" | You were the cause of it all! |
| [Mon3tr recovers from its damages and rise up.] | |
| Mon3tr | (Roars) |
| Kal'tsit | –Feel free to keep deceiving yourself, but the truth is the young emperor is unaware of the events that transpired there. You believe he has no need to know. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | ...... |
| Kal'tsit | You... all of you seek a bygone era. I won't judge whether this is correct, but when a Grand Duke is allowed to die in a political conflict, his death will always lead to an all new rebellion. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | This is not for you to judge. |
| Kal'tsit | I can foresee the many consequences of his death. Some wished for him to die out of anger and their desire for so-called justice. They wanted his death in order to erase evidence and to cut off ties. Others wished for him to live. They wanted him to continue to fulfill the duty he cannot remove himself from. Perhaps there were also those who wanted to keep a witness alive to serve as a stepping stone, to revolt against all those involved with the Third Army. It didn't matter whether he lived or not. The key was how the contradiction that followed was handled. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | You don't mean... |
| Kal'tsit | It was up to an unremarkable Ursus assassin to kill the Grand Duke, someone she could never imagine to reach, out of personal grudge. Only then were those crimes finally erased, digested like grass seeds eaten by burdenbeasts. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | From the sound of it... You have great foresight. You mean to tell me you solved such a difficult problem as a mere citizen? |
| Kal'tsit | It was the best choice to make in order to keep Ursus's internal friction from developing any further. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | (Strange sound) Enough with the presumptuousness! |
| [Enraged, the Blade strikes at Kal'tsit, but Mon3tr blocks it.] | |
| Mon3tr | (Braying) |
| "Emperor's Blade" | Traitor! Your excuse is an insult to Ursus! Even if all is truly as you say and your actions benefit Ursus in thousands of ways, it was not your decision to make! |
| Kal'tsit | –Control yourself, Royal Guard. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | I can smell your lies–How dare you claim you did this for Ursus?! |
| Kal'tsit | (It's spreading. Even though it's only a small demon shard embedded in that device, it is more than enough to level this entire manor.) –The Valley of the Setting Sun has turned into a land of fear! (If the Royal Guard wants my life... Mon3tr... Kill him immediately. That's far more effective than defense.) Even if the Empire's glory lasts another thousand years, those black lands no longer belong to Ursus! They are no longer part of this world! Do you want to repeat your mishaps?! Do you want to drag the Empire into a war of unimaginable scale just because you lost control of yourself?! You are just caught up in the former emperor's grand vision! |
| "Emperor's Blade" | *Hiss*...! |
| <Background fades out> | |
| That moment, the fear in the air immediately boils into material substance. Once the earthshaking emotional release comes to a halt, there remains nothing but a faint, ominous black glow emanating from the cracks of the Royal Guard's mask. | |
| <Background fades in> | |
| "Emperor's Blade" | ...Hufff... |
| Kal'tsit | Mon3tr, stop! |
| Mon3tr | (Dissatisfied whining) |
| "Emperor's Blade" | What is this...? You let your chance get away. Your one and only chance... |
| Kal'tsit | I know your tactics. If I let Mon3tr attack, you would've pierced right through my chest with those black spikes of yours. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | *Hiss*... Looks like I need not test you anymore. You know like the back of your hand how the Royal Guards operate... You called me inhuman, and now you address me as man? |
| Kal'tsit | Suppose you still have a shred of my approval, it would have nothing to do with the will that you are executing right now. As long as you are still resisting, you remain a stalwart barricade of mankind. No one can take from you your honor of having been born a human. At the very least, before you find yourself fooled by that illusion that is destined to be destroyed. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | *Hiss*... You are right... Indeed, there are many things I misjudged... "Knowledge" is how they grow in strength. To fend them off, the passing down of all knowledge of them was suppressed, an unwritten law of all nations. You are not a Sami Snowpriest, and you have nothing to do with Sargon's Eternal Army... Those who have the privilege of seeing the sights beyond Terra with their own eyes have always been at the top of their country's academic authority... Who are you? |
| Kal'tsit | Someone who fulfilled her duty. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | And what is your duty? |
| Kal'tsit | You already know the answer in your heart. I did far less than you've accomplished. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | Hmph... I must admit... I have never met an outsider who knows the Royal Guards' secrets. The crimes you committed and the secrets you hold make you guilty beyond measure, but I have never met such a strange creature so evenly matched against me. |
| Mon3tr | (Taunting roars) |
| "Emperor's Blade" | *Hiss*... You are full of surprises... The mystery surrounding you worries me. It seems I must be more cautious when dealing with you. Let us pretend I am following your advice, "Ursus citizen," but do not forget that the Emperor's Blade is watching you. Hm... |
| Kal'tsit | We don't have much time left. Ursus has not had the chance to catch its breath, but the moment the Count finds you, it will be plunged into a whole new whirlpool. And it will happen, the people be damned. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | Don't get so cocky... I simply did not expect it would take this much time to deal with a traitor. *Huff*... You are worthy of my caution, traitor. |
| Kal'tsit | It was your responsibility to guard Grand Duke Vanya, and finding the cause of his "accidental" death is your one and only mission. I ensured a quiet death for him. I then escaped from Ursus territory. Perhaps what I have done can't truly be considered a violation of Ursus's rights. If so, it stands to reason that a life is too great a price. I trust all of you Royal Guards are capable of making a sensible decision. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | You– –Mmm! |
| [The Blade charges at Kal'tsit, but Mon3tr strikes him hard that he is knocked onto the ground.] | |
| Kal'tsit | Regardless, you must return to Ursus right this moment. The pain may mean nothing to you, but, with your windpipe ripped by Mon3tr, you will suffocate–and drown in the demon's influence, even just a shard of its corpse. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | ...... |
| Kal'tsit | Be quick about it. You might still make it back to Ursus territory in one piece. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | A target worrying about my wellbeing... This will indeed be a valuable experience. On top of that, you are a traitor, and you understand me far better than the men in our armies. |
| Kal'tsit | I've never had such a long chat with a Royal Guard of the Emperor's Blade either. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | –How long have you lived? And who exactly are you? |
| Kal'tsit | I used to be the Grand Duke's private doctor, nothing more. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | ...... |
| Kal'tsit | You should've killed me while I was making my escape. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | Perhaps it isn't too late. |
| Kal'tsit | I await the news of your success. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | –Hah! You should've served your country, traitor! Your limitless potential could have flourished magnificently in Ursus, yet you betrayed it! |
| Kal'tsit | Sounds like I should feel bad about that. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | *Hiss*... |
| Kal'tsit | You love Ursus for how prosperous it is. In that case, I am sure you can see the parts of the country that rot in the sun. The newer generation may be slowly forgetting that prosperity, but, as time goes on and things grow worse, they will look back on its magnificence. But is this truly beneficial to Ursus? Once the benefits war brings with it come to an end, will we be able to solve all of Ursus's problems? Honor cannot feed the masses. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | Is that an advice? |
| Kal'tsit | I could merely be talking to myself if it so pleases you. I belong to Ursus no longer. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | You belong to Ursus no longer... So it was the Grand Duke's personal doctor's decision that he passed. Her intention was to reduce his suffering. |
| Kal'tsit | I hope you'll make it out of Victorian territory without a hitch. |
| "Emperor's Blade" | A shame... If you understood what it is we are safeguarding, you could've contributed to its prosperity. Until next time. We will meet again. |
| [Accepting his defeat, the Emperor's Blade leaves.] | |
| Kal'tsit | ... ............ Come back, Mon3tr... He's gone. I need to... take care of these marks... Hmm. |
| [Heidi rushes to Kal'tsit.] | |
| Heidi | Kal'tsit! |
| Kal'tsit | You should not have come here, Heidi. |
| Heidi | You're so badly hurt...! I brought a first aid kit. Ugh, how do you use this... |
| Kal'tsit | I can take care of myself. |
| Heidi | Kal'tsit, what happened? |
| Kal'tsit | Emperor's Blade. Tell your father this name. That's all you have to do. It's nothing you need to worry about, yet. |
| Heidi | O-Okay, but was that man from Ursus? What is someone like him doing here? |
| Kal'tsit | They are like the shadows of Ursus. And the size of their vast, dark shadows has to do with only the Empire's sun. Even if you manage to fend off these shadows, the road beneath our feet remains shrouded in darkness, while the buildings in our surroundings remain unaffected. This too is Ursus, Heidi. This is a part of Ursus. The Empire's winter, the black snowflakes. |
| Heidi | ...... |
| Kal'tsit | Before that, we need to deceive everyone else in the manor. We may have avoided the worst outcome, and he didn't scatter his "Dominion" all across the soil here, but the marks he left behind will take some effort to cover up. Mon3tr. |
| Mon3tr | (Dissatisfied whining) |
| Heidi | Huh–?! I-Is this yours...? |
| Kal'tsit | Kill two wild beasts and bring their bodies back as soon as you can. |
| Mon3tr | (Low roar) |
| Kal'tsit | And... Heidi, contact your father immediately. I'll need assistance to put a lid on this the best we can... |
| Heidi | H-How are we going to do it? |
| Kal'tsit | We need false witnesses, false leads, and all the bribes necessary. Perhaps there is no one out there who knows how to deal with the Mounted Police better than Thomson. |
| Heidi | Okay, I understand–Why are you grasping at the snow? |
| Kal'tsit | To lower my body temperature. I was dragged into a fight between two wild beasts and fortunately made it out. But I am afraid the guards will be punished for letting beasts into the garden. |
| Heidi | But those are no minor injuries! Are you still– |
| Kal'tsit | We managed to avoid the worst case scenario. If he had insisted on fighting me to the death... I'm afraid none of us could've gotten out of this alive. Now, aside from that... find me a Messenger who can reach Sami. |
| Heidi | Sami? It's so barren there... It will take a while. |
| Kal'tsit | We have time. As long as she's alive, I'll get a reply... and I pray I'll get a reply. |
| Heidi | Your wounds... |
| Kal'tsit | Hmm... Looks like my blood stained the letter. ...... |
| <Background 1> | |
| Count Vincent | Did something happen outside? |
| Merry Noblewoman | Of course not, Count Vincent! Please do not avoid the subject. Tell us how you defeated the Grand Duke's hunters! |
| Count Vincent | Haha, I had no intention to be disrespectful to the Duke, of course, but I lost my temper and could not well control myself in that competition. It was all because the hunter told me I should never have hired Savras and Zalaks. He even told me he took pride in hiring only Liberi housemaids and muscly Forte for the upkeep and defense of the mansion the Duke awarded to him. His words reminded me of an old gardener who once tended to our gardens. He was a Zalak, and he had been working here long before I was born, and I never found anything strange or unsatisfactory about that. |
| Merry Noblewoman | Oh, how progressive. |
| Count Vincent | In the end, I was the one who shot down the fowlbeast, while the Duke's hunter missed his opportunity. |
| Pretentious Man | You set a fine example for the rest of us, Count Vincent! |
| Count Vincent | I should've saved the Duke some face, of course. |
| Tipsy Businessman | When the Duke thinks so highly of you, what's wrong with putting your gallantry on full display? |
| Count Vincent | Haha, you are right. There were the hunter, the bow, and the fowlbeast, but no one knows me better than myself. |
| <Background 2> | |
| [Despite her injuries, Kal'tsit reads the letter from Kazdel for her.] | |
| Kal'tsit | ...... |
| Dear Dame Kal'tsit, It was just as you predicted. The Sarkaz court summoned Her Majesty Theresa for an audience. Although the ancient bloodkin held General Theresis in high esteem, the Lord of the Banshees sent only the youngest successor... ...It was thanks to the General Theresis and the Military Commission that other countries were unable to interfere with Kazdel's rise to prominence. It was also under the General's supervision that they transported construction materials enough for several dozen regular nomadic city plates without issue. The following is a summary of the past month's events. ......... ...... Kal'tsit. | |
| Kal'tsit | (Theresa's handwriting...) |
| Kal'tsit. It's such a huge surprise. Who could've imagined that the Great Banshee's successor was a boy? He is still very young, just a young boy by his looks. The Banshee's bloodline will keep him young for a long time. Despite his age, he was mouthing off Arts left and right. He is a natural-born Caster. I can see the royal court change through him. The Sarkaz are heading toward a new stage. I can feel it. Kal'tsit. Theresis frequently pulls all-nighters at the Commission, and their policies are going off track due to outside pressure. He's started to not listen to whatever I say. A lot of us are worried. They are worried that once the other countries notice Kazdel's reunification, they will immediately wipe us off the map. Kal'tsit. I know that you set your sights on the world at large. But I am also hoping you would come back. We must prepare ourselves to take on the challenges we will face in the future. I need you to help me accomplish this. Aside from that, Rim Billiton's Engineering Department has something new to share. We discovered a set of ruins that match your description. There are only bits and pieces, and the project has reached a bottleneck as a result. The team may need more time to uncover everything. That said– –Kal'tsit does the name... "Rhodes Island" mean anything to you? | |
| Kal'tsit | So soon... ...... |
| <Background 4> | |
| Elliot | Where will you go? |
| Kal'tsit | Ursus... Chernobog. |
| Elliot | Haven't heard of that place before... What are you doing there? |
| <Background 5> | |
| Lillia | Why don't you come to Sami with me? |
| Kal'tsit | No, I will take Lyudmila to Siracusa. I will also stop by Victoria on my way. Isn't this your wish? |
| Lillia | I... ...... I want you to live, Kal'tsit. |
| <Background 2> | |
| Kal'tsit | ...... |
| Heidi | Kal'tsit? |
| Kal'tsit | ... Heidi, you and your father will continue our work in Victoria. Our only objective is to prevent the cities that boast their honor and glory from falling to the Duke's unrest. |
| Heidi | Dame Kal'tsit...? Are you leaving...? |
| Kal'tsit | I have to leave sooner or later, Heidi. Try not to make the Count suspicious. Let's head back to the party. |
| <Background 1> | |
| Count Vincent | Dear God, what happened?! How are you injured so?! Get a doctor! Hurry! |
| Heidi | (Uncle Richard...) |
| Pretentious Man | I saw something just now...! There were two fierce beasts! What was that? Were you attacked by the beasts?! |
| Merry Noblewoman | Oh, my. I heard that the Catastrophes a few years ago infected some of those fierce wild beasts... |
| Kal'tsit | I'm okay, ladies and gentlemen. It is just some simple flesh wounds. Heidi has already tended to my injuries. |
| Heidi | (Are you sure you can stand? I'm not sure I would've called it "simple.") |
| Count Vincent | How could something like this happen at one of my dinner parties?! Those useless guards! Please, lie down and get some rest. Someone, head to garden at once! I want to know what happened there! |
| Pretentious Man | No, Count Vincent, please let me go. You know my swordsmanship. |
| Count Vincent | Richard, you are my guest... but very well. This is just the time for us to rely on your gallantry. Come, Lady Kal'tsit. My personal physician will tend to your injuries. He will be here soon. |
| <Background fades out and in> | |
| Kal'tsit | My apologies, Count Vincent. I did not mean to disrupt your party. |
| Count Vincent | No, my lady. I am responsible for this mistake. I allowed an assassin to waltz right into my manor! |
| Kal'tsit | Please don't look too much into this affair. |
| Count Vincent | Oh... Right, I understand, though I am surprised you don't seem at all shaken by this. Could you at least tell me who it was? I can't well sit here when these villains... |
| Kal'tsit | ...... |
| Count Vincent | Very well... If this assassin managed to deceive all those present here today, then indeed it isn't a matter that a mere noble should pry into. Lady Kal'tsit, please promise me this. |
| Kal'tsit | Go ahead. |
| Count Vincent | Please keep Thomson safe from these schemes. He is my dearest friend. He is no major player. He can't protect the entire country, but he can protect our own little Victoria. He can do what we nobles cannot. Therefore all I can do is to let him do what he must. |
| Kal'tsit | You don't know the details of our plan, yet you harbor everyone nonetheless. I thank you for that. |
| Count Vincent | Haha. Do I need to know? All I have to do is to play my role well... A fat fowlbeast awaiting his slaughter. But this is how he has always been ever since we were in school. Lady Kal'tsit... Please accept my gratitude. |
| Kal'tsit | You don't need to thank me when I have been deceiving you all along. |
| Count Vincent | As long as my family and the masses get to live another peaceful day–Let the whole world ridicule my foolishness. Both you and I know it in our hearts. |
| <Background 3> | |
| Count Vincent | Are you leaving so soon? You are still injured. |
| Kal'tsit | These are just flesh wounds, fortunately. Count Vincent, about the damage "those two beasts" have done... |
| Count Vincent | Right, I understand. |
| [Heidi shows up.] | |
| Heidi | Kal'tsit... |
| Count Vincent | Looks like I should just leave the farewells to the youngsters. I will head back now. Everyone was shaken by the presence of the beasts. Please take care, Cleric Kal'tsit. |
| [Count Vincent leaves.] | |
| Kal'tsit | The Count is right. The weight of the future is for the younger generation to bear, whether they are ready for it or not. |
| Heidi | Is Uncle Vincent actually...? |
| Kal'tsit | The Victoria he protects may just be a remote corner of the countryside, but there is not an ounce of falsity to the peace he upholds. Protecting your home–This is a truth that generations after generations of Victorian have worshipped. |
| Heidi | ...... |
| Kal'tsit | Your father is trying his best, but... Winter is here. Are you ready? Will you be ready? |
| Heidi | ...... Yes. |
| Kal'tsit | Now go ask your father. He knows how to find me. Perhaps we'll one day meet each other again somewhere. |