Liberi Reader

Guard this place.

Watch your formation, keep an eye on her movements.

You know who it is we're facing. Don't be like those stupid mercs.

...Here she comes.

......

Watch her hands.

She could draw her sword at any—

......

Watch the lights and shadows. Don't try to follow the sword.

......

Hold your ground!

......

I came as appointed, as he wished. No need to be on guard.

......

Which way to Riverbank Street?

......

Shining!

What are you doing standing there? Get out of the way! I told you we had a family meeting today.

Understood.

What took you so long, Shining? I've been waiting!

...Salus.

It's not time yet.

No, it's not. The leader won't be angry.

Come in, dinner's ready. Look at you. Have you not had anything decent to eat since you left Londinium?

I've talked to the leader. Tonight's menu is being prepared to Royal Victorian Academy of Sciences banquet standards.

......

Oh, Shining, Shining! How long has it been since the old days, when we used to chat at the dinner table? Tell me what you've seen and heard!

Leader, Shining's back!

Welcome.

......

Sit. This is your place. We just came to Londinium then... it was a long time ago.

It has been empty ever since you killed those poor souls and fled with the test subject.

That betrayal chilled the clan to the bone.

But I don't blame you. Sit.

......

......

I can't wait. I've hardly had a good meal lately, staying all night in the labs.

...Your Highness.

My, my, Lettou. Why such a frown on your face?

Is the wine not good enough for you? Or is the flavor of the food too light?

Good wine should be paired with the futile resistance of the weak against fate, and the arrogance of heroes who drown in prophecy.

Even I am amazed at how they write their own stories for their own entertainment. Unfortunately, our Victorian friends are too reliant on fiction.

We've seen better stuff, have we not, Lettou?

I just saw you feed a nobleman's wife and children to your troops.

I support the vetting of potential insurgents, but...

Ugh––!

Lt. Colonel!

Form up! Protect the commander!

You'll fight me here?

......

That's not what the taste of your blood tells me.

Fear... worry.

They're screaming for you to back off, to run away.

......

...Hold the line!

Put down your weapons...

Stand... stand down...

Lt. Colonel...

This is an order...

Yes... sir.

Lettou, Lettou.

I thought we were friends. Friends should trust each other, shouldn't they?

I think I've been kind, overlooking those little extra-curricular activities of you and your men.

Deals under the table, black markets in the alleys... I've turned a blind eye to them because I don't think greed and desire should be punished.

But I expect the same trust in return.

Many Gaulish nobles keep fowlbeasts as pets, building jeweled cages for the adorable things, lying them down on soft and delicate cushions.

All the fowlbeasts need to do is squawk, and they'll be served the finest food.

When the fowlbeasts are in a bad mood and peck their masters, their masters eagerly tell people of the intelligence and personality of their fowlbeasts.

But do you think the fowlbeasts have tamed their masters?

Thank you for your mercy, Your Highness.

......

March! March!

Stay in line!

I heard you were looking for me.

How are your injuries?

Same as ever. Won't interfere with the mission.

Good.

I just got a message. Here.

Let me see.

Lost contact with the mercs sent to Highbury?

They should have been in communication an hour ago.

......

The Military Commission is dissatisfied with the recent performance of the mercenaries.

Soldiers must pay attention to a greater battlefield. The Regent and I had... high hopes... for the mercenaries.

I'll find out what happened to them.

No need. I've made arrangements.

There's a possibility that they ran into an old acquaintance of yours.

Who could be as concerned about the Sarkaz supply lines as we ourselves?

Let me guess, Dr. {@nickname} and Ascalon...

Are they investigating the Highbury munitions factories, or are they already preparing to attack other hubs with information about the supply lines?

......

Tend to your injuries, mercenary.

You don't need any more 'wounds' before I find your old friends, one by one.

Doctor! You're here!

Did you get the intel from the factory?

Not bad. I was thinking what I would have to do to extract you and Feist if something went wrong.

......

......

She operates on her own devices.

...W will know.

Doctor!

We're here.

Yes... same here...

When you suggested that we split up a few days ago, I knew it was the right call, but...

At least we came back together alright. I'm so happy about that.

Don't worry, I'm pretty well-prepared over here.

I don't know if the defenses share the same weaknesses across Londinium, but there must be common characteristics to the framework.

I've updated the drone's intrusion program based on intel from Misery and Horn, as well as the data taken from the artillery control room.

Get the drone close to the core of the Defense Force's command tower, and I can break into the system and access traffic records from the past ten days within thirty minutes.

Yeah... tomorrow will be a hard day.

We've been probing the responses of the Sarkaz army within Londinium in the last few days.

We expect Manfred and the Vampire to show up quickly. Ascalon, Logos and I will do our best to delay them.

However...

The Sarkaz of the Royal Court could appear at any time.

Yes, Doctor.

Dr. Kal'tsit is helping us delay the Nachzehrer and Lich, but there's only so much time she can buy.

Understood.

Rhodes Island and the Self-Salvation Corps are ready.

Allerdale, the mercenaries are looking for you.

......

Sorry, I was distracted. What did you say?

No, I'm the one who should apologize.

Maybe we could have saved Ailshie together, if I wasn't so anxious to leave.

I know she's important to you.

She's my only family.

House Cumberland is no more.

One woman does not make a family, eh?

Maybe it was something that should have happened a long time ago, delayed until today.

Don't say that, Allerdale.

That Vampire will be made to pay, I promise.

The steam armor was lost in the fire. Maybe that's for the better. That way, I won't have to see it anymore.

...Vina.

Can you take me to the Glasgow Gang? I can pretend nothing ever happened.

I carry nothing on my shoulders. I'll just be your brain trust.

Sorry... I forgot you had Morgan.

We'll bomb the Sarkaz camp together. You light a fire, and I'll kick their commander's arse once there's smoke.

......

I'm joking.

I know.

My path is long determined, Vina.

Why do you say that? You're still with us. The Glasgow Gang has more stories to write.

So...

The answer is yes.

I'll make sure you come back unharmed after kicking that commander's arse.

That's my promise.

I see... thanks.

Let's leave the jokes at that. I would begin to believe them if this went on.

Alright, I've got to go. Totter and the mercenaries are waiting for me. We need to double-check our route.

Get ready, Vina.

The Sighs of Kings is before us.

Would you have said yes, if she truly invited you to leave?

Clovisia?

The walls of Londinium are tall. Few are able to escape their shadow.

But you did. You escaped the palace, and escaped Londinium. Perhaps Allerdale envies you because of that.

She has forced herself to carry the Cumberland name for twenty years.

But you're different. You thought about leaving your name behind, didn't you?

...I can't deny that.

But I'm here now, regardless of what I thought.

Victoria is on the brink right now, and I must fight for her.

...Victoria.

Kings, nobles, merchants, soldiers, workers...

People often use the word 'Victoria' to justify their actions, but it has done nothing to quell the endless conflict over the centuries.

Who defines what Victoria is? Is it the sixty nomadic cities and the land around them, the forty million people that live within, or the monarch who rules them?

Your Royal Highness Alexandrina Vina Victoria.

Why have you come back, when you say you came back for Victoria?

The noble mansions have been burned to the ground. Wonder how many survivors there are...

The Sarkaz are planning something big, and the Defense Forces aren't trying to hide it anymore.

......

This street may never be the same again.

—

Are you okay?

Ugh—*cough*

...Molly.

You don't look well. Here, take my shoulder.

We still have time, Lady Golding. Your part is not over yet.

You said that education was your strength, didn't you?

My strength...

Let's go back.

We've persevered for so long. We'll see this to the end.

I'm counting on you.

Don't worry, we'll get our new friends to the base safely.

You're not coming with us?

I have another mission.

Your grandson is a pretty big deal in the Corps, after all.

Real big deals don't usually boast about it.

Oh, and I have to return this, Granny.

Your badge.

I'm not a worker anymore. I shouldn't be wearing this outside.

......

Being smart isn't enough to fool death. Those who are gone will never come back, and the wounds left behind do not necessarily fade with time.

But I don't want to spend night after night in regret, staring at machines with no one to use them.

Because...

I will go into each and every night.

I will carry the torch left behind by those who are gone and keep walking.

Until the cold is driven out, and the path ahead is no longer dark. And even then, I'll keep walking.

Not for some ethereal hope, not because I'm still waiting for someone to make a stand for us.

You said it, that we built Londinium with our own hands.

Even if the city is reduced to rubble tomorrow, we'll start rebuilding it the day after.

Huff...

Go, if your mind's made up.

Let me see.

Bye, Granny.

......

Feist!