The higher the place, the more complete and larger the shadows are.
Ines
But this place is a little too high up...
Paprika
...Can you let me go?
Ines
No can do, girlie.
Ines
Don't you get any funny ideas either.
Ines
This ship is way too big. I'd really appreciate a cute girl helping me keep an eye out for any soldiers popping up.
Paprika
...
Paprika
Do you also call yourself a Victorian Sarkaz?
Ines
No, I'm a Kazdel Sarkaz.
Paprika
Wait, but... if you're a Kazdel Sarkaz...? Then why are you...?
Paprika
Aren't you working for General Manfred and the Military Commission?
Ines
I work only for myself.
Ines
Where's this ship headed?
Paprika
......
Ines
I don't like seeing kids suffer.
Paprika
I... I don't know...
Paprika
I really don't!
Ines
What exactly is your job here?
Paprika
Um... being a Sarkaz mercenary?
Ines
Heh. A Sarkaz mercenary who hasn't killed before.
Ines
You can't even silently draw your weapon while being captured.
Ines
What's Manfred even planning to do here? Open a kindergarten?
Paprika
General Manfred says he wants me to learn what war is.
Ines
Well, how's that going?
Paprika
I think it's just people killing another group of people.
Ines
Congratulations, we share the same view.
Ines
This ship sure flies high.
Paprika
The General says it's because it's a revenant.
Ines
Ugh. A revenant. So that's why.
Ines
That's why Ascalon was in so much pain. Good thing they're conspicuous.
Ines
This ship is still ascending.
Ines
Judging by our heading... it's not flying towards the battlefield. This ship is returning to Londinium.
Ines
You flew out of Londinium, fired a shot at the Duke's warship, and then stopped for a few days in Norport Borough.
Ines
And now that the dukes are on their way with their fleets, you're retreating?
Ines
Seems like I need to change my impression of Manfred. Not only is he passionate about pedagogy, but he likes to take the ship out for little drives too?
Paprika
I...
Ines
Alright, you don't know anything at all.
Ines
What's your name?
Paprika
Paprika.
Ines
So you're the Paprika mentioned in the report I read. You freed the workers from Munitions Factory No. 11, and then you were caught by Manfred.
Paprika
...
Paprika
For a Sarkaz mercenary, is that... not honorable?
Ines
For a Sarkaz mercenary, honor is the worst kind of shame.
Paprika
Okay.
Paprika
You've been to Kazdel before, right? What is it like?
Paprika
My old captain told me that it's our homeland.
Ines
Where did you grow up?
Paprika
Columbia.
Ines
No wonder.
Ines
Every Sarkaz that hasn't been to Kazdel thinks it's probably an adorable, sweet little place.
Ines
That's just your own wishful thinking.
Ines
Think of the filthiest, most disgusting, any derogatory adjective you can muster, and multiply that by a hundred—now that's Kazdel.
Paprika
Sounds like most people wouldn't like it.
Paprika
Then why... why do so many Sarkaz call it home?
Ines
Because they need a home.
Ines
They think, as long as they have a home, everything will fall neatly into place, all discrimination and persecution against them will cease and they'll once again be able to puff out their chests in pride.
Ines
Hmph. It's silly.
Paprika
Or maybe you think that... because you're not a Sarkaz?
Ines
......
Ines
You like to ask questions, little girl, but that's not a good habit in wartime.
Paprika
I... I was only making a guess! Please don't get angry!
Paprika
...I'm just real curious.
Paprika
Nobody here wants to talk to me, and General Manfred is always busy.
Paprika
They're all so excited and always talk about doing great things... but why don't I feel it?
Paprika
All I've seen is familiar faces dying one by one, getting replaced by fresh faces, but when those become familiar...
Paprika
The same thing just happens again and again.
Paprika
I feel like I shouldn't be here at all.
Ines
......
Ines
Does it actually matter if someone is really a Sarkaz or not?
Ines
If everyone thinks you're a Sarkaz, then you might as well grind down your horns and pretend to be one.
Ines
Because you can only survive as a Sarkaz.
Ines
And when it comes to surviving, your feelings don't matter at all.
Paprika
And that's why you joined this war with the Sarkaz?
Ines
Seems like you should stay with Manfred a while longer. He hasn't taught you the most important things you need to know about war.
Paprika
General Manfred lent me a book, A History of Wars of Sarkaz.
Ines
......
Ines
I know the author. His name is Hoederer, and he's an idiot.
Ines
'Sarkaz War,' 'Victorian War,' 'Ducal War,' 'Royal Court War,' only an idiot talks about stuff like that.
Ines
Who'd be arrogant enough to claim a war for themselves? I sure wouldn't, at least.
Ines
War is war, and that's all there is to it.
Paprika
You don't believe this war can save us all... Then what do you believe in?
Ines
I believe when you're hungry, you have to eat, when you're thirsty, you need to drink, swinging your arms around for too long will tire you out, and if I jump out of this ship I will die.
Ines
I only believe in these things that can't be given meaning.
Ines
Toying around with 'meaning' is the root of all suffering.
Manfred
In the same way, I believe that profits make people impulsive, fear makes them impatient, a burning fire can not be easily extinguished, and the resulting conflicts cannot be easily ended.
Manfred
Ines, as a guest, you should have greeted me first.
Ines
It's been a while, Manfred.
Manfred
Indeed it has.
Manfred
So, why don't you stay? You can admire the scenery with us.
Manfred
The storm is approaching quickly.
Ines and Manfred turn to look out the window.
They see the smoke and dust rising in the distance, and several high-speed battleship fleets approaching.
This airship high up in the sky is attracting the attention of every ducal force already stationed nearby.
A sudden flash of clarity shoots through Ines upon seeing these little battleships scrambling like insects in the shadow of the airship.
Ines
You want the flames.
Ines
No, the flames have already been ignited, you're just... using this ship as kindling to keep it in the air.
Ines
Caster, Wellington, Windermere, and maybe Normandy too...
Ines
The representatives of these greedy dukes are already all gathered on this plate, while their masters' fleets observe their rivals as they make their way here.
Ines
This airship is moving so slowly because you're waiting for them, you're tempting them.
Ines
The dukes would rather not let the airship hide behind Londinium's robust city walls, so they'll gather here...
Ines
And this is what you've all been waiting for.
Ines
An perfectly little... shooting gallery for The Shard.
Manfred
Should I be glad that Hoederer's partner is so sharp?
Manfred
A shame you put it together so late.
Manfred
Men, seize her.
Manfred
So what did she tell you, Paprika?
Paprika
...
Paprika
She said, war is war, and that's all there is to it.
Manfred
Hmm...
Manfred
Indeed, that's all.
Manfred
If she could just see the big picture, just how many things surrounding war would she see?
Ines has to admit that the Military Commission has drawn up a brilliant plan.
She can foresee what will happen next.
The Shard's Catastrophe will severely damage the dukes' forces, and furthermore, said damage will be credited to not just the Sarkaz, but also to their respective rivals.
And once Victoria's storm-bringing prowess is drawn out into the open, any country across the lands will feel fear, and also fury.
Every seat of power will want to destroy this one, or possess it for themselves.
What if, at this time—the dukes guarding the borders slack on their duties because of their infighting?
Leithanien, Ursus, Kazimierz, and even the old Gaulish regions would never let this opportunity slip.
This is only the first flame.
Soon, an unstoppable blaze will sweep across the entire land.
Ines knows, there is still time, it's not too late.
As long as she can get the information out—
A shadow approaches at the end of the corridor. It is not her own shadow, but the owner of this vessel.
Ines, who has heard rumors from her old partner about the revenant, is for the first time in her life glad that she isn't a real Sarkaz.
Ines
Yep, shadow's still there.
The sun rises, the long night having finally passed, and the mobile plate below her casts an extremely long shadow.
Ines
...Right.
Ines
I should thank myself for finding such a high place.
Ines
I'm guessing that a jump from here would probably kill me.
Ines
......
Ines
Heh, who would have thought that today, the Ines who always comes back from the brink of death, is finally embracing it.
Ines
Hoederer and W are gonna laugh themselves to death.
Ines
I hope they don't get to see me in such a wretched state.
