Liberi Reader

Baryshnya Trepleva, it is quite clear to all present that Anna Morozova usurped your authority that night.

I am curious, however, as to why you did not choose to leave the Assembly, like other students did.

......

That's because—

Your Honor, I believe the hearing should focus on specific events.

...The atmosphere at the time had compromised my reason.

In that case, you must explain why you split from Anna's group, and how they kidnapped and coerced you.

...Yes, Your Honor.

Virtually everyone stayed at the theater that night, helping those who were injured, and thinking of ways to find out about those who were arrested.

But the situation changed the following day—

...Alright, Olga, I applied what medicine I could find.

It may not look good, but bear with me, it'll help you heal.

......

You're on duty today? Where's Lada?

You went to bed early last night. Natalya showed up later, along with a Vulpo I didn't know. They took Lada away after talking to Anna's group for a while.

Where's everyone else? The theater's all empty.

I'm not sure, but I think Anna assigned missions.

...Our priority is to figure out where the students are being held captive.

Start with this list and talk to their parents, it may help us find a way.

I'll talk to my family contacts. Let me know if you have a lead; I'll verify it.

Take care, Anna.

Hm? What are you two doing here?

Olga was sleeping by the stage last night. I saw her wake up when I came to the theater in the morning, so I reapplied her medicine.

...Very good.

Sergo, help me move Olga to the rehearsal studio on the third floor. She needs rest.

Perhaps I should go home, Anna.

I'm good enough to walk now. I can't promise my father can help get people off, but at least I can ask where they're being held.

Don't worry, I already have a lead on where they're held.

As for you, you should stay put and focus on recuperating. People will talk if you go home like this.

There are other injured students staying behind to receive treatment. I'm having someone deliver their letters to their families.

......

I'll get the stretcher, Olga.

They moved me into a room, claiming to be protecting me.

But I soon realized that their 'protection' involved students standing at my door around the clock in shifts with fireman's axes in hand.

When I tried to talk to them, I was told that they were under orders not to interact with me... so I gave up on writing to my father, because there was no way they would help me send it.

So you realized you were being held captive by Anna Morozova?

Yes.

Do you know her motivation to do such a thing?

My guess is that I expressed reluctance when she hinted at exploiting the nobility the previous night.

Do you think it explains the Ursus Student Self-Government Group's hostility towards the aristocracy? It would be consistent with Sonya Mykhailivna colluding with the Unbound.

...Yes.

I wasn't the only one she imprisoned. Anyone who wasn't sufficiently firm in resolve, whom she deemed an information risk as well as... nobles who had value to her, were all treated the same way.

Did you have any opportunity to communicate with the outside or leave the room?

Very little, except for Sergo, who quietly told me what the students were doing when he was on duty, even telling me—

...Are you sure about this?

Absolutely! My mother has been running a garment factory in Grypherburg for more than a decade. You can trust us on this.

But she said that approximately nine hundred winter army uniforms were being transported to the quarantine zone, while Natalya's observations yesterday indicates that there are no more than five hundred combatants there.

If both of you are right, then there can only be one explanation—someone is sending reinforcements into the quarantine zone.

Sonya just said they couldn't deal with heavy weapons, and now reinforcements are being sent? What do we do, Anna?

......

Will your mother be at the factory these couple of days?

Yes, why?

I will speak to my police contacts, get a few uniforms, put some tall boys in them, and go to your mother's factory disguised as the gendarmes auditing the books.

Tell your mother that you don't have class for a few days, so you're helping out at the factory. Put in a word for us if your mother gets suspicious, tell her letting the cops see the books won't do any harm.

Uh...

No hesitation. Our friends are in graver danger with every passing second. Trust my judgment, if you want to save them.

The source of this order is the breakthrough that we've been waiting for.

But impersonating the cops... that's way too hard.

We haven't been in contact with our comms girl Botani since the ball, but the equipment that she left behind still works.

Bring the equipment and follow my orders. My friend who has police connections will be there to help...

Sergo, are you there?

You're the tallest, you'll be the first to try the uniforms.

Me? But I get all red in the face whenever I go onstage in drama club. No way I could—

...Play a cop.

Wow, my whole face is covered up...

Stop talking to yourself, Sergo. Watch the office door and don't let anyone come in.

Gotcha, Anna.

Do not respond verbally.

Why is it taking so long—

What do you mean, taking so long...?

Wait, who are you? I thought we were supposed to be checking the books today—Unit 2.

What's your district and unit? Did the new superintendent mix up the orders again?

Uh, uh, uh—

Are you not feeling well? There's no fireplace or heating here. Why are you sweating like that...?

......

Slap him, Sergo.

...Huh?

Do it. My friend's coming your way.

Slap him, then yell at the top of your lungs, 'Do not delay the daughter of Lord Yaroslav!'

...Do not delay the daughter of Lord Yaroslav!

I apologize. The superintendent made a last-minute change, and the news apparently didn't reach you.

This man is my bodyguard, whom my family arranged to go into the service with me, for father was uneasy about me being alone.

...So it's like that again?

Yes, like that.

...?

Command knew this factory's books were off, so they left it to some noble kid to reap the fruits.

I've been in the force for three years, and it's the same every year. Every time there's a new superintendent, a bunch of people come in you don't dare to touch.

This is Grypherburg, after all.

Wait!

...Give your father my regards. I'd appreciate it even more if you gave him my name and number.

The cop just walked away without saying another thing! I should've slapped him harder.

That's incredible, Sergo.

But you were telling me that the books revealed that it was the House of Treplev that was supporting the magistrate behind the scenes, and planning to send reinforcements?

Yes. Anna and Natalya talked for a long time last night about your family and friends, especially your father.

How do they know my associates?

Anna arranged for a few students to return home and go back to school like nothing happened.

You know the Assembly has students from practically every school. We talked to friends and teachers of those who were arrested. There are many people who care about them, and so we got a lot of information.

Someone said she's already located the Treplev estate and is planning to lay an ambush for the duke. All hearsay and rumors amongst the students, of course—

......

Olga... I know this isn't fair to you.

I see no option other than to accept.

I'm trapped here with no way to stop whatever they're trying to do. I can only hope for the best.

Mm...

I'm glad you see things that way. I'll let you get your rest.

Say, you said you were going to sew a flag for the Assembly and wanted me to collect various kinds of fabric. Have you finished it?

I'm sure Anna would want to come and talk to you, if I showed her the flag you made.

I'll tell you when I'm done.

Sure! Good night, Olga.

I'm sorry, Sergo. I hope Anna won't be too hard on you.

...I won't be making your flag.

...You must be mistaken.

I understand your wish to protect your students, Professor Valeriya.

However, Olga is not the only student at this school. We need her to help the students who are being held captive.

Please—

......

*Pant*—*Pant*—

S-Stay away!

......

I should have known. Sergo is gentle-hearted, but prone to naivete. He was always likely to make a mistake.

There is still time to rectify the mistake, however.

How did you find me? Do you even have spies in our school?

These past few days, I combed every school in Grypherburg for potential allies, following the list of missing students.

You sought sanctuary at your school as soon as you escaped the theater... you're exactly who I think you are.

Where else could I go? Sergo told me you have assassins hiding around my home.

Is it true that you're trying to kill my father?

I have neither the intention nor the ability to deal with the Ursine aristocracy that way. We have always operated by negotiation.

I believed you when you promised to rescue the students that night, because I felt guilty about what happened to them.

But what did you do to me? Tricked me and locked me up in a room! Did you think I'd still trust you?

I don't know where you heard these rumors—

Stay away from me!

......

I've had enough, Anna!

I-I don't want my father to be purged because of me, but I can't just watch my fellow students die either.

I just want all this to end! If you'll only be satisfied by making me—

Calm down! Think this through. If anything happens to you, it would be a catastrophe for both your father and the students!

The duke would lose his daughter and heir. He would stop at nothing for revenge, to crush us, and everyone in the quarantine zone.

No, no, I just—

I don't know what to do!

Oh—

Olga—

...I was lucky to fall right into the middle of the pile. I escaped from Morozova with only minor injuries.

I hid in the city for a day, until my father's men found me and took me home.

That is the extent of my account.

Baryshnya Trepleva, from your point of view, how did the students enter the Treplev estate?

I don't know how they did it, but given that Anna already knew where it was, they would have had their pick of options.

Well... I'm sure the entire committee has arrived at an answer.

Still, I must follow protocol and confirm this—

Baryshnya Trepleva, do you accuse Anna Morozova, leader of the Student Assembly, of colluding with Sonya Mykhailivna, and committing various crimes, including treason?

......

I accuse the leader of the Student Assembly...

Olga Danilovna Trepleva, of responsibility for all acts involving the students in the Katorga Incident.

Wait—

Anna Morozova should be penalized for blackmailing the nobility, but she only did what she did out of urgent necessity—

Do you know what you are saying, Baryshnya Trepleva?

I am stating the truth, Your Honor.

Ever since Zoya took the stand, everyone in the room knew the source of the storm, yet no one was willing to say her name.

Who was the leader and organizer of the Student Assembly, who pushed it down this path, who is responsible for this broken order...

I declare that I shall willingly don the shackles I deserve—

Recess! Recess!

Stop writing, parliamentarian! Escort Baryshnya Trepleva out for fresh air, now!

Hah—

You can't die here, Olga. Didn't you hear what I said?

But, I could never be, as ruthless as you are—

Ruthless?

Tell me, were you really planning to jump when you were sitting on that windowsill?

......

Your problem was never that you couldn't be ruthless. You were simply running away.

When you decided to hold the protest, and now... you were fearless in opposing everything, simply because you knew—

No matter what you did, all you needed to do was to turn around, and you would find yourself in your father's embrace.

You never knew what it felt like to struggle to survive, you never even imagined it. You simply dreamed one day after another, in the cradle that your family has woven for you...

Do you think all the other people in the land of Ursus get to dream the same dream?

Let me tell you this, Olga.

You have never truly seen your country, seen Ursus for what it is. Innocence is a sin in this land, and indecision its greatest accomplice, but you have continued to avoid choosing your path.

I—

If you wanted to continue to dream, you should have gone back to your father a long time ago, and sat by the warm fireside watching the executioner's axe fall on our futures.

If you want to rescue the students, you need to put all your chips on the table, even your own family.

I have already made my choice... stand up, Olga.

I'm taking you back, whether you like it or not. I will show you how we get the others out of the quarantine zone.

......

We have to go, Anna. We've already caused quite the commotion on campus. The students helping us can only delay them for so long.

...Let's go back to the theater.

Students can't remain students forever, Olga. Everyone has something that they must do... and what I must do now is make you disappear for a while.

You will be freed once the situation has been resolved.

...One moment, Anna.

You know where the Treplev estate is...

Yes, but I have no intention of killing your father. I only want to convince him.

To save the students?

Yes.

...I have an idea.

There is a secret passage that leads to the manor's wine cellar, accessible through the warehouse of a vineyard on the western outskirts of Grypherburg.

It is my father's escape route in the event of an assassination attempt... not even the guards know about it. You can enter the manor through there, and he will know at once that it was I who told you about it.

Olga...

You understand that this will ruin your relationship with your family beyond repair.

No, Anna.

I will defend my honor and that of my house, in my own way.