Operation story: RS-8

Operation

Story

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Characters
Doctor Enciodes Gnosis Degenbrecher Kjarr Enya Harold Matterhorn Weiss Muelsyse Leto Arctosz Ratatos Sciurus Yucatan Monch "Trilby Asher" Gulo Sharp Man In a Suit (Spokesman Mob) Station Steward Conductor Common Kjerag Man Common Kjerag Woman Tschäggättä Campaign Knight Lead Soldier Stern Soldier Slippery Soldier Somber Soldier Seasoned Soldier Victorian Soldier Victorian Soldier Victorian Soldier A Victorian Soldier B Victorian Soldier C Victorian Soldier D Skeptical Passenger Astonished Passenger Unhappy Passenger Victorian Soldier E Victorian Soldier F Silver-clad Knight
Backgrounds
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Before operation

“

The ceremony is close at hand, and the Viscount's troops have already arrived by the lakeside. Enciodes's defenses have yet to come into play, and in Kjerag's most dire hour of need, Degenbrecher faces down an army alone.

”

<Background 1>
Enciodes	They say that Lake Silberneherze is most beautiful during winter. Winter seals the lake in a case of ice, and from afar it looks for all the world like a great gemstone, revealing a most breathtaking beauty in the brilliant sunlight. But if you were to observe from up close, perhaps you would be able to appreciate its beauty even further. There is no gem so flawless, yet so adamant; beneath the ice, its waters yet flow.
Gnosis	Since when did you decide to take up poetry? According to the directives of the Vine-Bear Court, we will follow behind the Saintess, walking from the ice to below the feet of the statue of Kjeragandr. This is hardly what I would call a short stroll, and all sorts of mishaps can befall us while we walk.
Enciodes	Gnosis, are you worried that the ice beneath your feet might shatter? How very unlike you.
Gnosis	You know that's not what I'm talking about. Many of the guests of ours who are here to "attend" will be watching us with keen eyes. Your plans for defensive maneuvers still lack accurate information, Enciodes. We are not in what I would call a favorable position.
Degenbrecher	Allowing that Trilby Asher to approach the statue of Kjeragandr yesterday was my mistake. If we have need of it, I can go and settle things with him right now.
Gnosis	If our quarry has already sensed aught amiss, then acting now would already be too late. This terrible habit of yours of neglecting the bigger picture when you take action... Forget it, you and Enciodes are pretty much the same. I'm not asking either of you to change your ways. All I ask is that next time, please go to the trouble of restraining yourselves, just for a little bit. You'll save me from having to wrack my brain to find ways to clean up your messes.
Degenbrecher	Duly noted, Gnosis. What do you think, Enciodes?
Enciodes	I have not the strength to casually cut apart a giant statue tens of meters high.
Degenbrecher	Indeed. You merely invited that Doctor over, who then proceeded to nearly ruin our plans is all.
Enciodes	......
Gnosis	...*sigh* I have no desire to listen to the two of you jibe and snipe at each other with your nonsense. Now, about the Tschäggättä responsible for keeping order...
Degenbrecher	They will be posted to the island ahead of time. As for who is in charge of the reception for the Victorians, there are several merchants who will take care of the matter.
Enciodes	Gnosis, you are far too tense. We have already completed all the preparations we can do. All we can do now is wait. And wait we shall. Spring is just around the corner.
<Background fades out and in>
Arctosz	I still remember when the Saintess descended from atop Mount Karlan three years ago. That day, Kjeragandr sent us Her blessings, and even that Enciodes couldn't help but kneel... I do not know if we will ever see such miracles again these days.
Ratatos	Seems like seeing the sights of today has hooked up your old memories, my friend. But Arctosz, don't you think you've been wallowing in those memories too often these past few years?
Arctosz	Rather than putting your efforts into sarcasm, Ratatos, you should care more about today's ceremony. I've felt that something was off ever since I woke up this morning... Don't you think Kjeragandr's statue looks a little bit different compared to yesterday? You Browntails were in charge of managing construction, so you'd better think up a real good explanation for the Saintess!
Ratatos	Heh, no need to worry about that... ...... Hey, Arctosz, why's your face look like that? Did that Trilby Asher rough you up or something?
Arctosz	Well, it's like you said! No need to worry about that! (Gah...) (The girl's real feisty, just like Tatyana. Just like me.) (Not bad.)
<Background fades out and in>
Yucatan	Patriarch, Matriarch, everyone is present.
Ratatos	Good. Let the people below know that they can head to their designated positions and wait for now. The Saintess will arrive soon. If anyone dares to tarnish the Browntail name at this critical moment, I won't be showing any mercy!
Yucatan	Understood, Matriarch.
Ratatos	Wait a moment, Yucatan. Why's it just you? Where's your wife? It's almost time already, why's she not here?
Yucatan	Rus told me this morning that she had a few things to do... She wants to prepare a pleasant surprise for you, Matriarch.
Ratatos	I'm not sure if I should look forward to a pleasant surprise from her. What could possibly be more important than today's ceremony? Can't she pick a better time to give me a headache?!
Yucatan	I... I'll send her a message right away. Don't worry, Matriarch. Rus is very clear on what she should be prioritizing.
Ratatos	I should have figured that you'd be on your wife's side. Alright, alright. She's no longer a girl. Guess I'll just have to wait and see what this "pleasant surprise" of hers is. Anyway, if she's off doing things, why didn't she bring you along?
Yucatan	...... Rus already has someone helping her out...
[The head maid Kjarr approaches the audience.]
Kjarr	Everyone, the time has come. The Saintess arrives.
[The Saintess approaches the audience.]
Enya	Please, lend me your ears. It has been three years since the Vine-Bear Court has recognized those foreigners who wish to devote themselves to Kjeragandr. Kjerag today is capable of incredible growth and development, but that growth rests on the shoulders of the good folk here today, alongside the toil and devotion of all Kjerag's people. I believe that you all have seen the change that has come to Kjerag these past few years with your own eyes. Kjeragandr has given Her people, Her children, a challenge, and we have already given Her our answer. Yet these past three years are merely the beginning. In the coming days, we will meet with more complex situations than ever before, and Kjerag will see its fair share of trials and tribulations. However, I hope that we all believe that Kjeragandr will not abandon this land of Kjerag, and neither will She abandon the lives of those who live upon it, for She so loves Her people. This great statue of Kjeragandr will be the main symbol of Kjerag to the outside world. At the same time, it will become a vessel for all the love that Her faithful show to Her. Hereafter, one need not climb Mount Karlan to make one's devotions to Her. You need but face towards Her during your prayers. It is my wish that the faith you have in Her is not constrained by the trappings of ceremony. I believe that true faith has taken root in the hearts of all of Kjerag's people. Now, I ask of you to walk with me, walk with me under the gaze of Kjeragandr towards the foot of Her holy statue, where we will pray for Her to bestow Her blessings upon Kjerag!
Enciodes	By Kjeragandr.
Ratatos	By Kjeragandr.
Arctosz	By Kjeragandr.
The many voices by the lake that cry out Kjeragandr's name blend and merge together. The Saintess stands at the head of the crowd, and takes the first step onto the ice. The frozen Lake Silberneherze shines like a flawless gem when looked upon from afar. But only once you stand atop it will you see that this "gem" is covered in chips and cracks. The ice is covered in cracks wending and weaving across the surface, the endlessly churning waters beneath the ice surging about together. Under the dawn light, it is as if the soul of the lake itself was wandering about in an eternal cycle. In the eyes of the people of Kjerag, such a sight was so beautiful as to be breathtaking. Kjeragandr's Saintess steps across the cracks that seemed like they were carved by the biting winds, as if walking past a millennium's worth of Kjerag's bitterly cold hardships, as if walking past its endless winter days. Because now, spring was just around the corner.
<Background 2>
Sciurus	How the hell are they not here yet?!
[Sciurus tries to activate her transceiver, but it fails.]
Sciurus	Are you kidding me?! The communicator doesn't work. Didn't they say they'd be getting to Kjerag last night, so they'd definitely catch the train today?! Huff... hah... Calm down, Sciurus... Calm down. Phew... (Okay... I've calmed down. The Saintess needs to walk across the ice to the island, so the ceremony won't be starting quite so soon. I've still got time.) (Think about the look on Ratatos's face when this is all over...) Aha, hahaha! *cough* *cough* Ahem. (I've definitely got the time right, and punctuality is par for the course on that side.) (A little lateness is one thing. We won't be too late now, I'm sure.) (I think the train to Lake Silberneherze should be pulling into the station right around now.) Alright, let me seee, the next train is arriving at... Why's it so late?!
Station Steward	Madam Sciurus, that train is a local that stops at every station. It's natural that it's somewhat delayed...
Sciurus	I don't care if it's natural, I need that train here right now!
Station Steward	I...
Sciurus	Damn it all, I can't just sit here and wait! Get me in touch with the station master! I want that train sped up right away! If it doesn't need to stop, then it better not stop! Make sure it's going at full speed too!
Station Steward	But, Madam! If we do that, it would greatly inconvenience the passengers aboard the train!
Sciurus	As long as they end up where they wanted to go, it should be fine, right?
Station Steward	Eh? Ah, well, yes, but...
Sciurus	No buts! Monch! MONCH!
[Monch appears at Sciurus' side.]
Monch	Here, Madam.
Sciurus	Get in touch with the manager of "BangBang Burdenbeast" for me! Get them to round up every single one of their free burdenbeasts right now! Anyone waiting to get on the train at the stations that it passes, get them a burdenbeast to take them wherever they want!
Monch	Yes, Madam.
Station Steward	Madam Sciurus, is... is this really alright?
Sciurus	You got a problem with it? Right, thanks for reminding me. We'll need to prepare a small gift for everyone already aboard the train. We'll call it a token of apology for disrupting their journey. Use the souvenirs that you sell on the trains for that! All expenses can go to Clan Browntail... No, wait, put it all on my personal account!
Monch	Understood. It shall be done.
[Monch leaves.]
Sciurus	I hope that's enough... No, it's definitely enough! For sure...!
<Background 3>
[A pack of Victorian soldiers march through Kjerag's streets.]
Lead Soldier	Faster! Don't forget what we're here to do! In the back, keep pace!
Stern Soldier	Yes, sir!
[The soldiers march faster.]
Lead Soldier	Halt! Gather up! Form up!
Stern Soldier	Sir! Reporting in! Second Squad in formation, sir!
Lead Soldier	Very good then. And Third Squad?
Somber Soldier	Sir! Reporting in! Third Squad in formation, sir!
Lead Soldier	Very good. Jack, have your squad bring up the rear! I want constant vigilance! Don't overlook a single enemy!
Slippery Soldier	Yes, sir!
Lead Soldier	Good, keep those spirits up! All squads, forward march!
Victorian Soldiers	Yes, sir!
<Background fades out and in>
Common Kjerag Man	...... What are those Victorians up to now? Are they holding... weapons?
Common Kjerag Woman	Surely not? Aren't they here to attend the ceremony or something? Have you ever seen them line up in formation like that before? It... It must be all just for show...
Common Kjerag Man	But... I've gotta say, I don't think they've got the same look to them as they did before.
Common Kjerag Woman	...... By Kjeragandr. Kjeragandr protect us from harm...
<Background 1>
[The soldiers arrive near Lake Silberneherze.]
Seasoned Soldier	Reporting in, sir! We've finished scouting ahead. The Saintess has already started leading everyone over to the island!
Harold	Are our men all prepared?
Seasoned Soldier	Yes, sir! All troops in formation! Ready to commence operations at any time!
Harold	Good. Keep them lined up, and await my orders. Lake Silberneherze on a winter's day. Truly one of Kjerag's most beautiful sights. Who would have thought that the next time I clapped eyes on this wonder would be under circumstances like this?
Seasoned Soldier	You've become much gloomier these days, Harold.
Harold	Have I? Haha, you know as they say, "soft days make soft men". Lisburn, after a whole month of R&R, you're still able to swing your sword around?
Seasoned Soldier	It's much heavier than I remember. How about you, Charles?
Somber Soldier	It's a battlefield. We're Victorian soldiers. Not much I can do.
Harold	You're right. In the decades since I joined the army, never have I met finer soldiers than you all. Am I right, Charles?
Somber Soldier	I think I'm gonna puke. But what else can I do? Give the order already, Harold.
Harold	Forgive me, my friends. Alright, orders incoming! Everyone, forward march! Under the guise of building a statue of their goddess, the Kjerags have been secretly transporting military goods under our noses. We will let them know the price of trying to make a fool of Victoria! Mission objective: destroy the statue of Kjeragandr atop the island!
Victorian Soldiers	Yes, sir!
<Background 4>
[The train conductor receives shocking information on her transceiver.]
Conductor	What? The train won't be making further stops? Are you certain of this? Okay. Understood.
Skeptical Passenger	What's going on? Why didn't we stop at that station just now?
Conductor	I am truly, incredibly sorry! Ladies and gentlemen! Our train has run into a small operational issue! Until we arrive at the station at Lake Silberneherze, the train will be increasing in speed, and will not be stopping at intervening stations...
Astonished Passenger	Not stopping? This is unacceptable! I'm meant to get off for sightseeing at the next station!
Unhappy Passenger	Me too! I was going to go and visit the local markets too... Whyever can't you stop the train anyway?!
Conductor	We offer our deepest apologies for this inconvenience to everyone! As compensation, we have prepared for all our passengers a gift as a token of our apology! All passengers may freely pick a souvenir of your choice from our store aboard this train! Whether it's specialty cheeses or a burdenbeast blind box, it's all FREE OF CHARGE!!
Astonished Passenger	Oh... Well, if there's compensation, I suppose that's alright.
Conductor	Ah, that's right! I ask all passengers to note that there is a limited amount of gift-wrapped mountain ice water, so if you would like some, please come as soon as possible—
Skeptical Passenger	Alright, alright! No need to go on any more than that! Okay, sure, speed up the train, no stopping at the stations, whatever! Just gimme one of those super-expensive limited-edition waters already!
Unhappy Passenger	Hey, no cutting in line! Give me a water too!
<Background fades out and in>
"Trilby Asher"	Things sure are lively today. What could possibly be so urgent as to rush this train to Lake Silberneherze? Is it to deliver some mystery goods, or perhaps people...? Either way... I believe I win this hand.
<Background 2>
Monch	The trains here have all been handled, Madam. As per your orders, the premier train next arriving at Lake Silberneherze is now running at top speed. But are you sure that the guests you invited are aboard that train?
Sciurus	Of course I'm sure!
Monch	It's just that, if we happened to be wrong...
Sciurus	No way! They're definitely on that train! Monch, I must ask, do you know how many new relay stations we've built to ensure a smooth signal across all of Kjerag these past three years?
Monch	I... I'm afraid I'm not quite sure.
Sciurus	Well, you've just returned to Kjerag, so I suppose it's natural for you not to know. So listen up and remember this! In Browntail territory alone, we've built five of those top-of-the-line relay stations to ensure that the signal never breaks!
Monch	That many...?
Sciurus	Yep! We also called in some professionals courtesy of that Doctor from Rhodes Island to help out, just to make sure that even amongst our many mountains, our communications will never be blocked! So what I'm trying to say is that, theoretically, as long as it's within Kjerag's borders, there shouldn't be any sort of communications mishap. Aside from some... special places.
Monch	Special places...? ......
Sciurus	Hehe, can't figure it out? They're—
Monch	Could it possibly be the private rooms on the train, Madam?
Sciurus	......
Monch	...... (Oh no, I shouldn't have said that...)
Sciurus	Heh... Bullseye! It's the private rooms on the train! More specifically, the private rooms on the premier train from the foot of Mount Karlan to Lake Silberneherze! That train was a special order from Victoria. As for the other trains that we have, they used that train as a prototype to copy- I mean, to study how to manufacture our own. The walls of the private rooms of that original train are inlaid with materials designed to isolate the occupants from disturbances from outside, so naturally, they will cut off communication signals too. The other trains don't have this feature, because, er, because it would have drastically inflated construction costs...
Monch	I get it now! So what you're saying is, in determining if our guests are in Kjerag already, the very fact that your communicator can't reach them tells us that they must be in that specific train's private rooms! That's amazing, Madam! I'm learning so much about the trains as well!
Sciurus	*cough* *cough* Anyways! Kjerag as it is now and Kjerag as of a few years ago couldn't be more different. I'm not going to ask where you've been these past few years, Monch, and I don't intend to pry into what you've been up to then. I don't even really care about why you didn't go back to that Gnosis either. But if you really want to be my assistant, then you'd better get used to the modern-day Kjerag already! And you'd better not think that I'm still the same old Rus from three years ago, you hear me?
Monch	Yes, Madam! I'll do my best!
Sciurus	Glad to hear it! Eh? Why's there so many people outside? Hey, wait, aren't they...?
<Background fades out and in>
Victorian Soldier	Get back! I said get back! All of you, not a step closer!
Common Kjerag Woman	You... What the hell do you think you're doing?! How dare you try and pull this stunt under Kjeragandr's gaze! Don't even think about trying to ruin today's ceremony!
Common Kjerag Man	Jack? That's you, isn't it, Jack? What are you playing at?!
Victorian Soldier	......
Common Kjerag Man	You... You've just had a bit too much to drink, right? A word of advice from me, today's not the time to make a ruckus! Go tell the others quick, Jack—
Victorian Soldier	Enough! I am under orders to shoot dead the next person who steps forward!
Common Kjerag Woman	Eek!
Common Kjerag Man	...... You know, back when you first showed up, people said that a bunch of foreign soldiers showing up in Kjerag couldn't be up to any good. I didn't believe them. I even spoke up for you guys. It seems that I was blind this entire time. So, this was your real purpose? To ruin our ceremony for Kjeragandr? To strike us down?
Victorian Soldier	......
Common Kjerag Man	Kjeragandr will not forgive you for this. You invite Her wrath upon yourselves!
Victorian Soldier	Hah. Let Her try. We were punished enough as it is, a long time ago.
<Background fades out and in>
Monch	—! Those are Victorian soldiers. Something's not right. They have their uniforms on, and they've got their weapons out too! It looks like there's been some sort of commotion outside! Please, hide yourself, Madam...
The black-haired girl is about to subconsciously hold out her arm to protect her employer. But before the words can even leave her mouth, Sciurus proves to be a step ahead of her, covering her mouth with her own hand and pulling her into a corner.
Sciurus	(Shh!) (Don't say a word, Monch. We need to stay hidden!) (Those Victorians... Didn't they say they were just here to attend the ceremony? Hmph. I guess they've finally shown their true colors.) (This operation of theirs seems pretty big.) (That bitch Ratatos wouldn't know about this trouble yet, would she?)
Monch	(Madam, they have a whole squad of Tschäggättä stationed there, alongside Degenbrecher from Karlan Trade. If trouble reaches them, it probably won't last very long.)
Sciurus	(Yeah... You're probably right.) (And with Yucatan there, my sister will be safe.)
Monch	(......) (Madam, allow me to escort you somewhere safe. I'll go assist Sir Yucatan next.)
Sciurus	(No. I have to stay here to watch them. If things get even more heated here, at least I can stop them for a bit.) (Look, don't worry, nothing's going to happen to me. Even if I did get found, considering that I'm an envoy between Kjerag and Victoria for multiple cooperative business ventures, I doubt they'll have the stones to mess with me.)
Monch	(Madam...)
Sciurus	(Don't look at me like that! I already told you, I'm not the same as I was three years ago!) (Okay, listen up, Monch. I've got something I need you to do.)
Monch	(Yes, Madam! You need only say the word!)
Sciurus	(That Enciodes definitely has some sort of contingency plan up his sleeve for those Victorians. Considering how big this commotion's grown, I can only suspect that something's gone wrong with the deployment of his men.) (Monch, I need you to investigate things for me. Go check up on what's happening over there, and if you get the chance, making the Silverashes owe the Browntails a favor would be pretty nice.)
Monch	(Understood. I'll get it done.) (......)
Sciurus	(What? Something on my face?)
Monch	(Madam...) (You really have grown.)
Sciurus	(Wh-Who asked you?!) (You're a lot younger than me, you know! Stop acting like you're the big sister! Really, you should be treating me like the big sister!)
Monch	(Can I really call you sister?)
Sciurus	(*cough* *cough* We... We'll discuss this later!) (Alright, get moving already!)
Monch	(Yes, Madam!)
<Background 5>
From time to time, Degenbrecher thinks back to ten years ago. Back then, every winter she would accompany Enciodes all across Kjerag. That young man who had just returned to his home country was not yet the deeply experienced person he was now, still quite underripe. He had to do many things himself, rushing about to and fro. One could say that he was hot-blooded, or one could say that he had ambition. Degenbrecher remembered that in the winter of that year, Enciodes brought all his plans and stratagems that he had devised in Victoria back to Kjerag, where he single-handedly founded Karlan Trade. Of the few people who could be called his confidants, she would have just barely been within their number. And thus, she found herself staying in this cold, snowy land. If you were to ask her, while she has long gotten used to the bitter chill, she does not actually like cold weather very much. Kazimierz's winters were cold indeed. Those days, she would make her way through many matches of the Majors in winter. This made the KGCC very unhappy, but whether or not her opponent was happy was never in her mind. Going back even further, Leithanien's winters too, were cold. Was Kjerag's winter not colder than Kazimierz's or Leithanien's? Degenbrecher stamped her foot upon the ice's surface, frost crystals breaking loose under her step.
Enciodes	Thinking back to old times? I remember that year when we had just arrived back in Kjerag from Victoria, we had crossed Lake Silberneherze as well.
Degenbrecher	......
Enciodes	But back then, it was because all the roads had been snowed out. With no railroads or mechanized shovels or vehicles specially designed to handle snow, we were barely able to maintain a handful of flat main streets. Under such heavy snowfalls, and with Karlan Trade only barely having started up, goods piled up behind snowbanks blocking the road, and the trade routes stagnated. We were on the brink of coming to a complete stop... In the end, it was you who helped Leones gather up his burdenbeasts, and by using them to carry those goods across Lake Silberneherze, we were able to alleviate that particular crisis.
Degenbrecher	You talk too much, Enciodes. I assumed that you would have shown more solemnity in light of the ceremony, not take it as an opportunity to babble about old happenings.
Enciodes	My apologies. Some things are simply too unexpected in the moment, and so it is hard not to constantly bring them back to the forefront of one's mind, especially during interesting times such as these. Who would have expected the great Black Knight to be so proficient at riding a burdenbeast.
Degenbrecher	Enciodes.
Enciodes	What?
Degenbrecher	If you are curious as to why I know how to ride a burdenbeast, then you need only ask.
Enciodes	......
Degenbrecher	I learnt it when I was young.
Enciodes	In Leithanien?
Degenbrecher	In Leithanien. If there is ever the opportunity, I could bring the both of you to do some sightseeing. It's not a very exciting place, so don't expect too much.
Enciodes	How is it, compared to Kjerag?
Degenbrecher	It's not as good. Kjerag is nowhere near as cold.
Enciodes	This is the first time I've ever heard you give such an idealistic assessment.
Degenbrecher	That's enough out of you. Alright. We've arrived.
<Background 6>
Enya	Everyone, please come forward. With Kjeragandr as our witness, this ceremony shall soon begin. Let us pray—
[Some of the crowd start yelling and panicking.]
Kjarr	...It appears that some of our more excitable guests can't wait for their cue.
Enciodes	Just who is causing that clamor there?
Ratatos	(Gah, I didn't need this pain in my ass right now!) Yucatan! Why the hell isn't your wife here yet?!
Yucatan	I just got in contact with her, and she says she's nearly here...!
Ratatos	What do you mean "nearly here"?! Listen, you get back in touch with her right now, tell her to go to the moons or something, as far away as possible, just don't come over!
Arctosz	What is going on over here?! What's all this commotion about?!
Gulo	Sir! Those Victorians don't look as friendly as they usually do! I saw that they've got some pretty big weapons of some kind, and they looked real enough to me!
Arctosz	I knew that they were going stab us in the back! Let them come! It's a good thing I told the Paleroche boys to prepare for this! We meet them in battle!
Enya	Hold, Sir Arctosz!
Arctosz	But... Saintess!
[A Tschäggättä warrior runs towards them.]
Tschäggättä	Saintess! Sir Enciodes! The Victorian troops have broken through our guards who were maintaining order, they draw near!
Enya	Send out several squads, and prioritize the safety of any commoners about!
Tschäggättä	Yes, Saintess!
<Background fades out and in>
Degenbrecher	They have made their move. It appears they have several squads of their own lined up to approach us. And at their head is that viscount. What's the plan?
Enciodes	Where are Weiss and Matterhorn?
Gnosis	We haven't received any news from them since last night. They should have been watching the movements of the Victorian Army very closely, and an operation of this size would have prompted a report by now. Unless they had no way of sending that report.
Enciodes	Beware Victorians, even as they bear gifts. Despite my belief that I had managed to establish a strong enough relationship with Viscount Craigavon, it appears that we have not been able to move his heart from its course.
Gnosis	This is no time to stand around licking your wounds, Enciodes. They're already far past the point of pretending to be friendly with us.
Enciodes	They are professional Victorian troops. Whether using drone arrays to bombard us, or hiding their casters in the crowd, their ruthless efficacy is clear. This is still what they consider "pressure". They have not begin[sic] to use "force" just yet.
Gnosis	And I assume you have some sort of plan for this?
Enciodes	We cannot allow them to disrupt the ceremony. Not only will the Vine-Bear Court and the three clans suffer a drastic blow to their reputations, they will lose the trust of the people of Kjerag, alongside the respect of those outside its borders... We would be caught in truly dire straits.
Gnosis	Not exactly the easiest task.
Enciodes	Indeed.
Gnosis	You sound concerned, Enciodes.
Enciodes	We must not allow a true war with Victoria to begin. We need only wait until the next perso... the next distinguished guest arrives. But at the very least, we cannot allow them to get any closer to the statue of Kjeragandr.
Gnosis	But they're pretty much here already.
Degenbrecher	I'll go stop them.
Gnosis	Now's not a good time for jokes. They've got at least two thousand troops out there, how exactly are you going to fight them alone?
Degenbrecher	It will be easier than me having to handle you after a night out, Gnosis.
Gnosis	Like I said, this really isn't a good time to joke around!
Degenbrecher	Who do you think, out of the many people that he knows, Enciodes always calls first?
Gnosis	...*sigh* You're going to get yourself killed.
Degenbrecher	If you don't want me to be killed, then you should put in some more work, Gnosis.
Enciodes	Degenbrecher, I'm sure you're already aware of the risks at hand. I need you to hold them back, at least until we have settled our arrangements here. At this time, Karlan Trade, no, "Kjerag" cannot assist you in the slightest. This is to be the sole work of the Black Knight. Are you able to do it?
Degenbrecher	Heh. This wouldn't be the first time. You all wait here.
[Degenbrecher charges ahead.]
Gnosis	......
Enciodes	It's not good to hold your anger in, Gnosis.
Gnosis	The two of you have talked it over already. I'm not one to make a fuss. At least while Degenbrecher holds back those Victorians, I can send out men to find Weiss and Matterhorn, as well as our "distinguished guests". If they arrive a bit sooner than expected, things might just start looking up for us.
Enciodes	I'll leave that to you then. News of what is happening here will spread fast. I should be bracing myself right about now, so that I can deal with these beasts who saw fit to bare their fangs.
[Enciodes activates his transeiver.]
Enciodes	Hark, they come.
<Background 5>
[The Victorian troops march closer to the Kjeragandr statue.]
Seasoned Soldier	Halt! Everyone, gather up! Get back into formation!
Victorian Soldiers	Yes, sir!
Seasoned Soldier	This fog's mighty thick. Strange, have the Tschäggättä not made their move yet? Why are they just watching from all around the sides? Sure, our operation might have caught them with their pants down, but surely they're going to put up some resistance, right?
Harold	Don't be so quick to dismiss them. The head of the Silverash clan's one wily fellow. *sigh* Kjerag can't afford to go to war with Victoria, but us? We can pretty much take a crap atop their holiest of holies. It's a real funny thing, diplomacy.
Seasoned Soldier	The way things are now, I don't think they've got any room to play defense at the moment.
Harold	Well, you won't know until you give them a poke. Let some other men advance for now! If the Saintess and Clan Silverash still don't react, then we continue with our original plan and prepare to bombard the statue of Kjeragandr.
Seasoned Soldier	Understood. Hmm? Wait, it looks like there's movement on their side! No, that can't be... They've only got... one person over there?
Harold	It's her. The Black Knight. Of course. It could only be her. Although I had guessed that this sort of thing might happen... Seeing the real deal with your own eyes, it's enough to make a man's heart drum with excitement. A lone woman holding back a thousand soldiers. Wow. This really is right out of one of those knight novels.
Seasoned Soldier	You're joking. There's no one person who's got the strength to resist a whole army. The Zhayedans can't, the Silverlance Pegasi can't, not even one of the devils' Royal Courts could. We've seen this sort of thing before ourselves, Harold.
Harold	I know. Of course I do. "You might kill us, but you won't kill any more." But do we really have to pay this price to get what we want? Our army is a machine, consuming an unending amount of fresh meat just so that it can lurch forward once more. Right now, hah, there's just us old boys left. We can't bear the cost of it much longer. You know me, Lisburn. I've always been a bit of a miser. And a miser's heart weeps at every coin lost. As long as they keep bubbling up to the top of my mind, I can hardly sleep soundly at night.
Seasoned Soldier	We're soldiers. We've got no choice.
Harold	You're right. It's all for Victoria. Send the order down, all men, prepare for war! I'll take the lead, and I'll bring along my top brass to meet the legendary Black Knight face to face!
Seasoned Soldier	Yes, sir! Hey, Harold, I'm not going to stop you now. But I've got to ask, how's it feel having to face down the Black Knight that you like so much in the ring?
Harold	Not great. Reminds me of one time during my youth, when I was getting teased at one of the Duke's parties. I ended up drinking an entire cup's worth of straight shots at once. A lot of bitterness, a lot of burning, and a lot of retching. Enough to make you faint, but I will say that I also feel a bit of... excitement.
Harold Craigavon looked towards Kjerag's endless snowscape. All about him, frost blanketed the icy surface of Lake Silberneherze, mist gathered in the air, and in the distance, the statue of Kjeragandr loomed, Her face fuzzy and indistinct. The chill extending all about Her feet made people feel as though they had truly entered the realm of a snow god. The frozen surface of the lake looked as though it was a great shard of rock sugar, covered in icing. In this unreal, dreamlike environment, these men wearing their valor on their sleeve stood out like a sore thumb, and across from them— A vague silhouette appeared within the dense fog that laid thick in the air. Their adversary walked forward, step by step, treading atop the ice and snow towards them. It felt like with every step, she commanded the strength to stop a thousand men in their tracks.
Degenbrecher	This is as far as you go. And you will go no further. If you wish to watch the ceremony, you may watch from here alongside me.
Harold	I would be truly honored to have you accompany me, Madam Degenbrecher! By all rights, I should accept your kind offer, but... As a most trusted partner, Her Grace is very concerned about Kjerag's development issues, and has given me orders to approach the base of Kjeragandr, so as to show our good faith.
Degenbrecher	Concern? Concern armed to the teeth and carrying cannons is a very rare sight indeed.
Harold	Force of circumstance, I do hope you understand. Lately, there has been a most unlawful force at play, wantonly moving prohibited materials about Kjerag under the guise of constructing the statue of Kjeragandr. According to our intelligence, the stronghold of this force happens to be exactly under this holy statue of yours. And so, Her Grace was so concerned about this issue that she commissioned me and my men overnight to investigate.
Degenbrecher	...... A likely story.
Harold	It is, in the end, Her Grace's intent. Who could say if there truly is such a dangerous power underneath the feet of Kjeragandr's statue? But if the Great Saintess and Sir Enciodes were to meet with unfortunate accidents, it would be far too late for regrets by then. Nobody would like to see something like that happen, am I right, Madam Degenbrecher?
Degenbrecher	I don't really care what you say. And naturally, what we do here is none of your business. The people of Kjerag will handle their own issues. We don't need outsiders to order us about.
Harold	*sigh*... I'm afraid that's that, then. I'm truly sorry it came to this, but this is where I must carry out my duty. Also, please excuse my curiosity, Madam Degenbrecher, but considering you managed to hold your tongue so well while I jabbered on... You don't plan on causing delay for us, do you?
Degenbrecher	...... You talk far too much.
Harold	Haha, well, when you're at my age, it's hard not to be a bit of a windbag. But as for you, Madam Degenbrecher. As I've now learnt, you're not the sort of person to indulge in mindless chatter.
Degenbrecher	...Hmph. That's why I hate overly-chatty smartasses.
The woman says no more, slowly unsheathing her long swordbreaker from about her waist. The scraping of the metal lets out a ear-piercing shriek, ending with the sound of it burying its point into the ice, a sound that induces a trembling in the men that none are able to stymie. Since they got the intended message, there is not much more need for words.
Degenbrecher	This manner is more to my tastes. I'll say it again. You will go no further. —None may enter.

After operation

“

The Trilby Asher tries to cut Enciodes off from his defensive ploy, but doesn't foresee that Sciurus has made her own arrangements. Degenbrecher fends off an entire army while not allowing them an inch, and as he watches the odds stack against her, Enciodes's ace in the hole finally arrives, averting the crisis.

”

<Background 5>
[Dozens of Victorian soldiers charge towards Degenbrecher. One is instantly taken out...]
Victorian Soldier A	Erk...
[...and another...]
Victorian Soldier B	Ghakh!...
Victorian Soldier C	Watch out—!
[...and another.]
Degenbrecher	Next.
Victorian Soldier D	...... Heyaaaargh!!
<Background fades out and in>
Victorian Soldier	Reporting in, sir! With Colonel Harold's support, we've brought all our current casualties back to safety! However, as things stand for us, we still don't have a way to strike the enemy where it hurts!
Seasoned Soldier	Charge! Make use of your arms! The enemy is one soldier! Surround her!
Victorian Soldier	But... Sir, wouldn't it be better for us to divert around her? She's an army of one! She's got not hope of holding us if we just widen the front!
Seasoned Soldier	You... gormless idiot! Was that meant to be a revelation to me?
Victorian Soldier	Then why...
Seasoned Soldier	They didn't give you eyes in your head for nothing! You saw what our men on Kjeragandr's doorstep were attempting, didn't you? All of them as smart as you, off to break the perimeter from somewhere else! Compare that to the rest! Are they in as near as bad a state?
Victorian Soldier	...... Sir, you're not telling me...
Seasoned Soldier	Private, I don't know what the hell I could be telling you—DUCK!
Victorian Soldier	Guh...!
[The private barely dodges in time as Degenbrecher approaches them.]
Degenbrecher	My hand slipped. Done gossiping?
Seasoned Soldier	When in the hell did you get here...?!
Degenbrecher	Just now. If you were counting on a few dozen men there to stop me, then you really weren't ready for me.
Seasoned Soldier	Tsk! Monster incarnate... A few dozen won't do the trick? Then surely a few hundred will. How about over a thousand? You'll learn. In the face of a real army, there is no army of one—
Degenbrecher	Clench your teeth.
Seasoned Soldier	What?
Degenbrecher	Keep your mouth shut when I hit you. You don't want to bite your tongue.
A bitter slice of wind whistles through. One against two thousand should be the pinnacle of despair. Her golden eyes tell of no such qualms—stern and still and steady. She is the predator without dispute. She is the ruler over this battlefield. Slight the affairs of one Ms. Degenbrecher, dare to even begin to scorn her, and you too are an affront to her. —You'd best hope your own life meant as little to you.
Seasoned Soldier	—!!
[Harold suddenly appears, deflecting the attack just in time.]
Harold	Steady now, Madam Degenbrecher! If my subordinates have cocked up talks with you, then it falls to me to apologize in their stead.
Degenbrecher	Oh? You? And how long can you shield them for?
Harold	Well! Ha-hah. Might I suggest... until I die a soldier's death?
[Harold narrowly dodges one of her strikes.]
Harold	*hiss*... I'm no match for your namesakes! Clearly I've not the horns to lock with you in a fight. Do you recall, Madam Degenbrecher, when I asked after your name? I no longer see any time like the present. Might I be elucidated?
Degenbrecher	You have the guts to stall with me?
Harold	*wheeze*, *wheeze*! Two of a mind can spare a word in no-man's land! It is done, you know... it's the done thing!
Degenbrecher	...... I barely even remember my real name. You can pretend I never had one. Plenty of people in Leithanien's ruined streets without a name or a home.
Harold	—I'd heard tell of your Leithanian birth, but never had I known that to be your life's story... I once read in the dailies how you pilgrimed home there. Adulation of the masses. Dinners with the upper crust.
Degenbrecher	Throw a trophy at a burdenbeast and watch them love it too. They don't tell the difference. Don't let it fool you. It's not a place where names change anything. No one's going to ask you when you're down in the gutter with the wastewater.
Harold	Yet now you've a name with... such power.
Degenbrecher	Power? Not exactly. It was a sunny day. A Gendarmerie patrol rounded up anyone with no place to go on the corner. One of them was carrying a strange weapon I'd never seen before. No point. No edge. No fine combat technique. No deep method to it. No simpler way to bludgeon. No part was anything of mention. I watched as he took that thing to anybody who tried to resist, and caved in their skulls. From that moment on, it's been clear to me what I have. Not a code, or a creed, or a technique. Nothing that sounds nice out loud. It's violence. So that day, I named myself. I am what I wield.
Harold	...... There's a Minoan school of thought, where they hold violence and victory as sisters. The two are inseparably close—they make one another. A look at you, and I could be convinced. Madam Degenbrecher, if you're violence in the flesh like you say... then who, exactly, is your victory dedicated to? And finally, one last little quibble from me—though I do think—it may not be worth much in the asking. That Gendarmerie who first enlightened you—was victory a sister to him too?
Degenbrecher	I did like his degenbrechers. Good to use, but broke too fast. Just like you, Craigavon. Your arm's almost gone.
Harold	Hush-hush, Madam Degenbrecher! Spare me the truth. I do happen to be command of my own regiment. A little dignity, if you please... Were the clock turned back thirty... no, just twenty years, I'd only be too glad your opponent. But as it stands, and though I hate to admit it, the reality's all too obvious—I'm one of the old ones now.
Degenbrecher	You don't look it.
Harold	Ah-ha, you think so too?! Then I take it back—see, I've been telling them all, my mind's as sharp as ever! It's just this blasted prosthetic leg—the socket always stings on rainy days...
Degenbrecher	...... Less talk.
[Degenbrecher slashes at him.]
Degenbrecher	How long until you give?
Harold	How long until I give is hardly important. What matters is, Madam Degenbrecher, how long until you give?
Degenbrecher	...... You can try me and see.
<Background 6>
Gnosis	Now both sides have made their move. It seems Degenbrecher can still bear out for the moment. Harold is saving his strength, and his bombers and Casters are all but smelling the roses. Your wine may not have been wasted after all, Enciodes.
Enciodes	What of Weiss and Matterhorn?
Gnosis	I've sent a team of Tschäggättä to find them. Given what reports have returned so far, the two were likely taken by surprise.
Enciodes	Viscount Craigavon wouldn't place them in mortal danger. That takes senility, and he has none.
Gnosis	We can only hope. Our people are en route to the station to stand by. They'll send us word immediately once they intercept.
Enciodes	May it be that our guest arrives on time.
Gnosis	What of the merchants that just contacted you?
Enciodes	They won't be too daring for now. Gnosis, pass word onto the Saintess for me—
Enya	You can save that step!
[Enya interrupts and approaches them.]
Enya	I'm right here. If you have something to say, say it to me in person, Sir Enciodes.
Enciodes	Saintess. The Silverashes are disgraced to have allowed such a spiral of events on ceremony grounds. Once the ceremony is over, I will personally take myself to the Vine-Bear Court to apologize to you, Saintess. But for now, I fear the ceremony will need to be postponed for another while.
Enya	As it should. Your message is loud and clear, Sir Enciodes. If there is anything I can do, I ask you continue to come to me directly. And not exploit that my own conscience might force me to see you first.
Enciodes	Saintess, praise thy benevolence. But you and the Court devotees must be prudent right now. After you resume this ceremony yourself, Saintess, that will suffice to appease the people. Degenbrecher's strength needs no introduction. A promise from her is exceedingly rare, and in the event she makes one, it's never broken. I think we should give her our full confidence.
Enya	Is your confidence that Degenbrecher can fight one against a thousand, or that she has the disregard to die valiantly, in perfect service to your schemes?
Enciodes	Degenbrecher is ahead confronting the Victorians, and I know her mentality. She holds that, her own reputation aside, the slate with Kjerag can still be wiped clean should anything goes wrong.
Enya	She... wait, did she tell you this herself?
Enciodes	She defends Kjerag's dignity as one of Her plain, ordinary citizens. Saintess, do you believe that I bluntly ordered her? Provoked her? Even I might say she's changed some. Thus I've trusted her this once—I've gambled on her. Had I not, you might have watched that affable Viscount lose his life to a few "panicked tourists". We gamble for a best case scenario.
Enya	...... "Gamble."
Enciodes	I have always considered the success or failure of anything to hinge on one's own grasp, and not entreaties to gods. Nothing goes unaccounted for. I put all the chips down. I see it through, win or lose. I've never complained about it.
[Enciodes grimaces.]
Enciodes	But...
Enya	Sir Enciodes. Unclasp your hands. You've bruised yourself.
Enciodes	...... I ask you pray for Degenbrecher, Great Saintess.
<Background 7>
[Matterhorn wakes up and discovers that him and Weiss have been tied up.]
Matterhorn	Weiss! Wake up, Weiss!
[Weiss groggily wakes up.]
Weiss	Nngh... Matterhorn...? Where... I...? —! Shit! The Victorians are changing it up! Their goal can't be that simple! We have to contact the Master! Gk—*hiss*—
Matterhorn	Stay still, Weiss! If they even managed to subdue and lock up both you and me, then our squad's people can't have escaped either. I've tried, but brute strength alone isn't going to free us. It's light outside... It looks like it's day already.
Weiss	Where are the Victorians?
Matterhorn	All gone. Unfortunately... they've probably swarmed the ceremonial grounds.
Weiss	...... Matterhorn, help me out here.
Matterhorn	What do you need?
Weiss	I hide a razor in my shoe's upper.[sic] If you can just take it out, Matterhorn... and toss me it!
Matterhorn	Don't be insane! What are you using that razor for? In your position? Do you not value your hands?!
Weiss	I have to try. The Master gave me this mission, and I couldn't complete it. And if that's forced him into a passive situation, then I... In any case, even if I'm too late, and he doesn't need it, I'm still going to redeem what isn't lost! I have to make up for my disappointment!
Matterhorn	...... I suppose you're right.
Matterhorn heaves his body around, laying his fingers over the curve of Weiss's boot. But what follows betrays Weiss's hopes. He doesn't toss the razor over, but instead pinches the paper-thin tool of murder between his fingers, and with great effort, strains and slashes at the rope over Weiss's wrists. In its tenuous grip, the blade slips down between his fingers, and cuts into their pulp. Vivid red blood trickles down his wrist.
Weiss	Matterhorn! Your hand!
Matterhorn	It'll be fine. It's just a scratch. You were going to do the same thing, weren't you? You do have a point, Weiss. The Master's expecting us. We can't leave him waiting too long. Just give me one moment, and I can get this rope cut!
Weiss	Matterhorn...
Monch	Umm...
Weiss	—! Who's there?!
[Monch steps inside the barracks]
Monch	I'm not your enemy. Sorry, you two were having a moment, weren't you?
Weiss	Monch? Didn't you leave Kjerag?
Monch	About that... well, I'll explain in full later. Madam Sciurus sent me out to scout. That's how I found you all tied up in this Victorian camp.
Matterhorn	Where are the others?
Monch	I already set them free. Anyway, both of you, get going. The Victorians kicked off battle at Lake Silberneherze. We need to be there as soon as we can.
<Background 6>
Arctosz	Damn it! She can't hold for long! As if I can sit here and look on!
Ratatos	You get back here, Arctosz! Do you seriously think you have the monopoly on righteous anger, Arctosz? We wish we could step in! If your eyes are shot, then try using your brain! You acting will definitively ruin things!
Arctosz	Stooping behind others so I can feel sorry for myself runs counter to the Paleroche clan's blood! I can't bear to see this!
Ratatos	Bear to see it, you baby! Someone here is having a harder time watching than you, I guarantee.
Arctosz	Ten years that Degenbrecher's lived in Kjerag, hasn't she? Just to be some sacrificial pawn here? If today Enciodes can't settle all this, then no amount of achievement, no spoil for Kjerag, could ever convince me to lend him an ear again. I'm far from the grand actor the rest of you would be! I cannot be as calm as any of you are!
Ratatos	And it's too little, too late for that. All you and I can do now is believe in her.
<Background fades out and in>
Gnosis	I won't be arranging treatment for your wounded hands, then. Remember to hide it with gloves when the time comes. Also, I imagine the Tschäggättä's report aligns with your gut. We can't count on Degenbrecher lasting much longer.
Enciodes	She's no longer evading. She's acting how she used to in her Kazimierz competition days. Only, afterwards...
Gnosis	Afterwards, as she fled the assassins with you, she amended that habit. Any lack of care by her at that point, and you'd die sooner than she did.
Enciodes	Quite. Still no word from your end?
Gnosis	None. My investigators already returned. They're sure your guest boarded the train in question to Lake Silberneherze. If anything, it should have arrived just as the ceremony wound down. As it is, it'll still take some time until that train arrives.
Enciodes	I see... Gnosis, never have I feared any wager. Every step that I take, that I've ever taken, I've staked it all. This time is no different.
Gnosis	I know.
Enciodes	I believe myself to be sufficiently prepared. And yet, I find my patience is made of poorer stuff.
Gnosis	Thank you for telling me what's on your mind, and I know what you want to hear me say. I'll say it for you. If you want to ensure The Black Knight's life, or you don't believe she can last until the end, then give the order now. I can tell you, there are still odds of success. The archers and Casters at our call are best of the best. Blow up the lake's surface, create confusion, and draw the civilians and soldiers both into midwinter's icy pocket. Enciodes, the decision lies with you— Whatever you do, I will support it. But whatever you do, you carry the consequences in kind. Those consequences are no simple political game. You might fail to even bear them. That, I can determine for you.
Enciodes	One quick question. If it were you?
Gnosis	Then the great winter swim would already be in full swing.
Enciodes	Hah. Let's trust in Degenbrecher. Trust she won't fall.
<Background fades out>
<Background 5>
Degenbrecher	It's not enough... Again!
[Degenbrecher strikes down the soldier in front of him.]
Seasoned Soldier	Urgh!
Harold	Lisburn! Charles! Withdraw Lisburn to the rear! You staunch his bleeding, I'll be right there with first aid—!
<Background fades out and in>
[Degenbrecher keeps beating more soldiers, but she's starting to wear out.]
Degenbrecher	...... *cough*...
Victorian Soldier E	She's giving out!
Victorian Soldier F	Now's our chance! Charge!
[The soldiers, empowered, charge at her.]
Degenbrecher	Hah. As long as I can still move a finger...
[She strikes a soldier rushing at her.]
Victorian Soldier	Khakkhhh!
Degenbrecher	I can handle any of you
Harold	Madam Degenbrecher! Surely you're reaching your limits too?! If you really meant to fight us out-and-out, you wouldn't have drawn out this situation in the first place! Fight like this any longer, and I fear death will come for somebody...
Degenbrecher	Isn't that exactly the kind of war you Victorians make an art of starting? The only difference here is, your opponent is me alone. Harold, you're a soldier. And I—am your enemy.
Harold	...Ha-hah, and keenly put, Madam Degenbrecher. But I don't believe for a second that you're blind to it. Karlan Trade's private operations were ferreted out by the Trilby Ashers, and I don't think the Duke will rest on her laurels about it!
Degenbrecher	That—*cough*—is Enciodes's problem.
Harold	This is the very last chance they're leaving Master Enciodes! He need only bend an ear to the Duke, he need only part with a sliver of the cake... Be it just 30% of what we proposed! I could still take that back to the Duke and try, for heaven's sakes! This was never even a war you needed to win...
Degenbrecher	How stupid. Who do you say that as? You're window dressing. You're a tourist. You're a burdenbeast vet. Have you been at leisure for so long, you've begun to believe your own lies?
Harold	......
Degenbrecher	—No. You've never forgotten who you are. You hate war, absolutely. You abandoned what real power was in your hands. You took what men of yours sympathized. You left the maelstrom far behind, and fled to Kjerag. To a land where you thought war could never really happen. But you were still a Victorian inside. No. It wasn't even something you had to remind yourself.
Harold	You might say that. I am a Victorian soldier, Madam. That much is ordained, and I might loathe it, and I might flee it. But I could never sully Victoria's interests.
Degenbrecher	Good. I'm the same.
Is she the same as this Victorian? They don't seem very identical. She's Leithanien-born, Kazimierz-raised, and only then came to Kjerag. They don't need to know her name. All they know is she's born to fight solo, a victor of the knight competitions, the only one to ever win three years running. Turn the clock further back, and she's a freak cut off from Originium Arts, a pariah in Leithanien. Gaining and losing any of these things is dead simple. They bore her to death. But now, what she has isn't so easily lost, and she has no plans to lose them. Now, they are the same.
Degenbrecher	This dull chat—*cough*—ends here.
Harold	I feel all too sorry for you, Madam Degenbrecher. Oh, would that we hadn't come to this point. But if you wish it, then I choose to respect it. I must stress at this closing hour that I am, through and through, your fan. The show you made in besting each opponent dazzled like nothing else. This and this alone I ask you to believe. It cannot be lied.
Degenbrecher	Hah. Noted.
Harold	It's my honor.
Riddled with scars, she raises her degenbrechers once more Just as she did in her first appearance before them all, Degenbrecher's point stabs into the ice. The mist, constant over Lake Silberneherze, parts. A subdued, gargantuan rumble sinks in her enemies' stomachs. Kchk. Kchk. There comes the fine sound of cracking, and it's deafening.
Degenbrecher	Time to end this.
Harold	—! Order to all units! Stop her breaking the ice! Regroup ASAP! Put down "The Black Knight of Kazimierz"!
<Background black>
[The Trilby Asher slides open a carriage door.]
Nothing.
[He opens the next door...]
It's not in here.
[...And the next...]
Oh, and it's not here either. Well, that just leaves...
<Background 4>
Conductor	Excuse me, sir, the train is speeding up! If you must wander, then please watch your step! Oh, right, you haven't received your complimentary gift yet, have you? Can I ask what you'd like? As compensation for your journey's delay, your purchase is completely free this time!
"Trilby Asher"	No need.
Conductor	But, sir, it's a free gift...
"Trilby Asher"	Then I give this gift to you, madam.
Conductor	Er, but, that's not...
"Trilby Asher"	Take it. Now excuse me, if I could pass through?
Conductor	A-Alright!
"Trilby Asher"	Thank you.
[The Trilby Asher walks past her.]
Conductor	*huff*... *pant*... Urp... oh, what in the land? My legs are a little wobbly...
<Background fades out and in>
"Trilby Asher"	(Now, only the last cabin remains.) (After all this time running around, I'm ragged.) (I could retire... *sigh* Not when Londinium's still refinding its footing. Her Grace would never let me.) (What will I find behind this door?) (Their Kjerag Defense, hidden until this very moment, buried deeper than even their covert transport routes...) (Whatever it is, it's a shame.) It's a shame—Silverash will never get to meet his...
[He opens the door and sees...]
"Trilby Asher"	......
Silver-clad Knight	Huh? What's up, panisko? Sorry, we've got no seats left in our cabin. I think you want to try someplace else.
Man In a Suit	Uh, actually, I can just lea...
[The Trilby Asher shuts the door.]
<Background 4>
"Trilby Asher"	...... ............
[The Trilby Asher reopens the door.]
Silver-clad Knight	Did you need something, panisko? I'm not kidding, we're full in here. I mean, you can see. We're bumping shoulders just trying to look around.
Man In a Suit	Yeah, that's why I'm saying I can absolutely just leave and find my own seat! I'm not kidding either! You—You guys seriously don't gotta sit in a cab with me!
Silver-clad Knight	Don't be like that, Mr. Spokesman. You and us, we're invited together, aren't we? It was all one letter. And this cabin, perfect amount of room for us all to sit. They look after you on the way too. And with us around, the safety problem is no problem.
Man In a Suit	Safety's not my problem here, yeah, no... I don't think it's "perfect", is the thing?? You guys get to sit on the benches and I have to dump my butt on the table!
"Trilby Asher"	...Apologies, excuse me.
[The Trilby Asher shuts the door again.]
<Background 4>
"Trilby Asher"	...... I see... I understand. I must be dreaming. Kazimierz campaign knights and a KGCC representative spokesman sat in the same private cabin of a railway car... So this is the defense Silverash plays. How bold. How well and truly typical of the clan head's style. Your Grace, I can't say it was for lack of trying... But while duty might call me to fight a gaggle of campaign knights at once, I... think it's a little out of the question.
???	More than a little. I guess your job's not easy either.
"Trilby Asher"	—?!
Sharp	Stay calm. Just passing through.
"Trilby Asher"	That uniform... ...This is quite the surprise party. What is a Rhodes Islander doing here?
Sharp	You'll have to ask my boss.
<Dialogue branch starts here>
Doctor	Et tu, Caster's lackey?
"Trilby Asher"	Quite the shocker indeed. I wasn't expecting you in the flesh. But the funny thing is, weren't Rhodes Island and Kjerag only meant to be "business partners"? Yes, if there's one thing I can trust, it's my memory.
<Dialogue branch>
Doctor	Any questions, Mr. Bellingham?
"Trilby Asher"	Many happy returns... "Doctor". And we have a Rhodes Island Operator here? It seems the dossiers were right—we still haven't full stock of your company's many faces. Still, that aside for now. No surprise could be more pleasant, meeting you here. In all sincerity, I come with open arms this time. After all, I'm not even out of this disguise, and you recognize me by it.
<Dialogue branch ends here>
"Trilby Asher"	Rhodes Island, you—
???	Yeesh, Doctor! A little help here!
Doctor	Muelsyse!
[Rhine Lab Ecological Section Director, Muelsyse, enters the hallway...]
Muelsyse	Hmm? 'Sup? Our stop's coming up! We gotta get the tech packed, Doc... Oop? Who're you guys...?
[...followed by Leto.]
Leto	Doctor, maybe we oughta bug the conductor to go a little faster... Hey, it's you!
"Trilby Asher"	Rhodes Island and Columbia's Rhine Lab... well, well, well. I see it's no coincidence you're all here, then.
Muelsyse	Oh, jeez, I guess someone knows me already. Doc, Mr. Sharp, Letobomb, aren't you gonna introduce this hatsy guy to me here?
<Background 6>
Enya	Kjarr, I'd like to know. Would Kjeragandr bless the woman waging such a bloody battle for this statue? Though she is born from other lands? Though in Kjeragandr, she has oh so little faith?
Kjarr	Heheh. That's a very easy question, Saintess. The term "Kjerag" simply means one who lives there, who adores this land, who finds a home in this nation. It's no matter whether Kjeragandr recognizes it. If a person identifies with it from the bottom of their heart, well, who can deny that?
Enya	...... Yes. No one can deny that. Not even she, herself. She is a Kjerag. She already was. Kjarr, come with me to meet our visitors. Our Victorian guests have come to partake in the ceremony. As Saintess, I have to make an adequate response. At the very least, I can't go without saying hello.
Kjarr	I'd like to stress—the danger of this. But... very well, Saintess.
<Background fades out and in>
[Yucatan returns with Sciurus.]
Yucatan	Matriarch! Sciurus is back!
Ratatos	She is?! Some nerve being late... wait, no, I told her to keep out of this! Why did she come HERE?!
Sciurus	Who's saying I can't come? And I didn't just come, I brought some special guests with me too!
Ratatos	Is this let's-bring-guests timing to you? You make a language out of inane, you silly sister!
Sciurus	...I am NOT being silly.
Enciodes	Indeed. Madam Sciurus's hand is deft and wise. I find her admirable. Ratatos, you'd do well to finally raise your opinion of her.
Ratatos	...What the hell is this, Enciodes?
Monch	Madam Sciurus, the guests have arrived safely.
Sciurus	Good! Bring them all in!
Gnosis	......
Monch	...... I'm out.
[Monch awkwardly leaves after seeing her former employer.]
Weiss	Master! Your guests are here already!
Sciurus	Your who? These are MY guests I invited!
[A Kazimierz knights approaches the group.]
Campaign Knight	You're Madam Sciurus of the Browntail clan? Very pleased you invited us to be part of this ceremony.
Ratatos	Sciurus... is this your pleasant surprise?
Sciurus	Uh, duh! Let me introduce you all! We have here our campaign knight from the Adeptus Sprawiedliwi Kazimierz, here to celebrate the erection of our statue to Kjeragandr! I sent an invitation especially to the Adeptus! That was NOT an easy invitation to make! So they're MY guests!
Enciodes	It's just a coincidence, Madam Sciurus. I cannot laud you enough that you were able to invite a campaign knight. My guest of honor, meanwhile, would be this fellow— Welcome, Sir Spokesman of the General Chamber of Commerce.
[Spokesman Mob approaches them.]
Spokesman Mob	Hello to you. I'm taking it you're Mr. Silverash? Good to meetcha, good to meetcha, and hello from my company. Thank you for all the effort of inviting me out to Kjerag. The scenery here in Kjerag, supremely beautiful. I believe your company and mine will absolutely end the day here with a partnership we both love. Oh, and don't mind me but I gotta say, I think I saw some mad fight out on a frozen lake the whole way here? And kind of familiar too, like, one guy. I mean, those combat moves, they rang bells in my head. Oh sorry, excuse me if I'm talking too much? It's, uh, a holdover from the old job. Ahem. Right, I'll be careful not to say too much that doesn't work towards us working together.
Enciodes	No, Mr. Mob, I'm in need of your exact talent right now.
Spokesman Mob	Come again? You need...?
Enciodes	Yes. Right now, this very moment. Please, come with me. I'll have them cast sound amplification Arts. May I ask you to loudly proclaim that— Karlan Trade, and the corporations of the Kazimierz General Chamber of Commerce, are about to sign an agreement. To Kazimierz, Kjerag will become a trusty partner.
<Background fades out>
...What's that noise? It's not anyone splashing into the icewater, and it's not cries for help. It sounds like someone loudly saying something, and then the people all about her stumble in disarray. That loud voice. But whatever it's saying, she can't tell clearly. Her field of view narrows and dims by a fraction more. The sounds almost turn to fuzz in her ears. She can't feel her own limbs anymore, but she can be sure she still has a grip on her old companions. Her degenbrechers. Because she knows her body is still acting on reflex, striking down every person that comes near. It's just... too loud. Too loud. How can someone talk this noisily? Why has the crowd gone? Did someone breach her line of defense already? No. The wild beast's dulling eyes of gold suddenly flare alight. —As long as she can stand. —She will allow absolutely no one past!
<Background 5>
Harold	...brecher! Madam Degenbrecher! Stop fighting... Gah! You've lost too much blood, Madam Degenbrecher! Come to your senses a little!
Degenbrecher	......
Harold	Aht-aht-aht, keep flailing at this rate and you'll sink us both in the lake!
Degenbrecher	We're not fighting?
Harold	No more fighting, no more! Goodness, however much the Duke wants to slap Kjerag in the face, we can't be showing Kazimierz the hand in the process... at least not now. Kept between Victoria and Kjerag, one might still call it the Duke's personal Silverash grievances. But the moment you bring Kazimierz into it too, things become far, far less simple. Are the gourmands of Kazimierz already inviting Karlan Trade to the table? With such distance between them, and in such short order? What a talented young individual.
Degenbrecher	......
Harold	And I know the Duke won't reproach me for deciding to stay my hand. Spiffing excuse. A good half my men you batted into the lake, Madam Degenbrecher. It was a backbreaker to scoop them out again... If we'd kept going like that, I'd need another pair of arms to treat you all!
Seasoned Soldier	I say you need them as is. *cough*
Harold	I take no criticism from anyone still hacking up blood.
Degenbrecher	...We're done?
Harold	Well and truly done.
Degenbrecher	Okay.
Enciodes pulled it off. She did what she needed to. That's all Degenbrecher hears.
Harold	Now, Madam, stop there! The lives we live, they always tend to be out of our hands. I wanted to retire eons ago myself, but I have to keep my own men, my all too often down-and-out brothers in mind. With this, it finally ought to be my turn for once, hm? And in light of the fact your faithful fan's been beaten black and blue... Could you give me your autograph?
Degenbrecher	...You're still in the mood for that? This card... heh.
Harold	Do tell?
Degenbrecher	The first time I won the Major, they wouldn't leave me alone until I agreed to a photoshoot. After that, I never agreed to another one. They were too boring for me.
Harold	I see. No wonder The Black Knight's knight trumps always come in those same poses, edition after edition.
Degenbrecher accepts the pen Harold holds out to her, and writes her name—"Degenbrecher".
Degenbrecher	Take it. You'd better not have anything else for me to sign.
Harold	Ah, Madam, where are you going? Do you need some quick treatment? My first aid's excellent, you know.
Degenbrecher lifts her head to look to the dawn. In the distance, two figures walk, approaching her. She still can't make them out, but she knows who they are. It's like Kjeragandr on high is gazing down on her, someplace as high as the sun.
Degenbrecher	No need. I'm going back. There's people waiting for me.